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Cutaneous basal cell carcinoma in situ is a recently proposed subtype of this skin cancer. It is characterized by either restriction of the tumor cells within the epidermis or the presence of tumor cells contiguous with the overlying epidermis that extend into the underlying dermis, or both. Importantly, cancer invasion-demonstrated by non-contiguous aggregates of basaloid tumor cells in the dermis-is not a feature of in situ basal cell carcinoma of the skin. A 63-year-old woman with cutaneous basal cell carcinoma in situ-superficial type that presented as an erythematous scaly plaque on her abdomen and a 61-year-old man with a cutaneous basal cell carcinoma in situ-fibroepithelioma type that presented as a flesh-colored smooth exophytic nodule on his back are reported. The characteristics of in situ basal cell carcinoma of the skin in these individuals are summarized. In conclusion, similar to other cutaneous malignant neoplasms-such as squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, and Merkel cell carcinoma-basal cell carcinoma of the skin can also present as an in situ cancer.

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is prevalent, especially in elderly males. The high rate of recurrence, treatment regime, and follow-up monitoring make UC a global health and economic burden. Arsenic is a ubiquitous toxicant that can be found in drinking water, and it is known that exposure to arsenic is associated with UC development. Around 25% of diagnosed UC cases are muscle-invasive (MIUC) which have poor prognosis and develop chemoresistance, especially if tumors are associated with squamous differentiation (SD). The immortalized UROtsa cell line is derived from normal human urothelium and our lab has malignantly transformed these cells using arsenite (As3+). These cells represent a basal subtype model of MIUC and the tumors derived from the As3+-transformed cells histologically and molecularly resemble clinical cases of the basal subtype of MIUC that have focal areas SD and expression of the basal keratins (KRT1, 5, 6, 14, and 16). Our previous data demonstrate that KRT6 protein expression correlates to areas of SD within the tumors. For this study, we performed a lentiviral knockdown of KRT6 in As3+-transformed UROtsa cells to evaluate the effects on morphology, gene/protein expression, growth, colony formation, and cisplatin sensitivity. The knockdown of KRT6 resulted in decreased expression of the basal keratins, decreased growth, decreased colony formation, and increased sensitivity to cisplatin, the standard treatment for MIUC. The results of this study suggest that KRT6 plays a role in UC cell growth and is an exploitable target to increase cisplatin sensitivity for MIUC tumors that may have developed resistance to cisplatin treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fibulin-2 (FBLN2) is a secreted extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein and has been identified in the mouse mammary gland, in cap cells of terminal end buds (TEBs) during puberty, and around myoepithelial cells during early pregnancy. It is required for basement membrane (BM) integrity in mammary epithelium, and its loss has been associated with human breast cancer invasion. Herein, we attempted to confirm the relevance of FBLN2 to myoepithelial phenotype in mammary epithelium and to assess its expression in molecular subtypes of human breast cancer. Methods: The relationship between FBLN2 expression and epithelial markers was investigated in pubertal mouse mammary glands and the EpH4 mouse mammary epithelial cell line using immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and immunoblotting. Human breast cancer mRNA data from the METABRIC and TCGA datasets from Bioportal were analyzed to assess the association of Fbln2 expression with epithelial markers, and with molecular subtypes. Survival curves were generated using data from the METABRIC dataset and the KM databases. Results: FBLN2 knockdown in mouse mammary epithelial cells was associated with a reduction in KRT14 and an increase in KRT18. Further, TGFβ3 treatment resulted in the upregulation of FBLN2 in vitro. Meta-analyses of human breast cancer datasets from Bioportal showed a higher expression of Fbln2 mRNA in claudin-low, LumA, and normal-like breast cancers compared to LumB, Her2 +, and Basal-like subgroups. Fbln2 mRNA levels were positively associated with mesenchymal markers, myoepithelial markers, and markers of epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Higher expression of Fbln2 mRNA was associated with better prognosis in less advanced breast cancer and this pattern was reversed in more advanced lesions. Conclusion: With further validation, these observations may offer a molecular prognostic tool for human breast cancer for more personalized therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a significant difference in prognosis and response to chemotherapy between basal and classical subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Further biomarkers are required to identify subtypes of PDAC. We selected candidate biomarkers via review articles. Correlations between these candidate markers and the PDAC molecular subtype gene sets were analyzed using bioinformatics, confirming the biomarkers for identifying classical and basal subtypes. Subsequently, 298 PDAC patients were included, and their tumor tissues were immunohistochemically stratified using these biomarkers. Survival data underwent analysis, including Cox proportional hazards modeling. Our results indicate that the pairwise and triple combinations of KRT5/KRT17/S100A2 exhibit a higher correlation coefficient with the basal‐like subtype gene set, whereas the corresponding combinations of GATA6/HNF4A/TFF1 show a higher correlation with the classical subtype gene set. Whether analyzing unmatched or propensity‐matched data, the overall survival time was significantly shorter for the basal subtype compared with the classical subtype (p <.001), with basal subtype patients also facing a higher risk of mortality (HR = 4.017, 95% CI 2.675–6.032, p <.001). In conclusion, the combined expression of KRT5, KRT17, and S100A2, in both pairwise and triple combinations, independently predicts shorter overall survival in PDAC patients and likely identifies the basal subtype. Similarly, the combined expression of GATA6, HNF4A, and TFF1, in the same manner, may indicate the classical subtype. In our study, the combined application of established biomarkers offers valuable insights for the prognostic evaluation of PDAC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both the canonical Wnt and androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathways are important for prostate organogenesis and homeostasis. How they crosstalk to regulate prostate stem cell behaviors remains unclear. Here, we show in lineage-tracing mouse models that although Wnt is essential for basal stem cell multipotency, ectopic Wnt activity promotes basal cell over-proliferation and squamous phenotypes, which are counteracted by elevated levels of androgen. In prostate basal cell organoids, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) antagonizes R-spondin-stimulated growth in a concentration-dependent manner. DHT down-regulates the expressions of a Wnt reporter and target genes, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses identify Wnt signaling as a key altered pathway. Mechanistically, DHT enhances AR and β-catenin protein binding, and CUT&RUN analyses reveal that ectopic AR sequesters β-catenin away from its Wnt-related cistrome. Our results suggest that an intermediate level of Wnt activity in prostate basal stem cells, achieved via AR-β-catenin interaction, is essential for normal prostate homeostasis.

Translocation of maturity factors through the basal plate of double-nose L. longiflorum Thunb. ‘Nellie White’ and L. ×elegans Thunb. was investigated. Both mother (M) and daughter (D) scales were attached (+M+D) or the scales were removed (-M-D) from one or both sides of the double-nose bulb. The double-nose ‘Nellie White’ bulbs were grouped into +M+D/+M+D, +M+D/-M-D, and -M-D/-M-D. The basal plate of the +M+D/-M-D ‘Nellie White’ bulb was separated 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 days after potting. The basal plate of the +M+D/-M-D 'Inferno' bulb was separated at 0, 4, 8, and 16 days after potting. The maturity factor evaluated by the speed of shoot emergence and the number of flowers and leaves was translocated from the +M+D bulb to the -M-D bulb of the non-separated +M+D/-M-D bulb. The translocation of maturity factors in ‘Nellie White’ bulbs was completed before bulb separation in 40 days after potting. In ‘Inferno’ no differences in the number of flowers and leaves were observed between shoots that emerged from the +M+D bulb and the -M-D bulb of the +M+D/-M-D bulb, indicating that the maturity factors in ‘Inferno’ were not translocated. The differences in translocation responses between ‘Nellie White’ and ‘Inferno’ are that the shoot apex in ‘Nellie White’ is under the vegetative growth stage and the shoot apex in ‘Inferno’ is under the reproductive development stage when the vernalized bulbs are potted following scale removal treatment.

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is prevalent, especially in elderly males. The high rate of recurrence, treatment regime, and follow-up monitoring make UC a global health and economic burden. Arsenic is a ubiquitous toxicant that can be found in drinking water, and it is known that exposure to arsenic is associated with UC development. Around 25% of diagnosed UC cases are muscle-invasive (MIUC) which have poor prognosis and develop chemoresistance, especially if tumors are associated with squamous differentiation (SD). The immortalized UROtsa cell line is derived from normal human urothelium and our lab has malignantly transformed these cells using arsenite (As3+). These cells represent a basal subtype model of MIUC and the tumors derived from the As3+-transformed cells histologically and molecularly resemble clinical cases of the basal subtype of MIUC that have focal areas SD and expression of the basal keratins (KRT1, 5, 6, 14, and 16). Our previous data demonstrate that KRT6 protein expression correlates to areas of SD within the tumors. For this study, we performed a lentiviral knockdown of KRT6 in As3+-transformed UROtsa cells to evaluate the effects on morphology, gene/protein expression, growth, colony formation, and cisplatin sensitivity. The knockdown of KRT6 resulted in decreased expression of the basal keratins, decreased growth, decreased colony formation, and increased sensitivity to cisplatin, the standard treatment for MIUC. The results of this study suggest that KRT6 plays a role in UC cell growth and is an exploitable target to increase cisplatin sensitivity for MIUC tumors that may have developed resistance to cisplatin treatment.

Purpose: The role of alcohol in young-onset breast cancer (YOBC) is unclear. We examined associations between lifetime alcohol consumption and YOBC in the Young Women's Health History Study, a population-based case–control study of breast cancer among Non-Hispanic Black and White women < 50 years of age. Methods: Breast cancer cases (n = 1,812) were diagnosed in the Metropolitan Detroit and Los Angeles County SEER registry areas, 2010–2015. Controls (n = 1,381) were identified through area-based sampling and were frequency-matched to cases by age, site, and race. Alcohol consumption and covariates were collected from in-person interviews. Weighted multivariable logistic regression was conducted to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between alcohol consumption and YOBC overall and by subtype (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2, or triple negative). Results: Lifetime alcohol consumption was not associated with YOBC overall or with subtypes (all ptrend ≥ 0.13). Similarly, alcohol consumption in adolescence, young and middle adulthood was not associated with YOBC (all ptrend ≥ 0.09). An inverse association with triple-negative YOBC, however, was observed for younger age at alcohol use initiation (< 18 years vs. no consumption), aOR (95% CI) = 0.62 (0.42, 0.93). No evidence of statistical interaction by race or household poverty was observed. Conclusions: Our findings suggest alcohol consumption has a different association with YOBC than postmenopausal breast cancer—lifetime consumption was not linked to increased risk and younger age at alcohol use initiation was associated with a decreased risk of triple-negative YOBC. Future studies on alcohol consumption in YOBC subtypes are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by a quick and high rate of recurrence. The benefits from neo-adjuvant chemotherapy associated with anti-PDL1 have been shown to be efficient in this aggressive form of breast cancer. Ferroptosis inducers (erastin/RSL3) induced the upregulation of CD274 in TNBC cells. Basal and TNBC subtypes of breast cancers overexpressed CD274 conjointly with three ferroptosis drivers: TNFAIP3, IFNG and IDO1 (IDO1: inhibitory immune checkpoint). These tumors present higher levels of recurrence. A potential synergy of ferroptosis inducers with anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy is suggested in recurrent TNBC. (1) Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a distinct subgroup of breast cancer presenting a high level of recurrence, and neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is beneficial in its therapy management. Anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy improves the effect of neo-adjuvant therapy in TNBC. (2) Methods: Immune-modulation and ferroptosis-related R-packages were developed for integrative omics analyses under ferroptosis-inducer treatments: TNBC cells stimulated with ferroptosis inducers (GSE173905, GSE154425), single cell data (GSE191246) and mass spectrometry on breast cancer stem cells. Clinical association analyses were carried out with breast tumors (TCGA and METABRIC cohorts). Protein-level validation was investigated through protein atlas proteome experiments. (3) Results: Erastin/RSL3 ferroptosis inducers upregulate CD274 in TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231 and HCC38). In breast cancer, CD274 expression is associated with overall survival. Breast tumors presenting high expression of CD274 upregulated some ferroptosis drivers associated with prognosis: IDO1, IFNG and TNFAIP3. At the protein level, the induction of Cd274 and Tnfaip3 was confirmed in breast cancer stem cells under salinomycin treatment. In a 4T1 tumor treated with cyclophosphamide, the single cell expression of Cd274 was found to increase both in myeloid- and lymphoid-infiltrated cells, independently of its receptor Pdcd1. The CD274 ferroptosis-driver score computed on a breast tumor transcriptome stratified patients on their prognosis: low score was observed in the basal subgroup, with a higher level of recurrent risk scores (oncotypeDx, ggi and gene70 scores). In the METABRIC cohort, CD274, IDO1, IFNG and TNFAIP3 were found to be overexpressed in the TNBC subgroup. The CD274 ferroptosis-driver score was found to be associated with overall survival, independently of TNM classification and age diagnosis. The tumor expression of CD274, TNFAIP3, IFNG and IDO1, in a biopsy of breast ductal carcinoma, was confirmed at the protein level (4) Conclusions: Ferroptosis inducers upregulate PD-L1 in TNBC cells, known to be an effective target of immunotherapy in high-risk early TNBC patients who received neo-adjuvant therapy. Basal and TNBC tumors highly expressed CD274 and ferroptosis drivers: IFNG, TNFAIP3 and IDO1. The CD274 ferroptosis-driver score is associated with prognosis and to the risk of recurrence in breast cancer. A potential synergy of ferroptosis inducers with anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy is suggested for recurrent TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Microcystic urothelial carcinoma (MUC) is a rare variant of urothelial carcinoma with histological appearances similar to begin lesions. Thus far, approximately 50 cases have been reported. Here, we investigated the clinicopathological features of MUC. Methods Clinical data and paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were collected. Immunohistochemical staining and polymerase chain reaction–Sanger sequencing were performed to detect the phenotype and TERT mutation status of MUC, respectively. Results The mean patient age was 58.8 ± 14.5 years, with a male predominance (8:2). The pathological stage was T1 in one case, T2 in three cases, T3 in four cases, and T4 in two cases. Tumor metastases or death occurred in all five patients who were followed up within 1–3 years. Histological analyses revealed microcystic, tubular, cribriform, and occasionally cord-like structures, which generally lacked interstitial reactions. The lumens were empty, contained eosinophilic secretion, or were filled with mucin. The microcysts/tubules/cribriform patterns were lined by flat, cuboid, signet ring, or columnar types of epithelia. The cuboid, signet ring, and columnar types represented “glandular metaplasia” or glandular differentiation of urothelial carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry analyses revealed distinct co-expression patterns involving the luminal markers FOXA1 and GATA3, as well as the basal markers CK5/6 and CD44. All 10 cases exhibited a luminal phenotype according to the GATA3+/CK14- criterion, whereas nine cases exhibited a luminal phenotype according to the FOXA1+/CK14- criterion. The telomerase reverse transcriptase-C228T mutation was detected in seven cases. Conclusions MUC is a rare variant with a deceptively benign form of urothelial carcinoma, which is generally identified as a late-stage tumor with a poor prognosis. It exhibits distinct co-expression of luminal and basal markers, along with the TERT-C228T mutation.

Human papillomavirus-associated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (high-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia [HSIL] or VIN of usual type) is a lesion characterized by atypia extending from the basal layer to the upper epidermis. There are only rare reports of vulvar intraepithelial morphology exhibiting a pagetoid pattern of intraepithelial dissemination. We herein report two cases of vulvar HSIL in which a pagetoid pattern of spread and a largely uninvolved basal layer represented a diagnostic pitfall for extramammary Paget disease. Nuclear atypia reminiscent of HSIL in addition to expression of p16, KRT5/6, and p40 were however in favor of pagetoid HSIL. Although there is morphological and immunohistochemical overlap between these two entities, an accurate diagnosis is important, since an erroneous diagnosis of vulvar extramammary Paget disease may lead to an extensive workup comprising radiological imaging, colonoscopy, and cystoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purification effect of a natural wetland landscape is often low when the focus is placed on the landscape effect. The effective combination of constructed wetland technology with landscape construction is challenging. Taking the Yuhe Wetland Park in Datong, Shanxi Province, China, as an example, the COD, phosphorus, and nitrogen removal capacities of aquatic plant species were determined, as well as the effects of the soil and the microbial communities. The highest COD and P removal capacity was observed for Typha orientalis Presl. which the purification rate reached 76.9% and 76.6%, and the highest N removal capacities were found for Scirpus validus Vahl., the rate of purification was 83.4%. Gram-negative bacteria were dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can be a component of a collision tumor in which the skin cancer is present at the same cutaneous site as either a benign tumor or a malignant neoplasm. However, BCC can also concurrently occur at the same skin location as a non-neoplastic cutaneous condition. These include autoimmune diseases (vitiligo), cutaneous disorders (Darier disease), dermal conditions (granuloma faciale), dermal depositions (amyloid, calcinosis cutis, cutaneous focal mucinosis, osteoma cutis, and tattoo), dermatitis, miscellaneous conditions (rhinophyma, sarcoidal reaction, and varicose veins), scars, surgical sites, systemic diseases (sarcoidosis), systemic infections (leischmaniasis, leprosy and lupus vulgaris), and ulcers. The relationship between the BCC and the coexisting non-neoplastic condition may be coincidental or possibly related to the development of the BCC; alternatively, the development of the BCC may be unrelated to the coexisting non-neoplastic conditions and secondary to either a Koebner isomorphic response or a Wolf isotopic response in an immunocompromised district of skin. This paper reviews several of the case reports and studies that describe the association of BCC with these non-neoplastic cutaneous conditions.

Background: Microcystic urothelial carcinoma (MUC) is a rare variant of urothelial carcinoma with histological appearances similar to begin lesions. Thus far, approximately 50 cases have been reported. Here, we investigated the clinicopathological features of MUC. Methods: Clinical data and paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were collected. Immunohistochemical staining and polymerase chain reaction–Sanger sequencing were performed to detect the phenotype and TERT mutation status of MUC, respectively. Results: The mean patient age was 58.8 ± 14.5 years, with a male predominance (8:2). The pathological stage was T1 in one case, T2 in three cases, T3 in four cases, and T4 in two cases. Tumor metastases or death occurred in all five patients who were followed up within 1–3 years. Histological analyses revealed microcystic, tubular, cribriform, and occasionally cord-like structures, which generally lacked interstitial reactions. The lumens were empty, contained eosinophilic secretion, or were filled with mucin. The microcysts/tubules/cribriform patterns were lined by flat, cuboid, signet ring, or columnar types of epithelia. The cuboid, signet ring, and columnar types represented "glandular metaplasia" or glandular differentiation of urothelial carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry analyses revealed distinct co-expression patterns involving the luminal markers FOXA1 and GATA3, as well as the basal markers CK5/6 and CD44. All 10 cases exhibited a luminal phenotype according to the GATA3+/CK14- criterion, whereas nine cases exhibited a luminal phenotype according to the FOXA1+/CK14- criterion. The telomerase reverse transcriptase-C228T mutation was detected in seven cases. Conclusions: MUC is a rare variant with a deceptively benign form of urothelial carcinoma, which is generally identified as a late-stage tumor with a poor prognosis. It exhibits distinct co-expression of luminal and basal markers, along with the TERT-C228T mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the surgical treatment of the most common fracture of the mandible, which is a fracture of the condylar base, a great choice of different plate shapes is observed. The aim of this study was to determine which shape gives the greatest fixation stiffness. To ensure homogeneity in comparison, tests were performed on polyurethane models divided at the level of the condylar base fracture and each were fixed with 51 plates. The plates were cut from a 1 mm thick grade 23 titanium sheet. The models were then loaded and the force required for 1 mm of fracture displacement was recorded. It was noted that in addition to osteosynthesis from two simple plates, there were also two dedicated single plates with similar rigidity. Among the large number of described designs of plates, there is considerable variation in terms of the stability of the fixation performed with them. The proposed Mechanical Excellence Factor allows a pre-evaluation of the expected rigidity of fixation with a given plate shape without the need for a loading experiment. The authors expect this to be helpful for surgeons in the application of relevant plates, as well for inventors of new plates for the osteosynthesis of basal fractures in mandibular condyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urothelial cancer (UC) is a common malignancy and its development is associated with arsenic exposure. Around 25% of diagnosed UC cases are muscle invasive (MIUC) and are frequently associated with squamous differentiation. These patients commonly develop cisplatin (CIS) resistance and have poor prognosis. SOX2 expression is correlated to reduced overall and disease-free survival in UC. SOX2 drives malignant stemness and proliferation in UC cells and is associated with development of CIS resistance. Using quantitative proteomics, we identified that SOX2 was overexpressed in three arsenite (As3+)-transformed UROtsa cell lines. We hypothesized that inhibition of SOX2 would reduce stemness and increase sensitivity to CIS in the As3+-transformed cells. Pevonedistat (PVD) is a neddylation inhibitor and is a potent inhibitor of SOX2. We treated non-transformed parent and As3+-transformed cells with PVD, CIS, or in combination and monitored cell growth, sphere forming abilities, apoptosis, and gene/protein expression. PVD treatment alone caused morphological changes, reduced cell growth, attenuated sphere formation, induced apoptosis, and elevated the expression of terminal differentiation markers. However, the combined treatment of PVD with CIS significantly elevated the expression of terminal differentiation markers and eventually led to more cell death than either solo treatment. Aside from a reduced proliferation rate, these effects were not seen in the parent. Further research is needed to explore the potential use of PVD with CIS as a differentiation therapy or alternative treatment for MIUC tumors that may have become resistant to CIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organoids offer self-organizing, three-dimensional tissue structures that recapitulate physiological processes in the convenience of a dish. The murine mammary gland is composed of two distinct epithelial cell compartments, serving different functions: the outer, contractile myoepithelial compartment and the inner, secretory luminal compartment. Here, we describe a method by which the cells comprising these compartments are isolated and then combined to investigate their individual lineage contributions to mammary gland morphogenesis and differentiation. The method is simple and efficient and does not require sophisticated separation technologies such as fluorescence activated cell sorting. Instead, we harvest and enzymatically digest the tissue, seed the epithelium on adherent tissue culture dishes, and then use differential trypsinization to separate myoepithelial from luminal cells with ~90% purity. The cells are then plated in an extracellular matrix where they organize into bilayered, three-dimensional (3D) organoids that can be differentiated to produce milk after 10 days in culture. To test the effects of genetic mutations, cells can be harvested from wild type or genetically engineered mouse models, or they can be genetically manipulated prior to 3D culture. This technique can be used to generate mosaic organoids that allow investigation of gene function specifically in the luminal or myoepithelial compartment.

Abstract Muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBCs) is a group of molecularly heterogonous diseases that could be stratified into subtypes with distinct clinical courses and sensitivities to chemotherapy. Clinical application of molecular subtypes could help in prediction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) responders. Immunohistochemical (IHC) markers such as GATA3, cytokeratin (CK) 5/6, and p53 are associated with these subtypes and are widely available. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are mutated in multiple cancers including MIBC and are potential therapeutic targets. HER2/EGFR status of MIBC subtypes has not been investigated. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed from transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURB) specimens and stained with GATA3,CK5/6,p53 and HER2 in addition to Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR for detection of EGFR gene. Of the total cases, 45% were luminal, 36.7% basal and 18.3% p53 wild subtype (p53-WT). Univariate analysis showed that overall survival (OS) and disease-free progression survival (DFS) were significantly longer for luminal subtype. In multivariate analysis, molecular subtype, HER2 status and LV invasion were independent prognostic factors for DFS and OS. Basal subtype showed a significantly better response to NAC. HER2 expression was significantly higher in luminal while EGFR expression was significantly higher in basal subtype. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed a significant longer OS and DFS for HER2 negative than positive cases. MIBC can be stratified using a simple IHC panel [GATA3,CK5/6,P53] into clinically relevant prognostic molecular subtypes. Basal tumors are aggressive and respond well to NAC while luminal have better OS. P53-WT tumors are chemoresistant and require further treatments. HER2 and EGFR are potential therapeutic targets for molecular subtypes of MIBC where luminal tumors are more likely to benefit from HER2 and basal from EGFR directed therapies.

Hypoxia is linked to disease progression and poor prognosis in several cancers, including breast cancer. Cancer cells can encounter acute, chronic, and/or intermittent periods of oxygen deprivation and it is poorly understood how the different breast cancer subtypes respond to such hypoxia regimes. Here, we assessed the response of representative cell lines for the luminal and basal A subtype to acute (24 h) and chronic hypoxia (5 days). High throughput targeted transcriptomics analysis showed that HIF-related pathways are significantly activated in both subtypes. Indeed, HIF1⍺ nuclear accumulation and activation of the HIF1⍺ target gene CA9 were comparable. Based on the number of differentially expressed genes: (i) 5 days of exposure to hypoxia induced a more profound transcriptional reprogramming than 24 h, and (ii) basal A cells were less affected by acute and chronic hypoxia as compared to luminal cells. Hypoxia-regulated gene networks were identified of which hub genes were associated with worse survival in breast cancer patients. Notably, while chronic hypoxia altered the regulation of the cell cycle in both cell lines, it induced two distinct adaptation programs in these subtypes. Mainly genes controlling central carbon metabolism were affected in the luminal cells whereas genes controlling the cytoskeleton were affected in the basal A cells. In agreement, in response to chronic hypoxia, lactate secretion was more prominently increased in the luminal cell lines which were associated with the upregulation of the GAPDH glycolytic enzyme. This was not observed in the basal A cell lines. In contrast, basal A cells displayed enhanced cell migration associated with more F-actin stress fibers whereas luminal cells did not. Altogether, these data show distinct responses to acute and chronic hypoxia that differ considerably between luminal and basal A cells. This differential adaptation is expected to play a role in the progression of these different breast cancer subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of the newer antidiabetic agents available for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remain indisputable, but many patients will require insulin therapy in the disease course. Given the limited access to newer antidiabetic agents, insulin remains a standard treatment modality in T2DM in South Africa. Early, multifactorial intervention remains ideal, but glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol values remain above target in many countries. Barriers to achieving glucose control in South Africa include the healthcare provider's being unfamiliar with the practicalities of insulin administration, initiation and titration. This article highlights these gaps and offers pragmatic solutions to overcome them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For tumours of the ear that are suspected to involve auricular cartilage, precise definition of the extent of involved deep margin can be difficult. As large resections of cartilage can be cosmetically disfiguring with limited repair options, we propose a simple and effective technique to facilitate a targeted deep margin resection using a curette and a surgical marking pen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate epithelial basal cells are highly plastic in their luminal differentiation capability. Basal stem cells actively produce luminal cells during organogenesis, but become restricted in the adult prostate unless receiving oncogenic or inflammatory stimuli. Given that the number of luminal cells increases relative to basal cells through development and that equilibrium is reached in the adulthood, we hypothesize that a negative-feedback mechanism exists to inhibit basal-to-luminal differentiation. We provide evidence supporting this hypothesis by comparing murine prostatic growth in a tissue reconstitution assay with cell recombinants of different basal-to-luminal ratios. Additionally, in organoid culture, hybrid organoids derived from adjacent basal and luminal cells showed reduced basal stem cell activities, suggesting contact inhibition. Importantly, removal of adult luminal cells in vivo via either an inducible Cre/loxP-Dre/rox dual-lineage-tracing system or orthotopic trypsin injection led to robust reactivation of basal stem cell activities, which acts independent of androgen. These data illustrate the prostate organ as a distinctive paradigm where cell contact from differentiated daughter cells restricts adult stem cell multipotency to maintain the steady-state epithelial architecture.

Aging is associated with loss of tissue mass and a decline in adult stem cell function in many tissues. In contrast, aging in the prostate is associated with growth-related diseases including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Surprisingly, the effects of aging on prostate epithelial cells have not been established. Here we find that organoid-forming progenitor activity of mouse prostate basal and luminal cells is maintained with age. This is caused by an age-related expansion of progenitor-like luminal cells that share features with human prostate luminal progenitor cells. The increase in luminal progenitor cells may contribute to greater risk for growth-related disease in the aging prostate. Importantly, we demonstrate expansion of human luminal progenitor cells in BPH. In summary, we define a Trop2+ luminal progenitor subset and identify an age-related shift in the luminal compartment of the mouse and human prostate epithelium.

The prostate epithelium is comprised predominantly of basal and luminal cells. In vivo lineage tracing has been utilized to define the differentiation capacity of mouse prostate basal and luminal cells during development, tissue-regeneration and transformation. However, evaluating cell-intrinsic and extrinsic regulators of prostate epithelial differentiation capacity using a lineage tracing approach often requires extensive breeding and can be cost-prohibitive. In the prostate organoid assay, basal and luminal cells generate prostatic epithelium ex vivo. Importantly, primary epithelial cells can be isolated from mice of any genetic background or mice treated with any number of small molecules prior to, or after, plating into three-dimensional (3D) culture. Sufficient material for evaluation of differentiation capacity is generated after 7-10 days. Collection of basal-derived and luminal-derived organoids for (1) protein analysis by Western blot and (2) immunohistochemical analysis of intact organoids by whole-mount confocal microscopy enables researchers to evaluate the ex vivo differentiation capacity of prostate epithelial cells. When used in combination, these two approaches provide complementary information about the differentiation capacity of prostate basal and luminal cells in response to genetic or pharmacological manipulation.

The benefits of the newer antidiabetic agents available for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remain indisputable, but many patients will require insulin therapy in the disease course. Given the limited access to newer antidiabetic agents, insulin remains a standard treatment modality in T2DM in South Africa. Early, multifactorial intervention remains ideal, but glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol values remain above target in many countries. Barriers to achieving glucose control in South Africa include the healthcare provider’s being unfamiliar with the practicalities of insulin administration, initiation and titration. This article highlights these gaps and offers pragmatic solutions to overcome them.

Muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBCs) is a group of molecularly heterogonous diseases that could be stratified into subtypes with distinct clinical courses and sensitivities to chemotherapy. Clinical application of molecular subtypes could help in prediction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) responders. Immunohistochemical (IHC) markers such as GATA3, cytokeratin (CK) 5/6, and p53 are associated with these subtypes and are widely available. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are mutated in multiple cancers including MIBC and are potential therapeutic targets. HER2/EGFR status of MIBC subtypes has not been investigated. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed from transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURB) specimens and stained with GATA3,CK5/6,p53 and HER2 in addition to Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR for detection of EGFR gene. Of the total cases, 45% were luminal, 36.7% basal and 18.3% p53 wild subtype (p53-WT). Univariate analysis showed that overall survival (OS) and disease-free progression survival (DFS) were significantly longer for luminal subtype. In multivariate analysis, molecular subtype, HER2 status and LV invasion were independent prognostic factors for DFS and OS. Basal subtype showed a significantly better response to NAC. HER2 expression was significantly higher in luminal while EGFR expression was significantly higher in basal subtype. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed a significant longer OS and DFS for HER2 negative than positive cases. MIBC can be stratified using a simple IHC panel [GATA3,CK5/6,P53] into clinically relevant prognostic molecular subtypes. Basal tumors are aggressive and respond well to NAC while luminal have better OS. P53-WT tumors are chemoresistant and require further treatments. HER2 and EGFR are potential therapeutic targets for molecular subtypes of MIBC where luminal tumors are more likely to benefit from HER2 and basal from EGFR directed therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IoT-based insulin pumps are used to deliver precise quantities of insulin to diabetic patients to regulate blood glucose levels. Generally, these levels correspond to the dietary patterns observed at time intervals that vary between patients. However, any misrepresentation in insulin levels may lead to fatal consequences. As a result, most IoT-based insulin pumps are rejected due to the possibility of external threats, which include software and hardware attacks. However, IoT-based insulin pumps are extremely useful in real-time patient monitoring, and for controlled insulin delivery to the patient based on their current glucose level. We propose a blockchain-based method to protect against the above-mentioned attacks. The system creates a patient-specific private blockchain wherein the dosage information is added as a new block by obtaining the approval of the doctor, chief doctor, nurse, and caretaker of the patient who are authorized blockchain miners. Secondly, it securely transfers prescription data, such as dosage quantity and time of delivery, to the IoT insulin pump, which ensures the dosage information is not modified during transit before insulin administration to the patient. The proposed approach uses a state-behavior-based solution that detects anomalies in the behavior of the insulin pump via temporal data analysis and immutable ledger verification, which are designed to eliminate fatal dosages in case of anomalies. The system is designed to work within binary outcome conditions, i.e., it verifies and delivers dosage or halts. There is no middle ground that an attacker can exploit, resulting in accountability for the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aim of our study was to stratify bladder cancer patients into their molecular subtypes using a simple and inexpensive immunohistochemical algorithm and further provide any associations with PD-L1 expression. Given the fact that there is a universal lack of predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy, we suggest the possibility of stratifying patients into likely-responders and likely-not-responders to anti-PD-L1 therapy, based on their bladder cancer molecular subtypes. The significant heterogeneity in clinical outcomes among patients with bladder cancer has highlighted the existence of different biological subtypes of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Meanwhile, immune checkpoint proteins and their interference with tumor-related immune-evasive strategies has led to the development of several immunotherapeutic drugs targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1) or programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1). However, the lack of any known biomarker that could predict responses to immunotherapy has led to a more agnostic therapeutic approach. Here, we present a study conducted in 77 bladder cancer (BC) patients (n = 77), ranging from stages pTa to pT2. Tumor specimens were resected via transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and consistuted of 24 low-grade (LG) and 53 high-grade (HG) tumors. Patients' tumors were then categorized into molecular subtypes, via immunohistochemistry (CK5/6 and GATA3). Furthermore, all tumor specimens were stained with anti-PD-L1 and demonstrated significant correlations with basal immunophenotype, stage pT2 and HG tumors. As such, we attempted to stratify patients into groups of likely-responders and likely-not-responders to immunotherapy with anti-PD-L1, based on their molecular phenotype. Finally, in acknowledging the fact that there is a universal lack of biomarkers associated with predicting BC response to immunotherapeutic drugs, we tested all tumors for deficiency of mismatch repair proteins (MMR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bladder is a target organ for inorganic arsenic, a carcinogen and common environmental contaminant found in soil and water. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common type of bladder cancer (BC) that develops into papillary or non-papillary tumors. Papillary tumors are mostly non-muscle invasive (NMIUC), easier treated, and have a better prognosis. Urothelial carcinoma can be molecularly sub-typed as luminal or basal, with papillary tumors generally falling into the luminal category and basal tumors exclusively forming muscle invasive urothelial carcinomas (MIUC). It is unclear why some UCs develop more aggressive basal phenotypes. We hypothesized that chronic arsenic exposure of a papillary luminal bladder cancer would lead to the development of basal characteristics and increase in invasiveness. We treated the human papillary bladder cancer cell line RT4 with 1 µM arsenite (As3+) for twenty passages. Throughout the study, key luminal and basal gene/protein markers in the exposed cells were evaluated and at passage twenty, the cells were injected into athymic mice to evaluate tumor histology and measure protein markers using immunohistochemistry. Our data indicates that chronic As3+- treatment altered cellular morphology and decreased several luminal markers in cell culture. The histology of the tumors generated from the As3+-exposed cells was similar to the parent (non-treated) however, they appeared to be more invasive in the liver and displayed elevated levels of some basal markers. Our study demonstrates that chronic As3+ exposure is able to convert a non-invasive papillary bladder cancer to an invasive form that acquires some basal characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous disease classified into two broad molecular subtype categories, basal and luminal, with critical treatment and prognostic implications. Recent studies have shown the utility of immunohistochemistry in predicting bladder cancer molecular subtypes, with a two-marker approach using GATA3 and CK5/6 showing over 80% reliability. In the current study, we calculated the accuracy of uroplakin II (UPII), a marker of urothelial differentiation, with different scores (0: <1%, 1+: 1–10%, 2+: 10–50%, 3+: >50%) to predict RNA-based luminal versus basal subtypes in a cohort of muscle-invasive bladder cancer-received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy. The 1% cutoff of the UPII stain predicts the luminal subtype with the sensitivity and specificity of 95% and 56%, respectively. With a UPII cutoff of 10%, the sensitivity and specificity were 93% and 81%, respectively, and with a UPII cutoff of 50%, the sensitivity and specificity were 91% and 96%, respectively. The prediction performance of UPII was better than either GATA3 or CK5/6. There was no significant difference in prognoses between UPII 0–2+ and UPII 3+ patients in this cohort. The current study shows that evaluating the staining proportion score of UPII can accurately predict basal and luminal subtypes of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hormone receptor positive (HR+), HER2- early-stage breast cancer (EBC) is a heterogenous disease. Identification of better clinical and molecular biomarkers is essential to guide optimal therapy for each patient., Patients and Methods: We analyzed rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) for patients with HR+/HER2- EBC in 8 neoadjuvant arms in the I-SPY2 trial by clinical/molecular features: age, stage, histology, percentage ER positivity, ER/PR status, MammaPrint (MP)-High1 (0 to -0.57) versus MP-High2 (<-0.57), BluePrint (BP)-Luminal-type versus BP-Basal-type, and ImPrint immune signature. We quantified the clinical/molecular heterogeneity, assessed overlap among these biomarkers, and evaluated associations with pCR and DRFS., Results: 379 patients with HR+/HER2- EBC were included in this analysis, with an observed pCR rate of 17% across treatment arms. pCR rates were higher in patients with stage II versus III disease (21% versus 9%, p=0.0013), ductal versus lobular histology (19% versus 11%, p=0.049), lower %ER positivity (≤66% versus >66%) (35% versus 9%, p=3.4E-09), MP-High2 versus MP-High1 disease (31% versus 11%, p=1.1E-05), BP-Basal-type versus BP-Luminal-type disease (34% versus 10%, p=1.62E-07), and ImPrint positive versus negative disease (38% versus 10%, p=1.64E-09). Patients with lower %ER were more likely to have MP-High2 and BP-Basal-type disease. At a median follow-up of 4.8 years, patients who achieved pCR had excellent outcomes irrespective of clinical/molecular features. Among patients who did not achieve pCR, DRFS events were more frequent in patients with MP-High2 and BP-Basal-type disease than those with MP-High1 and BP-Luminal-type disease., Conclusion: Among patients with high molecular-risk HR+/HER2- EBC, the MP-High2, BP-Basal-type, and ImPrint positive signatures identified a partially overlapping subset of patients who were more likely to achieve pCR in response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy +/- targeted agents or immunotherapy compared to patients with MP-High1, BP-Luminal-type, and ImPrint negative disease. I-SPY2.2 is incorporating the use of these biomarkers to molecularly define specific patient populations and optimize treatment selection., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Human mammary epithelial cell (HMEC) cultures encounter a stress-associated barrier termed stasis, during which most cells adopt a senescence-like phenotype. From these cultures, rare variants emerge from the basal epithelial population, re-initiating growth. Variants exhibit pre-malignant properties, including an aberrant epigenetic program that enables continued proliferation and acquisition of genetic changes. Following oncogenic transformation, variants produce tumors that recapitulate the histopathological characteristics of metaplastic breast cancer (MBC), a rare subtype characterized by squamous and mesenchymal differentiation., Methods: Using the conventional serum-free HMEC culture system, we probed the capacity for phenotypic plasticity inherent to basal epithelial cell populations from human breast tissue as they navigated stasis and emerged as variant populations., Results: We observed robust activation of a TGF-β-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program in basal epithelial cells during stasis, followed by subsequent attenuation of this program in emerging variants. Inhibiting the TGF-β pathway or depleting the EMT regulators Snail or Slug allowed basal epithelial cells to collectively bypass stasis, demonstrating that cellular dysfunction and arrest resulting from TGF-β and EMT activation are central to this in vitro barrier. The spontaneous emergence of variants from stasis cultures was associated with a restricted EMT trajectory, which diverted cells away from a complete mesenchymal state characterized by irreversible growth arrest, and instead limited variants to epithelial and intermediate EMT states associated with greater proliferative capacity and stemness. Epigenetic mechanisms, which contributed to the dysregulated growth control characteristic of the variant phenotype, also contributed to the constrained EMT program in variants. By overcoming the cellular dysfunction and growth arrest resulting from TGF-β and EMT activation, variants exhibited increased oncogenic transformation efficiency compared to pre-stasis basal epithelial cells. Inhibiting the TGF-β pathway prior to stasis significantly reduced EMT in the basal epithelial population, alleviated selective pressure driving variant emergence, and enhanced oncogenic transformation efficiency, resulting in tumors with markedly diminished metaplastic differentiation., Conclusions: This study reveals how adaptive EMT reprogramming governs basal epithelial cell fate decisions and contributes to the development of MBC progenitors by restricting access to terminal mesenchymal states that induce growth arrest and, instead, favoring intermediate states with enhanced tumorigenic potential., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in situ is a recently recognized subtype of the skin neoplasm in which the abnormal cells are confined to the epidermis. BCC in situ of the skin was previously referred to as a superficial BCC. A review of the world literature has revealed 10 cutaneous BCCs in situ that have been described in nine patients but likely reflect a more general phenomenon. The neoplasm typically presents as an asymptomatic red plaque on the abdomen, upper extremity, back, and chest. Pathologic changes frequently show confluent tumor cells along the epidermal basal layer or superficial aggregates of neoplastic cells that are contiguous with the epidermis and extend into the dermis. Genomic evaluation has been performed in neoplasms from one individual with cutaneous BCC in situ and metastatic BCC; like other variants of BCC, an aberration of the PTCH1 gene was observed. In contrast to his liver metastasis, the in situ carcinoma had a lower tumor mutational burden, lacked programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and programmed death-ligand 2 (PD-L2) amplification and had a distinct PTCH1 mutation, suggesting that the in situ BCC of his skin and the metastatic BCC of his liver were derived from different clones of cells., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: Razelle Kurzrock declare(s) personal fees from Genentech, Merck Serono, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, TopAlliance, Takeda, Incyte, Debiopharm, Medimmune, Sequenom, Foundation Medicine, Konica Minolta, Grifols, Omniseq, and Guardant. Razelle Kurzrock has received research funding from these companies. Razelle Kurzrock declare(s) personal fees from X-Biotech, Caris, Datar Cancer Genomics, Neomed, Pfizer, Actuate Therapeutics, and Roche, . Razelle Kurzrock has been a consultant and/or speaker fees and/or advisory board of these companies. Razelle Kurzrock declare(s) non-financial support from IDbyDNA and CureMatch Inc. Razelle Kurzrock has an equity interest in these companies. Razelle Kurzrock declare(s) non-financial support from CureMatch and CureMetrix. Razelle Kurzrock serves on the Board of CureMatch and CureMetrix, and is a co-founder of CureMatch. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Cohen et al.)

Simple Summary: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and more recent genome profiling recently revealed major intrinsic molecular subtypes in urothelial carcinoma (UC). Here we propose a fast and standardized immunophenotypical classification score (Piescore) that may discriminate between luminal, basal, or neu-like UC as a surrogate of molecular profile, and we describe, for the first time, an intratumoral phenotypical switch in tissue protein expression, from non-muscle to muscle-invasive progression. Our data show that a change from a luminal to a neu-like phenotype could worsen overall survival compared with a transition to a basal phenotype. In recent years, immunohistochemical protein expression was studied as a surrogate to the molecular classification of bladder cancer, although no tissue biomarkers are available for clinical use to predict survival or the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in UC, as the literature produced conflicting results. This retrospective study included TURB specimens harboring foci of HG pT2 muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma (MIBC) from 251 patients who subsequently underwent radical cystectomy. We performed immunohistochemical analysis on tumor samples, for relevant gene-expression-based markers for basal type (CD44, CK5/6) and luminal type (CK20 and pPARγ). Piescore, investigated in both non-muscle-invasive (NMI) and muscle-invasive (MI) components of the tumor, divided basal and luminal UC-types when at least three of the four markers were consistent with a specific phenotype, mixed types if one/two luminal and basal markers were present simultaneously, and neu-like types when all four markers investigated were negative. Eighteen selected cases were also investigated with RT-PCR to validate, and to increase the specificity of, the immunohistochemical results. We observe an immunophenotypical difference in the NMI and MI components in 96/251 UC patients (38.25%): half of tumors (44/96 cases) have a transition to basal, 36.46% (35/96 cases) to neu-like, 12.5% (12/96 cases) to mixed, and 5.2% (5/96 cases) to luminal phenotypes. Mixed tumors in the NMI component are more likely to change phenotype than other groups, particularly compared with basal tumors, which demonstrate greater stability (only 8/96 cases, p < 0.00001). The transition of luminal tumors to basal display a better OS compared with the transition toward neu-like tumors (p = 0.027). Overall, the phenotypical switch does not affect lymphovascular invasion, pT, DFS, or OS compared with non-switched cases. In the MI component, the presence of CD44 expression, irrespective of score-related phenotype, shows a protective effect in papillary-type UC (OS p = 0.008, HR 0.453, PFS p = 0.07, HR 0.599), and in UC naïve for CT (p = 0.0479). Piescore immunophenotyping reveals an intratumoral phenotypical transition between the NMI and MI components of the same tumor. The molecular change is a common event in the mixed and luminal categories, but not in basal tumors, which show better phenotypical stability. This phenomenon could partially explain the sensitivity of a subset of luminal UC to chemotherapy: good responders could be "non-real" luminal UC, which acquire nasal markers, such as CD44. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently several species are threatened with extinction due to climatic factors, population pressure and the strong global demand for a continuous and uniform supply of fragrant, aromatic and medicinal plants. The multiplication and domestication of these species remains the only way to save them from extinction, our study is within the framework of propagation by cuttings of odorous verbena (Aloysia citrodora). In fact, some parameters influencing the success of cuttings have been studied, namely the nature of the substrate, the effect of certain rooting products and the position of the cutting in relation to the mother plant (basal or apical), the tests were carried out in a tunnel greenhouse at the ibn tofail university, faculty of sciences kenitra, Morroco. Out of 144 trials, the success rate of cuttings according to the type of substrate was 91.66%, 75% and 83.33% respectively for substrates S1 (soil only), S2 (1/2 sand and 1/2 compost) and S3 (1/3 soil; 1/3 compost and 1/3 peat). For the three products, we didn’t make combinations. but we followed the effect of each product alone, For the treatment effect, 77%, 0% and 69% respectively were obtained for Product 1 (auxin), Product 2 (based on mineral matter and amino acids) and Product 3 (seaweed extract). With regard to the position of the cutting, high percentages were obtained for cuttings from the basal position.

Metastatic basal cell carcinoma may be treated with hedgehog pathway inhibitors, including vismodegib and sonidegib. However, patients can demonstrate resistance to these agents. We describe a man with metastatic basal cell carcinoma who did not respond well to vismodegib and sonidegib. Next generation sequencing of his metastatic liver tumor demonstrated a high tumor mutational burden (103 mutations per megabase) and the genomic amplification of PD-L1, both of which are features that predict response to anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. Treatment with nivolumab, an anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitor, resulted in near complete remission. Yet, he developed new primary cutaneous basal cell carcinomas while receiving immunotherapy and while his metastatic disease showed an ongoing response. His new superficial skin cancer had a lower tumor mutational burden (45 mutations per megabase) than the metastatic disease. Since immunotherapy response rates are higher in patients with more genomically complex tumors, our observations suggest that, in contrast with the premise of earlier treatment is better, which holds true for targeted and cytotoxic therapies, immunotherapy may be better suited to more advanced disease.

The adult Drosophila midgut epithelium is derived from a group of stem cells called adult midgut precursors (AMPs) that are specified during the migration of the endoderm in early embryogenesis. AMPs are maintained and expanded in AMP nests that lie on the basal side of the larval midgut throughout the larval development. During metamorphosis, the larval midgut undergoes histolysis and programmed cell death, while the central cells in the AMP nests form the future adult midgut and the peripheral cells form the transient pupal midgut. Here we review what is known about how cells polarise in the embryonic, larval, pupal and adult midgut, and discuss the open questions about the mechanisms that control the changes in cell arrangements, cell shape and cell polarity during midgut development.

The size and the weight of wheat grains vary across the length of each spike (Triticum aestivum L.). High temperature and water scarcity often reduce the single grain weight, and this reduction also varies across the spike length. Plants tend to cope with high temperature and drought stress through inherent mechanisms such ascanopy cooling through transpiration, which can contribute to yield stability. The effect of canopy cooling on the average grain weight at different positions in spike is still unknown. In this study, we planned to assess the role of canopy temperature, yield-related traits, and spike shape in final grain weight. For two years (2017–2018 and 2018–2019), fifteen diverse genotypes released for cultivation in different environmental conditions were grown in the field. They were examined for canopy temperature, spikelets spike−1, grain number spike−1, grain yield spike−1, and grain weight of the spike's basal, median, and distal regions. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was obtained for all pair-wise combinations of traits under different treatments and spike shapes. The results indicated that cooler canopy is correlated to grain weight in normal spike shape at all three positions within the spike irrespective of stress. The advantage of the cooler canopy in improving grain-filling at basal, median, and distal regions was more conspicuous in the high temperature stress conditions compared to non-stressed and drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Although it is one disease, cancer of the urinary bladder occurs in several molecular subtypes that can be identified by laboratory tests. Tumors of advanced stages are treated with surgical removal of the urinary bladder with or without addition of chemotherapy. About 50% of patients are cured by surgery and this proportion is increased slightly by the addition of chemotherapy. Still, many patients do not benefit from chemotherapy, which also comes with significant toxicity. Recent advances in the field suggest that molecular subtypes can help identify patient categories that do or do not benefit from adding chemotherapy to surgery. In this article, we review the literature and conclude that molecular subtypes are likely to have such a role in the future but that there are differences between studies that make them challenging to compare. The current evidence is insufficient to guide clinical practice. There are no established biomarkers to guide patient selection for neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Recent studies suggest that molecular subtype classification holds promise for predicting chemotherapy response and/or survival benefit in this setting. Here, we summarize and discuss the scientific literature examining transcriptomic or panel-based molecular subtyping applied to neoadjuvant chemotherapy-treated patient cohorts. We find that there is not sufficient evidence to conclude that the basal subtype of muscle-invasive bladder cancer responds well to chemotherapy, since only a minority of studies support this conclusion. More evidence indicates that luminal-like subtypes may have the most improved outcomes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. There are also conflicting data concerning the association between biopsy stromal content and response. Subtypes indicative of high stromal infiltration responded well in some studies and poorly in others. Uncertainties when interpreting the current literature include a lack of reporting both response and survival outcomes and the inherent risk of bias in retrospective study designs. Taken together, available studies suggest a role for molecular subtyping in stratifying patients for receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The precise classification system that best captures such a predictive effect, and the exact subtypes for which other treatment options are more beneficial remains to be established, preferably in prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]