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This study aims to perform a comprehensive systematic review of deep learning (DL) models in predicting RT-induced toxicity. A literature review was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane and Embase databases from the earliest record up to September 2022. Related studies on deep learning models for radiotherapy toxicity prediction were selected based on predefined PICOS criteria. Fourteen studies of radiotherapy-treated patients on different types of cancer [prostate (n = 2), HNC (n = 4), liver (n = 2), lung (n = 4), cervical (n = 1), and oesophagus (n = 1)] were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review. Information regarding patient characteristics and model development was summarized. Several approaches, such as ensemble learning, data augmentation, and transfer learning, that were utilized by selected studies were discussed. Deep learning techniques are able to produce a consistent performance for toxicity prediction. Future research using large and diverse datasets and standardization of the study methodologies are required to improve the consistency of the research output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aircrew are exposed to environmental pressure changes. In the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), applicants assessed to be at intermediate risk of otic barotrauma undergo a hypobaric chamber assessment ["trial of chamber" (TOC)] to functionally evaluate their suitability for military aircrew vocations. Aims To identify factors associated with TOC failure among applicants with otorhinolaryngological conditions. Methods All applicants to RSAF aircrew vocations who were assessed to be at intermediate risk of otic barotrauma over a 3-yr period were identified using the RSAF Aeromedical Centre's electronic database. Their medical records, as well as the TOC assessment records of the subset of applicants who underwent TOC, were reviewed for demographic data, clinical findings, and TOC outcomes. Results Of the 483 identified applicants, 374 (77%) had abnormal otoscopic findings, 103 (21%) had rhinitis symptoms, and 6 (1%) had previous ENT surgery. 123 (25%) underwent TOC, of which 20 (16%) failed. Holding other predictor variables constant, the odds of TOC failure increased by 0.79 per unit decrease in BMI (95% CI 0.63–0.99), and the odds of TOC failure increased by 0.93 per kg decrease in body weight (95% CI 0.87–1.00). An abnormal tympanogram was not a statistically significant predictor of TOC failure (OR 1.96, 95% CI 0.59–6.42). Of the 47 applicants who passed TOC and were eventually recruited, none subsequently developed otic barotrauma (mean follow-up, 3.3 yr ± 1.5 yr). Conclusions Applicants with lower weight and BMI are more likely to develop otic barotrauma with environmental pressure change. Tympanometry cannot be reliably used to identify applicants who would more likely pass TOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threat that women may develop breast cancer is the major reason why both physicians and women are afraid to use menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). The fear pertains to estrogen–progestin replacement therapy (EPRT) as estrogen-alone replacement therapy has no, or even a reduced, breast cancer risk. We reviewed the way breast cancer risk with EPRT was reported in some major publications since 2002 and tried to put the use–risk association in context. We hope this will make it easier for the physician and the menopausal woman to understand the risk involved and allow more confident and more informed decision-making regarding MHT use. We conclude that there are five interrelated reasons why physicians and women should no longer be afraid of the breast cancer risk with EPRT. We submit that breast cancer related to EPRT use is rare because the risk is very low; the reported increase in breast cancer risk with EPRT is not relevant to current practice; modifiable lifestyle factors, not EPRT, are the real risks for breast cancer; breast cancer-specific mortality is reduced in women who develop breast cancer while on EPRT; and avoiding MHT use when indicated puts a woman in harm's way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes mellitus has been commonly associated with poor surgical outcomes. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the impact of diabetes on postoperative complications following colorectal surgery. Methods: Medline, Embase and China National Knowledge Infrastructure electronic databases were reviewed from inception until May 9th 2020. Meta-analysis of proportions and comparative meta-analysis were conducted. Studies that involved patients with diabetes mellitus having colorectal surgery, with the inclusion of patients without a history of diabetes as a control, were selected. The outcomes measured were postoperative complications. Results: Fifty-five studies with a total of 666,886 patients comprising 93,173 patients with diabetes and 573,713 patients without diabetes were included. Anastomotic leak (OR 2.407; 95% CI 1.837–3.155; p < 0.001), surgical site infections (OR 1.979; 95% CI 1.636–2.394; p < 0.001), urinary complications (OR 1.687; 95% CI 1.210–2.353; p = 0.002), and hospital readmissions (OR 1.406; 95% CI 1.349–1.466; p < 0.001) were found to be significantly higher amongst patients with diabetes following colorectal surgery. The incidence of septicemia, intra-abdominal infections, mechanical failure of wound healing comprising wound dehiscence and disruption, pulmonary complications, reoperation, and 30-day mortality were not significantly increased. Conclusions: This meta-analysis and systematic review found a higher incidence of postoperative complications including anastomotic leaks and a higher re-admission rate. Risk profiling for diabetes prior to surgery and perioperative optimization for patients with diabetes is critical to improve surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In heat-assisted magnetic recording, minimization of optical laser power is important for the reliability of the head-disk interface. In this paper, a prototype heat-assisted magnetic recording system is used to investigate the relationship between the needed optical laser power and disk drive design parameters. In particular, the change of optical laser power, which is a function of the laser current, is investigated for different disk radii and write head flying heights while keeping the write width of the recorded signal constant. In addition, the dependence of laser power during writing is studied as a function of the thickness and material properties of a very thin "capping layer" on the top of the recording magnetic layer. The results show that laser power and media design parameters play a crucial role in heat-assisted magnetic recording devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the techniques of neural networks (NN), we study the three-dimensional (3D) five-state ferromagnetic Potts model on the cubic lattice as well as the two-dimensional (2D) three-state antiferromagnetic Potts model on the square lattice. Unlike the conventional approach, here we follow the idea employed by Li et al (2018 Ann. Phys., NY 391 312–331). Specifically, instead of numerically generating numerous objects for the training, the whole or part of the theoretical ground state configurations of the studied models are considered as the training sets. Remarkably, our investigation of these two models provides convincing evidence for the effectiveness of the method of preparing training sets used in this study. In particular, the results of the 3D model obtained here imply that the NN approach is as efficient as the traditional method since the signal of a first order phase transition, namely tunneling between two channels, determined by the NN method is as strong as that calculated with the Monte Carlo technique. Furthermore, the outcomes associated with the considered 2D system indicate even little partial information of the ground states can lead to conclusive results regarding the studied phase transition. The achievements reached in our investigation demonstrate that the performance of NN, using certain amount of the theoretical ground state configurations as the training sets, is impressive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the reliability of a near-field transducer (NFT) embedded in a magnetic recording slider used for heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) in hard disk drives with a linear velocity of 20 m/s. The NFT head structure and the disk are separated by an air film of 2 nm thickness. In this article, the magnetic write width and amplitude of the written magnetic signal on the disk are used as a “health monitor” for the reliability of the NFT under long-term thermal exposure. The results show that the reliability of the NFT head structure sharply decreases with increasing temperature of the NFT but depends only slightly on the media temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wear and pit formation of a thermal-flying height-control (TFC) slider was studied as a function of bias voltage and environmental relative humidity (RH; 5%–85%). Burnishing tests were performed by applying an “over-push” heater power to the heater element, causing slider–disk contacts. The experimental results showed that both bias voltage and RH have a large effect on the power-to-contact change and the wear of the slider. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the wear and pit formation as a function of bias voltage and RH. The wear of the slider surface was found to be less at the positive disk bias voltage compared with the negative disk bias voltage at all RH conditions. Pit formation was observed on the slider in the vicinity of the read–write transducer area when a positive bias voltage was applied to the disk at high RH conditions (85%). Pit formation was not observed at low RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the broadband shock-associated noise (BBSAN) radiated from supersonic jets at the root source level. The sources are modeled according to an acoustic analogy. The acoustic-analogy model is informed by high-spatial-resolution two-dimensional two-component particle image velocimetry (PIV) data and solutions to the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations for the reconstruction of the equivalent BBSAN sources. The measurements are of screeching underexpanded jets issuing from a purely converging nozzle at ideally expanded Mach numbers of 1.45 and 1.59. The jet conditions are simulated using a RANS solver with a k-ω shear-stress-transport turbulence model. The RANS scales are modeled using formulations of a two-timescale model based on the turbulence dissipation and large-eddy-convection time. The large-eddy-convection-based scale is recommended as a replacement for the standard turbulence-dissipation scale in low-order BBSAN models. The equivalent BBSAN sources are reconstructed from the PIV measurements and RANS solutions at the peak Strouhal number. The equivalent BBSAN sources extracted from the PIV and RANS data are shown to have a favorable agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While anaerobic digestion is a reliable method that treats the waste and produces renewable biomethane fuel, the necessary sludge in liquid form is difficult to handle due to the constant biogas generation. Therefore, this study investigates the possibility of convective air drying, namely heat pump and hot air circulation oven as preservation methods for anaerobic microbial sludge. Drying was conducted at various temperatures, ranging from 22 to 70°C. The study found that heat pump drying at 22°C resulted in highest chemical oxygen demand removal of 55.3% as well as the least log reduction in methanogens and anaerobes at 1.4 and 2.4, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acoustic analogy provides a general framework for predicting broadband jet noise. The accuracy of the noise predictions is strongly dependent on the second- and fourth-order integral time and length scales of the turbulence quantities in the jet. Two low-order models for the second- and fourth-order integral length scales are examined. The low-order models are defined by locally isotropic scales estimated from two-dimensional particle image velocimetry measurements. These measurements are of screeching underexpanded unheated round jets issuing from a purely converging nozzle at conditions that correspond to ideally expanded Mach numbers of 1.45 and 1.59. The jets are dominated by the helical (C) instability screech mode, which is associated with large-scale coherent periodic fluctuations. These fluctuations are filtered using a proper orthogonal decomposition method to assess low-order models that approximate the length scales associated with the broadband noise mechanisms. The length scale model parameters are shown to be insensitive for the two Mach numbers considered. The root-mean-square error associated with the low-order models indicates that either is sufficient for approximating the integral length scales required to model equivalent sources of broadband jet noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Precast segmental prestressed concrete beams (PSBs) have been widely used in many elevated highway bridge projects around the world. Steel tendons at joint locations, however, are vulnerable to corrosion damages, which cause deteriorations and in extreme cases lead to the collapse of the whole structures. This study experimentally investigates the use of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) tendons as an alternative solution for the PSBs to tackle the corrosion issue. Four large-scale segmental T-shaped concrete beams with internal bonded or unbonded tendons and dry or epoxied joints were built and tested under four-point loading. The test results indicated that CFRP tendons showed satisfactory performances therefore could replace steel tendons for the use in PSBs. All the tested beams exhibited excellent load-carrying capacity and ductility. Tendon bonding condition greatly affected the flexural performance of the segmental beams. Joint type had only a slight effect on the load-carrying capacity and ductility of the beams, but significantly affected the beams' initial stiffness. Unbonded tendons experienced an evident reduction in the tendon strength at the ultimate stage as a consequence of the loading type, harping effect and joint opening. Both AASTHO-1999 and ACI 440.4R-04 predicted well the tendon stress, thus the load-carrying capacity of the beams with bonded tendons, however, the accuracy significantly reduced for the cases with unbonded tendons. Similarly, the codes did not well estimate the deformation capacity of the prestressed beams with unbonded tendons. An empirical formula is proposed to predict the deflections of beams with unbonded tendons, which yields very close predictions to the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the use of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) tendons on precast segmental beams (PSBs) to tackle the corrosion problems which are likely to occur at joint locations of PSBs prestressed with steel tendons. Up to date, the use of CFRP tendons was extensively documented for monolithic beams while their application on PSBs has not been reported yet. Three precast segmental T-section beams including two beams with unbonded CFRP and one with steel tendons were built and tested under four-point loads in this study. The test results showed that CFRP tendons can be well used to replace the steel tendons on PSBs. The beams with CFRP tendons demonstrated both high strength and high ductility as compared to the beam with steel tendons. However, the stresses in the unbonded CFRP tendons at ultimate loading conditions of the tested beams were low, ranging from only about 66% to 72% of the nominal breaking tensile strength. The type of joints i.e. dry and epoxied, greatly affects the initial stiffness of the beams but has no effect on the opening of joints at ultimate loading stage. Moreover, a comprehensive examination on four existing code equations to predict the stress in the unbonded tendons showed that the four examined codes predicted well the stress at the ultimate loading condition of the unbonded steel tendons, however, they significantly under predicted those in the CFRP tendons. A modification in the strain reduction coefficient used by ACI 440.4R for predicting the stress increment in unbonded CFRP tendons of monolithic beams is therefore proposed for PSBs based on the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to draw a clearer clinical picture of postmenopausal endometriosis. Based on limited literature, postmenopausal endometriosis emerges as an infrequent entity but with a clinical picture significantly unlike that of premenopausal endometriosis. In contrast to the premenopausal disease, postmenopausal endometriosis occurs in a state of ovarian estrogen deficiency, appears to have a greater predisposition to malignant change, may have a greater tendency to spread to extragonadal organs and develop into constrictive and/or obstructive lesions, and is preferably treated surgically. The need to use hormone therapy for the management of menopausal symptoms that may concomitantly affect women with postmenopausal endometriosis is an unresolved therapeutic dilemma. This is mainly because the relationships of menopausal hormone therapy to recurrence of endometriosis and, more importantly, to increased risk of malignant degeneration, remain unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the phase transitions of two-dimensional (2D) Q -states Potts models on the square lattice, using the first principles Monte Carlo (MC) simulations as well as the techniques of neural networks (NN). We demonstrate that the ideas from NN can be adopted to study these considered phase transitions efficiently. In particular, even with a simple NN constructed in this investigation, we are able to obtain the relevant information of the nature of these phase transitions, namely whether they are first order or second order. Our results strengthen the potential applicability of machine learning in studying various states of matters. Subtlety of applying NN techniques to investigate many-body systems is briefly discussed as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, microorganisms are mainly preserved by freeze-drying. There is, however, lack of studies conducted on various cheaper yet promising convective air-drying alternatives. Convective air-drying has been proven to produce dried culture with comparable cell survival and final moisture content to that of freeze-drying. This paper aims to draw an understanding to application and suitability of convective air-drying which includes spray, oven, heat pump, fluidized bed, conveyor, and rotary drying to preserve microorganisms. The paper concludes that drying near ambient temperature and the addition of dehydration protectants are important to obtain satisfactory drying quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro-fiber composite (MFC) piezoelectric materials are used in a variety of applications employing the converse piezoelectric effect, ranging from morphing and bioinspired actuation to vibration control in flexible structures. Most of the existing literature to date considered linear material behavior for geometrically linear oscillations. However, in many applications, such as bioinspired locomotion using MFCs, material and geometric nonlinearities are pronounced and linear models fail to represent and predict the governing dynamics. The predominant types of nonlinearities manifested in resonant actuation of MFC cantilevers are piezoelectric softening, geometric hardening, and inertial softening. In the present work, we explore nonlinear actuation of MFC cantilevers and develop an experimentally validated mathematical framework for modeling and analysis. In the experimental setting, an in vacuo actuation scenario is considered for a broad range of voltage levels (from low to moderate values) while eliminating nonlinear fluid damping. Experiments are conducted for an MFC bimorph cantilever, and model simulations based on the method of harmonic balance are compared with experimental frequency response curves under resonant actuation. The resulting experimentally validated framework can be used for simulating the dynamics of MFCs under resonant actuation, as well as parameter identification and structural optimization for linear to moderately nonlinear regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptation of St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum [Walt.] Kuntze) in the transitional climatic zone of the United States is limited due to a lack of sufficient freeze tolerance. Lab-based freeze testing provides plant breeders with a reliable method for evaluating freeze tolerance. However, in developing protocols for freeze testing it is important to account for the underlying mechanisms that affect freeze tolerance. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of cold acclimation and deacclimation on nine St. Augustinegrass genotypes ranging in their levels of freeze tolerance. Results indicated that accounting for all levels of acclimation provided excellent genotype separation across freezing temperatures(- 3 and - 4°C) and supports the hypothesis that the inclusion of acclimation response offers the best overall assessment of freeze tolerance. Genotypes with the highest known field winter survival had also the highest improved freeze tolerance upon cold-acclimation. Other genotypes did not respond to cold-acclimation which resulted in poor survival and recovery rates. Conversely, a significant loss of freeze tolerance was identified when plants were subjected to deacclimation events suggesting that St. Augustinegrass can be negatively affected by rapid temperature changes in the transitional climatic zone leading to increased sensitivity to winterkill. Overall, this study provides preliminary information regarding the complex relationships within and between mechanisms affecting freeze tolerance in St. Augustinegrass. Moreover, results presented here should aid in the development of protocols for selection of freeze tolerant breeding materials under controlled environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylamide (ACR) is a chemical intermediate utilized in industry. ACR is also formed during heating of foods containing carbohydrates and amino acids. Therefore, humans are widely exposed to ACR, and ACR neurotoxicity in humans is a significant public health issue attracting wide attention. In this study, we investigated the potential neuroprotective effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenolic compound in green tea, in PC12 cells treated with ACR. ACR-treated PC12 cells pretreated with various concentrations of EGCG (2.5, 5 and 10 µM) for 24 h had increased viability and acetylcholinesterase activity and reduced apoptosis and necrosis compared to cells exposed to ACR alone. EGCG reduced the expression of bax mRNA, decreased cytochrome c release, reduced intracellular calcium levels, inactivated caspase 3 and increased mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting that EGCG prevents ACR-induced apoptosis through a mitochondrial-mediated pathway. In addition, EGCG inhibited the formation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation while enhancing superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione levels, thereby reducing oxidative stress. Our results indicate that pretreatment of PC12 cells with EGCG attenuates ACR-induced apoptosis by reducing oxidative stress. Therefore, drinking green tea may reduce nerve injury induced by ACR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is associated with poor antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS. This relationship may be moderated by an individual’s social network characteristics. Our study sought to examine social network correlates of treatment adherence among HIV-positive men recruited from social service agencies throughout Los Angeles County (N = 150) to inform technology-driven social support interventions for this population. We administered egocentric social network and computer-assisted survey interviews focused on demographic characteristics, health history, depressive symptoms, and ART adherence, where adherence was assessed by the number of reasons participants missed taking their medication, if ever. Significant univariate correlates of adherence were included in a multivariable regression analysis, where the moderating effect of having a network member who reminds participants to take their HIV medication on the relationship between depression and adherence was tested. Over 60% of participants reported clinically significant depressive symptoms; this was significantly associated with lower adherence among those without someone in their social network to remind them about taking their HIV medication, even after adjusting for covariates in an ordinary least squares regression (adjusted mean differenceb = −1.61, SE = 0.42,p = 0.0003). Having a network member who reminds participants to take their ART medication significantly ameliorated the negative association between depression and treatment adherence, especially for those reporting greater depressive symptoms (p = 0.0394). Additionally, participants demonstrated high rates of technology use to communicate with social network members. In order to achieve the aims of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, innovative interventions addressing mental health to improve ART adherence are needed. Network strategies that leverage technology may be helpful for improving ART adherence among HIV-positive men with comorbid depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The noise spectrum of screeching jets consists of broadband and discrete components referred to as turbulent mixing noise and screech tones, respectively. The screech tones make the application of classical noise models to screeching jets difficult for modern problems. These problems involve an additional treatment of the near-field dynamics before the broadband noise prediction schemes can be implemented. This paper proposes an a posteriori approach for studying the velocity fluctuations associated with the broadband turbulent mixing noise in screeching jets. The broadband and screeching fluctuations associated with the broadband and discrete noise components are calculated using proper orthogonal decomposition to decouple the velocity variables. The methodology is demonstrated on velocity fields of screeching jets measured with high-resolution particle image velocimetry. Jets dominated by the precessing flapping (B) and helical (C) instability screech modes are considered, which correspond to ideally expanded Mach numbers of Mj=1.25, 1.45, and 1.59, respectively. Axially averaged spatial wavelength spectra of the broadband velocity fluctuations are compared to illustrate the decomposition. The proper-orthogonal-decomposition-based approach is shown to be highly dependent upon the dominant instability regime of the jets. Further analysis shows that the integral length scales of the broadband velocity fluctuations normalized by the incompressible momentum thickness in the screeching jets considered agree well with values reported in studies on nonscreeching jets despite the absolute values differing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter hardiness is a major-limiting factor for St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze] grown in the transitional climatic region of the United States. Lab-based freeze tests that mimic the range of field winter survivability in St. Augustinegrass can contribute to the selection of cold hardy genotypes. This study used a whole container method, four freezing temperatures, and two data collection systems to evaluate the freezing response of nine St. Augustinegrass genotypes ranging in their winter hardiness. Results indicated -3 and -4 °C with average regrowth ratings of 33.6 and 17.8% respectively, were more suitable temperatures for evaluating freeze survival in St. Augustinegrass than -5 and -6 °C with average regrowth ratings of 0.4 and 0%, respectively. Visual ratings of surviving green tissue and regrowth were generally well correlated when evaluated over a six week period post-freeze with Pearson correlation coefficients ranging of 0.17–0.62 for -3 °C freeze tests and 0.79–0.93 for -4 °C freeze tests. Additionally, measurement of percent green cover using digital imaging techniques commonly utilized in turfgrass field studies were significantly correlated (0.66) with visual ratings averaged across weekly post-freeze evaluation measurements for both -3 and -4 °C freezing temperatures. These results provide evidence that digital imaging analyses are useful in estimating surviving green tissue and regrowth in lab-based freeze tests. This study provides additional information regarding freezing temperatures, genotype responses, and data collection methods in St. Augustinegrass, which should aid breeders in the improvement of freeze tolerance in the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable variation occurs in post-maturity timing of dehiscence in fruits of Brassicaceae species, and several studies have shown that the pericarp plays an important role in seed germination and retention of viability in species with indehiscent fruits. However, little is known about the significance to seed biology of delay in pericarp dehiscence for <1 year in the field. Thus, we determined the role of the pericarps of Leptaleum filifolium and Neotorularia korolkovii, which open in <1 year after fruit maturity and dispersal, in seed germination and retention of seed viability. We compared dormancy-break via after-ripening in the laboratory and germination phenology and retention of seed viability in intact siliques and isolated seeds buried in an experimental garden. Seeds of both species have Type 6 non-deep physiological dormancy, which is enhanced by the pericarp. Seeds of both species after-ripened during summer 2013, and some of them germinated in autumn and some in the following spring in watered and non-watered soil. Germination percentages of seeds in siliques increased in soil in spring 2014, after the pericarps had opened. Most isolated seeds of L. filifolium and N. korolkovii had germinated or were dead by spring 2014 and summer 2015, respectively, whereas 60% of the seeds of both species in the (opened) pericarps were viable after 24 months. Thus, although the pericarp opened 9-10 months after burial, its presence had a significant effect on seed dormancy, germination phenology and retention of viability of seeds of L. filifolium and N. korolkovii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular ice nucleation usually occurs at mild subzero temperatures in most plants. For persistent supercooling of certain plant parts ice barriers are necessary to prevent the entry of ice from already frozen tissues. The reproductive shoot of Calluna vulgaris is able to supercool down to below -22°C throughout all developmental stages (shoot elongation, flowering, fruiting) despite an established xylem conductivity. After localization of the persistent ice barrier between the reproductive and vegetative shoot at the base of the pedicel by infrared differential thermal analysis, the currently unknown structural features of the ice barrier tissue were anatomically analyzed on cross and longitudinal sections. The ice barrier tissue was recognized as a 250 μm long constriction zone at the base of the pedicel that lacked pith tissue and intercellular spaces. Most cell walls in this region were thickened and contained hydrophobic substances (lignin, suberin, and cutin). A few cell walls had what appeared to be thicker cellulose inclusions. In the ice barrier tissue, the area of the xylem was as much as 5.7 times smaller than in vegetative shoots and consisted of tracheids only. The mean number of conducting units in the xylem per cross section was reduced to 3.5% of that in vegetative shoots. Diameter of conducting units and tracheid length were 70% and 60% (respectively) of that in vegetative shoots. From vegetative shoots water transport into the ice barrier must pass pit membranes that are likely impermeable to ice. Pit apertures were about 1.9 μm x 0.7 μm, which was significantly smaller than in the vegetative shoot. The peculiar anatomical features of the xylem at the base of the pedicel suggest that the diameter of pores in pit membranes could be the critical constriction for ice propagation into the persistently supercooled reproductive shoots of C. vulgaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have identified LAMA2 exons 3-4 as the high-frequency disease-causing variants region in patients with LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy. In this study, we generated a Lama2 knockout mouse model, named dyH/dyH, aimed to investigate the early biomarker through phenotype and muscle pathology. Mouse offspring of heterozygous Lama2 knockout C57BL/6 mice were bred and genotyped. The differences in survival length, body weight, motor function, serum creatine kinase levels, muscle MRI, muscle biopsy and molecular pathology between wild-type and dyH/dyH mice were analysed. The homozygous deletion of exon 3 along with a frameshift mutation of the Lama2 gene was identified in dyH/dyH mice. The median survival length of dyH/dyH mice was 21 days (ranging 12-35 days). The body weight of dyH/dyH mice was increased slowly within the postnatal day 17, then decreased, and were significantly delayed from the postnatal day 7 when compared with wild-type mice. DyH/dyH mice showed poor motor function with weak gait, low limb grip and more times of electric shock during forced treadmill running compared with wild-type mice. The serum creatine kinase levels in dyH/dyH were 9-10 times that of wild-type mice at 2-3 weeks old. Decreased muscle volume on T1-weighted MRI and hyperintense regions on T2-weighted MRI were found in the pelvic and hindlimb muscles of dyH/dyH mice at 2-3 weeks old. At 2 weeks old, the most extreme muscle dystrophic changes, increased fibrosis and inflammation were observed in the biceps femoris of dyH/dyH mice, as well as laminin α2 deficiency. DyH/dyH mice were generated based on clinical high-frequency disease-causing variants, and presented short survival length, low body weight, poor motor function, increased serum creatine kinase levels, muscle damages in MRI and muscle dystrophic changes with age. We described the natural history of a novel mouse model of LAMA2-related congenital muscular dystrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis of muscle pathology in LAMA2-related congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD) is not clearly understood. In this study, we analyzed the muscle transcriptome data of a novel mouse model of LAMA2-CMD, dyH/dyH, to explore the pathogenesis of muscle disorders. The comparison of muscle changes between dyH/dyH and wild-type mice at 2-week-old detected by RNA sequencing, Immunofluorescence and western blot were analyzed. Compared with wild-type mice, the expressions of genes associated with muscle cytoskeleton and contraction (Myo5c, Myl3, Actc1, Myoz3, Myl2, Myh7 , etc.) were downregulated in dyH/dyH mice. Immunofluorescence showed the expressions of MyHC, desmin and β-tubulin were focally increased in the regeneration area, while desmin and β-tubulin were decreased in mature muscle fibers in dyH/dyH mice. Western blot showed that the expression of MyHC and MYH2 protein were increased, the expression of F-actin was decreased in dyH/dyH mice muscle, desmin and β-tubulin showed no obvious change. The expressions of muscle development-related genes (Myog, Myof, Myh3, Myh8, Myo5a , etc.) were upregulated in dyH/dyH mice by RNA sequencing. Immunofluorescence staining showed the expressions of MyoG, MyoD1 and Myf5 were focally increased, while the decreased expressions of MyoG and MyoD1 in dyH/dyH mice were detected by western blot. In addition, the expressions of many genes related to muscle cell membrane ion channels, membrane transporters and mitochondrial energy metabolism were downregulated in dyH/dyH mice. Muscle cytoskeleton, contraction, and development related genes and proteins were changed, which might result in the dysfunction of myofibers, and impaired regeneration and development of muscle fibers in dyH/dyH mice. A series of upregulated genes related to inflammation and pathological fibrosis would aggravate the muscle pathology of dyH/dyH mice. We provided important information about pathogenesis of LAMA2-CMD based on muscle transcriptomic data of a novel mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coexistence of double genetic diseases in one patient is quite rare. In this study, we aimed to analyse the clinical and genetic characteristics of patients with double genetic diseases. Clinical and genetical data of patients with double genetic diseases from January 2021 to February 2022 in Peking University First Hospital were collected and analyzed. Among these 10 children, 7 were boys and 3 were girls, with last follow-up ages ranging from 2.0 to 7.9 years old. Cases 1-5, all boys, showed myopathic gait, poor running and jumping, and significantly increased serum creatine kinase level, as well as pathogenic variations in DMD gene, and were diagnosed as DMD/BMD. However, all of them had other symptoms and signs that were inconsistent with DMD/BMD. Further trio-based whole exome sequencing was performed. The 5 patients also had a second genetic disease, including hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, Phelmn-McDerimid syndrome and intracranial cavernous hemangioma. The remaining five cases had complicated clinical manifestations, or disease development that could not be explained by the first diagnosed disease. Type IX collagen gene related disease, and neurofibromatosis type 1 were identified in case 6. Collagen VI-related myopathy with and osteogenesis imperfecta type XV was identified in case 7. Turner syndrome with chromosome karyotype of 45,X, and Segawa syndrome were identified in case 8. Chromosome 22q11.2 microduplication syndrome with a 2.64Mb microduplication, and autosomal dominant lower extremity-predominant spinal muscular atrophy-1 caused by DYNC1H1 gene mutation were confirmed in case 9. KBG syndrome due to ANKRD11 gene mutation, and neurodevelopmental disorder with regression, abnormal movement, language loss and epilepsy caused by IRF2BPL gene mutation were identified in case 10. We found between the two pathogenic genes, either or both of them were de novo mutations. The clinical manifestations of patients with double genetic diseases were complex and diverse. Whole exome sequencing of the core pedigree combining with a variety of molecular genetic tests would be helpful for accurate diagnosis, genetic counseling and individualized management. This study provides important information and basis for the diagnosis of patients with coexistence of double genetic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speckled ( Spc), an X-ray-induced lethal mutant of Bombyx mori, exhibits a mosaic dark-brown-spotted larval epidermis in both sexes and egg-laying problems only in females. Here, we report the morphological characterization and molecular mapping of the Spc mutant. Morphological investigations revealed that the epidermal ultrastructure of the small, dark-brown spots was more dense than that of the white regions in both Spc/+ mutants and wild type, and that the lethality of the Spc/ Spc mutants occurred during early embryogenesis. Furthermore, the ovarioles and ovipositor were disconnected in approximately 85.5% of Spc/+ females, a further 2.5% had a connection between the ovarioles and ovipositor that was too narrow to lay eggs. The remaining females showed a normal connection similar to that of the wild type. We successfully narrowed down the location of the Spc mutation to a region on chromosome 4 that was ∼1041 kb long. Gene-prediction analysis identified 25 candidate genes in this region. Chromosome structure analysis indicated that a ∼305 kb deletion was included in the mapping region. Temporal and spatial reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analysis showed that several genes in the mapped region are associated with the Spc mutant. Although the genes responsible for the Spc mutation were not definitively identified, our results further the current understanding of the complex mechanism underlying the multiple morphological defects in Spc mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereal crops in the reproductive stage of growth are considerably more susceptible to injury from freezing temperatures than during their vegetative growth stage in the fall. While damage resulting from spring-freeze events has been documented, information on genotypic differences in tolerance to spring-freezes is scarce. Ninety wheat genotypes were subjected to a simulated spring-freeze at the mid-boot growth stage under controlled conditions. Spring-freeze tolerance was evaluated as the number of seeds per head at maturity after plants were frozen at −6 °C. Plants that froze, as confirmed by infrared (IR) thermography, died shortly after thawing and consequently the heads did not mature. Only in plants that had no visible freezing (super-cooled) were heads able to reach maturity and produce seeds. In plants that super-cooled four genotypes had significantly higher seed counts after being exposed to freezing than three with the lowest. In addition, significant differences between genotypes were found in whole plant survival among those that had frozen. Genotypes with high whole-plant freezing survival were not necessarily the same as the super-cooled plants with the highest seed counts. Spring-freeze tolerance was not correlated with maturity suggesting that improvement in freezing tolerance could be selected for without affecting heading date. Spring-freeze tolerance was not correlated with freezing tolerance of genotypes of plants in a vegetative state, either under non-acclimated or cold-acclimated conditions indicating that vegetative freezing tolerance is not a good predictor of spring-freeze tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of climate change and human activities leads to a series of dangerous phenomena, such as landslides and flood. In such a context, building a system to monitor environmental hazards is seriously needed. Some studies propose to use wireless sensor network (WSN) technique for landslide monitoring systems. Two important factors for these systems are the flexibility and the energy management. This paper focuses on the development of a flexible and efficient WSN for detecting rainfall-induced landslides. A flexible switching between star and tree topologies is used to adapt to weather conditions in order to maximize the reliability of the transmission. Moreover, the power management is designed concurrently with the weather condition to improve both the operation reliability and the power efficiency. The performance of our designed WSN is evaluated by both simulation and outdoor experiment. Detailed calculation of the power budget is presented thoughtfully to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Severe valve lesions require corrective interventions to avoid progression to heart failure (HF) and premature demise. We tested the hypothesis that despite operative risks, corrective valvular interventions will lead to significant improvements in overall cardiac pump function, especially before the onset of cardiac decompensation. Methods We compared the cardiopulmonary exercise performance and non-invasive haemodynamics of 46 consecutive patients with severe valvular disease before and after valvular intervention with reference to 101 healthy male and 139 female controls without cardiovascular disease. Cardiac and physical functional reserves were measured with standard respiratory gas analyses and CO2 rebreathing to measure cardiac output non-invasively during peak treadmill exercise. Data are given as mean ± SD and statistical significance accepted at P < 0.05. Results The entire patient cohort showed no significant improvement in peak O2 consumption (VO2max, P = 0.74) or in peak cardiac power (CPOmax, P = 0.34) after valvular intervention, but we found instead a dichotomous outcome depending on preoperative cardiac function: (i) the pre-operative cardiac decompensatory subgroup (LoW, n = 26) showed increased CPOmax (2.63 ± 0.67 to 3.42 ± 0.98 W, P < 0.0001) and VO2max (1.38 ± 0.55 to 1.56 ± 0.59 L·min-1, P < 0.01); and (ii) the pre-operative non-decompensatory subgroup (HiW) showed reduced CPOmax (4.58 ± 0.96 to 3.84 ± 0.92 W, P < 0.001) and VO2max (2.29 ± 0.72 to 1.97 ± 0.75 L·min-1, P < 0.01). Changes in NYHA class were found to be discrepant with these objective measurements. Conclusion This investigation found an unexpected finding that valvular interventions performed in routine clinical practice do not consistently improve cardiac function, especially in those without pre-operative cardiac decompensation. Assessing cardiac functional gains would open up new avenues for future trials of valvular interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) aggregates composed of 5·0±0·4 nm palladium nanocrystallites (PdNCs) were prepared using ultrasonics in the palladium (II) chloride (PdCl2) H2O/EtOH (5∶1, V/V) solution by the addition of a quantity of Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). The morphologies, crystal structures and the optical properties of 3D Pd nanostructures were characterised by X-ay diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, respectively. The mechanism of sonochemical reduction of Pd (II) ions was also discussed. The results showed that the formation of aggregates of PdNCs depended on the interaction between PVP and CTAB. Moreover, the electrocatalytic properties of 3D Pd nanostructures modified glassy carbon electrode for ethanol oxidation had been also investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The material exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic behaviour for ethanol oxidation in 1M KOH and appeared as a promising candidate for use in direct ethanol fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Low peak O2 consumption ( V ˙ O2max /kg) has been widely used as an indirect indicator of poor cardiac fitness, and often guides management of patients with severe heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that it should be as good an indicator of cardiac dysfunction in obese and non-obese HF patients. Methods We compared the cardiopulmonary exercise performance and non-invasive hemodynamics of 152 obese (BMI > 34 kg.m-2) and 173 non-obese (BMI ≤ 32) male HF patients in NYHA classes II and III, with reference to 101 healthy male controls. Their physical and cardiac functional reserves were measured during treadmill exercise testing with standard respiratory gas analyses and CO2 rebreathing to measure cardiac output non-invasively during peak exercise. Data are given as mean ± SD. Results Obese HF patients with BMI 40.9 ± 7.5 kg·m-2 (age 56.1 ± 14.0 years, NYHA 2.5 ± 0.5) exercised to acceptable cardiopulmonary limits (peak RER = 1.07 ± 0.12), and achieved a mean V ˙ O2max /kg of 18.6 ± 5.2 ml·kg-1 ·min-1, significantly lower than in non-obese HF counterparts (19.9 ± 5.6 ml·kg-1 ·min-1, P = 0.02, age 55.8 ± 10.6 years, BMI 26.6 ± 3.1, NYHA 2.4 ± 0.5, peak RER = 1.07 ± 0.09), with both lower than controls (38.5 ± 9.7 ml·kg-1 ·min-1, P < 10 - 6 ). In contrast, the uncorrected V ˙ O2max was higher in obese (2.31 ± 0.69 ml·min-1 ) than non-obese HF patients (1.61 ± 0.49 ml·min-1, P < 10-6 ). When cardiac dysfunction was evaluated directly, peak cardiac power was significantly greater in obese than non-obese HF patients (4.11 ± 1.21 W vs 2.73 ± 0.82 W, P < 10-6 ), with both lower than controls (5.42 ± 1.04 W, P < 10-6 ). Conclusion These results demonstrate that V ˙ O2max /kg is not a generally reliable indicator of cardiac fitness in all patients. Instead, we found that despite having lower V ˙ O2max /kg, obese HF patients had stronger hearts capable of generating greater cardiac power than non-obese HF patients of equivalent clinical HF status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum state of a superconducting transmon qubit inside a three-dimensional cavity is monitored by transmission of a microwave field through the cavity. The information inferred from the measurement record is incorporated in a density matrix ρt which is conditioned on probe results until t, and in an auxiliary matrix Et, which is conditioned on probe results obtained after t. Here, we obtain these matrices from experimental data and we illustrate their application to predict and retrodict the outcome of weak and strong qubit measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laminin-α2 deficient congenital muscular dystrophy ( CMD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe muscular dystrophy, which is typically associated with abnormal white matter. In this study, we assessed 43 CMD patients with typical white matter abnormality and laminin-α2 deficiency (complete or partial) diagnosed by immunohistochemistry to determine the clinical and molecular genetic characteristics of laminin-α2 deficient CMD. LAMA2 gene mutation analysis was performed by direct sequencing of genomic DNAs. Exonic deletion or duplication was identified by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification ( MLPA) and verified by high-density oligonucleotide-based CGH microarrays. Gene mutation analysis revealed 86 LAMA2 mutations (100%); 15 known and 37 novel. Among these mutations, 73.9% were nonsense, splice-site or frameshift and 18.8% were deletions of one or more exons. Genetic characterization of affected families will be valuable in prenatal diagnosis of CMD in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the linearity of the Ensemble of Data Assimilations ( EDA) technique with respect to the amplitude of the applied observation perturbations. We provide explicit examples to assess the linear relationship between such modifications of the observing system and the resulting changes in the EDA ensemble spread. The results demonstrate that, for a state-of-the-art numerical weather prediction ( NWP) system, such linearity between the applied observation perturbations and the EDA ensemble spread holds well for temporal and spatial regimes relevant to global medium-range weather prediction: specifically, for forecast lead-times of up to approximately 5 days, in the vertical throughout the troposphere up to the lower and middle stratosphere and for broad horizontal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visualizing the interior (lumen) of a tubular structure within tissue can provide a unique perspective on anatomical organization of the tissue. Portal tracts of the liver contain several vessels and ducts in various patterns of intertwining branches and are an example of such spaces. An inexpensive method, using light microscopy and a sample of conventionally stained canine livers, was used to colorize and allow visualization of the lumens of vessels within the portal tract in three dimensions. When the colour of the background was digitally cleared and the lumen filled with a solid colour, it was possible to measure areas and volumes of the portal vein, arteries, bile ducts and lymphatics. Significant differences between vessels and ducts across lobes and gender in control samples are discussed. Differences were also found between control and mixed breed dogs and between controls and a dog that died of accidental traumatic haemorrhage. These differences are discussed in relation to visualizing lumens using images generated from a light microscope. Vessels in plants such as xylem and continuously formed spaces resulting from ice formation are other examples where this technique could be applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, manganese oxide (MnO2)/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites have been prepared as electrode materials for supercapacitor applications. The materials were synthesised using a traditional and facile chemical deposition method. Effects from CNT amounts, synthesis time, pH value and CNT treatment using nitric acid have been thoroughly investigated. It was found that the sample synthesised for 3 h at pH 5 had achieved the best performance with a specific capacitance of 115 F g−1 at a discharge rate of 0·5 A g−1. A capacitance retention of 95% after 1000 cycles has been observed for the sample synthesised in the neutral environment. We believe that findings from this work will pave a road for nanostructured MnO2/CNT composites with better performance in energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the more difficult aspects of discovering mechanisms involved in winterhardiness is detecting where ice is formed and how it interacts with tissues in the frozen state. Many tissues recover and change shape during thawing which prevents a clear picture of ice formation and how individual cells might have responded to this form of stress. Cryo-sectioning and related techniques, while providing valuable information, only allow a two-dimensional view of what is in fact, a three-dimensional phenomenon. In this study, an established freeze-fixation protocol was used in conjunction with histology to visualize empty spaces or voids created by ice within crowns of oat. Images of sections were aligned and background color was cleared to provide 3D visualization of voids that had formed within tissues as a result of freezing. Reconstruction in 3 dimensions revealed that ice had formed continuously in the roots but terminated at the root-shoot junction. This supports previous research that a barrier exists at the base of the crown in freezing tolerant cultivars of winter cereals. In addition, ice-induced voids within the crown were narrow and vertically inclined; they did not form large spherical shapes as had previously been suggested from two-dimensional analysis. Within apical regions of the crown, voids always formed just below the epidermis on what would eventually become the lower surface of the leaf. The 3D structure of these formations resembled a curtain with a termination point at the top of the transition zone and which extended continuously into the leaves. These results suggest that multiple mechanisms must be operative concurrently for the crown to survive. This underscores the need for a variety of approaches that includes clear and detailed observational data to fully comprehend winter survival of cereal crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, a simple and different technique of generation of a metallic capillary discharge plasma is being studied. The capillary is initially evacuated to a low pressure of below 10−2 Pa. The transient hollow cathode discharge (THCD) produces high energy electron beam that subsequently is employed to vaporize the anode material that will inject into the capillary and initiates the discharge through the capillary. The EUV energy emission produced is calculated to be an estimation in the order of tens of milijoules. At the peak of the current of around 9 kA, the electron temperature of the plasma achieved is estimated to be around 11 eV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Avibacterium paragallinarumis the causative agent of infectious coryza, an important respiratory disease of chickens. Cytolethal distending toxins (CDTs) are a family of protein cytotoxins that cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in eukaryotic cells. Whole-genome sequencing analysis showed thatAv. paragallinarumcontainscdtABCgenes. Filter-sterilized lysates prepared fromAv. paragallinarumor from recombinantEscherichia coliexpressingcdtABCgenes exhibited CDT activity on HeLa cells and chicken embryo fibroblast (DF-1) cells.In vitroDNase assays showed that purified recombinant CdtB has DNase activity. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis revealed that thecdtABCgenes are present in all strains ofAv. paragallinarumexamined in this study. This is the first report of the identification and functional analysis ofcdtABCgenes fromAv. paragallinarum. The gene products ofcdtABCgenes may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease caused byAv. paragallinarum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Despite wide availability of treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC), several studies have suggested underutilisation in clinical practice. Aims To quantify utilisation rates for HCC treatment among patients with HCC in the United States, and to summarise patterns of association between utilisation rates and patient socio-demographic characteristics. Methods We performed a systematic literature review using the Medline database from January 1989 to March 2013. Two investigators independently extracted data on patient populations, study methods and results using standardised forms. Pooled treatment rates for any treatment and curative treatment, with 95% confidence intervals, were calculated. Prespecified subgroup analysis was performed to identify patient-level correlates of treatment utilisation. Results We identified 24 studies that met inclusion criteria. The pooled rates of any treatment and curative treatment were 52.8% (95% CI 52.2-53.4%) and 21.8% (95% CI 21.4-22.1%) respectively. Among patients diagnosed at an early stage, the pooled curative treatment rate was 59.0% (95% CI 58.1-59.9%). Elderly, non-Caucasians and patients of low socioeconomic status had lower treatment rates than their counterparts. Conclusions Rates of HCC treatment in the United States, including curative treatment rates among patients detected at an early stage, are disappointingly low. Future efforts should focus on identifying appropriate intervention targets to increase treatment rates and reduce socio-demographic disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucumber blight is a destructive disease. The best way to control this disease is resistance breeding. This study focuses on disease resistance gene mapping and molecular marker development.We used the resistant cucumber, JSH, and susceptible cucumber, B80, as parents to construct F2 populations. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) combined with specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF‐seq) were used, from which we developed cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPs) markers to map the resistance gene.Resistance in F2 individuals showed a segregation ratio of resistance:susceptibility close to 3:1. The gene in JSH resistant cucumber was mapped to an interval of 9.25 kb, and sequencing results for the three genes in the mapped region revealed three mutations at base sites 225, 302, and 591 in the coding region of Csa5G139130 between JSH and B80, but no mutations in coding regions of Csa5G139140 and Csa5G139150. The mutations caused changes in amino acids 75 and 101 of the protein encoded by Csa5G139130, suggesting that Csa5G139130 is the most likely resistance candidate gene. We developed a molecular marker, CAPs‐4, as a closely linked marker for the cucumber blight resistance gene.This is the first report on mapping of a cucumber blight resistance gene and will provideg a useful marker for molecular breeding of cucumber resistance to Phytophthora blight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mild copper-catalyzed Chan–Lam–Evans type cross-coupling reaction for the regioselective and stereospecific preparation of (E)- or (Z)-enol esters is described. The method couples carboxylate salts or carboxylic acids with potassium alkenyltrifluoroborate salts in the presence of catalytic CuBr and DMAP with 4 Å molecular sieves under O2at 60 °C. Overall, this method demonstrates carboxylic acids as suitable reaction partners for nondecarboxylative copper-catalyzed cross-couplings to form C–O bonds in an Ullmann-like reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian clear cell carcinomas (OCCCs) account for about 5-13% of all epithelial ovarian carcinomas in Western populations. It is characterised by resistance to conventional platinum-based chemotherapy, and new therapeutic strategies are urgently required. This article will focus on how recent discoveries have enhanced our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of OCCCs, leading to new therapeutic opportunities. These include mutations in ARID1A, which provides a link to endometriosis, upregulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway, particularly through mutations of PIK3CA and inactivation of PTEN, and increased activity of pathways involved in angiogenesis. Targeting HER2, apoptotic escape mechanisms and mismatch repair defects offer additional opportunities for treating this enigmatic tumour subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]