Deciphering the origin and therapeutic targets of cancer of unknown primary: a case report that illustrates the power of integrative whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing analysis

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) represents a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, being the third to fourth leading cause of cancer death, despite advances in diagnostic tools. This article presents a successful approach using a novel genomic analysis in the evaluation and treatment of a CUP patient, leveraging whole-exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The patient, with a history of multiple primary tumors including urothelial cancer, exhibited a history of rapid progression on empirical chemotherapy. The application of our approach identified a molecular target, characterized the tumor expression profile and the tumor microenvironment, and analyzed the origin of the tumor, leading to a tailored treatment. This resulted in a substantial radiological response across all metastatic sites and the predicted primary site of the tumor. We argue that a comprehensive genomic and molecular profiling approach, like the BostonGene© Tumor Portrait, can provide a more definitive, personalized treatment strategy, overcoming the limitations of current predictive assays. This approach offers a potential solution to an unmet clinical need for a standardized approach in identifying the tumor origin for the effective management of CUP

A Feminist Critique of Philip K.Dick's Novels ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" and "The man in High Castle")

Filips K. Diks ir slavens zinātniskās fantastikas rakstnieks. Zinātniskās fantastikas žanrs bieži tiek mērķēts uz vīriešu auditoriju. Šekojošā pētījuma mērķis ir dzimuma attēlojums romānā “Vai androīdi sapņo par elektriskām aitām?”. Pētījuma galvenā empīriskā metode ir teksta analīze. Galvenā analīzes forma ir feministiskā literatūras kritika, kas vērsta uz zinātnisko fantastiku. Tas ietver dzimuma izpēti kā analīzes veidu, galveno uzmanību pievēršot dzimumu lomām, tā attēlojumam un seksualitātei. Pētījuma rezultātā tika atklāts, ka sieviešu personāžiem bija mazāk daudzveidīgi stāsti, salīdzinot ar vīriešu varoņiem, un to personāži tika attēloti daudz empātiskāki nekā vīrieši, neatkarīgi no tā,vai tika attēloti kā cilvēki vai nē. Atslēgvārdi: feministiskā literatūras kritika, zinātniskā fantastika, dzimumu lomas, dzimumu.Philip K. Dick is a famous science fiction writer. The genre of science fiction is often targeted at a male readership. The aim of the following research is on the depiction of gender within the novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’. The main empirical method of the study is text analysis. The main form of analysis is feminist literary criticism that is focused on science fiction. This includes the study of gender as a form of analysis, focusing on gender roles, representation, and sexuality. The result of the research found that the female characters had less diverse narratives when compared to the male characters and were portrayed as more empathetic than men regardless of whether they were human or not

Male Fantasy in William Gibson’s "Neuromancer" and the Cyberpunk Genre

Kiberpanka žanram ir raksturīgs advancētu tehnoloģiju izmantojums, anti-utopiska vide un cilvēka ķermeņa ierobežojumu pārsniegšana. Šis žanrs parasti saistīts ar vīriešiem raksturīgām lomām. Viljama Gibsona romāna Neiromants ir viens no šī žanra noteicošajiem darbiem. Šī darba mērķis ir salīdzināt vīrieša fantāzijas attēlojumu divos modernos kiberpanka darbos: Kiberpanks 2077 un Matrikss: Atdzimšana. Vīrieša fantāzija tekstā tiek definēta izmantojot trīs pazīmes: seksu, vardarbību un varu.Rezultāti apliecina, ka vīriešu fantāziju izplatība mūsdienu darbos ir palielinājusies. Šie darbi iekļauj dažādus elementus vēlmju piepildīšanai, kas paredzēti visiem dzimumiem.The cyberpunk genre is defined by advanced technology, a dystopian setting, and going beyond the constraints of the human body. The genre is typically associated with men. William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer is one of the genre’s defining works. The aim of this paper is to compare the depiction of male fantasy in Neuromancer and compare it to two contemporary cyberpunk works, Cyberpunk 2077 and the Matrix Resurrections. Male fantasy in texts has been defined by the presentation of three features; sex, violence, and power. The findings show that the prevalence of male fantasy has increased in contemporary works. There are various elements of wish-fulfillment targeting all genders

Summarizing Customer Reviews: A New Way to Optimize eWOM for Better Purchasing Experience

The prosperity of online shopping contributes to the explosive growth of eWOM. Customer reviews are considered as one of the most important types of eWOM. While assisting customers in forming comprehensive overviews of products and services, the sheer number of reviews may cause information overload and reduce customers’ satisfaction with decision making and purchase experiences. In this study, we propose a new type of decision aid tool – a feature-based review summary to address the issue. Based on theoretical and empirical work in marketing, decision making, and support systems, we develop a set of hypotheses and tests through two experiments using manipulated e-commerce websites selling cameras. Though review summary’s effectiveness in moderating the relationship between information overload and process satisfaction is not proved directly, we find that the summary increases customers’ perceived review helpfulness, which subsequently increases customers’ process satisfaction under conditions of limited information overload. Our research is an interdisciplinary study that explores the role of feature-based review summary in assisting customers’ purchase decision making under conditions of information overload. Theoretically, it contributes to the literature by testing the efficiency of a summary as a decision facilitating tool. Practically, it demonstrates the usefulness of feature-based summary for popular search products showing a certain level of similarity

Change of Splits Jump Technique in the Process of Training Sessions

Целью исследования явилось определение эффективности обучения специальным гимнастическим упражнениям на основе биомеханического анализа движения. Для решения поставленной цели использовался метод позных ориентиров движения и метод миометрии. Выявлены основные параметры мышечного тонуса, эластичность скелетных мышц, уровень силового потенциала и эффективность мышечной работы. Определены количественные параметры серийности выполнения специального упражнения. Параметры функционального состояния скелетных мышц позволили оценить их вклад в обеспечение результативности гимнастического упражнения.Increasing the role of individual control over the performance of movements and ensuring correction of training activities on the basis of individual perception of skeletal muscles loads of different directions is an important task. Qualified gymnasts took part in the study. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of training special gymnastic exercises based on biomechanical analysis of movement. To solve this goal, we used the method of paired landmarks of movement and the method of myometry. The initial, final, starting and a number of animated positions were identified, which allowed not only to identify the criteria for rationality of movement, but also typical errors that occur as a result of fatigue. A structural-phase model of performing a splits jump was built on the basis of different movement landmarks. Evaluation of changes in the performance of skeletal muscles was determined by serial performance of the exercise in one training session. Testing was performed after each serial repetition. Muscle tone at rest, skeletal muscle elasticity, level of strength potential and efficiency of tower work were evaluated. The main parameters of changes in the functional state of skeletal muscles are revealed. The quantitative parameters of the seriality of a special exercise are determined. Parameters of the functional state of skeletal muscles allowed us to evaluate the contribution of skeletal muscles to ensure the effectiveness of gymnastic exercises. The study revealed the appearance of typical errors when performing the exercise against the background of fatigue, namely: insufficient amplitude of movement at the moment of repulsion; the lack of synchronicity of the fixed position of the hands at the time of straightening the legs in the twine; at the moment of the unsupported phase, the torso is tilted forward, which reduces the height of the jump and can lead to a fall and injury; flexion of the legs at the knee joints at the moment of the twine position; landing on straight legs; relaxed landing and unnecessary movements, which make the body position limited-stable. In the future, it is expected to identify the biomechanical relationship of gymnastic exercises on kinematic and dynamic parameters of movement and quantitative parameters to ensure the effectiveness of motor activity

iPSC-Derived Macrophages: The Differentiation Protocol Affects Cell Immune Characteristics and Differentiation Trajectories

The generation of human macrophages from induced pluripotent stem cells (iMacs) is a rapidly developing approach used to create disease models, screen drugs, study macrophage–pathogen interactions and develop macrophage-based cell therapy. To generate iMacs, different types of protocols have been suggested, all thought to result in the generation of similar iMac populations. However, direct comparison of iMacs generated using different protocols has not been performed. We have compared the productivity, the differentiation trajectories and the characteristics of iMacs generated using two widely used protocols: one based on the formation of embryoid bodies and the induction of myeloid differentiation by only two cytokines, interleukin-3 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and the other utilizing multiple exogenous factors for iMac generation. We report inter-protocol differences in the following: (i) protocol productivity; (ii) dynamic changes in the expression of genes related to inflammation and lipid homeostasis following iMac differentiation and (iii) the transcriptomic profiles of terminally differentiated iMacs, including the expression of genes involved in inflammatory response, antigen presentation and lipid homeostasis. The results document the dependence of fine iMac characteristics on the type of differentiation protocol, which is important for further development of the field, including the development of iMac-based cell therapy