Endometrial Carcinoma: A Review of Chemotherapy, Drug Resistance, and the Search for New Agents

The article examines current treatment options in patients with endometrial carcinoma, the role of drug resistance, and the rationale for the use of epothilones in treating this disease

Dogs and humans respond to emotionally competent stimuli by producing different facial actions

The commonality of facial expressions of emotion has been studied in different species since Darwin, with most of the research focusing on closely related primate species. However, it is unclear to what extent there exists common facial expression in species more phylogenetically distant, but sharing a need for common interspecific emotional understanding. Here we used the objective, anatomically-based tools, FACS and DogFACS (Facial Action Coding Systems), to quantify and compare human and domestic dog facial expressions in response to emotionally-competent stimuli associated with different categories of emotional arousal. We sought to answer two questions: Firstly, do dogs display specific discriminatory facial movements in response to different categories of emotional stimuli? Secondly, do dogs display similar facial movements to humans when reacting in emotionally comparable contexts? We found that dogs displayed distinctive facial actions depending on the category of stimuli. However, dogs produced different facial movements to humans in comparable states of emotional arousal. These results refute the commonality of emotional expression across mammals, since dogs do not display human-like facial expressions. Given the unique interspecific relationship between dogs and humans, two highly social but evolutionarily distant species sharing a common environment, these findings give new insight into the origin of emotion expression

Antifungal susceptibilities, varieties, and electrophoretic karyotypes of clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from Brazil, Chile, and Venezuela

One hundred clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and non-HIV-infected patients from Brazil, Chile, and Venezuela were separated according to varieties and tested for antifungal susceptibility. A high susceptibility to antifungal agents was observed among all the isolates. The electrophoretic karyotyping of 51 strains revealed good discrimination among Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans strains.3962348235

Consumer perceptions of co-branding alliances: Organizational dissimilarity signals and brand fit

This study explores how consumers evaluate co-branding alliances between dissimilar partner firms. Customers are well aware that different firms are behind a co-branded product and observe the partner firms’ characteristics. Drawing on signaling theory, we assert that consumers use organizational characteristics as signals in their assessment of brand fit and for their purchasing decisions. Some organizational signals are beyond the control of the co-branding partners or at least they cannot alter them on short notice. We use a quasi-experimental design and test how co-branding partner dissimilarity affects brand fit perception. The results show that co-branding partner dissimilarity in terms of firm size, industry scope, and country-of-origin image negatively affects brand fit perception. Firm age dissimilarity does not exert significant influence. Because brand fit generally fosters a benevolent consumer attitude towards a co-branding alliance, the findings suggest that high partner dissimilarity may reduce overall co-branding alliance performance

Dynamics of biofilm formation and the interaction between Candida albicans and methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Polymicrobial biofilms are an understudied and a clinically relevant problem. This study evaluates the interaction between C. albicans, and methicillin- susceptible (MSSA) and resistant (MRSA) S. aureus growing in single- and dual-species biofilms. Single and dual species adhesion (90 min) and biofilms (12, 24, and 48 h) were evaluated by complementary methods: counting colony-forming units (CFU mL-1), XTT-reduction, and crystal violet staining (CV). The secretion of hydrolytic enzymes by the 48 h biofilms was also evaluated using fluorimetric kits. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to assess biofilm structure. The results from quantification assays were compared using two-way ANOVAs with Tukey post-hoc tests, while data from enzymatic activities were analyzed by one-way Welch-ANOVA followed by Games-Howell post hoc test ( = 0.05). C. albicans, MSSA and MRSA were able to adhere and to form biofilm in both single or mixed cultures. In general, all microorganisms in both growth conditions showed a gradual increase in the number of cells and metabolic activity over time, reaching peak values between 12 h and 48 h (<0.05). C. albicans single- and dual-biofilms had significantly higher total biomass values (<0.05) than single biofilms of bacteria. Except for single MRSA biofilms, all microorganisms in both growth conditions secreted proteinase and phospholipase-C. SEM images revealed extensive adherence of bacteria to hyphal elements of C. albicans. C. albicans, MSSA, and MRSA can co-exist in biofilms without antagonism and in an apparent synergistic effect, with bacteria cells preferentially associated to C. albicans hyphal forms.CNPq (Council for Technical and Scientific Development) (Grant 400658/2012-7)Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal (SFRH/BPD/71076/2010)CAPES(Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level Personnel

Prediction of leak flow rate in plastic water distribution pipes using vibro-acoustic measurements

Leakage from water distribution systems is a worldwide issue with consequences including loss of revenue, health and environmental concerns. Leaks have typically been found through leak noise correlation by placing sensors either side of the leak and recording and analysing its vibro-acoustic emission. While this method is widely used to identify the location of the leak, the sensors also record data that could be related to the leak’s flow rate, yet no reliable method exists to predict leak flow rate in water distribution pipes using vibro-acoustic emission. The aim of this research is to predict leak flow rate in medium-density polyethylene pipe using vibro-acoustic emission signals. A novel experimental methodology is presented whereby circular holes of four sizes are tested at several leak flow rates. Following the derivation of a number of features, least squares support vector machines are used in order to predict leak flow rate. The results show a strong correlation highlighting the potential of this technique as a rapid and practical tool for water companies to assess and prioritise leak repair

Persistent C-peptide secretion in Type 1 diabetes and its relationship to the genetic architecture of diabetes

Background: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship of detectable C-peptide secretion in type 1 diabetes to clinical features and to the genetic architecture of diabetes. Methods: C-peptide was measured in an untimed serum sample in the SDRNT1BIO cohort of 6076 Scottish people with clinically diagnosed type 1 diabetes or latent autoimmune diabetes of adulthood. Risk scores at loci previously associated with type 1 and type 2 diabetes were calculated from publicly available summary statistics. Results: Prevalence of detectable C-peptide varied from 19% in those with onset before age 15 and duration greater than 15 years to 92% in those with onset after age 35 and duration less than 5 years. Twenty-nine percent of variance in C-peptide levels was accounted for by associations with male gender, late age at onset and short duration. The SNP heritability of residual C-peptide secretion adjusted for gender, age at onset and duration was estimated as 26%. Genotypic risk score for type 1 diabetes was inversely associated with detectable C-peptide secretion: the most strongly associated loci were the HLA and INS gene regions. A risk score for type 1 diabetes based on the HLA DR3 and DQ8-DR4 serotypes was strongly associated with early age at onset and inversely associated with C-peptide persistence. For C-peptide but not age at onset, there were strong associations with risk scores for type 1 and type 2 diabetes that were based on SNPs in the HLA region but not accounted for by HLA serotype. Conclusions: Persistence of C-peptide secretion varies widely in people clinically diagnosed as type 1 diabetes. C-peptide persistence is influenced by variants in the HLA region that are different from those determining risk of early-onset type 1 diabetes. Known risk loci for diabetes account for only a small proportion of the genetic effects on C-peptide persistence

Observation of associated near-side and away-side long-range correlations in √sNN=5.02 TeV proton-lead collisions with the ATLAS detector

Two-particle correlations in relative azimuthal angle (Δϕ) and pseudorapidity (Δη) are measured in √sNN=5.02  TeV p+Pb collisions using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements are performed using approximately 1  μb-1 of data as a function of transverse momentum (pT) and the transverse energy (ΣETPb) summed over 3.1<η<4.9 in the direction of the Pb beam. The correlation function, constructed from charged particles, exhibits a long-range (2<|Δη|<5) “near-side” (Δϕ∼0) correlation that grows rapidly with increasing ΣETPb. A long-range “away-side” (Δϕ∼π) correlation, obtained by subtracting the expected contributions from recoiling dijets and other sources estimated using events with small ΣETPb, is found to match the near-side correlation in magnitude, shape (in Δη and Δϕ) and ΣETPb dependence. The resultant Δϕ correlation is approximately symmetric about π/2, and is consistent with a dominant cos⁡2Δϕ modulation for all ΣETPb ranges and particle pT