Observational constraints on spatial anisotropy of G from orbital motions

A phenomenological anisotropic variation \Delta G/G of the Newtonian gravitational coupling parameter G, if real, would affect the orbital dynamics of a two-body gravitationally bound system in a specific way. We analytically work out the long-term effects that such a putative modification of the usual Newtonian inverse-square law would induce on the trajectory of a test particle orbiting a central mass. Without making any a-priori simplifying assumptions concerning the orbital configuration of the test particle, it turns out that its osculating semi-major axis a, eccentricity e, pericenter \varpi and mean anomaly M undergo long-term temporal variations, while the inclination I and the node \Omega are left unaffected. Moreover, the radial and the transverse components of the position and the velocity vectors r and v of the test particle experience non-vanishing changes per orbit, contrary to the out-of-plane ones. Then, we compute our theoretical predictions for some of the major bodies of the solar system by orienting the gradient of G(r) towards the Galactic Center and keeping it fixed over the characteristic timescales involved. By comparing our calculation to the latest observational determinations for the same bodies, we infer \Delta G/G <= 10^-17 over about 1 au. Finally, we consider also the Supermassive Black Hole hosted by the Galactic Center in Sgr A^* and the main sequence star S2 orbiting it in about 16 yr, obtaining just \Delta G/G <= 10^-2 over 1 kau.Comment: LaTex2e, 18 pages, no figures, 4 tables. Accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravity (CQG). Typo fixed. Reference update

Determination of the E2/M1 Ratio in the \gamma N \to \Delta(1232) Transition from a Simultaneous Measurement of p(\vec{\gamma},p)\pi^0 and p(\vec{\gamma},\pi^+)n

Tagged linearly polarized photons have been used at the Mainz Microtron MAMI for simultaneous measurements of the p(\vec{\gamma},p)\pi^0 and p(\vec{\gamma},\pi^+)n reaction channels to study the \gamma N \to \Delta(1232) transition. The energy dependence of the magnetic dipole M_{1+}^{3/2} and electric quadrupole E_{1+}^{3/2} amplitudes have been extracted from these data in the photon energy range from 270 to 420 MeV. The E2/M1 ratio for the \gamma N \to \Delta(1232) transition has been determined to be - (2.5+-0.1_{stat}+-0.2_{sys}) % at the resonance position delta_{33}=90^0.Comment: 25 pages Latex including 13 postscript figures submitted for publication in Phys. Rev.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VEGFR-2 IN THE TUMORS AND BLOOD SERA OF THE BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

The analysis of the changes of the content of the angiogenic factor VEGFR-2 in the cytosol of the tumor and blood sera of the 30 breast can- cer patients determined by immunoenzyme method during neoadjuvant therapy is given. Likewise the correlation of this index with the main clinicomorphological characteristics of the disease is assessed. The obtained results suggest on the possibility of the use of VEGFR-2 as the one of the diagnostic markers of the breast cancer. The index dynamics didn’t depend on the given therapy type but nonetheless the correlation of the VEGFR-2 content in the residual tumor after preoperative therapy with the grade of the treatment pathomorphosis is determined

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTORS (IGF) AND IGF-BINDING PROTEINS INVESTIGATION IN PATIENTS WITH OVARIAN NEOPLASMS

Background: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling system plays a major role in development and progression of various malignancies including ovarian cancer, and its components are considered as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers and the objects of molecular targeted therapy.Aim: Comparative evaluation of IGF-I and IGF-II, and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP)-1, 2 and 3 content in blood serum and tumors of ovarian tumor patients, analysis of their associations with key clinical pathologic characteristics of ovarian cancer and evaluation of clinical value of these markers for disease diagnostics and prognosis.Materials and methods: IGF-I, II, IGFBP-1, 2 and 3 levels were measured with standard ELISA kits (Mediagnost, Germany) in blood serum and tumor extracts of 74 patients with ovarian cancer, 16 patients with benign and 14 with borderline ovarian tumors. The control group comprised 77 healthy women. Results: Three potential serological markers of ovarian cancer, namely IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-2 were revealed. The best sensitivity to specificity ratio was demonstrated for IGFBP-2: at a 370 ng/ml cut-off level, these indices were 87 and 79%, respectively. The diagnostic markers found in our study were also associated with the prognosis of overall survival in ovarian cancer. In the multivariate analysis, low IGF-I serum levels retained its independent unfavorable prognostic value. The disease prognosis is influenced also by IGF-II and IGFBP-1 content in the tumor tissue.Conclusion: In ovarian cancer patients, there is a disbalance of IGFs/IGFBPs. Some components of this system could be potentially used as diagnostic and prognostic markers of the disease

DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTIPLEX ALLELE-SPECIFIC REAL-TIME PCR METHOD FOR DETECTION OF PIK3CA GENE SOMATIC MUTATIONS AND ITS VALIDATION IN THE TUMORS OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Aim: To develop a highly sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for detection of somatic mutations in 542 and 545 codons of exon 9 and 1047 codon of exon 20 of PIK3CA gene comprising more than 80% of all somatic mutations in this gene for application on histological material without macroand microdissection, and to analyze associations between these mutations and clinical and pathological characteristics of breast tumors.Materials and methods: The Allele-specific real-time PCR method with signal detection by TaqMan probes was used. For determination of its analytical sensitivity, plasmids carrying the mutations studied were constructed by standard genetic engineering methods using mutagenesis. DNA samples carrying various mutated/wild type DNA ratios (5.0; 2.0; 1.0; 0.5, 0.25%) were prepared. Results: Multiplex allele-specific real-time PCR method for detection of most common mutations in PIK3CA gene: p.E542K c.1624G&gt;A, p.E545K c.1633G&gt;A, p.H1047R c.3140A&gt;G, p.H1047L c.3140A&gt;T – was developed and optimized.Analytical sensitivity of mutation detection comprised 0.5% for p.E542K and 0.25% for p.E545K, p.H1047R and H1047L enzyme.Conclusion: The method developed for detection of somatic mutations in PIK3CA gene is sufficiently sensitive, specific and efficient, that allows to propose it for a routine screening in clinical diagnostic laboratories for evaluation of disease prognosis and monitoring of response to therapy and its modification

On the Scientific Maturity of Digital Forensics Research

Part 1: THEMES AND ISSUESInternational audienceThis paper applies a scientific maturity grade schema from the software engineering domain to research in the field of digital forensics. On the basis of this maturity schema and its grades, the paper classifies the current maturity of digital forensics research. The findings show that much more research conducted at higher levels of “scientificness” is necessary before the new field of digital forensics can be considered to be scientifically mature