Ramucirumab plus docetaxel versus placebo plus docetaxel in patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma after platinum-based therapy (RANGE): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial

Few treatments with a distinct mechanism of action are available for patients with platinum-refractory advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. We assessed the efficacy and safety of treatment with docetaxel plus either ramucirumab-a human IgG1 VEGFR-2 antagonist-or placebo in this patient population

Changes in bird communities of a sedge meadow ecosystem after restoring its agricultural management

Celem badań przeprowadzonych na terenie Bagna Ławki, w Biebrzańskim Parku Narodowym, było określenie zmian w ugrupowaniu ptaków łąki turzycowej, które zaszły pod wpływem wznowienia jej koszenia. Uwzględniono wyniki dwu lat badań prowadzonych od 1999 r. na powierzchni "Batalionowa" (38,5 ha otwartego turzycowiska) i dane z 2000 r. z powierzchni "Mozaika" (15 ha turzycowiska częściowo zakrzaczonego i pokrytego trzciną). Jesienią 1999 r. wykoszono 17,5 ha łąki turzycowej pierwszej powierzchni. W roku następnym tylko na części koszonej "Batalionowej" pojawiły się lęgowe rycyki (Limosa limosa) i krwawodzioby (Tringa totanus). Ich powrót na dawne lęgowiska, jako jednoznacznie związany z faktem koszenia łąki turzycowej, pozwala wnioskować o częściowej antropogeniczności biocenozy turzycowiska i sugeruje konieczność aktywnej ochrony bioróżnorodności łąk turzycowych Bagna Ławki.The purpose of this paper is to present changes of bird populations on a sedge fen meadow as a result of restoration of mowing. Observations were carried out in the years 1999-2000 on two study plots located in Biebrza National Park . The first - study plot "Batalionowa" (38.5 hectares) - represents an open type of the sedge meadow landscape. The second study plot called "Mozaika" (15 hectares) represents the sedge meadow covered partly by small bushes and reeds. The combined mapping method was used. In autumn 1999 17.5 hectares of the first plot were mown for the first time after a long break. Two new species of breeding birds: Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) and Redshank (Tringa tetanus) appeared next spring after mowing on "Batalionowa". Their return to this place of breeding as directly connected to mowing suggests partly antropogenic character of the ecosystem and the necessity of its active protection

The application of high level synthesis for implementation of lattice Boltzmann method in ARUZ

The paper presents the implementation results of D2Q9 Lattice Boltzmann method on ARUZ, a massively parallel FPGA-based simulator built in Lodz, Poland in 2015, optimized for execution of the Dynamic Lattice Liquid algorithm. The results of tests on a single ARUZ board indicate, that the LBM simulation of 864 × 384 lattice on 18 panels of ARUZ would reach the performance of 206 · 103 MLUPS (Million Lattice Updates per Second)

Xeno Nucleic Acid Nanosensors for Enhanced Stability Against Ion-Induced Perturbations

The omnipresence of salts in biofluids creates a pervasive challenge in designing sensors suitable for in vivo applications. Fluctuations in ion concentrations have been shown to affect the sensitivity and selectivity of optical sensors based on single-walled carbon nanotubes wrapped with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA–SWCNTs). We herein observe fluorescence wavelength shifting for ssDNA–SWCNT-based optical sensors in the presence of divalent cations at concentrations above 3.5 mM. In contrast, no shifting was observed for concentrations up to 350 mM for sensors bioengineered with increased rigidity using xeno nucleic acids (XNAs). Transient fluorescence measurements reveal distinct optical transitions for ssDNA- and XNA-based wrappings during ion-induced conformation changes, with XNA-based sensors showing increased permanence in conformational and signal stability. This demonstration introduces synthetic biology as a complementary means for enhancing nanotube optoelectronic behavior, unlocking previously unexplored possibilities for developing nanobioengineered sensors with augmented capabilities

Comparing Bayesian Variable Selection to Lasso Approaches for Applications in Psychology.

In the current paper, we review existing tools for solving variable selection problems in psychology. Modern regularization methods such as lasso regression have recently been introduced in the field and are incorporated into popular methodologies, such as network analysis. However, several recognized limitations of lasso regularization may limit its suitability for psychological research. In this paper, we compare the properties of lasso approaches used for variable selection to Bayesian variable selection approaches. In particular we highlight advantages of stochastic search variable selection (SSVS), that make it well suited for variable selection applications in psychology. We demonstrate these advantages and contrast SSVS with lasso type penalization in an application to predict depression symptoms in a large sample and an accompanying simulation study. We investigate the effects of sample size, effect size, and patterns of correlation among predictors on rates of correct and false inclusion and bias in the estimates. SSVS as investigated here is reasonably computationally efficient and powerful to detect moderate effects in small sample sizes (or small effects in moderate sample sizes), while protecting against false inclusion and without over-penalizing true effects. We recommend SSVS as a flexible framework that is well-suited for the field, discuss limitations, and suggest directions for future development

Comparing Bayesian Variable Selection to Lasso Approaches for Applications in Psychology

Abstract In the current paper, we review existing tools for solving variable selection problems in psychology. Modern regularization methods such as lasso regression have recently been introduced in the field and are incorporated into popular methodologies, such as network analysis. However, several recognized limitations of lasso regularization may limit its suitability for psychological research. In this paper, we compare the properties of lasso approaches used for variable selection to Bayesian variable selection approaches. In particular we highlight advantages of stochastic search variable selection (SSVS), that make it well suited for variable selection applications in psychology. We demonstrate these advantages and contrast SSVS with lasso type penalization in an application to predict depression symptoms in a large sample and an accompanying simulation study. We investigate the effects of sample size, effect size, and patterns of correlation among predictors on rates of correct and false inclusion and bias in the estimates. SSVS as investigated here is reasonably computationally efficient and powerful to detect moderate effects in small sample sizes (or small effects in moderate sample sizes), while protecting against false inclusion and without over-penalizing true effects. We recommend SSVS as a flexible framework that is well-suited for the field, discuss limitations, and suggest directions for future development

Xeno Nucleic Acid Nanosensors for Enhanced Stability Against Ion-Induced Perturbations

The omnipresence of salts in biofluids creates a pervasive challenge in designing sensors suitable for in vivo applications. Fluctuations in ion concentrations have been shown to affect the sensitivity and selectivity of optical sensors based on single-walled carbon nanotubes wrapped with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA–SWCNTs). We herein observe fluorescence wavelength shifting for ssDNA–SWCNT-based optical sensors in the presence of divalent cations at concentrations above 3.5 mM. In contrast, no shifting was observed for concentrations up to 350 mM for sensors bioengineered with increased rigidity using xeno nucleic acids (XNAs). Transient fluorescence measurements reveal distinct optical transitions for ssDNA- and XNA-based wrappings during ion-induced conformation changes, with XNA-based sensors showing increased permanence in conformational and signal stability. This demonstration introduces synthetic biology as a complementary means for enhancing nanotube optoelectronic behavior, unlocking previously unexplored possibilities for developing nanobioengineered sensors with augmented capabilities