DEFICIT IRRIGATION TECHNIQUE FOR REDUCING WATER USE OF TOMATO UNDER POLYTUNNEL CONDITIONS

The aim of paper was to asses the use of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) for production of two tomato cultivars (Cedrico and Abellus) in polytunnels in Serbia. RDI plants received 60% of the water that was applied to FI plants and significant saving of water for irrigation and increased in irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) were achieved. Yield data for Cedrico cultivar showed no differences between RDI and FI, while due to the bigger sensitivity to drought, yield of Abellus was reduced under RDI. In general, fruit quality (soluble solids, titrable acidity) was sustained or improved in both cultivars under RDI. Economic analyses showed that due to the current low prices of water and electricity in Serbia, the profit increase of Cedrico, similarly to the previously trialed cultivar Amati, was not high under RDI comparing to FI. Reduction of yield and consequent profit for Abellus, indicated that for future commercial growing of tomato under RDI should be used drought resistant cultivars

Sex specific associations in genome wide association analysis of renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has an undisputed genetic component and a stable 2:1 male to female sex ratio in its incidence across populations, suggesting possible sexual dimorphism in its genetic susceptibility. We conducted the first sex-specific genome-wide association analysis of RCC for men (3227 cases, 4916 controls) and women (1992 cases, 3095 controls) of European ancestry from two RCC genome-wide scans and replicated the top findings using an additional series of men (2261 cases, 5852 controls) and women (1399 cases, 1575 controls) from two independent cohorts of European origin. Our study confirmed sex-specific associations for two known RCC risk loci at 14q24.2 (DPF3) and 2p21(EPAS1). We also identified two additional suggestive male-specific loci at 6q24.3 (SAMD5, male odds ratio (ORmale) = 0.83 [95% CI = 0.78-0.89], Pmale = 1.71 × 10-8 compared with female odds ratio (ORfemale) = 0.98 [95% CI = 0.90-1.07], Pfemale = 0.68) and 12q23.3 (intergenic, ORmale = 0.75 [95% CI = 0.68-0.83], Pmale = 1.59 × 10-8 compared with ORfemale = 0.93 [95% CI = 0.82-1.06], Pfemale = 0.21) that attained genome-wide significance in the joint meta-analysis. Herein, we provide evidence of sex-specific associations in RCC genetic susceptibility and advocate the necessity of larger genetic and genomic studies to unravel the endogenous causes of sex bias in sexually dimorphic traits and diseases like RCC

The role of the diaphragm in prediction of respiratory function in the immediate postoperative period in lung cancer patients using a machine learning model

Abstract Background The prediction of postoperative respiratory function is necessary in identifying patients that are at greater risk of complications. There are not enough studies on the effect of the diaphragm on postoperative respiratory function prediction in lung cancer surgical patients. The objective of this study is to estimate the precision of machine learning methods in the prediction of respiratory function in the immediate postoperative period and how diaphragm function contributes to that prediction. Materials and methods Our prospective study included 79 patients who underwent lung cancer surgery. Diaphragm function was estimated by its mobility measured both ultrasonographically and radiographically and by noninvasive muscle strength tests. We present a new machine learning multilayer regression metamodel, which predicts FEV1 for each patient based on preoperative measurements. Results The proposed regression models are specifically trained to predict FEV1 in the immediate postoperative period and were proved to be highly accurate (mean absolute error in the range from 8 to 11%). Predictive models based on resected segments give two to three times less precise results. Measured FEV1 was 44.68% ± 14.07%, 50.95% ± 15.80%, and 58.0%1 ± 14.78%, and predicted postoperative (ppo) FEV1 was 43.85% ± 8.80%, 50.62% ± 9.28%, and 57.85% ± 10.58% on the first, fourth, and seventh day, respectively. By interpreting the obtained model, the diaphragm contributes to ppoFEV1 13.62% on the first day, 10.52% on the fourth, and 9.06% on the seventh day. Conclusion The machine learning metamodel gives more accurate predictions of postoperative lung function than traditional calculations. The diaphragm plays a notable role in the postoperative FEV1 prediction

Targeting B7-H3—A Novel Strategy for the Design of Anticancer Agents for Extracranial Pediatric Solid Tumors Treatment

Recent scientific data recognize the B7-H3 checkpoint molecule as a potential target for immunotherapy of pediatric solid tumors (PSTs). B7-H3 is highly expressed in extracranial PSTs such as neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, nephroblastoma, osteosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma, whereas its expression is absent or very low in normal tissues and organs. The influence of B7-H3 on the biological behavior of malignant solid neoplasms of childhood is expressed through different molecular mechanisms, including stimulation of immune evasion and tumor invasion, and cell-cycle disruption. It has been shown that B7-H3 knockdown decreased tumor cell proliferation and migration, suppressed tumor growth, and enhanced anti-tumor immune response in some pediatric solid cancers. Antibody-drug conjugates targeting B7-H3 exhibited profound anti-tumor effects against preclinical models of pediatric solid malignancies. Moreover, B7-H3-targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells demonstrated significant in vivo activity against different xenograft models of neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and osteosarcoma. Finally, clinical studies demonstrated the potent anti-tumor activity of B7-H3-targeting antibody-radioimmunoconjugates in metastatic neuroblastoma. This review summarizes the established data from various PST-related studies, including in vitro, in vivo, and clinical research, and explains all the benefits and potential obstacles of targeting B7-H3 by novel immunotherapeutic agents designed to treat malignant extracranial solid tumors of childhood

Sex specific associations in genome wide association analysis of renal cell carcinoma

International audienceRenal cell carcinoma (RCC) has an undisputed genetic component and a stable 2:1 male to female sex ratio in its incidence across populations, suggesting possible sexual dimorphism in its genetic susceptibility. We conducted the first sex-specific genome-wide association analysis of RCC for men (3227 cases, 4916 controls) and women (1992 cases, 3095 controls) of European ancestry from two RCC genome-wide scans and replicated the top findings using an additional series of men (2261 cases, 5852 controls) and women (1399 cases, 1575 controls) from two independent cohorts of European origin. Our study confirmed sex-specific associations for two known RCC risk loci at 14q24.2 (DPF3) and 2p21(EPAS1). We also identified two additional suggestive male-specific loci at 6q24.3 (SAMD5, male odds ratio (ORmale) = 0.83 [95% CI = 0.78-0.89], Pmale = 1.71 × 10−8 compared with female odds ratio (ORfemale) = 0.98 [95% CI = 0.90–1.07], Pfemale = 0.68) and 12q23.3 (intergenic, ORmale = 0.75 [95% CI = 0.68-0.83], Pmale = 1.59 × 10−8 compared with ORfemale = 0.93 [95% CI = 0.82–1.06], Pfemale = 0.21) that attained genome-wide significance in the joint meta-analysis. Herein, we provide evidence of sex-specific associations in RCC genetic susceptibility and advocate the necessity of larger genetic and genomic studies to unravel the endogenous causes of sex bias in sexually dimorphic traits and diseases like RCC