Immunohistochemical localization of autophagosomal membrane-associated protein LC3 in granular cell tumor and schwannoma

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a neoplasm derived from Schwann cell or (in cases arising in the neurohypophysis) pituicyte and is characterized by abundant cytoplasm filled with numerous eosinophilic granules, which have been considered autophagolysosomes on the basis of their ultrastructure. To confirm that the formation of these granules is related to an autophagy phenomenon, 12 cases of GCT (including two cases of GCT of the neurohypophysis) were studied immunohistochemically using an antibody against LC3 (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3, a specific marker of autophagy). All cases of GCT showed granular immunoreactivity for LC3 in the cytoplasm of tumor cells, indicating that the formation of intracytoplasmic granules in GCT is closely related to an autophagy phenomenon. For elucidation of the relationship between GCT and schwannoma, 20 cases of schwannoma were similarly studied using the anti-LC3 antibody. In eight of 20 cases, a small number of tumor cells showed granular immunoreactivity for LC3, suggesting an increased autophagic activity in some schwannomas and further reinforcing the close relationship between GCT and schwannoma

Learning of L2 Japanese through video games

In Japanese-as-a-foreign language (JFL) education, the impacts of Japanese entertainment media such as digital games have been noted as a motivator for JFL learners. Although outside-of-class literacy exposure from these digital games has been recognized due to their popularity, the specifics of how digital games affect JFL digital literacies and how they interplay with JFL learners’ motivations have not yet been fully explored. Thus, this study investigated the literacies around game fandoms for JFL learners in a Japanese language program (n = 191) and the self-directed and group-based learning activities of a game focus group (n = 6) with two commercial games. The findings demonstrated JFL learners’ literacy exposure through Japanese games and revealed JFL learners’ unique issues with kanji, furigana, and honorifics. Additionally, digital games in Japanese have roles in supporting JFL learners’ motivations (a) visually as achievement milestones (i.e., progress markers) within game content and (b) as goals that JFL learners set for accessing and playing target game titles both as gamers and as JFL learners. Moreover, the study highlights the importance for higher education to connect in-class and non-formal learning and to support L2 learners with 21st century skills

Anaplastic ependymoma simulating glioblastoma in the cerebrum of an adult

A case of anaplastic ependymoma of the cerebral hemisphere in which the histopathological features closely simulated those of glioblastoma is reported. The patient was a 72-year-old woman with a large, well-demarcated tumor in the left temporal lobe. The tumor was totally extirpated, but recurred 18 months later, and the patient died after 4 months. The extirpated tumor was well circumscribed from the surrounding brain tissue and consisted of a sheet-like, dense proliferation of atypical, short spindle or polygonal cells. Extensive geographic necrosis with nuclear pseudopalisading was seen. Although perivascular pseudorosettes were observed in many areas, true ependymal rosettes were absent. Immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein and epithelial membrane antigen and ultrastructural study confirmed the ependymal nature of tumor cells. The histopathological spectrum of anaplastic ependymoma is very wide and reflects the basically dual characteristics of ependymal cells: epithelial and glial phenotypes. The present case indicates that some anaplastic ependymomas strongly express the glial phenotype and also show remarkable anaplastic cytological features, thus closely simulating glioblastoma. The diagnostic criteria for anaplastic ependymoma, and the nosological position of highly anaplastic ependymoma and its possible clinical implications, are briefly discussed

Two-step artificial neural network to estimate the solar radiation at Java Island

The availability of information about solar radiation characteristics, particularly solar radiation predictions, is important for efficiently designing solar energy systems. Solar radiation information is not available in Indonesia because official measurements have not been conducted by the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG). In this study, a new two-step artificial neural network (ANN) is proposed to estimate both the daily average and hourly solar radiation at Java Island, Indonesia. The input parameters for the daily average solar radiation estimation are the location and time required, along with five selected monthly meteorological parameters that BMKG predicts for the subsequent month. The selected meteorological parameters are temperatures, relative humidity, and precipitation. The estimated daily average solar radiation is then used as the input parameter of the hourly solar radiation estimation along with the local time and location. The ANN training was conducted using two years of data, 2018 and 2019, from Surabaya and Jakarta, while the validation was performed in the same cities for January through July 2020. The accuracy of the proposed method is comparable to previous studies with an average R2 of 98.70% for the daily average solar radiation estimate and 97.44% for the hourly solar radiation estimate

Webometrics of the academic institutional repositories

O presente estudo oferece um referencial teórico, baseado em estudos de Almind e Ingwersen (1997),Björneborn e Ingwersen (2004),Thelwall, Vaughan e Bjorneborn (2005), Vanti (2007), entre outros, sobre a webometria, para aplicaçãoem repositórios institucionais acadêmicos, verificando a implementação nessas iniciativas, que, por suas características de agregação da produção científica, torna-se uma representação da comunicação científica nas instituições. O estudo, também, encontra apoio em pesquisadores como Thomas (2007),Dhiman (2010) e Aguillo et al. (2010) sobre estudos webométricos em repositórios. Assim, revelando que métricas aplicadas em repositórios podem apresentar informações importantes sobre a instituição mantenedora do repositório, em relação ao ambiente web. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe objective of this paper is to provide a theoretical referential on studies by Almind and Ingwersen (1997), Björneborn and Ingwersen (2004), Thelwall, Vaughan and Bjorneborn (2005), Vanti (2007), among others, on webometrics, for use in academic institutional repositories, verifying its implementation in these initiatives, which, by their characteristics of added scholar production, become a representation of scholar communication in institutions, The study is also based on research works carried out by Thomas (2007), Dhiman (2010) and Aguillo et all (2010) on webometrics in repositories. The display of metrics applied to repositories may bring out important information on the institution maintaining the repository in regards to the web context

Análise sobre o uso das tendências tecnológicas nos repositórios brasileiros

O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar o cenário brasileiro na adoção das tendências tecnológicas em repositórios digitais. Para tanto, apresenta as principais tendências tecnológicas em desenvolvimento de sistemas informatizados, faz um levantamento da adoção dessas tendências nos repositórios acadêmicos, verifica o interesse pelas novas tecnologias e averigua os principais problemas enfrentados pelos repositórios. Faz uso de uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa, com levantamento efetuado por questionário eletrônico de múltiplas escolhas, aplicado pelo Google-docs. Com isso, revelou-se que grande parte dos repositórios é mantida pelas bibliotecas das universidades e institutos de pesquisa e possui cerca de três ou quatro anos. Geralmente, as equipes que trabalham com o repositório possuem duas ou três pessoas e muitos repositórios possuem equipe de informática dedicada. Poucos têm aderido às tendências tecnológicas, possivelmente, pois o entrosamento entre os administradores dos repositórios e as equipes de Tecnologia da Informação é pequeno, bem como falta materiais de divulgação e treinamentos. No entanto há um grande interesse dos administradores pela modernização dos repositórios e o cenário atual apresenta-se em evolução, visto a dinamicidade imposta pela informática. ______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe aim of this study is to present the Brazilian scenario in the adoption of technological trends in digital repositories. So, it presents the major technological trends in the development of computerized systems, it is a survey of the adoption of these trends in academic repositories, it checks the interest in new technologies and investigates the main problems faced by repositories. It makes use of a quantitative and qualitative approach to a survey done by electronic multiple choice questionnaire applied by Google-docs. It was revealed that most repositories are maintained by the libraries of universities and research institutes and has about three or four years. Usually, teams that work with the repository have two or three people and many repositories have dedicated IT staff. Few repositories have adhered to technological trends, possibly because the rapport between the officers and crews of the repositories of information technology is small, and lack of disclosure materials and trainings. However there is a great interest to repositories manegers for modernization of the repositories and the current scenario presents itself evolving, since the dynamics imposed by the computer