A New Method for the High-Precision Assessment of Tumor Changes in Response to Treatment

Imaging demonstrates that preclinical and human tumors are heterogeneous, i.e. a single tumor can exhibit multiple regions that behave differently during both normal development and also in response to treatment. The large variations observed in control group tumors can obscure detection of significant therapeutic effects due to the ambiguity in attributing causes of change. This can hinder development of effective therapies due to limitations in experimental design, rather than due to therapeutic failure. An improved method to model biological variation and heterogeneity in imaging signals is described. Specifically, Linear Poisson modelling (LPM) evaluates changes in apparent diffusion co-efficient (ADC) before and 72 hours after radiotherapy, in two xenograft models of colorectal cancer. The statistical significance of measured changes are compared to those attainable using a conventional t-test analysis on basic ADC distribution parameters. When LPMs were applied to treated tumors, the LPMs detected highly significant changes. The analyses were significant for all tumors, equating to a gain in power of 4 fold (i.e. equivelent to having a sample size 16 times larger), compared with the conventional approach. In contrast, highly significant changes are only detected at a cohort level using t-tests, restricting their potential use within personalised medicine and increasing the number of animals required during testing. Furthermore, LPM enabled the relative volumes of responding and non-responding tissue to be estimated for each xenograft model. Leave-one-out analysis of the treated xenografts provided quality control and identified potential outliers, raising confidence in LPM data at clinically relevant sample sizes

Contrainte suffixales et Ia disponibilite morphologique

Depuis les annees 1970 Ia question de productivite n'a cesse d'attirer J"attention des linguistes qui s·interessent a !"etude des precedes morphologiques. Toutefois, Ia plupart des tra\ aux dans ce domaine portent sur Ia mesure stati stique qui cherche a etabl ir Ia producti,·ite quantitati,·e des procedes en question. L'aspect qualitatif semble relati,·ement marginalise. Le point de vue adopte ici est que Ia di sponibilite des suffixes constructionnels peut etre etudiee d'un point de vue multidimensionnel. En nous appuyant. d'une part. sur ]"approche lexematique de Ia morphologie constructionnelle ct. d ·autre part. sur le principe de contraime de Ia Theorie de r Optimalite, no us proposons quatre criteres avec un systeme de contraintes pour r examen de Ia disponibilite des suffixes apprehendee d'un point de vue qual itatif en fran~ais et probablement applicable en d · autres langues com parables. otre proposition est ensuite appliquee a cinq suffixes du franyais- -ant. -eur -ier. -iste et -oi

Two Cooperating Manipulators with Fractional Controllers

This paper analyzes the dynamic performance of two cooperative robot manipulators. It is studied the implementation of fractional-order algorithms in the position/force control of two cooperating robotic manipulators holding an object. The simulations reveal that fractional algorithms lead to performances superior to classical integer-order controllers

Selfish genetic elements and male fertility

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the Royal Society via the DOI in this recordSelfish Genetic Elements (SGEs) are diverse and near ubiquitous in Eukaryotes and can be potent drivers of evolution. Here we discuss SGEs that specifically act on sperm to gain a transmission advantage to the next generation. The diverse SGEs that affect sperm often impose costs on carrier males, including damaging ejaculates, skewing offspring sex-ratios and in particular reducing sperm competitive success of SGE carrying males. How males and females tolerate and mitigate against these costs is a dynamic and expanding area of research. The intense intra-genomic conflict that these selfish elements generate could also have implications for male fertility and spermatogenesis more widely

Sinteza i antihipoksično djelovanje alifatskih i arilalifatskih amida kofein-8-tioglikolne kiseline

The synthesis of some aliphatic and arylaliphatic amides of caffeine-8-thioglycolic acid was studied. The structures of synthesized compounds were proved by microanalyses, IR- and 1H NMR data. Values of acute p.o. and i.p. toxicity in mice show lower toxicity compared to caffeine. Declines in spontaneous locomotor activity support the idea of depressive CNS activity of the compounds. Two compounds exhibited brain antihypoxic activity (5a and 5b against haemic and circulatory hypoxia, respectively).U radu je opisana sinteza alifatskih i arilalifatskih amida kofein-8-tioglikolne kiseline i njihova karakterizacija elementarnom analizom, IR- i 1H NMR spektroskopijom. Testiranja na miševima pokazuju da su sintetizirani spojevi primijenjeni p.o. i i.p. manje toksični od kofeina. Smanjenje lokomotoričke aktivnosti podupire ideju o njihovom depresivnom djelovanju na SŽS. Spojevi 5a i 5b djeluju antihipoksički u uvjetima krvne i cirkulacijske hipoksije u mozgu

An Assessment of Social Interaction Responsiveness of Selected Online Resources for French Vocabulary Learning by Foreign Learners

This paper investigates the appropriateness of Internet-based learning resources in the acquisition of French vocabulary by foreign learners using the framework of the social interaction theory of learning. Five online French language learning platforms are randomly selected and an assessment of their responsiveness to the framework of the social interaction theory of foreign language learning is carried out. Findings show that the five online resources, although not on the same level of interactive effectiveness, would be of great assistance to foreign learners of French in their quest to acquire adequate vocabulary. Finally, far-reaching recommendations are made to developers of online vocabulary learning resources on how to best present their learning contents for optimal results. Recommendations are also made to French teachers and learners on ways by which the use of online platforms can be optimally utilized to facilitate the acquisition of French vocabulary

Pulmonary nodules associated with JAK inhibitor therapy in rheumatoid arthritis

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may receive Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors to achieve optimal control of their disease. We report a case of a patient who received a selective JAK1 inhibitor and subsequently developed multiple pulmonary nodules with cavitation. Biopsies confirmed the presence of cryptococcosis and the patient responded well to anti-fungal therapy.http://www.ajtccm.org.za/index.php/SARJam2022Internal Medicin

QGP Theory: Status and Perspectives

The current status of Quark-Gluon-Plasma Theory is reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on QGP signatures, the interpretation of current data and what to expect from RHIC in the near future.Comment: 20 pages, invited overview talk at the 4th International Conference on the Physcis and Astrophysics of the Quark-Gluon-Plasma, November 2001, Jaipur, India, to appear in Praman