Genomic alterations in rectal tumors and response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: an exploratory study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is the treatment of choice in advanced rectal cancer, even though there are many patients who will not benefit from it. There are still no effective methods for predicting which patients will respond or not. The present study aimed to define the genomic profile of rectal tumors and to identify alterations that are predictive of response in order to optimize therapeutic strategies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-eight candidates for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy were recruited and their pretherapy biopsies analyzed by array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH). Pathologic response was evaluated by tumor regression grade.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both Hidden Markov Model and Smoothing approaches identified similar alterations, with a prevalence of DNA gains. Non responsive patients had a different alteration profile from responsive ones, with a higher number of genome changes mainly located on 2q21, 3q29, 7p22-21, 7q21, 7q36, 8q23-24, 10p14-13, 13q12, 13q31-34, 16p13, 17p13-12 and 18q23 chromosomal regions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This exploratory study suggests that an in depth characterization of chromosomal alterations by aCGH would provide useful predictive information on response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and could help to optimize therapy in rectal cancer patients.</p> <p>The data discussed in this study are available on the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus [GEO: GSE25885].</p

The Scientific Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Using Multimodal Ground-based Observatories

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A Scientific Approach to the Investigation On Anomalous Atmospheric Light Phenomena

Anomalous atmospheric light phenomena tend to occur recurrently in several places of our planet. Statistical studies show that a phenomenon’s real recurrence area can be identified only after pondering reported cases on the population number and on the diffusion of communication media. The main scientific results that have been obtained so far after explorative instrumented missions have been carried out are presented, including the empirical models that have been set up in order to describe the observed reality. Subsequently, a focused theorization is discussed in order to attack the physical problem concerning the structure and the dynamics of “light balls” and the enigma related to the central force that maintains them in spherical shape. Finally, several important issues are discussed regarding methodology, strategy, tactics and interdisciplinary approaches

A Comparative Analytical and Observational Study of North American Databases on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

Databases concerning UAP sightings are analyzed in depth through the examination of three specific samples describing anomalous events reported in the last 60 years in the confining US states of New York and Connecticut and the Canadian province of Ontario. Temporal, spatial and typological analysis of these data show that UAP databases, though not explaining the intrinsic nature of the reported phenomenon, are able to demonstrate its existence whatever its nature may be, and to show quite clearly the way in which the witness perceives it in the same way at different locations both in terms of time intervals and in terms of the sighted shapes. Long-term temporal analysis demonstrates that the time-frequency of reported sightings is directly correlated with the evolution of communications technology and anti-correlated with the secular decrease of Earth’s magnetic field, but also that throughout the general trend some really anomalous residual does emerge in the form of transient “flaps” that are intrinsic to the UAP phenomenon. A work hypothesis is discussed concerning an additional reason why mankind of the technological age tends to report a much higher number of UAP sightings than in the ancient past. Spatial analysis, excluding any connection of the location of their occurrence with magnetic and gravimetric anomalies, shows that the geographical frequency of UAP sightings is strictly correlated with the population number but also that, once a statistical pondered evaluation is done, a real spatial recurrence does exist and is circumscribed to specific areas. Astrometric analysis shows that UAP sightings tend to be reported more frequently when moonlight is low and very often when planetary conjunctions are visible. An explorative and instrumented mission to some locations of Ontario is described, where the testimony of a suspect sighting and the registration of apparently anomalous VLF and ELF data are presented and discussed in detail. Scientific methodology concerning the instrumental monitoring and measurements on the field is discussed throughout the text

Synchronicité: le rapport entre physique et psyché de Pauli et Jung à Chopra

De mystérieux événements synchrones semblent parsemer nos vies. Tandis qu'une pensée affleure, un fait, qui renferme toujours un sens profond dont le but est de conduire nos vies vers leur destin, se produit à l'improviste, dans un synchronisme parfait. L'objectif de ce livre est de démontrer que le phénomène de la « synchronicité » est depuis longtemps étudié, en particulier par les physiciens quantiques. Ces recherches plongent leurs racines dans l'alliance durable et harmonieuse entre le grand psychologue analytique Carl Gustav Jung et le physicien quantique Wolfgang Pauli

David Bohm: la physique de l'infini

Les idées de David Bohm, indépendamment du scepticisme de ses collègues les plus traditionalistes, ont profondément influencé la physique du siècle dernier et ouvert une porte à la physique du nouveau millénaire. Grâce aussi aux contacts qu'il sut nouer avec des chercheurs d'autres branches du savoir, ses idées ont été accueillies avec beaucoup d'enthousiasme par les neuroscientifiques, les philosophes, les théologiens, les psychologues, les sociologues, les poètes, les artistes et les éducateurs. David Bohm avait peut-être pressenti qu'il existe une "physique de l'âme" et avec elle il voulait tracer un nouveau chemin pour une humanité à la dérive

Quantum psyche

At the end of the 19th century Sigmund Freud discovered that our acts and choices are not only decisions of our consciousness, but that they are also deeply determined by our unconscious (the so-called "Freudian unconscious"). During a long correspondence between them (1932-1958) Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Gustav Jung speculated that the unconscious could be a quantum system. This book is addressed both to all those interested in the new developments of the age-old enquiry in the relations between mind and matter, and also to the experts in quantum physics that are interested in a formalisation of this new approach. The description of the "Bilbao experiment" adds a very interesting experimental inquiry into the synchronicity effect in a group situation, linking theory to a quantifiable verification of these subtle effects. Cover design: "Entangled Minds". Riccardo Carminati Galli, 2014