Genome-wide association study of loss of heterozygosity and metastasis-free survival in breast cancer patients

One of the factors providing the diversity and heterogeneity of malignant tumors, particularly breast cancer, are genetic variations, due to gene polymorphism, and, especially, the phenomenon of loss of heterozygosity (LOH). It has been shown that LOH in some genes could be a good prognostic marker. Aim: To perform genome-wide study on LOH in association with metastasisfree survival in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The study involved 68 patients with breast cancer. LOH status was detected by microarray analysis, using a high density DNA-chip CytoScanTM HD Array (Affymetrix, USA). The Chromosome Analysis Suite 3.1 (Affymetrix, USA) software was used for result processing. Results: 13,815 genes were examined, in order to detect LOH. The frequency of LOH varied from 0% to 63%. The association analysis identified four genes: EDA2R, PGK1, TAF9B and CYSLTR1 that demonstrated the presence of LOH associated with metastasis-free survival (log-rank test, p < 0.03). Conclusions: The presence of LOH in EDA2R, TAF9B, and CYSLTR1 genes is associated with metastasis-free survival in breast cancer patients, indicating their potential value as prognostic markers

First measurement of hadronic event shapes in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV

This is the Pre-Print version of the Article - Copyright @ 2011 ElsevierHadronic event shapes have been measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV, with a data sample collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.2 inverse picobarns. Event-shape distributions, corrected for detector response, are compared with five models of QCD multijet production

Search for microscopic black hole signatures at the Large Hadron Collider

This is the Pre-Print version of the Article. The official published paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 ElsevierA search for microscopic black hole production and decay in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV has been conducted by the CMS Collaboration at the LHC, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35 inverse picobarns. Events with large total transverse energy are analyzed for the presence of multiple high-energy jets, leptons, and photons, typical of a signal expected from a microscopic black hole. Good agreement with the expected standard model backgrounds, dominated by QCD multijet production, is observed for various final-state multiplicities. Limits on the minimum black hole mass are set, in the range 3.5 -- 4.5 TeV, for a variety of parameters in a model with large extra dimensions, along with model-independent limits on new physics in these final states. These are the first direct limits on black hole production at a particle accelerator.This work is supported by the FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF and WCU (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTD (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Synthesis and antimitotic properties of ortho-substituted polymethoxydiarylazolopyrimidines

Ortho-substituted polymethoxydiarylazolopyrimidines were synthesized using polymethoxysubstituted benzaldehydes and acetophenones as starting material. X-ray crystallography data clearly confirmed that the subsequent cyclization of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole with ketoaldehydes yielded polymethoxyphenylsubstituted 6,7-diaryl-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines as single isomers. All compounds were evaluated in vivo using phenotypic sea urchin embryo assay. 6-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-7-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine showed antimitotic microtubule destabilizing activity. The importance of aryl rings substituents in diaryltriazolopyrimidines for their antiproliferative antitubulin effect has been suggested. © ARKAT USA, Inc

COMBINED TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER WITH PERSONALIZED PRESCRIPTION OF ADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY

Objective: To study the long-term results of the combined treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using pre-surgery chemotherapy, radical surgery and personalized adjuvant chemotherapy based on the level of monoresistance genes. Methods: Four-year results of treatment of 72 patients of NSCLC II-III stage were analyzed. All patients underwent 2 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (vinorelbine/carboplatin) and surgical treatment. Personalized adjuvant chemotherapy based on the levels of expression of monoresistance genes АВСС5, RRM1, TYMS, TOP1, TOP2α, TUBB3, BRCA1, and ERCC1 was performed in the main group (n=35). Three courses of adjuvant chemotherapy (vinorelbine/carboplatin) were performed in the control group (n=37). Results: In the main group the progression of the disease was observed in 14 out of 35, and in the control group – in 21 out of 37 patients. Relapsefree survival (RFS) in the main group was 60.0% (95% CI: 43.6-74.5), in the control group – 43.2% (95% CI: 28.7-59.1); Log-Rank test χ2 =3,071, р=0,080; RR=1,808 (95% CI: 0.918-3.561). The median RFS in the control group was 27 months (95% CI: 5.7-48.3). The overall survival rate in the main group was 77.1% (95% CI: 61.0-87.9), in the control group – 54.1% (95% CI: 38.4-69.0); Log-Rank test χ2 =2,813, p=0.094; RR=2,024 (95% CI: 0,870-4,709). Conclusion: The developed method of personalized prescribing adjuvant chemotherapy to patients with NSCLC based on the molecular genetic characteristics of the tumor improves relapse-free and overall survival

Synthesis and antimitotic properties of ortho-substituted polymethoxydiarylazolopyrimidines

Ortho-substituted polymethoxydiarylazolopyrimidines were synthesized using polymethoxysubstituted benzaldehydes and acetophenones as starting material. X-ray crystallography data clearly confirmed that the subsequent cyclization of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole with ketoaldehydes yielded polymethoxyphenylsubstituted 6,7-diaryl-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines as single isomers. All compounds were evaluated in vivo using phenotypic sea urchin embryo assay. 6-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-7-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine showed antimitotic microtubule destabilizing activity. The importance of aryl rings substituents in diaryltriazolopyrimidines for their antiproliferative antitubulin effect has been suggested. © ARKAT USA, Inc

N-Graphene-Metal-Oxide(Sulfide) hybrid Nanostructures: Single-step plasma-enabled approach for energy storage applications

Hybrid graphene-based nanostructures are considered promising materials for energy storage applications. However, the synthesis of high-quality hybrid graphene nanostructures at high yields is challenging. In the present work we propose a novel, single-step microwave plasma-enabled approach to synthetize customizable hybrid graphene-based nanostructures at high-yield while preserving their quality. Hybrid N-graphene (nitrogen-doped graphene) metal-based nanostructures, for instance, can be produced at a rate of ∼ 19 mg/min. The high energy density region of a microwave plasma provides sufficient energy and “building particles” fluxes towards the low-energy density plasma afterglow for the processes of assembly and growth of N-graphene sheets. Simultaneously, a controlled jet of metal-oxide(-sulfide) microparticles is sprayed into the plasma afterglow region where they bind to N-graphene sheets. Methane/methylamine are used as carbon and nitrogen precursors, combined with micron-sized MnO2 and oxy-MnS particles to synthesize the hybrid structures. As a result, nano-sized (∼10–30 nm) MnOx particles decorated N-graphene (4.6 at. N%) and oxidized metal sulfide anchored N-graphene sheets (3.1 at. N%) are produced at atmospheric conditions. High structural quality and distribution of metal-based nanostructures on N-graphene sheets are revealed using transmission and scanning electron microscopes and other advanced spectroscopic techniques. Finally, an electrode for supercapacitor based on the N-graphene-metal-oxide(sulfide) hybrid nanostructures is developed with promising specific capacitances (∼273 F.g−1 at 0.5 A.g−1). The described chemically engineered process is one of the fastest approaches reported for designing the high-quality hybrid nanostructures produced at a high-yield, and as such, is expected to provide a high impact on the design of electrode materials for sustainable energy storage systems.publishedVersio

N-Graphene-Metal-Oxide(Sulfide) hybrid Nanostructures: Single-step plasma-enabled approach for energy storage applications

Hybrid graphene-based nanostructures are considered promising materials for energy storage applications. However, the synthesis of high-quality hybrid graphene nanostructures at high yields is challenging. In the present work we propose a novel, single-step microwave plasma-enabled approach to synthetize customizable hybrid graphene-based nanostructures at high-yield while preserving their quality. Hybrid N-graphene (nitrogen-doped graphene) metal-based nanostructures, for instance, can be produced at a rate of ∼ 19 mg/min. The high energy density region of a microwave plasma provides sufficient energy and “building particles” fluxes towards the low-energy density plasma afterglow for the processes of assembly and growth of N-graphene sheets. Simultaneously, a controlled jet of metal-oxide(-sulfide) microparticles is sprayed into the plasma afterglow region where they bind to N-graphene sheets. Methane/methylamine are used as carbon and nitrogen precursors, combined with micron-sized MnO2 and oxy-MnS particles to synthesize the hybrid structures. As a result, nano-sized (∼10–30 nm) MnOx particles decorated N-graphene (4.6 at. N%) and oxidized metal sulfide anchored N-graphene sheets (3.1 at. N%) are produced at atmospheric conditions. High structural quality and distribution of metal-based nanostructures on N-graphene sheets are revealed using transmission and scanning electron microscopes and other advanced spectroscopic techniques. Finally, an electrode for supercapacitor based on the N-graphene-metal-oxide(sulfide) hybrid nanostructures is developed with promising specific capacitances (∼273 F.g−1 at 0.5 A.g−1). The described chemically engineered process is one of the fastest approaches reported for designing the high-quality hybrid nanostructures produced at a high-yield, and as such, is expected to provide a high impact on the design of electrode materials for sustainable energy storage systems

α-decay properties of new neutron-deficient isotope 203Ac

A new isotope 203Ac was produced in the reaction 40Ca + 169Tm at beam energy of 226 MeV. One correlated α-decay chain was attributed to 203Ac. The α-particle energy and half-life were determined to be 8217(16) keV and 56−26+269 μs, respectively. The reduced α-decay width (δ2) of 203Ac was deduced to be 1096−906+921 keV, which indicates a favored α decay. The systematics of δ2 and single-particle energy levels indicate that the new state probably arises from the intruder s1/2 configuration, which shows an onset of deformation in Ac isotopes. The proton separation energy Sp of 203Ac was extracted as −1214(22) keV and the systematics of Sp for odd-A isotopes beyond proton drip line were discussed