Less Invasive Phenotype Found in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-mutated Glioblastomas than in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Wild-Type Glioblastomas: A Diffusion-Tensor Imaging Study

PURPOSE: To explore the diffusion-tensor (DT) imaging-defined invasive phenotypes of both isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH-1)-mutated and IDH-1 wild-type glioblastomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy patients with glioblastoma were prospectively recruited and imaged preoperatively. All patients provided signed consent, and the local research ethics committee approved the study. Patients underwent surgical resection, and tumor samples underwent immunohistochemistry for IDH-1 R132H mutations. DT imaging data were coregistered to the anatomic magnetic resonance study and reconstructed to provide the anisotropic and isotropic components of the DT. The invasive phenotype was determined by using previously published criteria and correlated with IDH-1 mutation status by using the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test. RESULTS: Nine patients had an IDH-1 mutation and 61 had IDH-1 wild type. All of the patients with IDH-1 mutation had a minimally invasive DT imaging phenotype. Among the IDH-1 wild-type tumors, 42 of 61 (69%) were diffusively invasive glioblastomas, 14 of 61 (23%) were locally invasive, and five of 61 (8%) were minimally invasive (P < .001). CONCLUSION: IDH-mutated glioblastomas have a less invasive phenotype compared with IDH wild type. This finding may have implications for individualizing the extent of surgical resection and radiation therapy volumes.NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellowship (NIHR/CS/009/011); Chang Gung Medical Foundation; Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; Commonwealth Scholarship Commission; Cambridge Commonwealth Overseas Trust; NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centr

Radial Growth of Qilian Juniper on the Northeast Tibetan Plateau and Potential Climate Associations

There is controversy regarding the limiting climatic factor for tree radial growth at the alpine treeline on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In this study, we collected 594 increment cores from 331 trees, grouped within four altitude belts spanning the range 3550 to 4020 m.a.s.l. on a single hillside. We have developed four equivalent ring-width chronologies and shown that there are no significant differences in their growth-climate responses during 1956 to 2011 or in their longer-term growth patterns during the period AD 1110–2011. The main climate influence on radial growth is shown to be precipitation variability. Missing ring analysis shows that tree radial growth at the uppermost treeline location is more sensitive to climate variation than that at other elevations, and poor tree radial growth is particularly linked to the occurrence of serious drought events. Hence water limitation, rather than temperature stress, plays the pivotal role in controlling the radial growth of Sabina przewalskii Kom. at the treeline in this region. This finding contradicts any generalisation that tree-ring chronologies from high-elevation treeline environments are mostly indicators of temperature changes

Variation of cataract surgery costs in four different graded providers of China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>China has the largest population of cataract patients in the world. However, the cataract surgery rate per million remains low in China. We carried out a survey on costs of cataract surgery from four different graded providers in China and analyzed differences in cost among these clinics.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>1,189 patients were recruited for the study in four eye clinics, located in two provinces, Guangdong province in southern China and Hubei province in central China. The average cost of each cataract surgery episode was calculated including cost of intraocular lens, cost of drugs and facility cost. We also collected information on reimbursement and disposable annual income of local residents.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean total cost per cataract intervention of four different providers varied considerably, ranging from US$1,293 in Union Hospital to US$ 536 in Jingshan County Hospital. In all providers, except for Jingshan County Hospital, the cost exceeded annual disposable income of local rural residents. As to the proportion of patients with reimbursement, the figure for Union Hospital was only 36%, while for other three clinics it was more than 60%. There was a significant difference between mean reimbursement ratios, with the highest ratio in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center being 71%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Significant differences in costs of cataract surgery were found among the 4 different graded providers. A part of the cost was borne by patients. Proportion of patients with reimbursement and mean reimbursement ratios were higher in economically developed regions than in economically developing regions. Much more financial support should be directed into the rural New Cooperative Medical Scheme to raise the reimbursement ratio in rural China.</p

One-step hydrothermal synthesis of graphene decorated V2O5 nanobelts for enhanced electrochemical energy storage

Graphene-decorated V2O5 nanobelts (GVNBs) were synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal method in a single step. V2O5 nanobelts (VNBs) were formed in the presence of graphene oxide, a mild oxidant, which also enhanced the conductivity of GVNBs. From the electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis, the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are inserted into the layered crystal structure of V2O5 nanobelts, which further confirmed the enhanced conductivity of the nanobelts. The electrochemical energy-storage capacity of GVNBs was investigated for supercapacitor applications. The specific capacitance of GVNBs was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and charge/discharge (CD) studies. The GVNBs having V2O5-rich composite, namely, V(3)G(1) (VO/GO = 3:1), showed superior specific capacitance in comparison to the other composites (V(1)G(1) and V(1)G(3)) and the pure materials. Moreover, the V(3)G(1) composite showed excellent cyclic stability and the capacitance retention of about 82% was observed even after 5000 cycles.open

The growth of the central region by acquisition of counterrotating gas in star-forming galaxies

Galaxies grow through both internal and external processes. In about 10% of nearby red galaxies with little star formation, gas and stars are counter-rotating, demonstrating the importance of external gas acquisition in these galaxies. However, systematic studies of such phenomena in blue, star-forming galaxies are rare, leaving uncertain the role of external gas acquisition in driving evolution of blue galaxies. Here, based on new measurements with integral field spectroscopy of a large representative galaxy sample, we find an appreciable fraction of counterrotators among blue galaxies (9 out of 489 galaxies). The central regions of blue counterrotators show younger stellar populations and more intense, ongoing star formation than their outer parts, indicating ongoing growth of the central regions. The result offers observational evidence that the acquisition of external gas in blue galaxies is possible; the interaction with pre-existing gas funnels the gas into nuclear regions (<1 kpc) to form new stars

Subcellular Localization of SUN2 Is Regulated by Lamin A and Rab5

SUN2 is an inner nuclear membrane protein with a conserved Sad1/UNC-84 homology SUN-domain at the C-terminus. Intriguingly, SUN2 has also been reported to interact with Rab5, which localizes in early endosomes. To clarify the dual subcellular localization of SUN2, we investigated its localization in lamin A/C deficient cells rescued with lamin A or lamin C isoform, and in HeLa cells transfected with Rab5 or its mutants. We found that expression of lamin A but not lamin C partly restored the nuclear envelope localization of SUN2. SUN2 was redistributed to endosomes upon overexpression of Rab5, but remained on the nuclear envelope when the SUN domain was deleted. To explore the physiological function of SUN2 in vesicle trafficking and endocytosis, we demonstrated the colocalization of endogenous SUN2 and Rab5. Moreover, overexpression of SUN2 stimulated the uptake of transferrin while suppression of SUN2 expression attenuated the process. These findings support a role of SUN2 in endocytosis

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb-1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameters R=0. 4 or R=0. 6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta pT≥20 GeV and pseudorapidities {pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2. 5 % in the central calorimeter region ({pipe}η{pipe}<0. 8) for jets with 60≤pT<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for pT<30 GeV in the most forward region 3. 2≤{pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon pT, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-pT jets recoiling against a high-pT jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-pT jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration