Large-scale Ferrofluid Simulations on Graphics Processing Units

We present an approach to molecular-dynamics simulations of ferrofluids on graphics processing units (GPUs). Our numerical scheme is based on a GPU-oriented modification of the Barnes-Hut (BH) algorithm designed to increase the parallelism of computations. For an ensemble consisting of one million of ferromagnetic particles, the performance of the proposed algorithm on a Tesla M2050 GPU demonstrated a computational-time speed-up of four order of magnitude compared to the performance of the sequential All-Pairs (AP) algorithm on a single-core CPU, and two order of magnitude compared to the performance of the optimized AP algorithm on the GPU. The accuracy of the scheme is corroborated by comparing the results of numerical simulations with theoretical predictions

Nonlinear evolution of short-wavelength torsional Alfvén waves

We analyze nonlinear evolution of torsional Alfvén waves in a straight magnetic flux tube filled in with a low-β plasma, and surrounded with a plasma of lower density. Such magnetic tubes model, in particular, a segment of a coronal loop or a polar plume. The wavelength is taken comparable to the tube radius. We perform a numerical simulation of the wave propagation using ideal magnetohydrodynamics. We find that a torsional wave nonlinearly induces three kinds of compressive flows: the parallel flow at the Alfvén speed, which constitutes a bulk plasma motion along the magnetic field, the tube wave, and also transverse flows in the radial direction, associated with sausage fast magnetoacoustic modes. In addition, the nonlinear torsional wave steepens and its propagation speed increases. The latter effect leads to the progressive distortion of the torsional wave front, i.e., nonlinear phase mixing. Because of the intrinsic non-uniformity of the torsional wave amplitude across the tube radius, the nonlinear effects are more pronounced in regions with higher wave amplitudes. They are always absent at the axes of the flux tube. In the case of a linear radial profile of the wave amplitude, the nonlinear effects are localized in an annulus region near the tube boundary. Thus, the parallel compressive flows driven by torsional Alfvén waves in the solar and stellar coronae, are essentially non-uniform in the perpendicular direction. The presence of additional sinks for the wave energy reduces the efficiency of the nonlinear parallel cascade in torsional Alfvén waves

Colonization by higher plants of iron-ore dumps of Krivyi Rig basin

Описано природне заростання вищими рослинами відвалів гірничозбагачувальних комбінатів Кривбасу залежно від їх віку, екологічних умов і субстрату. Краще заростають відвали, складені лесовидними суглинками, потім – кварцитами, сумішшю цих субстратів, вапняками. Характер сукцесій, на думку авторів, залежить також від впливу алелопатичних чинників.Описано естественное зарастание высшими растениями отвалов горнообогатительных комбинатов Кривбасса в зависимости от их возраста, экологических условий и субстрата. Лучше зарастают отвалы, сложенные лессовидными суглинками, затем – кварцитами, смесью этих субстратов и известняками. Характер сукцессий, по мнению авторов, зависит также от влияния аллелопатических факторов.Natural overgrowing of dumps of the Kryvbas ore-dressing and processing enterprises with higher plants depending on the dumps’ age, ecological conditions and substrate is described. Better overgrowths are found on the dumps composed by the series: loess-like loams, quartzites, mixture of these substrates and limestone. We suppose that the character of successions depends on the effect of allelopathic factors

New treatment options for bladder cancer patients: based on ASCO 2022 materials and beyond

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide and the eighth leading cause of cancer mortality in men. The advent of new systemic therapies, including PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors, and advances in biomarker development have revolutionized the treatment of this disease. The current guidelines of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) support the inclusion of some new therapies in clinical practice. Over the past decade, many approvals for immuno-therapeutic agents have been obtained. Since bladder cancer is characterized by a high frequency of mutations, there has been a widespread introduction of medicines from the group of immune checkpoint inhibitors. All studies from this review were presented at a recent meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and published in reputable journals

Laboratory predictors to intravesical BCG therapy response in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Introduction. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is the gold standard treatment for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, the high recurrence rate after TURBT makes necessary not only regular following to reveal recurrence disease timely, but it also talks about a necessity of adjuvant antitumor therapy in some cases, that allows to prevent disease recurrence and progression. In this regard, patients belonging to high- and sometimes intermediate- risk progression groups are shown to undergo postoperative adjuvant intravesical Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) therapy. Despite the long experience of using BCG therapy for NMIBC treatment the question of the existence of possible prognostic markers and response predictors to intravesical BCG therapy remains open.Objective. To review cutting-edge data on different markers that can be used as predictive response markers to ongoing intravesical BCG therapy in NMIBC-patients.Materials and methods. A literature search was conducted using PubMed/ Medline and Google Scholar databases. We used terms 'bladder cancer', 'non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer' in conjunction with 'recurrence', 'progression', 'BCG', 'intravesical therapy', 'immune response', 'molecular markers' to choose relevant articles published between 2000 and 2022.Results. Clinical and pathological characteristics of the tumor and the patient himself remain leading in predicting the response to intravesical BCG therapy in NMIBC-patients. However, to improve the effectiveness of assessing the risk of developing adverse BC outcomes and choosing the most appropriate strategy for monitoring and treatment in each case, it is necessary to introduce additional assessment parameters. Molecular and genetic markers could be considered as such parameters, make it possible to reveal differences between tumors at a deeper level.Conclusion. Currently, there are no markers that have high-evidence in predicting response to intravesical BCG therapy in NMIBC-patients compared with the cliniсal and pathological characteristics of the tumor and the patient himself. The clearer awareness of molecular genetic pathways of BC pathogenesis, the mechanism of BCG antitumor effect will make it possible to competently select markers that have the highest specificity for BC, which will increase the predictive ability of currently existing tools to assess the risks of BC recurrence and progression

Таксаны в терапии рака предстательной железы: обзор литературы

Prostate cancer is one of the most common causes of death from oncological diseases in men. Taxanes (including docetaxel and cabazitaxel) are microtubule-stabilizing agents which block mitotic cell division leading to apoptosis. Past data have shown promise and good tolerability for different regimens. Recent studies demonstrated that taxanes prolonged the survival both metastatic (hormone sensitive and castrationresistant) locally advanced prostate cancer. In this article, we describe current treatments for рrostate cancer in different stages with taxanes.Рак предстательной железы — одна из ведущих причин смерти от онкологических заболеваний у мужчин. Нарушение жизненного цикла клетки имеет решающее значение для развития и прогрессирования рака предстательной железы. Таксаны, включая доцетаксел и кабазитаксел, являются стабилизирующими микротрубочки агентами, блокирующими митотическое деление и приводящими к апоптозу. Результаты прошлых исследований показали относительно хорошую переносимость таксанов и многообещающую эффективность в различных режимах применения. В предыдущих работах отмечено увеличение выживаемости пациентов при использовании таксанов при метастатическом (как гормоночувствительном, так и кастрационно-резистентном) и местно-распространенном (в том числе как элемент комбинированного лечения) процессе. В настоящей статье описываются современные подходы к использованию этого класса препаратов в лечении рака предстательной железы на различных стадиях

The impact of the time interval from diagnosis to radical prostatectomy on oncological outcomes in high-risk prostate cancer

Introduction. To date, the impact of the time interval from diagnostic prostate biopsy to radical prostatectomy on treatment outcomes remains a topical issue.Objective. To evaluate the effect of the timespan from diagnosis to radical treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) patients on tumor morphology and long-term oncological outcomes.Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of the results of treatment of patients with high-risk PCa who underwent radical prostatectomy with extended lymphadenectomy from 2001 to 2019 in three St. Petersburg clinics was performed. The influence of the time interval from prostate biopsy to radical treatment on long-term outcomes was assessed.Results. An increase in the time interval before surgical treatment over three months did not affect the tumor morphology. Five-year biochemical relapse-free survival was 79.7%, 67.8% and 52.5% among patients with time interval from biopsy to surgical treatment less than 30 days, 30 – 90 days and more than 90 days, respectively. The time interval prior to radical treatment did not have any effect on overall and cancer-specific survival.Conclusion. The time interval from prostate biopsy to surgical intervention, not exceeding 3 months, is the most favorable with respect to long-term outcomes

Effect of taxanes on the miR-106 and miR-200c expression in prostate cancer cells in vivo and in vitro

Introduction. A combination of antiandrogen and cytostatic drugs was justified in the neoadjuvant therapy of patients with high-risk prostate cancer (HiRPCa) in some clinical trials. The effectiveness of such therapy in each individual case depends on the sensitivity of cancer cells to the applied drugs. It makes possible the development of the new technologies to personalize therapeutic approach. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of regulatory molecules whose expression is altered in PCa cells and can be associated with the sensitivity/resistance of cancer cells to specific cytostatics, for instance, taxanes.Objective. To identify the potential-marker miRNAs of PCa cells sensitivity to taxanes.Materials and methods. Samples of PCa tissue (n. 56) obtained from patients underwent neo-adjuvant therapy (antiandrogen and taxanes) and radical prostatectomy; PCa cell lines (PC-3, DU-145, LNCap). Total RNAs isolation was carried out using miRNeasy FFPE Kit, LRU-100-50; miRCURY LNA miRNA Focus PCR Panel, All-MIR kits were used for semi-quantitative analysis of potentially marker microRNA molecules using sequential reverse transcription and PCR.Results. The effect of taxanes on PCa cells is associated with up-regulation of miR-106b expression and down-regulation of miR-200c expression in both in vivo and in vitro conditions.Conclusion. MiR-106b and miR-200c miRNAs are involved in the response of PCa cells to taxanes, and therapeutic modification of these molecules in PCa cells may present a potential strategy to increase their sensitivity to taxane-containing therapy. Appropriate innovative technology may be in demand in the treatment of HiRPCa-patients

The cBio cancer Genomics portal: An open platform for exploring multidimensional cancer genomics data

Cataloged from PDF version of article.The cBio Cancer Genomics Portal (http://cbioportal.org) is an open-access resource for interactive exploration of multidimensional cancer genomics data sets, currently providing access to data from more than 5,000 tumor samples from 20 cancer studies. The cBio Cancer Genomics Portal significantly lowers the barriers between complex genomic data and cancer researchers who want rapid, intuitive, and high-quality access to molecular profiles and clinical attributes from large-scale cancer genomics projects and empowers researchers to translate these rich data sets into biologic insights and clinical applications. © 2012 American Association for Cancer Research