1,720,956 research outputs found
Epithelial-stromal interaction in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer
Full text linkColorectal cancer (CRC) is not a homogenous disease. Recent molecular classification of established tumours based on gene expression and (epi)genetic mutation burden, has revealed considerable disease heterogeneity. The relative importance of the epithelial and stromal tissue compartments varies between different tumour subtypes and this contributes to the observed clinical and molecular heterogeneity of CRC.
The AIM of this study was to explore the role of the stroma in different precancerous pathologies (polyps) and in CRC.
Stromal gene expression varies considerably between the different polyp subtypes (SSA and TVA) with a comparatively greater number of differentially expressed genes in serrated lesion stroma, suggesting the hypothesis that SSA lesions, usually initiated by BRAF mutations and methylation, require the recruitment of pro-tumorigenic stroma to enable lesion progression. In contrast, TVA are initiated by epithelial mutations that disrupt Wnt signaling (such as APC) and this is sufficient to drive tumourigenesis, irrespective of stromal influences.
Moreover, transwell tissue culture 3D techniques and animal models revealed that fibroblasts support the cross species growth of mouse epithelial organoids and abrogate the normal media requirement for Noggin and EGF. Interestingly, mouse epithelium grown in this co culture system develop as spheroids rather than the branching organoids seen with media morphogen supplementation, indicating a phenotype modulating effect of the fibroblasts.
Preliminary results revealed that fibroblasts have effects on cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation by upregulation of genes involved with cell cycle progression, DNA synthesis/repair, protein translation, vesicles mediated transport and lipid metabolism.
Primary stromal cell cultures isolated from adenoma and colon cancer (CMS2 and CMS4) might in part represent the corresponding cancer microenvironment, thus providing a useful complement to the current cellular biochemistry and therapeutic research in CRC
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells modulate dextran sulphate sodium induced acute colitis in immunodeficient mice.
Full text linkInflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are complex multi-factorial diseases with increasing incidence worldwide but their treatment is far from satisfactory. Unconventional strategies have consequently been investigated, proposing the use of stem cells as an effective alternative approach to IBD. In the present study we examined the protective potential of exogenously administered human umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) against Dextran Sulphate Sodium (DSS) induced acute colitis in immunodeficient NOD.CB17-Prkdc scid/J mice with particular attention to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.
METHODS:
UCMSCs were injected in NOD.CB17-Prkdc scid/J via the tail vein at day 1 and 4 after DSS administration. To verify attenuation of DSS induced damage by UCMSCs, Disease Activity Index (DAI) and body weight changes was monitored daily. Moreover, colon length, histological changes, myeloperoxidase and catalase activities, metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9 expression and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress related proteins were evaluated on day 7.
RESULTS:
UCMSCs administration to immunodeficient NOD.CB17-Prkdc scid/J mice after DSS damage significantly reduced DAI (1.45 ± 0.16 vs 2.08 ± 0.18, p 3-fold), which were significantly reduced in mice receiving UCMSCs. Moreover, positive modulation in ER stress related proteins was observed after UCMSC administration.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our results demonstrated that UCMSCs are able to prevent DSS-induced colitis in immunodeficient mice. Using these mice we demonstrated that our UCMSCs have a direct preventive effect other than the T-cell immunomodulatory properties which are already known. Moreover we demonstrated a key function of MMPs and ER stress in the establishment of colitis suggesting them to be potential therapeutic targets in IBD treatment
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
First report of canker and dieback caused by Neofusicoccum parvum and Diplodia olivarum on oleaster in Italy
No full textOleaster (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) is a sclerophyllous forest tree occurring in the Mediterranean region including Sardinia (Italy). Oleaster suffers from few major diseases, but since 2017 a new and unusual disease leading to the death of both young and old trees has been observed in several woodlands of high ecological value in north-eastern Sardinia. Declining trees showed a variety of symptoms including leaf chlorosis, dieback and sunken canker on trunk and branches. The cankers often exuded a white to orange sap, giving them the appearance of bleeding, which gradually dried to a whitish gluey mass on the bark. Symptomatic wood samples yielded fungal isolates belonging to five fungal species: Diplodia olivarum, Dothiorella sarmentorum, Neofusicoccum parvum, Rosellinia corticium and unidentified Pestalotiopsis sp. In pathogenicity trials Neofusicoccum parvum proved to be the most aggressive species. Our results provide the first evidence for a combined involvement of different Botryosphaeriaceae species in the aetiology of a new oleaster disease.L’oleastro (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) è una specie legnosa sempreverde ampiamente diffusa nel bacino del Mediterraneo. Questa specie è ritenuta rustica e resistente alle avversità ambientali e parassitarie, ma a partire dal 2017, una grave malattia ad eziologia sconosciuta è stata osservata in varie formazioni della Sardegna nord-orientale. Le piante colpite mostravano sintomi di clorosi fogliare, un progressivo disseccamento della chioma e vistosi cancri su rami, branche e fusto. I cancri spesso trasudavano un fluido di colore bianco-arancione, che asciugandosi formava una massa amorfa e collosa sulla corteccia. Le indagini diagnostiche condotte su campioni legnosi prelevati in corrispondenza dei cancri hanno consentito di isolare 32 colonie fungine appartenenti alle specie: Diplodia olivarum, Dothiorella sarmentorum e Neofusicoccum parvum (Botryosphaeriaceae), Pestalotiopsis sp. (Pestalotiopsidaceae) e Rosellinia corticium (Xylariaceae). Diplodia olivarum è stata isolata con maggiore frequenza, mentre N. parvum nelle prove di patogenicità ha causato le lesioni più estese e riprodotto tutti i sintomi osservati in natura. Le ricerche effettuate hanno permesso di individuare l’esistenza di nuove associazioni ospite-patogeno e di accertare che nell’eziologia della malattia sono coinvolte più specie afferenti alla famiglia delle Botryosphaeriaceae.
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist
No full textWe have done our best to complete the author checklist relating to the use of animals in the hut study. Note that the objective for the hut study was to evaluate the IRS treatment applications for residual efficacy against Anopheles mosquitoes, including the local An. coluzzii mosquito population. Cows were only used to attract mosquitoes into the huts and no tests were carried out directly on the cows. The author checklist is intended for use with studies where experiments are carried out on animals, which is why we have had such difficulty in completing this for the hut study, as many of the questions do not relate to how the cows were used
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