Phenotypic characterization and diversity analysis of single-type tuberose(Agave amica syn. Polianthes tuberosa)

Tuberose is a popular ornamental crop valued for its attractive, fragrant white flowers, which are extensively used as cut and loose flowers, and for extraction of essential oil. The present study was conducted to evaluate the morphological variability among 14 single-type tuberose varieties based on 27 quantitative traits. Among the evaluated genotypes, the variety Arka Prajwal exhibited superior performance in several floral and vegetative traits such as number of leaves (38.43), leaf length (53.61 cm), leaf width (2.40 cm), plant spread (N–S: 99.57 cm; E–W: 99.20 cm), weight of single floret (2.18 g), floret diameter (6.41 cm), floret weight per spike (115.78 g), flower yield (11.58 t/ha), and bulb diameter (3.71 cm). The variety Bidhan Snigdha excelled in traits like rachis length (44.43 cm), floret length (7.36 cm), floret width (5.10 cm), bulb weight per clump (310.23 g), bulblet weight per clump (210.69 g), individual bulb weight (51.84 g), and bulb length (7.22 cm). The varieties Prajwal, Bidhan Snigdha, and GKTC-4 were identified as high loose flower yielders and are recommended for commercial cultivation. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first six components (Eigen value >1.0) accounted for 90.48% of the total variation, with PC1 and PC2 contributing 47.97% and 14.42%, respectively. Cluster analysis using Ward’s method supported the PCA results, grouping the genotypes into two major clusters based on morphological traits. This study provides valuable insights for tuberose breeding, varietal improvement, and germplasm conservation programs

Endometrial stromal sarcoma: a population-based analysis

To determine independent prognostic factors for the survival of patients with endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), data were abstracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of the National Cancer Institute from 1988 to 2003. Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards models were used for analyses. Of 831 women diagnosed with ESS, the median age was 52 years (range: 17–96 years). In total, 59.9% had stage I, 5.1% stage II, 14.9% stage III, and 20.1% had stage IV disease. Overall, 13.0, 36.1, and 34.7% presented with grades 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Patients with stage I–II vs III–IV disease had 5 years DSS of 89.3% vs 50.3% (P<0.001) and those with grades 1, 2, and 3 cancers had survivals of 91.4, 95.4, and 42.1% (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, older patients, black race, advanced stage, higher grade, lack of primary surgery, and nodal metastasis were independent prognostic factors for poorer survival. In younger women (<50 years) with stage I–II disease, ovarian-sparing procedures did not adversely impact survival (91.9 vs 96.2%; P=0.1). Age, race, primary surgery, stage, and grade are important prognostic factors for ESS. Excellent survival in patients with grade 1 and 2 disease of all stages supports the concept that these tumors are significantly different from grade 3 tumors. Ovarian-sparing surgeries may be considered in younger patients with early-stage disease

Identification of a Vitamin-D Receptor Antagonist, MeTC7, which Inhibits the Growth of Xenograft and Transgenic Tumors In Vivo

Vitamin-D receptor (VDR) mRNA is overexpressed in neuroblastoma and carcinomas of lung, pancreas, and ovaries and predicts poor prognoses. VDR antagonists may be able to inhibit tumors that overexpress VDR. However, the current antagonists are arduous to synthesize and are only partial antagonists, limiting their use. Here, we show that the VDR antagonist MeTC7 (5), which can be synthesized from 7-dehydrocholesterol (6) in two steps, inhibits VDR selectively, suppresses the viability of cancer cell-lines, and reduces the growth of the spontaneous transgenic TH-MYCN neuroblastoma and xenografts in vivo. The VDR selectivity of 5 against RXRα and PPAR-γ was confirmed, and docking studies using VDR-LBD indicated that 5 induces major changes in the binding motifs, which potentially result in VDR antagonistic effects. These data highlight the therapeutic benefits of targeting VDR for the treatment of malignancies and demonstrate the creation of selective VDR antagonists that are easy to synthesize

Efficacy of a Non-Hypercalcemic Vitamin-D2 Derived Anti-Cancer Agent (MT19c) and Inhibition of Fatty Acid Synthesis in an Ovarian Cancer Xenograft Model

BACKGROUND:Numerous vitamin-D analogs exhibited poor response rates, high systemic toxicities and hypercalcemia in human trials to treat cancer. We identified the first non-hypercalcemic anti-cancer vitamin D analog MT19c by altering the A-ring of ergocalciferol. This study describes the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action of MT19c in both in vitro and in vivo models. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING:Antitumor efficacy of MT19c was evaluated in ovarian cancer cell (SKOV-3) xenografts in nude mice and a syngenic rat ovarian cancer model. Serum calcium levels of MT19c or calcitriol treated animals were measured. In-silico molecular docking simulation and a cell based VDR reporter assay revealed MT19c-VDR interaction. Genomewide mRNA analysis of MT19c treated tumors identified drug targets which were verified by immunoblotting and microscopy. Quantification of cellular malonyl CoA was carried out by HPLC-MS. A binding study with PPAR-Y receptor was performed. MT19c reduced ovarian cancer growth in xenograft and syngeneic animal models without causing hypercalcemia or acute toxicity. MT19c is a weak vitamin-D receptor (VDR) antagonist that disrupted the interaction between VDR and coactivator SRC2-3. Genome-wide mRNA analysis and western blot and microscopy of MT19c treated xenograft tumors showed inhibition of fatty acid synthase (FASN) activity. MT19c reduced cellular levels of malonyl CoA in SKOV-3 cells and inhibited EGFR/phosphoinositol-3kinase (PI-3K) activity independently of PPAR-gamma protein. SIGNIFICANCE:Antitumor effects of non-hypercalcemic agent MT19c provide a new approach to the design of vitamin-D based anticancer molecules and a rationale for developing MT19c as a therapeutic agent for malignant ovarian tumors by targeting oncogenic de novo lipogenesis

Evaluation of prognostic risk models for postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and international external validation cohort study

Background Stratifying risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery allows clinicians to modify risk through targeted interventions and enhanced monitoring. In this study, we aimed to identify and validate prognostic models against a new consensus definition of postoperative pulmonary complications. Methods We did a systematic review and international external validation cohort study. The systematic review was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched MEDLINE and Embase on March 1, 2020, for articles published in English that reported on risk prediction models for postoperative pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. External validation of existing models was done within a prospective international cohort study of adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing major abdominal surgery. Data were collected between Jan 1, 2019, and April 30, 2019, in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. Discriminative ability and prognostic accuracy summary statistics were compared between models for the 30-day postoperative pulmonary complication rate as defined by the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine Core Outcome Measures in Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC). Model performance was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC). Findings In total, we identified 2903 records from our literature search; of which, 2514 (86·6%) unique records were screened, 121 (4·8%) of 2514 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and 29 unique prognostic models were identified. Nine (31·0%) of 29 models had score development reported only, 19 (65·5%) had undergone internal validation, and only four (13·8%) had been externally validated. Data to validate six eligible models were collected in the international external validation cohort study. Data from 11 591 patients were available, with an overall postoperative pulmonary complication rate of 7·8% (n=903). None of the six models showed good discrimination (defined as AUROCC ≥0·70) for identifying postoperative pulmonary complications, with the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score showing the best discrimination (AUROCC 0·700 [95% CI 0·683–0·717]). Interpretation In the pre-COVID-19 pandemic data, variability in the risk of pulmonary complications (StEP-COMPAC definition) following major abdominal surgery was poorly described by existing prognostication tools. To improve surgical safety during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery and beyond, novel risk stratification tools are required. Funding British Journal of Surgery Society

تعظيم الارباح في انتاج الابواب بأنواعها المختلفة في اقليم كوردستان باستخدام اسلوب البرمجة الخطية (معمل المصطفى انموذجا تطبيقيا)

هدف البحث إلى تقصي كافة الإمكانات والمستلزمات التي تهدف إلى تطوير المشاريع الصناعية الصغيرة والمتوسطة القائمة في اقليم كردستان وذلك بهدف رفع القدرة التنافسية لتلك المشاريع وتحقيق الهدف الرئيسي منها وهو اقامة قاعدة صناعية رائدة ومتطورة تستوعب الامكانات المادية والبشرية الكبيرة المتوفرة فيه . ولغرض الوصول الى هذا الهدف فقد تناول البحث سبل تعظيم انتاج الانواع المختلفة من الابواب باعتبارها احدى الصناعات الصغيرة المهمة في الاقليم والتي تتوقف عليها العديد من اعمال البناء والاعمار فيها نسبة معينة من العاملين والمستثمرين . وترتبط موضوعة تعظيم الانتاج بمواضع اكثر شمولية تتعلق باستخدام تقنيات البرمجة Programming Techniques . ولعل البرمجة الخطية هي الاسلوب الامثل في تحقيق تلك الاهداف باعتبارها اسلوب رياضيا يستخدم لغايات التخطيط واتخاذ القرار الامثل من بين مجموعة من البدائل المطروحة في استخدام الموارد المتوفرة سعيا لزيادة الربح المرتبط بزيادة الانتاج وتعظيمه ، وكذلك تخفيض قيمة التكلفة الى ادنى مستوى ممكن في ظل محدودية الموارد المتاحة . كما يمكننا وصفها على انها اسلوب في غاية الاهمية لدعم متخذ القرار وتمكينه من اتخاذ القرار الامثل والصحيح بالاستناد الى الطرق العلمية .&#x0D; ومن بين الطرق والاساليب المختلفة للبرمجة الخطية ، فقد استخدمت طريقة Simplex Method باعتبارها الطريقة الاكثر ملائمة للوصول الى الهدف المطلوب في ظل تعدد الانشطة المنتجة وهي الانواع المختلفة من الابواب ( العادي ، الصاج ، (DMF التي يقوم بإنتاجها معمل المصطفى الواقع في محافظة دهوك والذي تم اختياره كأنموذج تطبيقي ، اضافة الى وضوح العلاقة الخطية التي تربط المتغيرات المكونة للإنتاج والارباح في مثل هذه المشاريع الانتاجية . وقد استخدم في التحليل حزمة برامج Win Qsb التي تشتمل على الانواع المختلفة من ادوات البرمجة ومن بينها البرمجة الخطية . وقد خرج البحث بمجموعة من الاستنتاجات منها ان اعلى قيمة لتعظيم الارباح كانت في انتاج ابواب من النوع DMF وقيمته ((73.8667 دولار ، كما وان اقل قيمة لتعظيم الارباح بلغت 39.4667) ) دولار وكانت في انتاج الابواب العادية ، اما ابواب الصاج فقد تبين انها متوسطة الربح فقد بلغت قيمتها (54.6667) دولار. ان من بين اهم الاسباب التي جرى تشخيصها كمسببات لضعف المنتوج المحلي هي : (1) دخول كميات من الابواب المستوردة من خارج الاقليم خصوصا بعد عام 2003 وبيعها بأسعار تقل عن اسعار المنتج المحلي خساره جعلته غير قادر على الاستمرار في بعض قطاعات الانتاج في الاقليم ، (2) ضعف القاعدة المادية لنمو الصناعات المحلية الصغيرة ومن بينها صناعة الابواب وعجز الدولة عن دعم هذا القطاع الحيوي مما جعله غير قادر على الاستمرار في النتاج،)3) انقطاع الكهرباء الوطنية والارتفاع الكبير في اسعار المشتقات النفطية ادى الى ارتفاع تكاليف الانتاج وجعلها غير قادر على منافسة المستورد. وانعكس ذلك في عدم استقرار اسعار المنتج المحلي من الابواب على عكس اسعار المستورد منها.</jats:p