Towards homeostatic architecture: simulation of the generative process of a termite mound construction

This report sets out to the theme of the generation of a ‘living’, homeostatic and self-organizing architectural structure. The main research question this project addresses is what innovative techniques of design, construction and materials could prospectively be developed and eventually applied to create and sustain human-made buildings which are mostly adaptive, self-controlled and self-functioning, without option to a vast supply of materials and peripheral services. The hypothesis is that through the implementation of the biological building behaviour of termites, in terms of collective construction mechanisms that are based on environmental stimuli, we could achieve a simulation of the generative process of their adaptive structures, capable to inform in many ways human construction. The essay explicates the development of the 3-dimensional, agent-based simulation of the termite collective construction and analyzes the results, which involve besides physical modelling of the evolved structures. It finally elucidates the potential of this emerging and adaptive architectural performance to be translated to human practice and thus enlighten new ecological engineering and design methodologies

Review of Penelope Buckley's The Alexiad of Anna Komnene: Artistic Strategy in the Making of a Myth

Review of Penelope Buckley, The Alexiad of Anna Komnene: Artistic Strategy in the Making of a Myth, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014. xv + 318 pp

Review of Penelope Buckley's The Alexiad of Anna Komnene: Artistic Strategy in the Making of a Myth

Review of Penelope Buckley, The Alexiad of Anna Komnene: Artistic Strategy in the Making of a Myth, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014. xv + 318 pp

Mary and her Books in the Kokkinobaphos Manuscripts: Female Literacy or Visual Strategies of Narration?

Η μελέτη αυτή εξετάζει τη λειτουργία του βιβλίου ως πολυσήμαντου εικαστικού συμβόλου στις μικρογραφίες δύο εικονογραφημένων βυζαντινών χειρογράφων των μέσων του 12ου αι., στις Ομιλίες του μοναχού Ιακώβου της Μονής Κοκκινοβάφου, και προσπαθεί να καταδείξει ότι τα βιβλία/σύμβολα στα χέρια της Μαρίας επιστρατεύτηκαν για να εξυπηρετήσουν, πρωταρχικά και μεταξύ άλλων, τη διαδικασία της εικαστικής αφήγησης.This article examines the function of the book as a multi-faceted visual symbol in the miniatures of two Byzantine illuminated manuscripts of the mid-twelfth century, the six Homilies on the Life of the Virgin by the monk Iakovos of the Kokkinobaphos monastery. It demonstrates that the books/symbols in Mary’s hands were employed to serve primarily the process of visual narrative

An Alternative to Illustration: Marginalia figurata in the Codex Coislin 88 of the Bibliothèque Nationale

Η παρούσα μελέτη εξετάζει μια σειρά ευφάνταστων και άγνωστων μέχρι σήμερα εικονιστικών σχολίων περιθωρίου (marginalia figurata) στον κώδικα Coislin 88 της Εθνικής Βιβλιοθήκης του Παρισιού και εστιάζει στη διατύπωση κάποιων προβληματισμών που αφορούν στον εικαστικό χαρακτήρα της γραφής. Μεταξύ άλλων προτείνεται ότι τέτοιου τύπου εικονιστικά σχόλια περιθωρίου μπορεί να λειτουργούσαν και ως εναλλακτική εικονογράφηση. Τέλος, ο κώδικας χρονολογείται με ασφάλεια στο β ́ μισό του 11ου αιώνα και αποδίδεται τεκμηριωμένα στο βιβλιογραφικό εργαστήριο της μονής Κελλιβάρων του Όρους Λάτρος.The present study aims to examine a series of imaginative and unknown marginalia figurata contained in the codex Coislin 88 of the Bibliothèque nationale and focuses on the formulation of some hypotheses with regard to the visual qualities of writing itself. Among other things it proposes that such marginal figural formations might have functioned as an alternative to illustration. Finally, the codex is safely dated to the 2nd half of the 11th century and is attributed to the scriptorium of the monastery of Kellibara on Mount Latros

Lung adenocarcinoma: Sustained subtyping with immunohistochemistry and EGFR, HER2 and KRAS mutational status

Pulmonary adenocarcinomas are still in the process of achieving morphological, immunohistochemical and genetic standardization. The ATS/ERS/IASLC proposed classification for lung adenocarcinomas supports the value of the identification of histological patterns, specifically in biopsies. Thirty pulmonary adenocarcinomas were subjected to immunohistochemical study (CK7, CK5, 6, 18, CK20, TTF1, CD56, HER2, EGFR and Ki-67), FISH and PCR followed by sequencing and fragment analysis for EGFR, HER2 and KRAS. Solid pattern showed lower TTF1 and higher Ki-67 expression. TTF1 expression was higher in non-mucinous lepidic and micropapillary patterns when compared to acinar and solid and acinar, solid and mucinous respectively. Higher Ki67 expression was present in lepidic and solid patterns compared to mucinous. EGFR membranous staining had increasing expression from non-mucinous lepidic/BA pattern to solid pattern and micropapillary until acinar pattern. EGFR mutations, mainly in exon 19, were more frequent in females, together with non-smoking status, while KRAS exon 2 mutations were statistically more frequent in males, especially in solid pattern. FISH EGFR copy was correlated gross, with mutations. HER2 copy number was raised in female tumours without mutations, in all cases. Although EGFR and KRAS mutations are generally considered mutually exclusive, in rare cases they can coexist as it happened in one of this series, and was represented in acinar pattern with rates of 42.9% and 17.9%, respectively. EGFR mutations were more frequent in lepidic/BA and acinar patterns. Some cases showed different EGFR mutations. The differences identified between the adenocarcinoma patterns reinforce the need to carefully identify the patterns present, with implications in diagnosis and in pathogenic understanding. EGFR and KRAS mutational status can be determined in biopsies representing bronchial pulmonary carcinomas because when a mutation is present it is generally present in all the histological patterns.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Screening for EGFR Mutations in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Treated with Gefitinib on a Compassionate-Use Program: A Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group Study

Background and Aim. EGFR is commonly expressed in cancers of the head and neck (H and N), and anti-EGFR agents have demonstrated improvements in outcomes (TTP and OS). The aim of this study was to determine EGFR gene status in H and N cancer patients treated with gefitinib and to correlate mutational status with clinico-pathological data and response. Patients and Methods. Patients with histologically confirmed H and N cancer having failed prior treatment for advanced disease entered this compassionate-use-program. Nineteen patients received gefitinib. EGFR expression was assessed by IHC, gene copy number by FISH, and mutation analysis was conducted for EGFR (18-21), KRAS, BRAF (V600E), and HER-2 exon 20. An additional TKI naive cohort of 73 patients was also screened. Results. Mutations were detected in 6/19 patients (3× EGFR, 1× KRAS, and 2× HER2-exon 20). There were no significant differences in TTP or OS for patients with somatic EGFR mutations. No BRAF mutations were detected. Conclusions. The incidence of EGFR mutations in H and N cancer in this study was 5.3%. No statistically relevant correlations between mutation or gene gain and response or survival were observed. Due to the limited number of patients and low incidence of genetic aberrations in the genes analyzed, additional studies are warranted

Targeting cancer metabolism: a therapeutic window opens

Genetic events in cancer activate signalling pathways that alter cell metabolism. Clinical evidence has linked cell metabolism with cancer outcomes. Together, these observations have raised interest in targeting metabolic enzymes for cancer therapy, but they have also raised concerns that these therapies would have unacceptable effects on normal cells. However, some of the first cancer therapies that were developed target the specific metabolic needs of cancer cells and remain effective agents in the clinic today. Research into how changes in cell metabolism promote tumour growth has accelerated in recent years. This has refocused efforts to target metabolic dependencies of cancer cells as a selective anticancer strategy.Burroughs Wellcome FundSmith Family FoundationStarr Cancer ConsortiumDamon Runyon Cancer Research FoundationNational Institutes of Health (U.S.

Challenges in oncology career: are we closing the gender gap? Results of the new ESMO Women for Oncology Committee survey

Discrimination; Gender equity; OncologyDiscriminació; Equitat de gènere; OncologiaDiscriminación; Equidad de género; OncologíaBackground Following a European Society for Medical Oncology Women for Oncology (ESMO W4O) survey in 2016 showing severe under-representation of female oncologists in leadership roles, ESMO launched a series of initiatives to address obstacles to gender equity. A follow-up survey in October 2021 investigated progress achieved. Materials and methods The W4O questionnaire 2021 expanded on the 2016 survey, with additional questions on the impact of ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion on career development. Results were analysed according to respondent gender and age. Results The survey sample was larger than in 2016 (n = 1473 versus 482), especially among men. Significantly fewer respondents had managerial or leadership roles than in 2016 (31.8% versus 51.7%). Lack of leadership development for women and unconscious bias were considered more important in 2021 than in 2016. In 2021, more people reported harassment in the workplace than in 2016 (50.3% versus 41.0%). In 2021, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion were considered to have little or no impact on professional career opportunities, salary setting or related potential pay gap. However, gender had a significant or major impact on career development (25.5% of respondents), especially in respondents ≤40 years of age and women. As in 2016, highest ranked initiatives to foster workplace equity were promotion of work–life balance, development and leadership training and flexible working. Significantly more 2021 respondents (mainly women) supported the need for culture and gender equity education at work than in 2016. Conclusions Gender remains a major barrier to career progression in oncology and, although some obstacles may have been reduced since 2016, we are a long way from closing the gender gap. Increased reporting of discrimination and inappropriate behaviour in the workplace is a major, priority concern. The W4O 2021 survey findings provide new evidence and highlight the areas for future ESMO interventions to support equity and diversity in oncology career development.This work was supported by the European Society for Medical Oncology (no grant number)