Hegelundmarcussen0462

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Radiotherapy is one of the major remedies for the treatment of cancer, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Radioresistance occurs very often in target cells that is a large drawback in cancer treated with radiotherapy. Livin involves the over-growth of cancer cells. This study aims to investigate the role of livin in the radioresistance formation in NPC cells. METHODS NPC cell lines were exposed to small doses of irradiation to establish a cell model of radioresistance, in which the role of livin in the development of radioresistance was evaluated. RESULTS The expression of livin was observed in NPC cells, which was significantly increased after exposing to small doses of irradiation. A negative correlation was detected between livin and Fas expression in NPC cells. Livin formed a complex with heat shock factor-1 (HSF1, the transcription factor of Fas) in NPC cells after irradiation, which sped up ubiquitination of HSF1. Livin was involved in suppressing Fas expression in NPC cells with radioresistance. Exposure to livin inhibitors prevented radioresistance development and overcame the established radioresistance in NPC cells. CONCLUSIONS Livin expression in NPC cells plays a critical role in the development of radioresistance. Depletion of livin increases the sensitiveness of NPC cells to irradiation. Target therapy against livin may have the translational potential for the treatment of NPC.[This corrects the article DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0226958.].Punishment aims to deter individuals' selfish behaviors, but it can occasionally backfire. Some scholars have proposed promoting prosocial behaviors using punishment that communicates positive social norms because it provides additional motivation. However, it is unclear which factors affect the norm expressive function of punishment. This study proposes that third-party punishment communicates more positive normative information, and thus, promotes more prosocial behavior in observers than does second-party punishment. Using dictator games, we investigated the effects of second-party punishment compared to third-party punishment of another's unfair sharing on observers' norm perceptions and subsequent sharing decision-making. Two experiments consistently found that third-party punishment was more effective than second-party punishment at inducing observers' beliefs that unfair distribution was unusual (descriptive norm) and unacceptable (injunctive norm). The altered descriptive but not injunctive norm perception further guided individuals' own sharing behaviors. Taken together, these results suggest that third-party punishment might be better than second-party punishment at decreasing selfish behaviors by shaping individuals' norm perceptions, especially descriptive norm perception, regarding the relevant behaviors.BACKGROUND Knowledge of HIV risk factors and reduction strategies is essential for prevention in key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). We evaluated factors associated with HIV-related knowledge among MSM and TGW and the impact of engagement in care at trusted community health centers in Nigeria. METHODS The TRUST/RV368 cohort recruited MSM and TGW in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria via respondent driven sampling. During study visits every three months, participants underwent structured interviews to collect behavioral data, received HIV education, and were provided free condoms and condom compatible lubricants. Five HIV-related knowledge questions were asked at enrollment and repeated after 9 and 15 months. The mean number of correct responses was calculated for each visit with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Multivariable Poisson regression was used to calculate adjusted risk ratios and CIs for factors associated with answering more knowledge questions correctly. RESULTS From March 2013 to April 2018, 2122 persons assigned male sex at birth were enrolled, including 234 TGW (11.2%). The mean number of correct responses at enrollment was 2.36 (95% CI 2.31-2.41) and increased to 2.95 (95% CI 2.86-3.04) and 3.06 (95% CI 2.97-3.16) after 9 and 15 months in the study, respectively. Among 534 participants who completed all three HIV-related knowledge assessments, mean number of correct responses rose from 2.70 (95% CI 2.60-2.80) to 3.02 (95% CI 2.93-3.13) and then 3.06 (95% CI 2.96-3.16). Factors associated with increased overall HIV-related knowledge included longer duration of study participation, HIV seropositivity, higher education level, and more frequent internet use. CONCLUSIONS There was suboptimal HIV-related knowledge among Nigerian MSM and TGW at that improved modestly with engagement in care. These data demonstrate unmet HIV education needs among Nigerian MSM and TGW and provide insights into modalities that could be used to address these needs.OBJECTIVES To assess and compare the enamel surface quality after interproximal enamel reduction (IPR) was performed with different systems and to study the relation between acid penetration depth and enamel surface quality as well as the importance of remineralization. METHODS Sixty-five extracted teeth were randomly allocated to five experimental groups untreated control, manual with New Metal Strips, mechanical with oscillating segment (OS) discs, Safe-Tipped Bur Kit, and the Ortho-Strip, followed by 30 s of polishing with the Softflex system and the Compo-system after treating the tooth with OS discs. Mesial surfaces were demineralized for 24 h and distal surfaces were subjected to interchanging demineralization and remineralization cycles of 24 h each for 18 days. The analysis was carried out by profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, and polarization microscopy. RESULTS After IPR and polishing, enamel roughness was reduced for all systems tested except for the Essix Safe-Tipped Bur Kit. Subsequent demineralization increased enamel roughness in all groups except controls beyond the original level prior to IPR except for IPR with New Metal Strips or Ortho-Strips and subsequent polishing. Cyclic demineralization and remineralization for 18 days yielded a reduction in acid penetration depth and an increase in surface smoothness, which correlated with each other only for controls and treatment with New Metal Strips or Ortho-Strips. CONCLUSIONS Manual IPR, using New Metal Strips and, even more, the oscillating IPR system Ortho-Strips, yielded smoother interproximal enamel surfaces and less acid penetration depth than the IPR systems with OS discs and the Safe-Tipped Bur Kit after polishing and 18 days of cyclic demineralization and remineralization. Irrespective of the IPR procedure, proper remineralization of IPR-treated surfaces is advisable to reduce caries susceptibility.There is renewed interest in the regulation and consequences of cell size adaptations in studies on understanding the ecophysiology of ectotherms. Here we test if induction of triploidy, which increases cell size in zebrafish (Danio rerio), makes for a good model system to study consequences of cell size. Ideally, diploid and triploid zebrafish should differ in cell size, but should otherwise be comparable in order to be suitable as a model. We induced triploidy by cold shock and compared diploid and triploid zebrafish larvae under standard rearing conditions for differences in genome size, cell size and cell number, development, growth and swimming performance and expression of housekeeping genes and hsp70.1. Triploid zebrafish have larger but fewer cells, and the increase in cell size matched the increase in genome size (+ 50%). Under standard conditions, patterns in gene expression, ontogenetic development and larval growth were near identical between triploids and diploids. However, under demanding conditions (i.e. the maximum swimming velocity during an escape response), triploid larvae performed poorer than their diploid counterparts, especially after repeated stimuli to induce swimming. This result is consistent with the idea that larger cells have less capacity to generate energy, which becomes manifest during repeated physical exertion resulting in increased fatigue. Triploidy induction in zebrafish appears a valid method to increase specifically cell size and this provides a model system to test for consequences of cell size adaptation for the energy budget and swimming performance of this ectothermic vertebrate.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The SC+ haemodialysis system developed by Quanta Dialysis Technologies is a small, easy-to-use dialysis system designed to improve patient access to self-care and home haemodialysis. A prototype variant of the standard SC+ device with a modified fluidic management system generating a pulsatile push-pull dialysate flow through the dialyser during use has been developed for evaluation. It was hypothesized that, as a consequence of the pulsatile push-pull flow through the dialyser, the boundary layers at the membrane surface would be disrupted, thereby enhancing solute transport across the membrane, modifying protein fouling and maintaining the surface area available for mass and fluid transport throughout the whole treatment, leading to solute transport (clearance) enhancement compared to normal haemodialysis (HD) operation. METHODS The pumping action of the SC+ system was modified by altering the sequence and timings of the valves and pumps associated with the flow balancing chambers tubstitution fluid flow rate of 60 mL/min (equivalent to a substitution volume of 14.4 L in a 4-hour session). The observed enhancement of solute transport is attributed to the disruption of the boundary layers at the fluid-membrane interface which, when used with blood, minimizes protein fouling and maintains the surface area.OBJECTIVES To investigate the correlation between histogram-based Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) parameters and positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG-PET) values in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), both in primary tumors (PTs) and in metastatic lymph nodes (LNs). METHODS 52 patients with a new pathologically-confirmed OPSCC were included in the present retrospective cohort study. Imaging including DCE-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were acquired in all patients. B022 order Both PTs and the largest LN, if present, were volumetrically contoured. Quantitative parameters, including the transfer constants, Ktrans and Kep, and the volume of extravascular extracellular space, ve, were calculated from DCE-MRI. The percentiles (P), P10, P25, P50, P75, P90, and skewness, kurtosis and entropy were obtained from the histogram-based analysis of each perfusion parameter. Standardized uptake values (SUV), SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean, metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were calculated applying a SUV threshold of 40%. The correlations between all variables were investigated with the Spearman-rank correlation test. To exclude false positive results under multiple testing, the Benjamini-Hockberg procedure was applied. RESULTS No significant correlations were found between any parameters in PTs, while significant associations emerged between Ktrans and 18F-FDG PET parameters in LNs. CONCLUSIONS Evident relationships emerged between DCE-MRI and 18F-FDG PET parameters in OPSCC LNs, while no association was found in PTs. The complex relationships between perfusion and metabolic biomarkers should be interpreted separately for primary tumors and lymph-nodes. A multiparametric approach to analyze PTs and LNs before treatment is advisable in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).