Principal Classes Research Articles

The classification of melanocytic gene signatures.

Gene expression profiling technologies have revolutionized cell biology, enabling researchers to identify gene signatures linked to various biological attributes of melanomas, such as pigmentation status, differentiation state, proliferative versus invasive capacity, and disease progression. Although the discovery of gene signatures has significantly enhanced our understanding of melanocytic phenotypes, reconciling the numerous signatures reported across independent studies and different profiling platforms remains a challenge. Current methods for classifying melanocytic gene signatures depend on exact gene overlap and comparison with unstandardized baseline transcriptomes. In this study, we aimed to categorize published gene signatures into clusters based on their similar patterns of expression across clinical cutaneous melanoma specimens. We analyzed nearly 800 melanoma samples from six gene expression repositories and developed a classification framework for gene signatures that is resilient against biases in gene identification across profiling platforms and inconsistencies in baseline standards. Using 39 frequently cited published gene signatures, our analysis revealed seven principal classes of gene signatures that correlate with previously identified phenotypes: Differentiated, Mitotic/MYC, AXL, Amelanotic, Neuro, Hypometabolic, and Invasive. Each class is consistent with the phenotypes that the constituent gene signatures represent, and our classification method does not rely on overlapping genes between signatures. To facilitate broader application, we created WIMMS (what is my melanocytic signature, available at https://wimms.tanlab.org/), a user-friendly web application. WIMMS allows users to categorize any gene signature, determining its relationship to predominantly cited signatures and its representation within the seven principal classes.

Leucojum vernum in Intorsurii Mountains (South- Eastern Carpathians)

This study investigates the population structure and ecology of the species Leucojum vernum (spring snowflake) in Întorsurii Mountains, South-Eastern Carpathians, where was supposed to be extinct. The research objectives were: (1) to identify the species in Popii Valley, (2) to estimate its population size, (3) to map the species extent, (4) to delineate the species ecological niche, (5) to identify and describe the vegetation types where the species grows, (6) to identify the co-occurring species as indicators of suitable habitat for L. vernum, and (7) to assess the species conservation status in Popii Valley and in Romania. Identification and description of the species population relied on an intensive survey in the whole watershed of Popii Valley. A detailed vegetation map of the Popii Valley watershed was created. For the description of the species habitat, 27 sampling plots were used. The species ecological preferences were drawn by means of the indicator species analysis, climate and geological maps. Climate suitability was checked by projecting the analyzed population in the bioclimatic envelope of L. vernum in Romania, using principal components analysis (PCA) ordination and classes of aridity index. The assessment of the conservation status followed the principles and methodological standards for monitoring protected species at the European Union and global level. In the studied area L. vernum was found in four forest associations, on moist and nutrient-rich soils. The indicator species of the suitable/unsuitable habitats were identified with the help of the phi coefficient of association between species. The population size and species habitat are in favorable conditions, although signs of bulbs collection for gardening were observed. These findings were discussed in a national and global context. An updated map for species extent in Romania was provided in order to support the assessment of the global and national IUCN category.

Insights into the Bioactive Composition, Antioxidant Properties and In Vitro Cell Effects of Disphyma crassifolium.

Disphyma crassifolium, commonly known as sea fingers, is a halophyte plant recently introduced in gourmet cuisine. The present study aims to extract the bioactive compounds of D. crassifolium using ultrasound-assisted extraction and employing green solvents (water and ethanol). The antioxidant/antiradical activities, scavenging capacity against reactive species, phenolic profile, and intestinal effects were evaluated. The highest total phenolic (53.13 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g on dry weight (dw)) and flavonoid contents (18.98 mg of catechin equivalent (CE)/g dw) as well as antioxidant (149.69 µmol of ferrous sulphate equivalent (FSE)/g dw) and antiradical capacities (9.37 mg of ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE)/g dw) were achieved for the alcoholic extract. Moreover, the alcoholic extract exhibited an efficient uptake of HOCl (IC50 = 1.97 µg/mL) and ROO• (0.34 μmol of Trolox equivalent (TE)/mg dw). A total of 34 phenolic compounds were identified in the extracts, with flavonols (isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-galactoside, and myricetin), flavanols (catechin), and phenolic acids (gallic and ellagic acids) being the principal classes. The intestinal cell viability assays attested that the alcoholic extract presented the lowest IC50 values (289.82 and 35.77 µg/mL for HT29-MTX and Caco-2), showing probable anticancer activity. These results emphasize the potential of D. crassifolium as a nutraceutical ingredient.

The morphological mix of dwarf galaxies in the nearby Universe

ABSTRACT We use a complete, unbiased sample of 257 dwarf (10$^{8}\, {\rm M}_{\odot } \lt M_{\rm {\star }} \lt 10^{9.5}\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$) galaxies at z < 0.08, in the COSMOS field, to study the morphological mix of the dwarf population in low-density environments. Visual inspection of extremely deep optical images and their unsharp-masked counterparts reveals three principal dwarf morphological classes. 43 per cent and 45 per cent of dwarfs exhibit the traditional ‘early-type’ (elliptical/S0) and ‘late-type’ (spiral) morphologies, respectively. However, 10 per cent populate a ‘featureless’ class, that lacks both the central light concentration seen in early-types and any spiral structure – this class is missing in the massive-galaxy regime. 14 per cent, 27 per cent, and 19 per cent of early-type, late-type, and featureless dwarfs respectively show evidence for interactions, which drive around 20 per cent of the overall star formation activity in the dwarf population. Compared to their massive counterparts, dwarf early-types show a much lower incidence of interactions, are significantly less concentrated and share similar rest-frame colours as dwarf late-types. This suggests that the formation histories of dwarf and massive early-types are different, with dwarf early-types being shaped less by interactions and more by secular processes. The lack of large groups or clusters in COSMOS at z < 0.08, and the fact that our dwarf morphological classes show similar local density, suggests that featureless dwarfs in low-density environments are created via internal baryonic feedback, rather than by environmental processes. Finally, while interacting dwarfs can be identified using the asymmetry parameter, it is challenging to cleanly separate early and late-type dwarfs using traditional morphological parameters, such as ‘CAS’, M20, and the Gini coefficient (unlike in the massive-galaxy regime).

New Insights into the Molecular Structure of Tear Film Lipids Revealed by Surface X-ray Scattering.

The tear film lipid layer (TFLL) is a unique biological membrane that serves a pivotal role in the maintenance of ocular surface health. Reaching an overarching understanding of the functional principle of the TFLL has been hampered by a lack of insights into the structural and functional roles played by individual lipid classes. To bridge this knowledge gap, we herein focus on studying films formed by principal lipid classes by surface scattering methods. Through grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray reflectivity studies, we reveal quantitative data about the lattice distances, molecular tilt angles, and mono/multilayer thickness and density profiles for central TFLL lipid classes under close to simulated physiological conditions. In addition, we discuss the correlation of the results to those obtained previously with the natural lipid composition of meibum.

GC-MS ANALYSIS, ANTIOXIDANT AND ENZYME INHIBITORY ACTIVITIES OF VOLATILE AND SOLVENT EXTRACT OF Pteris togoensis

Pteris togoensis is a fern commonly used in west Africa for management of medical conditions resulting from metabolic disorder and oxidative stress. In this study, the essential oil of P. togoensis was obtained using hydrodistillation method while the alcoholic extract was obtained using aqueous methanol. The alcoholic extract was thereafter silylated using N, O-bis-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide containing 1% trimethylchlorosilane. Both the essential oil (PTEO) and silylated extract (PTSE) were analysed on GC-MS and investigated for antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities using DPPH, alpha-glucosidase and porcine pancreatic lipase enzyme. Principal classes of compound identified in PTEO were monoterpenoids (12.30%), sesquiterpenoids (24.14%) and diterpenoids (21.26%) while the PTSE indicated preponderance of sugar and fatty acids, with fructofuranose (20.31%), mannose (24.14%) and palmitic acid (6.32%) as major constituents. The IC50 of DPPH radical scavenging potentials of PTEO (435.81±1.25 µg/mL) and PTSE (280.09±1.14 µg/mL) indicated that both extracts exhibited mild activities which were lower than the standard ascorbic acid (32.61 ± 2.60 µg/mL). Also, hypoglycemic activities of PTEO (308.26±3.67 µg/mL) and PTSE (363.45±2.55 µg/mL) were fairly comparable to the acarbose (279 ± 4.21 µg/mL). PTSE showed no inhibition on porcine pancreatic lipase while PTEO had IC50 of 111.71±2.12 µg/mL compared to 0.88 ± 0.12 µg/mL orlistat.

Frequency-dependent centrifugal modulation of the activity of different classes of mitral and tufted cells in olfactory bulb.

Mitral/tufted cells (M/TCs), the principal output neuron classes form complex circuits with bulbar neurons and long-range centrifugal circuits with higher processing areas such as the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB). The precise excitability of output neurons is sculpted by local inhibitory circuits. Here, light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) was expressed in HDB GABAergic neurons to investigate the short-term plasticity of evoked postsynaptic currents/potentials of HDB input to all classes of M/TCs and effects on firing in the acute slice preparation. Activation of the HDB directly inhibited all classes of output neurons exhibiting frequency-dependent short-term depression of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic current (eIPSC)/potential (eIPSP), resulting in decreased inhibition of responses to olfactory nerve input as a function of input frequency. In contrast, activation of an indirect circuit of HDB→interneurons→M/TCs induced frequency-dependent disinhibition, resulting in short-term facilitation of evoked excitatory postsynaptic current (eEPSC) eliciting a burst or cluster of spiking in M/TCs. The facilitatory effects of elevated HDB input frequency were strongest on deeper output neurons (deep tufted and mitral cells) and negligible on peripheral output neurons (external and superficial tufted cells). Taken together, GABAergic HDB activation generates frequency-dependent regulation that differentially affects the excitability and responses across the five classes of M/TCs. This regulation may help maintain the precise balance between inhibition and excitation of neuronal circuits across the populations of output neurons in the face of changes in an animal sniffing rate, putatively to enhance and sharpen the tuning specificity of individual or classes of M/TCs to odors.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neuronal circuits in the olfactory bulb closely modulate olfactory bulb output activity. Activation of GABAergic circuits from the HDB to the olfactory bulb has both direct and indirect action differentially across the five classes of M/TC bulbar output neurons. The net effect enhances the excitability of deeper output neurons as HDB frequency increases, altering the relative inhibition-excitation balance of output circuits. We hypothesize that this sharpens the tuning specificity of classes of M/TCs to odors during sensory processing.

Four errors and a fallacy: pitfalls for the unwary in comparative brain analyses.

Comparative analyses are the backbone of evolutionary analysis. However, their record in producing a consensus has not always been good. This is especially true of attempts to understand the factors responsible for the evolution of large brains, which have been embroiled in an increasingly polarised debate over the past three decades. We argue that most of these disputes arise from a number of conceptual errors and associated logical fallacies that are the result of a failure to adopt a biological systems-based approach to hypothesis-testing. We identify four principal classes of error: a failure to heed Tinbergen's Four Questions when testing biological hypotheses, misapplying Dobzhansky's Dictum when testing hypotheses of evolutionary adaptation, poorly chosen behavioural proxies for underlying hypotheses, and the use of inappropriate statistical methods. In the interests of progress, we urge a more careful and considered approach to comparative analyses, and the adoption of a broader, rather than a narrower, taxonomic perspective.

Urine Metabolite of Mice with Orientia tsutsugamushi Infection.

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile, mite-borne disease endemic to the Asia-Pacific region. In South Korea, it is a seasonal disease that occurs frequently in the autumn, and its incidence has increased steadily. In this study, we used a liquid chromatography and flow injection analysis-tandem mass spectrometry-based targeted urine metabolomics approach to evaluate the host response to Orientia tsutsugamushi infection. Balb/c mice were infected with O. tsutsugamushi Boryong, and their urine metabolite profile was examined. Metabolites that differed significantly between the experimental groups were identified using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Sixty-five differential metabolites were identified. The principal metabolite classes were acylcarnitines, glycerophospholipids, biogenic amines, and amino acids. An ingenuity pathway analysis revealed that several toxic (cardiotoxic, hepatotoxic, and nephrotoxic) metabolites are induced by scrub typhus infection. This is the first report of urinary metabolite biomarkers of scrub typhus infection and it enhances our understanding of the metabolic pathways involved.

The Trisubstituted Isoxazole MMV688766 Exerts Broad-Spectrum Activity against Drug-Resistant Fungal Pathogens through Inhibition of Lipid Homeostasis.

Candida species are among the most prevalent causes of systemic fungal infection, posing a growing threat to public health. While Candida albicans is the most common etiological agent of systemic candidiasis, the frequency of infections caused by non-albicans Candida species is rising. Among these is Candida auris, which has emerged as a particular concern. Since its initial discovery in 2009, it has been identified worldwide and exhibits resistance to all three principal antifungal classes. Here, we endeavored to identify compounds with novel bioactivity against C. auris from the Medicines for Malaria Venture's Pathogen Box library. Of the five hits identified, the trisubstituted isoxazole MMV688766 emerged as the only compound displaying potent fungicidal activity against C. auris, as well as other evolutionarily divergent fungal pathogens. Chemogenomic profiling, as well as subsequent metabolomic and phenotypic analyses, revealed that MMV688766 disrupts cellular lipid homeostasis, driving a decrease in levels of early sphingolipid intermediates and fatty acids and a concomitant increase in lysophospholipids. Experimental evolution to further probe MMV688766's mode of action in the model fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that loss of function of the transcriptional regulator HAL9 confers resistance to MMV688766, in part through the upregulation of the lipid-binding chaperone HSP12, a response that appears to assist in tolerating MMV688766-induced stress. The novel mode of action we have uncovered for MMV688766 against drug-resistant fungal pathogens highlights the broad utility of targeting lipid homeostasis to disrupt fungal growth and how screening structurally-diverse chemical libraries can provide new insights into resistance-conferring stress responses of fungi. IMPORTANCE As widespread antimicrobial resistance threatens to propel the world into a postantibiotic era, there is a pressing need to identify mechanistically distinct antimicrobial agents. This is of particular concern when considering the limited arsenal of drugs available to treat fungal infections, coupled with the emergence of highly drug-resistant fungal pathogens, including Candida auris. In this work, we demonstrate that existing libraries of drug-like chemical matter can be rich resources for antifungal molecular scaffolds. We discovered that the small molecule MMV688766, from the Pathogen Box library, displays previously undescribed broad-spectrum fungicidal activity through perturbation of lipid homeostasis. Characterization of the mode of action of MMV688766 provided new insight into the protective mechanisms fungi use to cope with the disruption of lipid homeostasis. Our findings highlight that elucidating the genetic circuitry required to survive in the presence of cellular stress offers powerful insights into the biological pathways that govern this important phenotype.

Phytochemical Study and Biological Activity of Three Fern Species of the Asplenium Genus Growing in Bulgaria

Background: Ferns are underestimated as medicinal plants and their use in traditional medicine is limited despite their diversity. Most of the research on their healing properties and phytochemical composition related to their biological activity has been focused on the secondary metabolites synthesized by ferns. Objective: In this study, we aimed to make an in-depth chemical characterization of three ferns widely spread in Bulgaria - Asplenium ceterach L., Asplenium scolopendrium L. and Asplenium trichomanes L. Methods: Micro elemental analysis was carried out using ICP-MS. Standard laboratory methods were used to determine the content of proteins, fats and fatty acids. Chromatographic methods were applied to quantify some secondary metabolites. Two antioxidant methods and two antimicrobial tests were used to evaluate the biological properties of the ferns tested. Results: Micro elemental analysis showed that these ferns could be useful source of zinc and iron. Protein content slightly varied among the species (13.6% - 18.4% of the dried plant weight). Negligible was the variation in oil content (3.1% - 4.0%, dry weight base); oil composition was dominated by saturated fatty acids. Some principal classes secondary metabolites, individual phenolic acids and flavonoids were quantified. The extract obtained from Asplenium ceterach L. demonstrated the highest antioxidant capacity. Fern extracts showed moderate antimicrobial activity against six of the 14 microorganisms tested. Conclusion: The results obtained may reveal new areas of application for ferns and are a solid basis for comparison with the same species growing in other geographical and climatic conditions, which may affect their healing properties.

A spatio-temporal assessment and prediction of Ahmedabad’s urban growth between 1990–2030

Analyzing long term urban growth trends can provide valuable insights into a city’s future growth. This study employs LANDSAT satellite images from 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2019 to perform a spatiotemporal assessment and predict Ahmedabad’s urban growth. Land Use Land Change (LULC) maps developed using the Maximum Likelihood classifier produce four principal classes: Built-up, Vegetation, Water body, and “Others”. In between 1990–2019, the total built-up area expanded by 130%, 132 km2 in 1990 to 305 km2 in 2019. Rapid population growth is the chief contributor towards urban growth as the city added 3.9 km2 of additional built-up area to accommodate every 100,000 new residents. Further, a Multi-Layer Perceptron — Markov Chain model (MLP-MC) predicts Ahmedabad’s urban expansion by 2030. Compared to 2019, the MLP-MC model predicts a 25% and 19% increase in Ahmed-abad’s total urban area and population by 2030. Unaltered, these trends shall generate many socio-economic and environmental problems. Thus, future urban development policies must balance further development and environmental damage.

Next RNA Therapeutics: The Mine of Non-Coding.

The growing knowledge on several classes of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their different functional roles has aroused great interest in the scientific community. Beyond the Central Dogma of Biology, it is clearly known that not all RNAs code for protein products, and they exert a broader repertoire of biological functions. As described in this review, ncRNAs participate in gene expression regulation both at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and represent critical elements driving and controlling pathophysiological processes in multicellular organisms. For this reason, in recent years, a great boost was given to ncRNA-based strategies with potential therapeutic abilities, and nowadays, the use of RNA molecules is experimentally validated and actually exploited in clinics to counteract several diseases. In this review, we summarize the principal classes of therapeutic ncRNA molecules that are potentially implied in disease onset and progression, which are already used in clinics or under clinical trials, highlighting the advantages and the need for a targeted therapeutic strategy design. Furthermore, we discuss the benefits and the limits of RNA therapeutics and the ongoing development of delivery strategies to limit the off-target effects and to increase the translational application.

Factors Influencing Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Human Heart Failure

In heart failure (HF), the magnitude of sympathetic activation predicts both disease progression and mortality. Elevated cardiac norepinephrine (NE) spillover is the earliest documented perturbation, followed later by augmented renal NE spillover and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). To date, there is limited understanding of the mechanism(s) responsible for between‐patient variation in MSNA and cohorts studied have been small. To characterize the magnitude of MSNA discharge in HF, its inter‐patient variance, and its principal determinants, we assembled microneurographic data from 177 HF patients (28 females; 53±13 yr; LVEF: 25±11%, range 5‐60%) studied in our laboratory. Data from 658 non‐medicated, normotensive volunteers (CTRL; 260 females; 53±14 yr) acquired contemporaneously under similar conditions served as a reference group. We analyzed, at rest, fibular MSNA, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), LVEF, and etiology of disease, and in a sub‐group (n=63), echocardiographically‐derived stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR). In HF, there was marked inter‐patient variance in MSNA, with burst frequency (BF) ranging from 7 to 90 bursts/minandburst incidence (BI) from 9 to 100 bursts/100 heartbeats. BF was similar in patients dispensed or not dispensed each of the three principal classes of prevailing HF therapy (all P>0.05). BF related directly (R2=0.17), and BI inversely (R2=0.09), to HR (all P<0.001); neither correlated with BP. For each kg/m2 rise in BMI, BF increased, on average, by 0.20 bursts/min (95% CI, 0.02‐0.37; P=0.03); its relation to BI was less pronounced (P=0.05). BF increased non‐linearly when LVEF fell below ~21% (P<0.01); above this inflection point, BF displayed no relationship with LVEF. Overall, LVEF accounted for only 9.8% of the variance in BF (P=0.001), while no relationship existed between LVEF and BI (R2=0.007). BI (P=0.01), but not BF (P=0.14), was greater in patients with ischemic vs. dilated cardiomyopathy. BF and BI exhibited non‐linear, inverse relationships with SV (R2=0.31 and 0.12; all P<0.01) and CO (R2=0.17 and 0.20; all P<0.01), and a non‐linear, direct relationship with TPR (R2=0.18 and 0.21; all P<0.01). Unadjusted BF (52±15 vs. 26±13 bursts/min; P<0.001) was elevated in HF vs. CTRL. With age, BF exhibited little or no change in HF, in contrast to its non‐linear increase in CTRL. BF, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and HR, was significantly greater throughout the lifespan (estimate 14.20 bursts/min; 95% CI, 12.11‐16.28; P<0.001) in HF, relative to CTRL, and higher in men than in women (estimate 5.01 bursts/min; 95% CI, 3.42‐6.61; P<0.001). Overall, the extent of sympathetic excess in HF, relative to CTRL, diminished with age. In conclusion, resting MSNA in HF is a function of etiology, BMI, HR, LVEF and SV, but not age; these relationships are significant but moderate to weak, as is that between sympathetic vasoconstrictor discharge and TPR. These observations provide insight into the complexity and individual specificity of mechanisms eliciting muscle sympathetic excitation in human HF.

On Algebraic-Geometric and Universal Theories of Abelian Groups

This paper is of an overview nature, accumulating results on algebraic geometry over Abelian groups and close to them model-theoretic results related to the description of principal universal classes and quasi-varieties.

Impacts of COVID-19 on the Middle East Construction Industry

ABSTRACT: The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on construction project management are not documented and not well understood, which leaves project stakeholders with no guiding information to respond to such threats and no lessons learned to speed up the recovery of the industry in the wake of the pandemic. Although researchers have studied the impacts of pandemics in other industries in various settings, there is little-to-no research specific to the construction industry and especially in the Middle East region. To address this knowledge gap, 202 construction professionals in the Middle East region were surveyed using a questionnaire survey to provide their perceptions of COVID-19 pandemic impact on project finance, construction materials and equipment, labor, contracts, and rental properties. Statistical analysis of the collected data reveals that labor and contracts are the principal classes impacted due to the complex procedures of hiring labor from East Asia, the tightening of health and safety precautionary measures on construction sites, and the expected contract revisions to Force Majeure, Change and Claim clauses to address pandemic issues. The respondents indicated that many tasks can be safely accomplished by remote work. They also indicated that pandemic-related slowdowns can be detrimental to the construction industry; governments need to inject stimulus funding to help keep construction activity momentum; and that prolonged COVID-19 pandemic impact would be harsher than oil price collapse. As such, this study contributes to the body of knowledge in construction management by studying the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and providing construction industry stakeholders with lessons learned and recommendations to response strategies that can alleviate pandemic risks.

Phase Change Materials in Metal Casting Processes: A Critical Review and Future Possibilities

Phase change materials are the category of materials that release or absorb enough energy during phase change transformation to provide heating or cooling. Divided into two principal classes of organic and inorganic, these materials find a wide range of uses in commercial applications of casting where stable temperature and heat storage are a requirement. In this research work, application of inorganic phase change materials having significantly elevated temperature zone, especially within metal casting processes, has been discussed. Phase change material with high enthalpy of fusion and high melting point can be used for metal casting, but in a limited temperature range (between 200°C and 1300°C). In sand casting, inorganic PCM has the potential to be used as chills to provide directional solidification. Despite having advantages, inorganic PCM comes with major disadvantages, that is, toxicity, corrosivity, supercooling, and low thermal expansion. Few solutions to overcome these problems have been discussed in this research paper. Future research is required to reduce the disadvantage to a low level, so that PCM can be used in application where elevated temperature is achieved.

Imaging thumbprint of molecular subtypes of breast cancer

Breast cancers have traditionally been classified based on histology. However, with the development in imaging modalities and available treatment options, it is imperative to also focus on the molecular classes of breast cancer. Molecular profile and gene expression are important predictors of treatment response and overall prognosis. Radiologists should have a good understanding of molecular categories of breast cancer along with their imaging hallmarks. Highlights: • To familiarize the readers with the principal biomarkers and molecular classes of breast cancer. • To highlight the characteristic imaging features of each molecular class of breast cancer. • To focus on the pivotal role of molecular classification in the dynamic model of breast cancer treatment.

Social-spatial dynamics of workers in the Lorraine Region (France) in view of Luxembourg cross-border metropolisation

Since most research on economic metropolisation has until now concentrated on "high added value" workers on both sides of the border, little place is left for analysis either of the less valued categories in the process of metropolisation, or of the diversity of jobs within the regional labour markets. What, then, is the position of less favoured social categories in the evolution of cross-border metropolises over the last decades, when compared with managers or other liberal professions? To answer this question, a case study is carried out here on the cross-border commuters in the Lorraine Region (France), who participate in great numbers in the metropolisation of Luxembourg, by comparing them to those who work in France. The objective of this article is to give an account of the spatiotemporal evolution of the principal social classes among the cross-border commuters, based on the French population censuses. These databases, from 1968 to the present day, are comparable both in the time and space. The results confirm that a cross-border metropolis of Luxembourg has been formed, notably since the 1990s, by a substantial increase of highly qualified cross-border commuters, as well as by an augmentation of the less qualified workforce during this period: thus, in the Region of Lorraine, even in 2013, the share of the cross-border working class (commuting to Luxembourg) remains greater than that of the working class within France. Moreover, complex links exist in the phenomenon of metropolisation between historical social segregations and specifically metropolitan segregations in terms of the socio-spatial organisation of the territory in question: for example, the secondary urban centres of the French metropolitan area, such as Thionville or Metz, serve as a residential reservoir for the most highly qualified cross-border commuters, especially when this type of workforce has already been observed in these agglomerations in the past. Primary results point to the need to learn more about the conditions of different residential trajectories, as well as about the social status of different workforces on each side of the border.

Cancer and occupational exposure to pesticides: a bibliometric study of the past 10years.

Occupational exposure to pesticides has been identified as a major trigger of the development of cancer. Pesticides can cause intoxication in the individuals who manipulate them through either inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact. Given this, we investigated the association between the incidence of cancer and occupational exposure to pesticides through a bibliometric analysis of the studies published between 2011 and 2020, based on 62 papers selected from the Scopus database. The results indicated an exponential increase in the number of studies published over the past decade, with most of the research being conducted in the USA, France, India, and Brazil, although a further 17 nations were also involved in the research on the association between cancer and pesticides. The principal classes of pesticides investigated in relation to their role in intoxication and cancer were insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. The types of cancer reported most frequently were multiple myeloma, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate cancer, leukemia, and breast cancer. Despite the known association between pesticides and cancer, studies are still relatively scarce in comparison with the global scale of the use of these xenobiotic substances, which is related to the increasing demand for agricultural products throughout the world.Graphical abstract Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-021-17031-2.