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The aim of this Master’s thesis was to evaluate valley wind simulations with the numerical weather prediction model AROME (Application of Research to Operations at MEsoscale) within the Inn Valley, Austria. By means of a case study, the research concentrated on IOP8 of the CROSSINN field campaign, characterized by the establishment of thermally driven winds. A special focus was put on the impact of moving to sub-km horizontal grid resolution, by applying the AROME-Aut configuration of GeoSphere Austria at three distinct grid spacings: 0.5 km, 1.0 km and the currently operational 2.5 km. It was found that the representation of thermodynamic conditions, both over the Alpine foreland and in the valley atmosphere is crucial for reproducing the observed along-valley wind magnitudes in the Inn Valley. As all simulations exhibit a systematic warm bias (up to +2 K) for the nocturnal valley boundary layer, the thermal forcing and, hence, downvalley winds were generally too weak in the morning. During the second night, all simulations exhibit persistent upvalley winds which ceased at around midnight in the observations. This discrepancy is related to the combined effect of cold air advection in the Alpine foreland and the nocturnal warm bias in the valley atmosphere, thus missing the reversal of the hydrostatic horizontal pressure gradient to the foreland in the simulations. Furthermore, the 0.5- km simulation was severely impacted by the lateral boundary conditions during the second night, by advecting colder air into the smaller model domain, thus enhancing the thermal forcing for the persistent upvalley winds. While the interaction with synoptic-scale winds (forced channeling) in the Inn Valley entrance region showed a potential contribution to the persistent upvalley winds in the simulations, this was not supported by ERA5-reanalysis data and could not be quantified with the available observations. Although, the reduction of horizontal grid spacing showed only marginal in, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2024

Die Künstliche Intelligenz findet zunehmend Eingang in der Bildungslandschaft. Dies wird vor allem durch die laufenden Entwicklungen der Künstliche Intelligenz vorangetrieben. Daraus ergibt sich das Forschungsinteresse für die vorliegende Masterarbeit in der Darstellung der derzeitigen didaktischen Implementierung der Künstliche Intelligenz im Wirtschaftsinformatikunterricht. Aufgrund der Aktualität der schulischen Diskussion zur Implementierung der Künstlichen Intelligenz im Unterricht ist zudem die persönliche Bewertung der kaufmännischen Lehrpersonen in Bezug auf derzeitigen bzw. zukünftigen Einsatz der Künstlichen Intelligenz von hoher Relevanz. Aus dem genannten Forschungsinteresse ergibt sich die folgende Forschungsfrage: Wie sieht die derzeitige Implementierung von KI im Wirtschaftsinformatikunterricht an der Handelsakademie aus und wie bewerten die Wirtschaftspädagog:innen den (zukünftigen) Einsatz von KI in ihrem Unterricht? Für die Beantwortung der Forschungsfrage wird zum einen eine Literaturrecherche zur lerntheoretischen Didaktik, der Künstlichen Intelligenz und deren Integrationspotenzial in der Bildungswelt durchgeführt. Zum anderen wird mithilfe einer Interviewstudie mit elf kaufmännischen Lehrpersonen von Handelsakademien aus unterschiedlichen Schulstandorten in Tirol und Vorarlberg versucht, die notwendigen Informationen zu erforschen, um die Forschungsfrage zu beantworten. Bei der Wahl der Lehrpersonen wird darauf geachtet, dass sie das fokussierte Unterrichtsfach Wirtschaftsinformatik lehren. Die Auswertung der Interviewstudie stellt klar, dass derzeit noch keine relevanten didaktischen Implementierungen der Künstlichen Intelligenz im Wirtschaftsinformatikunterricht erfolgen. Hinsichtlich der persönlichen Einschätzung der Lehrenden konnte herausgefunden werden, dass der Großteil von einer zukünftigen Implementierung der Künstlichen Intelligenz überzeugt ist. Die Lehrkräfte erwarten dabei zentrale Veränderungen in der Leistungsbeurteilung und bei, Artificial Intelligence is increasingly finding its way into the educational landscape. This is mainly driven by the ongoing developments in Artificial Intelligence. This results in the research interest for the present Master's thesis in conducting an interview study to present the current didactic implementation of Artificial Intelligence in business informatics teaching. Due to the topicality of the school discussion on the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom, the personal evaluation of the commercial teachers on the current and future use of Artificial Intelligence is also highly relevant. The following research question arises from the research interest mentioned above: What is the current implementation of AI in business informatics teaching at the commercial academy and how do the business teachers assess the (future) use of AI in their lessons? To answer the research question, on the one hand a literature research on learning theoretical didactics, Artificial Intelligence and its integration potential in the world of education is carried out. Secondly, with the help of an interview study with eleven commercial teachers at commercial academies in Tyrol and Vorarlberg, an attempt was made to gather the necessary information to answer the research question. When selecting the teachers, care was taken to ensure that they teach the focused subject of business informatics. The evaluation of the interview study makes clear that currently no relevant didactic implementations of Artificial Intelligence has taken place in business informatics teaching. With regard to the personal assessment of the teachers, it was found that the majority is convinced of a future implementation of Artificial Intelligence. The teachers expect the most changes in performance assessment and its examination formats as well as in teaching content. The future didactic changes are difficult to assess as they heavily depend on developments in Artificial Intelligence., Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2023

Abstract Purpose: Oncogenic alterations of the PI3K/AKT pathway occur in >40% of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, predominantly via PTEN loss. The significance of other PI3K pathway components in prostate cancer is largely unknown. Experimental Design: Patients in this study underwent tumor sequencing using the MSK-IMPACT clinical assay to capture single-nucleotide variants, insertions, and deletions; copy-number alterations; and structural rearrangements, or were profiled through The Cancer Genome Atlas. The association between PIK3R1 alteration/expression and survival was evaluated using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression models. We used the siRNA-based knockdown of PIK3R1 for functional studies. FDG-PET/CT examinations were performed with a hybrid positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scanner for some prostate cancer patients in the MSK-IMPACT cohort. Results: Analyzing 1,417 human prostate cancers, we found a significant enrichment of PIK3R1 alterations in metastatic cancers compared with primary cancers. PIK3R1 alterations or reduced mRNA expression tended to be associated with worse clinical outcomes in prostate cancer, particularly in primary disease, as well as in breast, gastric, and several other cancers. In prostate cancer cell lines, PIK3R1 knockdown resulted in increased cell proliferation and AKT activity, including insulin-stimulated AKT activity. In cell lines and organoids, PIK3R1 loss/mutation was associated with increased sensitivity to AKT inhibitors. PIK3R1-altered patient prostate tumors had increased uptake of the glucose analogue 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in PET imaging, suggesting increased glycolysis. Conclusions: Our

Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2022

vorgelegt von Anna Schöpf-Wibmer, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2022

Introduction: The aim of this study was to externally validate the 2013-SPRING model, a survival prediction tool for patients treated surgically for bone metastases in a retrospective patient cohort from a single institution. Moreover, subgroup analyses on patients treated with (A) endoprostheses or (B) osteosynthesis, as well as (C) upper limb and (D) lower limb metastases, were performed. Methods: Altogether, 303 cancer patients (mean age: 67.6 ± 11.1 years; 140 males (46.2%)) with bone metastases to the extremities, treated surgically between March 2000 and June 2018 at a single tertiary sarcoma centre, were retrospectively included. Median follow-up amounted to 6.3 (interquartile range (IQR): 2.3–21.8) months, with all patients followed-up for at least one year or until death. The 2013-SPRING model was applied to assess the prognostication accuracy at 3, 6 and 12 months. Models were validated with area under the curve receiver operator characteristic (AUC ROC; the higher the better), as well as Brier score. Results: Of the 303 patients, 141 had been treated with osteosynthesis (46.5%), and the remaining 162 patients with endoprosthesis (53.5%). Sixty-five (21.5%) metastases were located in the upper limbs, and two hundred and thirty-eight (78.5%) in the lower limbs. Using the 2013-SPRING model for the entire cohort, the accuracy of risk of death prediction at 3, 6 and 12 months, determined by the AUC ROC, was 0.782 (95% CI: 0.729–0.843), 0.810 (95% CI: 0.763–0.858) and 0.802 (95% CI: 0.751–0.854), respectively. Corresponding Brier scores were 0.170, 0.178 and 0.169 at 3, 6 and 12 months. In the subgroup analyses, predictive accuracy of the 2013-SPRING model was likewise encouraging, albeit being slightly higher in the osteosynthesis subgroup as compared with the endoprosthesis subgroup, and also higher in the upper limb in comparison to the lower limb metastasis subgroup. Conclusions: The current validation study of the 2013-SPRING model shows that this model

Introduction: The aim of this study was to externally validate the 2013-SPRING model, a survival prediction tool for patients treated surgically for bone metastases in a retrospective patient cohort from a single institution. Moreover, subgroup analyses on patients treated with (A) endoprostheses or (B) osteosynthesis, as well as (C) upper limb and (D) lower limb metastases, were performed. Methods: Altogether, 303 cancer patients (mean age: 67.6 ± 11.1 years; 140 males (46.2%)) with bone metastases to the extremities, treated surgically between March 2000 and June 2018 at a single tertiary sarcoma centre, were retrospectively included. Median follow-up amounted to 6.3 (interquartile range (IQR): 2.3–21.8) months, with all patients followed-up for at least one year or until death. The 2013-SPRING model was applied to assess the prognostication accuracy at 3, 6 and 12 months. Models were validated with area under the curve receiver operator characteristic (AUC ROC; the higher the better), as well as Brier score. Results: Of the 303 patients, 141 had been treated with osteosynthesis (46.5%), and the remaining 162 patients with endoprosthesis (53.5%). Sixty-five (21.5%) metastases were located in the upper limbs, and two hundred and thirty-eight (78.5%) in the lower limbs. Using the 2013-SPRING model for the entire cohort, the accuracy of risk of death prediction at 3, 6 and 12 months, determined by the AUC ROC, was 0.782 (95% CI: 0.729–0.843), 0.810 (95% CI: 0.763–0.858) and 0.802 (95% CI: 0.751–0.854), respectively. Corresponding Brier scores were 0.170, 0.178 and 0.169 at 3, 6 and 12 months. In the subgroup analyses, predictive accuracy of the 2013-SPRING model was likewise encouraging, albeit being slightly higher in the osteosynthesis subgroup as compared with the endoprosthesis subgroup, and also higher in the upper limb in comparison to the lower limb metastasis subgroup. Conclusions: The current validation study of the 2013-SPRING model shows that this model

The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern Omicron (Pango lineage B.1.1.529), first identified in Botswana and South Africa, may compromise vaccine effectiveness and lead to re-infections1. Here we investigated Omicron escape from neutralization by antibodies from South African individuals vaccinated with Pfizer BNT162b2. We used blood samples taken soon after vaccination from individuals who were vaccinated and previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 or vaccinated with no evidence of previous infection. We isolated and sequence-confirmed live Omicron virus from an infected person and observed that Omicron requires the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to infect cells. We compared plasma neutralization of Omicron relative to an ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain and found that neutralization of ancestral virus was much higher in infected and vaccinated individuals compared with the vaccinated-only participants. However, both groups showed a 22-fold reduction in vaccine-elicited neutralization by the Omicron variant. Participants who were vaccinated and had previously been infected exhibited residual neutralization of Omicron similar to the level of neutralization of the ancestral virus observed in the vaccination-only group. These data support the notion that reasonable protection against Omicron may be maintained using vaccination approaches.

The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern Omicron (Pango lineage B.1.1.529), first identified in Botswana and South Africa, may compromise vaccine effectiveness and lead to re-infections1. Here we investigated Omicron escape from neutralization by antibodies from South African individuals vaccinated with Pfizer BNT162b2. We used blood samples taken soon after vaccination from individuals who were vaccinated and previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 or vaccinated with no evidence of previous infection. We isolated and sequence-confirmed live Omicron virus from an infected person and observed that Omicron requires the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to infect cells. We compared plasma neutralization of Omicron relative to an ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain and found that neutralization of ancestral virus was much higher in infected and vaccinated individuals compared with the vaccinated-only participants. However, both groups showed a 22-fold reduction in vaccine-elicited neutralization by the Omicron variant. Participants who were vaccinated and had previously been infected exhibited residual neutralization of Omicron similar to the level of neutralization of the ancestral virus observed in the vaccination-only group. These data support the notion that reasonable protection against Omicron may be maintained using vaccination approaches.

Background: To develop an international, multi-site nomogram for side-specific prediction of extraprostatic extension (EPE) of prostate cancer based on clinical, biopsy, and magnetic resonance imaging-(MRI) derived data. Methods: Ten institutions from the USA and Europe contributed clinical and side-specific biopsy and MRI variables of consecutive patients who underwent prostatectomy. A logistic regression model was used to develop a nomogram for predicting side-specific EPE on prostatectomy specimens. The performance of the statistical model was evaluated by bootstrap resampling and cross validation and compared with the performance of benchmark models that do not incorporate MRI findings. Results: Data from 840 patients were analyzed; pathologic EPE was found in 320/840 (31.8%). The nomogram model included patient age, prostate-specific antigen density, side-specific biopsy data (i.e., Gleason grade group, percent positive cores, tumor extent), and side-specific MRI features (i.e., presence of a PI-RADSv2 4 or 5 lesion, level of suspicion for EPE, length of capsular contact). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the new, MRI-inclusive model (0.828, 95% confidence limits: 0.805, 0.852) was significantly higher than that of any of the benchmark models (p < 0.001 for all). Conclusions: In an international, multi-site study, we developed an MRI-inclusive nomogram for the side-specific prediction of EPE of prostate cancer that demonstrated significantly greater accuracy than clinical benchmark models.

Background: To develop an international, multi-site nomogram for side-specific prediction of extraprostatic extension (EPE) of prostate cancer based on clinical, biopsy, and magnetic resonance imaging-(MRI) derived data. Methods: Ten institutions from the USA and Europe contributed clinical and side-specific biopsy and MRI variables of consecutive patients who underwent prostatectomy. A logistic regression model was used to develop a nomogram for predicting side-specific EPE on prostatectomy specimens. The performance of the statistical model was evaluated by bootstrap resampling and cross validation and compared with the performance of benchmark models that do not incorporate MRI findings. Results: Data from 840 patients were analyzed; pathologic EPE was found in 320/840 (31.8%). The nomogram model included patient age, prostate-specific antigen density, side-specific biopsy data (i.e., Gleason grade group, percent positive cores, tumor extent), and side-specific MRI features (i.e., presence of a PI-RADSv2 4 or 5 lesion, level of suspicion for EPE, length of capsular contact). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the new, MRI-inclusive model (0.828, 95% confidence limits: 0.805, 0.852) was significantly higher than that of any of the benchmark models (p < 0.001 for all). Conclusions: In an international, multi-site study, we developed an MRI-inclusive nomogram for the side-specific prediction of EPE of prostate cancer that demonstrated significantly greater accuracy than clinical benchmark models.

eingereicht von Anna Roswitha Wibmer, Universität Innsbruck, Masterarbeit, 2019, (VLID)4499452

Verfasserin: Claudia Carina Wibmer, Universität Innsbruck, Diplomarbeit, 2018, (VLID)2561203

UNLABELLED: With the genomic revolution in the early 1990s, medical research has been driven to study the basis of human disease on a genomic level and to devise precise cancer therapies tailored to the specific genetic makeup of a tumor. To match novel therapeutic concepts conceived in the era of precision medicine, diagnostic tests must be equally sufficient, multilayered, and complex to identify the relevant genetic alterations that render cancers susceptible to treatment. With significant advances in training and medical imaging techniques, image analysis and the development of high-throughput methods to extract and correlate multiple imaging parameters with genomic data, a new direction in medical research has emerged. This novel approach has been termed radiogenomics. Radiogenomics aims to correlate imaging characteristics (ie, the imaging phenotype) with gene expression patterns, gene mutations, and other genome-related characteristics and is designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of tumor biology and capture the intrinsic tumor heterogeneity. Ultimately, the goal of radiogenomics is to develop imaging biomarkers for outcome that incorporate both phenotypic and genotypic metrics. Due to the noninvasive nature of medical imaging and its ubiquitous use in clinical practice, the field of radiogenomics is rapidly evolving and initial results are encouraging. In this article, we briefly discuss the background and then summarize the current role and the potential of radiogenomics in brain, liver, prostate, gynecological, and breast tumors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;47:604-620.

HIV Research for Prevention: AIDS Vaccine, Microbicide, and ARV-based Prevention Science (HIVR4P) was built on a growing consensus that effective HIV prevention requires a combination of approaches and that understanding, analyzing, and debating the cross-cutting issues that impact prevention research are all essential to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. To that end, the biennial HIVR4P conference is dedicated to all biomedical HIV prevention research approaches, including HIV vaccines, microbicides, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and treatment as prevention. The HIVR4P 2016 conference was held in Chicago, Illinois (USA), on October 17-21, and included more than 700 scientific presentations and 21 satellite sessions covering the latest and most promising advances across the HIV prevention research field. The theme "Partnering for Prevention" represented the conference's commitment to breaking down silos between research disciplines as well as between researchers, program developers, care providers, advocates, communities, and funders. Delegates spanning 42 countries attended the conference. One-third of those in attendance were early career investigators, which reflects a firm commitment to emerging researchers and ultimately to the goal of developing a sustainable scientific enterprise well into the future. This article presents a concise summary of highlights from the conference. For a more detailed account, one may find full abstracts, daily summaries, and webcasts on the conference website at hivr4p.org.

HIV Research for Prevention: AIDS Vaccine, Microbicide, and ARV-based Prevention Science (HIVR4P) was built on a growing consensus that effective HIV prevention requires a combination of approaches and that understanding, analyzing, and debating the cross-cutting issues that impact prevention research are all essential to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. To that end, the biennial HIVR4P conference is dedicated to all biomedical HIV prevention research approaches, including HIV vaccines, microbicides, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and treatment as prevention. The HIVR4P 2016 conference was held in Chicago, Illinois (USA), on October 17-21, and included more than 700 scientific presentations and 21 satellite sessions covering the latest and most promising advances across the HIV prevention research field. The theme "Partnering for Prevention" represented the conference's commitment to breaking down silos between research disciplines as well as between researchers, program developers, care providers, advocates, communities, and funders. Delegates spanning 42 countries attended the conference. One-third of those in attendance were early career investigators, which reflects a firm commitment to emerging researchers and ultimately to the goal of developing a sustainable scientific enterprise well into the future. This article presents a concise summary of highlights from the conference. For a more detailed account, one may find full abstracts, daily summaries, and webcasts on the conference website at hivr4p.org.

Background: The integrin aα4β7 mediates the trafficking of immune cells to the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and is an attachment factor for the HIV gp120 envelope glycoprotein. We developed a viral replication inhibition assay to more clearly evaluate the role of aα4β7 in HIV infection and the contribution of viral and host factors. Results: Replication of 60 HIV-1 subtype C viruses collected over time from 11 individuals in the CAPRISA cohort were partially inhibited by antibodies targeting aα4β7. However, dependence on aα4β7 for replication varied substantially among viral isolates from different individuals as well as over time in some individuals. Among 8 transmitted/founder (T/F) viruses, aα4β7 reactivity was highest for viruses having P/SDI/V tri-peptide binding motifs. Mutation of T/F viruses that had LDI/L motifs to P/SDI/V resulted in greater aα4β7 reactivity, whereas mutating P/SDI/V to LDI/L motifs was associated with reduced aα4β7 binding. P/SDI/V motifs were more common among South African HIV subtype C viruses (35%) compared to subtype C viruses from other regions of Africa (

Die Wahrscheinlichkeit von informationsbasiertem Handel (Probability of Informed Trading, PIN) stellt ein bekanntes Konzept der Marktmikrostruktur zur direkten Messung des Risikos von Verlusten aufgrund besserer Information des Handelspartners - mit Anwendungen v.a. im Aktienhandel - dar. Easley et al. (1996) zeigen, wie PIN empirisch auf Basis ihres sequentiellen Handelsmodells aus (beobachtbaren) Kauf- und Verkaufsdaten geschätzt werden kann. In dieser Dissertation findet die entsprechende Methodik Anwendung auf Innertages- ("Intraday"-)Daten deutscher Aktien, welche von 2002 bis 2009 auf XETRA gehandelt wurden. Dies ermöglicht die Formulierung und Überprüfung von Hypothesen zum Zusammenhang zwischen der Länge des Handelstages und Regelmäßigkeiten in der PIN-Variable, basierend unter anderem auf der Verkürzung der Handelszeit der elektronischen Plattform XETRA im November 2003. Ausschlaggebend sind die Erwartungen bezüglich der Handelsstrategien von Marktteilnehmern, welche sich im Grad der ihnen bekannten Information unterscheiden (informierte und uninformierte (Liquiditäts-)Händler). Die Ergebnisse der empirischen Analyse zeigen, dass sich PIN im Tagesverlauf relativ stabil entwickelt, und in den zusätzlichen (Abend-)handelsstunden, welche 2003 abgeschafft wurden, signifikant ansteigt. Ex post stellen diese Resultate eine empirische Validierung der Sinnhaftigkeit der XETRA-Handelsverkürzung 2003 dar. Die Anwendung der PIN-Methodik auf Intraday-Daten kann als Grundlage für weitere Studien dienen und bietet mögliche praktische Implikationen etwa für die Argumentationsgrundlage von Handelsplätzen bei Änderungen ihrer Handelszeiten., In information-based market microstructure literature, an empirical approach to directly estimate the risk of trading with a better informed counterparty is presented by Easley et al. (1996). Their Probability of Informed Trading (PIN) measure is analyzed in this thesis with regard to its dependence on the length of the trading day and the variable's intraday patterns. Based on a 2002-2009 dataset of German stocks traded on the electronic platform XETRA, PIN is estimated based on (half-)hours instead of entire trading days. This intraday methodology enables the formulation and testing of hypotheses concerning informed trading's reaction to changes in the length of the trading day (such as XETRA's trading hour reduction in November 2003), and with regard to intraday PIN patterns' reconcilability with existing theoretical models. Both are - like the PIN variable itself - based on the expected behavior of differently informed investor groups (informed and uninformed/liquidity traders). Results suggest that PIN develops relatively stable throughout the trading day, but is significantly higher in the longer evening trading hours before 2003. These findings provide ex post support for Deutsche Börse's decision of shortening the trading day, and constitute the basis for further research and policy implications for e.g. exchange executives., von Katrin Wibmer, Abweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des Verfassers, Innsbruck, Univ., Diss., 2014, OeBB, (VLID)169673

Purpose: To compare the features of bone metastases at computed tomography (CT) to tracer uptake at fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and fluorine 18 16 beta-fluoro-5-dihydrotestosterone (FDHT) PET and to determine associations between these imaging features and overall survival in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of 38 patients with castration- resistant prostate cancer. Two readers independently evaluated CT, FDG PET, and FDHT PET features of bone metastases. Associations between imaging findings and overall survival were determined by using univariate Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: n 38 patients, reader 1 detected 881 lesions and reader 2 detected 867 lesions. Attenuation coefficients at CT correlated inversely with FDG (reader 1: r = -0.3007; P < .001; reader 2: r = -0.3147; P < .001) and FDHT (reader 1: r = -0.2680; P = .001; reader 2: r = -0.3656; P < .001) uptake. The number of lesions on CT scans was significantly associated with overall survival (reader 1: hazard ratio [HR], 1.025; P = .05; reader 2: HR, 1.021; P = .04). The numbers of lesions on FDG and FDHT PET scans were significantly associated with overall survival for reader 1 (HR, 1.051-1.109; P < .001) and reader 2 (HR, 1.026-1.082; P <= .009). Patients with higher FDHT uptake (lesion with the highest maximum standardized uptake value) had significantly shorter overall survival (reader 1: HR, 1.078; P = .02; reader 2: HR, 1.092; P =.02). FDG uptake intensity was not associated with overall survival (reader 1, P = .65; reader 2, P = .38). Conculsion: In patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, numbers of bone lesions on CT, FDG PET, and FDHT PET scans and the intensity of FDHT uptake are significantly associated with overall survival.

We present the canonical Gröbner Cover method for discussing parametric polynomial systems of equations. Its objective is to decompose the parameter space into subsets (segments) for which it exists a generalized reduced Gröbner basis in the whole segment with fixed set of leading power products on it. Wibmer's Theorem guarantees its existence. The Gröbner Cover is designed in a joint paper of the authors, and the Singular grobcov.lib library [15] implementing it, is developed by Montes. The algorithm is canonic and groups the solutions having the same kind of properties into different disjoint segments. Even if the algorithms involved have high complexity, we show how in practice it is effective in many applications of medium difficulty. An interesting application to automatic deduction of geometric theorems is roughly described here, and another one to provide a taxonomy for exact geometrical loci computations, that is experimentally implemented in a web based application using the dynamic geometry software Geogebra, is explained in another session., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Identifying the targets of broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1 and understanding how these antibodies develop remain important goals in the quest to rationally develop an HIV-1 vaccine. We previously identified a participant in the CAPRISA Acute Infection Cohort (CAP257) whose plasma neutralized 84% of heterologous viruses. In this study we showed that breadth in CAP257 was largely due to the sequential, transient appearance of three distinct broadly neutralizing antibody specificities spanning the first 4.5 years of infection. The first specificity targeted an epitope in the V2 region of gp120 that was also recognized by strain-specific antibodies 7 weeks earlier. Specificity for the autologous virus was determined largely by a rare N167 antigenic variant of V2, with viral escape to the more common D167 immunotype coinciding with the development of the first wave of broadly neutralizing antibodies. Escape from these broadly neutralizing V2 antibodies through deletion of the glycan at N160 was associated with exposure of an epitope in the CD4 binding site that became the target for a second wave of broadly neutralizing antibodies. Neutralization by these CD4 binding site antibodies was almost entirely dependent on the glycan at position N276. Early viral escape mutations in the CD4 binding site drove an increase in wave two neutralization breadth, as this second wave of heterologous neutralization matured to recognize multiple immunotypes within this site. The third wave targeted a quaternary epitope that did not overlap any of the four known sites of vulnerability on the HIV-1 envelope and remains undefined. Altogether this study showed that the human immune system is capable of generating multiple broadly neutralizing antibodies in response to a constantly evolving viral population that exposes new targets as a consequence of escape from earlier neutralizing antibodies.

The importance of clinical predictors in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has increased during the last decade. This retrospective study analyzed the combined patient-level data from two phase II trials that investigated the efficacy and safety of combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The aim of this analysis was to determine if patients' baseline and disease characteristics, including histology, gender, smoking history, and expression of TTF-1, might be potential predictors of outcome., Journal Article, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Four novel nanographene/porphyrin hybrids were prepared, characterized, and probed in solar energy conversion schemes. Exfoliation of graphite by means of immobilizing four different porphyrins onto the basal plane of graphene is accompanied by distinct electronic interactions in both the ground and the excited states. In the ground state, a strong loss in oscillator strength goes hand-in-hand with a notable broadening of the porphyrin transitions and, as such, attests to the shift of electron density from the electron donating porphyrins to nanographene. In the excited state, a nearly quantitative quenching of the porphyrin fluorescence is indicative of full charge transfer. The latter is corroborated by femtosecond transient absorption measurements, which reveal the generation of the one-electron oxidized radical cation of the porphyrins with absorption maxima at 490 and 625 nm in the visible region and conduction band electrons in nanographene with features at 890 and 1025 nm in the near infrared region. We have demonstrated the applicability of the new nanographene/porphyrin hybrids in, for example, solar cells. In this regard, the presence of flakes is crucial in terms of influencing the injection processes, preventing aggregation, and reducing recombination losses, which are commonly encountered in porphyrin-based DSSCs. 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Identifying the targets of broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1 and understanding how these antibodies develop remain important goals in the quest to rationally develop an HIV-1 vaccine. We previously identified a participant in the CAPRISA Acute Infection Cohort (CAP257) whose plasma neutralized 84% of heterologous viruses. In this study we showed that breadth in CAP257 was largely due to the sequential, transient appearance of three distinct broadly neutralizing antibody specificities spanning the first 4.5 years of infection. The first specificity targeted an epitope in the V2 region of gp120 that was also recognized by strain-specific antibodies 7 weeks earlier. Specificity for the autologous virus was determined largely by a rare N167 antigenic variant of V2, with viral escape to the more common D167 immunotype coinciding with the development of the first wave of broadly neutralizing antibodies. Escape from these broadly neutralizing V2 antibodies through deletion of the glycan at N160 was associated with exposure of an epitope in the CD4 binding site that became the target for a second wave of broadly neutralizing antibodies. Neutralization by these CD4 binding site antibodies was almost entirely dependent on the glycan at position N276. Early viral escape mutations in the CD4 binding site drove an increase in wave two neutralization breadth, as this second wave of heterologous neutralization matured to recognize multiple immunotypes within this site. The third wave targeted a quaternary epitope that did not overlap any of the four known sites of vulnerability on the HIV-1 envelope and remains undefined. Altogether this study showed that the human immune system is capable of generating multiple broadly neutralizing antibodies in response to a constantly evolving viral population that exposes new targets as a consequence of escape from earlier neutralizing antibodies.

The importance of clinical predictors in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has increased during the last decade. This retrospective study analyzed the combined patient-level data from two phase II trials that investigated the efficacy and safety of combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The aim of this analysis was to determine if patients' baseline and disease characteristics, including histology, gender, smoking history, and expression of TTF-1, might be potential predictors of outcome., Journal Article, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Four novel nanographene/porphyrin hybrids were prepared, characterized, and probed in solar energy conversion schemes. Exfoliation of graphite by means of immobilizing four different porphyrins onto the basal plane of graphene is accompanied by distinct electronic interactions in both the ground and the excited states. In the ground state, a strong loss in oscillator strength goes hand-in-hand with a notable broadening of the porphyrin transitions and, as such, attests to the shift of electron density from the electron donating porphyrins to nanographene. In the excited state, a nearly quantitative quenching of the porphyrin fluorescence is indicative of full charge transfer. The latter is corroborated by femtosecond transient absorption measurements, which reveal the generation of the one-electron oxidized radical cation of the porphyrins with absorption maxima at 490 and 625 nm in the visible region and conduction band electrons in nanographene with features at 890 and 1025 nm in the near infrared region. We have demonstrated the applicability of the new nanographene/porphyrin hybrids in, for example, solar cells. In this regard, the presence of flakes is crucial in terms of influencing the injection processes, preventing aggregation, and reducing recombination losses, which are commonly encountered in porphyrin-based DSSCs. 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

info:eu-repo/semantics/published