Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is often diagnosed in advanced stage with peritoneal dissemination. Recent studies indicate that aberrant accumulation of collagen fibers in tumor stroma has a variety of effects on tumor progression. We refer to remodeled fibrous stroma with altered expression of collagen molecules, increased stiffness, and highly oriented collagen fibers as tumor-associated fibros

Research has shown that speakers of different languages may differ in their cognitive and perceptual processing of reality. A common denominator of this line of investigation has been its reliance on the sensory domain of vision. The aim of our study was to extend the scope to a new sense—taste. Using as a starting point crosslinguistic differences in the category boundaries of edible bulbs, we ex

International isolation is the primary concern of Taiwan's foreign politics. The proximity with mainland China urged Taiwan to rely on several different strategies to maintain the coveted geopolitical survival from Beijing's sovereignty claims. Among the various strategies adopted over the years, Taipei has recently used hydro-diplomacy to expand its presence in Southeast Asia. President Tsai Ing-

Background: Childhood cancer predisposition (ChiCaP) syndromes are increasingly recognized as contributing factors to childhood cancer development. Yet, due to variable availability of germline testing, many children with ChiCaP might go undetected today. We report results from the nationwide and prospective ChiCaP study that investigated diagnostic yield and clinical impact of integrating germlin

Male reproductive impairment has been linked with an increased risk of numerous non-communicable diseases. Yet, epidemiological data on renal disease among subfertile men is scarce. Therefore, by using male childlessness as a proxy for male infertility, we aimed to investigate its association with renal function. Data was sourced from a population-based cohort including 22,444 men. After exclusion

Background: Sedation is routinely administered to critically ill patients to alleviate anxiety, discomfort, and patient-ventilator asynchrony. However, it must be balanced against risks such as delirium and prolonged intensive care stays. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of sedation in critically ill adults. Methods: Systematic review with meta-analysis and trial seq

Glioblastoma, a type of cancer affecting the central nervous system, is characterized by its poor prognosis and the dynamic alteration of its metabolic phenotype to fuel development and progression. Critical to cellular metabolism, mitochondria play a pivotal role, where the acetylation of lysine residues on mitochondrial enzymes emerges as a crucial regulatory mechanism of protein function. This

This paper contains decision analytical approaches, conditions and models for the quantification of decision values for built environment systems. Specifically, (1) delta formulations of objective functions for decision value quantification are introduced, (2) conditions for decision value are identified and (3) action value analysis formulations are further developed. The delta objective function

Michel 'Aflaq, the founder of the Baath Party, has been a revolutionary figure in the Arab world: he was a scholar and philosopher who, with his political vision, inspired an entire generation of young Arab men. He conveyed the nationalist stances towards the formation of a so-called "Civil Religion", namely socialism with Arab ideological ramifications. 'Aflaq played a major role in shaping the p

Traditional control systems face challenges in managing high data loads and computing power, prompting the evolution of Cloud Control Systems (CCS)-a fusion of Networked Control Systems (NCS) and cloud computing. Despite offering manifold advantages, CCS encounters hurdles in navigating the dynamic cloud environment characterized by fluctuating workloads, rendering static frequency settings ineffi

The recent history of Sudan, as is evident from the strict international relevance and the tragic events linked with the birth of South Sudan in July 2011, has been punctuated by an endless series of abuses, inter-ethnic tensions and sectarian conflicts. The multi-ethnic composition and the evident religious disparities among the populations residing in the northern and southern regions of Sudan h

Galectins are among organisms' most abundantly expressed lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins) that specifically bind β-galactosides. They act not only outside the cell, where they bind to extracellular matrix glycans, but also inside the cell, where they have a significant impact on signaling pathways. Galectin-8 is a galectin family protein encoded by the LGALS8 gene. Its role is evident in bo

Halogen bonding is increasingly utilized in efforts to achieve high affinity and selectivity of molecules designed to bind proteins, making it paramount to understand the relationship between structure, dynamics, and thermodynamic driving forces. We present a detailed analysis addressing this problem using a series of protein-ligand complexes involving single halogen substitutions - F, Cl, Br, and

The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is commonly used to improve the hydrophobic of the gas diffusion layer (GDL). In this study, impacts of PTFE content and piecewise/linear gradient distributions on the transport behavior of liquid water were numerically studied by using a multiphase lattice Boltzmann method. A two-dimensional microstructure of the GDL was reconstructed by stochastic algorithm. Th

Significance efforts are underway to improve fuel cell performance, with the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) being an essential component of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs). The losses within the PEM can be measured through hydrogen crossover. The temperature is a critical variable that directly affects the hydrogen crossover. In this study, the hydrogen crossover and corrected current d

Using image and film advertisements, interviews, social media and public and private archives, Luxury Fashion and Media Communication offers an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing the value of the luxury object. Regular reports on consumption in media and frequent advertising on social media have allowed people all over the world to share in the issues and development of luxury; but how is it

This thesis delves into integrating control systems into cloud environments, leading to the emergence of what is commonly referred to as cloud control systems (CCSs). These systems represent a paradigm shift, leveraging the cloud’s expansive storage and computing capabilities to optimize industrial operations. However, while promising in terms of efficiency and scalability, this transition introdu

Cyber-physical Systems (CPSs) are often safety-critical and deployed in uncertain environments. Identifying scenarios where CPSs do not comply with requirements is fundamental but difficult due to the multidisciplinary nature of CPSs. We investigate the testing of control-based CPSs, where control and software engineers develop the software collaboratively. Control engineers make design assumption

This edited volume aims to bring supervision to life and contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between the supervisor and the thesis-writing student.The authors believe and hope that discussing supervision in terms of metaphors will contribute to a more profound mutual understanding between student and supervisor, a deeper understanding of the context(s) of supervision, reduce f