Measuring the relationships between various urban green spaces and local climate zones

Urban green spaces (UGS) improve living conditions in cities by mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect. While the cooling effect of UGS seems unequivocal, the relationship between the types of UGS and types of residential areas has not yet been well explored. In this study, we systematically analysed the cooling effect of 71 UGS in Prague, a central European city, on residential areas within 400 m of the UGS. The UGS are classified according to their spatial characteristics (size, shape, and tree density), and the residential areas according to three Local Climate Zones (LCZ 2, 5, 6) typical for European cities. The cooling effect is evaluated using a regression model of the Land Surface Temperature (LST) in residential zones according to the LCZ type and distance from the various UGS. The results show that compact UGS of 10-25 ha with dense trees have the most pronounced cooling effect. This type of UGS was associated with a mean decrease in LST within 400 m of 2.3 °C compared to the least effective UGS type (long with sparse trees) across LCZs. The results of the presented study can be applied in urban planning and urban design to improve microclimates in cities.

Effects of light and noise pollution on avian communities of European cities are correlated with the species' diet

Urbanization affects avian community composition in European cities, increasing biotic homogenization. Anthropic pollution (such as light at night and noise) is among the most important drivers shaping bird use in urban areas, where bird species are mainly attracted by urban greenery. In this study, we collected data on 127 breeding bird species at 1349 point counts distributed along a gradient of urbanization in fourteen different European cities. The main aim was to explore the effects of anthropic pollution and city characteristics, on shaping the avian communities, regarding species' diet composition. The green cover of urban areas increased the number of insectivorous and omnivorous bird species, while slightly decreasing the overall diet heterogeneity of the avian communities. The green heterogeneity-a measure of evenness considering the relative coverage of grass, shrubs and trees-was positively correlated with the richness of granivorous, insectivorous, and omnivorous species, increasing the level of diet heterogeneity in the assemblages. Additionally, the effects of light pollution on avian communities were associated with the species' diet. Overall, light pollution negatively affected insectivorous and omnivorous bird species while not affecting granivorous species. The noise pollution, in contrast, was not significantly associated with changes in species assemblages. Our results offer some tips to urban planners, managers, and ecologists, in the challenge of producing more eco-friendly cities for the future.

Effects of urbanization on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic avian diversity in Europe

Europe is an urbanized continent characterized by a long history of human-wildlife interactions. This study aimed to assess the effects of specific elements of urbanization and urban pollution on complementary avian diversity metrics, to provide new insights on the conservation of urban birds. Our study recorded 133 bird species at 1624 point counts uniformly distributed in seventeen different European cities. Our results thus covered a large spatial scale, confirming both effects of geographical and local attributes of the cities on avian diversity. However, we found contrasting effects for the different diversity components analyzed. Overall, taxonomic diversity (bird species richness), phylogenetic diversity and relatedness were significantly and negatively associated with latitude, while functional dispersion of communities showed no association whatsoever. At the local level (within the city), we found that urban greenery (grass, bush, and trees) is positively correlated with the number of breeding bird species, while the building cover showed a detrimental effect. Functional dispersion was the less affected diversity metric, while grass and trees and water (rivers or urban streams) positively affected the phylogenetic diversity of avian communities. Finally, the phylogenetic relatedness of species increased with all the main indicators of urbanization (building surface, floors, pedestrian's density and level of light pollution) and was only mitigated by the presence of bushes. We argue that maintaining adequate levels of avian diversity within the urban settlements can help to increase the potential resilience of urban ecosystems exposed to the stress provoked by rapid and continuous changes. We listed some characteristics of the cities providing positive and negative effects on each facet of urban avian diversity.

Selecting appropriate variables for detecting grassland to cropland changes using high resolution satellite data

Grassland is one of the most represented, while at the same time, ecologically endangered, land cover categories in the European Union. In view of the global climate change, detecting its change is growing in importance from both an environmental and a socio-economic point of view. A well-recognised tool for Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Change Detection (CD), including grassland changes, is Remote Sensing (RS). An important aspect affecting the accuracy of change detection is finding the optimal indicators of LULC changes (i.e., variables). Inappropriately selected variables can produce inaccurate results burdened with a number of uncertainties. The aim of our study is to find the most suitable variables for the detection of grassland to cropland change, based on a pair of high resolution images acquired by the Landsat 8 satellite and from the vector database Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). In total, 59 variables were used to create models using Generalised Linear Models (GLM), the quality of which was verified through multi-temporal object-based change detection. Satisfactory accuracy for the detection of grassland to cropland change was achieved using all of the statistically identified models. However, a three-variable model can be recommended for practical use, namely by combining the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Wetness and Fifth components of Tasselled Cap. Increasing number of variables did not significantly improve the accuracy of detection, but rather complicated the interpretation of the results and was less accurate than detection based on the original Landsat 8 images. The results obtained using these three variables are applicable in landscape management, agriculture, subsidy policy, or in updating existing LULC databases. Further research implementing these variables in combination with spatial data obtained by other RS techniques is needed.

Abstract 1608: Profiling c-Met and EGFR kinase inhibitor resistance pathways in non-small lung cancer cells

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) against c-MET and EGFR have positive therapeutic effects in a subset of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients; however, their clinical efficacies are limited due to the development of TKI resistance. To determine mechanisms of TKI resistance, two NSCLC model cell lines H2170 and H358 were made resistant to the c-Met/EGFR TKIs SU11274, erlotinib or a combination of both by exposing the cells to progressively increasing concentrations of inhibitor. Initial characterization of these cell lines using phospho-specific antibodies showed that phospho-c-Met was found to be downregulated 4- and 1.5- fold in SU11274-resistant (SR) H2170 and SR H358 cells, respectively. Phospho-EGFR was found to be constitutively autophosphorylated (upregulated 19-fold) in erlotinib-resistant (ER) H2170 cells, but downregulated 6-fold in ER H358 cells. Interestingly, c-Met/EGFR downstream signaling proteins p-mTOR, p-p70S6K and p-ERK were found to be 2-4-fold upregulated, 2-fold upregulated and 2-5-fold upregulated, respectively, in ER H2170 and H358 cells. Phospho-p70S6K was also found to be upregulated 20-fold in SR H2170 cells. These results indicate that alternative signaling pathways may confer TKI resistance in these cell lines. To identify which signaling pathways may be responsible for TKI resistance, H358 parental and resistant cell lines were analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS). Differences in protein expression in cell lines treated with and without EGF and/or erlotinib were measured using higher multiplexing Thermo Scientific™ Tandem Mass Tag™ (TMT™) reagents. More than 1500 protein groups were identified and quantified using a Thermo Scientific™ Orbitrap™ Fusion™ platform with HCD-MS2 and MS3 fragmentation methods. Protein expression in ER H358 cells showed a marked increase in expression of DNA replication proteins, transcription factors, apoptosis inhibitors and some Ras-associated signal transduction pathways. To further investigate the mechanism of TKI resistance, phospho-peptide enrichment was also used in combination with TMT quantitation to profile changes in protein phosphorylation state. Overall, the combination of phospho-peptide enrichment coupled with higher multiplexing TMT and high resolution MS analysis enabled deeper global profiling of TKI resistance signaling pathways compared to previous studies without enrichment.

Citation Format: Ryan D. Bomgarden, Ryan Jacobs, Jason Fong, David Moravec, Gregory M. Botting, Michael Blank, Rosa I. Viner, John C. Rogers, Neelu Puri. Profiling c-Met and EGFR kinase inhibitor resistance pathways in non-small lung cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1608. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1608

Abstract 5653: Novel targets mediating resistance to EGFR/c-Met tyrosine kinase inhibitors in NSCLC

Combination therapy of c-Met/EGFR TKIs against c-Met/EGFR, while initially effective, has been shown to be susceptible to acquired resistance. To establish a mechanism of TKI resistance, the NSCLC model cell lines H2170 and H358 were made resistant to the c-Met/EGFR TKIs SU11274, erlotinib, or a combination by exposing the cells to progressively increasing concentrations of inhibitors. Phospho-Met (Tyr1003) was found to be downregulated 4- and 1.5- fold in H2170 and H358 cells, respectively. Phospho-EGFR was found to be upregulated in H2170 cells and downregulated in H358 cells. Interestingly, no significant differences were observed in c-Met/EGFR downstream signaling proteins, indicating that alternative signaling pathways such as the canonical Wnt pathway may confer TKI resistance. To determine differences in Wnt signaling between parental and resistant cell lines, immunoblotting was performed. In the H2170 erlotinib resistant (H2170-ER) cell line, a 5- and 6-fold increase in phospho-LRP5/6 as well as a 2- and 3-fold increase in total-LRP5/6 was observed in the presence or absence of erlotinib, respectively. Furthermore, H2170-ER cells exhibited a 3- and 16-fold increase in NKD2 as well as a 2.5- and 6-fold increase in Wnt3A in the presence or absence of EGF, respectively. A 2- to 2.5-fold increase was also observed in DVL2/3 in the absence of EGF. However, the Wnt pathway did not seem to have a significant role in H358 cells. Since EGFR and Wnt signaling are known to exhibit crosstalk, activation of the Wnt pathway may stimulate activation of EGFR causing resistance. This is suggested as upregulation of proteins involved in the Wnt pathway was seen only in the H2170 cell line. These results were confirmed by treating H2170 cells with the Wnt inhibitor XAV939. MTT analysis indicated that parental cells showed no significant response to XAV939, however, resistant cell lines showed a 2-fold decrease in viability when compared to a c-Met/EGFR TKI combination treatment. We propose a new treatment modality with Wnt inhibitors which have not yet entered clinical testing.

To identify new targets for NSCLC, stable isotope labeling by heavy/light amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) coupled with mass spectroscopy was used. Analysis revealed more than 200 proteins modulated greater than 1.5-fold, six of which have significant potential to influence cell growth and survival based on their biological roles in NSCLC. These proteins include total-β-catenin, TPR, syntenin, HMGB2, TOM34 and AIF. We are currently using tandem mass tagging (TMT) to further investigate additional modulated proteins. Proteins of interest identified by this method include TPD52, erbB2, MESDC2, PIN1, PEA15 and NRAS. Proteins confirmed to be upregulated/activated in resistant cell lines will be further investigated as targets which induce drug resistance in NSCLC.

Citation Format: Ryan Jacobs, Jason Fong, David Moravec, Greg Botting, Ryan Bomgarden, John Rogers, Rosa Viner, Michael Blank, Neelu Puri. Novel targets mediating resistance to EGFR/c-Met tyrosine kinase inhibitors in NSCLC. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5653. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5653

Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 because the presenter was unable to attend.

Central nervous system Hodgkin's disease relapsing with eosinophilic pleocytosis

Hodgkin's disease affecting the central nervous system is infrequent. Multiple lumbar punctures are sometimes required for cytological diagnosis. In this case fluoroscopy-guided cisternal puncture and routine lumbar punctures were used to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples for cytological analysis. Reed-Sternberg cells were observed on the CSF sample obtained through the cisternal puncture while none were seen in the samples obtained with routine lumbar punctures. Without cytology, the diagnosis of meningeal carcinomatosis remains elusive. In conclusion, cisternal punctures should be entertained early in the evaluation for meningeal carcinomatosis, particularly if lumbar punctures have been unsuccessful.

[Adrenal tumors and surgical approaches to the adrenal glands]

In 1987 at the First Surgical Clinic in Bratislava four patients with adrenal tumours were operated. Hormonally inactive tumours are, however, diagnosed late on account of their latent growth. To the diagnosis of tumours sonography and computed tomography contributed in a major way. Adrenal tumours must be radically removed, sometimes even with surrounding organs (kidney, spleen, pancreas). Malignant tumours have a very adverse prognosis.

ChlVPP--an effective and well-tolerated alternative to MOPP therapy for Hodgkin's disease

The substitution of chlorambucil for nitrogen mustard and vinblastine for vincristine has been suggested to be an equally effective and well-tolerated variation of the MOPP regimen (mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone). We treated 76 patients with advanced (i.e., Stage III, IV, or II with bulky mediastinal mass) or recurrent Hodgkin's disease with chlorambucil 6 mg/m2, procarbazine 100 mg/m2, and prednisone 40 mg p.o. daily, all on days 1-14; plus vinblastine 6 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 and 8 of each 28-day cycle (ChlVPP). There was no maximum dose of the myelosuppressive agents. Patients who had not previously been irradiated received from 2,300 to 4,100 cGY to sites of previously bulky diseases after completing 6 cycles of ChlVPP. ChlVPP was easy to administer (i.e., 87% of patients without previous chemotherapy received greater than or equal to 80% of the planned doses of myelosuppressive drugs) and was generally well tolerated, with only occasional vomiting from procarbazine and phlebitis from vinblastine. In patients without previous chemotherapy, 49 (76%) achieved a complete remission (CR) and 7 (11%) a stable partial remission (i.e., residual, stable radiographic abnormality). With a maximum follow-up of 4 years, only one CR has relapsed for an actuarial CR durability of 97%. ChlVPP with consolidative radiation therapy to sites of bulky disease is effective in advanced Hodgkin's disease and, compared with most other available regimens, is extremely well tolerated.