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ABSTRACT:We investigate the amplification and predictability of tropical cyclones in the context of a minimal, threedimensional numerical model. In the prototype problem for intensification, starting with a tropical storm strength vortex in a quiescent environment on an f -plane, the emergent flow in the inner region of the vortex becomes highly asymmetric and dominated by deep convective vortex structures, even though the problem as posed is essentially axisymmetric. The details of the intensification process, including the asymmetric structures that develop, are highly sensitive to small perturbations in the low-level moisture field at the initial time. This sensitivity is manifest in a significant spread in the intensity of vortices from an ensemble of calculations in which random moisture perturbations are added in the lowest model level. Similar experiments are carried out on a β-plane and in the case where there is an anticyclonic shear flow at upper levels. The former set shows no significant difference from the f -plane calculations in the evolution of intensity, but the latter set shows a significantly weaker vortex, contrary to a broadly held hypothesis that upper-level outflow channels are favourable to intensification.

Clinical practice guidelines for gynecologic cancers have been developed by many organizations. Although these guidelines have much in common in terms of the practice of standard of care for uterine corpus cancer, practice guidelines that reflect the characteristics of patients and healthcare and insurance systems are needed for each country. The Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) published the first edition of practice guidelines for gynecologic cancer treatment in late 2006; the second edition was released in July 2010 as an evidence-based recommendation. The Guidelines Revision Committee was established in 2015 and decided to produce the third edition of the guidelines as an advanced form based on evidence-based medicine, considering up-to-date clinical trials and abundant qualified Korean data. These guidelines cover screening, surgery, adjuvant treatment, and advanced and recurrent disease with respect to endometrial carcinoma and uterine sarcoma. The committee members and many gynecologic oncologists derived key questions from the discussion, and a number of relevant scientific literatures were reviewed in advance. Recommendations for each specific question were developed by the consensus conference, and they are summarized here, together with other details. The objective of these practice guidelines is to establish standard policies on issues in clinical areas related to the management of uterine corpus cancer based on the findings in published papers to date and the consensus of experts as a KSGO Consensus Statement.

The motion of binary cyclonic vortices with equal structure and strength in no environmental flow is investigated with a focus on what determines their merger or separation. For this, proposals in previous studies on the critical separation distance of binary vortices are validated using a nondivergent barotropic model on an f -plane.Results from numerical experiments indicate that the sign of the initial relative vorticity in the midregion between two vortices largely determines their merger or separation. This is consistent with the proposal of Falkovich et al. When the initial relative vorticity in the mid-region between two vortices is negative, the two vortices separate. However, it is found that an initial positive relative vorticity between the two vortices does not guarantee their merger. Only when the initial positive relative vorticity exceeds a certain threshold value, the two vortices merge. Based upon the results of numerical experiments, it is suggested that the critical separation distance of binary vortices is slightly smaller than twice the radius at which the relative vorticity of one vortex becomes zero. The merger or separation of binary vortices can be conceptually explained by the advection of the symmetric relative vorticity of one vortex by the symmetric tangential flow of the other vortex. This relative vorticity advection produces vorticity anomalies with different magnitudes to the north and south of each vortex and results in net eastward or westward secondary flow near its center when the two vortices are initially placed in the east-west direction.

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ObjectiveCancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a subpopulation of undifferentiated tumorigenic cells thought to be responsible for tumor initiation, maintenance, drug resistance, and metastasis. The role of CSCs in drug resistance and relapse of cancers could significantly affect outcomes of ovarian cancer patient. Therefore, therapies that target CSCs could be a promising approach for ovarian cancer treatment. The antibiotic salinomycin has recently been shown to deplete CSCs. In this study, we evaluated the effect of salinomycin on ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs), both alone and in combination with paclitaxel (PTX).MethodsThe CD44+CD117+CSCs were obtained from the ascitic fluid of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer by using an immune magnetic-activated cell sorting system. OCSCs were treated with PTX and salinomycin either singly or in combination. Cell viability and apoptosis assays were performed and spheroid-forming ability was measured. The expression of sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) and octamer-binding transcription factor 3/4 (OCT3/4) mRNA was determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and protein expression was observed using western blot analysis.ResultsTreatment with salinomycin alone reduced the stemness marker expression and spheroid-forming ability of OCSCs. Treatment with PTX alone did not decrease the viability of OCSCs. Treatment with a combination of salinomycin decreased the viability of OCSCs and promoted cell apoptosis. The enhancement of combination treatment was achieved through the apoptosis as determined by annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining, caspase-3 activity, and DNA fragmentation assay.ConclusionBased on our findings, combining salinomycin with other anti-cancer therapeutic agents holds promise as an ovarian cancer treatment approach that can target OCSCs.