Large-scale analysis of cell cycle regulators in urothelial bladder cancer identifies p16 and p27 as potentially useful prognostic markers

AIMS: We investigated the value of multiple cell cycle markers for their prognostic impact on overall survival and recurrence-free survival in urothelial carcinoma (UC). METHODS: A tissue microarray consisting of 99 UCs was evaluated for the expression of p53, p16, p21, p27, cyclin D1, cyclin E , Bcl-2, Ki-67 and PCNA. Statistical analysis was performed applying Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models using receiver operator characteristic curves for determination of markers' cutoffs. RESULTS: Expression above the cutoffs of Ki-67, p53 and p27, particularly in high-grade and early-stage UC, was associated with worse overall survival, while expression of p16 indicated a better outcome in low-grade and low-stage tumors. Recurrence-free survival was better in patients with high-grade UC expressing PCNA, p16 and cyclin E, and low-grade UC expressing Bcl-2 above the cutoffs, but worse in all tumors with high Ki-67. CONCLUSION: Cell cycle deregulation in UC is complex and the prognostic value of the various involved proteins should be differentially regarded with respect to this complexity and other tumor characteristics such as grade and stage. Our results point towards the role of p16- and p27-associated pathways in tumor progression and indicate that, by using standardized approaches for tissue antigen expression, evaluation and cutoff determination, single potentially useful prognostic markers could be identified

Product lifecycle and choice of transportation modes: Japan’s evidence of import and export

Here we test the hypothesis that commodities at their peak valuation are transported by air and those at their birth and maturity are shipped by sea, and that shippers would choose air for transporting high-valued commodities. We empirically investigated how the product lifecycle of commodities is reflected by shippers' choices of air transportation rather than seaborne transportation. We also assumed that the commodities that achieved substantial innovation in their lifecycles would be moved by air transportation so that these commodities could reach the targeted markets as quickly as possible to avoid the opportunity costs that might be generated by missed business chances. We constructed two unbalanced panel data of 18 commodities (the case of import) and 14 commodities (the case of export) for 24 years from Japan’s custom, demographic, and international statistics. By estimating structural equation systems that consisted of commodity-specific import/export and import/export air ratio functions, we found that the product lifecycle of cargo outgoing from Japan exactly matched the upward and downward move of the air ratio, whereas since incoming commodities are raw materials that have little to do with product lifecycle or matured phase in their lifecycle stage, the peak of commodities’ valuations and the use of air transportation were not necessarily synchronized

Puppets

Two people and a dog as string puppets in various poseshttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/13884/thumbnail.jp

Virginia Creeper

Portrait of Billy Mayerl; Hands playing piano surrounded by artistic borderhttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/13654/thumbnail.jp

Jazz Master

Portrait of Billy Mayerl; Cover information surrounded by artistic bordershttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/13826/thumbnail.jp

All-of-a-Twist

Portrait of Billy Mayerl; Hands playing the piano surrounded by an artistic borderhttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/13698/thumbnail.jp

Hollyhock

Flowers in the middle, with the cover information above and below themhttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/13770/thumbnail.jp

Marigold

Vase with artistic design, filled with flowershttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/13830/thumbnail.jp

Response Latency Measurement in Surveys: Detecting Strong Attitudes and Response Effects

The paper reports on measurement and data treatment of response latencies in computer assisted surveys. Applying response latencies as a measure of mental processes, empirical hypotheses are tested to explain the occurrence of response effects (here: acquiescence bias) and the predictive power of generalized attitudes. Theoretically, it is assumed that behavioural and other specific evaluative judgments in surveys are stronger influenced by acquiescence bias and generalized attitudes when answering in a rather automatic-spontaneous response mode, i.e. when response latencies are fast. Additionally, it is assumed that chronic attitude accessibility acts as a moderator of acquiescence effects and predictive power of attitudes within spontaneous mode processing. Empirical tests show evidence in favour of these assumptions, demonstrating the usefulness of response time measurement in surveys

The Functional Significance of Structural Novelty in the Locomotor Apparatus of Turtles

The relationship between form and function can have profound impacts on the evolution and ecology of a lineage. Because of this relationship, variation in the morphology of a lineage has often been linked to adaptive radiations. However, form-function relationships are not linear, and variation in morphology does not necessarily predict variation in function due to the pervasive presence of mechanical equivalence in physiological systems. This possibility is often investigated through the lens of biomechanics, which uses physical principles to create a framework for comparing different systems with similar mechanical behaviors. Turtles represent an excellent system for studying how variation in structure might impact function. All extant turtles have descended from an aquatic common ancestor, and can be differentiated into two clades: cryptodires and pleurodires. These two clades can be distinguished by their pelvic girdle morphology. Cryptodires have an ancestral pelvic girdle morphology where the pelvis articulates with the sacral vertebrae at a joint, whereas pleurodires possess a derived morphology in which the pelvic girdle has been fused to the shell. My dissertation investigates the functional role of pelvic girdle fusion in pleurodire turtles by studying functional differences in the musculoskeletal system between pleurodires and cryptodires, and then by investigating how these functional differences might impact performance in water and on land. First, I evaluate differences in girdle movements between cryptodire and pleurodire turtles using X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology. Next, I examine how pelvic girdle fusion impacts muscle function and use during walking and swimming. Third, I studied the potential for this novel structure to influence swimming performance. Finally, I compare the bone loading regimes of pleurodires with cryptodires during terrestrial locomotion. Data from these studies provide insight into the functional importance of novel structures and how they can impact the ecological and evolutionary history of lineages