Children's Oncology Group's 2013 blueprint for research: Stem cell transplantation

The role of SCT in pediatric oncology has continued to evolve with the introduction of new therapeutic agents and immunological insights into cancer. COG has focused its efforts on the study of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of pediatric malignancies in several major multi‐institutional Phase II and Phase III studies. These studies include addressing the impact of allogenicity in ALL (ASCT0431), and establishing autologous stem cell transplant as the standard of care in neuroblastoma. Reducing transplant‐associated toxicity was addressed in the ASCT0521 study, where the TNFα inhibitor etanercept was tested for the treatment of idiopathic pneumonia syndrome. Impact of cell dose was explored in the single versus tandem umbilical cord blood study CTN‐0501, in close collaboration with the BMT‐CTN. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 1044–1047. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97445/1/24437_ftp.pd

Summary Notes of the Center for Contemporary Conflict Conference on WMD Proliferation in the Middle East: Directions and Policy Options in the New Century; Strategic Insights, v. 3, issue 8 August 2004)

This article appeared in Strategic Insights, v.3, issue 8 August 2004)Sixty academic, policy, and intelligence community professionals from around the world met at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California from June 28-30 to take an in-depth and systematic look at the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the Middle East region and policy conundrums facing the United States and the international community in combating this problem. The conference specifically addressed the status of WMD programs in Iran, Syria, Libya and the potential for WMD proliferation in Saudi Arabia. Coupled with this country-specific and regional focus, topics of discussion included a review of the contemporary threat environment; current proliferation policy parameters, including supply and demand policy issues; an analysis of different ideas for threat reduction on a country-specific and region-wide basis; and an examination of strategies available to the United States and the international community to address these programs. The resulting interaction between the participants and assembled experts proved invaluable in helping the conference to further the collective understanding WMD proliferation in the Middle East and the policy options available to address the issue

Long-Lived Engineering of Glycans to Direct Stem Cell Fate

Glycans mediate many critical, long-term biological processes, such as stem cell differentiation. However, few methods are available for the sustained remodeling of cells with specific glycan structures. A new strategy that enables the long-lived presentation of defined glycosaminoglycans on cell surfaces using HaloTag proteins (HTPs) as anchors is reported. By controlling the sulfation patterns of heparan sulfate (HS) on pluripotent embryonic stem cell (ESC) membranes, it is demonstrated that specific glycans cause ESCs to undergo accelerated exit from self-renewal and differentiation into neuronal cell types. Thus, the stable display of glycans on HTP scaffolds provides a powerful, versatile means to direct key signaling events and biological outcomes such as stem cell fate

Using airborne LiDAR Survey to explore historic-era archaeological landscapes of Montserrat in the eastern Caribbean

This article describes what appears to be the first archaeological application of airborne LiDAR survey to historic-era landscapes in the Caribbean archipelago, on the island of Montserrat. LiDAR is proving invaluable in extending the reach of traditional pedestrian survey into less favorable areas, such as those covered by dense neotropical forest and by ashfall from the past two decades of active eruptions by the Soufrière Hills volcano, and to sites in localities that are inaccessible on account of volcanic dangers. Emphasis is placed on two aspects of the research: first, the importance of ongoing, real-time interaction between the LiDAR analyst and the archaeological team in the field; and second, the advantages of exploiting the full potential of the three-dimensional LiDAR point cloud data for purposes of the visualization of archaeological sites and features

Genrefication in Secondary School Libraries

Most school libraries organize fiction books alphabetically by an author’s last name. In order for a student to find and compare potential fiction reading material, the traditional school library model would have the student either search the library system for the topic and then go from stack to stack looking for books about the topic from any number of locations or seek advice from school library staff who would direct the student to potential titles as part of a reader’s advisory. In an effort to make fiction book selection easier for students, some school librarians have turned to genrefied fiction collections. However, there are many school librarians who feel that organizing fiction books by genre first rather than author’s last name creates more problems than it solves. This paper will explore the history behind genrefication, discuss the Paradox of Choice and patron browsing habits, and present the modern debate regarding genrefication of fiction books in school libraries

A Water-Efficient Landscape: Public Lands Center, Montrose, CO

The problem of water-wasting landscapes is prevalent throughout the western United States. For decades western settlers struggled to turn their arid lands into the more familiar settings of lush vegetation found in their native New England and Western Europe. This mind set has been passed down through generations and has transformed into the basis of the current western water crisis (Brundin and Pearson 2001). Only in the last few decades has this mentality been challenged and we\u27ve seen the emergence of several water-efficient landscape models. Through careful application of water-efficient landscape principles, western communities can greatly extend the life of their water resources