Gene amplification as a prognostic factor in primary and secondary high-grade malignant gliomas

ND10 are recently characterized nuclear domains that are composed of 0.5 microm sized, precisely circumscribed dots in cultured human cell lines. To investigate the distribution and number of ND10 on various types of normal and neoplastic human tissues, we carried out immunostaining and immunoprecipitation analyses with monoclonal antibodies 138 and 1150. The number of ND10 varied from 1 to 10 or more in various tissues as did their size. ND10 were diffusely located in early embryonic and normal tissues, except for the exocrine and endocrine cells of the pancreas and for hepatocytes. In normal squamous mucosa, basal cells had more ND10 than did differentiated superficial squamous cells. The number and size of ND10 were markedly increased in malignant neoplasms but were similar in benign tumors and corresponding normal tissues. Sex hormone-related normal tissues, such as the endometrium or myometrium, and neoplasms strongly stained for ND10. The distribution pattern of ND10 in human tissues indicates that they are conserved nuclear substructures that are closely associated with cellular differentiation, hormonal stimulation, and oncogenesis.     

Computer-based spelling remediation for dyslexic children

Abstract The SelfSpell programs provide a multi-media environment for dyslexic children which uses synthesised speech to augment the written text. In earlier research we established that by encouraging users to enter a rule to help them remember how to spell each word, SelfSpell was very effective in improving spelling ability. The evaluation study reported here confirmed the efficacy of the rule-based approach using a group of 11-year-old dyslexic children with severe impairments in spelling. Of particular theoretical significance, however, was the finding that use of a mastery learning technique for learning spellings was just as effective as the rule-based approach. These findings are interpreted in the light of Frith's influential framework for the development of reading and spelling ability. It is suggested that the multimedia presentation approach may provide a uniquely effective method for helping dyslexic children to acquire the 'alphabetic' stage of linguistic processing.     

Programs of early detection of breast cancer and access of mammography in Spain

BACKGROUND: We studied availability to mammography among Spanish women aged 40 to 70 years, variation in use of the mammography by autonomous community, and the situation and importance of breast cancer screening programs among other factors, in the access to mammography. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional population survey was conducted in 1994 in a sample of 3,218 women. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the variable access (receipt of at least one mammogram in the last 2 years) as well as different access-related variables. Information on breast cancer screening programs was collected by contacting the responsible institutions. We considered that a program had total coverage if it included all the municipalities in the province and partial if it did not include all municipalities. RESULTS: Twenty-eight percent of women had performed a mammogram. This proportion varied among autonomous communities (AACC) from 11.5 to 73.8%. Breast cancer screening programs existed in 8 AACC. The multivariant analysis revealed an association between access to mammography and the existence of a screening program, especially when the later had total coverage (OR = 7.64; 95% CI = 5.24-11.10). An association was also found between access to mammography and physician-related factors, place of residence and attitudes of women toward mammography. CONCLUSIONS: Less than one third of women aged 40-70 have performed a mammography in the last 2 years, and this proportion varies among AACC. Gynecologist visits and the existence of breast cancer screening programs are fundamental factors in the access to mammography in Spain.     

Activated dissociative chemisorption of methane on Ni(100): a direct mechanism under thermal conditions?

The dissociative chemisorption of methane on a Ni(100) single crystal has been studied under thermal conditions as a function of pressure and temperature. The initial sticking coefficient was measured in the pressure range of 0.010–7.0 mbar at temperatures ranging from 375 to 500 K. A strong pressure dependence was observed, consistent with a direct dissociation mechanism under these thermal conditions. This was further confirmed by experiments where the gas at a low pressure was heated by a thermal finger facing the crystal surface. With the thermal finger at the same temperature as the surface, it was possible to ensure that the methane was fully equilibrated to the crystal and an activation energy of 59±1.5 kJ/mol was determined under isothermal conditions.     

Magnetic field detection enhancement in an external cavity fiberFabry-Perot sensor

The sensitivity of an extrinsic fiber-optic magnetic field sensor using a gallium doped yttrium iron garnet (Ga:YIG) bulk optic crystal has been significantly improved by incorporating a Fabry-Perot resonator around the crystal     

Recursive simulation models of the semiconductor laser modulationcharacteristics for accurate performance evaluation of coherent opticalCPFSK systems

Modeling of the semiconductor laser nonuniform FM response and residual IM modulation is essential for the computer-aided design of coherent optical communication systems. This paper presents an accurate simulation model, in which the FM and IM responses are represented by recursive digital filters derived directly from measurements. A comparison with previous models of the bibliography reveals the advantages of the current approach. The proposed modeling procedure is applied in the case of a single-electrode DFB laser. This DFB model, in combination with a semi-analytical technique for the evaluation of the error probability, is used to study the influence of the modulation characteristics on the performance of a coherent heterodyne CPFSK system with differential receiver operating at 1 Gb/s. Theoretical and experimental results are in excellent agreement     

An experimental investigation of thick-sample effects in the measurement of directional-hemispherical transmittance of advanced glazing materials

Samples that are thick with respect to the measuring apparatus can pose problems in the measurement of directional-hemispherical transmittance. Due to the lateral displacement of light that these samples induce, traditional small-beam techniques are often no longer applicable. Broad-area irradiation offers a solution to these problems, but, in practice, imperfections in the extent and the uniformity of the irradiation can create errors. This paper reports measurement of the “detector-integrated inscattering function”, which describes the lateral displacement of light, for a number of thick samples over a range of incidence angles. This function is used to determine the minimum area that must be irradiated for an accurate broad-area irradiation transmittance measurement. The errors caused by transverse non-uniformities in the irradiance distributions produced by a state-of-the-art broad-area irradiation spectrophotometer are also reported. Errors caused by transverse irradiation non-uniformities are estimated, and transmittance measurements made with small-area and broad-area irradiation are compared. It is shown that in most cases small-area irradiation transmittance measurements underestimate the transmittance of thick samples due to outscattering, and that broad-area irradiation measurements using state-of-the-art irradiation optics can contain large errors of up to 20%, due to irradiance non-uniformities, particularly at large angles of incidence.