Characterization of Lin(-)ALDH(bright) population using Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in mice

Cancer stem cells (CSCs)/tumor initiating cells have been shown to exist in recent studies; however, it is challenging to isolate these cells. The latest evidence suggests that elevated aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity is a hallmark of CSCs. In this study, mice implanted with Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells were used to isolate cancer stem cells. Femoral bone marrow aspirations were performed 15 days after the injection of EAT cells and Lin(-)ALDH(bright) and Lin(-)ALDH(low) cell populations were isolated. Lin(-)ALDH(bright) cells isolated from EAT-bearingmice accounted for 11.08 +/- 10.52% of all the Lin-cell population. Analysis of hematopoietic stem cell markers showed that Sca-1, c-kit, and CD38 were expressed higher in the Lin(-)ALDH(bright) population compared with Lin(-)ALDH(low). The Lin(-)ALDH(bright) population expressed P-glycoprotein, a product of the multidrug resistance (MDR) gene. P-gp activity measured by rhodamine 123 (Rh123) and blocked by verapamil. Among the cells treated with doxorubicin for 48 h, the Lin(-)ALDH(bright) cell groups were more resistant and had higher overexpression of Bcl-2 protein than Lin(-)ALDH(low)

A Region Based Query Optimizer Through Cascades Query Optimizer Framework

The Cascades Query Optimizer Framework is a tool to help the database implementor (DBI) in constructing a query optimizer for a DBMS. It is data model independent and allows to code a query optimizer by providing the implementations of the subclasses of predefined interface classes. When the implementations of the required classes are provided properly, the generated optimizer produces the optimum execution plans for the queries. Although providing the complete set of rules and thus finding the optimum execution plans are beneficial for most of the queries, the query optimization time increases unacceptably for certain types of queries, e.g., for star queries. Hence it is important to be able to limit the number of alternative plans considered by the optimizer for specific types of queries by using the proper heuristics for each type. This leads to the concept of region based query optimization, where different types of queries are optimized by using different search strategies..

Design and implementation of a distributed workflow enactment service

Workflows are activities involving the coordinated execution of multiple tasks performed by different processing entities, mostly in distributed heterogeneous environments which are very common in enterprises of even moderate complexity. In current commercial workflow systems, the workflow scheduler is a single centralized component. A distributed workflow enactment service on the other hand should contain several schedulers on different nodes of a network each executing parts of process instances. Such an architecture would fit naturally to the distributed heterogeneous environments. Further advantages of distributed enactment service are failure resiliency and increased performance since a centralized scheduler is a potential bottleneck. In this paper we present the design and implementation of a distributed workflow enactment service based on the work given in [12]. Yet by starting with a block structured workflow specification language we avoid the very general set of dependencies and their related problems. In this way it is possible to present a simple algorithm for distributed scheduling of process instances. Further benefits of the approach are the ease in testing and debugging the system and execution efficiency through reduced number of messages.

A Workflow Specification Language and its Scheduler

This paper describes a workflow specification language, namely MFDL, and the implementation of its scheduler in a distributed environment. Distributed nature of the scheduling provides failure resilience and increased performance. Since workflow scheduling and management is highly affected from the way the workflow is specified, a workflow specification language should be efficient to prevent the problems of complexity in workflow specification and difficulties in debugging/testing the further steps of the workflow management system development. MFDL, being a block-structured procedural workflow specification language, is capable of defining a workflow in an easy, comprehensible and clear way so that implementation of the scheduler is simplified. The paper also presents task handling in the system through a CORBA compliant ORB. 1 Introduction Workflow management systems (WFMSs) automate the execution of business processes. WFMSs achieve considerable improvements in critical, ..

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P < 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)