Affective state influences retrieval-induced forgetting for integrated knowledge

Selectively testing parts of learned materials can impair later memory for nontested materials. Research has shown that such retrieval-induced forgetting occurs for low-integrated materials but may be prevented for high-integrated materials. However, previous research has neglected one factor that is ubiquitous in real-life testing: affective stat

Fabrication and characterization of Ni/P(VDF-TrFE) nanoscaled coaxial cables

Author name used in this publication: Kwo Ho LamAuthor name used in this publication: Cheng-Liang SunAuthor name used in this publication: Helen Lai Wa Chan2006-2007 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Expected Shannon entropy and Shannon differentiation between subpopulations for neutral genes under the finite island model

<div><p>Shannon entropy <i>H</i> and related measures are increasingly used in molecular ecology and population genetics because (1) unlike measures based on heterozygosity or allele number, these measures weigh alleles in proportion to their population fraction, thus capturing a previously-ignored aspect of allele frequency distributions that may be important in many applications; (2) these measures connect directly to the rich predictive mathematics of information theory; (3) Shannon entropy is completely additive and has an explicitly hierarchical nature; and (4) Shannon entropy-based differentiation measures obey strong monotonicity properties that heterozygosity-based measures lack. We derive simple new expressions for the expected values of the Shannon entropy of the equilibrium allele distribution at a neutral locus in a single isolated population under two models of mutation: the infinite allele model and the stepwise mutation model. Surprisingly, this complex stochastic system for each model has an entropy expressable as a simple combination of well-known mathematical functions. Moreover, entropy- and heterozygosity-based measures for each model are linked by simple relationships that are shown by simulations to be approximately valid even far from equilibrium. We also identify a bridge between the two models of mutation. We apply our approach to subdivided populations which follow the finite island model, obtaining the Shannon entropy of the equilibrium allele distributions of the subpopulations and of the total population. We also derive the expected mutual information and normalized mutual information (“Shannon differentiation”) between subpopulations at equilibrium, and identify the model parameters that determine them. We apply our measures to data from the common starling (<i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>) in Australia. Our measures provide a test for neutrality that is robust to violations of equilibrium assumptions, as verified on real world data from starlings.</p></div

Neutrino Masses and Lepton-flavor-violating τ\tau Decays in the Supersymmetric Left-right Model

In the supersymmetric left-right model, the light neutrino masses are given by the Type-II seesaw mechanism. A duality property about this mechanism indicates that there exist eight possible Higgs triplet Yukawa couplings which result in the same neutrino mass matrix. In this paper, We work out the one-loop renormalization group equations for the effective neutrino mass matrix in the supersymmetric left-right model. The stability of the Type-II seesaw scenario is briefly discussed. We also study the lepton-flavor-violating processes ($\tau\to \mu\gamma$ and $\tau\to e\gamma$) by using the reconstructed Higgs triplet Yukawa couplings

An open, multi-centre, phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel, UFT, and leucovorin in patients with advanced gastric cancer

The aim of the study was to evaluate the response rate and safety of weekly paclitaxel (Taxol®) combination chemotherapy with UFT (tegafur, an oral 5-fluorouracil prodrug, and uracil at a 1 : 4 molar ratio) and leucovorin (LV) in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Patients with histologically confirmed, locally advanced or recurrent/metastatic gastric cancer were studied. Paclitaxel 1-h infusion at a dose of 100 mg m−2 on days 1 and 8 and oral UFT 300 mg m−2 day−1 plus LV 90 mg day−1 were given starting from day 1 for 14 days, followed by a 7-day period without treatment. Treatment was repeated every 21 days. From February 2003 to October 2004, 55 patients were enrolled. The median age was 62 years (range: 32–82). Among the 48 patients evaluated for tumour response, two achieved a complete response and 22 a partial response, with an overall response rate of 50% (95% confidence interval: 35–65%). All 55 patients were evaluated for survival and toxicities. Median time to progression and overall survival were 4.4 and 9.8 months, respectively. Major grade 3–4 toxicities were neutropenia in 25 patients (45%) and diarrhoea in eight patients (15%). Although treatment was discontinued owing to treatment-related toxicities in nine patients (16%), there was no treatment-related mortality. Weekly paclitaxel plus oral UFT/LV is effective, convenient, and well tolerated in treating patients with advanced gastric cancer

Phase II study of weekly oxaliplatin and 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer

[[abstract]]To investigate the efficacy and safety of combining weekly oxaliplatin with weekly 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and folinic acid ( FA) in treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer. Patients with histologically confirmed, locally advanced or recurrent/metastatic gastric cancer were studied. Oxaliplatin 65 mg m(-2) 2-h intravenous infusion, and 5-FU 2600 mg m(-2) plus FA 300 mg m(-2) 24-h intravenous infusion, were given on days 1 and 8, repeated every 3 weeks. Between January 2001 through January 2002, 55 patients were enrolled. The median age was 64 years (range: 22-75). In all, 52 patients (94.5%) had recurrent or metastatic disease and three patients had locally advanced disease. Among 50 patients evaluable for tumour response, 28 patients achieved partial response, with an overall response rate of 56% (95% confidence interval (CI): 41.8-70.3%). All 55 patients were evaluated for survival and toxicities. Median time to progression and overall survival were 5.2 and 10.0 months, respectively, during median follow-up time of 24.0 months. Major grades 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia in 23 cycles (7.1%) and thrombocytopenia in 16 cycles (5.0%). Treatment was discontinued for treatment-related toxicities in nine patients (16.4%), of whom eight were due to oxaliplatin-related neurotoxicity. One patient (1.8%) died of neutropenic sepsis. This oxaliplatin-containing regimen is effective in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. Except for neurotoxicity that often develops after prolonged use of oxaliplatin, the regimen is well tolerated

Phase II study of weekly vinorelbine and 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin as first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer

We prospectively investigated the efficacy and safety of combining weekly vinorelbine (VNB) with weekly 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV) in the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC). Vinorelbine 25 mg m−2 30-min intravenous infusion, and high-dose 5-FU 2600 mg m−2 plus LV 300 mg m−2 24-h intravenous infusion (HDFL regimen) were given on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks. Between June 1999 and April 2003, 40 patients with histologically confirmed recurrent or metastatic breast cancer were enrolled with a median age of 49 years (range: 36–68). A total of 25 patients had recurrent ABC, and 15 patients had primary metastatic diseases. The overall response rate for the intent-to-treat group was 70.0% (95% CI: 54–84%) with eight complete responses and 20 partial responses. All 40 patients were evaluated for survival and toxicities. Among a total of 316 cycles of VNB–HDFL given (average: 7.9: range: 4–14 cycles per patient), the main toxicity was Gr3/4 leucopenia and Gr3/4 neutropenia in 57 (18.0%) and 120 (38.0%) cycles, respectively. Gr1/2 infection and Gr1/2 stomatitis were noted in five (1.6%) and 59 (18.7%) cycles, respectively. None of the patients developed Gr3/4 stomatitis or Gr3/4 infection. Gr2/3 and Gr1 hand–foot syndrome was noted in two (5.0%) and 23 (57.5%) patients, respectively. Gr1 sensory neuropathy developed in three patients. The median time to progression was 8.0 months (range: 3–25.5 months), and the median overall survival was 25.0 months with a follow-up of 5.5 to 45+ months. This VNB–HDFL regimen is a highly active yet well-tolerated first-line treatment for ABC

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation and Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution in Three Study Populations: KORA F3, KORA F4, and the Normative Aging Study

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have reported associations between particulate matter (PM) concentrations and cancer and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. DNA methylation has been identified as a possible link but so far it has only been analyzed in candidate sites. OBJECTIVES: We studied the association between DNA methylation and short-and mid-term air pollution exposure using genome-wide data and identified potential biological pathways for-additional investigation. METHODS: We collected whole blood samples from three independent studies-KORA F3 (2004-2005) and F4 (2006-2008) in Germany, and the Normative Aging Study (1999-2007) in the United States-and measured genome-wide DNA methylation proportions with the Illumina 450k BeadChip. PM concentration was measured daily at fixed monitoring stations and three different trailing averages were considered and regressed against DNA methylation: 2-day, 7-day and 28-day. Meta-analysis was performed to pool the study-specific results. RESULTS: Random-effect meta-analysis revealed 12 CpG (cytosine-guanine dinucleotide) sites as associated with PM concentration (1 for 2-day average, 1 for 7-day, and 10 for 28-day) at a genome-wide Bonferroni significance level (p 0.05 and I-2< 0.5: the site from the 7-day average results and 3 for the 28-day average. Applying false discovery rate, p-value < 0.05 was observed in 8 and 1,819 additional CpGs at 7- and 28-day average PM2.5 exposure respectively. CONCLUSION: The PM-related CpG sites found in our study suggest novel plausible systemic pathways linking ambient PM exposure to adverse health effect through variations in DNA methylation