106,807 research outputs found
Mapping functions and critical behavior of percolation on rectangular domains
The existence probability and the percolation probability of the
bond percolation on rectangular domains with different aspect ratios are
studied via the mapping functions between systems with different aspect ratios.
The superscaling behavior of and for such systems with exponents
and , respectively, found by Watanabe, Yukawa, Ito, and Hu in [Phys. Rev.
Lett. \textbf{93}, 190601 (2004)] can be understood from the lower order
approximation of the mapping functions and for and ,
respectively; the exponents and can be obtained from numerically
determined mapping functions and , respectively.Comment: 17 pages with 6 figure
Mode decomposition and renormalization in semiclassical gravity
We compute the influence action for a system perturbatively coupled to a
linear scalar field acting as the environment. Subtleties related to
divergences that appear when summing over all the modes are made explicit and
clarified. Being closely connected with models used in the literature, we show
how to completely reconcile the results obtained in the context of stochastic
semiclassical gravity when using mode decomposition with those obtained by
other standard functional techniques.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, no figure
miR-218 targets survivin and regulates resistance to chemotherapeutics in breast cancer
Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains one of the most significant obstacles in breast cancer treatment, and this process often involves dysregulation of a great number of microRNAs (miRNAs). Some miRNAs are indicators of drug resistance and confer resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs, although our understanding of this complex process is still incomplete. We have used a combination of miRNA profiling and real-time PCR in two drug-resistant derivatives of MCF-7 and Cal51 cells. Experimental modulation of miR expression has been obtained by retroviral transfection. Taxol and doxorubicin IC50 values were obtained by short-term drug sensitivity assays. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry after annexin V staining, by caspase 3/7 and caspase 9 activity assays and the levels of apoptosis-related proteins bcl-2 and bax by real-time PCR and Western blot. miR target was studied using transient transfection of luciferase constructs with the 3 untranslated regions (UTR) of target mRNAs. Small interfering RNA-mediated genetic knock-down was performed in MDR cells and its modulatory effect on apoptosis examined. The effect of miRNA on tumorigenicity and tumor drug response was studied in mouse xenografts. miRNA profiling of two drug-resistant breast cancer cell models indicated that miR-218 was down-regulated in both MCF-7/A02 and CALDOX cells. Ectopic expression of miR-218 resensitized both drug-resistant cell lines to doxorubicin and taxol due to an increase in apoptosis. miR-218 binds survivin (BIRC5) mRNA 3-UTR and down-regulated reporter luciferase activity. Experimental down-regulation of survivin by RNA interference in drug-resistant cells did mimic the sensitization observed when miRNA-218 was up-regulated. In addition, resensitization to taxol was also observed in mouse tumor xenografts from cells over-expressing miR-218. miR-218 is involved in the development of MDR in breast cancer cells via targeting survivin and leading to evasion of apoptosis. Targeting miR-218 and survivin may thus provide a potential strategy for reversing drug resistance in breast cancer
Estimation of Discrete Time Duration Models with Grouped Data
Dynamic discrete choice panel data models have received a great deal of attention. In those models, the dynamics is usually handled by including the lagged outcome as an explanatory variable. In this paper we consider an alternative model in which the dynamics is handled by using the duration in the current state as a covariate. We propose estimators that allow for group specific effect in parametric and semiparametric versions of the model. The proposed method is illustrated by an empirical analysis of child mortality allowing for family specific effects.Panel Data; Discrete Choice; Duration Models
Estimation of a transformation model with truncation, interval observation and time-varying covariates
Abrevaya (1999b) considered estimation of a transformation model in the presence of left-truncation. This paper observes that a cross-sectional version of the statistical model considered in Frederiksen, Honoré, and Hu (2007) is a generalization of the model considered by Abrevaya (1999b) and the generalized model can be estimated by a pairwise comparison version of one of the estimators in Frederiksen, Honoré, and Hu (2007). Specifically, our generalization will allow for discretized observations of the dependent variable and for piecewise constant time- varying explanatory variables.
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