Measurement of the Bottom-Strange Meson Mixing Phase in the Full CDF Data Set

We report a measurement of the bottom-strange meson mixing phase \beta_s using the time evolution of B0_s -> J/\psi (->\mu+\mu-) \phi (-> K+ K-) decays in which the quark-flavor content of the bottom-strange meson is identified at production. This measurement uses the full data set of proton-antiproton collisions at sqrt(s)= 1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron, corresponding to 9.6 fb-1 of integrated luminosity. We report confidence regions in the two-dimensional space of \beta_s and the B0_s decay-width difference \Delta\Gamma_s, and measure \beta_s in [-\pi/2, -1.51] U [-0.06, 0.30] U [1.26, \pi/2] at the 68% confidence level, in agreement with the standard model expectation. Assuming the standard model value of \beta_s, we also determine \Delta\Gamma_s = 0.068 +- 0.026 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps-1 and the mean B0_s lifetime, \tau_s = 1.528 +- 0.019 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps, which are consistent and competitive with determinations by other experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett 109, 171802 (2012

Comprehensive Molecular Characterization of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

We report a comprehensive analysis of 412 muscle-invasive bladder cancers characterized by multiple TCGA analytical platforms. Fifty-eight genes were significantly mutated, and the overall mutational load was associated with APOBEC-signature mutagenesis. Clustering by mutation signature identified a high-mutation subset with 75% 5-year survival. mRNA expression clustering refined prior clustering analyses and identified a poor-survival “neuronal” subtype in which the majority of tumors lacked small cell or neuroendocrine histology. Clustering by mRNA, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and miRNA expression converged to identify subsets with differential epithelial-mesenchymal transition status, carcinoma in situ scores, histologic features, and survival. Our analyses identified 5 expression subtypes that may stratify response to different treatments. A multiplatform analysis of 412 muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients provides insights into mutational profiles with prognostic value and establishes a framework associating distinct tumor subtypes with clinical options

Reply To Kenneth B. Yatai, Mark J. Dunning, Dennis Wang. Consensus Genomic Subtypes of Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: A Step in the Right Direction but Still a Long Way To Go. Eur Urol 2020;77:434–5

In our study the Bladder Cancer Molecular Taxonomy Group collaborated to extend a first consensus report, addressing the need for a consensus molecular classification for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) that would support basic research and clinical trials. We provide such a consensus classification and offer a single-sample classifier (http://cit.ligue-cancer.net:3838/apps/consensusMIBC_web)

Stubble configuration effects on water conservation and crop yields for stubble and fallow

Non-Peer Reviewe

Fibroblast growth factor receptors-1 and -3 play distinct roles in the regulation of bladder cancer growth and metastasis: implications for therapeutic targeting.

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are activated by mutation and overexpressed in bladder cancers (BCs), and FGFR inhibitors are currently being evaluated in clinical trials in BC patients. However, BC cells display marked heterogeneity in their responses to FGFR inhibitors, and the biological mechanisms underlying this heterogeneity are not well defined. Here we used a novel inhibitor of FGFRs 1-3 and RNAi to determine the effects of inhibiting FGFR1 or FGFR3 in a panel of human BC cell lines. We observed that FGFR1 was expressed in BC cells that also expressed the "mesenchymal" markers ZEB1 and vimentin, whereas FGFR3 expression was restricted to the E-cadherin- and p63-positive "epithelial" subset. Sensitivity to the growth-inhibitory effects of BGJ-398 was also restricted to the "epithelial" BC cells and it correlated directly with FGFR3 mRNA levels but not with the presence of activating FGFR3 mutations. In contrast, BGJ-398 did not strongly inhibit proliferation but did block invasion in the "mesenchymal" BC cells in vitro. Similarly, BGJ-398 did not inhibit primary tumor growth but blocked the production of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the formation of lymph node and distant metastases in mice bearing orthotopically implanted "mesenchymal" UM-UC3 cells. Together, our data demonstrate that FGFR1 and FGFR3 have largely non-overlapping roles in regulating invasion/metastasis and proliferation in distinct "mesenchymal" and "epithelial" subsets of human BC cells. The results suggest that the tumor EMT phenotype will be an important determinant of the biological effects of FGFR inhibitors in patients

Evaluation of strategies for precision management of N and P fertilization on rolling landscapes

Non-Peer ReviewedThrough the ages agricultural production systems have benefited from the incorporation of technological advances primarily developed for other industries. The industrial age brought mechanization and synthesized fertilizers, the technological age offered selective herbicides, genetic engineering and now the information age brings the potential for Precision Agriculture. With the advent of tools such as the differential Global Positioning System (dGPS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), high resolution and hyperspectral remote sensing information and miniaturized computer components, agricultural enterprises can now capable of monitoring and responding to field variation on a fine-scale. This precision agriculture has both an economical and environmental basis. Matching inputs to crop and soil requirements as they vary within a field should improve the efficiency of resource use and minimize adverse environmental impact. The overriding question for producers is whether they will be able to make more money by investing in new technologies. For dryland production of low-value crops, minimizing the costs of precision farming is critical to its profitability. In this study, we developed simple rule for delineating management unit using past yield, soils, topography, and aerial photography and tested the suitability of rule at another site

Influence of seeding rate and KCl application across the landscape

Non-Peer ReviewedThe development of variable rate controllers for air seeder carts has provided farmers with the opportunity to consider varying the rate of fertilizer and seed at seeding. While considerable work has been completed, or is currently under way, evaluating variable fertilizer rates, little has been done to determine the effect of varying seeding rates. In addition, application of potassium chloride across the landscape has been found to provide variable grain yield responses for CWRS wheat. Field research trials were established in 1997 at St. Louis (Black soil zone) and Watrous (Dark Brown soil zone) to evaluate the effect of varying CWRS wheat seeding rate and KC1 application across the upper, mid and lower slope positions of a hilly landscape. While increasing seeding rate resulted in an increase in plant establishment, this was not reflected in final grain yield. Yield component analysis determined that the increase in grain filled heads at harvest with increased seeding rate was offset by a reduction in the number of kernels per head. Wheat response to KC1 was highly variable, with an increase in grain yield at St. Louis and a decrease at Watrous. While July growing season conditions were dry at both Watrous and St. Louis, we did not collect sufficient crop establishment and yield component data to explain the results obtained

Effects of mTOR inhibitor everolimus (RAD001) on bladder cancer cells

10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-09-3202Clinical Cancer Research1792863-2873CCRE