Grain Sorghum Performance

Twenty-five grain sorghum hybrids and one variety planted May 22 were evaluated at the Western Kentucky Substation at Princeton for yield, plant height, date headed, head type and moisture. They were also evaluated at Lexington for bird damage and at the Robinson Substation for MDM

1974 Preliminary Report of Kentucky Small Grain Variety Trials at Bowling Green and Lexington

Each year the small grain variety trials are conducted at Princeton, Murray, Bowling Green and Lexington. In 1974, the plots at Princeton and Murray were severely infected with a complex of diseases including Barley Yellow Dwarf, Septoria glume blotch, wheat scab and an unidentified disease in the wheat. As a result of the intensity of these diseases, the data obtained from these plots was very erratic and the results were not considered to be experimentally valid. The data obtained at Bowling Green and Lexington were quite valid and representative of the general situation in Kentucky

Space Habitat, assembly and repair facility

Integrated Space Systems (ISS) has designed a Low Earth Orbit Assembly Facility for submission in the 1992 AIAA/LORAL Team Space Design Competition. This facility, the Space Habitat, Assembly, and Repair Center (SHARC), will be used to construct, assemble, and service space vehicles. SHARC's primary mission will be the construction of interplanetary vehicles, but it will also be able to perform repair and refueling operations of craft which are in an Earth orbit. This facility has been designed using only present and near-present technology. The emphasis is on minimizing cost

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition: a new direction for BRCA and triple-negative breast cancer?

Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-mediated DNA repair have shown promise in early clinical studies in the treatment of specific subgroups of breast cancer. Notably, phase II trials indicate that olaparib, an oral PARP inhibitor, has activity as a single agent in BRCA-related tumours, and that a combination of iniparib, an intravenous PARP inhibitor, and chemotherapy offers a survival advantage, compared with chemotherapy alone, in triple-negative breast cancer. Phase III data on the latter indication are expected in 2011. Intriguingly, iniparib does not increase toxicity when used as a chemo-potentiating agent, suggesting that it differs in its mechanism of action from other agents in this class. Overall, PARP inhibitors represent a potentially important new class of anti-cancer agents with two potential modes of action, as single agents causing synthetic lethality and as chemo-potentiating agents

PARP inhibition enhances tumor cell-intrinsic immunity in ERCC1-deficient non-small cell lung cancer.

The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase/stimulator of IFN genes (cGAS/STING) pathway detects cytosolic DNA to activate innate immune responses. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) selectively target cancer cells with DNA repair deficiencies such as those caused by BRCA1 mutations or ERCC1 defects. Using isogenic cell lines and patient-derived samples, we showed that ERCC1-defective non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells exhibit an enhanced type I IFN transcriptomic signature and that low ERCC1 expression correlates with increased lymphocytic infiltration. We demonstrated that clinical PARPi, including olaparib and rucaparib, have cell-autonomous immunomodulatory properties in ERCC1-defective NSCLC and BRCA1-defective triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Mechanistically, PARPi generated cytoplasmic chromatin fragments with characteristics of micronuclei; these were found to activate cGAS/STING, downstream type I IFN signaling, and CCL5 secretion. Importantly, these effects were suppressed in PARP1-null TNBC cells, suggesting that this phenotype resulted from an on-target effect of PARPi on PARP1. PARPi also potentiated IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression in NSCLC cell lines and in fresh patient tumor cells; this effect was enhanced in ERCC1-deficient contexts. Our data provide a preclinical rationale for using PARPi as immunomodulatory agents in appropriately molecularly selected populations

Graphene Photonics and Optoelectronics

The richness of optical and electronic properties of graphene attracts enormous interest. Graphene has high mobility and optical transparency, in addition to flexibility, robustness and environmental stability. So far, the main focus has been on fundamental physics and electronic devices. However, we believe its true potential to be in photonics and optoelectronics, where the combination of its unique optical and electronic properties can be fully exploited, even in the absence of a bandgap, and the linear dispersion of the Dirac electrons enables ultra-wide-band tunability. The rise of graphene in photonics and optoelectronics is shown by several recent results, ranging from solar cells and light emitting devices, to touch screens, photodetectors and ultrafast lasers. Here we review the state of the art in this emerging field.Comment: Review Nature Photonics, in pres

Critical research gaps and translational priorities for the successful prevention and treatment of breast cancer

INTRODUCTION Breast cancer remains a significant scientific, clinical and societal challenge. This gap analysis has reviewed and critically assessed enduring issues and new challenges emerging from recent research, and proposes strategies for translating solutions into practice. METHODS More than 100 internationally recognised specialist breast cancer scientists, clinicians and healthcare professionals collaborated to address nine thematic areas: genetics, epigenetics and epidemiology; molecular pathology and cell biology; hormonal influences and endocrine therapy; imaging, detection and screening; current/novel therapies and biomarkers; drug resistance; metastasis, angiogenesis, circulating tumour cells, cancer 'stem' cells; risk and prevention; living with and managing breast cancer and its treatment. The groups developed summary papers through an iterative process which, following further appraisal from experts and patients, were melded into this summary account. RESULTS The 10 major gaps identified were: (1) understanding the functions and contextual interactions of genetic and epigenetic changes in normal breast development and during malignant transformation; (2) how to implement sustainable lifestyle changes (diet, exercise and weight) and chemopreventive strategies; (3) the need for tailored screening approaches including clinically actionable tests; (4) enhancing knowledge of molecular drivers behind breast cancer subtypes, progression and metastasis; (5) understanding the molecular mechanisms of tumour heterogeneity, dormancy, de novo or acquired resistance and how to target key nodes in these dynamic processes; (6) developing validated markers for chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity; (7) understanding the optimal duration, sequencing and rational combinations of treatment for improved personalised therapy; (8) validating multimodality imaging biomarkers for minimally invasive diagnosis and monitoring of responses in primary and metastatic disease; (9) developing interventions and support to improve the survivorship experience; (10) a continuing need for clinical material for translational research derived from normal breast, blood, primary, relapsed, metastatic and drug-resistant cancers with expert bioinformatics support to maximise its utility. The proposed infrastructural enablers include enhanced resources to support clinically relevant in vitro and in vivo tumour models; improved access to appropriate, fully annotated clinical samples; extended biomarker discovery, validation and standardisation; and facilitated cross-discipline working. CONCLUSIONS With resources to conduct further high-quality targeted research focusing on the gaps identified, increased knowledge translating into improved clinical care should be achievable within five years

International Agency for Research on Cancer Workshop on 'Expression array analyses in breast cancer taxonomy'

In May 2006, a workshop on Expression array analyses in breast cancer taxonomy was held at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The workshop covered an array of topics from the validity of the currently defined breast tumor subtypes and other expression profile-based signatures to the technical limitations of expression analysis and the types of platforms on which these omics results will eventually reach clinical practice. Overall, the workshop participants believed firmly that tumor taxonomy is likely to yield improved prognostic and predictive markers. Even so, further standardization and validation are required before clinical trials are set in motion