Balance Functions, Correlations, Charge Fluctuations and Interferometry

Connections between charge balance functions, charge fluctuations and correlations are presented. It is shown that charge fluctuations can be directly expressed in terms of a balance functions under certain assumptions. The distortion of charge balance functions due to experimental acceptance is discussed and the effects of identical boson interference is illustrated with a simple model.Comment: 1 eps figure included. 5 pages in revtex

A quantitative central limit theorem for linear statistics of random matrix eigenvalues

It is known that the fluctuations of suitable linear statistics of Haar distributed elements of the compact classical groups satisfy a central limit theorem. We show that if the corresponding test functions are sufficiently smooth, a rate of convergence of order almost $1/n$ can be obtained using a quantitative multivariate CLT for traces of powers that was recently proven using Stein's method of exchangeable pairs.Comment: Title modified; main result stated under slightly weaker conditions; accepted for publication in the Journal of Theoretical Probabilit

Estimating the economic benefits of regional ocean observing systems

We develop a methodology to estimate the potential economic benefits from new investments in regional coastal ocean observing systems in US waters, and apply this methodology to generate preliminary estimates of such benefits. The approach focuses on potential economic benefits from coastal ocean observing information within ten geographic regions encompassing all coastal waters of the United States, and within a wide range of industrial and recreational activities including recreational fishing and boating, beach recreation, maritime transportation, search and rescue operations, spill response, marine hazards prediction, offshore energy, power generation, and commercial fishing. Our findings suggest that annual benefits to users from the deployment of ocean observing systems are likely to run in the multiple $100s of millions of dollars per year. The project results should be considered first-order estimates that are subject to considerable refinement as the parameters of regional observing systems are better defined, and as our understanding of user sectors improves.Funding was provided by the Office of Naval Research under Grant No. N00014-02-1-1037

Functional limit theorems for random regular graphs

Consider d uniformly random permutation matrices on n labels. Consider the sum of these matrices along with their transposes. The total can be interpreted as the adjacency matrix of a random regular graph of degree 2d on n vertices. We consider limit theorems for various combinatorial and analytical properties of this graph (or the matrix) as n grows to infinity, either when d is kept fixed or grows slowly with n. In a suitable weak convergence framework, we prove that the (finite but growing in length) sequences of the number of short cycles and of cyclically non-backtracking walks converge to distributional limits. We estimate the total variation distance from the limit using Stein's method. As an application of these results we derive limits of linear functionals of the eigenvalues of the adjacency matrix. A key step in this latter derivation is an extension of the Kahn-Szemer\'edi argument for estimating the second largest eigenvalue for all values of d and n.Comment: Added Remark 27. 39 pages. To appear in Probability Theory and Related Field

Ex vivo chemosensitivity testing and gene expression profiling predict response towards adjuvant gemcitabine treatment in pancreatic cancer

Efficacy of chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer may be improved by tailoring it to individual chemosensitivity profiles. Identification of nonresponders before initiation of treatment may help to avoid side effects. In this study, primary pancreatic cancer cells were isolated from 18 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer. Eight commonly used pancreatic cancer cell lines were used as controls. Ex vivo chemosensitivity for gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin-C, cisplatinum, oxaliplatinum, paclitaxel and a combination of gemcitabine with oxaliplatinum or mitomycin-C was determined using a cellular ATP-based tumour chemosensitivity assay (ATP-TCA). Quantitative real-time–polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine RNA expression levels of genes implicated in chemoresistance. Chemosensitivity towards cytotoxic agents was highly variable in primary pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic cancer cell lines. ATP-TCA results for gemcitabine correlated to the tissue expression of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 (hENT1). Time to relapse in patients with gemcitabine-sensitive tumours was significantly higher than in patients with chemoresistant pancreatic cancers (P=0.01; 71 vs 269 days). Furthermore, time to relapse in gemcitabine-treated patients was related to hENT1 expression (P=0.0067). Thus, chemosensitivity testing using ATP-TCA in pancreatic cancer is feasible and correlated with time to relapse in gemcitabine-treated patients. This suggests that ATP-TCA testing could be used as a decision-making tool in the adjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer

Evaluation of a chemoresponse assay as a predictive marker in the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer: Further analysis of a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Recently, a prospective study reported improved clinical outcomes for recurrent ovarian cancer patients treated with chemotherapies indicated to be sensitive by a chemoresponse assay, compared with those patients treated with non-sensitive therapies, thereby demonstrating the assay's prognostic properties. Due to cross-drug response over different treatments and possible association of in vitro chemosensitivity of a tumour with its inherent biology, further analysis is required to ascertain whether the assay performs as a predictive marker as well. METHODS: Women with persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (n=262) were empirically treated with one of 15 therapies, blinded to assay results. Each patient's tumour was assayed for responsiveness to the 15 therapies. The assay's ability to predict progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed by comparing the association when the assayed therapy matches the administered therapy (match) with the association when the assayed therapy is randomly selected, not necessarily matching the administered therapy (mismatch). RESULTS: Patients treated with assay-sensitive therapies had improved PFS vs patients treated with non-sensitive therapies, with the assay result for match significantly associated with PFS (hazard ratio (HR)=0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.50–0.91, P=0.009). On the basis of 3000 simulations, the mean HR for mismatch was 0.81 (95% range=0.66–0.99), with 3.4% of HRs less than 0.67, indicating that HR for match is lower than for mismatch. While 47% of tumours were non-sensitive to all assayed therapies and 9% were sensitive to all, 44% displayed heterogeneity in assay results. Improved outcome was associated with the administration of an assay-sensitive therapy, regardless of homogeneous or heterogeneous assay responses across all of the assayed therapies. CONCLUSIONS: These analyses provide supportive evidence that this chemoresponse assay is a predictive marker, demonstrating its ability to discern specific therapies that are likely to be more effective among multiple alternatives

Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 12, No. 2

• The Township Weavers of Pennsylvania • Amish Funerals • The Bush-Meeting Dutch • Steep Roofs and Red Tiles • Carpet Rag Parties • Fences in Rural Pennsylvania • Folk Festival Program • A Study of the Dialect Terminology of the Plain Sects of Montgomery County, Pa. • Henry Chapman Mercer, Pennsylvania Folklife Pioneer • The Glingelsock • Sauerkraut in the Pennsylvania Folk-Culture • Collectaneahttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/pafolklifemag/1010/thumbnail.jp