Measuring the metastatic potential of cancer cells

Cancer cells must secrete proteolytic enzymes to invade adjacent tissues and migrate to a new metastatic site. Urokinase (uPA) is a key enzyme related to metastasis in cancers of the lung, colon, gastric, uterine, breast, brain, and malignant melanoma. A NASA technology utilization project has combined fluorescence microscopy, image analysis, and flow cytometry, using fluorescent dyes, and urokinase-specific antibodies to measure uPA and abnormal DNA levels (related to cancer cell proliferation) inside the cancer cells. The project is focused on developing quantitative measurements to determine if a patient's tumor cells are actively metastasizing. If a significant number of tumor cells contain large amounts of uPA (esp. membrane-bound) then the post-surgical chemotherapy or radiotherapy can be targeted for metastatic cells that have already left the primary tumor. These analytical methods have been applied to a retrospective study of biopsy tissues from 150 node negative, stage 1 breast cancer patients. Cytopathology and image analysis has shown that uPA is present in high levels in many breast cancer cells, but not found in normal breast. Significant amounts of uPA also have been measured in glioma cell lines cultured from brain tumors. Commercial applications include new diagnostic tests for metastatic cells, in different cancers, which are being developed with a company that provides a medical testing service using flow cytometry for DNA analysis and hormone receptors on tumor cells from patient biopsies. This research also may provide the basis for developing a new 'magic bullet' treatment against metastasis using chemotherapeutic drugs or radioisotopes attached to urokinase-specific monoclonal antibodies that will only bind to metastatic cells

Consumer Retention: The Key to Building Participant Volume

Mullin\u27s Escalator Model was used to illustrate the dominant contribution of repeat participants to public recreation attendance. The 20-60 rule was substantiated. Evidence suggests that it is both more effective and less expensive to focus on building a loyal following of repeat participants than to concentrate on attracting only new customers. Substantial potential exists for recreation managers to increase attendance by simply keeping and holding on to their existing users

The Critical Importance of the Distribution Variable in Formulating a Marketing Strategy

Perhaps, the one aspect of the marketing mix process that has been most ignored by recreation managers is the fourth P --or Place variable. Recent study data indicate that poor distribution decisions can contribute substantially to the non-use or under-utilization of park and recreation programs and facilities. Managers of leisure service organizations should take several steps to ensure greater accessibility of their services to potential· target markets

Scoreboards vs. Mortarboards: Major Donor Behavior and Intercollegiate Athletics

In an era where intercollegiate athletics departments are increasingly reliant on and successful in obtaining charitable donations, three fundamental questions surrounding charitable contributions to educational institutions were empirically examined. Who gives to educational institutions in support of academic and athletics programs? Does the improved performance of athletic teams influence both types of giving to educational institutions? Does increased giving to athletics have a negative impact on charitable giving to educational programs at the same institution? An in-depth analysis of donor behavior at a major public university revealed that contrary to popular assumption, both alumni and non-alumni made gifts to both athletic and academic programs, though the two groups differed significantly in their behavior. Evidence indicated a winning athletics program may have significantly impacted alumni giving behavior, and that increased giving to athletics by both alumni and non-alumni was linked to a decline in academic fundraising at the same institution

The Tenpin Bowling Industry: Predicting Profit Potential

The purpose of the study was to profile the tenpin bowling industry in the continental United States and to examine the relationship between establishment success, expressed as annual operating profit, and selected operational, environmental, and consumptive variables. A random sample of the 3,560 member establishments of the Bowling Proprietors\u27 Association of America was employed. This trade association represents approximately one half of all United States tenpin bowling establishments. Pearson product-moment correlation and partial correlation analysis were utilized to examine bivariate relationships while stepwise regression was employed for six sample frames in order to develop working equations capable of explaining profit variance. Preliminary equations coupled with systematic compilation of a reliable data base, represented the first step in development of an accurate forecasting tool for proprietors

Systems, Methods and Apparatus for Position Sensor Digital Conditioning Electronics

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations determine the amplitude of an amplitude modulated signal, modulated by the position of an object being sensed. In some aspects, the apparatus accepts an excitation signal and the amplitude modulated signal and divides the amplitude modulated by the excitation signal to produce an output signal that is proportional to the position of the object being sensed. In other aspects, the division is performed only when the excitation signal is non-zero, such as close to the peaks in the excitation signal. In other aspects, the excitation signal and amplitude modulated signal are degraded due to an air gap and the degraded signals are used to correct for amplitude fluctuations due to the air gap, and produce an output signal, tolerant of the air gaps, that is proportional to the position of the object being sensed

Reconfigurable Sensor Monitoring System

A reconfigurable sensor monitoring system includes software tunable filters, each of which is programmable to condition one type of analog signal. A processor coupled to the software tunable filters receives each type of analog signal so-conditioned

Reconfigurable Drive Current System

A reconfigurable drive current system includes drive stages, each of which includes a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor in a totem pole configuration. A current monitor is coupled to an output of each drive stage. Input channels are provided to receive input signals. A processor is coupled to the input channels and to each current monitor for generating at least one drive signal using at least one of the input signals and current measured by at least one of the current monitors. A pulse width modulation generator is coupled to the processor and each drive stage for varying the drive signals as a function of time prior to being supplied to at least one of the drive stages

Motor Controller System For Large Dynamic Range of Motor Operation

A motor controller system uses a rotary sensor with a plurality of signal conditioning units, coupled to the rotary sensor. Each of these units, which is associated with a particular range of motor output shaft rotation rates, generate a feedback signal indicative of the position of the motor s output shaft. A controller (i) converts a selected motor output shaft rotation rate to a corresponding incremental amount of rotational movement for a selected fixed time period, (ii) selects, at periodic completions of the selected fixed time period, the feedback signal from one of the signal conditioning units for which the particular range of motor output shaft rotation rates associated therewith encompasses the selected motor output shaft rotation rate, and (iii) generates a motor drive signal based on a difference between the incremental amount of rotational movement and the feedback signal from the selected one of the signal conditioning Units

Image compression software for the SOHO LASCO and EIT experiments

This paper describes the lossless and lossy image compression algorithms to be used on board the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) in conjunction with the Large Angle Spectrometric Coronograph and Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope experiments. It also shows preliminary results obtained using similar prior imagery and discusses the lossy compression artifacts which will result. This paper is in part intended for the use of SOHO investigators who need to understand the results of SOHO compression in order to better allocate the transmission bits which they have been allocated