University of South Florida

About: University of South Florida is a education organization based out in Tampa, Florida, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 34231 authors who have published 72644 publications receiving 2538044 citations. The organization is also known as: USF.

An alternative method for significance testing of waveform difference potentials

Abstract: Guthrie and Buchwald (1991) proposed an ad hoc procedure for assessing the statistical significance of waveform difference potentials that may arise in a variety of psychophysiology research contexts. In our paper, an alternative method is presented and demonstrated that has fewer underlying assumptions than does the Guthrie-Buchwald test and may, therefore, produce better results in some situations. In particular, the test proposed here (a) is distribution free, (b) requires no assumption of an underlying correlation structure (e.g., first-order autoregressive), (c) requires no estimate of the population autocorrelation coefficient, (d) is exact, (e) produces p values for any number of subjects and time points, and (f) is highly intuitive as well as theoretically justifiable. This procedure may be used to carry out multiple comparisons with exact specification of experiment-wise error, however, this test is based on permutation principles and may require large amounts of computer time for its implementation.

Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract: In 2010, approximately 222,520 new cases of lung or bronchial cancer will be diagnosed in the USA, and 157,300 patients are expected to die of this disease [1]. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 80 % of these cases. Lung cancer is most often asymptomatic in its early stages; consequently, the disease is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, when it is much more difficult to treat. One or more genes are believed to be responsible for an inherited increase in risk of developing lung cancer in the general population. Smoking remains one of the main environmental factors associated with the development of lung cancer [2]. Although the development of lung cancer seems to be the result of several sequential molecular abnormalities in individuals at high risk of developing the disease, the genetic mechanisms by which an individual develops lung cancer remain largely unknown. These steps involve abnormalities in the expression of angiogenic factors (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF and epithelial growth factor receptors, or EGFRs) [3]. The heterogeneity of lung cancer and the diversity of its morphologic appearance and molecular properties make the application of molecular targeted therapies used in other cancers more complex, but such therapies are certainly a goal for the future.

Deregulated Akt3 Activity Promotes Development of Malignant Melanoma

Abstract: Malignant melanoma is the skin cancer with the most significant impact on man, carrying the highest risk of death from metastasis. Both incidence and mortality rates continue to rise each year, with no effective long-term treatment on the horizon. In part, this reflects lack of identification of critical genes involved and specific therapies targeted to correct these defects. We report that selective activation of the Akt3 protein promotes cell survival and tumor development in 43 to 60% of nonfamilial melanomas. The predominant Akt isoform active in melanomas was identified by showing that small interfering RNA (siRNA) against only Akt3, and not Akt1 or Akt2, lowered the amount of phosphorylated (active) Akt in melanoma cells. The amount of active Akt3 increased progressively during melanoma tumor progression with highest levels present in advanced-stage metastatic melanomas. Mechanisms of Akt3 deregulation occurred through a combination of overexpression of Akt3 accompanying copy number increases of the gene and decreased PTEN protein function occurring through loss or haploinsufficiency of the PTEN gene. Targeted reduction of Akt3 activity with siRNA or by expressing active PTEN protein stimulated apoptotic signaling, which reduced cell survival by increasing apoptosis rates thereby inhibiting melanoma tumor development. Identifying Akt3 as a selective target in melanoma cells provides new therapeutic opportunities for patients in the advanced stages of this disease.

Colon Cancer, Version 2.2021, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

Abstract: This selection from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Colon Cancer focuses on systemic therapy options for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), because important updates have recently been made to this section. These updates include recommendations for first-line use of checkpoint inhibitors for mCRC, that is deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability-high, recommendations related to the use of biosimilars, and expanded recommendations for biomarker testing. The systemic therapy recommendations now include targeted therapy options for patients with mCRC that is HER2-amplified, or BRAF V600E mutation-positive. Treatment and management of nonmetastatic or resectable/ablatable metastatic disease are discussed in the complete version of the NCCN Guidelines for Colon Cancer available at NCCN.org. Additional topics covered in the complete version include risk assessment, staging, pathology, posttreatment surveillance, and survivorship.