Disparities in cervical cancer mortality rates as determined by the longitudinal hyperbolastic mixed-effects type II model.

Background: The main purpose of this study was to model and analyze the dynamics of cervical cancer mortality rates for African American (Black) and White women residing in 13 states located in the eastern half of the United States of America from 1975 through 2010.

Methods: The cervical cancer mortality rates of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) were used to model and analyze the dynamics of cervical cancer mortality. A longitudinal hyperbolastic mixed-effects type II model was used to model the cervical cancer mortality data and SAS PROC NLMIXED and Mathematica were utilized to perform the computations.

A New Robust Method for Nonlinear Regression.

Background: When outliers are present, the least squares method of nonlinear regression performs poorly. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a robust alternative technique to the Ordinary Least Squares nonlinear regression method. This new robust nonlinear regression method can provide accurate parameter estimates when outliers and/or influential observations are present.

Robust Logistic and Probit Methods for Binary and Multinomial Regression.

In this paper we introduce new robust estimators for the logistic and probit regressions for binary, multinomial, nominal and ordinal data and apply these models to estimate the parameters when outliers or inluential observations are present. Maximum likelihood estimates don't behave well when outliers or inluential observations are present. One remedy is to remove inluential observations from the data and then apply the maximum likelihood technique on the deleted data.

T model of growth and its application in systems of tumor-immune dynamics.

In this paper we introduce a new growth model called T growth model. This model is capable of representing sigmoidal growth as well as biphasic growth. This dual capability is achieved without introducing additional parameters.

A flexible multivariable model for phytoplankton growth.

We introduce a new multivariable model to be used to study the growth dynamics of phytoplankton as a function of both time and the concentration of nutrients. This model is applied to a set of experimental data which describes the rate of growth as a function of these two variables. The form of the model allows easy extension to additional variables.

Clinical and multiple gene expression variables in survival analysis of breast cancer: analysis with the hypertabastic survival model.

Background: We explore the benefits of applying a new proportional hazard model to analyze survival of breast cancer patients. As a parametric model, the hypertabastic survival model offers a closer fit to experimental data than Cox regression, and furthermore provides explicit survival and hazard functions which can be used as additional tools in the survival analysis. In addition, one of our main concerns is utilization of multiple gene expression variables.

Oscillabolastic model, a new model for oscillatory dynamics, applied to the analysis of Hes1 gene expression and Ehrlich ascites tumor growth.

This paper introduces a new dynamical model, called the oscillabolastic model, to analyze the dynamical behavior of biomedical data when one observes oscillatory behavior. The proposed oscillabolastic model is sufficiently flexible to represent various types of oscillatory behavior. The oscillabolastic model is applied to two sets of data.

Mathematical modeling of stem cell proliferation.

The mathematical models prevalently used to represent stem cell proliferation do not have the level of accuracy that might be desired. The hyperbolastic growth models promise a greater degree of precision in representing data of stem cell proliferation. The hyperbolastic growth model H3 is applied to experimental data in both embryonic stem cells and adult mesenchymal stem cells.

Investigation of endogenous soybean food allergens by using a 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis approach.

As part of the safety assessment of genetically modified (GM) soybean, 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis analyses were performed with the isoxaflutole and glyphosate tolerant soybean FG72, its non-GM near-isogenic counterpart (Jack) and three commercial non-GM soybean lines. The objective was to compare the known endogenous human food allergens in seeds in the five different soybean lines in order to evaluate any potential unintended effect(s) of the genetic modification. In total, 37 protein spots representing five well known soybean food allergen groups were quantified in each genotype.

Hyperbolastic modeling of tumor growth with a combined treatment of iodoacetate and dimethylsulphoxide.

Background: An understanding of growth dynamics of tumors is important in understanding progression of cancer and designing appropriate treatment strategies. We perform a comparative study of the hyperbolastic growth models with the Weibull and Gompertz models, which are prevalently used in the field of tumor growth.

Methods: The hyperbolastic growth models H1, H2, and H3 are applied to growth of solid Ehrlich carcinoma under several different treatments.

Native epitopes of human IgA.

We have studied the epitopes of the human IgA molecule by using 27 monoclonal antibodies in two simple gel diffusion methods. By testing pairs of monoclonal antibodies for coprecipitation of an IgA myeloma protein, we have clearly identified sterically independent epitopes on the molecule. By testing the non-coprecipitating monoclonal antibodies with soluble IgA-monoclonal antibody immune complexes, we have identified the overlapping epitopes.

The effect of long endurance running on natural killer cells in marathoners.

Ten experienced marathoners were exercised 3 h in the laboratory. Blood samples were collected at 0 h baseline, 1 h exercise, and 5 min, 1.5 h, 6 h, and 21 h recovery and were analyzed for total number of lymphocytes expressing membrane antigens found on natural killer (NK) cells.

Neuroendocrine and stress hormone changes during mirthful laughter.

Positive emotional activities have been suggested as modifiers of neuroendocrine hormones involved in the classical stress response. To detect changes in these components during a mirthful laughter experience, the authors studied 10 healthy male subjects. Five experimental subjects viewed a 60 minute humor video and five control subjects did not.

Effects of long-endurance running on immune system parameters and lymphocyte function in experienced marathoners.

The extent and duration of changes in leukocyte subsets, lymphocyte subpopulations, spontaneous blastogenesis, cortisol, and catecholamines were measured in ten experienced marathoners, who ran 3 h to exhaustion in a laboratory setting. Blood samples were taken at baseline, 1 h of exercise, and 5 min, 1.5 h, 6 h, and 21 h of recovery.

Measuring human IgG4 by a two-site immunoradiometric assay with monoclonal antibodies.

By using 2 monoclonal antibodies, we developed a solid-phase 2-site immunoradiometric assay for measuring human IgG4. The measuring range (0.05-20 micrograms/ml) covered more than 2 orders of magnitude.

A monoclonal antibody may show cross-reactivities in Ouchterlony assays but not in other assays.

A monoclonal antibody to human IgG was tested with myeloma proteins of the four IgG subclasses. When tested by immunofluorometric assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition assays, the antibody reacted with IgG3 but not with the other three IgG subclasses. When tested by Ouchterlony assays in the presence of polyethylene glycol, the antibody formed lines with all four IgG proteins.

Simple, rapid 125I-labeled cyclosporine double antibody/polyethylene glycol radioimmunoassay used in a pediatric cardiac transplant program.

We modified the Sandoz cyclosporine radioimmunoassay because of our need for frequent clinical monitoring of cyclosporine drug levels in allo- and xenograft pediatric cardiac transplant patients. With application of a commercially available [125I]cyclosporine label in place of [3H]cyclosporine and a second antibody/polyethylene glycol (PEG) method of separation in place of charcoal separation, we simplified and enhanced the speed and precision of assay performance. Studies of 140 whole blood samples comparing this new method to the [3H]cyclosporine radioimmunoassay (RIA) method of Berk and colleagues yielded a coefficient of correlation of 0.

Evaluation of the powder-formulated enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique quantitative single test for gentamicin.

The usefulness of the enzyme multiplied immunoassay quantitative single test (EMIT QST) gentamicin assay was assessed for gentamicin analysis in patient sera. The EMIT QST reagents are in powder form in a single, premeasured vial and are run on a thermoregulated sample processor that controls mixing and timing steps. The results of the clinical evaluation showed that the standard curve was stable throughout a 26-day study period.