Differential gene expression in tumor adjacent histologically normal prostatic tissue indicates field cancerization.

Field cancerization denotes the occurrence of aberrant cells in tumor adjacent histologically normal tissues (TAHN). To characterize field cancerization in prostate cancer, we used RNA from paired patient tumor and TAHN tissues excised at 1 cm from the tumor margin and subjected them to microarray expression analysis comparative to RNA from normal cancer-free prostatic tissues. Eleven novel transcripts were significantly up-regulated in TAHN tissues and also in tumors. Expression of early growth response protein 1, tristetraprolin, testican, and fatty acid synthase, mutually up-regulated at different levels in tumors and TAHN tissues was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR in the experimental and in an independent validation set. This study offers proof of expressional changes in field cancerized prostatic TAHN tissues at defined distances from tumor margins. Markers of field cancerized prostatic tissues could be early diagnostic indicators in biopsies after abnormal prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal examination and independent of cancerous histology and/or early targets for chemo-preventive intervention in pre-malignant disease.

Forecasting radiation rates and exposure from multi-aged fallout.

A graphical method for forecasting radiation exposure rates from multi-aged fallout is extended to include a nomogram method. A simple method for forecasting accumulated radiation exposure is also presented. It is shown mathematically that these methods can provide estimates of radiation exposure rates or cumulative exposures for intervals of a few days to a few weeks in the future to within +/- 30% from assumed actual radiation exposure rates or accumulated exposures for fallout that decays according to t-n, where n is any number from 0.8 to 1.6. Because of the self-adjusting feature of the method which results in an estimated effective age for the fallout, it is not necessary to attempt to subtract contributions from separate fallouts with different ages. The method can be applied to composite fallout without knowledge of the previous history of the various-aged contributions.

A graphical method for forecasting radiation exposure from multi-aged fallout from nuclear weapons.

After a nuclear attack it may be necessary for emergency workers, such as firemen, utility workers and medical personnel, to perform urgent tasks in areas highly contaminated by radioactive fallout. To assist the control of radiation exposure of these workers, it will be useful to provide means to forecast radiation exposures both inside and outside the fallout shelter. The method described in this paper is intended for use during the first few days to weeks after the attack, after which time more sophisticated methods may become available. This method requires only a radiation-rate meter, special graph paper, and a timepiece. Communications with Emergency Operating Centers or other sources of information are not necessary. The method permits the determination of the age of fallout and future exposure rates for a location that might be subjected to a number of different fallout clouds, without requiring knowledge of the weapon yields or times of detonation. This method will provide results with less accuracy if different-aged fallout clouds arrive simultaneously. The method is self-correcting so that if the actual decay rate is different than that which is assumed, the forecasted rates will have less error than results obtained by previous methods.

Forecasting radiation exposure from fallout caused by multiple, nonsimultaneous, upwind ground bursts.

A large-scale nuclear attack on the United States would probably result in the deposition of radioactive fallout from many ground bursts detonated at different times. Previous methods for forecasting radiation levels and cumulative exposure do not provide analytical solutions for dealing with such radiation sources. A new method is presented that will allow the forecasting of radiation exposure from the fallout caused by any number of nonsimultaneous, upwind ground bursts.

Mapping of population density.

The Bureau of the Census listing of geographical coordinates of centroids of all enumeration districts together with population counts from the U. S. 1970 Census of Population was used to contruct via computer five nationwide geographical grids of population density with sector dimensions of 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.1, and 0.25 degrees of latitude and longitude. The entire population of a district was assigned to a grid sector if the coordinates of the district centroid fell within the boundaries of the sector. The sectors were then rank-ordered according to population density, and listings were made of sector population, population density, geographical location, cumulative population, area of sector, and cumulative area. The five sets of data were synthesized into single equations describing population as a function of density in one case and of area in another. From these data it was found, for example, that about 800,000 people live in 19 sectors of 0.01-degree dimensions with a population density of 100,000 people per square mile or greater (nearly all in Manhattan); about 10 million live in 183 sectors of 0.02-degree dimensions with a population density of 23,000 per square mile or greater; and about half of the total U. S. population, that is, about 100 million people, reside within about 0.6 percent of the area of the United States, that is, within 20,000 square miles.Four representative displays of population density are shown for the Northeast Corridor, including isometric views and a contour map.