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When observing the temporal trajectory of an individual, there is a high probability of visiting a known place; this is due to the central component of habit and routine in human mobility behavior. To understand those routine activities, we propose a new survey method: the Place Generator & the Place Interpreter, based on the name generator and name interpreter survey methodology for ego-centric social networks. In the survey, we asked the participants to name the locations they regularly visit for leisure, by category. This methodology captures the characteristics of the locations and the reasons to be chosen. We tested the methodology in the Zurich Metropolitan Area in Switzerland, focusing on urban leisure activities and the social environment of the locations. Hence, we ask the individuals to describe the reasons for choosing that specific location and the socio-demographic characteristics of the other visitors. This methodology worked well when compared with earlier long-duration GPS tracking surveys. Respondents report, on average, 9.85 locations for nine types of locations, mainly supermarkets and restaurants or cafes, and respondents can describe their similarities with other visitors to that location. The survey is complemented with a survey of sociodemographic characteristics and the respondent's ego-centric social network to get information on social connections and their impact on leisure activity.

When observing the temporal trajectory of an individual, the probability of visiting a new place decreases with time; this is due to the central component of habit and routine in human mobility behavior. To understand those routine activities, we propose a new survey method: the Place Generator & the Place Interpreter, based on the name generator and name interpreter survey method for ego-centric social networks. In the survey, we asked the participants to name the locations they regularly visit for leisure, by category. This methodology can properly capture these locations, get information on the characteristics of the place, and the reasons for each location to be chosen. We tested the methodology in the Zurich Metropolitan Area in Switzerland, focusing on urban leisure activities and the social environment of the locations. Hence, we ask the individuals to describe the socio-demographic characteristics, in comparison to themselves, of the people that visit the location. This methodology has proven to work. Respondents report, on average, 8.53 locations for 9 types of locations, mainly supermarkets and restaurants, and respondents can describe the similarities with other visitors to that location. The survey is complemented with an ego-centric social network to get information on social connections and their impact on leisure activity; the results are comparable with previous work conducted in Zurich., Arbeitsberichte Verkehrs- und Raumplanung, 1769

Objective To review the long-term follow-up data from the authors’ institutional experience of 62 patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) treated with a uniform multimodality regimen. The authors determined the rate of breast preservation, the disease-free and overall survival, and the factors associated with locoregional and distant recurrent disease. Summary Background Data It remains a challenge to achieve local and distant control of LABC. Over the last decade, preoperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy has emerged as the standard of care for these patients. Successful tumor downstaging has been associated with increased rates of breast-conserving therapy (BCT), but the overall effect on long-term survival remains to be seen. Methods This study examines a cohort of 62 patients with LABC treated at the authors’ institution from 1992 to 1998. The uniform treatment regimen consisted of neoadjuvant doxorubicin (Adriamycin), followed by operation (BCT if sufficient clinical downstaging), followed by non-cross-resistant cyclophosphamide/methotrexate/5-fluorouracil, followed by radiation therapy. Treatment was both dose-intensive and time-intensive, with a total treatment time of 32 to 35 weeks. Results In this patient population, the median age was 44 years, with approximately two thirds white patients and one third African-American. Eighty-two percent of patients were clinical stage III at presentation, 13 patients had T4d inflammatory cancers, and 3 patients were stage IV at diagnosis. Eighty-four percent of patients demonstrated a significant clinical response to doxorubicin. Twenty-eight patients had sufficient clinical downstaging to attempt BCT, and 22 (45%) of 49 noninflammatory patients underwent successful BCT. Pathologic complete response was seen in 15% of patients. Median follow-up for the cohort was 70 months. The local recurrence rate was 14%, including two ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences (10%) in the BCT patients. Seven (12%) patients developed a new primary cancer in the contralateral breast. Distant metastases occurred in 18 (31%) patients, and the 5-year overall survival rate for the cohort was 76%. Furthermore, in the patients who underwent an attempt at BCT, the survival rate was 96% at 5 years. Conclusions Dose-intensive and time-intensive multimodality neoadjuvant therapy was successfully administered to a mixed racial group over shortened times. Patients who had sufficient clinical downstaging to allow BCT have the best long-term outcome. Patients who required mastectomy are at a higher risk of relapse, as well as the development of new contralateral cancers, yet have 5-year survival rates of over 50%.

Background KRAS mutations may predict poor response to radiotherapy. Downstream events from KRAS, such as activation of BRAF, AKT and ERK, may also confer prognostic information but have not been tested in rectal cancer (RC). Our objective was to explore the relationships of KRAS and BRAF mutation status with p-AKT and p-ERK and outcomes in RC. Methods Pre-radiotherapy RC tumor biopsies were evaluated. KRAS and BRAF mutations were assessed by pyrosequencing; p-AKT and p-ERK expression by immunohistochemistry. Results Of 70 patients, mean age was 58; 36% stage II, 56% stage III, and 9% stage IV. Responses to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: 64% limited, 19% major, and 17% pathologic complete response. 64% were KRAS WT, 95% were BRAF WT. High p-ERK levels were associated with improved OS but not for p-AKT. High levels of p-AKT and p-ERK expression were associated with better responses. KRAS WT correlated with lower p-AKT expression but not p-ERK expression. No differences in OS, residual disease, or tumor downstaging were detected by KRAS status. Conclusions KRAS mutation was not associated with lesser response to chemoradiotherapy or worse OS. High p-ERK expression was associated with better OS and response. Higher p-AKT expression was correlated with better response but not OS.

The EGF Receptor (EGFR), the first transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase cloned and sequenced, and its closely related family members HER2, HER3, and HER4, play myriad roles in mammalian growth and development. Receptor activation involves ligand binding to separate receptors followed by formation of active dimers. These receptors can signal as homodimers or they can subtly alter signaling output by heterodimerizing with other family members. Adding complexity, these receptors with varying specificity bind at least 10 ligands from two ligand families, the EGF and neuregulin/heregulin families. This signaling system's impact on human neoplasia is underscored by the following: i.) EGFR is overexpressed or activated by autocrine or paracrine growth factor loops in at least 50% of epithelial malignancies; ii.) HER2 is amplified and dramatically overexpressed in approximately 20%-25% or breast cancers; iii) HER3 and HER4 are variably expressed in breast and other cancers. Overexpression and/or activation of EGFR, HER2 and HER3 has been correlated with poor tumor prognosis; antibody and small molecule inhibitors of their activity are being tested as therapy in cancer patients. However, the signaling complexity engendered by four interacting receptors and ten ligands makes it difficult to definitively measure receptor signaling output in human tumors and even makes mechanistic studies of the family's role in normal physiology and neoplastic transformation a challenge. In spite of the literature's emphasis on growth control, activation by some EGF receptor family member ligands can produce tumor cell differentiation, characterized by growth cessation and differentiation gene product synthesis. The present work delineates a role for HER4 in breast cancer cell differentiation and demonstrates that HER4 is both necessary and sufficient to produce an anti-proliferative signal. These