Response Of M2 Macrophages In A Simulated Tumor Microenvironment To Infection With Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) is a good candidate for oncolytic therapy due to its ability to induce apoptosis in a number of different types of cells. VSV's effect on macrophages has not been studied in-depth. Here, the effects of infection with both wild type (rwt) VSV and matrix (M) protein mutant (rM51R-M) VSV on cytokine production and cell viability of M2 macrophages cultured alone and in co-culture with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were studied. Infection with rM51R-M VSV induced an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 production in co-culture conditions and TNF-a by M2 macrophages cultured alone. Viability of M2 macrophages cultured alone decreased after infection with both types of VSV. In co-culture conditions, cell viability decreased after infection with rwt VSV and increased after infection with rM51R-M VSV. We also set out to determine whether the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells or THP-1 monocytes were better labeled with fluorescent dye. Cancer cells were more readily labeled than monocytes. Working concentrations of dye were tested but an adequate concentration was not determined. Our data suggests that rM5R-M VSV can both modulate M2 macrophage phenotypes to a more M1-like phenotype and kill breast cancer cells, making it a suitable candidate for oncolytic therapy

An analysis of North Carolina homeless shelter policies: potential for fracturing the integrity of help-seeking homeless families

Families with children, the fastest growing homeless subgroup in the U.S., have recently expanded in size by 35% in North Carolina and 24 other states. Sheltering facilities provide housing and other social supports to 67% of this group. Research indicates that extant shelter policies either enhance or further erode family integrity, that is, the ability of these challenged families to stay together and move forward as a cohesive unit. This study used qualitative and quantitative techniques to gather data and determine the standard shelter policies utilized in north central North Carolina. William N. Dunn's applied policy analysis model provided the conceptual framework to analyze the potential impact of shelter policies on homeless family structure and function. The model includes a thorough review of the background and significance of the policy problem, the collection and analysis of data, and the presentation of conclusions and policy recommendations for an improved shelter setting. Data analyzed included the responses of five managers of eight shelter facilities to a survey questionnaire, content from the resident's rule and regulation handbook for each site, resident lease agreements, archived information (including reports) about the facility; federal and state guidelines, and the mission statement of each facility. Policies at most facilities required that children be kept under constant supervision by their parents. Six facilities mandated random drug and alcohol tests. Curfews for all residents and set bedtimes for children were policies in most facilities, while two sites had bedtimes for adults as well. Daily or weekly cleanliness inspections of rooms/apartments were conducted at most facilities. Most managers gave lack of space as the primary reason for turning away families, but gave no indication whether family size or lack of available rooms/apartments was causative. Official identification such as social security cards for all family members was required before enrollment in all but the domestic violence shelters. None of the facilities allowed residents to participate in setting rules and regulations. In conclusion, shelter policies that impact homeless families were found to erode family integrity both before and during the sheltering experience. Preadmission requirements of fees and official documents that may have been unavailable for all or some members of the homeless family may have caused the family to seek other options for shelter. Rules and regulations at the shelters that deny resident input and require resident attendance at meetings and workshops unrelated to their particular growth needs may have undermined residents' self-esteem and sense of empowerment as competent adults and decision makers. Recommendations for policy change include: Entrance fees that may be paid over an extended time after entry; a shared governance approach to residential rule setting; a focus on family strengths and factors of resilience when setting learning goals; and more collaboration between homeless care providers. Ongoing research is suggested that would provide additional information on outcomes for families denied shelter due to large family size. The impact of some policies remains difficult to ascertain due to the lack of feedback from former residents; however, the Homeless Management Information System can potentially be used to assist with this task

Legal aspects of busing for desegregation in de facto segregated school districts

The purpose of this historical study was to examine the legal aspects of court-ordered busing for the purpose of desegrating de facto segregated public school systems. The study sought answers to the following questions: What has been the trend regarding court-ordered busing in de facto segregated school districts? How has the United States Supreme Court ruled in cases involving de facto school segregation? What is meant by the term "intent' to segregate"? What has the United States Supreme Court required in busing across school district boundaries in order to correct an inequity in segregated school systems? To what extent has the United States Supreme Court mandated remedial plans to desegregate de facto segregated schools systems? The investigative process used consisted of an analysis of the judicial decisions rendered in nine significant United States Supreme Court cases concerned with desegregating de facto segregated school districts. Each case was reviewed in light of its facts, its decisions, and the legal precedents it established

Predictors of reentry shock in American adolescents who have lived overseas

This study was designed to assess the relation between four independent variables: [(l)time overseas, (2)level of psychosocial development, (3) depth of acculturation to a host country, and (4) family functioning] and the amount of reentry shock an adolescent experiences upon return to the United States. The sample was comprised of 87 adolescents, 26 males and 61 females. Each respondent completed a demographic questionnaire and four assessment scales. The Measures of Psychosocial Development (Hawley, 1988) was administered to measure participants' levels of psychosocial development. An adapted version of the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican- Americans (Cuellar, Harris, & Jasso, 1980) was administered to measure depth of acculturation to the host culture. The General Functioning Scale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1988) was administered to measure healthy or unhealthy family functioning. And the Homecomer's Culture Shock Scale (Fray, 1988) was to measure Reentry Shock. Information regarding Time Overseas was taken from the demographic questionnaire

African American Students' Perceptions of the Development of Social Capital in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Pre-College Program

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how institutional agents and interpersonal networks contribute to the development of social capital in a pre-college academic enrichment program that focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The study used a social capital framework to examine the perceptions held by eight African American high school seniors who had participated in a STEM Pre-College Program for at least four years. Using an instrumental case study design, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, observations, and focus groups interviews. The three themes that emerged from the analysis of data were: (a) institutional agents as extended family (b) institutional support through dialogue and discourse, and (c) empowerment. The themes revealed that African American students' interpersonal relationships with supportive and nurturing institutional agents can provide empowering STEM information, resources, and opportunities (social capital). Development of this social capital empowers students in terms of their self-efficacy to engage in advanced-level mathematics and science high school courses, STEM college majors, and STEM careers

The relationship between organizational structure and the structure of organizational communications : an empirical study in an academic department

The objectives of this study were (1) to develop a model to explain the relationships between organizational structure and the structure of individual communication, and (2) to test this model empirically in an organizational setting. The model classifies the communications structure of individuals in organizations into three types of channels: formal channels, informal channels directed toward fulfilling organizational demands and informal communication directed toward individual social and psychological needs. The amount of formal communication varies with the cybernetic needs of the organization while the two types of informal communication vary with individual autonomy within the organization. A survey was conducted among junior and senior sociology majors and the faculty of the Sociology Department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Respondents included 57 welfare students, 34 non-welfare students, and eleven faculty members

Assessment of student engagement, physical activity levels, and body composition in third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade physical education classes

The purpose of this research study was to examine levels of physical activity participation in elementary-aged school children who participated in at least a weekly 40-minute physical education class. In doing so, the contribution of physical education classes to daily accumulated physical activity levels among children was determined. More specifically, this research study examined the amount of time children were physically active within forty minute physical education class sessions. This research study also described the types of activities in which children were involved in during and after school. Finally, the link between BMI and physical activity levels were examined. In particular, this study was guided by the following questions: 1. How is instructional time used in third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade physical education classes across three schools? Specifically, what are the mean percentages of time spent in (a) performing activity, (b) receiving information, (c) giving information, (d) waiting, (e) relocating, and (f) other. 2. What are the mean grade, school, and gender differences in physical activity levels and body mass indices of third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students across three schools? 3. What are the various types of physical activities that third-, fourth-, and fifth grade students engage in outside of physical education classes across three schools? 4. What is the relationship between physical activity level and body mass index for third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade male and female students across three schools? The SBE form was used to describe the way that instructional time was used. Specifically, the SBE form was used to code what a student was doing during a physical education class. The student's behavior was coded according to six categories: (a) performs motor activity, (b) receives information, (c) gives information, (d) waits, (e) relocates, and (e) other (Anderson, 1980). The Yamax Digi Walker SW 200 (YX200) pedometers were utilized for this study to measure the number of steps that third, fourth-, and fifth-graders took during physical education classes on three separate class periods. The instrument used to identify the various types of "outside" activities that students were involved in was a modified form of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) (Kowalski, Croker, & Dosen, 2004). Lastly, the BMI served as indicator of obesity levels of students. BMI was determined by first obtaining a person's height and weight (Yauss, 2005). The height of each student using a standometer was recorded in centimeters and the weight was measured in kilograms using a digital scale (Health of Meter). The BMI was then determined by using the following formula: BMI=KM/M². Conclusions Based on this study's findings the following conclusions were made: 1. Overall, it was found that students spent less than half of their instructional time in being physically active. Much of the inactive time was spent listening to the teacher and waiting to engage in an activity. However, when grade level was considered the amount of motor activity somewhat increased. The increase was especially evident in the third- and fifth-graders. 2. Teachers differed in terms of the way they organized their instructional time. Woodson's teacher instructional time was organized in a way that more than half of the time was spent in non motor engaged activities. Students at Mercy and Richmond Elementary School spent the higher amounts of instructional time performing motor activity. 3. The third-graders at Richmond Elementary School spent the highest amount of instructional time in performing motor activity, while the fourth graders spent the least amount of time in performing motor activity. The third-graders and fifth-graders at Woodson Elementary School spent the highest amount of time in performing motor activity. The fifth-graders at Mercy Elementary School had the highest amount of time in performing motor activity. 4. Females at Richmond Elementary School spent the same amount of instructional time as males in performing motor activity. However, differences between male and females were more prevalent when examining individual schools. At Woodson Elementary School males spent a higher amount of instructional time in performing motor activity than females. Lastly, at Mercy Elementary School feales spent more instructional time than males and they both spent over half the instructional time in performing motor activity. s found that males took more average steps per minute than females. It was found that third graders took more steps per minute than the fourth- and fifthgraders. Lastly, it was found that students at Mercy received the highest among of steps per minute, while Richmond received the lowest. 6. It was found that a grade by school interaction was significant (p < .05). It was reported that third-graders at Richmond were greater than fourth- and fifth-graders at Richmond. It was reported that fifth-graders at Woodson were greater than third- and fourth-graders at Woodson. Lastly, it was reported that fifth-graders at Mercy were less than third- and fourth-graders at Mercy. 7. When ranking the preferences for physical activity outside of physical education classes for all schools and all grades it was found that students spent their average time in this ranking order: (a) Jogging, (b) Walking, (c) Dancing, (d) Playing Tag, and (e) Skipping. The third and fifth-graders ranked jogging as their top activity while the fourth graders ranked walking as their top activity. Overall all grades were interested in aerobic activity. Girls and boys also chose jogging as their top activity, while the boys chose basketball as their second choice. Girls chose walking as their d choice. As far as schools were concerned, Richmond chose walking as their top, while Woodson Elementary School and Mercy Elementary School chose jogging as their top choice of physical activity. 8. When correlating the physical activity level and BMI for all 120 subjects, an inverse correlation was found to be significant at (p < .05). It indicated that the higher the levels of physical activity, the lower the BMI scores. When compared across gender, the relationship was different in males and females. In males the linear inverse relationship between BMI and physical activity was much stronger. However in males, BMI and levels of physical activity did not appear to be significantly related. 9. There was also an inverse relationship between BMI and physical activity levels at each of the three schools in this study. The correlation was significant only at Richmond Elementary School. This was because of the artifact of a smaller sample size at the other two schools. 10. There was an inverse linear relationship between BMI and physical activity at each of the three grade levels. Although statistically significant in grade five the inverse relationships in the other two grades were weak and non significant

Wallace Stevens, James Merrill, and the way of the dandy

Wallace Stevens and James Merrill seem to embody in their lives and poems the qualities of the dandy—not the fin de siècle dandyism of mere stylized dress, social hauteur, and public theatrics but the complete philosophy of life described by Jules Barbey D'Aurevilly and Baudelaire, who recognize in the dandy's mannerisms a spiritual significance and heroic mission--escaping the triviality, conformity, and tastelessness of modern existence. In his meticulous dress, scornful aloofness, haughty wit, and cosmopolitan tastes, Stevens cultivates a dandyism that guards against the poverty of life threatened by his "burgher" existence as an insurance lawyer. Merrill uses his dandyism (his refined dress, emotional displacement, political privatization, and witty circle of friends) to transcend the mechanical life of his parents' privileged world and live the purer life of Baudelaire's dandy

Comparison of bacterial communities in living eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) rhizospheres versus presumably dead eastern hemlock rhizospheres

The purpose of this study was to identify bacterial species associated with the rhizosphere of living and dead hemlocks (those that have been likely killed by adelgid infestation). Study of the bacterial diversity associated with the rhizosphere of hemlocks, could lead to elucidation of partnerships between bacteria and hemlocks. Samples were collected from Albright Grove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), in early February 2011 from the soil attached to hemlock roots from six trees, consisting of paired live/dead trees that were found side by side. Species richness and evenness within the samples were evaluated. Variation based on time of year and over time was assessed for hemlock rhizospheres. Some of the bacteria detected in this work were unidentified at the phylum level and are likely new taxa to science. Overall, Acidobacteria was the dominant phylum making up 63% of all samples, followed by Proteobacteria at 23%, other phyla were represented at levels = 6%. Results indicated significant differences in the composition at the phylum level of Live 2011 and Dead 2011 samples. Other significant differences were found at lower levels of classification between all six comparisons of the four sample sets. This research has built upon the research of two former M.S. thesis students by using clone libraries prepared in the summer of 2006 and DNA extracts from samples collected during the winter of 2008 from the same field site. The association of microbial communities with living hemlocks is important. If hemlocks cease to exist in the GSMNP because of the infestation of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA), then unidentified microorganisms that may be specific to hemlock may become extinct as well. If reforestation efforts were ever to take place for Eastern Hemlock in GSMNP, microbial communities associated with healthy trees could be vital in the success of this effort

Incidence, severity, aetiology and type of neck injury in men's amateur rugby union: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a paucity of epidemiological data on neck injury in amateur rugby union populations. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, severity, aetiology and type of neck injury in Australian men's amateur rugby union.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data was collected from a cohort of 262 participants from two Australian amateur men's rugby union clubs via a prospective cohort study design. A modified version of the Rugby Union Injury Report Form for Games and Training was used by the clubs physiotherapist or chiropractor in data collection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The participants sustained 90 (eight recurrent) neck injuries. Exposure time was calculated at 31143.8 hours of play (12863.8 hours of match time and 18280 hours of training). Incidence of neck injury was 2.9 injuries/1000 player-hours (95%CI: 2.3, 3.6). As a consequence 69.3% neck injuries were minor, 17% mild, 6.8% moderate and 6.8% severe. Neck compression was the most frequent aetiology and was weakly associated with severity. Cervical facet injury was the most frequent neck injury type.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This is the first prospective cohort study in an amateur men's rugby union population since the inception of professionalism that presents injury rate, severity, aetiology and injury type data for neck injury. Current epidemiological data should be sought when evaluating the risks associated with rugby union football.</p