Quality of Life Disparities For The Rural Economically Disadvantaged

Families who reside in rural communities and live in poverty often experience a lack of quality of life supports, which impacts their mental health and exasperates any special needs they may have. Research in regards to these concerns, has historically focused on southern states and or the impacts of poverty in urban settings. This phenomenological qualitative research study reveals quality of life supports that impoverished families living in rural communities in central Illinois often do without. This study further examines the families’ perceived barriers to those supports. The following research questions guided this study: (1) What quality-of-life supports (employment, food assistance, mental health services, special education) do impoverished families living in rural central Illinois believe they lack? (2) What do rural families identify as perceived barriers to receiving quality-of-life supports? (3) How are rural families impacted by lack of access to quality-of-life supports? (4) How are the children in rural families impacted by lack of access to quality-of-life supports? Data analysis of interviews and questionnaire responses from eight families living in rural communities in central Illinois explained a need for mental and physical health supports, food assistance, quality special education services, and local employment opportunities. In turn, the research yielded the following barriers to these supports: lack of transportation services, community resources (including food banks and service agencies), stigma, specialized educational programming/training, and acceptance of state funded insurance. Recommendations for further research include, longer, longitudinal study, larger interview pool, and children specific interviews

Therapists-in-Training Who Experience a Client Suicide: Implications for Supervision

Client suicide is often an extraordinarily painful process for clinicians, especially those still in training. Given their training status, supervisees may look to their graduate programs and supervisors for guidance and support when such an event occurs. This study qualitatively examined the experiences of 13 prelicensure doctoral supervisees regarding their client\u27s suicide. Findings suggest that these supervisees received minimal graduate training about suicide and that support from others, including supervisors, helped them cope with their client\u27s death. Supervisors are advised to normalize and process supervisees\u27 experiences of client suicide. Implications for training and practice are discussed

Transition from High School to College/University for Individuals with Disabilities

Transition from high school to life beyond high school can be scary and challenging for anyone, including students with disabilities and their families. This presentation seeks to explain some of the changes in law and access and potential means of support from faculty and staff at colleges/universities for this transition. Target Audience: Teachers, Parents, Faculty, Staff, Student

Book Reviews

Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie MayListening to Children on the Spiritual Journey: Guidance for Those Who Teach and Nurture2010. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker AcademicReviewed by Desiree Segura-April Dyron B. DaughrityThe Changing World of Christianity: The Global History of a Borderless Religion2010. New York: Peter LangReviewed by Meesaeng Lee Choi Derek TidballThe Message of Holiness: Restoring God\u27s Masterpiece2010. Downers Grove, IL Inter-Varsity, PressReviewed by Joseph R. Dongell Accordance. Scholars CollectionDVD-ROM and CD-ROM, version 82008. OakTree Software, Inc.Reviewed by Michael D. Matlock and Jason R. Jackson Paul L. Gavrilyuk, Douglas M. Koskela, Jason E. Vickers, Eds.Immersed in the Life of God: The Healing Resources of the Christian Faith2008. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.Reviewed by Stephen Seamands Thomas Jay OordThe Nature of Love: A TheologySt. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2010Reviewed by Wm. Andrew Schwartz James R. PaytonGetting the Reformation Wrong. Correcting some MisunderstandingsDowners Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2010, 240 pages, $23Reviewed by Ben Witherington Kenneth Cain KinghornThe Story of Asbury Theological Seminary2010. Published by Emeth PressReviewed by Laurence W. Woo

Database Evaluation for Muscle and Nerve Diseases - DEMAND: An academic neuromuscular coding system

Background: A database which documents the diagnosis of neuromuscular patients is useful for determining the types of patients referred to academic centers and for identifying participants for clinical trials and other studies. The ICD-9 or ICD-10 numeric systems are insufficiently detailed for this purpose. Objective: To develop a database for neuromuscular diagnoses Methods: We developed a detailed diagnostic coding system for neuromuscular diseases called DEMAND: Database Evaluation for Muscle and Nerve Diseases that has been adopted by neuromuscular clinics at University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA), Ohio State University (OSU), University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), and University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW). At the initial visit, patients are assigned a diagnostic code which can be revised later if appropriate. Fields include patient’s name, date of birth, and diagnostic code. The neuromuscular database consisted of 457 codes. Each code has a prefix (MUS or PNS) followed by a three-digit number. Depending on whether muscle or nerve is primarily involved, there are eight broad groups: motor neuron disease (MUS codes 100-139); neuromuscular junction disorders (MUS 200-217); acquired and hereditary myopathies (MUS 300-600s); acquired and hereditary polyneuropathies (PNS 100-400); mononeuropathies (PNS 500s); plexopathies (PNS 600s); radiculopathies (PNS 700s); and mononeuritis multiplex (PNS 800s). Results: During a period of 10 years, 17,163 of patients were entered (1,752 at UTHSCSA, 1,840 at OSU, 3,699 at KUMC, 9,872 at UTSW). The number of patients in several broad categories are: 3,080 motor neuron disease; 1,575 neuromuscular junction disease; 1,851 muscular dystrophies; 633 inflammatory myopathies; 1,090 hereditary neuropathies; 1,001 immune-mediated polyneuropathies; 620 metabolic/toxic polyneuropathies; 535 mononeuropathies; 296 plexopathies; and 769 radiculopathies. Conclusion: A detailed diagnostic neuromuscular database can be utilized at multiple academic centers. The database should be simple without too many fields to complete, to ensure compliance during busy clinic operations. This database has been very useful in identifying groups of patients for retrospective, observational studies and for prospective treatment studies including trials for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Muscular Dystrophies (MD), Myasthenia Gravis (MG), and retrospective studies of Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy (CIDP), etc

Insulin-like growth factor 1 attenuates antiestrogen- and antiprogestin-induced apoptosis in ER+ breast cancer cells by MEK1 regulation of the BH3-only pro-apoptotic protein Bim

Abstract Introduction In this pre-clinical in vitro study conducted in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer cells, we have characterized the effects of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) on the cytostatic and cytotoxic action of antiestrogen treatment when used as a single agent or in combination with the antiprogestin mifepristone (MIF). Our goal was to identify new molecular targets to improve the efficacy of hormonal therapy in breast cancer patients that have a poor response to hormonal therapy, in part, due to high circulating levels of unbound insulinIGF-1. Methods IGF-1-mediated effects on cytostasis and apoptotic cell death were determined with cell counts conducted in the presence and absence of trypan blue; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to determine the intracellular levels of cleaved cytokeratin 18, a marker of epithelial cancer cell apoptosis; and immunoblot analysis to determine the levels of cleaved poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) and lamin A that result from caspase-dependent apoptosis. Cytotoxicity was further characterized by determination of the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the percent of mitochondrial membrane depolarization in cell populations treated with the different hormones in the presence and absence of IGF-1. Small molecule inhibitors of the dual-specificity protein kinase MEK1, MEK1 siRNA, Bim siRNA, and vectors overexpressing MEK1 wild type and mutant, dominant negative cDNA were used to identify key IGF-1 downstream prosurvival effectors. Results IGF-1, at physiologically relevant levels, blocked the cytotoxic action(s) of the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) and tamoxifen (TAM) when used as single agents or in combination with the antiprogestin MIF. The antiapoptotic action of IGF-1 was mediated primarily through the action of MEK1. MEK1 expression reduced the levels of ROS and mitochondrial membrane depolarization induced by the hormonal treatments via a mechanism that involved the phosphorylation and proteasomal turnover of the proapoptotic BH3-only Bcl-2 family member Bim. Importantly, small-molecule inhibitors of MEK1 circumvented the prosurvival action of IGF-1 by restoring Bim to levels that more effectively mediated apoptosis in ER+ breast cancer cells. Conclusion his study provides strong support for the use of MEK1 inhibitors in combination with hormonal therapy to effectively affect cytostasis and activate a Bim-dependent apoptotic pathway in ER+ breast cancer cells. We discuss that MEK1 blockade may be a particularly effective treatment for women with high circulating levels of IGF-1, which have been correlated to a poor prognosis

Down-Modulation of Cockroach (CR) Allergen-specific Th2 Cell Responses Following Subcutaneous German Cockroach Allergen Immunotherapy (SCIT)

Rationale: The responses of T cells to subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) are not fully elucidated. We conducted a functional immunological evaluation of cockroach (CR) allergen-specific CD4+ T cell reactivity in the double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multi-center CRITICAL study. Methods: Participants (8-17 years of age) with mild to moderate, well-controlled asthma received 12 months of maintenance dosing of CR SCIT (n=20) or placebo (n=26). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated prior to, and after 12 months of therapy. CD4+ T cell responses at baseline and after treatment were assessed using overlapping peptide pools derived from 11 well-defined CR allergens and intracellular cytokine staining for IL-4, IFNg, and IL-10 production. T cell responses were further evaluated in terms of magnitude, cytokine polarization, and allergen immunodominance. Results: Significant down-modulation of the total magnitude of CD4+ T cell responses was observed with SCIT but not placebo, with a significant change between groups (-4.46±0.82 vs. −1.81±0.72, respectively, p = 0.020). Responses were driven by a decrease in IL-4 (-4.87±0.86 vs. −1.09±0.75, p = 0.002) with unaltered IFNg and IL-10 production, reflecting a shift towards a Th1 polarization profile (1.35±0.58 vs. −0.37±0.50, in SCIT and placebo respectively, p = 0.031). The largest effects were observed against the allergens Bla g 5 and Bla g 9, which are dominantly recognized, suggesting that dominant responses are susceptible to modulation. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a significant down-regulation of CR-specific Th2 cell responses in urban children with asthma who received SCIT, compared with those who received placebo

The Discovery of a Massive Cluster of Red Supergiants with GLIMPSE

We report the discovery of a previously unknown massive Galactic star cluster at l=29.22, b=-0.20. Identified visually in mid-IR images from the Spitzer GLIMPSE survey, the cluster contains at least 8 late-type supergiants, based on followup near-IR spectroscopy, and an additional 3-6 candidate supergiant embers having IR photometry consistent with a similar distance and reddening. The cluster lies at a local minimum in the 13-CO column density and 8 micron emission. We interpret this feature as a hole carved by the energetic winds of the evolving massive stars. The 13-CO hole seen in molecular maps at V_LSR ~95 km/s corresponds to near/far kinematic distances of 6.1/8.7+/-1 kpc. We calculate a mean spectrophotometric distance of 7.0^+3.7_-2.4 kpc, broadly consistent with the kinematic distances inferred. This location places it near the northern end of the Galactic bar. For the mean extinction of A_V=12.6+/-0.5 mag (A_K=1.5+/-0.1 mag), the color-magnitude diagram of probable cluster members is well fit by isochrones in the age range 18-24 Myr. The estimated cluster mass is ~20,000 Msun. With the most massive original cluster stars likely deceased, no strong radio emission is detected in this vicinity. As such, this RSG cluster is representative of adolescent massive Galactic clusters that lie hidden behind many magnitudes of dust obscuration. This cluster joins two similar red supergiant clusters as residents of the volatile region where the end of our Galaxy's bar joins the base of the Scutum-Crux piral arm, suggesting a recent episode of widespread massive star formation there.Comment: 26 pages; Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal 2009 March 13; Submitted 2008 November 6. Reports a concurrent discovery of the star cluster investigated by Clark et al. in arXiv:0903.175

A Student\u27s Guide to giant Viruses Infecting Small Eukaryotes: From Acanthamoeba to Zooxanthellae

The discovery of infectious particles that challenge conventional thoughts concerning “what is a virus” has led to the evolution a new field of study in the past decade. Here, we review knowledge and information concerning “giant viruses”, with a focus not only on some of the best studied systems, but also provide an effort to illuminate systems yet to be better resolved. We conclude by demonstrating that there is an abundance of new host–virus systems that fall into this “giant” category, demonstrating that this field of inquiry presents great opportunities for future research