Book Reviews

Creating a Local History Archive at Your Public Library. Faye Phillips. Paper Cadavers: The Archives of Dictatorship in Guatemala. Kirsten Weld. The Silence of the Archives. David Thomas, Simon Fowler, and Valerie Johnson. The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu and Their Race to Save the World\u27s Most Precious Manuscripts. Joshua Hammer. The International Business Archives Handbook: Understanding and Managing the Historical Records of Business. Edited by Alison Turton. Putting Descriptive Standards to Work. Edited by Kris Kiesling and Christopher J. Prom. Moving Image and Sound Collections for Archivists. Anthony Cocciolo

A novel curcumin-based vaginal cream Vacurin selectively eliminates apposed human cervical cancer cells

Objective. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide. In the U.S. strategies via screening and vaccination prevent HPV-associated cervical neoplasms, but consume im- mense healthcare costs. The spice component curcumin has potent anticancer and antiviral properties, which have been difficult to harness as a treatment, due to its poor systemic bioavailability. This project tests the possibility of developing a curcumin-based therapy for cervical cancer. Methods. Using four HPV(+) cervical cancer cell lines and normal fibroblasts we first tested the selectivity and potency of curcumin in eliminating HPV(+) cells. Subsequently, we developed a curcumin-based cervical cream and tested its efficacy in eliminating apposed HPV(+) cells and also its possible side effects on the vaginal epithelium of healthy mice. Results. Curcumin selectively eliminates a variety of HPV(+) cervical cancer cells (HeLa, ME-180, SiHa, and SW756), suppresses the transforming antigen E6, dramatically inhibits the expression of the pro-cancer protein epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and concomitantly induces p53. Additionally, Vacurin, a uniform colloidal solution of curcumin in a clinically used amphipathic vaginal cream, eliminates apposed HeLa cells while suppressing the expression of EGFR. In mice, daily intravaginal application of Vacurin for three weeks produced no change in body weight and when the mice were sacrificed, the vaginal tract epithelium showed no Vacurin-evoked adverse effects. Conclusion. We have developed a curcumin-based vaginal cream, which effectively eradicates HPV(+) cancer cells and does not affect non-cancerous tissue. Our preclinical data support a novel approach for the treatment of cervical HPV infection

Risk factors for chronic ulceration in patients with varicose veins: A case control study

Background/ObjectiveIdentifying which patients with varicose veins are at risk of progressing to more severe forms of chronic venous disease could help in assigning clinical priorities and targeting appropriate treatments. The aim of this study was to determine, in subjects with varicose veins, the characteristics of venous disease and other factors associated with an increased risk of ulceration.MethodsOne hundred twenty subjects with varicose veins and an open or healed venous leg ulcer were compared with 120 controls with varicose veins and no history of venous ulcer on this case control study. Subjects were recruited from hospital settings and primary care. Each subject completed a questionnaire on lifestyle and medical history and underwent an examination comprising of clinical classification of venous disease (CEAP), duplex scanning, quantitative digital photoplethysmography, and measurement of dorsiflexion. Multiple logistic regression analyses and calculation of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to identify the combination of factors which most accurately predicted which patients with varicose veins will develop leg ulcers.ResultsAn increased risk of ulceration was associated with the severity of clinical venous disease, especially with the presence of skin changes (P < .0001). Other significant risk factors included history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (P = .001), higher body mass index (BMI) (P = .006), smoking (P = .009), and reflux in the deep veins (P = .0001). Ulceration was associated with reduced volume of blood displaced as reflected by photoplethysmography and a limited range of ankle movement (not wholly due to the effects of an active ulcer) (both P < .05). Multivariate analyses showed that skin changes including lipodermatosclerosis (odds ratio [OR] 8.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44-54.8), corona phlebectatica (OR 4.52, 95% CI 1.81-11.3) and eczema (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.12-7.07), higher BMI (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.15), and popliteal vein reflux (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.03-7.75) remained independently associated with increased risk of ulceration while good dorsiflexion of the ankle (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.97) and an effective calf muscle pump (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92-0.99) remained protective factors. ROC curve analyses indicated that a model based on clinical observation of skin changes, duplex scanning for popliteal reflux, and calf muscle pump tests would be the most accurate in determining which patients with varicose veins develop leg ulcers.ConclusionsThe results of this study confirm that, in patients with varicose veins, those with skin changes of chronic venous insufficiency and deep vein incompetence are at greatly increased risk of ulceration. However, the risks may also be increased in those who smoke, are obese, and have restricted ankle movement and reduced calf muscle pump power

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Salamander Poster.pdf

The ritualized courtship of the Red-legged salamander, Plethodon shermani, has been studied extensively. Males and females possess brightly colored red legs, but little is known about the implications of this coloration on mate choice. An alternative hypothesis is that coloration may be used as a warning signal to predators. Animals were collected in North Carolina and scored for leg coloration (1-10). To test the hypothesis of mate choice, male and female animals varying in leg coloration were paired together in courtship trials and observed every 2 minutes. Linear regressions were performed on data collected to test the predictions that (1) leg color is sexually dimorphic, (2) females prefer males with red legs, and (3) red coloration is condition-dependent. These analyses determined that none of the predictions were sufficient support for the hypothesis of sexual selection for leg coloration; this lack of support gives strength to the alternative hypothesis of aposematic coloration by way of natural selection.Keywords: Natural Selection, Plethodon shermani, Courtship, Sexual Selection, Mate Choic

Variation in Leg Color Does Not Influence Courtship Success in the Red-legged Salamander, Plethodon shermani

The ritualized courtship of the Red-legged salamander, Plethodon shermani, has been studied extensively. Males and females possess brightly colored red legs, but little is known about the implications of this coloration on mate choice. An alternative hypothesis is that coloration may be used as a warning signal to predators. Animals were collected in North Carolina and scored for leg coloration (1-10). To test the hypothesis of mate choice, male and female animals varying in leg coloration were paired together in courtship trials and observed every 2 minutes. Linear regressions were performed on data collected to test the predictions that (1) leg color is sexually dimorphic, (2) females prefer males with red legs, and (3) red coloration is condition-dependent. These analyses determined that none of the predictions were sufficient support for the hypothesis of sexual selection for leg coloration; this lack of support gives strength to the alternative hypothesis of aposematic coloration by way of natural selection

Salamander Poster.pptx

The ritualized courtship of the Red-legged salamander, Plethodon shermani, has been studied extensively. Males and females possess brightly colored red legs, but little is known about the implications of this coloration on mate choice. An alternative hypothesis is that coloration may be used as a warning signal to predators. Animals were collected in North Carolina and scored for leg coloration (1-10). To test the hypothesis of mate choice, male and female animals varying in leg coloration were paired together in courtship trials and observed every 2 minutes. Linear regressions were performed on data collected to test the predictions that (1) leg color is sexually dimorphic, (2) females prefer males with red legs, and (3) red coloration is condition-dependent. These analyses determined that none of the predictions were sufficient support for the hypothesis of sexual selection for leg coloration; this lack of support gives strength to the alternative hypothesis of aposematic coloration by way of natural selection.Keywords: Natural Selection, Sexual Selection, Mate Choice, Plethodon shermani, Courtshi

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α and the Glycolytic Phenotype in Tumors

Metastatic tumors generally exhibit aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect). The advent of [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging, coupled with recent findings linking hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α) overexpression to aggressive cancers, has rekindled an interest in this aspect of tumor metabolism. These studies explore the role of HIF-1α in human breast cancer lines and its relationship to glycolytic regulation. Here we demonstrate that, under normal oxygen conditions, nonmetastatic cells consume less glucose and express low HIF-1α, whereas metastatic cells constitutively express high glycolysis and HIF-1α, suggesting that dysregulation of HIF-1α may induce the Warburg effect. This hypothesis was tested by renormalizing HIF-1α levels in renal carcinoma cells, leading to inhibition of aerobic glycolysis

Masculinity and Interpersonal Competencies: Contrasting White and African American Men

Masculinity ideologies inform expectations for how men should behave, and one important realm of behavior is that of interpersonal relationships. Conforming to Western-defined traditional male role norms has been linked to numerous aspects of relational health and functioning. However, as masculinity ideologies reflect the internalization of cultural beliefs and attitudes about men\u27s roles, the associations between masculine ideologies and interpersonal functioning could differ by racial cultural group. This study examined differences between White and African American men\u27s endorsements of traditional masculinity ideology and compared the associations between masculinity ideology and interpersonal competencies with relationship partners and coworkers. Although there were few differences in the endorsement of male role norms between the two groups, canonical correlations indicated different patterns of associations with coworkers and relationship partners for White and African American men. The endorsement of the Toughness role norm was strongly and inversely related to interpersonal competencies for White men, but was not significantly related to interpersonal competencies for African American men. The Status norm was inversely related to interpersonal competencies for White men, but positively related to competencies for African American men. Research and practice implications are discussed. © 2010 American Psychological Association