The Reluctance of Cattle to Change a Learned Choice May Confound Preference Tests

The conclusion of the article states "it appears that previously learned choices may affect future choices in Y-mazes for cattle. Another area that needs to be researched is the effects of a mildly aversive treatment versus a severely aversive treatment on the tendency of a bovine to resist changing a learned choice"

Ski Promotes Tumor Growth Through Abrogation of Transforming Growth Factor-?? Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer

Objective: We hypothesized that human pancreatic cancer resists TGF-β signaling and cell death through increased Ski expression. Summary Background Data: Ski is an oncogenic protein that acts as a TGF-β repressor and prevents related gene transcription. Previous work suggests that Ski acts as an oncoprotein in melanoma and esophageal cancer. Ski expression and function have not been determined in human pancreatic cancer. Methods: Immunohistochemistry and immunoblots assessed Ski expression in human pancreatic cancer. Panc-1 cells were treated with or without Ski siRNA, and Ski and Smad protein expression, transcriptional reporter activation, and growth assays were determined. Panc-1 cells were inoculated in the flank of nude mice and tumor volume and histology assessed after administration of Ski siRNA or control vector. Results: Ski was abundantly expressed in human pancreatic cancer specimens assessed by immunohistochemistry (91%) and immunoblot analysis (67%). Panc-1 cells exhibited nascent Ski expression that was maximally inhibited 48 hours after transfection with Ski siRNA. TGF-β transcriptional activity was increased 2.5-fold in Ski siRNA-treated cells compared with control (P < 0.05). Ski siRNA increased TGF-β-induced Smad2 phosphorylation and p21 expression. Panc-1 growth in culture was decreased 2-fold at 72 hours. A Ski siRNA expression vector injected into nude mice resulted in a 5-fold decrease in growth. Conclusion: Inhibition of Ski through RNA interference restored TGF-β signaling and growth inhibition in vitro, and decreased tumor growth in vivo

Pollution Prevention Manual for Lithographic Printers

https://scholarworks.uni.edu/iwrc_facbook/1014/thumbnail.jp

Hvordan opplever personer som er utsatt for seksuelle overgrep i barndommen å bli møtt av hjelpetilbud - Hva oppleves som hjelpsomme og mindre hjelpsomme tilbud?

Foreliggende studie undersøker hva voksne utsatt for seksuelle overgrep som barn (SOB) i ettertid oppfatter som hjelpsomt og mindre hjelpsomt i møte med hjelpetilbud og hjelpere, og i tillegg hvordan de ideelt sett ønsker at utsatte for SOB skal bli møtt. Datainnsamlingen foregikk ved at besøkende ved fem støttesentre i Norge besvarte anonyme spørreskjemaer, bestående av åpne og lukkede spørsmål. Totalt 22 informanter oppfylte inklusjonskriteriet om å ha vært utsatt for seksuelle overgrep før fylte 18 år. Et mixed-metode design med fortolkende fenomenologisk analyse og deskriptiv statistikk ble benyttet. Studien viste at mest hjelpsomme erfaringer var god tilgjengelighet og tilrettelegging av hjelpetilbud og muligheten til å snakke åpent. En hjelpsom hjelper viste forståelse, ivaretakelse, trygghet, spurte direkte om overgrep og formidlet kunnskap om SOB. Minst hjelpsomme erfaringer var lang ventetid og vanskelig tilgjengelighet i hjelpetilbud og at hjelper hadde manglende kunnskap og uttrykte nedlatende og ikke-forstående adferd og utsagn relatert til SOB. Studien viser at økt kunnskap om SOB er viktig både for utsatte og deres hjelpere for at utsatte kan få den hjelp de trenger, og at de kan bli møtt av hjelpere som både har kunnskap om SOB og kan imøtekomme utsatte på respektfulle og lyttende måter. Nøkkelord: seksuelle overgrep mot barn, utsatte, hjelpsomme hjelpetilbud, mindre hjelpsomme hjelpetilbud, hjelpetilbud, SMISO, hjelpe

Primary Pancreatic Lymphoma in Korea-A Single Center Experience

The aim of this study was to report a single center experience of primary pancreatic lymphoma (PPL) in Korea. We analyzed the clinicopathological data from four PPL patients (three male, median age 36 yr) diagnosed from 1997 to 2007 at Seoul National University Hospital. The diagnoses were: diffuse large B cell lymphoma (n=2), Ki-1 (+) anaplastic large cell lymphoma (n=1), and Burkitt lymphoma (n=1). Presenting symptoms and signs were: abdominal pain (n=4), pancreatitis (n=2), weight loss (n=2) and abdominal mass (n=1). No patient underwent surgery. The Ann Arbor stages of the patients were: IEA (n=1), IIEA (n=1), and IVEB (n=2). Two patients underwent treatment. The stage IEA patient underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy that resulted in a complete remission. The stage IVEB patient who underwent chemotherapy relapsed. This patient underwent subsequent peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and is alive at 30 months. Two patients (stages IVEB and IIEA) without treatment died at 0.8 and 7.0 months, respectively. For PPL patients, chemotherapy-based treatment, and addition of radiation therapy, if possible, may offer good prognosis

Basal reactive oxygen species determine the susceptibility to apoptosis in cirrhotic hepatocytes

Hepatocytes from cirrhotic murine livers exhibit increased basal ROS activity and resistance to TGFβ-induced apoptosis, yet when ROS levels are decreased by antioxidant pretreatment, these cells recover susceptibility to apoptotic stimuli. To further study these redox events, hepatocytes from cirrhotic murine livers were pretreated with various antioxidants prior to TGFβ treatment and the ROS activity, apoptotic response, and mitochondrial ROS generation were assessed. In addition, normal hepatocytes were treated with low-dose H2O2 and ROS and apoptotic responses determined. Treatment of cirrhotic hepatocytes with various antioxidants decreased basal ROS and rendered them susceptible to apoptosis. Examination of normal hepatocytes by confocal microscopy demonstrated co-localization of ROS activity and respiring mitochondria. Basal assessment of cirrhotic hepatocytes showed non-focal ROS activity that was abolished by antioxidants. After pretreatment with an adenovirus expressing MnSOD, basal cirrhotic hepatocyte ROS was decreased and TGFβ-induced co-localization of ROS and mitochondrial respiration was present. Treatment of normal hepatocytes with H2O2 resulted in a sustained increase in ROS and resistance to TGFβ apoptosis that was reversed when these cells were pretreated with an antioxidant. In conclusion, cirrhotic hepatocytes have a non-focal distribution of ROS. However, normal and cirrhotic hepatocytes exhibit mitochondrial localization of ROS that is necessary for apoptosis

Technology Enhanced Writing Therapy for People with Aphasia: Results of a Quasi-Randomised Waitlist Controlled Study

Background: Acquired writing impairment, or dysgraphia, is common in aphasia. It affects both handwriting and typing, and may recover less well than other aphasic symptoms. Dysgraphia is an increasing priority for intervention, particularly for those wishing to participate in online written communication. Effective dysgraphia treatment studies have been reported, but many did not target, or did not achieve, improvements in functional writing. Functional outcomes might be promoted by therapies that exploit digital technologies, such as voice recognition and word prediction software. Aims: This study evaluated the benefits of technology enhanced writing therapy for people with acquired dysgraphia. It aimed to explore the impact of therapy on a functional writing activity, and to examine whether treatment remediated or compensated for the writing impairment. The primary question was: Does therapy improve performance on a functional assessment of writing; and, if so, do gains occur only when writing is assisted by technology? Secondary measures examined whether therapy improved unassisted written naming, functional communication, mood and quality of life. Methods & Procedures: The study employed a quasi randomised waitlist controlled design. 21 people with dysgraphia received 12 hours of writing therapy, either immediately, or after a 6 week delay. The primary outcome measure was a functional assessment of writing, which was administered in handwriting and on a computer with assistive technology enabled. Secondary measures were: The Boston Naming Test (written version), Communication Activities of Daily Living - 2, Visual Analogue Mood Scales (Sad question), and the Assessment of Living with Aphasia. ANOVA analyses were used to examine change on the outcome measures over two time points, between which the immediate group had received therapy, but the delayed group had not. Pre therapy, post therapy and follow up scores on the measures were also examined for all participants. Outcomes & Results: Time x group interactions in the ANOVA analyses showed that therapy improved performance on the functional writing assessment. Further interactions with condition showed that gains occurred only when writing was assisted by technology. There were no significant interactions in the analyses of the secondary outcome measures. A treatment effect on these measures was therefore unconfirmed. Conclusions & Implications. This study showed that 21 people with dysgraphia improved on a functional writing measure following therapy using assistive technology. The results suggest that treatment compensated for, rather than remediated the impairment, given that unassisted writing did not change. Further studies of technology enhanced writing therapy are warranted. What this paper adds What is known already: Writing abilities are typically impaired in aphasia, and may recover less well than other language modalities. Many previous writing therapy studies did not achieve functional gains on everyday writing tasks. What this study adds: This study shows that mainstream digital technologies, such as speech to text software, can be used in therapy to help compensate for writing impairments. Gains were shown on a functional task (writing emails) after 12 hours of treatment. Clinical implications: With specific training, people with aphasia can learn to use mainstream technologies in order to support writing. Greater use of such technologies could be made in practice

Transforming growth factor beta mediates hepatocyte apoptosis through Smad3 generation of reactive oxygen species

TGFβ induces hepatocyte apoptosis via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), and caspase activation. The role of the Smad pathway in these events is unknown. In this study primary hepatocytes were isolated from Smad3 wild-type (+/+) and knockout (−/−) mice, and were treated with TGFβ (5 ng/ml) and/or trolox (2 mM). ROS generation, MPT, TGFβ-dependent transcription, and apoptosis were assessed in the presence or absence of Smad3 wild-type (WT) and dominant-negative (DN) plasmids. With TGFβ treatment, Smad3 (−/−) hepatocytes did not generate ROS activity, exhibit MPT, activate caspases, or undergo apoptosis when compared to Smad 3 (+/+) hepatocytes. Similarly, transfection of Smad3 (+/+) hepatocytes with DN-Smad3 inhibited TGFβ-mediated transcription, ROS generation, MPT, and apoptosis. However, Smad3 (−/−) cells transfected with WT-Smad3 and treated with TGFβ demonstrated increased transcriptional activity, the MPT, and TGFβ-induced apoptosis. TGFβ-mediated ROS generation occurred through an NADPH–like oxidase pathway since diphenyleneiodonium chloride inhibited ROS induction. In conclusion, TGFβ-induced hepatocyte apoptosis occurs through Smad3 dependent activation of ROS with subsequent activation of the MPT and caspases