Reflective Functioning and Adolescent Psychological Adaptation: The Validity of the Reflective Functioning Scale-Adolescent Version

Adolescence is a critical period of rapid biological and social development and early signs of adult mental disorders emerge during this life stage. Previous studies suggest that mentalizing failures, specifically difficulties in reflective functioning (RF) are linked with psychological symptoms. However, relatively little is known about the association between RF and psychological adaptation in typical development. In this study, the relationship between RF, internalizing and externalizing symptoms were investigated in 95 adolescents using the revised Reflective Functioning Scale–Adolescent version. Results indicate that RF is associated with more self-reported internalizing symptoms. Moreover, the relationship between RF and externalizing symptoms are accounted for by the co-occurrence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in typically developing adolescents. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for future studies are presented

Secondary replicative function of CD8+ T cells that had developed an effector phenotype

Models of the differentiation of memory CD8+ T cells that replicate during secondary infections differ over whether such cells had acquired effector function during primary infections. We created a transgenic mouse line that permits mapping of the fate of granzyme B (gzmB)-expressing CD8+ T cells and their progeny by indelibly marking them with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP). Virus-specific CD8+ T cells express gzmB within the first 2 days of a primary response to infection with influenza, without impairment of continued primary clonal expansion. On secondary infection, virus-specific CD8+ T cells that became EYFP+ during a primary infection clonally expand as well as all virus-specific CD8+ T cells. Thus, CD8+ T cells that have acquired an effector phenotype during primary infection may function as memory cells with replicative function

The response of leptin, interleukin-6 and fat oxidation to feeding in weight-losing patients with pancreatic cancer

At baseline, weight-losing pancreatic cancer patients (n=7) had lower leptin (P<0.05) but higher cortisol, interleukin-6, resting energy expenditure and fat oxidation than healthy subjects (n=6, P<0.05). Over a 4 h feeding period, the areas under the curve for glucose, cortisol and interleukin-6 were greater (P<0.05), but less for leptin in the cancer group (P<0.05). Therefore, it would appear that low leptin concentrations, increased fat oxidation and insulin resistance are associated with increased concentrations of cortisol and interleukin-6 in weight-losing patients with pancreatic cancer

Serum Concentrations of Myostatin and Myostatin-Interacting Proteins do not differ between young and Scarcopenic elderly men

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Targeting CXCL12 from FAP-expressing carcinoma-associated fibroblasts synergizes with anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer

An autochthonous model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) permitted the analysis of why immunotherapy is ineffective in this human disease. Despite finding that PDA-bearing mice had cancer cell-specific CD8+ T cells, the mice, like human patients with PDA, did not respond to two immunological checkpoint antagonists that promote the function of T cells: anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (α-CTLA-4) and α-programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (α-PD-L1). Immune control of PDA growth was achieved, however, by depleting carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that express fibroblast activation protein (FAP). The depletion of the FAP+ stromal cell also uncovered the antitumor effects of α-CTLA-4 and α-PD-L1, indicating that its immune suppressive activity accounts for the failure of these T-cell checkpoint antagonists. Three findings suggested that chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12) explained the overriding immunosuppression by the FAP+ cell: T cells were absent from regions of the tumor containing cancer cells, cancer cells were coated with the chemokine, CXCL12, and the FAP+ CAF was the principal source of CXCL12 in the tumor. Administering AMD3100, a CXCL12 receptor chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 inhibitor, induced rapid T-cell accumulation among cancer cells and acted synergistically with α-PD-L1 to greatly diminish cancer cells, which were identified by their loss of heterozygosity of Trp53 gene. The residual tumor was composed only of premalignant epithelial cells and in flammatory cells. Thus, a single protein, CXCL12, from a single stromal cell type, the FAP+ CAF, may direct tumor immune evasion in a model of human PDA

The uniting of Europe and the foundation of EU studies: revisiting the neofunctionalism of Ernst B. Haas

This article suggests that the neofunctionalist theoretical legacy left by Ernst B. Haas is somewhat richer and more prescient than many contemporary discussants allow. The article develops an argument for routine and detailed re-reading of the corpus of neofunctionalist work (and that of Haas in particular), not only to disabuse contemporary students and scholars of the normally static and stylized reading that discussion of the theory provokes, but also to suggest that the conceptual repertoire of neofunctionalism is able to speak directly to current EU studies and comparative regionalism. Neofunctionalism is situated in its social scientific context before the theory's supposed erroneous reliance on the concept of 'spillover' is discussed critically. A case is then made for viewing Haas's neofunctionalism as a dynamic theory that not only corresponded to established social scientific norms, but did so in ways that were consistent with disciplinary openness and pluralism

Secondary containment system for a high tritium research cryostat

A 4.2- to 300-K liquid helium cryostat was constructed for cryogenic samples of D-T containing up to 4 x 10$sup 14$ dis/s (10,000 Ci) of tritium radioactivity. The cryostat is enclosed in a secondary box, which acts as the ultimate container in case of a tritium release. Dry argon is flushed through the box, and the box atmosphere is monitored for tritium, oxygen, and water vapor. A rupture disk and abort tank protect the box atmosphere in case the sample cell breaks. If tritium breaks into the box, a powdered uranium getter trap reduces the 4 x 10$sup 14$ dis/s (10,000 Ci) to 4 x 10$sup 9$ dis/s (0.1 Ci) in 24 h. A backup palladium-zeolite getter system goes into operation if an overabundance of oxygen contaminates the uranium getter. (auth

Personal values, social capital, and higher education student career decidedness: a new 'protean'-informed model

This study investigates the role of personal values as motivational antecedents for understanding HE student career decidedness among university business school (UBS) students. We propose a new ‘protean’ informed HE student career decidedness model for theorizing how both personal values and social capital mediators (student social capital; personal, social and enterprise skills; access to resources) help in the student-centric and self-directed processes of career decision-making. A mixed methods study combines a (stage 1) survey of 308 UBS students from five (UK) university business schools, with results from (stage 2) four student focus groups, and (stage 3) two staff-student interactive seminars. From an employability perspective, arguably, the ultimate responsibility for becoming a ‘protean graduate’ rests with each UBS student, whilst the obligation of HE staff is to effectively facilitate and nurture all possible personal growth and skills development opportunities