Therapy of cancer by insect cells containing recombinant baculovirus encoding genes

Provided are compositions and methods of use for insect cells comprising baculovirus encoding non-surface expressed proteins and peptides. The claimed invention particularly relates to compositions comprising insect cells containing baculovirus that express cytokines. Such compositions may be administered by, for example, direct intratumoral injection into tumors in mammals, resulting in tumor reduction or recission. Another aspect of the claimed invention concerns methods of promoting resistance to the reoccurence of tumors in mammals who have undergone such tumor recission. In a specific aspect of the claimed invention, the mammals are human subjects presenting with various forms of cancer.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Higgs Inflation and the Refined dS Conjecture

The refined de Sitter derivative conjecture provides constraints to potentials that are low energy effective theories of quantum gravity. It can give direct bounds on inflationary scenarios and determine whether the theory is in the Landscape or the Swampland. We consider the `Higgs inflation' scenario taking the refined de Sitter derivative conjecture into account. Obtaining the critical lines for the potential, we find a conjecture parameter space in which the `Higgs inflation' is to be in the Landscape. Comparing with the model independent observational bounds from recent data we find that the observational bounds represent the Higgs inflation can be in the Landscape.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Version to appear in PL

PEELING STRUCTURED SURFACES IN VISCOUS ENVIRONMENTS: THE ROLE OF DEFORMATION AND DRAINAGE CHANNELS

Tree frogs exhibit remarkable adhesion in completely flooded environments without the aid of chemical adhesives, interlocking supports, or capillary forces. This ability has been attributed to the specialized structures on their toe pads, which consist of a hexagonal array of hierarchical structures. The arrangement of these structures form drainage channels that aid in removing the fluid between the toe pad and surface to make rapid and reversible contact. While it has been shown that many animals, such as geckos, take advantage of patterned toe pads to enhance adhesion in dry and wet environments, less is known about how the drainage channels on the tree frog’s toe pads are able to modulate its adhesion in completely flooded environments. These insights could be relevant to many natural and industrial processes including hydrofracture, micro-contact printing, self-assembly and soft robotics. In addition to these structured surfaces, 1) their toe pads are highly deformable, 2) they approach a surface in the normal direction, but detach in a peeling mode, and 3) their toe pads are subject to both viscous forces and van der Waals interactions once in contact. To investigate this coupled phenomenon, we created a custom-made peeling apparatus to mimic the tree frog toe pad by using micro-patterned flexible plates (e.g. glass coverslips). We systematically deconstruct these coupled mechanisms by altering our samples or the fluid bath. By building the complexity methodically, we maintain a link between each new investigation and the results of the preceding study. First, we chose materials that minimize van der Waals forces to isolate the coupling between the mechanical properties of unpatterned plates (the Young’s modulus and the rigidity) and the viscous forces. We developed scaling arguments that explain how the peak force and work needed to separate the plate scale with the viscosity and rigidity. We also explain why deformable samples will further reduce the viscous forces compared to samples of the same rigidity. We then micro-fabricated rigid structures on these plates that do not alter the bulk mechanical properties of the plates, but create drainage channels that alter their approach and detachment from a bottom surface. We have found that structured surfaces reduced forces compared to flat samples, but only in regimes where the fluid can enter channels. We are able to correlate these regimes to the structure geometry. Finally, we fabricated the same structures out of a more deformable material which reduced the viscous forces further than their rigid counterparts. We attribute this reduction to the fluid flow around the pillars, as opposed to a mechanical response from the plate. Then, by coating these deformable structures in a silicate layer and changing the fluid, we amplify the van der Waals forces. We examine the competing effects of the structured surfaces, which reduce viscous forces, but enhance adhesion from van der Waals forces. We summarize how the mechanical properties of the plate, drainage channels and deformable structures alter the viscous forces and van der Waals forces associated with detaching in flooded environments

Histopathologic parameters as predictors of response to endoscopic sinus surgery in nonallergic patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the predictable value of histopathologic parameters in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) for response to endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). - - - - - STUDY DESIGN: Symptomatology was rated in 100 patients prior to as well as 12 and 24 months after surgery. Specimens taken during the procedure were examined and scored for goblet cells, subepithelial thickening, mast cells, and eosinophils. Multiple regression analysis was performed to predict the total score of subjective symptoms before treatment by histopathologic parameters. The correlation between histopathologic parameters and postoperative symptoms was then evaluated. - - - - - RESULTS: Goblet cells were the best predictor correlating with 5 symptoms. Subepithelial thickening correlated with 4 symptoms. Mast cell infiltration correlated with 3 symptoms. Eosinophilic infiltration correlated with only one symptom (P<0.05). - - - - - CONCLUSION: Certain histopathologic parameters in CRS are predictive of favorable response to ESS. - - - - - SIGNIFICANCE: Pathologic evaluation may help the ENT surgeon to predict the persistence of certain CRS symptoms after ESS, even in patients at low risk for surgical failure. - - - - - EBM rating: C-4