491 research outputs found
Eastern Illinois State College - Fifty Years of Public Service
This book is a narrative of the Eastern Illinois State College at
Charleston, Illinois. I t does not attempt to interpret Eastern\u27s role
in our national educational development. The writer has not used
the story of Eastern as a means for expounding educational doctrine,
and he hopes that his own pedagogical theories have not intruded
themselves in these pages.
The book has been written for the former \u27students and teachers
of Eastern and for the present and future sons and daughters of the
school. Those who come to Eastern in the years ahead may find in
these pages some hint of the forces and personalities which have made
the school and some understanding of the school\u27s traditions. Eastern
is a good school and here, at least in part, is why.https://thekeep.eiu.edu/eiu_history/1001/thumbnail.jp
Aspetti dell'alimentazione di alcune specie di selaci del Canale di Sicilia
I Selaci occupano gli ultimi livelli delle reti trofiche marine: si tratta infatti di carnivori
che, spesso, predano risorse utili anche all'uomo. Numerose specie demersali (squali,
razze e torpedini) si alimentano, infatti, con organismi di interesse commerciale come
Aristeidi, Peneidi, Cefalopodi e Pesci ossei.
Le abitudini alimentari dei Selaci demersali del Canale di Sicilia sono quasi
completamente sc
onosciute; esistono in letteratura i lavori di Capapé relativi alle acque
tunisine, che si limitano ad una descrizione puramente qualitativa delle diete ma che
hanno tuttavia evidenziato preferenze verso Crostacei Decapodi, Cefalopodi e Teleostei.
Lo studio dei contenuti stomacali dei Selaci può fornire dunque elementi utili alla
comprensione delle reti trofiche demersali, all'indagine sull'esistenza di competizione tra
le diverse specie e allo studio dell'interferenza con prede di valore commerciale
Clinical outcomes of endurant II stent-graft for infrarenal aortic aneurysm repair: Comparison of on-label versus off-label use
PURPOSE We aimed to compare the outcomes of the Endurant II (Medtronic) stent-graft used under instructions for use versus off-label in high-risk patients considered unfit for conventional surgery. METHODS Data from patients treated with the Endurant II stent-graft between December 2012 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Sixty-four patients were included. Patients were assigned to group A if treated under instructions for use (n=34, 53%) and to group B if treated off-label (n=30, 47%). Outcome measures included perioperative mortality and morbidity, survival, freedom from reintervention, endoleak incidence, in-hospital length of stay, and mean stent-graft component used. Mean follow-up was 22.61±12 months (median, 21.06 months; range, 0–43 months). RESULTS One perioperative mortality (1.6%) and one perioperative complication (1.6%) occurred in group B. At two months follow-up, one iliac limb occlusion (1.6%) occurred in group A. No type I/III endoleaks were recorded. A type II endoleak was identified in three cases (4.7%). Overall survival at three years was 89% (97% for group A, 82% for group B; P = 0.428). Reintervention-free survival at three years was 97% for both groups (P = 0.991). A longer in-hospital stay was observed in group B (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION The Endurant II (Medtronic) new generation device was safe in off-label setting at mid-term follow-up. The off-label use of the Endurant II (Medtronic) is justified in patients considered unfit for conventional surgery. Larger studies are required in this subgroup of patients
Can the plasma PD-1 levels predict the presence and efficiency of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in patients with metastatic melanoma?
Background: The immune response in melanoma patients is locally affected by presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), generally divided into brisk, nonbrisk, and absent. Several studies have shown that a greater presence of TILs, especially brisk, in primary melanoma is associated with a better prognosis and higher survival rate. Patients and Methods: We investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) the correlation between PD-1 levels in plasma and the presence/absence of TILs in 28 patients with metastatic melanoma. Results: Low plasma PD-1 levels were correlated with brisk TILs in primary melanoma, whereas intermediate values correlated with the nonbrisk TILs, and high PD-1 levels with absent TILs. Although the low number of samples did not allow us to obtain a statistically significant correlation between the plasma PD-1 levels and the patients' overall survival depending on the absence/presence of TILs, the median survival of patients having brisk type TILs was 5 months higher than that of patients with absent and nonbrisk TILs. Conclusions: This work highlights the ability of measuring the plasma PD-1 levels in order to predict the prognosis of patients with untreated metastatic melanoma without a BRAF mutation at the time of diagnosis
Structural characterization of carboxyatractyloside and acaricidal activity of natural ent-kaurene diterpenoids isolated from Chamaeleon gummifer against Tetranychus urticae
Plant-borne secondary metabolites are attracting high interest for their potential use in agricultural applications, with special
reference to the control of arthropod pests. In the present work, the structural elucidation of glycosylated diterpenoid carboxyatractyloside
(2) isolated from the roots of Chamaeleon gummifer Cass. (Asteraceae) is reported by means of spectroscopic
and spectrometric techniques. Complete identification occurred thanks to one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments,
assigning the single protons and carbons, and the stereochemistry by the NOESY correlations. Carboxyatractyloside (2),
together with two ent-kaurenes atractyloside (1) and atractyligenin (3), extracted from the roots of C. gummifer, have been
tested for their acaricidal and oviposition inhibition activity against the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch
(Acari: Tetranychidae) Notably, compounds 1–3 were toxic to T. urticae, leading to significant mortality, oviposition inhibition,
reduced hatchability of eggs, and natality inhibition. However, at the lowest dose (12.5 μg cm−
2) compound 2 was
the most effective, leading to mortality > 60% after 5 days exposure, inhibiting oviposition by > 70% and egg hatching by
33%; it also reduced natality by 80%. Overall, these compounds represent valuable candidates to develop novel acaricides
for crop protection. Further research on how to develop stable formulations for field use, as well as on non-target effects of
these compounds on pollinators and mite biocontrol agents, is ongoing
Beyond evidence-based data: Scientific rationale and tumor behavior to drive sequential and personalized therapeutic strategies for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma
The recent advances in identification of the molecular mechanisms related to tumorigenesis and angiogenesis, along with the understanding of molecular alterations involved in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) pathogenesis, has allowed the development of several new drugs which have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). This process has resulted in clinically significant improvements in median overall survival and an increasing number of patients undergoes two or even three lines of therapy. Therefore, it is necessary a long-term perspective of the treatment: Planning a sequential and personalized therapeutic strategy to improve clinical outcome, the potential to achieve long-term response, and to preserve quality of life (QOL), minimizing treatment-related toxicity and transforming mRCC into a chronically treatable condition. Because of the challenges still encountered to draw an optimal therapeutic sequence, the main focus of this article will be to propose the optimal sequencing of existing, approved, oral targeted agents for the treatment of mRCC using evidencebased data along with the knowledge available on the tumor behavior and mechanisms of resistance to anti-angiogenic treatment to provide complementary information and to help the clinicians to maximize the effectiveness of targeted agents in the treatment of mRCC
Adhesive root hairs facilitate Posidonia oceanica seedling settlement on rocky substrates
Posidonia oceanica, the dominant Mediterranean seagrass, has been historically described as a species typically growing on mobile substrates whose development requires precursor communities. During more than 10 years of direct observations, we noticed that P. oceanica seedlings were often firmly anchored to rocky reefs, even at exposed sites. Thus, we analysed the ultrastructural features of seedling root systems to identify specific traits that may represent adaptations for early seedling anchorage on rocky bottoms.
Subapical sections of adventitious roots were obtained from 2-3 months old specimens collected in the field and were observed at SEM revealing an extensive coverage of adhesive root hairs with a maximum length of 2400 μm. Hairs were provided with an enlarged tips with a maximum width of 78.3 μm, which extended the contact area between the hair tip and the substrate.
To test whether adhesive root hairs may facilitate P. oceanica seedlings establishment on rocky substrates, a manipulative experiment was performed. 360 seedlings were reared for 5 months in a land-based culture facility under simulated natural hydrodynamic conditions to identify suitable substrates for early seedling anchorage. Two main substrate features were investigated: firmness (i.e., sand vs. rock) and complexity (i.e., size of interstitial spaces between rocks). Anchorage was strongly influenced by substrate firmness and occurred only on rocks through adhesion by sticky root hairs. Percentage of anchored seedlings on rocks was as high as 89%. The minimum force required to dislodge plantlets attached to rocky substrates reached 23.8 N, which would potentially allow many plantlets to overcome winter storms in the field. The ability of rocky substrates to retain seedlings increased with their complexity. The interstitial spaces between rocks provided appropriate microsites for seedling settlement, as seeds were successfully retained and a suitable substrate for anchorage was available.
Adhesive root hairs allowed fast and strong seedling anchorage to consolidated substrates when the root system was not yet developed. This mechanism could favour plant recruitment on rocky substrates with respect to mobile ones, in contrast with traditional paradigms. Such an adaptation leads to hypothesize a new microsite driven bottleneck in P. oceanica seedling survival linked to substrate features
Beyond evidence-based data: Scientific rationale and tumor behavior to drive sequential and personalized therapeutic strategies for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma
none8noThe recent advances in identification of the molecular mechanisms related to tumorigenesis and angiogenesis, along with the understanding of molecular alterations involved in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) pathogenesis, has allowed the development of several new drugs which have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). This process has resulted in clinically significant improvements in median overall survival and an increasing number of patients undergoes two or even three lines of therapy. Therefore, it is necessary a long-term perspective of the treatment: Planning a sequential and personalized therapeutic strategy to improve clinical outcome, the potential to achieve long-term response, and to preserve quality of life (QOL), minimizing treatment-related toxicity and transforming mRCC into a chronically treatable condition. Because of the challenges still encountered to draw an optimal therapeutic sequence, the main focus of this article will be to propose the optimal sequencing of existing, approved, oral targeted agents for the treatment of mRCC using evidencebased data along with the knowledge available on the tumor behavior and mechanisms of resistance to anti-angiogenic treatment to provide complementary information and to help the clinicians to maximize the effectiveness of targeted agents in the treatment of mRCC.openIncorvaia L.; Bronte G.; Bazan V.; Badalamenti G.; Rizzo S.; Pantuso G.; Natoli C.; Russo A.Incorvaia, L.; Bronte, G.; Bazan, V.; Badalamenti, G.; Rizzo, S.; Pantuso, G.; Natoli, C.; Russo, A
Everolimus as first line therapy for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours: current knowledge and future perspectives
urpose
Everolimus has been shown to be effective for
advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNETs), but
its positioning in the therapeutic algorithm for pNETs is
matter of debate.
Methods
With the aim to shed light on this point, we performed an up-to-date critical review taking into account the results of both retrospective and prospective published
studies, and the recommendations of international guidelines. In addition, we performed an extensive search on the
Clinical Trial Registries databases worldwide, to gather
information on the ongoing clinical trials related to this
specific topic. Results
We identified eight retrospective published studies,
two prospective published studies, and five registered clinical trials. Moreover, we analyzed the content of four wide-spread international guidelines.
Conclusions
Our critical review confirms the lack of high-quality data to recommend everolimus as the first line therapy for pNETs. The ongoing clinical trials reported in this
review will hopefully help clinicians, in the near future, to better evaluate the role of everolimus as the first line therapy for pNETs. However, at the moment, there is already enough evidence to recommend everolimus as the first line
therapy for patients with symptomatic malignant unresectable insulin-secreting pNETs, to control the endocrine syndrome regardless of tumour growth
The alien vascular flora of the Pantelleria Island National Park (Sicily Channel, Italy): new insights into the distribution of some potentially invasive species
Pantelleria is a volcanic island located in the Sicily Channel (Italy), between Sicily
and Tunisia. The island, designated a National Park in 2016, hosts an interesting
vascular flora of over 600 species including 9 narrow endemics. The island’s
incredible biodiversity is, however, at risk due to anthropogenic influences, climate
change, and, recently, the presence and spread of alien plant species. The
Pantelleria alien flora has never been thoroughly investigated, probably because
many non-native species were not yet present or so widespread on the island. Now,
however, with the increased general awareness of the risks associated with invasive
alien species, documentation of the presence of non-native species has been
steadily increasing. In this study, field and literature research was carried out to
investigate the alien flora of the island. Here, we report the status of a number of
non-native plants with known invasive potential. Cenchrus setaceus (=Pennisetum
setaceum) is reported for the first time as naturalized in the island with clear
invasive behaviour, while, particularly remarkable for their invasive potential are
other studied plants such as: Acacia saligna, Ailanthus altissima, Boheravia
coccinea, Carpobrotus edulis, Leucaena leucocephala subsp. glabrata, Malephora
crocea, Melia azedarach, Nicotiana glauca, Opuntia ficus-indica, Parkinsonia
aculeata, Washingtonia robusta and a few others less important at the moment, but
to be monitored. Although most taxa showed a relatively limited distribution, the
trend is to observe an increased invasiveness, which indicates that they can
potentially become invasive in Pantelleria as well in the next years or decades.
Their limited current distribution suggests that these species are in the early stages
of the general invasion curve, when intervention is feasible and most likely to
succeed. Therefore, it is most prudent to prioritize management for as many
potentially problematic nonnatives as possible, which will contribute greatly to the
conservation of native species and ecosystems of Pantelleria. Prevention and
management of invasive non-native species—both future arrivals and those already
present—are necessary to preserve the peculiar volcanic landscape of Pantelleria,
which was shaped by man over the last millennia
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