Embryos: Children or Commodities?

In the United States of America, about one of six couples is unable to conceive a child after trying for a year (Caplan, 1986). An epidemic rise of infertility has led to increased demand for medically assisted reproduction. At the forefront of reproduction technologies is in vitro fertilization (IVF). Yet IVF has led to thousands of frozen embryos whose fate is the source of a national debate. This paper will discuss the source o

Latino Immigration and Meatpacking in the Rural Midwest : An Inventory of Community Impacts and Responses

The Latinos in Missouri occasional paper series grew out of the writing experiences of graduate students in Rural Sociology 406: The Sociology of GlobalizationIncludes bibliographical references.This paper discusses Latino immigration to the rural Midwest as one micro effect of the macro process of economic globalization. Impacts of Latino immigrants moving into rural communities, and what communities have done in response to immigration are identified from case study literature and other sources. The author presents a summarized inventory of community impacts and responses, compares these trends to recent demographic changes in Missouri, and identifies opportunities for research and policy development in areas of community and economic development

Engaging Youth as Influencers in Leadership Event Planning

Contemporary youth development requires a new approach to involving youth in more active, engaging, and influential leadership roles. Teens and youth program professionals recognize the need young leaders have for more mentorship and accountability from adults to grow into their leadership potential. This paper specifically addresses how youth development professionals can engage student leadership teams in co-designing experiences for teens through the role of influencers. In this role, young leaders radiate their influence both laterally among their peers and vertically among adult leaders, developing stronger networks and gaining valuable experience. This paper draws observations from two state-level programs, the Missouri FFA Leadership Camp and the Missouri 4-H Youth Civic Leaders Summit, as examples of effective and productive practice. The authors provide recommendations on how adult practitioners can gain buy-in from other adult coordinators, incorporate youth as influencers in leadership event planning, and foster positive youth development in the process

Treating cisplatin-resistant cancer: a systematic analysis of oxaliplatin or paclitaxel salvage chemotherapy

Objective: To examine the pre-clinical and clinical evidence for the use of oxaliplatin or paclitaxel salvage chemotherapy in patients with cisplatin-resistant cancer. Methods: Medline was searched for 1) Cell models of acquired resistance reporting cisplatin, oxaliplatin and paclitaxel sensitivities and 2) Clinical trials of single agent oxaliplatin or paclitaxel salvage therapy for cisplatin/carboplatin-resistant ovarian cancer. Results: Oxaliplatin - Oxaliplatin is widely regarded as being active in cisplatin-resistant cancer. In contrast, data in cell models suggests that there is cross-resistance between cisplatin and oxaliplatin in cellular models with resistance levels which reflect clinical resistance (<10 fold). Oxaliplatin as a single agent had a poor response rate in patients with cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer (8%, n=91). Oxaliplatin performed better in combination with other agents for the treatment of platinum-resistant cancer suggesting that the benefit of oxaliplatin may lie in its more favourable toxicity and ability to be combined with other drugs rather than an underlying activity in cisplatin resistance. Oxaliplatin therefore should not be considered broadly active in cisplatin-resistant cancer. Paclitaxel – Cellular data suggests that paclitaxel is active in cisplatin-resistant cancer. 68.1% of cisplatin-resistant cells were sensitive to paclitaxel. Paclitaxel as a single agent had a response rate of 22% in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (n = 1918), a significant increase from the response of oxaliplatin (p<0.01). Paclitaxel-resistant cells were also sensitive to cisplatin, suggesting that alternating between agents may be beneficial. Studies of single agent paclitaxel in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer where patients had previously received paclitaxel had an improved response rate of 35.3% n=232 (p<0.01), suggesting that pre-treatment with paclitaxel improves the response of salvage paclitaxel therapy. Conclusions: Cellular models reflect the resistance observed in the clinic as the cross resistant agent oxaliplatin has a lower response rate compared to the non-cross resistant agent paclitaxel in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer. Alternating therapy with cisplatin and paclitaxel may therefore lead to an improved response rate in ovarian cancer

Soybean hay for fattening lambs

The use of soybeans in the Corn Belt has increased considerably in recent years. The ground seed and oilmeal prepared from it, have been quite extensively used for supplemental feeding. Soybeans have likewise been successfully planted along with corn, either for sheeping-down, hogging-down, or silage production purposes. The field of usefulness for soybeans is enlarging to the economic advantage of Iowa farming enterprises. The practical possibilities of growing soybeans for hay are worthy of attention; it was with the idea of determining the relative value of soybean hay, either whole or ground, as compared to clover hay in the ration of fattening lambs, that the experiment reported herein was planned and conducted

EFFECT OF LEVEL OF AMPUTATION ON POSTURAL STEADINESS AMONG LOWER EXTREMITY AMPUTEES

Abstract INTRODUCTION Increased rate of fall, reduced balance confidence and increased fear of falling is reported for lower extremity amputees.1 Fall rate also increases at higher levels of amputation1. This study aims to compare postural steadiness of different levels of lower extremity amputees through comparison of time and frequency domain variables of postural sway. Abstract PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/32015/24434 How to cite: Medema A, Henness D, Steinhorst K, Moauro R, Reuland M, Whelan R, Kester S, Bateni H. EFFECT OF LEVEL OF AMPUTATION ON POSTURAL STEADINESS AMONG LOWER EXTREMITY AMPUTEES. CANADIAN PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.3201

Evaluation of Test Characteristics for Outcome Measures Used in Raynaud's Phenomenon Clinical Trials

Objective Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) have shown conflicting efficacy data. Also, there is no consensus on the outcome measures that should be used. Our objectives were to assess the reliability of individual core set measures used in 3 RCTs, evaluate the placebo response for individual core set measures, and determine if a composite of individual core set measures will decrease the placebo response, which may improve our ability to see treatment effects in future trials. Methods We analyzed core set measures from 249 patients in the placebo‐treated groups from 3 RCTs. Core set measures analyzed included the Raynaud's Condition Score (RCS); patient and physician assessment of RP; pain, numbness, and tingling during an RP attack; average number of attacks/day; and duration of attacks. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated during the run‐in period to the RCTs. Results ICCs of ≥0.70 were observed for the RCS, attack symptoms, and average attacks/day. A high placebo response rate was observed for all individual core measures except the duration of attacks. For the RCS, the placebo response ranged from 56% with ≥10% improvement to 19.5% with ≥60% improvement. In contrast, placebo response rates of 10–20% were observed when several core set measures were combined to develop a composite score. Conclusion Outcome measures used in RCTs of RP are associated with marked variability. A combination of outcome measures is associated with low placebo responses. Future studies are needed to assess if a composite score will be able to differentiate placebo from an effective agent.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97219/1/21858_ftp.pd

ERCC1 expression and RAD51B activity correlate with cell cycle response to platinum drug treatment not DNA repair

Background: The H69CIS200 and H69OX400 cell lines are novel models of low-level platinum-drug resistance. Resistance was not associated with increased cellular glutathione or decreased accumulation of platinum, rather the resistant cell lines have a cell cycle alteration allowing them to rapidly proliferate post drug treatment. Results: A decrease in ERCC1 protein expression and an increase in RAD51B foci activity was observed in association with the platinum induced cell cycle arrest but these changes did not correlate with resistance or altered DNA repair capacity. The H69 cells and resistant cell lines have a p53 mutation and consequently decrease expression of p21 in response to platinum drug treatment, promoting progression of the cell cycle instead of increasing p21 to maintain the arrest. Conclusion: Decreased ERCC1 protein and increased RAD51B foci may in part be mediating the maintenance of the cell cycle arrest in the sensitive cells. Resistance in the H69CIS200 and H69OX400 cells may therefore involve the regulation of ERCC1 and RAD51B independent of their roles in DNA repair. The novel mechanism of platinum resistance in the H69CIS200 and H69OX400 cells demonstrates the multifactorial nature of platinum resistance which can occur independently of alterations in DNA repair capacity and changes in ERCC1