Prevention of radiochemotherapy-induced toxicity with amifostine in patients with malignant orbital tumors involving the lacrimal gland: a pilot study

BACKGROUND: To use amifostine concurrently with radiochemotherapy (CT-RT) or radiotherapy (RT) alone in order to prevent dry eye syndrome in patients with malignancies located in the fronto-orbital region. METHODS: Five patients (2 males, 3 females) with diagnosed malignancies (Non-Hodgkin B-cell Lymphoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma) involving the lacrimal gland, in which either combined CT-RT or local RT were indicated, were prophylactically treated with amifostine (500 mg sc). Single RT fraction dose, total dose and treatment duration were individually adjusted to the patient's need. Acute and late adverse effects were recorded using the RTOG score. Subjective and objective dry eye assessment was performed for the post-treatment control of lacrimal gland function. RESULTS: All patients have completed CT-RT or RT as indicated. The median total duration of RT was 29 days (range, 23 - 39 days) and the median total RT dose was 40 Gy (range, 36 - 60 Gy). Median lacrimal gland exposure was 35.9 Gy (range, 16.8 - 42.6 Gy). Very good partial or complete tumor remission was achieved in all patients. The treatment was well tolerated without major toxic reactions. Post-treatment control did not reveal in any patient either subjective or objective signs of a dry eye syndrome. CONCLUSION: The addition of amifostine to RT/CT-RT of patients with tumors localized in orbital region was found to be associated with absence of dry eye syndrome

The ghost sex-life of the paedogenetic beetle Micromalthus debilis

Genetic and sexual systems can be evolutionarily dynamic within and among clades. However, identifying the processes responsible for switches between, for instance, sexual and asexual reproduction, or cyclic and non-cyclic life histories remains challenging. When animals evolve parthenogenetic reproduction, information about the sexual mating system becomes lost. Here we report an extraordinary case where we have been able to resurrect sexual adults in a species of beetle that reproduces by parthenogenetic paedogenesis, without the production of adults. Via heat treatment, we were able to artificially induce adult beetles of Micromalthus debilis in order to describe its pre-paedogenetic mating system. Adults showed a highly female biased sex ratio, out-breeding behaviour, and sex-role reversal. Paedogenetic larvae of Micromalthus are infected with the endosymbiotic bacteria Rickettsia and Wolbachia. Clear signs of vestigialization in adults are concurrent with the loss of adults. Our data suggest an ancient female sex ratio bias that predated the loss of adults, perhaps associated with endosymbionts. We propose a model for the transition from a haplodiploid cyclical parthenogenetic life history to parthenogenetic paedogenesis. Paedogenetic development induces a new mechanism of sex ratio bias in midges, wasps and beetles

Personal values and involvement in problem behaviors among Bahamian early adolescents: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Few studies, particularly in developing countries, have explored the relationship between adolescents and parental values with adolescent problem behaviors. The objectives of the study are to (1) describe adolescents' personal values, their problem behaviors, and the relationships thereof according to gender and (2) examine the relationship between parental values, adolescent values, and adolescents' problem behaviors among sixth-grade students and one of their parents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data used in these analyses were from the baseline assessment of a school-based HIV risk reduction intervention being conducted and evaluated among sixth grade students and one of their parents across 9 elementary schools in The Bahamas. Personal values were measured by the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ). Seven reported problem behaviors were queried from the students, which included physical fight with a friend, drank alcohol, beer, or wine, smoked a cigarette, pushed or carried any drugs, carried a gun, knife, screwdriver or cutlass to use as a weapon, had sex and used marijuana or other illicit drugs over the past 6 months. Multilevel modeling for binary data was performed to estimate the associations between adolescent and parental values and adolescent problem behaviors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 785 students, 47% of the students reported at least one problem behavior. More boys (54%) reported having one or more problem behaviors than girls (41%, p < 0.01). Boys compared to girls expressed a higher level of self-enhancement (means score: 36.5 vs. 35.1; p = 0.03), while girls expressed a higher level of self-transcendence (42.3 vs. 40.7; p = 0.03). The results of multilevel modeling indicates that boys with a higher level of self-enhancement and girls with a higher level of openness to change and a lower level of conservation were more likely to report engagement in problem behaviors. Only two parental values (self-transcendence and conservation) were low or modestly correlated with youth' values (openness to change and self-enhancement). Parental-reported values documented limited association on adolescents' reported values and behaviors.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In designing interventions for reducing adolescents' problem behaviors, it may be important to understand the values associated with specific problem behaviors. Further exploration regarding lack of association between adolescent and parental values and problem behaviors is needed.</p

Optimization of insect cell based protein production processes - online monitoring, expression systems, scale-up

Due to the increasing use of insect cell based expression systems in research and industrial recombinant protein production, the development of efficient and reproducible production processes remains a challenging task. In this context, the application of online monitoring techniques is intended to ensure high and reproducible product qualities already during the early phases of process development. In the following chapter, the most common transient and stable insect cell based expression systems are briefly introduced. Novel applications of insect cell based expression systems for the production of insect derived antimicrobial peptides/proteins (AMPs) are discussed using the example of G. mellonella derived gloverin. Suitable in situ sensor techniques for insect cell culture monitoring in disposable and common bioreactor systems are outlined with respect to optical and capacitive sensor concepts. Since scale-up of production processes is one of the most critical steps in process development, a conclusive overview is given about scale up aspects for industrial insect cell culture processes

Registro de movimientos oculares con el eye tracker Mobile eye XG

93 p.Debido a su importancia en la investigación sobre lo que sucede en el cerebro, el estudio sobre el sistema visual humano se ha especializado cada vez más para indagar sobre la influencia de los movimientos oculares en la percepción durante la observación. Con el fin de acceder a este tipo de procesos se ha diseñado un conjunto de herramientas que permiten hacer un seguimiento a los movimientos oculares, conocidos como eye trackers. Este libro tiene como objetivo aportar elementos para la planeación, el diseño y la ejecución de investigaciones que incluya el uso de eye trackers, en particular del eye tracker Mobile eye XG. Esta es una de las primeras revisiones en español que recopila información sobre los movimientos oculares. Contiene una descripción sobre el eye tracker Mobile eye XG y otros dispositivos; una revisión sobre la visión humana y los movimientos oculares; una reseña acerca de los determinantes cognoscitivos de los movimientos oculares; una aproximación a las condiciones para el diseño, la ejecución y el análisis de datos de las investigaciones con esta herramienta y una revisión sobre sus campos de aplicación.Technological advances in recent decades have made eye trackers, especially glasses, an important tool in the field of cognitive, emotional, and social neurosciences, due to the relationship that exists between visual behavior and neuronal processes. This has facilitated the study of a significant number of psychological processes, including perception, emotions, social cognition, decision making, attention, and literacy, among others. Eye trackers have been applied to research a wide range of human activities, including web page and application design and market studies, the visual behavior of drivers and athletes, human-computer interactions, simulations for military training, and as a support for the clinical diagnosis of personality disorders and neurological conditions. This book aims to provide elements for the planning, design, and execution of research that includes the use of eye trackers, in particular the Mobile Eye-XG eye tracker. This is one of the first reviews in Spanish that collects information on eye movements. The study contains a description of the Mobile Eye-XG eye tracker and other devices; a review of human vision and eye movements; a review of the cognitive determinants of eye movements; an exploration of the conditions that determine the design, execution, and data analysis of research that uses this tool, as well as a review of its fields of application.Introducción Parte 1. Descripción del eye tracker Mobile eye XG Parte 2. Visión humana y movimientos oculares Parte 3. Neurobiología de los movimientos oculares Parte 4. Determinantes cognoscitivos de las fijaciones y de los movimientos oculares Parte 5. Condiciones para el diseño y el registro de estudios con el eye tracker Mobile eye XG Parte 6. Análisis y representación gráfica de los datos Parte 7. Condiciones para el reporte de investigación Parte 8. Aplicaciones del eye tracking Referencias Anexo