Predictions of Participant Satisfaction and Loyalty at the West Virginia University Outdoor Education Center

The overall purpose of this study is to develop a sense of understanding into the general visitors of the West Virginia University Outdoor Education Center (WVU OEC). The WVU OEC is a portion of the university outdoor program Adventure West Virginia. This site has a zip line canopy tour, multiple high rope challenge course elements and a variety of ground based teambuilding elements. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.)

Detection of cancer cells in the cerebrospinal fluid: current methods and future directions

The spread of cancer into the central nervous system is a serious problem leading to neurological symptoms and rapid mortality. The current tools available for detecting the spread of cancer into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are cytology, neurologic examination, and neuroimaging. All three of these methods can be applied in concert to reach a diagnosis, but they all suffer from a lack of sensitivity, leading to delays in treatment in many cases. An overview of research tools in the field of CSF cancer detection reveals a variety of promising technologies that can be used to answer questions about the biology of metastatic cancer and to develop more powerful clinical detection methods. Methods currently under investigation include new immunocytochemistry methods and flow cytometry for the in vitro detection of cells. Additionally, polymerase chain reaction, fluorescence in situ hybridization, capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence, and mass spectrometry using matrix-assisted laser absorption-deionization time-of-flight and surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight techniques are being tested for in vitro assessment of the non-cellular biomarkers in CSF. For in vivo detection of cancer in the CSF, research techniques include certain quantum dot platforms as well as magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. As systemic therapies for cancer improve, the CNS is becoming a more common site of disease recurrence. This increases the importance of effective detection methods in the CSF, since early intervention can maximize therapeutic benefit. Furthermore, many cell-based detection methods can be combined with therapeutic agents to serve multiple medical functions through a common targeting system

Influence of HFE variants and cellular iron on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Polymorphisms in the <it>MHC class 1-like </it>gene known as <it>HFE </it>have been proposed as genetic modifiers of neurodegenerative diseases that include neuroinflammation as part of the disease process. Variants of <it>HFE </it>are relatively common in the general population and are most commonly associated with iron overload, but can promote subclinical cellular iron loading even in the absence of clinically identified disease. The effects of the variants as well as the resulting cellular iron dyshomeostasis potentially impact a number of disease-associated pathways. We tested the hypothesis that the two most common HFE variants, H63D and C282Y, would affect cellular secretion of cytokines and trophic factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We screened a panel of cytokines and trophic factors using a multiplexed immunoassay in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells expressing different variants of HFE. The influence of cellular iron secretion on the potent chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was assessed using ferric ammonium citrate and the iron chelator, desferroxamine. Additionally, an antioxidant, Trolox, and an anti-inflammatory, minocycline, were tested for their effects on MCP-1 secretion in the presence of HFE variants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Expression of the HFE variants altered the labile iron pool in SH-SY5Y cells. Of the panel of cytokines and trophic factors analyzed, only the release of MCP-1 was affected by the HFE variants. We further examined the relationship between iron and MCP-1 and found MCP-1 secretion tightly associated with intracellular iron status. A potential direct effect of HFE is considered because, despite having similar levels of intracellular iron, the association between HFE genotype and MCP-1 expression was different for the H63D and C282Y HFE variants. Moreover, HFE genotype was a factor in the effect of minocycline, a multifaceted antibiotic used in treating a number of neurologic conditions associated with inflammation, on MCP-1 secretion.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results demonstrate that HFE polymorphisms influence the synthesis and release of MCP-1. The mechanism of action involves cellular iron status but it appears there could be additional influences such as ER stress. Finally, these data demonstrate a pharmacogenetic effect of HFE polymorphisms on the ability of minocycline to inhibit MCP-1 secretion.</p

Early Time Charge Replenishment of the Power Delivery Network in Multi-Layer PCBs

The investigation of decoupling issues has been extensively treated in the literature in both the frequency and the time domain [1-9]. The two domains describe from different perspectives the same physical phenomenon, being related by a Fourier transform. In this article, well known decoupling issues usually addressed in the frequency domain [1,2] are discussed in the time domain. Moreover, some modeling issues related to the cavity model approach are discussed and, in particular, the circuit extraction feature associated with this methodology is utilized throughout the article to carry out the time domain simulations within a SPICE based-tool. The depletion of charges stored between the power bus is investigated in the time domain as a function of the plane thickness, SMT decoupling closeness and interconnect inductance values

Noise Coupling Between Power/Ground Nets Due to Differential Vias Transitions in a Multilayer PCB

Due to the increase in board density, routing traces on different layers becomes a widely used strategy. Through-hole vias are often used to connect these traces. Those vias that penetrate power/ground plane pairs could cause noise coupling between signal and power/ground nets. At the same time, the need for clean signal transmitted to receivers results in a wide use of differential signals. This paper studies the noise coupling mechanism caused by a differential pair of vias penetrating power/ground plane pair using a physics-based via-plane model combined with transmission line models for traces. A 26-layer printed circuit board with a pair of differential vias have been modeled. The simulated results clearly demonstrate the impact of ground vias and via stubs on noise coupling

Study of Beauty Hadron Decays into Pairs of Charm Hadrons

First observations of the decays Λ[0 over b] → Λ[+ over c]D[− over (s)] are reported using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3  fb[superscript −1] collected at 7 and 8 TeV center-of-mass energies in proton-proton collisions with the LHCb detector. In addition, the most precise measurement of the branching fraction B(B[0 over s] → D[superscript +]D[− over s]) is made and a search is performed for the decays B[0 over (s)] → Λ[+ over c]Λ[− over c]. The results obtained are B(Λ[0 over b] → Λ[+ over c]D[superscript −])/B(Λ[0 over b] → Λ[+ over c]D[− over s]) = 0.042 ± 0.003(stat) ± 0.003(syst), ⎡⎣B(Λ[0 over b] → Λ[+ over c]D[− over s]) over B([¯ over B[superscript 0] → D[superscript +]D[− over s])⎤⎦/⎡⎣B(Λ[0 over b] → Λ[+ over c]π[superscript −]) over B([¯ over B[superscript 0] → D[superscript +]π[superscript −])⎤⎦ = 0.96 ± 0.02(stat) ± 0.06(syst), B(B[0 over s] → D[superscript +]D[− over s])/B([¯ over B][superscript 0] → D[superscript +]D[− over s]) = 0.038 ± 0.004(stat) ± 0.003(syst), B([¯ over B][superscript 0] → Λ[+ over c]Λ[− over c])/B([¯ over B][superscript 0] → D[superscript +]D[− over s]) < 0.0022[95%  C.L.], B(B[0 over s] → Λ[+ over c]Λ[− over c])/B(B[0 over s] → D[superscript +]D[− over s]) < 0.30[95%  C.L.]. Measurement of the mass of the Λ[0 over b] baryon relative to the [¯ over B][superscript 0] meson gives M(Λ[0 over b]) − M([¯ over B][superscript 0]) = 339.72 ± 0.24(stat) ± 0.18(syst)  MeV/c[superscript 2]. This result provides the most precise measurement of the mass of the Λ[0 over b] baryon to date.National Science Foundation (U.S.

Large Scale Signal and Interconnect FDTD Modeling for BGA Package

This paper introduces a Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) approach to modeling portions of Ball Grid Array (BGA) package interconnect circuits. A fullwave circuit model including vias, trace segments, and ground vias was generated, using a computer gridding tool, and fed into the FDTD (Taflove and Hagness, 2005) program. The simulated results were correlated with TDR measurements

Review of "Proteins of the Cerebrospinal Fluid" (2(nd )Edition) by Edward J. Thompson

This book on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins is primarily focused on immunoglobulins. The book was written as an extension of a meeting on multiple sclerosis to provide a more extensive consideration of the CSF