Turning the Table on Assessment: The Grantee Perception Report

This book chapter describes the origins of the GPR, illustrates lessons learned, and provides examples of changes made by foundations that have used this tool. It also reports on some of the broadly applicable insights gained from CEP's large-scale surveys of grantees. (This material is excerpted from the Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) book, A Funder's Guide to Organizational Assessment.

Kevin Holt in a Sophomore Recital

This is the program for the sophomore voice recital for Kevin Holt, accompanied by Judy Leagans on the piano. The recital was held on March 10, 1995, in the Mabee Fine Arts Center\u27s Recital Hall

Caspofungin primes the immune response of the larvae of Galleria mellonella and induces a non-specific antimicrobial response

The echinocandins (e.g. caspofungin) function by inhibiting the synthesis of 1,3-b-glucan in the fungal cell wall. While the potent antifungal activity of caspofungin has been well characterized in mammals, this study investigated the in vivo antifungal effect of caspofungin using larvae of the insect Galleria mellonella. Caspofungin was successful in increasing the survival of larvae that were inoculated with Candida albicans 1 h before the drug was administered, particularly when a concentration of 0.19 mg ml”1 was used. Pre-injecting larvae with caspofungin also increased their survival when they were inoculated with either Staphylococcus aureus or C. albicans. Caspofungin administration resulted in an increase in the number of circulating immune cells (haemocytes), an increase in the expression of the genes encoding IMPI and transferrin, and an increase in the expression of a number of proteins (identified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) some of which have immune functions. This work indicates that administration of caspofungin can increase the survival of infected G. mellonella larvae, and this is due to the antifungal properties of caspofungin and also to the ability of caspofungin to prime the insect’s immune response

Phase 1 Trial of Vaccination with Autologous Tumor Cells and Antisense Directed Against the Insulin Growth Factor Type 1 Receptor (IGF-1R AS ODN) in Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma

Background: Extending a previous Phase I study, we report the results of a second Phase I autologous tumor cell vaccination trial for patients with recurrent glioblastomas (IND 14379-101, NCT01550523). Methods: Following surgery, subjects were treated by 24 hour implantation in the rectus sheath of ten biodiffusion chambers containing irradiated autologous tumor cells and IGF-1R AS ODN with the objective of stimulating tumor immunity. Patients were monitored for safety, clinical and radiographic as well as immune responses. Results: There were no Grade 3 toxicities related to protocol treatment and overall median survival from initial diagnosis was 91.4 weeks. Two protocol survival cohorts with median survivals of 48.2 and 10 weeks were identified and predicted by our pre-treatment assessments of immune function, corroborated by post-vaccination pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles. Longer survival subjects had imaging findings including transient elevations in cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and sustained elevations of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) interpreted as transient hyperemia and cell loss. Conclusions: The vaccine paradigm was well-tolerated with a favorable median survival. Our data support this as a novel treatment paradigm that promotes anti-tumor immunity

<i>‘I was going into it blind’</i>:Nearest Relatives, legal literacy, and the Mental Health Act 1983

Eligible relatives are given rights and powers in the compulsory treatment of people with mental health problems in several international jurisdictions, including within England and Wales. However, little attention has been given to whether relatives feel legally literate or competent to fulfil such roles. This article examines this issue through focussing on the experiences of Nearest Relatives, who are given rights and powers during Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) assessments for compulsory admission in England and Wales. Interviews with nineteen Nearest Relatives in England were conducted and were thematically analysed. Three themes were identified. First, NRs spoke about their awareness and knowledge of the role. They predominantly reported negative experiences in which they received no or little information. They also reported that professionals assumed they possessed legal knowledge, and their legal knowledge was largely self-taught. Secondly, NRs reported uncertainty about their own rights and powers, noting the role lacked status or informational or emotional support. Third, NRs highlighted areas for legal reform, stating that the NR role was important, but required specialist support systems for NRs. The findings of this study indicate greater attention needs to be given by law and policy makers to support relatives' understanding of their rights and powers under the MHA, if the NR role is to be effective in helping to safeguard patient rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. These include the right in Article 5 not to be arbitrarily deprived of one's liberty and the right to a private and family life in Article 8. Legislators also need to take account of these factors when considering proposals to reform mental health law in England and Wales.</p

The Heart of the Matter: Aligning Curriculum, Pedagogy and Engagement in Higher Education

This essay explores the themes of curriculum and pedagogy, as outlined by the editors of this special edition, in the context of Portland State University\u27s institutional transformation. We elucidate select mechanisms that support curricular-community interactions, known at PSU as community-based learning. In doing so we discuss how CBL and other civic engagement strategies relate to the disciplines, departments, and interdisciplinary work as well as how these various collaborative approaches affect pedagogy and epistemology at PSU

Exposure to caspofungin activates Cap and Hog pathways in Candida albicans.

Caspofungin is a member of the echinocandin group of antifungals and inhibits the activity of B-glucan synthase thus disrupting cell wall formation and function. While the potent antifungal activity of this agent is well established, this paper analyzed the response of Candida albicans to caspofungin. Exposure of yeast cells to 0.19 μg/ml caspofungin for 1 to 4 h induced nuclear translocation of Cap1p which was confirmed by Western blotting and confocal microscopy. Caspofungin-treated cells demonstrated increased expression of a number of genes associated with the oxidative stress response, including glutathione reductase (GLR1), mitochondrial processing protease (MAS1) and manganese-superoxide dismutase (SOD2) as well as elevated activity of glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase. Caspofungin treatment also leads to the nuclear localization of Hog1p as visualized by Western blot using anti-phospho-p38 MAPK (Thr180/Tyr182) antibody. This translocation event lead to increased mRNA levels of catalase (CAT1) but not alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (AHP1). The activity of catalase was increased and reached a maximum at 2 h. In addition, pre-exposure of C. albicans to hydrogen peroxide (0.5 mM, 60 min) conferred an increased tolerance to caspofungin. The data presented here highlight the potent antifungal activity of caspofungin and demonstrate that upon exposure to this agent, C. albicans activates the Cap and Hog pathways in an attempt to limit the oxidative and osmotic stresses associated with this drug

Surgical Resection of Convexity Meningiomas: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: Dural convexity meningiomas (CMs) are the most common primary intracranial tumors. Although surgical resection carries relatively low risk, it is necessary to quantify perioperative risks from a large patient cohort and identify factors contributing to short-term and long-term outcomes. Methods: Patients who underwent craniotomy for resection of CMs between January 2012-December 2018 at a single large academic center were reviewed for pre-operative demographics, radiographic characteristics, and post-operative outcomes. Results: 122 cases of CMs were identified. Common presenting symptoms included headache (39.3%), seizure (27.0%) and weakness/paralysis (18%). CMs were located over frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes in 57.4%, 22.1%, 27.0%, and 9.0%, respectively. Mean maximal tumor dimension was 41.4 mm. (SD 18.2, range 9.0-100.0). Gross total resection was achieved in 92.6% (Simpson grade I, 49.2%; grade II 26.7%, grade III, 18.3%). Subtotal Simpson grade IV resection was achieved in 5.8%. Higher histological grades were present in 11.5% (WHO grade II) and 4.1% (WHO grade III) of patients. Mean Ki67% for WHO Grade 1 was 4.2(SD 3.1, range 0.5-17.3). Peri-operative complications occurred in 2.4% of patients, including hemorrhage, venous air embolism, and seizure with zero 30-day mortalities. Larger tumors (\u3e7 cm maximal diameter) had lower mean survival time (p = 0.019, mean difference = 17.3 months (2.861–31.659)), but no correlation with perioperative complications, recurrence, or overall mortality. Discussion: CMs are accessible and amenable to resection. Surgical risk is low, but not insignificant. Tumors larger than 7 cm have shorter survival time. These results help quantify risks for future patients