Alignment of Community Preferences, Economic Development Goals, and Policy: Considering Economic Development Goals, Their Expression, and Their Execution in Economically Struggling Communities

Across the U.S., and particularly in the Northeast, cities known as former mill towns have been largely unsuccessful in attempts to revive their economic vigor. States and cities invest millions each year in efforts to reinvigorate these cities through economic development policies. Debates about the effectiveness of such policies in generating economic growth outcomes are prevalent in the literature. This thesis takes a different focus by considering the alignment of economic development goals and actions among citizens and government professionals. I consider, compare, contrast, and draw lessons from three Massachusetts cities of similar government structure. Each of these cities has the potential to implement and benefit from the same federal and state policies, yet has its own unique experience with the economic development process and outcomes. The central analysis addresses four questions of alignment: What preferences have citizens revealed for their communities in the area of economic development? To what extent do the stated goals of economic development officials/offices align with revealed community wants? To what extent do economic development office policies/practices/programs align with community wants and/or stated goals? Where we observe misalignments of goals and actions, why do these occur; what policy factors motivate and shape the choice of actions by the economic development offices? The primarily qualitative analysis draws on the disciplines of political science, public policy, and economics. The examination of these questions in each city-setting will illuminate the opportunities and obstacles that citizens and communities face in articulating their goals to economic development agents/offices. The findings provide an opportunity for citizens and economic development agents/offices to consider their communication pathways, their stated goals and objectives, and the alignment between economic development goals and actions

Proteus sp. – an opportunistic bacterial pathogen – classification, swarming growth, clinical significance and virulence factors

The genus Proteus belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family, where it is placed in the tribe Proteeae, together with the genera Morganella and Providencia. Currently, the genus Proteus consists of five species: P. mirabilis, P. vulgaris, P. penneri, P. hauseri and P. myxofaciens, as well as three unnamed Proteus genomospecies. The most defining characteristic of Proteus bacteria is a swarming phenomenon, a multicellular differentiation process of short rods to elongated swarmer cells. It allows population of bacteria to migrate on solid surface. Proteus bacteria inhabit the environment and are also present in the intestines of humans and animals. These microorganisms under favorable conditions cause a number of infections including urinary tract infections (UTIs), wound infections, meningitis in neonates or infants and rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, Proteus is known as a bacterial opportunistic pathogen. It causes complicated UTIs with a higher frequency, compared to other uropathogens. Proteus infections are accompanied by a formation of urinary stones, containing struvite and carbonate apatite. The virulence of Proteus rods has been related to several factors including fimbriae, flagella, enzymes (urease - hydrolyzing urea to CO2 and NH3, proteases degrading antibodies, tissue matrix proteins and proteins of the complement system), iron acqusition systems and toxins: hemolysins, Proteus toxin agglutinin (Pta), as well as an endotoxin - lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Proteus rods form biofilm, particularly on the surface of urinary catheters, which can lead to serious consequences for patients. In this review we present factors involved in the regulation of swarming phenomenon, discuss the role of particular pathogenic features of Proteus spp., and characterize biofilm formation by these bacteria

Postępy w leczeniu chłoniaka Hodgkina u dzieci i młodzieży

Currently over 90% children and adolescents with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) can be cured. In the recent 25 years successive improvement of results of treatment was achieved through proper choice of treatment intensity according to precisely defined risk groups. The current strategy of diagnosis and treatment of HL is aimed at balancing between the highest possible cure rates and risk of late complications. On the basis of 40-year experience of Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group and recent data from literature we review current and planned strategies of therapeutic management aimed for improving results of treatment in patients with poor prognosis and reducing rates of late complications in all patients with HL. Currently further reduction of radiotherapy use is considered through limiting its use in the patients with satisfactory results after initial chemotherapy evaluated with the use of positron emission tomography results. Further improvement of therapeutic strategy for HL calls associating individual oncological centers in large groups, which would cooperate in completing research projects

Opioids Switching with Transdermal Systems in Chronic Cancer Pain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Due to tolerance development and adverse side effects, chronic pain patients frequently need to be switched to alternative opioid therapy</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To assess the efficacy and tolerability of an alternative transdermally applied (TDS) opioid in patients with chronic cancer pain receiving insufficient analgesia using their present treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 32 patients received alternative opioid therapy, 16 were switched from buprenorphine to fentanyl and 16 were switched from fentanyl to buprenorphine. The dosage used was 50% of that indicated in equipotency conversion tables. Pain relief was assessed at weekly intervals for the next 3 weeks</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Pain relief as assessed by VAS, PPI, and PRI significantly improved (p < 0.0001) in all patients at all 3 follow up visits. After 3 weeks of treatment, the reduction in the mean VAS, PPI, and PRI scores in the fentanyl and buprenorphine groups was 68, 77, 74, and 69, 79, and 62%, respectively. Over the same time period the use of oral morphine as rescue medication was reduced from 27.5 ± 20.5 (mean ± SD) to 3.75 ± 8.06, and 33.8 ± 18.9 to 3.75 ± 10.9 mg/day in the fentanyl and buprenorphine groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in either pain relief or rescue medication use between the two patient groups The number of patient with adverse events fell during the study. After the third week of the treatment the number of patients with constipation was reduced from 11 to 5, and 10 to 4 patients in the fentanyl and buprenorphine groups, respectively. There was a similar reduction in the incidence of nausea and vomiting. No sedation was seen in any patient after one week of treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Opioid switching at 50% of the calculated equianalgesic dose produced a significant reduction in pain levels and rescue medication. The incidence of side effects decreased and no new side effects were noted. Further studies are required to provide individualized treatment for patients according to their different types of cancer.</p

Development of a phage cocktail to control Proteus mirabilis catheter-associated urinary tract infections

"Article 1024"Proteus mirabilis is an enterobacterium that causes catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) due to its ability to colonize and form crystalline biofilms on the catheters surface. CAUTIs are very difficult to treat, since biofilm structures are highly tolerant to antibiotics. Phages have been used widely to control a diversity of bacterial species, however a limited number of phages for P. mirabilis have been isolated and studied. Here we report the isolation of two novel virulent phages, the podovirus vB_PmiP_5460 and the myovirus vB_PmiM_5461, which are able to target respectively, 16 of the 26 and all the Proteus strains tested in this study. Both phages have been characterized thoroughly and sequencing data revealed no traces of genes associated with lysogeny. To further evaluate the phages ability to prevent catheter´s colonization by Proteus, the phages adherence to silicone surfaces was assessed. Further tests in phage-coated catheters using a dynamic biofilm model simulating CAUTIs, have shown a significant reduction of P. mirabilis biofilm formation up to 168 h of catheterization. These results highlight the potential usefulness of the two isolated phages for the prevention of surface colonization by this bacterium.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 (POCI- 01-0145-FEDER-006684) and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER- 027462). NC and SS also thank FCT for the individual support through Investigador FCT contracts

Comparison of Antidepressant‐Like and Abuse‐Related Effects of Phencyclidine in Rats

Preclinical Research N ‐methyl‐D‐aspartate ( NMDA ) receptor antagonists, such as ketamine, have emerged as novel candidate treatments for major depressive disorder, but abuse potential of these agents is a concern. The NMDA antagonist phencyclidine has known abuse liability but undefined efficacy as an antidepressant. To further evaluate the relationship between antidepressant‐like and abuse‐related effects of NMDA antagonists, this study evaluated the effects of phencyclidine (1.0–10.0 mg/kg) in male S prague‐ D awley rats responding under two procedures that have been used to assess antidepressant‐like effects (differential‐reinforcement‐of‐low‐rate [ DRL ] 72 s schedule of food reinforcement; n  = 9) and abuse‐related drug effects (intracranial self‐stimulation [ ICSS ]; n  = 6). Under the DRL 72 s schedule, phencyclidine (10.0 mg/kg) increased reinforcers and decreased responses without shifting the peak location of the interresponse time ( IRT ) distribution. Ketamine (10.0 mg/kg) also increased reinforcers and decreased responses, but unlike phencyclidine, it produced a rightward shift in the peak location of the IRT distribution. The 10.0 mg/kg phencyclidine dose that decreased DRL 72 s responding also decreased rates of ICSS for 50 min after its administration; however, abuse‐related ICSS facilitation was observed at later times (100–300 min) or after a lower phencyclidine dose (3.2 mg/kg). These results suggest that phencyclidine produces weaker antidepressant‐like effects, but stronger abuse‐related effects than ketamine in these procedures.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109848/1/ddr21228.pd

A complex interaction between glycine/NMDA receptors and serotonergic/noradrenergic antidepressants in the forced swim test in mice

Both clinical and preclinical studies demonstrate the antidepressant activity of the functional NMDA receptor antagonists. In this study, we assessed the effects of two glycine/NMDA receptor ligands, namely L-701,324 (antagonist) and d-cycloserine (a partial agonist) on the action of antidepressant drugs with different pharmacological profiles in the forced swim test in mice. Swim sessions were conducted by placing mice individually in glass cylinders filled with warmed water for 6 min. The duration of behavioral immobility during the last 4 min of the test was evaluated. The locomotor activity of mice was measured with photoresistor actimeters. L-701,324 and d-cycloserine given with reboxetine (administered in subeffective doses) did not change the behavior of animals in the forced swim test. A potentiating effect was seen when both tested glycine site ligands were given concomitantly with imipramine or fluoxetine in this test. The lesion of noradrenaline nerve terminals produced by DSP-4 neither altered the baseline activity nor influenced the antidepressant-like action of L-701,324 or d-cycloserine. The depletion of serotonin by p-CPA did not alter baseline activity in the forced swim test. However, it completely antagonized the antidepressant-like action produced by L-701,324 and d-cycloserine. Moreover, the antidepressant-like effects of imipramine, fluoxetine and reboxetine were abolished by d-serine, a full agonist of glycine/NMDA receptors. The present study demonstrates that glycine/NMDA receptor functional antagonists enhance the antidepressant-like action of serotonin, but not noradrenaline-based antidepressants and such their activity seems to depend on serotonin rather than noradrenaline pathway