Establishment and Propagation of Human Retinoblastoma Tumors in Immune Deficient Mice

Culturing retinoblastoma tumor cells in defined stem cell media gives rise to primary tumorspheres that can be grown and maintained for only a limited time. These cultured tumorspheres may exhibit markedly different cellular phenotypes when compared to the original tumors. Demonstration that cultured cells have the capability of forming new tumors is important to ensure that cultured cells model the biology of the original tumor

Effects of Helicobacter pylori Infection on the Link between Regenerating Gene Expression and Serum Gastrin Levels in Mongolian Gerbils

Although regenerating gene (Reg) protein is reported to have atrophic effect on gastric epithelial cells, its involvement in human gastric diseases is not clear. We have recently shown that both gastrin and gastric mucosal inflammation enhance Reg gene expression in the fundic mucosa in rats. This study was designed to clarify whether Reg protein is involved in Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis and whether Reg gene expression is linked to serum gastrin levels in this condition. Mongolian gerbils were inoculated with an H. pylori strain isolated from a gastric cancer patient. Four weeks later, some of the gerbils with H. pylori infection were eradicated by lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin. The time courses of changes in Reg gene expression, serum gastrin levels, gastric acidity, and histopathologic factors were examined. Four weeks after H. pylori infection, gastritis started spreading to the fundic mucosa, and gastric acidity started reducing. Serum gastrin levels and Reg mRNA expression in the fundus were significantly increased 6 weeks after infection. Reg mRNA expression in the fundus correlated significantly with both serum gastrin levels and the severity of fundic mucosal inflammation. After H. pylori eradication, serum gastrin levels and fundic mucosal inflammation were normalized, and the increase in Reg mRNA expression was abolished. The Reg gene is associated with hypergastrinemia and fundic mucosal inflammation and may be involved in H. pylori-induced gastritis

Curriculum Alignment with a Mission of Social Change in Higher Education

Institutions of higher education frequently acknowledge their role in contributing to the common good through their mission statements. The current literature suggests that in order to be effective mission statements must be clearly articulated and reflected in all the activities of the institution including its curriculum. Faculty members at Walden University developed a Curriculum Guide for Social Change that could serve as a tool for reviewing current course offerings and developing new courses to reflect its mission of “creating positive social change.” Those involved in piloting the Guide report on the process in this article. The general consensus is that it was time-consuming and frequently subjective; but the Guide gave substance to the institution’s mission, opening the way for its fuller implementation

Molecular Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis in Endophthalmitis

Genomic DNA fingerprint analysis was performed on 39 Staphylococcus aureus and 28 Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis isolates collected from multiple clinical centers. Among 21 S. aureus genomic DNA fingerprint patterns identified, five clonotypes were recovered from multiple unrelated patients and accounted for 58.9% (23 of 39) of the isolates analyzed. Compared with strains having unique genomic DNA fingerprint patterns, the S. aureus clonotypes occurring more than once were more likely to result in visual acuities of 20/200 or worse (P = 0.036 [χ(2) test]). In contrast to the S. aureus isolates, the E. faecalis endophthalmitis isolates were a clonally diverse population, enriched for the expression of a known toxin, cytolysin, which is plasmid encoded