Characterizing Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT)-Like Behavior in Breast Cancer Cells in a Tissue Engineering Co-Culture Model

Tissue engineered 3D cell culture models have shown promise investigating the influence of the tumor microenvironment on cancer cell behavior. Synthetic hydrogels, such as those made from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), can be customized with bio-instructive moieties that mimic different parts of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that cells can adhere to through integrins and regions of cadherins that cells can interact with through their own cadherins. The question remains of how the composition of the ECM and neighboring cell interactions impact the transition from an epithelial phenotype to a mesenchymal-like phenotype, termed EMT, which is considered crucial in tumor progression to metastatic cancer. Therefore, in this project, a cell-adhesive peptide that mimics ECM and an cadherin mimetic peptide that mimics mesenchymal N-cadherin were utilized to investigate how cell-ECM interactions through integrin binding and how cell-cell interactions through cadherin binding can direct the emergence of EMT markers in breast cancer. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrated that the peptides allowed high SKBR3 breast cancer cell cytocompatibility but significantly lowered 3T3 fibroblast viability in a 3D environment, indicating that the peptide interactions were changing the behavior of the 3T3’s in a way that did not affect the SKBR3’s. Also, encapsulated as single cells in a gel with a cell-ECM peptide, the 3T3’s began to obtain a spindle-like phenotype, but not the SKBR3’s, showing that the 3T3’s were starting to form focal adhesions and take on a more mesenchymal-like phenotype not taken on by SKBR3’s in the same conditions. When putting the 3T3’s and SKBR3’s in co-culture, the SKBR3’s obtained a spindle-like phenotype when the 3T3’s were in a gel with a cadherin peptide, showing the beginning of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition-like morphology. After running quantitative PCR on said SKBR3’s, it was found that SKBR3’s with 3T3’s in contact with both cell adhesive and cadherin peptide and without either peptides were making significantly more mRNA for Collagen III and vimentin than SKBR3’s in contact with 3T3’s in only a cell-ECM peptide gel, both proteins made as a sign of becoming more mesenchymal-like. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the ability to incorporate mimetic peptides of cell-cell and cell-ECM interaction into PEG hydrogels makes them a powerful platform for studying how the composition of the ECM impacts EMT

Teachers’ Targets for Reading Instruction and what these Suggest

Teacher\u27s belief systems and philosophies are formulated through professional development, reading current theory and daily interaction with children and materials. Researchers agree that teachers need an understanding of their belief systems in order to match these beliefs with effective instruction. This study examined teachers\u27 belief systems as well as their targets or goals for reading instruction. A Likert-type survey was created and answered by approximately 40 randomly selected faculty members from a rural western New York school district, representing a wide range of experience levels in grades K through 6. Teachers were also given the opportunity to freely respond by stating their own articulated goals for reading instruction. The objective was to answer the following questions: What are teacher targets for reading instruction? Do these targets fit into known or unknown categories? What do these targets suggest? Analysis of the data found that teachers\u27 targets for reading instruction as articulated in a free response format include academic goals (those that are measurable by traditional testing techniques) as well as aesthetic goals (life-long goals difficult to measure using traditional methods). Teachers see their role both as an instructor of skills and as a facilitator to learn a love of reading. In addition, the survey results show that more teachers hold to a whole language approach to reading instruction than to a skills-based or phonics approach to reading instruction. Finally, from all research read and from studying these two instruments carefully, it seems apparent that teachers need to develop ways to blend the three approaches to reading instruction and take the necessary time to develop a philosophy, reflect on that philosophy often and develop instruction based on their own goals and philosophy of how children learn best

Palliative care for patients with end‐stage liver disease: An overview

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112227/1/cld478.pd

Meta-analysis: insulin sensitizers for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 1211–1221Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease generally has a benign course; however, patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, there is a lack of consensus about optimal NASH treatment.To assess the efficacy of insulin-sensitizing agents on histological and biochemical outcomes in randomized control trials of biopsy-proven NASH.Multiple online databases and conference abstracts were searched. Random effects meta-analyses were performed, with assessment for heterogeneity and publication bias.Nine trials were included; five trials using thiazolidinediones (glitazones), three using metformin and one trial using both drugs. There was no publication bias. Compared with controls, glitazones resulted in improved steatosis (WMD = 0.57, 95% CI 0.36–0.77, P  = <0.001), hepatocyte ballooning (WMD = 0.36, 95% CI 0.24–0.49, P  < 0.001) and ALT (WMD = 16.4, 95% CI 7.7–25.0, P  < 0.001), but not inflammation ( P  = 0.09) or fibrosis ( P  = 0.11). In patients without diabetes, glitazones significantly improved all histological and biochemical outcomes, most importantly including fibrosis (WMD = 0.29, 95% CI 0.078–0.51, P  = 0.008). Metformin failed to improve any pooled outcome.Treatment of NASH with glitazones, but not metformin, demonstrates a significant histological and biochemical benefit, especially in patients without diabetes. Additional studies are needed to investigate long-term outcomes of glitazone therapy in patients without diabetes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/79251/1/j.1365-2036.2010.04467.x.pd

Comprehensive surface magnetotransport study of SmB6

After the theoretical prediction that SmB6 is a topological Kondo insulator, there has been an explosion of studies on the SmB6 surface. However, there is not yet an agreement on even the most basic quantities such as the surface carrier density and mobility. In this paper, we carefully revisit Corbino disk magnetotransport studies to find those surface transport parameters. We first show that subsurface cracks exist in the SmB6 crystals, arising both from surface preparation and during the crystal growth. We provide evidence that these hidden subsurface cracks are additional conduction channels, and the large disagreement between earlier surface SmB6 studies may originate from previous interpretations not taking this extra conduction path into account. We provide an update of more reliable magnetotransport data than the previous one (S. Wolgast et al., Phys. Rev. B 92, 115110) and find that the orders-of-magnitude large disagreements in carrier density and mobility come from the surface preparation and the transport geometry rather than the intrinsic sample quality. From this magnetotransport study, we find an updated estimate of the carrier density and mobility of 2.71×1013 (1/cm2) and 104.5 (cm2/Vsec), respectively. We compare our results with other studies of the SmB6 surface. By this comparison, we provide insight into the disagreements and agreements of the previously reported angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and magnetotorque quantum oscillations measurements

Effect of Urotensin I on the ionic content of the plasma and the Gallbladder bile of Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1974) (Teleostei, Characiformes, Erythrinidae)

In this study the urotensin I (UI) effect on the ionic content of the plasma and the gallbladder bile (GB) of Hoplias malabaricus, a freshwater teleost, was investigated, and action of this hormone on the water trasnport in the gallbladder was analyzed. Fishes were captured in ponds situated on the campus of the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Southern Brazil. Blood was collected by puncture of caudal artery and GB was drained by the cystic duct. The intraperitoneal injection of UI (500 ng/kg) in H. malabaricus increased the Na+ levels in the plasma and in the GB in relation to the saline-injected group. However, no change was observed in the levels of K+, Ca++ and Mg++ in the plasma and in the GB when UI was injected. The gallbladder of H. malabaricus has a mucosa-serosa water flow. On incubation of the serosa of the gallbladder sacs with UI (10-8M) there was a significant increase in water flow. Due to the fact that UI alters the GB Na+ levels and the water flow in the gallbladder, it is possible that UI can be involved in the regulation of the bile composition on fishes.Este estudo investigou o efeito da urotensina I (UI) na composição iônica do plasma e da bile vesicular (BV) de Hoplias malabaricus, um teleósteo dulciaqüícola. A ação deste hormônio no transporte de água na vesícula biliar também foi analisada. Os peixes foram capturados em açudes situados no campus da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS. O sangue foi coletado por punção da artéria caudal e a BV drenada pelo ducto cístico. A injeção intraperitoneal de UI (500 ng/kg) em H. malabaricus aumentou os níveis de Na+ no plasma e na BV em relação ao grupo injetado com salina. Contudo, a injeção deste neuro-hormônio não alterou os níveis de K+, Ca++ e Mg++ no plasma e na BV. A vesícula biliar de H. malabaricus apresenta um fluxo de água mucosa-serosa. A incubação de sacos da vesícula biliar com UI (10-8 M) aumentou significativamente o fluxo de água. Como a UI altera os níveis de Na+ na BV e o fluxo de água na vesícula biliar, é possível que a UI participe da regulação da composição da bile de peixes

EXPERIÊNCIA DE INCLUSÃO DIGITAL COM DEFICIENTE VISUAL

O acesso de deficientes aos recursos tecnológicos constitui-se como uma forma de respeito à diversidade e valorização dos direitos humanos. Está previsto na legislação brasileira desde o ano de 2004 no decreto 5296, Art. 47 o direito ao acesso à informação e à comunicação. Porém, é necessário um movimento organizado das próprias comunidades para efetivar esse processo.  Neste sentido, apresenta-se uma experiência de inclusão digital com um deficiente visual, através do Programa de Inclusão Digital da Sociedade Educacional Três de Maio. Através desta pesquisa pretende-se elucidar as possibilidades no processo de inclusão digital para portadores de deficiência visual. De um modo geral, observou-se que o uso de softwares especializados e da apostila em Braille, juntamente com o acompanhamento de um instrutor capacitado é possível a inclusão tecnológica de portadores de deficiência visual

Transepithelial potential difference of the intestine and gallbladder of Hoplias malabaricus, a freshwater teleost. effect of urotensins I and II

This study analyzed the effect of the injection of urotensin I (UI) and urotensis II (UII) on the stabilization of the transepithelial potential difference (TPD) of the medium intestine, rectum, and gallbladder of Hoplias malabaricus to investigate if the transport of ions in these organs is affected "in vivo" by these neurohormones. The TPD of the medium intestine, rectum and gallbladder was serosa positive, and remained constant since the first measurement. The injection of both urotensins did not alter the stabilization of the TPD of the medium intestine and rectum when compared with saline-injected group. The injection of UI increased the TPD of the gallbladder in the beginning (0-10 min) of the stabilization period and in the interval of 20-30 min of the stabilization period when fishes were killed 2h and 4h after the injection, respectively, in relation to saline-injected group. The UII injection increased the TPD of the gallbladder only in the beginning (time 0) of the stabilization period in relation to saline when fishes were killed 2h after the injection. No changes in the TPD of the studied organs were detected when fishes were killed 4h after the injection of UII. This study confirms the hypothesis that UI and UII can participate in the regulation of the composition of the bile of fishes, since the injection of both hormones altered the TPD of the gallbladder of H. malabaricus.Este trabalho analisou o efeito da injeção da urotensina I (UI) e da urotensina 11 (UII) na estabilização da diferença de potencial transepitelial (DPT) do intestino médio, reto e vesícula biliar de Hoplias malabaricus, para verificar se o transporte de íons nestes órgãos é afetado "in vivo" por estes neuro-hormônios. A DPT do intestino médio, reto e vesícula biliar é serosa positiva, e seu valor permaneceu estável desde a primeira medida. A injeção de ambas urotensinas não modificou a estabilização da DPT do intestino médio e reto quando comparada com o grupo injetado com salina. A injeção de UI aumentou a DPT da vesícula biliar no início (0-10 min) do período de estabilização e no intervalo de 20-30 min do período de estabilização quando os peixes foram sacrificados 2 h e 4 h após a injeção, respectivamente, em relação ao grupo injetado com salina. A injeção de UII aumentou a DPT da vesícula biliar somente no início (tempo O) do período de estabilização em relação ao grupo tratado com salina sacrificado 2h após a injeção. Não houve alterações na DPT dos órgãos estudados quando os peixes foram sacrificados 4 h após a injeção da UII. Este estudo confirma a hipótese de que a UI e a UII poderiam participar na regulação da composição da bile dos peixes, uma vez que a injeção de ambos neuro-hormônios alterou a DPT da vesícula biliar de H. malabaricus