Authors\u27 and editors\u27 perspectives on peer review quality in three scholarly nursing journals

This study examined the quality of peer review in three scholarly nursing journals from the perspectives of authors and editors. Specifically, the study examined the extent to which manuscript reviews provided constructive guidance for authors to further develop their work for publication, and for editors to make informed and sound decisions on the disposition of manuscripts

Oxidative stress stimulates alpha-tocopherol transfer protein in human trophoblast tumor cells BeWo

alpha-Tocopherol transfer protein (alpha-TTP) has been identified as the major intracellular transport protein for the antioxidant vitamin E (alpha-Tocopherol). Expression of alpha-TTP on the reproductive system has been described both in mouse uterus and lately in the human placenta. The aim of this study was to clarify if placental expression of alpha-TTP can be modified by substances causing oxidative reactions. The human choriocarcinoma cell line BeWo was, therefore, treated with two known pro-oxidants. alpha-TTP expression was determined with immunocytochemistry and evaluated by applying a semiquantitative score. The presence of pro-oxidants in BeWo cells induced alpha-TTP expression. We thus hypothesize that stimulation of alpha-TTP expression by oxidative stress, as this was induced by pro-oxidants, could be part of an antioxidant process occurring in the placenta in the aim of enhancing the supply of alpha-Tocopherol. This process could occur both in normal pregnancies, as well as in pregnancy disorders presented with intensified oxidative stress. In that view, this model is proposed for further oxidative stress studies on trophoblast and placenta, on the grounds of clarifying the role of alpha-Tocopherol in pregnancy physiology and pathophysiology

Enhancing Doctoral Completion in Women: Evidence From a Qualitative Study of a Unique Federally Funded Program

In an era where campus environments were often unwelcoming to women, and there were few women role models, an innovative program funded by the National Institute of Education produced 100% completion by female and minority doctoral students. At a 25-year reunion, the graduates reflected on their program experiences and careers. Reflections were audiotaped and subjected to thematic narrative analysis. Five themes were identified through the assistance of a large interdisciplinary interpretive group: Freedom to Widen Horizons, We Were Kindred Souls, Women Who Wanted Us to Succeed, It Was a Gift, and Paying it Forward. Findings of the study are highly relevant today, given the persistence of sexism in academia, the underrepresentation of women among holders of doctoral degrees, and the need to better prepare women for faculty and leadership roles

Response of Honeycomb Core Sandwich Panel with Minimum Gage GFRP Face-Sheets to Compression Loading After Impact

A compression after impact study has been conducted to determine the residual strength of three sandwich panel constructions with two types of thin glass fiber reinforced polymer face-sheets and two hexagonal honeycomb Nomex core densities. Impact testing is conducted to first determine the characteristics of damage resulting from various impact energy levels. Two modes of failure are found during compression after impact tests with the density of the core precipitating the failure mode present for a given specimen. A finite element analysis is presented for prediction of the residual compressive strength of the impacted specimens. The analysis includes progressive damage modeling in the face-sheets. Preliminary analysis results were similar to the experimental results; however, a higher fidelity core material model is expected to improve the correlation

Proteomic Adaptation of Streptococcus pneumoniae to the Human Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37

Secreted antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important part of the human innate immune system and prevent local and systemic infections by inhibiting bacterial growth in a concentration-dependent manner. In the respiratory tract, the cationic peptide LL-37 is one of the most abundant AMPs and capable of building pore complexes in usually negatively charged bacterial membranes, leading to the destruction of bacteria. However, the adaptation mechanisms of several pathogens to LL-37 are already described and are known to weaken the antimicrobial effect of the AMP, for instance, by repulsion, export or degradation of the peptide. This study examines proteome-wide changes in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39, the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia, in response to physiological concentrations of LL-37 by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Our data indicate that pneumococci may use some of the known adaptation mechanisms to reduce the effect of LL-37 on their physiology, too. Additionally, several proteins seem to be involved in resistance to AMPs which have not been related to this process before, such as the teichoic acid flippase TacF (SPD_1128). Understanding colonization- and infection-relevant adaptations of the pneumococcus to AMPs, especially LL-37, could finally uncover new drug targets to weaken the burden of this widespread pathogen

The Ursinus Weekly, February 24, 1958

Martin Zippin to speak at Y seminar on art, Feb. 26 • Grundy crowned; Whitians named at annual Lorelei • Army med service topic at pre-med meeting tonite • Seniors present Gold in the hills March 7 and 8 • Campus Chest \u2758 charities • Ursinus photo enthusiast shows camera art in UC Library foyer • Freshman women get colors at ceremonies • Cub & Key Society requests outlines from junior men • WSGA names May queen - J. Martin; Molitor, manager • Tau Sig and Sig Rho dance held Saturday night • Editorial: Art and the student • Nothing new under Ur sun (us) • Ode to idiots • Letters to the editor • Ursinus wrestlers visit Wilkes for meet, Fri. and Sat. • Swimming and basketball finds belles victorious • U.C. cagers downed again; PMC & Swarthmore victors • Matmen trounce PMC; Record now 5 wins, one loss • Sophomores elect Drummond and Watson to MSGAhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1400/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, January 13, 1958

Faculty, students get together for fireside chats • European views of Americans told at IRC meeting • Lantern contest offers prizes to writers and artists • Satellites topic at chem meeting tonight in S-12 • Library receives 400 dollar grant • Lorelei discussed, proctors named at MSGA meeting • Student teachers\u27 tales amuse SEAP meeting • Picasso exhibition opens at Philadelphia art museum • Tranquilizers subject of pre-med meeting, Jan. 8 • Podolak captains color guard • Sig Nu & Delta Pi to hold final fling January 18 • Editorial: It\u27s our move now • Trim the wick and brighten the Lantern • Prize poems • Picasso: Biography • Valentine Day opener set for girls\u27 badminton team • Girls\u27 basketball opener set for Feb. 12 with G\u27burg • UC grapplers beat Haverford 19-13 in season\u27s opener • Varsity cagers lose; J.V.s beat Swarthmore, Haverford • Bears scalped by Indians 81-69 in year-end game • Beta Sig mardi gras held • Frosh give dance: Beneath the sea • Many fields included in new library accessionshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1397/thumbnail.jp

Long-term efficacy and safety of first-line ibrutinib treatment for patients with CLL/SLL: 5 years of follow-up from the phase 3 RESONATE-2 study.

RESONATE-2 is a phase 3 study of first-line ibrutinib versus chlorambucil in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Patients aged ≥65 years (n = 269) were randomized 1:1 to once-daily ibrutinib 420 mg continuously or chlorambucil 0.5-0.8 mg/kg for ≤12 cycles. With a median (range) follow-up of 60 months (0.1-66), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) benefits for ibrutinib versus chlorambucil were sustained (PFS estimates at 5 years: 70% vs 12%; HR [95% CI]: 0.146 [0.098-0.218]; OS estimates at 5 years: 83% vs 68%; HR [95% CI]: 0.450 [0.266-0.761]). Ibrutinib benefit was also consistent in patients with high prognostic risk (TP53 mutation, 11q deletion, and/or unmutated IGHV) (PFS: HR [95% CI]: 0.083 [0.047-0.145]; OS: HR [95% CI]: 0.366 [0.181-0.736]). Investigator-assessed overall response rate was 92% with ibrutinib (complete response, 30%; 11% at primary analysis). Common grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) included neutropenia (13%), pneumonia (12%), hypertension (8%), anemia (7%), and hyponatremia (6%); occurrence of most events as well as discontinuations due to AEs decreased over time. Fifty-eight percent of patients continue to receive ibrutinib. Single-agent ibrutinib demonstrated sustained PFS and OS benefit versus chlorambucil and increased depth of response over time