To Follow Up or Not? A new model of supportive care for early breast cancer: Interim Results

To Follow Up or Not? A New Model of Supportive Care for Early Breast Cancer Background: Routine follow-up after curative treatment for early breast cancer exists to monitor for local recurrence and provide support for patients. Hospital visits can be stressful for patients and evidence indicates most recurrences are first identified by the patient. The value of resource-intense clinical follow-up is constantly being questioned. Many believe that time spent seeing essentially well-women is not clinically beneficial or an efficient use of time. Methods: This pilot study tested the feasibility and acceptability of a new supportive model of follow-up using quality-of-life (QOL) questionnaires plus qualitative diary evaluations. All patients attended four half day patient education workshops with course evaluations, followed by randomised to open access (OA) or hospital follow up (HFU). QOL including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), EORTC QLQ-C30 and BR23 were performed at baseline and 6 months, with further results awaited for 12, 18 and 24 months. Results: 106 women were recruited to the pilot study. 53 were randomised to HFU and 53 to OA. Multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA) tests were conducted on all QOL data. Age was included as a covariate. Follow-up ANCOVAs on individual function and symptom outcomes were also conducted. The MANCOVA analyses indicated no statistically significant differences in change scores between HFU and OA groups, or between patients of different ages, on any of the three questionnaires. In all cases the effect of group had a greater effect on change (baseline-6 months) scores than the effect of age. Univariate ANCOVA tests and descriptive analyses showed performance improvement in many of the individual function and symptom scales in the OA group. Conclusions: While open access patients showed greater mean improvements in more scales than patients seen in clinic, follow-up method does not appear to significantly affect overall outcomes on any of the three questionnaires. As an influencing factor, the patients' age is less significant than the assigned group. This new model is feasible and acceptable. It is being adopted as standard across the Yorkshire Cancer Network

MicroRNA 21 is a homeostatic regulator of macrophage polarization and prevents prostaglandin E2-mediated M2 generation

Macrophages dictate both initiation and resolution of inflammation. During acute inflammation classically activated macrophages (M1) predominate, and during the resolution phase alternative macrophages (M2) are dominant. The molecular mechanisms involved in macrophage polarization are understudied. MicroRNAs are differentially expressed in M1 and M2 macrophages that influence macrophage polarization. We identified a role of miR-21 in macrophage polarization, and found that cross-talk between miR-21 and the lipid mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a determining factor in macrophage polarization. miR-21 inhibition impairs expression of M2 signature genes but not M1 genes. PGE2 and its downstream effectors PKA and Epac inhibit miR-21 expression and enhance expression of M2 genes, and this effect is more pronounced in miR-21-/- cells. Among potential targets involved in macrophage polarization, we found that STAT3 and SOCS1 were enhanced in miR-21-/- cells and further enhanced by PGE2. We found that STAT3 was a direct target of miR-21 in macrophages. Silencing the STAT3 gene abolished PGE2-mediated expression of M2 genes in miR-21-/- macrophages. These data shed light on the molecular brakes involved in homeostatic macrophage polarization and suggest new therapeutic strategies to prevent inflammatory responses

The Ursinus Weekly, December 16, 1976

Ursinus news in brief: Career seminar held; Insurance coverage modified; Correction • Tuition, Gourman discussed • Richter talks to USGA • Dept Chairmen react to SFARC letter • Letter to the editor: Reply and support • Student Activities Committee Fall 1976 allocations • Casino Night action • Ursinus replies to Gourman Report • Messiah performed • U.C. runners compete • B-ball needs time • Another super hockey season • Ursinus indoor track • Swimmers splash to two victorieshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1064/thumbnail.jp

The Growth Cone Cytoskeleton in Axon Outgrowth and Guidance

Axon outgrowth and guidance to the proper target requires the coordination of filamentous (F)-actin and microtubules (MTs), the dynamic cytoskeletal polymers that promote shape change and locomotion. Over the past two decades, our knowledge of the many guidance cues, receptors, and downstream signaling cascades involved in neuronal outgrowth and guidance has increased dramatically. Less is known, however, about how those cascades of information converge and direct appropriate remodeling and interaction of cytoskeletal polymers, the ultimate effectors of movement and guidance. During development, much of the communication that occurs between environmental guidance cues and the cytoskeleton takes place at the growing tip of the axon, the neuronal growth cone. Several articles on this topic focus on the “input” to the growth cone, the myriad of receptor types, and their corresponding cognate ligands. Others investigate the signaling cascades initiated by receptors and propagated by second messenger pathways (i.e., kinases, phosphatases, GTPases). Ultimately, this plethora of information converges on proteins that associate directly with the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons. The role of these cytoskeletal-associated proteins, as well as the cytoskeleton itself in axon outgrowth and guidance, is the subject of this article

The Ursinus Weekly, February 24, 1977

Ursinus news in brief: Weekly to accept applications; Poli. Sci. Washington trip; Ursinus to exhibit frakturs; More on absenteeism; Pre Legal meets • U.S.G.A. election results • Wismer, sunshine discussed • James Craft interviewed • Dining hall probed • Letters to the editor: Information please!; TGV and South Africa • Wild blue yonder • ELO Lives!! • Cassandra • Denenberg speaks • Photos • Immaculata here tonight • Up for the match • Swimming bare machine rolls on, but men lose • Elsewhere in UC sports scenehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1066/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, May 20, 1977

Ursinus news in brief: Weekly tries new printer; Chem student receives award; Top seniors honored; Music officers picked; Simon wins award; Brandt wins award; Young Republicans choose officers • Richter hails USGA proposal as primary document • Field hockey trip cancelled • Chapter scholars honored • Comment: Is this any way to run a school? • Letters to the editor • Dames at sea • Movie attack: Fellini\u27s Casanova • Musical notes: Meistersingers tour • Parsons\u27 book reviewed • Pi No • On curriculum • Presidential memo • Doctorates • From the cluttered desk of the USGA President • Calendar priorities • Curley wins scholarship • 14 admitted to med schools • Placement Office offers services • Check it out: Lacrosse at 10-1 • Baseball winds down season • Women\u27s softball • Trinkle holds all records in high jump competition • 5th in MAC\u27s track team • Women\u27s tennis at match pointhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1071/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, February 26, 1976

WRUC is on the air • Dr. Parsons tells of visit to Germany • Election results • Student interns join WPAZ radio staff • Student-Board Comm. meets • Loyalty fund is thriving • Spiropoulos examines J.F.K. assassination • Free Library • Editorial: Food for thought or? • U.C. speakers • Editorial: Energy woes are for real and jobs are at stake • Careers vs. liberal arts • Viewpoint: Mr. Bloom\u27s point is worth repeating • Bearpit action • Seminars for women offered: Women and the law; Women and finance • JV Bears play .500 • Bears do swim! • Our bouncing Bears • Focus: Greg Thren • Spring feverhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1052/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, October 21, 1976

Ursinus news in brief: Parsons recovering; Damage fines abolished; Young Democrats revived; Homecoming planned; Voter registration held; MBA fair planned • Messiah cut back • Placement meetings set • Commuters organize • SAC reports • Comment: The ugly American lives on • Richter talks to freshmen • Comment: Alumni-student relations • Rheinpfalz folk culture • Bob Dean: Artist • proTheatre produces one acts • Beautiful noise • Operation: White Cloud • Coming campus events • Handwerk replaces Fry • Soccer drops three • Bears lose • X-Country splits • Kang\u27s return • McGinnis views NBA and Sixershttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1059/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, November 20, 1975

Sub-stantial lunch presented by Union • Dorm visitation reform urged • The Party\u27s over • Explosive evidence • Student letter sent to Board • New Student Affairs subcommittee formed • Editorial: Communication before tragedy • Letters to the editor: Reactions • Grad. School crunch etc. • ProTheatre puts best foot forward • Coffeehouse reviewed • State of the Union • New service at Myrin • Forum review: Lindsay on energy • Photo exhibit opens • 1-6-1 And something must be done! • Ursinus\u27 women\u27s hockey starlets repeat success! • Wrestler\u27s preview • Manning\u27s men • C. C. team • NBA preview part IIhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1047/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, September 30, 1976

Ursinus news in brief: Times cites college depression; 76\u27ers arrive for training; Simon participates in mission; Absentee ballots explained; Richter named Ursinus President • \u2776 enrollment drops • Dorm letter drafted • SFARC year opens • Comment: Action, not promises • Cheap shot commentators • Cost comparisons • Movie controversy • The Last hurrah: An introduction to Ursinus romance • Legal society success • Coming campus events • Teacher knows best! • Record review • Curriculum addition in history • Campaign-advance Ursinus • Phils to see red • Gurzynski retires from X-country • Soccer drops two • F.&M. beats Ursinus • Karas regime opens • Harriers 3 and 1 • What lies ahead • Hockey still winning • Saturday\u27s gamehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1057/thumbnail.jp