Macrophage Immunomodulation Through New Polymers that Recapitulate Functional Effects of Itaconate as a Power House of Innate Immunity

Itaconate (ITA) is an emerging powerhouse of innate immunity with therapeutic potential that is limited in its ability to be administered in a soluble form. A library of polyester materials that incorporate ITA into polymer backbones resulting in materials with inherent immunoregulatory behavior is developed. Harnessing hydrolytic degradation release from polyester backbones, ITA polymers result in the mechanism specific immunoregulatory properties on macrophage polarization in vitro. In a functional assay, the polymer-released ITA inhibits bacterial growth on acetate. Translation to an in vivo model of biomaterial associated inflammation, intraperitoneal injection of ITA polymers demonstrate a rapid resolution of inflammation in comparison to a control polymer silicone, demonstrating the value of sustained biomimetic presentation of ITA.     

The validity of the Gammarus:Asellus ratio as an index of organic pollution: abiotic and biotic influences.

In freshwaters. Gammarus spp. are more sensitive to organic pollution than Asellus spp. and the relative abundance of the two taxa has been proposed as a pollution index. We tested the validity of this by examining the relationship between the Gammarus: Asellus (G : A) ratio and (1) a suite of physico-chemical variables. (2) established biotic (average score per taxon, ASPT) and richness (species richness (S) and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera families richness (EPT family richness)) indices generated from the macroinvertebrate community. In addition, we investigated a suspected biotic interaction, predation, between Gammarus and Asellus. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the G: A ratio was sometimes responsive to changes in parameters linked to organic pollution, such as BOD5 and nitrate levels. However, the G : A ratio also appeared responsive to variables not directly linked to organic pollution, such as conductivity and distance from source. There were significant positive correlations among the G : A ratio and the ASPT, S and EPT, indicating that changes in the relative abundances of Gammarus and Asellus were reflected in changes in the pollution sensitivity and richness of the wider macroinvertebrate community. A laboratory experiment revealed significant predation of Asellus aquaticus juveniles by Gammarus duebeni celticus adults, but no reciprocal predation. We propose that the G: A ratio may be useful as a crude measure of organic pollution that could supplement more complex indices in a multimetric approach to pollution monitoring or be used for monitoring individual sites, where a simple technique is required for monitoring purposes over a period of time. Also, we urge recognition of the possible role of biotic interactions among taxa used in the generation of pollution indices.     

Logistic Regression Analysis of Customer Satisfaction Data

Variation exists in all processes. Significant work has been done to identify and remove sources of variation in manufacturing processes resulting in large returns for companies. However, business process optimization is an area that has a large potential return for a company. Business processes can be difficult to optimize due to the nature of the output variables associated with them. Business processes tend to have output variables that are binary, nominal or ordinal. Examples of these types of output include whether a particular event occurred, a customer's color preference for a new product and survey questions that assess the extent of the survey respondent's agreement with a particular statement. Output variables that are binary, nominal or ordinal cannot be modeled using ordinary least‐squares regression. Logistic regression is a method used to model data where the output is binary, nominal or ordinal. This article provides a review of logistic regression and demonstrates its use in modeling data from a business process involving customer feedback. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-dose busulfan, melphalan, thiotepa and peripheral blood stem cell infusion for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer

The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with high-dose busulfan (Bu), melphalan (Mel) and thiotepa (TT) followed by peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) infusion. Fifty-one patients with chemotherapy refractory (n = 32) or responsive (n = 19) metastatic breast cancer received Bu (12 mg/kg), Mel (100 mg/m2) and TT (500 mg/m2) followed by PBSC collected after chemotherapy and growth factor (n = 43) or growth factor alone (n = 8). The 100 day treatment-related mortality was 8% including one death from cytomegalovirus pneumonia, one from aspiration pneumonia and two from regimen-related toxicity (RRT). Seven of 28 refractory (25%) and 5/7 (71%) responsive patients with evaluable disease achieved a complete response of all measurable disease or all soft tissue disease with at least improvement in bone lesions (PR*). Fifteen of 51 patients (29%) are alive and progression-free a median of 423 days (range 353-934) after treatment, 5/32 (16%) with refractory disease and 10/19 (53%) with responsive disease. The probabilities of progression-free survival (PFS) at 1.5 years for the patients with refractory (n = 32) and responsive (n = 19) disease were 0.24 and 0.53, respectively. These preliminary data suggest that high-dose Bu/Mel/TT has significant activity in patients with advanced breast cancer and may be superior to some previously published regimens.     

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene I/D polymorphism with change in left ventricular mass in response to physical training

PURPOSE: To determine the radiologic characteristics of cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients with cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall and chronic pancreatitis underwent ultrasonography (US) (n = 10), computed tomography (CT) (n = 10), endoscopic US (n = 5), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (n = 9). Cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall was classified as either cystic or solid. The imaging findings were retrospectively analyzed and compared with findings at pancreatoduodenectomy (n = 10). RESULTS: The more frequent cystic type (n = 7) of cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall was characterized by the presence of easily recognizable cystic lesions (diameter, more than 1 cm), located within the thickened wall of the second portion of the duodenum. The solid type (n = 3) of cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall demonstrated fibrous thickening of the duodenal wall within which small cysts (diameter, less than 1 cm) were present. The intraduodenal cysts were usually elongated or bilobate with a thick wall. The thickening of the duodenal wall appeared as a solid layer between the duodenal lumen and the pancreas, hypoechoic at US, isoattenuating at unenhanced CT, and hypoattenuating in the early phase (after initiation of infusion of contrast material) and isoattenuating in the late phase (after completion of infusion) at contrast material-enhanced CT. Findings at retrospective analysis of CT and endoscopic US images were characteristic. CONCLUSION: Imaging modalities, notably CT and endoscopic US, helped establish the diagnosis of cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall.     

Thermoreversible Gelcasting: A Novel Ceramic Processing Technique

A new ceramic processing method, thermoreversible gelcasting (TRG), has been developed. The method uses a gelation process that can be reversed multiple times. Two Al₂O₃ systems have been explored with the use of a specific triblock copolymer to form a binding gel network. The mixture becomes a free-flowing liquid on heating above 60°C. However, on cooling below 60°C, the slurry instantaneously transforms to a physical gel. This process can be reversed easily (essentially with an infinite processing time window) while the solvent is present in the system, which is advantageous when trying to produce high-quality dense pieces if initial casting irregularities occur. Near-theoretically dense specimens have been produced with properties consistent with reported values of high-density Al₂O₃.     

Dynamic Analysis of Truss‐Beam System

As the manned exploration of space continues, many complex structural components are being developed to construct the orbital platforms that will be used to house communication hardware, personnel, and manufacturing complexes. These components are extremely flexible and complex in their behavior. There is a need for a simple method for determining the dynamic characteristics of these space structures with a minimum of effort. A mathematical model of one of these structural elements, an articulating truss beam, has been developed to predict its dynamic response. Assumptions of the force interaction between the beam elements and the joints have been made for using this model. Algorithms are provided to determine the flexibility matrix of the truss beam for use in the equation of motion. The natural frequencies obtained from using this method are compared with those obtained by the finite element method. An experimental procedure is planned to validate the results from the theoretical method.     

The NC-REN meets the North Carolina Information Highway

The North Carolina Research and Education Network (NC-REN), formerly known as CONCERT, is an existing video and data network, owned and operated by MCNC. NC-REN's purpose has been to provide network-based support for collaboration in the research community within the state since 1985. The first major application planned for the North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH) is an interactive video distance learning system. A secondary application proposed is the use of Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) as a means of providing data communications services over NCIH. The user community currently supported by NC-REN has come to expect high levels of service, reliability, interoperability and performance for data and video communications. MCNC is committed to see that NC-REN users receive service that is equal to or better than what is currently provided by the existing network. The prospect of migrating NC-REN-provided services to NCIH-provided transport has raised challenging technical and unique service issues