Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common human pathogen that infects over 95% of the population worldwide. In the present study, the whole transcriptome microarray data were generated from peripheral ...blood mononuclear cells from Chinese children with acute infectious mononucleosis (AIM) and chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) that were also compared with a publicly available microarray dataset from a study of American college students with AIM. Our study characterized for the first time a broad spectrum of molecular signatures in AIM and CAEBV. The key findings from the transcriptome profiling were validated with qPCR and flow cytometry assays. The most important finding in our study is the discovery of predominant γδ TCR expression and γδ T cell expansion in AIM. This finding, in combination with the striking up-regulation of CD3, CD8 and CD94, suggests that CD8+ T cells and CD94+ NK cells may play a major role in AIM. Moreover, the unique up-regulation of CD64A/B and its significant correlation with the monocyte marker CD14 was observed in CAEBV and that implies an important role of monocytes in CAEBV. In conclusion, our study reveals major cell types (particularly γδ T cells) in the host cellular immune response against AIM and CAEBV.
The purpose of this prospective randomized trial was to compare the use of a novel vaginal hydrogel packing system (BrachyGel) to standard vaginal packing (VP) during high dose rate (HDR) ...brachytherapy (BT) for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).
This cross-over study included LACC patients receiving HDR BT boost (intracavitary +/- interstitial). All patients received alternating gauze or BrachyGel VP on Arms A and B. Patients, physicians, and physicists evaluated BT characteristics via a 4-point Likert scale. Adverse events (AEs) were prospectively collected and scored per CTCAE.
The 20 patients enrolled. The mean bladder D2cc difference between gauze and BrachyGel in Arm A was 0.117 Gray (Gy) and in Arm B 0.013 Gy. The mean difference in rectum D2cc in Arm A and Arm B was -0.189 Gy and -0.191 Gy, respectively. The mean dose to 90% of the high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV) for gauze compared to BrachyGel was -0.032 Gy (95% CI: 0.472, 0.409). Patient-reported discomfort was similar with BrachyGel and gauze ("mild/moderate" 70.0% vs 74.0%, respectively). The clarity of VP was similar between BrachyGel and gauze (86.8% vs 89.7%, respectively). The completeness of VP was more frequently "excellent/good" with BrachyGel (79.0%) compared to gauze (56.4%). The ease of packing was more frequently "extremely easy" with BrachyGel (21.2% vs 0%). No serious AEs were reported.
This randomized trial found no clinically significant difference in OAR or HR-CTV dosimetry between BrachyGel and standard VP. BrachyGel performed well compared to gauze for the patient and physician use experience.
Flexural creep behavior of nylon 6/6 (NY66)– and polypropylene (PP)– based long fiber (
l/
d = 2000−10 000) thermoplastic (LFT) composites was investigated as a function of ultraviolet irradiation ...and moisture absorption. Extrusion/compression-molded panels were prepared according to ASTM D-2990 and conditioned according to ASTM D-618. NY66 and PP LFTs were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the unexposed condition, and as-exposed to 253.7 nm UV radiation. The creep compliance of PP LFT increased with increasing UV exposure, whereas the creep compliance of NY66 LFT showed a moderate decrease with increasing UV exposure. Moisture absorption experiments were performed in boiling water until saturation on NY66 and its LFT composites. Characterization of desorbed moisture absorption specimens suggested slight variation in the structure, and an analysis of creep compliances showed minimal changes as compared to the dry/unexposed specimens.
Czesław Miłosz is at times called an American poet. This means one thing in Poland, and something else in the United States. To Polish readers, this description is mainly related to the moment of his ...departure from Europe to take up employment at the University of California in Berkeley, and his settlement for many years in California, where his new poems and essays were written. Miłosz is to them an American poet, in a biographical sense, from the time he started living at Grizzly Peak until his return to Krakow, and in a symbolic sense, for as long as he cooperated with the publishing market, participated in literary life, and was an ambassador of Polish literature across the ocean. He is an American poet to the extent that his work was influenced by the thought and work of those cultural circles.
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