The potential of Second Life for university counseling: a comparative approach examining media features and counseling problems

This study explored the potential of Second Life (SL), a popular multi-user virtual online environment, for university counseling. University students (n = 312) were asked to evaluate three counseling channels (i.e., traditional face-to-face, internet, and SL) based on a range of media features deemed relevant and important to counseling and to assess their relative preferability when faced with different counseling problems. For the purposes of this study, counseling rooms with different styles were built, virtual counselors with different genders, ages, and styles were created, and short video recordings of scripted counseling sessions were produced in SL. For the media feature comparisons, the collected data were analyzed by the multivariate analysis of variance, followed by the analysis of variance and post hoc comparisons when significant differences were found, whereas for counseling problem comparisons, repeated-measure analysis of variance and post hoc comparisons were used. The results for the media feature comparisons showed that SL counseling significantly out-rated traditional counseling in all of the examined media features, with the exception of the interactivity dimension. Additionally, while SL and internet counseling were both perceived as significantly better than traditional counseling in areas that are unique to computer-mediated communications, including anonymity, convenience, and flexibility with regard to time and space, as well as privacy of the counseling site, SL was perceived as distinctly superior to internet counseling in five areas due to its unique affordances, including the choice of appearance, choice of counselors, interactivity, diversity of counseling sites, and availability of counseling object dimensions. Furthermore, traditional counseling was regarded as better able to support more fluent and versatile interaction between the counselor and client than the other two computer-mediated channels. As for the results of counseling problem comparisons, SL was rated as least preferred for six out of the seven counseling problems (except for gender identity issues), despite its media affordances. Suggestions for practitioners and future research are provided based on the current findings.

G2/M arrest and apoptosis of human colorectal cancer cells induced by water extract from residues of jelly fig achene

Jelly fig (Ficus awkeotsang) achenes have been utilized to prepare a traditional drink in Taiwan. Herein, we evaluated the effect of water extract from jelly fig seed residues (WERJFA) on cancer cells. WERJFA could inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells, COLO205 and HT29 in both dose- and time-dependent manners. The flow cytometric analysis with propidium iodide (PI) showed that WERJFA primarily arrested COLO205 and HT29 cells at the G2/M phase of cell cycle as the concentration reached to at least 0.5 mg/ml. WERJFA induced apoptosis of these two cell lines, as evidenced by annexin V-FITC/PI and 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in WERJFA-treated cells were detected by flow cytometry with H2DCF-DA and 5,5', 6,6'-Tetrachloro-1, 1', 3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolocarbocyanine iodide (JC-1). Our results showed that WERJFA exerted anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on colorectal cancer cells. WERJFA arrested cell cycle, and caused apoptotic death in these cancer cells possibly via mitochondrial pathway involved with exceeding ROS level.

G2/M arrest and apoptosis of human colorectal cancer cells induced by water extract from residues of jelly fig achene

Jelly fig (Ficus awkeotsang) achenes have been utilized to prepare a traditional drink in Taiwan. Herein, we evaluated the effect of water extract from jelly fig seed residues (WERJFA) on cancer cells. WERJFA could inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells, COLO205 and HT29 in both dose- and time-dependent manners. The flow cytometric analysis with propidium iodide (PI) showed that WERJFA primarily arrested COLO205 and HT29 cells at the G2/M phase of cell cycle as the concentration reached to at least 0.5 mg/ml. WERJFA induced apoptosis of these two cell lines, as evidenced by annexin V-FITC/PI and 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in WERJFA-treated cells were detected by flow cytometry with H2DCF-DA and 5,5', 6,6'-Tetrachloro-1, 1', 3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolocarbocyanine iodide (JC-1). Our results showed that WERJFA exerted anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on colorectal cancer cells. WERJFA arrested cell cycle, and caused apoptotic death in these cancer cells possibly via mitochondrial pathway involved with exceeding ROS level.

Application of paramagnetic graphene quantum dots as a platform for simultaneous dual-modality bioimaging and tumor-targeted drug delivery

This paper reports the development of a multifunctional nanocarrier platform consisting of paramagnetic graphene quantum dots, folate, and doxorubicin for simultaneous fluorescence and MR imaging, and cancer treatment.

Active and stable liquid water innovatively prepared using resonantly illuminated gold nanoparticles

The properties of confined liquid water, or liquid water in contact with hydrophobic surfaces, are significantly different from those of bulk liquid water. However, all of water's commonly described properties are related to inert "bulk liquid water" which comprises a tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded network. In this work, we report an innovative and facile method for preparing small water clusters (SWCs) with reduced affinity hydrogen bonds by letting bulk water flow through supported Au nanoparticles (NPs) under resonant illumination to give NP-treated (AuNT) water at constant temperature. Utilizing localized surface plasmon resonance on illuminated Au NPs, the strong hydrogen bonds of bulk water can be disordered when water is located at the illuminated Au/water interface. The prepared SWCs are free of Au NPs. The energy efficiency for creating SWCs is ∼17%. The resulting stable AuNT water exhibits distinct properties at room temperature, which are significantly different from the properties of untreated bulk water, examples being their ability to scavenge free hydroxyl and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and to effectively reduce NO release from lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cells.

Evidence for neurotrophic factors associating with TRPV1 gene expression in the inflamed human esophagus

BACKGROUND

Transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) receptor has been implicated in the mechanism of acid induced inflammation in gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). It has been demonstrated that the increase in nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was associated with the increased expression of TRPV1. We aimed to determine whether expression of TRPV1 was increased in severe inflamed human esophagus, and to test the hypothesis whether the expression of TRPV1 was mediated by neurotrophic factors such as NGF and GDNF.

METHODS

We compared biopsies taken from the distal esophagus of 15 patients with erosive GERD, 16 asymptomatic patients (AP), and 10 healthy controls. We assessed the biopsies with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for TRPV1, NGF, and GDNF. Immunohistochemical analysis of TRPV1 protein expression was also determined.

KEY RESULTS

Transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 mRNA level and its protein expression were significantly greater in patients with erosive esophagitis than AP (P < 0.001) and healthy controls (P < 0.001). Nerve growth factor and GDNF gene levels in the esophageal mucosa were also significantly increased in patients with erosive esophagitis compared with AP and healthy controls (all P < 0.001). Transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 mRNA correlated well with NGF (r = 0.61, P < 0.001) and GDNF (r = 0.58, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

These results support the association of NGF and GDNF in the up-regulation of TRPV1 receptors in patients with erosive esophagitis.

Luminal hydrochloric acid stimulates rapid transepithelial ion fluxes in rodent esophageal stratified squamous epithelium

It remains unclear whether enhanced ion fluxes occur in the esophageal stratified squamous epithelium upon acid exposure. Rat esophageal tissues devoid of submucosal glands displayed basal short-circuit current (Isc) of 5.03 +/- 1.93 microA/cm(2) and lumen-negative potential difference (PD) in association with net absorption of Na+ and Cl-, and secretion of HCO3(-). Luminal hydrochloric acid (HCl) challenge (pH = 1.6) triggered an acute rise of the Isc and increment of negative PD to seven-fold of baseline, which was diminished in HCO3(-)-free, but not Na+- free buffer. The rise of Isc was inhibited by pretreatment with di-isothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) and 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)-amiloride (EIPA). Topical carbachol, capsaicin, forskolin or CFTR(inh)-172 had no effect on basal Isc.CFTR(inh)-172 did not reduce the acid-increased Isc. Functional ablation of capsaicin-sensitive nerves had no effect on the acid-induced Isc. The phenomenon of enhanced ion fluxes upon acid stimulation was confirmed in human esophageal specimens. Our results demonstrated that the mechanism of acid-induced rapid transepithelial ion fluxes is dependent on the presence of bicarbonate ions as well as functional anion transporters and Na+/H+ exchanger, but independent of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). The capsaicin-sensitive and muscarinic-dependent nerve pathways did not play roles in the mechanism.

Femtosecond time-resolved absorption processes in lithium niobate crystals

Femtosecond pump pulses are strongly attenuated in lithium niobate owing to two-photon absorption; the relevant nonlinear coefficient beta(p) ranges from approximately 3.5 cm/GW for lambda(p) = 388 nm to approximately 0.1 cm/GW for 514 nm. In collinear pump-probe experiments the probe transmission at the double pump wavelength 2lambda(p) = 776 nm is controlled by two different processes: A direct absorption process involving pump and probe photons (beta (r) = 0.9 cm/GW) leads to a pronounced short-duration transmission dip, whereas the probe absorption by pump-excited charge carriers results in a long-duration plateau. Coherent pump-probe interactions are of no importance. Hot-carrier relaxation occurs on the time scale of < or approximately equal to 0.1 ps.

Investigation of nonlinear absorption processes with femtosecond light pulses in lithium niobate crystals

The propagation of high-power femtosecond light pulses in lithium niobate crystals (LiNb O3 ) is investigated experimentally and theoretically in collinear pump-probe transmission experiments. It is found within a wide intensity range that a strong decrease of the pump transmission coefficient at wavelength 388 nm fully complies with the model of two-photon absorption; the corresponding nonlinear absorption coefficient is beta(p) approximately = 3.5 cm/GW. Furthermore, strong pump pulses induce a considerable absorption for the probe at 776 nm. The dependence of the probe transmission coefficient on the time delay Delta t between probe and pump pulses is characterized by a narrow dip (at Delta t approximately = 0) and a long (on the picosecond time scale) lasting plateau. The dip is due to direct two-photon transitions involving pump and probe photons; the corresponding nonlinear absorption coefficient is beta(r) approximately = 0.9 cm/GW. The plateau absorption is caused by the presence of pump-excited charge carriers; the effective absorption cross section at 776 nm is sigma(r) approximately = 8 x 10(-18) cm(2). The above nonlinear absorption parameters are not strongly polarization sensitive. No specific manifestations of the relaxation of hot carriers are found for a pulse duration of approximately = 0.24 ps.

Characterization of the antiplatelet effects of (2S)-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan-7-ol from Draconis Resina

(2S)-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan-7-ol (MMF) was purified from Draconis Resina and its in vitro effects on various aspects of platelet reactivity were examined. Results indicated that MMF dose dependently inhibited aggregation of washed rabbit platelets induced by collagen, arachidonic acid, ADP, U46619 or platelet-activating factor (PAF), with IC50) values of 17.2, 49.8, 179.8, 109.6, and 189.2 microM, respectively. Concomitantly, MMF also dose dependently suppressed ATP release by platelets activated by these stimulants. The increase in intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i), elicited by these activating agents, was inhibited by MMF as reflected by fura-2 fluorescence measurements. However, MMF had no effects on the cyclic AMP level of platelets. In addition, MMF inhibited the arachidonic acid-induced thromboxane B2 and prostaglandin D2 formation in intact platelet suspensions or homogenized platelet lysates. This study provided evidence that MMF is an antiplatelet agent whose activity is likely related to cyclooxygenase inhibition and suppression of [Ca2+]i increase.