University of Memphis

About: University of Memphis is a education organization based out in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 7710 authors who have published 20082 publications receiving 611618 citations. The organization is also known as: U of M.

Plasmonic photo-thermal therapy (PPTT)

Abstract: Photo-thermal therapy (PTT) is a minimally-invasive therapy in which photon energy is converted into heat to kill cancer. Gold nanoparticles absorb light strongly and convert photon energy into heat quickly and efficiently, thereby making them superior contrast agents for PTT. This gold nanoparticle-assisted PTT called PPTT has showed great popularity and success in recent years. The present review starts with the outline of optical properties that base PPTT followed by description of the synthesis of several gold-based nanoparticles that have been used in PPTT including gold nanospheres, gold nanoshells, gold nanorods and gold nanocages. Therapeutic outcomes will be discussed for each type of gold nanoparticles. Cell death mechanisms and future perspectives of PPTT will be briefly mentioned at the end.

Review Article: Recent Advances in Artificial Immune Systems: Models and Applications

Abstract: The immune system is a remarkable information processing and self learning system that offers inspiration to build artificial immune system (AIS). The field of AIS has obtained a significant degree of success as a branch of Computational Intelligence since it emerged in the 1990s. This paper surveys the major works in the AIS field, in particular, it explores up-to-date advances in applied AIS during the last few years. This survey has revealed that recent research is centered on four major AIS algorithms: (1) negative selection algorithms; (2) artificial immune networks; (3) clonal selection algorithms; (4) Danger Theory and dendritic cell algorithms. However, other aspects of the biological immune system are motivating computer scientists and engineers to develop new models and problem solving methods. Though an extensive amount of AIS applications has been developed, the success of these applications is still limited by the lack of any exemplars that really stand out as killer AIS applications.

Role of IgA versus IgG in the Control of Influenza Viral Infection in the Murine Respiratory Tract

Abstract: The roles of IgG and secretory IgA in the protection of the respiratory tract (RT) against influenza infection remain unclear. Passive immunization with Ab doses resulting in serum IgG anti-influenza virus Ab titers far in excess of those observed in immune mice has compounded the problem. We compared the effects of i.v. anti-influenza virus IgG and i.v. anti-influenza virus polymeric IgA (pIgA) mAb administered in amounts designed to replicate murine convalescent serum or nasal Ab titers, respectively. A serum anti-influenza virus IgG titer 2.5 times the normal convalescent serum anti-influenza virus IgG titer was required for detectible Ab transudation into nasal secretions, and a serum IgG titer 7 times normal was needed to lower nasal viral shedding by 98%. Anti-influenza virus pIgA at a nasal Ab titer comparable to that seen in convalescent mice eliminated nasal viral shedding. The RT of influenza-infected pIgA- or IgG-protected mice were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Only pIgA was found to prevent virally induced pathology in the upper RT, suggesting that IgG did not prevent viral infection of the nose, but neutralized newly replicated virus after infection had been initiated. In contrast, IgG, but not pIgA, was found to prevent viral pathology in the murine lung. Our results help to resolve the controversy of IgA- vs IgG-mediated protection of the RT; both Abs are important, with plasma IgG Ab serving as the back-up for secretory IgA-mediated protection in the nasal compartment, and IgG being the dominant Ab in protection of the lung.

Toward an Affect-Sensitive AutoTutor

Abstract: Here, we consider the possibility of enabling AutoTutor, an intelligent tutoring system, to process learners' affective and cognitive states. AutoTutor is a fully automated computer tutor that simulates human tutors and converses with students in natural language.