cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract #4396: Akt and PKC mediate NADPH oxidase activation, a major prosurvival pathway in pancreatic cancer cells, through transcriptional up-regulation of p22phox

Background & Aims: We have recently shown that in pancreatic cancer (PaCa) cells NADPH oxidase involves Nox4 and p22phox subunits, and that it is activated by growth factors and plays a key prosurvival role. The mechanism of NADPH oxidase activation in PaCa cells is unknown. In phagocytic cells, Akt and PKC kinases phosphorylate regulatory subunits of NADPH oxidase resulting in its conversion to active state. This mechanism does not work for NADPH oxidases lacking regulatory subunits, as is the case in PaCa cells. The aim of our study was to determine whether, and by what mechanisms, Akt and PKC regulate NADPH oxidase in PaCa cells. Methods: Human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 were cultured for 48 h with and without IGF-I (100 ng/ml) or FBS (15%). We measured mRNA and protein levels with real time PCR and immunobloting; Akt activation, by its phosphorylation at Ser473; apoptosis, by DNA fragmentation and AnV staining. Transfections of PaCa cells were performed using the Amaxa Nucleofector system. Results: IGF-I and FBS had no effect on Nox4, but greatly up-regulated p22phox at both mRNA and protein levels in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells. p22phox mRNA up-regulation was abolished by blocking transcription with Actinomycin D. Knocking down p22phox with siRNA prevented NADPH oxidase activation by growth factors, as well as the prosurvival (i.e., anti-apoptotic) effect of IGF-I and FBS in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells. IGF-I and FBS activated Akt in PaCa cells. Akt1/2 specific inhibitor and Akt-1 siRNA both markedly inhibited p22phox up-regulation and NADPH oxidase activation by growth factors. Correspondingly, Akt-1 overexpression increased p22phox level and NADPH oxidase activity in PaCa cells. PKC inhibitors GF-109203X, Go6983, and Go6976 all decreased p22phox mRNA and protein levels and NADPH oxidase activity. Inhibiting Akt and PKC together decreased p22phox protein to the same level as the inhibition of Akt or PKC alone, suggesting that Akt and PKC regulate p22phox via a common pathway. Conclusions: NADPH oxidase activation, a major prosurvival pathway in PaCa cells, is mediated by Akt and PKC, which transcriptionally up-regulate p22phox. These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which Akt and PKC regulate non-phagocytic NADPH oxidase (different from that in phagocytic cells), and on the other hand, a novel mechanism mediating the prosurvival roles of Akt and PKC in PaCa cells. The results suggest p22phox as a target for pancreatic cancer treatment. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 4396.
Some basic issues

Suspension bridges are simple structures — theoretically at least. In principle it is easy to understand how they function although difficulties arise when one wishes to build one, as they become increasingly complex with growing span and loadbearing capacity. Questions of material properties and stability gain in importance as span and mass increase.
Regional Systems of Innovation and The Blurred Firm

This chapter argues that it is the region and its relationships, rather than the firm, that defines opportunities for individual and collective advance in Silicon Valley. It suggests that open labor markets offer important competitive advantages over traditional corporate job ladders in a volatile economic environment. The essential advantage of regional, rather than firm-based, labor markets lies in the multiple opportunities they provide for learning.
QR Code Lecture Activity as a Tool for Increasing Nonmajors Biology Students' Enjoyment of Interaction with Their Local Environment.

The impact of the Internet on education has been recognized for decades, and as technology advances, the ways in which students can access Internet content is ever increasing. Most students have some kind of portable smart device with which they access Internet content without the locational constraints of a desktop computer. This mobility has prompted abundant literature suggesting ways that Quick Response Codes (QR codes), a kind of two dimensional barcode, could be used to advance student learning. However, very few studies have tested the usefulness of QR codes in undergraduate science classes. We report on our development of a campus “scavenger hunt” activity using QR codes. We found that this activity develops application skills of the concepts of native and invasive species and enjoyment of coverage of content relative to traditional lecture in a nonmajors Environmental Science class at a four-year teaching institution.
Activation of plasminogen by trypsin and plasmin.

Incubation of human or bovine plasminogen with trypsin or bovine plasmin resulted in the production of increased fibrinolytic activity, indicating that plasminogen is converted into plasmin under these conditions. Chymotrypsin under idential conditions was found not to possess this property.
Bacterial community response to a preindustrial‐to‐future CO2 gradient is limited and soil specific in Texas Prairie grassland

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentration directly stimulates plant productivity and affects nutrient dynamics in the soil. However, the influence of CO2 enrichment on soil bacterial communities remains elusive, likely due to their complex interactions with a wide range of plant and soil properties. Here, we investigated the bacterial community response to a decade long preindustrial-to-future CO2 gradient (250-500 ppm) among three contrasting soil types using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. In addition, we examined the effect of seasonal variation and plant species composition on bacterial communities. We found that Shannon index (H') and Faith's phylogenetic diversity (PD) did not change in response to the CO2 gradient (R2 = 0.01, p > 0.05). CO2 gradient and season also had a negligible effect on overall community structure, although silty clay soil communities were better structured on a CO2 gradient (p < 0.001) among three soils. Similarly, CO2 gradient had no significant effect on the relative abundance of different phyla. However, we observed soil-specific variation of CO2 effects in a few individual families. For example, the abundance of Pirellulaceae family decreased linearly with CO2 gradient, but only in sandy loam soils. Conversely, the abundance of Micromonosporaceae and Gaillaceae families increased with CO2 gradient in clay soils. Soil water content (SWC) and nutrient properties were the key environmental constraints shaping bacterial community structure, one manifestation of which was a decline in bacterial diversity with increasing SWC. Furthermore, the impact of plant species composition on community structure was secondary to the strong influence of soil properties. Taken together, our findings indicate that bacterial communities may be largely unresponsive to indirect effects of CO2 enrichment through plants. Instead, bacterial communities are strongly regulated by edaphic conditions, presumably because soil differences create distinct environmental niches for bacteria.
Nontyphoidal Salmonella as a Cause of Mediastinal Abscess after Aortic Valve Replacement: A Case Report and Review of Postoperative Salmonella Infections.

Background. Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a pathogen that causes several human clinical illnesses, most commonly gastroenteritis. Focal infections are rare and are generally reported in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems. Very few studies have reported NTS abscess as a postoperative complication. Case report. We describe an elderly patient who developed NTS bacteremia and mediastinal abscess after aortic valve replacement. Conclusions. This report describes an extremely rare occurrence of an NTS mediastinal abscess complicating a surgical procedure. The patient may have acquired the pathogen from a snake kept as a family pet and likely developed bacteremia followed by seeding of the surgically damaged tissues.
Sorsby Pseudoinflammatory Fundus Dystrophy

This dominantly inherited disease begins with fine, pale, drusen-like deposits or confluent faint yellow material or sheets beneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), but it eventually progresses to either geographic atrophy with pigmentary clumps or scar due to choroidal neovascular membrane (at about 40 years of age) (Figs. 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3). The patient usually becomes symptomatic, with loss of central vision (about 20/200 or less), in the fourth to sixth decade of life. When neovascular membrane develops, it mimics age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but the age of onset is much earlier.
Some Unexplored Areas for Research

(1939). Some Unexplored Areas for Research. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 3-10.
Regarding Pharmacology, Part 3A

TO THE EDITOR: I read “Pharmacology, Part 3A” in the December 2018 issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology by Geoffrey M. Currie ([1][1]). I am concerned about one aspect of the discussion, specifically that of cholecystokinin, or its analog, sincalide (Kinevac; Bracco Diagnostics,
Pupillary Response and EMG Predict Upcoming Responses to Collision Avoidance Warning

Nowadays, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) has become popular in a new automobile. Even though cutting-edge technologies in ADAS provide high accuracy collision avoidance warnings, the distraction-related crashes caused by collision avoidance warnings are likely to become an emerging problem. Hence, it is necessary to understand how a driver responds to collision warning and how to reduce driver distraction caused by ADAS. Recent studies have found that physiological data, such as pupillary responses and electromyography (EMG), can forecast the human’s physical responses. Therefore, in this study, pupil and EMG signals were applied to predict drivers’ physical responses to collision warning. Logistic regression was applied to predict if drivers would like to give a physical response or not. The findings of the current study will contribute to improving the safety feature of collision warning systems and help to design the advanced driver assistance system with better device-user interaction.
Lobbying for Government Appropriations

This article investigates the effect of lobbying on government contract allocation. I consider how lobbying can affect both total contract spending and the distribution of contracts between firms. I solve a novel contest model which incorporates these two effects, and then structurally estimate it using a panel of federal contractors. The results suggest that lobbying increases contract spending by $8.7 billion (3.2%) per year. However, its effects on the observed contract distribution and firm revenues are relatively small.
Perceived Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Grocery Shopping among Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participants in Eastern North Carolina.

This study's purpose was to qualitatively examine perceived advantages and disadvantages of online grocery shopping among participants (n = 7) in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Initial in-depth, qualitative interviews were conducted, after which participants completed an episode of online grocery shopping, picked up the online order at the store, and completed an in-store shopping episode and a follow-up in-depth interview. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed deductively. Participants stated that in-store impulse purchases occurred at the check-out and cookie aisles and included chips and candy, but sometimes healthier foods such as fruit. Advantages of online grocery shopping included ease, convenience, and saving time. Disadvantages included inadequate substitutions, the online shopping fee, lack of control over selection of perishable goods, and inability to find good deals online versus in the store. Further research is needed to determine how to encourage healthy grocery purchases online.
Os Styloideum Resection Complicated by Severe Contact Dermatitis to 2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate: A Case Study.

Os styloideum is an accessory wrist bone at the base of the second and third metacarpals. Similar to metacarpal bossing, chronic pain secondary to the development of osteoarthritis and tendon irritation is common. Conservative management consists of splinting and steroid injections, with surgical resection being the definitive treatment. 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate adhesive glue is commonly used to close these and other types of wounds. PURPOSE We report the case of a 29-year-old man who developed severe dermatitis following surgical removal of a right dorsal hand mass at the base of the third metacarpal, which had been slowly enlarging and causing pain for 18 months. METHODS After unsuccessful conservative management, the mass was resected and the incision was closed with buried monofilament suture and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate skin glue. Upon splint removal due to pain, 6 days postoperatively, severe contact dermatitis resulting in scattered partial- and full-thickness skin necrosis was observed. Local wound care, systemic corticosteroids, and a secondary surgical closure were required for resolution of the skin breakdown. CONCLUSION This case demonstrates 2 uncommon occurrences: a rare hand mass and severe contact dermatitis to 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with resultant tissue necrosis. Mass resection is commonly reserved for symptomatic os styloideum. Caution should be used when applying 2-octyl cyanoacrylate under a splint. Removal of glue and steroids provides effective treatment for severe contact dermatitis, but full-thickness injuries may require debridement and secondary closure.
Intimate Partner Violence Predicts Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity Independent of Early Life and Deployment-Related Trauma in Deployed Men and Women Veterans:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse perpetrated by a current or former partner. IPV affects both genders, though little is known about its effects on men as victims. The aims of this study were to determine if IPV is a factor contributing to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity independently of deployment-related trauma, and to determine if there are gender differences in these associations. Participants were 46 female and 471 male post-9/11 veterans. Four sequential regressions were employed to examine the independent contribution of IPV among multiple trauma types on PTSD severity in men and women at two epochs, post-deployment (participants were anchored to deployment-related PTSD symptoms) and current (within the past month). Models were significant for both epochs in men (ps .230). In men, IPV independently predicted PTSD severity in both epochs (β > .093). However, in women, early life trauma (β = .284), but not IPV was a significant and independent predictor for current PTSD. Thus, there are distinct gender differences in how trauma type contributes to PTSD symptom severity. Although the statistical models were not significant in women, we observed similar patterns of results as in men and, in some cases, the β was actually higher in women than in men, suggesting a lack of power in our analyses. More research is clearly needed to follow-up these results; however, our findings indicate that IPV is a contributing factor to PTSD severity in veterans.
Evaluating the Effect of Medicaid Expansion on Black/White Breast Cancer Mortality Disparities: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis.

PURPOSE Medicaid expansion was designed to increase access to health care. Evidence is mixed, but theory and empirical data suggest that lower cost of care through greater access to insurance incre...
Reassignment Policies and School Stratification

School choice is expanding, but the majority of students in countries like the United States still attend the school associated with their residential address. We study assignment policies and reas...
Global Property Market Diversification

This paper examines global diversification benefits provided by developed property markets over 1992-2007. We employ a cointegration methodology, invariant to pair-wise correlational instability plaguing MPT approaches, to investigate regional and country property market diversification benefits for U.S. domiciled global real estate investors. We show, theoretically and empirically, the cointegration procedure aptly identifies markets integrated by common trends that mitigate diversification potential. We show global property markets are interregionally independent but find intraregional market cointegration. A portfolio of markets independent of cointegrating relationships performs best during the period but is insufficiently diversified relative to a cointegrated portfolio. Independent country markets do account for the bulk of global property diversification gains but cointegrated markets, particularly from the North American and Asia Pacific regions, retain some diversifying qualities. We also show cointegrated markets converge toward benchmark characteristics, reducing their attraction as portfolio candidates.
Help Me to Find My Children: A Thirteenth Amendment Challenge to Family Separation

The Trump Administration’s forced separation of migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border is an international fault line in the global human rights framework. The scope, severity, and urgency of the issue speak clearly to the need for a diversity of strategies to protect migrant groups. With that in mind, this Article draws attention to a thus-far overlooked source of protection for migrant families facing separation — namely, the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. While it is familiar history that the Thirteenth Amendment was passed to eradicate the system of slavery and involuntary servitude, courts, scholars, and practitioners continue to underappreciate the extent to which the Amendment prohibits practices with a colorable referent to those that sustained the institution of slavery. Indeed, a central aspect of slavery was the denial of dignity and the fundamental human right to the sanctity of the family, and a central preoccupation of the Thirteenth Amendment’s architects was to prevent enslaved families from being ripped asunder. Highlighting parallels between the breaking up of Black families that reinforced the institution of slavery and the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, this Article argues the involuntary separation of migrant families falls within the heartland of the Thirteenth Amendment’s protections and should be outlawed as an “incident of slavery” by Congress or the courts. If one thing should be intuited from the current national reckoning with racism in the United States, it is that efforts to dismantle systems of oppression should proceed with due attention to the historical context from which the systems exist. A Thirteenth Amendment lens for evaluating the Trump Administration’s family separation practices achieves two goals: (1) it ties the violation to historical practices that impacted marginalized groups other than migrant families and accordingly may help to broaden the coalition of advocates fighting to shore up protections for migrant groups; and, (2) it makes the Congressional or judicial response more meaningful as a matter of public morality because it advances a narrative that centers the breaking up of migrant families as a failure by Congress and the courts to satisfy their constitutional duty to eliminate the kind of subjugation that was a hallmark of America’s original sin.
Mother-Son Communication about Sex: Exploring Associations with Emerging Adult Sons’ Sexual Self-Esteem, Anxiety, and Satisfaction

Parent-child communication about sex and sexuality during adolescence may have long-lasting effects on children’s sexual self-concept and sexual health. As such, the present study explored the conn...
Estrogen sensitive cell lines: establishment and characterization of new cell lines from estrogen-induced rat pituitary tumors.

Abstract Rat pituitary tumors were induced by the monthly injection of high doses of estradiol valerate. Of 12 animals which received the estrogen, 10 developed tumors. From these 10 tumors, 4 cell lines were successfully established and they have been maintained in culture for over 18 months. Several clones have been isolated from these established cell lines. Three of the 4 cell lines produce tumors in females considerably faster than in males or castrated females. Tumor-bearing animals have significantly increased amounts of rat growth hormone and prolactin in their serum. The 4 established cell lines, as well as clones derived from them, and tumors obtained in situ by injection of these cells growing in culture or successive transplants have shown the presence of an estrogen-binding protein of high affinity and low capacity. This estrogen-binding protein is similar to that described in other target organs (uterus, mammary glands, etc). These cell lines will be used to study the mechanism of action of estrogen in target cells as well as the synthesis and secretion of pituitary hormones.
Evolution of somatic mutations in mammary tumors in transgenic mice is influenced by the inherited genotype

MMTV-Wnt1 transgenic mice develop mammary hyperplasia early in development, followed by the appearance of solitary mammary tumors with a high proportion of cells expressing early lineage markers and many myoepithelial cells. The occurrence of tumors is accelerated in experiments that activate FGF proto-oncogenes or remove the tumor suppressor genes Pten or P53, implying that secondary oncogenic events are required for progression from mammary hyperplasia to carcinoma. It is not known, however, which oncogenic pathways contribute to Wnt1-induced tumorigenesis – further experimental manipulation of these mice is needed. Secondary events also appear to be required for mammary tumorigenesis in MMTV-Neu transgenic mice because the transgene in the tumors usually contains an acquired mutation that activates the Neu protein-tyrosine kinase. cDNA or DNA from the mammary glands and mammary tumors from MMTV-Wnt1, MMTV-Wnt1/p53 -/-, MMTV-Neu transgenic mice, and newly generated MMTV-Wnt1/MMTV-Neu bitransgenic mice, was sequenced to seek activating mutations in H-Ras, K-Ras, and N-Ras genes, or in the MMTV-Neu transgene. In addition, tumors from bitransgenic animals were examined to determine the cellular phenotype. We found activating mutations at codons 12, 13, and 61 of H-Ras in just over half of the mammary tumors in MMTV-Wnt1 transgenic mice, and we confirmed the high frequency of activating mutations of Neu in tumors in MMTV-Neu transgenic mice. Tumors appeared earlier in bitransgenic MMTV-Wnt1/MMTV-Neu mice, but no Ras or MMTV-Neu mutations were found in these tumors, which were phenotypically similar to those arising in MMTV-Wnt1 mice. In addition, no Ras mutations were found in the mammary tumors that arise in MMTV-Wnt1 transgenic mice lacking an intact P53 gene. Tumorigenic properties of cells undergoing functionally significant secondary mutations in H-Ras or the MMTV-Neu transgene allow selection of those cells in MMTV-Wnt1 and MMTV-Neu transgenic mice, respectively. Alternative sources of oncogenic potential, such as a second transgenic oncogene or deficiency of a tumor suppressor gene, can obviate the selective power of those secondary mutations. These observations are consistent with the notion that somatic evolution of mouse mammary tumors is influenced by the specific nature of the inherited cancer-promoting genotype.
RNA minihelices and the decoding of genetic information.

The rules of the genetic code are determined by the specific aminoacylation of transfer RNAs by aminoacyl transfer RNA synthetase. A straightforward analysis shows that a system of synthetase-tRNA ...
Modeling without borders: creating and annotating VCell models using the web

Biological research is becoming increasingly complex and data-rich, with multiple public databases providing a variety of resources: hundreds of thousands of substances and interactions, hundreds of ready to use models, controlled terms for locations and reaction types, links to reference materials (data and/or publications), etc. Mathematical modeling can be used to integrate this complex data and create quantitative, testable predictions based on the current state of knowledge of a biological process. Data retrieval, visualization, flexible querying, and model annotation for future reuse, are some of the important requirements for modeling-based research in the modern age. Here we describe an approach that we implement within the popular Virtual Cell (VCell) modeling and simulation framework in order to help connect the modeling community with the web of machine-processable systems biology knowledge. A new software application, called SyBiL (Systems Biology Linker), has been designed and developed for simultaneous querying of multiple systems biology knowledge bases and data sources, such as web repositories, databases, and user files, and converting the extracted and refined data into model elements. Integration of SyBiL as a component of VCell makes these capabilities easily available to a wide modeling community.
Phobos and Deimos astrometric observations from Mariner 9

This article describes the reduced astrometric observations of Phobos and Deimos derived from Mariner 9 imaging data. This data set spans 11 months from 1971 and 1972, contains 82 sets of spacecraft-centered right ascension and declination observations, and has an accuracy of 3 to 10 km (1-sigma) in orbital position. The details of the observation formulation and its use for ephemeris improvement are given.
Topology-Based hypercube structures for global communication in heterogeneous networks

Hypercube structures are heavily used by parallel algorithms that require all-to-all communication. When communicating over a heterogeneous and irregular network, the performance obtained by the hypercube structure will depend on the matching of the hypercube structure to the topology of the underlying network. In this paper, we present strategies to build topology-based hypercubes structures. These strategies do not assume any kind of topology. They take into account the communication cost between pair of nodes to provide a performance-efficient hypercube structure. These enhanced hypercube structures help improve the performance of parallel applications that require all-to-all communication in heterogeneous networks by up to ~30%
The effect of mold sensitization and humidity upon allergic asthma.

Introduction: Humidity is commonly associated with increased airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma. Objective: To examine mold sensitization in patients with allergic asthma or allergic rhinitis and self-reports of humidity as exacerbating factors of clinical symptoms. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study at a University hospital outpatient allergy and asthma clinic was performed. A total of 106 patients with either allergic asthma or allergic rhinitis completed standard prick-puncture skin testing with 17 allergens and controls and completed standardized forms addressing trigger factors for clinical symptoms. Results: Allergic asthmatics sensitized to Cladosporium were more likely to have a more severe asthma severity class (odds ratio = 4.26, confidence interval = 1.30–16.93). Sensitization to Alternaria, Cladosporium, Helminthosporium, Aspergillus and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in asthma was associated with higher likelihood for previous hospitalization, while sensitization to Cladosporium, Helminthosporium, Aspergillus, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and cockroach in asthma was associated with higher likelihood of having reduced pulmonary function based on forced expiratory volume in 1 s. Furthermore, allergic asthmatics more commonly reported humidity as an exacerbating factor of symptoms than did patients only with allergic rhinitis (68.42% vs 42.86%, respectively; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Mold sensitization is highly associated with more severe asthma, while humidity is more of an exacerbating factor in patients with allergic asthma as compared with allergic rhinitis alone. Further delineation between mold sensitization and humidity is needed to determine whether these are independent factors in asthma. Please cite this paper as: Hayes D Jr, Jhaveri MA, Mannino DM, Strawbridge H and Temprano J. The effect of mold sensitization and humidity upon allergic asthma. Clin Respir J 2013; 7: 135–144.
On the quantization of the GS string on AdS5×S5

Abstract We discuss the quantization of the Green-Schwarz string action on AdS5×S5. We construct consistent, globally well-defined, gauge fixing choices for kappa symmetry and worldsheet diffeomorphism invariance. We then proceed to quantize the theory in a perturbation series in the inverse radius of curvature, in a background field expansion. We discuss vertex operators and correlation functions.
Use of Social Media in Dental Schools: Pluses, Perils, and Pitfalls from a Legal Perspective

One of the ways dental education is changing the way it is preparing the next generation of learners is through efficient utilization of interactive social media. Social media, which facilitates interaction and sharing of new ideas, is being utilized to educate students, residents, and faculty. Unfortunately, as with most improvements in technology, there are growing pains. Faculty, student, and patient interaction on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, can lead to inappropriate or embarrassing situations. Striking the appropriate balance between free speech rights of students and faculty and the need for colleges and universities to have efficient operations is often left to the judicial system. The concepts of free speech and contract law and how each is applied in educational settings should be understood by students, faculty, and administrators. This article provides a review of legal cases that led to current social media policies, as well as present-day cases that exemplify the application of these principles, to help dental educators gain a greater understanding of the boundaries of protected speech. It also provides a set of sample guidelines for communicating through these media.
Immobility Levels and Mobility Preferences of the Elderly in the United States: Evidence from 2009 National Household Travel Survey

Transportation mobility is critically important to the well-being of the elderly population. By using data from the 2009 National Household Travel Survey, this paper proposes a metric to measure immobility among elderly over different time frames. Specifically, "short-term immobility" is defined as immobility for a single day while "long-term immobility" refers to immobility of a week or more, and "medium-term immobility" is between 2 to 7 days. In addition, long-term immobile elderly are divided into two mobility-preference groups on the basis of whether they prefer going out of their home. With this immobility metric, and respondent-stated mobility preferences, descriptive analysis and discrete choice models are used to analyze the correlates of immobility among the American elderly. African American elderly are found to be more likely to be long-term immobile than those from other racial groups. Such racial differences are not readily apparent in immobility over shorter time frames. This result explain...
Characterization of the Membrane-Bound Succinic Dehydrogenase of Micrococcus lysodeikticus

Abstract The occurrence of succinic dehydrogenase [succinic:(acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.3.99.1] in membrane fractions of Micrococcus lysodeikticus was investigated. The enzyme could be purified 10-fold, by deoxycholate treatment. Butanol extraction of membranes yielded an active fraction, nonsedimentable at 130,000 × g for 2 hr and altered in its phospholipid content relative to membranes. The activity of the enzyme in particulate preparations was decreased in the presence of competitive inhibitors and by compounds known to react with iron, sulfhydryl groups, and flavine. In this respect, the bacterial succinic dehydrogenase is similar to the enzyme derived from yeast and mammalian sources. In certain membrane fractions, Ca2+ and Mg2+ exhibited inhibitory effects whereas Triton X-100 caused activation. The enzyme could also be activated by substrate. In the phenazine reductase assay, incomplete reduction of electron acceptor was observed upon addition of divalent cations and iron binding agents.
Chromosome Preparation From Cultured Cells

Chromosome (cytogenetic) analysis is widely used for the detection of chromosome instability. When followed by G-banding and molecular techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), this assay has the powerful ability to analyze individual cells for aberrations that involve gains or losses of portions of the genome and rearrangements involving one or more chromosomes. In humans, chromosome abnormalities occur in approximately 1 per 160 live births(1,2), 60-80% of all miscarriages(3,4), 10% of stillbirths(2,5), 13% of individuals with congenital heart disease(6), 3-6% of infertility cases(2), and in many patients with developmental delay and birth defects(7). Cytogenetic analysis of malignancy is routinely used by researchers and clinicians, as observations of clonal chromosomal abnormalities have been shown to have both diagnostic and prognostic significance(8,9). Chromosome isolation is invaluable for gene therapy and stem cell research of organisms including nonhuman primates and rodents(10-13). Chromosomes can be isolated from cells of live tissues, including blood lymphocytes, skin fibroblasts, amniocytes, placenta, bone marrow, and tumor specimens. Chromosomes are analyzed at the metaphase stage of mitosis, when they are most condensed and therefore more clearly visible. The first step of the chromosome isolation technique involves the disruption of the spindle fibers by incubation with Colcemid, to prevent the cells from proceeding to the subsequent anaphase stage. The cells are then treated with a hypotonic solution and preserved in their swollen state with Carnoy's fixative. The cells are then dropped on to slides and can then be utilized for a variety of procedures. G-banding involves trypsin treatment followed by staining with Giemsa to create characteristic light and dark bands. The same procedure to isolate chromosomes can be used for the preparation of cells for procedures such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), and spectral karyotyping (SKY)(14,15).
Effects of chloramphenicol and rifampicin on the replication of R plasmid NR1 deoxyribonucleic acid in Escherichia coli.

Abstract The effects of inhibition of protein and ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis on the replication of the plasmids NR1 and F′lac in Escherichia coli were studied. When protein synthesis is inhibited, there is approximately a 25% increase in R plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), but this newly synthesized DNA is not recoverable in the covalently closed circular (CCC) form until protein synthesis is allowed to resume. When RNA synthesis is inhibited, there is also approximately a 20% increase in R plasmid DNA, but this DNA is immediately recoverable in the CCC form. F′lac DNA, unlike R plasmid DNA, can continue to replicate for at least a generation time in the absence of protein synthesis, and this F′lac DNA is immediately recoverable in the CCC form.
Sharing the Caring: Family Caregivers' Views of Their Relationships With Nursing Home Staff

Using data from focus groups and individual interviews with family caregivers who had a spouse or a parent with Alzheimer's disease, we examined their reports of interactions with staff in formal care settings. Families most often discussed nurses' aides; they emphasized their desire for an ongoing relationship with staff members; and, they interpreted staff behaviors in terms of high-quality care that was based on the social and emotional care given to their resident as much as on the technical tasks involved in caring for them. These results point to the families' desire for emotionally sensitive care and not just for technically competent performance of tasks.
MR imaging statistics and its application in image modeling

This paper presents a new framework on a complete statistical description of MR imaging and its application in image modeling. Particular studies include object variability and thermal noise, statistical properties of pixel images, and stochastic regularities of context images. Six stochastic properties (Gaussianity, stationarity, dependence, ergodicity, Markovian property, inhomogeneity) are justified to form the basis for establishing the stochastic image models. The application of these properties to both pixel image modeling (standard finite normal mixture) and context image modeling (Markov random field) is discussed mathematically. The correct use of the statistical models in image analysis is verified in terms of new observations, theorems, and interpretations.
Ultrafast control of near field coupling in terahertz metamaterials

We demonstrate ultrafast optical control of near field coupled metamaterial resonances. We observed dynamical transition of the metamaterial resonances to change its state from coupled to decoupled, and back to the coupled state under photoexcitation.
Boundary Layer Instabilities Generated by Freestream Laser Perturbations

A controlled, laser-generated, freestream perturbation was created in the freestream of the Boeing/AFOSR Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel (BAM6QT). The freestream perturbation convected downstream in the Mach-6 wind tunnel to interact with a flared cone model. The geometry of the flared cone is a body of revolution bounded by a circular arc with a 3-meter radius. Fourteen PCB 132A31 pressure transducers were used to measure a wave packet generated in the cone boundary layer by the freestream perturbation. This wave packet grew large and became nonlinear before experiencing natural transition in quiet flow. Breakdown of this wave packet occurred when the amplitude of the pressure fluctuations was approximately 10% of the surface pressure for a nominally sharp nosetip. The initial amplitude of the second mode instability on the blunt flared cone is estimated to be on the order of 10 −6 times the freestream static pressure. The freestream laser-generated perturbation was positioned upstream of the model in three different configurations: on the centerline, offset from the centerline by 1.5 mm, and offset from the centerline by 3.0 mm. When the perturbation was offset from the centerline of a blunt flared cone, a larger wave packet was generated on the side toward which the perturbation was offset. The offset perturbation did not show as much of an effect on the wave packet on a sharp flared cone as it did on a blunt flared cone.
Water recreation-related spinal injuries: Risk factors in natural bodies of water

Spinal cord injuries are a major public health problem, and costs to society may total $6.2 billion per year. Using a case-control design, we investigated risk factors for spinal injury in male Wisconsin residents who sustained their injuries during water recreational activity. Compared with the controls, the people who sustained spinal injury were more likely to have entered the water from a pier or dock; to have dived into water; and to have used alcohol. Injury prevention programs for water recreation enthusiasts should address the topics of the hazards of combining alcohol with these activities, how to enter natural bodies of water safely, and safe water levels for diving.
Synthesis of chondroitin sulfate by fibrotic vitreous induced by monocytes and lymphocytes.

Vitreous fibrosis was induced in rabbit eyes by intravitreal injection of monocytes and lymphocytes. The fibrotic vitreous and normal vitreous removed from experimental animals were then incubated with [3H]-glucosamine at 37 degrees C for 24 hr. The newly synthesized 3H-labeled glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were isolated by 4 M GuHCl extraction followed by pronase digestion. The 3H-labeled GAGs were then characterized by gel-filtration column chromatography and by specific enzymatic degradation, i.e. hyaluronidase, chondroitinase AC and/or chondroitinase ABC. The disaccahrides derived from chondroitinase ABC degradation were identified by thin-layer chromatography. Our results indicated that 91% of the total glycosaminoglycan synthesized by normal vitreous was hyaluronic acid. In contrast, in the fibrotic vitreous, the synthesis of hyaluronic acid was decreased to 30% whereas the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate increased to 47% of the total newly synthesized glycosaminoglycans. Control vitreous which was injected with freeze-thawed monocytes and lymphocytes synthesized 70% hyaluronic acid and 12% chondroitin sulfate although no fibrosis was observed.
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-docking sites in MAPK kinases function as tethers that are crucial for MAPK regulation in vivo

Docking sites on targets of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) facilitate accurate and efficient substrate phosphorylation. MAPK/ERK kinases (MEKs, or MKKs), the upstream regulators of MAPKs, also contain N-terminal MAPK-docking sites, or 'D-sites'; however, the in vivo functions of MEK D-sites are incompletely understood. Here we found that the ability of constitutively-active human MEK1 and MEK2 to stimulate ERK phosphorylation and to induce the neoplastic transformation of NIH 3T3 cells required the integrity of the D-site. In addition, D-site mutants of otherwise wild-type MEK1/2 were unable to anchor unphosphorylated ERK2 in the cytoplasm. ERK activation, cytoplasmic anchoring and release were completely retained in 'swap' mutants in which MEK2's D-site was replaced with the D-site of MEK1 or yeast Ste7. Furthermore, these abilities were significantly retained when MEK2's D-site was moved to its C-terminus, or replaced by an unrelated MAPK-binding domain taken from the Ets-1 transcription factor. We conclude that the D-sites in MEKs are crucial for the activation of their cognate MAPKs in vivo, and that their primary function is to tether their cognate MAPKs near the MEK's kinase domain. This proximity effect is sufficient to explain the contribution that the D-site interaction makes to several biologically important signaling events.
In the Best of Health? Disease and Trauma Among the Mississippian Elite

Comparisons of skeletal data on diet, disease, and trauma in elite and non-elite population samples from Mississippian sites throughout the Southeast have yielded a variety of patterns, some contradictory and some paralleling expectations based upon ethnohistoric accounts of elite sumptuary behaviors. Although trace element analyses of human bone from Alabama and Tennessee sites suggest that elites ate relatively more meat than their presumed social inferiors, non-elite health does not seem particularly compromised. The high prevalence of trauma in elite males at Chucalissa may reflect the role of warfare in male status advancement. The lords of the Southeast and their families may have been in effect ‘overnourished’ relative to everyone else, but probably not to the extent of historically documented African and Polynesian chiefly lineages whose literally weighty embodiment of superior social status impressed visiting travellers and ethnographers alike.
Predicting Deer Hunter Harvest Behavior in Wisconsin's Chronic Wasting Disease Eradication Zone

Attempts to eradicate chronic wasting disease from free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Wisconsin depend on gaining compliance of hunters to harvest deer at rates unprecedented in modern wildlife management. A mail questionnaire and hunter diaries were used to assess hunters' attitudes, effort, and harvest behavior in response to disease management strategies that have included an extended hunting season, removal of seasonal bag limits, and implementation of incentives. Logistic and linear regressions were used to test the influences of attitudinal variables and attributes of hunting experiences on the number of deer harvested. Hunting efficiency (i.e., converting chances among deer seen), number of deer seen, and willingness to harvest antlerless deer predicted harvest levels better than hunting effort (i.e., time afield) did. Individual differences among hunters' desire for venison also emerged as an important predictor of the number of deer harvested.
Improving single slope ADC and an example implemented in FPGA with 16.7 GHz equivalent counter clock frequency

Single slope ADC is a common building block in many ASCI or FPGA based front-end systems due to its simplicity, small silicon footprint, low noise interference and low power consumption. In single slope ADC, using a Gray code counter is a popular scheme for time digitization, in which the comparator output drives the clock (CK) port of a register to latch the bits from the Gray code counter. Unfortunately, feeding the comparator output into the CK-port causes unnecessary complexities and artificial challenges. In this case, the propagation delays of all bits from the counter to the register inputs must be matched and the counter must be a Gray code one. A simple improvement on the circuit topology, i.e., feeding the comparator output into the D-port of a register, will avoid these unnecessary challenges, eliminating the requirement of the propagation delay match of the counter bits and allowing the use of regular binary counters. This scheme not only simplifies current designs for low speeds and resolutions, but also opens possibilities for applications requiring higher speeds and resolutions. A multi-channel single slope ADC based on a low-cost FPGA device has been implemented and tested. The timing measurement bin width in this work is 60 ps, which would need a 16.7 GHz counter clock had it implemented with the conventional Gray code counter scheme. A 12-bit performance is achieved using a fully differential circuit making comparison between the input and the ramping reference, both in differential format.
Employment Growth and the Allocation of New Jobs: Spatial Spillovers of Economic and Fiscal Impacts

Analyses of commuting, migration, and employment data suggest that the U.S. working population has steadily become more widely dispersed geographically over the past several decades. This trend is generally thought to be driven by a variety of interrelated factors, including increased mobility of workers, technological changes that have reduced the economic cost of physical distance, and expanding preferences for the amenities offered by suburban and rural environments. Debates over sprawl and the socially desirable level of farmland conversion represent two highly visible ways in which this population deconcentration figures prominently in local policy (and political) processes. Recently, several authors found strong evidence that a significant complementary relationship exists between out-commuting and in-migration, and that this complementarity diminishes with distance from urban employment hubs (Renkow and Hoover; Shields and Swenson; Barkley, Henry, and Warner). These findings point to a geographical broadening of urban labor markets into suburban and rural areas as workers travel lengthening distances between home and workplace. Time-series data on cross-county commuting also support this assessment (figure 1). These data confirm that the number of workers employed in a county other than the one in which they reside has increased steadily over the past several decades in all regions of the country. By the last census, more than one quarter of the nation's labor force crossed county lines to go to work.
Comparison in young and elderly patients of pharmacodynamics and disposition of labetalol in systemic hypertension

Abstract Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of labetalol, a combined α- and β-adrenoceptor antagonist drug, were studied in elderly and young hypertensive patients. After receiving intravenous labetalol, elderly patients had a greater maximal mean decrease in systolic blood pressure (BP) (39 ± 8 vs 25 ± 13 mm Hg, p