TIME AND BIOGRAPHY IN DIABETIC EXPERIENCE

This paper offers a preliminary analysis of temporality in the lives of diabetics. It is argued that time unites the various aspects of diabetic experience, including the disease itself, and the social, emotional, institutional, and technological arenas of that experience. A depiction of diabetic experience is rendered by focusing on family life, time in the individuals' sense of being, and biographical time. It is concluded that diabetes transforms time for the person and for patterns ofgroup life

Biological Control and Precipitation Effects on Spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe): Empirical and Modeling Results

The literature is inconsistent regarding the ability of herbivory to control or reduce densities of a major invasive plant species of North America, spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe). Here, findings from experimental manipulations of spotted knapweed and long-term monitoring of seed production and insect abundance were used to parameterize a population matrix model for this species. Model predictions were compared against spotted knapweed densities observed in permanent transects, which were established after the release of biological controls. The model incorporated population-level compensation for adult mortality (increased growth from juveniles to adults). The model also incorporated newly reported results showing an interaction between precipitation and biological control impacts. We compared predictions from four alternate models against the observed population densities; models were: conspecific density-dependence, the effects of biological controls, precipitation, and biological control-precipitation interaction. The best model to explain population declines included the effects of biological control agents. Declines in population growth rates (λ \u3c 1) were only predicted when reduced seed production and increased plant mortality due to biological controls were included. Results suggest that biological controls contributed to declines observed in field studies, and support the contention that biological control attenuates the ability of spotted knapweed to exploit favorable climatic conditions. The results also demonstrate that spotted knapweed control (i.e., conditions where λ \u3c 1) depends upon a relatively large impact of biological control agents through high densities or large per capita impact; both of which are known to vary at our site and elsewhere. At our site spotted knapweed in certain habitats (e.g., disturbed riparian areas) is unlikely to be eradicated by insect herbivory, but spotted knapweed densities found in most other habitats can be reduced by biological control agents. Regardless, the management implications from these findings are that biological controls can intensify the efficacy of other control methods

Elements of the Perpetuation of Dependency in a Psychiatric Halfway House

Halfway houses are intended as helping institutions for those who are attempting to make the transition from institutionalized mental health facilities to autonomous living in the community. In spite of the manifest goal to produce independence for its residents, however, the halfway house contributes to patterns of dependency. In addition to the network nature of mental health care, we identify three dependency-perpetuating elements: role commitments, language, and mixed messages. These elements are analyzed as both social organizational and social psychological processes, and their implications are discussed

Mammalian Pathogenesis and Transmission of Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Viruses, Tennessee, USA, 2017

Infections with low pathogenicity and highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9) viruses affected poultry in 4 states in the southeastern United States in 2017. We evaluated pathogenicity and transmission of representative viruses in mouse and ferret models and examined replication kinetics in human respiratory tract cells. These viruses can cause respiratory infections in mammalian models

Reagentless enzyme electrode for malate based on modified polymeric membranes

Abstract A series of polymeric membranes have been employed as outer barriers in an amperometric malate dehydrogenase (MDH)/diaphorase (DI) or MDH/DI/NAD + /mediator enzyme electrode for the determination of malate in undiluted neutral or acidic media. MDH/DI were physically entrapped with NAD + and mediator in a mixed ester cellulose membrane. Outer membranes such as non-anionic surfactant-modified cellulose acetate/Tween-80 and unplasticised spin coated PVC/polycarbonate (PC) resin in conjunction with an ascorbate oxidase (AOD) layer were utilised. Mechanical strength, thickness studies and diffusional properties of the membranes were investigated. Hexacyanoferrate(III), 2,4-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPI) and naphthoquinone (NQ) were tested as mediators for enzymatically produced NADH using cyclic voltammetry. Analytical utility of the sensors is demonstrated

The Specificity of the FOXL2 c.402C>G Somatic Mutation: A Survey of Solid Tumors

A somatic mutation in the FOXL2 gene is reported to be present in almost all (97%; 86/89) morphologically defined, adult-type, granulosa-cell tumors (A-GCTs). This FOXL2 c.402C>G mutation changes a highly conserved cysteine residue to a tryptophan (p.C134W). It was also found in a minority of other ovarian malignant stromal tumors, but not in benign ovarian stromal tumors or unrelated ovarian tumors or breast cancers.Herein we studied other cancers and cell lines for the presence of this mutation. We screened DNA from 752 tumors of epithelial and mesenchymal origin and 28 ovarian cancer cell lines and 52 other cancer cell lines of varied origin. We found the FOXL2 c.402C>G mutation in an unreported A-GCT case and the A-GCT-derived cell line KGN. All other tumors and cell lines analyzed were mutation negative.In addition to proving that the KGN cell line is a useful model to study A-GCTs, these data show that the c.402C>G mutation in FOXL2 is not commonly found in a wide variety of other cancers and therefore it is likely pathognomonic for A-GCTs and closely related tumors

Carbon monoxide expedites metabolic exhaustion to inhibit tumor growth

One classical feature of cancer cells is their metabolic acquisition of a highly glycolytic phenotype. Carbon monoxide (CO), one of the products of the cytoprotective molecule heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in cancer cells, has been implicated in carcinogenesis and therapeutic resistance. However, the functional contributions of CO and HO-1 to these processes are poorly defined. In human prostate cancers, we found that HO-1 was nuclear localized in malignant cells, with low enzymatic activity in moderately differentiated tumors correlating with relatively worse clinical outcomes. Exposure to CO sensitized prostate cancer cells but not normal cells to chemotherapy, with growth arrest and apoptosis induced in vivo in part throughmitotic catastrophe. CO targeted mitochondria activity in cancer cells as evidenced by higher oxygen consumption, free radical generation, and mitochondrial collapse. Collectively, our findings indicated that CO transiently induces an anti-Warburg effect by rapidly fueling cancer cell bioenergetics, ultimately resulting in metabolic exhaustion. ©2013 AACR

Fungal iron availability during deep seated candidiasis is defined by a complex interplay involving systemic and local events

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

How roadway composition matters in analyzing police data on racial profiling

This article argues that roadway composition data is essential to the analysis of police behavior when studying racial profiling of motorists. Police data alone show only the number and proportion of stops of African American and White drivers. They do not show how these numbers relate to the number of African American and White drivers using the roads. Proxy measures, drawn from the number of African American residents or license holders, assume that all roads in the community contain the same proportion The authors acknowledge the generous assistance of the anonymous police department that provided access. The Roadway Observation Study was supported by the Oakland University research committee and Vice-Provost Randy Hanson. We thank our research assistant