Multiple Active Forms Research Articles

Exploring the effects of multiple forms of physical activity on social functioning in children with ASD: a meta-analysis of a controlled trial

The current meta-analysis aimed to assessing the effect of physical activity on social functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled trials (CTs) examining the effects of physical activity on social functioning in children with ASD. Traditional meta-analysis, subgroup analysis and publication bias tests were performed using Stata software 18.0.A total of 18 studies were included. The results showed that physical activity has a moderate-to-high effect on social functioning in children with ASD, with an effect size of SMD=0.50 (95% CI=0.34∼0.65, P<0.001. Different types of exercise and intervention programs have different effects on social functioning in children with ASD.For 3- to 7-year-old children with ASD, a comprehensive exercise program involving cooperative physical activity with three or more sessions per week for 11 to 20 weeks can lead to improvements in social functioning

Poster 117: An Activity Scale for All Youth Athletes? An Analysis of The Hss Pedi-Fabs in 2274 Pediatric Sports Medicine Patients

Objectives:The HSS Pedi-FABS activity scale has become increasingly used in children age 10-18 since its development in 2013. Research reports on the utility of the measure in general youth athletes with knee injuries, however limited information is available regarding use in evaluating a variety of joint injuries, athletes who participate in sports with disparate biomechanics, or specialized competitive athletes. This study assessed the sensitivity and distribution of Pedi-FABS in an athletic youth population. Secondarily, this study evaluated Pedi-FABS association with PROMIS® Pediatric Global Health 7(PGH7) with Pain Interference(PGHPI) and Fatigue(PGHF) components.Methods:A retrospective review of youth athletes age 10-18 presenting for evaluation at a single pediatric sports medicine clinic between 4/2016-7/2020 was performed. Participants were included if they completed a pre-visit intake questionnaire and Pedi-FABS. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze Pedi-FABS for normal distribution and the presence of a floor or ceiling effect in subgroups determined by demographics, injury characteristics, and sports participation. A floor or ceiling effect was determined to be present if more than 15% of respondents scored the lowest or highest possible score. A Kruskal-Wallis test used to compare average scores in each subgroup. Spearman’s Correlations were calculated to assess the association of PGH with Pedi-FABS scores.Results:2274 sports medicine patients (14.6±2.1 years; 53.0% females) were included. Of these, 2010 youth athletes reported participating in sports for 9.6±7.9 hours per week during 32.3±15.7 weeks per year with 6.2±3.4 years of participation in 21 distinct primary sports. 80.3% of patients reported participation in only one sport. Pedi-FABS Score differences were found across demographic(Table 1) and sport participation(Table 2) subgroups. Broad distribution was seen in each subgroup with no floor or ceiling effects. Pedi-FABS score correlated with hours per week(r=0.20), days per week(r=0.28), weeks per year(r=0.12), and years of participation(r=0.16/p<0.01). An inverse correlation was observed between Pedi-FABS and Days from Injury to Presentation(r=-0.21/p<0.01). An association between general health and activity level was noted as all three PGH components correlated with Pedi-FABS(PGH7: r=0.28/PGHF: r=-0.16/PGHPI: r=-0.12, p<0.01).Conclusions:Correlations with multiple forms of self-reported activity without floor or ceiling effects demonstrates the validity and sensitivity of Pedi-FABS for use in athletes with a variety of primary sports and injury types. Additionally, mean differences between demographic and sport participation subgroups, as well as associations with days to presentation and a commonly used patient reported outcome measure, may demonstrate the utility of Pedi-FABS for sports medicine clinicians.Table 1.HSS Pedi-FABS Score Distributions by Study Cohort Demographics and Injury CharacteristicsTable 2.HSS Pedi-FABS Score Distributions by Sports Participation Characteristics Among Self-Reported Athletes in Study Cohort

An Activity Scale for all Youth Athletes? An Analysis of the Hss Pedi-Fabs in 2274 Pediatric Sports Medicine Patients

Background:The HSS Pedi-FABS activity scale has become increasingly used in children age 10-18 since its development in 2013. Research reports on the utility of the measure in general youth athletes with knee injuries, however limited information is available regarding use in evaluating a variety of joint injuries, athletes who participate in sports with disparate biomechanics, or specialized competitive athletes.Hypothesis/Purpose:This study assessed the sensitivity and distribution of Pedi-FABS in an athletic youth population. Secondarily, this study evaluated Pedi-FABS association with PROMIS® Pediatric Global Health 7(PGH7) with Pain Interference(PGHPI) and Fatigue(PGHF) components.Methods:A retrospective review of youth athletes age 10-18 presenting for evaluation at a single pediatric sports medicine clinic between 4/2016-7/2020 was performed. Participants were included if they completed a pre-visit intake questionnaire and Pedi-FABS. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze Pedi-FABS for normal distribution and the presence of a floor or ceiling effect in subgroups determined by demographics, injury characteristics, and sports participation. A floor or ceiling effect was determined to be present if more than 15% of respondents scored the lowest or highest possible score. A Kruskal-Wallis test used to compare average scores in each subgroup. Spearman’s Correlations were calculated to assess the association of PGH with Pedi-FABS scores.Results:2274 sports medicine patients(14.6±2.1 years; 53.0% females) were included. Of these, 2010 youth athletes reported participating in sports for 9.6±7.9 hours per week during 32.3±15.7 weeks per year with 6.2±3.4 years of participation in 21 distinct primary sports. 80.3% of patients reported participation in only one sport. Pedi-FABS Score differences were found across demographic(Table 1) and sport participation(Table 2) subgroups. Broad distribution was seen in each subgroup with no floor or ceiling effects. Pedi-FABS score correlated with hours per week(r=0.20), days per week(r=0.28), weeks per year(r=0.12), and years of participation(r=0.16/p<0.01). An inverse correlation was observed between Pedi-FABS and Days from Injury to Presentation(r=-0.21/p<0.01). An association between general health and activity level was noted as all three PGH components correlated with Pedi-FABS(PGH7: r=0.28/PGHF: r=-0.16/PGHPI: r=-0.12, p<0.01).Conclusion:Correlations with multiple forms of self-reported activity without floor or ceiling effects demonstrates the validity and sensitivity of Pedi-FABS for use in athletes with a variety of primary sports and injury types. Additionally, mean differences between demographic and sport participation subgroups, as well as associations with days to presentation and a commonly used patient reported outcome measure, may demonstrate the utility of Pedi-FABS for sports medicine clinicians.Table 1.HSS Pedi-FABS Score Distributions by Study Cohort Demographics and Injury CharacteristicsTable 2.HSS Pedi-FABS Score Distributions by Sports Participation Characteristics Among Self-Reported Athletes in Study Cohort

ГОРОДСКАЯ ПАРТИСИПАТИВНОСТЬ В СОЦИОЛОГИЧЕСКОМ ДИСКУРСЕ (Participation in Cities in Sociological Discourse)

Russian abstract: Введение. В настоящее время среди городского населения получает популярность социальная практика партисипативности, т. е. активного участия в преобразовании городского пространства в интересах жителей. Изучение данного феномена представляет интерес в связи с его очевидной интегрированностью с управленческими решениями. Партисипативность в синонимичных лексемах находит свое отражение во многих эмпирических исследованиях. Расширение практик реализации социальной активности населения и изучение компонентов партисипативности обусловливают постановку цели написания статьи – формирование теоретико-методологического базиса изучения данного феномена. Методология и источники. В работе представлен аналитико-синтетический обзор классических и современных социологических теорий, которые раскрывают потенциал эмпирического изучения аспектов проявления партисипативности городских жителей. Результаты и обсуждение. Зачастую жизнь в городе вскрывает проблемы, затрагивающие многих жителей. Проблемный характер проживания в городах и проникновение этих проблем в повседневное взаимодействие горожан формирует истоки солидарного участия горожан – индивидуально-частные интересы образуют коллективные действия-процессы. Множественные индивидуальные формы активности горожан по городскому благоустройству преобразуются в партисипативность – институционализированную деятельность по совместному управлению, принятию решений городских проблем. Ее участники могут занимать дифференцированные позиции в социальной структуре городского сообщества по критериям (1) наличия разнообразного опыта взаимодействия, т.е. обмена, с городской средой и (2) занятия позиции в структуре управления городом, что определяет уровень регламентируемых полномочий по принятию управленческих решений. Общие для разных категорий горожан проблемы городской жизни и типизация социальной активности по их решению упорядочивает взаимодействия участников, организовывает и «производит» городское пространство. В результате анализа теоретико-методологического социологического наследия возникли контуры исследовательской новизны изучаемого проблемного поля – сконструирована модель формирования партисипативного участия горожан в решении проблем городской жизни. В ней отражена последовательность преобразования от индивидуального участия по решению локальной городской проблемы до коллективного солидарного «производства пространства» в интересах реализации права на город. Заключение. В результате обзора научного вклада ученых представлена теоретическая модель формирования городской партисипативности, которая позволяет проследить преобразование самодеятельной активности городского населения в право на город и формирование благоприятной городской среды English abstract: Annotation. Introduction. The social practice of participativeness, active participation in the transformation of urban space in the interests of residents, is gaining popularity among the urban population. The study of this phenomenon is interest for obvious integration with management decisions. Expanding the practice of implementing social activity of the population and studying the components of participativeness determine the goal of writing the article-the formation of a theoretical and methodological basis for studying this phenomenon. Methodology and source. The paper presents a review of classical and modern sociological theories that reveal the potential of empirical study of aspects of the manifestation of participation of urban residents. Results and discussion. The problematic nature of living in cities and the penetration of these problems into the daily interaction of citizens forms the origins of solidary participation of citizens-individual and private interests form collective actions-processes. Multiple individual forms of citizens' activity on urban improvement are transformed into participativeness – institutionalized joint activity. Its participants can take differentiated positions in the social structure of the urban community according to the criteria of (1) having a diverse experience of interaction, i.e. exchange, with the urban environment and (2) taking a position in the city management structure, which determines the level of regulated authority to make managerial decisions. The problems of urban life that are common to different categories of citizens and the typification of social activity to solve them order the interaction of participants, organize and produce the urban space. Conclusion. In the process of reasoning, a theoretical model of the formation of participativeness is presented, which allows us to trace the transformation of activity of the urban population into the right to the city and the formation of a favorable urban environment.

Participation in Cities in Sociological Discourse

Introduction. The social practice of participativeness, active participation in the transformation of urban space in the interests of residents, is gaining popularity among the urban population. The study of this phenomenon is interest for obvious integration with management decisions. Expanding the practice of implementing social activity of the population and studying the components of participativeness determine the goal of writing the paper-the formation of a theoretical and methodological basis for studying this phenomenon.Methodology and source. The paper presents a review of classical and modern sociological theories that reveal the potential of empirical study of aspects of the manifestation of participation of urban residents. Among the mentioned by the authors are the theory of social action, social solidarity, phenomenology, social constructivism.Results and discussion. The problematic nature of living in cities and the penetration of these problems into the daily interaction of citizens forms the origins of solidary participation of citizens-individual and private interests form collective actions-processes. Multiple individual forms of citizens' activity on urban improvement are transformed into participativeness – institutionalized joint activity. Its participants can take differentiated positions in the social structure of the urban community according to the criteria of having a diverse experience of interaction, i.e. exchange, with the urban environment and taking a position in the city management structure, which determines the level of regulated authority to make managerial decisions. The problems of urban life that are common to different categories of citizens and the typification of social activity to solve them order the interaction of participants, organize and “produce” the urban space.Conclusion. In the process of reasoning, a theoretical model of the formation of participativeness is presented, which allows us to trace the transformation of activity of the urban population into the right to the city and the formation of a favorable urban environment.

Constructivism and the Logic of Political Representation

There are at least two politically salient senses of “representation”—acting-for-othersandportraying-something-as-something. The difference is not just semantic but also logical: relations of representative agency are dyadic (xrepresentsy), while portrayals are triadic (xrepresentsyasz). I exploit this insight to disambiguate constructivism and to improve our theoretical vocabulary for analyzing political representation. I amend Saward’s claims-based approach on three points, introducing the “characterization” to correctly identify the elements of representational claims; explaining the “referent” in pragmatic, not metaphysical terms; and differentiating multiple forms of representational activity. This enables me to clarify how the represented can bebothprior to representationandconstituted by it, and to recover Pitkin’s idea that representatives ought to be “responsive” to the represented. These points are pertinent to debates about the role of representatives, the nature of representative democracy, and the dynamics of revolutionary movements.

Protein synthesis inhibition induces proteasome assembly and function

Protein synthesis and degradation balance have a crucial role in maintenance of cellular homeostasis and function. The ubiquitin-proteasome system is one of the major cellular proteolytic machineries responsible for the removal of normal, abnormal, denatured or in general damaged proteins. Proteasome is a multisubunit enzyme that consists of the 20S core and the 19S regulatory complexes giving rise to multiple active forms. In the present study we investigated the crosstalk between protein synthesis and proteasome-mediated protein degradation. Pharmacological protein synthesis inhibition led to increased proteasome function and assembly of 30S/26S proteasome complexes, in human primary embryonic fibroblasts. The enhancement in proteasome function counted for the degradation of ubiquitinated, misfolded and oxidized proteins. Additionally, it was found that heat shock proteins 70 and 90 are probably involved in the elevated proteasome assembly. Our results provide an insight on how the mechanisms of protein synthesis, protein degradation and heat shock protein chaperones machinery interact under various cellular conditions.

Neuroprotective Effect of Quercetin Against the Detrimental Effects of LPS in the Adult Mouse Brain.

Chronic neuroinflammation is responsible for multiple neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an essential component of the gram-negative bacterial cell wall and acts as a potent stimulator of neuroinflammation that mediates neurodegeneration. Quercetin is a natural flavonoid that is abundantly found in fruits and vegetables and has been shown to possess multiple forms of desirable biological activity including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of quercetin against the detrimental effects of LPS, such as neuroinflammation-mediated neurodegeneration and synaptic/memory dysfunction, in adult mice. LPS [0.25 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally (I.P.) injections for 1 week]-induced glial activation causes the secretion of cytokines/chemokines and other inflammatory mediators, which further activate the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and neuronal degeneration. Compared to LPS alone, quercetin (30 mg/kg/day, I.P.) for 2 weeks (1 week prior to the LPS and 1 week cotreated with LPS) significantly reduced activated gliosis and various inflammatory markers and prevented neuroinflammation in the cortex and hippocampus of adult mice. Furthermore, quercetin rescued the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and neuronal degeneration by regulating Bax/Bcl2, and decreasing activated cytochrome c, caspase-3 activity and cleaving PARP-1 in the cortical and hippocampal regions of the mouse brain. The quercetin treatment significantly reversed the LPS-induced synaptic loss in the cortex and hippocampus of the adult mouse brain and improved the memory performance of the LPS-treated mice. In summary, our results demonstrate that natural flavonoids such as quercetin can be beneficial against LPS-induced neurotoxicity in adult mice.

Food and Interrelation in Continental Thought: A Deconstruction and Topology

ABSTRACTContinental theorists have been increasingly drawn towards elements of the everyday – food, sex, exercise, and so forth – as sites of ethical and epistemological analysis and modification. These analyses have generally been seen separately through the lens of phenomenological, critical, or experimental methods. Despite this division, this paper argues, in line with the work of Bruno Latour, that the analysis of food reveals a complex interplay between the social, political, personal, and experimental dimensions of food. Food should thus be seen as ecological and intermodal, as a complex site of interchange between multiple forms of activity and knowing. This explains both food’s potential for appropriation by multiple projects, but problematizes any single method for analyzing the politics, pleasure or culture surrounding food.

Civilization and its discontented: Links between youth victimization, beliefs about government, and political participation across seven American presidencies.

Promoting trust in public officials and active political engagement is vital to sustaining a well-functioning democracy. Developmental psychologists propose that youths' beliefs about government and participation in politics are rooted in personal experiences within their communities. Previous studies have focused on how positive experiences within youths' families, schools, and communities facilitate greater social trust and political participation. However, less is known about how negative interpersonal experiences-such as criminal victimization-intersect with youths' beliefs about the trustworthiness, competence, and knowledge of government officials, and their participation in political activity. Using data from 39 waves of the Monitoring the Future study, the current study examined associations among youth victimization, beliefs about government, and participation in various political activities. Adolescents (N = 109,574; 50.9% female) enrolled in 12th grade across the United States reported on whether they had experienced various types of victimization during the previous year, their beliefs about government, and their participation in multiple forms of political activity. Adolescents who reported more frequent victimization experiences endorsed significantly greater discontent with government and were significantly more engaged in various forms of political activity. The magnitude and direction of these effects were generally consistent across different types of victimization, different demographic subgroups of youth, and different sociohistorical periods. Findings are interpreted from a social contract theory perspective, followed by a discussion of implications for building psychological theory and informing public policy. (PsycINFO Database Record

Belgian Jews and Neo-Antisemitism

Contemporary works have shown that antisemitism is far from moribund in Europe and it is in this context that in 2012 was conducted extensive research in the EU on current perceptions and experiences of antisemitism among Jews in Europe. I present and analyze here results that relate specifically to Belgian Jews (438 subjects out of 6,200 in eight countries). The first objective of this work is to learn about the Jewishness of our sample. Hence, we find that 40% of the respondents identify themselves as secular Jews; 15% consider themselves liberals; more than a quarter say they “observe certain traditions”; one sixth define themselves as Orthodox Jews. The data confirm, at this point, that there is only a limited correlation between religiosity and Jewishness: less religious or even non-religious people tend to express an identification with, and commitment to, Jewishness that were not weaker than the Orthodox’. The various factions are also united by a general feeling that while Belgium cannot be considered as an antisemitic state, it is currently experiencing virulent antisemitism in wide milieus. This antisemitism is bound to a sharp anti-Israelism salient in public life, the media, and the Internet. More than a number of other communities in Europe, Belgian Jews see antisemitism reigning in their environment with a gravity. They testify that the Israel-Palestine conflict weighs on their sense of insecurity; they confess that they have often considered the option of emigrating and they openly accuse Muslim extremists of inciting antisemitism. Belgian Jews also feel more vulnerable to antisemitic attacks and tend to resent a weakening in their position in society. On the other hand, what grants support to the Belgian Jews in these circumstances is that they often belong to the properous segments of the population. Moreover, there is the vitality of the community where one finds multiple forms of expression and activity - magazines, radio, clubs, synagogues, museums, etc.- and above all, exceptional educational infrastructures. These resources allow Belgian Jews, if not to protect themselves against the virus of antisemitism, at least to face it.

Designing Hybrid Antibiotic Peptide Conjugates To Cross Bacterial Membranes.

We design hybrid antibiotic peptide conjugates that can permeate membranes. Integration of multiple components with different functions into a single molecule is often problematic, due to competing chemical requirements for different functions and to mutual interference. By examining the structure of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), we show that it is possible to design and synthesize membrane active antibiotic peptide conjugates (MAAPCs) that synergistically combine multiple forms of antimicrobial activity, resulting in unusually strong activity against persistent bacterial strains.

Review: House Housing: An Untimely History of Architecture and Real Estate in Thirty-One Episodes

House Housing: An Untimely History of Architecture and Real Estate in Thirty-One Episodes MAK Center for Art and Architecture at Schindler House, West Hollywood, California 9 April–8 May 2016 If architecture is a complicated phenomenon, housing is its most complex manifestation. At once personal shelter, aesthetic expression, social indicator, cultural artifact, economic engine, and ideological cauldron, housing influences (and is influenced by) multiple forms of organized and individual activity. Historians of housing are familiar with this diversity as they work to identify and then explain causes and effects, relationships and contingencies. Due diligence means uncovering and examining a vast array of sources, often in multiple media. In an inventive presentation, House Housing , sponsored by the Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture, explored this topical thicket. This was the exhibition component of a larger project titled The Art of Inequality undertaken by a team of researchers at Columbia University. Their task here was to sample a wide variety of sources that illustrate discrete component events, or episodes, that add up (states the catalogue) to “locate housing at the center of the current, neoliberal economic regime, with the United States as an influential node in a transnational network [that] designs and produces the inequalities that are lived everywhere today.”1 Real estate here is used as shorthand to capture the subject of money or wealth in its many forms and processes relating to residential architecture. …

Genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.

Experimental efforts to understand how the brain represents, stores and processes information require high-fidelity recordings of multiple different forms of neural activity within functional circuits. Thus, creating improved technologies for large-scale recordings of neural activity in the live brain is a crucial goal in neuroscience. Over the past two decades, the combination of optical microscopy and genetically encoded fluorescent indicators has become a widespread means of recording neural activity in nonmammalian and mammalian nervous systems, transforming brain research in the process. In this review, we describe and assess different classes of fluorescent protein indicators of neural activity. We first discuss general considerations in optical imaging and then present salient characteristics of representative indicators. Our focus is on how indicator characteristics relate to their use in living animals and on likely areas of future progress.

Csk-homologous kinase (Chk/Matk): a molecular policeman suppressing cancer formation and progression

Aberrant activation of Src-family tyrosine kinases (SFKs) directs initiation of metastasis and development of drug resistance in multiple solid tumors and hematological cancers. Since oncogenic mutations of SFKs are rare events, aberrant activation of SFKs in cancer is likely due to dysregulation of the two major upstream inhibitors: C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) and its homolog Csk-homologous kinase (Chk/Matk). Csk and Chk/Matk inhibit SFKs by selectively phosphorylating the inhibitory tyrosine residue at their C-terminal tail. Additionally, Chk/Matk can also employ a noncatalytic inhibitory mechanism to inhibit multiple active forms of SFKs, suggesting that Chk/Matk is a versatile inhibitor capable of constraining the activity of multiple active forms of SFKs. Mounting evidence suggests that Chk/Matk is a potential tumor suppressor downregulated by epigenetic silencing and/or missense mutations in several cancers such as colorectal and lung carcinoma. In spite of the potential significance of Chk/Matk in cancer, little is known about its structure and regulation. This review focuses on the mechanisms by which Chk/Matk expression and activity is downregulated in cancers. Specifically, we assessed the evidence demonstrating downregulation of Chk/Matk by epigenetic silencing and missense mutations in cancers. The other focus is the tumor suppressive mechanism of Chk/Matk. The final focus of the review is on the clinical applications of the investigations into the mechanism of epigenetic silencing of Chk/Matk expression and the tumor suppressive mechanism of Chk/Matk; specifically we discussed how they can benefit the development of biomarkers for early diagnosis of cancers and specific SFK inhibitors for use as cancer therapeutics.

In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of Cabozantinib (XL184), an Inhibitor of RET, MET, and VEGFR2, in a Model of Medullary Thyroid Cancer

A limited number of approved therapeutic options are available to metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) patients, and the response to conventional chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy strategies is inadequate. Sporadic and inherited mutations in the tyrosine kinase RET result in oncogenic activation that is associated with the pathogenesis of MTC. Cabozantinib is a potent inhibitor of MET, RET, and vascular endothelial factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), as well as other tyrosine kinases that have been implicated in tumor development and progression. The object of this study was to determine the in vitro biochemical and cellular inhibitory profile of cabozantinib against RET, and in vivo antitumor efficacy using a xenograft model of MTC. Cabozantinib was evaluated in biochemical and cell-based assays that determined the potency of the compound against wild type and activating mutant forms of RET. Additionally, the pharmacodynamic modulation of RET and MET and in vivo antitumor activity of cabozantinib was examined in a MTC tumor model following subchronic oral administration. In biochemical assays, cabozantinib inhibited multiple forms of oncogenic RET kinase activity, including M918T and Y791F mutants. Additionally, it inhibited proliferation of TT tumor cells that harbor a C634W activating mutation of RET that is most often associated with MEN2A and familial MTC. In these same cells grown as xenograft tumors in nude mice, oral administration of cabozantinib resulted in dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition that correlated with a reduction in circulating plasma calcitonin levels. Moreover, immunohistochemical analyses of tumors revealed that cabozantinib reduced levels of phosphorylated MET and RET, and decreased tumor cellularity, proliferation, and vascularization. Cabozantinib is a potent inhibitor of RET and prevalent mutationally activated forms of RET known to be associated with MTC, and effectively inhibits the growth of a MTC tumor cell model in vitro and in vivo.

Thrombin weakens the amnion extracellular matrix (ECM) directly rather than through protease activated receptors

IntroductionPreterm premature rupture of fetal membranes (pPROM) is a major cause of preterm birth. Abruption associated thrombin production, and infection-inflammation associated cytokine production reportedly play major roles in pPROM. Utilizing an in vitro model-system we have confirmed that both thrombin and inflammatory cytokines remodel and biomechanically weaken amnion, the load-bearing component of FM. Also, we have shown thrombin directly weakens isolated amnion but cytokines weaken amnion only indirectly by initially interacting with choriodecidua and releasing unidentified soluble activator(s). This study's purpose was to determine whether thrombin weakens the isolated amnion through thrombin receptor-protease activated receptors (PARs 1,2,3,4), activation of previously secreted extracellular matrix (ECM) enzymes, or by direct action on the ECM. MethodsPrimary amnion cells and isolated amnion were tested for PARs by immunohistochemistry, Western Blot and rtPCR. Cell-free amnion ECM was produced by devitalizing isolated amnion by exposure to UV light and subsequent freeze–thaw cycles. Devitalized amnion membrane explants were incubated with thrombin and biomechanically tested. ResultsPARs were not found in amnion or amnion cells. Thrombin induced dose-dependent weakening of devitalized amnion explants. Preincubation with the thrombin inhibitor hirudin prevented thrombin-induced weakening. Thrombin converted pro-MMP2 embedded in the devitalized amnion ECM to multiple active forms. Thrombin also directly digested gelatin gels in zymograms suggesting the possibility of direct degradation of amnion ECM components. DiscussionThrombin appears to directly weaken the amnion ECM and additionally activates stored pro-MMP2 to active forms that may further enhance amnion ECM degradation. ConclusionThrombin weakens amnion directly rather than through PARs.

Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 3 Regulates Activity-Dependent Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Adult neurogenesis, the process of generating mature neurons from adult neural stem cells, proceeds concurrently with ongoing neuronal circuit activity and is modulated by various physiological and pathological stimuli. The niche mechanism underlying the activity-dependent regulation of the sequential steps of adult neurogenesis remains largely unknown. Here, we report that neuronal activity decreases the expression of secreted frizzled-related protein 3 (sFRP3), a naturally secreted Wnt inhibitor highly expressed by adult dentate gyrus granule neurons. Sfrp3 deletion activates quiescent radial neural stem cells and promotes newborn neuron maturation, dendritic growth, and dendritic spine formation in the adult mouse hippocampus. Furthermore, sfrp3 reduction is essential for activity-induced adult neural progenitor proliferation and the acceleration of new neuron development. Our study identifies sFRP3 as an inhibitory niche factor from local mature dentate granule neurons that regulates multiple phases of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and suggests an interesting activity-dependent mechanism governing adult neurogenesis via the acute release of tonic inhibition.

An Abnormal Tourist Itinerary: David Tomas’s “Live Rightly, Die, Die …”

On March 24, 2012, the New York-based electronic network e-flux posted an announcement to some forty-five thousand readers. It stated that from March I until April 29, the Montreal center for contemporary photography, Dazibao, would be showing a two-part exhibition by David Tomas titled Live rightly, die, die ... At the top of the posting is the date of the announcement along with the e-flux logo. Below a perforated line, the name of the gallery is placed in bold. Below this is an image: a 1929 photograph of a sailor holding a severed human head. To the right of the image are the exhibition details, and below that, another perforated line is followed by a detailed description listing the names of the artists whose works are shown. Among the prominent figures are Bas Jan Ader, Francis Alys, Lothar Baumgarten, Mareel Broodthaers. Chris Burden, Andre Cadere, Guy Debord, Jan Dibbets, Leon Golub Richard Hamilton, Allan Kaprow, George Maciunas, Irving Penn, and Robert Smithson. Also listed are some lesser-known artists: Pavel Braila. Stanley Brouwn, Tim Clark, Jamelie Hassan, Bouchra Khalili, Vincent Meessen. Willem de Rooij, and some odd inclusions: Documenta H, e-flux, and NASA. The mention of e-flux in this list gives the first indication that the announcement itself figures as one of the artifacts presented in the exhibition. The description explains further: Over the past 20 years there has been a notable increase in the transnational circulation of cultural information through multiple forms of artistic activity. This activity has emerged in tandem with neoliberal models of global trade and the creation of interlocked systems of economic and cultural exchange. This circulation and its possible relationships with economic and culture [sic] patterns of globalization raise fundamental questions about the models upon which these activities are founded and status of the information once it has been presented in new cultural locations. Are artists now engaged in a new professionalized from of artistic tourism and amateur ethnography? And what is the relationship between tourism, information gathering and reception, and the exotic in contemporary art? According to the announcement, the exhibition was modeled on Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella Heart of Darkness. The novella provided an frame or historical reference for the exhibition's presentation of unknown places, opaque languages, and singular encounters. Included among these is a series of e-flux news bulletins, a nineteenth-century photograph of an eighteenth-century photograph of a Chinese Lingchi execution. The statement itself is attributed to Tomas, the gallery logo is presented, and below another perforated line the e-flux logo is displayed again with the suggestion to follow e-flux through Facebook or Twitter. In the following, I provide a brief account of one of the most eccentric and challenging exhibitions ever shown in Montreal. The exhibition mobilizes the theories and motifs of Tomas's work both as a visual artist term he avoids and as an anthropologist who specializes in the study of media histories as spaces of intercultural contact. It updates and refines his performed installations from the early 1980s in light of recent sociopolitical developments, and explores how artists call adopt a critical stance in relation to the art world and produce meaning from a socio-anthropological viewpoint. This monumental exhibition can also be approached in terms of what Tomas has defined as post-photographic practice. Insular as his work is described in exact detail in his writings, it is for the most part accessible to anyone interested. Yet, due to its complexity and unusual form--both as writing and as installation work--it tends to go unnoticed. This essay concerning Live rightly, die, die ... will therefore outline the terms of post-photography, present select aspects of Tomas's elaboration of his exhibition and its association with a global artistic-touristic complex, provide an account of my encounter with the exhibition and its documents, and conclude with a suggestion of how this e-flux announcement details the features of a contemporary neocolonialist subject. …

Structural and Functional Characterization of Mature Forms of Metalloprotease E495 from Arctic Sea-Ice Bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM495

E495 is the most abundant protease secreted by the Arctic sea-ice bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM495. As a thermolysin family metalloprotease, E495 was found to have multiple active forms in the culture of strain SM495. E495-M (containing only the catalytic domain) and E495-M-C1 (containing the catalytic domain and one PPC domain) were two stable mature forms, and E495-M-C1-C2 (containing the catalytic domain and two PPC domains) might be an intermediate. Compared to E495-M, E495-M-C1 had similar affinity and catalytic efficiency to oligopeptides, but higher affinity and catalytic efficiency to proteins. The PPC domains from E495 were expressed as GST-fused proteins. Both of the recombinant PPC domains were shown to have binding ability to proteins C-phycocyanin and casein, and domain PPC1 had higher affinity to C-phycocyanin than domain PPC2. These results indicated that the domain PPC1 in E495-M-C1 could be helpful in binding protein substrate, and therefore, improving the catalytic efficiency. Site-directed mutagenesis on the PPC domains showed that the conserved polar and aromatic residues, D26, D28, Y30, Y/W65, in the PPC domains played key roles in protein binding. Our study may shed light on the mechanism of organic nitrogen degradation in the Arctic sea ice.