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An activity in which students use manipulative materials to help solve simple algebraic equations using the operations of adding inverses, removing opposites, and sharing equally is presented. Directions, examples, the rationale, and cautions are included. (KR)

Clinical guidelines for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening suggest use of either stool-based tests or colonoscopy – modalities that differ in recommended screening intervals, adherence, and costs. We know little about the long-term cost differences in population-health outreach strategies to promote these strategies. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to compare 2 mailed outreach strategies to increase CRC screening from a pragmatic, randomized clinical trial: mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits vs invitations to complete a screening colonoscopy. We built a 10-year Markov chain Monte Carlo microsimulation model to account for differences in screening intervals, adherence, and costs. Mailed FIT kits had a lower 10-year average per-person cost of screening relative to colonoscopy invitations ($1139 vs $1725) but with 10.89 fewer months of compliance and 60 fewer advanced neoplasia detected (37 advanced adenomas and 23 CRC). Incremental cost effectiveness ratios for colonoscopy invitations compared with mailed FIT kits were $55.23, $15.84, and $25.48 per additional covered month, advanced adenoma, and CRC, respectively. Although FIT was the preferred strategy at low willingness-to-pay thresholds, the 2 strategies were equal at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $41.31 per covered month gained. Mailed FIT or colonoscopy invitations are both options to improve CRC screening completion and advanced neoplasia detection, and the choice of outreach strategy may differ by a health system's willingness-to-pay threshold. Mailed FIT kits are less expensive than colonoscopy invitations but result in fewer months of screening compliance and advanced neoplasia detected. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrabactin receptors (PYR) play a central role in abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction; they are ABA receptors that inhibit type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2C). Molecular aspects contributing to increased basal activity of PYR against PP2C are studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. An extensive series of MD simulations of the apo-form of mutagenized PYR1 as a homodimer and in complex with homology to ABA-insensitive 1 (HAB1) phosphatase are reported. In order to investigate the detailed molecular mechanisms mediating PYR1 activity, the MD data was analyzed by essential collective dynamics (ECD), a novel approach that allows the identification, with atomic resolution, of persistent dynamic correlations based on relatively short MD trajectories. Employing the ECD method, the effects of select mutations on the structure and dynamics of the PYR1 complexes were investigated and considered in the context of experimentally determined constitutive activities against HAB1. Approaches to rationally design constitutively active PYR1 constructs to increase PP2C inhibition are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Ceratocystis norvegica J. Reid & Hausner sp. nov., is described from Norway. Based on morphological criteria and analyses of rDNA internal transcribed spacer and small subunit rDNA sequences, strains collected from galleries of the bark beetle Ips typographus on Picea abies (L.) H. Karst, were shown to be distinct both from members of the Ceratocystis coerulescens complex and from other species described previously from conifers. Ceratocystis norvegica has the following defining characteristics: convergent ostiolar hyphae; a sharply defined temperature optimum at 20 °C; an apparent lack of a conidial state; and ascospores that on germination produce either self-fertile or self-sterile strains. Les auteurs décrivent une nouvelle espèce, le Ceratocystis norvegica J. Reid & Hausner sp. nov., provenant de Norvège. À partir de critères morphologiques et d'analyses d'ITS du rADN et de séquences rSSU, on démontre que des souches récoltées à partir de galeries du scolyte Ips typographus sur Picea abies se distinguent à la fois des membres du complexe Ceratocystis coerulescens et d'autres espèces déjà décrites à partir d'autres conifères. Le Ceratocystis norvegica possède les caractéristiques suivantes : hyphes ostiolaires convergents; une température optimale de 20  °C nettement déterminée; une absence apparente de stade conidien; et des ascospores qui produisent après germination, des souches soit auto fertiles ou soit auto stériles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Immunization using a plasmid to deliver an encoded protein for expression in situ as the antigen is a promising technology. A plasmid encoding the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 fimbrial protein FaeG when injected into chickens stimulates the production of antibodies against the fimbrial protein, similar to what has been observed in mice. The efficacy of a genetic adjuvant on fimbrial antibody production was tested by introducing the gene for chicken interleukin-6 in tandem with the faeG gene. Expression of both the fimbrial FaeG protein and chicken interleukin-6 protein was confirmed in COS-M6 cells. Slightly higher antiFaeG antibody titer in chickens was obtained compared with immunization with the plasmid encoding FaeG alone, especially at 10 (19%, P < 0.05) and 12 (27%, P <0.05) wk, respectively, after the secondary immunization. Elevated antiFaeG antibody titer induced by chicken interleukin-6 and FaeG proteins expressed jointly persisted longer than when induced by FaeG protein alone. This is the first report of an avian cytokine enhancing an immune response, and confirms that coexpression of the antigen and adjuvant from a plasmid delivered by DNA immunization is an effective protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]