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Electronic cigarettes (eCig) represent a new avenue of tobacco exposure that involves heating oil-based liquids and the delivery of aerosolized flavors with or without nicotine, yet little is known about their overall health impact. The oral cavity is an anatomic gateway for exposure that can be compromised by activating myriad of signaling networks. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSSC) is a common malignancy affecting 30,000 people in the United States each year. Our objective was to determine the impact of eCig and nicotine on gingival OSSC invasion and their secretion of pro-inflammatory molecules. Gingivaderived Ca9-22 cells and tongue-derived Cal27 cells were exposed to eCig vapor extract (EVE) generated from Red Hot or Green Apple (Apple) flavored eCig solution +/- nicotine for 6 hours. Isolation of protein lysates and collection conditioned media was done after treatment. Real-time cellular invasion was assessed using a RTCA DP instrument. Protein expression was determined using western blot. Compared to controls, we observed: elevated NF-kB, TNF-α, ERK, JNK, MMP-13 and cell invasion by Ca9-22 treated with Apple EVE; increased TNF-α and JNK by Ca9-22 treated with Red Hot EVE; and increased TNF-α and JNK by Cal27 cells treated with both Apple and Red Hot EVE. We conclude that eCig flavoring and nicotine orchestrated differential cell invasion and inflammatory effects. This study provides an important initial step in dissecting mechanisms of cancerous invasion and molecular avenues employed by OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Healthcare Matrix which was developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The Matrix assesses the care of patients using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Aims for Improvement. Interns and medical students can fulfill specific ACGME core competencies by participating in the quality improvement process.

The use of human population surveys to estimate the prevalence of nascent entrepreneurs has become a major feature of both longitudinal studies of the firm creation process, such as the US Panel Studies of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) research program, as well as cross-national comparisons, as reflected in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) initiative. The basic procedure has been to use interview screening items to locate individuals that may be considered candidate nascent entrepreneurs; other criteria are then used to identify those considered active nascent entrepreneurs. In these human population surveys, little attention has been paid to the potential impact of variations in wording in the initial screening items, either across time in the same language or in different languages, on the final prevalence rates. Analysis of 134 independent samples in the US over the 1993–2006 period, where different screening items were employed, indicates a major impact of item wording. Once adjustments to account for item variation were made, there was no statistically significant change in the prevalence of active nascent entrepreneurs, from 5 to 6 per 100 over the 1998–2006 period. This pattern of temporal stability is consistent with three other national programs measuring U.S. new firm creation activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The first US Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics [PSED I] is the most comprehensive assessment of the firm creation process yet completed. Based on a representative sample of those actively involved in business creation, analysis begins with the consideration of 75 factors that may affect the decision of adults to get involved in the creation of a new business, followed by a detailed exploration of over 130 factors that may be associated with completing the start-up process with a new firm. The results indicate, first, that over ten million persons are involved in the firm start-up phase as nascent entrepreneurs. Second, the major factors associated with entry into the start-up process have little impact on completion of the process with an operating business. Third, activities pursued in the start-up process - not the characteristics of the entrepreneur, the start-up, or the location - have a major impacts on the transition from start-up to a successful new firm. There is little impact associated with being male; being White, Black or Hispanic; having more education; being wealthy; having experience with other start-ups; having an ‘entrepreneurial personality’; or being in a supportive environment. This project demonstrates the value of tracking a representative sample of nascent entrepreneurs with a longitudinal study. Implications for future research, entrepreneurs, and public policy are substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification (ASA-PS) is used worldwide by anesthesia providers as an assessment of the preoperative physical status of patients. This assessment score has been inconsistently assigned by anesthesia providers among adult surgical patients. This study tested the reliability of assignment of ASA-PS classification among pediatric anesthesia providers. Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent to a randomly selected sample of full members of the Society of Pediatric Anesthesiologists. Participants were asked to assign ASA-PS for 10 clinical case scenarios chosen from regular pediatric surgical cases at the investigators’ institution. Results: The response rate to our mailing was 54%. There was a moderate overall agreement among pediatric anesthesia providers in assigning ASA-PS for pediatric surgical patients (exact agreement 40.5–78.6%; κ = 0.479). Exact agreement improved for combined ASA classifications of I and II (83%), and III and IV (95%). Conclusion: These findings suggest a moderate agreement among pediatric anesthesia providers in assigning ASA-PS classification to selected pediatric case scenarios. Most disagreement, however, represented a tendency of outside care providers to assign a higher ASA physical status for cases. Furthermore, agreement was excellent for low risk (i.e. ASA I and II) as well as high risk (ASA III and IV) cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) is the first national database to offer systematic, reliable and generalizable data on the process of new business formation. This report provides an overview of the PSED research design and an overview of the information contained in the database. Results of analyses of data from the SCREENER, a sample of 64,622 individuals surveyed about their entrepreneurial activities, indicate that over 10.1 million individuals are actively engaged in starting new businesses in the United States. All categories of individuals by gender, age, and ethnicity are involved in entrepreneurship.

Linear models are developed to determine the relative impact of 15 start-up processes on the annual regional birth rate of new business organizations for all industry sectors in the U.S. over 6 two-year periods. These stable linear models explained from 50-70% of the variation in regional firm birth and death rates up to 16 years into the future. Start-up processes that have the most impact involve regional economic diversity; population growth; greater personal wealth; presence of mid-career adults; low unemployment; and greater flexibility in employment relationships. There was a complete absence of any impact of regional variation associated with higher densities of customers, suppliers, workers, R&D resources; costs of production; or access to national transportation facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It would seem appropriate for a federal agency, responsible for promoting the best interests of the nation, to develop policies and procedures that would encourage scientific research with human subjects and, simultaneously, attempt to minimize the negative effects on those involved in such projects as research participants. This, however, is a difficult problem related to a number of issues. After a presentation of these issues, the degree to which the proposed procedure reflects consideration of these issues is discussed, followed by a brief description of a procedure that seems to provide better protection for human subjects and less disruption of scientific activity. There are instances where the criminal justice system has sponsored projects that involve data collection from delinquents or criminals, in the hopes of improving the criminal justice system. The very same data is subject to subpoena, which makes it difficult to guarantee confidentiality for the respondents. The National Institutes of Health could serve both investigators and human participants by promoting the passage of a federal law that provided legal protection for the confidentiality of data collected by federally supported research projects, it already exists for census data.

The applied focus for the doctoral program was implemented as Minnesota in 1979; the applied M.A. has been available for considerably longer. These programs are coordinated by a regular faculty member. More than half of the active graduate students are pursuing applied training. Three problems remain: (1) incorporating practicing applied sociologists as adjunct faculty teaching seminars; (2) developing mechanisms for placing students in internships and initial career positions; and (3) increasing the involvement of the academic faculty in the applied training. Applied sociology can play a major role in improving the image of sociology as a valued contributor to society, but more assistance is needed from established academic sociologists to maximize the impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PSED II began in 2005 with the selection of a cohort of 1,214 nascent entrepreneurs chosen from a representative sample of 31,845 adults. The first 12 month follow-up interviews were completed with 80% of the original cohort. The project is designed to replicate, with appropriate methodological improvements, PSED I. The PSED provides a unique, unprecedented description of the initial stages of the entrepreneurial process. The results suggest that prior experience and an appropriate strategy are critical for completing a new firm birth; personal attributes, motivations, and contexts seem to have minimal effect. The PSED findings have substantial implications for policy makers who wish to improve the capacity of the US entrepreneurial sector to confront global competitive threats with a steady flow of new and innovative firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights various issues discussed during the 16th Annual Conference on Military Medicine in the U.S. in June 2002. Technological advances in military medicine; Objectives of military medicine; Use of nano- and biotechnologies in military medicine.