This article applies matrix forecasting methods to the investigation of residential relocation and commuting patterns that are highly interconnected, but often analyzed separately. More specifically, using recent inter-county migration and commuting pattern data for the three largest metropolitan areas in California, it examines how residential relocation and commuting are associated in the regions and whether a unified framework-in which household relocation and commuting flow matrices are jointly determined-can improve the forecasting performance. The relocation-commuting association is found to differ substantially by region, suggesting the importance of region-specific factors in shaping the interrelationship. Joint forecasting, however, can attain a higher accuracy compared to the two separate projections, although the forecasting performance varies based on the method employed.

The accumulation of triglycerides (TGs) in macrophages induces cell death, a risk factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We had previously reported that TG-induced macrophage death is triggered by caspase-1 and -2, therefore we investigated the mechanism underlying this phenomenon. We found that potassium efflux is increased in TG-treated THP-1 macrophages and that the inhibition of potassium efflux blocks TG-induced cell death as well as caspase-1 and -2 activation. Furthermore, reducing ATP concentration (known to induce potassium efflux), restored cell viability and caspase-1 and -2 activity. The activation of pannexin-1 (a channel that releases ATP), was increased after TG treatment in THP-1 macrophages. Inhibition of pannexin-1 activity using its inhibitor, probenecid, recovered cell viability and blocked the activation of caspase-1 and -2 in TG-treated macrophages. These results suggest that TG-induced THP-1 macrophage cell death is induced via pannexin- 1 activation, which increases extracellular ATP, leading to an increase in potassium efflux. [BMB Reports 2020; 53(11): 588-593].