bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biosynthesis of γ-aminobutyric acid by lactic acid bacteria in surplus bread and its use in bread making
Authors: Verni Michela , Vekka Anna , Immonen Mikko , Katina Kati , Rizzello Carlo Giuseppe , Coda Rossana
Published: October 2021

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of bread as substrate for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthesis, establishing a valorization strategy for surplus bread, repurposing it within the food chain.

Methods and Results

Surplus bread was fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to produce GABA. Pediococcus pentosaceus F01, Levilactobacillus brevis MRS4, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum H64 and C48 were selected among 33 LAB strains for the ability to synthesize GABA. Four fermentation experiments were set up using surplus bread as such, added of amylolytic and proteolytic enzymes, modifying the pH or mixed with wheat bran. Enzyme-treated slurries led to the release of glucose (up to 20 mg g−1) and free amino acid, whereas the addition of wheat bran (30% of bread weight) yielded the highest GABA content (circa 800 mg kg−1 of dry weight) and was the most suitable substrate for LAB growth. The selected slurry was ultimately used as an ingredient in bread making causing an increase in free amino acids.

Conclusions

Besides the high GABA concentration (148 mg kg−1 dough), the experimental bread developed in this study was characterized by good nutritional properties, highlighting the efficacy of tailored bioprocessing technologies as means to mitigate food wastage.

Significance and Impact of Study

Our results represent a proof of concept of effective strategies to repurpose food industry side streams.
LncRNA MIAT enhances cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury in rat model via interacting with EGLN2 and reduces its ubiquitin‐mediated degradation
Authors: Li Suping , Fu Jing , Wang Yi , Hu Chunmei , Xu Fei
Published: October 2021

Long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) MIAT (myocardial infarction associated transcript) has been characterized as a functional lncRNA modulating cerebral ischaemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study explored the functional partners of MIAT in primary rat neurons and their regulation on I/R injury. Sprague‐Dawley rats were used to construct middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) models. Their cerebral cortical neurons were used for in vitro oxygen‐glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) models. Results showed that MIAT interacted with EGLN2 in rat cortical neurons. MIAT overexpression or knockdown did not alter EGLN2 transcription. In contrast, MIAT overexpression increased EGLN2 stability after I/R injury via reducing its ubiquitin‐mediated degradation. EGLN2 was a substrate of MDM2, a ubiquitin E3 ligase. MDM2 interacted with the N‐terminal of EGLN2 and mediated its K48‐linked poly‐ubiquitination, thereby facilitating its proteasomal degradation. MIAT knockdown enhanced the interaction and reduced EGLN2 stability. MIAT overexpression enhanced infarct volume and induced a higher ratio of neuronal apoptosis. EGLN2 knockdown significantly reversed the injury. MIAT overexpression reduced oxidative pentose phosphate pathway flux and increased oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio, the effects of which were abrogated by EGLN2 knockdown. In conclusion, MIAT might act as a stabilizer of EGLN2 via reducing MDM2 mediated K48 poly‐ubiquitination. MIAT‐EGLN2 axis exacerbates I/R injury via altering redox homeostasis in neurons.
Leveraging survey and claims data to identify high‐need Medicare beneficiaries in the National Health and Aging Trends Study
Authors: Tucher Emma , Keeney Tamra , Bélanger Emmanuelle
Published: October 2021

Background

Multiple algorithms have been developed to identify and characterize the high‐need (HN) Medicare population. However, they vary in components and yield different populations, and were developed for varying purposes. We compared the performance of existing survey and claims‐based definitions in identifying HN beneficiaries and predicting poor outcomes among a community‐dwelling population.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study using Round 5 (2015) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) linked with Medicare claims. We applied HN definitions from previous studies to our cohort of community‐dwelling, fee‐for‐service beneficiaries (n = 4201) using sampling weights to obtain nationally representative estimates. The Bélanger et al. (2019) definition defines HN as individuals with complex conditions, multi‐morbidity, acute and post‐acute healthcare utilization, dependency in activities of daily living, and frailty. The Hayes et al. (2016) definition defines HN as individuals with 3+ chronic conditions and a functional limitation. We applied each definition to survey and claims data. Outcomes were hospitalization or mortality in the subsequent year.

Results

The proportion of NHATS respondents classified as HN varied greatly across definitions, ranging from 3.1% using the claims‐based Hayes definition to 32.9% using the survey‐based Bélanger definition. HN respondents had significantly higher mortality and hospitalization rates in 2016. Although all definitions had good specificity, none were able to predict outcomes in the following year with good accuracy.

Conclusions

While mortality and hospitalization rates were significantly higher among respondents classified as HN, existing claims and survey‐based HN definitions were not able to accurately predict future outcomes in a community‐dwelling, nationally representative sample measured by the area under the curve.
Rejuvenating earlobe esthetics with dermal fillers
Authors: Arora Gulhima , Arora Sandeep
Published: October 2021

Background

The external ear plays a significant aesthetic role in the appearance of the face. Chronological and extrinsic aging effects on the ear lobe get further pronounced since routine surgical aesthetic procedures for the face do not address these morphological changes. Ear adornment with jewelry and piercings further cause sagging of the ear lobe and stretch the ear piercing. Dermal fillers offer a viable option for ear lobe rejuvenation by increasing its volume and addressing the morphological changes with minimal adverse effects or downtime associated with surgery.

Aims

The authors aim to review the choice of dermal fillers used for ear lobule correction. The anatomy and its implications on techniques used for ear lobe rejuvenation are elaborated in this article based on the authors experience and reported literature.

Methods

All patients who had received ear lobe fillers were evaluated, treated and followed up. Literature review of experience of treating patients with hyaluronic acid fillers for ear lobule correction and their rejuvenation was reviewed.

Results

Hyaluronic acid fillers are a quick and easy method to restore the youthfulness and aesthetic ideals of the ear lobe. They address all the parameters of aging, volume deficit, reduction in the number and depth of creases and improvement in the number of wrinkles which surgical correction may not address. They can also be used for prejuvenation in younger populations expected to wear heavier ear jewelry. The results are immediate, long‐lasting and the side effects and downtime are minimal.
Moment estimators for parameters of Lévy‐driven Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes
Authors: Wu Yanfeng , Hu Jianqiang , Yang Xiangyu
Published: October 2021

We consider the problem of parameter estimation for Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (OU) processes driven by general Lévy processes. We derive our estimators based on the method of moments and establish a joint central limit theorem for these estimators with explicit formulae for their asymptotic covariance matrix. Numerical experiments are also provided to show that not only our estimators are easy to implement but they are also highly efficient. Our work offers a simple and efficient method to estimate the parameters in Lévy‐driven OU processes.
The usage of Cyanobacteria in wastewater treatment: prospects and limitations
Authors: Ahmad Iffat Zareen
Published: October 2021

The applicability of Cyanobacteria executes various roles in the treatment of wastewater, assembling of superfluous food and, thus, produces valued biomass which has various applications. Besides this, they enrich and improve the quality of water as they are photosynthetic autotrophs. Currently, Cyanobacteria gained momentum for remediation of wastewaters because firstly, they enhances the O2 content of waters through photosynthesis and perform bioremediation of some heavy metals. Secondly, Cyanobacteria play significant roles in distressing the biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, minerals and microbes; thirdly, they can be used either as axenic cultures or as mixed cultures both offering distinct advantages. Lastly, some species are tolerant towards extreme temperatures both low and high, acidic pH, high salt concentrations and heavy metals, which makes them outstanding candidates for the wastewater treatment plants. The suitable immobilization methods must evolve, better understanding of their morphological and biochemical parameters is required for the optimum growth, easy methods of harvesting the biomass after the treatment are required and more trials on large-scale basis are required before they can be launched on full-fledged basis for wastewater treatments.
On‐treatment gamma‐glutamyl transferase predicts the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients
Authors: Huang Chung‐Feng , Jang Tyng‐Yuan , Jun Dae Won , Ahn Sang Bong , An Jihyun , Enomoto Masaru , Takahashi Hirokazu , Ogawa Eiichi , Yoon Eileen , Jeong Soung Won , Shim Jae‐Jun , Jeong Jae Yoon , Kim Sung Eun , Oh Hyunwoo , Kim Hyoung Su , Cho Yong Kyun , Kozuka Ritsuzo , Inoue Kaori , Cheung Ka Shing , Mak Lung Yi , Huang Jee‐Fu , Dai Chia‐Yen , Yuen Man‐Fung , Nguyen Mindie H. , Yu Ming‐Lung
Published: October 2021

Background & Aims

Gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT) has been predictive of chronic hepatitis C‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Its role in the risk of HCC in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with nucleotide/nucleoside analogues (NAs) is elusive.

Methods

A total of 2172 CHB patients from East Asia were randomized into development and validation groups in a 1:2 ratio. Serum GGT levels before and 6 months (M6) after initiating NAs and the potential risk factors were measured. The primary endpoint was HCC development 12 months after NA initiation.

Results

The annual incidence of HCC was 1.4/100 person‐years in a follow‐up period of 11 370.7 person‐years. The strongest factor associated with HCC development was high M6‐GGT levels (>25 U/L; hazard ratio [HR]/95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.31/2.02‐5.42, P < .001), followed by cirrhosis (HR/CI: 2.06/1.39‐3.06, P < .001), male sex (HR/CI: 2.01/1.29‐3.13, P = .002) and age (HR/CI: 1.05/1.03‐1.17, P < .001). Among cirrhotic patients, the incidence of HCC did not differ between those with high or low M6‐GGT levels (P = .09). In contrast, among non‐cirrhotic patients, the incidence of HCC was significantly higher for those with M6‐GGT level >25 U/L than for their counterparts (P < .001). Cox regression analysis revealed that the strongest factor associated with HCC development in non‐cirrhotic patients was high M6‐GGT levels (HR/CI: 5.05/2.52‐10.16, P < .001), followed by age (HR/CI: 1.07/1.04‐1.09, P < .001). Non‐cirrhotic elderly patients with high M6‐GGT levels had a similarly high HCC risk as cirrhotic patients did (P = .29).

Conclusions

On‐treatment serum GGT levels strongly predicted HCC development in CHB patients, particularly non‐cirrhotic patients, treated with NAs.
uORF‐mediated riboregulation controls transcription of whiB7/wblC antibiotic resistance gene
Authors: Lee Ju‐Hyung , Lee Eun‐Jin , Roe Jung‐Hye
Published: October 2021

WhiB7/WblC is a transcriptional factor of actinomycetes conferring intrinsic resistance to multiple translation‐inhibitory antibiotics. It positively autoregulates its own transcription in response to the same antibiotics. The presence of a uORF and a potential Rho‐independent transcription terminator in the 5′ leader region has suggested a possibility that the whiB7/wblC gene is regulated via a uORF‐mediated transcription attenuation. However, experimental evidence for the molecular mechanism to explain how antibiotic stress suppresses the attenuator, if any, and induces transcription of the whiB7/wblC gene has been lacking. Here we report that the 5′ leader sequences of the whiB7/wblC genes in sub‐clades of actinomycetes include conserved antiterminator RNA structures. We confirmed that the putative antiterminator in the whiB7/wblC leader sequences of both Streptomyces and Mycobacterium indeed suppresses Rho‐independent transcription terminator and facilitates transcription readthrough, which is required for WhiB7/WblC‐mediated antibiotic resistance. The antibiotic‐mediated suppression of the attenuator can be recapitulated by amino acid starvation, indicating that translational inhibition of uORF by multiple signals is a key to induce whiB7/wblC expression. Our findings of a mechanism leading to intrinsic antibiotic resistance could provide an alternative to treat drug‐resistant mycobacteria.
Exploring nurses’ online perspectives and social networks during a global pandemic COVID‐19
Authors: O'Leary Lisa , Erikainen Sonja , Peltonen Laura‐Maria , Ahmed Wasim , Thelwall Mike , O'Connor Siobhan
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Examine the online interactions, social networks, and perspectives of nursing actors on COVID‐19 from conversations on Twitter to understand how the profession responded to this global pandemic.

Design

Mixed methods.

Sample

Ten‐thousand five‐hundred and seventy‐four tweets by 2790 individuals and organizations.

Measurements

NodeXL software was used for social network analysis to produce a network visualization. The betweenness centrality algorithm identified key users who were influential in COVID‐19 related conversations on Twitter. Inductive content analysis enabled exploration of tweet content. A communicative figurations framework guided the study.

Results

Nursing actors formed different social groupings, and communicated with one another across groups. Tweets covered four themes; (1) outbreak and clinical management of the infectious disease, (2) education and information sharing, (3) social, economic, and political context, and (4) working together and supporting each other.

Conclusion

In addition to spreading knowledge, nurses tried to reach out through social media to political and healthcare leaders to advocate for improvements needed to address COVID‐19. However, they primarily conversed within their own professional community. Action is needed to better understand how social media is and can be used by nurses for health communication, and to improve their preparedness to be influential on social media beyond the nursing community.
Norwegian fathers’ experiences with a home visiting program
Authors: Solberg Beate , Glavin Kari , Berg Rigmor C. , Olsvold Nina
Published: October 2021

Objective

To explore fathers’ experiences with a Norwegian home visiting program during the prenatal period and the first‐year postpartum.

Design

Qualitative design with interpretive description (ID) as the methodological approach.

Sample

Individual interviews with fathers (n = 13) who received home visits by a public health nurse (PHN) within the New Families home visiting program.

Measures

Interviews were guided by a semi‐structured interview‐guide, which contained open‐ended questions encouraging informants to reflect on their experiences with home visits. The analysis of the data was informed by content analysis.

Results

Two main themes that reflect the fathers’ experiences emerged: (1) The importance of being on their home ground captures the fathers’ experience of receiving home visits and building a trusting relationship with the PHN. (2) Including fathers in the home visit represents their thoughts about the content and focus of the home visits.

Conclusions

Fathers experienced the universal New Families home visiting program as an important contribution towards a more available and tailored service, with the home environment as a suitable arena for developing a trusting relationship with the PHN. However, the fathers often felt insufficiently included in the home visits, with only scant attention towards them as independent caregivers, their emotional reactions, roles, and family relationships. Pre‐birth home visits might contribute to strengthening preparations for fatherhood and increase fathers’ engagement in the Child Health Service.
Sustained nurse home‐visiting with culturally and linguistically diverse families: Australian nurses’ perspectives
Authors: Bonakdar Tehrani Mehrnoush , Kemp Lynn , Baird Kelly
Published: October 2021

Background

In Australia, sustained nurse home‐visiting (SNHV) programs are designed and implemented to promote positive outcomes for mothers with young children experiencing complex life challenges. Despite the crucial role of trained public health nurses, there is a dearth of research about their experiences delivering these programs to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families with limited English proficiency (LEP).

Aim

This study aimed to explore the experiences of public health nurses in providing services to CALD families with LEP.

Method

Two focus groups were conducted with 13 public health nurses in two major local health districts in Sydney. The focus groups were audio recorded for transcription purposes, and thematically analyzed. A socioecological framework was applied during the analysis process.

Result

Five major themes were identified: (1) program issues; (2) service system issues in understanding and responding to diverse women; (3) issues working with interpreters; (4) trusting relationships; and (5) mother‐related facilitators.

Discussion

To achieve better access and engagement for CALD families, it is crucial that public health nurses increase their knowledge and awareness about potential challenges, such as female interpreter availability, and facilitators, such as engaging the broader family, in order to effectively deliver healthcare services to diverse populations.
Utilization of modified and artificial nests by endemic and introduced parrots on Norfolk Island
Authors: Gautschi Daniel , Heinsohn Robert , Crates Ross , Macgregor Nicholas A. , Wilson Melinda , Stojanovic Dejan
Published: October 2021

Animals that breed in cavities formed through decay or mechanical damage often face limitations to reproduction due to a shortage of nest sites. Artificial nests are commonly deployed to increase the short‐term availability of breeding sites for these species. Often this is an effective approach; however, artificial nests are costly and may be ignored by the target species or inadvertently benefit nontarget species. Here we consider the use of modified natural hollows and artificial nest sites to support endangered Norfolk Island green parrots Cyanoramphus cookii. We recorded the characteristics of all modified and artificial nests in the Norfolk Island National Park and used 8 years of nesting data to study nest selection by green parrots and introduced crimson rosellas Platycercus elegans. Artificial nests (those lacking a natural base) were never used by green parrots. Nests with thicker walls were more likely to be used by green parrots, but there was no nest site characteristic that predicted frequency of use. Crimson rosella nest use was not predicted by any of the nest characteristics measured. A better understanding of the reasons behind green parrots' avoidance of artificial nests and preference for thicker nest walls is required to inform the future design and management of nest sites. Our study shows that evaluation of how artificial sites are used by the target species is important to maximize the efficacy of conservation efforts.
How Wealthy are the Rich?
Authors: Schulz Jan , Milaković Mishael
Published: October 2021

Underreporting and undersampling biases in top tail wealth, although widely acknowledged, have not been statistically quantified so far, essentially because they are not readily observable. Here we exploit the functional form of power law‐like regimes in top tail wealth to derive analytical expressions for these biases, and use German microdata from a popular survey and rich list to illustrate that tiny differences in non‐response rates lead to tail wealth estimates that differ by an order of magnitude, in our case ranging from 1 to 9 trillion euros. Underreporting seriously compounds the problem, and we find that the estimation of totals in scale‐free systems oftentimes tends to be spurious. Our findings also suggest that recent debates on the existence of scale‐ or type‐dependence in returns to wealth are ill‐posed because the available data cannot discriminate between scale‐ or type‐dependence, on one hand, and statistical biases, on the other hand. Yet both economic theory and mathematical formalism indicate that sampling and reporting biases are more plausible explanations for the observed data than scale‐ or type‐dependence.
Association of Vitamin D Supplementation in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Muscle Strength in Adult Twins: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Medeiros Jeane Franco Pires , Borges Michelle Vasconcelos de Oliveira , Soares Aline Alves , de Sousa Elys Costa , da Costa José Ronaldo Ribeiro , Silva Weberthon Alessanderson Costa , de Sousa Magnus Vinícius Bezerra , Silbiger Vivian Nogueira , Dantas Paulo Moreira Silva , Luchessi André Ducati
Published: October 2021

This article has been retracted as of May 6, 2022, because concerns were received from a reader that the article contains inaccurate data. An independent review of the study data was conducted in coordination with the authors, and it was determined that the originally published data are inaccurate and a complete set of corrected data is not available as the authors claim a portion of the original measurements have been lost. As a result of these findings, the article is retracted.
The Gradual Normalization of Behaviors Which Might Challenge Ethical and Professional Standards in Two British Elite Sports Organizations
Authors: Feddersen Niels Boysen , Phelan Simon Edward
Published: October 2021

We examined how two elite British sports organizations began accepting behaviors that might challenge ethical and professional standards. The data for the current paper came from two separate ethnographic studies. We used Alvesson and Einola’s Functional Stupidity to analyze the data for processes of a lack of reflexivity, lack of justification, and a lack of substantial reasoning presented in three vignettes for each case organization. We then carried out a cross-case analysis and showed that periods of significant change are high risk for the spread of unethical and unprofessional behaviors. The common rationales for accepting such behaviors were (a) you have not spent time in the trenches, (b) it has always been like this, (c) policing space, (d) I am just doing my job, and (e) giving opportunities to those close to me. Our findings suggest a sense of banality to wrongdoing where normal people slipped into ethical problem areas.
Physical Exercise and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Concentration in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis
Authors: de Menezes-Junior Francisco José , Jesus Íncare C. , Brand Caroline , Mota Jorge , Leite Neiva
Published: October 2021

Purpose: To systematically review the literature on the relationship between physical activity and the effect of physical training on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations in children and adolescents. Methods: The searches were conducted in the databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Latin American and Caribbean Center for Science Information of Health, and SciELO. All original studies that analyzed the relationship between the practice of physical activity and the effect of physical training on plasma and serum BDNF concentrations in children and adolescents were included. The standardized mean difference (SMD), correlation coefficient (r), and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Results: Eleven studies were selected, totaling 1424 children and adolescents. Cross-sectional studies indicated a significant inverse relationship between physical activity and BDNF concentrations in boys (r = −.117 [−.222, −.009]; P = .033), but not in girls (P = .230). Adolescent athletes tend to have lower serum, but higher plasma BDNF concentrations than sedentary ones (SMD = −0.677 [0.188]; P < .001). An increase in serum BDNF was observed after physical training (SMD = 0.437 [0.183]; P = .017), with no effect in the control group (SMD = 0.235 [0.193]; P = .225). Conclusions: Adolescent athletes tend to show lower serum, but higher plasma BDNF concentrations compared with sedentary individuals. Furthermore, physical training seems to increase serum BDNF concentrations in sedentary adolescents to a small extent.
Defect-mediated ferromagnetism in correlated two-dimensional transition metal phosphorus trisulfides
Authors: Wang Fengmei , Mathur Nitish , Janes Aurora N. , Sheng Hongyuan , He Peng , Zheng Xueli , Yu Peng , DeRuiter Andrew J. , Schmidt J. R. , He Jun , Jin Song
Published: October 2021

Magnetic ordering and spin interactions are mediated by sulfur vacancies in few-layered correlated 2D vdW Ni

1−
x

Co

x

PS
3
nanosheets.
Demonstration of diamond nuclear spin gyroscope
Authors: Jarmola Andrey , Lourette Sean , Acosta Victor M. , Birdwell A. Glen , Blümler Peter , Budker Dmitry , Ivanov Tony , Malinovsky Vladimir S.
Published: October 2021

Diamond defects, previously applied in measurement of electromagnetic fields and temperature, can now be used to sense rotations.
Correction
Authors: Rossi Bruno
Published: October 2021

In my report on the Echo Lakes Symposium on Cosmic Rays (
Science
, September 2, 1949) the π- and μ-symbols were interchanged, in the line before last of the second column, p. 242, and in the first line of the third column in the same page. The portion of the text containing these two lines should read: ". . . the latest values for the masses of the μ- and the π-meson (215 and 285 electron masses respectively) and for the mean life of the π-meson (0.63 × 10
–8
see)." In a recent letter to the writer, Dr. Barkas states that this value for the mean life of the π-meson has been superseded by more accurate measurements. These measurements, made on positive π-mesons, give a mean life of 1.97 × 10
–8
sec. Dr. Barkas also indicates that new mass measurements give 276 electron masses for positive or negative π-mesons and 210 electron masses for positive μ-mesons.
Correction: Liver Function and Bromsulfalein Disappearance
Authors: Evans Robert L.
Published: October 2021

In the paper by Evans that appeared on page 718, SCIENCE, June 26, the spelling of "Bromsulfalein" should be corrected to read "Bromosulfalein," which is the chemical name of a dye that can also be obtained commercially under the capitalized trade-mark "Bromsulphalein." Correct identification of the substance is important in all discussions of its use, including the recent one.
Ultraviolet Mitigation of X-ray Lethality in Dividing Yeast Cells
Authors: Elkind M. M. , Sutton H.
Published: October 2021

The lethal effect of x-rays on dividing yeast cells can be decreased by small ultraviolet exposures delivered before or after x-ray exposure. This mitigating action can be decreased by exposure to visible light concomitant with photoreactivation of ultraviolet lethality. The results suggest considerable overlap between x-ray and ultraviolet lethality sites in dividing cells.
Cobalt Activation of Fatty-Acid Synthesis in Yeast Homogenates
Authors: Klein Harold P.
Published: October 2021

The incorporation of acetate into lipids in homogenates of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
was inhibited at low concentrations of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Of various cations tested, none could effectively reverse this inhibition. However, Co
++
completely restored the synthesis of fatty acids, but not of nonsaponifiable lipids.
Mass of the Moon from Satellite Observations
Authors: Gallagher W. J.
Published: October 2021

The four classical methods of determining the mass of the moon are noted, and a new use of an artificial earth satellite is proposed. The procedure, based on Kepler's law, is outlined, but at present the uncertainties in the observed data preclude an improved estimate of the lunar mass.
Cold Exposure and Heat Reinforced Operant Behavior
Authors: Carlton Peter L. , Marks Ronald A.
Published: October 2021

Six rats, working in a 2°C ambient temperature, were trained to depress a lever to receive a brief period of heat. Four rats were then moved into the 2°C environment to live, while the others continued to live at room temperature. Living at a temperature of 2°C increased the number of heat presentations the animals delivered to themselves.
Gestation Period and Twinning in Chimpanzees
Authors: Peacock L. J. , Rogers C. M.
Published: October 2021

The length of the gestation period in 118 births in a colony of chimpanzees was found to be 226.8 days, with a standard deviation of 13.3 and a range of 196 to 260 days. Six pairs of twins were born in 120 parturitions; thus the apparent twinning rate is higher than that in man.
Technique for Differential Reinforcement of Rate of Avoidance Responding
Authors: Verhave Thom
Published: October 2021

A new avoidance conditioning procedure generates high rates of responding compared with previously used procedures. The effect of manipulation of one of the important temporal parameters in the procedure is reported.
Production of Spherules from Synthetic Proteinoid and Hot Water
Authors: Fox Sidney W. , Harada Kaoru , Kendrick Jean
Published: October 2021

When hot saturated solutions of thermal copolymers containing the 18 common amino acids are allowed to cool, huge numbers of uniform, microscopic, relatively firm, and elastic spherules separate. The place of this phenomenon in a comprehensive theory of original thermal generation of primordial living units is considered.
Occurrence and Morphology of a Phenotypic Male of a Gynogenetic Fish
Authors: Hubbs Clark , Drewry George E. , Warburton Barbara
Published: October 2021

A phenotypic male of
Mollienesia formosa
, a gynogenetic fish, has been collected at Brownsville, Texas. The male and female fish are essentially similar, and their morphology supports a hypothesis that the species is of hybrid origin.
Male Sterility Induced in Tomato by Sodium 2,3-Dichloroisobutyrate
Authors: Moore John F.
Published: October 2021

Spraying tomatoes with 0.3 percent sodium 2,3-dichloroisobutyrate (FW-450) at anthesis induced male sterility for 12 days, beginning 12 days after treatment. Only 20 percent fewer fruits were set on treated plants hand-pollinated with pollen from unsprayed plants than were set on untreated plants. The flowers again showed normal fertility 37 days after treatment.
Gas Diffusion in Porous Media
Authors: Millington R. J.
Published: October 2021

A method has been proposed for deriving a characteristic determining flow in porous systems. This characteristic combines both area and path-length factors used by earlier authors. For a gas, diffusive flow is proportional to the 4/3 power of the gas-filled porosity, and this function has been derived from consideration of the planar distribution of spherical pores and the interaction of two adjacent planes.
Bomb Carbon-14 in Human Beings
Authors: Broecker Wallace S. , Schulert Arthur , Olson Edwin A.
Published: October 2021

The concentration of bomb-produced radiocarbon in human beings will lag behind the rising concentration in average atmospheric CO
2
. Measurements on human materials suggest a lag of about 1 year for both breath CO
2
and blood, with the suggestion of a somewhat higher value for lung tissue. These results are in reasonable agreement with predictions based on independent evidence.
Chromosomal Translocation in Domestic Fowl Induced by X-rays
Authors: Newcomer Earl H.
Published: October 2021

The cytological appearance and behavior of an x-ray-induced reciprocal translocation between the first and second chromosome of the domestic fowl is described, and its relevance to the further definition of linkage studies in the fowl is observed.
Acetylcholine Effects of γ-Carbomethoxypropyltrimethyl-Ammonium Bromide
Authors: Colhoun E. H. , Spencer E. Y.
Published: October 2021

γ-Butyrobetaine, in comparison with its methyl ester, γ-carbomethoxypropyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide, is biologically inert. When injected into mice and insects or assayed on the frog's rectus abdominis muscle, γ-carbomethoxypropyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide has pharmacological properties resembling those of acetylcholine. Although reported to be present in rat brain during the convulsions induced by dieldrin poisoning, γ-butyrobetaine has not been found in the nervous tissue of the roach after treatment with dieldrin.
Decrease in Threshold without Depolarization in Cyanide-Treated Muscle
Authors: Guttman Rita , Ross Samuel M.
Published: October 2021

When smooth muscle of
Mytilus
is treated with relatively weak solutions of sodium cyanide, a transitory hyperpolarization or no change in polarization precedes final depolarization. Thresholds for thermal, chemical, and electrical stimulation are all decreased during this period. Strength-duration curves indicate a reversible decrease in threshold of about 50 percent during this period.
Sodium- and Potassium-Sensitive Glass Electrodes for Biological Use
Authors: Friedman Sydney M. , Jamieson James D. , Nakashima Miyoshi , Friedman Constance L.
Published: October 2021

Continuous, accurate recording in circulating fluids from a sodium and a potassium electrode is described. The Na electrode is capable of discriminating Δ[Na
+
] of less than 1 meq/lit. in 140 meq/lit., and the K electrode is capable of discriminating Δ[K
+
] of less than 1 meq/lit. in the range of 1 to 10 meq/lit. with good reproducibility. The electrodes may be used singly or in pairs with a common reference calomel electrode for simultaneous monitoring of Δ[Na
+
] and Δ[K
+
] in mixed solutions. Problems of streaming potential dependent on flow rate and electrode shape, as well as transient K
+
response by the Na electrode, are discussed.
Rhythmic Contraction of Schwann Cells
Authors: Pomerat Charles M.
Published: October 2021

By time-lapse cinematography it was found that Schwann cells in tissue cultures of dorsal root ganglia from newborn rats show a contraction rate of approximately 4 to 18 minutes. This activity is of the order of magnitude reported for oligodendroglia.
Tolerance of Mouse-Brain Tissue to High-Energy Deuterons
Authors: Zeman Wolfgang , Curtis H. J. , Gebhard E. L. , Haymaker Webb
Published: October 2021

A striking relationship between the size of the impact area of a deuteron beam and the threshold dose for a radiogenic lesion has been noted. The dose required to produce a threshold lesion in mouse brain increases from 30,000 rad with a beam 1000 μ in diameter to 1.1 × 10
6
rad with a beam 25 μ in diameter.
Glucuronidase Activation: Enzyme Action at an Interface
Authors: Ryan Michael T. , Mavrides C. A.
Published: October 2021

The potentiating action of chloroform on bacterial β-glucuronidase has been shown to increase as the interface area between the two liquid phases increases. Prior extraction of the enzyme with chloroform causes a loss rather than an increase in activity. It is tentatively suggested that the correlation between activity and interface area may reflect a phenomenon of enzyme action at a liquid/liquid interface.
Heterogeneity of Ion Exchange Resins
Authors: Suryaraman M. G. , Walton H. F.
Published: October 2021

The density gradient method of Linderström-Lang has been used to study density variations among swollen beads in batches of cation exchange resin. Solutions of salts such as sodium tungstate which have dense anions are used. Certain commercial resins appear to be very uniform in cross linking and sulfonation.
Y-Chromosome Inheritance of Hairy Ears
Authors: Gates R. Ruggles
Published: October 2021

A pedigree of hairy ear rims published in Italy in 1907 indicated holandric inheritance. The recent collection of over 20 pedigrees in India appears to show conclusively that the gene for hairy ear rims is in the Y chromosome. This is further evidence of relationship between the Mediterranean race in Europe and the population of India.
Improved Chlorophyll Extraction Method
Authors: Nelson Daniel J.
Published: October 2021

Filtered plankton samples subjected to sonic oscillations yielded 11 to 30 percent more chlorophyll
a
with acetone extraction than similar, nonsonificated samples. The improved chlorophyll extraction was attributed to algal cell-wall rupture.
Performance Record of a Parthenogenetic Turkey Male
Authors: Olsen M. W.
Published: October 2021

A Beltsville Small White turkey poult of parthenogenetic origin hatched in the spring of 1958, matured, and produced semen containing viable spermatozoa. Semen from this male was used in January 1959 to inseminate seven virgin and seven previously mated Beltsville Small White turkey hens. Three hundred and twenty eggs were incubated, of which 175 or 54.7 percent were infertile. One hundred and twenty-two poults, about equally divided as to sex, hatched unaided from 145 fertile eggs.
Thioctic Acid Contained in Visual Cell
Authors: Hanawa Isao , Kuge Kiyoshi , Saito Junitsu
Published: October 2021

The D-α-thioctic acid content of the eye of the frog (
Rana nigromaculata
) was determined quantitatively. Outer segments of rods, whole retinas, and choroids contained, respectively 2.0, 8.6, and 13.0 mμg of D-α-thioctic acid per milligram (dry weight). DL-α-Thioctic acid had no accelerating effect on the regeneration of rhodopsin in vivo.
Limitations of the Competitive Exclusion Principle
Authors: Savile D. B. O.
Published: October 2021

Under severe conditions in the arctic the physical environment frequently overrides biological competition, allowing essentially random occurrence of plants without distinct associations and with the frequent coexistence of related species that have extremely similar requirements. Furthermore, a mixed population may be so advantageous in reducing disease incidence as to offset competition.
Modification of Cortically Induced Responses in Brain Stem by Shift of Attention in Monkeys
Authors: Wada Juhn A.
Published: October 2021

The long-latency electrical response of the brain stem evoked by stimulation of the cortex of freely moving monkeys is modified by a change of attention. The modification may be either suppression or augmentation, according to the background activity prior to the shift of attention.
Virus-Tumor Synergism
Authors: Riley Vernon
Published: October 2021

More than 30 mouse tumors are associated with virus-like agents that may readily be detected by enzymic techniques. Radiation and chemically induced tumors do not ordinarily give evidence of such activity. The present report is of experiments in which a synergistic effect has been observed to occur when animals were inoculated with both the filtrable agent and a virus-free tumor. Synergism was shown by accelerated growth of the tumor and by elevation of a glycolytic enzyme (lactic dehydrogenase) in the host plasma
Carotid and Vagal Afferents and Drug Action on Transcallosally Evoked Cortical Potentials
Authors: Hart E. Ross , Rodriguez Jose M. , Marrazzi Amedeo S.
Published: October 2021

The use of transcallosally evoked cortical potentials to study the action of intracarotidly injected drugs on cerebral synapses has necessitated the demonstration that vagal, baroreceptor, and chemoreceptor influences do not play essential roles in the drug effects observed—for example, the cerebral synaptic inhibitory action of serotonin.
Freezing and Lyophilizing Alters the Structure of Bentonite Gels
Authors: Ahlrichs James L. , White Joe L.
Published: October 2021

During quick-freezing with liquid nitrogen all but two molecular layers of water moved from between the crystals of saturated bentonite gels. The water molecules appear to have migrated to ice crystals forming near the clay crystals. Lyophilizing removed the ice crystals and further reduced interlayer water. Both quick-freezing and lyophilizing altered the original gel structure.
Psychophysics of Perceived Intensity: A Theoretical Basis for Fechner's and Stevens' Laws
Authors: MacKay D. M.
Published: October 2021

A "matching-response" model of psychophysical judgment is proposed, in terms of which power-law relationships would be expected between perceived intensity and stimulus strength, even though receptors had logarithmic response characteristics. On this model, observed differences in exponent for various modalities would reflect differences in coupling coefficients, rather than in transducer mechanisms.
Plaque Formation in Agar by Single Antibody-Producing Cells
Authors: Jerne Niels K. , Nordin Albert A.
Published: October 2021

Distinct plaques, each of which is due to the release of hemolysin by a single antibody-forming cell, are revealed by complement after incubation, in an agar layer, of a mixture of sheep red cells and lymphoid cells from a rabbit immunized with sheep red cells.
Pristane in Zooplankton
Authors: Blumer Max , Mullin Michael M. , Thomas David W.
Published: October 2021

The hydrocarbon pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) occurs in unusually high concentrations (1 to 3 percent of the body fat) in the three copepods
Calanus finmarchicus
,
C. glacialis
, and
C. hyperboreus
. These planktonic crustaceans appear to be the primary source of the pristane in liver oils of sharks and whales.
Fossil Forests of Ocú, Panama
Authors: Stern William L. , Eyde Richard H.
Published: October 2021

Silicified woods, the remains of mid-Tertiary tropical forests, are abundant in the vicinity of Ocú, Panama. Initial identifications reveal plant taxa not previously recorded as fossil woods. The plants identified can be found today in moist forests of tropical America, but not in the savanna-like vegetation now growing at the fossil site.
Radiogenic Strontium-87 as an Index of Geologic Processes
Authors: Hedge C. E. , Walthall F. G.
Published: October 2021

The abundance of radiogenic Sr
87
relative to Sr
86
at the time of crystallization has been determined for 45 rocks. The total range in the ratio Sr
87
/Sr
86
is less than 2 percent. Ratios for recent lavas range from 0.702 to 0.711. Oceanic basalts are closely grouped at 0.703, whereas ratios for continental volcanic rocks spread from 0.702 to 0.711. Among the volcanic rocks, ranging from basalt to rhyolite, no correlation was found between original ratio and rock type. Older mafic and felsic rocks that include both plutonic and extrusive types also cover this same range in original Sr
87
/Sr
86
ratios; however, there is a definite trend with geologic time. Precambrian rocks give values as low as 0.700. The data indicate that Sr
87
/Sr
86
of the weathering crust has changed 1.1 percent in 3000 million years, while the ratio in the mantle has changed no more than 0.5 percent.
Ionene: A Thermal Degradation Product of β-Carotene
Authors: Day William C. , Erdman J. Gordon
Published: October 2021

Ionene has been identified as a thermal degradation product of β-carotene. The 5-percent yield of ionene represents the largest amount of any compound thus far identified from the degradation. Experimental evidence has been obtained indicating the presence of ionene in a marine sediment subjected to the same temperature used to degrade β-carotene.
Radiocarbon Dating of a Late Paleolithic Culture from Egypt
Authors: Smith Philip E. L.
Published: October 2021

Two radiocarbon dates of about 12,000 B.C. for a new prehistoric culture from a stratified site at Kom Ombo, Upper Egypt, throw light on a deposition phase of the late Pleistocene Nile. The dates reveal that the associated blade industry is coeval with at least the later part of the Upper Paleolithic in Europe and Southwestern Asia.
Synthetic Zeolites: Growth of Larger Single Crystals
Authors: Ciric Julius
Published: October 2021

Synthetic zeolites 4A, P, and X were grown in acrylic gel to a size suitable for study of single crystals by x-ray diffraction.
Feeding Schedule Alteration of Daily Rhythm in Tyrosine Alpha-Ketoglutarate Transaminase of Rat Liver
Authors: Fuller Ray W. , Snoddy Harold D.
Published: October 2021

Liver tyrosine alpha-ketoglutarate transaminase has a daily rhythm such that in rats fed on an unrestricted basis the activity is highest at approximately 11:00 p.m. In contrast, rats fed only from 8:00 a.m. to noon show a markedly different rhythm in the enzyme, with maximum activity at 11:00 a.m. Controlling the time of food intake seems to be a useful means of studying the mechanism of the daily changes in this enzyme.
Jurassic Sandstone from the Tropical Atlantic
Authors: Fox Paul J. , Heezen Bruce C. , Johnson G. Leonard
Published: October 2021

The oldest sediment yet sampled from the abyssal margins of South America, late Jurassic (or possibly very early Cretaceous) shallow-water, coarse-grained, calcareous sandstone containing palynomorphs and mollusk prisms, was recovered from a depth of 4400 meters on the seaward scarp of the Demerara Plateau. The sandstone was deposited in a shallow, late Jurassic epicontinental sea after the initial stages of rifting when the newly created Atlantic began to founder.
Pineal Enzymes: Regulation of Avian Melatonin Synthesis
Authors: Binkley Sue , MacBride Steven E. , Klein David C. , Ralph Charles L.
Published: October 2021

Groups of 8-week-old chickens were killed at six time points in their light-dark cycle, and pineal glands were removed and assayed individually for
N
-acetyltransferase activity, hydroxyindole-
O
-methyltransferase activity, and melatonin content. The tenfold nocturnal rise in melatonin was phased identically with the 27-fold increase in
N
-acetyltransferase activity. The relatively small changes (20 percent) in hydroxyindole-
O
-methyltransferase activity did not appear important in causing the large changes in melatonin. The phase of the rhythms of
N
-acetyltransferase activity and melatonin content in chickens relative to the phase of the light-dark cycle was qualitatively similar to that of rats. In contrast, the sleep-wake cycle of chickens is about 180° out of phase with that of rats.
Biosphere 2 Turned Over to Columbia
Authors: Wolfgang Lori
Published: October 2021

After years of turmoil, managers of this vast, privately funded ecological laboratory in the Arizona desert have taken a final step toward making it a legitimate scientific facility. They have turned it over to Columbia University, which is putting together an ambitious program of research on the effects of global change on vegetation.
:'Natural' Cancer Prevention Trial Halted
Authors: Peterson Kim
Published: October 2021

Hopes that beta carotene might prevent cancer were dashed last week when two large trials showed that the dietary supplement is at best ineffective. One large trial even suggested that it may raise cancer rates in some groups. Researchers are now struggling to explain the findings.
Are Algae—Not Coral—Reefs' Master Builders?
Authors: Shreeve James
Published: October 2021

Reef-building corals have poured the foundations for spectacular underwater edifices that house one quarter of all marine species. Scientists have long thought that, like many powerful architects, corals exploited lowly helpers, in this case using symbiotic algae to boost the rate at which they lay down carbonate to form these reefs. But new evidence on
page 637
indicates that, far from being lowly workers, the algae might actually be in charge.
Academy Produces the Right Chemistry
Authors: Stone Richard
Published: October 2021

Moscow—The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), in a bold attempt to get involved in higher education, launched the Higher Chemical College in the early 1990s. The college lures budding chemists with the promise of stipends, graduate training overseas, and instruction from some of the country's top scientists. Its 120 students conduct research in RAS laboratories. The first graduates get their diplomas next month. The college's ultimate impact on Russian chemistry may depend, however, on how many of its graduates end up in jobs abroad.