cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metabolism of L-thyroxine and L-3:5:3'-triiodothyronine by brain tissue preparations.

THYROID gland preparations have been known for many years to have a marked effect on the development and function of the central nervous system (1). More recently, the thyroid hormones, l-thyroxine and l-3:5:3′-triiodothyronine, have been shown to increase the excitability of the brain, as measured by the threshold for electric shock seizures (2, 3). Both substances also influence the electrolyte distribution and in particular, the distribution of sodium in the brain tissue (3). Absence of the thyroid gland has marked effects on the electroencephalogram and causes profound changes in cerebral vascular resistance and blood flow (4). Moreover, changes in mental activity, mood and even psychosis maybe associated with either over- or under-activity of the thyroid (5, 6, 7, 8). There is, however, no change in oxygen consumption in brain tissue removed from either thyroidectomized or hyperthyroid rats (9) although hyperthyroidism may effect a slight change in succinoxidase activity (10).
The effect of tosylate salts and zinc sulfonated polystyrene ionomer on the thermal stability of bisphenol A polycarbonate

Abstract The effect of two tosylate salts and a zinc sulfonated polystyrene ionomer (ZnSPS) on the thermal stability of bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) was investigated using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS). Desulfonation of the tosylate salts and ZnSPS occurred above 350 °C, and the products of desulfonation, sulfur dioxide, water and sulfurous acid, accelerated the degradation of PC. Below 300 °C, neither the tosylate salts nor the ionomer had a significant effect on the PC stability. The ionomer did promote some degradation of the PC, which was attributed to water due to the hygroscopic nature of the ionomer and to complexation of the zinc sulfonate with the carbonyl group, which renders it more susceptible to ester interchange reactions. The effect of the arylsulfonates was in stark contrast to that of arylcarboxylate salts, which react with PC by direct nucleophilic attack of the carboxylate group on the carbonate group and severely degrade the PC.
Testing the productive-space hypothesis : rational and power

Understanding and explaining the causes of variation in food-chain length is a fundamental challenge for community ecology. The productive-space hypothesis, which suggests food-chain length is determined by the combination of local resource availability and ecosystem size, is central to this challenge. Two different approaches currently exist for testing the productive-space hypothesis: (1) the dual gradient approach that tests for significant relationships between food-chain length and separate gradients of ecosystem size (e.g., lake volume) and per-unit-size resource availability (e.g., g C m(-1) year(-2)), and (2) the single gradient approach that tests for a significant relationship between food-chain length and the productive space (product of ecosystem size and per-unit-size resource availability). Here I evaluate the efficacy of the two approaches for testing the productive-space hypothesis. Using simulated data sets, I estimate the Type 1 and Type 2 error rates for single and dual gradient models in recovering a known relationship between food-chain length and ecosystem size, resource availability, or the combination of ecosystem size and resource ability, as specified by the productive-space hypothesis. The single gradient model provided high power (low Type 2 error rates) but had a very high Type 1 error rate, often erroneously supporting the productive-space hypothesis. The dual gradient model had a very low Type 1 error rate but suffered from low power to detect an effect of per-unit-size resource availability because the range of variation in resource availability is limited. Finally, I performed a retrospective power analysis for the Post et al. (Nature 405:1047-1049, 2000) data set, which tested and rejected the productive-space hypothesis using the dual gradient approach. I found that Post et al. (Nature 405:1047-1049, 2000) had sufficient power to reject the productive-space hypothesis in north temperate lakes; however, the productive-space hypothesis must be tested in other ecosystems before its generality can be fully addressed.
A theoretical study of the sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy of the carbon tetrachloride/water interface.

Theoretical approximations to the sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy (SFVS) of the carbon tetrachloride/water interface are constructed using the quantum-corrected time correlation functions (TCF) to aid in interpretation of experimental data and to predict novel vibrational modes. Instantaneous normal mode (INM) methods are used to characterize the observed modes leading to the TCF signal, thus providing molecular resolution of the vibrational lineshapes. Detailed comparisons of the theoretical signals are made with those obtained experimentally and show excellent agreement for the spectral peaks in the O–H stretching region of water. An intermolecular mode, unique to the interface, at 848 cm−1 is also identifiable, similar to the one seen for the water/vapor interface. INM analysis reveals the resonance is due to a wagging mode (hindered rotation) that was previously identified (Perry et al 2005 J. Chem. Phys. 123 144705) as localized on a single water molecule with both hydrogens displaced normal to the interface—generally it is found that the symmetry breaking at the interface leads to hindered translations and rotations at hydrophilic/hydrophobic interfaces that assume finite vibrational frequencies due to anchoring at the aqueous interface. Additionally, examination of the real and imaginary parts of the theoretical SFVS spectra reveal the spectroscopic species attributed the resonances and possible subspecies in the O–H region; these results are consistent with extant experimental data and associated analysis.
Friends and Pets as Companions: Strategies for Coping With Loneliness Among Homeless Youth

PROBLEMS. Loneliness and negative health outcomes associated with being homeless and living on the streets. METHODS. Qualitative data from 32 homeless youth, ages 16 to 23 years, who participated in focus groups, and a subsample of 10 youth, ages 15 to 23 years, who participated in individual interviews, were analyzed using manifest and con tent analysis techniques. FINDINGS. Homeless adolescents who live on the streets or in “squats” described feelings of loneliness that they say “go with the territory.” Three themes emerged from the data: how lonely subjects felt, circumstances that provoked feelings of loneliness, and ways of coping with loneliness. Thirteen identified their pets as companions that provided unconditional love, reduced feelings of loneliness, and improved their health status. CONCLUSIONS. Vulnerable adolescents who are homeless often recognize the therapeutic value of pets. Interventions that enhance this coping strategy need to be developed and tested.
A national survey of attitudes regarding participation in prostate carcinoma testing.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of prostate carcinoma testing is rapidly changing. Little is known about the frequency of testing in the non-Medicare population in the United States. The current study was conducted for a better understanding of who is being tested and some of the reasons why. METHODS A randomized national telephone survey was administered to 800 men by the George H. Gallup International Institute. Questions in the survey were evaluated for their association with participation in prostate carcinoma testing reported by the men interviewed. RESULTS Participation in prostate carcinoma testing approximated the frequency of colon carcinoma testing. Eighty-six percent of the men surveyed believed that prostate carcinoma is a serious malignancy, and 78% believed that it could be cured often if detected early. Multivariate logistic regression models identified six factors that increased the likelihood of men in the survey being tested: white race, willingness to be tested, previous conversation with a physician or health professional, having had serum cholesterol tested, having been tested for colon carcinoma, and belonging to successively advanced age groups. CONCLUSIONS Prostate carcinoma testing is commonly performed in men older than 40 years. Physician counsel and patient prevention consciousness appear to be the major influences when a patient decides to be tested. If early detection is considered beneficial, special efforts would be needed to reach the nonwhite population. Cancer 1996;78:1952-7.
Home investment in husband's human capital and the wife's decision to work.

I use a home production model to show that wives of managerial husbands who invest in their husbands' careers are less likely to work. Positive assortative mating for work-related traits like education, ability and drive suggests the opposite effect on labor force participation. 1 examine time diary data from the United States in the mid 1970's, and find that wives of managers are more likely to work, but that increasing the wife's years of education reduces her probability of working. The latter finding shows that the investment in husband's human capital effect exists; the former finding shows that it is overwhelmed by the positive assortative mating effect. No such investment effect is found for wives of professional husbands, and negative assortative mating for work related characteristics seems to be present because such wives are less likely, overall, to work.
Abiotic reduction reactions of anthropogenic organic chemicals in anaerobic systems: A critical review

Abstract This review is predicated upon the need for a detailed process-level understanding of factors influencing the reduction of anthropogenic organic chemicals in natural aquatic systems. In particular, abiotic reductions of anthropogenic organic chemicals are reviewed. The most important reductive reaction is alkyl dehalogenation (replacement of chloride with hydrogen) which occurs in organisms, sediments, sewage sludge, and reduced iron porphyrin model systems. An abiotic mechanism involving a free radical intermediate has been proposed. The abstraction of vicinal dihalides (also termed dehalogenation) is another reduction that may have an abiotic component in natural systems. Reductive dehalogenation of aryl halides has recently been reported and further study of this reaction is needed. Several other degradation reactions of organohalides that occur in anaerobic environments are mentioned, the most important of which is dehydrohalogenation. The reduction of nitro groups to amines has also been thoroughly studied. The reactions can occur abiotically, and are affected by the redox conditions of the experimental system. However, a relationship between nitro-reduction rate and measured redox potential has not been clearly established. Reductive dealkylation of the N- and O-heteroatom of hydrocarbon pollutants has been observed but not investigated in detail. Azo compounds can be reduced to their hydrazo derivatives and a thorough study of this reaction indicates that it can be caused by extracellular electron transfer agents. Quinone-hydroquinone couples are important reactive groups in humic materials and similar structures in resazurin and indigo carmine make them useful as models for environmental redox conditions. The interconversion of sulfones, sulfoxides, and sulfides is a redox process and is implicated in the degradation of several pesticides though the reactions need more study. Two reductive heterocyclic cleavage reactions are also mentioned. Finally, several difficulties (both semantic and experimental) that recur in the studies reviewed are discussed. The subtle effects of various sterilization techniques on extracellular biochemicals and complex chemical reducing agents in sediment have stifled attempts to separate abiotic from biological degradation reactions. The characterization of redox conditions in a natural system is still problematic since measured redox potential is not adequate. Suggestions for future research toward a process-level understanding of abiotic chemical reductions are made.
The solvent extraction of some thallium(I) chelates

Abstract Studies of the extraction of thallium (I) from aqueous solution into an immiscible organic solvent have been made using 71 chelating reagent-solvent pairs involving 16 reagents and 17 solvents. The data have been analyzed to identify the predominant species involved, and association and partition constants have been estimated in many cases, The best extraction systems seem to be those involving 3phenylpropylxanthate and chloroform, chlorobenzene or methylene chloride.
Thermomolecular corrections to vapor pressure measurements of 3 He

We have made accurate measurements of the thermomolecular correction to3He vapor pressures in long, stainless steel tubes, using an absolute method. The results are consistent with the Weber-Schmidt equation, and give support to the view that this equation may be of more general validity than suggested by Watkins and co-workers at Mound Laboratories. This result is discussed in terms of the phenomenological gas-wall interactions. In addition, we have also found that the two-tube differential pressure method suggested by Watkins and co-workers lacks sufficient reliability for high-precision3He vapor pressure thermometry at the lowest temperatures.
High-dose enzyme replacement therapy in murine Hurler syndrome

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an autosomal recessive disease that is systemic, including progressive neurodegeneration, mental retardation and death before the age of 10 years. MPS I results from deficiency of α-L-iduronidase (IDUA) in lysosomes and subsequent accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAG). Clinical enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with intravenous laronidase reverses some aspects of MPS I disease (e.g., hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, glycosaminoglycanuria) and ameliorates others (e.g., pulmonary function, cardiac disease, arthropathy, exercise tolerance). However, neurologic benefits are thought to be negligible because the blood-brain barrier (BBB) blocks enzyme from reaching the central nervous system (CNS). We considered the possibility that a very high dose of intravenous laronidase might be able to traverse the BBB in small quantities, and provide some metabolic correction in the brain. To address this question, high-dose laronidase was administered (11.6 mg/kg, once per week, 4 weeks) to adult MPS I mice. IDUA enzyme activity in the cortex of treated mice increased to 97% of that in wild type mice (p<0.01). GAG levels in cortex were reduced by 63% of that from untreated MPS I mice (p<0.05). Further, immunohistochemical analysis showed that treatment reduced secondary GM3-ganglioside accumulation in treated MPS I mice. Water T-maze tests showed that the learning abnormality in MPS I mice was reduced (p<0.0001). In summary, repeated, high-dose ERT facilitated laronidase transit across the BBB, reduced GAG accumulation within the CNS, and rescued cognitive impairment.
Gold nanoparticle films as sensitive and reusable elemental mercury sensors.

We demonstrate the utility of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as the basis of a stand-alone, inexpensive, and sensitive mercury monitor. Gold nanoparticles absorb visible light due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and the absorbance changes when mercury combines with the gold nanoparticles. The sensitivity of the peak absorbance is proportional to the surface-area-to-volume ratio. We chose 5 nm spheres because they have the largest surface-area-to-volume ratio while still having a peak absorption in the visible range. The adsorption of 15 atoms of Hg causes a 1 nm shift in the LSPR wavelength of these particles. Assembled into a film using the Langmuir–Blodgett method, the AuNP LSPR can be tracked with a simple UV–vis spectrometer. The rate of shift in the peak absorbance is linear with mercury concentrations from 1 to 825 μgHg/mair3. Increasing the flow velocity (and mass transfer rate) increases the peak shift rate making this system a viable method for direct ambient mercury vapor measurements...
Parton distributions in hadrons

Abstract We use the statistical model of Zhang et al. [Y.-J. Zhang, B. Zhang, B.-Q. Ma, Phys. Lett. B 523 (2001) 260; Y.-J. Zhang, B.-S. Zou, L.-M. Yang, Phys. Lett. B 528 (2002) 228; Y.-J. Zhang, W.-Z. Deng, B.-Q. Ma, Phys. Rev. D 65 (2002) 114005] to calculate parton distributions in hadrons. The model does reasonably well in predicting the distributions of partons in the proton, including the ( d − u ) excess in the proton sea. We extend the model to calculate quark and gluon distributions in the pion, kaon, lambda and the pentaquark. The hadrons are described in terms of a Fock expansion in quark and gluon states. Detailed balance between each pair of states is assumed, from which the coefficients of the Fock state expansion are determined. The parton distribution functions are found in the hadron rest frame from a Monte Carlo calculation. The results are evolved to appropriate QCD scales for comparison with experiment. This project has included significant participation by undergraduates at Seattle University, made possible by support from the Research in Undergraduate Institutions Program of the National Science Foundation.
Incorporating Explicitly Treated Surface Water Produces Better Alignments Between Experimental and Predicted Anisotropic B-Factors

X-ray crystallography has been the gold standard for the determination of protein structures. Other than providing the definition of the positions for each atom, it also yields information on protein dynamics but this aspect has been under appreciated. The B-factors in high-resolution structures are anisotropic and reflect not only the amplitude but also the direction of the atomic vibrations. This trove of information on protein dynamics presented by experimental anisotropic B-factors (or anisotropic displacement parameter, ADP) is invaluable for the study of the intriguing relationship among structure, dynamics, and function. Here starting from the definition of atom positions, we apply normal mode analysis (NMA), a computational approach for studying protein dynamics, to predict the ADPs and then align them with experimental measurements. We use both coarse-grained NMA approaches and the NMA based on canonical all-atom force fields. By comparing the accuracy of these methods, we find that the all-atom NMA and the NMA based on portioning the all-atom Hessian matrix give the best results. Moreover, adding a layer of explicitly treated water molecules on protein surface consistently makes the energy minimized structure closer to the native structure and improves the accuracy of the ADP results. The above observations could be attributed to the significant impacts on protein dynamics by surface water and the intrinsic differences in physical-chemical properties from bulk water. This study illustrates the importance of incorporating surface water in the study of protein dynamics and provides useful information for the emerging technique of ADP-based refinement of medium-to-low resolution structures.
Ultrastructure of the cuticular scales of lynx spiders (Araneae, Oxyopidae) and jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae).

The cuticular scales of spiders are flattened setae that may occur in a diverse array of colors and shapes on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the prosoma, opisthosoma, and walking legs. In this study, we used transmission electron microscopy (of both sections and wholemounts) and scanning electron microscopy (in concert with paraffin carving) to examine the internal anatomy and ultrastructure of the cuticular scales of several species of lynx spiders (Oxyopidae) and jumping spiders (Salticidae). We also examined iridescent and noniridescent pigmented scales for species in both families. In addition to discovering intra- and interspecific and sexual differences in scale ultrastructure, the results of our research also indicate that the ultrastructure of the scales of these spiders varies directly with coloration. For iridescent scales, we found a general absence of trabeculae, a lack of pigment granules, and an almost complete fusion of the the upper and lower laminae. For noniridescent scales, we observed granules, well-formed trabeculae, and a complex internal structure consisting of internal elements within the lumen of the scale. Our examination of the scales of these spiders represents the first complete description of the ultrastructure of the cuticular scales of any species of spider. J. Morphol. 240:77-92, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Loop diuretics: from the Na-K-2Cl transporter to clinical use

The diuretic response to loop diuretics in various disease states has consistently been found to be subnormal. One of the key determinants of the degree of diuretic response is the functional integrity of the sodium-potassium-chloride transporter in the loop of Henle. Studies in animal models suggest that expression/activity of the transporter may be affected by factors such as altered natural splicing events of NKCC2 (the gene encoding for the renal transporter), renal prostanoids, vasopressin, and other autacoids. We have reviewed the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of loop diuretics in health and in edematous disorders for which they are used. On the basis of evidence reviewed in this paper, we propose that altered expression or activity of the sodium-potassium-chloride transporter in the loop of Henle, in conjunction with events occurring in other segments of the nephron, possibly accounts for the altered diuretic response to these agents. Thus the modulators of this altered expression/activity could serve as important therapeutic targets for alternative diuretic regimens in these conditions.
The Relationship Between Preceptor Expectations and Student Performance on 2 Pediatric Objective Structured Clinical Examination Stations

Background We designed 2 pediatric objective structured clinical examination stations, 1 anemia case associated with lead exposure and 1 failure-to-gain-weight case associated with extended breast-feeding, to evaluate third-year medical students who had studied in pediatric community preceptors' offices as part of a 12-week multidisciplinary ambulatory clerkship rotation. Objective To examine the relationship between preceptor expectations and student performance on these 2 objective structured clinical examination stations. Methods To elicit community preceptors' expectations of student performance, we constructed a 46-item survey replicating checklists filled out by simulated patients evaluating student performance on the objective structured clinical examination stations. The percentage agreement among preceptors for each checklist item as well as the percentage agreement between preceptor responses and student responses on each checklist item were calculated. A summary score of preceptor responses across all checklist items and a summary score for student responses across all checklist items on each station were calculated. The correlation coefficients between preceptor and student summary scores were then examined. Results Fifty-nine preceptor surveys were mailed and 38 were returned (64% response rate). Data were usable from 37 surveys. Eighty-nine percent (33 of 37)of the preceptors agreed that a third-year clerkship student should have the knowledge to care for the patient with anemia and 92% (34 of 37)of the preceptors agreed similarly for the growth-delay case. Agreement among preceptors on individual checklist items varied widely for both cases. Fifty-seven students studied at the anemia station and 34 students studied at the growth-delay station. The mean±SD agreement across the 26 items on the anemia case between preceptor responses and student responses was 62%±23% and, for the 21 items on the growth-delay case, 60%±17%. The mean±SD preceptor summary score for the anemia case was 17.4±3.8 (maximum, 26) and 16.0±3.6 (maximum, 21) for the growth-delay case. The mean student score on the anemia case was 15.5±3.7 (maximum, 26) and, for the growth-delay case, 10.0±4.5 (maximum, 21). The Pearson correlation coefficient between the preceptor and student scores on the anemia case was 0.19 ( P =.15), and for the growth-delay case,−0.41 ( P =.06). Conclusions These data suggest community preceptors agree on topic areas in which students should be clinically competent. There was, however, considerable variation in agreement among preceptors about what preceptors believe students should be able to do and how the students actually perform. The overall percentage agreement between preceptor expectations and student performance appears to be no better than chance.
An Incremental Self-Deployment Algorithm for Mobile Sensor Networks

This paper describes an incremental deployment algorithm for mobile sensor networks. A mobile sensor network is a distributed collection of nodes, each of which has sensing, computation, communication and locomotion capabilities. The algorithm described in this paper will deploy such nodes one-at-a-time into an unknown environment, with each node making use of information gathered by previously deployed nodes to determine its deployment location. The algorithm is designed to maximize network ‘coverage’ while simultaneously ensuring that nodes retain line-of-sight relationships with one another. This latter constraint arises from the need to localize the nodes in an unknown environment: in our previous work on i>team localization (A. Howard, M.J. Mataric, and G.S. Sukhatme, in i>Proceedings of the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, EPFL, Switzerland, 2002s i>IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 2002) we have shown how nodes can localize themselves by using i>other nodes as landmarks. This paper describes the incremental deployment algorithm and presents the results from an extensive series of simulation experiments. These experiments serve to both validate the algorithm and illuminate its empirical properties.
Significance of apoptosis in the temporal and stage-specific loss of germ cells in the adult rat after gonadotropin deprivation

The major objectives of the present study were to document the temporal and stage-specific acceleration of germ cell apoptosis in adult rats after selective suppression of pituitary gonadotropins by GnRH antagonist (GnRH-A) treatment, and to examine the possibility that apoptosis is the sole mechanism of germ cell death in response to hormonal deprivation. Groups of adult male rats were given a daily injection of a vehicle for 14 days or GnRH-A (1.25 mg/kg BW) for 2, 5, 7, and 14 days. Analysis of testicular apoptotic DNA fragmentation revealed a detectable increase at Day 5 and a maximal increase at 14 days after treatment. In situ analysis of germ cell apoptosis fully corroborated the observed increase in the degree of DNA fragmentation with time and also revealed a stage-related activation of apoptosis of specific germ cells. A low incidence (0.06-0.09) of germ cell apoptosis (expressed as numbers per Sertoli cell) was detectable at stages I, IX-XI, and XII-XIV in control rats. Mean incidence of apoptotic germ cells specifically at stages VII-VIII increased significantly (0.40 0.06) by Day 5 and increased another 2.2-fold (over the 5-day treatment values) on Day 7 after GnRH-A treatment as compared to values in controls, where no apoptosis was detected. Significantly increased incidence of apoptosis at stages IX-XI (0.37 0.05) over control values (0.07 + 0.01) was noted by Day 7. Within the study paradigm, the highest number of dying cells occurred by Day 14, at which time a modest but significant (p < 0.05) increase in the incidence of apoptosis was also noted at stages I, I-IV, VVI, and XII-XIV in comparison with control values. Stages V11VIII and IX-XI still exhibited the higher number of cells undergoing apoptosis (0.97 0.22, and 1.03 + 0.22, respectively). Comparison between rates of apoptosis and cell degeneration measured at stages VII-VIII demonstrated an intimate association (r = 0.94; p < 0.001) between apoptosis and germ cell loss, strongly supporting the concept that germ cell death (at these stages) after removal of hormonal support in the adult rat occurs almost exclusively via apoptosis.
Recursive ensemble mutagenesis

We have developed a generally applicable experimental procedure to find functional proteins that are many mutational steps from wild type. Optimization algorithms, which are typically used to search for solutions to certain combinatorial problems, have been adapted to the problem of searching the 'sequence space' of proteins. Many of the steps normally performed by a digital computer are embodied in this new molecular genetics technique, termed recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM). REM uses information gained from previous iterations of combinatorial cassette mutagenesis (CCM) to search sequence space more efficiently. We have used REM to simultaneously mutate six amino acid residues in a model protein. As compared to conventional CCM, one iteration of REM yielded a 30-fold increase in the frequency of 'positive' mutants. Since a multiplicative factor of similar magnitude is expected for the mutagenesis of additional sets of six residues, performing REM on 18 sites is expected to yield an exponential (30,000-fold) increase in the throughput of positive mutants as compared to random [NN(G,C)]18 mutagenesis.
Population Genomics of Transposable Elements in Drosophila melanogaster

Transposable elements (TEs) are the primary contributors to the genome bulk in many organisms and are major players in genome evolution. A clear and thorough understanding of the population dynamics of TEs is therefore essential for full comprehension of the eukaryotic genome evolution and function. Although TEs in Drosophila melanogaster have received much attention, population dynamics of most TE families in this species remains entirely unexplored. It is not clear whether the same population processes can account for the population behaviors of all TEs in Drosophila or whether, as has been suggested previously, different orders behave according to very different rules. In this work, we analyzed population frequencies for a large number of individual TEs (755 TEs) in five North American and one sub-Saharan African D. melanogaster populations (75 strains in total). These TEs have been annotated in the reference D. melanogaster euchromatic genome and have been sampled from all three major orders (non-LTR, LTR, and TIR) and from all families with more than 20 TE copies (55 families in total). We find strong evidence that TEs in Drosophila across all orders and families are subject to purifying selection at the level of ectopic recombination. We showed that strength of this selection varies predictably with recombination rate, length of individual TEs, and copy number and length of other TEs in the same family. Importantly, these rules do not appear to vary across orders. Finally, we built a statistical model that considered only individual TE-level (such as the TE length) and family-level properties (such as the copy number) and were able to explain more than 40% of the variation in TE frequencies in D. melanogaster.
Accuracy improvement in protein complex prediction from protein interaction networks by refining cluster overlaps.

Background: Recent computational techniques have facilitated analyzing genome-wide protein-protein interaction data for several model organisms. Various graph-clustering algorithms have been applied to protein interaction networks on the genomic scale for predicting the entire set of potential protein complexes. In particular, the density-based clustering algorithms which are able to generate overlapping clusters, i.e. the clusters sharing a set of nodes, are well-suited to protein complex detection because each protein could be a member of multiple complexes. However, their accuracy is still limited because of complex overlap patterns of their output clusters. Results: We present a systematic approach of refining the overlapping clusters identified from protein interaction networks. We have designed novel metrics to assess cluster overlaps: overlap coverage and overlapping consistency. We then propose an overlap refinement algorithm. It takes as input the clusters produced by existing density-based graph-clustering methods and generates a set of refined clusters by parameterizing the metrics. To evaluate protein complex prediction accuracy, we used the f-measure by comparing each refined cluster to known protein complexes. The experimental results with the yeast protein-protein interaction data sets from BioGRID and DIP demonstrate that accuracy on protein complex prediction has increased significantly after refining cluster overlaps. Conclusions: The effectiveness of the proposed cluster overlap refinement approach for protein complex detection has been validated in this study. Analyzing overlaps of the clusters from protein interaction networks is a crucial task for understanding of functional roles of proteins and topological characteristics of the functional systems.
Increased anxiety and altered responses to anxiolytics in mice deficient in the 65-kDa isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase

The larger isoform of the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase, GAD67, synthesizes >90% of basal levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. In contrast, the smaller isoform, GAD65, has been implicated in the fine-tuning of inhibitory neurotransmission. Mice deficient in GAD65 exhibit increased anxiety-like responses in both the open field and elevated zero maze assays. Additionally, GAD65-deficient mice have a diminished response to the anxiolytics diazepam and pentobarbital, both of which interact with GABA-A receptors in a GABA-dependent fashion to facilitate GABAergic neurotransmission. Loss of GAD65-generated GABA does not appear to result in compensatory postsynaptic GABA-A receptor changes based on radioligand receptor binding studies, which revealed no change in the postsynaptic GABA-A receptor density. Furthermore, mutant and wild-type animals do not differ in their behavioral response to muscimol, which acts independently of the presence of GABA. We propose that stress-induced GABA release is impaired in GAD65-deficient mice, resulting in increased anxiety-like responses and a diminished response to the acute effects of drugs that facilitate the actions of released GABA.
Longitudinal optical imaging of tumor metabolism and hemodynamics

An important feature of tumor hypoxia is its temporal insta- bility, or "cycling hypoxia." The primary consequence of cycling hy- poxia is increased tumor aggressiveness and treatment resistance be- yond that of chronic hypoxia. Longitudinal imaging of tumor metabolic demand, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, and blood flow would provide valuable insight into the mechanisms and distribution of cycling hypoxia in tumors. Fluorescence imaging of metabolic de- mand via the optical redox ratio fluorescence intensity of FAD/ NADH, absorption microscopy of hemoglobin oxygen saturation, and Doppler optical coherence tomography of vessel morphology and blood flow are combined to noninvasively monitor changes in oxygen supply and demand in the mouse dorsal skin fold window chamber tumor model human squamous cell carcinoma every 6h for 36 h. Biomarkers for metabolic demand, blood oxygenation, and blood flow are all found to significantly change with time p0.05. These variations in oxygen supply and demand are superimposed on a sig- nificant p0.05 decline in metabolic demand with distance from the nearest vessel in tumors this gradient was not observed in normal tissues. Significant p0.05, but weak r0.5 correlations are found between the hemoglobin oxygen saturation, blood flow, and redox ratio. These results indicate that cycling hypoxia depends on both oxygen supply and demand, and that noninvasive optical imag- ing could be a valuable tool to study therapeutic strategies to mitigate cycling hypoxia, thus increasing the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy. © 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. DOI: 10.1117/1.3285584
Comparison of parotid and minor salivary gland biopsy specimens in the diagnosis of sjögren's syndrome

We conducted a prospective study comparing minor salivary gland and parotid gland biopsy specimens obtained simultaneously from 24 patients who were undergoing evaluation for primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Adequate tissue for study was obtained with all minor salivary gland biopsies and 19 of 24 parotid gland biopsies. Parotid inflammation was seen in 6 of 11 patients whose minor salivary gland biopsy results indicated SS, but in none of 8 patients who had normal findings on minor salivary gland biopsy. Patients with parotid inflammation were older and had a higher frequency of dry eyes and mouth, abnormal results on Schirmer's test, serious extraglandular involvement, and serologic abnormalities. We conclude that parotid gland biopsy adds very little to the minor salivary gland biopsy in the diagnosis of primary SS, but that parotid inflammatory changes may reflect disease duration and/or severity.
Visual Implicit Memory in the Left Hemisphere: Evidence From Patients With Callosotomies and Right Occipital Lobe Lesions

Identification of visually presented objects and words is facilitated by implicit memory for past visual experiences with those items. Several behavioral and neuroimaging studies suggest that this form of memory is dependent on perceptual processes localized in the right occipital lobe. We tested this claim by examining implicit mem- ory in patients with extensive right occipital lobe lesions, using lexi- cal-decision, mirror-reading, picture-fragment, and word-fragment- completion tests, and found that these patients exhibited normal levels of priming. We also examined implicit memory in patients with com- plete callosotomies, using standard and divided-visual-field word- fragment-completion procedures, and found that the isolated left hemisphere exhibited normal priming effects. The results indicate that the right occipital lobe does not play a necessary role in visual im- plicit memory, and that the isolated left hemisphere can support nor- mal levels of visual priming in a variety of tasks. In order to determine how the brain utilizes information about past events, it is necessary to identify the brain regions that are involved in different memory processes. The examination of patients with local- ized brain damage has played a critical role in identifying the neuro- logical substrates of several memory processes (e.g., Gabrieli, 1998; Squire, 1988). For example, patients with damage to the medial tem- poral lobes exhibit pronounced deficits in explicit tests of memory, such as free recall, that require conscious recollection of previous epi- sodes (e.g., Cohen & Squire, 1980; Scoville & Milner, 1957). This in- dicates that the medial temporal lobes play a necessary role in this form of memory. These same patients perform normally on other tasks, such as tests of visual implicit memory, in which a person's ability to identify or make judgments about visually presented items is primed, or enhanced, by previous visual encounters with those items (e.g., Graf & Mandler, 1984; Warrington & Weiskrantz, 1974). The preserved priming observed in these patients indicates that the medial temporal lobes are not necessary for normal visual implicit memory. The precise neuroanatomical substrates of visual implicit memory are unknown. However, studies of brain-damaged patients and neu- roimaging studies of healthy subjects show that the occipital lobes are involved in this form of memory, and several of these studies suggest that the right hemisphere may be particularly important. For example, a number of patients with occipital lobe lesions have been shown to exhibit deficits on visual implicit memory tasks (Carlesimo, Fadda, Sabbadini, & Caltagirone, 1994; Curran, Schachter, & Galluccio,
Efficient maximum likelihood decoding of linear block codes using a trellis

It is shown that soft decision maximum likelihood decoding of any (n,k) linear block code over GF(q) can be accomplished using the Viterbi algorithm applied to a trellis with no more than q^{(n-k)} states. For cyclic codes, the trellis is periodic. When this technique is applied to the decoding of product codes, the number of states in the trellis can be much fewer than q^{n-k} . For a binary (n,n - 1) single parity check code, the Viterbi algorithm is equivalent to the Wagner decoding algorithm.
Taxonomic Revision of South American Species of the Genus Acacia Subgenus Acacia (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae)

Abstract Detailed descriptions, habitat preferences, geographic range, and representative specimens are given for the 13 native and two introduced taxa of Acacia subgenus Acacia (approximately the same as Acacia series Gummiferae) that are found in the South American flora. Some of these taxa are wide ranging. Acacia macracantha, A. tortuosa, and A. farnesiana are extremely common in northern South America, whereas A. caven and A. aroma occur throughout much of the southern half of the continent. The remaining species have restricted ranges, being found in relatively small areas. Principal components analysis (PCA) of vegetative and floral features shows that these species form discrete groups in plots of the first three principal components. From these data, most of the species were found to be relatively homogeneous, as indicated by the tight clusters formed in the PCA plots. In contrast, A. macracantha, a species ranging from Florida, south through the Caribbean, into South America, and in Mexico, is h...
Genomewide Nonadditive Gene Regulation in Arabidopsis Allotetraploids

Polyploidy has occurred throughout the evolutionary history of all eukaryotes and is extremely common in plants. Reunification of the evolutionarily divergent genomes in allopolyploids creates regulatory incompatibilities that must be reconciled. Here we report genomewide gene expression analysis of Arabidopsis synthetic allotetraploids, using spotted 70-mer oligo-gene microarrays. We detected >15% transcriptome divergence between the progenitors, and 2105 and 1818 genes were highly expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana and A. arenosa, respectively. Approximately 5.2% (1362) and 5.6% (1469) genes displayed expression divergence from the midparent value (MPV) in two independently derived synthetic allotetraploids, suggesting nonadditive gene regulation following interspecific hybridization. Remarkably, the majority of nonadditively expressed genes in the allotetraploids also display expression changes between the parents, indicating that transcriptome divergence is reconciled during allopolyploid formation. Moreover, >65% of the nonadditively expressed genes in the allotetraploids are repressed, and >94% of the repressed genes in the allotetraploids match the genes that are expressed at higher levels in A. thaliana than in A. arenosa, consistent with the silencing of A. thaliana rRNA genes subjected to nucleolar dominance and with overall suppression of the A. thaliana phenotype in the synthetic allotetraploids and natural A. suecica. The nonadditive gene regulation is involved in various biological pathways, and the changes in gene expression are developmentally regulated. In contrast to the small effects of genome doubling on gene regulation in autotetraploids, the combination of two divergent genomes in allotetraploids by interspecific hybridization induces genomewide nonadditive gene regulation, providing a molecular basis for de novo variation and allopolyploid evolution.
Who joins support groups among parents of children with autism

This study identified factors associated with support group participation among families of children with autism. A survey was administered to 1005 caregivers of children with autism in Pennsylvania. Two-thirds of respondents (66.4%) had ever participated in an autism-specific support group. In adjusted analyses, demographic characteristics, including age and sex of the child, ethnicity and parental education and income, were associated with support group participation. Parents of children with self-injurious behavior, sleep problems or severe language deficits were more likely to belong, as were parents whose diagnosing clinician referred them to a support group. The results of this study suggest the importance of clinician referrals to groups, and the need to make groups available to under-served populations.
Community-associated methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus epidemic clone USA100; more than a nosocomial pathogen

Background We characterized 100 USA100 epidemic MRSA from individuals in the community with no known healthcare-associated risk factors.
The nucleotide sequence of the human transcription factor HTF4a cDNA

A partial cDNA has previously been isolated that encodes HTF4, a new member of the basic helix-loop-helix family of DNA binding proteins. We have reconstructed a full cDNA, designated HTF4a cDNA, which spans the entire HTF4 coding region. The 51 end of the reconstructed cDNA includes an open reading frame encoding a 117-residue polypeptide. Three closely spaced ATG codons in the major open reading frame may potentially serve as sites of initiation for HTF4a synthesis, to yield proteins that contain 682, 675, and 657 amino acid residues, respectively. Pairwise dot matrix analysis indicates that there are at least three distinct human genes which encode proteins related to the Drosophila daughterless.
Parental origin of chromosome 5 deletions in the cri-du-chat syndrome

The parental origin of de novo deletions leading to the cri-du-chat syndrome has been investigated. Since the cri-du-chat syndrome is correlated with deletions involving the short arm of chromosome 5 (5p), DNA fragments known to detect restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) along 5p were used to establish whether the paternal or the maternal chromosome had suffered the deletion. In cases where only one parent was available, somatic cell hybrids were used in conjunction with RFLP analysis to determine the origin of the deleted chromosome. The deleted chromosome 5 was of paternal origin in 20/25 cases.
Truth, Art, and Life: Nietzsche, Epistemology, Philosophy of Science

Although Nietzsche is typically regarded neither as a philosopher of science nor an epistemologist, he was surprisingly preoccupied with these issues.1 Nietzsche’s question is the critical question of the possibility of truth itself and it is in the same critical and Kantian spirit that he reflects upon the dynamic of scientific inquiry. For Kant, it is the structure of questioning (and the art or framing activity of questioning) rather than the ideal of objective, “factual” observation which supports the possibility of a positive or empirical and progressive or secure science of nature (KdrV Bxiii).2 Nietzsche’s decidedly radicalized but still-Kantian advance shifts the focus of the critically scientific question, as the constituting constraint of intuition, to science itself as well as and thereby to the ideal of critique. This critical move, questioning both science as well as the possibility of scientific critique, is essentially philosophical: raising the question of science as the Heideggerian question-of-the-question, proposed as a genuine question or challenge to the natural sciences.