cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Androgen biosynthesis by marmoset testes in vitro

These studies were undertaken to determine the major steroid metabolites formed from selected androgen precursors by the testis of the marmoset, Saguinus oedipus, a New World primate of the family Callitricadae. Testicular fragments (50 mg) were incubated for 3.0 hr with pregnenolone-7-3H or with progesterone-7-3H. The major metabolites formed from pregnenolone were 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (42.7%), testosterone (20.5%), androstenedione (11.4%) and progesterone (9.2%). Nonmetabolized substrate was 6.8% of radioactivity. For porgesterone incubations, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone was the major matabolite (49.0%), with testosterone (21.2%) and androstenedione (10.7%) as lesser metabolites. Unreacted progesterone accounted for 14.9% of all radioactivity. The unusually high levels of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone in marmosets is in contrast to that observed in other mammalian species.
Pacific Miocene carbon isotope stratigraphy using benthic foraminifera

Abstract Seven Miocene Pacific Ocean Deep Sea Drilling Project sites from four different water masses (planktonic foraminiferal biogeographic regions) have been correlated using 18 prominent carbon isotopic events defined in the benthic foraminiferal δ13C records in DSDP Site 289. The correlations are based on the assumption that there are global or at least Pacific-wide controls on the δ13C of deep-water HCO3−. Each of the individual δ13C records is correlated to Site 289 based on the shape of the curves in a manner analogous to that used to correlate sea-floor magnetic anomaly patterns. The results of this correlation experiment confirm that planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and carbon isotopic stratigraphy are consistent within the tropical surface water mass and precise to ±100,000 years. Correlations between surface water masses suggest that the precision of foraminiferal biostratigraphy is on the average less than ±200,000 years due to the lack of cosmopolitan marker species and diachronism of species occurrences. Carbon isotope stratigraphy used in conjunction with biostratigraphy has the potential to provide an easily utilized, globally applicable, correlation tool (with an interregional precision of ±100,000 years or better) as more continuous and undisturbed deep-sea sections become available as a result of the Hydraulic Piston Coring Program.
zfishbook: connecting you to a world of zebrafish revertible mutants

zfishbook is an internet-based openly accessible database of revertible protein trap gene-breaking transposon (GBT) insertional mutants in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. In these lines, a monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) is encoded by an artificial 3′ exon, resulting in a translational fusion to endogenous loci. The natural transparency of the zebrafish embryo and larvae greatly facilitates the expression annotation of tagged loci using new capillary-based SCORE imaging methods. Molecular annotation of each line is facilitated by cloning methods such as 5′-Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE) and inverse polymerase chain reaction (PCR). zfishbook (http://zfishbook.org) represents a central hub for molecular, expression and mutational information about GBT lines from the International Zebrafish Protein Trap Consortium (IZPTC) that includes researchers from around the globe. zfishbook is open to community-wide contributions including expression and functional annotation. zfishbook also represents a central location for information on how to obtain these lines from diverse members of the IZPTC and integration within other zebrafish community databases including Zebrafish Information Network (ZFIN), Ensembl and National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Effect of exogenous glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor on development of the enteric nervous system in the rectal end of fetal rats with anorectal malformations

The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of exogenous glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the development of the enteric nervous system (ENS) in the rectal end of fetal rats. Thirty pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were categorized randomly into three groups: ethylene thiourea (ETU), ETU + GDNF, and control. On day 10 of gestation, ETU was injected via a gastric tube in the ETU group and ETU + GDNF group. On day 11 of gestation, GDNF was administered through the tail vein in the ETU + GDNF group. On day 20 of gestation, fetal rats were harvested by cesarean section. The prevalence of anorectal malformations (ARMs) in the fetal rats was observed. GDNF expression in the rectal end of fetal rats was detected by immunohistochemical and Western blotting analyses. The prevalence of ARMs in the ETU group and ETU + GDNF group was 51.4 and 52.5 %, respectively, but the difference between the two groups was not significant (P > 0.05). In the rectal end of fetal rats with an anus, GDNF expressions in the three groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05). In the rectal end of fetal rats without an anus: GDNF expression in the ETU + GDNF group was significantly higher than that in the ETU group (P = 0.036); GDNF expression in the rectal end of fetal rats without an anus from the ETU group and ETU + GDNF group was significantly lower than that of fetal rats with an anus (ETU group P = 0.001; ETU + GDNF group P = 0.028). There was a significant difference in the gray level ratio of GDNF and actin between the ETU group and ETU + GDNF group (P < 0.0001), and the expression in the ETU + GDNF group was significantly up-regulated. GDNF could not totally prevent the occurrence of ETU-induced ARMs, but it up-regulated expression of the GDNF gene in the wall of the rectal end, thereby promoting the growth of a hypogenetic ENS.
A randomized study of intensive versus moderate chemotherapy programs in metastatic breast cancer

Two intensive chemotherapy regimens CFPMV (Cytoxan [cyclophosphamide], 5-fluorouracil, prednisone, methotrexate, vincristine) and CA (Cytoxan, Adriamycin [doxorubicin]) were tested against a moderate regimen, CFP, in a prospective three-arm, randomized study with crossover when relapse or failure occurred, in order to assess whether the response, duration of remission, and survival can be altered by using more intensive regimens as first-line or as rescue therapy. All three regimens were equally effective as initial chemotherapy: CFP 26/46 (57%); CFPMV 31/48 (65%) and CA 26/47 (55%) (P = 0.61) with the least toxicity for the CFP regimen. Median duration of remission were 9.5, 11, and 9 months, respectively. Complete responses were almost identical in all three regimens: 4/46 (9%); 6/48 (12%) and 5/47 (11%) (P = 0.94). CFPMV was an effective regimen as second-line therapy: 11/33 (33%) or third-line therapy: 7/21 (33%). The CA regimen was equally effective as second-line therapy: 8/25 (32%), suggesting that intensive regimens provide an effective rescue therapy, as well in previous responders as in nonresponders. Initial intensive regimens have not substantially altered long-term survival in the whole group of treated patients, Arm II (CFPMVCACFP) 17.6 months; Arm III (CACFPCFPMV) 12.3 months when compared with initial moderate regimens Arm I (CFPCFPMVCA) 16.6 months (P = 0.24). The same lack of difference in survival was noticed in responder patients in each arm: Arm II 19.0 months; Arm III 16.0 months versus Arm I 22.0 months (P = 0.13). Our data suggest that a moderate regimen is as effective as more intense regimens for induction therapy in metastatic breast cancer, with less toxicity, preserving the opportunity for an effective rescue therapy with intensive regimens in second or third-line chemotherapy. Cancer 59:874-883, 1987.
Thiophene adsorption on clean and sulfur precovered Ru(0001)

In an effort to model the “working surface” of a ruthenium catalyst, the adsorption and decomposition of thiophene have been investigated over clean and sulfur precovered Ru(0001) (0 < θs < 0.45) using TDS/TPRS, XPS and EELS. On clean Ru(0001), intact thiophene desorbs at exposures ⩾ 0.1 L and shifts from 174 to 168 K with increasing coverage, while multilayer features become evident at 145 K. Thiophene is proposed to decompose via a three-step mechanism involving: (i) initial thiophene cracking at 120 K for low coverages (< 0.1 L) yielding surface sulfur and hydrocarbon fragments followed by intact thiophene adsorption, (ii) hydrogen desorption near 230 K resulting in additional decomposition ensembles on the surface, and (iii) continued decomposition to form “metallocycle-like” intermediates which retain EELS features similar to thiophene. EELS results from 2,5-dideuterothiophene also suggest that dehydrogenation of the metallocycle commences at the α position. Dehydrogenation is complete by 600 K. On sulfur precovered Ru(0001), the sticking coefficient of thiophene is decreased, while the desorption shifts from 168 to 178 K with increasing sulfur coverages. Sulfur appears to decrease irreversible thiophene adsorption by blocking decomposition ensembles.
Insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk in the pediatric patient

The insulin resistance syndrome, a cluster of potent risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in adults, is composed of hyerinsulinemia, obesity, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. In addition, left ventricular hypertrophy and its precursor increased left ventricular mass, is known to be a powerful predictor of adverse cardiovascular events, both as an independent risk factor and by association with the insulin resistance syndrome. Obesity appears to have a major role in the relations between the components of the insulin resistance syndrome, and their association with increased heart mass. Of significant impact in the adult population, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and death are rarely seen in the young, but the pathologic processes and risk factors associated with its development have been shown to begin during childhood. Recent studies revealed the presence of components of the insulin resistance syndrome also in children and adolescents, however, their associations are not well understood. A direct link between obesity and insulin resistance has also been reported in the young, as has the link between insulin resistance and abnormal lipid profile. There is an increasing amount of data to show that being overweight during childhood and adolescence is significantly associated with insulin resistance, abnormal lipids and elevated blood pressure in young adulthood. Weight loss in these situations results in a decrease in insulin concentration and an increase in insulin sensitivity toward normalcy. Moreover, it has been determined that increased left ventricular mass is present in childhood, and is related to other risk factors, namely obesity and insulin resistance. Based on current knowledge, it is reasonable to suggest that weight control, and lifestyle modification, could alter the incidence of the syndrome of insulin resistance, and improve the risk profiles for cardiovascular disease as children make the transition toward adolescence and young adulthood.
Pulsatile flow in a tube with wall injection and suction

This paper studies similarity solutions for pulsatile flow in a tube with wall injection and suction. The Navier-Stokes equations are reduced to a system of three ordinary differential equations. Two of the equations represent the effects of suction and injection on the steady flow while the third represents the effects of suction and injection on pulsatile flow. Since the equations for steady flow have been studied previously, the analysis centers on the third equation. This equation is solved numerically and by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The exact numerical solutions compare well with the asymptotic solutions. The effects of suction and injection on pulsatile flow are the following: a) Small values of suction can cause a resonance-like effect for low frequency pulsatile flow. b) The annular effect still occurs but for large injection or suction the frequency at which this effect becomes dominant depends on the cross-flow Reynolds number. c) The maximum shear stress at the wall is decreased by injection, but may be increased or decreased by suction.
Movement and fate of atrazine and bromide in central Kansas croplands

Abstract Two flooding experiments were conducted at two sites with different soils to study the transport and fate of the commonly used herbicide atrazine and inorganic chemicals in the Great Bend Prairie croplands of south-central Kansas. The instantaneous profile method supplemented by the use of an organic (atrazine) and an inorganic (bromide) tracer chemical was used to characterize in situ the hydraulic and chemical properties of the appropriately instrumented field sites. Atrazine readily degraded to hydroxyatrazine and biodegradation by-products and was not detected deeper in the soil profile and underlying shallow aquifer. The classical processes of chemical movement based on porous media-equilibrium-diffuse flow did not fit the data well at either site. Incompletely mixed, slug flow appeared to predominate at one of the sites and preferential flow at the other. The slug movement caused ‘piston-type’ displacement of more saline solutions in the soil profile to the shallow water table. Recommendations for conducting related field studies based on our sampling experience are given.
A novel microscope system for time-lapse observation of corneal cells in a living mouse.

A novel microscope system is presented for observation of corneal cells in a living mouse. It enables tracking of individual cells in all layers of the cornea at various times, thus allowing the generation of time-lapse recordings. The system consists of three major components: an upright fluorescence microscope for visualization of corneal cells, a mouse-holding unit for immobilization of the animal and the eye, and a set of gimbals which permit observation of a wide area of corneal surface without refocusing. The same cells could be observed at different times with the help of fiducial marks in the cornea, allowing their changes in position to be determined under natural and experimental conditions. This technique should prove useful in investigation of the cell movement in normal and diseased corneas, including the study of wound healing after an injury or surgery.
Sugar-Based Lipid Headgroups: How Sticky Are They?

This paper reports the synthesis of a disulfide-based exchangeable glycophospholipid and establishes that this lipid mixes, ideally, with a shorter-chain, phospholipid analogue in cholesterol-rich fluid bilayers. These findings indicate that associative interactions between carbohydrate headgroups are unlikely to provide a significant driving force for the clustering of glycolipids in biological membranes.
Evaluation and spatial analysis of automated red-light running enforcement cameras

Red light cameras may have a demonstrable impact on reducing the frequency of red light running violations; however, their effect on the overall safety at intersections is still up for debate. This paper examined the safety impacts of Red Light Cameras (RLCs) on traffic crashes at signalized intersections using the Empirical Bayes (EB) method. Data were obtained from the Florida Department of Transportation for twenty-five RLC equipped intersections in Orange County, Florida. Additional fifty intersections that remained with no photo enforcement in the vicinity of the treated sites were collected to examine the spillover effects on the same corridors. The safety evaluation was performed at three main levels; only target approaches where RLCs were installed, all approaches on RLC intersections, and non-RLC intersections located on the same travel corridors as the camera equipped intersections. Moreover, the spatial spillover effects of RLCs were also examined on an aggregate level to evaluate the safety impacts on driver behavior at a regional scale. The results from this study indicated that there was a consistent significant reduction in angle and left-turn crashes and a significant increase in rear-end crashes on target approaches, in addition, the magnitude and the direction of these effects, to a lesser degree, were found similar on the whole intersection. Similar trends in shift of crash types were spilled-over to non-RLC intersections in the proximity of the treated sites. On an aggregate county level, there was a moderate spillover benefits with a notable crash migration to the boundary of the county.
Unusual Aspects of Acute Q Fever-Associated Hepatitis

We describe a 37-year-old farmer with a 3-week history of fevers and hepatitis, in whom Q fever was diagnosed. The diagnosis was based on the findings of characteristic "ring" granulomas on a bone marrow biopsy specimen and confirmed by complement-fixation antibody tests to Coxiella burnetii. Unusual aspects of this case included (1) relatively low complement-fixation antibody titers, (2) prolonged prothrombin time, (3) false-positive results of a serologic test for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and (4) ring granulomas that progressed to atypical granulomas in biopsy specimens.
Age at menopause and incident heart failure: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Objective This study aims to evaluate the associations of early menopause (menopause occurring before age 45 years) and age at menopause with incident heart failure (HF) in postmenopausal women. We also explored the associations of early menopause and age at menopause with left ventricular (LV) measures of structure and function in postmenopausal women. Methods We included 2,947 postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 84 years without known cardiovascular disease (2000-2002), from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations of early menopause and age at menopause with incident HF. In 2,123 postmenopausal women in whom cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was obtained at baseline, we explored the associations of early menopause and age at menopause with LV measures using multivariable linear regression. Results Across a median follow-up of 8.5 years, we observed 71 HF events. There were no significant interactions with ethnicity for incident HF (Pinteraction > 0.05). In adjusted analysis, early menopause was associated with an increased risk of incident HF (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.01-2.73), whereas every 1-year increase in age at menopause was associated with a decreased risk of incident HF (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99). We observed significant interactions between early menopause and ethnicity for LV mass-to-volume ratio (LVMVR; Pinteraction = 0.02). In Chinese-American women, early menopause was associated with a higher LVMVR (+0.11; P = 0.0002), whereas every 1-year increase in age at menopause was associated with a lower LVMVR (-0.004; P = 0.04) at baseline. Conclusions Older age at menopause is independently associated with a decreased risk of incident HF. Concentric LV remodeling, indicated by a higher LVMVR, is present in Chinese-American women who experienced early menopause at baseline.
Efficacy of Lifestyle Modification for Long-Term Weight Control

A comprehensive program of lifestyle modification induces loss of ∼10% of initial weight in 16 to 26 weeks, as revealed by a review of recent randomized controlled trials, including the Diabetes Prevention Program. Long-term weight control is facilitated by continued patient-therapist contact, whether provided in person or by telephone, mail, or e-mail. High levels of physical activity and the consumption of low-calorie, portion-controlled meals, including liquid meal replacements, can also help maintain weight loss. Additional studies are needed of the effects of macronutrient content (e.g., low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diets) on long-term changes in weight and health. Research also is needed on effective methods of providing comprehensive weight loss control to the millions of Americans who need it.
The American Society for Surgery of the Hand

These questions, often asked during my year as President, inspired the following address. 1. What is the recommended time for hand surgery training? 2. What should this training include? 3. If hand surgery is established as a specialty, does this exclude the general, orthopaedic, or plastic surgeon not trained specifically in this type of surgery? 4. How many hand surgeons does this country need? 5. What hand surgical services should be provided by a community hospital? By a medical center hospital? 6. What would be the effect of national health insurance? The three major components of an effective, innovative medical program are (1) direct patient care, (2) teaching, and (3) research (Fig. 1). These may be envisioned as three overlapping circles, as in a Venn diagram. Direct patient care is the first priority, and when effectively administered, strong teaching and research capabilities follow (Fig. 2). Teaching stimulates research, for it is from the interchange between teacher and student that new ideas are created (Fig. 3). From the resolution of these ideas, new knowledge and service emerge (Fig. 4). Patient care is either elective or emergency. The statement, "The surgeon who first operates plays the greatest role in the eventual outcome and the final result achiev.ed, " especially applies to the emergency patient. The productive time lost by our nation from hand injuries sustained at work and home is so large that its value has not been estimated accurately. Patients are usually off of work or regular activity for 3 to 6 weeks following even minor hand injuries. If one combines
Frontal Cortical and Subcortical Projections Provide a Basis for Segmenting the Cingulum Bundle: Implications for Neuroimaging and Psychiatric Disorders

The cingulum bundle (CB) is one of the brain's major white matter pathways, linking regions associated with executive function, decision-making, and emotion. Neuroimaging has revealed that abnormalities in particular locations within the CB are associated with specific psychiatric disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder. However, the fibers using each portion of the CB remain unknown. In this study, we used anatomical tract-tracing in nonhuman primates (Macaca nemestrina, Macaca fascicularis, Macaca mulatta) to examine the organization of specific cingulate, noncingulate frontal, and subcortical pathways through the CB. The goals were as follows: (1) to determine connections that use the CB, (2) to establish through which parts of the CB these fibers travel, and (3) to relate the CB fiber pathways to the portions of the CB identified in humans as neurosurgical targets for amelioration of psychiatric disorders. Results indicate that cingulate, noncingulate frontal, and subcortical fibers all travel through the CB to reach both cingulate and noncingulate targets. However, many brain regions send projections through only part, not all, of the CB. For example, amygdala fibers are not present in the caudal portion of the dorsal CB. These results allow segmentation of the CB into four unique zones. We identify the specific connections that are abnormal in psychiatric disorders and affected by neurosurgical interventions, such as deep brain stimulation and cingulotomy.
A MEMS nanoplotter with high-density parallel dip-pen nanolithography probe arrays

We report on the development of a nanoplotter that consists of an array of microfabricated probes for parallel dip-pen nanolithography. Two types of device have been developed by using microelectromechanical systems micromachining technology. The first consists of 32 silicon nitride cantilevers separated by 100 µm, while the second consists of eight boron-doped silicon tips separated by 310 µm. The former offers writing and imaging capabilities, but is challenged with respect to tip sharpness. The latter offers smaller linewidths and increased imaging capabilities at the expense of probe density. Parallel generation of nanoscopic monolayer patterns with a minimum linewidth of 60 nm has been demonstrated using an eight-pen microfabricated probe array.
The kinetic and available potential energy budget of a winter extratropical cyclone system

The energy budget of an extratropical cyclone system which traversed North America and intensified through the period 9–11 January 1975 is presented. The objectives of the study are (1) to document the complete energy budget of a significant winter cyclone event, and (2) to comment on the significance of latent heat release (LHR) in the cyclone's evolution. Results reveal an overall increase in both kinetic ( K ) and available potential energy ( A ). K increases are accounted for by boundary flux convergence of K , while A increases are due to generation by LHR and K to A conversion. In addition, the general A increase is accompanied by a 24 h oscillation that is explained largely by the flux quantity in the A budget equation and is correlated with a similar fluctuation in the K to A conversion. LHR does not appear to be critical in the development of this cyclone system. Rather, LHR acts to increase the intensity of the event. It is hypothesized that the direct influence that LHR had on the deepening cyclone's reduced mass was augmented by an indirect influence, in which pre-existing dry dynamical forcing was enhanced by diabatic heating, thus leading to accelerated cyclone development at a later time. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0870.1986.tb00452.x
Conversion of contoured topography to digital-terrain data

Abstract High-performance graphics systems coupled with video digitizers provide the capability to obtain digital topography from contour maps. A technique is presented for conversion of contoured data to gridded data. This technique provides a cost-efficient option for obtaining digital topography where such data are not available, for obtaining average elevation data in support of gravity surveys, or for gridding hand-contoured data. The method is interactive, makes use of standard image processing and computer graphics techniques, and requires a user-operator who can read topographic maps. The resultant digital data retain the smooth trends of the contour data and are well within the error limits reflected in the placement of the original contour lines.
A spectroscopic study on SrS : Cu,Ag two-component electroluminescent phosphors

Abstract Under 4.507 eV excitation, the SrS : Cu,Ag thin films exhibited a saturated blue emission at 2.876 eV at room temperature and two additional emission bands at 3.443 and 2.398 eV were also observed at 10 K. By comparing with singly doped SrS : Cu and SrS : Ag, the two bands at 3.443 and 2.876 eV were assigned to the Ag emission bands and the 2.398 eV band to Cu emission. The enhancement of the 2.876 eV Ag emission band and the simultaneous suppression of the 2.398 eV Cu emission band are indicative of the presence of strong energy transfer from Cu to Ag ions in SrS : Cu,Ag. Low-temperature PLE spectrum of the 2.876 eV emission band was found to exhibit Cu excitation bands, confirming the presence of energy transfer from Cu to Ag. However, the energy transfer process from Cu to Ag exhibited anomalous properties that cannot be explained by the standard energy transfer theory. Therefore, instead of a Dexter-type energy transfer, electron transport was proposed as a possible coupling mechanism between the Cu and Ag ions in SrS.
Characterization of enzymes that degrade crab exoskeleton: I. Two alkaline cysteine proteinase activities

Extracts from integumentary tissues of the Bermuda land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis, degraded proteins extracted from the membranous layer (ML), the innermost layer of the exoskeleton that serves as the interface between epidermal cells and calcified exoskeleton. Separation of the extracts by HPLC hydrophobic chromatography and characterization using 125I-casein as substrate identified two peaks of degradative activity. The activities showed pH optima of 7 to 8, were sensitive to inhibitors of cysteine proteinases, and required the reducing agent, dithiothreitol, for activity, indicating that they are alkaline cysteine proteinases (ACPs). The pH optima of ACPs I and II indicated that they could function in the slightly alkaline extracellular environment of the proecdysial animal when the old exoskeleton is broken down. Although ACPs I and II are distinctly different from other crustacean cysteine proteinases (CP) they are similar to a CP activity present in extracts from the ML. A 23-kDa protein from the ML was particularly susceptible to degradation by these enzymes. Activity of these enzymes in the extracellular environment might be controlled by the concentration of reducing agents as they are inactive unless in a reduced state.
The influence of listener perception of the speaker on recognition memory.

Results are reported for an experiment which examined the influence of listener perception of speaker intention on sentence recognition. Given the same passage and recognition sentences, subjects displayed different false recognition patterns of test items depending on which of two speakers with opposing viewpoints the passage was attributed to. It is argued that the reconstructive process of memory is based on information from the context (e.g., the speaker's perceived intentions) as well as on the actual words used. Retention of different aspects of a message is seen to rely on information from different sources. Specifically, the results of the study indicate that retention of meaning involving the speaker's predictions, opinions, etc., is influenced by the listener's perception of the speaker.
Frequency of severe hypoglycemia in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus can be predicted from self-monitoring blood glucose data

Severe hypoglycemia is associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and may occur more frequently as metabolic control approaches normal. The goal of this study was to determine whether the frequency of severe hypoglycemia could be predicted by the following predictor variables: 1) frequency and degree of low blood glucose (BG) readings, 2) degree of BG variability during routine self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) readings, and 3) level of glycemic control measured by glycosylated hemoglobin-A1 (HbA1). Seventy-eight insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus subjects from 3 different sites had their glycosylated HbA1 assayed and then performed 50 SMBG recordings during the next 2-3 weeks. Over the following 6 months, subjects recorded their severe hypoglycemic episodes (stupor or unconsciousness). There was no difference in the number of severe hypoglycemic episodes between subjects in good vs. poor metabolic control. A higher frequency of severe hypoglycemia during the subsequent 6 months was predicted by frequent and extreme low SMBG readings and variability in day to day SMBG readings. Regression analysis indicated that 44% of the variance in severe hypoglycemic episodes could be accounted for by initial measures of BG variance and the extent of low BG readings. Patients who recorded variable and frequent very low BG readings during routine SMBG were at higher risk for subsequent severe hypoglycemia. Individuals who had lower glycosylated Hb levels were not at higher risk of severe hypoglycemic episodes.
FIXED‐RATIO ESCAPE AND AVOIDANCE‐ESCAPE FROM NALOXONE IN MORPHINE‐DEPENDENT MONKEYS: EFFECTS OF NALOXONE DOSE AND MORPHINE PRETREATMENT

Lever pressing by rhesus monkeys was maintained by morphine injections during four equally spaced sessions each day. During other periods, lever pressing was maintained by timeout from a continuous naloxone infusion (escape), or by timeout from a stimulus that preceded naloxone injections, or termination of the injections (avoidance-escape). As naloxone dose increased in the escape procedure, response rate increased to a maximum and then decreased. In the avoidance-escape procedure, response rate generally increased as naloxone dose increased, but the changes in rate were small compared to the excape procedure. Substitution of saline for naloxone in the escape procedure led to a very low response rates within three sessions. In the avoidance-escape procedure, rate decrements produced by saline substitution appeared to be related to the behavioral history of the monkey. Previous escape experience led to more rapid decreases in responding when saline was introduced, whereas responding was maintained for 15 sessions in a monkey without prior escape conditioning. Morphine pretreatment produced comparable, dose-dependent decreases in response rates in both procedures. The rate-decreasing effects of morphine were exacerbated when no naloxone was delivered in the escape procedure.
Evidence That the wzxE Gene of Escherichia coli K-12 Encodes a Protein Involved in the Transbilayer Movement of a Trisaccharide-Lipid Intermediate in the Assembly of Enterobacterial Common Antigen

Abstract The assembly of many bacterial cell surface polysaccharides requires the transbilayer movement of polyisoprenoid-linked saccharide intermediates across the cytoplasmic membrane. It is generally believed that transverse diffusion of glycolipid intermediates is mediated by integral membrane proteins called translocases or “flippases.” The bacterial genes proposed to encode these translocases have been collectively designated wzx genes. The wzxEgene of Escherichia coli K-12 has been implicated in the transbilayer movement of Fuc4NAc-ManNAcA-GlcNAc-P-P-undecaprenol (lipid III), the donor of the trisaccharide repeat unit in the biosynthesis of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA). Previous studies (Feldman, M. F., Marolda, C. L., Monteiro, M. A., Perry, M. B., Parodi, A. J., and Valvano, M. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 35129–35138) provided indirect evidence that thewzx 016 gene product of E. coli K-12 encoded a translocase capable of mediating the transbilayer movement ofN-acetylglucosaminylpyrophosphorylundecaprenol (GlcNAc-P-P-Und), an early intermediate in the synthesis of ECA and many lipopolysaccharide O antigens. Therefore, genetic and biochemical studies were conducted to determine if the putative WzxO16translocase was capable of mediating the transport ofN-acetylglucosaminylpyrophosphorylnerol (GlcNAc-P-P-Ner), a water-soluble analogue of GlcNAc-P-P-Und. [3H]GlcNAc-P-P-Ner was transported into sealed, everted cytoplasmic membrane vesicles of E. coli K-12 as well as a deletion mutant lacking both the wzx 016 andwzxC genes. In contrast, [3H]GlcNAc-P-P-Ner was not transported into membrane vesicles prepared from awzxE-null mutant, and metabolic radiolabeling experiments revealed the accumulation of lipid III in this mutant. The WzxE transport system exhibited substrate specificity by recognizing both a pyrophosphoryl-linked saccharide and an unsaturated α-isoprene unit in the carrier lipid. These results support the conclusion that thewzxE gene encodes a membrane protein involved in the transbilayer movement of lipid III in E. coli.
The ethylene response factor Pti5 contributes to potato aphid resistance in tomato independent of ethylene signalling

Ethylene response factors (ERFs) comprise a large family of transcription factors that regulate numerous biological processes including growth, development, and response to environmental stresses. Here, we report that Pti5, an ERF in tomato [Solanum lycopersicum (Linnaeus)] was transcriptionally upregulated in response to the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), and contributed to plant defences that limited the population growth of this phloem-feeding insect. Virus-induced gene silencing of Pti5 enhanced aphid population growth on tomato, both on an aphid-susceptible cultivar and on a near-isogenic genotype that carried the Mi-1.2 resistance (R) gene. These results indicate that Pti5 contributes to basal resistance in susceptible plants and also can synergize with other R gene-mediated defences to limit aphid survival and reproduction. Although Pti5 contains the ERF motif, induction of this gene by aphids was independent of ethylene, since the ACC deaminase (ACD) transgene, which inhibits ethylene synthesis, did not diminish the responsiveness of Pti5 to aphid infestation. Furthermore, experiments with inhibitors of ethylene synthesis revealed that Pti5 and ethylene have distinctly different roles in plant responses to aphids. Whereas Pti5 contributed to antibiotic plant defences that limited aphid survival and reproduction on both resistant (Mi-1.2+) and susceptible (Mi-1.2–) genotypes, ethylene signalling promoted aphid infestation on susceptible plants but contributed to antixenotic defences that deterred the early stages of aphid host selection on resistant plants. These findings suggest that the antixenotic defences that inhibit aphid settling and the antibiotic defences that depress fecundity and promote mortality are regulated through different signalling pathways.
Evaluating a brief alcohol intervention with fraternities.

Objective: The current study tested the efficacy of a brief intervention designed to reduce drinking and drinking-related consequences among first-year fraternity members. Method: Twelve fraternities were randomly assigned to receive either a motivational enhancement intervention with individual and housewide feedback components (n = 6 houses) or a treatment-as-usual control condition (n = 6 houses). Individual feedback was delivered either by peer interviewers or professional research staff. Participants were assessed during their pledge (first) year of house membership and during a follow-up period 1 year later. Results: Of the participants who completed follow-up (N = 120), fraternity members who received the brief intervention reported significant reductions in alcohol use (total average consumption) and typical peak blood alcohol concentrations when compared with fraternity members in the control condition. No differences in drinking-related consequences were observed. Fraternity members who received...
Exploring local adaptation and the ocean acidification seascape - studies in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem

Abstract. The California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), a temperate marine region dominated by episodic upwelling, is predicted to experience rapid environmental change in the future due to ocean acidification. The aragonite saturation state within the California Current System is predicted to decrease in the future with near-permanent undersaturation conditions expected by the year 2050. Thus, the CCLME is a critical region to study due to the rapid rate of environmental change that resident organisms will experience and because of the economic and societal value of this coastal region. Recent efforts by a research consortium – the Ocean Margin Ecosystems Group for Acidification Studies (OMEGAS) – has begun to characterize a portion of the CCLME; both describing the spatial mosaic of pH in coastal waters and examining the responses of key calcification-dependent benthic marine organisms to natural variation in pH and to changes in carbonate chemistry that are expected in the coming decades. In this review, we present the OMEGAS strategy of co-locating sensors and oceanographic observations with biological studies on benthic marine invertebrates, specifically measurements of functional traits such as calcification-related processes and genetic variation in populations that are locally adapted to conditions in a particular region of the coast. Highlighted in this contribution are (1) the OMEGAS sensor network that spans the west coast of the US from central Oregon to southern California, (2) initial findings of the carbonate chemistry amongst the OMEGAS study sites, and (3) an overview of the biological data that describes the acclimatization and the adaptation capacity of key benthic marine invertebrates within the CCLME.
Correcting population stratification in genetic association studies using a phylogenetic approach

Motivation: The rapid development of genotyping technology and extensive cataloguing of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the human genome have made genetic association studies the mainstream for gene mapping of complex human diseases. For many diseases, the most practical approach is the population-based design with unrelated individuals. Although having the advantages of easier sample collection and greater power than family-based designs, unrecognized population stratification in the study samples can lead to both false-positive and false-negative findings and might obscure the true association signals if not appropriately corrected. Methods: We report PHYLOSTRAT, a new method that corrects for population stratification by combining phylogeny constructed from SNP genotypes and principal coordinates from multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis. This hybrid approach efficiently captures both discrete and admixed population structures. Results: By extensive simulations, the analysis of a synthetic genome-wide association dataset created using data from the Human Genome Diversity Project, and the analysis of a lactase-height dataset, we show that our method can correct for population stratification more efficiently than several existing population stratification correction methods, including EIGENSTRAT, a hybrid approach based on MDS and clustering, and STRATSCORE, in terms of requiring fewer random SNPs for inference of population structure. By combining the flexibility and hierarchical nature of phylogenetic trees with the advantage of representing admixture using MDS, our hybrid approach can capture the complex population structures in human populations effectively. Software Availability: Codes can be downloaded from http://people.pcbi.upenn.edu/~lswang/phylostrat/ Contact:[email protected]; [email protected]. Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The powers of problem definition: The case of government paperwork

Problem definition is a package of ideas that includes, at least implicitly, an account of the causes and consequences of undesirable circumstances and a theory about how to improve them. As such, it serves as the overture to policymaking, as an integral part of the process of policymaking, and as a policy outcome. In each of these roles it seems to exert influence on government action. Distinguishing among the roles clarifies the nature of that influence. A case study examines the transition from one problem definition to another in the domain of information collection by the federal government. The rise of the Paperwork Reduc- tion definition illustrates the variety of ways in which problem definition has powerful con- sequences. Problem definition is widely regarded as the first stage of the policy cycle, a stage that lays fundamental groundwork for the ensuing struggle over the construction of useful policy alternatives, authoritative adoption of a policy choice, implementation, and assessment (Brewer and deLeon 1983). Defini- tion in this sense is not merely a label for a set of facts and perceptions. It is a package of ideas that includes at least implicitly an account of the causes and consequences of some circumstances that are deemed undesirable, and a theory about how a problem may be alleviated (Defy 1984, Gusfield 1981). By the frame imposed on circumstances, a problem definition highlights some aspects of the situation, throwing other aspects into shadow. It pushes forward some potential solutions, neglecting others (Gamson and Modigliani 1987). The definition of problems at the outset of the policy process may have various sources: the lonely analyst wrestling to impose intellectual structure on a messy array of facts and dilemmas; savvy politicians crafting issues to appeal to the winning mix of voter demographics; a crisis event splashed across the front page to galvanize attention to previously neglected corners of social life; the insistence of disenfranchised groups that their concerns be taken seriously by those more comfortably circumstanced. Whatever the pre- cipitating factors, problem definition determines how people think about the problems that are (and are not) on the public agenda. 2 I endorse the importance of the initial definition of the problem, as it has been typically considered in the policy literature. A problem definition at the outset of the policy process has implications for later stages: which kinds of
Should laparoscopic-assisted proctectomy be the standard of care for patients with resectable rectal cancer?

3 ISSN 1758-194X 10.2217/CRC.11.4 © 2012 Future Medicine Ltd Colorect. Cancer (2012) 1(1), 3–6 *University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery, Section of Colon & Rectal Surgery, 600 Highland Avenue, K4/736 CSC, Madison, WI 53792, USA; kennedyg@surgery.wisc.edu Cancer of the large intestine is often referred to as colorectal cancer. The problem with using the term ‘colorectal’ when referring to the large intestine is it fails to draw a distinction between the abdominal colon and the rectum. Those who routinely treat cancers of the colon and rectum will be the first to agree that the surgical approach and oncological priorities for colon and rectal cancer are different. For example, local–regional recurrence of cancer is much more prevalent when treating rectal cancer and likely reflects surgical technique [1,2]. Highquality surgical studies have found the rates of local recurrence for colon cancer to be in the order of 1% [3,4]. However, similar high-quality surgical studies have found rates of local recurrence of rectal cancer to vary between 5 and 30% [2,5,6]. In addition, rates of postoperative anastomotic leak for patients under going surgery for colon cancer differ from those of patients undergoing surgery for rectal cancer by a factor of 2–30 [7–9]. Finally, the preoperative evaluation and treatment of patients with rectal cancer is more involved than patients with colon cancer [10,11]. Given the obvious difference between cancers of the colon and rectum, the next task is to consider the operative approach of these distinct problems. We know from high-quality randomized controlled trials that a laparoscopic surgical approach to colon cancer does not lead to inferior oncological outcomes compared with open surgery [3,12,13]. We also know that laparoscopic colon surgery is more difficult than open colon surgery and involves a steep learning curve [14,15]. However, once surgeons learn the technique, the oncologic outcomes with laparoscopy are the same outcomes as with open surgery and low-volume experts perform as well as high-volume experts [13,16]. Finally, multiple investigators have reported highquality studies from large national databases demonstrating measurable benefits of laparoscopy over open surgery for the treatment of colon cancer and other colon diseases [17–19]. “Those who routinely treat cancers of the colon and rectum will be the first to agree that the surgical approach and oncological priorities for colon and rectal cancer are different.” EDITORIAL
Parallel processor for real-time structural control

A parallel processor that is optimized for real-time linear control has been developed. This modular system consists of A/D modules, D/A modules, and floating-point processor modules. The scalable processor uses up to 1,000 Motorola DSP96002 floating-point processors for a peak computational rate of 60 GFLOPS. Sampling rates up to 625 kHz are supported by this analog-in to analog-out controller. The high processing rate and parallel architecture make this processor suitable for computing state-space equations and other multiply/accumulate-intensive digital filters. Processor features include 14-bit conversion devices, low input-to-output latency, 240 Mbyte/s synchronous backplane bus, low-skew clock distribution circuit, VME connection to host computer, parallelizing code generator, and look- up-tables for actuator linearization. This processor was designed primarily for experiments in structural control. The A/D modules sample sensors mounted on the structure and the floating- point processor modules compute the outputs using the programmed control equations. The outputs are sent through the D/A module to the power amps used to drive the structure's actuators. The host computer is a Sun workstation. An OpenWindows-based control panel is provided to facilitate data transfer to and from the processor, as well as to control the operating mode of the processor. A diagnostic mode is provided to allow stimulation of the structure and acquisition of the structural response via sensor inputs.