cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behavioral and electroencephalographic effects of micro-injections of neurohumors into the midbrain reticular formation

Abstract The application of adrenergic and cholinergic substances to restricted portions of the mesencephalic reticular formation of unanesthetized and unrestrained rats produced reversible behavioral changes which appeared to be related to effects on the organism's responsiveness to sensory information. Cholinergic drugs markedly increased the animals' reactivity to suprathreshold stimuli. Norepinephrine produced related depressant effects. Basic sensory detection thresholds appeared unaffected. The facilitatory effects of cholinergic injections as well as the inhibitory effects of norepinephrine interfered with the acquisition and execution of conditioned responses in various appetitive test situations (brightness discriminations, 2-lever operant responding). Differential drug effects were observed in aversive test situations. Microinjections of a cholinomimetic drug significantly improved conditioning and the performance of conditioned avoidance responses in low-shock situations but disrupted behavior in high-shock tests. Norepinephrine improved responding in the high-shock situations but lowered performance levels in the low-shock tests. Adrenolytic and cholinolytic substances produced effects on behavior which suggest that the apparently selective sensitivity of brainstem neurons to the two classes of neurohumors may play a role in the normal function of the reticular formation. The injections did not significantly modify the gross electrical (EEG) activity at the site of application but did induce significant shifts in frequency and amplitude of the cortical EEG.
Transplacental arsenic plus postnatal 12-O-teradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate exposures associated with hepatocarcinogenesis induce similar aberrant gene expression patterns in male and female mouse liver

Our prior work shows that in utero arsenic exposure alone is a complete transplacental carcinogen, producing hepatocellular carcinoma in adult male offspring but not in females. In a follow-up study to potentially promote arsenic-initiated tumors, mice were exposed to arsenic (85 ppm) from gestation day 8 to 18 and then exposed to 12-O-teradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a well-known tumor promoter after weaning. The dermal application of TPA (2 mug/0.1 ml acetone, twice/week for 21 weeks) after transplacental arsenic did not further increase arsenic-induced liver tumor formation in adult males but significantly increased liver tumor formation in adult females. Thus, for comparison, liver tumors and normal liver samples taken from adult male and female mice at necropsy were analyzed for aberrant gene/protein expression by microarray, real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Arsenic/TPA treatment resulted in increased expression of alpha-fetoprotein, k-ras, c-myc, estrogen receptor-alpha, cyclin D1, cdk2na, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, cytokeratin-8, cytokeratin-18, glutathione S-transferases and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in liver and liver tumors from both male and female mice. Arsenic/TPA also decreased the expression of BRCA1, betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase, CYP7B1, CYP2F2 and insulin-like growth factor-1 in normal and cancerous livers. Alterations in these gene products were associated with arsenic/TPA-induced liver tumors, regardless of sex. Thus, transplacental arsenic plus postnatal TPA exposure induced similar aberrant gene expression patterns in male and female mouse liver, which are persistent and potentially important to the mechanism of arsenic initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis.
Progesterone action in breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers

Progesterone and progesterone receptors (PRs) are essential for the development and cyclical regulation of hormone-responsive tissues including the breast and reproductive tract. Altered functions of PR isoforms contribute to the pathogenesis of tumors that arise in these tissues. In the breast, progesterone acts in concert with estrogen to promote proliferative and pro-survival gene programs. In sharp contrast, progesterone inhibits estrogen-driven growth in the uterus and protects the ovary from neoplastic transformation. Progesterone-dependent actions and associated biology in diverse tissues and tumors are mediated by two PR isoforms, PR-A and PR-B. These isoforms are subject to altered transcriptional activity or expression levels, differential crosstalk with growth factor signaling pathways, and distinct post-translational modifications and cofactor-binding partners. Herein, we summarize and discuss the recent literature focused on progesterone and PR isoform-specific actions in breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers. Understanding the complexity of context-dependent PR actions in these tissues is critical to developing new models that will allow us to advance our knowledge base with the goal of revealing novel and efficacious therapeutic regimens for these hormone-responsive diseases.
The Continuum of “Troubling” to “Troubled” Behavior Exploratory Case Studies of African American Students in Programs for Emotional Disturbance

This article discusses the construction of the “emotional disturbance” (ED) category in the cases of four African American elementary students. These cases represent a sub-set of data from a three-year ethnographic study of the special education process in a large, culturally/linguistically diverse school district. Based on interviews, observations, and examination of students’ records, the data revealed three inappropriate, yet significant, contributors to the children’s classification as ED: inadequate instruction/behavior management prior to referral, exclusion of contextual classroom information from the decision-making process, and subjective/arbitrary evaluation processes. Presented is a cross-case thematic analysis of these complex and problematic processes and their outcomes. The authors call for a reconsideration of “ED” to reflect a behavioral continuum rather than the current categorical formulation, a more holistic view acknowledging the contribution of school contexts in the evaluation of chi...
Effects of fire season and intensity on Prosopis glandulosa Torr. var. glandulosa

In pyrogenic ecosystems, responses of resprouting woody vegetation may depend more on fire season than on intensity. I explored this hypothesis by examining fire season and intensity effects on response of Prosopis glandulosa, a resprouting shrub in Chihuahuan desert grasslands of the south-western United States. Clipping as well as low and high intensity fires (natural and added fuels, respectively) were applied during the 1999 growing season and the 2000 dormant season. Both fire season and intensity affected shrub responses. Numbers of resprouts increased 16%, and heights increased 8% after dormant season versus growing season treatments of fire and clipping combined. Height and resprout number decreased with increased fire intensity. Fire season and intensity effects on canopy area and stem growth were generally not detected. My results do not support the above hypothesis. Instead, fire season and intensity influence shrub responses in different ways via different mechanisms. Prosopis glandulosa has the potential to respond more after dormant season than growing season fires, perhaps as determined by carbohydrate availability in underground organs at the time of fire. However, realization of this potential is contingent on fire intensity as influenced primarily by fuel amount. In turn, fire intensity will determine the amount and duration of heat penetration into soils and thus the amount of damage to growing points of under-ground organs.
Determination of endogenous tissue inflammation profiles by LC/MS/MS: COX- and LOX-derived bioactive lipids

Cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase arachidonate products, including prostaglandins (PGs), leukotrienes (LTs), and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs), are known to modulate inflammation within tissues and can serve as important etiologic factors in carcinogenesis. Eicosanoid content in tissues is typically determined either as a single molecular species through antibody-based assays or by high-performance liquid chromatography after addition of an exogenous substrate such as arachidonic acid. Unfortunately, the methods currently in use are either time-consuming or complicated. Here we report a method for simultaneously identifying eicosanoids appearing as endogenous bioactive lipids in in vivo settings using LC/MS/MS. The analyses indicate marked differences in endogenous eicosanoid content between malignant tissue types suggesting a need for selective therapeutic approaches. As a demonstration of the utility of the method, we present data to show that the technique can be used to distinguish eicosapentaenoic acid-derived formation of PGE3 from PGE2 in murine prostate tissue. The method has also been applied to an examination of endogenous eicosanoid metabolism in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced oral cancer in hamsters demonstrating the inflammatory nature of this type of cancer with elevated levels of both PGE2 and LTB4. In addition, the concentration of the eicosanoid 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid was 67.6% lower in DMBA treated specimens than in control specimens. Thus, our method provides a powerful tool for measuring modulation of eicosanoid metabolites in various preclinical and clinical tissues and may be useful in studies of the endogenous changes in eicosanoid metabolism at various stages of cancer development.
Antibiotic use in the first year of life and asthma in early childhood.

Summary Background An association between antibiotic use in early life and asthma in childhood has been reported in five retrospective studies and one longitudinal study. Objective To examine the relation between the use of oral antibiotics in the first year of life and asthma in early childhood. Methods Longitudinal follow-up of 4408 children enrolled in a health maintenance organization (HMO) from birth to the age of 5 years. Results After adjusting for sex and illnesses of the lower respiratory tract (LRIs), we found a significant association between antibiotic use in the first year of life and asthma between the ages of 1 and 2 years (odds ratio (OR) for 1–2 vs. no courses of antibiotics=1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.3–2.7; OR for 3–4 vs. no courses of antibiotics=1.6, 95% CI=1.1–2.4; OR for at least 5 vs. no courses of antibiotics=2.1, 95% CI=1.5–3.2). After adjustment for sex and LRIs in the first year of life, there was no significant association between antibiotic use in the first year of life and asthma that was initially diagnosed between the ages of 2 and 5 years and that persisted up to the age of 5 years (OR for 1–2 vs. no courses of antibiotics=1.1, 95% CI=0.8–1.4; OR for 3–4 vs. no courses of antibiotics=1.3, 95% CI=0.9–1.8; OR for at least 5 vs. no courses of antibiotics=1.0, 95% CI=0.7–1.4). Conclusions Our findings do not support the hypothesis that antibiotic use in early life is associated with the subsequent development of asthma in childhood but rather suggest that frequent antibiotic use in early life is more common among asthmatic children.
Constitutive activation of myosin-dependent contractility sensitizes glioma tumor-initiating cells to mechanical inputs and reduces tissue invasion

Tumor-initiating cells (TIC) perpetuate tumor growth, enable therapeutic resistance, and drive initiation of successive tumors. Virtually nothing is known about the role of mechanotransductive signaling in controlling TIC tumorigenesis, despite the recognized importance of altered mechanics in tissue dysplasia and the common observation that extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness strongly regulates cell behavior. To address this open question, we cultured primary human glioblastoma (GBM) TICs on laminin-functionalized ECMs spanning a range of stiffnesses. Surprisingly, we found that these cells were largely insensitive to ECM stiffness cues, evading the inhibition of spreading, migration, and proliferation typically imposed by compliant ECMs. We hypothesized that this insensitivity may result from insufficient generation of myosin-dependent contractile force. Indeed, we found that both pharmacologic and genetic activation of cell contractility through RhoA GTPase, Rho-associated kinase, or myosin light chain kinase restored stiffness-dependent spreading and motility, with TICs adopting the expected rounded and nonmotile phenotype on soft ECMs. Moreover, constitutive activation of RhoA restricted three-dimensional invasion in both spheroid implantation and Transwell paradigms. Orthotopic xenotransplantation studies revealed that control TICs formed tumors with classical GBM histopathology including diffuse infiltration and secondary foci, whereas TICs expressing a constitutively active mutant of RhoA produced circumscribed masses and yielded a 30% enhancement in mean survival time. This is the first direct evidence that manipulation of mechanotransductive signaling can alter the tumor-initiating capacity of GBM TICs, supporting further exploration of these signals as potential therapeutic targets and predictors of tumor-initiating capacity within heterogeneous tumor cell populations.
Integrated model of hepatic and peripheral glucose regulation for estimation of endogenous glucose production during the hot IVGTT

We have developed a new model to describe endogenous glucose kinetics during a labeled (hot) intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) to derive a time profile of endogenous glucose production (EG...
Keratin 17: Cervical Cancer Prognostic Marker Promotes p27-Nuclear Export and Tumor Growth

Recently, we identified keratin 17 (K17) as a negative prognostic marker for cervical cancer and based on preliminary data, we set out to determine if K17 is related to tumor stage and sustained proliferation. K17 and tumor suppressor p27 were detected by immunohistochemistry in cervical cancer specimens and multivariate survival analysis was conducted. Loss and gain of function approaches were performed by in vitro and in vivo by RNAi and transgenic expression of wild type and mutant K17 in cervical cancer cell lines. The five-year survival for low K17 cervical cancer cases was 90% versus 52% for high K17 cases; the differences were consistent across low and high stage groups. K17 expression promoted cell proliferation and tumor growth and silencing of K17 induced G1 arrest and decreased tumor mass by nuclear stabilization of p27, a key regulator of G1/S transition. During G1, K17 was found in the nucleus bound to nuclear p27. Nuclear p27 was lost in cells expressing wild-type K17 but nuclear p27 levels ...
Deconstructing complexin function in activating and clamping Ca2+-triggered exocytosis by comparing knockout and knockdown phenotypes

Complexin, a presynaptic protein that avidly binds to assembled SNARE complexes, is widely acknowledged to activate Ca2+-triggered exocytosis. In addition, studies of invertebrate complexin mutants and of mouse neurons with a double knockdown (DKD) of complexin-1 and -2 suggested that complexin maintains the readily releasable pool (RRP) of vesicles and clamps spontaneous exocytosis. In contrast, studies of mouse neurons with a double knockout (DKO) of complexin-1 and -2, largely carried out in hippocampal autapses, did not detect changes in the RRP size or in spontaneous exocytosis. To clarify complexin function, we here directly compared in two different preparations, cultured cortical and olfactory bulb neurons, the phenotypes of complexin DKD and DKO neurons. We find that complexin-deficient DKD and DKO neurons invariably exhibit a ∼50% decrease in vesicle priming. Moreover, the DKD consistently increased spontaneous exocytosis, but the DKO did so in cortical but not olfactory bulb neurons. Furthermore, the complexin DKD but not the complexin DKO caused a compensatory increase in complexin-3 and -4 mRNA levels; overexpression of complexin-3 but not complexin-1 increased spontaneous exocytosis. Complexin-3 but not complexin-1 contains a C-terminal lipid anchor attaching it to the plasma membrane; addition of a similar lipid anchor to complexin-1 converted complexin-1 from a clamp into an activator of spontaneous exocytosis. Viewed together, our data suggest that complexin generally functions in priming and Ca2+ triggering of exocytosis, and additionally contributes to the control of spontaneous exocytosis dependent on the developmental history of a neuron and on the subcellular localization of the complexin.
The Israeli High-Risk Study: Statistical Overview and Discussion

We have attempted to provide an overview of the initial evaluation of high-risk and control children. Summary measures of pathology were calculated for each clinical evaluation and objective test of the subjects. Correlational analysis revealed a pattern of intercorrelations among clinical subjective measures of pathology, and among objective measures, with no significant cross-correlations between the two types of measures. The one exception was the presence of neurological soft signs, which tended to correlate with both clinically and objectively measured pathology. Cluster analysis revealed three groups of subjects: a small group of index subjects who performed poorly on both clinical and objective measures; a larger cluster, predominantly index subjects, who showed clinical but not objective pathology; and a third group, including most of the controls, who functioned relatively well on both types of measures. Index subjects tended to show more consistent pathology across both clinical-subjective and objective examinations than controls. We hypothesize that our results stem from underlying deficits in attention, motor function, and perceptual-motor integration in offspring of schizophrenic patients. The finding of an inverse relationship between degree of pathology and age among the index children raises the possibility that developmental lags also play a part in the pathology of our high-risk subjects. Language: en
Primary prevention of disordered eating among preadolescent girls: Feasibility and short-term effect of a community-based intervention

Abstract Objective To evaluate a community-based intervention aimed at the primary prevention of disordered eating among preadolescent girls. Design Girl Scout troop members were randomized into control and intervention groups. Program feasibility and effect at postintervention and 3-month follow-up were evaluated. Subjects/setting 226 girls (mean age=10.6 years, standard deviation=0.7) from 24 Girl Scout troops. Intervention Six 90-minute sessions focusing on media literacy and advocacy skills. Main outcome measures Evaluation focused on program satisfaction and short-term effect on dieting behaviors, body image attitudes, and media knowledge, attitudes, and habits. Statistical analyses performed t tests, χ 2 tests, and analyses of covariance including troop as a random source of variation. Results At baseline, 29% of the girls were trying to lose weight. The program had a notable positive influence on media-related attitudes and behaviors including internalization of sociocultural ideals, self-efficacy to impact weight-related social norms, and print media habits. A modest program effect on body-related knowledge and attitudes was apparent at post-intervention (ie, on body size acceptance, puberty knowledge, and perceived weight status) but not at follow-up. Significant changes were not noted for dieting behaviors, but they were in the hypothesized direction. Satisfaction with the program was high among girls, parents, and leaders. Applications/conclusions It is feasible to use community youth settings, such as the Girl Scouts, to implement interventions to prevent disordered eating behaviors. The program led to positive trends in outcome variables; however, longer and more intensive interventions are needed for lasting changes in body image and dieting behaviors. Am Diet Assoc 2000; 100:1466-1473 .
The Meaning of Green: Contrasting Criminological Perspectives

Previous discussions of green criminology have not defined the meaning of the term `green'. Here we investigate alternative definitions of this term, focusing attention on two contrasting definitio...
Prehistoric species richness of birds on oceanic islands

Using data on prehistoric and modern birds from seven islands in the Kingdom of Tonga, we demonstrate that there is no positive relationship between species richness (S) and island area (A) over the observed range of A (1.8-259 km 2 ). The uniform S-values occur across more than three orders of magnitude of A when prehistoric data are included, and the strongest predictor of S on any island is the level of fossil sampling (number of identified bones). Below a minimum value for A (in Tonga < 1.8 km 2 ), S declines to zero as A does the same. Within the ranges of island elevation (E) and inter-island isolation (I) among the seven islands, neither E (11-312 m) nor I (0.6-38 km) has much if any effect on S. Under natural (pre-human) conditions, a positive species-area relationship may not be a valid generalization for birds on oceanic islands.
Effects of Alpha Adrenergic Stimulation and Blockade on Early Afterdepolarizations Induced by Cesium in Canine Cardiac Purkinje Fibers

Alpha Adrenergic Stimulation and EADs. The effects of alpha adrenergic stimulation and three alpha adrenoceptor blockers on early afterdepolarizations (EADs) were examined in canine card diac Purkinje fibers. In the first group of 18 preparations, EADs were induced by superfusion with 7.5 mM cesium (Cs) dissolved in low potassium (2.7 mM KCl) Tyrode's solution. During alpha adrenoceptor stimulation (norepinephrine 1 μM and propranolol 1 μM) to enhance EADs, the effects of phentotamine and two new alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonists, benoxathian and WB 4101 (1, 3, and 10 μM), were examined. WB 4101 (1 μM) suppressed EADs in all six preparations. Benoxathian required 3 μM in five preparations and 10 μM in one to suppress EADs. Phentolamine (10 μM) suppressed EADs in two of six preparations. In the second group of 21 preparations, the effects on cesium-induced EADs of the three alpha adrenoceptor hlockers (10 μM) were examined without alpha adrenoceptor stimulation. WB 4101 (10 μM) suppressed EADs in seven of seven preparations, while benoxathian (10 μM) suppressed EADs in five of seven. Phentolamine (10 μM) enhanced EADs in six of seven preparations. In the third group of 24 Purkinje fibers, the direct effects (without alpha adrenoceptor stimulation) of these three antagonists on the characteristics of normal Purkinje fiber action potentials superfused with normal Tyrode's solution were examined. Phentolamine (1, 3, and 10 μM, n = 8) prolonged action potential duration at 90% repolarization (APD90) by 5.3%± 1.3%, 10.0%± 1.8%, and 14.3%± 2.7%, respectively. Benoxathian (n = 8) and WB 4101 (n = 8) shortened APD90 equally: 6.8%± 1.1% vs 7.7%± 1.3% at 1 μM, 13.6%± 1.0% vs 14.5%± 1.6% at 3 μM, and 21.1%± 1.2% vs 20.8%± 2.1% at 10 μM, respectively. We conclude that in cesium treated Purkinje fibers: (1) Alpha adrenoceptor stimulation enhanced EADs; (2) Phentolamine was least effective in suppressing EADs, probably because of a direct effect that prolonged MM)90,: and (3) Although benoxathian and WB 4101 had similar etTects on APD90, WB 4101 was more effective in suppressing EADs at lower concentrations than henoxathian.
Nature and Origin of Cretaceous Carbon‐rich Facies

Nature and Origin of Cretaceous Carbon-rich Facies is a symposium volume and shows the weaknesses endemic to its genre. One could ignore the book and its shortcomings if the topic were less promising. But the book attempts to cover an advance in the science of geology as intriguing as any since plate tectonics. After seven years since the “ocean anoxic event” concept was broached, it is time for a comprehensive volume on the subject. The niche is still open; this volume doesn't fill it.
A High-Linearity, X-Band, SiGe Low-Noise Amplifier for Improved Dynamic Range in Next-Generation Radar and Wireless Systems

We present a high-dynamic range (HDR) X-band LNA implemented in silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology tar- geting high-performance radar and wireless communications applications. To our knowledge, this is the first Si-based LNA to achieve over 30 dB gain, 30 dBm of OTOI, and 2 dB noise figure at X-band. System-level performance simulations clearly show the benefits of using HDR LNAs in the receive chain. The performance of this SiGe HDR LNA compares very favorably with other state-of-the-art LNAs, highlighting the capabilities of SiGe technology for these types of applications. and less than 2 dB noise figure. Due to these demanding requirements, both a small-signal and large-signal amplifier design methodology was used to design this high-dynamic range (HDR) LNA. The LNA was fabricated in a SiGe BiCMOS platform (IBM 8HP) utilizing SiGe HBTs with an fT/fmax of 200/280 GHz (3). In this paper, we present the results from the first-ever reported SiGe X-band LNA to achieve 30 dBm of OTOI, 30 dB of gain, with 2 dB of noise figure. Section II highlights the hybrid LNA design approach. Section III reports the measured results, while Section IV analyzes these results in the context of a radar system and benchmarks these results against other LNAs, followed by a summary.
Explaining the Stability of Negotiated Settlements to Intrastate Wars

Although the majority of civil wars end when one warring party achieves a victory over the other, negotiated agreements are growing more common as a means of ending intrastate conflict. To explain why some negotiated settlements prove stable and others do not, scholars have examined the impact of factors such as superpower conflict, group identities, and third-party guarantors. This article argues that those negotiated settlements that are the most extensively institutionalized—that is, that provide institutional guarantees for the security threats antagonists face as they move toward a situation of centralized state power—are the ones most likely to prove stable. An analysis of all settlements negotiated to end intrastate conflicts during the period between 1945 and 1997 supports this proposition.
Ex vivo expansion and gene therapy using cord blood CD34+ cells.

CD34+ cells can be efficiently isolated from cord blood by sequential Percoll, Ficoll—Hypaque, and immunomagnetic bead separation. This population, containing up to 25% progenitor cells and 0.2-1% ...
Effect of low- and intermediate-purity clotting factor therapy on progression of human immunodeficiency virus infection in congenital clotting disorders. Transfusion Safety Study Group

Low- and intermediate-purity clotting-factor therapies are believed to accelerate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progression in hemophiliacs through adverse immune effects of the other plasma proteins in the preparations. To investigate this postulate, we evaluated data from six clinical centers that observed persons with congenital factor deficiencies at 6-month intervals. The present analysis is based on HIV-infected subjects who received intermediate purity factor VIII or factor IX concentrates, or cryoprecipitate. For long-term outcome, we classified 374 subjects by the type and amount of treatment during our first year of observation, and determined the subsequent rate of progression to a CD4 count less than 200 cells/microL. A second analysis of this group used a repeated-measures, random-effect model that allowed for individual differences in CD4 decline. Finally, we compared short-term rates of change in CD4 count in each treatment interval of 525 subjects with the type and amount of factor therapy received in the same interval. There was no overall or dose-related deleterious effect of any form of treatment on CD4 trend. The CD4 decrease was less when cryoprecipitate was administered alone or combined with concentrate, but not significantly so. Our results counter the assertion that low- and intermediate-purity products accelerate the rate of CD4 decrease in HIV-1-infected hemophiliacs.
Electrical and structural characterizations of crystallized Al2O3/GaN interfaces formed by in situ metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Al2O3 films were grown in situ by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at 900 °C on GaN of both Ga- and N-face polarities. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed that the Al2O3 films were crystalline and primarily γ-phase. The Al2O3/Ga-GaN and Al2O3/N-GaN interfaces were both atomically sharp, and the latter further exhibited a biatomic step feature. The corresponding current-voltage (J-V) characteristics were measured on a metal-Al2O3-semiconductor capacitor (MOSCAP) structure. The leakage current was very high when the Al2O3 thickness was comparable with the size of the crystalline defects, but was suppressed to the order of 1 × 10−8 A/cm2 with larger Al2O3 thicknesses. The interface states densities (Dit) were measured on the same MOSCAPs by using combined ultraviolet (UV)-assisted capacitance-voltage (C-V), constant capacitance deep level transient spectroscopy (CC-DLTS), and constant capacitance deep level optical spectroscopy (CC-DLOS) techniques. The average Dit measured by CC-...
Hereditary methemoglobinemia: a new variant exhibiting dominant inheritance of methemoglobin A.

1. A case of dominantly inherited methemoglobinemia is described. 2. Despite the pattern of autosomal dominant inheritance, the hemoglobin is thus far indistinguishable from methemoglobin A and is considered to be normal rather than one of the subtypes of hemoglobin M. 3. The primary defect is one in which there is a decreased capacity to reduce methemoglobin via the normal glucose dependent pathway. 4. The nature of the specific defect remains to be more completely elucidated but is considered not to result from a deficiency of TPN or DPN methemoglobin reductase. 5. Hereditary methemoglobinemia and hemoglobin M disease are reviewed.
Magnesium Transport by the Urinary Bladder of the Crab, Cancer Magister

1.Anuric crabs, Cancer magister , in 100% sea water lose most of their ability to regulate serum magnesium levels below that of the external medium, indicating that the antennal gland is the site of most of the crab9s hypo-regulatory ability. 2. In vitro measurement of unidirectional fluxes of 28 Mg across tissue from the urinary bladder (the terminal element of the antennal gland) showed significant, serosa-to-lumen (SL) net flux of 0.280 ± 0.059 μequiv cm –2 h –1 which was greatly reduced by 5 mM ouabain. Based on the calculated surface area of the bladder in the crab, the net SL flux of magnesium in vitro sufficient to account for the in vivo rate of magnesium excretion by the antennal gland. Bladder tissue from magnesium-depleted crabs which had stopped concentrating magnesium in the urine did not show a significant, net SL flux of 28 Mg in vitro . 3. It is speculated that magnesium enters the bladder cell by a sodium-coupled process at the serosal border and is actively transported into the urine at the luminal border. 4. Eyestalk ablation caused no significant changes in urinary rate or magnesium levels in serum or urine; thus neurosecretory centres in the eyestalk are apparently not involved in control of magnesium secretion by the antennal gland. 5. Large, nearly equal, net effluxes of 22 Na (1.33 ± 0.19 μequiv cm –2 h –1 , ouabain-insensitive) and 36 Cl (1.26 ± 0.34 μequiv cm –2 h –1 ) from the urine were measured in bladder preparations in vitro . It is speculated that this net efflux of salt may be the driving force for fluid reabsorption from the urine by the antennal gland.
Stronger and Longer Synthetic Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human proteome. The post-translational modification of collagen by the enzyme prolyl 4-hydroxylase increases markedly the conformational stability of the collagen triple helix. We have discovered that a previously unappreciated force—stereoelectronic effects—is responsible for this increased stability. By exploiting these stereoelectronic effects (e.g., the gauche effect and n→π* interaction) and reciprocal steric effects, we have created synthetic collagen of unprecedented stability. We have also used the molecular self-assembly of triple-helical fragments to create synthetic collagen of unprecedented length. These synthetic collagens have numerous applications in biotechnology and biomedicine.
A Strong Plea: The Future of Education

(1942). A Strong Plea: The Future of Education. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 13, No. 8, pp. 455-455.
Growth and development of Rattus exulans.

Growth and development were studied in the Polynesian rat, Rattus exulans , at Kure Atoll, Hawaii, and in the laboratory. Reproduction is seasonal on Kure, mean litter size is 4.07 in the field and 3.97 in the laboratory, and sex ratios of litters are equal. Gestation is 19 to 21 days in the laboratory, and post-partum estrus occurs. Growth in weight and linear dimensions is most rapid in the first 4 weeks. Sight and hearing are present by the end of the second week, and weaning occurs by the end of the fourth. Sexual dimorphism in weight and linear dimensions results from the continued growth of males after the twelfth week and a reduction of growth rates in females. Captives grow heavier and larger than wild animals, possibly as a result of nutritional differences. Animals from Kure are significantly larger than those from the Carolines and Malaya. The relationship between adrenal weight and age appears to be linear for the first 110 days, and correlation is strongest between adrenal weight and body length. Spleens are relatively larger in young animals, probably as a result of the importance of this organ in prenatal hemopoiesis.
Cognition and breeding practice for good eating quality of rice

The rice eating quality and its related research were recognized and reviewed within breeder's vision. Based on cognition of consumers, rice traders and experts in rice quality, the criterion of good eating quality was summarized as sense of "soft and elastic, smooth,aromatic" aroused from cooked rice. The study on eating quality was reorganized, including physical characteristics of cooked rice, physical characteristics of rice, chemical composition of rice, biological traits of rice plant and rice genes. Breeding for good eating quality and development of Meixiangzhan 2 and its derivative varieties were introduced, the importance of asting rice and broadening genetic distance between parents for good eating quality breeding was emphasized.
Effects of Passengers on Older Driver Safety

The United States population is aging, and by 2030, one in five Americans will be 65 or older (TRB 2004). Clearly, the demographic of older drivers is rapidly growing, and they bring with them special challenges for traffic safety. As people age, they become more susceptible to any injuries, including injuries sustained in a crash. In fact, many of the same factors that increase the likelihood of injury in elderly drivers have also been found to lead to a higher crash-causing propensity. Older drivers may experience a decline in physical and mental facilities that lead to or cause unsafe driving behaviours. Some of these obstacles include the "deterioration of sight and hearing, the onset of muscle, joint, and skeletal disorders, and deterioration of mental and physical response times". The higher crash propensity of older drivers is often attributed to typical aging related deterioration, which affects three functions important to safe and carefree driving: sensory (visual), cognitive and psychomotor. It is estimated that 90 percent of the input that a driver receives is visual. This makes vision the primary sensory function used for driving. The deterioration of visual ability does not only reduce the capability to operate an automobile but it also causes the driver difficulty in judging distances between vehicles which in turn can lead to crash involvement. Loss of peripheral vision to observe approaching vehicles from the sides is also critical. While crash survivability undoubtedly plays a large role in the safety problem facing older drivers, just as much of an issue is crash avoidance (TRB 2004). If measures can be taken to reduce the likelihood that elderly drivers will even be involved in a crash, then some of the obstacles facing older driver mobility can be overcome. Many mitigating factors have been introduced with the goal of decreasing crashes among older drivers: those target the vehicle, the roadway and the driver. Most of these, however, are focused primarily on the design aspects of vehicles and the roadway. The results of deeper passenger research may determine that more effort should be placed on the driver through awareness and education. The effect of passengers on the crash-causing propensity of younger drivers is well established. A few studies have been undertaken in the pursuit of finding the effect of passengers on elderly drivers. Geyer and Ragland used adjusted odds ratios (or) to find the effects of passengers in fatal collisions between 1992 and 2002. The study found that passenger presence in general decreased the risk of the driver being at fault. More specifically, males aged 45 and older were much less likely to be at fault in fatal crashes if passengers accompanied them, and this "protective effect" increased with age. Interestingly, the study also found that passenger presence increased the likelihood that male drivers aged 50 and over were wearing their seat belts. Females also experienced this increased protective effect as well as increased seat belt usage with the presence of passengers, but not as strongly as the male drivers... Language: en
DOES PREPARTUM SUPPLEMENTAL FEED IMPACT BEEF CATTLE PROFITABILITY THROUGH FINISHING

Little is known about the impact of a supplemental prepartum feed ration for cows on the profitability of their calves. Therefore, we investigated the impact of animal characteristics and a supplemental prepartum feed program for cows on net returns to finished steers and the probability of a steer grading Choice or higher. Data were collected for 160 Tennessee steers that were finished in a feedlot. The supplemental prepartum feeding program decreased net returns of finished steers. Several animal characteristics were found to influence net returns of finished steers and the probability of a steer grading Choice or higher.
A Role for fbxo5 in Zebrafish Myelopoiesis.

Abstract The zebrafish is a powerful model system for investigating embryonic vertebrate hematopoiesis that allows for the critical in vivo analysis of cell development and lineage determination. Conservation of the variety of blood cell types and key regulatory factors between mammals and zebrafish suggests that the regulatory mechanisms directing lineage specification are similarly conserved. To identify novel genes necessary for normal myeloid cell development, we have analyzed a panel of zebrafish insertional mutants, provided by Nancy Hopkins at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and identified mutants with deficient or abnormal distribution of myeloperoxidase (mpo), a gene specifically expressed in zebrafish granulocytes. One of the mutants identified in this screen is disrupted in fbxo5, a gene not previously identified as having a role in hematopoiesis. Using whole mount RNA in situ analysis on mutant and morpholino-injected embryos (morphants) we have determined that decreased levels of fbxo5 result in severely diminished numbers of granulocytes, although erythropoiesis appears normal. Interestingly, fbxo5 morphants have normal levels of pu.1 and l-plastin expression. Since we have previously shown that knockdown of pu.1 results in the loss of mpo-expressing cells, our data suggest that fbxo5 may function downstream or in a parallel pathway to pu.1 during granulopoiesis. To determine if the decreased number of granulocytes was due to programmed cell death, we examined the level of apoptosis in morphant versus control embryos. Whole mount acridine orange staining of apoptotic cells indicated that fbxo5 morphants had increased apoptosis, which can be mostly rescued by co-injection with p53 morpholino. However, the fbxo5/p53 double morphants continued to display a severe decrease in granulocytes, suggesting that the loss of granulocytes is not due to p53-mediated apoptosis. Fbxo5 has been examined previously in Xenopus oocytes, where the protein was found to regulate cell cycle progression by inhibiting APC. Interestingly, we have identified multiple mutants in genes that normally regulate the G2/M checkpoint and mitosis during the cell cycle all which display decreased numbers of granulocytes, suggesting a role for the regulation of the cell cycle in granulopoiesis. While further analysis is needed to determine where and how fbxo5 functions during myeloid cell development, as well as each of the genes disrupted in our additional cell cycle mutants, we have identified that fbxo5 is necessary specifically for the normal development of granulocytes.
Early Database Initiatives: The Fyler Codes

The escalating movement in the health care industry towards electronic medical recordkeeping has been substantially impeded by the lack of clinical data standards. The classification systems that are in common use, such as the ICD-9-CM, rely on broad disease categories with insufficient granularity to permit valid analysis of outcomes. This shortcoming is particularly evident in the field of congenital heart disease, where the highly heterogeneous congenital malformations are grouped into just 39categories in the ICD-9 nomenclature. As described in other sections of this book, for over a decade there has been a concerted effort by various consortia of congenital cardiologists and cardiac surgeons to rectify this situation. When undertaking an effort of this magnitude it is useful to examine the successes and failures of existing nomenclatures in order to improve on history rather than to simply repeat it. In this regard, the Fyler Coding System (FCS) is one of the earliest (if not the earliest) experience with introduction of a comprehensive congenital heart disease classification into the routine delivery of cardiac medical and surgical care and 45 years of continuous use are available for analysis of successes and failures. This chapter reviews the history of the FCS with particular emphasis on recognizing the lessons that should be learned by those who seek to implement something better.
Addictive Disorders in Women: The Impact of Maternal Substance Use on the Fetus and Newborn

Addictive disorders are rising to epidemic proportions throughout the United States and globally, placing significant social and economic burdens on industrialized societies. It is well-known that a high percentage of drug-dependent individuals are women of childbearing age. Maternal substance use and abuse exposes the fetus to drugs of dependence during critical periods of development, resulting in short- and long-term neurodevelopmental effects in infancy and childhood. Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a term that was initially used to describe the withdrawal symptoms observed in infants who were exposed to opioids in utero. As we have learned more about the various effects of in utero drug exposure and the subsequent consequences, NAS has become a term that more broadly describes the signs and symptoms of withdrawal resulting from any dependence-inducing substance consumed by a pregnant woman. The aim of this review is to discuss the perinatal outcome of pregnancy associated with maternal drug use. In the United States and other developed nations, the incidence of NAS continues to rise, paralleling the evolution of the opioid epidemic. Chronic in utero exposures to licit and illicit drugs of dependence have fetal, neonatal, and early childhood consequences and are addressed in this review.
Conformationally Dynamic Radical Transfer within Ribonucleotide Reductase

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNR) catalyze the reduction of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides through a mechanism involving an essential cysteine based thiyl radical. In the E. coli class 1a RNR the thiyl radical (C439•) is a transient species generated by radical transfer (RT) from a stable diferric-tyrosyl radical cofactor located >35 A away across the α2:β2 subunit interface. RT is facilitated by sequential proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) steps along a pathway of redox active amino acids (Y122β ↔ [W48β?] ↔ Y356β ↔ Y731α ↔ Y730α ↔ C439α). The mutant R411A(α) disrupts the H-bonding environment and conformation of Y731, ostensibly breaking the RT pathway in α2. However, the R411A protein retains significant enzymatic activity, suggesting Y731 is conformationally dynamic on the time scale of turnover. Installation of the radical trap 3-amino tyrosine (NH2Y) by amber codon suppression at positions Y731 or Y730 and investigation of the NH2Y• trapped state in the active α2:β2 complex by HYSCORE spectrosco...
Pulmonary damage following right ventricular outflow tachycardia ablation in a child: When electroanatomical mapping isn't good enough

A 14-year-old female was referred for severe pulmonary valve insufficiency after undergoing radiofrequency ablation for a right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia that originated in the proximal pulmonary artery at 10 years of age. Clinical records indicated that ablation was guided solely by electrograms and electroanatomical mapping. Due to myocardial tissue extensions, mapping failed to identify the level of the pulmonary valve annulus, which resulted in delivery of energy on the valve proper and into the pulmonary artery. She developed severe pulmonary valve insufficiency and moderate proximal pulmonary artery stenosis necessitating intravascular stent placement 4 years later with an associated transcatheter valve. Although the nonfluoroscopic approach during ablation has gained wide acceptance for use in children, this report highlights the benefits of adjunctive imaging to identify the precise location of the pulmonary valve when ablation therapy is contemplated in the right ventricle outflow tract.
Evaluating vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam in ED patients with severe sepsis and septic shock

Abstract Study objective To determine the frequency and cause of inadequate initial antibiotic therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock in the emergency department (ED), characterize its impact on patient outcomes, and identify patients who would benefit from an alternative initial empiric regimen. Methods Retrospective cohort study conducted between 2012 and 2015 in which 342 patients with culture-positive severe sepsis or septic shock who received initial vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam were reviewed to determine appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy, risk factors for inappropriate use, and outcome data. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were determined to identify associations between inappropriate antibiotic use and outcomes and to identify risk factors that may predict which patients would benefit from an alternative initial regimen. Results Vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam were inappropriate for 24% of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, largely due to non-susceptible infections, particularly ESBL organisms and Clostridium difficile. Risk factors included multiple sources of infection (OR 4.383), admission from a skilled nursing facility (OR 3.763), a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR 3.175), intra-abdominal infection (OR 2.890), and immunosuppression (OR 1.930). We did not find a mortality impact. Conclusion Vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam were an inappropriate antibiotic combination for approximately 24% of patients with either severe sepsis or septic shock in the ED. Patients with known COPD, residence at a skilled nursing facility, a history concerning for Clostridium difficile, and immunosuppression would benefit from an alternative regimen. Future prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.