cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Herbivore experience with plant defense compounds influences acquisition of new flavor aversions

Abstract Multiple experiments were conducted with a mammalian herbivore to determine how experience with plant secondary metabolites (terpenes and tannins) influenced acquisition of new aversions to diets containing these same plant metabolites. Goats ( Capra aegagrus hircus ) were employed as behavioral models for this study. Twenty-four subjects were assigned to three treatment groups that received 20 days of experience with test diets: (A) terpene diet only; (B) tannin diet only; and (C) terpene and tannin diets offered singly on alternate days. In experiment 1, all subjects were offered both diets in a two-choice test to determine if experience affected diet preference. Both treatments A and B demonstrated significant preferences for the terpene diet, while treatment C subjects did not exhibit a diet preference. Both diets were offered to all subjects and immediately followed with a 150 mg/kg dose of lithium chloride (LiCl) in experiment 2. A two-choice preference test was conducted to determine if lithium-induced toxicosis would be associated with the least familiar diet. As in experiment 1, treatments A and B preferred terpene diet while treatment C did not demonstrate a preference. Lithium chloride exposure was specifically paired with one of the test diets in experiment 3. A two-choice preference test demonstrated that treatments A, B, and C acquired aversions to tannin diet when it was paired with LiCl administration. However, terpene-paired LiCl administration did not produce an aversion to the terpene diet in treatments A and B. Treatment C preferred tannin diet when the terpene diet was paired with LiCl. A novel flavor was added to the choice of diets in experiment 4. All subjects were offered citric acid (CA), terpene, and tannin-containing diets and immediately dosed with LiCl. Subjects that acquired aversions to the tannin diet in experiment 3 continued to avoid tannin diet in experiment 4 and preferred terpene diet while eating significant quantities of the novel CA diet. Only treatment C subjects with previous terpene-paired LiCl exposures demonstrated aversions to the CA diet. These results have implications for the conduct of flavor aversion studies and the application of flavor aversion learning (FAL).
Glycosomes — the organelles of glycogen metabolism

Abstract This article reviews the data concerning the electron microscopical interpretation of glycogen. It demonstrates that glycogen in the cell is associated with the enzymes involved in its metabolism and that the glycogen-protein complex forms morphologically distinct cell organelles called glycosomes. Glycogen can be visualized in the electron microscope (EM) by histochemical procedures, or by negative staining, but it does not react with heavy metals such as uranium and lead. The protein component of glycosomes, stainable by heavy metals, appears in EM as 20–30 nm granules. While biochemical findings have long indicated the association of glycogen and protein in the cell, morphological interpretation traditionally defined the protein component of glycosomes as particles of glycogen. Accordingly, the term α or β particles, introduced to define particles of glycogen, became subsequently applied to the protein component visible in sections stained by heavy metals. The history of microscopic research reveals the conditions which led to such interpretation. Morphological analysis of the reaction of glycosomes to the acids shows that glycosomes deposited free in the cytosol (lyoglycosomes) are acid labile, whereas the others (desmoglycosomes), intimately associated with different cellular structures, are acid-resistant. These 2 groups correspond to lyo- and desmoglycogen distinguished in early biochemical studies on the basis of their different resistance to the cold trichloroacetic acid. The theory of glycosomes provides a new paradigm which clarifies numerous unexplained data in the microscopic literature on glycogen, and opens a vast field for the research on the cellular metabolism of glycogen, with the use of modern molecular and cellular biology techniques.
Hybridization of rabbit muscle and liver phosphofructokinases

Abstract Phosphofructokinases from rabbit muscle and rabbit liver were hybridized by dissociation at low pH followed by recombination at neutrality. Three hybrid species could be generated to give a total of five phosphofructokinase isoenzymes as detected by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. An identical five-band phosphofructokinase activity pattern was observed upon electrophoresis of rabbit adipose tissue extracts. It is suggested that the phosphofructokinases of liver and muscle differ in the structure of their monomeric units and that each enzyme is a tetramer composed of identical monomers. In adipose tissue, and apparently some other tissues as well, both types of monomeric unit are present. It is proposed that liver phosphofructokinase be identified as phosphofructokinase 1 and the muscle enzyme as phosphofructokinase 5.
Clinical responses to prolonged treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn with low doses of inhaled nitric oxide

We studied the efficacy of low-dose nitric oxide inhalation in nine consecutive patients with severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) who were candidates for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). All patients had marked hypoxemia despite aggressive ventilator management and echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension. Associated diagnoses included meconium aspiration syndrome (3 patients), sepsis (3 patients), and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (2 patients). Infants were initially treated with inhaled nitric oxide at 20 ppm for 4 hours and then at 6 ppm for 20 hours. In all infants, oxygenation promptly improved (arterial/alveolar oxygen ratio, 0.077 +/- 0.016 at baseline vs 0.193 +/- 0.030 at 4 hours; p < 0.001) without a decrease in systemic blood pressure. Sustained improvement in oxygenation was achieved in eight patients treated with inhaled nitric oxide for 24 hours at 6 ppm (arterial/alveolar oxygen ratio, 0.270 +/- 0.053 at 24 hours; p < 0.001 vs baseline). One patient with overwhelming sepsis had an initial improvement of oxygenation with nitric oxide but required ECMO for multiorgan and cardiac dysfunction. We conclude that low doses of nitric oxide cause sustained clinical improvement in severe PPHN and may reduce the need for ECMO. However, immediate availability of ECMO is important in selected cases of PPHN complicated by severe systemic hemodynamic collapse.
Stag head matriarchy: postfeminist domesticity and antlers in Domino Magazine, 2005-9

This article analyzes how antlers and stag heads were displayed as a symbolic expression of gendered social power and class status in the American shelter publication Domino between 2005 and 2009. Influenced by hipster styles circulating in New York City coincident to the magazine's fouryear run, Domino's postfeminist lifestyle narrative promoted practices of curation and a poetics of irony to rationalize the unexpected display of real and faux taxidermy in feminine homescapes, blending the edginess of the hipster's attraction to rural "others" and kitsch with the prestige accorded taxidermy in imperial-era Western museums. Domino's editors sought to articulate a millennial, postfeminist domesticity, and decisively masculine, ambiguously classed antlers became a means of expressing feminine social power. Drawing upon postfeminist tropes of progress, choice, and irony, the magazine's editors and writers taught readers how to decorate and relate to their homes, playfully refracting the masculinity of the stag and the domination inherent in the act of hunting through a brightly hued lens of an unapologetically consumerist feminine subjectivity. Tempering the "trashy" masculinity of hipster kitsch with a liberal ethics and nostalgia for elite early-twentieth-century museology, the tastemakers at Domino deployed antlers and stags to symbolize a new domesticity for a new era.
Comprehensive solid-phase extraction method for persistent organic pollutants. Validation and application to the analysis of persistent chlorinated pesticides.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is involved in many epidemiological studies regarding the measurement of chlorinated pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in specimens obtained from humans. In addition to these commonly determined analytes, there is a need to include additional persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in our analyses, which further stresses the analyses because sample volumes remain small. Thus, a single method of analysis for all POPs in human serum is needed. CDC has recently developed a semiautomated and comprehensive solid-phase extraction method for POPs. The method is comprehensive since it was optimized for the extraction of many different POP compound classes. We then developed a purification and fractionation scheme that allows (a) separation of different compound classes by particular functionalities and (b) purification of those fractions to remove coextracted interferences. This paper describes the first step in the semiautomated comprehensive extraction an...
Response to Comment on “Detection of Emerging Sunspot Regions in the Solar Interior”

Braun claims that his analysis using helioseismic holography does not confirm the detection of emerging sunspot regions. We examine his measurement procedure and explain why his method has different sensitivity than our method. We also discuss possible physical processes that may cause the detected phase travel-time shifts.
Appropriateness of Geriatric Prescribing Decisions Made by Nurse Practitioners and Physicians

Legislators' concerns about the ability of nurse practitioners (NPs) to appropriately prescribe medications underlie the regulatory policies governing prescribing in the United States. As a result, state legislation varies concerning whether prescriptive authority is granted to NPs. The prescribing decisions of NPs and physicians were compared using three standardized geriatric case vignettes. NPs scored higher on an index of appropriateness than physicians a difference that remained whether or not the nurse had regulatory support to prescribe. Recommendations are made for more equitable state prescription policies.
A classification of the forest types of North America

Previous classifications at continental to state/provincial scales were surveyed in order to produce a new classification of North American forests. This classification is of present-day forests and includes both seral and old-growth forest types. The classification is hierarchical, as physiognomically-based formation types are defined on the basis of growth form of dominant trees and subdivided into forest types according to the species of these dominants. The classification includes a total of 68 forest types and 1 complex of forest types. These are presented by formation type (9) and by forest region (11). The number of formation types is largest in forest regions where major climate types intergrade, i.e., in the United States Coastal Plain and Piedmont Lowland (6 types) and the Central American Montane (5). The number of forest types is largest in the Eastern United States Lowland (12) and the Rocky Moutain—Sierra Madre Oriental—Sierra Madre Occidental Montane (11).
The effect of pulse interference in time-domain reflectometry

The author develops a simple mathematical approximation defining: the "time shift" of a "signal" pulse by the sidelobes of an "interference" pulse in an otherwise noisefree environment. This condition exists when nonuniform frequency-domain windowing cannot be used to suppress sidelobe interference. Simulation of, and actual measurements with, a stepped-frequency reflectometer corroborate the theory.
Real-time estimation of predictive firing rate

Abstract Population vector analysis of multi-unit firing code in the motor cortex provides a real-time estimate of the desired voluntary movement direction and trajectory used in neuroprosthesis for assisting paralyzed patients. Accurate estimation of instantaneous firing rate in each epoch used in the population vector calculation is crucial. Yet real-time instantaneous firing rate is often unknown until the next spike has fired. We have developed statistical based estimator for predicting the waiting time for the next spike to fire. Instantaneous firing rate is computed based on the conditional probability density function (pdf), providing a better estimate of the intended movement trajectory.
Digital hologram resolution enhancement using a fast reconstruction algorithm

Abstract Digital holography is a technique for digital 3D information recording and reconstruction. The low-resolution of currently available image sensors could undersample hologram images during acquisition and cause reconstruction failure. This paper proposes to use a fast non-iterative multiframe image reconstruction technique for increasing the spatial resolution of digital holograms by combining multiple shifted low-resolution holographic images, which overcomes the resolution problem with relatively low computational load and improves the reconstruction performance. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Exploring the Use of an iPhone App: A Novel Approach to Dietary Assessment

Recent advancements in smartphone technology have provided new methods of dietary assessment. An iTunes application (app) called Meal Snap lets users take pictures of the meal they eat, and then estimates the calories of the food items eaten. We conducted a pilot study to explore the user-friendliness and calorie estimation functions of the Meal Snap app. Two female nutrition graduate students pilot-tested the Meal Snap app. Using the app, each student took pictures of foods and drinks consumed daily for two weeks. The data were analyzed using the Nutritionist Pro software, version 4.4.0. The mean daily caloric intake obtained from the Meal Snap was then compared with that of Nutritionist Pro. Paired samples t-tests and correlations were carried out using SPSS, version 19. Results indicated there was no significant difference in mean daily caloric consumption between Meal Snap and Nutritionist Pro (p= 0.706). Additionally, there was a significant correlation between Meal Snap and Nutritionist Pro calorie counts (Spearman r= 0.625, p< 0.001). It took about 35 minutes per week (or 5 minutes/day) to snap pictures and edit descriptions, whereas entering data for calorie analysis with Nutritionist Pro took about 85-90 minutes per week (about 13 minutes/day). Findings suggest that Meal Snap may be a user-friendly tool to estimate dietary intake. Future research should include a larger sample and people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, dietary habits and age groups. DOI : 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-14-566 Corresponding Author: Ming-Chin, Yeh, PhD. Associate Professor. CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College. 2180 Third Ave, New York, NY 10035. Phone: 212-396-7776 [1], Fax: 212-396-7644 [2]. myeh@hunter.cuny.edu
Down-regulation of beta catenin inhibits the growth of esophageal carcinoma cells.

Abstract Introduction Esophageal cancer remains a highly lethal malignancy, with therapeutic options of limited efficacy in the majority of patients. Understanding the molecular events involved in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer offers insight into potential targets for treatment. Beta catenin and Wnt signaling abnormalities are involved in the development of both adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma of the esophagus. We hypothesized that down-regulation of beta catenin would inhibit the growth of human esophageal cancer. Methods A human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line (TE10) was treated with phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides to beta catenin. The cells were subsequently assayed for beta catenin mRNA and protein by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Beta catenin transcriptional activity was determined by TOPFlash assay. Cell viability and growth was assessed by methyl-thiazol-diphenyl-tetrazolium assay and trypan blue exclusion. A colorimetric assay was employed to assess caspase 3 activity, and flow cytometry was done to determine percentage of cells in a given phase of the cell cycle. Results Following antisense treatment, beta catenin mRNA and protein concentration were decreased. There was corresponding decrease in beta catenin–transcription factor–dependent transcription. Treatment with beta catenin antisense resulted in significantly decreased cell viability and proliferation. The mechanism appears to be increased induction of apoptosis. Conclusions These data suggest a potential role for the targeting of beta catenin in the treatment of esophageal cancer.
Forest Composition and Species Association in the Beech‐Maple Forest Region of Western Ohio

WVitness trees from the land survey records have proved useful as indices of the character of the original vegetation and have served as a primary basis (Sears 1925; Kenoyer 1930, 1940; Blewett and Potzger 1950; Rohr and Potzger 1950; Potzger and Potzger 1950) or as a confirmatory or supplementary source of information (Lutz 1930; Crowl 1937; Dobbins 1937; Shanks 1937, 1938; Gordon 1940; Fassett 1944; Cottam 1949; Norris 1949) in a number of vegetation surveys in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and WN;isconsin. The present study is based on the land survey records for Shelby County, Ohio, a typical sample area in the heart of the beech-maple forest region of western Ohio (Transeau and Sampson 1935; Braun 1950). Its objectives are: (1) species composition of the original forest based on the witness trees as a representative sample of the vegetation; (2) forest composition differences with differences in soil type and relief; (3) changes in species composition in the secondary forest; (4) analysis of the degree of association between the species used as witness trees in the original land surveys, based on the random pairs of trees used as witnesses at section and quarter-section corners; an(l (5) inferences as to habitat range of major species and their role in the forests. The original land surveys of Shelby County were made by nine surveyors during the years 1798-1832. The typical congressional land survey procedure was used, the land being divided by a grid into sections one mile square. Survey points were established at section corners an(l at intervening half-mile intervals (quarter-section corners) on alternate survey lines. Thus, each mile-square section had six survey points touching it, but the over-all average was two points per square mile, involving four witness trees per square mile. WVith the addition of survey corners along the river and county lines, 2030 trees were listed for this sample area of approximately 413 square miles. These witness tree records were transcribed onto topographic maps for certified copies of the survey records in the County Courthouse, Sidney, Ohio. Several assumptions underlie the analyses and conclusions of this paper: (1) that the species names in the survey records are consistent and identifiable; (2) that the samples are large enough to have validity; (3) that the witness trees are random pairs; and (4) that species can be used as habitat indices. The first two of these assumptions have commonly been discussed in papers which have justified the use of witness trees as a basis of vegetation inferences (S e a r s 1925; 1 Contribution from the Botanical Laboratory, The University of Tennessee, N. Ser. 146. Review of the manuscript and suggestions concerning soil interpretation and terminology by W. S. Ligon, Principal Soil Scientist, Division of Soil Survey, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, are gratefully acknowledged.
Rapid, reliable tests of clearcoat weatherability: a proposed protocol

Abstract In this paper, a protocol is proposed for the rapid prediction of durability of automotive enamel clearcoats. The protocol is designed to minimize test time while maximizing test reliability. The protocol is based primarily on chemical measurements of degradation rates rather than observation of physical failure. There are two key aspects to the protocol. The first is the use of electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) to measure the rate of formation of free radicals in the coating under near-ambient exposure conditions (photo-initiation rate). This measure is used to rapidly screen coatings under development and to monitor the weatherability of previously qualified materials. Extensive, conventional accelerated exposure tests are performed only on new materials with low photo-initiation rates. The second key aspect is the use of spectroscopic measurements of chemical degradation both to select an appropriate accelerated exposure and to determine the ratio of the rate of chemical change during accelerated exposure to that during natural exposure ( i.e. the acceleration factor). Knowing the acceleration factor and the time to failure in a valid accelerated exposure, it is possible to estimate the service life. The service life is then related to the photo-initiation rate and photo-initiation rate measurements are used in coating quality control. This report describes in detail the steps in the protocol, the kind of chemical measurements which may be required, and provides examples of its application.
Occurrence and Treatment of the Mange Mite Notoedres muris in Marsh Rats from South America

The mange mite Notoedres muris is reported from a new host, the marsh rat (Holochilus brasiliensis) from Argentina. The infection involved alopecia and encrustations on the ears and face, and was treated successfully by a subcutaneous injection of ivermectin. The new record suggests that Notoedres muris has become self-maintaining within this marsh rat population.
Effect of composition on thermal stability and electrical resistivity of Ta–Si–N films

The role of composition on the resistivity and thermal stability of sputtered Ta–Si–N films have been studied using X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, and sheet resistance measurement. Films with higher silicon to tantalum ratio were found to be more thermally stable and have higher sheet resistance than films with lower Si to Ta ratio. While Ta0.28Si0.07N0.65 starts to crystallize at about 900°C, Ta0.24Si0.10N0.66 and Ta0.24Si0.12N0.64 were thermal for heat treatment below 1100°C. In-situ sheet resistance measurement also showed that the sheet resistance for the alloys varies with composition and decreases with temperature. Our results indicate that Ta–Si–N films would find other applications in semiconductor devices, beside being used as a diffusion barrier.
Are we legislating reinstitutionalization

Attitudes and trends in the care of the chronic mentally ill are reviewed historically. The present impetus away from community care and back to hospitalization is examined, with special reference to recent legislative initiatives in California, an early leader in the movement to deinstitutionalization. Options for effective action on behalf of the homeless mentally ill are outlined.
Microarray analysis of changes in gene expression in a murine model of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy

Chagas' disease, caused by infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major cause of cardiomyopathy in endemic regions. Infection leads to cardiac remodeling associated with congestive heartfailure and dilated cardiomyopathy. In order to study the changes in the gene expression profile due to infection, C57BL/6×129sv male mice were infected with 1×103 trypomastigotes of the Brazil strain of T. cruzi. Histopathological examination of the myocardium revealed chronic inflammation, vasculitis and fibrosis 100 days post-infection. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed a significantly dilated heart compared with uninfected mice. The relative abundance or depletion of myocardial mRNAs was evaluated using high-density microarrays consisting of 27,400 mouse cDNAs, which were hybridized with fluorescent probes generated from mRNAs of T. cruzi infected and uninfected hearts. Differentially expressed genes were sorted according to their normalized expression patterns and functional groups including those involved in transcription, intracellular transport, structure/junction/adhesion or extracellular matrix, signaling, host defense, energetics, metabolism, cell shape and death. The regulated genes are interpreted in the pathogenesis of chagasic heart disease.
Basic fibroblast growth factor dilates rat pial arterioles

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a polypeptide that promotes the survival and differentiation of brain neurons, glia, and endothelial cells. It has been shown recently that intravenously administered bFGF lowers blood pressure by systemic vasodilation; this effect is mediated, in part, by nitric oxide (NO)-dependent mechanisms. In the current study, we directly evaluated the effect of bFGF on pial arterioles of pentobarbital-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 18) using the closed cranial window technique. Basic FGF (5–200 ng/ml) produced dose-dependent vasodilation; maximal vessel diameter (∼120% of control) was reached at 100 ng/ ml. No vasodilation was found when bFGF was heat inactivated, or preincubated with blocking antibody. Moreover, bFGF-induced vasodilation was attenuated by coadministration of the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), consistent with an NO-dependent mechanism. These results suggest that bFGF may play an important role in the regulation of ce...
Computerized Health Education: A Comparison with Traditional Formats

The present study compared a computerized health education format to face-to-face and written methods. The effects of delivery method on the retention of health information and on participant evaluation of the condition were assessed. College student participants (N = 200) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (computerized, face-to-face, written, or control) such that each condition contained 25 males and 25 females. The experimental groups reviewed a lengthy text on sexually transmitted diseases (STD) whereas the control group received no information. Participants were then assessed for self-report anxiety, appraisement of the experience, and recall of the text. Results showed participants in the computer and written conditions freely recalled at an equivalent rate which was superior to the face-to-face format. No differences emerged between high and low computer experience subgroups of the computer condition. The face-to-face and computer conditions were assessed in positive terms with the written format being assessed more negatively. Although, detailed analysis revealed there was the potential for more negative perception of the computer method in association with increased anxiety. Results are discussed in terms of their demonstrating support for a computerized approach to health education.
A Network Management System for a Heterogeneous, Multi-Tier Network

Network management is a critical component of every network manager''''s job responsibility. This job gets more complicated as the complexity of the network grows. This complexity can be in the form of different manufacturers of deployed devices or added tiers to the network, such as an Ad Hoc Network or a Wireless Sensor Network. Automating, or semi-automating, the data analysis required in network management will decrease the complexity of managing these heterogeneous, multi-tier networks. Incorporating ontology into a network management system can assist the management of a heterogeneous, multi-tier network and reduce the management complexity. A new Network Management System that utilizes ontology has been developed to assist the network management, specifically topology discovery, of a heterogeneous, multi-tier network. Simulation results show that the overhead of using ontology overhead in the new Network Management System is acceptable given the inherent benefits.
Implications of the distribution of Albumin Naskapi and Albumin Mexico for new world prehistory.

The known distributions of two mutational variants of the albumin gene that are restricted to Mexico and/or North America, Albumin Mexico (AL*Mexico) and Albumin Naskapi (AL*Naskapi), were expanded by the electrophoretic analysis of sera collected from more than 3,500 Native Americans representing several dozen tribal groups. With a few exceptions that could be due to recent, isolated cases of admixture, AL*Naskapi is limited to groups that speak Athapaskan and Algonquian, two widely dis- tributed language families not thought to be related, and to several linguis- tically unrelated groups geographically proximate to its probable ancestral homeland. Similarly, AL*Mexico is limited to groups that speak Yuman or Uto-Aztecan, two language groups in the American Southwest and Baja California not thought to be closely related to each other, and to several linguistically unrelated groups throughout Mexico. The simultaneous consid- eration of genetic, historical, linguistic, and archaeological evidence suggests that AL*Naskapi probably originated on the northwestern coast of North America, perhaps in some group ancestral to both Athapaskans and Algon- quians, and then spread by migration and admixture to contiguous unre- lated, or distantly related, tribal groups. AL*Mexico probably originated in Mexico before 3,000 years BP then spread northward along the Tepiman corridor together with cultural influences to several unrelated groups that participated in the Hohokam culture. Am J Phys Anthropol 111: 557-572, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Theory of an Efficient Electronic Phase Shifter Employing a Multilayer Dielectric-Waveguide Structure

The possibility of enhancing the modulation In an electrooptic single-slab dielectric waveguide by exciting high-order modes in thick slabs was first pointed out by Lotspeich [1]. Later, Buckman [2] showed that, for a three-layer dielectric slab structure, the modulation in the effective refractive index of a guided mode could be made to exceed that of the “bulk” refractive index of the active layer by up to a factor of n g 2, where n h 2 is the highest refractive index in tne system. This enhancement in modulation of the effective refractive index n, and hence of the propagation constant β, is critically dependent on the value of n in the absence of modulation, which is, in turn, dependent on the layer thickness.
Circadian Rhythm in the Visual System of the Lizard Anolis carolinensis

The electroretinogram (ERG) was recorded from free-moving Anolis lizards once per hour for 5 days. As in our previous work, the b-wave, but not the a-wave, showed a reliable circadian rhythm (CR) in amplitude, with an acrophase near projected noon. Both the a- and b-waves showed a CR in peak time (implicit time, or IT), with the a-wave IT being longest near midnight, and the b-wave IT at midday. Acrophases were shifted when animals were housed on a phase-shifted light-dark cycle. The ERG CR was unaffected by removal of the parietal organ, but it was virtually abolished by removal of the pineal gland, thus suggesting that pineal output (probably melatonin) modulates retinal responses. In addition to the ERG, the tectal light-evoked potential exhibited a CR--a finding compatible with a circadian variation in retinal output. Lastly, the amplitude of the ERG component waveforms showed a seasonal variation, but the ERG CR was constant across the year.
DETECTION OF BOTULINAL TOXIN GENES: TYPES A AND E OR B AND F USING THE MULTIPLEX POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Multiple primer sets were combined with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and examined for use in the amplification of toxin gene fragments from four Clostridium botulinum types (A, B, E, and F). Vegetative cells obtained from overnight cultures were used directly in the PCR analyses without purification of chromosomal DNA. Gene fragments were amplified from the different botulinal toxin genes that code for types A, B, E and F toxins using a single PCR protocol. Toxin gene fragments were amplified from types B and F toxigenic organisms using the PCR and specific primer sets for these types in a single PCR tube. Type A and E toxin genes were also examined using type A and E specific primers in a separate PCR tube. The PCR-amplified products were separated by electrophoresis on agarose gels containing ethidium bromide. The identity of the PCR products were confirmed by DNA hybridization using type specific probes. We conclude that this method is useful for the rapid and direct identification of toxigenic botulinal organisms that code for the toxin types A, B, E, or F.
The Structure of Sindbis Virus Produced from Vertebrate and Invertebrate Hosts as Determined by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

The complex natural cycle of vectored viruses that transition between host species, such as between insects and mammals, makes understanding the full life cycle of the virus an incredibly complex problem. Sindbis virus, an arbovirus and prototypic alphavirus having an inner protein shell and an outer glycoprotein coat separated by a lipid membrane, is one example of a vectored virus that transitions between vertebrate and insect hosts. While evidence of host-specific differences in Sindbis virus has been observed, no work has been performed to characterize the impact of the host species on the structure of the virus. Here, we report the first study of the structural differences between Sindbis viruses grown in mammalian and insect cells, which were determined by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), a nondestructive technique that did not decrease the infectivity of the Sindbis virus particles studied. The scattering data and modeling showed that, while the radial position of the lipid bilayer did not change significantly, it was possible to conclude that it did have significantly more cholesterol when the virus was grown in mammalian cells. Additionally, the outer protein coat was found to be more extended in the mammalian Sindbis virus. The SANS data also demonstrated that the RNA and nucleocapsid protein share a closer interaction in the mammalian-cell-grown virus than in the virus from insect cells.
The Role of Child Emotionality in Child Behavior and Maternal Instruction on Planning Tasks

This study explored the relation of children's emotional functioning to children's behavior during individual planning and mother's and children's behaviors during joint planning. Participants were 118 mothers and their second-grade children. Mothers rated children on their emotional intensity and children rated themselves on their use of emotion regulation strategies. Children and mother-child dyads were videotaped during planning tasks and independent observers rated their behavior. Child emotional intensity was directly related to children being less engaged in the task and to an emphasis in maternal instruction on regulatory behaviors. Some types of emotion regulation strategies modified these relations. Findings suggest that child emotionality may play an important role in the early school years in children's opportunities to learn during social-cognitive activity. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2005.
Phosphorylation mutants elucidate the mechanism of annexin IV-mediated membrane aggregation

Site-directed mutagenesis, electron microscopy, and X-ray crystallography were used to probe the structural basis of annexin IV-induced membrane aggregation and the inhibition of this property by protein kinase C phosphorylation. Site-directed mutants that either mimic (Thr6Asp, T6D) or prevent (Thr6Ala, T6A) phosphorylation of threonine 6 were produced for these studies and compared with wild-type annexin IV. In vitro assays showed that unmodified wild-type annexin IV and the T6A mutant, but not PKC-phosphorylated wild-type or the T6D mutant, promote vesicle aggregation. Electron crystallographic data of wild-type and T6D annexin IV revealed that, similar to annexin V, the annexin IV proteins form 2D trimer-based ordered arrays on phospholipid monolayers. Cryo-electron microscopic images of junctions formed between lipid vesicles in the presence of wild-type annexin IV indicated a separation distance corresponding to the thickness of two layers of membrane-bound annexin IV. In this orientation, a single layer of WT annexin IV, attached to the outer leaflet of one vesicle, would undergo face-to-face self-association with the annexin layer of a second vesicle. The 2.0-A resolution crystal structure of the T6D mutant showed that the mutation causes release of the N-terminal tail from the protein core. This change would preclude the face-to-face annexin self-association required to aggregate vesicles. The data suggest that reversible complex formation through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation could occur in vivo and play a role in the regulation of vesicle trafficking following changes in physiological states.
A measurement-based admission control algorithm for integrated services packet networks

Many designs for integrated service networks offer a bounded delay packet delivery service to support real-time applications. To provide bounded delay service, networks must use admission control to regulate their load. Previous work on admission control mainly focused on algorithms that compute the worst case theoretical queueing delay to guarantee an absolute delay bound for all packets. In this paper we describe a measurement-based admission control algorithm for predictive service, which allows occasional delay violations. We have tested our algorithm through simulations on a wide variety of network topologies and driven with various source models, including some that exhibit long-range dependence, both in themselves and in their aggregation. Our simulation results suggest that, at least for the scenarios studied here, the measurement-based approach combined with the relaxed service commitment of predictive service enables us to achieve a high level of network utilization while still reliably meeting the delay bound.
Occupational Stress and Health

There has been a growing concern with health problems in the United States, not the least of which is the burgeoning national expenditure on medical care. The failure of accelerating expenditures in medical care to produce proportionate gains in life expectancy or other indicators of the quality of health and life has called into question our society’s tendency to equate quality of health with quality of medical care. Although improvements in the quality, cost-effectiveness, and distribution of medical care are important and necessary, this equation of health with medical care results in vast amounts of money and energy being directed toward increasingly complex institutions to care for the sick, often at the expense of preventive programs aimed at maintaining the health of the nonsick (Task Force Report, 1973).
Mechanisms of iron oxide transformations in hydrothermal systems

Abstract Coexistence of magnetite and hematite in hydrothermal systems has often been used to constrain the redox potential of fluids, assuming that the redox equilibrium is attained among all minerals and aqueous species. However, as temperature decreases, disequilibrium mineral assemblages may occur due to the slow kinetics of reaction involving the minerals and fluids. In this study, we conducted a series of experiments in which hematite or magnetite was reacted with an acidic solution under H 2 -rich hydrothermal conditions ( T = 100–250 °C, P H 2 = 0.05 – 5 MPa ) to investigate the kinetics of redox and non-redox transformations between hematite and magnetite, and the mechanisms of iron oxide transformation under hydrothermal conditions. The formation of euhedral crystals of hematite in 150 and 200 °C experiments, in which magnetite was used as the starting material, indicates that non-redox transformation of magnetite to hematite occurred within 24 h. The chemical composition of the experimental solutions was controlled by the non-redox transformation between magnetite and hematite throughout the experiments. While solution compositions were controlled by the non-redox transformation in the first 3 days in a 250 °C experiment, reductive dissolution of magnetite became important after 5 days and affected the solution chemistry. At 100 °C, the presence of maghemite was indicated in the first 7 days. Based on these results, equilibrium constants of non-redox transformation between magnetite and hematite and those of non-redox transformation between magnetite and maghemite were calculated. Our results suggest that the redox transformation of hematite to magnetite occurs in the following steps: (1) reductive dissolution of hematite to Fe (aq) 2 + and (2) non-redox transformation of hematite and Fe (aq) 2 + to magnetite.
Explaining Suspect Resistance in Police-Citizen Encounters:

The authors analyzed police records to explore why suspects resist arrest. The analysis was based on a sample of 400 police reports from a mid-size urban police department in Southern California. Two hundred cases involved suspects who were charged with resisting arrest. The remaining 200 cases involved arrested suspects who did not resist. The authors used logistic regression to explore the association between several demographic factors and a binary outcome measuring suspect resistance. They found that suspects arrested in police beats characterized by a disproportionate number of calls for service were more likely to resist. They further found that Black suspects were more likely to resist relative to their White and Hispanic counterparts. The authors also explored interaction effects.
Apolipoprotein E allelic influence on human cerebrospinal fluid apolipoproteins

The major apolipoproteins (apo) on human cere- brospinal fluid lipoproteins are apoA-I and apoE. Given the association between inheritance of the « 4 allele of the apoE gene (APOE4) and increased susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease, we tested the hypothesis that cerebrospinal fluid apolipoproteins may be influenced by APOE genotype and Alzheimer's disease. Lipoprotein fractions (d , 1.210 g/ ml) were isolated from cerebrospinal fluid obtained from individuals with different APOE genotypes and with or with- out pathologically verified Alzheimer's disease. Apolipopro- teins were separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electro- phoresis and identified by silver nitrate staining, Western blotting, and N-terminal amino acid sequencing. Four pro- tein species were detected by silver nitrate staining in sub- jects with an APOE3 allele: apoA-I, apoE monomer, apoE- apoA-II heterodimer, and apoE homodimer. In APOE4 homozygotes, only apoA-I and apoE monomer were de- tected. ApoA-II homodimer was demonstrated in all sub- jects by Western blotting. The relative levels of apoE- and apoA-II-containing apolipoproteins correlated with APOE genotype but were not altered by Alzheimer's disease. In contrast to apoE, no apoA-II immunoreactivity was observed with pathological structures in Alzheimer's disease brain. These differences in cerebrospinal fluid apolipoproteins may influence lipoprotein trafficking and may be an ele- ment in the stratification of risk for Alzheimer's disease with APOE genotype.— Montine, K. S., C. N. Bassett, J. J. Ou, W. R. Markesbery, L. L. Swift, and T. J. Montine. Apolip- oprotein E allelic influence on human cerebrospinal fluid apolipoproteins. J. Lipid Res. 1998. 39: 2443-2451.
Pharmacotherapy of essential tremor : an overview of existing and upcoming agents.

Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders, yet the pharmacological treatments currently available have limited efficacy, being effective in only approximately 50% of patients with this disorder. The most commonly used, and generally most effective, medications for essential tremor are propranolol and primidone, administered either as monotherapy or in combination. If these medications do not provide satisfactory control of tremor, other β-adrenoceptor antagonists, such as metoprolol or atenolol, and other antiepileptic drugs, such as topiramate or gabapentin, are often tried. In addition, benzodiazepines can be effective in some patients, particularly those with associated anxiety. There is a need for additional medications that result in greater tremor control in a larger number of patients with essential tremor. Several new drugs, including 1-octanol, sodium oxybate, dimethoxymethyl-diphenyl-barbituric acid (T-2000) and carisbamate, are currently under investigation for the treatment of essential tremor.
Continental-scale host plant use by a specialist insect herbivore: milkweeds, cardenolides and the monarch butterfly

Distributions of the host plants of mobile herbivorous insects form complex mosaics in space and time. Thus it is difficult to track large scale patterns of herbivorous insect movement without time-and labour-intensive trapping, tracking, and marking techniques that are subject to misinterpretation. Here we summarize the use of a chemical fingerprinting technique to describe the continental scale pattern of migration by the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus (L.)) in relation to the spatial and temporal distributions of its milkweed larval host plants (Asclepias spp.) in North America.
Association of Surgeon Volume With Outcomes and Cost Savings Following Thyroidectomy: A National Forecast.

Importance Incidence of thyroidectomies is continuing to increase. Identifying factors associated with favorable outcomes can lead to cost savings. Objective To assess the association of surgeon volume with clinical outcomes and costs of thyroidectomy. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional analysis performed in October of 2014 of adult (≥18 years) inpatients in US community hospitals using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for the years 2003 through 2009. Exposures Thyroidectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures Complications, length of stay, and cost following thyroidectomy in relation to surgeon volume. Surgeon volumes were stratified into low (1-3 thyroidectomies per year), intermediate (4-29 thyroidectomies per year), and high (≥30 thyroidectomies per year). Results A total of 77 863 patients were included. Procedures performed by low-volume surgeons were associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications compared with high-volume surgeons (15.8% vs 7.7%; OR, 1.55 [95% CI, 1.19-2.03]; P = .001). Mean (SD) hospital cost was significantly associated with surgeon volume (high volume, $6662.69 [$409.31]; intermediate volume, $6912.41 [$137.20]; low volume, $10 396.21 [$345.17]; P Conclusions and Relevance A surgeon’s expertise (measured by surgical volume of procedures per year) is associated with favorable clinical as well as financial outcomes. Our model estimates that considerable cost savings are attainable if higher-volume surgeons perform thyroid procedures in the United States.
New Electronic Tools for Veterans

The US Department of Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the Department of Defense, has developed a host of new electronic tools designed to address the mental and behavioral health needs of military service members and veterans. These tools include online self-help programs and companion mobile apps, as well as many of the apps available through the VA App Store. This commentary provides a brief overview of these new tools and discusses some of the ways in which physicians and other medical providers in North Carolina can incorporate these tools into their work with veterans.
High-Tc Undoped and Pb-Doped BI-SR-CA-CU-O thin Films Prepared by Organometallic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Films of the high‐T c undoped and Pb‐doped Bi‐Sr‐Ca‐Cu‐O (BSCCO) superconductors have been prepared by low pressure organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) using the volatile metal‐organic precursors Cu(acetylacetonate) 2 , Sr(dipivaloylmethanate) 2 , Ca(dipivaloylmethanate) 2 , and triphenyl bismuth. Factors which influence texture and morphology of the OMCVD‐derived films have been investigated, including the effects of annealing, doping, and substrates.
ASSESSMENT OF CARDIAC FUNCTION FOLLOWING PROTON RADIATION IN A COHORT OF POST MASTECTOMY PATIENTS WITH LOCALLY ADVANCED BREAST CANCER

Conventional photon radiotherapy (RT) for breast cancer is cardiotoxic. The physical properties of protons is an alternative form of radiotherapy with much reduced radiation dosages, thus may be less cardiotoxic. Aim: To determine if proton therapy results in subclinical cardiac dysfunction in a