cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combining Random Mutagenesis and Metabolic Engineering for Enhanced Tryptophan Production in Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803.

ABSTRACT Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential aromatic amino acid that has value as an animal feed supplement, as the amount found in plant-based sources is insufficient. An alternative to production by engineered microbial fermentation is to have tryptophan biosynthesized by a photosynthetic microorganism that could replace or supplement both the plant and industrially used microbes. We selected Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, a model cyanobacterium, as the host and studied metabolic engineering and random mutagenesis approaches. Previous work on engineering heterotrophic microbes for improved Trp titers has targeted allosteric feedback regulation in enzymes 3-deoxy-d-arabinoheptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) and anthranilate synthase (AS) as major bottlenecks in the shikimate pathway. In this work, the genes encoding feedback-resistant enzymes from Escherichia coli, aroGfbr and trpEfbr, were overexpressed in the host wild-type (WT) strain. Separately, the WT strain was subjected to random mutagenesis and selection using an amino acid analog to isolate tryptophan-overproducing strains. The randomly mutagenized strains were sequenced in order to identify the mutations that resulted in the desirable phenotypes. Interestingly, the tryptophan overproducers had mutations in the gene encoding chorismate mutase (CM), which catalyzes the conversion of chorismate to prephenate. The best tryptophan overproducer from random mutagenesis was selected as a host for metabolic engineering where aroGfbr and trpEfbr were overexpressed. The best strain developed produced 212 ± 23 mg/liter of tryptophan after 10 days of photoautotrophic growth under 3% (vol/vol) CO2. We demonstrated that a combination of random mutagenesis and metabolic engineering was superior to either individual approach. IMPORTANCE Aromatic amino acids such as tryptophan are primarily used as additives in the animal feed industry and are typically produced using genetically engineered heterotrophic organisms such as Escherichia coli. This involves a two-step process, where the substrate such as molasses is first obtained from plants followed by fermentation by heterotrophic organisms. We have engineered photoautotrophic cyanobacterial strains by a combination of random mutagenesis and metabolic engineering. These strains grow on CO2 as the sole carbon source and utilize light as the sole energy source to produce tryptophan, thus converting the two-step process into a single step. Our results show that combining random mutagenesis and metabolic engineering was superior to either approach alone. This study also builds a foundation for further engineering of cyanobacteria for industrial tryptophan production.
Downregulation of p53 by PKCϵ overexpression is associated with TRAIL resistance.

3600 Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of phospholipid-dependent serine/threonine kinases that play an important role in cell proliferation and apoptosis. We have recently reported that PKCϵ is an anti-apoptotic protein that inhibits TRAIL-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The p53 pathway has been shown to be an important regulator of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In the present study, we examined the involvement of p53 in PKCϵ-mediated TRAIL resistance. We observed that PKCϵ overexpression in the MCF-7 cells (MCF-7/PKCϵ) was associated with a decrease in p53 at both the protein and mRNA level compared to vector-transfected control cells (MCF-7/Neo). Silencing p53 using siRNA abrogated TRAIL-induced cell death and caspase activation in MCF-7/Neo and MCF-7/PKCϵ cells. It has been shown that Akt regulates p53. Furthermore, we have previously shown that Akt acts downstream of PKCϵ and mediates survival of MCF-7/PKCϵ cells. Therefore, we determined the effect of Akt depletion on p53 levels. Knockdown of Akt in MCF-7/Neo and MCF-7/PKCϵ cells resulted in an increase in p53 level and enhanced cell death. These results demonstrate that PKCϵ may mediate TRAIL resistance via suppression of p53 expression in MCF-7 cells. (This work was supported by the grant CA71727 from the NCI.)
Imaging Cuprizone-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Cuprizone is a copper chelator that induces mitochondrial dysfunction in myelin-producing oligodendrocytes and hepatic cells. Inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation has been proposed as a potential mechanism, but the exact relationship between shape changes and metabolic alterations is not well-understood. Here we explore how mitochondrial shape influences oxidative phosphorylation rates by performing simultaneous imaging and respiration measurements within intact cells. We observed that MO3.13 cells exposed to cuprizone undergo an initial increase in respiration followed by mitochondrial dysfunction and genetic dysregulation within 8 hours. Oxygen consumption was measured within 30 minutes of treatment and found to be elevated. This increase was followed by swelling of mitochondria over the first 8 hours, but preceded cell death by 24 hours. A transcriptomic analysis of early changes in cellular gene expression identified alterations within the electron transport chain, stress response pathways, and mitochondrial dynamics compared to control cells. These results suggest that pathological mitochondrial swelling is associated with increased oxygen consumption rates leading to transcriptional changes in respiratory complexes and ultimately mitochondrial failure.
Nation, Politics, and Space in Domingo F. Sarmiento’s Argirópolis

The introduction to Domingo F. Sarmiento’s Argiropolis situates the text in its historical, intellectual, and political contexts. Fares proposes that Sarmiento’s emphasis on territory-related projects retains relevance in the twenty-first century. Argiropolis (1850) is characterized as one of Argentina’s most influential programmatic texts as it articulates modernity in spatial terms and forecasts what will take place in the country in the following century and a half. The introduction concludes that Sarmiento was one of the first writers in Argentina who saw clearly the rise of the modern stage of capitalist production, calling for a reordering of space that would represent the new political and economic order.
The Urgent Need for Public Health Preparedness Funding and Support.

Criticism of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its efforts to put forth recommendations and data based on core public health practice and principles is contrary to the realities of the work that the CDC has done on preparedness in past decades In 2001, the CDC funded a project intended to facilitate the development of an integrated national system of Academic Centers for Public Health Preparedness (CPHPs) to train frontline public health professionals who respond to bioterrorist incidents and other emerging infectious diseases Nineteen CPHPs were funded until the program was discontinued in August 2010 and replaced by 14 Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers, whose funding ended in 2018 2 CPHPs worked to identify core principles for public health preparedness and response, strategies for local and state data collection, and curricula and best practices for educating the public health and first responder workforce
ZCNET: Achieving High Capacity in Low Power Wide Area Networks

In this paper, a novel LPWAN technology, ZCNET, is proposed, which achieves over 40 times the network capacity of LoRa using similar or less resource under the most challenging channel conditions. The capacity boost of ZCNET is mainly due to two reasons. First, a ZCNET node transmits signals that occupy a small fraction of the signal space, resulting in a low collision probability. Second, ZCNET supports 8 parallel root channels within a single frequency channel by using 8 Zadoff-Chu (ZC) root sequences. The root channels do not severely interfere with each other, mainly because the interference power is spread evenly over the entire signal space. A simple ALOHA-style protocol is used for medium access, with which a node randomly chooses the root channel and the range it occupies within the root channel, while still achieving high packet receiving ratios such as 0.9 or above. ZCNET has been extensively tested with both real-world experiments on the USRP and simulations. ZCNET will likely better accommodate the explosive growth of IoT network sizes and meet the demand of IoT applications.
The Effects of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs on the Opioid Abuse Epidemic

Opioid abuse is currently the most significant public health problem in the US. Many US states have implemented prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in response. In this paper, I use a new micro-level medical claims database to exploit state-level and time-series variations in PDMP implementation and shed light on the impacts of these programs. My results show that PDMPs have led to an overall 14% percent reduction in the odds ratio of abuse/addiction. Also, there is evidence of substantial heterogeneity in impacts, with larger impacts for females and minorities. Another finding is that at least 23% of opioid abuse is a result of drug diversion to nonmedical opioid users. PDMPs were not successful in decreasing the rate of abuse for this group and, in fact, there is some evidence that they increased the diversion to heroin. Finally, I show that PDMPs' effectiveness varies by type of insurance and that they are more effective in reducing abuse rates in the general population as compared with Medicare Part D recipients. I use my estimates to analyze the potential effects of modifying PDMPs to include giving insurance providers access to electronic databases, providing educational programs for less-educated people, and expanding their "must access" requirement.
A Practical Real Options Approach to ValuingHigh-Frequency Trading System R&D Projects

In the age of automation, trading and market making is about estimating the fair price of automated trading system research and development projects. This requires a new methodology to arrive at such a fair price. A natural choice is a real options framework. In this article, we review a methodology for automated trading system R&D, as well as a practical real option model for valuing such projects so as to enable rapid strategy cycling.
Household emergency preparedness: A multidisciplinary concept analysis.

Background Household emergency preparedness, at the individual and family micro-level, is often identified as below national disaster preparedness standards. Aims Conceptual clarity of household emergency preparedness is foundational for disaster preparedness research, theory construction, and instrument use. Materials & methods Adhering to Walker and Avant's (2019) concept analysis method, the purpose of this paper is to outline the concept of household emergency preparedness by identifying the uses of the concept, the defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents. Literature sources were identified using the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), ProQuest Central, PsycInfo, PubMed, and government websites. Conclusion Concept clarification is critical for future selection of research designs involving multidisciplinary community-based interventions for household emergency preparedness, as well as to understand how preparedness efforts at the individual and family micro-level may influence larger disaster preparedness system outcomes.
“Welcome to your Daily Wellness Check”: The Proposed Evaluation of a SMS-based Conversational Agent for Managing Health and Wellbeing:

University students tend to sacrifice healthy lifestyles in favor of academic and financial gain. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to online schooling and reduced access to healthcare re...
Abstract A113: Immunomodulatory properties of bromodomain inhibitors in pancreatic cancer cells

Bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) proteins function as epigenetic signaling factors that “read” chromatin modifications, controlling numerous genes involved in cell cycle, cell growth, inflammation and cancer. The BET inhibitors, JQ1 and I-BET-762, occupy selective pockets of bromodomains in BET proteins resulting in a release of the chromatin and consequent suppression of the transduction of targeted genes. Cell lines developed from a pancreatic carcinoma (Panc 1343) and ascites (PanAsc 2159) of LSL-KrasG12d/+;LSL-Trp53R172H/+;Pdx-1-Cre (KPC mouse model) were treated with several concentrations of JQ1 and I-BET-762. JQ1 and I-BET-762 have growth inhibitory properties, with IC50 (48 hr treatment) of 24.5 nM and 94.5 nM, and 1.8 μM and 1.2 μM in PanAsc 2159 and Panc 1343 cells, respectively. Several cytokines and chemokines, produced by tumor cells, stromal cells or inflammatory infiltrating cells, play important roles in promoting (GM-CSF, IL-6 and CCL2) or suppressing (CCL27, CCL4, IL17A or IL27) tumor progression. RT profiler PCR of PanAsc 2159 cells treated with 300 nM of JQ1 for 24 hr revealed the ability of this compound to upregulate CCL24, IL17a and IL-27 and downregulate CCL7, CXCL1, CCL2, IL16 and IL6. JQ1 and I-BET-762 reduced the protein and RNA levels of CCL2, IL6 and GM-CSF in Panc 1343 and PanAsc 2159 cells, and also in RAW macrophage-like cells stimulated with LPS. JQ1 and I-BET-762 also reduced the protein levels of secreted TNF-α in RAW cells stimulated with LPS. JQ1 and I-BET-762 appear to have immunomodulatory effects in pancreatic cancer cell lines derived from KPC mice, altering the levels of several chemokines and cytokines. These compounds also have a growth inhibitory effect in these cell lines. Exploring the effects of these compounds in KPC mice is ongoing. We thank James Bradner for the generous gift of JQ1. Citation Format: Ana S. Leal, Charlotte R. Williams, Michael B. Sporn, Karen T. Liby. Immunomodulatory properties of bromodomain inhibitors in pancreatic cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Innovations in Research and Treatment; May 18-21, 2014; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(13 Suppl):Abstract nr A113.
Abstract 19598: Increased Risk of Repeat Coronary Revascularization is Reduced by Methotrexate or Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Treatments in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality. Long term data on outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is lacking in this population, specifically with regards to repeat revascularization. We investigated target lesion(TLR) and target vessel revascularization(TVR) in this population. Methods: We performed a single center retrospective case control study of RA patients post PCI. Each treated RA lesion was matched to 3 control lesions based upon procedure date, drug eluting stent use, age, vein graft intervention and diabetes mellitus. Patients were censored following the last encounter in the medical record. Primary endpoints were time to TLR and TVR. Kaplan-Meier analyses and shared frailty Cox proportional hazards models were performed to compare event free survival. Results: A total of 228 lesions (142 patients) were identified in the RA cohort and matched to 677 control lesion...
For your health? The relationship between magazine reading and adolescents' body image and eating disturbances

Research has indicated female adolescents are more vulnerable to body image disturbance than male adolescents. However, scholars have begun to examine the increased emphasis on muscularity for men. The current supposition is that a drive to be muscular may be as dangerous for adolescent boys as a drive to be thin is for adolescent girls. Sports, health, and fitness magazines may be a meaningful training ground for adolescents to learn the importance of muscularity and the methods to obtain these perfect sports bodies. Magazines also reinforce the rewards that accompany the attainment of “perfect” bodies. Nearly 400 high school and college students from an urban area in the Midwest were surveyed to test the extent to which reading fashion, sports, and health/fitness magazines is related to body image and eating disturbances, including the added dimension of muscularity. Results indicate that magazine reading, social comparisons, and critical body image processing are important predictors of body image and eating disturbances for adolescent boys and girls.
A risk of waiting: the weekly incidence of hypertensive disorders and associated maternal and neonatal morbidity in low-risk term pregnancies

Background Elective induction of labor (eIOL) prior to 39 weeks' gestation is discouraged because of presumed fetal benefits. However, few data exist on the maternal risks of expectant management. To date, no study has evaluated the maternal risk of developing a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy with expectant management of a low-risk gravid at term. Objective We sought to evaluate the development of hypertensive disorders in term low-risk expectantly managed patients. Study Design This is a retrospective cross-sectional study from 19 US hospitals, from 2002 to 2008 (Safe Labor Consortium) including all nonanomalous, cephalic, singleton pregnancies at 37–41 weeks. Women with a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, or planned cesarean delivery or from centers with incomplete hypertensive data were excluded. Women with eIOL in each week were compared with women managed expectantly until the next week of gestation or beyond. The primary outcome was the frequency of hypertensive complications. Results Of 114,651 low-risk deliveries, 12,772 (11.1%) had eIOL. The cohort was 49.2% nulliparous, 51.1% white, and obese (mean body mass index 30.2 kg/m 2 ). The risk of developing any hypertension in expectantly managed women was 4.1% after 37 weeks, 3.5% after 38 weeks, 3.2% after 39 weeks, and 2.6% after 40 weeks. Compared with eIOL, women with hypertensive disorders had significantly higher rates of cesarean delivery and maternal morbidities (intensive care unit admission or death, third- or fourth-degree lacerations, maternal infections, and bleeding complications) at each week of gestation and the composite neonatal morbidity at 38 and 39 weeks of gestation. Conclusion For women at low risk expectantly managed at term, there is a risk of developing hypertensive complications for each additional week of pregnancy, with associated increases in maternal and neonatal morbidities.
Design technique for microwave-transistor power amplifiers

A design technique has been developed which yields the added-power circuit efficiency of a microwave-transistor power amplifier with arbitrary output termination. Good agreement between theory and experiment has been achieved with a 1 W bipolar junction transistor operating at 1.3 GHz.
Antioxidant compounds from four Opuntia cactus pear fruit varieties

The antioxidant compounds in extracts from four cactus (Opuntia species) fruit varieties were investigated. Conjugated flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin), ascorbic acid, and carotenoids were isolated from the extracts. Quercetin was the most abundant in all varieties [O. ficus-indica (green-skinned), O. lindheimeri (purple-skinned), O. streptacantha (red-skinned), and O. stricta var. stricta (yellow-skinned)] examined. Kaempferol was found in green-skinned, purple-skinned and red-skinned varieties and isorhamnetin in green-skinned and purple-skinned varieties. The red-skinned fruits contained the most ascorbic acid (815 μg/g fw) and the yellow-skinned fruits the most carotenoids (23.7 μg/g fw). The antioxidant activity of the fruit extracts was stronger in the purple-skinned than other varieties. This result was consistent with total flavonoid content of the purple-skinned fruits. Thus, antioxidant capacity of cactus fruits may be attributed to their flavonoid, ascorbic acid and carotenoid contents. The data indicate that cactus fruits are a rich source of natural antioxidants for foods.
THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE DEVELOPING FRUITING BODY OF LYCOPERDON GEMMATUM

Since no work has been done on the morphology and the development of the fruiting body of Lycoperdon gemniatum with the exception of that of Rehsteiner (I892), who studied the gross morphology and chiefly the older stages, it seemed advisable to investigate in detail the successive stages of the development of young basidiocarps fromn the minute primordia to forms with basidia. Interesting problems arose such as the origin of the basidiocarp primordia, the differentiation of the hyphae, the origin and differentiation of the glebal cavities, the binucleate condition, and the presence of hemispherical pads. This led to an investigation of the rhizomorph in connection with the formation of the fruiting body primordia.
Fragrance material review on α-santalol

A toxicologic and dermatologic review of α-santalol when used as a fragrance ingredient is presented.
Lessons learned: can a resource in common work?

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to report on the challenges and lessons learnt by the Texas A&M University Libraries' processing team when trying to implement a “resource in common” high‐density storage unit model between Texas A&M University Library and The University of Texas‐Austin Libraries.Design/methodology/approach – The case study draws on the experience of the Texas A&M University Libraries' processing team when the university funded the creation of a jointly owned remote storage unit, which foundation would rest on a “resource in common” model. The creation of a new library building allowed Texas A&M University Libraries to free up stack space in order to create new learning spaces to meet the needs of the library users. However, as the processing began, initial theories of what a “resource in common” was, how to implement a “resource in common” and resources needed to implement the “resource in common” model began to be questioned. This study examines the lessons learnt when trying to im...
The presence of a porphyropsin-based visual pigment in the juvenile lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)

The visual pigment from the juvenile lemon shark has been extracted and is a homogeneous vitamin A2-based porphyropsin with maximum absorption at 522 nm. This is the first report of a porphyropsin visual pigment extracted from the retina of an elasmobranch. In contrast, the visual pigment from the adult lemon shark yields a homogeneous vitamin A1-based rhodopsin with maximum absorption at 501 nm. We conclude that the porphyropsin of the juvenile lemon shark changes over to a rhodopsin as the animal matures.
Climate and interior coupled evolution on Venus

Climate-interior coupled evolution is investigated for Venus by merging a partial-melting/parameterized mantle convection model with a gray radiative-convective atmospheric model. A positive feedback process can operate by the release of water to the atmosphere via mantle melting, leading to an increase in atmospheric opacity and the radiative temperature gradient. The resulting amplification of the greenhouse surface temperature raises the mantle temperature leading to an increase in the partial-melting rate. Using thin-lid convection, a coupled model for Venus running over an interval of 3 to 1 Ga shows a significant increase in surface temperature, partial-melting extent, and extrusive magma flux compared to a model where there is no communication between greenhouse-modulated surface temperature and partial-melting in the interior. Coupled and uncoupled models that transition (with variable timing) to stagnant-lid convection either shut down partial melting via lithospheric thickening, or evolve to large amounts of melt due to increased interior temperatures.
Functional brain imaging and hearing

Functional brain imaging techniques such as PET, SPECT, and functional MRI have frequently been applied to the study of speech, language, and cognition, but have seldom been used in investigations of hearing. Even the limited research that combines functional brain imaging and acoustic stimuli has often been concerned with processes other than audition, such as attention. This paper provides brief descriptions of these currently available functional brain imaging procedures and gives examples of what may be learned about hearing from their applications. Possible reasons for the limited use of functional brain imaging in studying hearing are explored because attention to these issues may enhance interest in the use of brain imaging for investigating the neurophysiology of hearing. Several potential research questions that apply functional brain imaging while measuring psychoacoustic performance are considered briefly and strategies for increasing brain imaging research on psychoacoustic topics are discussed.
Effects of sodium nitroprusside after load reduction and/or atropine pre‐treatment prior to dexmedetomidine administration on cardiovascular variables in dogs

The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiovascular effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced after load reduction in dogs administered dexmedetomidine (DEX). Using a randomized crossover design and allowing at least 2 weeks between treatments 12 adult hound dogs of either sex weighing 22 ± 1.7 SD kg were anesthetized by face mask administration of 2.9% ET sevoflurane to facilitate instrumentation prior to administration of treatment drugs. Dogs were intubated and instrumented to enable measurement of heart rate (HR), systolic (SAP), mean (MAP) and diastolic (DAP) arterial pressures, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), central venous pressure (CVP), pulmonary arterial temperature (TEMP), and cardiac output (CO). Systemic (SVR) and pulmonary vascular resistances were calculated. Following completion of instrumentation dogs were allowed to recover for 40 minutes. After collection of baseline data, dogs were administered one of four treatments at T–10 minutes prior to injection of DEX (500? g M–2 IM): 1) saline (SAL); 2) atropine (ATR, 0.02 [n = 6] or 0.04 [n = 6] mg kg–1 IM); 3) SAL + SNP (infused at 1–10 ?g kg–1 minute–1, IV as needed to maintain MAP between 90–110 mm Hg; or 4) ATR + SNP. Cardiovascular data were collected at T-20 minutes prior to administration of DEX, T-5 and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 minutes following DEX. Data were analyzed using anovafor repeated measures with post hoc differences between means identified using Bonferroni's method (p < 0.05). Differences in ATR dose were not found to be significant and thus results for ATR dose groups were pooled. Administration of SAL (dexmedetomidine alone) was associated with decreases in HR and CO and increases in SAP, MAP, DAP, CVP, and SVR. Administration of ATR was associated with an increase in HR and CO compared with SAL. Administration of SNP was associated with an increase in HR and CO and a decrease in SVR, MAP and CVP compared with SAL. Administration of SNP + ATR was associated with effects similar to that of SNP or ATR alone and resulted in an additive increase in CO. We conclude that SNP-induced afterload reduction with or without atropine is effective in mitigating DEX-induced impairment of cardiovascular function.
Contrast echocardiography: clinical utility for the evaluation of left ventricular systolic function

Despite continued improvements in imaging technology, transthoracic echocardiography does not reliably provide images adequate for interpretation in all patients. In these patients, the administration of ultrasound contrast agents can markedly enhance the diagnostic utility of the test. Contrast echocardiography relies on the ultrasound detection of contrast agents composed of encapsulated microbubbles that are generally smaller than red blood cells. Intravenous administration of microbubble contrast agents results in left ventricular opacification and facilitates delineation of the endocardial border. This procedure has been shown to consistently increase the number of myocardial segments that can be interpreted, to improve accuracy of assessing regional and global left ventricular function, to decrease interinterpreter variability, to increase interpreter confidence, and to be a cost-effective strategy. Accordingly, patient selection for contrast echocardiography should be based not only on adequacy of the baseline images, but also on the clinical question being asked.
A New Method for the Evaluation of Vaccine Safety Based on Comprehensive Gene Expression Analysis

For the past 50 years, quality control and safety tests have been used to evaluate vaccine safety. However, conventional animal safety tests need to be improved in several aspects. For example, the number of test animals used needs to be reduced and the test period shortened. It is, therefore, necessary to develop a new vaccine evaluation system. In this review, we show that gene expression patterns are well correlated to biological responses in vaccinated rats. Our findings and methods using experimental biology and genome science provide an important means of assessment for vaccine toxicity.
Toward a Molecular Cytogenetic Map for Cultivated Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) by Landed BAC/BIBAC Clones

Conventional karyotypes and various genetic linkage maps have been established in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., 2n = 34). However, the relationship between linkage groups and individual chromosomes of sunflower remains unknown and has considerable relevance for the sunflower research community. Recently, a set of linkage group-specific bacterial /binary bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC/BIBAC) clones was identified from two complementary BAC and BIBAC libraries constructed for cultivated sunflower cv. HA89. In the present study, we used these linkage group-specific clones (∼100 kb in size) as probes to in situ hybridize to HA89 mitotic chromosomes at metaphase using the BAC- fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. Because a characteristic of the sunflower genome is the abundance of repetitive DNA sequences, a high ratio of blocking DNA to probe DNA was applied to hybridization reactions to minimize the background noise. As a result, all sunflower chromosomes were anchored by one or two BAC/BIBAC clones with specific FISH signals. FISH analysis based on tandem repetitive sequences, such as rRNA genes, has been previously reported; however, the BAC-FISH technique developed here using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)−derived BAC/BIBAC clones as probes to apply genome-wide analysis is new for sunflower. As chromosome-specific cytogenetic markers, the selected BAC/BIBAC clones that encompass the 17 linkage groups provide a valuable tool for identifying sunflower cytogenetic stocks (such as trisomics) and tracking alien chromosomes in interspecific crosses. This work also demonstrates the potential of using a large-insert DNA library for the development of molecular cytogenetic resources.
Additive effect of AAV-mediated angiopoietin-1 and VEGF expression on the therapy of infarcted heart

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key angiogenic factor and has been used experimentally for induction of neovasculature in ischemic myocardium. However, blood vessels induced by VEGF are immature. Angiopoietin-1 (ang-1) has the ability to recruit and sustain periendothelial support cells and promote vascular maturation. Thus, co-expression of the two may yield a better result than expression of either one alone. Two adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV), CMVVEGF and CMVang-1 with the CMV promoter driving VEGF or ang-1 gene expression, respectively, were injected into ischemic mouse hearts individually or together in different ratios. The results show that co-injected groups had more capillaries than the CMVang-1 group and similar densities of capillaries and α-actin positive vessels as the CMVVEGF group. Neovasculature induced by CMVVEGF was leaky. In contrast, neovasculature in CMVang-1-injected or CMVVEGF and CMVang-1 co-injected hearts was less leaky than that in CMVVEGF-injected hearts. The group that received CMVang-1 and CMVVEGF in a 1:1 ratio had the smallest infarct size and best cardiac function and regional wall movement among all the groups. We conclude that ang-1 and VEGF can compensate for each others' shortcomings and yield a better therapeutic effect by acting together.
Lifelong Learning for Agency Fisheries Professionals: What are the Continuing Education Needs?

Abstract Continuing education priorities of 696 fisheries biologists and 185 natural resource agency administrators in 48 state agencies were requested by mail questionnaire and assessed in November 1993. The survey indicated that fisheries biologists were remarkably homogeneous in their continuing education needs regardless of job title, years of professional experience, level of education, or geographic location. Fisheries biologists identified high demands for continuing education in computer science, data collection and analysis, experimental design, and database management. The great demand for these particular skills indicates the popularity of computer technology and the growing recognition of the importance of and costs associated with collecting and managing fisheries data. Other areas of high educational demand were population biology (limiting factors, demographics) and habitat management (restoration, enhancement, protection). Agency administrators placed a higher priority on nontechnical skil...
Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Retinal Vein Occlusions

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) encompasses two conditions: central RVO, in which the major outflow vessel of the retina is obstructed, and branch RVO, in which a proximal branch of the central retinal vein is obstructed. In both conditions, there is increased intraluminal and interstitial pressure throughout the retina drained by the obstructed vessels, resulting in reduced arterial perfusion, which is exacerbated by preexistent arterial insufficiency, and in variable amounts of retinal ischemia. Retinal ischemia causes increased production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which causes vascular leakage and macular edema. High levels of VEGF also promote retinal hemorrhages and exacerbate capillary nonperfusion. Intraocular injections of a VEGF-binding protein reduce vascular leakage, resulting in improvement in macular edema, accelerate resorption of retinal hemorrhages, and prevent worsening of capillary nonperfusion. The ideal regimen has not been defined, but it appears that monthly injections early in the course control edema and may help to limit disease severity in a large percentage of patients. Over time, treatment should be individualized based upon timing and severity of recurrent edema and/or progression of nonperfusion. The role of adjunctive treatments is yet to be defined, but it is clear that VEGF antagonists provide excellent first-line treatment that has dramatically improved visual outcomes in patients with RVO.
Vegetation of Califonia Fan Palm Oases on the San Andreas Fault

The vegetation of 24 oases located in the western Colorado Desert was composed of 78 species from 34 families, with an average of 11 species per oasis. Species distributions within an oasis were determined by available water and could be divided into three contoured belts and hydric zone had 10% of the total species, primarily hydrophytes, and accounted for one—fifth of the total plant cover. The oasis—proper zone contained phreatophytes and halophytes, comprising 17% of the total species and producing two—fifths of the cover. The remaining cover was produced by 73% of the species, mainly xerophytes, present primarily in the desert—oasis ectone. Oases were located on hillside seeps or in canyon washes. Although most dominant species were common to both types, they differed in vegetational composition. Hydric species were more common in wash oases. Species requiring stable sites with sub—surface water were more abundant in seep oases. All oases showed individuality since Washingtonia filifera was the only ubiquitous species. Haplopappus acradenius and Prosopis juliflora occurred in 75% of the oases; 10% of the species were restricted to two or three oases; and 33% were confined to one oasis. Eleven rare species were encountered. Absence of palm reproduction was due to inadequate water, lack of stimulating rains, or alkali soils. Alkali soils appear detrimental to plant growth. Optimum conditions for new growth need occur only once a century to sustain oases. Maximum palm ages appear to be about 200 years. Floods alter wash geomorphology and vegetation, but have a rejuvenating effect on dense, stagnating stands of hydrophytes. Fire determines oasis composition and affects the physiognomy, productivity, reproduction, and maintenance of the fire—tolerant palms.
Pion correlations in relativistic heavy ion collisions at the BEVALAC

Abstract Presented here is a brief summary of the setup, analysis, and results of a pion correlation experiment performed using the Heavy Ion Spectrometer System (HISS) at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory BEVALAC. The beams and targets used were 1.8 GeV/nucleon Argon on KCl and Lanthanum targets, and 1.2 GeV/nucleon Xenon on a Lanthanum target.
Effects of plants and soil microflora on leaching of zinc from mine tailings

Abstract A greenhouse study was conducted to determine whether the concentration of zinc (Zn) in leachate from contaminated soil could be affected by plant, mycorrhizal fungi, or soil bacterial interactions. Zinc uptake by plant roots and Zn concentrations in roots and shoots were lower in plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi. The mass of Zn in the leachate was greatest from pots in which plants were grown in the absence of microbial amendments. Although the presence of plants alone increased the average concentration of Zn in the leachates, the presence of soil microbes eliminated this effect. Infection of plant roots with mycorrhizae did not reduce Zn leaching relative to that with plants alone. Results from this study indicate that revegetation of mining waste sites may increase the leaching of Zn, especially when soil microflora have not been fully restored.
A 3 × 3 Mesh Two-Dimensional Ladder Network Resonator for MRI of the Human Head

A new radiofrequency resonator for MR imaging of the human head is presented. The geometry consists of a single end-ring connected to eight legs which extend along a cylinder and are joined in pairs on a hemispherical dome. The most homogeneous normal mode of this structure is doubly degenerate and affords quadrature operation. The high sensitivity in the hemispherical end is particularly suited to human brain studies. This resonator represents a clinical application of two-dimensional ladder network resonant structures whose operation may be understood by analogy to the mechanical problem of oscillating two-dimensional membranes.
Photo Quiz: An 80-Year-Old Female with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Induction-Associated Neutropenic Fever

An 80-year-old female presented to Geisinger Medical Center for evaluation of a subacute onset of dyspnea on exertion and was found to have moderate normocytic anemia and mild thrombocytopenia, with the presence of a high percentage of blasts in a peripheral blood smear. She underwent a bone marrow biopsy that showed acute myeloid leukemia. She underwent a transfusion and was discharged home to start induction chemotherapy with a 5-day course of clofarabine. She also received allopurinol, fluconazole, and acyclovir for prophylaxis. During her induction chemotherapy, she developed severe neutropenia and thrombocytopenia associated with fever and malaise that prompted a second hospital admission. At the time of this admission, the patient was hemodynamically stable and found to have moderate mucositis. The remainder of her physical examination was unremarkable, and she was placed on vancomycin, cefepime, and fluconazole. An extensive infectious-disease workup that included two initial sets of blood cultures was initiated, resulting in the isolation of Gram-negative bacilli from two FN anaerobic-blood-culture bottles (bioMerieux, Durham, NC). The hematology service was consulted and initiated therapy with filgrastim and sargramostim to improve her neutropenia. The patient also required transfusions of red blood cells and platelets. Her fever persisted for 10 days, although two additional sets of blood cultures collected 2 days after the initiation of antimicrobial therapy were negative. The patient underwent computed-tomography (CT) scans of her chest, abdomen, and pelvis in an unsuccessful attempt to identify the source of her bacteremia. The causative agent of her bacteremia is shown in Fig. 1. Fig 1 Gram stain of growth from a positive-blood-culture bottle. Magnification, ×1,000 (oil). (For answer and discussion, see page 737 in this issue [doi:10.1128/JCM.01156-12])
Singularity formation for complex solutions of the 3D incompressible Euler equations

Abstract Moore's approximation method, first formulated for vortex sheets, is generalized and applied to axi-symmetric flow with swirl and with smooth initial data. The approximation preserves the forward cascade of energy but neglects any backflow of energy. It splits the Euler equations into two sets of equations: one for u+ = u+ (r,z,t) containing all non-negative wavenumbers (in z) and the second for u - = u + . The equations for u+ are exactly the Euler equations but with complex initial data. Traveling waves solutions u+ = u+(r,z−iσt) with imaginary wave speed are found numerically for this problem. The asymptotic properties of the resulting Fourier coefficients show a singularity forming in finite time at which the velocity blows up.
Fixation and durability of a bone-ingrowth component for glenoid bone loss

Background Deficient glenoid bone is a reconstructive challenge in shoulder arthroplasty. One solution is an ingrowth anatomic glenoid with column and screw fixation, with or without supplemental bone graft. This study examines the outcome of patients managed in this manner. Materials and methods This type of glenoid component was used in 21 shoulder arthroplasties with central or peripheral glenoid bone deficiencies: 13 for bone loss due to arthritic wear and 8 for revision arthroplasty. Patients were monitored clinically for a mean of 11.1 years (range, 7.6-15.1 years) and by x-ray imaging for a mean of 9.1 years (range, 2.2-14.2 years). Results Revision procedures were needed for 7 shoulders at a mean of 10.4 years (range 5.5-14.3 years), 6 for polyethylene or metal wear leading to glenoid loosening in 4. In the 14 nonrevised shoulders, pain ratings (1 to 5 scale) decreased from a mean of 4.5 to 1.9 ( P P = .02). Mean external rotation increased from 28° to 43° ( P = .06). Results assessed by the Neer rating were excellent in 3, satisfactory in 10, and unsatisfactory in 1. In radiographic assessment of the unrevised shoulders, 4 were at risk for glenoid loosening, and 1 was at risk for humeral loosening. Conclusions This method of reconstruction can offer pain relief and improved motion. However, the large number of revision procedures and additional adverse changes on x-ray imaging suggest other reconstructive options may be more successful and durable.
Primary structure of ICAM-1 demonstrates interaction between members of the immunoglobulin and integrin supergene families

Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is a 90 kd inducible surface glycoprotein that promotes adhesion in immunological and inflammatory reactions. ICAM-1 is a ligand of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), an alpha beta complex that is a member of the integrin family of cell-cell and cell-matrix receptors. ICAM-1 is encoded by an inducible 3.3 kb mRNA. The amino acid sequence specifies an integral membrane protein with an extracellular domain of 453 residues containing five immunoglobulin-like domains. Highest homology is found with neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), which also contain five Ig-like domains. NCAM and MAG are nervous system adhesion molecules, but unlike ICAM-1, NCAM is homophilic. The ICAM-1 and LFA-1 interaction is heterophilic and unusual in that it is between members of the immunoglobulin and intergrin families. Unlike other integrin ligands, ICAM-1 does not contain an RGD sequence.
Optimizing habitat fragmentation: an agrolandscape perspective

Abstract The importance of wildlife conservation in the agricultural Midwest has long been recognized. Likewise, the impact of habitat fragmentation within human-perturbed landscapes has received increased attention. Theoretically there exists an optimum degree of fragmentation at the landscape scale (e.g. to maintain both interior and edge species) that will permit an integrative approach to sustainable agriculture, as well as to conserve biotic diversity at a greater spatial and temporal scale. We propose a method for comparing biotic diversity within and between fragmented landscapes. This method encompasses both natural and human-subsidized components of the landscape mosaic. A sustainable landscape approach to conserving biotic diversity will require the cooperation of land-use planners, public land owners, policy makers, resource managers, and wildlife biologists, to name a few, at a scale seldom addressed in a human-dominated landscape. We describe a representative watershed (Four-Mile Creek Watershed) in Ohio and Indiana within which we outline an approach to wildlife habitat conservation that attempts to optimize biotic diversity and sustainable agricultural productivity. A new paradigm, namely agrolandscape ecology, is needed if we are to manage landscape elements (corridors and patches) within an agricultural landscape matrix. Approaches using ecological theory, hierarchy theory, landscape planning, and problem-solving algorithms must be integrated if society is to simultaneously increase habitat quality and implement a sustainability approach to landscape management.
Relearning a dark-light discrimination by cats after cortical and collicular lesions.

Abstract Using a continuous type Y maze, cats were trained preoperatively in a simultaneous, two-choice dark-light discrimination with the darker stimulus reinforced with food. Bilateral ablation of the superior colliculi produced no or minimal postoperative deficits. After prior serial removal of the posterior two-thirds of the neocortex, bilateral ablation of the superior colliculi produced a significant retention deficit. Cats with serial, bilateral removal of the posterior two-thirds of the neocortex and the superior colliculi consistently relearned the simple dark-light discrimination regardless of whether collicular ablation preceded or followed the cortical lesions. Immobilization and dilatation of the pupils with atropine produced no performance decrement in cats retrained in this discrimination after prior cortical and collicular ablations. These results suggest that visual input to the pretectum can mediate a simple dark-light discrimination by cats after the described lesions.
Delayed hypersensitivity in vitro. I. Effects of tuberculoproteins on tissue from sensitive guinea pigs.

Summary1. The cytotoxicity of 3 tuberculoproteins, PPD, T(NY), and C, for tuberculin-sensitive macrophages has been compared in tissue culture. All 3 tuberculoproteins had cytotoxic properties in vitro. No differences were observed between in vitro effects of each of the tuberculoproteins at any one concentration. 2. Each tuberculoprotein had a definite observable cytotoxic and inhibitory action on tuberculin-sensitive splenic macrophages at low concentration of 1 γ/ml, but none at 0.1 γ/ml. 3. Skin test reactions in sensitized guinea pigs to the 3 tuberculoproteins gave similar results.