cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural Selection, Mutation, and Fitness

This problem is an extension of the genetics models discussed in the previous chapter. Here we introduce survival and fertility rates for the genotypes and combine these rates to form a fitness measure. Together with mutation, these effects consort to give the new genotype frequencies. Geneticists and conservation biologist think the existence of the heterozygote, the AB genotype, is a measure of health of the system of geneotypes. The strength of its presence is sometimes referred to as hybrid vigor and is obviously desired because it carries both alleles.
Catalysis by RNA, Structural Themes: Group I Introns

Many eukaryotic genes are interrupted by segments of DNA called intervening sequences or introns. These introns are transcribed into ribonucleic acid (RNA) along with the coding segments of gene, called exons. In most cases, the introns are removed from the RNA by a cellular apparatus called the spliceosome. In the presence of biologically relevant concentrations of magnesium and guanosine nucleoside, some introns, called group I introns, are capable of self-splicing: excising themselves from the flanking RNA, and religating the RNA exons to form a functional RNA. Group I introns are the relics of selfish genetic elements that carried with them genes encoding enzymes capable of integrating the entire genetic element into cellular DNA. The self-splicing activity of the RNA transcript allowed the element to have minimal impact upon the host gene. Group I introns are found within a diverse variety of genes including those encoding the energy-transducing machinery in mitochondria, ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, and phage genes. By appropriate engineering, a group I intron can be converted into a multiple turnover RNA enzyme, or ribozyme, capable of cleaving single-stranded RNA substrates. The catalytic activity of these molecules depends on accurate folding into a three-dimensional structure that precisely positions both functional groups on the RNA and divalent metal ions to catalyze a specific phosphotransesterification reaction.
On the use of approximate fundamental solutions: Connections with the method of fundamental solutions and the method of regularized stokeslets

Abstract Approximate fundamental solutions (AFS) are designed to be similar to fundamental solutions but without singularities. They have been used in the context of the Method of Fundamental Solutions and for problems of Stokes flow (where they are known as regularized stokeslets). A short survey of available AFS is given together with how they may be used to treat three-dimensional boundary-value problems for Laplace’s equations. Explicit calculations are made for a sphere, with a focus on quantifying errors. It is concluded that the use of AFS can lead to unexpectedly large errors: caution is advised when abandoning true fundamental solutions.
Chief complaints and feedback from clinic satisfaction tool: Thematic analysis of a new outpatient communication tool.

Objectives Up to half of all patients leave their outpatient clinic visit with an uncommunicated need. We designed the clinic satisfaction tool (CST) as a low-cost, highly utilised assessment of the spine clinic experience that improved communication in our multidisciplinary spine practice. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively analyse chief complaints and feedback from the CSTs to determine how spine clinic patients used the form, identify the most prevalent concerns and mark areas for improvement. Methods Institutional retrospective review of CSTs. Chief complaints and feedback were inductively coded to create a framework for patient complaints. Results 832 patients presented to clinic, and 100 sets of chief complaints coded before reaching thematic saturation. Patients used the chief complaint section of CST to canvas four themes: symptoms, questions about their disease, management and treatment. Twenty-nine patients left mostly positive feedback but also wrote additional concerns about care. Conclusion Spine patients have a predictable pattern of chief complaints and with the CST were able to have all these complaints addressed. The CST efficiently collects practice-specific chief complaints that can be used to guide physician behaviour and design educational clinical tools that are useful for patients.
Advances in medical applications using SWIR light in the wavelength range from 1000 to 2500 nm

Most recently, the second (1100-1350 nm), third (1600-1870) and fourth (2100-2350 nm) NIR windows have received increased attention for use in linear and nonlinear imaging and spectroscopy. Due to minimal scattering and absorption at these windows, there is a reduction in blurring and image quality is enhanced. SWIR wavelengths can penetrate deeper than when using conventional methods and are being utilized for medical applications including brain imaging, identifying bone micro-fractures and delineating breast cancer margins. The supercontinuum laser can provide a powerful broadband light source that will increase SWIR applications. Recent advances will be discussed.
Rapid modulations of the vocal structure in marmoset monkeys

Humans and some animal species show flexibility in vocal production either voluntarily or in response to environmental cues. Studies have shown rapid spectrotemporal changes in speech or vocalizations during altered auditory feedback in humans, songbirds and bats. Non-human primates, however, have long been considered lacking the ability to modify spectrotemporal structures of their vocalizations. Here we tested the ability of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a highly vocal New World primate species to alter spectral and temporal structures of their species-specific vocalizations in the presence of perturbation signals. By presenting perturbation noises while marmosets were vocalizing phee calls, we showed that they were able to change in real-time the duration or spectral trajectory of an ongoing phee phrase by either terminating it before its completion, making rapid shifts in fundamental frequency or in some cases prolonging the duration beyond the natural range of phee calls. In some animals, we observed fragmented phee calls which were not produced by marmosets in their natural environment. Interestingly, some perturbation-induced changes persisted even in the absence of the perturbation noises. These observations provide further evidence that marmoset monkeys are capable of rapidly modulating their vocal structure and suggested potential voluntary vocal control by this non-human primate species.
The Association Between Social Isolation and Health: An Analysis of Parent-Adolescent Dyads from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating Study.

We examined the relationship between social isolation and health among parents and their adolescent children. Data came from the 2014 Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating Study (FLASHE), a cross-sectional internet study from the National Cancer Institute. Parents and their adolescent children (ages 12–17) completed surveys about demographics, physical activity, and diet; analyses include all dyads in which at least one member provided information for any of the analyzed variables (N = 1851). Actor Partner Interdependence Models in Mplus with demographic covariates tested whether parent and adolescent perceived social isolation (2 items from the UCLA Loneliness Scale) were associated with each person’s self-reported health. Most dyads included a mother (38% mother–daughter, 36% mother–son). Most parents were non-Hispanic White (69%), married/partnered (77%), and reported household income below $100,000 (79%). Both social isolation and self-reported health were significantly correlated between parents and their adolescent children (Pearson correlation = .38 for isolation, .32 for health). There were negative associations between parent isolation and parent health, adolescent isolation and adolescent health, and parent isolation and adolescent health (all ps < .05), but no association between adolescent isolation and parent health. The finding that parents’ social isolation was linked to lower self-reported health not only for themselves but also for their adolescent children highlights the importance of addressing social isolation in clinical social work practice. Family interventions, or interventions to reduce adults’ negative social cognitions or promote social connections, may improve health for both adults and their adolescent children.
Social Context Enhances Hormonal Modulation of Pheromone Detection in Drosophila.

Summary Critical to evolutionary fitness, animals regulate social behaviors by integrating signals from both their external environments and internal states. Here, we find that population density modulates the courtship behavior of male Drosophila melanogaster in an age-dependent manner. In a competitive mating assay, males reared in a social environment have a marked advantage in courting females when pitted against males reared in isolation. Group housing promotes courtship in mature (7-day) but not immature (2-day) males; this behavioral plasticity requires the Or47b pheromone receptor. Using single-sensillum recordings, we find that group housing increases the response of Or47b olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) only in mature males. The effect of group housing on olfactory response and behavior can be mimicked by chronically exposing single-housed males to an Or47b ligand. At the molecular level, group housing elevates Ca2+ levels in Or47b ORNs, likely leading to CaMKI-mediated activation of the histone-acetyl transferase CBP. This signaling event in turn enhances the efficacy of juvenile hormone, an age-related regulator of reproductive maturation in flies. Furthermore, the male-specific Fruitless isoform (FruM) is required for the sensory plasticity, suggesting that FruM functions as a downstream genomic coincidence detector in Or47b ORNs—integrating reproductive maturity, signaled by juvenile hormone, and population density, signaled by CBP. In all, we identify a neural substrate and activity-dependent mechanism by which social context can directly influence pheromone sensitivity, thereby modulating social behavior according to animals’ life-history stage.
Improved survival after lung transplantation for adults requiring preoperative invasive mechanical ventilation: A national cohort study

Abstract Objective Early survival after lung transplantation has improved in the last decade. Mechanically ventilated recipients are known to be at greater risk for early post-transplant mortality. We hypothesized that post-transplant survival in mechanically ventilated recipients has improved over time. Methods Using a national registry, we compared hazard of death at 30 days, 4 and 14 months, 3 and 5 years, and overall for adults on mechanical ventilation who underwent lung or heart–lung transplantation from May 4, 2011, to April 4, 2018 (modern group) with those undergoing transplantation from May 4, 2005, to May 3, 2011 (early group). We quantified the impact of mechanical ventilation on survival using population-attributable fractions. We also compared mechanically ventilated recipients with nonmechanically ventilated recipients. Results Mechanically ventilated recipients from the modern group had lower hazard of death than recipients in the early group at all time-points, lowest at 30-days post-transplant (hazard ratio, 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.08). In the modern period, mechanically ventilated recipients had greater hazard of death than nonmechanically ventilated recipients at 30 days' post-transplant (9.53; 4.57-19.86). For mechanically ventilated recipients, the population attributable fraction was lower in the modern group compared to the earlier group (0.6% vs 5.7%). Conclusions While mechanically ventilated recipients remain at high risk, survival in this patient population has improved over time. This may reflect improvements in perioperative recipient management.
Pseudobulbar Affect Presenting as Hypomania.

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a behavioral syndrome associated with various neurological conditions that typically manifests as uncontrollable laughing or crying. PBA can significantly impact the quality of life of patients affected as these spells can be inappropriate to the social setting or incompatible with the patient's emotional state. The underlying mechanism of PBA appears to be associated with disinhibition in neuronal pathways involving dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. One hypothesis for the pathology of PBA is that it is the result of disruption of the corticopontine-cerebellar circuits, impairing cerebellar modulation of affect, and leading to uncontrolled emotional lability. Stroke, and other neurological disorders, interrupt these neuronal circuits causing disinhibition of the voluntary control of emotional expression. It is extremely important to recognize and appropriately diagnose the condition. We present a case report of an 85-year-old female patient who presented with a thalamic stroke, and she subsequently developed hypomania with symptoms of decreased need for sleep, mood lability, pressured speech, and religious preoccupation. This case discusses a unique presentation of PBA with hypomania.
Hydrologic flushing rates drive nitrogen cycling and plant invasion in a freshwater coastal wetland model

Coastal wetlands intercept significant amounts of nitrogen (N) from watersheds, especially when surrounding land cover is dominated by agriculture and urban development. Through plant uptake, soil immobilization, and denitrification, wetlands can remove excess N from flow-through water sources and mitigate eutrophication of connected aquatic ecosystems. Excess N can also change plant community composition in wetlands, including communities threatened by invasive species. Understanding how variable hydrology and N loading impact wetland N removal and community composition can help attain desired management outcomes, including optimizing N removal and/or preventing invasion by nonnatives. By using a dynamic, process-based ecosystem simulation model, we are able to simulate various levels of hydrology and N loading that would otherwise be difficult to manipulate. We investigate in silico the effects of hydroperiod, hydrologic residence time, N loading, and the NH4+ : NO3- ratio on both N removal and the invasion success of two nonnative species (Typha × glauca or Phragmites australis) in temperate freshwater coastal wetlands. We found that, when residence time increased, annual N removal increased up to 10-fold while longer hydroperiods also increased N removal, but only when residence time was >10 d and N loading was >30 g N·m-2 ·yr-1 . N removal efficiency also increased with increasing residence time and hydroperiod, but was less affected by N loading. However, longer hydrologic residence time increased vulnerability of wetlands to invasion by both invasive plants at low to medium N loading rates where native communities are typically more resistant to invasion. This suggests a potential trade-off between ecosystem services related to nitrogen removal and wetland invasibility. These results help elucidate complex interactions of community composition, N loading and hydrology on N removal, helping managers to prioritize N removal when N loading is high or controlling plant invasion in more vulnerable wetlands.
Creative Productive Giftedness in Women: Their Paths to Eminence

This chapter describes a qualitative, comparative case research study conducted with 15 eminent women who have contributed important and creative work across multiple disciplines. These scholars, scientists, artists, innovators, historians, and psychologists range in age from their mid-40s to their mid-60s. Each is regarded as being in the top-tier of creative work in her discipline and has received multiple awards, honors, and accolades. Their paths to eminence demonstrate that their creative productive giftedness results from a combination of their abilities, interests, motivation, and focus, as well as their determination to excel in their creative work, and make a positive difference. Over time, all of these eminent women gained knowledge about their abilities as well as self-confidence, leading to enhanced self-perceptions as they developed their creativity, abilities, interests, and forged ahead with future plans. Their personality characteristics enhanced their creativity productivity, with demonstrated determination, motivation, creativity, leadership, love of their discipline, and decisions to take and thrive on risks. Their creative drive developed as a result of their passion for their work, and their motivation to make positive change and improve their disciplines. Each of the women studied acknowledged her high levels of creative productivity and giftedness, and each could explain her drive and creative processes. This study contributes and enhances earlier work by the author on talented and eminent women, finding that they have a great passion for their work and their diverse and meaningful personal lives, as they purposely shape their extraordinary journeys to creative work and eminence.
Testis and Paratesticular Lesions

A variety of neoplasms can arise in the testis and paratesticular tissue. Germ cell tumors account for the vast majority of testicular tumors, and other tumors, such as sex cord-stromal cell tumors (SCSTs), lymphomas, and soft tissue tumors, can also been seen in the testis. Neoplasms of the paratesticular tissue are extremely rare but demonstrate distinct morphology. In this chapter, we discuss the diagnostic challenges in common germ cell tumors as well as rare entities with a focus on pathologic features and differential diagnoses. Salient clinical features associated with these tumors are highlighted. The application of immunohistochemical, cytogenetic, and molecular tests in the pathologic diagnosis is also discussed. Several actual cases are presented to demonstrate how to use the morphologic analysis with the aid of immunohistochemistry to reach the correct diagnosis in complex cases.
Relational Factors and Sexual Health for Female College Students in Exclusive Heterosexual Relationships

The current study examined how relational factors (i.e., communication, trust, relationship satisfaction, and commitment) link to sexual health outcomes (i.e., condom use, knowledge about a partner's sexual history, and condom use self-efficacy) among female college students in exclusive heterosexual dating relationships (n = 89). The hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that female college students in exclusive dating relationships who reported greater dyadic trust were more likely to report consistently using condoms and asking partners about their sexual history. Findings suggest the need for sexual education curricula that utilize dimensions of dyadic trust to address safe sex practices among female college students. More detailed recommendations are also discussed.
How lipidomics can transform our understanding of virus infections.

Viral infections are a fundamental and universal fact of life. All living organisms are believed to be the host for at least one type of virus [1] with some infections resulting in no visible sympt...
Beyond the Privacy Torts: Reinvigorating a Common Law Approach for Data Breaches

Data breaches continue to roil the headlines, yet regulation and legislation are unlikely to provide a timely solution to protect consumers. Meanwhile, individuals are left, at best, in a state of data insecurity and, at worst, in a compromised economic situation. State common law provides a path forward. Rather than rely on statutory claims or the privacy torts to protect consumer data, this Essay suggests that courts should recognize how contemporary transactions implicate fiduciary-like relationships of trust. By designating what this Essay terms data confidants as a limited form of information fiduciary, courts can reinvigorate the tort of breach of confidence as a remedy for aggrieved consumers.
Characterizing Opinion Dynamics and Group Decision Making in Wikipedia Content Discussions

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, is a trusted source of knowledge for millions of individuals worldwide. As everyone can start a new article, it is often necessary to decide whether certain entries meet the standards for inclusion set forth by the community. These decisions (which are known as “Article for Deletion”, or AfD) are taken by groups of editors in a deliberative fashion, and are known for displaying a number of common biases associated to group decision making. Here, we present an analysis of 1,967,768 AfD discussions between 2005 and 2018. We perform a signed network analysis to capture the dynamics of agreement and disagreement among editors. We measure the preference of each editor for voting toward either inclusion or deletion. We further describe the evolution of individual editors and their voting preferences over time, finding four major opinion groups. Finally, we develop a predictive model of discussion outcomes based on latent factors. Our results shed light on an important, yet overlooked, aspect of curation dynamics in peer production communities, and could inform the design of improved processes of collective deliberation on the web.
Hyperthyroidism as an Underlying Cause of Premature Ejaculation.

Abstract Introduction Hormonal imbalances have been associated with various sexual dysfunction disorders. In particular, the connection of hyperthyroidism has been discovered to correlate to premature ejaculation (PE) but has yet to been thoroughly elucidated. As one of the most frequently self-reported sexual dysfunctions, it is imperative for health care professionals to evaluate possible underlying conditions in regard to treatment options for individuals with PE. Objectives To review the literature regarding hyperthyroidism effects on sexual dysfunction, with a focus on hyperthyroidism and PE. Methods A literature review of articles and clinical studies was performed to define the classification, pathophysiology, diagnostic considerations, and management of hyperthyroidism on PE. Search terms included “hyperthyroidism” and/or “premature ejaculation,” “treatment of premature ejaculation,” “defining premature ejaculation,” and “management of premature ejaculation.” Results To improve the accuracy of diagnosing PE, there needs to be a set definition amongst the different guidelines, as using these guidelines can help determine possible underlying etiologies of PE. The correlation of hyperthyroidism and PE has been described in a limited number of studies. It has been reported that individuals with hyperthyroidism are much more likely to have PE than individuals with euthryoidism. Management of hyperthyroidism has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of PE. Conclusion Further understanding of hyperthyroidism as an underlying cause of PE could lead to increased efficacy of treatment and management of PE. Tannenbaum J, Youssef M, Attia AS, et al. Hyperthyroidism as an Underlying Cause of Premature Ejaculation. Sex Med Rev 2021;XX:XXX–XXX.
How the ‘Law and Order’ Trope Individualizes Racism and Inverts Racial Vulnerability

During the 1968 US presidential campaign, Richard Nixon infamously ran as the “law and order” candidate, invoking in his Republican nomination acceptance speech the domestic protests against racial injustice and the Vietnam war. In the 2020 presidential campaign, Donald Trump revived Richard Nixon’s “law and order” slogan as part of his response to the Black Lives Matter protests after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25th. In this paper, we examine how Trump and his supporters use the “law and order” trope to move public discourse about racism away from critical understandings that view racism as embedded in institutionalized practices and policies, and toward the racial ideology encapsulated in what Jane Hill (2008) calls the “folk theory of race and racism.” Whereas the racial justice movement attempts to center public discourse on systemic racism in policing, the “law and order” trope works to decenter that discourse by individualizing racism and thereby minimizing concerns about the system-wide pattern of racism. As it reinforces the dominant understanding of racism that underpins much US public discourse, the “law and order” trope inverts the racial vulnerability so that Black bodies and racial justice protesters are seen as threats rather than victims of state-sanctioned violence. We illustrate these ideas by drawing from examples of public discourse in response to the summer 2020 racial justice protests, including excerpts from Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham’s shows on Fox News in the days immediately following Floyd’s killing through Ingraham’s interview of Trump at the end of the summer. Our analysis explains how the discourse spawned by the “law and order” trope reinscribes key assumptions about racism, dismisses calls for racial justice, and perpetuates the racial status quo — thereby posing a substantial barrier to changing the policies and practices that lead to racial inequities in policing.
Ontogeny and Phylogeny; a Case of Metarecapitulation?

For some time I have been occupied with the nature-nurture opposition (genes-environment, innate-acquired, etc.)1 Over this period I have become sensitised, not only to the various guises in which this dichotomy appears, but also to structurally similar ones in other fields. (Fig. 1) In epistemology, one of the sources of the nature-nurture dichotomy in science, the classical question has concerned the origin of knowledge. The disputes between rationalists, who insisted upon innate knowledge, and empiricists, who credited the senses, did much to set the framework for more recent disputes. Similar oppositions are found in other fields.
Challenges and experience in prototyping a multi-modal stream analytic and monitoring application on System S

In this paper, we describe the challenges of prototyping a reference application on System S, a distributed stream processing middleware under development at IBM Research. With a large number of stream PEs (Processing Elements) implementing various stream analytic algorithms, running on a large-scale, distributed cluster of nodes, and collaboratively digesting several multi-modal source streams with vastly differing rates, prototyping a reference application on System S faces many challenges. Specifically, we focus on our experience in prototyping DAC (Disaster Assistance Claim monitoring), a reference application dealing with multi-modal stream analytic and monitoring. We describe three critical challenges: (1) How do we generate correlated, multi-modal source streams for DAC? (2) How do we design and implement a comprehensive stream application, like DAC, from many divergent stream analytic PEs? (3) How do we deploy DAC in light of source streams with extremely different rates? We report our experience in addressing these challenges, including modeling a disaster claim processing center to generate correlated source streams, constructing the PE flow graph, utilizing programming supports from System S, adopting parallelism, and exploiting resource-adaptive computation.
Shape Control of Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Shape control of inorganic nanocrystals is important for understanding basic size- and shape-dependent scaling laws, and may be useful in a wide range of applications. Methods for controlling the shapes of inorganic nanocrystals are evolving rapidly. This paper will focus on how we currently control the shape of semiconductor nanocrystals using CdSe as example.
2‐Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate directly facilitates and indirectly inhibits STIM1‐dependent gating of CRAC channels

2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) has emerged as a useful pharmacological tool in the study of store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE). It has been shown to potentiate store-operated Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) currents at low micromolar concentrations and to inhibit them at higher concentrations. Initial experiments with the three CRAC channel subtypes CRACM1, CRACM2 and CRACM3 have indicated that they might be differentially affected by 2-APB. We now present a thorough pharmacological profile of 2-APB and report that it can activate CRACM3 channels in a store-independent manner without the requirement of STIM1, whereas CRACM2 by itself is completely unresponsive to 2-APB and CRACM1 is only very weakly activated. However, when coexpressed with STIM1 and activated via store depletion, CRACM1 and CRACM2 are facilitated at low 2-APB concentrations and inhibited at higher concentrations, while CRACM3 only exhibits potentiated currents. Consistently, the 2-APB-induced CRAC currents exhibit altered selectivities that are characterized by a leftward shift in reversal potential and the emergence of large outward currents that are carried by normally impermeant monovalent cations such as Cs(+) or K(+). These results suggest that 2-APB has agonistic and antagonistic modes of action on CRAC channels, acting at the channel level as a store-independent and direct gating agonist for CRACM3 and a potentiating agonist for CRACM1 and CRACM2 following store-operated and STIM1-dependent activation. The inhibition of CRACM1 channels by high concentrations of 2-APB appears to involve a direct block at the channel level and an additional uncoupling of STIM1 and CRACM1, since the compound reversed the store-dependent multimerization of STIM1. Finally, we demonstrate that single-point mutations of critical amino acids in the selectivity filter of the CRACM1 pore (E106D and E190A) enable 2-APB to gate CRACM1 in a STIM1-independent manner, suggesting that 2-APB facilitates CRAC channels by altering the pore architecture.
The Ia Antigens

Histocompatibility loci determine polymorphic cell surface antigens capable of causing rejection of tissue grafts between animals which are genetically dissimilar at such loci. While the number of histocompatibility loci within any species is probably quite large (Bailey and Mobraaten, 1969), every mammalian species that has so far been examined possesses one such locus which has overwhelming importance in determining the fate of an allograft. This locus has been termed the “major histocompatibility complex” (MHC) (Bach, 1973), and within each species a particular system of nomenclature has been adopted. As an experimental model, the MHC of the mouse, known as the H-2 complex, is the best defined in terms of genetic fine structure. Four major regions of the H-2 complex have been defined and have been mapped linearly in the murine IXth linkage group (chromosome No. 17) in the order Κ--- I---S---D with respect to the centromere (Klein, 1970) of that chromosome.
Multi-trait evolution in a cave fish, Astyanax mexicanus.

SUMMARY When surface species colonize caves, a characteristic suite of traits eventually evolves over time, regardless of species. The genetic basis of the inevitable appearance of these very similar phenotypes was investigated through quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping of 12 traits that differ significantly between the recently evolved (<1 Myr). Mexican cave tetra and its surface conspecific. The traits were a representative set, including eye size, pigment cell numbers, chemical sensitivity, body and skull morphology, standard length, and metabolism. We used both single- and multi-trait models for QTL mapping. QTL effects of these traits were significantly clustered in the genome. We mapped 13 regions in the genome with QTL effects on from three to nine traits. These clusters could be multigenic or could represent single locus with pleiotropic alleles. Given the relatively short time available to construct clusters from unlinked genes through genomic rearrangement, and the counterintuitive polarities of some of the substitution effects, we argue that at least some of the clusters must have a pleiotropic basis.
Leucine-induced anabolic-catabolism: two sides of the same coin

Leucine is an essential nutrient with potent abilities to stimulate both muscle protein synthesis as well as increased oxidative metabolism supported by mitochondrial biogenesis. Few studies have simultaneously investigated anabolic and catabolic responses following leucine treatment with the exception of master regulator of cellular energetics, AMPK. The unique ability of leucine to stimulate both favorable anabolic and catabolic processes in highly metabolically active tissues suggests leucine consumption/supplementation may provide benefits beyond hypertrophic gains. This review highlights original investigations reporting leucine’s ability to stimulate both anabolic and catabolic processes in muscle. Additionally, this report discusses potential explanations for the simultaneous activation of two seemingly opposing processes, as well as the interplay between them. The role of cellular energetics is of undeniable importance in sustaining increased protein synthesis following leucine administration; however, the dependence of leucine-induced mitochondrial biogenesis on heightened energy expenditure from elevated protein synthesis remains to be defined experimentally.
Binocular competition in the control of geniculate cell growth.

It has been shown previously that, in kittens, geniculate laminae that are visually deprived by a unilateral lid-suture grow less than normal. However, cell growth is affected only where the deprived laminae lie opposite a normally innervated lamina. The most lateral part of lamina A, which is innervated from the monocular crescent of the visual field and which extends beyond the edge of lamina A1, is not affected by lid-suture. One interpretation of this result is that a binocular competition controls geniculate cell growth and that the normal competitive balance is upset by the lid-suture. In order to test this interpretation further, four kittens had the lids of one eye sutured and in the other eye a patch of temporal retina was destroyed. After 5.5 to 12 weeks′ survival lamina A1 showed a patch of transneuronal degeneration produced by the ipsilateral retinal lesion. Most of lamina A showed a reduced cell growth contralateral to the suture. However, the part of this lamina lying opposite the zone of transneuronal degeneration contained cells that were larger than would be expected if there were no competitive effect. These results show that geniculate cells compete during development, probably for available synaptic surfaces upon cortical cells, perhaps in terms of interlaminar inhibitory mechanisms. Success in this competition depends upon the nature of the visual input. The present results provide no evidence that visual deprivation can change geniculate cell growth by any direct, non-competitive effect.
Strengthening Fragile Families through Research and Practice.

Almost one third of all children in the United States are born to unmarried parents. This figure is even higher among poor and minority populations. Because of their heightened risk for economic and social problems and family dissolution, disadvantaged, unmarried parents have been called “fragile families.” In 2002 the Bush administration announced its Healthy Marriage Initiative. Its purpose was to promote marriage, especially among low-income couples. In 2006 the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) allocated $150 million a year to marriage and fatherhood programs. However, the marriage education and research communities have paid little attention to fragile families. This article examines the findings from a groundbreaking new source of data called The Fragile Families and Child Well Being Study and the various programs now serving these families. The article concludes by suggesting empirically based interventions for assisting fragile families.
Information technology adoption: evidence from a voice mail introduction

The theory of planned behavior was used to model voice mail adoption for empirical study. The theory of planned behavior postulates that adoption intentions are formed by a potential user's attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control. The research focuses on the role of perceived behavioral control which has received relatively little attention in previous studies. A user support measure is introduced as one of the factors determining perceived behavioral control. Ease of use, typically thought to influence a user's Attitude, is alternatively modeled as influencing a user's perceived behavioral control. Empirical results indicated that both support and ease of use have a significant influence upon perceived behavioral control. As predicted by the theory of planned behavior, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were significant determinants of adoption intentions.
Identification of a small molecule that induces ATG5-and-cathepsin-l-dependent cell death and modulates polyglutamine toxicity

Non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms are largely uncharacterized despite their importance in physiology and disease [1]. Here we sought to systematically identify non-apoptotic cell death pathways in mammalian cells. We screened 69,612 compounds for those that induce non-canonical cell death by counter screening in the presence of inhibitors of apoptosis and necrosis. We further selected compounds that require active protein synthesis for inducing cell death. Using this tiered approach, we identified NID-1 (Novel Inducer of Death-1), a small molecule that induces an active, energy-dependent cell death in diverse mammalian cell lines. NID-1-induced death required components of the autophagic machinery, including ATG5, and the lysosomal hydrolase cathepsin L, but was distinct from classical macroautophagy. Since macroautophagy can prevent cell death in several contexts, we tested and found that NID-1 suppressed cell death in a cell-based model of Huntington's disease, suggesting that NID-1 activates a specific pathway. Thus the discovery of NID-1 identifies a previously unexplored cell death pathway, and modulating this pathway may have therapeutic applications. Furthermore, these findings provide a proof-of-principle for using chemical screening to identify novel cell death paradigms.
Analysis of emergency medical services activations in Shenandoah National Park from 2003 to 2007.

AbstractBackground. Wilderness activities continue to be popular in the United States, but may lead to both direct injuries and exacerbations or complications from chronic diseases. Appropriate response planning requires information on the type and location of emergency medical services (EMS) activations in large outdoor areas with many visitors. Objectives. To describe EMS calls in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and explore the resultant implications for EMS resources and staging, medical provider training, and potential public health interventions in similar wilderness recreation areas. Methods. A retrospective, descriptive review was conducted of all park EMS activations in Shenandoah National Park from 2003 to 2007. Results. There were 335 EMS activations within the park over the study period. Both call volume and call rate increased during the study period. There were 197 calls (58.8%%) for injuries and 138 (41.2%%) for illnesses. Weakness/dizziness was the most frequent illness complaint, and ...
Safety: The view from NHTSA: New legislation promises to make cars safer, cheaper to repair, and less polluting during the 1980s

Long a popular surrogate for sex, status, and derring-do, the American automobile is now adapting — rather abruptly — to rising energy costs and tough safety legislation. Manufacturers and motorists reluctantly realize that ego trips must be sacrificed to insure that essential commuting, shopping, and business excursions can continue in relative profusion and safety. Two major decisions announced by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Brock Adams during June 1977 have established a timetable for improved automobile crashworthiness and reduced operating cost.
The Negro Variety of Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Haemoglobin is a Mild Form of Thalassaemia

Further studies have been carried out on blood of the 15-year-old Negro male from Baltimore who was the first reported case of the homozygous state for hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin. His red cells contain only Hb F; Hbs A and A2 have never been detected. Over a 15-year period of follow up the red cells of this individual have shown persistent microcytosis with reduced MCH and MCV values. His whole-blood p50 value is decreased, probably because of lack of interaction between Hb F and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. However, his haemoglobin level at the age of 15 years is lower than would be predicted from the degree of increased oxygen affinity. Globin-chain synthesis studies suggest that this is because he has a mild thalassaemia disorder with an alpha/gamma-chain production ratio of about 1.5, similar to that found in beta-thalassemia heterozygotes. Thus Negro HPFH appears to be a well-compensated form of delta beta thalassaemia.
Natriuretic peptides and the acclimation of aglomerular toadfish to hypo-osmotic media.

Since the aglomerular toadfish (Opsanus tau) experiences a natriuresis following transfer to 10% seawater, we examined the role of natriuretic peptides in the acclimation of toadfish to hypo-osmotic media. Gel filtration chromatography of acid extracts of toadfish heart and kidney identified a broad peak of atrial natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactivity in both tissues, with maximal immunoreactivity in fractions coeluting with human α-atrial natriuretic peptide. Using a homologous bioassay to measure changes in aortic ring tension, both vasorelaxing and, surprisingly, vasoconstricting bioactivities were identified in gel fractions of heart extract. No significant vasorelaxing activity was identified in kidney extract or fractions. Instead, a potent vasoconstricting activity was observed, with maximal activity in gel fractions with an estimated MW greater than 1000 Da. Levels of atrial natriuretic peptide immunoreactivity in plasma from the caudal vein were very low in seawater toadfish and were unchanged 12 h after transfer of toadfish to 10% seawater. We conclude, that natriuretic peptides are present in the heart and kidney of toadfish. However, atrial natriuretic peptide-like peptides of cardiac origin circulating to the kidney via the caudal vein do not appear responsible for the natriuresis that ensues upon the transfer of toadfish to 10% seawater. In the absence of glomeruli, this tubular natriuresis may be regulated by natriuretic peptides present in the kidney.
Protein transduction domain delivery of therapeutic macromolecules

Owing to their unprecedented selectivity, specific activity and potential for 1000+ fold amplification of signal, macromolecules, such as peptides, catalytic protein domains, complete proteins, and oligonucleotides, offer great potential as therapeutic molecules. However, therapeutic use of macromolecules is limited by their poor penetration in tissues and their inability to cross the cellular membrane. The discovery of small cationic peptides that cross the membrane, called Protein Transduction Domains (PTDs) or Cell Penetrating Peptides (CPPs), in the late 1980s opened the door to cellular delivery of large, bioactive molecules. Now, PTDs are widely used as research tools, and impressively, multiple clinical trials are testing PTD-mediated delivery of macromolecular drug conjugates in patients with a variety of diseases.
The effect of thermal exposure on the mechanical properties of aluminum-graphite composites

The mechanical properties of aluminum-graphite composites were measured at room temperature in the as-received condition, after elevated temperature exposure and after thermal cycling. The composites were fabricated by solid-state diffusion bonding of liquid-phase Al-infiltrated Thornel 50 fibers. The results showed that the maximum longitudinal tensile strength of the as-received material was 80,000 psi, which corresponds well with the rule of mixture value. The composite strength was observed to vary widely, depending on the extent of wetting of the fibers by the aluminum. The strength of the composites in the transverse direction was generally very low, due to poor interfacial bonding. Aluminum carbide (Al4C3) formed at the surface of the fibers at temperatures greater than 500 C. Development of the carbide was shown to be diffusion-controlled and was dependent on the time and temperature used. It was shown that the tensile strength was virtually unaffected by heat-treatment up to 500 C; beyond that temperature a drastic degradation of tensile strength occurred. Thermal cycling of the composites below 500 C resulted in an observable degradation of the composite strength.
Intraseasonal Variations of Tropical Cold-Point Tropopause Temperatures

Abstract Intraseasonal variability of the tropical cold-point tropopause (CPT) and its relationship with tropical convection are investigated. Negative CPT temperature anomalies lead negative outgoing longwave radiation anomalies associated with enhanced convection by about 2–10 days throughout almost the entire lifetime of the Madden–Julian oscillation. It is proposed that the negative CPT temperature anomalies, together with positive tropospheric mean temperature anomalies found by other authors, are likely indications of Kelvin waves excited by convection centered to the west of the temperature anomalies.
Methane adsorbed on graphite. I. Intermolecular potentials and lattice sums

The potential-energy surface for methane adsorbed on the basal plane of graphite is determined from two different atom-atom intermolecular interaction models. Static lattice sums are calculated for solid adlayer films in which the structure is varied in a systematic search for potential-energy minima. The potential-energy barriers to desorption, translations, and rotations are calculated, and a structure with two molecules per unit cell is investigated. Estimates of the translational, librational, and vibrational zero-point energies are given. Comparisons to experiments are discussed.
Neurobiology of the incubation of drug craving

It was suggested in 1986 that cue-induced drug craving in cocaine addicts progressively increases over the first several weeks of abstinence and remains high for extended periods. During the past decade, investigators have identified an analogous incubation phenomenon in rodents, in which time-dependent increases in cue-induced drug seeking are observed after withdrawal from intravenous cocaine self-administration. Such an incubation of drug craving is not specific to cocaine, as similar findings have been observed after self-administration of heroin, nicotine, methamphetamine and alcohol in rats. In this review, we discuss recent results that have identified important brain regions involved in the incubation of drug craving, as well as evidence for the underlying cellular mechanisms. Understanding the neurobiology of the incubation of drug craving in rodents is likely to have significant implications for furthering understanding of brain mechanisms and circuits that underlie craving and relapse in human addicts.
Cold Fronts Aloft and the Forecasting of Precipitation and Severe Weather East of the Rocky Mountains

Abstract Brief descriptions are given of four cases that illustrate the important role that cold fronts aloft (CFA) can play in producing significant weather cast of the Rocky Mountains. In all four cases, the CFA, and its associated short wave, were located ∼200–300 km ahead of a surface trough. Precipitation (and in some cases severe weather) developed along the leading edge of the CFA. The nested grid model generally did a good job of locating the CFA. Analysis of absolute momentum confirms that these features were fronts, in a dynamic, as well as a thermodynamic sense. A conceptual model for CFA is presented. In the cases examined, this model provides not only a useful picture of the distribution of clouds and precipitation associated with CFA, but also means for locating them. It also helps to define a major class of systems that do not fit the Norwegian cyclone model. Therefore, it should help in the identification of CFA and in improving the forecasting of precipitation and severe weather associate...