cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The incidence and functional consequences of RT-associated cardiac perfusion defects

Purpose: Radiation therapy (RT) for left-sided breast cancer has been associated with cardiac dysfunction. We herein assess the temporal nature and volume dependence of RT-induced left ventricular perfusion defects and whether these perfusion defects are related to changes in cardiac wall motion or alterations in ejection fraction. Methods: From 1998 to 2001, 114 patients were enrolled onto an IRB-approved prospective clinical study to assess changes in regional and global cardiac function after RT for left-sided breast cancer. Patients were imaged 30 to 60 minutes after injection of technetium 99m sestamibi or tetrofosmin. Post-RT perfusion scans were compared with the pre-RT studies to assess for RT-induced perfusion defects as well as functional changes in wall motion and ejection fraction. Two-tailed Fisher’s exact test and the Cochran-Armitage test for linear trends were used for statistical analysis. Results: The incidence of new perfusion defects 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after RT was 27%, 29%, 38%, and 42%, respectively. New defects occurred in approximately 10% to 20% and 50% to 60% of patients with less than 5%, and greater than 5%, of their left ventricle included within the RT fields, respectively (p = 0.33 to 0.00008). The rates of wall motion abnormalities in patients with and without perfusion defects were 12% to 40% versus 0% to 9%, respectively; p values were 0.007 to 0.16, depending on the post-RT interval. Conclusions: Radiation therapy causes volume-dependent perfusion defects in approximately 40% of patients within 2 years of RT. These perfusion defects are associated with corresponding wall-motion abnormalities. Additional study is necessary to better define the long-term functional consequences of RT-induced perfusion defects.
Prostaglandin and prostaglandin synthetase in the cricket, Acheta domesticus

Abstract Prostaglandin (PG) synthetase was present in the testes, seminal vesicles, and spermatophores of the male house cricket, Acheta domesticus . The enzyme was not detected in bursa copulatrix, spermatheca, spermathecal canal, and oviducts from virgin females, while substantial activity was measured in the same tissue from mated females. The female appears to receive the enzyme from the spermatophore. A PGE 2 -like material was detected by radioimmunoassay in A. domesticus testes and to a lesser extent in the remainder of the male reproductive tract. PG went undetected in virgin female reproductive tissues, while the same tissues from mated females contained an average of 589 pg of PGE 2 -like material per female. In in vivo studies, injected PGE 1 , PGE 2 , and to a smaller degree PGF 2α stimulated oviposition by virgin females. Moreover, N -acetyl- p -aminophenol, a PG synthetase inhibitor, suppressed oviposition in mated females. Post-copulatory PG biosynthesis in the female reproductive tract might be partially responsible for triggering oviposition in A. domesticus . Since PG synthetase appears to be acquired from the male, it could be considered a primer pheromone.
Selection criteria for individual dynamic psychotherapies

The authors discuss the indications, contraindications, and enabling factors for four types of psychodynamically informed psychotherapy: supportive, focal, exploratory, and psychoanalysis. They outline the inherent and practical difficulties impeding psychotherapy outcome studies and summarize the limited research regarding psychodynamic treatments. The overall efficacy of psychotherapy has been documented, but to date studies have not demonstrated specific differential effectiveness and indications. The authors present the rationale for each of the four approaches and suggest ways of selecting among them.
Calculation of the quark damping rate in hot QCD

We present a complete calculation of the quark damping rate at zero momentum, to leading order in the QCD coupling constant g at a nonzero temperature T. All terms of leading order in g are included by the resummation of an infinite subset of higher-loop diagrams. At zero momentum the damping rates for the quark and the plasmino (a collective mode with opposite chirality and/or helicity) are equal: for three flavors of massless quarks, the result is \ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.151${\mathit{g}}^{2}$T. We also examine the recent controversy over the gauge dependence of the quark damping rate, and show how it is resolved when dimensional regularization is used as an infrared regulator of mass singularities.
Molecular characterization of resistance to Heterodera glycines in soybean PI 438489B

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) plant introduction (PI) 438489B is a newly found germplasm source that has resistance to multiple soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, SCN) races. We studied the inheritance of resistance to SCN races 1, 2, 3, 5 and 14 in PI 438489B using F2 and F2:3 families, which were generated by crossing to the susceptible cultivar ’Hamilton.’ The objectives of this study were to investigate the inheritance for resistance to SCN races in PI 438489B, to find molecular markers associated with resistances, and to study the allelic relationships among resistance loci for different SCN races. The results showed that the responses to SCN races were approximately normally distributed with large environmental effects, and were also highly correlated, which implied that genes giving resistance to different races were similar. The narrow-sense heritabilities of resistance to all five SCN races ranged from 0.55 to 0.88. Fifty one restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers and 64 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were found to be polymorphic in the F2 population. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with resistance to SCN races were anchored on soybean linkage groups (LGs) A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1a, E and G. These QTLs explained 47.3%, 45.8%, 51.5%, 34.5% and 37.2% of the total phenotypic variances, respectively, for each race we investigated. Some QTLs for different races encompassed the same region of flanking markers; therefore, QTLs for multiple races may be linked or pleiotropic effects may be involved. Some loci provided resistance in a race-specific manner. Resistance to SCN race 14 had a different pattern compared to other races. Our results indicated that resistance to race 14 did not include loci on LGs A2 and G. These flanking markers associated with QTLs could be used to select for resistance to multiple SCN races in soybean breeding programs.
Aerobic fitness levels and validation of a non exercise VO2max prediction equation for HIV-infected patients on HAART.

AbstractBackground: Non-exercise (N-EX) questionnaires have been developed to determine maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) in healthy populations. There are limited reliable and validated N-EX questionnaires for the HIV+ population that provide estimates of habitual physical activity and not VO2max. Objectives: To determine how well regression equations developed previously on healthy populations, including N-EX prediction equations for VO2max and age-predicted maximal heart rates (APMHR), worked on an HIV+ population; and to develop a specific N-EX prediction equation for VO2max and APMHR for HIV+ individuals. Methods: Sixty-six HIV+ participants on stable HAART completed 4 N-EX questionnaires and performed a maximal graded exercise test. Results: Sixty males and 6 females were included; mean (SD) age was 49.2 (8.2) years; CD4 count was 516.0 ± 253.0 cells·mm-3; and 92% had undetectable HIV PCR. Mean VO2max was 29.2 ± 7.6 (range, 14.4–49.4) mL·kg-1·min-1 Despite positive correlations with VO2max, previo...
Meteorological factors affecting the speed of movement and related impacts of extratropical cyclones along the U.S. east coast

The speeds of historical cool-season extratropical cyclones along the U.S. east coast, hereafter East Coast Winter Storms (ECWS), occurring during the period from 1951 to 2006 were computed. Average storm speed was 13.8 ms−1 with stronger storms generally moving faster than weaker storms and faster storms forming during the midwinter months (December–March). There was no clear trend in ECWS speed during the time period, although considerable season-to-season variability was present. The monthly and seasonal variations in storm speed could not be attributed to the El Nino-Southern Oscillation or North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) alone. However, the speed of ECWS was considerably slower when both El Nino and the negative phase of NAO occurred simultaneously. Characteristic patterns in the upper levels of the atmosphere, specifically 300 hPa zonal winds and 500 hPa geopotential heights, were present during periods when ECWS speeds were among the slowest (and separately fastest). For slow storm speed, these patterns also prevailed during months in which El Nino and negative NAO phase occurred. These patterns were also present during months with extended runs of high oceanic storm surge. This provides a qualitative link between the atmospheric conditions associated with slow storms and potentially high coastal storm surge impacts. Among the prime consequences of ECWS speed are extended periods of high storm surge, mainly due to slow-moving storms. The sustained high tidal levels often lead to substantial damage caused by coastal flooding, overwash, and beach erosion.
Race Differences and Type II Errors: A Comment on Borkowski and Krause.

Abstract Magnitude comparisons of black-white differences on a variety of cognitive tests give a somewhat different picture of the results of a small-sample study by Borkowski and Krause (1983), who based their conclusions mainly on significance tests. Some of the critical variables in the study consisted of differences scores with unacceptably low reliability, inclining the results toward the favored hypothesis, namely, that the locus of the difference between blacks and whites in psychometric intelligence lies in metaprocesses, or the executive system, and not in the elementary cognitive processes. The results actually show fairly comparable black-white differences in measures of both types of processes.
Multiterminal duality and three-terminal series-parallelness

Abstract We develop the fundamentals of graph-theoretic duality for graphs having an arbitrary number of distinguished vertices (terminals), rather than just two as is usual in network theory. The resulting multiterminal duality principle suggests a generalization of series-parallel to three-terminal graphs.
Isolated optic nerve lymphoma diagnosed by optic nerve biopsy.

Purpose To report a case of isolated optic nerve lymphoma diagnosed by optic nerve biopsy. Design Case report. Methods A 66-year-old woman was referred to the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service because of a decrease in visual acuity and right optic disk edema. Results A magnetic resonance image of the brain showed only enhancement of the optic nerve. An examination that included ANA, c-ANCA, p-ANCA, Lyme titers, FTA-ABS, ACE level, chest x-ray, and lumbar puncture was negative. Because of rapid progression on clinical examination and serial imaging, an optic nerve biopsy was performed, which showed B-cell lymphoma. Conclusion Optic nerve lymphoma can be confused with a variety of inflammatory and neoplastic infiltrations of the optic nerve on clinical and radiographic examinations. Optic nerve biopsy can be valuable in diagnosing isolated optic nerve lymphoma if other diagnostic tests are unrevealing, but the procedure carries considerable risk of loss of visual acuity and should be recommended judiciously.
Applying human computation mechanisms to information retrieval

Crowdsourcing and Games with a Purpose (GWAP) have each received considerable attention in recent years. These two human computation mechanisms assist with tasks that cannot be solved by computers alone. Despite this increased attention, much of this transformation has been limited to a few aspects of Information Retrieval (IR). In this paper, we examine these two mechanisms' applicability to IR. Using an IR model, we apply criteria to determine the suitability of these crowdsourcing and GWAP mechanisms to each step of the model. Our analysis illustrates that these mechanisms can apply to several of these steps with good returns.
Trimodal color-fluorescence-polarization endoscopy aided by a tumor selective molecular probe accurately detects flat lesions in colitis-associated cancer.

Colitis-associated cancer (CAC) arises from premalignant flat lesions of the colon, which are difficult to detect with current endoscopic screening approaches. We have developed a complementary fluorescence and polarization reporting strategy that combines the unique biochemical and physical properties of dysplasia and cancer for real-time detection of these lesions. Using azoxymethane-dextran sodium sulfate (AOM-DSS) treated mice, which recapitulates human CAC and dysplasia, we show that an octapeptide labeled with a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye selectively identified all precancerous and cancerous lesions. A new thermoresponsive sol-gel formulation allowed topical application of the molecular probe during endoscopy. This method yielded high contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) between adenomatous tumors (20.6±1.65) and flat lesions (12.1±1.03) and surrounding uninvolved colon tissue versus CNR of inflamed tissues (1.62±0.41). Incorporation of nanowire-filtered polarization imaging into NIR fluorescence endoscopy shows a high depolarization contrast in both adenomatous tumors and flat lesions in CAC, reflecting compromised structural integrity of these tissues. Together, the real-time polarization imaging provides real-time validation of suspicious colon tissue highlighted by molecular fluorescence endoscopy.
PROLONGED ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

A series of sixty-one cases of prolonged pernasal intubation in children for conditions which would otherwise need tracheostomy is presented. One serious complication, namely subglottic cicatricial stenosis of the trachea, has occurred and is discussed. There is a definite place for prolonged pernasal intubation in children under 5 years of age as an alternative to tracheostomy. The most important single element in achieving success with this technique is to choose the smallest size tube which gives a quiet (adequate) airway and reasonable access for aspiration of secretions.
Alkyltransferase-mediated toxicity of bis-electrophiles in mammalian cells

The primary function of O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) is to maintain genomic integrity in the face of damage by both endogenous and exogenous alkylating agents. However, paradoxically, bacterial and mammalian AGTs have been shown to increase cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of dihaloalkanes and other bis-electrophiles when expressed in bacterial cells. We have extended these studies to mammalian cells using CHO cells that lack AGT expression and CHO cells stably transfected with a plasmid that expresses human AGT. The cytotoxicity of 1,2-dibromoethane, dibromomethane and epibromohydrin was significantly increased by the presence of AGT but cytotoxicity of butadiene diepoxide was not affected. Mutations caused by these agents were assessed using hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) as a reporter gene. There was a small (c. 2-3-fold) but statistically significant AGT-mediated increase in mutations caused by 1,2-dibromoethane, dibromomethane and epibromohydrin. Analysis of the mutation spectrum induced by 1,2-dibromoethane showed that the presence of AGT also altered the types of mutations with an increase in total base substitution mutants due to a rise in transversions at both G:C and A:T sites. AGT expression also led to mutations arising from the transcribed strand, which were not seen in cells lacking AGT. Although the frequency of deletion mutations was decreased by AGT expression, the formation of large deletions (> or = 3 exons) was increased. This work demonstrates that interaction of AGT with some bis-electrophiles can cause mutagenicity and diminished cell survival in mammalian cells. It is consistent with the hypothesis that DNA-AGT cross-links, which have been characterized in experiments with purified AGT protein and such bis-electrophiles, can be formed in mammalian cells.
Complete microscopic controlled surgery for head and neck cancer

Mohs surgery, as it has evolved since its inception by Mohs, is a technique for removing certain cancers using careful, precise microscopic marginal control. The contemporary technique using fresh tissue has enabled the application of Mohs surgery to the treatment of malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract. Mohs surgery, once limited to large recurrent basal cell carcinomas, has expanded to include several cutaneous and noncutaneous neoplasms. With better understanding of the Mohs technique, its indications, applications, and advantages, an interdisciplinary approach to manage certain head and neck neoplasms is proposed.
Uncoupling-mediated generation of reactive oxygen by halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons in mouse liver microsomes

Abstract Studying liver microsomes from 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced or vehicle-treated (noninduced) mice, we evaluated the in vitro effects of added chemicals on the production of reactive oxygen due to substrate/P450-mediated uncoupling. The catalase-inhibited NADPH-dependent H2O2 production (luminol assay) was lower in induced than noninduced microsomes. The effects of adding chemicals (2.5 μM) in vitro could be divided into three categories: Group 1, highly halogenated and coplanar compounds that increased H2O2 production at least 5-fold in induced, but not in noninduced, microsomes; Group 2, non-coplanar halogenated biphenyls that did not affect H2O2 production; Group 3, minimally halogenated biphenyls and benzo[a]pyrene that decreased H2O2 production. Molar consumption of NADPH and O2 and molar H2O2 production (o-dianisidine oxidation) revealed that Group 1 compounds mostly increased, Group 2 had no effect, and Group 3 decreased the H2O2/O2 and H2O2/NADPH ratios. Microsomal lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances) was proportional to H2O2 production. Although TCDD induction decreased microsomal production of H2O2, addition of Group 1 compounds to TCDD-induced microsomes in vitro stimulated the second-electron reduction of cytochrome P450 and subsequent release of H2O2 production. This pathway is likely to contribute to the oxidative stress response and associated toxicity produced by many of these environmental chemicals.
Initiation of vitellogenin uptake and protein synthesis in the Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) ovary in response to a blood meal

Abstract We studied the initiation of both vitellogenin endocytosis and non-vitellogenin protein synthesis in the mosquito ovary after a blood meal. Both these processes exhibited activation in two phases. The rate of endocytosis increased slowly during the first 2 h after feeding and was followed by a more rapid increase that peaked at 24 h after feeding. The rate of ovarian protein synthesis, which increased dramatically within the first 30 min after feeding, declined for the next 2 h and then increased again, gradually, reaching a peak at 8 h after a blood meal. Following a slight decline at 12 h, a steady rate was maintained for the next 12 h. Decapitation or isolation of the abdomen, within 5 min of the beginning of blood feeding, eliminated the second activation phase, but not the first one, for both these processes. In contrast, neither vitellogenin endocytosis nor ovarian protein synthesis was stimulated in abdomens isolated from previtellogenic females given an enema of blood and assayed 4 h later. The rate of ovarian protein synthesis became independent from the head at 8 h after feeding. In order to maintain the normal rates of vitellogenin endocytosis, the presence of the head was required for 16–20 h after a blood meal. Thus, both protein synthesis and vitellogenin endocytosis were first activated as a result of blood feeding itself. The second activation phase was also dependent on the head factors, and their continued release was essential for the maintenance of these ovarian functions.
Association of Hypertension and Anti-Hypertensive Therapy with Cancers

Hypertension and cancer impose a huge burden on health care systems. Optimal treatment of hypertension have shown to improve mortality and morbidity. However, there are reports of potential occurrence of cancer on these life saving medications. In this review, we summarize the findings of the recent literature on hypertension, antihypertensive medications, and cancer and suggest recommendations for our patients.
Incremental value of renal function in risk prediction with the Seattle Heart Failure Model.

Background Impaired renal function portends poor heart failure (HF) outcomes. The Seattle Heart Failure Score (SHFS), a multimarker risk assessment tool, however does not incorporate renal function. In this study, we assessed the incremental value of renal function over the SHFS in patients with advanced HF on contemporary optimal treatment. Methods Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (sCr), BUN/sCr ratio, and estimated glomerular filtration rate were assessed in survival models with SHFS as the base model among 443 patients with HF (52 ± 12 years, male 68.5%, white 52.4%, ejection fraction 0.18 ± 0.08). Incremental value of renal function was assessed by changes in the likelihood ratio χ 2 and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for 1-, 2-, and 3-year event prediction. Results During a median follow-up of 21 months, 108 (24.5%) of 443 patients had an event (death [n = 92], urgent transplantation [n = 13], or ventricular assist device implantation [n = 3]). All renal parameters individually were associated with outcome (BUN, P P P = .006; and estimated glomerular filtration rate, P = .006); however, only BUN was an independent predictor of events in multivariable analyses. Addition of BUN improved the predictive ability of SHFS (Δlikelihood ratio χ 2 5.03, P = .025); however, the increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was marginal (year 1, 0.786 to 0.791; year 2, 0.732 to 0.741; year 3, 0.745 to 0.754; all P > .2). Conclusion Among the various renal function parameters, BUN had the strongest association with outcomes in patients with advanced HF. However, the incremental value of renal function over the SHFS for risk determination was marginal.
Physical properties of cholesteryl esters having 20 carbons or more.

By polarizing microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry we observed that the relative stability of the smectic and cholesteric mesophases of cholesteryl esters of acyl chain length of 20 carbons or more depends on the length of the acyl chain and its degree of unsaturation. Significantly, the addition of a single double bond to the acyl chain of a fully saturated cholesteryl ester which exhibits no mesophases (e.g., cholesteryl behenate (C22:0) and cholesteryl lignocerate (C24:0) yields an ester which displays an unusually stable smectic mesophase, but no cholesteric mesophase. In fact, increasing unsaturation was found to have a destabilizing effect on the cholesteric phase. Similarly, a decrease in thermal stability of the cholesteric mesophase was observed with increasing chain length in a series of rcis-monounsaturated cholesteryl esters, while the thermal stability of the smectic mesophase increased in the same series. X-ray scattering data are presented on the smectic mesophase of cholesteryl erucate (C22:1) and cholesteryl nervonate (C24:1). Significant differences in molecular packing of these two monounsaturated ω = 9 cholesteryl esters in the crystalline state are demonstrated by preliminary X-ray scattering experiments.
Measurement Issues in Time-Series Research: Reliability and Validity Assessment in Modeling the Macroeconomic Effects of Advertising

Methods for the analysis of time series have become widely known and are now applied regularly by marketers and other social scientists. Time-series analysis has proved useful in such areas as forecasting (e.g., Kapoor, Madhok, and Wu 1981; Moriarty and Adams 1979), assessing the relationship between advertising and sales (e.g., Aaker, Carman, and Jacobson 1982; Jagpal and Hui 1980), examining market responses to specified interventions (e.g., Franke and Didow 1981; Wichern and Jones 1977), and testing hypothesized concomitancies in time-series designs (e.g., Hanssens 1980). In contrast to cross-sectional research, time-series designs generally challenge the researcher's ability to discover and analyze multiple-item, multiple-method data required for reliability and validity assessment. Currently archived time-series data generally include at best single-item measures infrequently available for a restricted period of time. Increased attention to measurement issues in time-series research should result in renewed emphasis on the design, measurement, and archiving of multiple "focal local indicators" (Campbell 1976) of marketing phenomena. It also should contribute to further research in the limitations of currently available time-series statistical models and causality tests and to the development of promising alternative procedures.
Thermal stabilities of aromatic acids as geothermal tracers

Abstract Thirty-nine aromatic acids were tested for their suitability as geothermal tracers. The parameters of the experiments included temperatures up to 300°C for periods of up to one month in fluids of various salinities, the presence or absence of rocks, and atmospheric levels of molecular oxygen. Of the compounds tested, at least 24 are suitable as tracers in a moderate-temperature geothermal environment while 5 may be used at temperatures as high as 300°C. The compounds displayed no adsorption on the rocks used in the tests. Some of the compounds were used successfully in a major tracer test at the Dixie Valley, Nevada geothermal system.
Quantitative fluorescence imaging reveals point of release for lipoproteins during LDLR-dependent uptake

The LDL receptor (LDLR) supports efficient uptake of both LDL and VLDL remnants by binding lipoprotein at the cell surface, internalizing lipoprotein through coated pits, and releasing lipoprotein in endocytic compartments before returning to the surface for further rounds of uptake. While many aspects of lipoprotein binding and receptor entry are well understood, it is less clear where, when, and how the LDLR releases lipoprotein. To address these questions, the current study employed quantitative fluorescence imaging to visualize the uptake and endosomal processing of LDL and the VLDL remnant β-VLDL. We find that lipoprotein release is rapid, with most release occurring prior to entry of lipoprotein into early endosomes. Published biochemical studies have identified two mechanisms of lipoprotein release: one that involves the β-propeller module of the LDLR and a second that is independent of this module. Quantitative imaging comparing uptake supported by the normal LDLR or by an LDLR variant incapable of β-propeller-dependent release shows that the β-propeller-independent process is sufficient for release for both lipoproteins but that the β-propeller process accelerates both LDL and β-VLDL release. Together these findings define where, when, and how lipoprotein release occurs and provide a generalizable methodology for visualizing endocytic handling in situ.
Alcohol screening and brief counseling in a primary care hypertensive population: a quality improvement intervention.

Aims To determine the effect of an intervention to improve alcohol screening and brief counseling for hypertensive patients in primary care. Design Two-year randomized, controlled trial. Setting/participants Twenty-one primary care practices across the United States with a common electronic medical record. Intervention To promote alcohol screening and brief counseling. Intervention practices received site visits from study personnel and were invited to annual network meetings to review the progress of the project and share improvement strategies. Measurements Main outcome measures included rates of documented alcohol screening in hypertensive patients and brief counseling administered in those diagnosed with high-risk drinking, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. Secondary outcomes included change in blood pressure among patients with these diagnoses. Findings Hypertensive patients in intervention practices were significantly more likely to have been screened after 2 years than hypertensive patients in control practices [64.5% versus 23.5%; adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 8.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–38.2; P < 0.0087]. Patients in intervention practices diagnosed with high-risk drinking, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence were more likely than those in control practices to have had alcohol counseling documented (50.5% versus 29.6%; adjusted OR = 5.5, 95% CI 1.3–23.3). Systolic (adjusted mean decline = 4.2 mmHg, P = 0.036) and diastolic (adjusted mean decline = 3.3 mmHg, P = 0.006) blood pressure decreased significantly among hypertensive patients receiving alcohol counseling. Conclusions Primary care practices receiving an alcohol-focused intervention over 2 years improved rates of alcohol screening for their hypertensive population. Implementation of alcohol counseling for high-risk drinking, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence also improved and led to changes in patient blood pressures.
Feeding biology of Calanus: a new perspective

Calanus has been, for a variety of reasons, one of the most popular subjects of copepod feeding studies, and much of what we have learned from studies of Calanus has been applied to other species of copepods. Nearly all the major factors controlling feeding rate and behavior in Calanus have been known for more than three decades. These forcing functions include light, body weight, temperature, the quantity, size and quality of food, and feeding history. The relationships between these variables are better understood than they were three decades ago, but the current knowledge of them still fails to explain extraordinary variance in observations of feeding rate.
Nutrient Timing: The Means to Improved Exercise Performance, Recovery, and Training Adaptation

As the incidence rate of lifestyle-related chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes continues to increase, the importance of regular exercise and a healthy di...
Regulation of Nuclear Localization during Signaling

Signaling pathways consist of a chain of biochemical events thatform the intracellular equivalent of a fire bucket brigade. An initialchange or chemical signal outside the cell is sensed at the cellsurface by a receptor, which then transduces the signal to thecytosol. Over the last few years, investigations have focused in-creasingly on the spatiotemporal aspects of signaling, and it hasbecome clear that the localization of key signaling components ishighly regulated during signal transduction. Most signal transduc-tion pathways cause specific changes in gene expression. Thus, anextracellular signal must be transduced across the plasma mem-brane and subsequently across the nuclear envelope to propagatethe signal from the cytosol to the nucleus. Many signaling re-sponses, therefore, rapidly effect the nuclear localization of tran-scription factors or alternatively of kinases that, once translocated,phosphorylate and activate transcription factors in the nucleus.Proteins travel into and out of the nucleus exclusively throughthe nuclear pore complex, an elaborate constellation of at least 30distinct components embedded in the nuclear envelope (1). Themechanism by which proteins travel through the nuclear pore isthe subject of much investigation (1); however in the past few yearsseveral aspects of nuclear transport have been clarified. Smallmolecules (less than 50,000 daltons) diffuse freely in and out of thenucleus through nuclear pores. To gain access to the nucleus,larger proteins require a nuclear localization sequence (NLS),
Charr truth: sympatric differentiation in Salvelinus species

Charrs, Salvelinus species, are characteristic fishes of northern freshwater lakes and rivers. They are highly variable in almost every aspect of their behaviour, morphology and life history. Several possible explanations have been proposed to account for this variability and resolve the taxonomic confusion in this genus. I propose that sympatric trophic polymorphism, in the ecological context of these species, can make sense of this variability. I use examples from charr in Canada and Iceland to construct an evolutionary scenario for this genus.
Influence of Added Nucleosides on Acriflavin Induction of petite Mutants in Baker's Yeast

RECENT reports have suggested the occurrence of DNA in mitochondria of yeast1 and chick embryo2. These studies have added interest in view of the presence of DNA in the chloroplast fractions of algae and higher plants3, and its obvious implications for non-chromosomal inheritance4. The respiratory-deficient petite mutants of yeast possess altered mitochondria5, and they are easily induced by a variety of agents6. It is important to establish the chemical nature of the non-chromosomal determinants of this inheritance pattern, with DNA and RNA most probably involved, since they are the principal genetic materials. To approach the question of which nucleic acid might be the determinant for the respiratory characteristic, Moustacchi and Marcovich7 added uridine and thymidine along with the mutagenic base analogue 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Their data showed that added thymidine was ineffective at all mutagen concentrations used, but that uridine significantly reduced the frequency of mutants induced at 5-FU concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 µg/ml. There was no appreciable effect when uridine was added at 5-FU concentrations lower than 0.1 or higher than 0.2 µg/ml. When both nucleosides were added, the results paralleled those obtained with only thymidine added or with neither nucleoside present. They concluded that RNA was more likely than DNA to be the determinant involved, even though the uridine effect occurred only in a narrow portion of the concentration range of the mutagen. We have reinvestigated the problem, using the same experimental design, with the more commonly applied mutagen for petite induction, the acridine dye acriflavin. Unlike Moustacchi and Marcovich7, we found that both uridine and thymidine reduced the frequency of petite mutations induced by acriflavin. Our results, like theirs, also showed the nucleoside effect to be restricted to a narrow segment of the range of mutagen concentrations tested.
The Price Knowledge and Search of Supermarket Shoppers

A model of grocery shopper response to price and other point-of-purchase information was developed and hypotheses were tested by using observations and interviews. The findings suggest that shopper...
Aggregate Ramp Rates of Distributed Photovoltaic Systems in San Diego County

Aggregate ramp rates of 86 distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in Southern California were analyzed and compared to irradiation measured at five ground stations and estimated from satellite. Irradiation data was converted to power output using a PV performance model to evaluate whether widespread on-line metering and telemetry of PV systems is necessary to track output of distributed generation for resource-adequacy applications. The satellite data were able to closely follow the aggregate power output and detect the timing of the ramps while the five weather stations were not as accurate due to smaller number and non-representative geographical distribution with respect to the PV sites. Over one year, the largest hourly aggregate ramp was a 50% increase based on the Performance Test Conditions (PTC) rating but ramps over 30% of PTC occurred only about once per day. The effects of specific meteorological conditions, such as coastal marine layer clouds and frontal system effects, on occurrence of large ramps were investigated over the area using satellite imagery. Evaporation of morning marine layer clouds caused a disproportionally large amount of up-ramps.
Acceleration and transport of galactic cosmic rays

A recently proposed cosmic-ray acceleration mechanism is combined with a model of transport and loss from the Galaxy to construct a model for galactic cosmic rays. Various aspects of the cosmic-ray spectrum, including the secondary-to-primary ratio as a function of energy, are found to fit naturally into the overall picture. A solution to the dynamical-halo model with energy-dependent diffusion coefficient (kappa) is presented. This model is consistent with the observed spectra if kappa is proportional to the square root of the kinetic energy. The observed flattening of the secondary-to-primary ratio below about 1-2 GeV per nucleon is shown to be a natural consequence of the model. Similarly, the primary electron spectrum is predicted to flatten below about 1-2 GeV, which is consistent with deconvolution of the local nonthermal radio spectrum, although the flattening is not quite as much as indicated by the observations.
Liquid diet preference in weanling rats with dorsomedial hypothalamic lesions

Abstract Two groups of weanling rats received bilateral electrolytic lesions in the ventromedial and dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei, respectively. Sham-operated animals served as controls. During 14 days post-operation, the intake of standard laboratory chow was measured. The rats then received, in addition to laboratory chow and tap water, a sweet, eggnog-type liquid diet for 17 days, during 14 of which food intake from both diets was measured daily. The liquid diet was then withdrawn and for two weeks laboratory chow was again the sole source of calories. During the availability of the liquid diet, both groups of rats with hypothalamic lesions profoundly reduced their intake of laboratory chow but conspicuously increased their consumption of liquid diet. The rats with dorsomedial lesions consumed as much liquid diet as the controls, while on laboratory chow alone they were highly significantly hypophagic compared with the controls. During the availability of the liquid diet the rats with dorsomedial lesions also became obese, but after the return to a period in which laboratory chow was the sole source of calories they lost this extra fat while again being hypophagic. It is suggested that the hypophagia observed in rats lesioned in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus is not due to a deficiency in caloric metering but rather, alternatively, to (a) aversion to dry food, (b) taste preference for a sweet, liquid diet, (c) a motivational deficit or (d) a motor deficit.
Oviposition decisions in the seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae): effects of seed size on superparasitism

Abstract The seed parasite Callosobruchus maculatus generally disperses eggs uniformly among seeds. We used cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) of two class sizes (large and small) to test predictions based on a simple resource threshold model that females will distribute eggs among seeds in a manner that maximizes the amount of resources allocated to each offspring. When females were presented with multiple seeds of the same size, they tended to distribute their eggs relatively uniformly among seeds (I⩽0.27 where I is the variance/mean ratio, and I=1 reflects a random Poisson distribution). However, when seeds varied in size females distributed their eggs in a manner that maximized the amount of resources per offspring; females distributed eggs as predicted by seed differences in mass rather than as predicted by seed differences in surface area. Therefore, females must evaluate the relative quantity of resources available inside of a seed more accurately than if they compared the ratio of surface areas between seeds of varying size. Instead, females must either use cues other than surface area when estimating seed mass, or must have the ability to extrapolate non-linearly from surface area to seed mass. Females with higher egg loads (4-d-old females) laid more eggs when presented with seeds, but did not distribute their eggs less uniformly, than females with lower egg loads (1-d-old females), indicating that high egg load does not reduce female sensitivity to seed size and the presence of conspecific eggs.
Shear-induced grain boundary motion for lamellar phases in the weakly nonlinear regime

We study the effect of an externally imposed oscillatory shear on the motion of a grain boundary that separates differently oriented domains of the lamellar phase of a diblock copolymer. A direct numerical solution of the Swift-Hohenberg equation in shear flow is used for the case of a transverse∕parallel grain boundary in the limits of weak nonlinearity and low shear frequency. We focus on the region of parameters in which both transverse and parallel lamellae are linearly stable. Shearing leads to excess free energy in the transverse region relative to the parallel region, which is in turn dissipated by net motion of the boundary toward the transverse region. The observed boundary motion is a combination of rigid advection by the flow and order parameter diffusion. The latter includes break up and reconnection of lamellae, as well as a weak Eckhaus instability in the boundary region for sufficiently large strain amplitude that leads to slow wave number readjustment. The net average velocity is seen to increase with frequency and strain amplitude, and can be obtained by a multiple scale expansion of the governing equations.
Protein kinase C expression and translocation in dispersed chief cells from guinea-pig stomach.

Abstract The protein kinase C (PKC) family of enzymes is comprised of at least nine isoforms that vary with respect to co-factor dependence, cellular distribution and substrate specificity. Using specific antibodies for α, β, γ, δ, ϵ, ζ and η PKC isoforms, and Western blot analysis, we found that α and ζ PKC are expressed in gastric chief cells. We then used these methods to examine the effects of carbamycholine, a cholinergic agonist that increases cellular calcium and diacylglycerol concentrations, and PMA, a phorbol ester that activates PKC, on the subcellular distribution of these isoforms. Carbamylcholine and PMA caused an increase in membrane-associated αPKC, but did not alter the subcellular distribution of ζPKC. Comparison of the dose-response curves for carbamylcholine-induced pepsinogen secretion and αPKC membrane-association indicates that PKC translocation is not required for carbamylcholine-induced secretion. Nevertheless, maximal carbachol-induced secretion occurs at concentrations that also cause translocation of the α isoform. Whereas treatment of chief cells with PMA (300 nM) for 4 h down-regulated levels of αPKC by 61%, there was no change in the levels of ζPKC. Separation of the two PKC isoforms in chief cell lysates by DEAE-column chromatography revealed that kinase activity in fractions containing the α isoform was increased more than 3-fold by calcium and lipids. In contrast, kinase activity in fractions containing the ζ isoform was not altered. In gastric chief cells, translocation and activation of αPKC occurs in response to agonist-induced increases in calcium and diacylglycerol. ζPKC may be involved in the regulation of basal pepsinogen secretion.
Collective Effects of Gravitational and Brownian Coalescence on Droplet Growth

The temporal evolution of drop-size distributions induced by collective gravity sedimentation and Brownian motion and coalescence is studied by population dynamics. For initial distributions with arbitrary Peclet numbers representing the ratio of gravitational and Brownian motion, the exact collision efficiencies predicted by Zinchenko and Davis (1) are used to cover the whole range of drop sizes. It is found that coupled Brownian and gravity effects are important for Peclet numbers in a wide range from 10−2to 103, with the distribution shifting to larger sizes by coalescence at a much greater rate than for either mechanism acting alone. Moreover, the additivity approximation, in which the individual Brownian and gravitational coalescence rates are simply added, significantly underestimates the droplet growth rates.
Low-Velocity Knee Dislocations in Obese and Morbidly Obese Patients

Background:Knee dislocations from minor trauma have been reported sparsely in the literature. The consensus is that these injuries tend not to be associated with neurovascular compromise.Purpose:To present a series of atraumatic knee dislocations in obese and morbidly obese patients and to compare operative versus conservative treatment.Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:This study included 19 patients (21 knees) who presented with knee dislocation from a low-velocity or ultra low–velocity incident. Charts, radiographs, and magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were reviewed, and patients were reviewed based on their latest follow-up. We included patients in our database from 2001 to 2011 and compared knees of patients who had ligament repair or reconstruction (9 total knees) verses nonoperative treatment (12 total knees). Range of motion, activity levels, and knee laxity information were collected as outcome measures to compare operative and nonoperative results.Results:The mean age at pre...
Overgeneralizations, competition, and recovery: solving the logical problem with positive evidence.

It would seem to be incomplete for any introduction to language acquisition to leave the ‘logical problem of language acquisition’ untouched – in fact, it would seem to be logical to just start the introduction with the logical problem. MacWhinney lays out a proposal here that attempts to dismantle the logical structure of the logical problem: there is no logical problem, if we consider carefully (a) the actual input that children receive from parents, and (b) the mechanisms that children use to handle possible pitfalls in extracting grammar from the input. The central argument in MacWhinney’s emergentist proposal is that children can learn language by the use of positive evidence without direct negative evidence (perhaps with some indirect negative evidence). Although many connectionists and empirically minded researchers think that positive evidence is all that is needed, the thesis that language acquisition can succeed with just positive evidence would sound like a behaviorist renaissance to most generative linguists. However, MacWhinney provides a detailed list of psycholinguistic mechanisms, explained and situated within the modern dynamical systems theory that he calls ‘emergentism’ (MacWhinney, 1999). Of particular interest among these mechanisms is the competition principle, whichMacWhinney believes is the core to the recovery of overgeneralizations. In other words, when coupled with a few simple fine-tuning devices, competition solves the ‘no negative evidence’ problem. MacWhinney’s newly formulated competition principle is convincing: the competition between episodic support and analogic pressure drives language production to the correct form, which eventually eliminates the incorrect form. Overgeneralization errors that do not receive sufficient auditory support gradually give way to the correct forms that accumulate episodic support over time. For example, because unbuild is rarely heard in the input, the child eventually retreats to the correct forms such as dismantle or knock down. The competition mechanism would work equally well for morphological and syntactic overgeneralizations, for lexically J. Child Lang. 31 (2004), 931–933. Printed in the United Kingdom f 2004 Cambridge University Press