cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of four chromosomal loci determining obesity in a multifactorial mouse model.

Abstract We previously described a new mouse model for multigenic obesity, designated BSB. We now report the use of a complete linkage map approach to identify loci contributing to body fat and other traits associated with obesity in this model. Four loci exhibiting linkage with body fat, or with the weights of four different fat depots, residing on mouse chromosomes 6, 7, 12, and 15, were identified and confirmed by analysis of additional BSB mice. Each of the four loci differed with respect to their effects on the percent of body fat, specific fat depots and plasma lipoproteins. The loci exhibited allele-specific, non-additive interactions. A locus for hepatic lipase activity was co-incident with the body fat and total cholesterol loci on chromosome 7, providing a possible mechanism linking plasma lipoproteins and obesity. The chromosome 7 locus affecting body fat, total cholesterol and hepatic lipase activity was isolated in congenic strains whose donor strain regions overlap with the chromosome 7 BSB locus. These results provide candidate genes and candidate loci for the analysis of human obesity.
Evidence for downregulation of calcium signaling proteins in advanced mouse adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading cancer related death in America. Gleasongradingiscurrentlythepredominantmethodforprediction,withonlyfewbiomarkers available. More biomarkers, especially as they relate to cancer progression are desirable. METHODS. The abundance of several important proteins in prostate tissue was compared between wild-type mouse dorsal prostate and well-differentiated transgenic adenocarcinoma mouse prostate (TRAMP) mouse dorsal prostates, and between wild-type mouse dorsal prostate and poorly-differentiated TRAMP mouse tumor tissue. 2DIGE method in conjunction with MALDI-ToF and Western blots was used to determine differential expression. RESULTS. In TRAMP dorsal prostates with well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, there were fewsignificantchangesintheproteinabundancescomparedtowild-typedorsalprostates,with the exception of increases in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and beta tubulin, two proteins implicated in cell proliferation, and a more than 2-fold increase in Hsp60, a protein involved in the suppression of apoptosis. In the poorly-differentiated tumors, the changes in protein abundance were substantial. While some of those changes could be related to the disappearance of stromal tissue or the appearance of epithelial tissue, other changes in protein abundanceweremoresignificanttothecancerdevelopmentitself.Mostnotablewastheoverall decrease in calcium homeostasis proteins with a 10-fold decrease in calreticulin and Hsp70 and a 40-fold decrease in creatine kinase bb in the cancerous tissue. CONCLUSIONS. ProteomicsofTRAMPmiceprovideanexcellentmethodtoobservechanges in protein abundance, revealing changes in pathways during cancer progression. Prostate 64: 128–138, 2005. # 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
LONG-TERM VARIATION IN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DIURNAL ANISOTROPY OF COSMIC RAYS.

OF the several effects of modulation of cosmic rays which are solar in origin the diurnal variation is the most difficult to investigate because of its small amplitude. The precise determination of both the long term and day to day characteristics of the diurnal anisotropy is of prime relevance in the development of theoretical models of the processes whereby the Sun exercises control over electromagnetic conditions in the inner solar system. Different workers, however, have reached widely divergent conclusions concerning even the gross features of the yearly average solar diurnal variation vector, ranging from essential invariance1 to a change with the level of solar activity dependent on latitude2. The objective of the present investigation was to ascertain, by the critical application of rigorous statistical techniques to the considerable body of data that has now become available, what can be concluded quantitatively concerning the long term behaviour of the solar diurnal variation.
Stark effect of 75As NQR and asymmetric 1H-75As level crossing in paraelectric potassium dihydrogen arsenate

Abstract The nuclear quadrupole coupling constant of 75As in paraelectric KH2AsO4 (KDA) increases when an electric field is applied along the c-axis. The very large shift | ∂( e 2 Qq 2h ) ∂E | of 75As is 9.1 kHz kV cm −1 at T = 106°K = Tc + 10°. At room temperature, when the proton NMR frequency exceeds the α' frequency of 75As by Δν, the proton relaxation rate T1−1 is greater than when Δν has the opposite sign.
Parguerene and Precarriebowmide, Two Classes of Lipopeptides from the Marine Cyanobacterium Moorea producens

Two new marine cyanobacterial natural products, parguerene (1) and precarriebowmide (2), were isolated from a collection of Moorea producens obtained from La Parguera, Puerto Rico. The planar structures of both were deduced by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Parguerene is a modified acyl amide with some structural similarity to the bacterial metabolite stipiamide (3), whereas precarriebowmide is a lipopeptide and represents a minor modification compared to two other known metabolites, carriebowmide (4) and carriebowmide sulfone (5). The identification of 2 led to an investigation into whether carriebowmide and carriebowmide sulfone were true secondary metabolites or isolation artifacts.
False-positive urine β-HCG in a woman with a tubo-ovarian abscess

Modern urine β-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) assays that use enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technology are sensitive and specific for diagnosing pregnancy, both intrauterine and ectopic, and have become indispensable to the practice of Emergency Medicine. A urine HCG test is often relied on by the Emergency Physician as a critical component in the diagnostic regimen of a patient with a possible ectopic pregnancy. We report a case of a false-positive urine β-HCG test in a patient with a ruptured tubo-ovarian abscess. Though false-positive pregnancy tests with tubo-ovarian abscesses have previously been reported with older methods of HCG detection, we believe that this is the first case where the pregnancy test was the modern ELISA type. The mechanism for the false-positive reaction in this case is unknown, but time may show that the ELISA test kit, like its predecessors, may occasionally give a false-positive reaction in this class of patients.
Subarachnoid and epidural anaesthesia for patients with epidermolysis bullosa

Successful anaesthetic management of two patients with severe epidermolysis bullosa was accomplished using subarachnoid and epidural blockade. !n order to avoid complications of regional anaesthesia, antiseptic preparation of the skin should not involve scrubbing nor should adhesive tape be used 10 secure catheters. In addition local infiltration of the skin is best avoided. The potential complications of skin and oral mucosal damage associated with mask or endotracheal inhalation anaesthesia was avoided.
Pole cell formation in Drosophila melanogaster.

The development of the pole cells of Drosophila melanogaster has been investigated in a temperature-sensitive developmental mutant strain, shibirets. Shibire (shits) mutants have periods of temperature sensitivity in early embryogenesis; embryos shifted to 29°C during those periods subsequently lack pole cells. The temperature-sensitivity profiles of four independently isolated alleles indicate that the shibire mutation is responsible for this defect in development. Carefully timed heat pulses established that there is a broad range in times of sensitivity extending even to the stage when the pole cells have begun to form. Scanning electron microscopy of the heattreated embryos was compared to that of controls to illustrate the extent of the defects in mutants. Transmission electron microscopy of sectioned embryos lacking pole cells revealed normal stage-specific morphology of polar granules in the posterior end. Speculations are presented on the significance of pole cell formation as a means of segregating germ cell determinants.
The Scattering of Fast Neutrons by Bismuth and Lead

Using good geometry, homogeneous fast neutrons of energy 4.3 Mev, supplied by the D-D reaction in the Bartol Van de Graaff statitron, have been scattered in bismuth and lead. Using binocular microscopes and Eastman NTA plates, fifty thousand fields of view were examined to obtain 5000 acceptable recoil proton tracks. The energy spectrum of the scattered neutrons was studied to establish the presence or absence of any inelastic groups. From a consideration of gross effects, it is concluded that no inelastic group exists in the bismuth data with an intensity greater than five percent of the elastically scattered neutrons, or that no level in ${\mathrm{Bi}}^{209}$ lying between the ground state and 3.4 Mev is excited by a neutron group of more than five percent of the intensity of the elastic group. Appreciable inelastic scattering was noted in naturally occurring lead, the inelastic scattering cross section being less than half the elastic cross section. The energy distribution of the inelastically scattered neutrons is interpreted to indicate an energy level in lead in the vicinity of 3.3 Mev. This level is consistent with radioactivity measurements which show that most of the beta-disintegrations of $\mathrm{Th}{\mathrm{C}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\beta}}{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{*}\mathrm{Pb}^{208}$ lead to energy levels in the vicinity of 3.2 Mev, and with $Q$-values of the reaction ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{207}(d,p){\mathrm{Pb}}^{208}$ which disclose an energy level at 3.45 Mev in the nucleus ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{208}$.
Some problems in the conception of sociopathy.

A review of sociopathy is presented in the context of the evolution of general theories of psychopathology. Particular emphasis is placed on the examination of three problems impeding the development of a sufficient conception of sociopathy. They are (1) the inconsistent use of underlying conceptual models, (2) the relativistic definitions of deviance, and (3) the unclear relationship between personality and psychopathology. Implications for the current status of sociopathy are presented.
Somatic, endocrine and metabolic changes in controls pair-fed for six weeks to rats with dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus lesions (DMNL rats).

Abstract One group of weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats received lesions in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei (DMNL rats), whereas two additional groups of rats were sham-operated (CON). One of these CON groups was allowed to feed ad lib (CON-ADLIB) while the other CON group was pair-fed for 6 weeks to the DMNL rats (CON-PF). Despite eating the same amount of food as DMNL rats, CON-PF animals had consistently lower body weights and also utilized food energy more poorly than DMNL rats. The CON-PF group also had smaller kidneys and less percent liver protein but more epididymal fat pad percent protein than DMNL rats. Whereas plasma glucose concentrations were comparable among the three groups, insulin levels were significantly higher, and free fatty acid levels lower in CON-PF than in DMNL rats. The CON-PF group incorporated less glucose-U-C 14 carbon into liver glycogen but more of the tracer into liver lipid than the DMNL group. Glucose carbon was also incorporated more avidly into epididymal fat pad lipid by CON-PF than by DMNL rats. The data not only confirm previous findings in DMNL rats but in addition show that the neurologically intact rats fed the same amount of food that is eaten spontaneously by DMNL rats show somatic and metabolic alterations that suggest that they cannot cope with this low amount of substrate. The normalcy of the DMNL rats, compared to ad lib-fed sham-operated controls, in all metabolic parameters suggests that the low food intake is indeed “normal” for this preparation and may be the reflection of an “organismic” set point.
Seaweed extract stimuli in plant science and agriculture

Both micro- and macroalgae have long been used to augment plant productivity and food production in various regions of the world through their beneficial effects when applied to soils. Interactions of algae with the soil community undoubtedly are complex and benefits are dependent on the crop and the local environmental conditions. This has resulted in much speculation as to mechanisms involved as well as the validity of the results reported. It is now 60 years since the first commercial seaweed extract was manufactured for agricultural use. These aqueous extracts allowed for the first time the direct application of soluble seaweed constituents to specific plant organs such as leaves and roots. The earlier concept that benefits of seaweeds and their extracts were due mainly to their manurial value or to their micronutrient suites is no longer tenable. Seaweeds likewise have been used for millennia as fodder supplements to improve animal nutrition and productivity. Recent research is focusing on their mode of action, specific health benefits, and the mechanisms of action in animals. Improved analytical techniques and instrumentation coupled with the use of molecular genetic tools are establishing that seaweed extracts can modify plant and animal responses at a fundamental level. It therefore seems appropriate to review key developments over the years and to remark on novel findings. A new and exciting vista has opened for seaweed extracts in both plant and animal applications.
Preparation of steroid radioligands for ultrafiltration assays by a solid-phase transport globulin method using concanavalin A-Sepharose.

Concanavalin A-Sepharose (Con A-Sepharose) was applied to separate non-protein-bound and albumin-bound radioactive impurities from steroid radioligands. Con A-Sepharose gel, plasma, and steroid radioligand were mixed, incubated, and then washed with buffer. This method was compared with an affinity diafiltration method which separates non-protein-bound radioactive impurities with a filter membrane. /sup 3/H-Water and /sup 3/H-estrone sulfate, chosen to serve as molecules representative of non-protein-bound and albumin-bound impurities, were removed quite effectively by the Con A-Sepharose method, while 85% of /sup 3/H-estrone sulfate could not be removed by the diafiltration method. Plasma unbound cortisol (F) and testosterone (T) values determined by ultrafiltration using /sup 3/H-F and /sup 3/H-T prepared by the Con A-Sepharose method were significantly lower than those determined using the radioligands unprocessed or prepared by the diafiltration method. The whole procedure of the Con A-Sepharose method takes only 3-4 hours. This method is a simple, rapid, and effective technique for preparation of steroid radioligands for plasma protein binding studies.
How do supervising surgeons evaluate guidance provided in the operating room

Abstract Background This study explored the amount of guidance provided to residents in the operating room (OR) and the relationship of OR guidance with postgraduate year (PGY) and operative performance rating (OPR). Methods We used OPR instruments to collect data from supervising surgeons after each performance. External expert raters blindly rated the amount of guidance for 5 videotaped performances. Results Three hundred sixty-eight performances were analyzed for 5 procedures performed by 26 residents with 16 supervising surgeons over 6 months. Guidance ratings varied with procedure, individual supervising surgeons varied in the amount of guidance reported, the amount of guidance decreased as residents' PGY level increased, and the correlation between guidance rating and overall performance was .62. In comparison cases, most supervising surgeons underestimated the amount of guidance provided. Conclusions Controlling for the amount of supervising surgeon guidance has important implications for training and evaluation as we strive to prepare residents to practice independently.
Contact dermatitis to ethyl‐cyanoacrylate‐containing glue

3 patients with contact dermatitis to an ethyl cyanoacrylate glue are presented. Although reactions to cyanoacrylate glues are considered rare, more widespread use of these products by nail salons is likely to be associated with an increased incidence of positive reactions. All 3 of our patients came into contact with the glue during "nail wrapping". In this process, ethyl cyanoacrylate or another "instant glue" is used to adhere glue-impregnated silk or linen to the nail plate which is then filed to shape the nail. This procedure creates fine acrylic-containing dust which may facilitate an allergic response. Fine particulate matter may be transferred to other distant cutaneous sites, such as the eyelids, resulting in more widespread cutaneous eruptions. Dermatologists in areas where nail wrapping is becoming more fashionable are advised to be alert to potential cyanoacrylate glue allergies which present as periungual eczema which may be associated with eyelid dermatitis and features of nummular dermatitis particularly over the dorsal hand.
The influence of multicultural training on perceived multicultural counseling competencies and implicit racial prejudice.

This study examined the impact of multicultural training on multicultural counseling competencies and implicit racial prejudice. Results of a multilevel modeling analysis showed that only the multicultural counseling course was related to a decrease in implicit racial prejudice and an increase in cultural self-awareness. Implications for multicultural training are discussed. Este estudio examino el impacto de la formacion multicultural en las competencias en consejeria multicultural y el prejuicio racial implicito. Los resultados de un analisis de modelo a varios niveles mostraron que solo el curso en consejeria multicultural estaba implicado en un descenso del prejuicio racial implicito y un aumento de la autoconciencia cultural. Se discuten las implicaciones para la formacion multicultural.
Incorporating uncertainty of groundwater modeling in sea-level rise assessment: a case study in South Florida

Researchers can assist in effective decision making by reducing uncertainty in marine and groundwater inundation due to Sea-level Rise (SLR). A majority of studies consider marine inundation, but only recently has groundwater inundation been incorporated into the SLR mapping. However, the effect of including uncertainty in groundwater modeling is still not well understood. In this study, we evaluate the effect of considering groundwater modeling uncertainty in assessing land area inundated vulnerable to marine and groundwater inundation in South Florida. Six Water Table Elevation Model (WTEM) techniques (Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Geographic Weighted Regression (GWR), Global Polynomial Interpolation (GPI), Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW), Ordinary Kriging (OK), and Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK)) are tested to identify the best approach. Simple inundation models excluding uncertainty with and without WTEM are examined. Refined inundation models using Monte Carlo simulation that include uncertainty in future SLR estimates, LiDAR elevation, vertical datums and the transformations made between datums with and without WTEM uncertainty are evaluated. GPI and EBK are recognized as the best for producing WTEMs in two primary physiographic regions (the Southern Slope and Atlantic Coastal Ridge). Excluding uncertainty without WTEM underestimates total land area by 14 %, while including uncertainty without WTEM overestimates total vulnerable land area by 16 % at the 95 % probability threshold. It is significant to include WTEM uncertainty in SLR vulnerability analysis for more effective adaptation decisions.
Galactic Center Youth: Orbits and Origins of the Young Stars in the Central Parsec

We present new proper motions for the massive, young stars at the Galactic Center, based on 10 years of diffraction limited data from the Keck telescopes. Our proper motion measurements now have uncertainties of only 1-2 km/s and allow us to explore the origin of the young stars that reside within the sphere of inflience of the supermassive black hole whose strong tidal forces make this region inhospitable for star formation. Their presence, however, may be explained either by in situ star formation in an accretion disk or as the remnants of a massive stellar cluster which spiraled in via dynamical friction. Earlier stellar velocity vectors were used to postulate that all the young stars resided in two counter-rotating stellar disks, which is consistent with both of the above formation scenarios. Our precise proper motions allow us, for the frst time, to determine the orbital parameters of each individual star and thereby to test the hypothesis that the massive stars reside in two stellar disks. Of the 26 young stars in this study that were previously proposed to lie on the inner, clockwise disk, we find that nearly all exhibit orbital constraints consistent with such a disk. On the other hand, of the 7 stars in this study previously proposed to lie in the outer, less well-defhed counter-clockwise disk, 6 exhibit inclinations that are inconsistent with such a disk, bringing into question the existence of the outer disk. Furthermore, for stars in the inner disk that have eccentricity constraints, we find several that have lower limits to the eccentricity of more than 0.4, implying highly eccentric orbits. This stands in contrast to simple accretion disk formation scenarios which typically predict predominantly circular orbits.
Combined operation of SVC and optimal reclosing of circuit breakers for power system transient stability enhancement

Abstract This paper proposes the coordinated operation of optimal reclosing of circuit breakers and Static Var Compensator (SVC) for enhancing the transient stability of a multi-machine power system. The transient stability performance of the combined operation of optimal reclosing of circuit breakers and SVC is compared with that of the combined operation of conventional reclosing of circuit breakers and SVC. The total kinetic energy (TKE) of the generators in the system is used to determine the transient stability enhancement index. Simulations are performed through Matlab/Simulink software. Simulation results for both the three-line-to-ground (3LG) and single-line-to-ground (1LG) permanent faults at different points of the power system indicate that the proposed combination of optimal reclosing of circuit breakers and SVC can enhance the transient stability of the system well. Also, the performance of the proposed method is better than that of the combined operation of conventional reclosing of circuit breakers and SVC.
Organization of predator-prey communities as an evolutionary game

We consider a simple predator-prey model of coevolution. By allowing coevolution both within and between trophic levels the model breaks the traditional dichotomy between co- evolution among competitors and coevolution between a prey and its predator. By allowing the diversity of prey and predator species to emerge as a property of the evolutionarily stable strategies (ESS), the model breaks another constraint of most approaches to coevolution that consider as fixed the number of coevolving species. The number of species comprising the ESS is influenced by a parameter that determines the predator's niche breadth. Depending upon the parameter's value the ESS may contain: 1) one prey and one predator species, 2) two prey and one predator, 3) two prey and two predators, 4) three prey and two predators, 5) three prey and three predators, etc. Evolutionarily, these different ESSs all emerge from the same model. Ecologically, however, these ESSs result in very different patterns of community organization. In some communities the predator species are ecologically keystone in that their removal results in extinctions among the prey species. In others, the removal of a predator species has no significant impact on the prey community. These varied ecological roles for the predator species contrasts sharply with the es- sential evolutionary role of the predators in promoting prey species diversity. The ghost ofpredation past in which a predator's insignificant ecological role obscures its essential evolutionary role may be a frequent property of communities of predator and prey.
Management of acute intracranial and intraventricular hemorrhage

Objective:Acute intracranial hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage are devastating disorders. The goal of this review is to familiarize clinicians with recent information pertaining to the acute care of intracranial hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage.Data Sources:PubMed search and revie
Semiempirical model for generating tungsten target x‐ray spectra

A semiempirical model for generating tungsten target x-ray spectra is presented. This model extends earlier work in two significant areas. First, both bremsstrahlung and characteristic x-ray production are assumed to occur at varying depths within the target. Second, optimal parameters for the model were determined from experimental spectra utilizing nonlinear least-squares techniques. As a result, good agreement is obtained between calculated and measured x-ray tube spectra and output for different target angles and a wide range of x-ray tube potentials. Such is not the case with previously published models.
Patterns of drug use in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood.

(1970). Patterns of Drug Use in the Haight-Ashbury Neighborhood. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 19-56.
The role of hydrophobia interactions in coagulation

Abstract The coagulation behavior of coal and silica samples has been studied in view of the classical DLVO theory. It has been found, however, that this theory is applicable to weakly hydrophobic solids but not to strongly hydrophobic ones. To extend the theory, hydrophobic interaction energies, which are on the order of 2900 kT for very hydrophobic solids, have been considered. An expression describing the hydrophobic interaction energy in terms of the nondispersion interaction between water and solid has been derived.
Non-Linear Deformation and Failure Behavior of Carbon/Glass Hybrid Laminates

An incremental analysis predicting the nonlinear stress-strain relations of laminated composites has been developed. Stress increments corresponding to small increments in the uniaxial tensile or compressive strain are obtained by the laminate theory, in which the anisotropy of fibers and the elastic interaction among fibers have been taken into account. Nonlinear shear stress-strain relations of the constituent laminae are also considered by extending the approach of a preceding paper by the authors. The calculation procedure is modified, in this paper, to take into account the finite strain deformation and the changes of the fiber orientation angles at large deformation. The failure of each lamina is assessed by the maximum stress criterion. The calculated tensile and compressive stress-strain rela tions are compared with experimental results of the carbon/glass hybrid fiber rein forced-filament wound pipes; the reduction in stiffness of the constituent laminae after their failure is investigated. The p...
Heart rate and social status among male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) housed in disrupted social groupings.

The relationship between social status and telemetrically recorded heart rate (HR) was studied among 29 adult male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) which had been maintained in six social groups (n = four or five) for 26 months. The membership of each group was reorganized periodically (20 times in 26 months) by shifting monkeys from group to group in a way that maximized each animal's exposure to social strangers. The social behavior of all animals was monitored, via focal sampling, twice per week; social status was based on the outcome of agonistic encounters and was determined every 2 weeks. For four nights on each of two occasions (months 13 and 25 of the experiment), the HRs of all animals were sampled 12 times per hour, 30 seconds per sample between 1800 h and 0900 h. A more limited nocturnal HR sampling was performed during the first month of the experiment. The behavioral observations revealed that, despite the repeated social reorganization, some monkeys were habitually dominant in their groups while others were consistently subordinate. Further, those monkeys falling above the median in dominance status had significantly lower HRs than their subordinate counterparts (104 vs. 117 beats per minuts; P = 0.01). The effect was observed irrespective of the month in which observations were made, and was corroborated by more limited observations made at the beginning of the experiment. Finally, those few monkeys which rose or fell in rank were characterized by inverse changes in HR, supporting the hypothesis that behavioral factors influence HR (rather than visa versa).
Crusading against straw men: an alternative view of alternative archaeologies : response to Holtorf (2005)

Judith: Well, why do you want to be Loretta, Stan? Loretta: I want to have babies. Reg: You want to have babies?! Loretta: It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them. Reg: But … you can...
Vectors bearing a hybrid trp-lac promoter useful for regulated expression of cloned genes in Escherichia coli

A strong promoter has been cloned on a series of plasmid vectors that facilitate the expression of cloned genes. This promoter, named tac [first described by DeBoer et al. (in Rodriguez, R.L. and Chamberlin, M.J. (Eds.),Promoters, Structure and Function. Praeger, New York, 1982, pp. pp. 462-481)] contains the -10 region of the lacUV5 promoter and the -35 region of the trp promoter. Our vectors contain various cloning sites followed by transcription termination signals. In addition, we describe plasmids that facilitate the conversion of the lac promoter to the stronger tac promoter. Thus, preexisting gene fusions using the lac or the lacUV5 promoter can be readily converted to tac promoter gene fusions without changing the ribosome-binding site (RBS). The tac promoter is repressed in lacIQ strains and can be induced by isopropylthio-beta-D-galactoside (IPTG). Studies of expression of the cI repressor of bacteriophage lambda show that the tac promoter is at least five times more efficient than the lacUV5 promoter. Under optimal conditions lambda repressor constitutes up to 30% of the total cellular protein.
Behavioural lateralization in zebrafish and four related species of minnows (Osteichthyes: Cyprinidae)

Behavioural lateralization has been observed in many species of fishes during stimulus-specific tasks. However, one area that has been overlooked is the study of naive side bias in motor behaviour of fishes in the absence of direct visual stimulus. To this end, we examined naive side biases in motor behaviour in five species of minnows (Osteichthyes: Cyprinidae). Fifteen individuals of each species were subjected to a T-shaped test arena, with 40 randomized replicates per individual. We took advantage of rheotaxis by running a slow current of water through each arm of the test apparatus. Of the 75 individuals tested, 55 showed a rightward turning preference. The overall right-biased behaviour observed in these fishes in the absence of systematic stimulus strongly suggests that a stimulus-free control condition be included in the experimental design whenever plausible for studies of laterality in fishes and presumably in other organisms.
Loss of type II calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase activity correlates with stages of development of electrographic seizures in status epilepticus in rat

Understanding the molecular basis of altered neuronal excitability in epilepsy is a major challenge in neuroscience research. The present study suggests an inverse correlation between changes in neuronal excitability in status epilepticus and the activity of type II multifunctional calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaM kinase II), a major Ca2+-signal transducing system in brain. ‘Continuous’ hippocampal stimulation (CHS), a new model of non-convulsive limbic status epilepticus (SE), mimics the progression of electrographic changes characteristic in human SE and allows for quantitation of post-stimulus seizure severity. In the present study, hippocampus and anterior neocortex from CHS-stimulated rats and paired surgical controls were assayed for CaM kinase II activity by incorporation of radiolabeled phosphate from [γ-32P]ATP into the 50-kDa subunit of the kinase itself (autophosphorylation). In all instances, CHS induced sustained interictal bursting and/or electrographic seizures. Decreased CaM kinase II activity was seen in all preparations from electrically stimulated hippocampus. CaM kinase II activity in CHS animals was diminished by 37% relative to controls (P < 0.01; Student's paired t-test). The progressive intensity of the EEG discharges correlated directly with the decrement of CaM kinase II activity (P < 0.05; Spearman's rank correlation test, n = 5). This is the first report of a dynamic modulation of a biochemical system that has been implicated in neuronal excitability in coordination with the characterized developmental stages of SE.
The politics of public safety communication interoperability regulation

Abstract This article examines an understudied area of telecommunication policy, namely the regulation of public safety radio communication to bring about communication interoperability. Commonality and funding are the two intertwined policy challenges need to be overcome to achieve this interoperability. Addressing these challenges separately, US federal policy has struggled to establish communication interoperability. By contrast, the integrated approach of the Europeans has resulted in a relatively successful outcome. It is argued that this integrated approach may even permit the transplantation of a more general telecommunication policy thread—competition—to the public safety radio communication field. However, whether interoperability is established may also be linked to intra-agency fears of a potential re-direction of hierarchical communication flows brought about by new (and configurable) communication infrastructure. If this is the case, policy-makers regulating for interoperability will need to take into account inter- and intra-agency organizational dynamics as well.
Double lumen free jejunal transfer for reconstruction of the entire floor of mouth, pharynx and cervical oesophagus

In those patients requiring proximal extension of a laryngopharyngectomy to include resection of the base of the tongue, there is a considerable mismatch between the circumference of the superior pharyngeal defect and a conventional jejunal conduit. An inverted J-shaped jejunal funnel can be prefabricated to enlarge the proximal stoma of a free jejunal transfer to overcome this size discrepancy and so prevent the high incidence of postoperative fistulae at the proximal anastomosis. In the most extreme case it will allow reconstruction of the entire floor of the mouth, pharynx and cervical oesophagus.
Diversity-based detection of security anomalies

Detecting and preventing attacks before they compromise a system can be done using acceptance testing, redundancy based mechanisms, and using external consistency checking such external monitoring and watchdog processes. Diversity-based adjudication, is a step towards an oracle that uses knowable behavior of a healthy system. That approach, under best circumstances, is able to detect even zero-day attacks. In this approach we use functionally equivalent but in some way diverse components and we compare their output vectors and reactions for a given input vector. This paper discusses practical relevance of this approach in the context of recent web-service attacks.
Rapid accumulation of genome rearrangements in liver but not in brain of old mice

Somatic mutations have long been considered a possible cause of ageing. To directly study mutational events in organs and tissues of ageing mammals, a transgenic mouse model has been generated that harbours lacZ reporter genes as part of chromosomally integrated plasmids. Using this model, we determined spontaneous mutant frequencies and spectra in mouse liver and brain as a function of age. In the liver, mutant frequencies increased with age from birth to 34 months; in the brain, an increase was observed only between birth and 4-6 months. Molecular characterization of the mutations showed that a substantial portion involved genome rearrangement events, with one breakpoint in a reporter gene and the other in the mouse flanking sequence. In the liver, these genome rearrangements did not increase with age until after 27 months, when they increased rapidly. In brain, the frequency of genome rearrangements was lower than in liver and did not increase with age.
EFFECT OF CRYPTORCHIDISM ON TESTICULAR HISTOLOGY IN A NATURALLY CRYPTORCHID ANIMAL MODEL

AbstractPurpose: To determine the effect of naturally occurring cryptorchidism on testicular histology in both the cryptorchid and normally descended testis from birth to adulthood using the LE/ORL rat model.Materials and Methods: Testicular histology was assessed using established morphometric measures in bilaterally descended (BD), unilaterally descended (UD), bilaterally cryptorchid (BC) and unilaterally cryptorchid (UC) testis at days 15, 22, 30, 45 and 60 of age. Testicular mass was also measured at these times.Results: Changes in testicular histology in the BC and UC testes were not noted on or prior to day 30 of age. Significant changes were noted by day 45 of age and continued into adulthood at day 60 of age. There were no histological abnormalities noted in the UD and BD groups.Conclusions: Since histological changes seen in this animal model occur after the time of testicular descent (day 28 of age), we hypothesize that these changes are due to an abnormal anatomical position of the testis as op...
Photosensitivity and Imaging Characteristics of Ion-Implanted PLZT Ceramics

We reported in previous papers that both the near-UV and the visible photosensitivities of ferroelectric-phase PLZT (lead lanthanum zirconate titanate) ceramics are increased by as much as four orders of magnitude by ion implantation or a combination of thermal diffusion of Al and ion implantation. New results are presented here on high-energy (1 MeV) implants of Al and Ni and coimplants of Al+Ne and Ni+Ne, and these results are compared with earlier 500 keV implants of Al and Cr and coimplants of Al+Ne and Cr+Ne as surface modification techniques for increasing the visible photosensitivity of PLZT. The important role of grain size in determining optimum contrast and resolution of stored optical information is described in terms of new experimental results.
Risk factor correlates of platelet and leukocyte markers assessed by flow cytometry in a population-based sample.

Abstract Background Platelet and leukocyte products are involved in atherothrombosis. However, the determinants of platelet and leukocyte markers assessed by flow cytometry have not been documented in a population-based sample. Methods and results We performed flow cytometry on blood from participants ( n =1894) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Carotid MRI Study. Cellular aggregates and multiple platelet and leukocyte markers, such as myeloperoxidase in granulocytes and toll-like receptor-4, CD14, and CD45 in monocytes, were quantified. Their cross-sectional associations with demographic and risk factors were assessed using multiple linear regression. Mean values of most cellular markers and aggregates were considerably higher in blacks than whites ( p Conclusions Race/ethnicity, sex, and to a lesser degree LDL-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering therapy, but few other risk factors, were correlated with markers of cellular activation in this population-based study.
Psychological and physical impact of anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence.

Study Objective To contrast the characteristics of two groups of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users—those with versus those without AAS dependence. Design Subanalysis of data from the Anabolic 500, a cross-sectional survey. Participants One hundred twelve male AAS-dependent users and 367 AAS-nondependent users who completed an online survey between February 19 and June 30, 2009. Measurements and Main Results Respondents were recruited from the Internet discussion boards of 38 fitness, bodybuilding, weightlifting, and steroid Web sites. The respondents provided online informed consent and completed the Anabolic 500, a 99-item Web-based survey. Self-reported data included demographics, exercise patterns, use of AAS and other performance-enhancing agents, adverse effects of AAS use, behavior consistent with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for AAS dependence, history of illicit drug and alcohol use, history of sexual or physical abuse, and psychiatric conditions diagnosed according to the DSM-IV-TR. Behavior consistent with AAS dependence was identified in 23.4% of the survey participants. These AAS-dependent users were more excessive in their AAS use (e.g., higher doses, higher quantity of agents, longer duration of use), more likely to report a history of illicit heroin use in the last 12 months (5.4% vs 1.9%, p=0.049), and more likely to report a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder (16.1 vs 8.4%, p=0.020) or major depressive disorder (15.2% vs 7.4%, p=0.012) than AAS-nondependent users. Conclusion Data from the Anabolic 500 survey showed that almost one quarter of AAS users were dependent on these drugs. These AAS-dependent users had a higher rate of heroin use as well as anxiety and major depressive disorders compared with AAS-nondependent users. These findings can help clinicians and researchers better understand and address the potential illicit drug use and psychiatric comorbidities that may be present among AAS-dependent users.
Identification of structured motifs

Structured motifs consist of two simpler patterns (half-sites) separated from each other by a gap, with no restriction on the nucleotides that may occur within the gap. This paper proposes a new algorithm to identify structured motifs. First, a simpler motif searching algorithm is used to search for half-sites. Candidate structured motif models are then evaluated, based on the relative frequency of occurrence of half-sites (not attributable to randomness), and the distribution of gap length. Unlike other recent structured motif detection algorithms, the new algorithm does not require the gap length to be prespecified.
APOE is a major susceptibility gene for Alzheimer's disease

The initial report on APOE as a susceptibility gene for late-onset Alzheimer's disease was presented a little more than two years ago. During the past year, several significant events have given added impetus to research into Alzheimer's. The association of increased allele frequency of APOE4 with Alzheimer's disease has been reproduced in several dozen laboratories around the world. The protective effect of the APOE2 allele has been reported and also rapidly verified. No evidence exists to support the notion of linkage disequilibrium with any nearby locus on chromosome 19. The neuropathological demonstration of apolipoprotein E (apoE) within neuronal cytoplasm in a location suitable for proposed interaction with microtubule-associated protein tau and MAP2c has introduced a new view of neuronal neurobiology. As apoE is not known to be expressed in neurons, its relationship with cellular receptors, such as the low-density lipoprotein related receptor, and the mechanism of intracellular trafficking are now important research problems. The role of apoE as a metabolic co-factor in neuronal metabolism presents new possibilities for neuronal mechanisms of maintenance and response to stress.
Shear horizontal wave propagation in periodically layered composites

The transverse resonance approach to guided wave analysis is applied to shear horizontal (SH) wave propagation in periodically layered composites. It is found for SH waves that at high values of the guided wavevector /spl beta/, the wave energy is trapped in the slower of the two media and propagates accordingly at the slower wavespeed. At low values of /spl beta/, however, the modes demonstrate a clustering behavior, indicative of the underlying Floquet wave structure. The number of modes in a cluster is observed to correlate with the number of unit cells in the layered plate. New physical insights into the behavior of these systems are obtained by analyzing the partial waves of the guided SH modes in terms of Floquet waves. We show that the fast and slow shear waves in the periodically layered composite play an analogous role to the longitudinal and shear partial waves comprising Lamb waves in a homogeneous plate.
Incommensurability and Reality

Realists hold that science seeks to discover entities and process that exist in nature independently of whether these are accessible to our senses. This pursuit requires the development of new concepts as part of the research process, and thus requires learning new modes of thought, which is the basic source of incommensurability. I sketch a theory of conceptual content that explains how new concepts are introduced as modifications of existing concepts, and how the resulting continuities allow innovators to promote new ideas in a coherent manner. An account of evidence is proposed that explains how items under study constrain the choice of concepts, thereby limiting the scope of incommensurability and promoting pursuit of the realist goal.
Physician Attitudes Regarding Alcohol Use Screening in Older Adult Patients

Alcohol use among older adults (65+) is thought to be one of the fastest growing health problems in the country. Although proper assessment and diagnosis is crucial in addressing problem drinking in this population, research suggests that physicians are not adequately screening their older adult patients for alcohol use. The present study examined the relationship between family physicians’ attitudes and perceptions and their screening prevalence with their new and existing older adult patients collected and analyzed in 2007. Results indicated that physicians in the study reported screening 73% of their new patients on intake and 44% of their existing patients. Family physicians with more positive perceptions of their alcohol-management skills with older adults performed more screening with their new and existing older adult patients. Year of medical school graduation was related to screening but only with new patients.
Impacts of Epitope Expression Kinetics and Class I Downregulation on the Antiviral Activity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes

The determinants of CD8 + cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remain poorly defined. Although recent technological advances have markedly enhanced the ability to detect HIV-1-specific T cells, commonly used assays do not reveal their direct interaction with virus. We investigated two determinants of CTL antiviral efficiency by manipulating HIV-1 and measuring the effects on CTL suppression of viral replication in acutely infected cells. Translocation of a Gag epitope into the early protein Nef markedly increased the activity of CTL recognizing that epitope, in comparison to HIV-1 expressing the epitope normally in the late protein Gag. Because this epitope translocation resulted not only in earlier expression but also in loss of major histocompatibility complex class I downregulation by Nef, the activities of CTL against a panel of viral constructs differing in kinetics of epitope expression and class I downmodulation were compared. The results indicated that both the timing of epitope expression and the reduction of class I have profound effects on the ability of CTL to suppress HIV-1 replication in acutely infected cells. The epitope targeting of CTL and viral control of class I therefore likely play important roles in the ability of CTL to exert pressure on HIV-1.