cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A role for calcium in resistin transcriptional activation in diabetic hearts

The adipokine resistin has been proposed to link obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. We have previously reported that diabetic hearts express high levels of resistin while overexpression of resistin in adult rat hearts gives rise to a phenotype resembling diabetic cardiomyopathy. The transcriptional regulation of resistin in diabetic cardiac tissue is currently unknown. This study investigated the mechanism of resistin upregulation and the role of Serca2a in its transcriptional suppression. We demonstrate that restoration of Ca2+ homeostasis in diabetic hearts, through normalization of Serca2a function genetically and pharmacologically, suppressed resistin expression via inhibition of NFATc. H9c2 myocytes stimulated with high-glucose concentration or Ca2+ time-dependently increased NFATc and resistin expression while addition of the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM attenuated this effect. NFATc expression was enhanced in hearts from ob/ob diabetic and from cardiac-specific Serca2a-/- mice. Similarly, NFATc increased resistin expression in myocytes cultured in low glucose while the NFATc inhibitor VIVIT blocked glucose-induced resistin expression, suggesting that hyperglycemia/diabetes induces resistin expression possibly through NFATc activation. Interestingly, overexpression of Serca2a or VIVIT mitigated glucose-stimulated resistin and NFATc expression and enhanced AMPK activity, a downstream target of resistin signaling. NFATc direct activation of resistin was verified by resistin promoter luciferase activity and chromatin-immunoprecipitation analysis. Interestingly, activation of Serca2a by a novel agonist, CDN1163, mirrored the effects of AAV9-Serca2a gene transfer on resistin expression and its promoter activity and AMPK signaling in diabetic mice. These findings parse a role for Ca2+ in resistin transactivation and provide support that manipulation of Serca2a-NFATc-Resistin axis might be useful in hyper-resistinemic conditions.
Measles, Mumps and Rubell (MMR)

All children without contraindications should receive two doses of measles-mumps-rubella combination vaccine (abbreviation: MMR; trade name: M-M-R II®) after 1 year of age and at least 4 weeks apart. The first dose is usually administered at a minimum of 12 months of age, and is generally given between 12 and 15 months of age. The second dose is usually given between 4 and 6 years of age, prior to entering school, although it can be given anytime at least 4 weeks after the first dose for children at increased risk of exposure. The CDC recommends that MMR and varicella vaccine (trade name: Varivax®) be administered separately for the first dose in order to reduce the small increased risk of febrile seizures in toddlers associated with the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella combination vaccine (abbreviation: MMRV; trade name: ProQuad®) compared to the separate but simultaneous administration of MMR and varicella vaccines. MMRV is generally preferred for the second dose. One dose of MMR should be administered to all adults 18 years of age and older without evidence of immunity to these diseases (acceptable evidence of immunity includes documentation of previous receipt of MMR or MMRV vaccine, laboratory confirmation of immunity or disease, or having been born before 1957). Two doses separated by at least 4 weeks are recommended for adults at high risk for exposure and transmission (such as international travelers; college students; and health care personnel). Persons previously vaccinated with two doses of a mumps-containing vaccine who are identified by public health as at increased risk for mumps because of an outbreak should receive a third dose of a mumps-containing vaccine to improve protection against mumps disease and related complications.
A Prudential Take on a Prudential Takings Doctrine

The Supreme Court is set to decide a case requesting reconsideration of a doctrine that has long bedeviled constitutional litigants and commentators. The case is Knick v. Township of Scott, and the doctrine is the “ripeness” rule from Williamson County Regional Planning Commission v. Hamilton Bank that plaintiffs seeking to raise takings claims under the Fifth Amendment must pursue state-created remedies first — the so-called “compensation prong” (as distinguished from a separate “takings prong”). This Essay argues that to put the compensation prong in the best light possible, the Court should view the requirement as a “prudential” rule rather than (as it has previously done) a constitutional one. It then argues that the Court should reject this doctrine not because it is a prudential rule, which would follow a larger trend in recent case discussions, but because it is a bad prudential rule. This path is the prudential one because casting doubt on prudential rules more generally could cause a significant set of additional doctrines to suffer unintended and unwelcome consequences.
A schizophrenia associated CMYA5 allele displays differential binding with desmin

Abstract CMYA5 is a candidate gene for schizophrenia because of the genetic association of variant rs10043986 (C > T) to this severe mental disorder. Studies of CMYA5 and its gene product, myospryn, in the brain and neuronal cells have not been previously reported. The SNP rs10043986 changes the 4,063rd amino acid from Pro to Leu, which is likely to alter protein function. To understand its potential role in the brain, we examined the neuronal expression of myospryn and its binding partner, desmin, an intermediate filament (IF) protein, and investigated how the two alleles of myospryn affect its binding to desmin. Myospryn and desmin are shown to be expressed in the brain and myospryn is shown to localize to the cytoplasm and nucleus of myoblast, neuroblastoma, and glioblastoma cell lines. Peripherin and vimentin, known brain IF proteins, have high protein similarity to desmin but were found not to interact with myospryn using yeast two-hybrid (Y2H). Using a quantitative Y2H assay and surface plasmon resonance, the T allele (Leu) of rs10043986 was found to have stronger binding to desmin than the C allele (Pro). Based on findings described in this report, we hypothesize that the interaction between myospryn to IF provides structural support and efficient rearrangement of the cytoskeleton network during early neuritogenesis.
Coherency and Online Signal Selection Based Wide Area Control of Wind Integrated Power Grid

This paper introduces a novel method of designing wide area control (WAC) based on a discrete linear quadratic regulator and Kalman filtering based state-estimation that can be applied for real-time damping of interarea oscillations of wind integrated power grid. The main advantages of the proposed method are that the architecture provides online coherency grouping that properly characterizes real-time changes in the power grid and online wide-area signal selection based on residue method for proper selection of the WAC signals. The proposed architecture can, thus, accurately monitors changes in the power grid and select the appropriate control signal for more effectively damping the interarea oscillation when compared to the conventional local signal based power system stabilizers or offline based WAC designs. The architecture is tested on a wind integrated two-area system and the IEEE 39 bus system in order to show the capability of the proposed method.
Modeling of FinFET SRAM array reliability degradation due to electromigration

Abstract Effective assessment of degradation induced by electromigration (EM) is necessary for the design of reliable circuits based on FinFET technology. In this paper, a new methodology is proposed where FinFET SRAM cell array activity is used to evaluate the resistance degradation due to EM. The implementation of this methodology consists of analysis of stress evolution, a time-dependent resistance model, cell array activity extraction, and a customized algorithm for cell array reliability evaluation. The stress model is derived from the material transport equation which contains the driving forces due to the gradient of vacancy concentration, temperature, hydrostatic stress, and EM itself. The time-dependent resistance shift describes the effect of stress evolution. The customized algorithm is applied to calculate the resistance degradation while considering the characteristics of metal wire arrays in SRAMs. The statistical degradation in a FinFET SRAM cell array reveals that, for the tested case, in addition to the percentage of the workload in various operating modes, the cell array activity distribution also affects EM degradation. More evenly distributed cell activity results in better EM reliability.
The Recent Burstiness of Star Formation in Galaxies at z ∼ 4.5 from Hα Measurements

The redshift range z = 4–6 marks a transition phase between primordial and mature galaxy formation in which galaxies considerably increase their stellar mass, metallicity, and dust content. The study of galaxies in this redshift range is therefore important to understanding early galaxy formation and the fate of galaxies at later times. Here, we investigate the burstiness of the recent star formation history (SFH) of 221z ~ 4.5 main-sequence galaxies at log(M/M⊙) > 9.7 by comparing their ultra-violet (UV) continuum, Hα luminosity, and Hα equivalent-width (EW). The Hα properties are derived from the Spitzer [3.6 μm]−[4.5 μm] broadband color, thereby properly taking into account model and photometric uncertainties. We find a significant scatter between Hα- and UV-derived luminosities and star formation rates (SFRs). About half of the galaxies show a significant excess in Hα compared to expectations from a constant smooth SFH. We also find a tentative anticorrelation between Hα EW and stellar mass, ranging from 1000 A at log(M/M⊙) 11. Consulting models suggests that most z ~ 4.5 galaxies had a burst of star formation within the last 50 Myr, increasing their SFRs by a factor of >5. The most massive galaxies on the other hand might decrease their SFRs and may be transitioning to a quiescent stage by z = 4. We identify differential dust attenuation (f) between stars and nebular regions as the main contributor to the uncertainty. With local galaxies selected by increasing Hα EW (reaching values similar to high-z galaxies), we predict that f approaches unity at z > 4, consistent with the extrapolation of measurements out to z = 2.
Obsolete, Extraneous, or Pertinent? Philosophy of Science and Historical Studies in the Physical (Natural) Sciences

This essay is part of a special issue entitled “Looking Backward, Looking Forward: HSNS at 50,” edited by Erika Lorraine Milam.
Exploring the Potential for Students to Develop Self-Awareness through Personalized Learning

Personalized learning (PL) and social-emotional learning (SEL) are areas of increasing emphasis in U.S. educational policy and practice. With the goal of examining how these initiatives may be mutu...
Spatial locations of certain enzymes and transporters within preinvasive ductal epithelial cells predict human breast cancer recurrences.

Some patients treated for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast will experience cancer recurrences, whereas other patients will not. Unfortunately, current techniques cannot identify which ...
Numerical verification of a conjecture of Harris and Venkatesh

Abstract In [Ven16] , Venkatesh conjectures a relation between the action of derived Hecke operators and an action by motivic cohomology groups. In [HV18] , Harris and Venkatesh reformulate this conjecture for the case of cohomology groups of coherent sheaves associated to modular forms of weight one. We refer to the latter as the HV conjecture. Recently, the work of Darmon, Harris, Rotger and Venkatesh in [DHRV] proves that this conjecture holds for dihedral weight one forms. The following article focuses therefore on the case of exotic forms, describes methods to compute explicitly all key ingredients appearing in the HV conjecture and provides further numerical evidence for it.
Flatfish Habitat Use of a Small Southeastern US Tidal Creek: Long- and Short-term Occupancy Patterns

Many flatfish species utilize coastal areas during at least one of their life-history stages. Estuaries on the eastern US Atlantic coast provide important settlement and nursery habitat for flatfishes. Small tidal creeks serve as transition zones between upland and estuarine environments and are a consistent settlement and nursery habitat for flatfish. Flatfish habitat use in Wylly Creek, a southeastern US tidal creek, was examined to determine whether assemblage composition has changed over a decadal time period (2004–2007 vs. 2016–2019). In addition, the potential effect of cold winters on juvenile flatfish recruitment and subsequent spring flatfish assemblage composition were examined. Flatfish assemblages have undergone subtle shifts in composition between initial and recent time periods, with decreases (5–16-fold) in abundance occurring for ocellated flounder Ancylopsetta quadrocellata, summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus, and southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma, while abundances of more common species, bay whiff Citharichthys spilopterus and blackcheek tonguefish Symphurus plagiusa, remained relatively consistent. Bay whiff recruitment into the creek occurred in early spring, but was delayed in most years with colder winters. Minimum residency for bay whiff within an approximately 350 m stretch of creek was estimated to be approximately 5–10 days. Flatfish habitat use in this small tidal creek adjacent to a relatively undeveloped coastal area may reflect a shifting baseline against which potential assemblage shifts in developed areas can be assessed.
Web application vulnerability detection method based on machine learning

In order to solve the security problems caused by network vulnerabilities, a web application vulnerability detection method based on machine learning is proposed to effectively prevent cross site scripting attacks of web applications and reduce the occurrence of network security incidents. Through the in-depth study of the existing security vulnerability detection technology, combined with the development process of machine learning security vulnerability detection technology, the requirements of security vulnerability detection model are analyzed in detail, and a cross site scripting security vulnerability detection model for web application is designed and implemented. Based on the existing network vulnerability detection technology and tools, the verification code identification function is added, which solves the problem that the data can be submitted to the server only by inputting the verification code. According to the server filtering rules, the network code bypassing the server filtering is constructed. Experimental results show that the model has a low rate of missed detection and false alarm, and the improved model is more efficient.
Intestinal phosphorus absorption: recent findings in translational and clinical research.

Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to discuss recent findings in intestinal phosphorus absorption pathways, particularly the contributions of paracellular versus transcellular absorption, and the differential findings from studies using in vitro versus in vivo techniques of assessing phosphorus absorption in experimental animal studies. Recent findings Experimental animal studies show that in vivo effects of low phosphorus diets, 1,25D, and chronic kidney disease on intestinal phosphorus absorption efficiency contradict effects previously established ex vivo/in vitro. Recent in vivo studies also suggest that the paracellular pathway accounts for the majority of phosphorus absorption in animals across very low to high luminal phosphate concentrations. The data from experimental animal studies correspond to recent human studies showing the effectiveness of targeted inhibition of paracellular phosphate absorption. Additionally, recent human studies have demonstrated that NaPi-2b inhibition alone does not appear to be effective in lowering serum phosphate levels in patients with chronic kidney disease. Pursuit of other transcellular phosphate transporter inhibitors may still hold promise. Summary In vivo animal and human studies have added to our understanding of intestinal phosphorus absorption pathways, regulation, and mechanisms. This is beneficial for developing effective new strategies for phosphate management in patients with chronic kidney disease.
Comparison of Early Stopping Neural Network and Random Forest for In-Situ Quality Prediction in Laser Based Additive Manufacturing

Abstract Laser-Based Additive Manufacturing (LBAM) is a promising process in manufacturing that allows for capabilities in producing complex parts with multiple functionalities for a large array of engineering applications. Melt pool is a well-known characteristic of the LBAM process. Porosity defects, which have hampered the expansive adoption of LBAM, is correlated with the melt pool characteristic that occurs throughout the LBAM process. High-speed monitors that can capture the LBAM process have created the possibility for in-situ monitoring for defects and abnormalities. This paper focuses on augmenting knowledge of the relation between the LBAM process and porosity and providing models that could efficiently, accurately, and consistently predict defects and anomalies in-situ for the LBAM process. Two models are presented in this paper, Random Forest Classifier and Early Stopping Neural Network, which are used to classify pyrometer images and categorize if those images will result in defects. Both methods can achieve over 99% accuracy in an efficient manner, which would create an in-situ method for quality prediction in the LBAM process.
Border Monument Engagements as Curriculum Work

How do we deal with monuments in art classrooms and community outreach initiatives? The short article profiles educational engagements with a kind of monument seen in the American Southwest, border monuments, and theorizes about the implications of these engagements for art curriculum. Such “curriculum work,” to use Gaztambide-Fernandez and Sear’s (2004) phrase, can be a proxy for educational work with other public kinds of problems that are layered with art and social practices. It outlines my dissertation research, a case study involving a visitor study and guest teaching with several elementary and undergraduate classes.
Up Against the Wall: Violence in the Making and Unmaking of the Black Panther Party

Curtis J. Austin's "Up Against the Wall" chronicles how violence brought about the founding of the Black Panther Party in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, dominated its policies, and finally destroyed the party as one member after another - Eldridge Cleaver, Fred Hampton, Alex Rackley - left the party, was killed, or was imprisoned. Austin shows how the party's early emphasis in the 1960s on self-defense, though sorely needed in black communities at the time, left it open to mischaracterization, infiltration, and devastation by local, state, and federal police forces and government agencies. Austin carefully highlights the internal tension between advocates of a more radical position than the Panthers took, who insisted on military confrontation with the state, and those such as Newton and David Hilliard, who believed in community organizing and alliance building as first priorities.Austin interviewed a number of party members who had heretofore remained silent. With the help of these stories, Austin is able to put the violent history of the party in perspective and show that the "survival" programs, such as the Free Breakfast for Children program and Free Health Clinics, helped the black communities they served to recognize their own bases of power and ability to save themselves.
The rediscovery of America: elite automobile touring.

Abstract The automobile has radically changed tourist habits this century. In the first decade it was enthusiastically embraced by a small, wealthy elite. In America this elite “rediscovered” the romantic northeastern scenery painted by the Hudson Valley School of artists. This process is documented both in the general elite tourist literature of the period and in a specific case study from an elite summer colony. In the second decade “mass followed class.” Cheaper automobiles allowed the middle classes to follow the elite tourists of the first decade. The elite began to lose interest in the automobile as something exclusive to them, and turned their attention to the possibilities for touring of aviation.
Calculation of multi-phase equilibria using the equal area rule with application to mixtures

Abstract We have used an efficient, new Gibbs minimization method with an equation of state (EOS) model to predict phase equilibria for hydrocarbon water binary mixtures. The method utilizes the observation by Eubank and Hall (1995) that a plot of the derivative of the Gibbs energy of mixing against composition exhibits phase loops similar to those associated with the Maxwell rule. Equilibrium exists when the positive and negative areas are equal above and below a specific value of the derivative. Hence, we call the method the Equal Area Rule (EAR). The EAR application procedure automatically performs a stability analysis for the system. EAR also presents exciting possibilities when calculating phase equilibria for multi-component mixtures. Shyu et al. (1995) have applied the method to ternary liquid-phase systems using activity coefficient models.
Diffusion coatings formed in molten calcium systems: III. Reactions in CaFeCr systems

Abstract During the formation of diffusion coatings in liquid calcium baths, both the substrate undergoing treatment and the coating metal react with each other and may react with other elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus, which are present in low concentrations. A surface layer of (Cr,Fe) 23 C 6 frequently forms on chromium placed in calcium baths containing iron. Carbides do not normally form in coatings on iron substrates treated in baths containing calcium and chromium, whereas, in gas-chromizing processes, chromium diffusion coatings nearly always contain carbides. Carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur are removed from both substrates and coatings by calcium baths. Less than 100 p.p.m. of these elements is frequently present at or near equilibrium. When chromium diffuses from the liquid phase into the iron substrate, iron at the same time diffuses into the liquid calcium and is transported to the solid chromium phase where the iron deposits and diffuses inward. Usually two to three atoms of chromium diffuse into iron for each atom of iron that is lost into the liquid phase. Calcium baths leach elements from a substrate when there is a driving force for these elements to dissolve in the liquid phase. Porous coatings result when this solution rate is appreciable; coating of the substrate with another element may occur countercurrently to the leaching of an element from a substrate.
On the Maintenance of Implication Integrity Constraints

Semantic integrity constraints are utilized for enforcing the integrity of the database as well as for improving the efficiency of the database utilization, as in semantic query optimization. In this paper we address the problems related with maintaining a sound and nonredundant set of constraints satisfied by the database in the case of updates to the constraint base. We consider implication constraints as semantic integrity constraints. The constraints are represented as conjunctions of inequalities. We present a methodology to determine whether a constraint is redundant or contradictory with respect to a set of constraints. It is based on the partitioning of the constraint base which, we show, improves the efficiency of the algorithms that check whether a constraint is redundant or contradictory with respect to a constraint base.
A comparative study of polyethylene glycol hydrogels derivatized with the RGD peptide and the cell-binding domain of fibronectin.

The goal of our study was to compare the biological responses of cells cultured on polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels functionalized with varying concentrations of the widely used adhesion peptide, RGD, and the cell-binding domain of fibronectin, III9-10. We used Michael addition chemistry to covalently link cysteines in GRGDSPC and glutathione S-transferase (GST) tagged III9-10 (GST-III9-10), to the acrylate groups in PEG diacrylate (PEGDA). Conjugation of GST-III9-10 to PEGDA occurred through cysteine residues in GST. Ellman's reagent and immunoblotting studies demonstrated an efficiency of 90% or more for PEG conjugation of 1 μM GST-III9-10 or GRDGSPC in 10% (wt/vol) PEGDA at 37°C for 1 h. Circular dichroism and limited proteolysis demonstrated that conjugating PEGDA to GST-III9-10 did not significantly perturb its native secondary structure. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis characterization of the wash solution of PEG hydrogels after photopolymerization demonstrated that >95% of the 1 μM GST-III9-10 was incorporated into the PEG hydrogels after cross-linking. PEG hydrogels derivatized with 1 μM GST-III9-10 had significantly higher cell adhesion and spreading than PEG hydrogels with 1 μM GRGDSPC. A comparable adhesion response between GRGDSPC and GST-III9-10 was obtained when the former was at millimolar and the latter at micromolar concentration. The amount and type of conjugate in the PEG hydrogel derivative was statistically more significant than hydrogel rigidity in stimulating the biological responses observed. This report presents new evidence of the robustness of III9-10 in mediating cell adhesion and spreading on PEG hydrogels. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 170–179, 2014.
Phosvitin, a Phosphoprotein with Polyelectrolyte Characteristics

It is well established that phosphoproteins are widely distributed in all embryonic and developing tissue, and it has been suggested that several biological processes such as enzymic phosphoryl transfer or energy storage may involve the participation of the phosphorylated amino acid residues in these proteins (5, 13). Inasmuch as a knowledge of the chemistry and macromolecular conformation of phosphoproteins is an essential prerequisite for an understanding of how these materials enter metabolic processes, we have initiated a study on phosvitin, the phosphoprotein from hens’ egg yolk first isolated in 1949 by Mecham and Olcott (10). Although in our work chemical and physico-chemical techniques are used, we shall present here only some of the physicochemical studies currently carried out in our laboratory. We should like to show that the conformational characteristics of phosvitin are highly sensitive to pH and ionic strength and that this can best be explained by considering this protein as a polyelectrolyte.
Initiation of DNA replication in the dihydrofolate reductase locus is confined to the early S period in CHO cells synchronized with the plant amino acid mimosine

In previous studies, we used two complementary two-dimensional gel electrophoretic methods to examine replication intermediates in the 240-kb amplified dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) domain of methotrexate-resistant CHOC 400 cells (J. P. Vaughn, P. A. Dijkwel, and J. L. Hamlin, Cell 61:1075-1087, 1990). Surprisingly, in both asynchronous and early-S-phase cultures, initiation bubbles were detected in several contiguous fragments from a previously defined 28-kb initiation locus. However, because of the low levels of bubblelike structures observed on gels, it has been suggested that these structures might represent artifacts, possibly unrelated to replication per se. In this study, we have achieved much more synchronous entry into S phase by using a novel inhibitor and have isolated replication intermediates by a new procedure that largely eliminates branch migration and shear. Under these conditions, we find that (i) the relative number of bubblelike structures detected in fragments from the initiation locus is markedly increased, (ii) bubbles are detected at multiple sites scattered throughout the region lying between the DHFR and 2BE2121 genes, and (iii) bubbles appear and disappear in this region with the kinetics expected of an early-firing origin. These data strengthen the proposal that in vivo, initiation can occur at any of a large number of sites scattered throughout a broad zone in the DHFR domain.
A novel missense mutation in ADRB3 increases risk for type 2 diabetes in a Mexican American family.

Background The human β3-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB3) has been investigated as a candidate gene for diabetes-related traits in many studies. However, the results have been inconsistent so it is unclear whether variation in ADRB3 is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. We have identified a novel missense mutation of ADRB3 in a single large pedigree of the San Antonio Family Diabetes/Gallbladder Study (SAFDGS) that is located in the first transmembrane domain at amino acid 62 (Ile62Met). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of this mutation in the SAFDGS with risk for diabetes. Methods Variance components-based statistical methods were used to determine association of this mutation with diabetes traits in the SAFDGS. The ADRB3 gene was also resequenced to identify all variants present in this pedigree. Results Significant association was observed for the Ile62Met mutation and type 2 diabetes (p = 0.01, relative risk 2.3), an earlier age of onset (p = 0.01) and 2-h glucose measures (p = 0.006) in the single pedigree. Average age and body mass index do not differ between the two genotypic groups. In a recent genome-wide linkage analysis of SAFDGS, we observed suggestive linkage of diabetes to this region at marker D8S1477 (2pt LOD of 2.55). The variance attributed to Ile62Met accounted for nearly all of the family-specific LOD score. Conclusions These results suggest that this variant in ADRB3 is influencing diabetes risk in this Mexican American family and supports a role for alterations of the β3-adrenergic receptor in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laboratory Efficacy of Amoxicillin for the Control of Streptococcus iniae Infection in Sunshine Bass

Abstract An experimental trial was performed to evaluate the efficacy of amoxicillin in controlling Streptococcus iniae infection in sunshine bass (a hybrid of female white bass Morone chrysops × male striped bass M. saxatilis). Minimum-inhibitory-concentration studies of amoxicillin against multiple S. iniae isolates showed a sensitivity range of 0.0156–0.5 μg/mL. The amoxicillin dose levels tested were 30, 50, 80, and 120 mg of active ingredient per kilogram of fish body weight per day. Administration of medicated feed started 1 d after infection by immersion exposure to S. iniae and continued for eight consecutive days; this was followed by an observation at 15 d posttreatment. Amoxicillin increased the survival rate from 1% in the infected, nonmedicated group to an average of 95% in the infected groups receiving the four doses; there were no significant differences among the medicated groups. Survivors of the infection were not found to be carriers of the bacteria (i.e., there was negative bacterial i...
Ecoregional analysis of nearshore sea-surface temperature in the north Pacific

The quantification and description of sea surface temperature (SST) is critically important because it can influence the distribution, migration, and invasion of marine species; furthermore, SSTs are expected to be affected by climate change. To better understand present temperature regimes, we assembled a 29-year nearshore time series of mean monthly SSTs along the North Pacific coastline using remotely-sensed satellite data collected with the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instrument. We then used the dataset to describe nearshore (<20 km offshore) SST patterns of 16 North Pacific ecoregions delineated by the Marine Ecoregions of the World (MEOW) hierarchical schema. Annual mean temperature varied from 3.8°C along the Kamchatka ecoregion to 24.8°C in the Cortezian ecoregion. There are smaller annual ranges and less variability in SST in the Northeast Pacific relative to the Northwest Pacific. Within the 16 ecoregions, 31-94% of the variance in SST is explained by the annual cycle, with the annual cycle explaining the least variation in the Northern California ecoregion and the most variation in the Yellow Sea ecoregion. Clustering on mean monthly SSTs of each ecoregion showed a clear break between the ecoregions within the Warm and Cold Temperate provinces of the MEOW schema, though several of the ecoregions contained within the provinces did not show a significant difference in mean seasonal temperature patterns. Comparison of these temperature patterns shared some similarities and differences with previous biogeographic classifications and the Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). Finally, we provide a web link to the processed data for use by other researchers.
Enhanced efficacy of oral sotalol for sustained ventricular tachycardia refractory to type I antiarrhythmic drugs

Sotalol is a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocking agent with Vaughn-Williams class III activity. Its efficacy was tested in 9 patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) that had previously remained inducible during electrophysiologic testing of type I drugs (procainamide or quinidine). Eight patients had coronary artery disease with remote myocardial infarction and 1 had cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction 0.34 +/- 0.08, mean +/- standard deviation). Type I drugs prolonged the effective refractory period of the right ventricle 12 +/- 14% and prolonged the VT cycle length 41 +/- 24%. In contrast, despite an equivalent effect on the effective refractory period, a sustained VT could no longer be initiated in any of the 8 patients ultimately tested while taking oral sotalol. Daily doses averaged 600 +/- 103 mg and blood levels associated with VT suppression in electrophysiologic studies were generally greater than 3,000 ng/ml. In addition, sotalol was moderately effective at reducing ventricular ectopic activity measured by ambulatory electrocardiography. Over a mean follow-up of 23 months (range 1 to 37), mild heart failure (3 patients), symptomatic brady-cardia requiring pacemaker (1) and drug-related polymorphous VT (1) have occurred. Sudden death occurred in 1 patient and nonfatal VT recurrence was noted in 2. Five of 8 chronically treated patients currently are successfully treated with minimal side effects. Sotalol appears to be a promising antiarrhythmic drug in the treatment of serious ventricular arrhythmias, even in patients refractory to type I antiarrhythmic agents.
A predictive model for satellite‐derived phytoplankton absorption over the Louisiana shelf hypoxic zone: Effects of nutrients and physical forcing

[1] We investigated environmental forcing mechanisms of phytoplankton absorption near the Mississippi River delta using multiyear satellite data. An algorithm for the phytoplankton absorption coefficient (aph) was developed from in situ measurements and applied to ocean color imagery. We employed a suite of chemical and physical forcing variables, including surface currents. For satellite-derived aph time series (2002–2004), correlation and stepwise regression analyses revealed the most important forcing variables of aph on the Louisiana shelf. Areally, Mississippi River discharge and nitrate concentration ([NO3]) were the two most important predictors of aph over the hypoxic zone (defined by its maximum extent). River discharge was important in a band stretching from the Mississippi River delta to the Louisiana-Texas border. Riverine [NO3] and wind magnitude best predicted aph in nearshore waters, and solar radiation and SST were most important farther offshore over the hypoxic zone, indicating upwelled nutrient sources to phytoplankton. A multiple linear regression model performed well in resolving seasonal and interannual aph variability in model development years (2002–2004) (mean error of 18%, over all pixels and months) and in predicting shelf-wide aph patterns in 2005 (mean error of 32%). Our results strongly suggest that in recent years, stratification and vertical mixing, in addition to riverine [NO3], play a primary role in regulating phytoplankton biomass over the hypoxic zone. As well, a springtime model experiment showed that aph over the hypoxic zone can differ by an average absolute 37% from its average scenario owing to changes solely in environmental variables other than NO3 flux.
A reexamination of false-positive rates for carcinogenesis studies

Abstract False-positive rates in the National Cancer Institute/National Toxicology Program (NCI/NTP) two-year carcinogenesis bioassay are examined. Previous studies that have reported high (20–50%) false-positive rates for these bioassays are reviewed. The decision rules used in many of these earlier investigations are far different than the procedures actually employed by the NCI/NTP in the interpretation of bioassay data. Data from 25 recent NTP feeding studies are examined, and the statistical significance of observed tumor increases are compared with the final interpretations regarding the carcinogenic effects of the chemicals under study. Based on this examination, a more realistic decision procedure is formulated. It is shown that under the assumption of a statistical decision rule which appears to mimic more closely the scientific judgment process, the actual overall false-positive rate in NCI/NTP bioassays appears to be no greater than 7% to 8%.
Effects of serial bilateral neocortical ablations on a visual discrimination by cats

Abstract Nineteen cats were trained preoperatively in a light-dark discrimination using an automatically programmed “Y” maze in which the darker stimulus was reinforced with food. After training, serial bilateral ablations of the lateral, suprasylvian, and ectosylvian gyri were performed in various sequences. Animals with postoperative deficits were retrained to criterion. The results demonstrate postoperative deficits after each lesion regardless of the sequence, roughly comparable deficits following initial or secondary lateral or suprasylvian lesions, and the ability of all operated animals to relearn the light-dark discrimination despite extensive neocortical ablations.
Alliin lyase: Preparation and characterization of the homogeneous enzyme from onion bulbs

Abstract Alliin lyase (alliin alkyl-sulfenate-lyase, EC 4.4.1.4; alliinase) of onion bulbs has been purified to homogeneity. The enzyme catalyzes the following β-elimination reaction. Based on sedimentation equilibrium centrifugation data, the enzyme has a molecular weight of 150,000. Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed a single subunit of M r 50,000. Urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis also yielded a single band after staining with Coomassie blue. The enzyme was shown to be a glycoprotein by the use of a periodic acid-Schiff base staining technique on SDS-PAGE-treated preparations. The carbohydrate moiety was 5.8% of the total protein molecular weight. It consisted of simple sugars, hexoseamines, and methyl pentose, but no sialic acid was found. The enzyme activity showed no requirement for exogenous pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Inhibition and spectrophotometric studies indicated this cofactor was already bound to the enzyme. Chemical analysis revealed that there were 3 mol of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate per 150,000 g of enzyme.
Somatodendritic release of endogenous dopamine: in vivo dialysis in the A10 dopamine region

Using in vivo dialysis in the A10 region of the anesthetized rat, somatodendritic release of endogenous dopamine was demonstrated. Although endogenous dopamine release from the A10 region was enhanced by amphetamine pretreatment in a dose-related manner, the amount of dopamine released was markedly less than the axonal release of dopamine measured simultaneously in the nucleus accumbens.
Analog analogue of a digital quantum computation

We solve a problem, which while not fitting into the usual paradigm, can be viewed as a quantum computation. Suppose we are given a quantum system with a Hamiltonian of the form $E|w〉〈w|$ where $|w〉$ is an unknown (normalized) state. The problem is to produce $|w〉$ by adding a Hamiltonian (independent of $|w〉)$ and evolving the system. If $|w〉$ is chosen uniformly at random we can (with high probability) produce $|w〉$ in a time proportional to ${N}^{1/2}/E$. If $|w〉$ is instead chosen from a fixed, known orthonormal basis we can also produce $|w〉$ in a time proportional to ${N}^{1/2}/E$ and we show that this time is optimally short. This restricted problem is an analog analogue to Grover's algorithm, a computation on a conventional (!) quantum computer that locates a marked item from an unsorted list of $N$ items in a number of steps proportional to ${N}^{1/2}$.
The thermophotometry of some coordination compounds

The thermophotometry (light emission) of a number of coordination compounds containing vigorous oxidizing groups in the ionization sphere and reducing groups in the coordination sphere was determined. A total of 50 such compounds were studied of which 16 exhibited some light emission during the thermal dissociation reaction. The presence of the light emission peaks and their correlation with composition of the compounds are discussed.
Embryos, Words, and Numbers: The Ethical Treatment of Opinion

(2004). Embryos, Words, and Numbers: The Ethical Treatment of Opinion. The American Journal of Bioethics: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 7-9.
How fish swim: flexible fin thrusters as an EAP platform

Fish are capable of remarkable locomotor performance and use their fins extensively for both propulsion and maneuvering. Recent interest in using fishes as inspiration for the design of a new generation of autonomous underwater vehicles has prompted both new experimental studies of fish locomotor function and efforts to use electroactive polymers (EAP) as actuators in fish-inspired propulsive devices. The fins of fishes allow precise control over body position and vectoring of thrust during propulsion and maneuvering. Recent experimental studies of fish locomotion have revealed that fins exhibit much greater flexibility than previously suspected and that there is considerable deformation of the fin surface during locomotion. The fins of the large group known as ray-finned fishes are supported by fin rays, which have a bilaminar structure that allows active curvature control of the ray and fin surface by the fin musculature. Fish have up to seven different fins, and these fins may interact with each other hydrodynamically during locomotion. Fish fins provide an excellent test platform for the use of electroactive polymer actuators as the frequency of movement is typically less than 5 Hz, and fin muscle strains typically range from 2 to 10%. Recent developments of biorobotic fish pectoral fins actuated with EAP are reviewed.
A detached branch stops being recognized as self by other branches of a neuron

The multiple peripheral projections of a single leech mechanosensory neuron form individual arbors that do not overlap at all with each other, a phenomenon that has been termed "self-avoidance" (Yau, 1976; Kramer and Stent, 1985). This is in marked contrast to the peripheral arbors of adjacent segmental homologues, which partially overlap with each other at their boundaries in target areas of the body wall (Nicholls and Baylor, 1968; Gan and Macagno, 1995). How a neurite differentiates between sibling neurites of the same cell and those of a homologue is not known, but possible mechanisms include the recognition of surface markers of neuronal identity or the detection of cell-specific patterns of activity. In order to test whether this self-recognition requires a neurite to be in direct communication with its soma, we used a laser microbeam to sever a branch of a dye-filled pressure-sensitive (P) neuron in an intact leech embryo. Time-lapse observations of the P cell arbor in the living, unanesthetized, animal for up to 24 h following the surgery showed that the detached branch continued to show dynamic growth behavior throughout the period of observation. However, the detached branch ceased being avoided by the rest of the cell within a few hours, other, attached branches of the neuron overgrowing its territory and directly overlapping with it. Our experiments provide direct evidence for the existence of strong growth-inhibiting interactions between sibling processes, and indicate that self-avoidance by the growing neurites of a cell requires physical continuity between these neurites.
In Situ Synthesis of Oligonucleotide Arrays by Using Surface Tension

This work describes the in situ synthesis of oligonucleotide arrays on glass surfaces. These arrays are composed of features defined and separated by differential surface tension (surface tension arrays). Specifically, photolithographic methods were used to create a series of spatially addressable, circular features containing an amino-terminated organosilane coupled to the glass through a siloxane linkage. Each feature is bounded by a perfluorosilanated surface. The differences in surface energies between the features and surrounding zones allow for chemical reactions to be readily localized within a defined site. The aminosilanation process was analyzed using contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and time-of-flight/secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS). The efficiency of phosphoramidite-based oligonucleotide synthesis on these surface tension arrays was measured by two methods. One method, termed step-yields-by-hybridization, indicates an average synthesis efficiency for all four (...
Sex differences in antinociceptive tolerance to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the rat

Background Sex differences in cannabinoid effects have been reported in rodents, with adult females typically being more sensitive than adult males. The present study compared the development of antinociceptive tolerance to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in adult, gonadally intact female vs. male rats.
Potentiation of sympathetic neurosecretion by forskolin and cyclic AMP in the rabbit iris-ciliary body.

Forskolin has been reported to stimulate cAMP formation and reduce intraocular pressure in rabbit and primate eyes. In view of recent evidence for the involvement of cAMP in modulation of transmitter release at adrenergic synapses, we have investigated the presynaptic effects of forskolin and other cAMP activators on field-stimulated secretion of H-norepinephrine (3H-NE) in the isolated, perfused rabbit iris-ciliary body. Forskolin (10−7 -10 M−5) was Jiound to markedly enhance stimulation-evoked 3H-NE release without affecting basal (spontaneous) release. The response to forskolin was potentiated by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX; 0.5 mM) and was mimicked by the cell-permeant cyclic nucleotide analog 8-bromo-cAMP. 8-bromo-cGMP also, produce a small enhancement of stimulus-evoked H-NE secretion, whereas IBMX alone had little effect on either stimulated or basal secretion. These results suggest that cAMP may play an important neuromodulatory role in regulation of norepinephrine...