cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective changes in GABAergic transmission in substantia nigra and superior colliculus caused by ethanol and ethanol withdrawal.

One of ethanol's actions after acute exposure is anticonvulsant activity whereas withdrawal from chronic ethanol exposure increases convulsant activity. An increase in neuronal transmission in the GABAergic pathways from striatum to the substantia nigra (SN) and a decrease in GABAergic transmission from SN to superior colliculus (SC) both appear to play a major role in inhibiting seizure propagation. If this is the case, then the changes in seizure sensitivity caused by ethanol may be expected to affect GABAergic transmission in opposite ways in SN and SC. We measured the effects of in vitro ethanol on pre- and postsynaptic indices of GABA transmission using SN and SC tissue from both ethanol-naive rats and rats given ethanol in their drinking water for 24 days and then withdrawn for 24 hr, a treatment that decreases seizure latency. While ethanol inhibited 3H- GABA release from slices of SC at low concentrations (20-100 mM), much higher concentrations were required to inhibit release from SN (100-500 mM). In fact, release from SN was increased by low concentrations of ethanol. Ethanol in vitro (20-1000 mM) also inhibited specific binding of 35S-TBPS to the GABAA receptor but this effect was similar in both potency and efficacy in SC and SN. Next, the in vitro effects of ethanol were measured in rats that had consumed an average of 9.8 g ethanol/kg body weight/day and were then withdrawn for 24 hr. Ethanol inhibition of 3H-GABA release from SC was significantly less in ethanol-treated rats compared to controls whereas the inhibitory effect of ethanol was increased in SN from ethanol-treated rats. Additionally, the number of 35S-TBPS binding sites was increased in striatum of ethanol-withdrawn rats. There was no effect of ethanol withdrawal on number or affinity of binding sites in other brain regions. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that striatal GABA output is decreased during periods of increased seizure sensitivity. Thus acute ethanol increased release in SN and decreased release in SC, but when animals are sensitized to seizures by ethanol withdrawal, more inhibitory GABA receptors exist in striatum and release is decreased in SN and increased in SC.
Sioxanthin, a novel glycosylated carotenoid, reveals an unusual subclustered biosynthetic pathway.

Members of the marine actinomycete genus Salinispora constitutively produce a characteristic orange pigment during vegetative growth. Contrary to the understanding of widespread carotenoid biosynthesis pathways in bacteria, Salinispora carotenoid biosynthesis genes are not confined to a single cluster. Instead, bioinformatic and genetic investigations confirm that four regions of the Salinispora tropica CNB-440 genome, consisting of two gene clusters and two independent genes, contribute to the in vivo production of a single carotenoid. This compound, namely (2'S)-1'-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-3',4'-didehydro-1',2'-dihydro-φ,ψ-caroten-2'-ol, is novel and has been given the trivial name 'sioxanthin'. Sioxanthin is a C40 -carotenoid, glycosylated on one end of the molecule and containing an aryl moiety on the opposite end. Glycosylation is unusual among actinomycete carotenoids, and sioxanthin joins a rare group of carotenoids with polar and non-polar head groups. Gene sequence homology predicts that the sioxanthin biosynthetic pathway is present in all of the Salinispora as well as other members of the family Micromonosporaceae. Additionally, this study's investigations of clustering of carotenoid biosynthetic genes in heterotrophic bacteria show that a non-clustered genome arrangement is more common than previously suggested, with nearly half of the investigated genomes showing a non-clustered architecture.
The Borrelia burgdorferi Integrin Ligand P66 Affects Gene Expression by Human Cells in Culture

Borrelia burgdorferi, an agent of Lyme disease, establishes persistent infection in immunocompetent animals and humans. Although the infection in humans can be cleared by antibiotic therapy, persistence in reservoir animals is necessary for the maintenance of the bacterium in the natural reservoir host⇔tick vector infectious cycle. B. burgdorferi binds to β(1)- and β(3)-chain integrins, and the P66 outer membrane protein is responsible for at least some of the integrin binding activity of the spirochete. Because integrins are transmembrane, bidirectional signaling molecules, integrin binding may alter the nature of the host response to the bacteria. We used isogenic B. burgdorferi p66(+) and Δp66 strains to analyze the responses of cultured human cells to P66-integrin interaction during infection. Microarray results suggest that the response differs according to the cell type, infection time, and experimental conditions. Clusters of genes in functionally related categories that showed significant changes included proteins involved in cell-extracellular matrix interactions, actin dynamics, stress response, and immune responses. Integrin binding by P66 may therefore help B. burgdorferi establish infection by facilitating tissue invasion and modulating the activation of the immune system to other components of the bacteria, e.g., lipoproteins. These results provide insight into how B. burgdorferi is able to establish infection in immunocompetent hosts.
High quality behavioral verification using statistical stopping criteria

In order to improve the efficiency of behavioral model verification, it is important to determine the points of diminishing return for a given verification strategy. This paper compares the existing stopping rules and presents a new stopping rule based on static Bayesian technique. The new stopping rule was applied to verifying 14 complex VHDL models. We used the figure of merit to compare the efficiency of the stopping rules. The results in terms of coverage and verification time were shown to consistently outperform existing stopping rules.
Effect of goal orientation on achievement beliefs, cognition and strategies in team sport

Nicholls' motivation conceptual framework pertaining to achievement goals was used to study the relationship between two implicit goal orientations (task and ego) and achievement cognitions and beliefs about the competitive team sport experience. The study examined the relationship between the goal orientations and purposes of team sport, motivational climate, satisfaction, sources of satisfaction, achievement strategies, and perception of ability in team sport. The subjects were 148 students experienced in team sport at a Norwegian university. The scales were translated specifically for the study and factor analyses used to determine the factor structure of the scales. Seventeen factors along the 6 dimensions emerged, and canonical analysis determined that predominantly task-oriented subjects focused on health-related activities within purposes, preferred mastery climates and focused on mastery-oriented criteria to determine satisfaction and other achievement-related beliefs. In contrast, predominantly ego-oriented subjects focused on status enhancement for purpose, preferred performance-oriented climates and focused on ego-oriented criteria to determine satisfaction and other achievement beliefs.
The melanoma controversy. A comparion of choroidal, cutaneous, and iris melanomas

Controversy exists regarding the management of patients with choroidal melanomas. Some experts argue that these neoplasms behave differently than other types of melanomas, and that enucleation rather than tumor burden is responsible for metastases. A review of the literature involving death rates of patients diagnosed with melanomas of the choroid, skin and iris demonstrates the importance of tumor volume as a prognostic indicator. In each instance, the smaller the tumor burden, the better the prognosis. Death rates from metastases involving small choroidal tumors (less than 300 mm) were surprisingly similar to to those from cutaneous melanomas of the same size. Large tumors of the choroid carried a much higher death rate, as did large tumors of the skin. While studies involving iris melanomas reported only a 2.6% death rate, the average volume of an iris melanoma is only 55 mm. We believe that biologically all melanomas have the same potential for metastatic growth and that the size of the tumor may be the most important variable with regard to prognosis.
Forcing, instability and equivalent potential vorticity in a Midwest USA convective snowstorm

This paper investigates a case of convective snow that was observed with an occluded-type cyclone. Cross-section and plan-view analyses show that convection resulted from the release of elevated, potential instability by isentropic uplift associated with an easterly trowal airstream (a western extension of the warm conveyor belt) located between 700 and 850 hPa. Forcing for ascent was supplied by low-level frontogenesis, as well as an intensifying 500hPa tropopause fold and its associated potential vorticity anomaly. The latter not only provided a source of very cold, dense air, but also was responsible for lower tropospheric cyclogenesis and subsequent trowal generation. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society
Intra-abdominal Bacterial Infection Reactivates Latent Pulmonary Cytomegalovirus in Immunocompetent Mice

Critically ill surgery patients are susceptible to pulmonary reactivation of latent cytomegalovirus (CMV), but what triggers this reactivation is unknown. Immunosuppression and bacterial sepsis are thought to stimulate reactivation of CMV, and in this study it was hypothesized that immunosuppressive effects of surgery with or without concomitant bacterial infection may reactivate latent CMV. Mice infected with CMV were allowed to develop latent infections. Latently infected mice underwent a laparotomy with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP; n=30), a laparotomy alone (sham; n=10), or no surgery (control; n=5). Lung tissue homogenates were evaluated for viral activity, and, 2 and 3 weeks after CLP, lungs of 7 of 7 and 5 of 5 mice, respectively, showed reactivation of latent CMV. In contrast, lungs from all sham-operated animals and controls showed no viral reactivation. These findings demonstrate that surgery with subsequent intra-abdominal bacterial infection reactivated CMV in lungs of latently infected mice. The mechanism of this reactivation is unknown but likely involves cytokines induced by sepsis.
Genic SNP markers and legume synteny reveal candidate genes underlying QTL for Macrophomina phaseolina resistance and maturity in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.]

Background Macrophomina phaseolina is an emerging and devastating fungal pathogen that causes significant losses in crop production under high temperatures and drought stress. An increasing number of disease incidence reports highlight the wide prevalence of the pathogen around the world and its contribution toward crop yield suppression. In cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.], limited sources of low-level host resistance have been identified, the genetic basis of which is unknown. In this study we report on the identification of strong sources of host resistance to M. phaseolina and the genetic mapping of putative resistance loci on a cowpea genetic map comprised of gene-derived single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs).
Effect of Aspergillus flavus inoculation methods and environmental conditions on aflatoxin accumulation in corn hybrids

Corn genotypes evaluated for aflatoxin resistance in field studies must be artificially inoculated with Aspergillus flavus due to the sporadic nature of aflatoxin contamination from year to year. We compared a spray inoculation technique with the side-needle technique and natural infection for inducing aflatoxin contamination in commercial corn hybrids in two soil types from 2000 to 2006. Hybrids inoculated using the side-needle technique consistently had high levels of aflatoxin contamination. Hybrids inoculated with the spray technique and grown in a loam soil were more prone to drought stress and had higher levels of aflatoxin contamination than those grown in a silty clay loam soil with a high water-holding capacity. The association of maximum daily temperatures and cumulative rainfall during nine periods before or after A. flavus inoculation with aflatoxin contamination was determined. In the silty clay loam, maximum daily temperatures during the 14-day period following inoculation were positively co...
Hyperparasitism of oospores of some Peronosporales by Actinoplanes missouriensis and Humicola fuscoatra and other Actinomycetes and fungi

(1984). Hyperparasitism of oospores of some Peronosporales by Actinoplanes missouriensis and Humicola fuscoatra and other Actinomycetes and fungi. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 139-145.
Molecular cloning of the RNA polymerase I transcription factor hUBF/NOR-90 (UBTF) gene and localization to 17q21.3 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and radiation hybrid mapping

The 90-kDa nucleolus organizer region autoantigen (NOR-90) was previously shown to be identical to human upstream binding factor (hUBF), which has two molecular mass forms of 89 and 93 kDa, respectively. hUBF/NOR-90 is a member of the HMG-box DNA-binding protein family and is known to bind to enhancer regions upstream of the ribosomal RNA genes, which are clustered at NORs. The smaller version of UBF lacks an internal 111-bp region corresponding to 37 amino acids in the second HMG-box of the larger form. We isolated human genomic clones from a phage library and localized one of them by fluorescence in situ hybridization to chromosome 17q21.3. DNA sequence analysis showed that the 111-bp region represented a single exon, consistent with the previous notion that the two isoforms were products of alternative pre-mRNA splicing of a single gene in human. Radiation hybrid mapping placed this STS with very high probability (LOD > 19) to chromosome 17, approximately 3.77 cR distal to MIT framework marker UTR-9641. The order of the markers (a partial list) from this region was UTR-9641, SGC30031, WI-17308, D17S930, NOR53/33, WI-16100, D17S920, WI-16913, and WI-6808.
Evaluation of a combination chemotherapy protocol including lomustine and doxorubicin in canine histiocytic sarcoma.

OBJECTIVES To describe a chemotherapy protocol combining lomustine and doxorubicin in canine histiocytic sarcoma, including outcomes and toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective review of case records for dogs with histiocytic sarcoma treated with lomustine and doxorubicin (± cyclophosphamide) alternating every 2 weeks. Data collected included signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathological abnormalities, extent of disease, response, toxicity, time to tumour progression and survival time. RESULTS Of 17 dogs, 15 had disseminated or metastatic disease. The median number of chemotherapy cycles (one dose of each drug) received was three; most dogs discontinued therapy due to progressive disease. Dose reductions or delays occurred in 18% of cycles. The overall response rate was 58%, with a median time to tumour progression of 185 (range, 59 to 268) days for responders. The overall median survival time was 185 (18 to 402) days. No significant prognostic factors were identified. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The protocol appeared well-tolerated, had some efficacy against canine histiocytic sarcoma in the study population and could be considered as an alternative to single-agent protocols; prospective comparison may be warranted.
Mott insulating state in ultraclean carbon nanotubes.

The Mott insulating state is a manifestation of strong electron interactions in nominally metallic systems. Using transport spectroscopy, we showed that an energy gap exists in nominally metallic carbon nanotubes and occurs in addition to the band gap in small–band-gap nanotubes, indicating that carbon nanotubes are never metallic. This gap has a magnitude of ~10 to 100 milli–electron volts and a nanotube radius (r) dependence of ~1/r, which is in good agreement with predictions for a nanotube Mott insulating state. We also observed neutral excitations within the gap, as predicted for this state. Our results underscore nanotubes' exceptional capabilities for use in studying correlated electron phenomena in one dimension.
Perspectives on Federal Funding for State Health Care–Associated Infection Programs Achievements, Barriers, and Implications for Sustainability

In September 2009, federal funding for health care–associated infection (HAI) program development was dispersed through a cooperative agreement to 51 state and territorial health departments. From ...
BCR-ABL1 kinase facilitates localization of acetylated histones 3 and 4 on DNA double-strand breaks

BCR-ABL1 kinase-positive leukemia cells accumulate high numbers of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) or cytotoxic agents. To repair these lesions and prevent apoptosis BCR-ABL1 kinase stimulates the efficiency of DSB repair in leukemia cells. Histone acetylation-dependent chromatin re-modeling plays a crucial role in this process. Here we report that leukemia cells expressing BCR-ABL1 kinase displayed an enhanced histone acetylase activity (HAT) and reduced histone deacetylase activity (HDAC), which was associated with abundant expression of acetylated histones 3 and 4 (Ac-H3 and Ac-H4, respectively). Moreover, Ac-H3 and Ac-H4 readily co-localized with the spontaneous and mitomycin C-induced DSBs in BCR-ABL1-positive leukemia cells suggesting that histone acetylation and chromatin re-modeling is important for efficient repair of numerous DSBs.
Alarming Incidence of Sexual Assault Among Suicidal Female Adolescents

Background Suicide, the number two killer of female adolescents in the United States, has been shown to be associated with sexual abuse. What is this incidence? We propose that it is alarmingly higher than currently suspected. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of sexual abuse among a homogenous population of adolescent females hospitalized for suicide ideation or attempt. Methods All charts of adolescent females admitted for depression, suicide attempt or ideation from 6/1/93 through 12/31/95 were retrospectively reviewed. Those patients with suicide attempt or ideation necessitating hospitalization were selected for data collection. Information collected included the history of sexual abuse, Axis I diagnosis, prior treatment for sexual abuse or psychological treatment, history of prior physical abuse, family history of depression. acute major life stressor, drug and alcohol abuse, and family structure. Results Fifty (87.7%) of the 57 patients were White or Caucasian and 50 (87.7%) had health insurance. Suicidal ideation was evident in 38 (66.7%) and 50 (87.7%) of the patients admitted to a suicide attempt. Twenty-nine (50.9%) of the patients had a history of sexual abuse and 15 (26.3%) had a history of physical abuse. Nine patients (15.8%) had prior treatment for sexual abuse and 38 (66.7%) had prior treatment for a psychological disorder. Twenty (35.1%) experienced a major life stressor, 23 (40.4%) admitted to drug and alcohol abuse, 36 (63.2%) had a family history of depression and in 27 (47.4%) the family structure was intact Conclusions Previous research on the incidence of sexual abuse among female adolescents has been reported to be as high as 13%. In contrast, this data demonstrated a strong association between suicide and sexual abuse with a 50.9% incidence in an inpatient adolescent female population
REACTIONS TO PERINATAL LOSS: A Qualitative Analysis of the National Maternal and Infant Health Survey

Women who had experienced an infant or fetal death responded to an open-ended question on the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey about their perinatal experience. A qualitative analysis of the 413 responses identified six major themes, including need for further information, problems with the mourning process, and unresolved questions about the cause of the death. Implications of the findings for health care practice are discussed.
An analytical model for thermal stress analysis of multi-layered microelectronics packaging

Compared to numerical methods, analytical solutions can offer a faster and more accurate procedure for obtaining the interfacial stresses in laminated structures. An analytical model for thermal stress analysis of multi-layered thin stacks on a thick substrate under isothermal loading is proposed in this paper. This analytical approach considers each layer as a beam-type plate with orthotropic material properties. Highly sensitive Moire interferometry is used to validate the model. The strain field in the bi-material interfaces is obtained experimentally. The test data is in good agreement with the proposed analytical solution. Finite element analysis results are also compared with the analytical solution and the test data.
Responses of frog skin Na+ and Cl− transport to guanylin

Abstract A possible role for the peptide hormone guanylin was investigated in frog skin ( Rana pipiens ) epithelium. Sodium and chloride fluxes in response to this peptide were evaluated in Ussing-type chambers. Net and unidirectional Na + fluxes were measured by using 22 Na + and atomic absorption analysis of total [Na + ], whereas net Cl − fluxes were measured by using electrometric titration for [Cl − ]. Mucosal application of guanylin (0.5–2.0 μmol/l) caused marked increases in serosal to mucosal net flux and efflux of Na + . Serosal application of guanylin over the same dose range caused similar large increases in net serosal to mucosal (S→M) Na + and Cl − flux as well as Na + efflux. Responses of Na + influx were small and inconsistent. When frog skin was bathed on the serosal side with Cl − -free Ringer’s solution mucosal application of guanylin stimulated large efflux and S→M net fluxes of Na + . Serosal treatment yielded large Na + effluxes and S→M Na + and Cl − net fluxes. When frog skin serosal surfaces were bathed with Na + - free Ringer’s solution mucosal guanylin treatment had no effect but serosal treatment produced large S→M Cl − net fluxes.
Imaging incorporation of circulating docosahexaenoic acid into the human brain using positron emission tomography

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) is a critical constituent of the brain, but its metabolism has not been measured in the human brain in vivo. In monkeys, using positron emission tomography (PET), we first showed that intravenously injected [1-11C]DHA mostly entered nonbrain organs, with ∼0.5% entering the brain. Then, using PET and intravenous [1-11C]DHA in 14 healthy adult humans, we quantitatively imaged regional rates of incorporation (K*) of DHA. We also imaged regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using PET and intravenous [15O]water. Values of K* for DHA were higher in gray than white matter regions and correlated significantly with values of rCBF in 12 of 14 subjects despite evidence that rCBF does not directly influence K*. For the entire human brain, the net DHA incorporation rate Jin, the product of K*, and the unesterified plasma DHA concentration equaled 3.8 ± 1.7 mg/day. This net rate is equivalent to the net rate of DHA consumption by brain and, considering the reported amount of DHA in brain, indicates that the half-life of DHA in the human brain approximates 2.5 years. Thus, PET with [1-11C]DHA can be used to quantify regional and global human brain DHA metabolism in relation to health and disease.
Some Mathematical Tools

This book is about biological modeling—the construction of mathematical abstractions intended to characterize biological phenomena and the derivation of predictions from these abstractions under real or hypothesized conditions. A model must capture the essence of an event or process but at the same time not be so complicated that it is intractable or dilutes the event’s most important features. In this regard, the field of differential equations is the most widely invoked branch of mathematics across the broad spectrum of biological modeling. Future values of the variables that describe a process depend on their rates of growth or decay. These in turn depend on present, or past, values of these same variables through simple linear or power relationships. These are the ingredients of a differential equation. We discuss linear and power laws between variables and their derivatives in Section 2.1 and differential equations in Section 2.4.
Single-walled carbon nanotube based pH sensors on a flexible parylene-c substrate

In this paper, we present a suspended Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube (SWNT) based pH sensor utilizing a low temperature Dielectrophoretic (DEP) assembly process on a flexible parylene-C substrate. Parylene-C, a light weight, flexible and inert material, is compatible with many microfabrication processes. Furthermore, utilizing parylene-C as a flexible substrate, one can readily create a suspended microplatform utilizing an O 2 plasma etch process. Suspended nanobridges have larger exposed surface areas and may potentially have enhanced sensitivity for sensing applications. Fabricating these structures on a thin (10μm) parylene-C substrate allows their utilization as flexible devices or in wearable sensor applications. We have successfully assembled suspended SWNT nanobridges across a spacing of 4μm. The electrical characterization results from the assembled SWNTs yield ohmic behavior with a measured two-terminal resistance of ~17KΩ. Furthermore, the conductometric measurements of the SWNT sensors have demonstrated that corresponding to an increase in pH value, the resistance of SWNTs has decreased due to the OH- group that attached on to the wall of the SWNTs and changed the electrical properties of the SWNTs. These novel suspended nanostructures can be used as potential candidates in nanosensor applications.
Use of Serum FSH to Identify Perimenopausal Women with Pituitary hCG

Background: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) tests are performed on many female patients before performing medical procedures or administering medications that may harm a fetus. hCG of pituitary origin has been shown to increase with age. Therefore, mild increases in serum hCG in an older patient can be of pituitary origin and does not necessarily indicate pregnancy. The inability to rule out pregnancy in perimenopausal women can create clinical confusion and may delay needed therapies. Our objective was to determine the diagnostic utility of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations to rule out hCG of placental origin in perimenopausal women with a low concentration of serum hCG (5.0–14.0 IU/L). Methods: Seven testing centers performed 39 742 physician-ordered serum quantitative hCG tests over a 15-month period. From these, 100 samples from women 41–55 years of age with serum hCG concentrations 5–14 IU/L were identified. We performed FSH testing and patient chart review for each sample. Results: Twenty-three patients were found to have hCG of placental origin (pregnancy, resolving abortion, or gestational trophoblastic disease), and in those cases serum FSH was 0.4–43.8 IU/L. An FSH cutoff of 45.0 IU/L identified hCG of placental origin with 100% sensitivity and 75% specificity. FSH >45 IU/L was never observed when hCG was of placental origin (negative predictive value). Conclusions: These data indicate that quantitative serum FSH can be used to rule out pregnancy and hCG of placental origin in women 41–55 years of age with mild increase in serum hCG concentrations.
An Ecological Genetic Approach to the Study of Coevolution1

SYNOPSIS. Almost forty years ago, Ehrlich and Raven (1964) hypothesized that the great diversity of plants and the herbivores that feed on them arose from a process of coevolution. Plants do possess an amazing diversity of traits that are easily imagined as having arisen from an antagonistic interaction between plants and herbivores. Two basic assumptions lie at the root of most theories of coevolution between plants and their herbivores. First, herbivores are agents of natural selection on plant resistance traits. Second, plants incur a significant fitness cost for possessing these resistance traits. An ecological genetic approach can provide rigorous evidence for these coevolutionary assumptions. In this paper, I present new experimental work on the subject of costs of resistance and review and discuss my own previous work bearing directly on these questions. Using both field experiments on natural populations of the mouse-ear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) and laboratory experiments using genetically modified plants, I demonstrate that herbivores are exerting selection on both a chemical and physical resistance trait and that there are significant fitness costs to possessing these two traits. These results provide direct confirmation that our current models of the evolution of plant defenses are appropriate. THE PROBLEM
Literature update: A critical review: The Aftermath of Child Sex Abuse

(1991). Literature update: A critical review. Sexual and Marital Therapy: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 329-332.
Coronary blood flow in senescent rats with late-onset hypertension.

We tested the hypothesis that the imposition of hypertension late in life would markedly limit maximal myocardial perfusion (MP). Young adult (8 mo) and senescent (24 mo) Fischer 344 rats were studied 3 mo after one-kidney, figure-8 renal wrap hypertension (RH) was induced. Sham-operated rats served as controls (Con). Regional MP was determined with radioactive microspheres in conscious rats before and during maximal coronary vasodilation with infusion of dipyridamole. Systolic arterial pressure (SAP) was significantly elevated in both RH age groups during weeks 2-6 following surgery and then fell to normotensive levels. After 3 mo SAP (mmHg) was significantly lower in the senescent RH rats (125 +/- 5) compared with their controls (147 +/- 3). In senescent RH rats left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure increased fivefold. LV mass increased with age but not with treatment. LV minimal coronary vascular resistance (MCVR, mmHg.ml-1.min-100 g) increased significantly both with age and treatment (8 mo: Con = 0.07 +/- 0.01, RH = 0.14 +/- 0.01; 24 mo: Con = 0.11 +/- 0.01, RH 0.17 +/- 0.02). Treatment affected similar changes in the right ventricular MCVR. LV endocardial-to-epicardial perfusion ratio during rest was lower in the senescent groups but was not altered by hypertension. These data indicate that 1) both aging and this model of hypertension compromise maximal coronary perfusion and reserve in Fischer 344 rats, and 2) aging is associated with an increase in coronary vascular resistance in both ventricles at rest and in a relative reduction in maximal endocardial perfusion in the left ventricle.
Raynaud’s phenomenon in infertile women treated with bromocriptine

Two cases are reported of infertile women who developed cold-induced digital vasospasm (Raynaud's phenomenon) on low-dose Parlodel (5.0 to 7.5 mg/day). The cases are reported to alert clinicians to the potential relationship between Raynaud's phenomenon and low-dose Parlodel usage in women using the drug for hyperprolactinemic or infertility indications.
Bond Strengths in Transition Metal Carbonyl Anions

Translationl energy thresholds for collision-induced dissociative loss of carbonyl ligands from metal carbonyl anions M(CO)n - (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) have been measured in a flowing afterglow-triple quadrupole apparatus. These thresholds can be used to derive metal-carbonyl bond strengths for these species. The sequential M-CO bond strengths vary widely, emphasizing the importance of measuring sequential rather than average bond strengths. The bond energies can be combined with other thermochemistry to give neutral metal-carbonyl bond strengths, ionization potentials, metal-alkene bond energies, and limits on other metal-ligand bond strengths. The 14- and 16-electron metal carbonyl anions display systematically weaker bonds than the 13-, 15-, and 17-electron species.
Measurement of the relative proportion of symmetrical and asymmetrical chromosome- type interchanges induced by γ radiation in human-hamster hybrid cells

Using hamster-human hybrid cells and methods for differential staining of the hamster and human chromosomes, the relative proportion of induced chromosome-type symmetrical and asymmetrical interchange aberrations was measured after a 6.5-Gy dose of gamma radiation. The ratio of these aberration types was not significantly different from 1:1, i.e., the proportion of such interchanges that are symmetrical is very near 0.5, in agreement with the conclusion of others (J.A. Heddle, Genetics 52, 1329-1334, 1965; M. Holmberg and J. Jonasson, Hereditas 74, 57-68, 1973; J.R.K. Savage and D.G. Papworth, Mutat. Res. 95, 7-18, 1983). This proportion is important because virtually all estimates of radiation-induced chromosome-type exchange aberrations are based on measurement of the easily observed but unstable and lethal asymmetrical types, while some of the biological effects of concern from the point of view of oncogenesis and mutagenesis are thought to result from production of stable and nonlethal symmetrical types.
Anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody Fc variants differentially impact regulatory T cells and immune homeostasis

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a critical regulator of immune homeostasis through its non-redundant role in regulatory T (Treg) cell biology. There is major interest in therapeutic modulation of the IL-2 pathway to promote immune activation in the context of tumour immunotherapy or to enhance immune suppression in the context of transplantation, autoimmunity and inflammatory diseases. Antibody-mediated targeting of the high-affinity IL-2 receptor α chain (IL-2Rα or CD25) offers a direct mechanism to target IL-2 biology and is being actively explored in the clinic. In mouse models, the rat anti-mouse CD25 clone PC61 has been used extensively to investigate the biology of IL-2 and Treg cells; however, there has been controversy and conflicting data on the exact in vivo mechanistic function of PC61. Engineering antibodies to alter Fc/Fc receptor interactions can significantly alter their in vivo function. In this study, we re-engineered the heavy chain constant region of an anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody to generate variants with highly divergent Fc effector function. Using these anti-CD25 Fc variants in multiple mouse models, we investigated the in vivo impact of CD25 blockade versus depletion of CD25(+) Treg cells on immune homeostasis. We report that immune homeostasis can be maintained during CD25 blockade but aberrant T-cell activation prevails when CD25(+) Treg cells are actively depleted. These results clarify the impact of PC61 on Treg cell biology and reveal an important distinction between CD25 blockade and depletion of CD25(+) Treg cells. These findings should inform therapeutic manipulation of the IL-2 pathway by targeting the high-affinity IL-2R.
A MicroRNA93–Interferon Regulatory Factor-9–Immunoresponsive Gene-1–Itaconic Acid Pathway Modulates M2-Like Macrophage Polarization to Revascularize Ischemic Muscle

Background:Currently, no therapies exist for treating and improving outcomes in patients with severe peripheral artery disease (PAD). MicroRNA93 (miR93) has been shown to favorably modulate angioge...
Using the STOPBANG questionnaire and other pre-test probability tools to predict OSA in younger, thinner patients referred to a sleep medicine clinic.

The STOPBANG questionnaire is used to predict the presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We sought to assess the performance of the STOPBANG questionnaire in younger, thinner patients referred to a sleep medicine clinic. We applied the STOPBANG questionnaire to patients referred for level I polysomnography (PSG) at our sleep center. We calculated likelihood ratios and area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curve and performed sensitivity analyses. We performed our analysis on 338 patients referred for PSG. Only 17.2% (n = 58) were above age 50 years, and 30.5 and 6.8% had a BMI above 30 and 35 years, respectively. The mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 12.9 ± 16.4 and 63.9% had an AHI ≥5. The STOPBANG (threshold ≥3) identified 83.1% of patients as high risk for an AHI ≥5, and sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) were 83.8, 18.0, 64.4, and 38.0%, respectively. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were poor at 1.02–1.11 and 0.55–0.90, respectively, across AHI thresholds (AHI ≥5, AHI ≥15 and AHI ≥30), and AUROCs were 0.52 (AHI ≥5) and 0.56 (AHI ≥15). Sensitivity analyses adjusting for insomnia, combat deployment, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, clinically significant OSA (ESS >10 and/or co-morbid disease), and obesity did not significantly alter STOPBANG performance. In a younger, thinner population with predominantly mild-to-moderate OSA, the STOPBANG Score does not accurately predict the presence of obstructive sleep apnea.
What Do George Clooney and Sarah Jessica Parker Have in Common? Big Data

Data-driven methods have proved their utility in radiology workflow optimization and reporting. These capabilities of natural language processing, machine learning, content extraction, and image processing largely mirror, at a conceptual level, what we as radiologists do. Traditional image processing techniques are employed to segment images into identifiable regions much like human visual processing would. More recently, deep learning researchers have emulated neural architectures to perform automated image segmentation and textural feature-based classification following training on large datasets of medical images. Imaging appropriateness, scheduling efficiency, and image interpretation performance all represent realms in which we may be able to use big data to improve our practices, in terms of throughput, diagnostic accuracy, and patient satisfaction.
Hydrogen Peroxide Cycling in High-Temperature Acidic Geothermal Springs and Potential Implications for Oxidative Stress Response

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide (O2•-), and hydroxyl radicals (OH•) are produced in natural waters via ultraviolet (UV) light-induced reactions between dissolved oxygen (O2) and organic carbon, and further reaction of H2O2 and Fe(II) (i.e., Fenton chemistry). The temporal and spatial dynamics of H2O2 and other dissolved compounds (Fe(II), Fe(III), H2S, O2) were measured during a diel cycle (dark/light) in surface waters of three acidic geothermal springs (Beowulf Spring, One Hundred Springs Plain, and Echinus Geyser Spring; pH = 3-3.5, T = 68-80 °C) in Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. In situ analyses showed that H2O2 concentrations were lowest (ca. 1 μM) in geothermal source waters containing high dissolved sulfide (and where oxygen was below detection) and increased by two-fold (ca. 2-3 μM) in oxygenated waters corresponding to Fe(III)-oxide mat formation down the water channel. Small increases in dissolved oxygen and H2O2 were observed during peak photon flux, but not consistently across all springs sampled. Iron-oxide microbial mats were sampled for molecular analysis of ROS gene expression in two primary autotrophs of acidic Fe(III)-oxide mat ecosystems: Metallosphaera yellowstonensis (Archaea) and Hydrogenobaculum sp. (Bacteria). Expression (RT-qPCR) assays of specific stress-response genes (e.g., superoxide dismutase, peroxidases) of the primary autotrophs were used to evaluate possible changes in transcription across temporal, spatial and/or seasonal samples. Data presented here documented the presence of H2O2 and general correlation with dissolved oxygen. Moreover, two dominant microbial populations expressed ROS response genes throughout the day, but showed less expression of key genes during peak sunlight. Oxidative stress response genes (especially external peroxidases) were highly-expressed in microorganisms within Fe(III)-oxide mat communities, suggesting a significant role for these proteins during survival and growth in situ.
An investigation of the systematic use of spectral information in the determination of apparent-talker height

The perception of apparent-talker height is mostly determined by the fundamental frequency (f0) and spectral characteristics of a voice. Although it is traditionally thought that spectral cues affect apparent-talker height by influencing apparent vocal-tract length, a recent experiment [Barreda (2016). J. Phon. 55, 1–18] suggests that apparent-talker height can vary significantly within-talker on the basis of phonemically-determined spectral variability. In this experiment, listeners were asked to estimate the height of 10 female talkers based on manipulated natural productions of bVd words containing one of /i ae ɑ u ɝ/. Results indicate that although listeners appear to use vocal-tract length estimates in determining apparent-height, apparent-talker height also varies significantly within-talker based on the inherent spectral and source characteristics of different vowels, with vowels with lower formant-frequencies and f0 being associated with taller talkers overall. The use of spectral and f0 informatio...
The status of strange particle physics

The 9th International Conference on Hypernuclear and Strange Particle Physics was held at the University of Mainz during October 10–14, 2006. Approximately 55 years ago the concept of strangeness as a quantum number, and almost simultaneously, hypernuclear physics was born. A perspective of the status of this field as of 2006 is best achieved by directly reviewing the contributions to this conference as published in this volume. It is impossible to summarize the breadth strangeness in nuclei in a few pages, so that this short review can only present the author’s personal flavor on its status at the close of 2006.
Effectiveness of Sensory and Social Group Interventions to Improve the Participation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder via Goal Attainment Scaling

Date Presented 3/31/2017The purpose of this study is to determine, based on individualized measures such as goal attainment scaling, the effectiveness of a group intervention combining sensory integration techniques with social skills training on the social behaviors of children with autism spectrum
Can Prayer Increase Charitable Giving? Examining the Effects of Intercessory Prayer, Moral Intuitions, and Theological Orientation on Generous Behavior

This study was designed to investigate the effects of intercessory prayer, moral intuitions, God concept, and theological orientation on generous behavior in the form of charitable giving. Christia...
Host-choice reduces, but does not eliminate, the negative effects of a multi-species diet for an herbivorous beetle

A consequence of plant diversity is that it can allow or force herbivores to consume multiple plant species, which studies indicate can have major effects on herbivore fitness. An underappreciated but potentially important factor modulating the consequences of multi-species diets is the extent to which herbivores can choose their diets versus being forced to consume specific host-plant sequences. We examined how host-selection behavior alters the effects of multi-species diets using the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) and diets of potato plants (Solanum tuberosum), tomato plants (S. lycopersicum), or both. When we gave beetles simultaneous access to both plants, allowing them to choose their diets, their final mass was within 0.1% of the average mass across both monocultures and 43.6% lower than mass on potato, the superior host in monoculture. This result indicates these beetles do not benefit from a mixed diet, and that the presence of tomato, an inferior but suitable host, makes it difficult to use potato. In contrast, when we forced beetles to switch between host species, their final mass was 37.8% less than the average of beetles fed constant diets of either host species and within 3.5% of the mass on tomato even though they also fed on potato. This indicates preventing host-selection behavior magnified the negative effects of this multi-species diet. Our results imply that ecological contexts that constrain host-selection or force host-switches, such as communities with competition or predation, will lead plant species diversity to reduce the performance of insect herbivores.
Gender and primary school dropout in Sudan: Girls’ education and retention in Red Sea State

Within the Sudanese context, education retention and completion are major challenges that have not been seriously and sufficiently addressed. In order to understand in more depth how and why children drop out of primary school in Sudan, six empirical studies were planned as part of an EU-funded national programme focused on primary education and retention in the five states with the lowest basic education completion rates: Blue Nile, Gedaref, Kassala, South Kordofan, and Red Sea. This article discusses the second study (looking at the factors affecting the education and retention of girls in Red Sea State) with the aim of providing a deeper and more comprehensive understanding and analysis of the challenges that girls, in particular, face in accessing schooling, staying in school, and completing the primary cycle (grades 1–8). Specifically, the article provides insights into the processes of dropout and indicators of risk factors that one can use to predict dropout for girls.
Use of Crime Scene Investigations in Anatomy and Physiology: Potential for Going Beyond Knowing in NGSS Dimensions

To create and implement meaningful tasks that go beyond the cognitive processes of understanding and that integrate all three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is challenging for both educators and curriculum makers. This issue is compounded when considering a content-rich biology course such as anatomy and physiology that requires first familiarity and understanding before engagement in higher-order thinking. The use of crime scene investigations that encourages students to examine evidence even as they learn specific biology concepts can encourage meaning making about scientific practices and science content. This paper deconstructs the implementation of a crime scene investigation titled the “Jewel Heist,” created by the New York Hall of Science and implemented in twelfth-grade anatomy and physiology classes in a diverse urban high school in the northeastern United States. The NGSS, the Framework for K-12 Science Education, along with Bloom9s taxonomy and Krathwohl9s revisions, are implicated in this process.
Altered Early Environment: Effects on the Brain and Visual Behavior

During postnatal ontogeny the brain is actively undergoing major morphological change, and much work has focused on the maturation of behavior contingent on this structural development. Although genetic factors seem to be primarily involved in the initial proliferation of axons and dendrites, there is now sufficient evidence to indicate that early sensory experience can influence neuronal organization. A generally accepted distinction has been made between macroneurons, whose structure and function are constrained genetically, and microneurons, which develop with little genetic control in terms of their connectivity (Altman and Das, 1967). It is the microneuron that is thought to be responsive to exogenous stimulation, providing the organism with the plasticity for experiential modification.
Schrödinger equation with Coulomb potential admits no exact solutions

Abstract We formally prove that Schrodinger equation with Coulomb potential has no nontrivial exact solutions for three or more unrestrained particles. New potentials are needed to solve this issue. This is the subject of an ongoing project. The proof technique is to logically embed three loops of mathematical induction into each other. Our work is an expansion of a work by Bartlett. It follows that the solutions proposed by Fock are not exact, although accurate to 40 digits.
The new Touareg – Innovision on 4 wheels

The new Touareg – a Volkswagen is making its debut which achieves a new and higher zenith of perfection. The flagship of the brand is equipped with the connectivity of a new era and a pioneering fusion of assistance, comfort, lighting and infotainment systems. In addition, the new Touareg is charging up the market segment of large SUVs with its pure design dynamism.