Origins of the Domestic Dog and the Rich Potential for Gene Mapping

The unique breeding structure of the domestic dog makes canine genetics a useful tool to further the understanding of inherited diseases and gene function. Answers to the questions of when and where the dog was domesticated from the wolf are uncertain, but how the modern diversity of dog breeds was developed is documented. Breed development has resulted in many genetically isolated populations which are segregating for different alleles for disease and morphological and behavioral traits. Many genetic tools are available for dog research allowing investigation into the genetic basis of these phenotypes. Research into causes of diseases in dogs is relevant to humans and other species; comparative genomics is being used to transfer genetic information to them, including some studies on morphological and behavioral phenotypes. Because of the unique breed structure and well-maintained pedigrees, dogs represent a model organism containing a wealth of genetic information

Quality of life in patients with intermittent claudication

Objective:As intermittent claudication (IC) infrequently progresses to limb loss many clinicians adopt a conservative approach to treatment. Recently percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) has been applied to patients with IC. If this were to become the first line treatment for IC it would have major implications in terms of hospital facilities as well as cost. A measure is required, therefore, to decide on rationing of limited financial resources. “Quality of life” may be more influential in determining demand on services since objective medical criteria cannot give an insight into the patients feelings of well being.Design:We applied the Nottingham Health Profile, by post, to a group of claudicants and age/sex matched controls. 70% responded from both groups. Claudicants who had recently received intervention were excluded, as were controls complaining of any leg pains on walking.Results:The results showed that claudicants have greater perceived problems in the areas of energy, pain, emotional reactions, sleep, and physical mobility compared to controls (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney Test). This was reflected by a significantly greater positive response rate to problems with activities of daily living (0.05 > p > 0.02; Chi-square Test) in the claudicant group.Conclusion:Because of the cost and resource implications of introducing measures such as PTA to the treatment of vast numbers of patients with IC, we suggest that trials are needed to compare various treatments using quality of life measurements in addition to traditional efficacy/safety parameters

Heat and salt balances over the New England continental shelf, August 1996 to June 1997

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2010. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 115 (2010): C07017, doi:10.1029/2009JC006073.Heat and salt balances over the New England shelf are examined using 10 month time series of currents, temperature, and salinity from a four element moored array and surface heat and freshwater fluxes from a meteorological buoy. A principal result is closure of the heat budget to 10 W m−2. The seasonal variation in depth-average temperature, from 14°C in September to 5°C in March, was primarily due to the seasonal variation in surface heat flux and a heat loss in winter caused by along-shelf advection of colder water from the northeast. Conductivity sensor drifts precluded closing the salt balance on time scales of months or longer. For time scales of days to weeks, depth-average temperature and salinity variability were primarily due to advection. Advective heat and salt flux divergences were strongest and most complex in winter, when there were large cross-shelf temperature and salinity gradients at the site due to the shelf-slope front that separates cooler, fresher shelf water from warmer, saltier slope water. Onshore flow of warm, salty slope water near the bottom and offshore flow of cooler, fresher shelf water due to persistent eastward (upwelling-favorable) winds caused a temperature increase of nearly 3°C and a salinity increase of 0.8 in winter. Along-shelf barotropic tidal currents caused a temperature decrease of 1.5°C and a salinity decrease of 0.7. Wave-driven Stokes drift caused a temperature increase of 0.5°C and a salinity increase of 0.4 from mid December to January when there were large waves and large near-surface cross-shelf temperature and salinity gradients.The field program was funded by the Office of Naval Research, Code 322, under grant N00014‐95‐1‐0339. Analysis was also partially supported by the National Science Foundation Physical Oceanography program under grants OCE‐0647050 and OCE‐0548961

Observations of near-inertial current variability on the New England shelf

Observations from the Coastal Mixing and Optics (CMO) moored array (deployed from August 1996 through June 1997) and supplemental moored observations are used to describe near-inertial current variability over the New England shelf. Near-inertial band current variance comprises 10–20% of the total observed current variance, and has episodic peak speeds exceeding 30 cm/s. Near-inertial current variability during CMO is characterized by a first baroclinic mode vertical structure with one zero-crossing between 15 and 50 m. The zero-crossing is shallower during periods of stronger stratification. Laterally, near-inertial variability is coherent over the extent of the CMO moored array, and cross-shelf decorrelation scales for near-inertial currents are about 100 km, approximately the entire shelf width. The magnitude of near-surface near-inertial variability is stronger in the summer and weaker in the winter, following the seasonal variation in stratification and opposite the seasonal cycle in wind stress variance. During CMO, near-surface near-inertial kinetic energy is inversely related to surface mixed layer depth. Near-inertial variance decreases onshore, matching approximately the cross-shelf decrease in near-inertial energy predicted by a two-dimensional, linear, flat-bottom, twolayer, coastal wall model. In this model, the nullifying effects of a baroclinic wave emanating from the coastal wall play a dominant role in controlling the onshore decrease. Finally, strong persistent anticyclonic relative vorticity shifts near-inertial variability on the New England shelf to subinertial frequencies.Keywords: Inertial waves, Internal waves, Continental shelf processes, Analytical modelin

A Comparison of Optimism Levels and Life Stress Levels among NCAA Division I Athletes and Non Athletes

Researchers suggest that optimistic individuals approach life situations with the belief that outcomes will be favorable, and are more likely to exhibit better coping mechanisms when dealing with adversity and stress (Carver, & Scheier, 1987; Karadeaus, Karvelis, Argyropoulou, 2007). Moreover, the cognitive adaptation theory suggests that optimistic individuals are more likely to make appropriate cognitive adaptations to stressful situations (Lightsey, 1994; Alloy & Clements, 1992). Results concerning collegiate athletic status, gender, optimism, and stress are mixed. The purpose of this study was to compare collegiate athletes and non athletes and gender on optimism and life stress. The present study utilized the Life Orientation Test-Revised to optimism and the Undergraduate Stress Questionnaire to measure life stress. Results from this study support the hypotheses that 1) high-level optimistic athletes would experience significantly lower levels of life stress than low-level optimistic athletes; 2) high-level optimistic athletes would experience significantly lower levels of life stress than high-level optimistic non-athletes; and 3) high-level optimistic men would experience significantly lower levels of life stress than high-level optimistic women within the sample Future research about optimism and stress levels, athletic status, and gender is included within the discussion

β-Glucan is a major growth substrate for human gut bacteria related to Coprococcus eutactus

A clone encoding carboxymethyl cellulase activity was isolated during functional screening of a human gut metagenomic library using Lactococcus lactis MG1363 as heterologous host. The insert carried a glycoside hydrolase family 9 (GH9) catalytic domain with sequence similarity to a gene from Coprococcus eutactus ART55/1. Genome surveys indicated a limited distribution of GH9 domains among dominant human colonic anaerobes. Genomes of C. eutactus-related strains harboured two GH9-encoding and four GH5-encoding genes, but the strains did not appear to degrade cellulose. Instead, they grew well on β-glucans and one of the strains also grew on galactomannan, galactan, glucomannan and starch. Coprococcus comes and Coprococcus catus strains did not harbour GH9 genes and were not able to grow on β-glucans. Gene expression and proteomic analysis of C. eutactus ART55/1 grown on cellobiose, β-glucan and lichenan revealed similar changes in expression in comparison to glucose. On β-glucan and lichenan only, one of the four GH5 genes was strongly upregulated. Growth on glucomannan led to a transcriptional response of many genes, in particular a strong upregulation of glycoside hydrolases involved in mannan degradation. Thus, β-glucans are a major growth substrate for species related to C. eutactus, with glucomannan and galactans alternative substrates for some strains

The Potential of Selenium-Based Therapies for Ocular Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development of chronic ocular conditions including cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. There is a need to explore the potential of topical antioxidants to slow the progression of those conditions by mediating oxidative stress and maintaining ocular health. Selenium has attracted considerable attention because it is a component of selenoproteins and antioxidant enzymes. The application of selenium to a patient can increase selenoprotein expression, counteracting the effect of reactive oxygen species by increasing the presence of antioxidant enzymes, and thus slowing the progression of chronic ocular disorders. Oxidative stress effects at the biomolecular level for prevalent ocular conditions are described in this review along with some of the known defensive mechanisms, with a focus on selenoproteins. The importance of selenium in the eye is described, along with a discussion of selenium studies and uses. Selenium’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities may prevent or delay eye diseases. Recent breakthroughs in drug delivery methods and nanotechnology for selenium-based ocular medication delivery are enumerated. Different types of selenium may be employed in formulations aimed at managing ocular oxidative stress conditions

Observations of near-inertial current variability on the New England shelf

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2005. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 110 (2005): C02012, doi:10.1029/2004JC002341.Observations from the Coastal Mixing and Optics (CMO) moored array (deployed from August 1996 through June 1997) and supplemental moored observations are used to describe near-inertial current variability over the New England shelf. Near-inertial band current variance comprises 10–20% of the total observed current variance, and has episodic peak speeds exceeding 30 cm s−1. Near-inertial current variability during CMO is characterized by a first baroclinic mode vertical structure with one zero-crossing between 15 and 50 m. The zero-crossing is shallower during periods of stronger stratification. Laterally, near-inertial variability is coherent over the extent of the CMO moored array, and cross-shelf decorrelation scales for near-inertial currents are about 100 km, approximately the entire shelf width. The magnitude of near-surface near-inertial variability is stronger in the summer and weaker in the winter, following the seasonal variation in stratification and opposite the seasonal cycle in wind stress variance. During CMO, near-surface near-inertial kinetic energy is inversely related to surface mixed layer depth. Near-inertial variance decreases onshore, matching approximately the cross-shelf decrease in near-inertial energy predicted by a two-dimensional, linear, flat-bottom, two-layer, coastal wall model. In this model, the nullifying effects of a baroclinic wave emanating from the coastal wall play a dominant role in controlling the onshore decrease. Finally, strong persistent anticyclonic relative vorticity shifts near-inertial variability on the New England shelf to subinertial frequencies.Funding for the CMO experiment and subsequent analysis was provided by the Office of Naval Research under grants N00014-95-1-0339 and N00014-01-1-0140