Effects of Pramipexole on Impulsive Choice in Male Wistar Rats

This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.Clinical reports, primarily with Parkinson’s patients, note an association between the prescribed use of pramipexole (and other direct-acting dopamine agonist medications) and impulse control disorders, particularly pathological gambling. Two experiments examined the effects of acute pramipexole on rats’ impulsive choices where impulsivity was defined as selecting a smaller-sooner over a larger-later food reward. In Experiment 1, pramipexole (0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg) significantly increased impulsive choices in a condition in which few impulsive choices were made during a stable baseline. In a control condition, in which impulsive choices predominated during baseline, pramipexole did not significantly change the same rats’ choices. Experiment 2 explored a wider range of doses (0.01 to 0.3 mg/kg) using a choice procedure in which delays to the larger-later reinforcer delivery increased across trial blocks within each session. At the doses used in Experiment 1, pramipexole shifted choice toward indifference regardless of the operative delay. At lower doses of pramipexole (0.01 & 0.03 mg/kg), a trend toward more impulsive choice was observed at the 0.03 mg/kg dose. The difference in outcomes across experiments may be due to the more complex discriminations required in Experiment 2; i.e., multiple discriminations between changing delays within each session

Condition and postrelease mortality of angled Northern Pike temporarily retained on stringers

Anglers typically use stringers to keep fish intended for harvest from spoiling or for high-grading purposes (i.e., culling). However, relatively few studies have examined the effects of temporary stringer retention on the physical condition and postrelease mortality of fish. In this study, our objective was to investigate the lethal and sublethal effects of temporarily retaining Northern Pike Esox lucius on stringers

A review of quantitative structure-activity relationship modelling approaches to predict the toxicity of mixtures

Exposure to chemicals generally occurs in the form of mixtures. However, the great majority of the toxicity data, upon which chemical safety decisions are based, relate only to single compounds. It is currently unfeasible to test a fully representative proportion of mixtures for potential harmful effects and, as such, in silico modelling provides a practical solution to inform safety assessment. Traditional methodologies for deriving estimations of mixture effects, exemplified by principles such as concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA), are limited as regards the scope of chemical combinations to which they can reliably be applied. Development of appropriate quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) has been put forward as a solution to the shortcomings present within these techniques – allowing for the potential formulation of versatile predictive tools capable of capturing the activities of a full contingent of possible mixtures. This review addresses the current state-of-the-art as regards application of QSAR towards mixture toxicity, discussing the challenges inherent in the task, whilst considering the strengths and limitations of existing approaches. Forty studies are examined within – through reference to several characteristic elements including the nature of the chemicals and endpoints modelled, the form of descriptors adopted, and the principles behind the statistical techniques employed. Recommendations are in turn provided for practices which may assist in further advancing the field, most notably with regards to ensuring confidence in the acquired predictions.publishedVersio

Using a novel biologging approach to assess how different handling practices influence the post-release behaviour of Northern Pike across a wide range of body sizes

There is a growing body of research focused on how angled fish respond to catch-and-release (C&R). However, most of those studies do not span a wide range of body sizes for the targeted species. Physical injury and physiological responses to C&R can be size-dependent, and methods used for landing fish of different sizes vary. As such, studying the response to C&R across a range of fish sizes may help inform best practices that improve outcomes for released fish. Northern Pike (Esox lucius) widely ranges in body size. Anglers may land them by hand, cradle, or net, and they are often released voluntarily or to comply with regulations. We angled 25 Northern Pike (total length 620–1030 mm) from one population and recorded fight, handling, and unhooking times across landing methods (i.e., hand, cradle, net). Prior to release, a pop-off biologging package was temporarily affixed to each fish to monitor locomotor activity, depth, and water temperature during a 12-h period post-release to understand how the interaction of landing method and body size influenced post-release behaviour and short-term fate. Fight and handling time increased with increasing body size. Northern Pike landed with a cradle or net had shorter fight times but longer handling times, compared to fish landed by hand. Post-release locomotor activity was greater for larger fish and those landed with a net. Fish 775mm landed by hand had reduced locomotor activity compared to fish landed with a net. There was no post-release mortality observed. Collectively, anglers should use a net for Northern Pike >775 mm to avoid long fight times and reduce post-release exhaustion, but also attempt to reduce the extent of handling associated with fish landed by net

Cyclone Hard X-Ray Observatory

In response to the recent NASA-SMEX Announcement of Opportunity, our collaboration proposed Cyclone, the Cyclotron/Nuclear Explorer. Cyclone is a broadband pointed astrophysical observatory, combining the highest spectral resolutions (E/(Delta) E approximately 30 - 300) and angular resolutions (15') achieved in the optimized hard X-ray range (10 - 200 keV). The instrument consists of 19 co-aligned rotation modulation collimator (RMC) telescopes, each with a high spectral resolution, 6-cm diameter germanium detector (GeD) covering energies from 3 keV to 600 keV. Both the optics and detectors are actively shielded with 15-mm BGO to gain low background an high sensitivity to astrophysical sources. A 550-km altitude, circular equatorial orbit also minimizes background. Building strongly upon instrumental heritage from the High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) program, Cyclone would be ready for launch by September 2003. The instrument design and expected performance are discussed, as well as a brief overview of scientific goals

Results From the Periodontitis and Vascular Events (PAVE) Study: A Pilot Multicentered, Randomized, Controlled Trial to Study Effects of Periodontal Therapy in a Secondary Prevention Model of Cardiovascular Disease

Background- In the Periodontitis and Vascular Events (PAVE) pilot study, periodontal therapy was provided as an intervention in a secondary cardiac event prevention model through five coordinated cardiac-dental centers. Methods- Subjects were randomized to either community care or protocol provided scaling and root planing to evaluate effects on periodontal status and systemic levels of high-sensitivity Creactive protein (hs-CRP). Results- After 6 months, there was a significant reduction in mean probing depth and extent of 4- or 5-mm pockets. However, there were no significant differences in attachment levels, bleeding upon probing, or extent of subgingival calculus comparing subjects assigned to protocol therapy (n = 151) to those assigned to community care (n = 152). Using intent-to-treat analyses, there was no significant effect on serum hs-CRP levels at 6 months. However, 48% of the subjects randomized to community care received preventive or periodontal treatments. Secondary analyses demonstrated that consideration of any preventive or periodontal care (i.e., any treatment) compared to no treatment showed a significant reduction in the percentage of people with elevated hs-CRP (values >3 mg/l)at 6 months. However, obesity nullified the periodontal treatment effects on hs-CRP reduction. The adjusted odds ratio for hs-CRP levels >3 mg/l at 6 months for any treatment versus no treatment among non-obese individuals was 0.26 (95%confidence interval: 0.09 to 0.72), adjusting for smoking, marital status, and gender. Conclusion- This pilot study demonstrated the critical role of considering obesity as well as rigorous preventive and periodontal care in trials designed to reduce cardiovascular risk. Originally published Journal of Periodontology, Vol. 80, No. 2, Feb 200

Training of Instrumentalists and Development of New Technologies on SOFIA

This white paper is submitted to the Astronomy and Astrophysics 2010 Decadal Survey (Astro2010)1 Committee on the State of the Profession to emphasize the potential of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) to contribute to the training of instrumentalists and observers, and to related technology developments. This potential goes beyond the primary mission of SOFIA, which is to carry out unique, high priority astronomical research. SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP aircraft with a 2.5 meter telescope. It will enable astronomical observations anywhere, any time, and at most wavelengths between 0.3 microns and 1.6 mm not accessible from ground-based observatories. These attributes, accruing from the mobility and flight altitude of SOFIA, guarantee a wealth of scientific return. Its instrument teams (nine in the first generation) and guest investigators will do suborbital astronomy in a shirt-sleeve environment. The project will invest $10M per year in science instrument development over a lifetime of 20 years. This, frequent flight opportunities, and operation that enables rapid changes of science instruments and hands-on in-flight access to the instruments, assure a unique and extensive potential - both for training young instrumentalists and for encouraging and deploying nascent technologies. Novel instruments covering optical, infrared, and submillimeter bands can be developed for and tested on SOFIA by their developers (including apprentices) for their own observations and for those of guest observers, to validate technologies and maximize observational effectiveness.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, White Paper for Astro 2010 Survey Committee on State of the Professio

A Critical Review of Adverse Effects to the Kidney: Mechanisms, Data Sources and In Silico Tools to Assist Prediction

Introduction: The kidney is a major target for toxicity elicited by pharmaceuticals and environmental pollutants. Standard testing which often does not investigate underlying mechanisms has proven not to be an adequate hazard assessment approach. As such, there is an opportunity for the application of computational approaches that utilise multi-scale data based on the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) paradigm, coupled with an understanding of the chemistry underpinning the molecular initiating event (MIE) to provide a deep understanding of how structural fragments of molecules relate to specific mechanisms of nephrotoxicity. Aims covered: The aim of this investigation was to review the current scientific landscape related to computational methods, including mechanistic data, AOPs, publicly available knowledge bases and current in silico models, for the assessment of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals with regard to their potential to elicit nephrotoxicity. A list of over 250 nephrotoxicants enriched with, where possible, mechanistic and AOP-derived understanding was compiled. Expert opinion: Whilst little mechanistic evidence has been translated into AOPs, this review identified a number of data sources of in vitro, in vivo and human data that may assist in the development of in silico models which in turn may shed light on the inter-relationships between nephrotoxicity mechanisms

Cognition in males and females with autism: similarities and differences

The male bias in autism spectrum conditions (ASC) has led to females with ASC being under-researched. This lack of attention to females could hide variability due to sex that may explain some of the heterogeneity within ASC. In this study we investigate four key cognitive domains (mentalizing and emotion perception, executive function, perceptual attention to detail, and motor function) in ASC, to test for similarities and differences between males and females with and without ASC (n = 128 adults; n = 32 per group). In the mentalizing and facial emotion perception domain, males and females with ASC showed similar deficits compared to neurotypical controls. However, in attention to detail and dexterity involving executive function, although males with ASC showed poorer performance relative to neurotypical males, females with ASC performed comparably to neurotypical females. We conclude that performance in the social-cognitive domain is equally impaired in male and female adults with ASC. However, in specific non-social cognitive domains, performance within ASC depends on sex. This suggests that in specific domains, cognitive profiles in ASC are modulated by sex

Fruit crops: a summary of research, 1998

Pesticide deposition in orchards: effects of pesticide type, tree canopy, timing, cultivar, and leaf type / Franklin R. Hall, Jane A. Cooper, and David C. Ferree -- The influence of a synthetic foraging attractant, Bee-Scent™, on the number of honey bees visiting apple blossoms and on subsequent fruit production / James E. Tew and David C. Ferree -- The reliability of three traps vs. a single trap for determining population levels of codling moth in commercial northern Ohio apple orchards / Ted W. Gastier -- Evaluation of an empirical model for predicting sooty blotch and flyspeck of apples in Ohio / Michael A. Ellis, Laurence V. Madden, and L. Lee Wilson -- Influence of pesticides and water stress on photosynthesis and transpiration of apple / David C. Ferree, Franklin R. Hall, Charles R. Krause, Bruce R. Roberts, and Ross D. Brazee -- Influence of temporary bending and heading on branch development and flowering of vigorous young apple trees / David C. Ferree and John C. Schmid -- The effect of apple fruit bruising on total returns / Richard C. Funt, Ewen A. Cameron, and Nigel H. Banks -- Yield, berry quality, and economics of mechanical berry harvest in Ohio / Richard C. Funt, Thomas E. Wall, and Joseph C. Scheerens -- Monitoring flower thrips activities in strawberry fields at two Ohio locations / Roger N. Williams, M. Sean Ellis, Dan S. Fickle, and Carl M. Pelland -- Cluster thinning effects on fruit weight, juice quality, and fruit skin characteristics in 'Reliance' grapes / Yu Gao and Garth A. Cahoon -- Effects of various fungicide programs on powdery mildew control, percent berry sugar, yield, and vine vigor of 'Concord' grapes in Ohio / Michael A. Ellis, Laurence V. Madden, L. Lee Wilson, and Gregory R. Johns -- Influence of growth regulators, cropping, and number on replacement trunks of winter-injured 'Vidal Blanc' grapes / David C. Ferree, David M. Scurlock, and Rick Evans -- Effect of new herbicides on tissue-cultured black raspberry plants / Richard C. Funt, Thomas E. Wall, and B. Dale Stokes -- Investigating the relationship between vine vigor and berry set of field-grown 'Seyval Blanc' grapevines / Steven J. McArtney and David C. Ferree -- Summary of Ohio Fruit Growers Society apple cider competition, 1993-1997 / Winston Bash and Diane Mille