Pervasive within-species spatial repulsion among adult tropical trees.

For species to coexist, performance must decline as the density of conspecific individuals increases. Although evidence for such conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) exists in forests, the within-species spatial repulsion it should produce has rarely been demonstrated in adults. In this study, we show that in comparison to a null model of stochastic birth, death, and limited dispersal, the adults of dozens of tropical forest tree species show strong spatial repulsion, some to surprising distances of approximately 100 meters.

Effects of housing density in five inbred strains of mice.

To evaluate the effect of increased mouse density in a cage, mice were housed at the density recommended by the 1996 Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and at densities that were approximately 2, 2.6, and 3 times greater. Five strains of mice (129S1/SvImJ, A/J, BALB/cByJ, C57BL/6J, and DBA/2J) were evaluated throughout 3- and 8-month timeframes for health and well-being, including mortality, cardiac measures, plasma cholesterol, body weight, bone mineral density, organ weights, hematology, behavioral observations, and open field and light-dark tests.

The public health leadership certificate: a public health and primary care interprofessional training opportunity.

This article describes a public health leadership certificate curriculum developed by the Commonwealth Public Health Training Center for employees in public health and medical trainees in primary care to share didactic and experiential learning. As part of the program, trainees are involved in improving the health of their communities and thus gain a blended perspective on the effectiveness of interprofessional teams in improving population health. The certificate curriculum includes eight one-credit-hour didactic courses offered through an MPH program and a two-credit-hour, community-based participatory research project conducted by teams of trainees under the mentorship of health district directors.

A qualitative investigation of the motivations, experiences and views of female sunbed users under the age of 18 in England.

Objective: To explore the motivations, experiences and views of female regular sunbed users aged 15-17 and consider the implications of legislation seeking to restrict sunbed use among the under-18s. Design Qualitative study of 12 focus groups.

Method: Participants were recruited opportunistically through community and social networks, around tanning salons, leisure and educational facilities in six English towns and cities.

Mouse gestation length is genetically determined.

Background: Preterm birth is an enormous public health problem, affecting over 12% of live births and costing over $26 billion in the United States alone. The causes are complex, but twin studies support the role of genetics in determining gestation length. Despite widespread use of the mouse in studies of the genetics of preterm birth, there have been few studies that actually address the precise natural gestation length of the mouse, and to what degree the timing of labor and birth is genetically determined.

Comment on "Functional traits and niche-based tree community assembly in an Amazonian forest".

Kraft et al. (Reports, 24 October 2008, p. 580) used a variety of metrics describing the distribution of functional traits within a tropical forest community to demonstrate simultaneous environmental filtering and niche differentiation.

Ovalbumin serves as a neo-transplantation antigen in retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Purpose: Our long-term goal is to determine the optimal methods for inducing allograft tolerance to facilitate transplantation of retinal pigment epithelial cells or stem cells for the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases. These goals have been hampered by the extreme complexity of allograft rejection and the heterogeneity of responding T cells. The current studies were undertaken to develop a simplified transplant model for studying rejection and tolerance in the unique environment of the eye.

Molecular predictors of lymph node metastasis in colon cancer: increased risk with decreased thymidylate synthase expression.

TNM staging in colon cancer has several limitations. Prognostic molecular markers are now being developed to address these limitations. The aim of this study was to identify a combination of genes and markers whose expression is predictive of nodal status and outcome in colon cancer.

Management of retained colorectal foreign bodies: predictors of operative intervention.

Purpose: This study was designed to review experience at our hospital with retained colorectal foreign bodies.

Methods: We reviewed the consultation records at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California General Hospital from October 1993 through October 2002. Ninety-three cases of transanally introduced, retained foreign bodies were identified in 87 patients.

Patterns of Internet use: bariatric versus colorectal patients in a private institution.

Background: The frequency of Internet use for self-directed medical care in different patient populations is increasing. We evaluated Internet use by patients presenting for bariatric surgery.

Study Design: Surveys were completed by 136 patients (109 women, 22 men) presenting to a private academic clinic for bariatric surgery.

Effect of high-dose steroids on anastomotic complications after proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

This review was designed to determine whether "high-dose" steroid therapy (> or =20 mg prednisone/day) increases the likelihood of anastomotic complications after restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). The hospital records of 100 patients undergoing proctocolectomy with IPAA were reviewed. Patient characteristics were analyzed to determine what factors were associated with higher rates of anastomosis-related complications.

Internet use by colorectal surgery patients: a surgeon's tool for education and marketing.

The goal of this study is to understand the role of the Internet in the education and recruitment of patients within colorectal surgery practices. Surveys of Internet use were completed by 298 patients visiting five outpatient colorectal surgery clinics affiliated with the University of Southern California. Data collected included the patient's age, gender, level of education, zip code at home, type of clinic visited, and information on the respondent's Internet use.

Three new Drosophila markers of intracellular membranes.

The need for cellular markers that permit a quick and accurate evaluation of a protein's subcellular localization has increased with the surge of new data generated by the Drosophila genome project. In this report, we present three ubiquitously expressed Drosophila transgenes that expressed a green fluorescent protein variant (enhanced yellow fluorescent protein) that has been targeted to different intracellular membrane targets: the Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum. These markers serve as an internal standard for characterizing a protein's subcellular localization or as a means of tracking the dynamics of intracellular organelles during normal or abnormal cellular or developmental processes.

gammadelta T-cell clones from intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes inhibit development of CTL responses ex vivo.

Oral administration of antigen induces a state of tolerance that is associated with activation of CD8+ T cells that can transfer unresponsiveness to naïve syngeneic hosts. These T cells are not lytic, but they inhibit development of antibody, CD4+ T helper cell, and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses upon adoptive transfer into naïve, syngeneic mice. In addition, we have shown that depletion of gammadelta T cells by injection of the anti-delta chain antibody (GL3) down modulates the expression of gammadelta T-cell receptor (TCR) and inhibits the induction of oral tolerance to ovalbumin.

An alternative structure for improving the public's health.

The emergence of public health institutes outside government is one of many innovative approaches to promote community health improvement. This article describes the state of Virginia's current model of government public health and provides a context for Virginia's approach to the Turning Point initiative. The article explores the reasons why Virginia chose to establish its public health institute outside government and demonstrates how development of the institute is changing community health improvement in the state.