Potential protective effect of L-cysteine against the toxicity of acrylamide and furan in exposed Xenopus laevis embryos: an interaction study.

The embryo toxicities of two food-processing-induced toxic compounds, acrylamide and furan, with and without added L-cysteine were examined individually and in mixtures using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX). The following measures of developmental toxicity were used: (a) 96 h LC50, the median concentration causing 50% embryo lethality; (b) 96 h EC50, the median concentration causing 50% malformations of the surviving embryos; and (c) teratogenic index (96 h LC50/96 h EC50), an estimate of teratogenic risk. Calculations of toxic units (TU) were used to assess possible antagonism, synergism, or response addition of several mixtures.

Biogeography and phylogenomics of New World Bambusoideae (Poaceae), revisited.

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Premise Of The Study: New World Bambusoideae have only recently been studied in a phylogenomic context. Plastome sequences were determined and analyzed from Arundinaria appalachiana, A. tecta, and Olyra latifolia, to refine our knowledge of their evolution and historical biogeography.

Reduction of the body burden of PCBs and DDE by dietary intervention in a randomized trial.

Serum polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Anniston, AL, residents have been associated with hypertension and diabetes. There have been no systematic interventions to reduce PCB body burdens in Anniston or other populations. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of 15 g/day of dietary olestra to reduce PCBs in Anniston residents.

Serum concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in participants of the Anniston Community Health Survey.

Serum concentrations of 35 ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) were measured in 765 adults from Anniston, Alabama, where PCBs were manufactured between 1929 and 1971. As part of the Anniston Community Health Survey (ACHS), demographic data, questionnaire information, and blood samples were collected from participants in 2005-2007. Forty-six percent of study participants were African-American, 70% were female, and the median age was 56 years.

Relationship between habitat type, fire frequency, and Amblyomma americanum populations in east-central Alabama.

Ticks were collected from 20 sites in the Calhoun, Cherokee, and Cleburne Counties in east-central Alabama areas to determine the relationship between plant physiognomy, environmental variables, and tick populations. Sites investigated included various burning regimes, wildland-urban-interface (WUI), a college campus, and an unmanaged area. Amblyomma americanum (L.

Peer coaching to support writing development.

Learning to write well is a difficult but worthwhile effort, as nurses often need to communicate effectively through writing. A range of interventions has been used to promote effective writing by nursing students, but little outcome evidence, beyond student and faculty satisfaction, has been reported. A peer coaching assignment in a senior-level RN-to-BSN nursing complex care theory course required students to complete a scaffolded review of a peer's draft paper and provide constructive feedback to the peer.

Systematic evaluation of variables that contribute to noncompliance: a replication and extension.

The effects of time-out and escape extinction were examined with 2 preschoolers after we identified variables that may have resulted in noncompliance. Results of a functional analysis showed that noncompliance was highest in the escape condition for both participants. During the treatment evaluation, escape extinction resulted in greater reductions in noncompliance relative to time-out.

Improving influenza immunization rates through a specialized clinic review.

Purpose: The purpose of this capstone project was to determine if alternative access by way of a focused immunization clinic rather than a regular physician office visit caused an increase from 2009 to 2010 in the number of people in a rural community who received the influenza vaccine. Reasons why the immunization clinic was chosen by the patient for immunization were identified.

Methods: This project was conducted by using a descriptive survey design.

A Quantitative Analysis and Natural History of B. F. Skinner's Coauthoring Practices.

This paper describes and analyzes B. F. Skinner's coauthoring practices.

L-cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and glutathione protect Xenopus laevis embryos against acrylamide-induced malformations and mortality in the frog embryo teratogenesis assay.

Dietary acrylamide is largely derived from heat-induced reactions between the amino group of the free amino acid asparagine and carbonyl groups of glucose and fructose during heat processing (baking, frying) of plant-derived foods such as potato fries and cereals. After consumption, acrylamide is absorbed into the circulation and is then distributed to various organs, where it can react with DNA, neurons, hemoglobin, and essential enzymes. In the present study, we explored the potential of L-cysteine (CySH), N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), reduced glutathione (GSH), and the amino acid glycine (Gly) to protect frog embryos against acrylamide-induced developmental toxicity in the frog embryo teratogenesis assay - Xenopus (FETAX).

On the scaling interpretation of exponents in hyperboloid models of delay and probability discounting.

Previously, we (McKerchar et al., 2009) showed that two-parameter hyperboloid models (Green and Myerson, 2004; Rachlin, 2006) provide significantly better fits to delay discounting data than simple, one-parameter hyperbolic and exponential models. Here, we extend this effort by comparing fits of the two-parameter hyperboloid models to data from a larger sample of participants (N=171) who discounted probabilistic as well as delayed rewards.

Effect of exercise intensity on differentiated and undifferentiated ratings of perceived exertion during cycle and treadmill exercise in recreationally active and trained women.

The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of aerobic exercise intensity on components of the differentiated perceived exertion model in young women performing weight bearing and non-weight bearing aerobic exercise. Subjects were 18-25 yr old women who were recreationally active (n = 19; VO2max = 33.40 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) and trained (N = 22; VO2max = 43.

A comparison of four models of delay discounting in humans.

The present study compared four prominent models of delay discounting: a one-parameter exponential decay, a one-parameter hyperbola [Mazur, J.E., 1987.

Interresponse time structures in variable-ratio and variable-interval schedules.

The interresponse-time structures of pigeon key pecking were examined under variable-ratio, variable-interval, and variable-interval plus linear feedback schedules. Whereas the variable-ratio and variable-interval plus linear feedback schedules generally resulted in a distinct group of short interresponse times and a broad distribution of longer interresponse times, the variable-interval schedules generally showed a much more continuous distribution of interresponse times. The results were taken to indicate that a log survivor analysis or double exponential fit of interresponse times may not be universally applicable to the task of demonstrating that operant behavior can be dichotomized into bouts of engagement and periods of disengagement.

Cultural manifestations of grief and bereavement: a clinical perspective.

The purpose of this article is to inform the reader that a commonality in grief and bereavement exists even though it is highly individualized. Health care providers and consumers of health care should realize and understand the potential for bias and miscommunication when there is delivery of care from non-similar cultures. Grief and bereavement are two of many issues existing in the health care delivery system which can result in substandard delivery of care as a result of cultural insensitivity and cultural incompetence.

Rate-dependent effects of bupropion on nicotine self-administration and food-maintained responding in rats.

Bupropion has been found to be a useful pharmaceutical agent in furthering smoking abstinence. Preclinical research investigating the effects of bupropion on nicotine self-administration has indicated bupropion has selective effects on nicotine self-administration. However since response rates maintained by nicotine were significantly lower than rates of response maintained by the non-drug reinforcers, bupropion may have resulted in rate-dependent effects.

Stimulus control in fixed interfood intervals.

The control exerted by various portions of fixed-time and fixed-interval schedules was assessed with a trace-conditioning procedure. The intervals were segmented into 10 bins. In all but 1 of those bins, the stimuli were presented in different random orders on each trial.

Sometimes-competing retrieval (SOCR): a formalization of the comparator hypothesis.

Cue competition is one of the most studied phenomena in associative learning. However, a theoretical disagreement has long stood over whether it reflects a learning or performance deficit. The comparator hypothesis, a model of expression of Pavlovian associations, posits that learning is not subject to competition but that performance reflects a complex interaction of encoded associative strengths.

Physical performance changes after unsupervised training during the autumn/spring semester break in competitive tennis players.

Background: All competitive tennis players take time away from coaches throughout the year; however, little information is available as to the short-term physiological effect of these breaks.

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of a 5 week off-campus structured, yet unsupervised, break from regular training in top collegiate tennis players.

Methods: A nationally ranked collegiate NCAA Division I male tennis team (n = 8) performed a test battery in December and again in January after a 5 week period of recommended, yet unsupervised, training.

Adolescent psychological well-being by identity style.

High school-age adolescents (N=262) in two samples completed a measure of identity style, along with measures of self-esteem, hopelessness, delinquent attitudes, educational expectations, and optimism/efficacy. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the relationship between identity style and the other psychosocial variables. Participants classified as having a diffuse/avoidant orientation had lower self-esteem and higher delinquent attitude scores than those with either an information or normative orientation.

The carriage trade trend.

The remarkable growth of the carriage trade movement in health care provision reflects the hyper-regulated health care environment that exists in health care today. This growth, which is only recently becoming noticed within the academic literature, is consistent with economic theory and is expected to continue.

Active prompting to decrease cell phone use and increase seat belt use while driving.

Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for those aged 3 to 33, with 43,005 (118 per day) Americans killed in 2002 alone. Seat belt use reduces the risk of serious injury in an accident, and refraining from using a cell phone while driving reduces the risk of an accident. Cell phone use while driving increases accident rates, and leads to 2,600 U.

The relationship between self-rated health status and the overall quality of dietary intake of US adolescents.

The objective of this study was to compare the quality of overall dietary intake of US adolescents by self-rated health status. Using 2 nonconsecutive days of dietary recall data and responses to a single question describing self-rated health status from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1994-1996, linear regression analysis was used to detect differences in Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores by self-rated health status for 1,504 adolescents, ages 11 to 18 years. After adjusting for factors related to both overall dietary quality and self-rated health status, overall HEI scores did not differ by self-reported health status.