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The fear of experiencing discrimination often provokes symptoms of psychological distress. One coping resource is positive identification with one's social group--known as collective self-esteem. This preliminary study investigated whether collective self-esteem was related to fears regarding a transsexual identity and psychological distress among 53 self-identified male-to-female transsexuals (mean age = 50.79 years). Participants were recruited from transgender events held in Arizona and California. The majority (81%) reported living full-time as women (mean length of time living as a woman = 6.33 years). Negative feelings about the transsexual community and fears regarding the impact of a transsexual identity were positively related to psychological distress. A regression model revealed that the fear of how a transsexual identity would affect one's life was the best predictor of the severity of psychological distress. These results are consistent with findings from other historically marginalized groups, whereby the stress of being stigmatized by society adversely affects mental health. (Contains 2 tables.)

Cancer is considered one of the main causes of human death worldwide, being characterized by an alteration of the oxidative metabolism. Many natural compounds from plant origin with anti-tumor attributes have been described. Among them, capsaicin, which is the molecule responsible for the pungency in hot pepper fruits, has been reported to show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities, as well as anti-proliferative properties against cancer. Thus, in this work, the potential anti-proliferative activity of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits from diverse varieties with different capsaicin contents (California < Piquillo < Padrón < Alegría riojana) against several tumor cell lines (lung, melanoma, hepatoma, colon, breast, pancreas, and prostate) has been investigated. The results showed that the capsaicin content in pepper fruits did not correspond with their anti-proliferative activity against tumor cell lines. By contrast, the greatest activity was promoted by the pepper tissues which contained the lowest capsaicin amount. This indicates that other compounds different from capsaicin have this anti-tumor potentiality in pepper fruits. Based on this, green fruits from the Alegría riojana variety, which has negligible capsaicin levels, was used to study the effect on the oxidative and redox metabolism of tumor cell lines from liver (Hep-G2) and pancreas (MIA PaCa-2). Different parameters from both lines treated with crude pepper fruit extracts were determined including protein nitration and protein S-nitrosation (two post-translational modifications (PTMs) promoted by nitric oxide), the antioxidant capacity, as well as the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), among others. In addition, the activity of the NADPH-generating enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) was followed. Our data revealed that the treatment of both cell lines with pepper fruit extracts altered their antioxidant capacity, enhanced their catalase activity, and considerably reduced the activity of the NADPH-generating enzymes. As a consequence, less H2O2 and NADPH seem to be available to cells, thus avoiding cell proliferation and possibly triggering cell death in both cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Off-channel areas are one of the most impacted aquatic habitats by humans globally, as extensive agricultural and urban development has limited them to roughly 10% of historical extent. This is also true for California's Sacramento River Valley, where historically frequent widespread inundation has been reduced to a few off-channel water bodies along the mid-Sacramento River. This remaining shallow-water habitat provides crucial ecological benefits to multiple avian and fish species, but especially to floodplain-adapted species such as Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Characterizing spatiotemporal off-channel dynamics, including inundation extent and residence time, is fundamental to better understanding the intrinsic value of such habitats and their potential to support recovery actions. Remote sensing techniques have been increasingly used to map surface water at regional and local scales, with improved resolutions. As such, this study maps off-channel inundation areas and describes their temporal dynamics by analyzing pixel-based time- series of multiple water indices, modified Normalized Difference Water Index (mNDWI) and the Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI), generated from LandSat-8 and Sentinel-2 data between 2013–2021. Quantified off-channel area was similar with each water index and method used, but improved performance was associated with Sentinel-2 products and AWEI index to identify wetted areas under lower mainstem discharges. Results indicate an uneven distribution of off-channel habitat in the study area, with limited inundated areas in upstream reaches (<16% of total off-channel area for greater flows). In addition, much less habitat exists for flows under 400 m3/s, an important migration cue for endangered winter-run Chinook salmon, limiting juvenile access to areas with enhanced rearing conditions. Off-channel habitat residence times averaged between 7 and 16 days, primarily defined by the rate of receding flows, with rapid flow recession providing marginal off-channel habitat. This study shows reasonable performance of moderate resolution LandSat-8 and Sentinel-2 remote sensing imagery to characterize shallow-water inundated habitat in higher-order rivers, and as a method to inform restoration and native fish recovery efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of phylogeographic patterns provide insight into the processes driving lineage divergence in a particular region. To identify the processes that caused phylogeographic breaks, it is necessary to use historical information and a set of appropriate molecular data to explain current patterns. To understand the influence of geological or ecological processes on the phylogeography of the only species of hummingbird endemic to the Baja California Peninsula, Hylocharis xantusii , mitochondrial DNA sequences of three concatenated genes (Cyt- b , COI and ND2; 2297 bp in total) in 100 individuals were analyzed. The spatial analyses of genetic variation showed phylogeographic structure consisting of a north, central and south regions. According to estimated divergence times, two vicariant events are supported, permanent separation of the peninsula and formation of the Gulf of California at 5 mya and temporary isolation of the southern region at the Isthmus of La Paz at 3 mya. The temporal frame of genetic differentiation of intraspecific haplotypes indicates that 90% of haplotypes diverged within the last 500,000 years, with a population expansion 80,000 years ago. Only four haplotypes diverged ∼2.2 my and occurred in the south (Hxan_36, 38 and 45), and north (Hxan_45 and 56) regions; only haplotype 45 is shared between south and north populations. These regions also have the most recent haplotypes from 12,500 to 16,200 years ago, and together with high levels of genetic diversity, we suggest two refuge areas, the Northern and Southern regions. Our results indicate that the phylogeographic pattern first results from vicariance processes, then is followed by historical and recent climate fluctuations that influenced conditions on the peninsula, and it is also related to oases distribution. This study presents the first investigation of phylogeography of the peninsular’ endemic Xantus’ hummingbird. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian clam ( Corbicula fluminea) is among the most aggressive freshwater invaders worldwide causing major ecological and economic damage. However, the mechanisms leading to the water-borne dispersion of the species within aquatic ecosystems, particularly lakes, is an area where research is at a relatively early stage. A numerical model has been developed to analyze and describe the dispersion that is produced by the actions of waves and currents. The model represents the basic particle processes of release (R), water-borne transport (T), and survival (S). The model has been applied to a large, deep lake-Lake Tahoe. The dispersion model results reveal that (1) under episodic, extreme wind forcing, larvae are carried away from the original areas, along a discrete number of preferred pathways, (2) bays can act as retention zones, with low current velocities and recirculating eddies, and (3) the majority of the larvae released in the infested areas stay within these areas or disperse on a small spatial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The quest to obtain an accurate way to predict success when weaning a patient from mechanical ventilation continues. The established parameters such as tidal volume (Vt), respiratory rate (f), negative inspiratory force (NIF), vital capacity (VC), and minute ventilation (V) have not predicted weaning accurately. The frequency-to-tidal volume ratio (f/Vt), or rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) is a good predictor of weaning success if the value is low, but not when the value approximates 105. Because of the aforementioned, we decided to add 2 corrective factors to the RSBI. The first one was elastance index (EI = peak pressure/NIF) and the second one, the ventilatory demand index (VDI = minute ventilation/10). The result of the product of the RSBI × EI × VDI was called the weaning index (WI). Methods. In order to assess the discriminatory power of WI, we obtained weaning parameters and calculated WI for 59 patients in our intensive care unit and extubated them if RSBI was ≤105. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and receiver–operating characteristics (ROC) curves were obtained. The results were compared with the previous studies involving the RSBI. Results. The WI sensitivity was 98%, specificity was 89%, PPV was 95%, NPV was 94%, and area under the ROC curve was 95.9. Conclusions. The WI is a simple and reproducible parameter that integrates breathing pattern, compliance, inspiratory muscle strength, and ventilatory demand and is the most accurate predictor of weaning success. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background. The San Jose and San Francisquito Islands and El Pardito Islet are important for recreational tourism, sport fishing, and commercial fishing. They are part of an "Area Natural Protegida" and "Area Prioritaria Marina"; however, studies on the composition and diversity of their marine floral and faunal communities are limited. To provide information vital for management and conservation of these islands, a check-list of the ichthyofauna was compiled based on original data and the data extracted from other sources. Materials and methods. Field methodology involved direct collecting of the specimens using a gill net or a charalera net and/or visual censuses. Records of fish present near the islands were either directly solicited from museum curators of national and international scientific collections or obtained by using online database collections. Additionally, an exhaustive literature search for fish records was carried out, including scientific articles, books, and theses. Finally, the preferential habitat and zoogeographic affinity of fishes were analyzed. Results. The data yielded 298 species representing 201 genera and assigned to 86 families, 36 orders, and two fish classes. The most numerous families in terms of the species number were Serranidae (23 species), Gobiidae (15 species), and Carangidae (14 species). The most numerous genera were Lutjanus and Halichoeres, with eight and six species, respectively. On average, there were 3.5 species per family. The fish community was dominated by tropical eurythermal species with wide distribution in the Eastern Pacific. An important component of endemic Cortez Province species was found, represented by 24 species from the families Chaenopsidae, Gobiidae, Labrisomidae, Tripterygiidae, Gobiesocidae, Dactyloscopidae, Kyphosidae, Opistognathidae, and Ophidiidae. Conclusion. The fish richness of the San Jose and San Francisquito Islands and El Pardito Islet represents 32% of the ichthyofauna recorded for the Gulf of California and includes 24 endemic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Mechanical injury induces cell death in cartilage and triggers a remodeling process that ultimately can manifest as osteoarthritis. Autophagy is a process for turnover of intracellular organelles and macromolecules that protects cells during stress responses. This study was undertaken to determine changes in and functions of autophagy following mechanical injury to cartilage. Methods. Bovine and human cartilage explants were subjected to mechanical impact (40% strain for 500 msec). Cell viability, sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) release, and changes in the levels of the autophagy markers ULK1, beclin 1, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) were evaluated. Cartilage explants were treated with the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC-1) inhibitor and the autophagy inducer rapamycin and tested for protective effects against mechanical injury. Explants were also treated with the cell death inducers nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) plus actinomycin D, and the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin- 1α(IL-1α). Results. Mechanical injury induced cell death and loss of sGAG in a time-dependent manner. This was associated with significantly decreased ULK1, beclin 1, and LC3 expression in the cartilage superficial zone (P < 0.05) 48 hours after injury. The levels of LC3-II were increased 24 hours after injury but decreased at 48 and 96 hours. Rapamycin enhanced expression of autophagy regulators and prevented cell death and sGAG loss in mechanically injured explants. Rapamycin also protected against cell death induced by sodium nitroprusside and TNFα plus actinomycin D and prevented sGAG loss induced by IL-1α. Conclusion. Our findings indicate that mechanical injury leads to suppression of autophagy, predominantly in the superficial zone where most of the cell death occurs. Pharmacologic inhibition of mTORC-1, at least in part by enhancement of autophagy, prevents cell and matrix damage, suggesting a novel approach for chondroprotection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A superbly exposed ~5 km² slump is developed in middle Pleistocene lacustrine deposits of the Tecopa Basin (California, United States). A subhorizontal detachment (<1°) with a single sheet ~8 m thick is displaced eastward nearly 100 m. The different parts of the slump are continuously exposed for more than 1 km, with extensional structures in the head zone and contractional features in the intermediate and toe zones. Meter-scale normal faults and thrusts coexist with meter- to decameter-scale open folds, all of them detached, on a clay bed rich in sepiolite. These well-exposed deformation structures were produced by liquidization of the clay bed, due to the thixotropic behavior of the sepiolite. Processes such as oversteepening or sedimentary overloading are discarded in light of sedimentological and paleoenvironmental analyses. Thixotropic behavior of sepiolites might have been caused by seismic shaking related to regional faults that were capable of producing large earthquakes during the middle Pleistocene (between 579 and 200 ka). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a research study that analyzes the formation of disinfection by-products by reactivity of litter materials from forested watersheds. It is said that carcinogenic disinfection by-products (DBPs) can be formed during drinking-water chlorination due to dissolved organic matter (DOM) to surface water that comes from litter materials from forested watersheds. The reactivity of DOM from litter leachates in oak woodlands in the Foothill Region of California is characterized in the study. that considerable reactivity in forming trihalomethanes, haloacetic acid, haloacetonitriles and chloral hydrate is possessed by the DOM derived from litter materials.

Today's planetary exploration robots rarely travel beyond the yesterday imagery. However, advances in autonomous mobility will soon permit single-command site surveys of multiple kilometers. Here scientists cannot see the terrain in advance, and explorer robots must navigate and collect data autonomously. Onboard science data understanding can improve these surveys with image analysis, pattern recognition, learned classification, and information-theoretic planning. We report on field experiments near Amboy Crater, California, that demonstrate fundamental capabilities for autonomous surficial mapping of geologic phenomena with a visible near-infrared spectrometer. We develop an approach to 'science on the fly'' that adapts the robot's exploration using collected instrument data. We demonstrate feature detection and visual servoing to acquire spectra from dozens of targets without human intervention. The rover interprets spectra onboard, learning spatial models of science phenomena that guide it toward informative areas. It discovers spatial structure (correlations between neighboring regions) and cross-sensor structure (correlations between different scales). The rover uses surface observations to reinterpret satellite imagery and improve exploration efficiency. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hydrothermal alteration is an important soil forming factor in the vicinity of active volcanic centers, yet we are aware of no studies that have addressed the role of active fumaroles on soil development. This paper examines a soil developmental sequence of five pedons established across a thermal gradient (∼100 m) induced by an active fumarole in Lassen Volcanic National Park in the southern Cascades of California. The soil temperature gradient at the time of sampling ranged from 100 to 15 °C with a corresponding change in vegetation from barren areas near the fumarole, to pygmy conifer, conifer, and meadow (grasses and herbs) with increasing distance from the fumarole. The primary objectives of this study were to characterize morphological, chemical, and mineralogical soil properties across the thermal gradient, and document pedogenic processes within this exotic soil forming environment. Field morphological properties, standard soil characterization, soil solution chemistry and detailed mineralogical investigations were conducted. The hydrothermally altered parent material from which the soils formed was relatively clay-rich (18–48% clay) with a mineralogical composition dominated by mica–smectite, chlorite, and montmorillonite. Soils near the fumarole were strongly acidified (pH<4) by sulfuric acid and pH values increased with distance from the fumarole (conifer pH=4.5–5.5; meadow pH>6). High soil temperatures near the fumarole resulted in iron (hydr)oxides being primarily crystalline, while non-crystalline iron (hydr)oxides were generally dominant in the upper horizons of the non-thermal soils. Steam-heated alteration in the vicinity of the fumarole resulted in the transformation of the mica–smectite and chlorite to smectite, kaolinite, and alunite (KAl(SO4)2). A similar, but less intense alteration appeared in the conifer pedons resulting in both smectite and kaolinite as weathering products. The meadow pedon displayed the least alteration with appreciable mica–smectite and/or chlorite–smectite still present. There was no evidence of poorly crystalline aluminosilicates materials (e.g., allophane, imogolite) in any of the soils. The lack of vegetation establishment on soils near the fumarole appears to result primarily from the high soil temperatures (>59 °C at 50 cm), with strong soil acidity (pH<4), high exchangeable Al3+ (generally >10 cmolc kg−1), low base saturation, and low nutrients further impairing soil fertility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum, cv. ‘Jose’) (TWG) has been identified as a salt-tolerant forage that has acceptable nutritional value and shows considerable promise for reducing saline drainage volumes in California''s San Joaquin Valley (SJV). The SJV drainage water also contains high concentrations of boron (B), selenium (Se) and molybdenum (Mo), which may affect the production potential and mineral nutritional value of the forage. A greenhouse study was conducted with soil-filled pots using irrigation waters that varied in B (0.7–20mgL−1) and sodium-sulfate dominated salinity (0.5–20dSm−1), a quality characteristic of the SJV, with a constant background of 0.5mgL−1 Se and Mo. Our experiment confirms that TWG is very tolerant to salinity. For example forage production in treatments with irrigation water with an ECw of 10dSm−1 (ECe of 16.8dSm−1) was 74% of those irrigated with non-saline water. We found that the stable carbon isotope fractionation in shoot tissue was a good cumulative stress indicator of the crop as the discrimination value (Δ) decreased with increased salinity and reduced shoot biomass. Moreover, this forage crop is extremely tolerant to B, tolerating up to 20mgL−1 in the irrigation water without a significant reduction in cumulative biomass. Tissue B concentrations increased with increased B to values above 2000mgkg−1 dry matter (DM). However as salinity increased within a particular B treatment, tissue B decreased. Forage quality, from a ruminant mineral nutrition perspective, raised concerns. Forage samples contained high levels of B, Se, Mo and sulfur near or above the recommended maximum tolerable level (MTL). Although ruminant grazing of pastures containing forage of this quality is not recommended, it has considerable potential as a forage supplement if rations can be controlled. Livestock consuming forage of this quality should be monitored for signs of B, Se and sulfur toxicity and molybdenum–sulfur induced copper deficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new species of the brachyuran crab Costacopluma Collins and Morris, 1975, Costacopluma squiresi, is described from lower Paleocene strata of the San Francisquito Formation and upper Paleocene strata of the Santa Susana Formation of southern California. Costacopluma squiresi represents the first described species of Costacopluma from the Pacific Coast of North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examines the mechanisms of contaminant in the Clear Lake, California. Topics include the use of three dimensional (3-D) numerical modeling study to provide a robust description of hydrodynamic and particle transport in the said lake, the mechanisms of transport of contaminants away from the vicinity of the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, and the hydraulic connection existing among the sub-basins of the lake.

The architectural landscape of high-performance computing stretches from superscalar uniprocessor to explicitly parallel systems to dedicated hardware implementations of algorithms. Single-purpose hardware can achieve the highest performance and uniprocessors can be the most programmable. Between these extremes, programmable and reconfigurable architectures provide a wide range of choice in flexibility, programmability, computational density, and performance. The UCSC Kestrel parallel processor strives to attain single-purpose performance while maintaining user programmability. Kestrel is a single-instruction stream, multiple- data stream (SIMD) parallel processor with a 512-element linear array of 8-bit processing elements. The system design focuses on efficient high-throughput DNA and protein sequence analysis, but its programmability enables high performance on computational chemistry, image processing, machine learning, and other applications. The Kestrel system has had unexpected longevity in its utility due to a careful design and analysis process. Experience with the system leads to the conclusion that programmable SIMD architectures can excel in both programmability and performance. This paper presents the architecture, implementation, applications, and observations of the Kestrel project at the University of California at Santa Cruz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the nematode fauna of the abomasum and small intestines of Spanish ibex inhabiting the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Relationship between sarcoptic mange and nematode counts; Gastrointestinal nematode species; Effect of season, age and sex on abundance of gastrointestinal helminths.

The internal dynamics of Clear Lake, California - a large, multibasin and polymictic lake - are examined using simulations conducted with a three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic model. The model is based on an accurate and efficient semi-implicit finite difference algorithm for the hydrodynamic equations, that has been previously subject to extensive verification with analytical test cases. The high level of agreement-without extensive calibration-between the model results and the observations at several locations in the lake is comparable with previously published 3D modeling results. The model results confirm the baroclinic-pumping model of circulation proposed for the Oaks Arm of Clear Lake in Part I. The simulations show that the interaction of stratification, periodic wind forcing, and Coriolis effects drive this circulation. The diurnal readjustment of the circulation from being wind driven to baroclinically driven is examined and shown to vary spatially. This transition in circulation-type has a wavelike nature, with a distinct frontal structure and converging currents at the surface. Asymmetries in the forcing and response, combined with rotational effects, impart a cyclonic residual circulation on the flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal dynamics of Clear Lake, California - a large, multibasin and polymictic lake - under stratified conditions is described in this work. Particular attention is paid to one of the sub-basins of Clear Lake (Oaks Arm). Several field experiments were conducted in the lake to obtain data of wind, currents, and water temperature using a wide range of devices. Based on field observations and previously published results on basin responses to wind stress, a conceptual model of the internal circulation of the Oaks Arm is proposed. Its internal dynamics are characterized by diurnal cycles of setup and relaxation of horizontal temperature gradients driven by the wind forcing. The setup and relaxation processes are modulated by the influence of the earth's rotation and create a residual cyclonic circulation. This circulation mechanism is here referred to as baroclinic pumping. It is in all likelihood not exclusive to Clear Lake but probably exists in other large and relatively shallow lakes forced by strong and almost periodic wind events where basin-scale internal waves do not play a major role in the dynamics of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spring and summer tillage are usually followed by irrigation before planting crops in California's summer‐dry Mediterranean‐type climate. Tillage treatments such as rototillage or disking are known to disturb the soil structure to different extents, but little is known about how the intensity of a tillage event and subsequent irrigation affect the microbial biomass, respiration, CO2 efflux, and mineral N of agricultural soils. We carried out an experiment with a Yolo silt loam (fine‐silty, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic Mollic Xerofluvent) with two tilled treatments (rototillage and disked and rolled) and a nontilled control. The soil was subsequently sampled throughout a 17‐d period. Nine days after tillage, all treatments were lightly sprinkler‐irrigated to bring the soil water potential above −10 kPa. After tillage, the soil ammonium and nitrate content increased rapidly relative to the control with highest increases in the disked soil. Mineral N remained higher in the tilled treatments after irrigation. Rototillage and disking increased the CO2 efflux of the soil within 24 h of the disturbance. The increase was higher in the disked soil, which was more than three times the CO2 efflux of the control soil at 0.25 h after tillage. This effect may be due to degassing of dissolved CO2 since microbial respiration did not increase in tilled soils. Irrigation increased the CO2 efflux of all treatments but this was most pronounced in the control soil, which had an order of magnitude increase in CO2 efflux after irrigation. An ancillary experiment carried out under similar conditions but with more frequent sampling showed that increases in CO2 efflux after irrigation were accompanied by increases in soil respiration. This study shows that different tillage implements affect CO2 efflux, nitrate accumulation, and microbial activity, and thus have different effects on soil and atmospheric environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the first approach for the valorization of sweet potato (Sp) peels assisted by pulsed electric fields (PEF) to obtain extracts that enhance the growth of potential probiotic bacteria. Four different varieties were studied, namely white sweet potato (WSp, "O'Henry"), white with purple (WPSp or "Violeta Roja"), orange (OSp or "California") and purple (PSp, "Pepita"). Among them, the PEF extracts obtained from PSp had a noticeable content of carbohydrates, polyphenols and flavonoids (12.5 mg/mL, 4.34 mg GAE/g and 1.73 mg GAE/g, respectively), being in any case higher than those obtained by maceration extraction. The analysis by quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR) allowed us to identify sucrose, fructose and glucose as the main sugars extracted, with a total concentration close to 94 mg/g PSp for the PSp-PEF crude extracts, which entails an enhancement by up to 92% with respect to the conventional extraction. Furthermore, these extracts improved the growth kinetics of probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus members and also, the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA). This fact should be also noted since they are considered valuable platform chemicals to be transformed into high-added-value, thus proposing another way for valorization. The relevance of this work lies in the necessity of searching new sustainable foods for their consumption, and the processing of these foods by means of innovative technologies. In light with this fact, the suitability of PEF-assisted extraction to be scaled-up at industrial level would pave the way for an efficient, notable conversion of wasted sweet potato (Sp) peels to potential prebiotics, boosting the recovery of these compounds by PEF technology with respect to traditional extraction methods and the health benefits. • A novel PEF-assisted upgrading was developed for wasted sweet potato (Sp) peels. • High content of bioactives and carbohydrates was recovered from purple variety (PSp). • NMR allowed to detect sucrose, glucose and fructose as main fermentable sugars. • PEF extracts significantly improved the growth of prebiotic bacteria Lactobacillus. • Large amounts of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) were produced after 48-h fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at the symposium titled "Molecular Study of Biological Evolution," held at the University of California, Davis, California on June 17 and 18, 1975 is presented. Topics include the role of genetic variation in determining the evolution of a population, the importance of natural selection in causing genetic variation, and the evolution of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The symposium featured several scientists including Leslie Gottlieb and Allan Wilson.

We investigated the effect of the daily sea breeze on the surface flow at Bahia Salsipuedes, Baja California, Mexico. Drifter-tracking experiments were conducted over a 2-week period in July, 1999. Surface drifters were deployed daily and their trajectories tracked from a small boat for 3–7 h. Wind speed and direction, as well as the vertical distribution of temperature and current velocities were measured throughout the observation period. Our results indicate that strong winds associated with the daily sea breeze at the study area can produce onshore surface currents with velocities of up to 10 cm s-1 (net transport of up to 2 km in a diurnal cycle). There was a hyperbolic relationship between onshore wind stress and net onshore transport of the drifters. A decrease in stratification and more consistent pattern of onshore transport were associated with sustained winds >6 m s-1 towards the end of the study. Progressive vector diagrams computed from near-surface currents failed to predict the trajectory of drifters, especially on days where wind forcing was more consistent in terms of direction and magnitude. We discuss the implications of these results regarding the collection of settlement data and their interpretation in terms of larval supply to coastal populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We analyzed the performance of three traps for marine fish between October 2005 and August 2006 in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The performance was measured as difference in selectivity, fish diversity, size structure and yield. The samples were collected with quadrangular traps 90 cm wide, 120 cm long and 50 cm high. Trap type 1 had a 5 × 5 cm mesh (type 2: 5 × 5 cm including a rear panel of 5 × 10 cm; trap 3: 5 × 10 cm). Most abundant in our traps were: Goldspotted sand bass (Paralabrax auroguttatus), Ocean whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps), Spotted sand bass (P. maculatofaciatus) and Bighead tilefish (C. affinis); there was no bycatch. The number of fish per trap per haul decreased when mesh size was increased. We also observed a direct relationship between mesh size and average fish length. By comparing our traps with the authorized fishing gear (hooks-and-line) we found that the size structure is larger in traps. Traps with larger mesh size were more selective. Consequently, we recommend adding traps to hooks-and-line as authorized fishing gear in the small scale fisheries of the Sonora coast, Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There is a likely genetic component to gender dysphoria, but association study data have been equivocal., Objective: We explored the specific hypothesis that gender dysphoria in transgender women is associated with variants in sex hormone-signaling genes responsible for undermasculinization and/or feminization., Design: Subject-control analysis included 380 transgender women and 344 control male subjects. Associations and interactions were investigated between functional variants in 12 sex hormone-signaling genes and gender dysphoria in transgender women., Setting: Patients were recruited from the Monash Gender Clinic, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia, and the University of California, Los Angeles., Patients: Caucasian (non-Latino) transgender women were recruited who received a diagnosis of transsexualism [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV) or gender dysphoria (DSM-V)] pre- or postoperatively. Most were receiving hormone treatment at the time of recruitment., Main Outcome Measured: Genomic DNA was genotyped for repeat length polymorphisms or single nucleotide polymorphisms., Results: A significant association was identified between gender dysphoria and ERα, SRD5A2, and STS alleles, as well as ERα and SULT2A1 genotypes. Several allele combinations were also overrepresented in transgender women, most involving AR (namely, AR-ERβ, AR-PGR, AR-COMT, CYP17-SRD5A2). Overrepresented alleles and genotypes are proposed to undermasculinize/feminize on the basis of their reported effects in other disease contexts., Conclusion: Gender dysphoria may have an oligogenic component, with several genes involved in sex hormone-signaling contributing.

Pathogen contamination of drinking water lakes and reservoirs is a severe threat to human health worldwide. A major source of pathogens in surface sources of drinking waters is from body-contact recreation in the water body. However, dispersion pathways of human waterborne pathogens from recreational beaches, where body-contact recreation is known to occur to drinking water intakes, and the associated risk of pathogens entering the drinking water supply remain largely undocumented. A high spatial resolution, three-dimensional hydrodynamic and particle tracking modeling approach has been developed to analyze the risk and mechanisms presented by pathogen dispersion. The pathogen model represents the processes of particle release, transport and survival. Here survival is a function of both water temperature and cumulative exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Pathogen transport is simulated using a novel and computationally efficient technique of tracking particle trajectories backwards, from a drinking water intake toward their source areas. The model has been applied to a large, alpine lake - Lake Tahoe, CA-NV (USA). The dispersion model results reveal that for this particular lake (1) the risk of human waterborne pathogens to enter drinking water intakes is low, but significant; (2) this risk is strongly related to the depth of the thermocline in relation to the depth of the intake; (3) the risk increases with the seasonal deepening of the surface mixed layer; and (4) the risk increases at night when the surface mixed layer deepens through convective mixing and inactivation by UV radiation is eliminated. While these risk factors will quantitatively vary in different lakes, these same mechanisms will govern the process of transport of pathogens., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry has implemented a Health Resources and Services Administration-funded program to prepare dentists for the complex and comprehensive needs of pediatric patients within rapidly changing demographics and a paradigm shift in dentistry. Traditional dental education has focused on how to respond to oral disease, whereas UCLA's program shifts the paradigm to emphasize early assessment, risk-based prevention, and disease management. A holistic approach to dental care that considers social and environmental determinants is used with minimally invasive techniques for restorative care. To support this change, pediatric dental residents receive traditional training combined with new didactics, advocacy opportunities, and applied learning experiences at community-based organizations. These new elements teach residents to recognize the causal factors of disease and to identify interventions that promote oral health at the individual, family, community, and policy level. Consequently, they are better prepared to treat a diverse group of patients who historically have faced the greatest burden of disease as well as an increased number of barriers to accessing oral health care; these consist of low-income, minority, and/or pediatric populations including children with special health needs. The program's ultimate goal is for residents to deploy these skills in treating vulnerable populations and to demonstrate greater interest in collaborating with non-dental health providers and community organizations to increase access to dental services in private or public health practice settings.

We combine kinship estimates with traditional F-statistics to explain contemporary drivers of population genetic differentiation despite high gene flow. We investigate range-wide population genetic structure of the California spiny (or red rock) lobster (Panulirus interruptus) and find slight, but significant global population differentiation in mtDNA (ΦST = 0.006, P = 0.001; D(est&#95;Chao) = 0.025) and seven nuclear microsatellites (F(ST) = 0.004, P < 0.001; D(est&#95;Chao) = 0.03), despite the species' 240- to 330-day pelagic larval duration. Significant population structure does not correlate with distance between sampling locations, and pairwise FST between adjacent sites often exceeds that among geographically distant locations. This result would typically be interpreted as unexplainable, chaotic genetic patchiness. However, kinship levels differ significantly among sites (pseudo-F(16,988) = 1.39, P = 0.001), and ten of 17 sample sites have significantly greater numbers of kin than expected by chance (P < 0.05). Moreover, a higher proportion of kin within sites strongly correlates with greater genetic differentiation among sites (D(est&#95;Chao), R(2) = 0.66, P < 0.005). Sites with elevated mean kinship were geographically proximate to regions of high upwelling intensity (R(2) = 0.41, P = 0.0009). These results indicate that P. interruptus does not maintain a single homogenous population, despite extreme dispersal potential. Instead, these lobsters appear to either have substantial localized recruitment or maintain planktonic larval cohesiveness whereby siblings more likely settle together than disperse across sites. More broadly, our results contribute to a growing number of studies showing that low F(ST) and high family structure across populations can coexist, illuminating the foundations of cryptic genetic patterns and the nature of marine dispersal., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Mexican-American children have a higher caries prevalence than the U.S. average. The Mothers and Youth Access (MAYA) study was a randomized clinical trial initiated to address this problem., Aim: Comparison of the efficacy of two prevention interventions in reducing early childhood caries (ECC)., Design: All 361 randomized mother-child dyads received oral health counselling. Beginning at 4 months postpartum, intervention mothers received chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthrinse for 3 months beginning 4 months postpartum and children received fluoride varnish (FV) every 6 months from age 12-36 months. Control group children received FV if precavitated lesions developed. Salivary mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli were assessed., Results: No significant difference in children's 36-month caries incidence between groups; 34% in each group developed caries [(d(2+) fs) > 0]. About half of control group developed precavitated lesions and received therapeutic FV. Maternal MS levels declined during CHX use, but increased when discontinued., Conclusions: Maternal postpartum CHX regimen, oral health counselling and preventive child FV applications were not more efficacious than maternal counselling with child therapeutic FV for precavitated lesions for ECC prevention. FV for young children with brief maternal CHX use and oral health counselling may need to be combined with additional or longer-term therapies to significantly reduce ECC in high-risk populations., (© 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2011 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Recent increases in caries prevalence in young children, especially among minorities and the economically disadvantaged, highlight the need for early establishment of dental homes and simple, effective infant oral care preventive programs for all children as part of a medical disease prevention management model. This article presents an updated approach and practical tools for pediatric dental caries management by risk assessment in an effort to stimulate greater adoption of infant oral care programs among clinicians and early establishment of dental homes for young children. [corrected]