Community-Based Interventions to Improve HPV Vaccination Coverage among 13- to 15-Year-Old Females: Measures Implemented by Local Governments in Japan

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of various community-based interventions in support of HPV vaccination implemented by cities and towns within Tochigi prefecture, Japan with a view to identifying useful indicators which might guide future interventions to improve HPV vaccination coverage in the prefecture. A postal questionnaire survey of all 27 local governments in Tochigi Prefecture was conducted in December 2010. All 27 responded, and 22 provided the exact numbers of the targeted and vaccinated populations of 13- to 15-year-old girls from April to December 2010. The local governments also answered questions on the type of interventions implemented including public subsidies, school-based programs, direct mail, free tickets and recalls. Local governments that conducted a school-based vaccination program reported 96.8% coverage for the 1^st dose, 96.2% for the 2^nd dose, and 91.2% for the 3^rd dose. Those that provided subsidies without school-based programs reported a wide range of vaccination rates: 45.7%–95.0% for the 1^st dose, 41.1%–93.7% for the 2^nd dose and 3.1%–90.1% for the 3^rd dose. Among this group, the combination of a free ticket, direct mail and recall was most effective, with 95.0% coverage for the 1^st dose, 93.7% for the 2^nd dose, and 90.1% for the 3^rd dose. The governments that did not offer a subsidy had the lowest vaccination coverage, with 0.8%–1.4% for the 1^st dose, 0.0%–0.8% for the 2^nd dose, and 0.1%–0.1% for the 3^rd dose. The results of this survey indicate that school-based vaccinations and public subsidies are the most effective method to improve HPV vaccination coverage; however, the combination of a free ticket, direct mail, and recalls with public subsidies are also important measures in increasing the vaccination rate. These data may afford important indicators for the successful implementation of future HPV vaccination programs.     

The Electrophysiological Underpinnings of Processing Gender Stereotypes in Language

Despite the widely documented influence of gender stereotypes on social behaviour, little is known about the electrophysiological substrates engaged in the processing of such information when conveyed by language. Using event-related brain potentials (ERPs), we examined the brain response to third-person pronouns (lei “she” and lui “he”) that were implicitly primed by definitional (passeggera _FEM “passenger”, pensionato _MASC “pensioner”), or stereotypical antecedents (insegnante “teacher”, conducente “driver”). An N400-like effect on the pronoun emerged when it was preceded by a definitionally incongruent prime (passeggera _FEM – lui; pensionato _MASC – lei), and a stereotypically incongruent prime for masculine pronouns only (insegnante – lui). In addition, a P300-like effect was found when the pronoun was preceded by definitionally incongruent primes. However, this effect was observed for female, but not male participants. Overall, these results provide further evidence for on-line effects of stereotypical gender in language comprehension. Importantly, our results also suggest a gender stereotype asymmetry in that male and female stereotypes affected the processing of pronouns differently.     

Body measurements correlation and x-ray imaging of three Hystrix javanica fetuses in different fetal development stages

Hystrix javanica is endemic species in Indonesia. Study about fetal development of Hystrix javanica are very rare because of sample limitation. This study was carried out to describe the morphometrics and x-ray analysis of three fetuses in different stage to give basic information about fetal development of Hystrix javanica. Three fetus samples fixed in Bouin’s solution was used in this study. Observation was carried out to identify the characteristic of three fetus samples. This included the pattern of hair, body measurements, body volume, and body weight. X-ray analysis was carried out to know the ossification process in the fetal development. Statistical analysis was carried out using Microsoft 365® Excel program software. Three fetus samples had different specific hair pattern, that was hairless, smooth hairs, and smooth hairs with dense-non dense pattern. Body volume of 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd fetus were 23mL, 90mL, and 170mL, respectively. Body weight of 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd fetus were 19.5g, 79.22g, and 153.18g, respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis shown strong relationship between total body length, front body length, back body length, horizontal body diameter, vertical body diameter, head length, and head diameter against body volume and body weight of three fetuses. Significant positive correlation was shown between horizontal body diameter, vertical body diameter, and head diameter against body volume and body length with P value < 0.05. Faint radiopaque images showed in the 2^nd fetus sample and strong radiopaque images showed in the 3^rd fetus sample. Radiopaque images were identified in the teeth, cranium, vertebrae, and extremities bones. In this study we concluded that there was a specific hair pattern in different fetal stage. All body measurements have positive correlation with body volume and body weight and x-ray analysis shown that the ossification of the bone was started to happen while the smooth hair was growth.     

Ontogenic Development of Corticotrophs in Fetal Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) Pituitary Gland

To evaluate the subpopulation of corticotrophs in developing buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fetus, pituitary glands were recovered (n=6 per group) from late first, second and third gestational female buffalo dams. The corticotrophs were identified by using specific antibodies against proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) through immunohistochemistry. There was a significant (P≤0.05) increase of immunoreactive (ir) ir-ACTH cells during late 2^nd trimester while, ir-POMC cells were more (P≤0.05) at late 3^rd trimester of gestation as compared to other age groups. The quantity of co-localized cells for POMC and ACTH was significantly (P≤0.05) greater at the end of 1^st gestation rather than 2^nd and 3^rd gestational fetal adenohypophyseal cells. This study is the first to demonstrate co-localization of POMC+ACTH and the affect of gestational age on the expression of these cells in buffalo fetus adenohypophysis.Key words: buffalo, corticotrophs, fetus, pituitary gland, immunohistochemistry     

Human Coding Synonymous Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms at Ramp Regions of mRNA Translation

According to the ramp model of mRNA translation, the first 50 codons favor rare codons and have slower speed of translation. This study aims to detect translational selection on coding synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (sSNP) to support the ramp theory. We investigated fourfold degenerate site (FFDS) sSNPs with A↔G or C↔T substitutions in human genome for distribution bias of synonymous codons (SC), grouped by CpG or non-CpG sites. Distribution bias of sSNPs between the 3^rd ∼50^th codons and the 51^st ∼ remainder codons at non-CpG sites were observed. In the 3^rd ∼50^th codons, G→A sSNPs at non-CpG sites are favored than A→G sSNPs [P = 2.89×10⁻³], and C→T at non-CpG sites are favored than T→C sSNPs [P = 8.50×10⁻³]. The favored direction of SC usage change is from more frequent SCs to less frequent SCs. The distribution bias is more obvious in synonymous substitutions CG(G→A), AC(C→T), and CT(C→T). The distribution bias of sSNPs in human genome, i.e. frequent SCs to less frequent SCs is favored in the 3^rd ∼50^th codons, indicates translational selection on sSNPs in the ramp regions of mRNA templates.     

Phenology ofHippodamia undecimnotata (Col.: Coccinellidae) in Greece

Hippodamia (Semiadalia) undecimnotata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), collected from central Greece and reared in cages during 1993–1994 and in vials during 1994–1995 outdoors at Kifissia, Athens, completed 5 generations per year. In both cases, adults of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd generations reproduced, completing their egg laying in the same year; 4^th and 5^th generation adults reproduced both in the year they emerged and the following year. In both cases, adults of the 1^st and 2^nd generations died before winter; in 1993, adults of the 3^rd generation died before winter, in 1994, they survived until April 1995. Adults of the 4^th and 5^th generations overwintered successfully. The greatest numbers of eggs were laid by females of the 1^st and 2^nd generations. Field observations and timed counts of specimens (30 minutes per location) made on the tops of Mounts Chlomo and Kitheron and on the neighboring plain of Kopais between 1991 and 1994 revealed that most adults arrived on the mountains between late June and early September and left between the end of March and beginning of May.H. undecimnotata were not found on the plain of Kopais during the winter. Overwintered adults arrived between the end of March and beginning of May; 1^st generation adults emerged in June. The presence of a few eggs, larvae, pupae and newly-emerged adults observed on the plain during August-September 1993 suggests that at least a portion of theH. undecimnotata population in central Greece completes 2 or more overlapping generations per year.     

Simulating Fiction: Individual Differences in Literature Comprehension Revealed with fMRI

When we read literary fiction, we are transported to fictional places, and we feel and think along with the characters. Despite the importance of narrative in adult life and during development, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying fiction comprehension are unclear. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how individuals differently employ neural networks important for understanding others’ beliefs and intentions (mentalizing), and for sensori-motor simulation while listening to excerpts from literary novels. Localizer tasks were used to localize both the cortical motor network and the mentalizing network in participants after they listened to excerpts from literary novels. Results show that participants who had high activation in anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC; part of the mentalizing network) when listening to mentalizing content of literary fiction, had lower motor cortex activity when they listened to action-related content of the story, and vice versa. This qualifies how people differ in their engagement with fiction: some people are mostly drawn into a story by mentalizing about the thoughts and beliefs of others, whereas others engage in literature by simulating more concrete events such as actions. This study provides on-line neural evidence for the existence of qualitatively different styles of moving into literary worlds, and adds to a growing body of literature showing the potential to study narrative comprehension with neuroimaging methods.     

捕食者对空心莲子草叶甲种群的生物胁迫

广食性捕食者广泛捕食植食性昆虫,常被用于有害生物的生物防治,也因此影响植食性昆虫对杂草的生物效果。空心莲子草叶甲(Agasicles hygrophila)(鞘翅目:叶甲科Chrysomelidae)作为入侵恶性杂草空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)(苋科:莲子草属Alternanthera)的专性天敌,从美国的弗罗里达州引入中国,在释放地防治空心莲子草取得了较好的防治效果。虽然空心莲子草叶甲在引入地均已建立田间种群并有一定程度的自然扩散,但丰富的食物资源,并未使空心莲子草叶甲的自然种群数量变得繁荣,因此其未能有效抑制空心莲子草的扩散蔓延。在野外调查时发现空心莲子草生境中存在大量广食性捕食者。这些广食性捕食者是抑制空心莲子草叶甲种群数量扩张的生物胁迫因子吗?为此,选择捕食性昆虫龟纹瓢虫(Propylaea japonica)(鞘翅目:瓢虫科Coccinellidae)、蜘蛛类捕食者拟水狼蛛(Pirata subpiraticus)(蜘蛛目:狼蛛科Lycosidae)与斜纹猫蛛(Oxyopes sertatus)(蜘蛛目:猫蛛科Oxyopidae)为捕食者,分别以空心莲子草叶甲各虫态为猎物,构建简单的捕食者-猎物系统,在室内检测了上述3种捕食者对空心莲子草叶甲各虫态在不同密度下的日捕食量,以期了解捕食者对空心莲子草叶甲的捕食作用,客观评估空心莲子草叶甲的生物防治效能。研究结果表明:捕食者龟纹瓢虫、斜纹猫蛛与拟水狼蛛均捕食空心莲子草叶甲的卵粒及1龄、2龄幼虫,斜纹猫蛛与拟水狼蛛捕食3龄幼虫,捕食者的捕食量均随着猎物密度的升高而增加,寻找效应降低。三者均不捕食成虫。除拟水狼蛛对3龄幼虫的捕食用Holling II模型拟合不呈显著相关关系外,其余捕食反应均拟合Holling II模型并显著相关。通过拟合方程得出捕食者对空心莲子草叶甲卵粒的理论日最大捕食量为:斜纹猫蛛10.9粒,拟水狼蛛为6.2粒,龟纹瓢虫为5.6粒;对1龄幼虫的理论日最大捕食量为:斜纹猫蛛为17.1头;拟水狼蛛为35.8头,龟纹瓢虫为10.4头;对2龄幼虫的理论日最大捕食量为:斜纹猫蛛为6.6头,拟水狼蛛为11.2头,龟纹瓢虫为2.9头;对3龄幼虫的理论日最大捕食量为:斜纹猫蛛捕食12.3头,拟水狼蛛为1.1头。研究结果证实了捕食者可通过捕食作用降低空心莲子草叶甲种群密度,削弱空心莲子草叶甲对空心莲子草的控害效能,是空心莲子草叶甲种群存活的生物胁迫因子。建议在提高空心莲子草叶甲田间种群数量,达到对空心莲子有效的持续控制效果方面开展进一步研究。     

The Relation between Erythrocyte Trans Fat and Triglyceride,VLDL- and HDL-Cholesterol Concentrations Depends on Polyunsaturated Fat

Background

Trans fatty acids (TFA) lower HDL and increase triglyceride concentrations while polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) lower triglycerides and may decrease HDL concentrations. The effect of the interaction between trans fat and PUFA on lipids is uncertain.

Methods

Men and women (n = 1032) in the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) study were included. Fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes were measured with gas chromatography while data on potential confounders were obtained from questionnaires. To test the interaction between total erythrocyte PUFA (ePUFA) and TFA (eTFA) on lipid concentrations we distributed eTFA into tertiles and dichotomized ePUFA at the median concentration.

Results

For the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd tertiles of eTFA, multivariate-adjusted means±s.e.m for HDL were 46.2±1.1, 46.3±1.1 and 45.5±1.0 mg/dL among those with low ePUFA, respectively, while they were 50.0±1.1, 46.9±1.1 and 44.7±1.1 mg/dL among those with high ePUFA, respectively (P for interaction = 0.01). For the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd tertiles of eTFA, multivariate-adjusted means±s.e.m for triglycerides were 178.6±11.3, 144.7±10.9 and 140.8±10.6, respectively, among those with low ePUFA, while they were 133.8±11.3, 145.7±10.9 and 149.3±11.5, respectively, among those with high ePUFA (P for interaction = 0.005). Results for VLDL were similar to those for triglycerides. No significant interactions were observed for LDL or total cholesterol.

Conclusions

The relation between trans fat and HDL, VLDL and triglycerides may depend on PUFA. The benefit of avoiding trans fat may be greater among individuals with higher PUFA intake. Supplementation with PUFA among individuals with relatively high trans fat intake may have limited benefits on lipid profiles.     

The Impact of Dietary Folate Intake on Reproductive Function in Premenopausal Women: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background

Folic acid is recommended to reproductive-aged women to prevent birth defects, though little is known about the effects of dietary intake on other reproductive outcomes. Improved pregnancy rates have been documented after folic acid supplement use, suggesting a possible link with ovulation, however research is limited. Our objective was to evaluate the association between dietary folate intake, hormone levels, and sporadic anovulation in healthy, regularly menstruating women.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The BioCycle study (2005–2007) prospectively followed 259 healthy women aged 18–44 years from the western New York region for up to 2 menstrual cycles. Total folate and specific sources of folate were assessed up to 4 times per cycle by 24-hour recall. Estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone were measured in serum up to 8 times per cycle, timed using fertility monitors. Anovulation was defined as a cycle with peak progesterone concentration ≤5 ng/mL and no LH peak in the mid/late luteal phase. Higher intake of dietary folate (in dietary equivalents) across tertiles had a marginally significant association with greater luteal progesterone levels (P trend 0.08). Higher intake of synthetic folate was significantly associated with higher luteal progesterone levels (P trend 0.05). Specifically, women in the 3^rd tertile of synthetic folate intake had, on average, 16.0% (95% CI, 0.5–33.8%) higher luteal progesterone levels compared to women in the 1^st tertile. Moreover, consumption of synthetic folate was significantly and inversely associated with anovulation such that women in the 3^rd tertile had a 64% (95% CI, 8–86%) decreased odds of anovulation compared to the women in the 1^st tertile (P trend 0.03).

Conclusions/Significance

These findings suggest that a diet high in synthetic folate may be associated with increased progesterone levels and lower risk of sporadic anovulation. Further study of the effect of dietary folate and folic acid supplement use on reproductive health is warranted.     

Factors influencing the priority of access to food and their effects on the carcass traits for Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle

The factors influencing the priority of access to food and the effects of the priority of access to food on their carcass traits were analyzed for Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle in a semi-intensive fattening production system. The records of 96 clinically healthy steers and heifers were analyzed. The calves at ∼3 to 4 months of age were allocated to pens with four animals per pen; all four animals in the same pen were of the same sex and of similar body size. The ranking of the animals’ priority of access to food (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th), which was determined by the farm manager, was used as an indicator of social dominance in the present study. Four models including sire line, maternal grandsire line and the difference in the animals’ birth dates as fixed effects were used to analyze factors influencing the priority of access to food. Ranking was represented by ordinal scores (highest=4, lowest=1) in Model 1, and the binary scores were assigned in Model 2 (highest=1; 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th=0), Model 3 (1^st and 2^nd=1; 3^rd and 4^th=0) and Model 4 (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd=1; lowest=0). The results showed that the difference in the animals’ birth dates had a significant effect on the establishment of the priority of access to food in Model 3 (P<0.05), suggesting that animals born earlier may become more dominant in the pen. The maternal grandsire line tended to affect the social rank score in Models 2 and 3 (P<0.10). Our results indicated that the maternal grandsire line may affect the temperament of calves through their mothers’ genetic performance and thereby more aggressive calves may be more dominant and have higher priority of access to food. On the other hand, there was a significant effect of the priority of access to food on beef marbling score (BMS; P<0.05), and the priority of access to food also tended to influence the carcass weight (P=0.09). The highest BMS was observed for animals with the first rank of the priority of access to food (P<0.05), and the higher-ranking animals had the tendency to be heavier carcass than the lower-ranking animals. Our findings emphasized the importance of information about the priority of access to food determined by farmers’ own observation on implementing best management practices in small-scaled semi-intensive beef cattle production systems.     

Morphology of juvenile stages of Kuschelina bergi (Harold) with biological information (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Alticini)

Kuschelina bergi (Harold, 1881) is being studied to be evaluated as a natural enemy of Phyla nodiflora var. minor (Hook.) N. O’Leary & Múlgura (Verbenaceae), an invasive weed in Australia. Eggs, and 1^st and 3^rd instar larvae are described and illustrated for the first time. The following characters distinguish Kuschelina bergi: presence of two medial setae in prosternum, mesosternum and metasternum, absence of tubercle on sternum I and eight setae in abdominal segment IX. The 3^rd instar larvae of Kuschelina bergi resemble Kuschelina gibbitarsa (Say) larvae: the body shape and details of mouthparts are similar, but the morphology of the mandible is different, as is the tarsungulus which has a single seta. Differences between Kuschelina bergi and other known larvae of Oedionychina are discussed. New biological data based on laboratory rearing and field observation are also presented and discussed.     

Effect of Water Stress on Photosynthesis and Growth in Two Teak Phenotypes

Two teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) phenotypes differing in their leaf length/breadth ratios were subjected to water stress by withholding water supply for three weeks. Growth rates of whole plants, developing leaves (1^st and 2^nd from shoot apices), and 2^nd and 3^rd internodes were higher in broad leaved (BL) phenotype than in narrow leaved (NL) phenotype before and after imposing water stress treatment. However, the effect of water stress on these parameters was higher in the BL phenotype than in the NL one. Diurnal course of net photosynthetic rate (P _N) of 3^rd or 4^th leaves from shoot apices measured under well-watered conditions was higher for the NL than BL phenotype. P _N, stomatal conductance (g _s), and transpiration rate (E) in both phenotypes were negatively affected by water stress and their decline under water stress was significantly higher in the BL than NL plants.     

Immunogenicity of Seven-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Administered at 6, 14 and 40 Weeks of Age in South African Infants

Background

The high cost of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and local epidemiological factors contributed to evaluating different PCV dosing-schedules. This study evaluated the immunogenicity of seven-valent PCV (PCV7) administered at 6-weeks; 14-weeks and 9-months of age.

Methods

250 healthy, HIV-unexposed infants were immunized with PCV7 concurrently with other childhood vaccines. Serotype-specific anti-capsular IgG concentrations were measured one-month following the 1^st and 2^nd PCV-doses, prior to and two-weeks following the 3^rd dose. Opsonophagocytic killing assay (OPA) was measured for three serotypes following the 2^nd and 3^rd PCV7-doses. Immunogenicity of the current schedule was compared to a historical cohort of infants who received PCV7 at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age.

Results

The proportion of infants with serotype-specific antibody ≥0.35 µg/ml following the 2^nd PCV7-dose ranged from 84% for 6B to ≥89% for other serotypes. Robust antibody responses were observed following the 3^rd dose. The proportion of children with OPA ≥8 for serotypes 9V, 19F and 23F increased significantly following the 3^rd PCV7-dose to 93.6%; 86.0% and 89.7% respectively. The quantitative antibody concentrations following the 2^nd PCV7-dose were comparable to that after the 3^rd -dose in the 6-10-14 week schedule. Geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) following the 3^rd PCV7-dose were higher for all serotypes in this study compared to the historical cohort.

Conclusions

The studied PCV7 dosing schedule induced good immune responses, including higher GMCs following the 3^rd-dose at 9-months compared to when given at 14-weeks of age. This may confer longer persistence of antibodies and duration of protection against pneumococcal disease.     

Distinct neural circuits underlie assessment of a diversity of natural dangers by American crows

Social animals encountering natural dangers face decisions such as whether to freeze, flee or harass the threat. The American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, conspicuously mobs dangers. We used positron emission tomography to test the hypothesis that distinct neuronal substrates underlie the crow''s consistent behavioural response to different dangers. We found that crows activated brain regions associated with attention and arousal (nucleus isthmo-opticus/locus coeruleus), and with motor response (arcopallium), as they fixed their gaze on a threat. However, despite this consistent behavioural and neural response, the sight of a person who previously captured the crow, a person holding a dead crow and a taxidermy-mounted hawk activated distinct forebrain regions (amygdala, hippocampus and portion of the caudal nidopallium, respectively). We suggest that aspects of mobbing behaviour are guided by unique neural circuits that respond to differences in mental processing—learning, memory formation and multisensory discrimination—required to appropriately nuance a risky behaviour to specific dangers.     

Digital Gene Expression Analysis of Corky Split Vein Caused by Boron Deficiency in ‘Newhall’ Navel Orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) for Selecting Differentially Expressed Genes Related to Vascular Hypertrophy

Corky split vein caused by boron (B) deficiency in ‘Newhall’ Navel Orange was studied in the present research. The boron-deficient citrus exhibited a symptom of corky split vein in mature leaves. Morphologic and anatomical surveys at four representative phases of corky split veins showed that the symptom was the result of vascular hypertrophy. Digital gene expression (DGE) analysis was performed based on the Illumina HiSeq™ 2000 platform, which was applied to analyze the gene expression profilings of corky split veins at four morphologic phases. Over 5.3 million clean reads per library were successfully mapped to the reference database and more than 22897 mapped genes per library were simultaneously obtained. Analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed that the expressions of genes associated with cytokinin signal transduction, cell division, vascular development, lignin biosynthesis and photosynthesis in corky split veins were all affected. The expressions of WOL and ARR12 involved in the cytokinin signal transduction pathway were up-regulated at 1^st phase of corky split vein development. Furthermore, the expressions of some cell cycle genes, CYCs and CDKB, and vascular development genes, WOX4 and VND7, were up-regulated at the following 2^nd and 3^rd phases. These findings indicated that the cytokinin signal transduction pathway may play a role in initiating symptom observed in our study.     

Sources and Coverage of Medical News on Front Pages of US Newspapers

Background

Medical news that appears on newspaper front pages is intended to reach a wide audience, but how this type of medical news is prepared and distributed has not been systematically researched. We thus quantified the level of visibility achieved by front-page medical stories in the United States and analyzed their news sources.

Methodology

Using the online resource Newseum, we investigated front-page newspaper coverage of four prominent medical stories, and a high-profile non-medical news story as a control, reported in the US in 2007. Two characteristics were quantified by two raters: which newspaper titles carried each target front-page story (interrater agreement, >96%; kappa, >0.92) and the news sources of each target story (interrater agreement, >94%; kappa, >0.91). National rankings of the top 200 US newspapers by audited circulation were used to quantify the extent of coverage as the proportion of the total circulation of ranked newspapers in Newseum.

Findings

In total, 1630 front pages were searched. Each medical story appeared on the front pages of 85 to 117 (67.5%–78.7%) ranked newspaper titles that had a cumulative daily circulation of 23.1 to 33.4 million, or 61.8% to 88.4% of all newspapers. In contrast, the non-medical story achieved front-page coverage in 152 (99.3%) newspaper titles with a total circulation of 41.0 million, or 99.8% of all newspapers. Front-page medical stories varied in their sources, but the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Times and the Associated Press together supplied 61.7% of the total coverage of target front-page medical stories.

Conclusion

Front-page coverage of medical news from different sources is more accurately revealed by analysis of circulation counts rather than of newspaper titles. Journals wishing to widen knowledge of research news and organizations with important health announcements should target at least the four dominant media organizations identified in this study.     

Microbial Degradation of Natural Rubber Vulcanizates

An actinomycete, Nocardia sp. strain 835A, grows well on unvulcanized natural rubber and synthetic isoprene rubber, but not on other types of synthetic rubber. Not only unvulcanized but also various kinds of vulcanized natural rubber products were more or less utilized by the organism as the sole source of carbon and energy. The thin film from a latex glove was rapidly degraded, and the weight loss reached 75% after a 2-week cultivation period. Oligomers with molecular weights from 10⁴ to 10³ were accumulated during microbial growth on the latex glove. The partially purified oligomers were examined by infrared and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the spectra were those expected of cis-1, 4-polyisoprene with the structure, OHC—CH₂—[—CH₂—C(—CH₃)=CH —CH₂—]_n—CH₂—C(=O)— CH₃, with average values of n of about 114 and 19 for the two oligomers.     

Environmental Determination of Selective Significance or Neutrality of Amylase Variants in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Strains homozygous at the amylase locus were derived from a polymorphic laboratory population of Drosophila melanogaster. The Amy ^4,6 strain has higher enzyme activity than the Amy¹ strain.——Maltose has the same nutritional value as starch.——The effect of starch in pure culture depends on the yeast level. At low yeast level increasing starch increases survival, at high yeast level increasing starch increases mean dry weight. The strains do not differ in survival or mean dry weight in pure culture.——In mixed cultures at 50% input of Amy ^4,6 and Amy¹ as larvae the percentage Amy^4,6 in adults increases with increasing starch at low yeast levels, but equals input frequency at high yeast levels. No increase in percentage Amy^4,6 in adults is present with increasing maltose at low yeast levels in mixed culture. The increase in percentage Amy^4,6 with increasing starch must be due to selection on the amylase locus working by competition for food in the larval stage. The single locus selection coefficient is determined by the environment and can reach quite high values.——Viability selection in the presence of starch is in the direction indicated by the enzyme activities.     

Molecular Weights of DNA from Bacteriophages T5, T5st(0), BF23, and BF23st(4)

The DNA molecular weights were determined by calibrated electron microscopy. The results (in units of 10⁶) are: for T5, 77.4 ± 2.4; T5st(0), 72.4 ± 1.9; BF23, 76.7 ± 2.3; and BF23st(4), 71.4 ± 1.7.