Tufts University

About: Tufts University is a education organization based out in Medford, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 32800 authors who have published 66881 publications receiving 3451152 citations. The organization is also known as: Tufts College & Universitatis Tuftensis.

Observation of muon neutrino disappearance with the MINOS detectors in the NuMI neutrino beam

Abstract: This letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. The rate and energy spectra of charged current muon neutrino interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 km and 735 km. With 1.27 x 10^{20} 120 GeV protons incident on the NuMI target, 215 events with energies below 30 GeV are observed at the Far Detector, compared to an expectation of 336 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\pm 14.4 events. The data are consistent with muon neutrino disappearance via oscillation with |\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Delta m^2_{23}| = 2.74^{+0.44}_{-0.26} x 10^{-3} eV^2/c^4 and sin^2(2\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\theta_{23}) > 0.87 (at 60% C.L.).

Dopamine Is a Regulator of Arousal in the Fruit Fly

Abstract: Sleep and arousal are known to be regulated by both homeostatic and circadian processes, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. It has been reported that the Drosophila rest/activity cycle has features in common with the mammalian sleep/wake cycle, and it is expected that use of the fly genetic model will facilitate a molecular understanding of sleep and arousal. Here, we report the phenotypic characterization of a Drosophila rest/activity mutant known as fumin (fmn). We show that fmn mutants have abnormally high levels of activity and reduced rest (sleep); genetic mapping, molecular analyses, and phenotypic rescue experiments demonstrate that these phenotypes result from mutation of the Drosophila dopamine transporter gene. Consistent with the rest phenotype, fmn mutants show enhanced sensitivity to mechanical stimuli and a prolonged arousal once active, indicating a decreased arousal threshold. Strikingly,fmn mutants do not show significant rebound in response to rest deprivation as is typical for wild-type flies, nor do they show decreased life span. These results provide direct evidence that dopaminergic signaling has a critical function in the regulation of insect arousal.

Antioxidant Phytochemicals in Fruits and Vegetables: Diet and Health Implications

Abstract: Received for publication 26 May 1999. Accepted for publication 10 Aug. 1999. Mention of a trade name, proprietary product ,or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may be suitable.The cost of publishing this paper was defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. Under postal regulations, this paper therefore must be hereby marked advertisement solely to indicate this fact. To whom reprint requests should be addressed (phone: (617) 556-3311; fax: (617) 556-3299; e-mail: prior@hnrc.tufts.edu). Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with protection against various age-related diseases (Ames et al., 1993; Steinberg, 1991). What dietary constituents are responsible for this association is not known, but well-characterized antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, or β-carotene, are often assumed to contribute to the observed protection (Ames et al., 1993; Buring and Hennekens, 1997; Gey et al., 1991; Stahelin et al., 1991; Steinberg, 1991; Willett, 1994). However, the results from intervention trials have not been conclusive regarding the protection following supplementation with such antioxidants (Hennekens et al., 1996; Omenn et al., 1996; Prieme et al., 1997; Van Poppel et al., 1995). Recent epidemiological evidence indicates that the putative beneficial effects of a high intake of fruits and vegetables on the risk of diseases of aging may not be exclusively due to these antioxidants (Hertog et al., 1992; Knekt et al., 1997), but other antioxidant phytochemicals contained in fruits and vegetables may be equally important. To critically evaluate the potential roles of these phytochemicals in prevention of agerelated diseases, we will discuss the free radical or oxidative stress theory of aging and present data on the antioxidant capacities of fruits, vegetables, and their phytochemical components, mainly flavonoids. Reports on the absorption of these flavonoids and the effects of fruit and vegetable intake on the antioxidant status in humans will be reviewed.