A twin study of dental dimension. II. Independent genetic determinants

To demonstrate the presence of independent genetic determinants of multiple correlated tooth dimensions from twin data, a multivariate analysis was performed on the covariance matrices of monozygotic and dizygotic within-pair differences for mesiodistal and buccolingual dimensions of 28 teeth of the secondary dentition. The results provided strong evidences that the correlation among tooth dimensions is primarily genetic in origin, probably attributable to the pleiotropic action of either independent genes or groups of genes. Among the genetic factors that were identified, one appeared to affect the maxillary teeth in general while a second influenced primarily the anterior mandibular teeth. There was a striking tendency for homologous measurements on the right and left sides to be associated with the same genetic factor. In contrast, genetic determination of the maxillary and mandibular dentition seemed to be independent of each other, and a wider range of genetic factors were found to influence the mandibular than the maxillary teeth, suggesting that a differential degree of evolutionary stability may have been achieved in the teeth of the two jaws.     

A phase II study of i.v. methylprednisolone in secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis

We have used rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes to investigate the effects of hyperglycaemia-mediated impaired nucleoside uptake on the actions of endogenous adenosine in hippocampal slices. In control tissue under conditions of anoxia and aglycaemia the rise in the extracellular adenosine concentration resulted in complete inhibition of synaptic activity in about 2 min. In slices from previously hyperglycaemic rats the inhibition of synaptically mediated responses occurred significantly faster, although this change could be prevented by insulin treatment. Application of the selective adenosine A1 receptor antagonist [8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX)] prevented the anoxia/aglycaemia-mediated inhibition and, furthermore, abolished the differences in the electrophysiological responses between control and diabetic tissue. The effects of impaired nucleoside uptake could be mimicked in control slices by applying the nucleoside uptake blocker hydroxynitrobenzylthioinosine (HNBTI). This had the effect of speeding up the rate of anoxia/aglycaemia-induced synaptic inhibition in control tissue to that seen in diabetic tissue. However, such treatment had no effect on the responses in diabetic tissue as expected if the HNBTI-sensitive uptake process was already inhibited by the chronic hyperglycaemia. The impairment of nucleoside uptake by chronic hyperglycaemia results in the potentiation of the modulatory actions of endogenous adenosine in the central nervous system. Such an alteration in adenosine function may be important in explaining behavioural and pathological changes associated with diabetes mellitus.     

Ovine submaxillary mucin. Primary structure and peptide substrates of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine:mucin transferase

Tryptic digests of ovine submaxillary apomucin were fractionated by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography to give 14 peptide fractions. Three purified tryptic peptides, representing 106 of the 650 residues in apomucin, were submitted to automated sequence analysis. The NH2-terminal 50 of the 74 residues in one peptide and the entire sequence of the other two hexadecapeptides were established. These studies suggest that purified ovine submaxillary, mucin is chemically homogeneous, containing a unique primary structure without substantial repeating sequences in its polypeptide chain. The sequences adjacent to 28 known O-glycosidically substituted seryl and threonyl residues were compared. No homologies were apparent around the glycosylated seryl and threonyl residues which might define the specificity of the UDP-N-acetylgalactosaminyl:mucin polypeptide transferase that incorporates N-acetylgalactosamine into O-glycosidic linkage in glycoproteins. However, there appears to be a minimum size requirement for glycosylation, because the transferase catalyzes glycosylation of tryptic peptides efficiently, while chymotryptic and thermolytic peptides were much poorer substrates for the transferase.     

Enteric differentiation in endometrial adenocarcinomas: a mucin histochemical study

A histochemical study revealed focal intracytoplasmic mucin within 50% of a series of adenocarcinomas arising within the endometrium. Seventeen percent of the adenocarcinomas studied contained intracytoplasmic O-acetylated sialomucins, as demonstrated by the PB/KOH/PAS technique. The presence of O-acetylated sialomucin, indicating enteric or intestinal differentiation, has not previously been demonstrated within endometrial adenocarcinomas, although it is well described in endocervical adenocarcinomas and in mucinous tumors of the ovary. In none of the cases in which enteric-type mucins were identified was there morphological evidence of intestinal differentiation in the form of goblet cells or Paneth cells. No correlation was found between the presence of enteric mucins and the grade of the adenocarcinoma. The results of the study provide further confirmation of the ability of the epithelial lining of the female genital tract to undergo various forms of metaplasia, along both Mullerian and non-Mullerian pathways. The demonstration of specific mucins is more sensitive than morphology in establishing enteric differentiation.     

A study of the process of oxidation of titanium nickelide. II. Phase composition of the scale

Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 6(318), pp. 57–61, June, 1989.     

Ependymomas of childhood. II. Electron-microscopic study

Electron-microscopic study of various histological types of ependymoma has shown three basic types of cells. One type of cells has features typical of normal ependymal cells, the second type consists of cells resembling normal or reactive astrocytes, and the third type of cells is undifferentiated. The three types of cells are present in various proportions in every tumor. Generally speaking, the astrocyte-like cells are more frequently encountered than the ependymol cells. The undifferentiated cells are seen, in small numbers, in all forms of ependymoma but they are the dominant cell type in the ependymoblastomas.     

Aberrant spatiotemporal activation profiles associated with math difficulties in children: A magnetic source imaging study.

The study investigates the relative degree and timing of cortical activation in parietal, temporal, and frontal regions during simple arithmetic tasks in children who experience math difficulties. Real-time brain activity was measured with magnetoencephalography during simple addition and numerosity judgments in students with math difficulties and average or above average reading skills (MD group, N = 14), students with below average scores on both math and basic reading tests (MD/RD group, N = 16) and students with above average scores on standardized math tests (control group, N = 25). Children with MD showed increased degree of neurophysiological activity in inferior and superior parietal regions in the right hemisphere compared to both controls and MD/RD students. Left hemisphere inferior parietal regions did not show the expected task-related changes and showed activity at a significant temporal delay. MD students also showed increased early engagement of prefrontal cortices. Taken together, these findings may indicate increased reliance on a network of right hemisphere parietal (and possibly frontal areas as well) for simple math calculations in students who experience math difficulties but perform within normal range in reading. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bacterial whole cell protein profiles of the rRNA group II pseudomonads

Studies on bacterial whole cell protein profiles showed that members of the rRNA group II pseudomonads were distinct from other non-fluorescent and fluorescent pseudomonads, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the type species of the genus Pseudomonas. Strains of Ps. andropogonis, Ps. caryophylli, Ps. gladioli pv. gladioli, Ps. pickettii, Ps. pseudomallei and Ps. rubrisubalbicans showed uniform and distinct protein patterns, while strains of Ps. solanacearum and Ps. cepacia displayed differences within species. Numerical analysis of their protein profiles with GelManager and Taxan programs generated dendrograms comprising 16 clusters at 89% similarity. Each cluster included strains belonging to the same species with the exception of Ps. solanacearum, which fragmented into three clusters. Pseudomonas solanacearum showed different protein patterns correlating with different biovars and the two divisions of Cook et al. (1989), as well as the results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The whole cell protein profiles of a total of 83 strains belonging to 14 bacterial species were numerically analysed.     

Bicarbonate binding to the water-oxidizing complex in the photosystem II. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between a low unconjugated estriol (uE3) in the second trimester and adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: Three hundred nine women who underwent second-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-hCG-uE3 screening were divided into two groups: those with uE3 at most 0.75 multiples of the median (MoM) (n = 81) and those with uE3 exceeding 0.75 MoM (n = 228). Entry criteria included: hCG below 2 MoM, AFP below 2 MoM, age less than 35 years at delivery, complete prenatal records, and completed delivery. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for a variety of adverse pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: After adjusting for smoking and hCG, women with uE3 at or below 0.75 MoM were found to have significantly higher odds of developing fetal growth restriction, low amniotic fluid index (AFI), and small for gestational age (SGA) with ORs (and 95% CIs) of 6.73 (2.55, 17.74), 3.85 (1.53, 9.68), and 2.89 (1.27, 6.57), respectively, for each of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: Low uE3 in the second trimester appears to be associated with fetal growth restriction, low AFI, and SGA, and the risk seems to be independent of risk for adverse infant outcome associated with elevated AFP or hCG.     

A study of reception with the use of focused ultrasound. II. Effects on the animal receptor structures

The possibility of stimulation of receptor structures with focused ultrasound (focused beam of high frequency mechanical waves) was investigated. Stimulation of single Pacinian corpuscle isolated from cat's mesentery resulted in receptor and action potentials. Stimulation of frog's ear labyrinth resulted in evoked potentials recorded from midbrain auditory area, their characteristics being much the same as those for responses to adequate sound stimuli. It is concluded that focused ultrasound is an advantageous agent for stimulation of various mechanoreceptors both isolated and, especially, located deep in the body. Some problems related to sensory specificity are discussed.     

A phase II trial of amonafide in patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. A Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Twenty-seven patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were entered into a Phase II study of amonatide; 24 patients were evaluable for toxicity, while 23 were evaluable for response. Patients received amonafide, 300 mg/m2, intravenously for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks. The median age of patients was 45 years. All but two patients were completely ambulatory. Twelve patients had received prior chemotherapy, while 22 had been treated with radiation therapy. One of 27 (4.3%) patients had a partial response (PR) to this regimen and 13 (56.5%) had stable disease. Sixteen patients experienced a median white blood cell (WBC) nadir of 350/mm3, seven developed life-threatening thrombocytopenia, and one had severe anemia requiring transfusion. Nonhematologic toxicity was mild. Amonafide had insignificant activity in these patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.     

Photochemically induced focal cochlear lesions in the guinea pig: II. A transmission electron microscope study

We report the characterization of a de novo unbalanced chromosome rearrangement by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) in a 15-day-old child with hypotonia and dysmorphia. We describe the combined use of CGH and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify the origin of the additional chromosomal material on the short arm of chromosome 6. Investigation with FISH revealed that the excess material was not derived from chromosome 6. Identification of unknown unbalanced aberrations that could not be identified by traditional cytogenetics procedures is possible by CGH analysis. Visual analysis of digital images from CGH-metaphase spreads revealed a predominantly green signal on the telomeric region of chromosome 10p. After quantitative digital ratio imaging of 10 CGH-metaphase spreads, a region of gain was found in the chromosome band 10p14-pter. The CGH finding was confirmed by FISH analysis, using a whole chromosome 10 paint probe. These results show the usefulness of CGH for a rapid characterization of de novo unbalanced translocation, unidentifiable by karyotype alone.     

Modal profiles for the WISC-III.

The present study presents a normative typology for classifying the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) factor index profiles according to profile shape. Q-type principal components analysis of the WISC-III factor index scores identified 4 profile shapes that were replicated in independent samples with a total of 3,317 children. The typology provides good coverage with between 80–85% (depending on classification rule) of Ss with significant profile scatter being assigned to a profile type. An initial attempt to establish external validity indicated that the classified participants display dissimilar patterns of performance on independent variables. The current analyses indicate that overall profile level accounted for a majority of the variance in WISC-III index scores, but a considerable proportion of the variance was because of differences in profile shape. As a result, factor index profiles appear to present a viable level of analysis for research and clinical use. The present typology is compared with typologies developed with other clustering procedures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between voice-quality profiles and MMPI profiles in psychiatric patients.

Examined the personality traits of speakers with different voice-quality profiles. Speech samples and MMPI scores were obtained from 78 male psychiatric patients. The speech samples were rated for the voice qualities of pitch, loudness, and tempo. Each S was assigned to 1 of 3 voice-quality profile groups: peak-pitch (N = 29), peak-loudness (N = 27), and peak-tempo (N = 22). An analysis of variance indicated a significant difference between the mean MMPI profiles of the 3 groups and supported the hypothesis that the 3 voice-quality profile groups represent 3 different personality types. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An experimental study of the esthetic effect of facial profiles

In this study good-looking "male" and "female" as well as ugly facial profiles were shaped by 104 lay persons using an especially constructed device according to specific instructions. These profiles were photographed and subsequently evaluated using a series of parameters from soft tissue profile analyses. Although some significant mean value differences were found between the good-looking and ugly profile variants, they were not substantial. In contrast, markedly significant differences were revealed between the variances of all variables. In some instances the variance of the ugly profiles was more than 3 to 4 times higher than that of the good-looking profiles. These findings were convincingly confirmed when statistical distribution of the data was established and compared. This implies that perception of beauty is associated with regularity of facial features and is conveyed by measurement values which are located close to the mean. Ugliness is associated with extreme deviations from the latter in either direction. Apart from the facial proportions, the degree of convexity or concavity of facial profile and their sequence seem to be important for the esthetic effects. "Male" profiles in contrast to "female" profiles exhibited more conspicuous facial features such as pronounced convexity and concavity.     

A new class of pyrrolidin-2-ones: synthesis and pharmacological study. II

OBJECTIVE: The measurements of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions are being used increasingly, both as an objective hearing test clinically, and as a research tool to investigate the micromechanical aspects of cochlear function. We hypothesized that localized damage in the apical or middle cochlear turns may have an influence on the micromechanics and the function of adjacent, apparently normal cochlea. For that purpose, we used an animal model of localized apical and middle-turn cochlear lesions. METHOD: Extent of damage was assessed by scanning electron microscopy and the function of the damaged cochlea by change in the otoacoustic emission (OAE) levels. RESULTS: We found that localized damage to the apical or middle turn may be accompanied by an increase in OAE measured from adjacent apparently normal cochlea. CONCLUSION: Explanations to this phenomenon are suggested, and possible clinical associations such as to Meniere's disease and to sudden hearing loss are reviewed.