Serum IgA antibodies from patients with coeliac disease react strongly with human brain blood-vessel structures

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to determine the possible presence of IgA antibodies directed against human central nervous system (CNS) structures in sera from coeliac disease (CD) patients. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 4 patients with active CD on a gluten-containing diet, 11 biopsy-proven CD patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD), and 52 non-coeliac gastrointestinal controls. In all patients IgA antigliadin antibody (AGA) titres were determined with enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), and IgA antiendomysium antibodies (EMA) with indirect immunofluorescence on human umbilical cord. Cryostat sections of human brain occipital cortex were incubated with the patients' sera and subsequently labelled with anti-human IgA fluorescein conjugate. RESULTS: All sera from patients with active CD on a gluten-containing diet yielded positive results in both the IgG-AGA and EMA test and in indirect immunofluorescence on brain tissue, disclosing a strong fluorescence over blood-vessels structures. All sera from CD patients on a GFD and from non-coeliac gastrointestinal controls gave a negative result on both the EMA test and the immunofluorescence reaction on human brain. CONCLUSIONS: Sera from patients with active CD contain IgA antibodies that react with human brain vessel structures, giving intense fluorescence. These antibodies are not present in sera from coeliac patients on a GFD or non-coeliac controls. This finding might be involved in the abnormal nervous system manifestations frequently described in association with coeliac disease.     

Improvements in daily functioning after deep brain stimulation of the thalamus for intractable tremor

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamus reduces tremor in patients with essential tremor (ET). However, few studies have determined the degree of improvement in daily functioning associated with DBS. We developed a self-report Tremor Activities of Daily Living Scale (TADLS) to compare daily functioning with the stimulator turned on and off. Patients rated their performance on the 30 items of the TADLS with the stimulator turned off and then on. They also performed 10 activities under the supervision of a clinician who rated their functional ability with stimulation off and then on. There was a 58% improvement in self-rated TADLS scores in patients with DBS with the stimulator on compared with stimulation off. When activities were rated by the clinician, the average improvement in functioning with the stimulator on was 54%. There were reasonably high correlations between patient and clinician ratings of functioning. ET patients have a marked improvement in daily functioning with thalamic DBS.     

Energy Dissipation on Block Ramps with Staggered Boulders

Block ramps are a short length of a steep channel armored with rocks, which produce high dissipation of energy. This technical note presents the results of experiments performed on a ramp having a staggered arrangement of hemispherical boulders with base material on its bed. Compared to row and random arrangements of boulders, a staggered arrangement produces more dissipation of energy. Relative energy loss in the ramp depends not only on the discharge but also on boulder concentration and their sizes. A relationship is proposed that satisfactorily determines the dissipation of energy on the ramp with base material and boulders placed with a staggered arrangement.     

Hemocompatible cellulose dialysis membranes modified with phospholipid polymers

Hemocompatibility is one of the most important properties for hemodialysis membranes. For improvement of the hemocompatibility on a cellulose dialysis membrane, modifications with new blood-compatible phospholipid polymers were carried out. These methods included a direct grafting of the phospholipid monomer on the membrane surface, coating the membrane surface with a water-soluble graft copolymer composed of a cellulose backbone and phospholipid polymer as a branch, and covalent bonding with a reactive phospholipid polymer on the membrane surface. These modified membranes could reduce protein adsorption as well as complement activation and platelet adhesion on the surface without any adverse effects on the membrane performance.     

Free-operant performance on variable interval schedules with a linear feedback loop: No evidence for molar sensitivities in rats.

Four experiments examined rats' sensitivity to molar and molecular factors on instrumental schedules of reinforcement. rats were exposed to a variable interval schedule with a positive feedback loop (VI+), such that faster responding led to a shorter interreinforcement interval. In Experiments 1 and 2, rats responded faster on a variable response (VR) schedule than on either a VI schedule matched for reinforcement rate or a VI + schedule matched for the feedback function. In Experiment 3, rats responded no differently on a VI schedule than they did on a VI+ schedule with equated rates of reinforcement. In Experiment 4, rats responded faster on a VI+ schedule with an interresponse time requirement yoked to that experienced on a VR schedule, than on a VI+ schedule with the same feedback function as the VR schedule. Taken together these results suggest that rats are more sensitive to the molecular than the molar properties of the schedules. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative characteristics of the outcome of serum and infectious hepatitis according to materials of the 1st Infectious Disease Hospital in Erevan

On the basis of literature data and personal investigations the authors elaborated a scheme of detection of the causative agent of melioidosis in the objects of external environment, including fluorescent microscopy of crude material, seeding on meat-peptone agar with crystal violet, seeding material treated with penicillin on fluid medium with subsequent transfer on solid Levin medium and infection of animals, seeding on a medium with beta-alanine and neonmycin and infection of sensitive animals with crude material.     

Asymmetric chlorobenzoic acid N,N-dialkylamides having phytotoxic activity

In continuation of research on phytotoxic substances with selective activity, pre- and post-emergence tests against some weed species were made using a series of 3-chlorobenzamides substituted on the amide nitrogen with a sec.butyl or a 1-methylbutyl group, the second alkyl substituent being linear, branched, saturated or unsaturated. Asymmetric 3-chlorobenzamides with a tert.butyl in place of sec.butyl or with an 1-ethylpropyl in place of 1-methylbutyl and with a second alkyl residue of different nature and with variable weight, were prepared and tested for the purposes of comparison. The results show that amides with excellent phytotoxicity and selectivity of action are obtained if a sec.butyl, 1-methylbutyl or 1-ethylpropyl group is retained and the second substituent on the amide nitrogen is suitably varied. The results give further information on the importance of the steric characteristics of the substituents on nitrogen in the phytotoxic N,N-dialkylamides.     

Interactions of the cytoplasmic domain of P-selectin with clathrin-coated pits enhance leukocyte adhesion under flow

Flowing leukocytes tether to and roll on P-selectin, a receptor on endothelial cells that is rapidly internalized in clathrin-coated pits. We asked whether the association of P-selectin with clathrin-coated pits contributes to its adhesive function. Under flow, rolling neutrophils accumulated efficiently on CHO cells expressing wild-type P-selectin or a P-selectin construct with a substitution in the cytoplasmic domain that caused even faster internalization than that of the wild-type protein. By contrast, far fewer rolling neutrophils accumulated on CHO cells expressing P-selectin constructs with a deletion or a substitution in the cytoplasmic domain that impaired internalization. Neutrophils rolled on the internalization-competent constructs with greater adhesive strength, slower velocity, and more uniform motion. Flowing neutrophils tethered equivalently to internalization-competent or internalization-defective P-selectin, but after tethering, they rolled further on internalization-competent P-selectin. Confocal microscopy demonstrated colocalization of alpha-adaptin, a component of clathrin-coated pits, with wild-type P-selectin, but not with P-selectin lacking the cytoplasmic domain. Treatment of CHO cells or endothelial cells with hypertonic medium reversibly impaired the clathrin-mediated internalization of P-selectin and its ability to support neutrophil rolling. Interactions of the cytoplasmic domain of P-selectin with clathrin-coated pits provide a novel mechanism to enhance leukocyte adhesion under flow.     

Cost effectiveness in optometric health care

A case of sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma and its appearance on MRI is presented. The tumor showed a zonal architecture on MRI with a large central core of very low signal intensity and a peripheral rim of intermediate to high signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted spin echo pulse sequences. The core showed decreased cellularity with dense collagen deposition on histologic examination, and the peripheral zone increased cellularity with increased nuclear atypia. The presence of a prominent region of very low signal intensity on T1- and T2- weighted images can be seen with neural tumors, giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath, aggressive fibromatosis, and, in rare instances, with soft tissue sarcomas rich in collagen.     

Effect of small cue–response separation on pattern discrimination in macaques (Macaca fuscata and M. mulatta).

Three studies with 17 macaque and 6 rhesus monkeys examined the effect of small cue–response separations on Ss' pattern discriminations. When training on a pattern discrimination with a cue–response separation was discontinued during performance at the chance level, there was no saving on the rate of learning a 2nd task (with identical cues but a different cue–response separation) relative to the performance of naive control Ss. By contrast, when training was discontinued at a performance level a little better than chance, there was significant saving on learning a 2nd task. After learning the 2nd task, a 3rd task with new pattern cues was learned, with marked saving on the duration of performance at the chance level. Results indicate that during the initial stage of performance at the chance level, monkeys do not attend to cues if there is even a small separation between the cue and the response site. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structure and organization of the human uncoupling protein 2 gene and identification of a common biallelic variant in Caucasian and African-American subjects

PURPOSE: We evaluated the intraobserver and interobserver variability in measuring long-term changes in the volume of brain lesions on 5- and 3-mm-thick MR sections in patients with multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Eighteen 18 patients were scanned on two separate occasions with a mean interval of 16.4 months between the two examinations. In each session, a scan with 24 contiguous 5-mm-thick axial sections and another with 40 contiguous 3-mm-thick axial sections was acquired consecutively without moving the patient. We assessed MR lesion load by using a semiautomated local thresholding technique. RESULTS: Lesion volume was significantly higher on images with 3-mm-thick sections than on those with 5-mm-thick sections both at baseline and at follow up. Significant increases in total lesion volume were observed during the follow-up period on images obtained with both 5- and 3-mm-thick sections. The intra- and interobserver variability in measurements of changes in lesion volume was significantly higher on images with 5-mm-thick sections than on those with 3-mm-thick sections. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the acquisition of thinner sections increases the reliability of the assessment of changes in brain lesion load on MR images in patients with multiple sclerosis.     

The load applied to the foot in a patellar ligament-bearing cast

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a patellar ligament-bearing cast reduces the load applied to a foot in a cast. In a study of ten people who had no history of gait abnormalities, disease involving the motor system, or deformities of the lower extremities, we compared the load applied to the plantar aspect of a foot in a cast (as detected with F-Scan computer-monitored pedobarographic sensors) with the total load that an extremity in a cast receives relative to the ground (as detected with force-plates). Six trials were completed three times by each person. The trials consisted of walking (1) while wearing regular shoes; (2) with a patellar ligament-bearing cast on one leg; (3) with a patellar ligament-bearing cast and an overlying soft knee brace, locked in full extension, on the leg; (4) with only a below-the-knee cast on the leg; (5) with a below-the-knee cast and an overlying knee brace, locked in full extension, on the leg; and (6) with only a knee brace, locked in full extension, on the leg. The loads at peak heel-strike for all three trials were averaged and normalized to body weight. The load on the plantar aspect of the foot, as compared with the total load, was reduced a mean of 11 percent when the patellar ligament-bearing cast was worn alone, and it was reduced a mean of 26 percent when the patellar ligament-bearing cast was used with an overlying knee brace locked in full extension. This difference was significant (p = 0.007). With the numbers available, we could not detect a significant difference between the reduction in load when a patellar ligament-bearing cast was worn alone compared with that when a below-the-knee cast was worn alone or between the reduction when a below-the-knee cast was worn alone compared with that when a below-the-knee cast was used with a knee brace (p = 0.3). In conclusion, we could not demonstrate a significant reduction in the load on the foot when a patellar ligament-bearing cast was used in a traditional fashion; however, a significant (p = 0.007) reduction in load was found when a knee brace locked in full extension was worn in addition to the patellar ligament-bearing cast.     

Impaired reversal but intact acquisition: Probabilistic response reversal deficits in adult individuals with psychopathy.

The performance of adult psychopathic individuals on a novel response reversal task involving 2 reward-punishment contingencies (100-0 and 80-20) was investigated. In line with predictions, adults with psychopathy presented with impairment on the response reversal component but not on the acquisition component of this task. This selective impairment for response reversal was seen for both reward-punishment contingencies and was related to the tendency of individuals with psychopathy to be less likely to stay with a rewarded correct response to a stimulus on the subsequent presentation of that stimulus. Results are discussed with reference to current models of the development of psychopathy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Probability learning on incidentally observed dimensions: A response bias effect.

Performed 2 experiments with 140 university students which demonstrate the occurrence of response bias effects as a function of previous probability learning and which are independent of stimulus dimensions. In Exp I, Ss first received training predicting the alternatives on a brightness dimension of metric patterns on a 70-30 probability distribution with the incidental dimensions of symmetry and concentration varying independently either on 70-30 or 50-50 distributions. After 200 trials, Ss were shifted to an incidental dimension; they predicted dimension alternatives on the incidental dimensions at a rate higher than appropriate controls Ss with no prior training. Exp II demonstrated that the response bias effect was dependent on the nature of the prior probability training. Ss first predicted on a 70-30 distribution of shape and were shifted to either a 70-30 or 50-50 distribution of nonsense syllables. Comparisons with nontraining control groups showed that Ss with prior training predicted the nonsense syllable alternatives at a higher rate. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Total parenteral nutrition in the absence of kidney function for the treatment of the complications of gastrointestinal surgery

This is a preliminary report on an eight-year-old child with uremia (terminal renal failure) on chronic dialysis, that developed a postoperative high output small bowel fistula associated with sepsis and malnutrition. She was successfully treated with a Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) scheme including an amino acid solution with 60% essential amino acids and 40% non-essential amino acids, now available in Peru, without increasing the frequency of hemodialysis for a 72-day period on TPN. Attention is drawn to Nutritional Support Team Approach.     

The therapeutic alliance in behavior therapy.

It may be argued that behavior therapy has proceeded with minimal regard for the therapeutic alliance (TA) as a key mechanism of change. However, ignoring the role of TA in behavior therapy may not only be problematic on a practical level, but also may be inconsistent with basic principles that underlie behavior therapy. In beginning to address these issues, the authors consider the role of TA in behavior therapy with a focus on relevant basic principles. Keeping a focus on these basic principles, the authors then outline three contemporary behavior therapies that already incorporate a focus on the therapeutic relationship and conclude with a clinical case illustration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of feeder cells (human cancer cell lines) on the development of mouse embryos by co-culture

The participation of apical membranes of uterine epithelial cells in the process of blastocyst adhesion makes them an interesting object in the study of changes occurring during early pregnancy. In the study of these changes alkaline phosphatase (AIP), a typical brush border enzyme, was chosen for demonstration with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) by means of a backscatter detector. Thus the temporal and spatial pattern of enzyme activity on the uterine luminal surface was made visible with lead salt procedures. AIP activity was shown to be located on apical membranes and microvilli of endometrial epithelial cells with high activity on day 2 of pregnancy decreasing to virtually no activity on day 5. This decrease in overall AIP activity was shown to be asymmetrical with respect to the uterine cavity. It begins on the antimesometrial half of the uterine lining on day 2. A distribution pattern demarcating a presumptive implantation site along the uterine horn was not found. However, on day 5 of pregnancy, a characteristic pattern of surface folds was found, dividing the uterine horn into 'implantation segments'. In addition, SEM investigation revealed a marked variation of AIP activity from one individual cell to the next on day 2 of pregnancy resulting in a mosaic-like pattern. This pattern is lost with the decrease of AIP activity on day 5. Thus heterogeneity of uterine epithelial cells in AIP activity is apparently a feature of nonreceptive epithelium in contrast to the homogeneous epithelium on day 5. It is proposed that epithelial cell homogeneity could be a marker for uterine receptivity.     

Social influences on children's problem solving.

Three studies examined the nature and limiting conditions of effects of peer interaction on children's problem solving. 150 children (4 to 11 years old) worked alone or with a same-age peer at a computer. Age, task complexity, and task familiarity were found to qualify effects of peer interaction on both motivation and learning. At all ages, except when the task was very complex or very familiar, working with a peer increased task engagement and positive affect. For younger preschool children, working with a peer had no effect on retention of simple or moderately complex tasks but had a negative effect on retention of more complex tasks. For older preschool children, peer interaction had a positive effect on retention of simple tasks, a neutral effect on retention of moderately complex tasks, and a negative effect on retention of more complex tasks. For elementary-school children, peer interaction had a positive effect on retention of even the most complex tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of amphetamine on food and fruit drink self-administration.

The effects of oral d-amphetamine (0.12–1.0 mg/kg) on the responding of adult baboons were examined during choice sessions. In Experiment 1, responding on 1 lever was reinforced with 1 food pellet, and responding on a 2nd lever was reinforced with 4 food pellets. The response requirement (fixed ratio [FR]) on the latter lever was 4 times the FR value; that is, the unit price (responses/g) was the same. Amphetamine decreased responding on both levers similarly under all conditions. In Experiment 2, responding on 1 lever was reinforced with 1 pellet, and responding on a 2nd lever was reinforced with a sweet fruit drink. Amphetamine decreased responding reinforced by food to the greatest extent when the FR value was large and fruit drink was available. Findings indicate that choice procedures can provide baselines that allow the evaluation of the specificity of a manipulation on intake of a commodity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Pseudoocclusion" of the internal carotid artery: a pitfall on intracranial MRA

We report a case showing "pseudoocclusion" of the internal carotid artery as a pitfall on intracranial MRA. Pseudoocclusion was attributed to magnetic susceptibility artifacts with metallic substances located proximal to a slab. The same finding could be reproduced on experimental MRA with a small steel coil applied on the anterior neck of a volunteer at the level of the carotid bifurcation.