Insoluble Vascular Amyloid Deposits Trigger Disruption of the Neurovascular Unit in Alzheimer’s Disease Brains

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized histopathologically by intra-neuronal tau-related lesions and by the accumulation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) in the brain parenchyma and around cerebral blood vessels. According to the vascular hypothesis of AD, an alteration in the neurovascular unit (NVU) could lead to Aβ vascular accumulation and promote neuronal dysfunction, accelerating neurodegeneration and dementia. To date, the effects of insoluble vascular Aβ deposits on the NVU and the blood–brain barrier (BBB) are unknown. In this study, we analyze different Aβ species and their association with the cells that make up the NVU. We evaluated post-mortem AD brain tissue. Multiple immunofluorescence assays were performed against different species of Aβ and the main elements that constitute the NVU. Our results showed that there are insoluble vascular deposits of both full-length and truncated Aβ species. Besides, insoluble aggregates are associated with a decrease in the phenotype of the cellular components that constitute the NVU and with BBB disruption. This approach could help identify new therapeutic targets against key molecules and receptors in the NVU that can prevent the accumulation of vascular fibrillar Aβ in AD.     

Nanogoldpharmaceutics (i) The use of colloidal gold to treat experimentally-induced arthritis in rat models; (ii) Characterization of the gold in Swarna bhasma, a microparticulate used in traditional Indian medicine

Nanosized gold particles (27 +/− 3 nm) have been proven to be effective in ameliorating the symptoms of mycobacterial-, collagen- and pristane-induced arthritis in rat models. This contrasts with the drug sodium aurothiomalate that was only effective against mycobacterial-induced arthritis but not to the same extent as Au⁰. Gold in the traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine,Swarna bhasma (gold ash), has been characterized as globular particles of gold with an average size of 56–57 nm.     

Chasing the White “WHALE”: A Case Study in Using iPads to Promote Active Learning

In order to encourage more active learning in the library classroom, the college librarians at the Tidewater Community College/City of Virginia Beach Joint-Use Library turned one of their library instruction classrooms into a dynamic and flexible space using movable seating and iPads. This article explores the reasons for making such a change, the benefits of doing so, how the new classroom has affected librarians' teaching methods, and gives specific information about apps used for class activities.     

Protein crystal growth in microgravity-temperature induced large scale crystallization of insulin

One of the major stumbling blocks that prevents rapid structure determination using x-ray crystallography is macromolecular crystal growth. There are many examples where crystallization takes longer than structure determination. In some cases, it is impossible to grow useful crystals on earth. Recent experiments conducted in conjunction with NASA on various Space Shuttle missions have demonstrated that protein crystals often grow larger and display better internal molecular order than their earth-grown counterparts. This paper reports results from three Shuttle flights using the Protein Crystallization Facility (PCF). The PCF hardware produced large, high-quality insulin crystals by using a temperature change as the sole means to affect protein solubility and thus, crystallization. The facility consists of cylinders/containers with volumes of 500, 200, 100, and 50 ml. Data from the three Shuttle flights demonstrated that larger, higher resolution crystals (as evidenced by x-ray diffraction data) were obtained from the microgravity experiments when compared to earth-grown crystals.     

Serotonin and serotonin receptors in the central auditory system

Single channel currents were activated by GABA (0.5 to 5 microM) in cell-attached and inside-out patches from cells in the dentate gyrus of rat hippocampal slices. The currents reversed at the chloride equilibrium potential and were blocked by bicuculline (100 microM). Several different kinds of channel were seen: high conductance and low conductance, rectifying and "nonrectifying." Channels had multiple conductance states. The open probability (Po) of channels was greater at depolarized than at hyperpolarized potentials and the relationship between Po and potential could be fitted with a Boltzmann equation with equivalent valency (z) of 1. The combination of outward rectification and potential-dependent open probability gave very little chloride current at hyperpolarized potentials but steeply increasing current with depolarization, useful properties for a tonic inhibitory mechanism.     

Consumer demands: Major problems facing industry in a consumer-driven society

Demand is driven by conventional market forces over much of the world among consumers with strong positive attitudes to meat as a nutritious, tasty and premium food; price in relation to income, availability, quality (including leanness) and relevance to life-style remain the dominant forces operating. But in the developed world, there are emerging concerns about how meat is produced, which are likely to have negative effects on demand, particularly that of the current younger generation, and which may well begin to affect Government policies towards the meat industry. The industry needs to establish strong information and education programmes, but also to examine its procedures to provide greater consumer assurance about practises and controls. Also the scientists and technologists serving the industry need to help it move towards sustainable lower input, less environmentally damaging systems, less reliance on drugs, stimulants and additives, sensitive exploitation of the new genetics and with more consideration for the animals involved.     

Solgel alumina coating for hollow waveguide delivery of CO(2) laser radiation

Solgel alumina films were prepared by use of the Yoldas process and were characterized optically and microstructurally. From nitrogen adsorption and electron microscopy, we determined that the material was highly porous, with pores and crystallites of the order of tens of nanometers in size. The infrared transmission and reflectance of the films were measured, and dispersion curves were calculated as a function of firing temperature by extracting the film optical constants from the reflectance and thickness data. The use of this material in a hollow waveguide structure for the delivery of CO(2) laser radiation for surgical applications is discussed. Calculated waveguide losses indicate that solgel-based alumina is a good candidate material for this application.     

Interpretation time of serial chest CT examinations with stacked-metaphor workstation versus film alternator

PURPOSE: Interpretation time of serial staging chest CT cases, which each contained current and previous examinations, with a simple prototype workstation called filmstack was experimentally compared with interpretation time with a film alternator. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The filmstack displayed a "stack" of sections for each examination; user controls allowed rapid selection of preset attenuation windows and both synchronized and unsynchronized scrolling. Eight radiologists were timed as they used the filmstack and the film alternator to interpret four ergonomically complex serial CT cases. RESULTS: All reports dictated on the basis of findings with filmstack and film were of acceptable clinical accuracy. The time to examine a case with filmstack was significantly faster than the time with film, including the time to load and unload the alternator (99% confidence [P = .01]). There was no statistically significant difference in interpretation time between filmstack and prehung film. CONCLUSION: Use of a low-cost stacked CT workstation with a single 1,024 x 1,024 monitor is an effective means of interpreting cases that require comparison of multiple CT examinations.     

D-subgenome bias of Xcm resistance genes in tetraploid Gossypium (cotton) suggests that polyploid formation has created novel avenues for evolution

A detailed RFLP map was used to determine the chromosomal locations and subgenomic distributions of cotton (Gossypium) genes/QTLs that confer resistance to the bacterial blight pathogen, Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum (Xcm). Genetic mapping generally corroborated classic predictions regarding the number and dosage effects of genes conferring Xcm resistance. One recessive allele (b6) was a noteworthy exception to the genetic dominance of most plant resistance alleles. This recessive allele appeared to uncover additional QTLs from both resistant and ostensibly susceptible genotypes, some of which corresponded in location to resistance (R)-genes effective against other Xcm races. One putatively "defeated" resistance allele (B3) reduced severity of Xcm damage by "virulent" races. Among the six resistance genes derived from tetraploid cottons, five (83%) mapped to D-subgenome chromosomes-if each subgenome were equally likely to evolve new R-gene alleles, this level of bias would occur in only about 1.6% of cases. Possible explanations of this bias include biogeographic factors, differences in evolutionary rates between subgenomes, gene conversion or other intergenomic exchanges that escaped detection by genetic mapping, or other factors. A significant D-subgenome bias of Xcm resistance genes may suggest that polyploid formation has offered novel avenues for phenotypic response to selection.