Prolactin in human and rat serum and cerebrospinal fluid

Rats treated with haloperidol or bearing subcutaneous implants of prolactin-secreting tumors had elevated CSF prolactin levels compared to those observed in control rats. These levels were commensurate with the increased serum level of prolactin, although there appeared to be an upper limit to the CSF prolactin concentration. Patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas had elevated CSF hormone levels as compared to patients with non-endocrine neurologic disease. This obtained, regardless of whether the tumor was intra- or extrasellar in its growth. The implications for the route of entry of prolactin into CSF under both normal and abnormal conditions, and the potential role for CSF prolactin as part of a feedback regulatory system on pituitary prolactin release are discussed.     

Backtrack search algorithms and the maximal common subgraph problem

Backtrack algorithms are applicable to a wide variety of problems. An efficient but readable version of such an algorithm is presented and its use in the problem of finding the maximal common subgraph of two graphs is described. Techniques available in this application area for ordering and pruning the backtrack search are discussed. This algorithm has been used successfully as a component of a program for analysing chemical reactions and enumerating the bond changes which have taken place.     

The impact of a stimulus to energy efficiency on the economy and the environment: A regional computable general equilibrium analysis

Sustainable development is a key objective of UK national and regional policies. Improvements in resource productivity have been suggested as both a measure of progress towards sustainable development and as a means of achieving sustainability. Making ‘more with less’ intuitively seems to be good for the environment, and this is the presumption of current UK policy. However, in a system-wide context, improvements in energy efficiency lower the cost of energy in efficiency units and may even stimulate the consumption and production of energy measured in physical units, and increase pollution. Simulations of a computable general equilibrium model of Scotland suggest that an across the board stimulus to energy efficiency there would actually stimulate energy production and consumption and lead to a deterioration in environmental indicators. The implication is that policies directed at stimulating energy efficiency are not, in themselves, sufficient to secure environmental improvements: this may require the use of complementary energy policies designed to moderate incentives to increased energy consumption.     

Meta-Review of Protein Network Regulating Obesity Between Validated Obesity Candidate Genes in the White Adipose Tissue of High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese C57BL/6J Mice

Worldwide obesity and related comorbidities are increasing, but identifying new therapeutic targets remains a challenge. A plethora of microarray studies in diet-induced obesity models has provided large datasets of obesity associated genes. In this review, we describe an approach to examine the underlying molecular network regulating obesity, and we discuss interactions between obesity candidate genes. We conducted network analysis on functional protein–protein interactions associated with 25 obesity candidate genes identified in a literature-driven approach based on published microarray studies of diet-induced obesity. The obesity candidate genes were closely associated with lipid metabolism and inflammation. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (Pparg) appeared to be a core obesity gene, and obesity candidate genes were highly interconnected, suggesting a coordinately regulated molecular network in adipose tissue. In conclusion, the current network analysis approach may help elucidate the underlying molecular network regulating obesity and identify anti-obesity targets for therapeutic intervention.     

Variants of dysfunction of the upper urinary tract in urolithiasis

Registration of contractility of the upper urinary tracts (UUT) at multichannel impedance ureterography was conducted in 30 patients with concrements in the kidneys and ureters before extracorporeal lithotripsy. By defects in urodynamics, the patients were divided into 4 groups. The most severe affection of urodynamics (low amplitude of the peristalsis, high tonicity of UUT wall) occurred in group 4. From group 1 to 4 contraction arrhythmia, deformity of contraction complexes, retrograde contraction waves were increasing. The index has been calculated for estimation of UUT performance in transporting urine.