Digit Symbol and Symbol Digit Modalities Tests: Are they directly interchangeable?

45 persons (aged 19–74 yrs) referred for neuropsychological evaluation were administered both the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the Digit Symbol (DS) subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). SDMT and DS scores correlated very highly (r?=?.91). Relative to the tests' normative populations, however, the SDMT yielded scores for individual Ss that were the equivalent of 4–5 WAIS age-scaled points lower than obtained DS age-scaled scores. Results indicate that SDMT and DS scores cannot be presumed to be directly interchangeable in clinical use and suggest a general need for caution when interpreting interest patterns across measures normed on different populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Thermal stability of indium-tin-oxide/n-GaAs Schottky diodes

The thermal degradation of ITO Schottky contacts on GaAs has been studied. The rectifying contacts show rapid degradation with heating and could have serious implications for optoelectronic devices that operate at elevated temperatures.<>     

Astrocytic neurotransmitter receptors in situ and in vivo

In the brain, astrocytes are associated intimately with neurons and surround synapses. Due to their close proximity to synaptic clefts, astrocytes are in a prime location for receiving synaptic information from released neurotransmitters. Cultured astrocytes express a wide range of neurotransmitter receptors, but do astrocytes in vivo also express neurotransmitter receptors and, if so, are the receptors activated by synaptically released neurotransmitters? In recent years, considerable efforts has gone into addressing these issues. The experimental results of this effort have been compiled and are presented in this review. Although there are many different receptors which have not been identified on astrocytes in situ, it is clear that astrocytes in situ express a number of different receptors. There is evidence of glutamatergic, GABAergic, adrenergic, purinergic, serotonergic, muscarinic, and peptidergic receptors on protoplasmic, fibrous, or specialized (Bergmann glia, pituicytes, Müller glia) astrocytes in situ and in vivo. These receptors are functionally coupled to changes in membrane potential or to intracellular signaling pathways such as activation of phospholipase C or adenylate cyclase. The expression of neurotransmitter receptors by astrocytes in situ exhibits regional and intraregional heterogeneity and changes during development and in response to injury. There is also evidence that receptors on astrocytes in situ can be activated by neurotransmitter(s) released from synaptic terminals. Given the evidence of extra-synaptic signaling and the expression of neurotransmitter receptors by astrocytes in situ, direct communication between neurons and astrocytes via neurotransmitters could be a widespread form of communication in the brain which may affect many different aspects of brain function, such as glutamate uptake and the modulation of extracellular space.     

Imaging spectrum of thrombo-occlusive vascular disease associated with antiphospholipid antibodies

The association of antiphospholipid antibodies with unexplained thrombo-occlusive vascular disease is well known but often remains unrecognized. The most well-studied clinical manifestation is venous thrombosis, but arterial occlusive disease involving multiple sites is also well documented. Twenty-six cases of thrombo-occlusive disease were observed in 22 patients over a 3-year period. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography were used to make the diagnoses. None of the patients who underwent angiography or venography developed thrombolytic disease related to the puncture site. This group of patients with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome had a wide distribution of arterial and venous thrombotic disease. Radiologists should consider antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in the differential diagnosis when evaluating thrombo-occlusive vascular disease that is unexpected or occurs without risk factors. Knowledge of antiphospholipid antibody status has important implications for prognosis and therapy.     

Catechol-O-methyltransferase-deficient mice exhibit sexually dimorphic changes in catecholamine levels and behavior

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is one of the major mammalian enzymes involved in the metabolic degradation of catecholamines and is considered a candidate for several psychiatric disorders and symptoms, including the psychopathology associated with the 22q11 microdeletion syndrome. By means of homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells, a strain of mice in which the gene encoding the COMT enzyme has been disrupted was produced. The basal concentrations of brain catecholamines were measured in the striatum, frontal cortex, and hypothalamus of adult male and female mutants. Locomotor activity, anxiety-like behaviors, sensorimotor gating, and aggressive behavior also were analyzed. Mutant mice demonstrated sexually dimorphic and region-specific changes of dopamine levels, notably in the frontal cortex. In addition, homozygous COMT-deficient female (but not male) mice displayed impairment in emotional reactivity in the dark/light exploratory model of anxiety. Furthermore, heterozygous COMT-deficient male mice exhibited increased aggressive behavior. Our results provide conclusive evidence for an important sex- and region-specific contribution of COMT in the maintenance of steady-state levels of catecholamines in the brain and suggest a role for COMT in some aspects of emotional and social behavior in mice.