The mating of a fly

Courtship in Drosophila is influenced by a wide variety of genes, in that many different kinds of pleiotropic mutations lead to defective courtship. This may seem to be a truism, but the broad temporal and spatial expression of most of the fly's "neuro genes" makes it difficult to exclude elements of such genes' actions as materially underlying reproductive behavior. "Courtship genes" that seem to play more particular roles were originally identified as sensory, learning, or rhythm mutations; their reproductive abnormalities have been especially informative for revealing components of male or female actions that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Further behavioral mutations seemed originally to be courtship-specific, turned out not to have that property, and have led to a broadened perspective on the nature and action of Drosophila's sex-determination genes.     

The anti-inflammatory activity of boron derivatives in rodents

Acyclic amine-carboxyboranes were effective anti-inflammatory agents in mice at 8 mg/kg x 2. These amine-carboxyboranes were more effective than the standard indomethacin at 8 mg/kg x 2, pentoxifylline at 50 mg/kg x 2, and phenylbutazone at 50 mg/kg x 2. The heterocyclic amine derivatives as well as amine-carbamoylboranes, carboalkoxyboranes, and cyanoboranes were generally less active. However, selected aminomethyl-phosphonate-N-cyanoboranes demonstrated greater than 60% reduction of induced inflammation. The boron compounds were also active in the rat induced edema, chronic arthritis, and pleurisy screens, demonstrating activity similar to the standard indomethacin. The compounds were effecive in reducing local pain and decreased the tail flick reflex to pain. The derivatives which demonstrated good anti-inflammatory activity were effective inhibitors of hydrolytic lysosomal, and proteolytic enzyme activities with IC(50) 50 values equal to (-6)M in mouse macrophages, human leukocytes, and Be Sal osteofibrolytic cells. In these same cell lines, the agents blocked prostaglandin cyclooxygenase activity with IC(50) values of (-6)M. In mouse macrophage and human leukocytes, 5' lipoxygenase activity was also inhibited by the boron derivatives with IC(50) values of 10(-6)M. These IC(50) values for inhibition of these enzyme activities are consistent with published values of known anti-inflammatory agents which target these enzymes.     

NMR investigation of the magnetic susceptibility anisotropy in3He-A

We have investigated transverse continuous wave NMR in a geometry where the modes are influenced by susceptibility anisotropy. The helium sample is separated by mylar foils into layers 12 m thick perpendicular to the external dc magnetic field. In this geometryl is constrained to be parallel to the field andd switches from parallel to perpendicular to the field over a small range of field around the dipole unlocking field. The mode frequencies below this critical field yield a value for the susceptibility anisotropy. Above the critical field the expected negative frequency shift is observed, as well as a positive frequency shift due to bulk material and an unexpected signal close to the Larmor frequency.     

Rigor, rigor mortis, and conspiratorial views of depression research.

The authors reassert the need for methodological changes in depression research appearing in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and other personality and social psychology journals. In this rejoinder the authors update their earlier literature review (H. Tennen, J. Hall, & G. Affleck; see record 1995-31710-001) and respond to the commentaries by P C. Kendall and E. C. Flannery-Schroeder (see record 1995-31700-001) and G. Weary, J. A. Edwards, and J. A. Jacobson (see record 1995-31713-001). The authors notice that G. Weary et al.'s own findings demonstrate the need to change how depression is measured and participants are assigned to experimental groups. The authors also challenge G. Weary et al.'s contention that structured interviews are limited because they require interviewer judgments, and they urge personality and social psychologists to learn more about these interviews. Finally, G. Weary et al.'s suspicion that depression research guidelines reflect professional parochialism is disputed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serum from diabetic BB/W rats enhances calcium currents in primary sensory neurons

We examined the hypothesis that exposure of nondiabetic rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons to sera from diabetic BB/W rats would produce an increase in calcium currents associated with impaired regulation of the inhibitory G protein-calcium channel complex. Acutely dissociated rat DRGs were incubated for 18-24 h in medium supplemented with sera (10% vol/vol) from either diabetic rats with neuropathy or age-matched, nondiabetic controls. Exposure of DRG neurons to sera from diabetic BB/W rats resulted in a surface membrane immunofluorescence pattern when treated with an anti-rat light-chain antibody that was not observed in neurons exposed to control sera. Calcium current density (IDCa) was assessed with the use of the whole cell variation of the patch-clamp technique. IDCa in neurons exposed to diabetic sera was significantly increased compared with neurons exposed to control sera. Guanine nucleotide-binding (G) protein regulation of calcium channel function was examined with the use of a two-pulse "facilitation" or IDCa enhancement protocol in the presence of activators [guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S)] or antagonists [guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S) and pertussis toxin (PTX)] of G protein function. Facilitation was significantly decreased in neurons exposed to diabetic sera. Intracellular diffusion of neurons with GDP beta s blocked facilitation, whereas dialysis with GTP gamma s increased facilitation to a similar magnitude in neurons exposed to either diabetic or control sera. Treatment with PTX resulted in a significant increase in IDCa and approximately 50% decrease in facilitation in neurons treated with control sera but no significant changes in neurons exposed to diabetic sera. We conclude that serum from diabetic BB/W rats with neuropathy contains an autoimmune immunoglobulin that impairs regulation of the inhibitory G protein-calcium channel complex, resulting in enhanced calcium influx. Regulation of the inhibitory G protein-calcium channel complex involves PTX-sensitive and -insensitive G proteins.     

Cytotoxicity and antineoplastic activities of alkylamines and their borane derivatives

The alkylamines and their related boron derivatives demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against the growth of murine and human tissue cultured cells. These agents did not necessarily require the boron atom to possess potent cytotoxic action in certain tumor lines. Their ability to suppress tumor cell growth was based on their inhibition of DNA and protein syntheses. DNA synthesis was reduced because purine synthesis was blocked at the enzyme site of IMP dehydrogenase by the agents. In addition ribonucleotide reductase and nucleoside kinase activities were reduced by the agents which would account for the reduced d[NTP] pools. The DNA template or molecule may be a target of the drugs with regard to binding of the drug to nucleoside bases or intercalaction of the drug between DNA base pairs. Only some Of the agents caused DNA fragmentation with reduced DNA viscosity. These effects would contribute to overall cell death afforded by the agents.     

Computationally directed axisymmetric aspheric figuring (after N. J. Brown)

We examine some computational problems related to the finishing of axisymmetric optical surfaces discussed in a paper by N. J. Brown [Opt. Eng. 17, 602-620 (1978)]. In the spirit of Brown's paper we develop solution algorithms that are suitable for implementation on today's personal computers. The use of the algorithms is illustrated by some sample calculations.     

Low-frequency intensity noise in semiconductor lasers

The low-frequency intensity noise at 25 MHz of a Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser is measured as a function of injection current. All the measurements are taken at room temperature and the laser is operated with a commercial current source (the conditions under which laser diodes are often used). At the highest injection current of twice threshold, the intensity noise is 5.5 dB above the shot-noise limit. When the longitudinal side mode suppression of the laser is 20 dB or larger, the intensity noise is modeled adequately by an expression derived from the single-mode, small-signal, linearized, semiclassical rate equations. All the parameters used in the theory are derived or referenced.