Single photon emission computed tomographic blood flow and magnetic resonance volume imaging of basal ganglia in Huntington''s disease

During oogenesis in Drosophila, germ cells appear in sequential clusters of 16 interconnected cells. The events surrounding the differentiation of these cells are not fully understood. Here we present genetic and morphological analysis of mutations in the gene stand still (stil). Through complementation analyses we have refined the location of this gene to cyological region 49B-C. Our analyses of ovaries from ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS)-induced mutant alleles of this gene suggest that mutations in the stil gene produce a wide range of phenotypic abnormalities, from the absence of germ cells in the most severe alleles, to egg chambers with cytoskeletal defects in the less severe alleles. Our results suggest a role for this gene in specifying or maintaining a cytoskeletal component, with consequences during oogenesis and possibly during germ line sex determination.     

Why Are You Bringing Up Condoms Now? The Effect of Message Content on Framing Effects of Condom Use Messages.

According to prospect theory (A. Tversky & D. Kahneman, 1981), messages advocating a low-risk (i.e., easy, low-cost) behavior are most effective if they stress the benefits of adherence (gain framed), whereas messages advocating a risky behavior are most effective if they stress the costs of nonadherence (loss framed). Although condom use is viewed as a low-risk behavior, it may entail risky interpersonal negotiations. Study 1 (N = 167) compared ratings of condom use messages advocating relational behaviors (e.g., discussing condoms) or health behaviors (e.g., carrying condoms). As predicted, loss-framed relational messages and gain-framed health messages received higher evaluations. Study 2 (N = 225) offers a replication and evidence of issue involvement and gender as moderators. Results are discussed with reference to the design of condom use messages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

First observation of the fourth neutral polarization point in the atmosphere

In the clear sky there are three commonly known loci, the Arago, Babinet, and Brewster neutral points, where the skylight is unpolarized. These peculiar celestial points, bearing the names of their discoverers, have been the subject of many ground-based investigations, because their positions are sensitive indicators of the amount and type of atmospheric turbidity. According to theoretical considerations and computer simulations, there should exist an additional neutral point approximately opposite to the Babinet point, which can be observed only at higher altitudes in the air or space. Until now, this anonymous "fourth" neutral point has not been observed during air- or space-borne polarimetric experiments and has been forgotten, in spite of the fact that the neutral points were a basic tool in atmospheric research for a century. Here, we report on the first observation of this fourth neutral point from a hot air balloon. Using 180 degrees-field-of-view imaging polarimetry, we could observe the fourth neutral point at 450, 550, and 650 nm from different altitudes between 900 and 3500 m during and after sunrise at approximately 22 degrees - 40 degrees below the anti-solar point along the anti-solar meridian, depending on the wavelength and solar elevation. We show that the fourth neutral point exists at the expected location and has characteristics similar to those of the Arago, Babinet, and Brewster points. We discuss why the fourth neutral point has not been observed in previous air- or space-borne polarimetric experiments.     

Ground-based full-sky imaging polarimetry of rapidly changing skies and its use for polarimetric cloud detection

For elimination of the shortcomings of imaging polarimeters that take the necessary three pictures sequentially through linear-polarization filters, a three-lens, three-camera, full-sky imaging polarimeter was designed that takes the required pictures simultaneously. With this polarimeter, celestial polarization patterns can be measured even if rapid temporal changes occur in the sky: under cloudy sky conditions, or immediately after sunrise or prior to sunset. One of the possible applications of our polarimeter is the ground-based detection of clouds. With use of the additional information of the degree and the angle of polarization patterns of cloudy skies measured in the red (650 nm), green (550 nm), and blue (450 nm) spectral ranges, improved algorithms of radiometric cloud detection can be offered. We present a combined radiometric and polarimetric algorithm that performs the detection of clouds more efficiently and reliably as compared with an exclusively radiometric cloud-detection algorithm. The advantages and the limits of three-lens, three-camera, full-sky imaging polarimeters as well as the possibilities of improving our polarimetric cloud detection method are discussed briefly.     

A new radiation-free conditioning in bone marrow transplantation and dibromo-mannitol therapy in chronic myeloid leukemia

A new, radiation-free, conditioning protocol, containing the original Hungarian mitobronitol (DBM) (DBM/ cytosine arabinoside/cyclosphosphamide) has been applied to 36 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients followed by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from HLA identical sibling donors between 1990-1997. In spite of some prognostically disadvantageous factors (half of them were above 40 years, 10 out of 36 patients were in accelerated phase, the disease history was longer than 2 years in average) the overall survival (30/36) and the leukemia free survival rate (26/36) were in accordance with the best international results. Transplantation-related toxicity was remarkably reduced in comparison to bone marrow transplantation performed by total body irradiation/cyclophosphamide (TBI/Cy) or busulphan/cyclophosphamide (Bu/Cy) conditioning protocols. Acute graft versus host disease was present in lower percentage (9/36) and the number of serious cases was only 2/36. Chronic GVH disease, generally known to be associated with antileukemic effect (GVL), occurred in 25 of cases. Early haematological relapse among the 34 patients with functioning graft occurred in 6 patients which rate is slightly higher than reported after TBI/Cy or Bu/Cy conditioning treatment. There was no relapse among patients transplanted within one year post-diagnosis and patients having CML with accelerated phase. The leukemia free post-transplant period was in association with the chronic GVH disease and full chimeric state.     

Exploratory factor analysis of MRI brain structure measures in schizophrenia

Much of the literature shows various regional structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia, but the complexity and variability of brain makes it difficult to determine how these regions are related. Statistical methods which estimate factors underlying patterns of covariance have not been widely used, but could be useful for analyzing such complex data. We applied exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis procedures to specific cortical and subcortical regional brain volume measures from MRI data in 60 normal and 44 schizophrenic subjects. Basal ganglia, heteromodal cortical gray, and medial temporal lobe factors were present in both the normal and the schizophrenia groups. The factor structure observed in the normal group showed a high degree of bilateral symmetry which is present but disrupted in the schizophrenia group. In the bilateral data, the disruption is most pronounced with medial and lateral temporal lobe structures including entorhinal cortex and anterior and posterior superior temporal gyri. There was a significant correlation between the basal ganglia factor and the heteromodal cortical gray factor in the normal group that was not present in the schizophrenia group. In the unilateral data, left posterior superior temporal gyrus did not load onto any factor in the schizophrenia group. Confirmatory factor analyses showed significant differences between the two groups in factor structure. A number of specific brain regions are affected in schizophrenia, and structural relationships between groups of regions also are abnormal. The results suggest that heteromodal dorsolateral prefrontal and superior temporal cortical gray regions are structurally related, whereas inferior parietal cortical gray is less so. These results should be viewed as preliminary as the ratio of parameters to subjects was relatively low, and replication is needed. However, the results demonstrate the potential utility of latent structure methods such as factor analysis in study of complex relationships in neuropsychiatric data.