Functional Dysregulations in CA1 Hippocampal Networks of a 3-Hit Mouse Model of Schizophrenia

For a better translation from treatment designs of schizophrenia to clinical efficiency, there is a crucial need to refine preclinical animal models. In order to consider the multifactorial nature of the disorder, a new mouse model associating three factors (genetic susceptibility—partial deletion of the MAP6 gene, early-life stress—maternal separation, and pharmacological treatment—chronic Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence) has recently been described. While this model depicts a schizophrenia-like phenotype, the neurobiological correlates remain unknown. Synaptic transmission and functional plasticity of the CA1 hippocampal region of male and female 3-hit mice were therefore investigated using electrophysiological recordings on the hippocampus slice. While basal excitatory transmission remained unaffected, NMDA receptor (NMDAr)-mediated long-term potentiation (LTP) triggered by theta-burst (TBS) but not by high-frequency (HFS) stimulation was impaired in 3-hit mice. Isolated NMDAr activation was not affected or even increased in female 3-hit mice, revealing a sexual dimorphism. Considering that the regulation of LTP is more prone to inhibitory tone if triggered by TBS than by HFS, the weaker potentiation in 3-hit mice suggests a deficiency of intrinsic GABA regulatory mechanisms. Indeed, NMDAr activation was increased by GABA_A receptor blockade in wild-type but not in 3-hit mice. This electrophysiological study highlights dysregulations of functional properties and plasticity in hippocampal networks of 3-hit mice, one of the mechanisms suspected to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. It also shows differences between males and females, supporting the sexual dimorphism observed in the disorder. Combined with the previously reported study, the present data reinforce the face validity of the 3-hit model that will help to consider new therapeutic strategies for psychosis.     

Motor fluency deficits in the sequencing of actions in schizophrenia.

Many everyday activities depend on the capacity to organize and smoothly execute motor sequences. The authors tested the hypothesis that a sequencing deficit is associated with schizophrenia. They used a new method to distinguish between lower and higher order mechanisms for the impairment. The 1st task involved triggered sequences in which sensory information from 1 movement was the cue for initiation of the following movement. Results showed that the motor sequences were performed as fluently in patients as in controls. The 2nd and 3rd tasks involved sequences in which the entire movement sequence could be preplanned. Patients executed the sequences less fluently than controls but only under the condition where action sequences were required. Furthermore, the patients' fluency deficit increased with sequence complexity. The high discrimination power of Task 3 gave the authors a means to control for a potential psychometric confound involving differential discriminating power and to argue in favor of a specific higher order motor fluency deficit in patients with schizophrenia. It is suggested that basic lower order mechanisms that integrate sensory information with outgoing motor commands are preserved in schizophrenia, whereas higher order integrative mechanisms that are required for the smooth coordination of motor sequences are impaired. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity of Three Measures of Communication for Predicting Relationship Adjustment and Stability Among a Sample of Young Couples.

The goal of this study was to examine whether data from 3 different measures of communication (i.e., self-report, quasi-observational, and observational) can predict relationship adjustment and stability 1 year later when used conjointly in a sample of 62 young couples. The 3 measures of communication were the Communication Skills Test-Revised (CST-R), the Communication Box (CB), and the Demand/Withdraw Pattern Questionnaire (DWPQ). Through hierarchical multiple regression analyses, results revealed that the CST-R and the DWPQ predict both genders' relationship adjustment 1 year later when used conjointly. Logistic regression analyses revealed that none of the measures of communication significantly predicted relationship stability. In conclusion, the combination of the CST-R and the DWPQ appears to be useful for longitudinally predicting relationship adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Combining Points and Tangents into Parabolic Polygons

Image and geometry processing applications estimate the local geometry of objects using information localized at points. They usually consider information about the tangents as a side product of the points coordinates. This work proposes parabolic polygons as a model for discrete curves, which intrinsically combines points and tangents. This model is naturally affine invariant, which makes it particularly adapted to computer vision applications. As a direct application of this affine invariance, this paper introduces an affine curvature estimator that has a great potential to improve computer vision tasks such as matching and registering. As a proof-of-concept, this work also proposes an affine invariant curve reconstruction from point and tangent data.     

Biocides used in building materials and their leaching behavior to sewer systems.

There is increasing concern about diffuse pollution of aquatic systems by biocides used in urban areas. We investigated sources and pathways of biocides significant for the pollution of storm water runoff. Main sources seem to be building envelopes, i.e. facades (paints, plasters) and roof sealing membranes. First results from a defined urban catchment drained by a separated sewer system without any agricultural activities reveal a substantial occurrence. Even after the first flush, concentrations of terbutryn, carbendazim, mecoprop as well as Irgarol 1051 and its metabolite exceeded the Swiss water quality standard of 0.1 microg/L. In laboratory experiments, leaching of mecoprop used as a root protection agent in bitumen sheets for roof waterproofing was determined. The concentrations differed in 16 different sheets two orders of magnitude, depending on the product composition. Using optimized products, it is expected to be the most efficient and sustainable way to reduce the environmental impact. To understand transport dynamics and environmental risk, further storm water events will be analyzed. Based on the ongoing project URBIC, first measures will be proposed to limit the release to surface and ground water.     

Enhancement of computed tomography liver contrast using iomeprol-containing liposomes and detection of small liver tumors in rats

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: We evaluated iomeprol-containing liposomes (Lipiom), a new contrast medium for computed tomography (CT) liver scanning, in an animal model of chemically induced hepatocellular carcinomas and other liver tumors in rats. METHODS: Liver tumors were induced by administration of carcinogens to rats, either 0.55% (w/w) 1'-hydroxysafrole in the diet or induction by 3'-methyl-4-diethylaminoazobenzene followed by promotion with carbon tetrachloride. CT scanning was performed 1-3 hr after intravenous injection of iomeprol-containing liposomes. RESULTS: After injection of iomeprol-containing liposomes at a dose of 70 mg of liposome-entrapped iodine per kilogram of body weight, the normal liver parenchyma showed a contrast enhancement, in Hounsfield units, of more than 60% over the control value before bolus. Liver tumors with no or few Kupffer cells were not enhanced and appeared as dark areas within the normal parenchyma. Tumors and pretumoral lesions devoid of Kupffer cells, as small as 3 mm in diameter, could be distinguished using this non-invasive method. CONCLUSION: CT liver scanning after injection of iomeprol-containing liposomes appears to be promising method for detecting liver tumors and focal liver lesions.     

Immunoaffinity-chromatography purification of salbutamol in liver and HPLC-fluorometric detection at trace residue level

Summary A method combining immunoaffmity-chromatography (IAC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the analysis of Salbutamol in liver with a low quantification limit of 1 g/kg has been developed. Salbutamol was extracted with 0.01 mol/L HCl and purified by IAC. The samples were analysed on a liquid Chromatograph fitted with a C₁₈ -Bondapak column. A fluorometer was used for the detection of salbutamol. Recoveries of 67–80% could be obtained.

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Immunoaffinitätschromatographische Reinigung von Salbutamol in Leber und Rückstandsbestimmung mittels HPLC und fluorimetrischer Detektion

Zusammenfassung Eine Methode, die Immunoaffinitäts-und Hochleistungsflüssigchromatographie verbindet, ist für die Analyse von Salbutamol in Leber entwickelt worden. Eine niedrige Bestimmungsgrenze von 1 g/kg Leber wurde erreicht. Salbutamol wurde mit 0,01 mol/L Salzsäure freigesetzt und durch Immunoaffinitätschromatographie gereinigt. Die Proben wurden durch Flüssigchromatographie auf einer C₁₈ -Bondapak-Säule analysiert. Ein Fluorimeter wurde für die Detektion von Salbutamol benutzt. Ausbeuten von 67 bis 80% konnten erreicht werden.

     

Cation Effect on the Binary and Ternary Phase Behaviors of Double-Tailed Methanesulfonate Amphiphiles

A series of symmetrical dialkyl methanesulfonate amphiphiles [DiC _n CHSO ₃ ] _m M (n = 6, 7, 8) with different counter cations (M^m+ = H⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sc³⁺) were synthesized in five steps. Their solubility and critical micelle concentration (CMC) in water were determined highlighting a huge effect of the chain length and the nature of the cation. The hydrophilic–lipophilic balance of the surfactants were assessed with the phase inversion temperature (PIT)-slope method based on the deviation from the PIT of the reference C₁₀E₄/n-octane/0.01 M NaCl_(aq) emulsion through addition of increasing amounts of the dialkyl methanesulfonates. The hydrophilicity of the surfactants was thus ranked in terms of dPIT/dx_sulfonate. A “cation” scan with the [DiC ₆ CHSO ₃ ] _m M /benzene/water systems at f_w = 0.5 was finally performed confirming the hydrophilicity ranking obtained with the PIT-slope method. It revealed that the [DiC ₆ CHSO ₃ ] ₂ Mg behaves as a “Balanced Surfactant” able to form spontaneously a three-phase microemulsion system (Winsor III) just in the presence of water and oil, in the same way as the catalytic surfactant dimethyldioctylammonium molybdate, which has the same PIT-slope.     

X-ray Fluorescence Uptake Measurement of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles in Tumor Cell Microsamples

Quantitative cellular in vitro nanoparticle uptake measurements are possible with a large number of different techniques, however, all have their respective restrictions. Here, we demonstrate the application of synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) on prostate tumor cells, which have internalized differently functionalized gold nanoparticles. Total nanoparticle uptake on the order of a few hundred picograms could be conveniently observed with microsamples consisting of only a few hundreds of cells. A comparison with mass spectroscopy quantification is provided, experimental results are both supported and sensitivity limits of this XFI approach extrapolated by Monte-Carlo simulations, yielding a minimum detectable nanoparticle mass of just 5 pg. This study demonstrates the high sensitivity level of XFI, allowing non-destructive uptake measurements with very small microsamples within just seconds of irradiation time.     

Boosting MUC extraction in unsatisfiable constraint networks

One very fertile domain of applied Artificial Intelligence is constraint solving technologies. Especially, constraint networks that concern problems that can be represented using discrete variables, together with constraints on allowed instantiation values for these variables. Every solution to a constraint network must satisfy every constraint. When no solution exists, the user might want to know the actual reasons leading to the absence of global solution. In this respect, extracting mucs (Minimal Unsatisfiable Cores) from an unsatisfiable constraint network is a useful process when causes of unsatisfiability must be understood so that the network can be re-engineered and relaxed to become satisfiable. Despite bad worst-case computational complexity results, various muc-finding approaches that appear tractable for many real-life instances have been proposed. Many of them are based on the successive identification of so-called transition constraints. In this respect, we show how local search can be used to possibly extract additional transition constraints at each main iteration step. In the general constraint networks setting, the approach is shown to outperform a technique based on a form of model rotation imported from the sat-related technology and that also exhibits additional transition constraints. Our extensive computational experimentations show that this enhancement also boosts the performance of state-of-the-art DC(WCORE)-like MUC extractors.