Amyloid precursor protein regulates differentiation of human neural stem cells

Although amyloid beta (Abeta) deposition has been a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the absence of a phenotype in the beta amyloid precursor protein (APP) knockout mouse, tends to detract our attention away from the physiological functions of APP. Although much attention has been focused on the neurotoxicity of Abeta, many studies suggest the involvement of APP in neuroplasticity. We found that secreted amyloid precursor protein (sAPP) increased the differentiation of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) in vitro, while an antibody-recognizing APP dose-dependently inhibited these activities. With a high dose of sAPP treatment or wild-type APP gene transfection, hNSCs were differentiated into astrocytes rather than neurons. In vivo, hNSCs transplanted into APP-transgenic mouse brain exhibited glial differentiation rather than neural differentiation. Our results suggest that APP regulates neural stem cell biology in the adult brain, and that altered APP metabolism in Down syndrome or AD may have implications for the pathophysiology of these diseases.

Ecological implications of the emergence of non-toxic subcultures from toxic Microcystis strains

Two toxic, microcystin-producing, Microcystis sp. strains KLL MG-K and KLL MB-K were isolated as single colonies on agar plates from Lake Kinneret, Israel. Two non-toxic subcultures, MG-J and MB-J spontaneously succeeded the toxic ones under laboratory conditions. Southern analyses showed that MG-J and MB-J are lacking at least 34 kb of the mcy region, encoding the microcystin synthetase. Analyses of the 16S rRNA genes, the intergenic spacer region between cpcB and cpcA and the patterns of the polymerase chain reaction products of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA and highly iterated palindrome, and presence of mobile DNA elements did not allow unequivocal distinction between toxic and non-toxic subcultures. Laboratory and field experiments indicated an advantage of the toxic strain over its non-toxic successor. When grown separated by a membrane, which allowed passage of the media but not the cells, MG-K severely inhibited the growth of MG-J. Furthermore, when MG strains were placed in dialysis bags in Lake Kinneret during the season in which Microcystis is often observed, cells of MG-J lysed, whereas MG-K survived. Mechanisms whereby the non-toxic subcultures emerged and prevailed over the corresponding toxic ones under laboratory conditions, as well as a possible role of microcystin under natural conditions, are discussed.

Above the surface multifragmentation of surface scattered fullerenes

C(60) (-) ions were scattered from a gold surface at impact energies of 80-900 eV. The C(n) (-) fragments abundance distribution (odd and even) and the sharp fragmentation threshold observed, point at a prompt shattering event. The measured angle and energy distributions of the C(n) (-) fragments (n=2-12) provide clear evidence for a multifragmentation process where the superheated fullerenes leave the surface "intact" and disintegrate away from the surface.

The dynamics of endohedral complex formation in surface pick-up scattering as probed by kinetic energy distributions: Experiment and model calculation for Cs@C60+

Endohedral Cs@C60 molecules were formed by implanting low energy (E0 = 30-220 eV) Cs+ ions into C60 molecules adsorbed on gold. Both growth and etching experiments of the surface deposited C(60) layer provide clear evidence for a submonolayer coverage. The Cs+ penetration and Cs@C60 ejection stages are shown to be a combined, single collision event. Thermal desorption measurements did not reveal any Cs@C60 left on the surface following the Cs+ impact. The Cs@C60 formation/ejection event therefore constitutes a unique example of a pick-up scattering by endocomplex formation. Kinetic energy distributions (KEDs) of the outgoing Cs@C60+ were measured for two different Cs+ impact energies under field-free conditions. The most striking observation is the near independence of the KEDs on the Cs+ impact energy. Both KEDs peak around 1.2 eV with similar line shapes. A simple model for the formation/ejection/fragmentation dynamics of the endohedral complex is proposed. The model leads to a strong correlation between the vibrational and kinetic energy of the outgoing Cs@C60. The KEDs are calculated taking into account the competition between the various decay processes: fragmentation and delayed ionization of the neutral Cs@C60 emitted from the surface, fragmentation of the Cs@C60+ ion, and radiative cooling. It is concluded that the measured KEDs are heavily biased by the experimental breakdown function. Good agreement between experimental and calculated KEDs is obtained.

Infantile bilateral striatal necrosis maps to chromosome 19q

BACKGROUND

Infantile bilateral striatal necrosis (IBSN) encompasses several syndromes of bilateral symmetric degeneration of the caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus. Autosomal recessive IBSN is characterized clinically by developmental arrest beginning at age 7 to 15 months, dysphagia, choreoathetosis, pendular nystagmus and optic atrophy, and severe progressive atrophy of the basal ganglia on MRI.

OBJECTIVE

To map the gene causing IBSN.

METHODS

A 10-cM genome-wide linkage scan was initially performed on five affected and five unaffected individuals. The extended family was included in the analysis to narrow the candidate region. Logarithm of odds (LOD) score was calculated using the SUPERLINK program.

RESULTS

Linkage to the chromosomal region 19q13.32-13.41 was established (Z(max) = 6.27 at theta = 0.02 at locus D19S412). Recombination events and a common disease-bearing haplotype defined a critical region of 1.2 Mb between the loci D19S596 proximally and D19S867 distally.

CONCLUSION

IBSN maps to the chromosomal region 19q13.32-13.41. The presence of a common haplotype in all the patients suggests that the disease is caused by a single mutation derived from a single ancestral founder in all the families.

Candidate genes for anorexia nervosa in the 1p33-36 linkage region: serotonin 1D and delta opioid receptor loci exhibit significant association to anorexia nervosa

Serotonergic and opioidergic neurotransmitter system alterations have been observed in people with eating disorders; the genes for the serotonin 1D receptor (HTR1D) and the opioid delta receptor (OPRD1) are found on chr1p36.3-34.3, a region identified by our group in a linkage analysis of anorexia nervosa (AN). These candidate genes were evaluated for sequence variation and for linkage and association of this sequence variation to AN in family and case : control data sets. Resequencing of the HTR1D locus and a portion of the OPRD1 locus identified novel SNPs and confirmed existing SNPs. Genotype assay development and genotyping of nine SNPs (four at HTR1D and five at OPRD1) was performed on 191 unrelated individuals fulfilling DSM-IV criteria (w/o amenorrhea criterion) for AN, 442 relatives of AN probands and 98 psychiatrically screened controls. Linkage analysis of these candidate gene SNPs with 33 microsatellite markers in families including relative pairs concordantly affected with restricting AN (N=37) substantially increased the evidence for linkage of this region to restricting AN to an NPL score of 3.91. Statistically significant genotypic, allelic, and haplotypic association to AN in the case : control design was observed at HTR1D and OPRD1 with effect sizes for individual SNPs of 2.63 (95% CI=1.21-5.75) for HTR1D and 1.61 (95% CI=1.11-2.44) for OPRD1. Using genotype data on parents and AN probands, three SNPs at HTR1D were found to exhibit significant transmission disequilibrium (P&<0.05). The combined statistical genetic evidence suggests that HTR1D and OPRD1 or linked genes may be involved in the etiology of AN.

Echo spectroscopy and quantum stability of trapped atoms

We investigate the dephasing of ultra cold 85Rb atoms trapped in an optical dipole trap and prepared in a coherent superposition of their two hyperfine ground states by interaction with a microwave pulse. We demonstrate that the dephasing, measured as the Ramsey fringe contrast, can be reversed by stimulating a coherence echo with a pi pulse between the two pi / 2 pulses, in analogy to the photon echo. We also demonstrate that "echo spectroscopy" can be used to study the quantum dynamics in the trap even when more than 10(6) states are thermally populated and to study the crossover from quantum to classical dynamics.

Germline mutations in the PTEN gene in Israeli patients with Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome and women with familial breast cancer

Germline mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 account for the majority of inherited breast cancer cases. Yet, in up to 40% of familial breast cancer cases, no mutations can be detected in either gene. Germline mutations in PTEN underlie two inherited syndromes: Cowden disease (CD) and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRRS). The known association of CD with breast cancer risk made it plausible that germline mutations within PTEN may play a role in inherited predisposition to breast cancer. The nine coding exons of the PTEN gene were screened for harboring germline mutations using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) complemented by sequencing, in two subsets of Israeli patients: 12 patients clinically diagnosed with BRRS, and 89 women with an apparent inherited predisposition to breast cancer, some with salient features of CD. Two of three familial BRRS patients exhibited novel germline mutations in PTEN: a missense mutation changing methionine to arginine at codon 134, and insertion of two nucleotides (CA) at cDNA position 1215 resulting in a frameshift at codon 61 and a premature stop at codon 99. Among 89 high-risk women, two missense mutations were detected in exon 4: A to C change at cDNA position 1279 resulting in a change of aspargine to threonine at codon 82 (N82T), and a G to an A alteration in 1269 which alters threonine to alanine at codon 78 (T78A), a non-conservative missense mutation. This study suggests that PTEN does not play a major role in predisposing to hereditary breast cancer in Israeli women, and that detection of PTEN mutations in BRRS patients is more likely in familial cases.

Observation of islands of stability in soft wall atom-optics billiards

We report on numerical and experimental observations of islands of stability induced in a Bunimovich stadium atom-optics billiard by a soft wall repulsive potential. A deviation from exponential decay of the survival probability of atoms in an open billiard is observed, and explained by the presence of these stable islands and a sticky region surrounding them. We also investigate islands in dispersing billiards with soft walls, and predict a new mechanism for their formation.

Memory self-appraisal and depressive symptoms in people at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVES

A previous study found that subjective memory loss in middle-aged and older persons is associated with the major genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease, the apolipoprotein E-4 (APOE-4) allele. No previous study has focused on subjective memory complaints and depressive symptoms in the same subject population at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

METHOD

Sixty-six persons (mean age = 64 years, range = 43 to 82 years) without major depression or dementia but with mild age-related memory complaints were rated for severity of depressive symptoms, using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and assessed for the presence of the APOE-4 allele. Severity of subjective memory loss was assessed using the Memory Functioning Questionnaire, which measures four memory domains: frequency of forgetting, seriousness of forgetting, retrospective functioning, and mnemonics usage.

RESULTS

Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with subjective memory loss in subjects without the APOE-4 allele, for retrospective functioning (perceived change in memory) and mnemonics usage, but not in APOE-4 carriers. The same significant associations were found when the analysis was limited to the 44 subjects in the mid-age range (55-74 years), wherein APOE-4 confers its greatest effects on risk for Alzheimer's disease.

CONCLUSION

These results confirm that mild depressive symptoms are related to subjective memory loss, but for some forms of memory complaint, the relationship holds true only for people without the major known genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

IL-10 receptor dysfunction in macrophages during chronic inflammation

The immunosuppressive activity of interleukin-10 (IL-10) makes this cytokine a potentially important clinical tool to reduce inflammatory responses in various diseases. Its efficacy as a therapeutic modality is dependent on the responsiveness of immune cells. We report that macrophages from mice chronically infected with the LP-BM5 retrovirus had a reduced capacity to respond to IL-10 in vitro. The ability of IL-10 to inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and IL-6 was significantly reduced in both alveolar and peritoneal macrophages from infected versus uninfected mice. IL-10 hyporesponsiveness was not related to direct infection by the retrovirus, because bone marrow-derived macrophages infected in vitro with LP-BM5 were as responsive to IL-10 as were uninfected bone marrow-derived macrophages. TNF-alpha appeared to contribute to development of IL-10 hyporesponsiveness, because exposure of normal macrophages to TNF-alpha but not interferon-gamma reduced macrophage responsiveness to IL-10. Reverse transcriptase-PCR and flow cytometry demonstrated normal expression of the alpha and beta chains of the IL-10 receptor in macrophages from infected mice, suggesting that IL-10 hyporesponsiveness is not related to a change in receptor expression. The potential role of reduced IL-10 responsiveness in the chronicity of inflammation in this and other diseases is discussed.

Distinct constitutive and low-CO2-induced CO2 uptake systems in cyanobacteria: genes involved and their phylogenetic relationship with homologous genes in other organisms

Cyanobacteria possess a CO(2)-concentrating mechanism that involves active CO(2) uptake and HCO(3)(-) transport. For CO(2) uptake, we have identified two systems in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, one induced at low CO(2) and one constitutive. The low CO(2)-induced system showed higher maximal activity and higher affinity for CO(2) than the constitutive system. On the basis of speculation that separate NAD(P)H dehydrogenase complexes were essential for each of these systems, we reasoned that inactivation of one system would allow selection of mutants defective in the other. Thus, mutants unable to grow at pH 7.0 in air were recovered after transformation of a DeltandhD3 mutant with a transposon-bearing library. Four of them had tags within slr1302 (designated cupB), a homologue of sll1734 (cupA), which is cotranscribed with ndhF3 and ndhD3. The DeltacupB, DeltandhD4, and DeltandhF4 mutants showed CO(2)-uptake characteristics of the low CO(2)induced system observed in wild type. In contrast, mutants DeltacupA, DeltandhD3, and DeltandhF3 showed characteristics of the constitutive CO(2)-uptake system. Double mutants impaired in one component of each of the systems were unable to take up CO(2) and required high CO(2) for growth. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the ndhD3/ndhD4-, ndhF3/ndhF4-, and cupA/cupB-type genes are present only in cyanobacteria. Most of the cyanobacterial strains studied possess the ndhD3/ndhD4-, ndhF3/ndhF4-, and cupA/cupB-type genes in pairs. Thus, the two types of NAD(P)H dehydrogenase complexes essential for low CO(2)-induced and constitutive CO(2)-uptake systems associated with the NdhD3/NdhF3/CupA-homologues and NdhD4/NdhF4/CupB-homologues, respectively, appear to be present in these cyanobacterial strains but not in other organisms.

What treatments patients seek after inpatient care: a follow-up of 24 patients with anorexia nervosa

BACKGROUND

To determine the kind of treatment patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) seek for their eating disorder following hospitalization.

METHOD

Twenty-four women previously treated in the Toronto General Hospital were interviewed to determine the nature and amount of treatment received following discharge.

RESULTS

Mean age: 31 years (SD=9.18). Mean body mass index (BMI) at assessment: 19.97 (SD=4.00). All had seen at least one or more professionals, mainly family doctors and psychiatrists, within the first 6 months. Mean hours of treatment: 85. Eighty-eight per cent had taken psychotropic medication (most commonly antidepressants). Symptomatic and asymptomatic patients did not differ in amount of treatment received.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of their symptom state, AN patients continue to use the health system heavily following weight restoration. Their aftercare is thus essential for ongoing maintenance treatment and to prevent relapse, and training primary-care physicians to provide it may be one way to contain health care costs.

Clinical features and T-cell subsets in HIV-infected children with and without lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis

Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) is a non-infective lung condition common in untreated older children with vertically acquired HIV infection. Little is known about the prognosis in children with LIP, and diagnosis remains a problem where lung biopsy is not feasible. Our aim was to determine which clinical features aid the diagnosis of LIP in conjunction with the typical reticulonodular radiological picture, and whether the prognosis in children with LIP is different from that in HIV-infected children of the same age without LIP. We retrospectively compared the clinical features and T-cell subsets of 49 children with LIP with those of 56 children of similar age without LIP. Diagnosis of LIP was made radiologically. All children were apyrexial at the time of X-ray and acute intercurrent infections and tuberculosis had been excluded as far as possible. Ages ranged from 24 to 112 months in the non-LIP group and from 24 to 120 months in the LIP group. Digital clubbing and reticulo-endothelial hyperplasia were significantly more common in children with LIP than in those without. Children with LIP tended to have lower CD4+ counts and CD4% and higher CD8+ counts and CD8%, which resulted in significantly lower CD4/CD8 ratios in children under 5 years with LIP. It is possible in most cases to diagnose LIP using a combination of clinical and X-ray findings, as long as every effort is made to exclude tuberculosis. Lower CD4+ counts and CD4% as well as more frequent hospital admissions suggest that LIP adversely affects prognosis in children with HIV.