Dark Matter Search Results from a One Ton-Year Exposure of XENON1T

We report on a search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) using 278.8 days of data collected with the XENON1T experiment at LNGS. XENON1T utilizes a liquid xenon time projection chamber with a fiducial mass of (1.30±0.01)  ton, resulting in a 1.0 ton yr exposure. The energy region of interest, [1.4,10.6]  keV_{ee} ([4.9,40.9] keV_{nr}), exhibits an ultralow electron recoil background rate of [82_{-3}^{+5}(syst)±3(stat)]  events/(ton yr keV_{ee}). No significant excess over background is found, and a profile likelihood analysis parametrized in spatial and energy dimensions excludes new parameter space for the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent elastic scatter cross section for WIMP masses above 6  GeV/c^{2}, with a minimum of 4.1×10^{-47}  cm^{2} at 30  GeV/c^{2} and a 90% confidence level.

Headache and the greater occipital nerve

This paper examines the clinical features of 500 patients with idiopathic headache. Of the 383 patients diagnosed as migraine, it was found that 184 (48%) were suffering from headaches due to irritation of the greater occipital nerve (GON). Such headaches could be arrested by injecting the ipsilateral greater occipital nerve (GON) with local anaesthetic, prevented for up to 4 weeks by injecting 'Depomedrol' into the region of the nerve and for several months by surgical division of the nerve. It is suggested that such patients are not suffering from typical migraine but from headaches due to neural irritation, which, for want of a better name, have been called 'occipital neuralgia'.

Effects of phyto-oestrogens on tissues

Recent investigations on the effects of phyto-oestrogens on various tissues have revealed that these diverse molecules may improve human health, particularly by protecting against certain chronic diseases. After a brief examination of the food sources, structures, and general cellular actions of the major phyto-oestrogens, current research findings on cardiovascular disease, skeletal tissues, and reproductive cancers are reviewed. Phyto-oestrogen concentrations in blood may be maintained at high levels in those consuming soyabean (Glycine max)-based food daily at several meals and exert their effects on target cells through either genomic effects via the classical oestrogen receptors or non-genomic effects mediated by membrane-bound oestrogen receptors or other cellular proteins. The expression of oestrogen receptor (OR) subtypes alpha (a) and beta (beta) varies across tissues, and cells that preferentially express OR-beta, which may include bone cells, are more likely to respond to phyto-oestrogens. Conversely, reproductive tissues contain relatively more OR-a and may, thus, be differently affected by phyto-oestrogens. Soyabean phyto-oestrogens appear to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis through multiple interactions, including lowering of plasma lipids and lipoproteins, increased vasodilatation and, possibly, decreased activation of blood platelets and vascular smooth muscle cells. However, a favourable impact on cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality by a soyabean-enriched western-type diet remains to be shown, and unresolved questions remain regarding dose and form of the phyto-oestrogens in relation to risks and benefits. The isoflavones of soyabean have been shown consistently to have bone-retentive effects in animal studies by several investigators using rodent models, although intakes must be above a relatively high threshold level for a lengthy period of time, and little or no extra benefit is observed with intakes above this threshold level. The reports of modest or no effects on prevention of bone loss in human and non-human primate studies respectively, may be due to the limited doses tested so far. The relationship between soyabean-food intake and cancer risk has been more extensively investigated than for any other disease, but with less certainty about the benefits of long-term consumption of phyto-oestrogen-containing foods on prevention of cancer. The observations that breast and prostate cancer rates are lower in Asian countries, where soyabean foods are consumed at high levels, and the high isoflavone content of soyabeans have led to examination of the potential protective effects of phyto-oestrogens. Establishing diet-cancer relationships has proved difficult, in part because of the conflicting data from various studies of effects of soyabean-diets on cancer. Epidemiological evidence, though not impressive, does suggest that soyabean intake reduces breast cancer risk. The isoflavone genistein has a potent effect on breast cancer cells in vitro, and early exposure of animals to genistein has been effective in reducing later development of mammary cancer. Thus, continuous consumption of soyabean foods in early life and adulthood may help explain the low breast cancer mortality rates in Asian countries. Although the evidence for a protective effect against prostate cancer may be slightly more supportive, more research is needed before any firm conclusions can be made about the phyto-oestrogen-cancer linkages.

Zinc nutrition of preschool children in the Denver Head Start program

Low income diets provide relatively little zinc. This study was designed to evaluate the zinc nutritional states of 74 low income preschool children enrolled in the Denver Head Start Program. Zinc is necessary for normal growth, hence children were selected on the bases of low height percentiles. The mean (+/- SE) hair zinc concentration was 87.0 +/- 5.9 mug/g, and the mean plasma zinc concentration was 74.5 +/- 1.5 mug/100 ml. These levels were both lower (P is less than 0.005) than those of middle income children of similar age. Sixty-eight percent of the study group had a hair zinc concentration less than 70 mug/g and/or a plasma zinc concentration less than 68 mug/100 ml. These results indicate that inadequate zinc nutrition may be common among preschool children with low growth percentiles from low income families.

First Dark Matter Search Results from the XENON1T Experiment

We report the first dark matter search results from XENON1T, a ∼2000-kg-target-mass dual-phase (liquid-gas) xenon time projection chamber in operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy and the first ton-scale detector of this kind. The blinded search used 34.2 live days of data acquired between November 2016 and January 2017. Inside the (1042±12)-kg fiducial mass and in the [5,40]  keV_{nr} energy range of interest for weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter searches, the electronic recoil background was (1.93±0.25)×10^{-4}  events/(kg×day×keV_{ee}), the lowest ever achieved in such a dark matter detector. A profile likelihood analysis shows that the data are consistent with the background-only hypothesis. We derive the most stringent exclusion limits on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon interaction cross section for WIMP masses above 10  GeV/c^{2}, with a minimum of 7.7×10^{-47}  cm^{2} for 35-GeV/c^{2} WIMPs at 90% C.L.

Oral sumatriptan in acute migraine

The efficacy in acute migraine of oral sumatriptan was assessed in a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study of 61 patients (mean age 39 [SD 10] years). 41 completed treatment of four attacks, two with sumatriptan 100 mg and two with placebo. The response rate (reduction in headache from moderate or severe to mild or absent at 2 h) was 51% (45/89) with sumatriptan and 10% (9/93) with placebo (p less than 0.01); rescue medication was needed at 2 h in 41% and 88%, respectively. Of 28 patients headache-free at 24 h, 11 (39%) had recurrent headache within 24 h. There were no substantial side-effects. Thus, sumatriptan is an effective well-tolerated treatment for acute migraine attacks.

Evidence for up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA by soy phytoestrogens in the frontal cortex of retired breeder female rats

In this study, we examined the effects of oral micronized estradiol and soy phytoestrogens on the mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the frontal cortex of ovariectomized retired breeder female rats. Fifteen ovariectomized rats were randomized into three groups and fed either a soy-free control diet (OVX), a control diet with added soybean estrogens (SBE), or a control diet with added estradiol (E2) for 8 weeks. Frontal cortex samples were collected for RNA isolation. Northern and Phosphorlmager analyses were used to determine the relative levels of BDNF mRNA. Both estradiol and soy phytoestrogens significantly increased the mRNA levels of BDNF compared to ovariectomized controls, suggesting that soy phytoestrogens may act as estrogen agonists in regulating BDNF mRNA in the frontal cortex of retired breeder female rats.

Soy phytoestrogens improve radial arm maze performance in ovariectomized retired breeder rats and do not attenuate benefits of 17beta-estradiol treatment

OBJECTIVE

Soy phytoestrogens (SPEs) seem to have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system with no adverse effects on the breast and uterus. Our objective was to examine the effects of oral estradiol alone, soy protein with phytoestrogens alone, and combinations of estradiol and SPEs on working memory of ovariectomized retired breeder female rats using the radial arm maze test.

DESIGN

Eighty-four bilaterally ovariectomized retired breeder female rats were randomized into 12 groups to examine the effects of chronic treatment (10 months) with oral micronized estradiol (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/1,800 Cal), SPEs (0, 72, and 144 mg/1,800 Cal), and all combinations of these doses of estradiol and SPEs on working memory.

RESULTS

Oral administration of estradiol or SPEs resulted in a dose-dependent improvement in the performance of the radial arm maze tests. In addition, at each of the three doses of oral micronized estradiol tested, the performance of the radial arm tests was not significantly different in the presence or absence of SPEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that SPEs may function as estrogen agonists in improving working memory in the ovariectomized retired breeder female rats and that SPEs do not antagonize the beneficial effects of estradiol on the working memory of these rats. No additional benefits on the radial arm maze test performance were observed with the tested combinations of estradiol and SPEs.

Availability, wishful thinking, and physicians' diagnostic judgments for patients with suspected bacteremia

A prospective cohort study was done to assess the effects of value bias and the inappropriate use of the availability heuristic on physicians' judgments of the probability of bacteremia. Subjects of the study were 227 medical inpatients in a university hospital who had blood cultures done. Estimates of the probabilities that individual patients would have positive blood cultures were collected from the house officers who ordered the cultures. Clinical data and culture results were also obtained. Based on the data the authors calculated "value variables," reflecting doctors' assessments of the risks that individual patients would die in the hospital if they were to have bacteremia. "Recalled experience variables" reflected the doctors' recollections of recent experiences with patients with bacteremia. The physicians significantly overestimated the likelihood of bacteremia for most of their patients. Their ROC curve for this diagnosis showed moderate discriminating ability (area = 0.687, SE = 0.073). Two recalled experience variables were significantly associated with the physicians' probability estimates. The value variables were significantly inversely associated with them. These relationships were independent of several clinical variables and measures of disease severity. The physicians' intuitive diagnostic judgments were thus influenced by the availability heuristic and by wishful thinking, a form of the value bias. The availability heuristic may mislead physicians by causing them to believe that random variations in the prevalence of a nonepidemic disease represent real trends. Wishful thinking may lead physicians to underestimate the likelihood of a disease for patients most at risk for its consequences. Teaching physicians to develop better judgmental strategies may improve the quality of their judgments and hence their patient care.

Neck-tongue syndrome on sudden turning of the head

A syndrome of unilateral upper nuchal or occipital pain, with or without numbness in these areas, accompanied by simultaneous ipsilateral numbness of the tongue is explicable by compression of the second cervical root in the atlantoaxial space on sharp rotation of the neck. Afferents fibres from the lingual nerve travelling via the hypoglossal nerve to the second cervical root provide a plausible anatomical explanation for compression of that root causing numbness of half the tongue.

Platelet serotonin in patients with analgesic-induced headache

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of serotonin (5HT) in patients with analgesic-induced headache (AIH). We estimated platelet 5HT concentration in patients with AIH, migraine patients and non-headache controls, by using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Our results revealed a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in platelet 5HT content in patients with AIH as compared to migraine patients and non-headache controls (221.8 +/- 30.7, 445.3 +/- 37.4 and 467.2 +/- 38.5 ng/10(9) platelets, respectively). In contrast, a difference of lesser statistical significance (p = 0.022) was observed in platelet 5HT content after incubation with excess 5HT (1940.0 +/- 195.1, 2610.0 +/- 173.1 and 2560 +/- 165.2 ng/10(9) platelets for patients with AIH, migraine patients and non-headache controls, respectively). These data suggest that analgesic-induced suppression of 5HT uptake may interfere with the function of the pain modulatory system in the brainstem. Although the process by which analgesics interfere with this system is as yet unknown, it is possible that it may not be entirely due to defective 5HT uptake mechanisms.

Effect of estradiol and soy phytoestrogens on choline acetyltransferase and nerve growth factor mRNAs in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of female rats

We report here the effects of oral micronized estradiol and soy phytoestrogens on uterine weight, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNAs in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of ovariectomized young and retired breeder rats. Within each age category, 15 bilaterally ovariectomized rats were randomized equally into three groups: control (OVX), estradiol (E2), and soy phytoestrogens (SBE). The OVX rats were fed a casein/lactalbumin-based control diet; the E2 rats were fed with the control diet with added estradiol; and the SBE rats were fed with the control diet with added soy phytoestrogens. After 8 weeks of treatment, blood, uteri, frontal cortex, and hippocampus were collected at necropsy. Results showed that the uterine weights and serum estradiol concentrations were significantly higher in the E2 group compared with those in the OVX and SBE groups. In the hippocampus of young rats, E2 treatment resulted in significantly higher NGF mRNA levels than no treatment (OVX), and NGF mRNA levels in the SBE group were intermediate between the E2 and OVX groups. ChAT mRNA levels were significantly higher in the frontal cortex of E2 and SBE-treated retired breeder rats compared to OVX retired breeder rats. There were no differences among treatment groups for ChAT mRNA levels in the frontal cortex of young rats and in the hippocampus of both young and retired breeder rats. Our data suggest that soy phytoestrogens may function as estrogen agonists in regulating ChAT and NGF mRNAs in the brain of female rats.

The effect of pravastatin and atorvastatin on coenzyme Q10

BACKGROUND

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant and plays an important role in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate. Studies suggest that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors reduce CoQ10 levels; however, no studies have directly compared HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in a randomized crossover fashion.

METHODS

Twelve healthy volunteers received either 20 mg pravastatin (P) or 10 mg atorvastatin (A) for 4 weeks in a randomized crossover fashion. There was a 4- to 8-week washout period between the 2 phases. CoQ10 levels and a lipid profile were obtained.

RESULTS

There was no difference in CoQ10 levels from baseline to post-drug therapy for either P or A (0.61 +/- 0.14 vs 0.62 +/- 0.2 microg/mL and 0.65 +/- 0.22 vs 0.6 +/- 0.12 microg/mL, respectively; P >.05). There was a significant difference in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels from baseline to post-drug therapy for both P and A (97 +/- 21 vs 66 +/- 19 mg/dL and 102 +/- 21 vs 52 +/- 14 mg/dL, respectively; P <.01). There was no significant correlation between LDL and CoQ10.

CONCLUSIONS

P and A did not decrease CoQ10 despite a significant decrease in LDL levels. These findings suggest that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors do not significantly decrease the synthesis of circulating CoQ10 in healthy subjects. Routine supplementation of CoQ10 may not be necessary when HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor therapy is administered.

Comparative trial of serotonin antagonists in the management of migraine

The effectiveness of five different serotonin antagonists in the prevention of migraine was compared in 290 patients followed for periods of up to three years. Methysergide 3-6 mg. daily was most effective, with 20% of treated patients becoming headache-free and a further 44% remaining more than "half improved." The corresponding figures for BC105 were 10% and 40%, respectively.The results with BC105 were significantly better than those with placebo (P<0.02). The total improvement rates with methdilazine (45%) and cyproheptadine (43%) were better than those with placebo (32%) but did not achieve statistical significance. A new preparation, methylergol carbamide maleate, which is chemically related to methysergide, did not give better results than placebo.

Serotonin receptor adaptation in patients with analgesic-induced headache

Analgesic abuse has recently been recognized as a cause of deterioration in primary headache patients. Although the pathogenesis of this headache transformation is still obscure, alteration of serotonin receptor function is one possible mechanism. To assess the plasticity of 5HT2 serotonin receptors in this condition, we investigated receptor binding by the platelet membrane in patients with analgesic-induced headache (AIH), migraine and non-headache controls. The technique involved radioligand binding with (phenyl-4-3H)spiperone and ketanserin. A greater density of receptor numbers (Bmax) was found in patients with AIH and in non-headache controls (96.47 +/- 10.21 and 92.01 +/- 13.15 fmol/mg protein), as compared to migraine patients (49.52 +/- 5.14 fmol/mg protein). The value of dissociation equilibrium constant (KD) remained unchanged (3.07 +/- 0.49, 2.24 +/- 0.24 and 2.91 +/- 0.42 nM for patients with AIH, migraine and non-headache controls, respectively). Based on these findings, we suggest that up-regulation of 5HT2 serotonin receptors may be a possible mechanism of headache transformation in patients with AIH.

Biochemical indices of sympathetic activity in migraine

Plasma levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cAMP, free fatty acids and serum DBH, were estimated in a group of ten migrainous patients before, during and after a migraine attack. All parameters, apart from adrenaline, showed a statistically significant elevation during the headache period. As the blood concentration of the above substances taken in combination is the most reliable index of sympathetic activity available at present, these findings indicate that there is considerable sympathetic dysfunction during the migraine attack.

Plasma serotonin in patients with chronic tension headaches

Previous reports have suggested that platelet level of serotonin in chronic tension headache (CTH) is lower than in normal control subjects, and that there is continuous activation of platelets both in migraine and in CTH. In this study we compared platelet serotonin concentration in 95 patients with CTH, 166 patients with migraine and 35 normal control subjects. Mean platelet serotonin (ng/10(9) platelets) was 310 for the CTH group, 384 during migraine headache, 474 for normal control subjects and 514 in headache-free migrainous patients. There was significant statistical difference of values between CTH patients and those of normal control subjects as well as headache-free migrainous patients, but not of those of migrainous patients during headache. It is suggested that CTH is a low serotonin syndrome, representing one end of the spectrum of idiopathic headache, the other end being represented by migraine.

Isolation and characterization of simian immunodeficiency viruses from two subspecies of African green monkeys

Cercopithecus aethiops (African Green monkey), a nonhuman primate species distributed throughout subsaharan Africa, has been shown to have high seroprevalence rates of antibodies to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), and therefore, has been proposed as a natural reservoir for immunodeficiency viruses. Our laboratories have isolated SIV-like viruses from two East African subspecies of C. aethiops designated grivet and vervet monkeys. Analysis of the structural proteins based on the molecular weights and immunologic cross-reactivity to the prototypic SIV(MAC), HIV-1, and HIV-2 isolates suggests that these viruses are distinctly different. Heterogeneity was observed in the molecular weights of the gag, pol, and env gene products between SIV isolates from vervets [SIV(AGM(VER))] and grivets [SIV(AGM(GRI))]. Phenotypically, SIV(AGM(VER)) isolates were distinguishable from SIV(AGM(GRI)) isolates by the apparent size difference of the major core antigen p24. All SIV(AGM(GRI)) and SIV(AGM(VER)) isolates were found to encode a transmembrane protein of approximately 40 kD (gp40) in contrast to gp32 of SIV(MAC). Furthermore, the transmembrane protein was shown to be encoded by the entire env open reading frame, unlike gp32 of SIC(MAC) or gp36 of SIV(AGM(TYO-1)). These data indicate that viruses from C. aethiops share common features with SIV(MAC) and HIV-1, but represent diverse SIV-like viruses which may vary according to subspecies and geographic location.

The Coalition Against Major Diseases: developing tools for an integrated drug development process for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

Aiming to emulate the successful accelerated development of HIV/AIDS drugs, the Critical Path Institute (C-Path), in collaboration with the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at the Brookings Institution, has formed the Coalition Against Major Diseases (CAMD). Members include 6 nonprofit groups representing patients' interests, 15 leading pharmaceutical companies, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), 2 institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)-and representatives from academia. The coalition's purpose is to transform the drug development paradigm for neurodegenerative diseases and serve as a model for other major diseases.