Compounds of the general type ArCH
2
S
n
CH
2
CH
2
OH (n = 1-4, Ar = Ph. 2-MeC
6
H
4
, 4-MeC
6
H
4
, 4-ClC
6
H
4
, 4-MeOC
6
H
4
; n = 1-3, Ar = 2-ClC
6
H
4
; n =2 Ar = 4-FC
6
H
4
; n =3 or 4, Ar = ...2-furyl) have been prepared as analogues of the trisulfide PhCH
2
SSSCH
2
CH
2
OH antimicrobial compound which occurs in the plant Petiveria alliacea) and their potential application as agricultural fungicides has been examined. In vitro tests against Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium oxysporum and Gauenomyceles graminis showed that all compounds gave > 80% control of these organisms at 1000 ppm. Tests at 100 and 10 ppm showed varying levels of control but the activity did not depend significantly on the number of sulfur atoms present. Selected compounds were also shown to be active in vivo against Erysiphe graminis on barley seedlings, Borrytis fabae and Uromyces viciae-fabae on bean seedlings, Podosphaera leucorricha on apple seedlings, and Phytophthora infestans on potato leaf. The compounds were phytotoxic at concentrations greater than 0.33%.
Hallucinogens are widely used, both by drug abusers and by peoples of traditional cultures who ingest these substances for religious or healing purposes. However, the long-term residual psychological ...and cognitive effects of hallucinogens remain poorly understood.
We recruited three groups of Navajo Native Americans, age 18–45: 1) 61 Native American Church members who regularly ingested peyote, a hallucinogen-containing cactus; 2) 36 individuals with past alcohol dependence, but currently sober at least 2 months; and 3) 79 individuals reporting minimal use of peyote, alcohol, or other substances. We administered a screening interview, the Rand Mental Health Inventory (RMHI), and ten standard neuropsychological tests of memory and attentional/executive functions.
Compared to Navajos with minimal substance use, the peyote group showed no significant deficits on the RMHI or any neuropsychological measures, whereas the former alcoholic group showed significant deficits (
p < .05) on every scale of the RMHI and on two neuropsychological measures. Within the peyote group, total lifetime peyote use was not significantly associated with neuropsychological performance.
We found no evidence of psychological or cognitive deficits among Native Americans using peyote regularly in a religious setting. It should be recognized, however, that these findings may not generalize to illicit hallucinogen users.
Many solar system objects, such as planets, satellites, rings, and comets, are known to either be made of ices or to have icy surfaces. Because these ices are subjected to radiation processing by ...keV‐MeV ions and UV photons, their chemical and physical properties evolve over time. We have employed a laboratory approach to investigate these radiolytic and photolytic changes. Ices, either pure or mixtures, are subjected to ionizing radiation and UV photons and then probed by IR spectroscopy. It has been found that radiolysis and photolysis destroy reactant molecules, synthesize new molecules, cause changes of phase in pure materials, and eject molecules from ices. Although our laboratory approach initially focused on product identification, it has become increasingly necessary to work toward a comprehensive understanding of ice chemistry. To this end, we describe recent radiation experiments on some of the most important solar system and interstellar ice molecules, such as H2O, CO, CO2, and hydrocarbons. Chemical reactions are given to account for our observations, and these reactions include such general types as acid‐base, electron‐transfer, radical‐radical combination, and H‐atom addition. Comparisons of ion and UV processing are described for pure H2O and for two binary mixtures, H2O + CO2 and NH3 + CO. Predictions of molecular evolution in complex ices, both H2O‐ and N2‐dominated, are made. Applications are described for cometary organic chemistry, ion processing in interstellar ices, and the recent discovery of H2O2 on the surface of Europa.
We investigate the Mg—σ and 〈Fe〉–σ relations in a sample of 72 early-type galaxies drawn mostly from cluster and group environments using a homogeneous data set which is well calibrated on to the ...Lick/IDS system. The small intrinsic scatter in Mg at a given σ gives upper limits on the spread in age and metallicity of 49 and 32 per cent respectively, if the spread is attributed to one quantity only, and if the variations in age and metallicity are uncorrelated. The age/metallicity distribution as inferred from the Hβ versus 〈Fe〉 diagnostic diagram reinforces this conclusion, as we find mostly galaxies with large luminosity-weighted ages spanning a range in metallicity. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the galaxy distribution in the Hβ versus 〈Fe〉 plane cannot be reproduced by a model in which galaxy age is the only parameter driving the index–σ relation. In our sample we do not find significant evidence for an anticorrelation of ages and metallicities which would keep the index–σ relations tight while hiding a large spread in age and metallicity. As a result of correlated errors in the age—metallicity plane, a mild age—metallicity anticorrelation cannot be completely ruled out by the current data. Correcting the line-strength indices for non-solar abundance ratios, following the recent paper by Trager et al., leads to higher mean metallicity and slightly younger age estimates while preserving the metallicity sequence. The Mg/Fe ratio is mildly correlated with the central velocity dispersion, and ranges from Mg/Fe=0.05 to 0.3 for galaxies with σ>100 km s−1. Under the assumption that there is no age gradient along the index–σ relations, the abundance-ratio-corrected Mg—σ,Fe—σ and Hβ–σ relations give consistent estimates of ΔM/H/Δ log σ≃0.9±0.1. The slope of the Hβ–σ relation limits a potential age trend as a function of σ to 2–3 Gyr along the sequence.
Aggressive behavior is performed in the context of intraspecific competition for gaining access to mates, food, or suitable territories. However, aggressive confrontations may divert time and energy ...from other important activities and increase the likelihood of suffering physical injury or predation. Aggressive behavior is particularly costly for ectotherms because it may reduce the time available for thermoregulation, which is a time‐consuming activity but indispensable for adequate maintenance of metabolic processes. In this study, we analyzed the long‐term effect of the thermal quality (i.e. the degree of discrepancy between the temperatures available in a given environment and temperatures that animals prefer) on the aggressive behavior of the mesquite lizard Sceloporus grammicus. Our hypothesis was that time allocated to aggressive behavior in low thermal quality environments is diverted from time spent on the acquisition and maintenance of an adequate body temperature. Accordingly, we found that lizards from the low thermal quality location (i.e. low environmental temperature) exhibited less aggressive behavior than those captured in middle and high thermal quality locations. Our results show that in the low thermal quality location aggressive behavior was almost absent, suggesting that this behavior may interfere with the acquisition and maintenance of an adequate body temperature. Therefore, it is likely that the benefits of thermoregulation outweigh those of aggressive behavior at low thermal quality locations.
Aggressive behavior is performed in the context of intraspecific competition, however, aggressive confrontations may divert time and energy from other important activities and increase the likelihood of suffering physical injury or predation. Aggressive behavior is particularly costly for ectotherms because it may reduce time available for thermoregulation. In this study, we analyzed the long‐term effect of the thermal quality (i.e. the degree of discrepancy between the temperatures available in a given environment and temperatures that animals prefer) on the aggressive behavior of the mesquite lizard Sceloporus grammicus. Our results show that in the low thermal quality location aggressive behavior was almost absent, suggesting that this behavior may interfere with the acquisition and maintenance of an adequate body temperature.
Epidemiological studies have reported inconsistent associations between telomere length (TL) and risk for various cancers. These inconsistencies are likely attributable, in part, to biases that arise ...due to post-diagnostic and post-treatment TL measurement. To avoid such biases, we used a Mendelian randomization approach and estimated associations between nine TL-associated SNPs and risk for five common cancer types (breast, lung, colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancer, including subtypes) using data on 51 725 cases and 62 035 controls. We then used an inverse-variance weighted average of the SNP-specific associations to estimate the association between a genetic score representing long TL and cancer risk. The long TL genetic score was significantly associated with increased risk of lung adenocarcinoma (P = 6.3 × 10(-15)), even after exclusion of a SNP residing in a known lung cancer susceptibility region (TERT-CLPTM1L) P = 6.6 × 10(-6)). Under Mendelian randomization assumptions, the association estimate odds ratio (OR) = 2.78 is interpreted as the OR for lung adenocarcinoma corresponding to a 1000 bp increase in TL. The weighted TL SNP score was not associated with other cancer types or subtypes. Our finding that genetic determinants of long TL increase lung adenocarcinoma risk avoids issues with reverse causality and residual confounding that arise in observational studies of TL and disease risk. Under Mendelian randomization assumptions, our finding suggests that longer TL increases lung adenocarcinoma risk. However, caution regarding this causal interpretation is warranted in light of the potential issue of pleiotropy, and a more general interpretation is that SNPs influencing telomere biology are also implicated in lung adenocarcinoma risk.
The evolution of behavior relies on changes at the level of the genome; yet the ability to attribute a behavioral change to a specific, naturally occurring genetic change is rare in vertebrates. In ...the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), a chromosomal polymorphism (ZAL2/2^sup m^) is known to segregate with a behavioral phenotype. Individuals with the ZAL2^sup m^ haplotype engage in more territorial aggression and less parental behavior than individuals without it. These behaviors are thought to be mediated by sensitivity to sex steroids, and the chromosomal rearrangement underlying the polymorphism has captured a prime candidate gene: estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), which encodes estrogen receptor α (ERα). We therefore hypothesized that the behavioral effects of the ZAL2^sup m^ rearrangement are mediated by polymorphism in ESR1. We report here that (i) the ESR1 promoter region contains fixed polymorphisms distinguishing the ZAL2^sup m^ and ZAL2 alleles; (ii); those polymorphisms regulate transcription efficiency in vitro and therefore potentially do the same in vivo (iii); the local expression of ERα in the brain depends strongly on genotype in a free-living population; and (iv) ERα expression in the medial amygdala and medial preoptic area may fully mediate the effects of genotype on territorial aggression and parenting, respectively. Thus, our study provides a rare glimpse of how a chromosomal polymorphism has affected the brain and social behavior in a vertebrate. Our results suggest that in this species, differentiation of ESR1 has played a causal role in the evolution of phenotypes with alternative life-history strategies. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
We use weak gravitational lensing to analyse the dark matter haloes around satellite galaxies in galaxy groups in the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS) data set. This data set ...is derived from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey Wide survey, and encompasses 154 deg2 of high-quality shape data. Using the photometric redshifts, we divide the sample of lens galaxies with stellar masses in the range 109-1010.5 M into those likely to lie in high-density environments (HDE) and those likely to lie in low-density environments (LDE). Through comparison with galaxy catalogues extracted from the Millennium Simulation, we show that the sample of HDE galaxies should primarily (∼61 per cent) consist of satellite galaxies in groups, while the sample of LDE galaxies should consist of mostly (∼87 per cent) non-satellite (field and central) galaxies. Comparing the lensing signals around samples of HDE and LDE galaxies matched in stellar mass, the lensing signal around HDE galaxies clearly shows a positive contribution from their host groups on their lensing signals at radii of ∼500-1000 kpc, the typical separation between satellites and group centres. More importantly, the subhaloes of HDE galaxies are less massive than those around LDE galaxies by a factor of 0.65 ± 0.12, significant at the 2.9σ level. A natural explanation is that the haloes of satellite galaxies are stripped through tidal effects in the group environment. Our results are consistent with a typical tidal truncation radius of ∼40 kpc.
The use of cotton co-products in animal feed is restricted by the presence of gossypol, which is a toxic and highly reactive molecule of complex minerals. In mammals, part of the offspring phenotype ...is influenced by dam nutrition. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ewe diet, with and without cottonseed (gossypol), on the testicular development of lambs from birth to weaning through the assessment of lamb live weight (LW), macro and histological morphology of testes, and mass fraction of chemical elements by neutron activation analysis (NAA) and microprobe X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as the multielement distribution map in the testes. Eighteen lambs were used with an average LW at birth of 4 ± 1.0 kg. All lambs were offspring of Santa Inês ewes, fed on ration either with or without cottonseed during mating, gestation, and lactation, thus forming two treatments: control group (C) without cottonseed and treatment group with cottonseed (G). The animals were weighed from birth to 60 days of age, at fortnightly intervals. At 60 days of age, the lambs were orchidectomized to collect their testes for macroscopy, histological, neutron activation, and X-ray fluorescence analysis. Besides dry matter (DM), protein, ether extract (EE), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) were higher in the ewe milk from the C group compared with the G group (
P
< 0.05). Lambs from the C group showed higher LW from 45 days onwards, as well as higher average daily gain when compared with the G group (
P
< 0.05). They also presented higher testicular weight, volume, length, width, as well as tubule and lumen diameters compared with lambs from the G treatment (
P
< 0.05). Multielementary NAA revealed higher mass fractions of rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), and cesium (Cs) in the testes of lambs from the C group when compared with the G group, while G showed higher zinc (Zn) content (
P
< 0.05). No differences between treatments were found for element levels and distribution using X-ray fluorescence microanalysis (
P
> 0.05). In conclusion, the maternal cottonseed diet compromised performance and testes development of the lambs and reduce the content of Se in the testes.
LJP 394 is a novel therapy under development for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated the optimal LJP 394 dosing regimen required to maximally reduce serum dsDNA ...antibodies. We also evaluated the safety and tolerability of repeated doses of LJP 394 as well as the effects of therapy on SLE related disease activity and health related quality of life.
This was a multicenter, partially randomized, placebo controlled, double blind, dose-ranging trial. Study drug or placebo was administered at weekly, biweekly, or monthly intervals for a total of 17, 9, or 5 doses, respectively. Fifty-eight patients were randomly assigned to receive 1, 10, or 50 mg LJP 394 or placebo. After a 2 month pretreatment period, dosing visits continued for 16 weeks, after which there was a 2 month posttreatment period.
The greatest reductions in mean dsDNA antibody titers were observed in the group of patients who received 50 mg LJP 394 weekly (38.1% and 37.1 % at Weeks 16 and 24, respectively). A reduction (29.3%) in dsDNA antibody titers was also observed at Week 24 in the group of patients who received 10 mg LJP 394 weekly. The frequencies of adverse events were comparable in the placebo and active treatment groups.
This clinical trial, in which a large number of patients with SLE were treated with LJP 394, expanded the safety profile of LJP 394 and demonstrated its capacity to reduce dsDNA antibodies.
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![Estrogen receptor [alpha] p...](http://api.summon.serialssolutions.com/2.0.0/image/issn/XR4PS5YY4K/0027-8424/small "Estrogen receptor [alpha] polymorphism in a species with alternative behavioral phenotypes")
