Is there a gender difference of somatostatin-receptor density in the human brain?

Animal experiments and observations in human brains have convincingly shown that sexual differentiation not only concerns the genitalia but also the brain. This has been investigated also in the light of a possible explanation of a presumed biological aetiology of transsexuality. The volume of the central subdivision of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, a brain area that is essential for sexual behaviour, has been reported to be larger in men than in women. Additionally, the number of somatostatin expressing neurons in this region was shown to be higher in men than in women. As neuronal production of somatostatin is involved the idea is striking whether somatostatin-receptor density in the cortex of cerebral hemispheres might be related to gender identity. We investigated in vivo the density of somatostatin-receptors in selected regions of the human brain in both sexes by means of receptor scintigraphy. Basal ganglia tracer uptake of 111-In-Pentreotide was equally low in both genders at 0,80% +/ 0,26 (related to tracer uptake of the whole brain layer). Temporal cortex accumulated at 2,9% +/ 1,1 in men and at 2,3% +/ 0,76 in women. Frontal brain region had an uptake of 3,0% +/ 1,4 in male and of 2,5% +/ 1,3 in female. This shows a tendency in males for relatively augmented uptake indicating higher somatostatin receptor density in temporal and frontal cerebral cortex.     

The bioremediator glycerophosphodiesterase employs a non-processive mechanism for hydrolysis

Glycerophosphodiesterase (GpdQ) from Enterobacter aerogenes is a binuclear metallohydrolase that catalyzes the breakdown of a broad range of phosphate ester substrates, and it is of interest for its potential application in the destruction of organophosphate nerve agents and pesticides. The reaction mechanism of GpdQ has been proposed to involve a nucleophilic attack by a terminally bound hydroxide molecule. The hydroxide species bridging the two metal ions is suggested to activate the nucleophile, thus favoring a sequential rather than a processive mechanism of action. Here, the hydrolysis of the two ester bonds in the substrate bis(para-nitrophenyl) phosphate (bpNPP) is probed using ³¹P NMR. The kinetic rates measured compare well with those determined spectrophotometrically. Furthermore, the data indicate that the diester bonds are cleaved in two separate (non-processive) reactions, indicating that only a single nucleophile (the terminal hydroxide molecule) is likely to be employed as a nucleophile for GpdQ.     

Pongamia pinnata: An Untapped Resource for the Biofuels Industry of the Future

Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre is a fast-growing leguminous tree with the potential for high oil seed production and the added benefit of the ability to grow on marginal land. These properties support the suitability of this plant for large-scale vegetable oil production required by a sustainable biodiesel industry. The future success of P. pinnata as a sustainable source of feedstock for the biofuels industry is dependent on an extensive knowledge of the genetics, physiology and propagation of this legume. In particular, research should be targeted to maximizing plant growth as it relates to oil biosynthesis. This review assesses and integrates the biological, chemical and genetic attributes of the plant, providing the basis for future research into Pongamia’s role in an emerging industry.     

Case Fatality Rates Based on Population Estimates of Influenza-Like Illness Due to Novel H1N1 Influenza: New York City,May–June 2009

Background

The public health response to pandemic influenza is contingent on the pandemic strain''s severity. In late April 2009, a potentially pandemic novel H1N1 influenza strain (nH1N1) was recognized. New York City (NYC) experienced an intensive initial outbreak that peaked in late May, providing the need and opportunity to rapidly quantify the severity of nH1N1.

Methods and Findings

Telephone surveys using rapid polling methods of approximately 1,000 households each were conducted May 20–27 and June 15–19, 2009. Respondents were asked about the occurrence of influenza-like illness (ILI, fever with either cough or sore throat) for each household member from May 1–27 (survey 1) or the preceding 30 days (survey 2). For the overlap period, prevalence data were combined by weighting the survey-specific contribution based on a Serfling model using data from the NYC syndromic surveillance system. Total and age-specific prevalence of ILI attributed to nH1N1 were estimated using two approaches to adjust for background ILI: discounting by ILI prevalence in less affected NYC boroughs and by ILI measured in syndromic surveillance data from 2004–2008. Deaths, hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions were determined from enhanced surveillance including nH1N1-specific testing. Combined ILI prevalence for the 50-day period was 15.8% (95% CI:13.2%–19.0%). The two methods of adjustment yielded point estimates of nH1N1-associated ILI of 7.8% and 12.2%. Overall case-fatality (CFR) estimates ranged from 0.054–0.086 per 1000 persons with nH1N1-associated ILI and were highest for persons ≥65 years (0.094–0.147 per 1000) and lowest for those 0–17 (0.008–0.012). Hospitalization rates ranged from 0.84–1.34 and ICU admission rates from 0.21–0.34 per 1000, with little variation in either by age-group.

Conclusions

ILI prevalence can be quickly estimated using rapid telephone surveys, using syndromic surveillance data to determine expected “background” ILI proportion. Risk of severe illness due to nH1N1 was similar to seasonal influenza, enabling NYC to emphasize preventing severe morbidity rather than employing aggressive community mitigation measures.     

Selected nuclear LINE elements with mitochondrial-DNA-like inserts are more plentiful and mobile in tumor than in normal tissue of mouse and rat

The nuclear DNA of normal and tumor mouse and rat tissue was examined for mitochondrial-DNA-like inserts by means of the Southern blot technique. The two probes were ³²P-labeled cloned mitochondrial DNA. KpnI, which doesn't cut either mitochondrial DNA, was one of the restriction enzymes, while the enzymes that fragment mitochondrial DNA were for mouse and rat PstI and BamHI, respectively. When KpnI alone was used in the procedure a nuclear LINE family whose elements had mitochondrial-DNA-like insertions was selected. Such elements were much more abundant in tumor than in normal tissue. The results with PstI alone and BamHI alone and each combined with KpnI indicated that there were mobile LINE elements with mitochondrial-DNA-like inserts in the nuclear genome of tumor. The mouse tissues were normal liver and a transplantable lymphoid leukemic ascites cell line L1210 that had been carried for 40 years. The rat tissues were normal liver and a hepatoma freshly induced by diethylnitrosoamine in order to minimize the role of 40 years of transplantation. Our unitary hypothesis for carcinogenesis of 1971, which suggested these experiments, has been augmented to include mobile nuclear elements with inserts of mitochondrial-DNA-like sequences. Such elements have been related to diseases of genetic predisposition such as breast cancer and Huntington's disease. J. Cell. Biochem. 68:100–109, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The subclass distribution of human IgG rheumatoid factor

The subclass distribution of IgG rheumatoid factor (RF) was determined by a sensitive ELISA assay in sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and from normal controls. In both instances, the most important subclasses were IgG1 and IgG4. The IgG4 RF was directed against the Fc region of IgG, and recognized human as well as rabbit IgG. Although human IgG4 myeloma proteins bound to rabbit IgG better than did myelomas of other IgG subclasses, the IgG4 RF activity in rheumatoid sera showed an additional specificity, because the fraction of IgG4 RF/total IgG4 for rheumatoid arthritis sera was far greater than for myelomas. This inference was supported by the observation that there was persistent, albeit diminished, IgG RF activity in pepsin-digested, RF-containing sera (but not myeloma proteins), indicating that a critical component of IgG4 RF activity was contained within the Fab region of the IgG4 molecule. The finding of large quantities of IgG4 RF was not due to a bias of the assay, because the preponderance of IgG4 did not extend to the subclass distribution of antibodies directed against other antigens. The demonstration of an important role for IgG4 as a RF is of special interest because of the relative inability of this subclass to fix complement or to bind to Fc receptors, and because of its potential role as a mediator of increased vascular permeability.     

Comment: mitochondrial genes and cancer

As a result of an experimental confluence between carcinogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation, we published in 1971 'A Unitary Hypothesis for Carcinogenesis' [(1971) J. Antibiot. Tokyo 24, 405-417]. According to this hypothesis, damaged mitochondria release mitochondrial genetic material which like that from an oncogenic virus could enter the nuclear genome. Our original hypothesis and its justification cover the hypothesis recently presented by Dr C. Richter [(1988) FEBS Lett. 241, 1-5].