Grounding word learning in space

Humans and objects, and thus social interactions about objects, exist within space. Words direct listeners' attention to specific regions of space. Thus, a strong correspondence exists between where one looks, one's bodily orientation, and what one sees. This leads to further correspondence with what one remembers. Here, we present data suggesting that children use associations between space and objects and space and words to link words and objects--space binds labels to their referents. We tested this claim in four experiments, showing that the spatial consistency of where objects are presented affects children's word learning. Next, we demonstrate that a process model that grounds word learning in the known neural dynamics of spatial attention, spatial memory, and associative learning can capture the suite of results reported here. This model also predicts that space is special, a prediction supported in a fifth experiment that shows children do not use color as a cue to bind words and objects. In a final experiment, we ask whether spatial consistency affects word learning in naturalistic word learning contexts. Children of parents who spontaneously keep objects in a consistent spatial location during naming interactions learn words more effectively. Together, the model and data show that space is a powerful tool that can effectively ground word learning in social contexts.     

The antioxidant function of the p53 tumor suppressor

It is widely accepted that the p53 tumor suppressor restricts abnormal cells by induction of growth arrest or by triggering apoptosis. Here we show that, in addition, p53 protects the genome from oxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS), a major cause of DNA damage and genetic instability. In the absence of severe stresses, relatively low levels of p53 are sufficient for upregulation of several genes with antioxidant products, which is associated with a decrease in intracellular ROS. Downregulation of p53 results in excessive oxidation of DNA, increased mutation rate and karyotype instability, which are prevented by incubation with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Dietary supplementation with NAC prevented frequent lymphomas characteristic of Trp53-knockout mice, and slowed the growth of lung cancer xenografts deficient in p53. Our results provide a new paradigm for a nonrestrictive tumor suppressor function of p53 and highlight the potential importance of antioxidants in the prophylaxis and treatment of cancer.     

The restoration of anatomic form of atrophied alveolar processes of jaws with the help of bioimplant lioplast

The purpose of the present research was: 1. To investigate the opportunity of application of allogen osteoplastic materials such as Lioplast, received in Samara Tissue Bank of Samara State Medical University. 2. To work out a new technique of producing lyophilized allogen osteoplastic materials, such as Lioplast, with application of an ultrasonic method of clearing. 3. The development of various techniques of operative intervention on jaws for increase in volume of atrophied, as a result of secondary adentia, alveolar shoot. 4. The application of spongy allogen osteoplastic material as a skeleton for filling in surgical operations on jaws. 5. The demonstration of the Technique of a bone-periostic Lioplast 'sandwich' for formation of an alveolar shoot.     

Local atrial natriuretic peptide signaling prevents hypertensive cardiac hypertrophy in endothelial nitric-oxide synthase-deficient mice

The crucial functions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and endothelial nitric oxide/NO in the regulation of arterial blood pressure have been emphasized by the hypertensive phenotype of mice with systemic inactivation of either the guanylyl cyclase-A receptor for ANP (GC-A-/-) or endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS-/-). Intriguingly, similar levels of arterial hypertension are accompanied by marked cardiac hypertrophy in GC-A-/-, but not in eNOS-/-, mice, suggesting that changes in local pathways regulating cardiac growth accelerate cardiac hypertrophy in the former and protect the heart of the latter. Our recent observations in mice with conditional, cardiomyocyte-restricted GC-A deletion demonstrated that ANP locally inhibits cardiomyocyte growth. Abolition of these local, protective effects may enhance the cardiac hypertrophic response of GC-A-/- mice to persistent increases in hemodynamic load. Notably, eNOS-/- mice exhibit markedly increased cardiac ANP levels, suggesting that increased activation of cardiac GC-A can prevent hypertensive heart disease. To test this hypothesis, we generated mice with systemic inactivation of eNOS and cardiomyocyte-restricted deletion of GC-A by crossing eNOS-/- and cardiomyocyte-restricted GC-A-deficient mice. Cardiac deletion of GC-A did not affect arterial hypertension but significantly exacerbated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in eNOS-/- mice. This was accompanied by marked cardiac activation of both the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) ERK 1/2 and the phosphatase calcineurin. Our observations suggest that local ANP/GC-A/cyclic GMP signaling counter-regulates MAPK/ERK- and calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cells-dependent pathways of cardiac myocyte growth in hypertensive eNOS-/- mice.     

Expansion of substrate specificity of cytochrome P450 2A6 by random and site-directed mutagenesis

The natural product indole is a substrate for cytochrome P450 2A6. Mutagenesis of P450 2A6 was done to expand its capability in the oxidization of bulky substituted indole compounds, which are not substrates for the wild-type enzyme or the double mutant L240C/N297Q, as determined in our previous work (Wu, Z.-L., Aryal, P., Lozach, O., Meijer, L., and Guengerich, F. P. (2005) Chem. Biodivers. 2, 51-65). Error-prone PCR and site-directed mutagenesis led to the identification of two critical amino acid residue changes (N297Q and I300V) that achieve the purpose. The new mutant (N297Q/I300V) was able to oxidize both 4- and 5-benzyloxy(OBzl)indoles to form colored products. Both changes were required for oxidation of these bulky substrates. The colored product derived from 5-OBzl-indole was mainly 5,5'-di-OBzl-indirubin, whereas the dominant blue dye isolated upon incubations with 4-OBzl-indole was neither an indigo nor an indirubin. Two-dimensional NMR experiments led to assignment of the structure as 4-OBzl-2-(4'-OBzl-1',7'-dihydro-7'-oxo-6'H-indol-6'-ylidene)indolin-3-one, in which a pyrrole ring and a benzene ring are connected with a double bond instead of the pyrrole-pyrrole connection of other indigoids. Monomeric oxidation products were also isolated and characterized; three phenols (4-OBzl-1H-indol-5-ol, 4-OBzl-1H-indol-6-ol, and 4-OBzl-1H-indol-7-ol) and one quinone (4-OBzl-1H-indole-6,7-dione, the postulated immediate precursor of the final blue dye) were identified. The results are interpreted in the context of a crystal structure of a P450 2A6-coumarin complex. The I300V change opens an additional pocket to accommodate the OBzl bulk. The N2297Q change is postulated to generate a hydrogen bond between Gln and the substrate oxygen. Thus, the substrate specificity of P450 2A6 was expanded, and new products were obtained in this study.     

Overexpression of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) transgene prevents acetaldehyde-induced cell injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells: role of ERK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase

Acetaldehyde, the major ethanol metabolite that is far more toxic and reactive than ethanol, has been postulated to be responsible for alcohol-induced tissue and cell injury. This study was to examine whether facilitated acetaldehyde metabolism affects acetaldehyde-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. Transgene-encoding human aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2), which converts acetaldehyde into acetate, was constructed under chicken beta-actin promoter and transfected into human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Efficacy of ALDH2 transfection was verified using green fluorescent protein and ALDH2 enzymatic assay. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. Apoptosis was evaluated by 4',6'-diamidino-2'-phenylindoladihydrochloride fluorescence microscopy, quantitative DNA fragmentation, and caspase-3 assay. Acetaldehyde (0-200 microm) elicited ROS generation and apoptosis in HUVECs in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, associated with activation of the stress signal molecules ERK1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. A close liner correlation was observed between the acetaldehyde-induced ROS generation and apoptosis. Interestingly, the acetaldehyde-induced ROS generation, apoptosis, activation of ERK1/2, and p38 MAP kinase were prevented by the ALDH2 transgene or antioxidant alpha-tocopherol. The involvement of ERK1/2 and p38 MAP kinase in acetaldehyde-induced apoptosis was confirmed by selective kinase inhibitors U0126, SB203580, and SB202190. Collectively, our data revealed that facilitation of acetaldehyde metabolism by ALDH2 transgene overexpression may prevent acetaldehyde-induced cell injury and activation of stress signals. These results indicated therapeutic potential of ALDH2 enzyme in the prevention and detoxification of acetaldehyde or alcohol-induced cell injury.