Association of nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase (NNMT) gene rs694539 variant with bipolar disorder

Here we report the association of the rs694539 variant of nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase gene with bipolar disorder in a case–control study of 95 bipolar disorder patients and 201 healthy controls (χ² = 13.382, P = 0.001). With the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method we developed we were able to show the association for the first time. This new finding may provide evidence to understand the mechanism of the disease.     

Function and regulation of tau conformations in the development and treatment of traumatic brain injury and neurodegeneration

One of the two common hallmark lesions of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains is neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau). NFTs are also a defining feature of other neurodegenerative disorders and have recently been identified in the brains of patients suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). However, NFTs are not normally observed in traumatic brain injury (TBI) until months or years after injury. This raises the question of whether NFTs are a cause or a consequence of long-term neurodegeneration following TBI. Two conformations of phosphorylated tau, cis p-tau and trans p-tau, which are regulated by the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1, have been previously identified. By generating a polyclonal and monoclonal antibody (Ab) pair capable of distinguishing between cis and trans isoforms of p-tau (cis p-tau and trans p-tau, respectively), cis p-tau was identified as a precursor of tau pathology and an early driver of neurodegeneration in AD, TBI and CTE. Histological studies shows the appearance of robust cis p-tau in the early stages of human mild cognitive impairment (MCI), AD and CTE brains, as well as after sport- and military-related TBI. Notably, cis p-tau appears within hours after closed head injury and long before other known pathogenic p-tau conformations including oligomers, pre-fibrillary tangles and NFTs. Importantly, cis p-tau monoclonal antibody treatment not only eliminates cis p-tau induction and tau pathology, but also restores many neuropathological and functional outcome in TBI mouse models. Thus, cis p-tau is an early driver of tau pathology in TBI and CTE and detection of cis p-tau in human bodily fluids could potentially provide new diagnostic and prognostic tools. Furthermore, humanization of the cis p-tau antibody could ultimately be developed as a new treatment for AD, TBI and CTE.     

Cation effects on sol-gel and gel-sol phase transitions of kappa-carrageenan-water system

Sol–gel and gel–sol phase transitions of κ-carrageenan in pure water and in KCl solution were studied using photon transmission technique. Photon transmission intensity, I_tr, was monitored against temperature to determine the sol–gel and gel–sol temperatures (T_sg and T_gs) and activation energies (ΔH_sg and ΔH_gs). It was observed that T_gs was notably higher than T_sg due to the hysteresis on the phase transition loops. T_gs and ΔH_gs values were also higher for gels containing KCl than for those without KCl. The increase in carrageenan content caused an increase in both critical temperatures and activation energies for the gels prepared in pure water and in KCl solution. Increases in the KCl/carrageenan ratio, raised both T_gs and T_sg. Similarly ΔH_sg was elevated by the increase in cation content of the gel. These results were interpreted as the formation of stronger gels in the presence of KCl in water.     

Photon transmission study on conformational ordering of iota-carrageenan in CaCl2 solution

Coil-to-double helix (c-h) and double helix-to-dimer (h-d) phase transitions of iota-carrageenan in CaCl(2) solution upon cooling were studied using photon transmission technique. Photon transmission intensity, I(tr) was monitored against temperature to determine the (c-h) and (h-d) transition temperatures (T(ch) and T(hd)) and activation energies (DeltaE(ch) and DeltaE(hd)). An extra dimer-to-dimer (d-d) transition was also observed during cooling at low temperature region. However, upon heating dimers disappear to double helices by making dimer-to-double helix (d-h) transition. Further heating resulted double helix-to-coil (h-c) transition at high temperature region. T(dh) and T(ch) temperatures and DeltaE(dh) and DeltaE(hc) activation energies were also determined. It was observed that T(hc) and T(ch) temperatures and DeltaE(dh) and DeltaE(hd) activation energies do not effected by carrageenan content. However, T(hd), T(dh) and T(dd) temperatures and DeltaE(ch) and DeltaE(hc) activation energies were found to be strongly correlated to the carrageenan content in the system.     

Temporal Variation in Seed Predation by Insects in a Population of Syagrus romanzoffiana (Arecaceae) in Santa Catarina Island, SC, Brazil

Insect seed predation may vary depending on seed production. The present study considers the hypothesis that the rates of seed predation tend to be smaller in years of higher fruit production. Thus, we monitored the production of fruits and predation of seeds of the palm Syagrus romanzoffiana over 2?years in the Atlantic Forest (Parque Municipal da Lagoa do Peri, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil), between July 2006 and June 2008. Plots of 0.25?m² were fitted under 20 mother plants and fruits were monthly collected for assessment of abundance and seed predation. There was variation in fruit production between the 2?years and among reproductive plants. Predation rates were high and occurred in the predispersal phase by the Curculionidae Revena rubiginosa Boheman, Anchylorhynchus aegrotus Fahraeus, and Anchylorhynchus variabilis Gyllenhal. Seed predation by these species of Anchylorhynchus is first registered in the present study. In average, about 60% of the seeds monthly produced in the population tend to escape insect predation in year of high or low production, becoming available for recruitment. The predation rate was not related to the amount of fruits produced per reproductive plant. Also, different than expected, there was a positive relation between the rates of seed predation and the total of fruits produced monthly on the plots. Thus, no evidence for the satiation of insect seed predators was found in this study with S. romanzoffiana.