Immunogenic and antigenic epitopes of immunoglobulins--VII. The topographical distribution of Fc gamma epitopes and the relationship of an iso-allotypic specificity to the presence of histidine 435

Epitopes recognised by a panel of 23 anti-Fc gamma monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) have been subdivided into three groups each having a distinct topographical distribution. One group of mutually inhibitory McAbs are reactive with epitopes expressed on the fy "surface" of the C gamma 2 domain. A second group recognises epitopes in the region of arginine 355 of the C gamma 3 domain whilst the third group recognises epitopes expressed in the inter C gamma 2/C gamma 3 domain region--as evidenced by inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus protein A binding. An antibody of the latter group reactive with IgG1, 2, 4 and IgG3m(15,16) proteins but not IgG3m(5) or IgG3m(21) proteins allows histidine 435 to be identified as a critical residue for expression of the epitope recognised by this antibody.     

Effect of insulin on sex differences in the intake of glucose solutions in rats

Adult male and female Wistar rats maintained on ad lib diet were given a choice between tap water and a solution of glucose in the concentration of either 5 or 12%. Both sexes exhibited a marked preference for glucose solutions. With the 5% solution the volume intake was similar in both sexes and the total calorie intake was normal. With the 12% solution the volume intake was higher in females than in males, while in both sexes the total calorie intake was increased to a similar (maximum acceptable) level. Treatment with Protamine Zinc Insulin (PZI) in a daily dose of 40 U/kg b.w. markedly increased the intake of the 5% solution in both sexes, but significantly more in females than in males, thus revealing sex differences which were not manifest in untreated rats. PZI treatment had little effect on 12% glucose solution intake, presumably because with this solution the total calorie intake was increased to a maximum already in untreated rats.     

Untersuchung über die Biodynamik des Klavieranschlags

Zusammenfassung Die Abhandlung ist der experimentellen Untersuchung des rhythmischen Oktaven-Klavieranschlags, die von den Autoren in den Jahren 1927/28 mittels der kymozyklographischen Methode an hervorragenden Pianistenvirtuosen durchgeführt wurde, gewidmet. Der Untersuchung wurden monotone Aufeinanderfolgerungen der Oktaven unterworfen: 1. in cresc.-dimin. und 2. in acceler.-rallent.Nach den erhaltenen Photoaufzeichnungen wurden studiert: 1. die Bewegungen der rechten Armteile (Ober-, Unterarm, Hand), 2. Änderungen der Gelenkwinkel, 3. die Momente der Resultanten der Muskelspannungen im Schulter-, dem Ellenbogen- und Handgelenk. Die Untersuchung hat die Möglichkeit gegeben, eine typische Form des Verlaufs des rhythmischen Oktavenanschlags festzustellen und seine genaue Beschreibung zu geben.Die Versuche der Änderung der Anschlagskraft haben gezeigt, daß die Bewegungsdynamik sich in Abhängigkeit von der Anschlagskraft nur quantitativ, bei konstanter Konstruktion, verändert.Die Versuche der Tempoänderung haben gezeigt, daß die Anschlagskonstruktion abhängig vom Tempo sich wesentlich verändert. Bei langsamen Tempos besteht die Bewegung aus isolierten Impulsen, bei mittleren entspricht sie den Schwingungen des zusammengesetzten Pendels, bei den schnellsten Tempos geht sie in erzwungene elastische Schwingungen vom Typus des einfachen Pendels bei elastisch-passivem Handgelenk über.Die Versuche haben festgestellt, daß bei allen Bewegungen der studierten Art in den Tempos über 3 Anschläge in der Sekunde das Fallen der Hand infolge ihres Gewichtes (Gewichtsanschlag) nicht stattfindet und aus rein mechanischen Gründen nicht stattfinden kann. In den langsamsten Tempos kommt es manchmal vor, jedoch bedeutend seltener, als man es theoretisch erwarten könnte.Die Abhandlung stellt eine erste Arbeit von der Serie, die von der Klaviersektion des St. Inst. f. Musikwissenschaft durchgeführt wird, vor, und die dem Studium des Klavieranschlags: 1. bei komplizierten Rhythmen, 2. bei Anfängern und fortgeschrittenen Lehrlingen und 3. hinsichtlich des Vergleichs der Klavierspieler verschiedener Schulen und Individualitäten gewidmet ist.     

The COVID-19 anxiety syndrome and selective attentional bias towards COVID-19-related stimuli in UK residents during the 2020–2021 pandemic

The psychological and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are pervasive, and there is potential for a long-lasting impact on mental health. In the current study, we sought to provide, in a representative sample of UK residents during the third COVID-19 lockdown in February 2021, further evidence for the validation of the COVID-19 anxiety syndrome construct. We did this by evaluating the COVID-19 anxiety syndrome against measures of personality, health anxiety and COVID-19 anxiety in predicting levels of generalized anxiety and depression and by examining whether increased health anxiety and COVID-19 psychological distress (COVID-19 anxiety and COVID-19 anxiety syndrome) scores were associated with increased attentional bias to COVID-19-related stimuli. A series of correlation analyses revealed that neuroticism, health anxiety, COVID-19 anxiety and COVID-19 anxiety syndrome scores were positively and significantly correlated with generalized anxiety and depression scores and that the perseveration component of the COVID-19 anxiety syndrome predicted generalized anxiety and depression scores independently of age, gender, conscientiousness, openness, health anxiety and COVID-19 anxiety. Furthermore, results indicated that only the total COVID-19 anxiety syndrome score and the scores on the avoidance and perseveration components were positively and significantly correlated with attentional bias indices. More specifically, the general attentional bias index was only shown to be positively and significantly correlated with the total COVID-19 anxiety syndrome score and its perseveration component, while slowed disengagement was only shown to be negatively and significantly correlated with the total COVID-19 anxiety syndrome score and its avoidance component. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Indirect effects of cigarette butt waste on the dengue vector Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Despite major insecticide-based vector control programs, dengue continues to be a major threat to public health in urban areas. The reasons for this failure include the emergence of insecticide resistance and the narrowing of the spectrum of efficient products. Cigarette butts (CBs), the most commonly discarded piece of waste, also represent a major health hazard to human and animal life. CBs are impregnated with thousands of chemical compounds, many of which are highly toxic and none of which has history of resistance in mosquitoes. This study was performed to examine whether exposure to CB alters various biological parameters of parents and their progeny. We examined whether the mosquito changes its ovipositional behaviors, egg hatching, reproductive capacity, longevity and fecundity in response to CB exposure at three different concentrations. Females tended to prefer microcosms containing CBs for egg deposition than those with water only. There were equivalent rates of eclosion success among larvae from eggs that matured in CB and water environments. We also observed decreased life span among adults that survived CB exposure. Extracts of CB waste have detrimental effects on the fecundity and longevity of its offspring, while being attractive to its gravid females. These results altogether indicate that CB waste indirectly affect key adult life traits of Aedes aegypti and could conceivably be developed as a novel dengue vector control strategy, referring to previously documented direct toxicity on the larval stage. But this will require further research on CB waste effects on non-target organisms including humans.     

Isolation and characterisation of Mauritius lowland day gecko Phelsuma guimbeaui microsatellite loci

We isolated 315 sequences from a Phelsuma guimbeaui microsatellite-enriched genomic library. Primer sets were designed for 44 loci and used to genotype 29 unrelated individuals belonging to a population in the west of Mauritius. All the loci were polymorphic and the number of alleles ranged from 6 to 34. Mean observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.29 to 1.00 and 0.48 to 0.97, respectively. Thirteen loci displayed evidence of deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, of which 11 also had an estimated null allele frequency ≥10 %. The microsatellite loci will be used to evaluate the population structure and genetic diversity of P. guimbeaui in Mauritius.     

A novel mutation in CDKN1C in sibs with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome and cleft palate,sensorineural hearing loss,and supernumerary flexion creases

We report on two daughters and a son of a Thai family who were affected with BWS. Their clinical findings consist of cleft palate, omphalocele, anterior ear creases, indented lesions on the posterior rim of the helix, macroglossia, posterior crossbite, and anterior open bite. The younger daughter and son had newly recognized findings of the BWS including sensorineural hearing loss and supernumerary flexion creases of the fingers. A novel mutation in CDKN1C (c.579delT; p.A193AfsX46) was found in all affected individuals and their mother. This mutation is located in the central highly polymorphic hexanucleotide repeat encoding a proline‐alanine series of repeats (PAPA‐domain). This domain is involved in MAP kinase phosphorylation. This is for the first time that sensorineural hearing loss and supernumerary flexion creases of the fingers are associated with mutation in CDKN1C. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Oral manifestations of 17 patients affected with mucopolysaccharidosis type VI

Objective

To assess oral manifestations of 17 patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type VI (MPS VI) or Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome.

Methods

We performed comprehensive oral examinations in 17 patients with MPS VI. Panoramic radiographs was performed only in 14 patients. All patients were of Thai, Turkish, and Indian origins. Ten of 17 patients had enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) (Naglazyme). Most Turkish patients (10/11) were on ERT. The Thai and Indian patients have never had ERT.

Results

Oral and radiographic examinations showed that hypoplastic mandibular condyles (93.3 %), malposition of unerupted teeth (92.9 %), large dental follicles (92.3 %), anterior open bite (86.7 %), maxillary constriction (56.3 %), and taurodontism (53.8 %) were common among patients with MPS VI. Newly recognized oral findings found in our study included taurodontism, long tooth roots, abnormal frenum, missing teeth, supernumerary teeth, and microdontia. Two patients who started ERT prior to 3 years old did not develope anterior open bite and one of them had mildly affected mandibular condyles.

Conclusion

Our study provides the most comprehensive study of oral manifestations in patients with MPS VI. Receiving ERT at very young ages may lessen craniofacial malformations including hypoplasic mandibular condyles and anterior open bite. Oral manifestations can be used as diagnostic features for MPS VI prior to assessing leukocyte ARSB activity or urinary excretion of dermatan sulfate.