Action preparation enhances the processing of tactile targets

We present two experiments in which we investigated whether tactile attention is modulated by action preparation. In Experiment 1, participants prepared a saccade toward either the left or right index finger, depending on the pitch of a non-predictive auditory cue. In Experiment 2, participants prepared to lift the left or right index finger in response to the auditory cue. In half of the trials in both experiments, a suprathreshold vibratory stimulus was presented with equal probability to either finger, to which the participants made a speeded foot response. The results showed facilitation in the processing of targets delivered at the goal location of the prepared movement (Experiment 1), as well as at the effector of the prepared movement (Experiment 2). These results are discussed within the framework of theories on motor preparation and spatial attention.     

A Neutrophil Timer Coordinates Immune Defense and Vascular Protection

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Effect of malnutrition on susceptibility of mice to Trypanosoma musculi: Vitamin A-deficiency

Summary Vitamin A-deficiency was studied in mice infected with Trypanosoma musculi.Irrespective of diet, trypomastigotes (trypanosomes) appeared in peripheral tail blood of all inoculated mice after 6-day incubation periods. On the average, vitamin A-deficient mice had parasitemias about 10 times greater than animals fed a complete diet and 8 times pair-fed controls. Parasitemias lasted longer in vitamin-deficient hosts, and reached a maximum five days later than those from control hosts.The action of the antibody which inhibits reproduction of the trypomastigotes was delayed five days in vitamin-deficient mice; in pair-fed animals ablastic action occurred slightly earlier than in normal control animals. The action of the terminal lytic antibody was delayed by 6 days in metabolically deficient mice than in normal controls and by 4 days in pair-fed controls.Body weight gains in mice on complete, vitamin A-deficient or pair-fed control diets and given living cells or homogenate of T. musculi showed significant increases over uninoculated controls. Irrespective of dietary group, animals receiving living cells or homogenate of T. musculi ate more food than the control animals beginning 10 days after inoculation. Regardless of diet, no differences in weight gain or food consumption were seen in animals inoculated with physiological saline or metabolic products of T. musculi when compared with uninoculated controls.Key to Lettering of Figs. 1–3 N Averages for uninoculated mice. - L Averages for mice inoculated with living cells of T. musculi. - H Averages for mice inoculated with homogenate of T. musculi. - M Averages for mice inoculated with metabolic products of T. musculi. - P Averages for mice inoculated with physiological saline.     

A randomized clinical trial of a culturally responsive intervention for African American women with asthma

Background

Few interventions have focused on the difficulties that African American women face when managing asthma.

A human promyelocytic-like population is responsible for the immune suppression mediated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells

We recently demonstrated that human BM cells can be treated in vitro with defined growth factors to induce the rapid generation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), hereafter defined as BM-MDSCs. Indeed, combination of G-CSF + GM-CSF led to the development of a heterogeneous mixture of immature myeloid cells ranging from myeloblasts to band cells that were able to suppress alloantigen- and mitogen-stimulated T lymphocytes. Here, we further investigate the mechanism of suppression and define the cell subset that is fully responsible for BM-MDSC-mediated immune suppression. This population, which displays the structure and markers of promyelocytes, is however distinct from physiologic promyelocytes that, instead, are devoid of immuosuppressive function. In addition, we demonstrate that promyelocyte-like cells proliferate in the presence of activated lymphocytes and that, when these cells exert suppressive activity, they do not differentiate but rather maintain their immature phenotype. Finally, we show that promyelocyte-like BM-MDSCs are equivalent to MDSCs present in the blood of patients with breast cancer and patients with colorectal cancer and that increased circulating levels of these immunosuppressive myeloid cells correlate with worse prognosis and radiographic progression.     

Lysosomal killing of Mycobacterium mediated by ubiquitin-derived peptides is enhanced by autophagy

Mycobacterium tuberculosis parasitizes resting macrophages yet is killed by activated macrophages through both oxidative and nonoxidative mechanisms. Nonoxidative mechanisms are linked to the maturation of the bacteria-containing phagosome into an acidified, hydrolytically active compartment. We describe here a mechanism for killing Mycobacteria in the lysosomal compartment through the activity of peptides generated by the hydrolysis of ubiquitin. The induction of autophagy in infected macrophages enhanced the delivery of ubiquitin conjugates to the lysosome and increased the bactericidal capacity of the lysosomal soluble fraction. The accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in the autophagolysosome provides one possible mechanism behind the antimicrobial activities observed for a range of pathogens in autophagous host cells.     

Bexarotene and interferon-alpha combination therapy in a patient affected by relapsing anaplastic large cell lymphoma with cutaneous involvement

A 74-year-old man presented with relapsing systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with cutaneous involvement who had a third recurrence of cutaneous lesions associated with inguinal lymphonodes enlargement. Due to severe worsening of general conditions, treatment with low dose bexarotene associated with interferon-aalphawas initiated. Four months later, skin nodules disappeared with reduction of lymphonodes size. Two months after stopping therapy, lymphonodal relapse of the lymphoma was seen; however, cutaneous lesions were still in complete remission. Association of low dose bexarotene with interferon-xalphaseems to represent a possible alternative therapy for relapsing systemic ALCL presenting as prevalent cutaneous involvement in patients with severe worsening of general conditions. In our case, this protocol was unable to maintain a longer disease free survival in comparison with the 2 previous polychemotherapy cycles. Further extended studies are required in order to define the possible rule of this combination therapy in relapsing systemic ALCL.