Influences of disgust sensitivity on hemodynamic responses towards a disgust-inducing film clip.

The major goal of the present functional magnetic resonance imaging study was to investigate the influence of disgust sensitivity on hemodynamic responses during disgust induction. Fifteen subjects viewed three different film excerpts (duration: 135 s each) with disgust-evoking, threatening and neutral content. The films were presented in a block design with four repetitions of each condition. Afterwards, subjects gave affective ratings for the films and answered the questionnaire for the assessment of disgust sensitivity (QADS, []). The subjects' overall disgust sensitivity was positively related to their experienced disgust, as well as to their prefrontal cortex activation during the disgust condition. Further, there was a positive correlation between subjects' scores on the QADS subscale spoilage/decay and their amygdala activation (r=0.76). This was reasonable since the disgust film clip depicted a cockroach-invasion and the subscale spoilage/decay contains, among others, an item asking for disgust towards cockroaches. The study stresses, in accordance to previous studies, the importance of considering personality traits when studying affective responses in fMRI studies.     

Erotic and disgust-inducing pictures--differences in the hemodynamic responses of the brain

The aim of this fMRI study was to explore brain structures that are involved in the processing of erotic and disgust-inducing pictures. The stimuli were chosen to trigger approach and withdrawal tendencies, respectively. By adding sadomasochistic (SM) scenes to the design and examining 12 subjects with and 12 subjects without sadomasochistic preferences, we introduced a picture category that induced erotic pleasure in one sample and disgust in the other sample. Since we also presented neutral pictures, all subjects viewed pictures of four different categories: neutral, disgust-inducing, erotic, and SM erotic pictures. The analysis indicated that several brain structures are commonly involved in the processing of disgust-inducing and erotic pictures (occipital cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and the amygdala). The ventral striatum was specifically activated when subjects saw highly sexually arousing pictures. This indicates the involvement of the human reward system during the processing of visual erotica.     

Epithelial defence by gamma delta T cells

Gamma delta T cells constitute a separate lineage of T lymphocytes which differ from conventional alpha beta T cells with regard to T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and tissue localization. In murine skin, gamma delta T cells expressing a canonical V gamma5 TCR are abundant and contribute as so-called dendritic epidermal T cells to local immune surveillance. In humans, major subsets of gammadelta T cells are recognized on the basis of their TCR V delta usage. While V delta2 cells dominate in the peripheral blood, V delta1 cells are preferentially localized in mucosal tissue including the intestinal epithelia. In this article we summarize basic features of intraepithelial gamma delta T cells and discuss their possible role in epithelial defence.     

Traffic of genetic information between segmental duplications flanking the typical 22q11.2 deletion in velo-cardio-facial syndrome/DiGeorge syndrome

Velo-cardio-facial syndrome/DiGeorge syndrome results from unequal crossing-over events between two 240-kb low-copy repeats termed LCR22 (LCR22-2 and LCR22-4) on Chromosome 22q11.2, comprised of modules, each of which are >99% identical in sequence. To delineate regions in the LCR22s that might contain hotspots for 22q11.2 rearrangements, we scanned the interval for increased rates of recombination with the hypothesis that these regions might be more prone to breakage. We generated an algorithm to detect sites of altered recombination by searching for single nucleotide polymorphic positions in BAC clones from different libraries mapped to LCR22-2 and LCR22-4. This method distinguishes single nucleotide polymorphisms from paralogous sequence variants and complex polymorphic positions. Sites of shared polymorphism are considered potential sites of gene conversion or double cross-over between the two LCR22s. We found an inverse correlation between regions of paralogous sequence variants that are unique to a given position within one LCR22 and clusters of shared polymorphic sites, suggesting that these clusters depict altered recombination and not remnants of ancestral single nucleotide polymorphisms. We postulate that most shared polymorphic sites are products of past transfers of DNA information between the LCR22s, suggesting that frequent traffic of genetic material may induce genomic instability in the two LCR22s. We also found that gaps up to 1.5 kb long can be transferred between LCR22s.     

Transgenes as screening tools to probe and manipulate the zebrafish genome.

The zebrafish, originally an object of study as an inexpensive and prolific vertebrate embryological model with a plethora of genetic tricks, has over the past decade moved to large-scale chemical mutagenesis and recently came of age as a high throughput transgenic model with a sequenced genome nearing completion. Insertional mutagenesis, gene trapping and enhancer detection are all contributing to the increasing speed with which research in this biomedical model is progressing. We review here some of the recent developments in the emerging field of zebrafish developmental genomics and transgenesis.     

Correlation of penicillin Binding protein 2a detection with oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and discovery of a novel penicillin binding protein 2a mutation

We compared a rapid slide latex agglutination test (LAT; Oxoid, Basingstoke, United Kingdom) that detects penicillin binding protein 2a (PBP2a) with MicroScan conventional panels (Dade Behring, West Sacramento, CA) for detection of oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. The PBP2a LAT demonstrated 99% agreement with MicroScan oxacillin MIC results for 388 isolates of S. aureus. All 249 oxacillin-resistant isolates gave strong positive reactions in the LAT (100% sensitivity). Three of the 139 oxacillin-susceptible isolates were also strongly positive and one was weakly positive in the LAT (97.1% specificity). The three oxacillin-susceptible isolates with strongly positive reactions were further characterized. The mecA gene was detected in all three by PCR; one isolate was determined to be resistant to oxacillin by reference broth microdilution testing (MIC, 8 microg/ml), one isolate was inducibly resistant to oxacillin (MIC of 16 microg/ml after overnight induction), and one isolate remained susceptible regardless of the method used for testing. Sequence analysis of a 2.1-kb gene fragment of the mecA gene from the susceptible isolate revealed a one-base substitution at nucleotide position 1449 which results in a Met-to-Ile change for amino acid residue 483. This amino acid substitution has not been previously reported and may be associated with a change in the function of PBP2a resulting in oxacillin susceptibility. An additional 487 isolates were tested in parallel with the both the LAT and MicroScan panels using criteria in which only strong (3 to 4+) or repeatedly weak (1 to 2+) LAT reactions were considered positive, and the results showed 99.4% agreement. The PBP2a LAT provided rapid and reliable detection of oxacillin resistance and proved a useful adjunct to the phenotypic method. Both methods provided reliable detection of oxacillin-resistant S. aureus and facilitated the discovery of a novel, functionally impaired form of PBP2a.     

Improving HIV surveillance in Victoria: the role of the "detuned" enzyme immunoassay

Between 1999 and 2000, new diagnoses of HIV in Victoria (Australia) rose by 41%, from 140 to 197. In this time period, sera from new HIV diagnoses were tested using the Organon Teknika "detuned" enzyme immunoassay (EIA). We compared the results of the detuned EIA with incident infections defined by surveillance (on the basis of a previous negative or indeterminate HIV test and/or a seroconversion illness within the 12 months preceding HIV diagnosis). Of 317 specimens, 97 (31%) incident infections and 114 (36%) recent infections were detected using surveillance and detuned EIA, respectively. The detuned assay misclassified 11 cases with AIDS and 2 cases with CD4 counts < or = 200 micro3 (probable long-standing infections) as recent infections and was unable to identify 31 (32%) of 97 cases previously classified as incident cases by surveillance. The assay detected an extra 35 recent infections that were previously classified as nonincident by surveillance. By combining the detuned assay and surveillance, 132 (42%) incident infections were identified from 317 specimens, 36% more than surveillance alone. We recommend that a detuned assay or similar test become part of the routine strategy to identify incident infections in Victoria. Incident infections provide important information for targeting prevention strategies and the opportunity to interrupt ongoing viral transmission.     

The impact of job characteristics on work-to-family facilitation: testing a theory and distinguishing a construct

This study used objective measures of job characteristics appended to the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), self-reported job characteristics, and an individual resource characteristic (orientation toward personal growth) to test a theory of work-family facilitation. Results indicated that resource-rich jobs enable work-to-family facilitation. A higher level of work-to-family facilitation was reported by individuals in jobs with more autonomy and variety and whose jobs required greater substantive complexity and social skill. There was no support for the hypotheses that these effects would be more pronounced for individuals with higher levels of personal growth. The authors found significant differences in the strength of the associations of job characteristics with work-to-family facilitation and work-tofamily conflict, suggesting they are different constructs with distinct antecedents.     

Molecular and cytogenetic characterization of a non-mosaic isodicentric Y chromosome in a patient with Klinefelter syndrome

We report on an adult male with Klinefelter phenotype and an isodicentric Y chromosome (47,XX,+idic(Y)(q12)), a combination which has to the best of our knowledge not been reported before. The patient was hospitalized in forensic psychiatry because of repeated delinquency, aggressive, aberrant and inappropriate behavior, and borderline intelligence. Molecular cytogenetic studies (FISH) showed that the SRY gene was present on both ends of the idicY, while there was only one signal for the Yq subtelomere probe. Molecular investigations by multiplex PCR, using STS markers covering the short and long arm of the Y chromosome did not indicate a deletion of Y chromosomal material. Molecular investigations of STR markers located on Xp22.3 and Xq28 indicated paternal origin of the additional X chromosome and an error in paternal meiosis I. Results of FISH analysis and molecular investigations are compatible with a phenotype as described for individuals with a 48,XXYY karyotype and support the findings that isodicentric Y chromosomes are frequently accompanied by other sex chromosomal abnormalities.