Influence of dynamical conditions on the reduction of U(VI) at the magnetite-solution interface.

The heterogeneous reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) by ferrous iron is believed to be a key process influencing the fate and transport of U in the environment. The reactivity of both sorbed and structural Fe(II) has been studied for numerous substrates, including magnetite. Published results from U(VI)-magnetite experiments have been variable, ranging from no reduction to clear evidence for the formation of U(IV).

Tactile sensory and pain networks in the human spinal cord and brain stem mapped by means of functional MR imaging.

Background And Purpose: Touch and brush sensory stimuli elicit activity in discriminative touch pathways involving specific regions in the spinal cord and brain stem. However, no study has mapped normal sensory activity noninvasively in healthy humans. The purpose of this study is to map the neuronal activity of sensory input to understand abnormal sensory transmission.

Neurocognition in bipolar disorder and juvenile bipolar disorder.

Introduction: In the ongoing quest for improved diagnostic markers of bipolar illness, the focus of research has gradually shifted to examining the onset of mood difficulties early in life and investigating the potential corollaries of such early onset such as cognitive impairment, disruption of social and emotional functioning, and constriction of quality of life. This article considers the disruptions to cognitive functioning that accompany bipolar disorder and compares adult and child profiles to ascertain the likelihood of identifying a neurocognitive biomarker of the illness.

Methods: A succinct review of the literature pertaining to cognition in both adult and childhood populations is synthesised following Medline and PsychINFO searches using key-terms including 'cognition', 'bipolar disorder', 'neurocognitive' 'child', 'adolescent' and a range of neuropsychological domain names.

Evaluation of RTS,S/AS02A and RTS,S/AS01B in adults in a high malaria transmission area.

Background: This study advances the clinical development of the RTS,S/AS01B candidate malaria vaccine to malaria endemic populations. As a primary objective it compares the safety and reactogenicity of RTS,S/AS01B to the more extensively evaluated RTS,S/AS02A vaccine.

Methodology: A Phase IIb, single centre, double-blind, controlled trial of 6 months duration with a subsequent 6 month single-blind follow-up conducted in Kisumu West District, Kenya between August 2005 and August 2006.

The role of T cells in osteoporosis, an update.

Emerging evidence highlights the importance of the interplay between the bone and immune systems. That evidence bolsters a longstanding recognition that estrogen deficiency, infection, inflammation, and autoimmune disorders are associated with systemic and local bone loss. Yet, only recently has an understanding emerged that T lymphocytes and their products act as key regulators of osteoclast formation, life span, and activity.

Homometallic uranium(VI) phosphonoacetates containing interlayer dipyridines.

Three organically templated uranium(VI) carboxyphosphonates, [C(10)H(10)N(2)][(UO(2))(3)(PPA)(2)(HPPA)(H(2)O)] x 3 H(2)O (1), [C(12)H(12)N(2)][(UO(2))(3)(PPA)(2)(HPPA)(H(2)O)] x 2 H(2)O (2), and [C(12)H(14)N(2)][(UO(2))(3)(PPA)(2)(HPPA)(H(2)O)] x 2 H(2)O (3) have been prepared from hydrothermal reactions of UO(2)(NO(3))(2) x 6 H(2)O and phosphonoacetic acid (H(2)O(3)PCH(2)CO(2)H, H(3)PPA) in the presence of 4,4'-dipyridyl, 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)-ethylene and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)-ethane. The crystal structures of 1-3 are built from UO(7) units linked via phosphonoacetate molecules to form 2-dimensional [(UO(2))(3)(PPA)(2)(HPPA)(H(2)O)](2-) networks which are charge balanced by doubly protonated bipyridyl molecules. Interaction of the pyridyl molecules with other functionalities present in 1-3 result in relatively strong N-H.

Policy-contribution assessment and field-building analysis of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living Research Program.

Background: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation requested this utilization-focused evaluation of its Active Living Research (ALR) program. This evaluation reports on the trajectory of influence of past and future ALR outcomes on field-building and policy contributions as well as on possible users of completed and disseminated ALR products.

Methods: In 2006 and 2007, key-informant interviews were conducted with 136 representatives of first-line potential users of ALR research products, including state physical activity and nutrition program coordinators, policymakers, scientists, and funders.

Amyloid precursor protein and alpha synuclein translation, implications for iron and inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases.

Recent studies that alleles in the hemochromatosis gene may accelerate the onset of Alzheimer's disease by five years have validated interest in the model in which metals (particularly iron) accelerate disease course. Biochemical and biophysical measurements demonstrated the presence of elevated levels of neurotoxic copper zinc and iron in the brains of AD patients. Intracellular levels of APP holoprotein were shown to be modulated by iron by a mechanism that is similar to the translation control of the ferritin L- and H mRNAs by iron-responsive element (IRE) RNA stem loops in their 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs).

PF6(-) hydrolysis as a route to unique uranium phosphate materials.

An uranium phosphate fluoride with a unique pentameric secondary building unit is prepared under hydrothermal conditions with UO2(NO3)2 x 6H(2)O, PF6(-) and 4,4'-bipyridine; the single-crystal structure is determined.

Iron and the translation of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and ferritin mRNAs: riboregulation against neural oxidative damage in Alzheimer's disease.

The essential metals iron, zinc and copper deposit near the Abeta (amyloid beta-peptide) plaques in the brain cortex of AD (Alzheimer's disease) patients. Plaque-associated iron and zinc are in neurotoxic excess at 1 mM concentrations. APP (amyloid precursor protein) is a single transmembrane metalloprotein cleaved to generate the 40-42-amino-acid Abetas, which exhibit metal-catalysed neurotoxicity.

Pentavalent uranium oxide via reduction of [UO2]2+ under hydrothermal reaction conditions.

The synthesis, crystal structure, and spectroscopic characterization of [U(V)(H2O)2(U(VI)O2)2O4(OH)](H2O)4 (1), a mixed-valent U(V)/U(VI) oxide material, are reported. The hydrothermal reaction of UO2(2+) with Zn and hydrazine at 120 degrees C for three days yields 1 in the form of a dark red crystalline solid. Compound 1 has been characterized by a combination of single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS).

An open-framework thorium sulfate hydrate with 11.5 A voids.

We report the synthesis of a thorium sulfate hydrate with 11.5 A open channels that propagate through the structure. The compound crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4(2)/nmc, a = b = 25.

Low doses of alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists augment spinal morphine analgesia and inhibit development of acute and chronic tolerance.

Background And Purpose: Ultra-low doses of opioid receptor antagonists augment spinal morphine antinociception and block the induction of tolerance. Considering the evidence demonstrating functional and physical interactions between the opioid and alpha(2)-adrenoceptors, this study investigated whether ultra-low doses of alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonists also influence spinal morphine analgesia and tolerance.

Experimental Approach: Effects of low doses of the competitive alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonists-atipamezole (0.

Structural variation within homometallic uranium(VI) carboxyphosphonates: in situ ligand synthesis, directed assembly, metal-ligand coordination and hydrogen bonding.

Four 2D uranium(VI) carboxyphosphonates, (UO 2)(O 3PCH 2CO 2H) ( 1), (UO 2) 4(HO 3PCH 2CO 2)(O 3PCH 2CO 2) 2(H 2O) 4.3H 2O ( 2), (UO 2)(O 3PCH 2CO 2).NH 4.

Pharmacological interventions for clozapine-induced hypersalivation.

Background: Clozapine is widely used for people with schizophrenia. Although agranulocytosis, weight gain, and cardiac problems are serious problems associated with its use, hypersalivation, sometimes of a gross and socially unacceptable quantity, is also common (30-80%).

Objectives: To determine the clinical effects of pharmacological interventions for clozapine-induced hypersalivation.

Treatment of acute stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: Recent trauma survivors with acute stress disorder (ASD) are likely to subsequently develop chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive behavioral therapy for ASD may prevent PTSD, but trauma survivors may not tolerate exposure-based therapy in the acute phase. There is a need to compare nonexposure therapy techniques with prolonged exposure for ASD.

Interleukin (IL) 1beta induction of IL-6 is mediated by a novel phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent AKT/IkappaB kinase alpha pathway targeting activator protein-1.

Here we describe a novel role for the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway in mediating induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in response to IL-1. Pharmacological inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibited IL-6 mRNA and protein production. Overexpression of either dominant-negative AKT or IkappaB kinase alpha mutant, IKKalphaT23A, containing a mutation in a functional AKT phosphorylation site, shown previously to be important for NFkappaB activation, completely abrogated IL-6 promoter activation in response to IL-1.

Spatial normalization, bulk motion correction and coregistration for functional magnetic resonance imaging of the human cervical spinal cord and brainstem.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the cortex is a powerful tool for neuroscience research, and its use has been extended into the brainstem and spinal cord as well. However, there are significant technical challenges with extrapolating the developments that have been achieved in the cortex to their use in the brainstem and spinal cord. Here, we develop a normalized coordinate system for the cervical spinal cord and brainstem, demonstrating a semiautomated method for spatially normalizing and coregistering fMRI data from these regions.

Affinity of the highly preorganized ligand PDA (1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid) for large metal ions of higher charge. A crystallographic and thermodynamic study of PDA complexes of thorium(IV) and the uranyl(VI) ion.

The hydrothermal synthesis and structures of [UO2(PDA)] (1) and [Th(PDA)2(H2O)2].H2O (2) (PDA = 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid) are reported. 1 is orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 11.

The changing face of bipolar disorder: adolescence to adulthood.

Over the past decade, there has been greater acceptance of the existence of bipolar disorder (BD) in adolescents. The onset of BD during this period severely affects the acquisition of key developmental skills. Debate around diagnosis, comorbidity and treatment is strong and little is known about the long-term impact BD has on an adolescents as they approach adulthood, from both illness and functional perspectives.

Two decades of commitment to malaria vaccine development: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK) is committed to the development of a safe and effective malaria vaccine. Its research program in this field was initiated in 1984 and has been continuously active to this day, making it unparalleled within the vaccine industry. Although it works in partnerships with several leading organizations from the public sector, this effort has required GSK to invest major financial and human resource commitments, and its partners rely heavily on the company's global infrastructure and expertise in research, advanced clinical development, regulatory, large-scale manufacturing, and commercialization.

Comparative efficacy of two nit combs in removing head lice (Pediculus humanus var. capitis) and their eggs.

Background: Fine tooth lice combs fall into two classes based on the material from which their teeth are made: plastic or metal. Metal combs are further divided into those that are made from a flat sheet of metal, and hence have rectangular teeth, and those that have cylindrical teeth embedded in a plastic base.

Methods: The efficacy of two fine tooth combs [Lice Meister comb (metal) and Lady Jayne comb (plastic)] in removing head lice (Pediculus humanus var.

Nuclei-and condition-specific responses to pain in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis.

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) is a basal forebrain structure considered to be part of a cortico-striato-pallidal system that coordinates autonomic, neuroendocrine and behavioural physiological responses. Recent evidence suggests that the BST plays a role in the emotional aspect of pain. The objective of the present study was to further understand the neurophysiological bases underlying the involvement of the BST in the pain experience, in both acute and chronic pain conditions.