Top soil physical and chemical properties in Kazakhstan across a north-south gradient.

Kazakhstan's soil properties have yet to be comprehensively characterized. We sampled 40 sites consisting of ten major soil types at spring (wet) and late-summer (dry) seasons. The sample locations range from semi-arid to arid with an annual mean air temperature from 1.

Apoptotic and genotoxic effects of low-intensity ultrasound on healthy and leukemic human peripheral mononuclear blood cells.

Purpose: To scrutinize the apoptotic and genotoxic effects of low-intensity ultrasound and an ultrasound contrast agent (SonoVue; Bracco Diagnostics Inc., EU) on human peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PMBCs).

Methods: PMBCs were subjected to a low-intensity ultrasound field (1-MHz frequency; spatial peak temporal average intensity 0.

Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors of Cancer Stem Cell Signaling Pathways.

The main aim of oncologists worldwide is to understand and then intervene in the primary tumor initiation and propagation mechanisms. This is essential to allow targeted elimination of cancer cells without altering normal mitotic cells. Currently, there are two main rival theories describing the process of tumorigenesis.

Management of super-refractory status epilepticus with isoflurane and hypothermia.

Super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) is defined as status epilepticus that continues 24 h or more after the onset of anesthesia, and includes those cases in which epilepsy is recurrent upon treatment reduction. We describe the presentation and successful management of a male patient with SRSE using the inhaled anesthetic isoflurane, and mild hypothermia (HT). The potential utility of combined HT and volatile anesthesia is discussed.

Observational study and estimate of cost savings from use of a health information exchange in an academic emergency department.

Background: Federal initiatives to improve health care information sharing have led to the development of a new type of regional electronic medical record known as a health information exchange (HIE).

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the ability of an HIE to decrease health services use for emergency department (ED) patients.

Methods: We performed an observational, prospective study using a voluntary, anonymous survey among clinicians at an urban academic ED.

Towards a comprehensive catalog of zebrafish behavior 1.0 and beyond.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are rapidly gaining popularity in translational neuroscience and behavioral research. Physiological similarity to mammals, ease of genetic manipulations, sensitivity to pharmacological and genetic factors, robust behavior, low cost, and potential for high-throughput screening contribute to the growing utility of zebrafish models in this field. Understanding zebrafish behavioral phenotypes provides important insights into neural pathways, physiological biomarkers, and genetic underpinnings of normal and pathological brain function.

RyR1 S-nitrosylation underlies environmental heat stroke and sudden death in Y522S RyR1 knockin mice.

Mice with a malignant hyperthermia mutation (Y522S) in the ryanodine receptor (RyR1) display muscle contractures, rhabdomyolysis, and death in response to elevated environmental temperatures. We demonstrate that this mutation in RyR1 causes Ca(2+) leak, which drives increased generation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Subsequent S-nitrosylation of the mutant RyR1 increases its temperature sensitivity for activation, producing muscle contractures upon exposure to elevated temperatures.

Identification of cysteines involved in S-nitrosylation, S-glutathionylation, and oxidation to disulfides in ryanodine receptor type 1.

The skeletal muscle Ca(2+)-release channel (ryanodine receptor type 1 (RyR1)) is a redox sensor, susceptible to reversible S-nitrosylation, S-glutathionylation, and disulfide oxidation. So far, Cys-3635 remains the only cysteine residue identified as functionally relevant to the redox sensing properties of the channel. We demonstrate that expression of the C3635A-RyR1 mutant in RyR1-null myotubes alters the sensitivity of the ryanodine receptor to activation by voltage, indicating that Cys-3635 is involved in voltage-gated excitation-contraction coupling.

Regulation of ryanodine receptors by FK506 binding proteins.

Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) are the major sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-release channels required for excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Mutations in RyRs have been linked to several human diseases. Mutations in the cardiac isoform of RyR2 are associated with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular arrhythmias (CPVT), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia type 2 (ARVD2), whereas mutations in the skeletal muscle isoform (RyR1) are linked to malignant hyperthermia (MH) and central core disease (CCD).

Glucagon-like peptide 1 modulates calcium responses to glutamate and membrane depolarization in hippocampal neurons.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) activates receptors coupled to cAMP production and calcium influx in pancreatic cells, resulting in enhanced glucose sensitivity and insulin secretion. Despite evidence that the GLP-1 receptor is present and active in neurons, little is known of the roles of GLP-1 in neuronal physiology. As GLP-1 modulates calcium homeostasis in pancreatic beta cells, and because calcium plays important roles in neuronal plasticity and neurodegenerative processes, we examined the effects of GLP-1 on calcium regulation in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

p53 is present in synapses where it mediates mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic degeneration in response to DNA damage, and oxidative and excitotoxic insults.

A form of programmed cell-death called apoptosis occurs in neurons during development of the nervous system, and may also occur in a variety of neuropathological conditions. Here we present evidence obtained in studies of adult mice and neuronal cell cultures showing that p53 protein is present in synapses where its level and amount of phosphorylation are increased following exposure of the cells to the DNA-damaging agent etoposide. We also show that levels of active p53 increase in isolated cortical synaptosomes exposed to oxidative and excitotoxic insults.

An in vitro model of caloric restriction.

The mechanisms underlying the ability of caloric restriction (CR) to extend life span and enhance stress responsiveness remain elusive. Progress in this area has been slow due to the complexities of using animals for CR studies and assessing life span as the measure of CR effectiveness. It is therefore of great interest to develop in vitro models of CR.

Do apoptotic mechanisms regulate synaptic plasticity and growth-cone motility?

Signals between neurons are transduced primarily by receptors, and second messenger and kinase cascades, located in pre- and postsynaptic terminals. Such synaptic signaling pathways include those activated by neurotransmitters, cytokines, neurotrophic factors, and cell-adhesion molecules. Many of these signaling systems are also localized in the growth cones of axons and dendrites, where they control pathfinding and synaptogenesis during development.