Farm exposures, parental occupation, and risk of Ewing's sarcoma in Australia: a national case-control study

Objective: It has been suggested that parental occupation, particularly farming, increased the risk of Ewing's sarcoma in the offspring. In a national case-control study we examined the relationship between farm and other parental occupational exposures and the risk of cancer in the offspring. Methods: Cases were 106 persons with confirmed Ewing's sarcoma or peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Population-based controls (344) were selected randomly via telephone. Information was collected by interview (84% face-to-face). Results: We found an excess of case mothers who worked on farms at conception and/or pregnancy (odds ratio (OR) = 2.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5-12.0) and a slightly smaller excess of farming fathers; more case mothers usually worked as laborers, machine operators, or drivers (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 0.9-3.9). Risk doubled for those whose mothers handled pesticides and insecticides, or fathers who handled solvents and glues, and oils and greases. Further, more cases lived on farms (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.9-2.8). In the 0-20 years group, the risk doubled for those who ever lived on a farm (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.9), and more than tripled for those with farming fathers at conception and/or pregnancy (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.0-11.9). Conclusions: Our data support the general hypothesis of an association of Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors with farming, particularly at younger ages, who represent the bulk of cases, and are more likely to share etiologic factors.

The role of putative phosphorylation sites in the targeting and shuttling of the aquaporin-2 water channel

In renal collecting ducts, a vasopressin-induced cAMP increase results in the phosphorylation of aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels at Ser-256 and its redistribution from intracellular vesicles to the apical membrane. Hormones that activate protein kinase C (PKC) proteins counteract this process. To determine the role of the putative kinase sites in the trafficking and hormonal regulation of human AQP2, three putative casein kinase II (Ser-148, Ser-229, Thr-244), one PKC (Ser-231), and one protein kinase A (Ser-256) site were altered to mimic a constitutively non-phosphorylated/phosphorylated state and were expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Except for Ser-256 mutants, seven correctly folded AQP2 kinase mutants trafficked as wild-type AQP2 to the apical membrane via forskolin-sensitive intracellular vesicles. With or without forskolin, AQP2-Ser-256A was localized in intracellular vesicles, whereas AQP2-S256D was localized in the apical membrane. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced PKC activation following forskolin treatment resulted in vesicular distribution of all AQP2 kinase mutants, while all were still phosphorylated at Ser-256. Our data indicate that in collecting duct cells, AQP2 trafficking to vasopressin-sensitive vesicles is phosphorylation-independent, that phosphorylation of Ser-256 is necessary and sufficient for expression of AQP2 in the apical membrane, and that PMA-induced PKC-mediated endocytosis of AQP2 is independent of the AQP2 phosphorylation state.

The interaction of water flow and nutrients on aquatic plant growth

A long-term experiment was conducted to compare the effects of flowing and still water on growth, and the relationship between water flow and nutrients, in Aponogeton elongatus, a submerged aquatic macrophyte. A. elongatus plants were grown for 23 weeks with three levels of nutrition (0, 0.5 and 1g Osmocote Plus(R) fertiliser pot(-1)) in aquaria containing stirred or unstirred water. Fertilized plants grew much better than non-fertilized. The highest fertilizer level produced 29% wider leaves and 58% higher total dry weight in stirred water. Stirred water increased leaf area by 40% and tuber size by 81%, but only with the highest level of nutrition. These results suggest that this plant depends on its roots for mineral uptake, rather than from the open water, and the major limitation to growth in still water is the supply of dissolved inorganic carbon. It was the combined effects of nutrient availability and stirring that produced the strongest response in plant growth, morphology and composition. This study provides some explanation for the observations of others that these plants grow best in creeks or river systems with permanently flowing water.

Exploring complex fitness surfaces: Multiple ornamentation and polymorphism in male guppies

The sexual ornamentation used by male guppies to attract females comprises many components, each of which varies considerably among males. Although natural and sexual selection have been shown to contribute to divergence among populations in male sexual ornaments, the role of sexual selection in maintaining polymorphism within populations is less clear. We used both parametric quadratic regression and nonparametric projection pursuit regression techniques to reveal the major axes of non-linear sexual selection on male ornaments. We visualized the fitness surfaces defined by these axes using thin-plate splines to allow a direct comparison of the two methodologies. Identification of the major axes of selection and their visualization was critical in determining the form and strength of nonlinear selection. Both types of analysis revealed fitness surfaces comprising three peaks, suggesting that there is more than one way to make an attractive guppy. Disruptive selection may be an important process underlying the presence of multiple sexual ornaments and may contribute to the maintenance of the high levels of polymorphism in male sexual ornaments found in guppy populations.

A suite of novel allenes from Australian melolonthine scarab beetles. Structure, synthesis, and stereochemistry

A suite of allenic hydrocarbons, previously unknown as a molecular class from insects, has been characterized from several Australian melolonthine scarab beetles. The allenes are represented by the formula CH3(CH2)nCH=.=CH(CH2)(7)CH3 with n being 11-15, 17 and 19, and thus, all have Delta(9,10)-unsaturation. These structures have been confirmed by syntheses and comparisons of spectral and chromatographic properties with those of the natural components. The enantiomers of (+/-)-Delta(9,10)-tricosadiene and Delta(9,10)-pentacosadiene were separable on a modified beta-cyclodextrin column (gas chromatography), and the natural Delta(9,10)-tricosadiene (n = 11) and Delta(9,10)-pentacosadiene (n = 13) were shown to be of >85% ee. Syntheses of nonracemic allenes of known predominating chirality were acquired using both organotin chemistry and sulfonylhydrazine intermediates, and comparisons then demonstrated that the natural allenes were predominantly (R)-configured.

How important are brain banks for alcohol research?

This article contains the proceedings of a symposium at the 2002 RSA/ISBRA Meeting in San Francisco, organized and chaired by Clive Harper and co-chaired by Izuru Matsumoto. The presentations were (1) Introduction, by Clive Harper; (2) The quality of tissue-a critical issue, by Therese Garrick; (3) The first systematic brain tissue donor program in Japan, by Izuru Matsumoto; (4) Brain scans after death-really! by Adolf Pfefferbaum, Elfar Adalsteinsson, and Edith Sullivan; (5) Capture that (genial) expression, by Joanne Lewohl and Peter Dodd; and (6) Neurochemical/pharmacological studies: experimental design and limitations, by Roger Butterworth.

James W. Gerard: His image of imperial Germany, 1913-1918

The subject of this study was a typical, if in some respects well qualified, U.S. ambassadorial appointee for his time, the early twentieth century: an attorney, judge, and politician who served competently in his one diplomatic assignment, in Berlin, before returning to private life.—Ed.

A naturally selected dimorphism within the HLA-B44 supertype alters class I structure, peptide repertoire, and T cell recognition

HLA-B*4402 and B*4403 are naturally occurring MHC class I alleles that are both found at a hi,,h frequency in all human populations, and vet they only differ by one residue on the alpha2 helix (B*4402 Aspl56-->B*4403 Leu156) CTLs discriminate between HLA-B*4402 and B*4403, and these allotypes stimulate strong mutual allogeneic responses reflecting their known barrier to hemopoeitic stem cell transplantation. Although HLA-B*4402 and B*4403 share >95% of their peptide repertoire, B*4403 presents more unique peptides than B*4402, consistent with the stronger T cell alloreactivity observed toward B*4403 compared with B*4402. Crystal structures of B*4402 and B*4403 show how the polymorphisin at position 156 is completely buried and yet alters both the peptide and the heavy chain conformation, relaxing ligand selection by B*4403 compared with B*4402. Thus, the polymorphism between HLA-B*4402 and B 4403 modifies both peptide repertoire and T cell recognition, and is reflected lit the paradoxically powerful alloreactivity that occurs across this minimal mismatch. The findings suggest that these closely related class I genes are maintained lit diverse human populations through their differential impact on the selection of peptide ligands and the T cell repertoire.

4,6,8,10,16-penta- and 4,6,8,10,16,18-hexamethyldocosanes from the cane beetle Antitrogus parvulus - Cuticular hydrocarbons with unprecedented structure and stereochemistry

[GRAPHICS] The major cuticular hydrocarbons from the cane beetle species Antitrogus parvulus were deduced to be 4,6,8,10,16,18-hexa- and 4,6,8,10,16-pentamethyldocosanes 2 and 3, respectively. Isomers of 2,4,6,8-tetramethylundecanal 27, 36, and 37, derived from 2,4,6-trimethylphenol, were coupled with the phosphoranes 28 and 29 to furnish alkenes and, by reduction, diastereomers of 2 and 3. Chromatographic and spectroscopic comparisons confirmed 2 as either 6a or 6b and 3 as either 34a or 34b.

Immunological changes after cancer treatment and participation in an exercise program

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of undertaking peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBST) on T-cell number and function, and to determine the role of a mixed type, moderate intensity exercise program in facilitating the recovery of T-cell number and function. Methods: Immunological measures of white blood cell, lymphocyte, CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+) counts, and CD3(+) cell function were assessed pretransplant (PI), immediately posttransplant (PII), and 1 month (II), 2 months (12) and 3 months (PIII) posttransplant. After PII, 12 patients were divided equally into a control group (CG) or exercise intervention group (EG). Results: Lower total T-cell, helper T-cell, and suppressor T-cell counts (P < 0.01), as well as lower T-cell function (P < 0.01), when compared with normative data, were found at PI. More specifically, 88% of the group had CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+) counts that were more than 40%, 20%, and 50% below normal at PI, respectively. Undertaking a PBST caused further adverse changes to the total leukocyte, lymphocyte, CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) count. and the helper/suppressor ratio. Although CD8(+) counts had returned to normal by PIII, CD3(+), CD4(+), and the CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio remained significantly lower than normative data (P < 0.01), with 66%, 100%, and 100% of the subject group reporting counts and ratios, respectively, below the normal range. Conclusion: The PBST patients were immunocompromised before undertaking the transplant, and the transplant procedure imposed further adverse changes to the leukocyte and lymphocyte counts. The leukocyte and CD8(+) counts returned to normal within 3 months posttransplant; however, the other immunological parameters assessed demonstrated a delayed recovery. Although participation in the exercise program did not facilitate a faster immune cell recovery, neither did the exercise program hinder or delay recovery.

Resting energy expenditure and body composition in children with myelomeningocele

Purpose : Myelomeningocele is a complex disease often complicated by obesity for reasons not well understood. The objectives of this study were to determine body composition and energy expenditure of children with MMC. Methods : Resting energy expenditure (REE), body composition and anthropometry were measured in 19 children with MMC (12 M, 7 F). Total energy expenditure (TEE) was estimated using a 3-day activity record. Energy intake (EI) was measured in seven children (5 M, 2 F) with MMC. Data were then compared with predicted values. Results : Mean REE ( n = 19) was 4680 ±1452 kJ/day (96.1 ±18.1% of predicted REE). The range was large (45.8-125.7% of predicted REE). TEE ( n = 7) was 4344 ±2376 kJ/day, hence only 73 34% of predicted TEE. EI ( n = 7) was 6560 ±1329 kJ/day, approximating a normal energy requirement. Overall, BCM was lower than expected values. Conclusions : REE in children with MMC is variable when compared to predicted values. TEE was found to be lower in children with MMC than predicted values and EI was similar to predicted values in this group of seven children. BCM is reduced in children with MMC when compared to expected values.