Organic synthesis associated with serpentinization and carbonation on early Mars

Water-rock interactions are relevant to planetary habitability, influencing mineralogical diversity and the production of organic molecules. We examine carbonates and silicates in the martian meteorite Allan Hills 84001 (ALH 84001), using colocated nanoscale analyses, to characterize the nature of water-rock reactions on early Mars. We find complex refractory organic material associated with mineral assemblages that formed by mineral carbonation and serpentinization reactions. The organic molecules are colocated with nanophase magnetite; both formed in situ during water-rock interactions on Mars. Two potentially distinct mechanisms of abiotic organic synthesis operated on early Mars during the late Noachian period (3.9 to 4.1 billion years ago).

The Advanced LIGO photon calibrators

The two interferometers of the Laser Interferometry Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) recently detected gravitational waves from the mergers of binary black hole systems. Accurate calibration of the output of these detectors was crucial for the observation of these events and the extraction of parameters of the sources. The principal tools used to calibrate the responses of the second-generation (Advanced) LIGO detectors to gravitational waves are systems based on radiation pressure and referred to as photon calibrators. These systems, which were completely redesigned for Advanced LIGO, include several significant upgrades that enable them to meet the calibration requirements of second-generation gravitational wave detectors in the new era of gravitational-wave astronomy. We report on the design, implementation, and operation of these Advanced LIGO photon calibrators that are currently providing fiducial displacements on the order of 10^-18m/Hz with accuracy and precision of better than 1%.

JIL-1: a novel chromosomal tandem kinase implicated in transcriptional regulation in Drosophila

We have cloned and characterized JIL-1, a novel tandem kinase in Drosophila that associates with the chromosomes throughout the cell cycle. Antibody staining and live imaging of JIL-1-GFP transgenic flies show that JIL-1 localizes to the gene-rich interband regions of larval polytene chromosomes and is upregulated almost 2-fold on the hypertranscribed male X chromosome compared to autosomes. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that JIL-1 together with human MSKs defines a separate family of tandem kinases. That JIL-1 is a functional kinase was demonstrated by autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of histone H3 in vitro. Based on these findings, we propose that JIL-1 may play a role in transcriptional control potentially by regulating chromatin structure.

Prolactin levels and antinuclear antibody profiles in women tested for connective tissue disease

Hyperprolactinemia has been reported in some patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To determine if there was an association between selected autoantibodies and hyperprolactinemia, we assayed prolactin concentrations in sera from women submitted to a reference antinuclear antibody laboratory. Autoantibody-positive samples were separated into groups that contained antibodies to double-stranded DNA (anti-DNA), antibodies to SSA/Ro (anti-SSA/Ro), or antibodies to both SSA/Ro and SSB/La (anti-SSA/Ro-SSB/La). Results were compared with autoantibody-negative sera from age-matched women, submitted to the same laboratory. We also compared the study groups with a separate cohort of 84 healthy women who were not referred for autoantibody testing. Elevated prolactin levels were clustered in 20% of sera from anti-DNA-positive women < or = 50 years of age. Twenty-one percent of anti-SSA/Ro-SSB/La-positive women < 50 years of age were hyperprolactinemic. Four of the 15 hyperprolactinemic women identified in this survey had no known cause of elevated prolactin. In the other 11 individuals secondary causes such as hypothyroidism, pregnancy, chronic renal failure, and medications may have accounted for high serum prolactin values. We also examined sera by Western blot, to determine if immunoblot patterns were associated with elevated serum prolactin concentrations. The hyperprolactinemic sera yielded novel bands migrating at 70 kd, 32 kd, and 16.5 kd. This study confirmed the reported associations of hyperprolactinemia with SLE and Sjögren's syndrome. Multiple factors appeared to contribute to elevated serum prolactin levels in women with connective tissue diseases, and the presence of hyperprolactinemia was related to unique findings on immunoblot analysis.

Ten-year outcome of tardive dyskinesia

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term outcome of patients with tardive dyskinesia.

METHOD

A group of 122 neuroleptic-treated Hungarian outpatients were assessed for tardive dyskinesia on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale and the Tardive Dyskinesia Rating Scale by the same rater over a 10-year period.

RESULTS

Sixty-three of the patients received both 5- and 10-year follow-up assessments and are the subjects of this report. The overall prevalence of tardive dyskinesia in this group changed little over time; it was 30.2% at baseline, 36.5% at 5 years, and 31.7% at 10 years. However, there were changes in the tardive dyskinesia status of individual patients; 11 patients had remissions, and 12 who did not have tardive dyskinesia at the baseline assessment had developed it by the 10-year assessment. These two subgroups did not differ significantly on demographic and drug history variables. Outcome of tardive dyskinesia was not significantly related to neuroleptic treatment or to age.

CONCLUSIONS

The data of this 10-year follow-up study provide evidence for the long-term stability of tardive dyskinesia and for the feasibility of maintenance neuroleptic therapy for chronic psychotic patients who have tardive dyskinesia.

Global diagnostic ratings compared to DSM-III-R diagnoses in early dyskinesia

1. Two types of psychiatric diagnoses were obtained in a study of the course of early dyskinesia: DSM-III-R and Dimensional Global Ratings of Schizophrenia, Paranoia, Mania and Depression. 2. The strength of association between measures of vulnerability to developing tardive dyskinesia (TD), and clinical components from each of the two methods of obtaining psychiatric diagnoses was established by canonical correlations. 3. Overall, little difference was obtained between DSM-III-R categories and Global Ratings in terms of correlations with TD vulnerability measures. Using components from global diagnostic ratings, the Depression and Schizophrenia Scales made stronger contributions to the canonical functions than Mania and Paranoia. 4. Unipolar depressed patients appear more sensitive to NL: they developed TD after less NL exposure. 5. Dimensional classification appears to be a promising approach to capturing important characteristics of psychoses.

A clinical and immunologic evaluation of women with silicone breast implants and symptoms of rheumatic disease

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical and serologic features of women with silicone breast implants who were referred for symptoms of rheumatic disease.

DESIGN

A case series.

SETTING

University and private rheumatology practices.

PATIENTS

A total of 156 women with silicone breast implants and rheumatic disease complaints. Controls for the serologic studies included women with silicone implants and no rheumatic symptoms (n = 12) and women with fibromyalgia without silicone implants (n = 174).

MEASUREMENTS

Complete physical examination and testing for immunoglobulins; complement; C-reactive protein; rheumatoid factor; and autoantibodies by indirect immunofluorescence, immunodiffusion, and Western blot.

RESULTS

Three subgroups of patients were defined based on clinical and laboratory findings: joint and muscle pain (n = 95), joint swelling (n = 32), and connective tissue disease (n = 29). Most women had normal immunologic studies. The patients with joint swelling had mild, asymmetric, rheumatoid-factor-negative synovitis that did not meet American College of Rheumatology criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. Fourteen patients had a scleroderma-like illness and anti-centromere or anti-PM-Sci antibodies by Western blot. Ten patients had a positive Western blot for BB' polypeptide, a small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP), but did not meet criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus. No autoantibodies to known disease-related polypeptides were detected on Western blot in the control groups.

CONCLUSION

Most women with silicone implants and rheumatic complaints had normal results of serologic tests and nonspecific symptoms, suggesting no serious connective tissue disease. However, a subset of women had clinical signs and serologic tests that were unusual even for referred patients. These observations suggest, but cannot establish, that some women with silicone breast implants may develop atypical immunologic reactions.

Quantitative assessment of psychomotor activity in patients with neuroleptic-induced akathisia

1. An ambulatory activity monitor with solid-state memory was employed to obtain 24-hour activity data in 29 neuroleptic-treated hospitalized patients and 9 normal controls. 2. The activity monitor is a piezoelectric device which was strapped to the non-dominant ankle. Activity was recorded in 5-minute epochs throughout the 24-hour period. 3. In contrast to patients with mania (N = 15) and schizophrenia (N = 4), depressed patients (N = 9) had higher clinical ratings of akathisia and lower levels of daytime activity. 4. Manic and depressed patients showed a delay of peak activity (= acrophase). 5. Quantifiable alterations in rest-activity rhythms may occur in neuroleptic-induced akathisia but measurement of activity may be complicated by the patient's psychiatric disorder.