Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia including Alzheimer's disease

AbstractScientific evidence continues to demonstrate the linkage of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. In December, 2013, the Alzheimer's Association, with scientific input from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute from the National Institutes of Health, convened scientific experts to discuss the research gaps in our understanding of how vascular factors contribute to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. This manuscript summarizes the meeting and the resultant discussion, including an outline of next steps needed to move this area of research forward

Ursolic acid and its esters: occurrence in cranberries and other Vaccinium fruit and effects on matrix metalloproteinase activity in DU145 prostate tumor cells

Background: Ursolic acid and its cis- and trans-3-O-p-hydroxycinnamoyl esters have been identified as constituents of American cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon), which inhibit tumor cell proliferation. Since the compounds may contribute to berry anticancer properties, their content in cranberries, selected cranberry products, and three other Vaccinium species (V. oxycoccus, V. vitis-idaea and V. angustifolium) was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The ability of these compounds to inhibit growth in a panel of tumor cell lines and inhibit matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity associated with tumor invasion and metastasis was determined in DU145 prostate tumor cells. Results: The highest content of ursolic acid and esters was found in V. macrocarpon berries (0.460-1.090 g ursolic acid and 0.040-0.160 g each ester kg-1 fresh weight). V. vitis-idaea and V. angustifolium contained ursolic acid (0.230-0.260 g kg-1), but the esters were not detected. V. oxycoccus was lowest (0.129 g ursolic acid and esters per kg). Ursolic acid content was highest in cranberry products prepared from whole fruit. Ursolic acid and its esters inhibited tumor cell growth at micromolar concentrations, and inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity at concentrations below those previously reported for cranberry polyphenolics. Conclusion: Cranberries (V. macrocarpon) were the best source of ursolic acid and its esters among the fruit and products tested. These compounds may limit prostate carcinogenesis through matrix metalloproteinase inhibition.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Further studies on the chemistry of the Flustra Alkaloids from the Bryozoan Flustra foliacea

Since 1980, over a dozen novel brominated alkaloids, named \ufb02ustramines, have been isolated from Scandinavian and Canadian collections of the marine bryozoan Flustra foliacea. This paper describes the reisolation of the known compound dihydro\ufb02ustramine C (1) and the isolation of 11 new \ufb02ustramines (2-4, 6-13), including two dimers (12, 13) that may be isolation artifacts. Together these compounds, some with an unexpected aryl substitution pattern, reveal an intricate network of metabolites present in the extracts of the bryozoan. The structures of these metabolites were solved using a variety of spectroscopic techniques and chemical derivatization and modi\ufb01cation. This work also led to the recognition of an unusual rearrangement reaction that occurred slowly over a number of years.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Effect of G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase 1 (Grk1) Overexpression on Rod Photoreceptor Cell Viability

Grk1, or rhodopsin kinase, has been known for its critical function in visual pigment deactivation in photoreceptors, with its deficiency leading to photoreceptor dysfunction and light-induced photoreceptor cell death. This study was an investigation of whether and how enhancing pigment phosphorylation might affect photoreceptor viability

No Change in Physician Dictation Patterns When Visit Notes Are Made Available Online for Patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether physicians document office visits differently when they know their patients have easy, online access to visit notes

Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia including Alzheimer's disease

AbstractScientific evidence continues to demonstrate the linkage of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. In December, 2013, the Alzheimer's Association, with scientific input from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute from the National Institutes of Health, convened scientific experts to discuss the research gaps in our understanding of how vascular factors contribute to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. This manuscript summarizes the meeting and the resultant discussion, including an outline of next steps needed to move this area of research forward

Initial validation of ozone measurements from the High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder

Comparisons of the latest High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) ozone retrievals (v2.04.09) are made with ozonesondes, ground-based lidars, airborne lidar measurements made during the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment–B, and satellite observations. A large visual obstruction blocking over 80% of the HIRDLS field of view presents significant challenges to the data analysis methods and implementation, to the extent that the radiative properties of the obstruction must be accurately characterized in order to adequately correct measured radiances. The radiance correction algorithms updated as of August 2007 are used in the HIRDLS v2.04.09 data presented here. Comparisons indicate that HIRDLS ozone is recoverable between 1 and 100 hPa at middle and high latitudes and between 1 and 50 hPa at low latitudes. Accuracy of better than 10% is indicated between 1 and 30 hPa (HIRDLS generally low) by the majority of the comparisons with coincident measurements, and 5% is indicated between 2 and 10 hPa when compared with some lidars. Between 50 and 100 hPa, at middle and high latitudes, accuracy is 10–20%. The ozone precision is estimated to be generally 5–10% between 1 and 50 hPa. Comparisons with ozonesondes and lidars give strong indication that HIRDLS is capable of resolving fine vertical ozone features (1–2 km) in the region between 1 and 50 hPa. Development is continuing on the radiance correction and the cloud detection and filtering algorithms, and it is hoped that it will be possible to achieve a further reduction in the systematic bias and an increase in the measurement range downward to lower heights (at pressures greater than 50–100 hPa)