The Ursinus Weekly, November 3, 1958

Topic of marriage and sex discussed at YMCA seminar • King of swing to be at Academy on November 14 • Dr. Calvin Yost named Ursinus Library head • MSGA revises trial procedure for students • Short plays by Wilder & Thomas to be staged • Curtain Club members rehearse daily for Joan of Lorraine production • S. Eikner Homecoming queen: Gala weekend • Kallenbach, Brown, Drummond, Megill head \u2760 Ruby • Dr. D. L. Helfferich inaugurated Nov. 2 • Editorial: Answer • Letters to the editor • Dances • College years • Satire • Soccermen whip alumni, Mules; Lose to Garnet • Hockey squad places five on all-college • Bear eleven lose two to Garnet and Wagner • Dean\u27s listhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1370/thumbnail.jp

The Link Between Cannabis Use and Violent Behavior in the Early Phase of Psychosis: The Potential Role of Impulsivity.

Recently, the literature has shown that Cannabis Use (CU) was a risk factor for Violent Behavior (VB) in patients with psychosis, and those in the early phase of psychosis (EPP). These findings are relevant because of the high prevalence of CU in this EPP, and the potential for prevention during this phase of illness. However, there is still a lack of clear explanations, supported by empirical evidence, about what underlies the link between CU and VB against other. This viewpoint reviews the scientific literature on the link between CU and VB, and the involvement of impulsivity in this relationship. This last point will be addressed at clinical and neurobiological levels. Recent studies confirmed that CU is particularly high in the EPP, and is a risk factor for VB in the EPP and schizophrenia. Studies have also shown that impulsivity is a risk factor for VB in psychosis, is associated with CU, and may mediate the link between CU and VB. Research suggests a neurobiological mechanism, as CU affects the structures and function of frontal areas, known to play a role in impulsive behavior. Scientific evidence support the hypothesis of an involvement of impulsivity as a variable that could mediate the link between CU and aggression, particularly, when CU has an early onset. However, this hypothesis should be confirmed with longitudinal studies and by taking into account confounding factors. The studies highlight the relevance of early prevention in the EPP, in addition to interventions focusing on psychotic disorders

Trade-off between constitutive and inducible resistance against herbivores is only partially explained by gene expression and glucosinolate production.

The hypothesis that constitutive and inducible plant resistance against herbivores should trade-off because they use the same resources and impose costs to plant fitness has been postulated for a long time. Negative correlations between modes of deployment of resistance and defences have been observed across and within species in common garden experiments. It was therefore tested whether that pattern of resistance across genotypes follows a similar variation in patterns of gene expression and chemical defence production. Using the genetically tractable model Arabidopsis thaliana and different modes of induction, including the generalist herbivore Spodoptera littoralis, the specialist herbivore Pieris brassicae, and jasmonate application, constitutive and inducibility of resistance was measured across seven A. thaliana accessions that were previously selected based on constitutive levels of defence gene expression. According to theory, it was found that modes of resistance traded-off among accessions, particularly against S. littoralis, in which accessions investing in high constitutive resistance did not increase it substantially after attack and vice-versa. Accordingly, the average expression of eight genes involved in glucosinolate production negatively predicted larval growth across the seven accessions. Glucosinolate production and genes related to defence induction on healthy and herbivore-damaged plants were measured next. Surprisingly, only a partial correlation between glucosinolate production, gene expression, and the herbivore resistance results was found. These results suggest that the defence outcome of plants against herbivores goes beyond individual molecules or genes but stands on a complex network of interactions

Touch as a Stress Buffer? Gender Differences in Subjective and Physiological Responses to Partner and Stranger Touch

Interpersonal touch buffers against stress under challenging conditions, but this effect depends on familiarity. People benefit from receiving touch from their romantic partners, but the results are less consistent in the context of receiving touch from an opposite-gender stranger. We propose that there may be important gender differences in how people respond to touch from opposite-gender strangers. Specifically, we propose that touch from an opposite-gender stranger may only have stress-buffering effects for men, not women. Stress was induced as participants took part in an emotion recognition task in which they received false failure feedback while being touched from a romantic partner or stranger. We measured subjective and physiological markers of stress (i.e., reduced heart rate variability) throughout the experiment. Neither stranger’s nor partner’s touch had any effect on subjective or physiological markers of stress for men. Women, however, subjectively experienced a stress-buffering effect of partner and stranger touch, but showed increased physiological markers of stress when receiving touch from an opposite-gender stranger. These results highlight the importance of considering gender when investigating touch as a stress buffer

Intragenic alternative splicing coordination is essential for Caenorhabditis elegans slo-1 gene function

Alternative splicing is critical for diversifying eukaryotic proteomes, but the rules governing and coordinating splicing events among multiple alternate splice sites within individual genes are not well understood. We developed a quantitative PCR-based strategy to quantify the expression of the 12 transcripts encoded by the Caenorhabditis elegans slo-1 gene, containing three alternate splice sites. Using conditional probability-based models, we show that splicing events are coordinated across these sites. Further, we identify a point mutation in an intron adjacent to one alternate splice site that disrupts alternative splicing at all three sites. This mutation leads to aberrant synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction. In a genomic survey, we found that a UAAAUC element disrupted by this mutation is enriched in introns flanking alternate exons in genes with multiple alternate splice sites. These results establish that proper coordination of intragenic alternative splicing is essential for normal physiology of slo-1 in vivo and identify putative specialized cis-regulatory elements that regulate the coordination of intragenic alternative splicing

Association between Antifungal Prophylaxis and Rate of Documented Bacteremia in Febrile Neutropenic Cancer Patients

Published data have suggested a correlation between antifungal prophylaxis and bacteremia in febrile neutropenia. This correlation was investigated among 3002 febrile neutropenic patients enrolled in 4 trials during 1986-1994. Globally, 1322 patients (44%) did not receive antifungal prophylaxis; 835 (28%) received poorly absorbable antifungal agents and 845 (28%) received absorbable antifungal agents. The rates of bacteremia for these groups were 20%, 26%, and 27%, respectively (P=.0001). In a multivariate model without including antifungal prophylaxis, factors associated with bacteremia were: age, duration of hospitalization, duration of neutropenia before enrollment, underlying disease, presence of an intravenous catheter, shock, antibacterial prophylaxis, temperature, and granulocyte count at onset of fever. When antifungal prophylaxis was included, the adjustment quality of the model improved slightly (P=.05), with an odds ratio of 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-1.55) for patients receiving nonabsorbable and 1.42 (95% CI, 1.07-1.88) for those who were receiving absorbable antifungal agents. Antifungal prophylaxis with absorbable agents might have an impact on the rate of documented bacteremia in febrile neutropenia. This effect should be confirmed prospectivel

Demonstration of Cross-Reactive Antibodies to Smooth Gram-Negative Bacteria in Antiserum to Escherichia coli J5

We investigated the discrepancy between the broad cross-protection against gram-negative infections afforded by antiserum to Escherichia coli J5 and its apparently narrow cross-reactivity in vitro. Rabbits immunized with J5 bacteria produced antibodies to both the J5 lipopolysaccharide (LPS; titer by ELISA, 1:60,000) and LPS from the Re mutant of Salmonella minnesota (i.e., to the ketodeoxyoctonate [KDO] and lipid A determinants; titer, 1:3,200). In highly diluted antiserum, titers of antibody to J5 LPS were reduced by 28%-41% after adsorption with seven strains of smooth gram-negative bacteria and by only 4% after adsorption with the Re mutant. Smooth gram-negative bacteria adsorbed virtually all antibody to Re LPS. Therefore, rabbit antiserum to J5 contains type-specific antibodies to core determinants distal to KDO that can obscure highly cross-reactive antibodies to lipid A-KDO in vitro. Cross-reactive antibodies are demonstrable by adsorption with whole bacteria at limiting concentrations of antibod

The MIK2/SCOOP Signaling System Contributes to Arabidopsis Resistance Against Herbivory by Modulating Jasmonate and Indole Glucosinolate Biosynthesis.

Initiation of plant immune signaling requires recognition of conserved molecular patterns from microbes and herbivores by plasma membrane-localized pattern recognition receptors. Additionally, plants produce and secrete numerous small peptide hormones, termed phytocytokines, which act as secondary danger signals to modulate immunity. In Arabidopsis, the Brassicae-specific SERINE RICH ENDOGENOUS PEPTIDE (SCOOP) family consists of 14 members that are perceived by the leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase MALE DISCOVERER 1-INTERACTING RECEPTOR LIKE KINASE 2 (MIK2). Recognition of SCOOP peptides elicits generic early signaling responses but knowledge on how and if SCOOPs modulate specific downstream immune defenses is limited. We report here that depletion of MIK2 or the single PROSCOOP12 precursor results in decreased Arabidopsis resistance against the generalist herbivore Spodoptera littoralis but not the specialist Pieris brassicae. Increased performance of S. littoralis on mik2-1 and proscoop12 is accompanied by a diminished accumulation of jasmonic acid, jasmonate-isoleucine and indolic glucosinolates. Additionally, we show transcriptional activation of the PROSCOOP gene family in response to insect herbivory. Our data therefore indicate that perception of endogenous SCOOP peptides by MIK2 modulates the jasmonate pathway and thereby contributes to enhanced defense against a generalist herbivore

The Ursinus Weekly, November 24, 1958

Y holds seminar Nov. 19; Marriage problem is topic • Fireside chats to be held Dec. 3 at prof\u27s home • C. Carpenter has poem published in anthology • Administrative regulation • Mayes, Francis \u2762 representatives to MSGA • New pledges announced by Alpha Psi Omega • De Gaulle and France topic at second Forum of Fall semester • Who\u27s who honors 12 leading Ursinus seniors • Senior Ball to be held at Sunnybrook Dec. 5 • W.S.G.A. presents plaque to winning frosh team • Editorial: Thanksgiving • Letters to the editor • Review: Joan of Lorraine • Slightly allegorical • U.C. soccermen lose last three games; Finish 2-6-1 • Prospects for U.C. basketball team looking up • Varsity hockey finishes with 4-2-1; J.V. is 6-0-1 • Football squad drops two games 12-0, 34-6 • Sorority bids • American hist. students begin tour program • Fine art of datinghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1372/thumbnail.jp

Prognostic Values of Tumor Necrosis Factor/Cachectin, Interleukin-l, Interferon-α, and Interferon-γ in the Serum of Patients with Septic Shock

Serum concentrations of immunoreactive tumor necrosis factor/cachectin (TNF), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interferon-γ (IFNγ, and interferon-α (IFNα) were prospectively measured in 70 patients with septic shock to determine their evolution and prognostic values. In a univariate analysis, levels of TNF (P = .002) and IL-1β (P = .05) were associated with the patient's outcome, but not IFNα (P = .15) and IFNγ (P = .26). In contrast, in a stepwise logistic regression analysis, the severity of the underlying disease (P = .01), the age of the patient (P = .02), the documentation of infection (nonbacteremic infections vs. bacteremias, P = .03), the urine output (P = .04), and the arterial pH (P = .05) contributed more significantly to prediction of patient outcome than the serum levels of TNF (P = .07). After 10 days, the median concentration of TNF was undetectable <100 pg/ml) in the survivors, whereas it remained elevated (305 pg/ml, P = .002) in the nonsurvivors. Thus, in patients with septic shock due to various gram-negative bacteria, other parameters than the absolute serum concentration of immunoreactive TNF contributed significantly to the prediction of outcom