Psychopathic Traits in Adolescence: the Importance of Examining Components in Face Processing, Voice Processing, and Emotional Skill

New methods for child psychiatric diagnosis and treatment outcome evaluatio

Effect of nitrite delivered in saliva on postprandial gastro-esophageal function

Objective. Acid reflux produces troublesome symptoms (heartburn) and complications including esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, and adenocarcinoma. Reflux occurs due to excessive and inappropriate relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. An important mediator of this is nitric oxide, high concentrations of which are generated within the lumen when swallowed saliva meets gastric acid. Saliva contains nitrite, derived from the enterosalivary recirculation of dietary nitrate, which is reduced to nitric oxide by gastric acid. The aim of this study was to investigate whether salivary nitrite contributes to dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter. Materials and methods. In 20 volunteers, studies of gastro-esophageal function were performed on four separate days, following consumption of a standardized meal, with saliva nitrite concentrations modified differently each day by intra-oral nitrite infusion. Results. The infusions produced an appropriate range in saliva nitrite concentrations, from below to well above the physiological range. The standardized meal induced expected physiological changes in gastro-esophageal function confirming the recordings were sensitive and robust. Esophageal acid exposure (primary outcome) was similar on each study day. Secondary outcomes, including number and duration of reflux events, rate of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations, lower esophageal sphincter pressure and rate of gastric emptying were also unaffected by variations in saliva nitrite concentration. Conclusions. Nitrite in swallowed saliva does not modify gastro-esophageal junction function or predispose to gastro-esophageal reflux. The wide range in saliva nitrite concentrations, the sensitivity of the physiological recordings and the number of subjects studied make it very unlikely that an effect has been missed

The positions of the sigma-factor genes, whiG and sigF, in the hierarchy controlling the development of spore chains in the aerial hyphae of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

whiG and sigF encode RNA polymerase sigma factors required for sporulation in the aerial hyphae of Streptomyces coelicolor. Their expression was analysed during colony development in wild-type and sporulation-defective whi mutant strains. Each gene was transcribed from a single promoter. Unexpectedly, whiG mRNA was present at all time points, including those taken prior to aerial mycelium formation; this suggests that whig may be regulated post-transcription-ally. Transcription of whig did not depend upon any of the six known 'early' whi genes required for sporulation septum formation (whiA, B, G, H, I and J), placing it at the top of the hierarchy of whi loci. sigF expression appeared to be regulated at the level of transcription; sigF transcripts were detected transiently when sporulation septa were observed in the aerial hyphae. Transcription of sigF depended upon all six of the early whi genes, including whiG. The sigF promoter does not resemble the consensus sequence established for σ(WhiG)- dependent promoters and Eσ(WhiG) did not transcribe from the sigF promoter in vitro. Consequently, the genetic dependence of sigF upon whig is very likely to be indirect. These results show that there is a hierarchical relationship between sigma factors required for Streptomyces sporulation and also that at least five other genes are involved in this transcriptional network