A methodology for the capture and analysis of hybrid data: a case study of program debugging

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Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens

EHP is a publication of the U.S. government. Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. Research articles from EHP may be used freely; however, articles from the News section of EHP may contain photographs or figures copyrighted by other commercial organizations and individuals that may not be used without obtaining prior approval from both the EHP editors and the holder of the copyright. Use of any materials published in EHP should be acknowledged (for example, "Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives") and a reference provided for the article from which the material was reproduced.Male reproductive health has deteriorated in many countries during the last few decades. In the 1990s, declining semen quality has been reported from Belgium, Denmark, France, and Great Britain. The incidence of testicular cancer has increased during the same time incidences of hypospadias and cryptorchidism also appear to be increasing. Similar reproductive problems occur in many wildlife species. There are marked geographic differences in the prevalence of male reproductive disorders. While the reasons for these differences are currently unknown, both clinical and laboratory research suggest that the adverse changes may be inter-related and have a common origin in fetal life or childhood. Exposure of the male fetus to supranormal levels of estrogens, such as diethlylstilbestrol, can result in the above-mentioned reproductive defects. The growing number of reports demonstrating that common environmental contaminants and natural factors possess estrogenic activity presents the working hypothesis that the adverse trends in male reproductive health may be, at least in part, associated with exposure to estrogenic or other hormonally active (e.g., antiandrogenic) environmental chemicals during fetal and childhood development. An extensive research program is needed to understand the extent of the problem, its underlying etiology, and the development of a strategy for prevention and intervention.Supported by EU Contract BMH4-CT96-0314

Validation and Norms of Cognition and Spaceflight Assessments with Senior Military Leaders

Spaceflight hazards include risks to cognitive performance. NASA requires sensitive neuropsychological screening tools to determine changes to cognitive risks to crew health and performance. Currently, NASA uses WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows) for neurocognitive screening and to monitor the status of astronauts during spaceflight. The CognitionTest Battery was recently developed by NASA-funded researchers at UPenn as part of the Behavioral Health and Performance component of NASA Standard Measures. This research provides independently validated norms and psychometric properties to compare WinSCAT to Cognition using a military population who operates in high demand, extreme environments similar to those experienced by astronauts (deployments, isolation, extreme environments)

The Cygnus X region XXII. A probable HAeBe star with a giant bipolar outflow in DR 16

From medium-resolution radio images, DR 16 was suspected to be a large cometary nebula. To test this suggestion we obtained a higher resolution (15\arcsec) VLA continuum map. We also analyzed data from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey in continuum, H I line, and IR. These data were supplemented by published near-infrared (J, H, K) stellar photometric results and MSX 8.28 micrometer data. We suggest that DR 16 is the diffuse H II region of an ongoing star formation site at a distance of about 3 kpc. The complicated radio picture arises from the superposition of diffuse H II with the remains of a giant bipolar outflow. The outflow was generated by a probable Herbig AeBe star, and the lobes are the remnants of its working surfaces. Additional ring-like features are discussed. DR 16 is part of a larger volume of space in the local spiral arm where star formation is an ongoing process.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, accepted by A&

A Positive Feedback Synapse from Retinal Horizontal Cells to Cone Photoreceptors

Cone photoreceptors and horizontal cells (HCs) have a reciprocal synapse that underlies lateral inhibition and establishes the antagonistic center-surround organization of the visual system. Cones transmit to HCs through an excitatory synapse and HCs feed back to cones through an inhibitory synapse. Here we report that HCs also transmit to cone terminals a positive feedback signal that elevates intracellular Ca2+ and accelerates neurotransmitter release. Positive and negative feedback are both initiated by AMPA receptors on HCs, but positive feedback appears to be mediated by a change in HC Ca2+, whereas negative feedback is mediated by a change in HC membrane potential. Local uncaging of AMPA receptor agonists suggests that positive feedback is spatially constrained to active HC-cone synapses, whereas the negative feedback signal spreads through HCs to affect release from surrounding cones. By locally offsetting the effects of negative feedback, positive feedback may amplify photoreceptor synaptic release without sacrificing HC-mediated contrast enhancement

Cognitive Performance in Military Senior Leaders: Analysis & Implications

No abstract availabl

Diversity of Cl− Channels

Cl− channels are widely found anion pores that are regulated by a variety of signals and that play various roles. On the basis of molecular biologic findings, ligand-gated Cl− channels in synapses, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductors (CFTRs) and ClC channel types have been established, followed by bestrophin and possibly by tweety, which encode Ca2+-activated Cl− channels. The ClC family has been shown to possess a variety of functions, including stabilization of membrane potential, excitation, cellvolume regulation, fluid transport, protein degradation in endosomal vesicles and possibly cell growth. The molecular structure of Cl− channel types varies from 1 to 12 transmembrane segments. By means of computer-based prediction, functional Cl− channels have been synthesized artificially, revealing that many possible ion pores are hidden in channel, transporter or unidentified hydrophobic membrane proteins. Thus, novel Cl−-conducting pores may be occasionally discovered, and evidence from molecular biologic studies will clarify their physiologic and pathophysiologic roles

Active and passive smoking and the risk of breast cancer in women aged 36–45 years: a population based case–control study in the UK

Active smoking has little or no effect on breast cancer risk but some investigators have suggested that passive smoking and its interaction with active smoking may be associated with an increased risk. In a population based case–control study of breast cancer in women aged 36–45 years at diagnosis, information on active smoking, passive smoking in the home, and other factors, was collected at interview from 639 cases and 640 controls. Women were categorised jointly by their active and passive smoking exposure. Among never smoking controls, women who also reported no passive smoking exposure were significantly more likely to be nulliparous and to be recent users of oral contraceptives. Among those never exposed to passive smoking, there was no significant association between active smoking and breast cancer, relative risk (RR) of 1.12 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72–1.73) for past smokers and RR of 1.19 (95% CI 0.72–1.95) for current smokers, nor was there an association with age started, duration or intensity of active smoking. Compared with women who were never active nor passive smokers, there was no significant association between passive smoking in the home and breast cancer risk in never smokers, RR of 0.89 (95% CI 0.64–1.25), in past smokers, RR of 1.09 (95% CI 0.75–1.56), or in current smokers, RR of 0.93 (95% CI 0.67–1.30). There was no trend with increasing duration of passive smoking and there was no heterogeneity among any of the subgroups examined. In this study, there was no evidence of an association between either active smoking or passive smoking in the home and risk of breast cancer

Calcium Homeostasis and Cone Signaling Are Regulated by Interactions between Calcium Stores and Plasma Membrane Ion Channels

Calcium is a messenger ion that controls all aspects of cone photoreceptor function, including synaptic release. The dynamic range of the cone output extends beyond the activation threshold for voltage-operated calcium entry, suggesting another calcium influx mechanism operates in cones hyperpolarized by light. We have used optical imaging and whole-cell voltage clamp to measure the contribution of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) to Ca2+ homeostasis and its role in regulation of neurotransmission at cone synapses. Mn2+ quenching of Fura-2 revealed sustained divalent cation entry in hyperpolarized cones. Ca2+ influx into cone inner segments was potentiated by hyperpolarization, facilitated by depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores, unaffected by pharmacological manipulation of voltage-operated or cyclic nucleotide-gated Ca2+ channels and suppressed by lanthanides, 2-APB, MRS 1845 and SKF 96365. However, cation influx through store-operated channels crossed the threshold for activation of voltage-operated Ca2+ entry in a subset of cones, indicating that the operating range of inner segment signals is set by interactions between store- and voltage-operated Ca2+ channels. Exposure to MRS 1845 resulted in ∼40% reduction of light-evoked postsynaptic currents in photopic horizontal cells without affecting the light responses or voltage-operated Ca2+ currents in simultaneously recorded cones. The spatial pattern of store-operated calcium entry in cones matched immunolocalization of the store-operated sensor STIM1. These findings show that store-operated channels regulate spatial and temporal properties of Ca2+ homeostasis in vertebrate cones and demonstrate their role in generation of sustained excitatory signals across the first retinal synapse