External cadmium and internal calcium block of single calcium channels in smooth muscle cells from rabbit mesenteric artery

The patch clamp technique was used to record unitary currents through single calcium channels from smooth muscle cells of rabbit mesenteric arteries. The effects of external cadmium and cobalt and internal calcium, barium, cadmium, and magnesium on single channel currents were investigated with 80 mM barium as the charge carrier and Bay K 8644 to prolong openings. External cadmium shortened the mean open time of single Ca channels. Cadmium blocking and unblocking rate constants of 16.5 mM-1 ms-1 and 0.6 ms-1, respectively, were determined, corresponding to dissociation constant Kd of 36 microM at -20 mV. These results are very similar to those reported for cardiac muscle Ca channels (Lansman, J. B., P. Hess, and R. W. Tsien. 1986. J. Gen. Physiol. 88:321–347). In contrast, Cd2+ (01–10 mM), when applied to the internal surface of Ca channels in inside-out patches, did not affect the mean open time, mean unitary current, or the variance of the open channel current. Internal calcium induced a flickery block, with a Kd of 5.8 mM. Mean blocking and unblocking rate constants for calcium of 0.56 mM-1 ms-1 and 3.22 ms-1, respectively, were determined. Internal barium (8 mM) reduced the mean unitary current by 36%. We conclude that under our experimental conditions, the Ca channel is not symmetrical with respect to inorganic ion block and that intracellular calcium can modulate Ca channel currents via a low-affinity binding site

The Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel

A major challenge of biology is understanding the relationship between molecular genetic variation and variation in quantitative traits, including fitness. This relationship determines our ability to predict phenotypes from genotypes and to understand how evolutionary forces shape variation within and between species. Previous efforts to dissect the genotype-phenotype map were based on incomplete genotypic information. Here, we describe the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), a community resource for analysis of population genomics and quantitative traits. The DGRP consists of fully sequenced inbred lines derived from a natural population. Population genomic analyses reveal reduced polymorphism in centromeric autosomal regions and the X chromosome, evidence for positive and negative selection, and rapid evolution of the X chromosome. Many variants in novel genes, most at low frequency, are associated with quantitative traits and explain a large fraction of the phenotypic variance. The DGRP facilitates genotype-phenotype mapping using the power of Drosophila genetics

Effects of Intermittent IL-2 Alone or with Peri-Cycle Antiretroviral Therapy in Early HIV Infection: The STALWART Study

The Study of Aldesleukin with and without antiretroviral therapy (STALWART) evaluated whether intermittent interleukin-2 (IL-2) alone or with antiretroviral therapy (ART) around IL-2 cycles increased CD4+ counts compared to no therapy

Independence of firing correlates of anatomically proximate hippocampal pyramidal cells

Contains fulltext : 201426.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Development of pixel detectors for SSC vertex tracking

A description of hybrid PIN diode arrays and a readout architecture for their use as a vertex detector in the SSC environment is presented. Test results obtained with arrays having 256 {times} 256 pixels, each 30 {mu}m square, are also presented. The development of a custom readout for the SSC will be discussed, which supports a mechanism for time stamping hit pixels, storing their xy coordinates, and storing the analog information within the pixel. The peripheral logic located on the array, permits the selection of those pixels containing interesting data and their coordinates to be selectively read out. This same logic also resolves ambiguous pixel ghost locations and controls the pixel neighbor read out necessary to achieve high spatial resolution. The thermal design of the vertex tracker and the proposed signal processing architecture will also be discussed. 5 refs., 13 figs., 3 tabs

Development of a customized SSC pixel detector readout for vertex tracking

We describe the readout architecture and progress to date in the development of hybrid PIN diode arrays for use as vertex detectors in the SSC environment. The architecture supports a self-timed mechanism for time stamping hit pixels, storing their xy coordinates and later selectively reading out only those pixels containing interesting data along with their coordinates. The peripheral logic resolves ambiguous pixel ghost locations and controls pixel neighbor readout to achieve high spatial resolution. A test lot containing 64 {times} 32 pixel arrays has been processed and is currently being tested. Each pixel contains 23 transistors and six capacitors consuming an area of 50 {mu}m by 150 {mu}m and dissipating about 20{mu}W of power. 6 refs., 2 figs