Neuroanatomical phenotypes in a mouse model of the 22q11.2 microdeletion.

Recurrent deletions at the 22q11.2 locus have been established as a strong genetic risk factor for the development of schizophrenia and cognitive dysfunction. Individuals with 22q11.2 deletions have a range of well-defined volumetric abnormalities in a number of critical brain structures. A mouse model of the 22q11.2 deletion (Df(16)A(+/-)) has previously been utilized to characterize disease-associated abnormalities on synaptic, cellular, neurocircuitry, and behavioral levels. We performed a high-resolution MRI analysis of mutant mice compared with wild-type littermates. Our analysis revealed a striking similarity in the specific volumetric changes of Df(16)A(+/-) mice compared with human 22q11.2 deletion carriers, including in cortico-cerebellar, cortico-striatal and cortico-limbic circuits. In addition, higher resolution magnetic resonance imaging compared with neuroimaging in human subjects allowed the detection of previously unknown subtle local differences. The cerebellar findings in Df(16)A(+/-) mice are particularly instructive as they are localized to specific areas within both the deep cerebellar nuclei and the cerebellar cortex. Our study indicates that the Df(16)A(+/-)mouse model recapitulates most of the hallmark neuroanatomical changes observed in 22q11.2 deletion carriers. Our findings will help guide the design and interpretation of additional complementary studies and thereby advance our understanding of the abnormal brain development underlying the emergence of 22q11.2 deletion-associated psychiatric and cognitive symptoms.

Real-space imaging of confined magnetic skyrmion tubes.

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically nontrivial particles with a potential application as information elements in future spintronic device architectures. While they are commonly portrayed as two dimensional objects, in reality magnetic skyrmions are thought to exist as elongated, tube-like objects extending through the thickness of the host material. The study of this skyrmion tube state (SkT) is vital for furthering the understanding of skyrmion formation and dynamics for future applications. However, direct experimental imaging of skyrmion tubes has yet to be reported. Here, we demonstrate the real-space observation of skyrmion tubes in a lamella of FeGe using resonant magnetic x-ray imaging and comparative micromagnetic simulations, confirming their extended structure. The formation of these structures at the edge of the sample highlights the importance of confinement and edge effects in the stabilisation of the SkT state, opening the door to further investigation into this unexplored dimension of the skyrmion spin texture.

Abnormal locomotion in the rat after administration of a TRH analogue.

Previous studies have indicated that the TRH analogue CG3703 induces changes in gross measures of motor activity. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether it affected the underlying components of the locomotor cycle, stance and swing times. It has been found that while total stride time was unaffected there was an alteration in the balance between swing and dual stance times such that treated rats used longer swing times and shorter dual stance times. For both control and treated animals dual stance time increased with stride time. However, for any particular stride time, treated animals deployed longer swing times and shorter dual stance times. Possible mechanisms for these observations are discussed.

A quantitative assessment of blood loss in burn wound excision and grafting.

A prospective study was performed that allowed a quantitative estimation of blood loss in excision and grafting of adult burn injuries. The average value for blood loss was 9.2 per cent of the patient's estimated blood volume or 387 ml per 1 per cent burn excised and grafted. There was no exponential increase in blood loss as the percentage excised and grafted increased apart from proportionality and there was no statistical difference between males and females for burns excised and grafted days 1-14 after injury or greater than 14 days after injury. It was therefore concluded that a useful working figure is 400 ml whole blood or 10 per cent of patient blood volume is lost per 1 per cent full thickness burn excised and grafted for an adult. These values do not apply to the very young, the very old and those patients who have bleeding disorders, and when using various methods to limit blood loss. This figure allows adequate cross-matched whole blood to be available preoperatively.

RASOR: an advanced instrument for soft x-ray reflectivity and diffraction.

We report the design and construction of a novel soft x-ray diffractometer installed at Diamond Light Source. The beamline endstation RASOR is constructed for general users and designed primarily for the study of single crystal diffraction and thin film reflectivity. The instrument is comprised of a limited three circle (theta, 2theta, and chi) diffractometer with an additional removable rotation (phi) stage. It is equipped with a liquid helium cryostat, and post-scatter polarization analysis. Motorized motions are provided for the precise positioning of the sample onto the diffractometer center of rotation, and for positioning the center of rotation onto the x-ray beam. The functions of the instrument have been tested at Diamond Light Source, and initial test measurements are provided, demonstrating the potential of the instrument.

Plasma magnesium levels in a population of psychiatric patients: correlations with symptoms.

Plasma magnesium levels were tested in a group of 155 psychiatric in-patients with a variety of diagnoses and were correlated with the severity of their symptoms. We hypothesized that lower Mg levels would correlate with a higher degree of anxiety, tiredness and other symptoms characteristic of Mg deficiency. No such correlations were observed. However, Mg levels varied widely, with 22.4% below, and 10.4% above the normal range. There was a strong association for more disturbed and excitable patients to have abnormal (either high or low) levels. We speculate that more disturbed patients might have some abnormality of Mg metabolism with possible therapeutic implications.

An ultrahigh-vacuum chamber for surface X-ray diffraction.

An ultrahigh-vacuum environmental chamber for surface X-ray diffraction on Station 9.4 at the Synchrotron Radiation Source, Daresbury Laboratory, is described. Film growth can be monitored by simultaneously recording the Auger signal and the X-ray intensity at a particular point in reciprocal space. Such in situ measurements are essential for understanding the dynamic processes that occur during adsorption. An example is given in which the specularly reflected X-ray signal is correlated with Auger plots, during growth of Tl on Cu(001). In addition, the diffractometer and chamber combination allow large reconstructions to be investigated as shown by the in-plane structural analysis of the c(4x4) InSb surface. A study of the layer structure of Cr on Ag(001), in which an extended out-of-plane detector assembly was used, is also presented.

Adsorption of carbon monoxide on Ni(110) above atmospheric pressure investigated with surface X-ray diffraction.

The crystallographic structure of CO adsorbed on Ni(110) has been investigated with x-ray diffraction at ambient pressures of CO ranging from 2.3 to 10(-10) bars. At room temperature, the high pressure and vacuum structures are identical. Above room temperature ( approximately 130 degrees C), the high pressure of CO induces a restructuring of the Ni substrate that develops strained (111) microfacets.

Stability of polar oxide surfaces.

The structures of the polar surfaces of ZnO are studied using ab initio calculations and surface x-ray diffraction. The experimental and theoretical relaxations are in good agreement. The polar surfaces are shown to be very stable; the cleavage energy for the (0001)-Zn and (0001;)-O surfaces is 4.0 J/m(2) comparable to 2.32 J/m(2) for the most stable nonpolar (1010) surface. The surfaces are stabilized by an electronic mechanism involving the transfer of 0.17 electrons between them. This leads to 2D metallic surface states, which has implications for the use of the material in gas sensing and catalytic applications.

Exchange bias in spin-engineered double superlattices.

Exchange bias has been observed in sputtered magnetic double superlattices which consist of a ferromagnetically coupled superlattice grown on an antiferromagnetically (AF) coupled superlattice. This system exhibits a parallel domain wall, a spin flop transition, and exchange bias when the anisotropy is large in the AF block. This work shows that neither the domain wall nor the spin flop are directly related to exchange bias but that the anisotropy is essential.

The Genome Sequence DataBase (GSDB): improving data quality and data access.

In 1997 the primary focus of the Genome Sequence DataBase (GSDB; www. ncgr.org/gsdb ) located at the National Center for Genome Resources was to improve data quality and accessibility. Efforts to increase the quality of data within the database included two major projects; one to identify and remove all vector contamination from sequences in the database and one to create premier sequence sets (including both alignments and discontiguous sequences). Data accessibility was improved during the course of the last year in several ways. First, a graphical database sequence viewer was made available to researchers. Second, an update process was implemented for the web-based query tool, Maestro. Third, a web-based tool, Excerpt, was developed to retrieve selected regions of any sequence in the database. And lastly, a GSDB flatfile that contains annotation unique to GSDB (e.g., sequence analysis and alignment data) was developed. Additionally, the GSDB web site provides a tool for the detection of matrix attachment regions (MARs), which can be used to identify regions of high coding potential. The ultimate goal of this work is to make GSDB a more useful resource for genomic comparison studies and gene level studies by improving data quality and by providing data access capabilities that are consistent with the needs of both types of studies.