An early perceptual locus of absolute pitch.

Absolute pitch (AP) refers to the naming of musical tone without external reference. The influential two-component model states that AP is limited by the late-emerging pitch labeling process only and not the earlier perceptual and memory processes. Over the years, however, support for this model at the neural level has been mixed with various methodological limitations. Here, the electroencephalography responses of 27 AP possessors and 27 non-AP possessors were recorded. During both name verification and passive listening, event-related potential analyses showed a difference between AP and non-AP possessors at about 200 ms in their response toward tones compared with noise stimuli. Multivariate pattern analyses suggested that pitch naming was subserved by a series of transient processes for the first 250 ms, followed by a stage-like process for both AP and non-AP possessors with no group differences between them. These findings are inconsistent with the predictions of the two-component model, and instead suggest the existence of an early perceptual locus of AP.

Effects of dietary clinoptilolite on reproductive performance, serum progesterone and insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations in dairy cows during pregnancy and lactation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary zeolite clinoptilolite on re- productive performance, serum progesterone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentra- tions in 78 Holstein Friesian (HF) cows during pregnancy and lactation. The cows were divided into two groups comprising 40 (control group; CON) and 38 (CPL group) cows. To assess repro- ductive performance of HF cows the following variables were registered: the interval from calv- ing to first insemination (days open to first service, DFS), the interval from calving to pregnancy (days open to pregnancy, DOP), and the number of services per pregnancy (NSP). The average values of progesterone (5.64±0.59 ng/mL vs. 5.16±0.64 ng/mL) were not statistically different (p⟨0.05) and IGF-1 levels (400.17±17.72 ng/mL vs. 348.36±20.39 ng/mL) were higher in the CON than in the CPL group which received 50 g of clinoptilolite twice a day. However, in the CPL group ovarian cyclity resumed on days 40 and 60 postpartum. In addition, DFS (p⟨0.05) and DOP (p>0.05) were shorter in the CPL than in the CON group (115.1±19.9 and 137.5±36.3 days vs. 124.2±17.3 and 143.8±33.5 days, respectively). During 305 days of lactation, milk production was higher in the CPL vs. CON (8325.5±628.8 kg vs. 8050±586.8 kg). The NSP was lower in the CPL than in CON group (1.91 vs. 2.14). The dietary clinoptilolite supplement had a positive in- fluence on milk yield, exhibited modulating effects on endocrine status of dairy cows, and im- proved reproductive performance, with the decreased NSP, and fewer DFS and DOP.

Dietary supplementation with mannan oligosaccharide and clinoptilolite modulates innate and adaptive immune parameters of weaned pigs.

The aim of this study was to assess modulatory effects of dietary supplements mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) and clinoptilolite (CPL) as potential alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) given to 4-week old pigs at weaning (Day 0) on their innate/adaptive immunity by determining: alterations in C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin (HpG) serum levels, efficiency of blood monocytes (MO) and neutrophilic granulocytes (GR) for in vitro phagocytosis (PHC)/microbicidity (MBC) and proportion of extrathymic double positive CD4 CD8 (CD4+CD8+) T cells throughout 35 days of the study. Neither MOS nor CPL changed the serum concentrations of CRP, whereas that of HpG was significantly increased in the CPL supplemented pigs (p<0.05) at Day 35. Activity of PHA of GR was significantly increased by both dietary supplements (p<0.05) from Day 7 to Day 35. Also, the GR from pigs fed with both supplements had significantly increased MBC at Day 7 (p<0.05), but at Day 35 such an increase was observed only for CPL. The in vitro PHC/MBC of MO did not change in either group of supplemented pigs. The pigs supplemented with MOS had a significantly higher proportion of CD4+CD8+ T lymphocytes at Day 28 (p<0.05). Although both supplements showed a promising ability to stimulate rather innate than adaptive cellular immunity, it does not appear that any solely applied natural substance such as MOS or CPL in the current study could be a competitive alternative to conventional AGP for improving health and promoting growth in weaned pigs.

Synthesis and structural activity relationship of 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors with novel adamantane replacements.

A series of structurally novel and metabolically stable bridged bicyclic carbocycle and heterocycle adamantane replacements have been synthesized and biologically evaluated. Several of these compounds exhibit excellent human and mouse 11beta-HSD1 potency and 11beta-HSD2 selectivity.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of heterocycle containing adamantane 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors.

A series of metabolically stable adamantane amide 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors have been synthesized and biologically evaluated. These compounds exhibit excellent HSD1 potency and HSD2 selectivity and good pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles.

Stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-boronolide.

Boronolide was synthesized stereoselectively from hydroxyacetylfuran 5 and valeraldehyde 6 using a novel dizinc aldol catalyst. Ring closing metathesis provides the lactone ring. The synthesis requires 12 steps and proceeds in 26% overall yield. [reaction: see text]