The Helico Maze allows testing of early learning and subcategories of long-term memory in mice.

Different memory systems operate in parallel to support behaviour. To evaluate procedural and reference subcategories of long-term memory as early as possible in the mouse, the Helico Maze (HM) was developed. BALB/c AnNCrl (BALB), C57BL/6JRj (C57) and DBA/2 JRj (DBA) mice were trained on this new maze. The three strains learned how to use the HM (procedural memory), and they then learned and remembered four odour-reward associations (reference memory). The three strains differed in the number of correct responses. BALB mice showed better performance than C57 and DBA mice. The results of the first block of each session revealed that only the BALB and C57 mice remembered the odour-reward associations. DBA mice needed to relearn the associations each day. With this new apparatus, the number of olfactory cue-reward associations was increased from 2 to 4 in comparison to a previous olfactory tubing maze. Consequently, a supplementary effort of memory was required, and the chance level was decreased from 50 % to 25 %. Thus, in several important respects, the HM can be considered to measure the hippocampus-dependent behaviour of the mouse, allowing to study, as early as possible in young mice, the different subcategories of long-term memory, such as those observed in humans.

The role of fathers in overweight prevention: an analysis of a Caribbean cohort.

BACKGROUND: Family-based strategies to reduce the risk of overweight in childhood are needed in the Caribbean. AIM: To investigate the associations between parental characteristics and risk of overweight and explore possible mechanisms. METHODS: Data from a parenting intervention were analysed. Parental characteristics were obtained by questionnaire at enrolment. At 18 months, 501 infants (82.9% of cohort) had weight and length measured using standardized methods. The association of parents' characteristics with risk of infant overweight was assessed using random-effects logistic regression. Four focus groups among mothers in Jamaica were conducted to explore mechanisms. RESULTS: Overall, 20.6% of infants were 'at risk of overweight'. Fathers were present in 52% of households. Fathers' presence [OR (95% CI) 0.60 (0.37-0.96)] was associated with reduced risk of overweight independent of socioeconomic status. Mothers reported that fathers encouraged healthier practices. CONCLUSION: Fathers may be important agents of change in intervention strategies to prevent childhood overweight.

Joint recommendations for reporting carotid ultrasound investigations in the United Kingdom.

At present in the United Kingdom a number of different criteria are used to grade disease in carotid ultrasound investigations. One main cause of this has been the difference in the method of grading angiograms used in the NASCET and ECST large carotid surgery trials. It is desirable that all centres reporting carotid ultrasound investigations report to the same standard. This paper presents recommendations for the reporting of ultrasound investigations of the extra cranial arteries produced by a Joint Working Group formed between the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Society for Vascular Technology of Great Britain and Ireland. The recommended criteria are based on the NASCET method of grading carotid bulb disease. Key recommendations include recording peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) in both internal and distal common carotid arteries; measuring all velocities at a Doppler angle of 45-60 degrees; the use of internal carotid PSV of >1.25 ms(-1) and >2.3 ms(-1) and a Peak Systolic Velocity Ratio of >2 and >4 to indicate >50% and >70% stenosis respectively; and the use of the St Mary's Ratio to grade >50% stenoses in deciles. General recommendations are also given for the acquisition, interpretation and reporting of the data.

Nonselective and efficient fluorescent labeling of glycans using 2-amino benzamide and anthranilic acid.

Reaction conditions for conjugation of two fluorescent ortho-substituted aniline derivatives, 2-amino benzamide (2-AB) and 2-anthranilic acid (2-AA), to N- and O-glycans have been investigated. Conjugation conditions for attaching 2-AB and 2-AA to core-fucosylated and non-fucosylated glycans were developed using complex N-glycans radiolabeled at the nonreducing terminus with [3H]C6-galactose. Optimal conditions for each of the following reaction parameters were experimentally defined: [glycans], [2-AB] or [2-AA], solvent and acid composition, temperature and time of Schiff's base formation, nature of reductant, and temperature and time of reduction. Using the optimized reaction conditions it has been shown with several standard glycans and glycoprotein-derived glycan libraries that (i) molar labeling efficiencies are high and essentially independent of the amount of glycans; (ii) negligible (< 2 mol%) desialylation occurs during conjugation; (iii) glycan labeling is nonselective, i.e., independent of glycan structure; and (iv) insignificant fluorescent or chemical "blank" is recovered during the glycan-labeling and purification protocol. Labeling glycan pools with 2-AB or 2-AA therefore allows representative glycan profiles to be obtained and also allows relative molar quantitation of individual glycans in a pool. The 2-AB label is compatible with several chromatographic means for separation of carbohydrates including Bio Gel P4 gel permeation, high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with fluorescence detection, and a variety of HPLC procedures, as well as with mass spectrometric methods including matrix-assisted laser desorption-mass spectrometry and electrospray-mass spectrometry. The 2-AA label is particularly well-suited for electrophoretic separations by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These fluorophores show high intrinsic sensitivity and thus facilitate very sensitive analysis of protein glycosylation.