Estrogen-related receptor gamma regulates mitochondrial and synaptic genes and modulates vulnerability to synucleinopathy.

Many studies implicate mitochondrial dysfunction as a key contributor to cell loss in Parkinson disease (PD). Previous analyses of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons from patients with Lewy-body pathology revealed a deficiency in nuclear-encoded genes for mitochondrial respiration, many of which are targets for the transcription factor estrogen-related receptor gamma (Esrrg/ERRγ). We demonstrate that deletion of ERRγ from DAergic neurons in adult mice was sufficient to cause a levodopa-responsive PD-like phenotype with reductions in mitochondrial gene expression and number, that partial deficiency of ERRγ hastens synuclein-mediated toxicity, and that ERRγ overexpression reduces inclusion load and delays synuclein-mediated cell loss. While ERRγ deletion did not fully recapitulate the transcriptional alterations observed in postmortem tissue, it caused reductions in genes involved in synaptic and mitochondrial function and autophagy. Altogether, these experiments suggest that ERRγ-deficient mice could provide a model for understanding the regulation of transcription in DAergic neurons and that amplifying ERRγ-mediated transcriptional programs should be considered as a strategy to promote DAergic maintenance in PD.

Stratospheric measurements of continuous absorption near 2400 cm(-1).

Solar occultation spectra obtained with a balloon-borne interferometer have been used to study continuous absorption by N(2) and CO(2) near 2400 cm(-1) in the lower stratosphere. Synthetic continuum transmittances, calculated from published coefficients for far-wing absorption by CO(2) lines and for pressure-induced absorption by the fundamental band of N(2), are in fair agreement with the observed stratospheric values. The continuum close to the nu(3) R-branch band head of CO(2) is sensitive to the CO(2) far-wing line shape. Therefore, given highly accurate knowledge of the N(2) continuum from laboratory data, high-resolution stratospheric spectra provide a sensitive means for in situ testing of various air-broadened CO(2) line shapes at low temperatures.

Human bites of the hand: twenty years of experience.

A retrospective study of the records of 20 years of experience with injuries from human bites reviewed the results of treatment of 42 patients during the first 10 years and 94 in the second 10 years. In the later series there was less delay in the treatment due to better education of primary physicians as well as of patients. There were fewer complications also. A prospective study of 38 patients, whose treatment consisted of soap and water cleansing, thorough exploration and debridement, hospitalization for at least 48 hours, and administration of antibiotics, showed this treatment resulted in a reduction of the incidence of amputation and stiff fingers despite the fact that 61% of the patients still delayed seeking treatment.

Mars: northern summer ice cap--water vapor observations from viking 2.

Observations of the latitude dependence of water vapor made from the Viking 2 orbiter show peak abundances in the latitude band 70 degrees to 80 degrees north in the northern midsummer season (planetocentric longitude approximately 108 degrees ). Total column abundances in the polar regions require near-surface atmospheric temperatures in excess of 200 degrees K, and are incompatible with the survival of a frozen carbon dioxide cap at martian pressures. The remnant (or residual) north polar cap, and the outlying patches of ice at lower latitudes, are thus predominantly water ice, whose thickness can be estimated to be between 1 meter and 1 kilometer.

Viking: Mars atmospheric water vapor mapping experiment--preliminary report of results.

Observations made from the Viking I orbiter show very little water vapor in the Mars atmosphere in the southern hemisphere (0 to 3 precipitable micrometers) with a gradual increase across the equator to northern latitudes. Maximum amounts between 20 and 30 micrometers have been observed in the short period covered by the observations to date. The season, northern midsummer, corresponds to the beginning of the water vapor cycle in that hemisphere. A strong repetitive diurnal cycling between the solid and vapor phases is observed at a site to the east of the Tharsis Ridge at 10 degrees north latitude; the vapor lies close to the martian surface and is most probably in saturation equilibrium with a surface haze or fog throughout much of the day.

Jupiter:observation of deuterated methane in the atmosphere.

A positive identification of singly deuterated methane has been made in the 4- to 5-micron spectrum of Jupiter.