The signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO), first described as endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), acts as physiological activator of NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC) in the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. Besides NO-GC, other NO targets have been proposed; however, their particular contribution still remains unclear. Here, we generated mice deficient for the ␤1 subunit of NO-GC, which resulted in complete loss of the enzyme. GC-KO mice have a life span of 3-4 weeks but then die because of intestinal dysmotility; however, they can be rescued by feeding them a fiber-free diet. Apparently, NO-GC is absolutely vital for the maintenance of normal peristalsis of the gut. GC-KO mice show a pronounced increase in blood pressure, underlining the importance of NO in the regulation of smooth muscle tone in vivo. The lack of an NO effect on aortic relaxation and platelet aggregation confirms NO-GC as the only NO target regulating these two functions, excluding cGMP-independent mechanisms. Our knockout model completely disrupts the NO/cGMP signaling cascade and provides evidence for the unique role of NO-GC as NO receptor.cardiovascular ͉ knockout mice ͉ cGMP ͉ platelet aggregation ͉ smooth muscle relaxation T he nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP signaling cascade regulates a plethora of physiological functions in the cardiovascular, neuronal, and gastrointestinal systems (1-3). In the vascular system, NO, first recognized as endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF; ref. 4), has been shown to mediate smooth muscle relaxation and inhibition of platelet aggregation. NO is synthesized by the family of NO synthases which exist in endothelial, neuronal, and inducible forms. The prominent receptor known to date is the enzyme NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC). Stimulation of NO-GC by NO results in the production of the second messenger, cGMP, which exerts its effects via cGMPdependent kinases, channels, or phosphodiesterases (5-8). Besides these cGMP-mediated effects, NO is thought to mediate a variety of effects via cGMP-independent mechanisms in the cardiovascular system (for a review, see ref. 9).To gain further insight into the NO/cGMP signaling cascade, mice deficient in NO synthases (NOS) have been generated (10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Although these mouse lines have tremendously helped to understand NO/cGMP signaling, it is still not known which of NO's effects are mediated via NO-GC and thus cGMP, or alternatively, via pathways not involving cGMP.To address this point and to further investigate the physiological role of the enzyme and of the NO/cGMP signaling cascade in vivo, we generated an NO-GC-deficient mouse line. NO-GC is a heterodimer made up of two subunits, ␣ and ␤. Two isoforms are known to exist (␣ 1 ␤ 1 and ␣ 2 ␤ 1 ; ref. 15) in which the ␤ 1 subunit acts as the dimerizing partner for either ␣ subunit. ␣ subunits in the absence of the ␤ 1 subunit do not form dimers and are not catalytically active. Thus, deletion of the ␤ 1 subunit should completely eliminate NO-GC and yield a mouse line ...

Pathogens have evolved diverse strategies to maximize their transmission fitness. Here we investigate these strategies for directly transmitted pathogens using mathematical models of disease pathogenesis and transmission, modeling fitness as a function of within- and between-host pathogen dynamics. The within-host model includes realistic constraints on pathogen replication via resource depletion and cross-immunity between pathogen strains. We find three distinct types of infection emerge as maxima in the fitness landscape, each characterized by particular within-host dynamics, host population contact network structure, and transmission mode. These three infection types are associated with distinct non-overlapping ranges of levels of antigenic diversity, and well-defined patterns of within-host dynamics and between-host transmissibility. Fitness, quantified by the basic reproduction number, also falls within distinct ranges for each infection type. Every type is optimal for certain contact structures over a range of contact rates. Sexually transmitted infections and childhood diseases are identified as exemplar types for low and high contact rates, respectively. This work generates a plausible mechanistic hypothesis for the observed tradeoff between pathogen transmissibility and antigenic diversity, and shows how different classes of pathogens arise evolutionarily as fitness optima for different contact network structures and host contact rates.

An FDG PET investigation is a valuable method in the case of Ewing tumours. PET is superior to bone scintigraphy in the detection of bone metastases of Ewing tumours. For the depiction of small lesions, mainly represented by pulmonary metastases, PET is less sensitive than helical computed tomography. Determination of the role of whole-body FDG PET in diagnostic algorithm needs further investigation.

BackgroundAs eye tracking-based assessment of cognition becomes more widely used in older adults, particularly those at risk for dementia, reliable and scalable methods to collect high-quality data are required. Eye tracking-based cognitive tests that utilize device-embedded cameras have the potential to reach large numbers of people as a screening tool for preclinical cognitive decline. However, to fully validate this approach, more empirical evidence about the comparability of eyetracking-based paradigms to existing cognitive batteries is needed.ObjectiveUsing a population of clinically normal older adults, we examined the relationship between a 30-minute Visual Paired Comparison (VPC) recognition memory task and cognitive composite indices sensitive to a subtle decline in domains associated with Alzheimer disease. Additionally, the scoring accuracy between software used with a commercial grade eye tracking camera at 60 frames per second (FPS) and a manually scored procedure used with a laptop-embedded web camera (3 FPS) on the VPC task was compared, as well as the relationship between VPC task performance and domain-specific cognitive function.MethodsA group of 49 clinically normal older adults completed a 30-min VPC recognition memory task with simultaneous recording of eye movements by a commercial-grade eye-tracking camera and a laptop-embedded camera. Relationships between webcam VPC performance and the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC) and National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognitive Battery (NIHTB-CB) were examined. Inter-rater reliability for manually scored tests was analyzed using Krippendorff’s kappa formula, and we used Spearman’s Rho correlations to investigate the relationship between VPC performance scores with both cameras. We also examined the relationship between VPC performance with the device-embedded camera and domain-specific cognitive performance.ResultsModest relationships were seen between mean VPC novelty preference and the PACC (r=.39, P=.007) and NIHTB-CB (r=.35, P=.03) composite scores, and additional individual neurocognitive task scores including letter fluency (r=.33, P=.02), category fluency (r=.36, P=.01), and Trail Making Test A (–.40, P=.006). Robust relationships were observed between the 60 FPS eye tracker and 3 FPS webcam on both trial-level VPC novelty preference (r=.82, P<.001) and overall mean VPC novelty preference (r=.92 P<.001). Inter-rater agreement of manually scored web camera data was high (kappa=.84).ConclusionsIn a sample of clinically normal older adults, performance on a 30-minute VPC task correlated modestly with computerized and paper-pencil based cognitive composites that serve as preclinical Alzheimer disease cognitive indices. The strength of these relationships did not differ between camera devices. We suggest that using a device-embedded camera is a reliable and valid way to assess performance on VPC tasks accurately and that these tasks correlate with existing cognitive composites.