Large-scale association analysis identifies 13 new susceptibility loci for coronary artery disease

We performed a meta-analysis of 14 genome-wide association studies of coronary artery disease (CAD) comprising 22,233 individuals with CAD (cases) and 64,762 controls of European descent followed by genotyping of top association signals in 56,682 additional individuals. This analysis identified 13 loci newly associated with CAD at P < 5 × 10?? and confirmed the association of 10 of 12 previously reported CAD loci. The 13 new loci showed risk allele frequencies ranging from 0.13 to 0.91 and were associated with a 6% to 17% increase in the risk of CAD per allele. Notably, only three of the new loci showed significant association with traditional CAD risk factors and the majority lie in gene regions not previously implicated in the pathogenesis of CAD. Finally, five of the new CAD risk loci appear to have pleiotropic effects, showing strong association with various other human diseases or traits.     

Structural,VAR and BVAR models of exchange rate determination: A comparison of their forecasting performance

This paper compares the out-of-sample forecasting accuracy of a wide class of structural, BVAR and VAR models for major sterling exchange rates over different forecast horizons. As representative structural models we employ a portfolio balance model and a modified uncovered interest parity model, with the latter producing the more accurate forecasts. Proper attention to the long-run properties and the short-run dynamics of structural models can improve on the forecasting performance of the random walk model. The structural model shows substantial improvement in medium-term forecasting accuracy, whereas the BVAR model is the more accurate in the short term. BVAR and VAR models in levels strongly out predict these models formulated in difference form at all forecast horizons.     

Macrophage binding of Staphylococcus albus is blocked by anti I-region alloantibody

Cell surface interactions involving carbohydrate may be important in immune recognition. Previous work from this laboratory has demonstrated the presence of 'lectin-like' receptors on mouse peritoneal macrophages that bind bacteria by means of their cell wall sugars. Others have shown that Ia molecules can bind antigen at specific sites which may be involved in presenting antigen to the immune system and recent work has shown that these molecules can carry carbohydrate determinants. It has also been found that human Ia molecules can bind to carbohydrates. As cell surface carbohydrate recognition mechanisms have been implicated in other immune interactions sugar-specific receptors may have a function in self--non-self recognition. We show here that the binding of the bacterium Staphylococcus albus to mouse peritoneal macrophages was inhibited by various conventional and monoclonal antibodies to Ia antigens suggesting that an I-region gene product may be associated with the binding of unopsonized bacteria.     

Influence of substance P and fragments on passive avoidance behavior

Summary N-terminal and C-terminal fragments of substance P (SP) have been shown to exert opposite effects on antinociception, grooming and fighting in mice. The present experiments explored whether these findings could be generalized to passive avoidance behavior. Substance P (SP-(1-11)) and the c-terminal, fragment pyroglutamyl-SP-(7-11) attenuated passive avoidance behavior when picogram amounts were injected into the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, the N-terminal fragment, SP-(1-7) had an opposite effect and facilitated passive avoidance behavior.     

Influence of substance P and fragments on passive avoidance behavior

N-terminal and C-terminal fragments of substance P (SP) have been shown to exert opposite effects on antinociception, grooming and fighting in mice. The present experiments explored whether these findings could be generalized to passive avoidance behavior. Substance P (SP-(1-11] and the C-terminal fragment pyroglutamyl-SP-(7-11) attenuated passive avoidance behavior when picogram amounts were injected into the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, the N-terminal fragment SP-(1-7) had an opposite effect and facilitated passive avoidance behavior.