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Somnambulism is characterized as a parasomnia occurring during slow-wave sleep stages. It is also an autosomal dominant disorder, and its genetic locus has been identified at chromosome 20 q12-q13.12. The prevalence of somnambulism among children and adults has been estimated as 1–6%. Among the specific environmental factors precipitating somnambulistic episodes in adults, prescription drug use, alcohol, emotional stress, sleep deprivation, and certain psychiatric conditions have been suggested. Somnambulistic patients frequently cause injuries to themselves, family members who sleep nearby, and in-hospital settings to nurses who attend on them. Even cases of homicidal somnambulism have been reported. The lack of a suitable animal model to study somnambulism in controlled settings hinder appropriate pharmaceutical protocols to prevent this disorder among humans. Partial or total alleviation of somnambulistic symptoms in children and adults deserves the attention of health researchers.

Background. We aimed to categorize the types of productivity among published scientists and correlate them with the Nobel Prize. Data source. Nobel Foundation website ( www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/ ) and PubMed database. Inclusion criteria. Scientists born from 1867, the year in which Alfred Nobel patented dynamite to accumulate his fortune, which in turn led to the establishment of Nobel’s famous will in 1895. Design. Retrospective analysis of the Nobel awards since 1901. Results. We propose an eponymous formulation called Pai-Kan Footprints (PKF) each with an alphabet tag of a recognized gumshoe agency.

We investigated the genetic structure among populations of the Ryukyu wild boar (Sus scrofa riukiuanus) on Tokunoshima Island by analyzing DNA from modern and archaeological samples. Four and two mtDNA haplotypes were found in the modern and archaeological samples, respectively. One haplotype was shared between the modern and archaeological samples. Of the seven haplotypes, four were only found on Tokunoshima. These haplotypes were genetically close to each other and classified as those from the Ryukyu wild boars. This genetic similarity between modern and archaeological samples suggests that these four haplotypes originated from Tokunoshima. The chronology of the archaeological samples suggests that the genetic structure of the wild boar population on Tokunoshima has been maintained for over 1000 years. The representative glucosephosphate isomerase-processed pseudogene (GPIP) allele for the modern population on Tokunoshima was GPIP*3a and was found in a Ryukyu wild boar in a previous study. We detected three modern individuals that were genetically distinct from the Ryukyu wild boars based on mtDNA and GPIP analyses. They all had a different combination of the mtDNA haplotype and GPIP allele from each other. Our results indicate that gene flow events from pigs to wild boars have occurred on Tokunoshima.

Calreticulin (Crt) is a molecular chaperone ubiquitously present in the endoplasmic reticulum. In non-human primates, age-related occurrence of anti-Crt antibody has not been reported. We developed an ELISA assay for an anti-Crt antibody and determined the age-related increase in the levels of anti-Crt antibody in three groups of cynomolgus monkeys: juvenile (1.5 yr), young adults (5-10 yr) and aged adults (20-34 yr). Mean ± SD auto-antibody levels at 450 nm in juvenile, young adults and aged groups were 0.23 ± 0.18, 0.30 ± 0.28, and 0.55 ± 0.33, respectively. Statistically significant differences were noted in the autoantibody levels to Crt among the aged group and juvenile or young adults. This is the first report to demonstrate the expression of anti-Crt autoantibody in aged monkeys and indicates that cynomologous monkeys may serve as an appropriate nonhuman primate model for studies of age-related alteration of immune function in elderly humans. Though preliminary, this finding merits further investigation to determine the relationship between immunosenescence and expression of antibodies to Crt.

Background A table summarizing the primary literature on 19 species of longevous non-human primates, other than owl monkey, is presented. Methods We prospectively quantitated the sleep of a longevous female owl monkey (Aotus azarae), aged >30 years, longitudinally for 2 years and also evaluated the senility-induced change in spinal curvature. Results The mean daily total sleep time (TST) of this monkey ranged between 790 and 1106 minutes, and was markedly higher in comparison with its female progeny (aged 16 years and used as a control) whose daily TST during the same experimental period ranged between 612 and 822 minutes. Conclusion The calculated kyphotic index (KI) of 2.27 for this monkey, compared with the KIs 4.83 and 5.42, for its progeny and female grandprogeny (aged 1 year) respectively, confirmed the prominent spinal curvature.

The daily total sleep time (TST) of the only nocturnal simian primate, Aotus spp., remains little studied under controlled conditions. We conducted 3 experiments in 4 owl monkeys (Aotus sp.), aged 1–27+ yr, to determine the daily TST. We housed 3 their—a nuclear family—in 1 cage and the remaining senescent female in an adjacent separate cage. We monitored their activity-sleep pattern longitudinally for 15–20 d via actigraphy: by tagging an acclerometer-type miniature transmitter (Actiwatch-MINIMITTER) sensitive to omnidirectional movement, to the owl monkey's neck. The TST (9.5–12.5 h) was ca. 4.5–7 h less than the 17 h Perachio reported for owl monkeys in 1971 by polysomnography, under similar 12-h-light; 12-h dark conditions. Our finding corroborates well with the TST for other nonhuman primates. Four members of the Aotus colony at our facility reached 20 yr in captivity; the oldest (wild-born female) is still living at >27 yr, and the second oldest (captive-born male), is 23 years now.

The effects of theonellamide F, a marine bicyclic peptide, on vacuolar formation in cultured cells were studied. Theonellamide F induced large vacuoles in 6 types of mammalian cells. The vacuoles induced by theonellamide F in 3Y1 cells accumulated acridine orange, a fluorescent probe indicating the presence of an acidic organelle. Their disappearance following treatment with bafilomycin A1 suggests that these vacuoles contain vacuolar ATPase to maintain an acidic internal milieu, and this is similar to those induced by Helicobacter pylori toxin VacA. The vacuoles induced by theonellamide F were not significantly decreased in size or number by nocodazole treatment, and the localization of a small GTPase, rab7, did not always correspond to the outline of the vacuoles. These results suggest that the molecular mode of action of vacuolar formation by theonellamides may differ from that by VacA and can be considered unique.

It is widely accepted that oxidative stress (OS) is a major causative factor for many of the age-related dysfunctions and specific diseases. Since the oxidative stress state (OSS) of an individual depends on hereditary, dietary, and environmental factors, there is a large heterogeneity in the population that may be related to disease incidence and longevity. Hence there is a need to assess how well an individual is coping against OS. The Japan Institute for the Control of Aging (JaICA) and Genox have jointly developed a profiling technique to measure the "Oxidative Stress Profiles (JaICA-Genox OSP)" of individuals and laboratory test animals. The JaICA-Genox OSP consists of about 45 different assays measuring the levels of oxidative damage in lipids and nucleic acids, and the antioxidant defenses in the serum. In addition, several bio-markers for cardiovascular disease risk are also measured, and assays to measure specific age- and sex-related hormones in the serum and urine, and race elements in serum, urine, and drinking water are also undertaken. This overview discusses the designing of the JaICA-Genox OSP and its application in the testing of human subjects.

The life of 19th century Swedish chemist cum inventor Alfred Nobel can be conveniently divided into two equal phases: pre-nitroglycerine phase (1833-1863) and nitroglycerine phase (1864-1896). According to the records of Ragnar Sohlman, his assistant during his last year of life, Nobel's physical condition began to decline towards the end of the 1870s, and for the last 16 years he suffered from deep depression and anginal pains. Based on Nobel's descriptions of his condition, on his prolonged experimentation with explosives, his strenuous work habit and some recent knowledge about nitroglycerine poisoning, I hypothesize that nitroglycerine poisoning was an aggravating factor which contributed to Nobel's deteriorating health and premature death at the age of 63.

L-Carnosine (β-alanyl L-histidine), occurring abundantly in skeletal muscles, has been suggested to possess antioxidant and anti-aging properties. Using three different experimental approaches (microscopic, flow cytometric and ELISA for one of the markers of DNA oxidative damage) this study on rat embryonic fibroblasts demonstrates that L-carnosine at 30 mM concentration sustains the retention of cell morphology even during a nutritional insult for five weeks. Also, L-carnosine significantly reduces the formation of 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine (8-OH dG) in the cells after four weeks of continuous culture. Thus it could be inferred that the anti-senescent effect of L-carnosine is probably linked to its inhibition of formation of intracellular 8-OH dG during oxidative stress.

The scientific productivity of Albert Einstein was compared to that of designated controls Karl Landsteiner (an experimental scientist) and Sigmund Freud (an eminent theorist). Three assumptions made for this comparison were (1) that Einstein and his designated controls had equal scientific stature; (2) that their publications were produced in a similar, if not identical, sociocultural milieu; and (3) the number of publications is directly proportional to scientific productivity. At the end of their illustrious careers, Einstein, Freud and Landsteiner accumulated 315, 320 and 345 scientific publications respectively. Einstein was the sole author in 88% of his publications, which validates the third assumption. Thus, one can conclude that quantitative comparison of Einstein's total scientific publications with that of appropriate controls such as Landsteiner and Freud shows that Einstein's chronic ill health did not influence his scientific productivity.

I propose a new term, 'galactic organism with distinct intelligence', for the extraterrestrial forms, with which humans can make contact. This is because, among the three existing terms: (a) 'the search for extraterrestrial intelligence' 'excludes biology and is inelegant'; (b) 'extraterrestrial' does not distinguish between the micro-organisms and highly-evolved intelligent life-forms; and (c) 'unidentified flying object' projects a sense of mysticism. On the presence of galactic organisms with distinct intelligence, scientists belong to three camps. Astronomers, physicists and some biochemists belong to the believers group. Evolutionists are in the doubters category. The third camp is represented by the 'uncommitted'. Approaches for contacting galactic organisms with distinct intelligence would take three steps. These are: (a) radioastronomical observations in the galaxy and interstellar space for the presence of organic matter; (b) initiating radio contact and listening to any transmitted message, as set out by the search for extraterrestrial intelligence program, and (c) landing instruments and humans in the galaxy.

Albert Einstein had at least six medical friends who influenced his thoughts. In each period (Munich, Switzerland, Berlin and Princeton) of his life, one could identify the medically qualified individuals with whom Einstein was in close contact. These include Max Talmey, Heinrich Zangger, George Nicolai, Hans Mühsam, Janos Plesch and Gustav Bucky. They probably enriched Einstein's life and thoughts significantly by being mentors, confidants, intellectual sparring partners and research collaborators to him. With Mühsam, Einstein published a paper in a German medical journal. In collaboration with Bucky, he also received a US patent for a light-intensity self-adjusting camera in 1936.

Prostaglandin (PG) D2 and four lipoxygenase-derived eicosanoids [lipoxins (LX) A4 and B4, and leukotrienes (LT) C4 and D4] were examined for their effects on sleep and brain temperature in freely-behaving rats. In the first series of experiments, PGD2 was infused into the third ventricle at four different locations between 23:00 and 05:00. In a location apposed to the medial preoptic area (MPO), PGD2 at doses 1, 10 and 100 pmol/min, increased the slow wave sleep (SWS) by 23% (p < or = 0.01), 35% (p < or = 0.05) and 44% (p < or = 0.01), respectively, during the infusion period. In the second series of experiments, LXs and LTs were infused at the location apposed to MPO. Significant increases in SWS were detected with LXA4 at 100 pmol/min (14%, p < or = 0.05), LXB4 at 100 pmol/min (20%, p < or = 0.05), and LTD at 10 pmol/min (17%, p < or = 0.05). An increase in paradoxical sleep (PS) was produced by PGD2 at 1 and 10 pmol/min infusion (p < or = 0.05), but not by any of the lipoxygenase-derived eicosanoids examined. PGD2 also elevated the mean brain temperature during infusion by 0.2 degrees C and 0.9 degrees C at infusion doses 10 and 100 pmol/min, respectively. But PGD2 infusion at 1 pmol/min did not elevate the brain temperature. LXs (excluding LXB4 at 100 pmol/min) and LTs did not alter the brain temperature significantly at the tested doses. We conclude that PGD2 is the most effective sleep promoter among the eicosanoids examined so far.

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that activity-behavioral sleep parameters differ between nocturnallyactive owl monkeys and diurnally-active squirrel monkeys which are sympatric and of Bolivian origin. The total sleep time (TST) and sleep episode length (SEL) of 7 adult owl monkey siblings and 4 adult squirrel monkeys were quantitated by actigraphy for 7 days under captive conditions. The higher TST/24 h values and longer SEL/12 h quiescent phase quantitated for owl monkeys in comparison to that of squirrel monkeys clearly indicate that the behavioral sleep is markedly different between these two groups, though they are sympatric in wild. Significant differences noted in the sleep architecture between squirrel monkeys and owl monkeys can be attributed to the influences in the selected sleep niche, threat perception from predators, and disturbances from natural elements (especially rain) in the natural habitat.

Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced splenic lymphocyte proliferation was studied in young rats during vitamin A deficiency and after oral repletion with 1500 retinol equivalents (R.E.) of either retinyl palmitate (RP) or βC-carotene (βC). Initial studies, designed to optimize the proliferation assay, showed that the response of vitamin A-deficient rats was consistently delayed in comparison to control rats fed a vitamin A-adequate diet. The overall magnitude of the proliferative response in vitamin A-deficient rats was also somewhat reduced (≈34% less than that of the control group). After vitamin A-deficient rats were repleted with RP, the Con A-induced proliferative response of splenic lymphocytes resembled that of the control group in both magnitude and kinetics. However, in vitamin A-deficient rats repleted with βC, the delayed response to Con A persisted in some animals and the overall response was intermediate between that of vitamin A-deficient rats and either control rats or rats repleted with RP.

In a survey based on the biographical sketches, obituary notes and eulogies of notable scientists, eight were identified as belonging to an elite group, having authored more than 1000 research publications, which include books, monographs and patents. They were, in chronological order, Thomas Alva Edison, Paul Karrer, Margaret Mead, Giulio Natta, Hans Selye, Herbert C Brown, Tetsuji Kametani and Carl Djerassi. Among these, Karrer, Natta and Brown were Nobelists in chemistry. Four criteria which can be identified as clues to their prolific productivity are, 1) enthusiasm for compulsive work and eccentric life style, 2) physical and/or environmental handicap, 3) pioneering efforts in a new research field, and 4) selection of research area, predominantly organic chemistry.

Experiments were conducted in male Lewis rats to compare the efficacy with which β-carotene (βC) and retinol restore antibody production in the previously vitamin A-depleted rat immunized with pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III). Weanling rats were fed a semipurified vitamin A-free diet for three weeks and were then repleted with either retinol or βC provided in various doses and by different routes. Pairfed control rats were fed the same diet with adequate vitamin A. When 45–46 days old, rats were immunized with SSS-III and antibody production was measured 5 d later. In rats beginning to manifest vitamin A deficiency, the splenic antibody response was reduced significantly in comparison to that of the pairfed control group as well as to groups repleted with retinyl palmitate or with βC [1500 retinol equivalents (R.E.) each]. When βC was provided in an aqueous dispersion and delivered either orally or intravenously, the splenic antibody response of both βC-repleted groups were similar to each other and both were significantly greater than the response of the vitamin A-deficient group. The antibody response of rats repleted intravenously with βC or retinol, provided in nutritionally equivalent amounts (1000 R.E.), was also similar in magnitude. These observations indicate that βC functions approximately equally well as retinol in enabling the previously vitamin A-deficient rat to respond to pneumococcal polysaccharide; however, βC did not show any superior effect to retinol in restoring this antibody response in the previously vitamin A-depleted rat.

By his own admission, Albert Einstein, ‘ started to talk comparatively late…certainly not younger than three ', and also had ‘ poor memory of words ', during his childhood years. If lesions in Brodmann Area 39 of the cerebral hemisphere results in dyslexia, the 1985 report on the study of Einstein's brain that the neuron:glial ratio of Area 39 in the left cerebral hemisphere of the physicist was significantly smaller than that of the control values, provides a neuroanatomical clue to Einstein's childhood dyslexia. Though not discrediting this finding, some questions are raised in this paper regarding the controls employed in this 1985 report (1).

The skeletal muscle of vertebrates is a rich source of carnosine (β -alanyl- L -histidine). Fourteen commercially available canned soup products were screened for carnosine content by a simple and sensitive ion-exchange HPLC method. Carnosine in the soup fluid ranged from 0 to 0.35 mg/g sample. Though water soluble, carnosine was not detected in four of the nine samples of soup fluid which carried the tag ‘beef’ in their labels. Among the commercially available natural meat extracts with Brix values varying from 52 to 78, beef meat extract with Brix 78 was comparatively rich in carnosine (37.5–38.2 mg/g sample) compared to bonito extract with Brix 67–80, in which carnosine levels varied from 5.0 to 7.9 mg/g sample.

The significance of the 1890 tetanus antitoxin paper by von Behring and Kitasato in the development of a new discipline, immunology, is reviewed. The possible reasons why Kitasato lost the first Nobel Prize for medicine to von Behring are presented. These are as follows: (1) The Nobel selection committee literally interpreted Alfred Nobel's will to award the prize to "the person who has made the most important discovery." (2) In the late 19th century, diphtheria was a serious contagious disease which claimed many thousands of lives in the Europe and America; and von Behring's solely authored paper on diphtheria antitoxin clinched the award for him. (3) The merit of tetanus antitoxin to humans, which was the focal point of the 1890 paper on tetanus antitoxin jointly authored by von Behring and Kitasato, was not recognized at the time of the award in 1901; it became apparent only during the First World War.

While reviewing his development as a scientist, in 1967, Hans Krebs traced his scientific geneology to the von Baeyer ‘family’. Almost every other member of this scientific family became a Nobel laureate. Krebs was of the opinion that there was no nepotism in the selection of the Nobel awards. This paper presents evidence, based on the recently released census of Nobel nominees and nominators for the chemistry prize between 1901 and 1937, that the von Baeyer ‘family’ of scientists had in fact practised a sort of ‘nomination-nepotism’.

The jibrous protein paramyosin is characteristic of invertebrate muscles. It is distributed in the phyla Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Nematornorpha, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda and Echinodermata. Of these, the last three contain important edible seafood species. The molecular weights, amino acid projile and immunological features of the paramyosins isolated from many invertebrate phyla are surveyed comparatively. In addition, the paramyosin literature reported predominantly from the investigations on bivalve molluscs (Mercenaria and Mytilus species) is reviewed under categories (I) microstructure, (2) solubility and stability characteristics, (3) phosphorylation, and (4) involvement in catch contraction. The importance of paramyosin to the quality of seafood systems has not been studied in detail so far.

1. 1. Paramyosins isolated from nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , clam Meretrix meretrix and Mercenaria mercenaria , scallop Patinopecten yessoensis , abalone Notohaliotis discus , lobster Homarus vulgaris and sea cucumber Holothuria leueospilata were examined for phosphorylation rate and immunological logical reactivity against anti- Meretrix α-paramyosin antiserum. 2. 2. A high phosphorylation was only observed with the α-forms of bivalve paramyosins from Meretrix, Mercenaria and Patinopecten . 3. 3. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay data also revealed that phosphorylatable paramyosins of catch muscle differed in structure from those of non-catch muscle.

Paramyosin was isolated and purified from three molluscan species; clam Meretrix meretrix, scallop Patinopecten yessoensis and abalone Notohaliotis discus. Rabbit anti-~-paramyosin polyclonal antisera were raised separately against the three paramyosins. 2. Immunological cross-reactivity, as elicited by immunodiffusion and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests showed distinct variations in the antigenic structure of the paramyosins of bivalve catch muscles from that of the paramyosin of non-catch foot muscle of abalone.

Sleep quantitation data on the Neotropical primate species, apart from the squirrel monkey, are still sparse. As such, we have quantitated sleep in the common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), cotton top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) reared in one primate facility simultaneously, by non-invasive actigraphy. The range in total sleep time/24h measured for male adult common marmosets, cotton top tamarins and squirrel monkeys were 713-793 min (n=4), 707-889 min (n=4) and 459-475 min (n=2) respectively. The range in sleep episode length /12h dark phase for marmosets, tamarins and squirrel monkeys were 21-52 min (n=3), 10-28 min (n=4) and 9-15 min (n=2) respectively. Since vigilance is a critical evolutionary adaptive feature of predator avoidance among Callitrichid monkeys and squirrel monkeys, the shorter ranges in sleep episode length recorded, even under captivity, in this study could be interpreted as probable indicators of such vigilance behavior during the rest phase. We hypothesize that the vigilance behavior when it exists during a primate's active phase should also prevail when it is at rest (sleep). This hypothesis deserves additional testing in female Callitrichid monkeys.

From biographical data sources on ranking scientists, I was able to identify 35 centenarians. Among these, only one (Michel Chevereul from France) lived before the 20th century. Since the remaining 34 individuals became centenarians only from 1965, I propose that centenarian scientists are an unusual cluster, first formed in the 20th century. Among these, all except one (Alice Hamilton) were men. Six centenarian scientists, including Hamilton, had received professional medical training. The nationality ranks of the 34 centenarian scientists identified in the 20th century show 26 Americans, 6 British, one German and one French. Four of the 26 Americans were immigrants from Europe. At least three centenarians, namely Michael Heidelberger, Nathaniel Kleitman and Victor Hamburger, belong to the 'Nobel class' category, being pioneers in the disciplines of immunochemistry, sleep physiology and neuroembryology respectively.

The total immediate ancestral longevity (TIAL) score was first introduced by Raymond Pearl as a convenient parameter for quantitating human longevity. TIAL is the summed ages at death of the six immediate ancestors (namely parents and four grandparents) of a propositus. In this communication, I present the calculations of TIAL score for Einstein (1879–1955) and three of his scientist peers, namely Charles Darwin (1809–1882), Irene Joliot Curie (1897–1956) and Aage Bohr (1922–). The TIAL scores for Einstein, Darwin, Irene Curie and Aage Bohr were 390, 378, 372 and 436 respectively. These are markedly lower than 477 reported for Jeanne Calment, the French woman who died in 1997 at the oldest authenticated age of 122 years and 164 days. I conclude that the TIAL score is a convenient and easily quantifiable longevity parameter which anyone interested in determining his or her longevity can use to estimate a tentative number. More light could be shed on the worth of the TIAL score as a longevity indicator, if additional data on the TIAL scores of royalty and celebrities (for whom verified genealogical data are available) are reported.