Brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) were prepared from the 2nd instar larvae of Helicoverpa armigera. Binding of the activated Cry1Ac of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin was shown by immunoblot. A 120-kDa protein was identified as a receptor for the Cry1Ac type delta-endotoxin. The aminopeptidase-N activity of BBMVs was measured as the hydrolysis of L-leucine p-nitroanilide. The specific activity was 35 units/mg protein. The BBMV preparation also showed low level of alkaline phosphatase activity. Zn++ chelating agents 2,2'-dipyridyl and 1,10-phenanthroline inhibited aminopeptidase activity at 10 mM concentration, indicating the presence of zinc-dependent aminopeptidase in the brush border of H. armigera. The aminopeptidase activity was increased with increasing concentration of delta-endotoxin. The purified 120-kDa binding protein was N-terminally sequenced. The first 10-amino-acid sequence showed 60-77% similarity with human cysteine-rich secretory protein-1 precursor, inhibin alpha chain precursor. Salmonella flagellar hook protein and yeast carboxypeptidase S.

Twenty-nine pediatric patients (age range, 10-16 years) with working memory (WM) deficits, including children with pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) with and without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidity and children with ADHD, underwent a Cogmed WM training program. For both patient groups, WM performance on Cogmed tasks and on the Digit Span test improved significantly after training. Moreover, the PBD group improved on Trails Making Test A and on the Inhibition Scale, the Behavior Regulation Index, and the Global Executive Composite of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function. The ADHD group improved significantly on the Trails Making Test B, the Spatial Span Test, and the Reading Fluency Test of the Woodcock-Johnson III, as well as on depressive symptoms. The present findings suggest that working memory training is beneficial not only in youths with ADHD but also in youths with PBD. They also show evidence of near and far transfer of WM improvement in these patients, although in different ways for the two patient groups. Future studies examining the mechanisms of cognitive remediation in pediatric patients will aid in creating tailored illness-specific cognitive interventions.

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Background:In adolescents with bipolar disorder (ABD) a profile of mood dysregulation, impulsivity and poor cognitive control has been associated with poor executive function. However the underlying mechanisms of real-life executive dysfunction in ABD are scarcely understood. Method:This study examined domains of Executive Function (EF) in twenty-nine adolescents with adolescent bipolar disorder (ABD), with and without ADHD comorbidity (mean age=12.66; SD=2.21), using the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Parent Report (BRIEF-PR), the Revised Conners' Parental Rating Scale (CPRS-R), and standardized neuropsychological tests of attention, working memory and executive function. Moreover, we explored whether ADHD comorbidity in ABD may worsen EF. Results:Our findings indicate that relative to population norms both patient groups exhibited significant impairment on the BRIEF sub-domains. Moreover, the comorbid group was significantly more impaired than the ABD group in the BRIEF-PR Monitoring domain. Conclusion:The current findings document pervasive deficits in everyday life executive function and related cognitive and affective domains in ABD, while also contributing initial knowledge about the effects of ADHD comorbidity in ABD on executive function.