Physical activity and its correlation to diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Praidou, Anna; Harris, Martin; Niakas, Dimitrios; Labiris, Georgios

2017-02-01

The lack of physical activity, along with obesity, smoking, hypertension and hyperglycaemia are considered as risk factors for the occurrence of diseases such as diabetes. Primary objective of the study was to investigate potential correlation between physical activity and diabetic retinopathy. Three hundred and twenty patients were included in the study: 240 patients with diabetes type 2 (80 patients with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 80 patients with severe to very severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 80 ones with proliferative diabetic retinopathy) were compared with 80 non-diabetic patients (control group). Physical activity of patients was assessed by the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ, 2002). HbA1c and BMI were also measured in diabetic patients. Group comparisons were attempted for levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Total physical activity was decreased in patients with severe to very severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and proliferative diabetic retinopathy as compared to patients with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and to the control group (p<0.05). Significant negative correlation was detected between HbA1c levels, BMI and physical activity (both p<0.05). Moreover, significant negative correlation between the severity of diabetic retinopathy and physical activity has been demonstrated (p<0.05). Increased physical activity is associated with less severe levels of diabetic retinopathy, independent of the effects of HbA1c and BMI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Histamine H3 receptor density is negatively correlated with neural activity related to working memory in humans.

PubMed

Ito, Takehito; Kimura, Yasuyuki; Seki, Chie; Ichise, Masanori; Yokokawa, Keita; Kawamura, Kazunori; Takahashi, Hidehiko; Higuchi, Makoto; Zhang, Ming-Rong; Suhara, Tetsuya; Yamada, Makiko

2018-06-14

The histamine H 3 receptor is regarded as a drug target for cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders. H 3 receptors are expressed in neocortical areas, including the prefrontal cortex, the key region of cognitive functions such as working memory. However, the role of prefrontal H 3 receptors in working memory has not yet been clarified. Therefore, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) techniques, we aimed to investigate the association between the neural activity of working memory and the density of H 3 receptors in the prefrontal cortex. Ten healthy volunteers underwent both fMRI and PET scans. The N-back task was used to assess the neural activities related to working memory. H 3 receptor density was measured with the selective PET radioligand [ 11 C] TASP457. The neural activity of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during the performance of the N-back task was negatively correlated with the density of H 3 receptors in this region. Higher neural activity of working memory was associated with lower H 3 receptor density in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This finding elucidates the role of H 3 receptors in working memory and indicates the potential of H 3 receptors as a therapeutic target for the cognitive impairments associated with neuropsychiatric disorders.

Confidence and memory: assessing positive and negative correlations.

PubMed

Roediger, Henry L; DeSoto, K Andrew

2014-01-01

The capacity to learn and remember surely evolved to help animals solve problems in their quest to reproduce and survive. In humans we assume that metacognitive processes also evolved, so that we know when to trust what we remember (i.e., when we have high confidence in our memories) and when not to (when we have low confidence). However this latter feature has been questioned by researchers, with some finding a high correlation between confidence and accuracy in reports from memory and others finding little to no correlation. In two experiments we report a recognition memory paradigm that, using the same materials (categorised lists), permits the study of positive correlations, zero correlations, and negative correlations between confidence and accuracy within the same procedure. We had subjects study words from semantic categories with the five items most frequently produced in norms omitted from the list; later, subjects were given an old/new recognition test and made confidence ratings on their judgements. Although the correlation between confidence and accuracy for studied items was generally positive, the correlation for the five omitted items was negative in some methods of analysis. We pinpoint the similarity between lures and targets as creating inversions between confidence and accuracy in memory. We argue that, while confidence is generally a useful indicant of accuracy in reports from memory, in certain environmental circumstances even adaptive processes can foster illusions of memory. Thus understanding memory illusions is similar to understanding perceptual illusions: Processes that are usually adaptive can go awry under certain circumstances.

Correlation of Respiratory Activity of Contralateral Diaphragm Muscles for Evaluation of Recovery Following Hemiparesis

PubMed Central

Dow, Douglas E.; Zhan, Wen-Zhi; Sieck, Gary C.; Mantilla, Carlos B.

2014-01-01

Respiration is impaired by disruption of the central drive for inspiration to the diaphragm muscle (DIAm). Some function may recover involving nerve regeneration, reinnervation or neuroplasticity. A research animal model involves inducing hemiparesis of the DIAm and monitoring any recovery under different conditions. Methods to accurately track the level of functional recovery are needed. In this study, an algorithm was developed and tested to quantify the relative amount of electromyogram (EMG) activity that temporally correlated for an experimental (EXP) hemi-DIAm with its intact contralateral hemi-DIAm. An average rectified value (ARV) trace was calculated. A template was formed of the ARV trace of the intact hemi-DIAm, with higher positive values corresponding with periods of inspirations and lower negative values corresponding with quiet periods. This template was multiplied by the EXP ARV trace to reward (more positive) periods of correlating activity, and punish (more negative) periods of high activity on the EXP side that corresponded with quiet periods on the intact side. The average integrated value was the index of correlating contralateral activity (ICCA). A negative ICCA value indicated no net correlation of activity, and a positive value indicated a net correlation of activity. The algorithm was tested on rats having the conditions of control or hemi-paresis induced by denervatation (DNV), tetrodotoxin administration (TTX) or cervical spinal hemi-section (SH). Control had high positive ICCA values, and DNV had negative values. TTX maintained negative ICCA values at 3, 7 and 14 days, indicating a lack of functional recovery. SH maintained negative values at 3 and 7 days, but a subset had positive values at 14 days indicating some functional recovery. PMID:19965125

Circulating steroids negatively correlate with tinnitus.

PubMed

Chrbolka, Pavel; Palúch, Zoltán; Hill, Martin; Alušík, Štefan

2017-07-01

While not a disease entity in itself; symptoms of tinnitus (from Latin tinnio - clink) accompany a number of diseases. Tinnitus prevalence increases with age, deteriorates one's quality of life, and may even result in suicidal behavior. Tinnitus develops in response to a variety of risk factors, otoxic substances, noise exposure, hearing disorders, and psychological alterations. Tinnitus is closely related to mood, depression, and psychological state. In the present study, we focused on alterations of the steroid metabolome and particularly neuroactive, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory steroids in patients with tinnitus. The study group consisted of 28 patients without evidence of an organic cause of tinnitus as well as without associated diseases or the effect of ototoxic medications. All patients underwent a complete audiological assessment and laboratory tests including routine biochemical markers and quantification of circulating steroids using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and immunoassays. To rule out a pathology in the cerebellopontine angle area, CT scan or MRI were performed. To diagnose stem lesions, evoked potentials were also measured. Pearson's correlations and multivariate regression were used to assess any links between tinnitus intensity and frequency on the one hand, and steroid levels on the other. Results indicated a significant and consistent negative correlation between tinnitus indices and intensity of adrenal steroidogenesis. The circulating steroid metabolome including hormones and neuroactive, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory steroids negatively correlates with the degree of tinnitus due to hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis malfunction. Our results may help explain the pathophysiology of tinnitus and improve its diagnosis. However, further studies are needed to verify our postulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The negative ultraslow potential, electrophysiological correlate of infarction in the human cortex

PubMed Central

Lückl, Janos; Lemale, Coline L; Kola, Vasilis; Horst, Viktor; Khojasteh, Uldus; Oliveira-Ferreira, Ana I; Major, Sebastian; Winkler, Maren K L; Kang, Eun-Jeung; Schoknecht, Karl; Martus, Peter; Hartings, Jed A; Woitzik, Johannes

2018-01-01

Abstract Spreading depolarizations are characterized by abrupt, near-complete breakdown of the transmembrane ion gradients, neuronal oedema, mitochondrial depolarization, glutamate excitotoxicity and activity loss (depression). Spreading depolarization induces either transient hyperperfusion in normal tissue; or hypoperfusion (inverse coupling = spreading ischaemia) in tissue at risk for progressive injury. The concept of the spreading depolarization continuum is critical since many spreading depolarizations have intermediate characteristics, as opposed to the two extremes of spreading depolarization in either severely ischaemic or normal tissue. In animals, the spreading depolarization extreme in ischaemic tissue is characterized by prolonged depolarization durations, in addition to a slow baseline variation termed the negative ultraslow potential. The negative ultraslow potential is initiated by spreading depolarization and similar to the negative direct current (DC) shift of prolonged spreading depolarization, but specifically refers to a negative potential component during progressive recruitment of neurons into cell death in the wake of spreading depolarization. We here first quantified the spreading depolarization-initiated negative ultraslow potential in the electrocorticographic DC range and the activity depression in the alternate current range after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Relevance of these variables to the injury was supported by significant correlations with the cortical infarct volume and neurological outcome after 72 h of survival. We then identified negative ultraslow potential-containing clusters of spreading depolarizations in 11 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. The human platinum/iridium-recorded negative ultraslow potential showed a tent-like shape. Its amplitude of 45.0 (39.0, 69.4) mV [median (first, third quartile)] was 6.6 times larger and its duration of 3.7 (3.3, 5.3) h was 34.9 times longer than the

The negative ultraslow potential, electrophysiological correlate of infarction in the human cortex.

PubMed

Lückl, Janos; Lemale, Coline L; Kola, Vasilis; Horst, Viktor; Khojasteh, Uldus; Oliveira-Ferreira, Ana I; Major, Sebastian; Winkler, Maren K L; Kang, Eun-Jeung; Schoknecht, Karl; Martus, Peter; Hartings, Jed A; Woitzik, Johannes; Dreier, Jens P

2018-06-01

Spreading depolarizations are characterized by abrupt, near-complete breakdown of the transmembrane ion gradients, neuronal oedema, mitochondrial depolarization, glutamate excitotoxicity and activity loss (depression). Spreading depolarization induces either transient hyperperfusion in normal tissue; or hypoperfusion (inverse coupling = spreading ischaemia) in tissue at risk for progressive injury. The concept of the spreading depolarization continuum is critical since many spreading depolarizations have intermediate characteristics, as opposed to the two extremes of spreading depolarization in either severely ischaemic or normal tissue. In animals, the spreading depolarization extreme in ischaemic tissue is characterized by prolonged depolarization durations, in addition to a slow baseline variation termed the negative ultraslow potential. The negative ultraslow potential is initiated by spreading depolarization and similar to the negative direct current (DC) shift of prolonged spreading depolarization, but specifically refers to a negative potential component during progressive recruitment of neurons into cell death in the wake of spreading depolarization. We here first quantified the spreading depolarization-initiated negative ultraslow potential in the electrocorticographic DC range and the activity depression in the alternate current range after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Relevance of these variables to the injury was supported by significant correlations with the cortical infarct volume and neurological outcome after 72 h of survival. We then identified negative ultraslow potential-containing clusters of spreading depolarizations in 11 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. The human platinum/iridium-recorded negative ultraslow potential showed a tent-like shape. Its amplitude of 45.0 (39.0, 69.4) mV [median (first, third quartile)] was 6.6 times larger and its duration of 3.7 (3.3, 5.3) h was 34.9 times longer than the negative DC

Physical activity correlates with neurological impairment and disability in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Motl, Robert W; Snook, Erin M; Wynn, Daniel R; Vollmer, Timothy

2008-06-01

This study examined the correlation of physical activity with neurological impairment and disability in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Eighty individuals with MS wore an accelerometer for 7 days and completed the Symptom Inventory (SI), Performance Scales (PS), and Expanded Disability Status Scale. There were large negative correlations between the accelerometer and SI (r = -0.56; rho = -0.58) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (r = -0.60; rho = -0.69) and a moderate negative correlation between the accelerometer and PS (r = -0.39; rho = -0.48) indicating that physical activity was associated with reduced neurological impairment and disability. Such findings provide a preliminary basis for using an accelerometer and the SI and PS as outcome measures in large-scale prospective and experimental examinations of the effect of physical activity behavior on disability and dependence in MS.

Negative emotions facilitate isometric force through activation of prefrontal cortex and periaqueductal gray.

PubMed

Blakemore, Rebekah L; Rieger, Sebastian W; Vuilleumier, Patrik

2016-01-01

Emotions are considered to modulate action readiness. Previous studies have demonstrated increased force production following exposure to emotionally arousing visual stimuli; however the neural mechanisms underlying how precise force output is controlled within varying emotional contexts remain poorly understood. To identify the neural correlates of emotion-modulated motor behaviour, twenty-two participants produced a submaximal isometric precision-grip contraction while viewing pleasant, unpleasant, neutral or blank images (without visual feedback of force output). Force magnitude was continuously recorded together with change in brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Viewing unpleasant images resulted in reduced force decay during force maintenance as compared with pleasant, neutral and blank images. Subjective valence and arousal ratings significantly predicted force production during maintenance. Neuroimaging revealed that negative valence and its interaction with force output correlated with increased activity in right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), while arousal was associated with amygdala and periaqueductal gray (PAG) activation. Force maintenance alone was correlated with cerebellar activity. These data demonstrate a valence-driven modulation of force output, mediated by a cortico-subcortical network involving rIFG and PAG. These findings are consistent with engagement of motor pathways associated with aversive motivation, eliciting defensive behaviour and action preparedness in response to negative emotional signals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methamphetamine-induced stereotypy correlates negatively with patch-enhanced prodynorphin and arc mRNA expression in the rat caudate putamen: the role of mu opioid receptor activation.

PubMed

Horner, Kristen A; Noble, Erika S; Gilbert, Yamiece E

2010-06-01

Amphetamines induce stereotypy, which correlates with patch-enhanced c-Fos expression the patch compartment of caudate putamen (CPu). Methamphetamine (METH) treatment also induces patch-enhanced expression of prodynorphin (PD), arc and zif/268 in the CPu. Whether patch-enhanced activation of any of these genes correlates with METH-induced stereotypy is unknown, and the factors that contribute to this pattern of expression are poorly understood. Activation of mu opioid receptors, which are expressed by the neurons of the patch compartment, may underlie METH-induced patch-enhanced gene expression and stereotypy. The current study examined whether striatal mu opioid receptor blockade altered METH-induced stereotypy and patch-enhanced gene expression, and if there was a correlation between the two responses. Animals were intrastriatally infused with the mu antagonist CTAP (10 microg/microl), treated with METH (7.5 mg/kg, s.c.), placed in activity chambers for 3h, and then sacrificed. CTAP pretreatment attenuated METH-induced increases in PD, arc and zif/268 mRNA expression and significantly reduced METH-induced stereotypy. Patch-enhanced PD and arc mRNA expression in the dorsolateral CPu correlated negatively with METH-induced stereotypy. These data indicate that mu opioid receptor activation contributes to METH-induced gene expression in the CPu and stereotypy, and that patch-enhanced PD and arc expression may be a homeostatic response to METH treatment. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methamphetamine-Induced Stereotypy Correlates Negatively with Patch-Enhanced Prodynorphin and ARC mRNA Expression in the Rat Caudate Putamen: The Role of Mu Opioid Receptor Activation

PubMed Central

Horner, Kristen A.; Noble, Erika S.; Gilbert, Yamiece E.

2010-01-01

Amphetamines induce stereotypy, which correlates with patch-enhanced c-Fos expression the patch compartment of caudate putamen (CPu). Methamphetamine (METH) treatment also induces patch-enhanced expression of prodynorphin (PD), arc and zif/268 in the CPu. Whether patch-enhanced activation of any of these genes correlates with METH-induced stereotypy is unknown, and the factors that contribute to this pattern of expression are poorly understood. Activation of mu opioid receptors, which are expressed by the neurons of the patch compartment, may underlie METH-induced patch-enhanced gene expression and stereotypy. The current study examined whether striatal mu opioid receptor blockade altered METH-induced stereotypy and patch-enhanced gene expression, and if there was a correlation between the two responses. Animals were intrastriatally infused with the mu antagonist CTAP (10 μg/μl), treated with METH (7.5 mg/kg, s.c.), placed in activity chambers for 3h, and then sacrificed. CTAP pretreatment attenuated METH-induced increases in PD, arc and zif/268 mRNA expression and significantly reduced METH-induced stereotypy. Patch-enhanced PD and arc mRNA expression in the dorsolateral CPu correlated negatively with METH-induced stereotypy. These data indicate that mu opioid receptor activation contributes to METH-induced gene expression in the CPu and stereotypy, and that patch-enhanced PD and arc expression may be a homeostatic response to METH treatment. PMID:20298714

Cognitively active older adults' comprehension and metacomprehension of negated text.

PubMed

Margolin, Sara J

2018-05-14

Background/Study context: Previous research has demonstrated that negated text is universally difficult to understand, and while readers are aware of the difficulty, they are not always able to direct this awareness to improve their comprehension of negation. The present research aimed to determine whether this holds true for older adults, even while maintaining good cognitive function through reading activity. The study used an online paradigm, where young (age range 19-24) and older (age range 60-87) adults read passages, rated their comprehension, and answered questions about what they read. Data analysis included analysis of variance for comprehension accuracy and metacomprehension judgment as well as gamma correlation analysis for the relationship between these two variables to determine accuracy of metacomprehension judgments. . Older readers, who took part in library activities and book discussion groups, had better comprehension than young adults overall and were also better able to judge their own comprehension of negative text. These results suggested that remaining cognitively active may help older adults not only maintain their ability to understand text but may also enhance their ability to assess their own comprehension of that text. In addition, these readers were likely able to use their experience with reading to compensate for any working memory deficits that may occur with age and which may detrimentally affect their ability to understand complex text constructions, such as negation.

Analysis of the enhanced negative correlation between electron density and electron temperature related to earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, X. H.; Zhang, X.; Liu, J.; Zhao, S. F.; Yuan, G. P.

2015-04-01

Ionospheric perturbations in plasma parameters have been observed before large earthquakes, but the correlation between different parameters has been less studied in previous research. The present study is focused on the relationship between electron density (Ne) and temperature (Te) observed by the DEMETER (Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite during local nighttime, in which a positive correlation has been revealed near the equator and a weak correlation at mid- and low latitudes over both hemispheres. Based on this normal background analysis, the negative correlation with the lowest percent in all Ne and Te points is studied before and after large earthquakes at mid- and low latitudes. The multiparameter observations exhibited typical synchronous disturbances before the Chile M8.8 earthquake in 2010 and the Pu'er M6.4 in 2007, and Te varied inversely with Ne over the epicentral areas. Moreover, statistical analysis has been done by selecting the orbits at a distance of 1000 km and ±7 days before and after the global earthquakes. Enhanced negative correlation coefficients lower than -0.5 between Ne and Te are found in 42% of points to be connected with earthquakes. The correlation median values at different seismic levels show a clear decrease with earthquakes larger than 7. Finally, the electric-field-coupling model is discussed; furthermore, a digital simulation has been carried out by SAMI2 (Sami2 is Another Model of the Ionosphere), which illustrates that the external electric field in the ionosphere can strengthen the negative correlation in Ne and Te at a lower latitude relative to the disturbed source due to the effects of the geomagnetic field. Although seismic activity is not the only source to cause the inverse Ne-Te variations, the present results demonstrate one possibly useful tool in seismo-electromagnetic anomaly differentiation, and a comprehensive analysis with multiple parameters helps to

Systematic bias of correlation coefficient may explain negative accuracy of genomic prediction.

PubMed

Zhou, Yao; Vales, M Isabel; Wang, Aoxue; Zhang, Zhiwu

2017-09-01

Accuracy of genomic prediction is commonly calculated as the Pearson correlation coefficient between the predicted and observed phenotypes in the inference population by using cross-validation analysis. More frequently than expected, significant negative accuracies of genomic prediction have been reported in genomic selection studies. These negative values are surprising, given that the minimum value for prediction accuracy should hover around zero when randomly permuted data sets are analyzed. We reviewed the two common approaches for calculating the Pearson correlation and hypothesized that these negative accuracy values reflect potential bias owing to artifacts caused by the mathematical formulas used to calculate prediction accuracy. The first approach, Instant accuracy, calculates correlations for each fold and reports prediction accuracy as the mean of correlations across fold. The other approach, Hold accuracy, predicts all phenotypes in all fold and calculates correlation between the observed and predicted phenotypes at the end of the cross-validation process. Using simulated and real data, we demonstrated that our hypothesis is true. Both approaches are biased downward under certain conditions. The biases become larger when more fold are employed and when the expected accuracy is low. The bias of Instant accuracy can be corrected using a modified formula. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Parental Reactions to Toddlers' Negative Emotions and Child Negative Emotionality as Correlates of Problem Behavior at the Age of Three

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engle, Jennifer M.; McElwain, Nancy L.

2011-01-01

Parent-reported reactions to children's negative emotions and child negative emotionality were investigated as correlates of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Children (N = 107) and their parents participated in a short-term longitudinal study of social development. Mothers and fathers independently completed questionnaires assessing…

Correlates of US adult physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns.

PubMed

Jones, Sydney A; Wen, Fang; Herring, Amy H; Evenson, Kelly R

2016-12-01

Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns may be differentially associated with socio-demographic and health measures. We explored correlates of day-to-day patterns over a week in accelerometer measured physical activity and sedentary behavior to inform intervention development. Cross-sectional study. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) adult participants (≥20 years) in 2003-2006 wore an accelerometer for 1 week. Accelerometer data from 7236 participants were used to derive latent classes describing day-to-day patterns over a week of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Correlates of each pattern were identified using multinomial logistic regression from 21 potential variables grouped into four domains: socio-demographic, acculturation, cardiovascular, and health history. Older age, female sex, higher body mass index, and history of chronic disease were consistently associated with lower odds of being in a more active compared to the least active class. In contrast, being employed, speaking Spanish at home, and having better self-rated health were associated with higher odds of being in a more active compared to the least active class. Correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns were identified from all domains (socio-demographic, acculturation, cardiovascular, and health history). Most correlates that were positively associated with physical activity were negatively associated with sedentary behavior. Better understanding of the correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns can inform interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The correlation of serum bilirubin levels with disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Peng, You-Fan; Wang, Jun-Li; Pan, Guo-Gang

2017-06-01

We investigated the relationship between serum bilirubin and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We included a total of 173 consecutive RA patients without steroid treatment and 346 healthy subjects; the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) was used to assess disease activity in patients with RA. Serum bilirubin concentrations were significantly lower in RA patients than in controls. Serum bilirubin was found to be negatively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (r=-0.165, P=0.030; r=-192, P=0.012) in patients with RA. There was a negative correlation between the serum bilirubin and DAS28 score (r=-0.331, P<0.001). Serum bilirubin was independently associated with the DAS28 score (b=-0.225, P=0.001) in the multiple linear regression analysis. Serum bilirubin concentrations are lower in patients with RA compared to controls and correlate with disease activity in patients with RA. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Negative correlation between porosity and hydraulic conductivity in sand-and-gravel aquifers at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morin, R.H.

2006-01-01

Although it may be intuitive to think of the hydraulic conductivity K of unconsolidated, coarse-grained sediments as increasing monotonically with increasing porosity ??, studies have documented a negative correlation between these two parameters under certain grain-size distributions and packing arrangements. This is confirmed at two sites on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, where groundwater investigations were conducted in sand-and-gravel aquifers specifically to examine the interdependency of several aquifer properties using measurements from four geophysical well logs. Along with K and ??, the electrical resistivity R0 and the natural gamma activity ?? of saturated deposits were determined as functions of depth. Qualitative examination of results from the first site implies a negative correlation between K and ?? that is substantiated by a rigorous multivariate analysis of log data collected from the second site. A principal components analysis describes an over-determined system of inversion equations, with approximately 92% of the cumulative proportion of the total variance being accounted for by only three of the four eigenvectors. A subsequent R-mode factor analysis projects directional trends among the four variables (K, ??, R0 and ??), and a negative correlation between K and ?? emerges as the primary result. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

LORETA analysis of three-dimensional distribution of δ band activity in schizophrenia: relation to negative symptoms.

PubMed

Itoh, Toru; Sumiyoshi, Tomiki; Higuchi, Yuko; Suzuki, Michio; Kawasaki, Yasuhiro

2011-08-01

We sought to determine if altered electroencephalography (EEG) activities, such as delta band activity, in specific brain regions are associated with psychotic symptoms. Data were obtained from 17 neuroleptic-naive patients with schizophrenia and age- and sex-matched 17 healthy control subjects. Low Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA) was used to generate current source density images of delta, theta, alpha, and beta activities. Localization of the difference in EEG activity between the two groups was assessed by voxel-by-voxel non-paired t-test of the LORETA images. Spearman's correlation coefficient was obtained to relate LORETA values of EEG current density in brain regions showing a significant between-group difference and psychopathology scores. Delta band activity, represented by LORETA current density, was greater for patients in the following areas; the left inferior temporal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, and right parahippocampal gyrus. LORETA values for delta band activity in the above five brain regions were negatively correlated with negative, but not positive symptoms. The results of this study suggest the role for electrophysiological changes in some of the brain regions, e.g. prefrontal cortex, in the manifestation of negative symptoms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of preparatory and regulatory control over positive and negative emotion.

PubMed

Seo, Dongju; Olman, Cheryl A; Haut, Kristen M; Sinha, Rajita; MacDonald, Angus W; Patrick, Christopher J

2014-04-01

This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain activation during preparatory and regulatory control while participants (N = 24) were instructed either to simply view or decrease their emotional response to, pleasant, neutral or unpleasant pictures. A main effect of emotional valence on brain activity was found in the right precentral gyrus, with greater activation during positive than negative emotion regulation. A main effect of regulation phase was evident in the bilateral anterior prefrontal cortex (PFC), precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, right putamen and temporal and occipital lobes, with greater activity in these regions during preparatory than regulatory control. A valence X regulation interaction was evident in regions of ventromedial PFC and anterior cingulate cortex, reflecting greater activation while regulating negative than positive emotion, but only during active emotion regulation (not preparation). Conjunction analyses revealed common brain regions involved in differing types of emotion regulation including selected areas of left lateral PFC, inferior parietal lobe, temporal lobe, right cerebellum and bilateral dorsomedial PFC. The right lateral PFC was additionally activated during the modulation of both positive and negative valence. Findings demonstrate significant modulation of brain activity during both preparation for, and active regulation of positive and negative emotional states.

Nuclear factor-kappaB activation correlates with better prognosis and Akt activation in human gastric cancer.

PubMed

Lee, Byung Lan; Lee, Hye Seung; Jung, Jieun; Cho, Sung Jin; Chung, Hee-Yong; Kim, Woo Ho; Jin, Young-Woo; Kim, Chong Soon; Nam, Seon Young

2005-04-01

Because the biological significance of constitutive nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation in human gastric cancer is unclear, we undertook this study to clarify the regulatory mechanism of NF-kappaB activation and its clinical significance. Immunohistochemistry for NF-kappaB/RelA was done on 290 human gastric carcinoma specimens placed on tissue array slides. The correlations between NF-kappaB activation and clinicopathologic features, prognosis, Akt activation, tumor suppressor gene expression, or Bcl-2 expression were analyzed. We also did luciferase reporter assay, Western blot analysis, and reverse transcription-PCR using the SNU-216 human gastric cancer cell line transduced with retroviral vectors containing constitutively active Akt or the NF-kappaB repressor mutant of IkappaBalpha. Nuclear expression of RelA was found in 18% of the gastric carcinomas and was higher in early-stage pathologic tumor-node-metastasis (P = 0.019). A negative correlation was observed between NF-kappaB activation and lymphatic invasion (P = 0.034) and a positive correlation between NF-kappaB activation and overall survival rate of gastric cancer patients (P = 0.0228). In addition, NF-kappaB activation was positively correlated with pAkt (P = 0.047), p16 (P = 0.004), adenomatous polyposis coli (P < 0.001), Smad4 (P = 0.002), and kangai 1 (P < 0.001) expression. An in vitro study showed that NF-kappaB activity in gastric cancer cells is controlled by and controls Akt. NF-kappaB activation was frequently observed in early-stage gastric carcinoma and was significantly correlated with better prognosis and Akt activation. These findings suggest that NF-kappaB activation is a valuable prognostic variable in gastric carcinoma.

Evidence of successful modulation of brain activation and subjective experience during reappraisal of negative emotion in unmedicated depression.

PubMed

Dillon, Daniel Gerard; Pizzagalli, Diego Andrea

2013-05-30

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine cognitive regulation of negative emotion in 12 unmedicated patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 24 controls. The participants used reappraisal to increase (real condition) and reduce (photo condition) the personal relevance of negative and neutral pictures during fMRI as valence ratings were collected; passive viewing (look condition) served as a baseline. Reappraisal was not strongly affected by MDD. Ratings indicated that both groups successfully reappraised negative emotional experience. Both groups also showed better memory for negative vs. neutral pictures 2 weeks later. Across groups, increased brain activation was observed on negative/real vs. negative/look and negative/photo trials in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), rostral anterior cingulate, left parietal cortex, caudate, and right amygdala. Depressive severity was inversely correlated with activation modulation in the left DLPFC, right amygdala, and right cerebellum during negative reappraisal. The lack of group differences suggests that depressed adults can modulate the brain activation and subjective experience elicited by negative pictures when given clear instructions. However, the negative relationship between depression severity and effects of reappraisal on brain activation indicates that group differences may be detectable in larger samples of more severely depressed participants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of video game screen time among males: body mass, physical activity, and other media use.

PubMed

Ballard, Mary; Gray, Melissa; Reilly, Jenny; Noggle, Matthew

2009-08-01

This study examined the correlations between media use, body mass variables, and physical activity among 116 male undergraduates (white n=106; African American n=5, Latin American n=1, Asian American n=2, and 2 others). Length of video game play during one sitting was positively related to body mass index (BMI; r=.27, p<.01) and negatively correlated with frequency of exercise (r=-.21, p<.05) and days of walking (r=-.22, p<.05). Frequency of video game play was negatively correlated with length of exercising (r=-.21, p<.05). Years of video game play was negatively correlated with length of exercise (r=-.21, p<.05). These results were stronger among those who play online games. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that video game use predicted BMI, accounting for 6.9% of the variance. The implications of the results are discussed.

Identification of sequence motifs in oligonucleotides whose presence is correlated with antisense activity

PubMed Central

Matveeva, O. V.; Tsodikov, A. D.; Giddings, M.; Freier, S. M.; Wyatt, J. R.; Spiridonov, A. N.; Shabalina, S. A.; Gesteland, R. F.; Atkins, J. F.

2000-01-01

Design of antisense oligonucleotides targeting any mRNA can be much more efficient when several activity-enhancing motifs are included and activity-decreasing motifs are avoided. This conclusion was made after statistical analysis of data collected from >1000 experiments with phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotides. Highly significant positive correlation between the presence of motifs CCAC, TCCC, ACTC, GCCA and CTCT in the oligonucleotide and its antisense efficiency was demonstrated. In addition, negative correlation was revealed for the motifs GGGG, ACTG, AAA and TAA. It was found that the likelihood of activity of an oligonucleotide against a desired mRNA target is sequence motif content dependent. PMID:10908347

[Correlation Between Functional Groups and Radical Scavenging Activities of Acidic Polysaccharides from Dendrobium].

PubMed

Liao, Ying; Yuan, Wen-yu; Zheng, Wen-ke; Luo, Ao-xue; Fan, Yi-jun

2015-11-01

To compare the radical scavenging activity of five different acidic polysaccharides, and to find the correlation with the functional groups. Alkali extraction method and Stepwise ethanol precipitation method were used to extract and concentrate the five Dendrobium polysaccharides, and to determine the contents of sulfuric acid and uronic acid of each kind of acidic polysaccharides, and the scavenging activity to ABTS+ radical and hydroxyl radical. Functional group structures were examined by FTIR Spectrometer. Five kinds of Dendrobium polysaccharides had different ability of scavenging ABTS+ free radical and hydroxyl free radical. Moreover, the study had shown that five kinds of antioxidant activity of acidic polysaccharides had obvious correlation withuronic acid and sulfuric acid. The antioxidant activity of each sample was positively correlated with the content of uronic acid, and negatively correlated with the content of sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can inhibit the antioxidant activity of acidic polysaccharide but uronic acid can enhance the free radical scavenging activity. By analyzing the structure characteristics of five acidic polysaccharides, all samples have similar structures, however, Dendrobium denneanum, Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale which had β configuration have higher antioxidant activity than Dendrobium nobile and Dendrobium fimbriatum which had a configuration.

Physical activity measured by physical activity monitoring system correlates with glucose trends reconstructed from continuous glucose monitoring.

PubMed

Zecchin, Chiara; Facchinetti, Andrea; Sparacino, Giovanni; Dalla Man, Chiara; Manohar, Chinmay; Levine, James A; Basu, Ananda; Kudva, Yogish C; Cobelli, Claudio

2013-10-01

In type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), physical activity (PA) lowers the risk of cardiovascular complications but hinders the achievement of optimal glycemic control, transiently boosting insulin action and increasing hypoglycemia risk. Quantitative investigation of relationships between PA-related signals and glucose dynamics, tracked using, for example, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors, have been barely explored. In the clinic, 20 control and 19 T1DM subjects were studied for 4 consecutive days. They underwent low-intensity PA sessions daily. PA was tracked by the PA monitoring system (PAMS), a system comprising accelerometers and inclinometers. Variations on glucose dynamics were tracked estimating first- and second-order time derivatives of glucose concentration from CGM via Bayesian smoothing. Short-time effects of PA on glucose dynamics were quantified through the partial correlation function in the interval (0, 60 min) after starting PA. Correlation of PA with glucose time derivatives is evident. In T1DM, the negative correlation with the first-order glucose time derivative is maximal (absolute value) after 15 min of PA, whereas the positive correlation is maximal after 40-45 min. The negative correlation between the second-order time derivative and PA is maximal after 5 min, whereas the positive correlation is maximal after 35-40 min. Control subjects provided similar results but with positive and negative correlation peaks anticipated of 5 min. Quantitative information on correlation between mild PA and short-term glucose dynamics was obtained. This represents a preliminary important step toward incorporation of PA information in more realistic physiological models of the glucose-insulin system usable in T1DM simulators, in development of closed-loop artificial pancreas control algorithms, and in CGM-based prediction algorithms for generation of hypoglycemic alerts.

High Correlated Paternity Leads to Negative Effects on Progeny Performance in Two Mediterranean Shrub Species.

PubMed

Nora, Sofia; Aparicio, Abelardo; Albaladejo, Rafael G

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic habitat deterioration can promote changes in plant mating systems that subsequently may affect progeny performance, thereby conditioning plant recruitment for the next generation. However, very few studies yet tested mating system parameters other than outcrossing rates; and the direct effects of the genetic diversity of the pollen received by maternal plants (i.e. correlated paternity) has often been overlooked. In this study, we investigated the relation between correlated paternity and progeny performance in two common Mediterranean shrubs, Myrtus communis and Pistacia lentiscus. To do so, we collected open-pollinated progeny from selected maternal plants, calculated mating system parameters using microsatellite genotyping and conducted sowing experiments under greenhouse and field conditions. Our results showed that some progeny fitness components were negatively affected by the high correlated paternity of maternal plants. In Myrtus communis, high correlated paternity had a negative effect on the proportion and timing of seedling emergence in the natural field conditions and in the greenhouse sowing experiment, respectively. In Pistacia lentiscus, seedling emergence time under field conditions was also negatively influenced by high correlated paternity and a progeny survival analysis in the field experiment showed greater mortality of seedlings from maternal plants with high correlated paternity. Overall, we found effects of correlated paternity on the progeny performance of Myrtus communis, a self-compatible species. Further, we also detected effects of correlated paternity on the progeny emergence time and survival in Pistacia lentiscus, an obligate outcrossed species. This study represents one of the few existing empirical examples which highlight the influence that correlated paternity may exert on progeny performance in multiple stages during early seedling growth.

High Correlated Paternity Leads to Negative Effects on Progeny Performance in Two Mediterranean Shrub Species

PubMed Central

Nora, Sofia; Aparicio, Abelardo; Albaladejo, Rafael G.

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic habitat deterioration can promote changes in plant mating systems that subsequently may affect progeny performance, thereby conditioning plant recruitment for the next generation. However, very few studies yet tested mating system parameters other than outcrossing rates; and the direct effects of the genetic diversity of the pollen received by maternal plants (i.e. correlated paternity) has often been overlooked. In this study, we investigated the relation between correlated paternity and progeny performance in two common Mediterranean shrubs, Myrtus communis and Pistacia lentiscus. To do so, we collected open-pollinated progeny from selected maternal plants, calculated mating system parameters using microsatellite genotyping and conducted sowing experiments under greenhouse and field conditions. Our results showed that some progeny fitness components were negatively affected by the high correlated paternity of maternal plants. In Myrtus communis, high correlated paternity had a negative effect on the proportion and timing of seedling emergence in the natural field conditions and in the greenhouse sowing experiment, respectively. In Pistacia lentiscus, seedling emergence time under field conditions was also negatively influenced by high correlated paternity and a progeny survival analysis in the field experiment showed greater mortality of seedlings from maternal plants with high correlated paternity. Overall, we found effects of correlated paternity on the progeny performance of Myrtus communis, a self-compatible species. Further, we also detected effects of correlated paternity on the progeny emergence time and survival in Pistacia lentiscus, an obligate outcrossed species. This study represents one of the few existing empirical examples which highlight the influence that correlated paternity may exert on progeny performance in multiple stages during early seedling growth. PMID:27835658

Human primitive brain displays negative mitochondrial-nuclear expression correlation of respiratory genes.

PubMed

Barshad, Gilad; Blumberg, Amit; Cohen, Tal; Mishmar, Dan

2018-06-14

Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), a fundamental energy source in all human tissues, requires interactions between mitochondrial (mtDNA)- and nuclear (nDNA)-encoded protein subunits. Although such interactions are fundamental to OXPHOS, bi-genomic coregulation is poorly understood. To address this question, we analyzed ∼8500 RNA-seq experiments from 48 human body sites. Despite well-known variation in mitochondrial activity, quantity, and morphology, we found overall positive mtDNA-nDNA OXPHOS genes' co-expression across human tissues. Nevertheless, negative mtDNA-nDNA gene expression correlation was identified in the hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and amygdala (subcortical brain regions, collectively termed the "primitive" brain). Single-cell RNA-seq analysis of mouse and human brains revealed that this phenomenon is evolutionarily conserved, and both are influenced by brain cell types (involving excitatory/inhibitory neurons and nonneuronal cells) and by their spatial brain location. As the "primitive" brain is highly oxidative, we hypothesized that such negative mtDNA-nDNA co-expression likely controls for the high mtDNA transcript levels, which enforce tight OXPHOS regulation, rather than rewiring toward glycolysis. Accordingly, we found "primitive" brain-specific up-regulation of lactate dehydrogenase B ( LDHB ), which associates with high OXPHOS activity, at the expense of LDHA , which promotes glycolysis. Analyses of co-expression, DNase-seq, and ChIP-seq experiments revealed candidate RNA-binding proteins and CEBPB as the best regulatory candidates to explain these phenomena. Finally, cross-tissue expression analysis unearthed tissue-dependent splice variants and OXPHOS subunit paralogs and allowed revising the list of canonical OXPHOS transcripts. Taken together, our analysis provides a comprehensive view of mito-nuclear gene co-expression across human tissues and provides overall insights into the bi-genomic regulation of mitochondrial activities. �

Plasma kisspeptin and ghrelin levels are independently correlated with physical activity in patients with anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Hofmann, Tobias; Elbelt, Ulf; Haas, Verena; Ahnis, Anne; Klapp, Burghard F; Rose, Matthias; Stengel, Andreas

2017-01-01

While physical hyperactivity represents a frequent symptom of anorexia nervosa and may have a deleterious impact on the course of the disease, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Since several food intake-regulatory hormones affect physical activity, the aim of the study was to investigate the association of physical activity with novel candidate hormones (kisspeptin, ghrelin, oxyntomodulin, orexin-A, FGF-21, R-spondin-1) possibly involved in patients with anorexia nervosa. Associations with psychometric parameters and body composition were also assessed. We included 38 female anorexia nervosa inpatients (body mass index, BMI, mean ± SD: 14.8 ± 1.7 kg/m 2 ). Physical activity was evaluated using portable armband devices, body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Blood withdrawal (hormones measured by ELISA) and psychometric assessment of depressiveness (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), perceived stress (PSQ-20) and disordered eating (EDI-2) were performed at the same time. Patients displayed a broad spectrum of physical activity (2479-26,047 steps/day) which showed a negative correlation with kisspeptin (r = -0.41, p = 0.01) and a positive association with ghrelin (r = 0.42, p = 0.01). The negative correlation with oxyntomodulin (r = -0.37, p = 0.03) was lost after consideration of potential confounders by regression analysis. No correlations were observed between physical activity and orexin-A, FGF-21 and R-spondin-1 (p > 0.05). Kisspeptin was positively correlated with BMI and body fat mass and negatively associated with the interpersonal distrust subscale of the EDI-2 (p < 0.01). Depressiveness, anxiety, and perceived stress did not correlate with kisspeptin or any other of the investigated hormones (p > 0.05). In conclusion, kisspeptin is inversely and ghrelin positively associated with physical activity as measured by daily step counts in anorexia nervosa patients suggesting an implication of these peptide hormones in

Correlations of serum cystatin C and hs-CRP with vascular endothelial cell injury in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Gao, Dong; Shao, Juan; Jin, Waishu; Xia, Xiujuan; Qu, Yan

2018-05-22

To investigate the correlations of serum cystatin C and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with vascular endothelial cell injury in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A total of 80 patients with SLE treated in our hospital from January 2016 to September 2017 were selected and randomly divided into stable-stage group (n=40) and active-stage group (n=40) using a random number table. The expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRPin stable and active stages were compared, and the inner diameters of brachial artery and levels of vascular endothelial growth factors in stable and active stages were also compared.The correlationsof expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRP in active stage with the inner diameter of brachial artery and vascular endothelial growth factor were analyzed. At the same time, the correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor and inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage was analyzed. The level of cystatin C in active stage was higher than that in stable stage (P<0.05), and the expression level of hs-CRP in active stage was also higher than that in stable stage (P<0.05). The inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage was smaller than that in stable stage (P<0.05), butthe level of vascular endothelial growth factor was higher than that in stable stage (P<0.05). The expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRP were negatively correlated with the inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage (P<0.05). The expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRP were positively correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor in active stage (P<0.05). Moreover, there was a negative correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor and inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage (P<0.05). Levels of cystatin C and hs-CRP are significantly increased in patients with active SLE, and the increase degrees are negatively correlated with the inner diameter of brachial artery under ultrasound, but positively correlated with the

Physical Activity during Work, Transport and Leisure in Germany - Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates

PubMed Central

Wallmann-Sperlich, Birgit; Froboese, Ingo

2014-01-01

Background This study aimed 1) to provide data estimates concerning overall moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) as well as MVPA during work, transport and leisure in Germany and 2) to investigate MVPA and possible associations with socio-demographic correlates. Methods A cross-sectional telephone survey interviewed 2248 representative participants in the age of 18–65 years (1077 men; 42.4±13.4 years; body mass index: 25.3±4.5kg•m−2) regarding their self-reported physical activity across Germany. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was applied to investigate MVPA during work, transport and leisure and questions were answered concerning their demographics. MVPA was stratified by gender, age, body mass index, residential setting, educational and income level. To identify socio-demographic correlates of overall MVPA as well as in the domains, we used a series of linear regressions. Results 52.8% of the sample achieved physical activity recommendations (53.7% men/52.1% women). Overall MVPA was highest in the age group 18–29 years (p<.05), in participants with 10 years of education (p<.05) and in participants with lowest income levels <1.500€ (p<.05). Regression analyses revealed that age, education and income were negatively associated with overall and work MVPA. Residential setting and education was positively correlated with transport MVPA, whereas income level was negatively associated with transport MVPA. Education was the only correlate for leisure MVPA with a positive association. Conclusions The present data underlines the importance of a comprehensive view on physical activity engagement according to the different physical activity domains and discloses a need for future physical activity interventions that consider socio-demographic variables, residential setting as well as the physical activity domain in Germany. PMID:25390071

Physical activity during work, transport and leisure in Germany--prevalence and socio-demographic correlates.

PubMed

Wallmann-Sperlich, Birgit; Froboese, Ingo

2014-01-01

This study aimed 1) to provide data estimates concerning overall moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) as well as MVPA during work, transport and leisure in Germany and 2) to investigate MVPA and possible associations with socio-demographic correlates. A cross-sectional telephone survey interviewed 2248 representative participants in the age of 18-65 years (1077 men; 42.4 ± 13.4 years; body mass index: 25.3 ± 4.5 kg • m(-2)) regarding their self-reported physical activity across Germany. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was applied to investigate MVPA during work, transport and leisure and questions were answered concerning their demographics. MVPA was stratified by gender, age, body mass index, residential setting, educational and income level. To identify socio-demographic correlates of overall MVPA as well as in the domains, we used a series of linear regressions. 52.8% of the sample achieved physical activity recommendations (53.7% men/52.1% women). Overall MVPA was highest in the age group 18-29 years (p < .05), in participants with 10 years of education (p < .05) and in participants with lowest income levels < 1.500 € (p < .05). Regression analyses revealed that age, education and income were negatively associated with overall and work MVPA. Residential setting and education was positively correlated with transport MVPA, whereas income level was negatively associated with transport MVPA. Education was the only correlate for leisure MVPA with a positive association. The present data underlines the importance of a comprehensive view on physical activity engagement according to the different physical activity domains and discloses a need for future physical activity interventions that consider socio-demographic variables, residential setting as well as the physical activity domain in Germany.

Psychosocial correlates of physical activity in adolescents with haemophilia.

PubMed

Buxbaum, N P; Ponce, M; Saidi, P; Michaels, L A

2010-07-01

Boys with haemophilia are now encouraged to exercise and take part in physical activities, but actual measures of time spent in active participation is lacking. The aim of this study was to obtain an objective measure of daily physical activity in boys with haemophilia as compared with healthy controls. The study also aimed to ascertain the social and cognitive factors associated with exercise in this population. Seventeen patients (aged 11-18 years) with haemophilia were studied and compared with 44 healthy controls (aged 10-16.5 years). Physical activity was measured by accelerometry. Psychosocial correlates were assessed using validated questionnaires. Measured physical activity levels in subjects with haemophilia were slightly higher than for the control group. Both groups spent 70% of the day inactive, with similar proportions of time in moderate and vigorous activity. Subjects with haemophilia had a favourable self-image and similar levels of anxiety as peers without a bleeding disorder. Self-efficacy scores were lower than for controls suggesting increased sensitivity to barriers and lack of acceptance of alternatives. Health beliefs did not influence physical activity, but a negative correlation of time spent in high or vigorous activity with scores for support-seeking was observed. The data demonstrate that in the appropriate social environment and with medical support, patients with haemophilia may be as physically active as their peers without a bleeding disorder. Further investigation into the psychosocial barriers of physical activity in patients with haemophilia is needed to more effectively encourage healthy behaviours.

Negative correlates of computer game play in adolescents.

PubMed

Colwell, J; Payne, J

2000-08-01

There is some concern that playing computer games may be associated with social isolation, lowered self-esteem, and aggression among adolescents. Measures of these variables were included in a questionnaire completed by 204 year eight students at a North London comprehensive school. Principal components analysis of a scale to assess needs fulfilled by game play provided some support for the notion of 'electronic friendship' among boys, but there was no evidence that game play leads to social isolation. Play was not linked to self-esteem in girls, but a negative relationship was obtained between self-esteem and frequency of play in boys. However, self-esteem was not associated with total exposure to game play. Aggression scores were not related to the number of games with aggressive content named among three favourite games, but they were positively correlated with total exposure to game play. A multiple regression analysis revealed that sex and total game play exposure each accounted for a significant but small amount of the variance in aggression scores. The positive correlation between playing computer games and aggression provides some justification for further investigation of the causal hypothesis, and possible methodologies are discussed.

Gene–Environment Correlation Underlying the Association Between Parental Negativity and Adolescent Externalizing Problems

PubMed Central

Marceau, Kristine; Horwitz, Briana N.; Ganiban, Jody M.; Reiss, David; Narusyte, Jurgita; Spotts, Erica L.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.

2014-01-01

Studies of adolescent or parent-based twins suggest that gene–environment correlation (rGE) is an important mechanism underlying parent–adolescent relationships. However, information on how parents′ and children’s genes and environments influence correlated parent and child behaviors is needed to distinguish types of rGE. The present study used the novel Extended Children of Twins model to distinguish types of rGE underlying associations between negative parenting and adolescent (age 11–22 years) externalizing problems with a Swedish sample of 909 twin parents and their adolescent offspring and a U.S.-based sample of 405 adolescent siblings and their parents. Results suggest that evocative rGE, not passive rGE or direct environmental effects of parenting on adolescent externalizing, explains associations between maternal and paternal negativity and adolescent externalizing problems. PMID:23573986

Heart Rate Turbulence Parameters Correlate with Post-PVC Changes in Muscle Sympathetic Activity

PubMed Central

Segerson, Nathan M.; Wasmund, Stephen L.; Abedin, Moeen; Pai, Rakesh K.; Daccarett, Marcos; Akoum, Nazem; Wall, T. Scott; Klein, Richard C.; Freedman, Roger A.; Hamdan, Mohamed H.

2007-01-01

Background Heart rate turbulence (HRT) has been shown to be vagally-mediated with a strong correlation to baroreflex indices. However, the relationship between HRT and peripheral sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) following a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) remains unclear. Objective We sought to evaluate the relationship between HRT and the changes in peripheral SNA following PVCs. Methods We recorded post-ganglionic muscle SNA during ECG monitoring in 8 patients with spontaneous PVCs. Fifty-two PVCs were observed and analyzed for turbulence onset (TO) and slope (TS). SNA was quantified during 1) the dominant burst following the PVC (Dominant-Burst Area), and 2) the 10 seconds following the dominant burst (Post-Burst SNA). Results The mean TO was 0.1±4.6% and the mean TS was 6.1±6.6. The Dominant-Burst Area negatively correlated with TO (-0.50, p=0.0002). The Post-Burst SNA showed a significant positive correlation with TO (r=0.44, p=0.001) and a negative correlation with TS (r=-0.42, p=0.002). These correlations remained significant after controlling for either the PVC coupling interval or the left ventricular ejection fraction. Conclusions Our findings highlight the relationship between perturbations in HRT and pathology in the sympathetic limb of the autonomic nervous system. Future studies are needed to evaluate the prognostic role of baroreflex control of sympathetic activity in patients with structural heart disease. PMID:17341389

Correlations of frontal lip-line canting with craniofacial morphology and muscular activity.

PubMed

Cho, Jin-Hyoung; Kim, Eun-Jung; Kim, Byeong-Chae; Cho, Ki-Hyun; Lee, Ki-Heon; Hwang, Hyeon-Shik

2007-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting lip-line canting by using musculoskeletal analyses. Fifty-six adults with lip-line canting were selected as subjects. They were divided into 3 groups according to the changes of lip line during smiling: increasing (group I), decreasing (group D), and minimal (group M). Lip-line canting at rest was correlated to craniofacial morphology and muscular activity: Regarding craniofacial morphology, various craniofacial measurements in lateral and frontal cephalograms were used, including inclination of the tongue blade placed across both first molars. The zygomaticus major was the focus of the measurement of muscular activity affecting lip-line canting, and its activity during smiling was evaluated by using a needle electrode. In group I, lip-line canting at rest showed a significant correlation with the right-left (R/L) difference of muscular activity, but no significant correlation with the measurements of craniofacial morphology. In group D, lip-line canting showed a positive correlation with the measurements of craniofacial morphology, such as the inclination of the tongue blade, and a negative correlation with the R/L difference of muscular activity. In group M, lip-line canting showed no significant correlation with the R/L difference of muscular activity, but a significant correlation with inclination of the tongue blade. The results indicate that lip-line canting is caused by craniofacial morphology when the change of lip-line canting during smiling is minimal, whereas lip-line canting is affected by the R/L difference of muscular activity in addition to craniofacial morphology when the cant of lip line markedly changes during smiling. The findings suggest that the cause of lip-line canting can be identified easily by the change of canting during smiling, without complicated musculoskeletal analyses.

ACTIVITY-BRIGHTNESS CORRELATIONS FOR THE SUN AND SUN-LIKE STARS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Preminger, D. G.; Chapman, G. A.; Cookson, A. M.

2011-10-01

We analyze the effect of solar features on the variability of the solar irradiance in three different spectral ranges. Our study is based on two solar-cycles' worth of full-disk photometric images from the San Fernando Observatory, obtained with red, blue, and Ca II K-line filters. For each image we measure the photometric sum, {Sigma}, which is the relative contribution of solar features to the disk-integrated intensity of the image. The photometric sums in the red and blue continuum, {Sigma}{sub r} and {Sigma}{sub b}, exhibit similar temporal patterns: they are negatively correlated with solar activity, with strong short-term variability, and weakmore » solar-cycle variability. However, the Ca II K-line photometric sum, {Sigma}{sub K}, is positively correlated with solar activity and has strong variations on solar-cycle timescales. We show that we can model the variability of the Sun's bolometric flux as a linear combination of {Sigma}{sub r} and {Sigma}{sub K}. We infer that, over solar-cycle timescales, the variability of the Sun's bolometric irradiance is directly correlated with spectral line variability, but inversely correlated with continuum variability. Our blue and red continuum filters are quite similar to the Stroemgren b and y filters used to measure stellar photometric variability. We conclude that active stars whose visible continuum brightness varies inversely with activity, as measured by the Ca HK index, are displaying a pattern that is similar to that of the Sun, i.e., radiative variability in the visible continuum that is spot-dominated.« less

The Mn-Fe negative correlation in olivines in ALHA 77257 ureilite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyamoto, M.; Furuta, T.; Fujii, N.; Mckay, D. S.; Lofgren, G. E.; Duke, M. B.

1993-01-01

An electron probe microanalyzer is used to measure the Mn, Fe, and oxygen zoning profiles of olivines in the ALHA 77257 ureilite. This is done to study the effects of reduction on the Mn-Fe value, as ureilite olivines exhibit thin reduced rims. Since the Mn content gradually increases toward the rim of ureilite olivines, while the Fa (= 100 x Fe/(Mg + Fe), mol percent) component decreases, the Mn-Fe content of olivine is likely related to redox conditions. The results of melting experiments suggest that the Mn-Fe positive correlation is related to temperature and that the negative correlation of Mn-Fe in olivine and low-Ca pyroxene is related to reduction.

Reliability of environmental sampling culture results using the negative binomial intraclass correlation coefficient.

PubMed

Aly, Sharif S; Zhao, Jianyang; Li, Ben; Jiang, Jiming

2014-01-01

The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) is commonly used to estimate the similarity between quantitative measures obtained from different sources. Overdispersed data is traditionally transformed so that linear mixed model (LMM) based ICC can be estimated. A common transformation used is the natural logarithm. The reliability of environmental sampling of fecal slurry on freestall pens has been estimated for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis using the natural logarithm transformed culture results. Recently, the negative binomial ICC was defined based on a generalized linear mixed model for negative binomial distributed data. The current study reports on the negative binomial ICC estimate which includes fixed effects using culture results of environmental samples. Simulations using a wide variety of inputs and negative binomial distribution parameters (r; p) showed better performance of the new negative binomial ICC compared to the ICC based on LMM even when negative binomial data was logarithm, and square root transformed. A second comparison that targeted a wider range of ICC values showed that the mean of estimated ICC closely approximated the true ICC.

Long-Term Correlates of Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Norwegian Men and Women.

PubMed

Solbraa, Ane Kristiansen; Ekelund, Ulf; Holme, Ingar M; Graff-Iversen, Sidsel; Steene-Johannessen, Jostein; Aadland, Eivind; Anderssen, Sigmund Alfred

2015-11-01

Sex, age, body mass index (BMI), perceived health and health behavior are correlates known to affect physical activity and sedentary time. However, studies have often been cross-sectional, and less is known about long-term correlates. Thus, the aims were to investigate 1) the associations between a set of characteristics (demographic, biological, psychological, and behavioral) and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time at 13-year follow-up, and 2) the association between changes in these characteristics over time and physical activity and sedentary time. Baseline characteristics were collected in 40-year-olds in 1996, and follow-up data on objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time were obtained in 2009 (n = 240). Data were analyzed by multiple linear regressions. Self-reported physical activity (P < .001) and improved perceived health (P = .046) were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) whereas BMI (P = .034) and increased BMI (P = .014) were negatively associated with MVPA at follow-up. Women spent less time being sedentary than men (P = .019). Education (P < .001) was positively associated and improved perceived health (P = .010) was negatively associated with sedentary time at follow-up. MVPA and sedentary time at follow-up were associated with behavioral, biological and demographic correlates. However, the nature of our analyses prevents us from inferring causality.

Spectroscopic evidence for negative electronic compressibility in a quasi-three-dimensional spin–orbit correlated metal

DOE PAGES

He, Junfeng; Hogan, T.; Mion, Thomas R.; ...

2015-04-27

Negative compressibility is a sign of thermodynamic instability of open1,2,3 or non-equilibrium4,5 systems. In quantum materials consisting of multiple mutually coupled subsystems, the compressibility of one subsystem can be negative if it is countered by positive compressibility of the others. Manifestations of this effect have so far been limited to low-dimensional dilute electron systems6,7,8,9,10,11. Here, we present evidence from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) for negative electronic compressibility (NEC) in the quasi-three-dimensional (3D) spin–orbit correlated metal (Sr1-xLax)3Ir2O7. Increased electron filling accompanies an anomalous decrease of the chemical potential, as indicated by the overall movement of the deep valence bands. Such anomaly,more » suggestive of NEC, is shown to be primarily driven by the lowering in energy of the conduction band as the correlated bandgap reduces. Our finding points to a distinct pathway towards an uncharted territory of NEC featuring bulk correlated metals with unique potential for applications in low-power nanoelectronics and novel metamaterials.« less

Serum total bilirubin levels are negatively correlated with metabolic syndrome in aged Chinese women: a community-based study.

PubMed

Zhong, P; Sun, D M; Wu, D H; Li, T M; Liu, X Y; Liu, H Y

2017-01-26

We evaluated serum total bilirubin levels as a predictor for metabolic syndrome (MetS) and investigated the relationship between serum total bilirubin levels and MetS prevalence. This cross-sectional study included 1728 participants over 65 years of age from Eastern China. Anthropometric data, lifestyle information, and previous medical history were collected. We then measured serum levels of fasting blood-glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and total bilirubin, as well as alanine aminotransferase activity. The prevalence of MetS and each of its individual component were calculated per quartile of total bilirubin level. Logistic regression was used to assess the correlation between serum total bilirubin levels and MetS. Total bilirubin level in the women who did not have MetS was significantly higher than in those who had MetS (P<0.001). Serum total bilirubin quartiles were linearly and negatively correlated with MetS prevalence and hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) in females (P<0.005). Logistic regression showed that serum total bilirubin was an independent predictor of MetS for females (OR: 0.910, 95%CI: 0.863-0.960; P=0.001). The present study suggests that physiological levels of serum total bilirubin might be an independent risk factor for aged Chinese women, and the prevalence of MetS and HTG are negatively correlated to serum total bilirubin levels.

Neighbourhood environment correlates of physical activity: a study of eight Czech regional towns.

PubMed

Sigmundová, Dagmar; El Ansari, Walid; Sigmund, Erik

2011-02-01

An adequate amount of physical activity (PA) is a key factor that is associated with good health. This study assessed socio-environmental factors associated with meeting the health recommendations for PA (achieving 10,000 steps per day). In total, 1,653 respondents randomly selected from across eight regional towns (each >90,000 inhabitants) in the Czech Republic participated in the study. The ANEWS questionnaire assessed the environment in neighbourhoods, and participants' weekly PA was objectively monitored (Yamax Digiwalker SW-700 pedometer). About 24% of participants were sufficiently active, 27% were highly active; 28% participants were overweight and 5% were obese. Although BMI was significantly inversely associated with the daily step counts achieved only in females, for both genders, BMI was generally not significantly associated with the criterion of achieving 10,000 steps per day during the week. Increased BMI in both genders was accompanied with a decline in participation in organized PA and with increasing age. As regards to the demographic/lifestyle factors, for females, more participation in organized PA was significantly positively correlated with the achieved daily step counts. In contrast, older age and higher BMI (for females) and smoking (for males) were significantly negatively correlated with the achieved daily step counts. In terms of the environmental aspects, pleasant environments were significantly positively correlated to daily step counts for both genders. Additionally, for males, better residencies (more family homes rather than apartment blocks) in the neighbourhood were significantly positively correlated with their daily step counts. For females, less accessibility of shops and non-sport facilities (depending on walking distance in minutes) were significantly negatively correlated to the achieved daily step counts. Individuals who lived in pleasant neighbourhoods, with better access to shops and who participated in organized PA (≥ 2

Neighbourhood Environment Correlates of Physical Activity: A Study of Eight Czech Regional Towns

PubMed Central

Sigmundová, Dagmar; El Ansari, Walid; Sigmund, Erik

2011-01-01

An adequate amount of physical activity (PA) is a key factor that is associated with good health. This study assessed socio-environmental factors associated with meeting the health recommendations for PA (achieving 10,000 steps per day). In total, 1,653 respondents randomly selected from across eight regional towns (each >90,000 inhabitants) in the Czech Republic participated in the study. The ANEWS questionnaire assessed the environment in neighbourhoods, and participants’ weekly PA was objectively monitored (Yamax Digiwalker SW-700 pedometer). About 24% of participants were sufficiently active, 27% were highly active; 28% participants were overweight and 5% were obese. Although BMI was significantly inversely associated with the daily step counts achieved only in females, for both genders, BMI was generally not significantly associated with the criterion of achieving 10,000 steps per day during the week. Increased BMI in both genders was accompanied with a decline in participation in organized PA and with increasing age. As regards to the demographic/lifestyle factors, for females, more participation in organized PA was significantly positively correlated with the achieved daily step counts. In contrast, older age and higher BMI (for females) and smoking (for males) were significantly negatively correlated with the achieved daily step counts. In terms of the environmental aspects, pleasant environments were significantly positively correlated to daily step counts for both genders. Additionally, for males, better residencies (more family homes rather than apartment blocks) in the neighbourhood were significantly positively correlated with their daily step counts. For females, less accessibility of shops and non-sport facilities (depending on walking distance in minutes) were significantly negatively correlated to the achieved daily step counts. Individuals who lived in pleasant neighbourhoods, with better access to shops and who participated in organized PA (�

Heart rate turbulence parameters correlate with post-premature ventricular contraction changes in muscle sympathetic activity.

PubMed

Segerson, Nathan M; Wasmund, Stephen L; Abedin, Moeen; Pai, Rakesh K; Daccarett, Marcos; Akoum, Nazem; Wall, T Scott; Klein, Richard C; Freedman, Roger A; Hamdan, Mohamed H

2007-03-01

Heart rate turbulence (HRT) has been shown to be vagally mediated with a strong correlation to baroreflex indices. However, the relationship between HRT and peripheral sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) after a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) remains unclear. We sought to evaluate the relationship between HRT and the changes in peripheral SNA after PVCs. We recorded postganglionic muscle SNA during electrocardiogram monitoring in eight patients with spontaneous PVCs. Fifty-two PVCs were observed and analyzed for turbulence onset (TO) and slope (TS). SNA was quantified during (1) the dominant burst after the PVC (dominant burst area) and (2) the 10 seconds after the dominant burst (postburst SNA). The mean TO was 0.1% +/- 4.6%, and the mean TS was 6.1 +/- 6.6. The dominant burst area negatively correlated with TO (r = -0.50, P = .0002). The postburst SNA showed a significant positive correlation with TO (r = 0.44, P = .001) and a negative correlation with TS (r = -0.42, P = .002). These correlations remained significant after controlling for either the PVC coupling interval or the left ventricular ejection fraction. Our findings highlight the relationship between perturbations in HRT and pathology in the sympathetic limb of the autonomic nervous system. Future studies are needed to evaluate the prognostic role of baroreflex control of sympathetic activity in patients with structural heart disease.

Corrugator activity confirms immediate negative affect in surprise

PubMed Central

Topolinski, Sascha; Strack, Fritz

2015-01-01

The emotion of surprise entails a complex of immediate responses, such as cognitive interruption, attention allocation to, and more systematic processing of the surprising stimulus. All these processes serve the ultimate function to increase processing depth and thus cognitively master the surprising stimulus. The present account introduces phasic negative affect as the underlying mechanism responsible for this switch in operating mode. Surprising stimuli are schema-discrepant and thus entail cognitive disfluency, which elicits immediate negative affect. This affect in turn works like a phasic cognitive tuning switching the current processing mode from more automatic and heuristic to more systematic and reflective processing. Directly testing the initial elicitation of negative affect by surprising events, the present experiment presented high and low surprising neutral trivia statements to N = 28 participants while assessing their spontaneous facial expressions via facial electromyography. High compared to low surprising trivia elicited higher corrugator activity, indicative of negative affect and mental effort, while leaving zygomaticus (positive affect) and frontalis (cultural surprise expression) activity unaffected. Future research shall investigate the mediating role of negative affect in eliciting surprise-related outcomes. PMID:25762956

Corrugator activity confirms immediate negative affect in surprise.

PubMed

Topolinski, Sascha; Strack, Fritz

2015-01-01

The emotion of surprise entails a complex of immediate responses, such as cognitive interruption, attention allocation to, and more systematic processing of the surprising stimulus. All these processes serve the ultimate function to increase processing depth and thus cognitively master the surprising stimulus. The present account introduces phasic negative affect as the underlying mechanism responsible for this switch in operating mode. Surprising stimuli are schema-discrepant and thus entail cognitive disfluency, which elicits immediate negative affect. This affect in turn works like a phasic cognitive tuning switching the current processing mode from more automatic and heuristic to more systematic and reflective processing. Directly testing the initial elicitation of negative affect by surprising events, the present experiment presented high and low surprising neutral trivia statements to N = 28 participants while assessing their spontaneous facial expressions via facial electromyography. High compared to low surprising trivia elicited higher corrugator activity, indicative of negative affect and mental effort, while leaving zygomaticus (positive affect) and frontalis (cultural surprise expression) activity unaffected. Future research shall investigate the mediating role of negative affect in eliciting surprise-related outcomes.

Behavioral correlates between daily activity and sociality in wild and captive origin African lions.

PubMed

Dunston, Emma J; Abell, Jackie; Freire, Rafael

2016-01-01

Study of behavioral correlations within and across populations has long been of interest to ethologists. An exploration of behavioral correlations between sociality and behavior of African lions ( Panthera leo ) was undertaken to examine if this approach is better able to reveal important aspects of lion behavior not easily discernible by looking at these behaviors separately. Resting behavior and received play interactions were correlated in 2 captive-origin prides and one wild pride, attributable to the involvement of cubs and sub-adults. Direct and exploratory movement was negatively correlated with groom centrality in 2 of the 3 prides, due to adults engaging in high levels of both of these activities. Exploration of these behavioral correlations highlighted the differences between age-groups in activity and sociality, facilitating the understanding of the complex behavior and interactions of lions. In addition, the finding of similar behavioral correlations between captive-origin and the wild prides provides confidence in the suitability if captive-origin candidates for ex-situ release. This is imperative to ensure the success of sub-groups and prides under an ex-situ reintroduction program.

Correlates of children’s time-specific physical activity: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Assessment of correlates of physical activity occurring at different times of the day, locations and contexts, is imperative to understanding children’s physical activity behaviour. The purpose of this review was to identify the correlates of children’s physical activity (aged 8–14 years) occurring during the school break time and after-school periods. A review was conducted of the peer-reviewed literature, published between 1990 and January 2011. A total of 22 studies (12 school break time studies, 10 after-school studies) were included in the review. Across the 22 studies, 17 studies were cross-sectional and five studies were interventions. In the school break time studies, 39 potential correlates were identified, of which gender and age were consistently associated with school break time physical activity in two or more studies, and family affluence, access to a gym, access to four or more physical activity programs and the condition of a playing field were all associated with school break time physical activity in only one study. Access to loose and fixed equipment, playground markings, size of and access to play space and the length of school break time were all positively associated with changes in school break time physical activity in intervention studies. Thirty-six potential correlates of after-school physical activity were identified. Gender (with boys more active), younger age, lower body mass index (for females), lower TV viewing/playing video games, and greater access to facilities were associated with higher levels of after-school physical activity in two or more studies. Parent supervision was negatively associated with females’ after-school physical activity in one study. This review has revealed a relatively small number of studies investigating the school break time and after-school periods in the specified age range and only a few correlates have demonstrated a consistent association with physical activity. This highlights the infancy

Activation of the serotonergic system by pedaling exercise changes anterior cingulate cortex activity and improves negative emotion.

PubMed

Ohmatsu, Satoko; Nakano, Hideki; Tominaga, Takanori; Terakawa, Yuzo; Murata, Takaho; Morioka, Shu

2014-08-15

Pedaling exercise (PE) of moderate intensity has been shown to ease anxiety and discomfort; however, little is known of the changes that occur in brain activities and in the serotonergic (5-HT) system after PE. Therefore, this study was conducted for the following reasons: (1) to localize the changes in the brain activities induced by PE using a distributed source localization algorithm, (2) to examine the changes in frontal asymmetry, as used in the Davidson model, with electroencephalography (EEG) activity, and (3) to examine the effect of PE on the 5-HT system. A 32-channel EEG was used to record before and after PE. Profile of Mood States tests indicated that there was a significant decrease in tension-anxiety and a significant increase in vigor after PE. A standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis showed a significant decrease in brain activities after PE in the alpha-2 band (10-12.5 Hz) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Moreover, a significant increase in frontal EEG asymmetry was observed after PE in the alpha-1 band (7.5-10 Hz). Urine 5-HT levels significantly increased after PE. Urine 5-HT levels positively correlated with the degree of frontal EEG asymmetry in the alpha-1 band and negatively correlated with brain activity in ACC. Our results suggested that PE activates the 5-HT system and consequently induces increases in frontal EEG asymmetry in the alpha-1 band and reductions of brain activity in the alpha-2 band in the ACC region. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasma homovanillic acid, plasma anti-D1 and -D2 dopamine-receptor activity, and negative symptoms in chronically mediated schizophrenia.

PubMed

Suzuki, E; Kanba, S; Nibuya, M; Koshikawa, H; Nakaki, T; Yagi, G

1992-02-15

We have investigated the relationship between the concentration of homovanillic acid in human plasma (pHVA) and plasma anti-D1 and anti-D2 dopamine receptor activity in chronic schizophrenic patients whose neuroleptic dosage was changed. The change in pHVA level correlated with that in anti-D1, not anti-D2 activity, thus suggesting that the neuroleptic-induced changes in pHVA concentration may be associated with the blocking of D1- as well as D2- receptors. The change of scores on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms did not significantly correlate with changes in anti-D1 or anti-D2 activity, but did so correlated with the change in pHVA level.

Alternative HER/PTEN/Akt Pathway Activation in HPV Positive and Negative Penile Carcinomas

PubMed Central

Stankiewicz, Elzbieta; Prowse, David M.; Ng, Mansum; Cuzick, Jack; Mesher, David; Hiscock, Frances; Lu, Yong-Jie; Watkin, Nicholas; Corbishley, Catherine; Lam, Wayne; Berney, Daniel M.

2011-01-01

Background The pathogenesis of penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is not well understood, though risk factors include human papillomavirus (HPV). Disruption of HER/PTEN/Akt pathway is present in many cancers; however there is little information on its function in PSCC. We investigated HER family receptors and phosphatase and tension homolog (PTEN) in HPV-positive and negative PSCC and its impact on Akt activation using immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH). Methodology/Principal Findings 148 PSCCs were microarrayed and immunostained for phosphorylated EGFR (pEGFR), HER2, HER3, HER4, phosphorylated Akt (pAkt), Akt1 and PTEN proteins. EGFR and PTEN gene status were also evaluated using FISH. HPV presence was assessed by PCR. pEGFR expression was detected significantly less frequently in HPV-positive than HPV-negative tumours (p = 0.0143). Conversely, HER3 expression was significantly more common in HPV-positive cases (p = 0.0128). HER4, pAkt, Akt and PTEN protein expression were not related to HPV. HER3 (p = 0.0054) and HER4 (p = 0.0002) receptors significantly correlated with cytoplasmic Akt1 immunostaining. All three proteins positively correlated with tumour grade (HER3, p = 0.0029; HER4, p = 0.0118; Akt1, p = 0.0001). pEGFR expression correlated with pAkt but not with tumour grade or stage. There was no EGFR gene amplification. HER2 was not detected. PTEN protein expression was reduced or absent in 62% of tumours but PTEN gene copy loss was present only in 4% of PSCCs. Conclusions/Significance EGFR, HER3 and HER4 but not HER2 are associated with penile carcinogenesis. HPV-negative tumours tend to express significantly more pEGFR than HPV-positive cancers and this expression correlates with pAkt protein, indicating EGFR as an upstream regulator of Akt signalling in PSCC. Conversely, HER3 expression is significantly more common in HPV-positive cases and positively correlates with cytoplasmic Akt1 expression

Alternative HER/PTEN/Akt pathway activation in HPV positive and negative penile carcinomas.

PubMed

Stankiewicz, Elzbieta; Prowse, David M; Ng, Mansum; Cuzick, Jack; Mesher, David; Hiscock, Frances; Lu, Yong-Jie; Watkin, Nicholas; Corbishley, Catherine; Lam, Wayne; Berney, Daniel M

2011-03-02

The pathogenesis of penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is not well understood, though risk factors include human papillomavirus (HPV). Disruption of HER/PTEN/Akt pathway is present in many cancers; however there is little information on its function in PSCC. We investigated HER family receptors and phosphatase and tension homolog (PTEN) in HPV-positive and negative PSCC and its impact on Akt activation using immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH). 148 PSCCs were microarrayed and immunostained for phosphorylated EGFR (pEGFR), HER2, HER3, HER4, phosphorylated Akt (pAkt), Akt1 and PTEN proteins. EGFR and PTEN gene status were also evaluated using FISH. HPV presence was assessed by PCR. pEGFR expression was detected significantly less frequently in HPV-positive than HPV-negative tumours (p = 0.0143). Conversely, HER3 expression was significantly more common in HPV-positive cases (p = 0.0128). HER4, pAkt, Akt and PTEN protein expression were not related to HPV. HER3 (p = 0.0054) and HER4 (p = 0.0002) receptors significantly correlated with cytoplasmic Akt1 immunostaining. All three proteins positively correlated with tumour grade (HER3, p = 0.0029; HER4, p = 0.0118; Akt1, p = 0.0001). pEGFR expression correlated with pAkt but not with tumour grade or stage. There was no EGFR gene amplification. HER2 was not detected. PTEN protein expression was reduced or absent in 62% of tumours but PTEN gene copy loss was present only in 4% of PSCCs. EGFR, HER3 and HER4 but not HER2 are associated with penile carcinogenesis. HPV-negative tumours tend to express significantly more pEGFR than HPV-positive cancers and this expression correlates with pAkt protein, indicating EGFR as an upstream regulator of Akt signalling in PSCC. Conversely, HER3 expression is significantly more common in HPV-positive cases and positively correlates with cytoplasmic Akt1 expression. HER4 and PTEN protein expression are not related to HPV infection

Physical activity and negative affective reactivity in daily life.

PubMed

Puterman, Eli; Weiss, Jordan; Beauchamp, Mark R; Mogle, Jacqueline; Almeida, David M

2017-12-01

The results from experimental studies indicate that physically active individuals remain calmer and report less anxiety after the induction of a standardized stressor. The current study extends this research to real life, and examines whether daily physical activity attenuates negative affect that occurs in response to naturally occurring daily stressors. The current study used data from the second wave of the National Study of Daily Experiences, a sub-study of the second wave of the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS-II) of 2,022 individuals aged 33-84 questioned nightly for eight consecutive days about their general affect and affective responses to stressful events and their engagement in physical activity. Results indicated that while negative affect is significantly elevated on days with stressful events compared to days free of events in all individuals, these effects are attenuated in those who remain physically active when compared to those who were underactive. This was also true for any day participants were physically active. Importantly, negative affect in response to any specific stressor was reduced the closer in time that the stressor occurred to the bout of exercise in underactive participants, while, in active participants, negative affect in response to any stressor remained low throughout the entire day that participants reported that they were active. Given the significant mental and physical health implications of elevated affective reactivity observed in previous studies, the current study sheds further light on the importance of remaining physically active in times of stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Bactericidal activity against coagulase-negative staphylococci is impaired in infants receiving long-term parenteral nutrition.

PubMed

Okada, Y; Klein, N J; van Saene, H K; Webb, G; Holzel, H; Pierro, A

2000-02-01

To examine the role of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in predisposing infants to infection caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci. Total parenteral nutrition is an important means of providing essential nutrients to newborn infants. However, its use has been associated with complications, particularly infection caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci. Recent data suggest that TPN may modulate immune function; however, reports directly indicating impaired immunity against coagulase-negative staphylococci during TPN are limited. Study 1 involved 31 infants younger than 4 months who had undergone surgery and were not receiving antibiotics; 20 were receiving TPN and 11 were receiving a normal enteral diet. An in vitro whole blood model was used to measure the host bactericidal activity against coagulase-negative staphylococci. Bacterial killing and phagocytosis were measured after a 45-minute challenge with viable coagulase-negative staphylococci. In study 2, whole blood killing and intracellular killing of coagulase-negative staphylococci were measured in five newborn infants (younger than 2 months) who were receiving long-term TPN (>10 days), five control infants receiving a normal enteral diet, and five healthy adults. In study 1, infants receiving a normal enteral diet showed a high capacity to ingest and kill coagulase-negative staphylococci. In contrast, the blood of infants receiving long-term TPN showed a reduction in coagulase-negative staphylococci phagocytosis and killing. There were significant negative linear correlations between the duration of TPN and killing of coagulase-negative staphylococci and phagocytosis of coagulase-negative staphylococci. In study 2, infants receiving long-term TPN had lower whole blood killing and intracellular killing than infants receiving a normal enteral diet and healthy adult volunteers. These data seem to indicate a neutrophil dysfunction mediated by TPN in infancy. Host defense mechanisms, including phagocytosis

miR-122 negatively correlates with liver fibrosis as detected by histology and FibroScan

PubMed Central

Halász, Tünde; Horváth, Gábor; Pár, Gabriella; Werling, Klára; Kiss, András; Schaff, Zsuzsa; Lendvai, Gábor

2015-01-01

AIM: To investigate whether expression of selected miRNAs obtained from fibrotic liver biopsies correlate with fibrosis stage. METHODS: Altogether, 52 patients were enrolled in the study representing various etiologic backgrounds of fibrosis: 24 cases with chronic hepatitis infections (types B, C), 19 with autoimmune liver diseases (autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, overlapping syndrome cases), and 9 of mixed etiology (alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatosis, cryptogenic cases). Severity of fibrosis was determined by both histologic staging using the METAVIR scoring system and noninvasive transient elastography. Following RNA isolation, expression levels of miR-21, miR-122, miR-214, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-224 were determined using TaqMan MicroRNA Assays applying miR-140 as the reference. Selection of miRNAs was based on their characteristic up- or downregulation observed in hepatocellular carcinoma. Relative expression of miRNAs was correlated with fibrosis stage and liver stiffness (LS) value measured by transient elastography, as well as with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. RESULTS: The expression of individual miRNAs showed deregulated patterns in stages F1-F4 as compared with stage F0, but only the reduced level of miR-122 in stage F4 was statistically significant (P < 0.04). When analyzing miRNA expression in relation to fibrosis, levels of miR-122 and miR-221 showed negative correlations with fibrosis stage, and miR-122 was found to correlate negatively and miR-224 positively with LS values (all P < 0.05). ALT levels displayed a positive correlation with miR-21 (P < 0.04). Negative correlations were observed in the fibrosis samples of mixed etiology between miR-122 and fibrosis stage and LS values (P < 0.05), and in the samples of chronic viral hepatitis, between miR-221 and fibrosis stage (P < 0.01), whereas miR-21 showed positive correlation with ALT values in the samples of autoimmune liver

miR-122 negatively correlates with liver fibrosis as detected by histology and FibroScan.

PubMed

Halász, Tünde; Horváth, Gábor; Pár, Gabriella; Werling, Klára; Kiss, András; Schaff, Zsuzsa; Lendvai, Gábor

2015-07-07

To investigate whether expression of selected miRNAs obtained from fibrotic liver biopsies correlate with fibrosis stage. Altogether, 52 patients were enrolled in the study representing various etiologic backgrounds of fibrosis: 24 cases with chronic hepatitis infections (types B, C), 19 with autoimmune liver diseases (autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, overlapping syndrome cases), and 9 of mixed etiology (alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatosis, cryptogenic cases). Severity of fibrosis was determined by both histologic staging using the METAVIR scoring system and noninvasive transient elastography. Following RNA isolation, expression levels of miR-21, miR-122, miR-214, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-224 were determined using TaqMan MicroRNA Assays applying miR-140 as the reference. Selection of miRNAs was based on their characteristic up- or downregulation observed in hepatocellular carcinoma. Relative expression of miRNAs was correlated with fibrosis stage and liver stiffness (LS) value measured by transient elastography, as well as with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. The expression of individual miRNAs showed deregulated patterns in stages F1-F4 as compared with stage F0, but only the reduced level of miR-122 in stage F4 was statistically significant (P < 0.04). When analyzing miRNA expression in relation to fibrosis, levels of miR-122 and miR-221 showed negative correlations with fibrosis stage, and miR-122 was found to correlate negatively and miR-224 positively with LS values (all P < 0.05). ALT levels displayed a positive correlation with miR-21 (P < 0.04). Negative correlations were observed in the fibrosis samples of mixed etiology between miR-122 and fibrosis stage and LS values (P < 0.05), and in the samples of chronic viral hepatitis, between miR-221 and fibrosis stage (P < 0.01), whereas miR-21 showed positive correlation with ALT values in the samples of autoimmune liver diseases (P < 0.03). The

Negative BOLD with Large Increases in Neuronal Activity

PubMed Central

Khubchandani, Manjula; Motelow, Joshua E.; Sanganahalli, Basavaraju G.; Hyder, Fahmeed

2008-01-01

Blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is widely used in neuroscience to study brain activity. However, BOLD fMRI does not measure neuronal activity directly but depends on cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) consumption. Using fMRI, CBV, CBF, neuronal recordings, and CMRO2 modeling, we investigated how the signals are related during seizures in rats. We found that increases in hemodynamic, neuronal, and metabolic activity were associated with positive BOLD signals in the cortex, but with negative BOLD signals in hippocampus. Our data show that negative BOLD signals do not necessarily imply decreased neuronal activity or CBF, but can result from increased neuronal activity, depending on the interplay between hemodynamics and metabolism. Caution should be used in interpreting fMRI signals because the relationship between neuronal activity and BOLD signals may depend on brain region and state and can be different during normal and pathological conditions. PMID:18063563

Sociodemographic and Environmental Correlates of Active Commuting in Rural America

PubMed Central

Fan, Jessie X.; Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori

2014-01-01

Purpose This research investigated participation rates in 3 modes of active commuting (AC) and their sociodemographic and physical environmental correlates in rural America. Methods The 2000 Census supplemented with other datasets were used to analyze AC rates in percentage of workers walking, biking, and taking public transportations to work in 14,209 nonmetropolitan rural tracts identified by RUCA codes, including 4,067 small rural and 10,142 town-micropolitan rural tracts. Sociodemographic and physical environmental variables were correlated with 3 AC modes simultaneously using Seemingly Unrelated Regression for nonmetro rural, and for small rural and town-micropolitan rural separately. Findings The average AC rates in rural tracts were 3.63%, 0.26%, and 0.56% for walking, biking, and public transportation to work, respectively, with small rural tracts having a higher rate of walking but lower rates of biking and public transportation to work than town-micropolitan tracts. In general, better economic well-being was negatively associated with AC but percentage of college-educated was a positive correlate. Population density was positively associated with AC but greenness and proximity to parks were negative correlates. However, significant differences existed for different AC modes, and between small rural and town-micropolitan rural tracts. Conclusions Sociodemographic factors explained more variance in AC than physical environmental factors but the detailed relationships were complex, varying by AC mode and by degree of rurality. Any strategy to promote AC in rural America needs to be sensitive to the population size of the area and assessed in a comprehensive manner to avoid a “one size fits all” approach. PMID:25066252

Sociodemographic and environmental correlates of active commuting in rural America.

PubMed

Fan, Jessie X; Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori

2015-01-01

This research investigated participation rates in 3 modes of active commuting (AC) and their sociodemographic and physical environmental correlates in rural America. The 2000 Census supplemented with other data sets were used to analyze AC rates in percentage of workers walking, biking, and taking public transportation to work in 14,209 nonmetropolitan rural tracts identified by RUCA codes, including 4,067 small rural and 10,142 town-micropolitan rural tracts. Sociodemographic and physical environmental variables were correlated with 3 AC modes simultaneously using Seemingly Unrelated Regression for nonmetro rural, and for small rural and town-micropolitan rural separately. The average AC rates in rural tracts were 3.63%, 0.26%, and 0.56% for walking, biking, and public transportation to work, respectively, with small rural tracts having a higher rate of walking but lower rates of biking and public transportation to work than town-micropolitan tracts. In general, better economic well-being was negatively associated with AC but percentage of college-educated was a positive correlate. Population density was positively associated with AC but greenness and proximity to parks were negative correlates. However, significant differences existed for different AC modes, and between small rural and town-micropolitan rural tracts. Sociodemographic factors explained more variance in AC than physical environmental factors but the detailed relationships were complex, varying by AC mode and by degree of rurality. Any strategy to promote AC in rural America needs to be sensitive to the population size of the area and assessed in a comprehensive manner to avoid a "one size fits all" approach. © 2014 National Rural Health Association.

Negative Urgency Mediates the Relationship between Amygdala and Orbitofrontal Cortex Activation to Negative Emotional Stimuli and General Risk-Taking

PubMed Central

Cyders, Melissa A.; Dzemidzic, Mario; Eiler, William J.; Coskunpinar, Ayca; Karyadi, Kenny A.; Kareken, David A.

2015-01-01

The tendency toward impulsive behavior under emotional duress (negative and positive urgency) predicts a wide range of maladaptive risk-taking and behavioral disorders. However, it remains unclear how urgency relates to limbic system activity as induced from emotional provocation. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the relationship between brain responses to visual emotional stimuli and urgency traits. Twenty-seven social drinkers (mean age = 25.2, 14 males) viewed negative (Neg), neutral (Neu), and positive (Pos) images during 6 fMRI scans. Brain activation was extracted from a priori limbic regions previously identified in studies of emotional provocation. The right posterior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and left amygdala were activated in the [Neg>Neu] contrast, whereas the left posterior OFC was activated in the [Pos>Neu] contrast. Negative urgency was related to the right lateral OFC (r = 0.43, P = 0.03) and the left amygdala (r = 0.39, P = 0.04) [Neg>Neu] activation. Negative urgency also mediated the relationship between [Neg>Neu] activation and general risk-taking (regression weights = 3.42 for right OFC and 2.75 for the left amygdala). Emotional cue-induced activation in right lateral OFC and left amygdala might relate to emotion-based risk-taking through negative urgency. PMID:24904065

Psychological Correlates of Self-Reported and Objectively Measured Physical Activity among Chinese Children—Psychological Correlates of PA

PubMed Central

Wang, Jing-Jing; Baranowski, Tom; Lau, Patrick W. C.; Chen, Tzu-An; Zhang, Shu-Ge

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore the associations among psychological correlates and physical activity (PA) in Chinese children and to further examine whether these associations varied by different PA measures. PA self-efficacy, motivation, and preference were reported in 449 8–13-year-old Chinese children (252 males). Moderate- to vigorous- intensity PA (MVPA) was measured by the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and with an ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer. Correlations and hierarchical regressions were performed to explore their associations. The study psychological variables were all positively related to PAQ-C and objective MVPA (r: 0.22–0.63). The associations with PAQ-C were all substantially stronger than those with accelerometry. Beyond the explained variance accounted for by demographics and social desirability, the addition of the psychological correlates accounted for 45% of the variance of the PAQ-C score, while only 13% for accelerometry-based MVPA. The associations of specific variables with the PAQ-C score (age, PA self-efficacy, autonomous motivation and preference) were somewhat different from those associated with objective MVPA (PA self-efficacy, autonomous motivation, and negatively associated with female gender). This study demonstrated the importance of self-efficacy and autonomous motivation in association with PA and indicated the difference in level of their associations with different PA measures. PMID:27754396

Psychological Correlates of Self-Reported and Objectively Measured Physical Activity among Chinese Children-Psychological Correlates of PA.

PubMed

Wang, Jing-Jing; Baranowski, Tom; Lau, Patrick W C; Chen, Tzu-An; Zhang, Shu-Ge

2016-10-13

This study aimed to explore the associations among psychological correlates and physical activity (PA) in Chinese children and to further examine whether these associations varied by different PA measures. PA self-efficacy, motivation, and preference were reported in 449 8-13-year-old Chinese children (252 males). Moderate- to vigorous- intensity PA (MVPA) was measured by the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and with an ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer. Correlations and hierarchical regressions were performed to explore their associations. The study psychological variables were all positively related to PAQ-C and objective MVPA ( r : 0.22-0.63). The associations with PAQ-C were all substantially stronger than those with accelerometry. Beyond the explained variance accounted for by demographics and social desirability, the addition of the psychological correlates accounted for 45% of the variance of the PAQ-C score, while only 13% for accelerometry-based MVPA. The associations of specific variables with the PAQ-C score (age, PA self-efficacy, autonomous motivation and preference) were somewhat different from those associated with objective MVPA (PA self-efficacy, autonomous motivation, and negatively associated with female gender). This study demonstrated the importance of self-efficacy and autonomous motivation in association with PA and indicated the difference in level of their associations with different PA measures.

The Neural Correlates of Anomalous Habituation to Negative Emotional Pictures in Borderline and Avoidant Personality Disorder Patients

PubMed Central

Koenigsberg, Harold W.; Denny, Bryan T.; Fan, Jin; Liu, Xun; Guerreri, Stephanie; Jo Mayson, Sarah; Rimsky, Liza; New, Antonia S.; Goodman, Marianne; Siever, Larry J

2013-01-01

Objective Extreme emotional reactivity is a defining feature of borderline personality disorder, yet the neural-behavioral mechanisms underlying this affective instability are poorly understood. One possible contributor would be diminished ability to engage the mechanism of emotional habituation. We tested this hypothesis by examining behavioral and neural correlates of habituation in borderline patients, healthy controls, and a psychopathological control group of avoidant personality disorder patients. Method During fMRI scan acquisition, borderline patients, healthy controls and avoidant personality disorder patients viewed novel and repeated pictures, providing valence ratings at each presentation. Statistical parametric maps of the contrasts of activation during repeat versus novel negative picture viewing were compared between groups. Psychophysiological interaction analysis was employed to examine functional connectivity differences between groups. Results Unlike healthy controls, neither borderline nor avoidant personality disorder participants showed increased activity in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex when viewing repeat versus novel pictures. This failure to increase dorsal anterior cingulate activity was associated with greater affective instability in borderline participants. In addition, borderline and avoidant participants showed smaller insula-amygdala connectivity increases than healthy participants and did not show habituation in ratings of the emotional intensity of the images as did healthy participants. Borderline patients differed from avoidant patients in insula-ventral anterior cingulate connectivity during habituation. Conclusions Borderline patients fail to habituate to negative pictures as do healthy participants and differ from both healthy controls and avoidant patients in neural activity during habituation. A failure to effectively engage emotional habituation processes may contribute to affective instability in borderline patients

Comparison of three anti-dsDNA assays: performance and correlation with systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity.

PubMed

Venner, Allison A; Ibañez, Dominique; Gladman, Dafna D; Urowitz, Murray B; MacKinnon, Anne; Blasutig, Ivan M; Yip, Paul M

2013-03-01

To investigate the BioPlex 2200 multiplex immunoassay and Farrzyme ELISA assays as alternatives to the established Farr radioimmunoassay for the correlation of anti-dsDNA antibodies in the assessment of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Standard protocols were used to verify analytical performance claims. Anti-dsDNA antibody levels in SLE patient specimens (N=105) were measured and assessed for clinical performance using manufacturer cut-off limits along with the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) score. Assay precision, measurable range and normal reference interval met the manufacturers' stated claims. Agreement between Farr and BioPlex assays was moderate (positive agreement=62%; negative agreement=85%; kappa=0.48), as was agreement between Farr and Farrzyme assays (positive agreement=56%; negative agreement=91%; kappa=0.51). Mean SLEDAI-2K scores differed significantly between the anti-dsDNA positive and negative groups for BioPlex (p=0.0006), but not Farr (p=0.11) or Farrzyme (p=0.34). ROC curve analysis showed a similar area under the curve (AUC) for all three assays (0.76, 0.74, and 0.73 for Farr, BioPlex, and Farrzyme, respectively) in the discrimination of clinically active disease. Furthermore, increased anti-dsDNA levels from BioPlex showed significant correlation with active renal disease. However, results suggested a lower cut-off for the Farrzyme assay for assessment of global disease activity. BioPlex and Farrzyme assays had similar overall agreement with the Farr assay, with BioPlex best reflecting disease activity in SLE patients. Copyright © 2012 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitudes about Childlessness in the United States: Correlates of Positive, Neutral, and Negative Responses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koropeckyj-Cox, Tanya; Pendell, Gretchen

2007-01-01

The study used cross-sectional analyses of the National Survey of Families and Households (1987-1988, 1992-1994) to examine attitudes about childlessness in the United States. It (a) assesses prevalence of positive, neutral, and negative attitudes about childlessness and (b) identifies the correlates of different attitudes in the population. About…

Increasing Specificity of Correlate Research: Exploring Correlates of Children’s Lunchtime and After-School Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Stanley, Rebecca M.; Ridley, Kate; Olds, Timothy S.; Dollman, James

2014-01-01

Background The lunchtime and after-school contexts are critical windows in a school day for children to be physically active. While numerous studies have investigated correlates of children’s habitual physical activity, few have explored correlates of physical activity occurring at lunchtime and after-school from a social-ecological perspective. Exploring correlates that influence physical activity occurring in specific contexts can potentially improve the prediction and understanding of physical activity. Using a context-specific approach, this study investigated correlates of children’s lunchtime and after-school physical activity. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected from 423 South Australian children aged 10.0–13.9 years (200 boys; 223 girls) attending 10 different schools. Lunchtime and after-school physical activity was assessed using accelerometers. Correlates were assessed using purposely developed context-specific questionnaires. Correlated Component Regression analysis was conducted to derive correlates of context-specific physical activity and determine the variance explained by prediction equations. Results The model of boys’ lunchtime physical activity contained 6 correlates and explained 25% of the variance. For girls, the model explained 17% variance from 9 correlates. Enjoyment of walking during lunchtime was the strongest correlate for both boys and girls. Boys’ and girls’ after-school physical activity models explained 20% variance from 14 correlates and 7% variance from the single item correlate, “I do an organised sport or activity after-school because it gets you fit”, respectively. Conclusions Increasing specificity of correlate research has enabled the identification of unique features of, and a more in-depth interpretation of, lunchtime and after-school physical activity behaviour and is a potential strategy for advancing the physical activity correlate research field. The findings of this study could be used to inform

Radar correlated imaging for extended target by the combination of negative exponential restraint and total variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Tingting; Wang, Lianlian; Lu, Guanghua

2017-07-01

Radar correlated imaging (RCI) introduces the optical correlated imaging technology to traditional microwave imaging, which has raised widespread concern recently. Conventional RCI methods neglect the structural information of complex extended target, which makes the quality of recovery result not really perfect, thus a novel combination of negative exponential restraint and total variation (NER-TV) algorithm for extended target imaging is proposed in this paper. The sparsity is measured by a sequential order one negative exponential function, then the 2D total variation technique is introduced to design a novel optimization problem for extended target imaging. And the proven alternating direction method of multipliers is applied to solve the new problem. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm could realize high resolution imaging efficiently for extended target.

Cocaine users with comorbid Cluster B personality disorders show dysfunctional brain activation and connectivity in the emotional regulation networks during negative emotion maintenance and reappraisal.

PubMed

Albein-Urios, Natalia; Verdejo-Román, Juan; Soriano-Mas, Carles; Asensio, Samuel; Martínez-González, José Miguel; Verdejo-García, Antonio

2013-12-01

Cocaine dependence often co-occurs with Cluster B personality disorders. Since both disorders are characterized by emotion regulation deficits, we predicted that cocaine comorbid patients would exhibit dysfunctional patterns of brain activation and connectivity during reappraisal of negative emotions. We recruited 18 cocaine users with comorbid Cluster B personality disorders, 17 cocaine users without comorbidities and 21 controls to be scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during performance on a reappraisal task in which they had to maintain or suppress the emotions induced by negative affective stimuli. We followed region of interest (ROI) and whole-brain approaches to investigate brain activations and connectivity associated with negative emotion experience and reappraisal. Results showed that cocaine users with comorbid personality disorders had reduced activation of the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex during negative emotion maintenance and increased activation of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the amygdala during reappraisal. Amygdala activation correlated with impulsivity and antisocial beliefs in the comorbid group. Connectivity analyses showed that in the cocaine comorbid group the subgenual cingulate was less efficiently connected with the amygdala and the fusiform gyri and more efficiently connected with the anterior insula during maintenance, whereas during reappraisal the left orbitofrontal cortex was more efficiently connected with the amygdala and the right orbitofrontal cortex was less efficiently connected with the dorsal striatum. We conclude that cocaine users with comorbid Cluster B personality disorders have distinctive patterns of brain activation and connectivity during maintenance and reappraisal of negative emotions, which correlate with impulsivity and dysfunctional beliefs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

The impact of global signal regression on resting state correlations: Are anti-correlated networks introduced?

PubMed Central

Murphy, Kevin; Birn, Rasmus M.; Handwerker, Daniel A.; Jones, Tyler B.; Bandettini, Peter A.

2009-01-01

Low-frequency fluctuations in fMRI signal have been used to map several consistent resting state networks in the brain. Using the posterior cingulate cortex as a seed region, functional connectivity analyses have found not only positive correlations in the default mode network but negative correlations in another resting state network related to attentional processes. The interpretation is that the human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anti-correlated functional networks. Global variations of the BOLD signal are often considered nuisance effects and are commonly removed using a general linear model (GLM) technique. This global signal regression method has been shown to introduce negative activation measures in standard fMRI analyses. The topic of this paper is whether such a correction technique could be the cause of anti-correlated resting state networks in functional connectivity analyses. Here we show that, after global signal regression, correlation values to a seed voxel must sum to a negative value. Simulations also show that small phase differences between regions can lead to spurious negative correlation values. A combination breath holding and visual task demonstrates that the relative phase of global and local signals can affect connectivity measures and that, experimentally, global signal regression leads to bell-shaped correlation value distributions, centred on zero. Finally, analyses of negatively correlated networks in resting state data show that global signal regression is most likely the cause of anti-correlations. These results call into question the interpretation of negatively correlated regions in the brain when using global signal regression as an initial processing step. PMID:18976716

The impact of global signal regression on resting state correlations: are anti-correlated networks introduced?

PubMed

Murphy, Kevin; Birn, Rasmus M; Handwerker, Daniel A; Jones, Tyler B; Bandettini, Peter A

2009-02-01

Low-frequency fluctuations in fMRI signal have been used to map several consistent resting state networks in the brain. Using the posterior cingulate cortex as a seed region, functional connectivity analyses have found not only positive correlations in the default mode network but negative correlations in another resting state network related to attentional processes. The interpretation is that the human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anti-correlated functional networks. Global variations of the BOLD signal are often considered nuisance effects and are commonly removed using a general linear model (GLM) technique. This global signal regression method has been shown to introduce negative activation measures in standard fMRI analyses. The topic of this paper is whether such a correction technique could be the cause of anti-correlated resting state networks in functional connectivity analyses. Here we show that, after global signal regression, correlation values to a seed voxel must sum to a negative value. Simulations also show that small phase differences between regions can lead to spurious negative correlation values. A combination breath holding and visual task demonstrates that the relative phase of global and local signals can affect connectivity measures and that, experimentally, global signal regression leads to bell-shaped correlation value distributions, centred on zero. Finally, analyses of negatively correlated networks in resting state data show that global signal regression is most likely the cause of anti-correlations. These results call into question the interpretation of negatively correlated regions in the brain when using global signal regression as an initial processing step.

On the possibility of negative activation energies in bimolecular reactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, R. L.

1978-01-01

The temperature dependence of the rate constants for model reacting systems was studied to understand some recent experimental measurements which imply the existence of negative activation energies. A collision theory model and classical trajectory calculations are used to demonstrate that the reaction probability can vary inversely with collision energy for bimolecular reactions occurring on attractive potential energy surfaces. However, this is not a sufficient condition to ensure that the rate constant has a negative temperature dependence. On the basis of these calculations, it seems unlikely that a true bimolecular reaction between neutral molecules will have a negative activation energy.

Silver enhances antibiotic activity against gram-negative bacteria.

PubMed

Morones-Ramirez, J Ruben; Winkler, Jonathan A; Spina, Catherine S; Collins, James J

2013-06-19

A declining pipeline of clinically useful antibiotics has made it imperative to develop more effective antimicrobial therapies, particularly against difficult-to-treat Gram-negative pathogens. Silver has been used as an antimicrobial since antiquity, yet its mechanism of action remains unclear. We show that silver disrupts multiple bacterial cellular processes, including disulfide bond formation, metabolism, and iron homeostasis. These changes lead to increased production of reactive oxygen species and increased membrane permeability of Gram-negative bacteria that can potentiate the activity of a broad range of antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria in different metabolic states, as well as restore antibiotic susceptibility to a resistant bacterial strain. We show both in vitro and in a mouse model of urinary tract infection that the ability of silver to induce oxidative stress can be harnessed to potentiate antibiotic activity. Additionally, we demonstrate in vitro and in two different mouse models of peritonitis that silver sensitizes Gram-negative bacteria to the Gram-positive-specific antibiotic vancomycin, thereby expanding the antibacterial spectrum of this drug. Finally, we used silver and antibiotic combinations in vitro to eradicate bacterial persister cells, and show both in vitro and in a mouse biofilm infection model that silver can enhance antibacterial action against bacteria that produce biofilms. This work shows that silver can be used to enhance the action of existing antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria, thus strengthening the antibiotic arsenal for fighting bacterial infections.

[Correlation between the microbiological (S. aureus) and seismic activities with regard to the sun-earth interactions and neutron flux generation].

PubMed

Shestopalov, I P; Rogozhin, Iu A

2005-01-01

The study searched for interactions between the solar activity, seismic energy of the Earth and microbiological processes in the period from 1969 to 1997. Microbiological processes were found dependent on as the solar, so intraterrestrial (e.g. seismic) activity. The 11-year seismic on biological cycles on Earth display a positive inter-correlation and a negative one with the solar activity (sun-spots cycles). There is also correlation between the Earth's seismic energy and neutron fluxes generated at the times of earthquakes on our planet, and microbiological parameters.

Duration of active psychosis and first-episode psychosis negative symptoms.

PubMed

Lyne, John; Joober, Ridha; Schmitz, Norbert; Lepage, Martin; Malla, Ashok

2017-02-01

Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been associated with negative symptoms in several studies; however, longitudinal findings have been inconsistent. No previous study has accounted for active psychosis after presentation, although this could impact on outcomes in a manner similar to DUP. We measured Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms at frequent intervals during the 12 months after initial presentation to determine the active psychosis duration for 230 individuals with first-episode psychosis. This duration was added to DUP prior to presentation to create a new variable, duration of active psychosis (DAP). Negative symptoms were divided into expressivity and motivation/pleasure domains as measured by Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). The relationship of DUP and DAP with negative symptoms at 24-month follow up was determined and confounders controlled for using regression analysis. When DUP and DAP were compared as binary variables with long and short groups, 25.2% of individuals had differing category membership. DAP had a significant uncorrected association with both expressivity domain and motivation/pleasure domains at 24 months; however, relationship with DUP was not significant. DAP remained a significant predictor of 24-month expressivity domain after controlling for potential confounders. Active psychosis after presentation is substantial, which is a limitation of DUP studies if active psychosis is considered as the key factor within DUP. DAP is a better predictor of negative symptoms than DUP at 2-year follow up, which suggests this concept requires further research. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Negative correlation learning for customer churn prediction: a comparison study.

PubMed

Rodan, Ali; Fayyoumi, Ayham; Faris, Hossam; Alsakran, Jamal; Al-Kadi, Omar

2015-01-01

Recently, telecommunication companies have been paying more attention toward the problem of identification of customer churn behavior. In business, it is well known for service providers that attracting new customers is much more expensive than retaining existing ones. Therefore, adopting accurate models that are able to predict customer churn can effectively help in customer retention campaigns and maximizing the profit. In this paper we will utilize an ensemble of Multilayer perceptrons (MLP) whose training is obtained using negative correlation learning (NCL) for predicting customer churn in a telecommunication company. Experiments results confirm that NCL based MLP ensemble can achieve better generalization performance (high churn rate) compared with ensemble of MLP without NCL (flat ensemble) and other common data mining techniques used for churn analysis.

Negative Correlation Learning for Customer Churn Prediction: A Comparison Study

PubMed Central

Faris, Hossam

2015-01-01

Recently, telecommunication companies have been paying more attention toward the problem of identification of customer churn behavior. In business, it is well known for service providers that attracting new customers is much more expensive than retaining existing ones. Therefore, adopting accurate models that are able to predict customer churn can effectively help in customer retention campaigns and maximizing the profit. In this paper we will utilize an ensemble of Multilayer perceptrons (MLP) whose training is obtained using negative correlation learning (NCL) for predicting customer churn in a telecommunication company. Experiments results confirm that NCL based MLP ensemble can achieve better generalization performance (high churn rate) compared with ensemble of MLP without NCL (flat ensemble) and other common data mining techniques used for churn analysis. PMID:25879060

Coding stimulus amplitude by correlated neural activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metzen, Michael G.; Ávila-Åkerberg, Oscar; Chacron, Maurice J.

2015-04-01

While correlated activity is observed ubiquitously in the brain, its role in neural coding has remained controversial. Recent experimental results have demonstrated that correlated but not single-neuron activity can encode the detailed time course of the instantaneous amplitude (i.e., envelope) of a stimulus. These have furthermore demonstrated that such coding required and was optimal for a nonzero level of neural variability. However, a theoretical understanding of these results is still lacking. Here we provide a comprehensive theoretical framework explaining these experimental findings. Specifically, we use linear response theory to derive an expression relating the correlation coefficient to the instantaneous stimulus amplitude, which takes into account key single-neuron properties such as firing rate and variability as quantified by the coefficient of variation. The theoretical prediction was in excellent agreement with numerical simulations of various integrate-and-fire type neuron models for various parameter values. Further, we demonstrate a form of stochastic resonance as optimal coding of stimulus variance by correlated activity occurs for a nonzero value of noise intensity. Thus, our results provide a theoretical explanation of the phenomenon by which correlated but not single-neuron activity can code for stimulus amplitude and how key single-neuron properties such as firing rate and variability influence such coding. Correlation coding by correlated but not single-neuron activity is thus predicted to be a ubiquitous feature of sensory processing for neurons responding to weak input.

Why there is no negative correlation between egg size and number in the Common Pochard?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hořák, David; Klvaňa, Petr; Albrecht, Tomáš

2008-03-01

Trade-off between offspring size and number belongs to the most discussed concepts in the life history theory. Although it has been frequently described at interspecific level as a negative correlation between egg size and number, it is usually difficult to provide similar evidence at a population level. In congruence with most of previous studies, we did not find any evidence for negative correlation between estimated egg mass and clutch size in the Common Pochard ( Aythya ferina). However, the predicted negative relationship appeared after incubation when young with many siblings were on average lighter than conspecifics in nests with fewer young. Such a pattern might be generated by differences in hatching success and energy consumption by developing embryos among particular nests. Our data indicate that females which had laid clutches containing many big eggs lost a much larger amount of energy invested and, moreover, produced hatchlings of relatively lower body mass if compared with females having few small eggs. We speculate about variation in energy allocation between two most energy demanding parts of breeding (clutch formation and incubation) and female incubation effort as leading mechanisms. Such a variation might reflect inter-individual differences in reproductive strategy or errors in energy allocation.

Neural Correlates of the Use of Psychological Distancing to Regulate Responses to Negative Social Cues: A Study of Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Koenigsberg, Harold W.; Fan, Jin; Ochsner, Kevin; Liu, Xun; Guise, Kevin G.; Pizzarello, Scott; Dorantes, Christine; Guerreri, Stephanie; Tecuta, Lucia; Goodman, Marianne; New, Antonia; Siever, Larry J

2009-01-01

Background Emotional instability is a defining feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD), yet little is understood about its underlying neural correlates. One possible contributing factor to emotional instability is a failure to adequately employ adaptive cognitive regulatory strategies such as psychological distancing. Method To determine whether there are differences in neural dynamics underlying this control strategy, between BPD patients and healthy volunteers (HC’s), BOLD fMRI signals were acquired as 18 BPD and 16 HC subjects distanced from or simply looked at negative and neutral pictures depicting social interactions. Contrasts in signal between distance and look condition were compared between groups to identify commonalities and differences in regional activation. Results BPD patients show a different pattern of activation compared to HC subjects when looking at negative vs. neutral pictures. When distancing vs. looking at negative pictures, both groups showed decreased negative affect in rating and increased activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, areas near/along the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate/precuneus regions. However, the BPD group showed less BOLD signal change in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and IPS, less deactivation in the amygdala and greater activation in the superior temporal sulcus and superior frontal gyrus. Conclusion BPD and HC subjects display different neural dynamics while passively viewing social emotional stimuli. In addition, BPD patients do not engage the cognitive control regions to the extent that HC’s do when employing a distancing strategy to regulate emotional reactions, which may be a factor contributing to the affective instability of BPD. PMID:19651401

The Correlation Between Cognitive and Movement Shifting and Brain Activity in Children With ADHD.

PubMed

Kang, Kyoung Doo; Han, Doug Hyun; Kim, Sun Mi; Bae, Sujin; Renshaw, Perry F

2018-05-01

We assessed the correlation between the deficits of cognition, movement, and brain activity in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactvity Disorder (ADHD). We recruited 15 children with ADHD and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy control participants. Clinical symptoms, cognitive shifting, movement shifting, and brain activity were assessed using the Korean ADHD Rating Scale, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the 7- and 14-ring drill test with hop jumps (7 HJ and 14 HJ), and 3.0 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner, respectively. ADHD children showed an increased distance traveled and decreased speed on the 14 HJ task. In response to the WCST task, ADHD children showed decreased activation within right gyrus. Total distance on the 14 HJ task was negatively correlated with the mean β value of Cluster 2 in ADHD children. These results suggested that children with ADHD showed difficulty with attention shifting as well as with movement shifting.

Phonetic measures of reduced tongue movement correlate with negative symptom severity in hospitalized patients with first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Covington, Michael A; Lunden, S L Anya; Cristofaro, Sarah L; Wan, Claire Ramsay; Bailey, C Thomas; Broussard, Beth; Fogarty, Robert; Johnson, Stephanie; Zhang, Shayi; Compton, Michael T

2012-12-01

Aprosody, or flattened speech intonation, is a recognized negative symptom of schizophrenia, though it has rarely been studied from a linguistic/phonological perspective. To bring the latest advances in computational linguistics to the phenomenology of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, a clinical first-episode psychosis research team joined with a phonetics/computational linguistics team to conduct a preliminary, proof-of-concept study. Video recordings from a semi-structured clinical research interview were available from 47 first-episode psychosis patients. Audio tracks of the video recordings were extracted, and after review of quality, 25 recordings were available for phonetic analysis. These files were de-noised and a trained phonologist extracted a 1-minute sample of each patient's speech. WaveSurfer 1.8.5 was used to create, from each speech sample, a file of formant values (F0, F1, F2, where F0 is the fundamental frequency and F1 and F2 are resonance bands indicating the moment-by-moment shape of the oral cavity). Variability in these phonetic indices was correlated with severity of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative symptom scores using Pearson correlations. A measure of variability of tongue front-to-back position-the standard deviation of F2-was statistically significantly correlated with the severity of negative symptoms (r=-0.446, p=0.03). This study demonstrates a statistically significant and meaningful correlation between negative symptom severity and phonetically measured reductions in tongue movements during speech in a sample of first-episode patients just initiating treatment. Further studies of negative symptoms, applying computational linguistics methods, are warranted. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phonetic Measures of Reduced Tongue Movement Correlate with Negative Symptom Severity in Hospitalized Patients with First-Episode Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Covington, Michael A.; Lunden, S.L. Anya; Cristofaro, Sarah L.; Wan, Claire Ramsay; Bailey, C. Thomas; Broussard, Beth; Fogarty, Robert; Johnson, Stephanie; Zhang, Shayi; Compton, Michael T.

2012-01-01

Background Aprosody, or flattened speech intonation, is a recognized negative symptom of schizophrenia, though it has rarely been studied from a linguistic/phonological perspective. To bring the latest advances in computational linguistics to the phenomenology of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, a clinical first-episode psychosis research team joined with a phonetics/computational linguistics team to conduct a preliminary, proof-of-concept study. Methods Video recordings from a semi-structured clinical research interview were available from 47 first-episode psychosis patients. Audio tracks of the video recordings were extracted, and after review of quality, 25 recordings were available for phonetic analysis. These files were de-noised and a trained phonologist extracted a 1-minute sample of each patient’s speech. WaveSurfer 1.8.5 was used to create, from each speech sample, a file of formant values (F0, F1, F2, where F0 is the fundamental frequency and F1 and F2 are resonance bands indicating the moment-by-moment shape of the oral cavity). Variability in these phonetic indices was correlated with severity of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative symptom scores using Pearson correlations. Results A measure of variability of tongue front-to-back position—the standard deviation of F2—was statistically significantly correlated with the severity of negative symptoms (r=−0.446, p=0.03). Conclusion This study demonstrates a statistically significant and meaningful correlation between negative symptom severity and phonetically measured reductions in tongue movements during speech in a sample of first-episode patients just initiating treatment. Further studies of negative symptoms, applying computational linguistics methods, are warranted. PMID:23102940

The glutaminase activity of l-asparaginase is not required for anticancer activity against ASNS-negative cells

PubMed Central

Chan, Wai Kin; Lorenzi, Philip L.; Anishkin, Andriy; Purwaha, Preeti; Rogers, David M.; Sukharev, Sergei; Rempe, Susan B.; Weinstein, John N.

2014-01-01

l-Asparaginase (l-ASP) is a key component of therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Its mechanism of action, however, is still poorly understood, in part because of its dual asparaginase and glutaminase activities. Here, we show that l-ASP’s glutaminase activity is not always required for the enzyme’s anticancer effect. We first used molecular dynamics simulations of the clinically standard Escherichia coli l-ASP to predict what mutated forms could be engineered to retain activity against asparagine but not glutamine. Dynamic mapping of enzyme substrate contacts identified Q59 as a promising mutagenesis target for that purpose. Saturation mutagenesis followed by enzymatic screening identified Q59L as a variant that retains asparaginase activity but shows undetectable glutaminase activity. Unlike wild-type l-ASP, Q59L is inactive against cancer cells that express measurable asparagine synthetase (ASNS). Q59L is potently active, however, against ASNS-negative cells. Those observations indicate that the glutaminase activity of l-ASP is necessary for anticancer activity against ASNS-positive cell types but not ASNS-negative cell types. Because the clinical toxicity of l-ASP is thought to stem from its glutaminase activity, these findings suggest the hypothesis that glutaminase-negative variants of l-ASP would provide larger therapeutic indices than wild-type l-ASP for ASNS-negative cancers. PMID:24659632

Stress and Coping Activity: Reframing Negative Thoughts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Jamie S.; Gourley, Mary K.; Madson, Laura; Le Blanc, Katya

2011-01-01

Stress management and coping techniques are not only relevant in many psychology courses but also personally relevant for undergraduate students. In this article, the authors describe an activity designed to provide students with practice evaluating and challenging negative self-talk. Students responded to scenarios individually, were paired with…

Neural Correlates of Biased Responses: The Negative Method Effect in the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Is Associated with Right Amygdala Volume.

PubMed

Wang, Yinan; Kong, Feng; Huang, Lijie; Liu, Jia

2016-10-01

Self-esteem is a widely studied construct in psychology that is typically measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). However, a series of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have suggested that a simple and widely used unidimensional factor model does not provide an adequate explanation of RSES responses due to method effects. To identify the neural correlates of the method effect, we sought to determine whether and how method effects were associated with the RSES and investigate the neural basis of these effects. Two hundred and eighty Chinese college students (130 males; mean age = 22.64 years) completed the RSES and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Behaviorally, method effects were linked to both positively and negatively worded items in the RSES. Neurally, the right amygdala volume negatively correlated with the negative method factor, while the hippocampal volume positively correlated with the general self-esteem factor in the RSES. The neural dissociation between the general self-esteem factor and negative method factor suggests that there are different neural mechanisms underlying them. The amygdala is involved in modulating negative affectivity; therefore, the current study sheds light on the nature of method effects that are related to self-report with a mix of positively and negatively worded items. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nodal infection in Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible and susceptible-infected-removed epidemics on networks are non-negatively correlated

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cator, E.; Van Mieghem, P.

2014-05-01

By invoking the famous Fortuin, Kasteleyn, and Ginibre (FKG) inequality, we prove the conjecture that the correlation of infection at the same time between any pair of nodes in a network cannot be negative for (exact) Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) and susceptible-infected-removed (SIR) epidemics on networks. The truth of the conjecture establishes that the N-intertwined mean-field approximation (NIMFA) upper bounds the infection probability in any graph so that network design based on NIMFA always leads to safe protections against malware spread. However, when the infection or/and curing are not Poisson processes, the infection correlation between two nodes can be negative.

Nodal infection in Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible and susceptible-infected-removed epidemics on networks are non-negatively correlated.

PubMed

Cator, E; Van Mieghem, P

2014-05-01

By invoking the famous Fortuin, Kasteleyn, and Ginibre (FKG) inequality, we prove the conjecture that the correlation of infection at the same time between any pair of nodes in a network cannot be negative for (exact) Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) and susceptible-infected-removed (SIR) epidemics on networks. The truth of the conjecture establishes that the N-intertwined mean-field approximation (NIMFA) upper bounds the infection probability in any graph so that network design based on NIMFA always leads to safe protections against malware spread. However, when the infection or/and curing are not Poisson processes, the infection correlation between two nodes can be negative.

The Alternative Omen Effect: Illusory negative correlation between the outcomes of choice options.

PubMed

Marciano-Romm, Déborah; Romm, Assaf; Bourgeois-Gironde, Sacha; Deouell, Leon Y

2016-01-01

In situations of choice between uncertain options, one might get feedback on both the outcome of the chosen option and the outcome of the unchosen option ("the alternative"). Extensive research has shown that when both outcomes are eventually revealed, the alternative's outcome influences the way people evaluate their own outcome. In a series of experiments, we examined whether the outcome of the alternative plays an additional role in the decision-making process by creating expectations regarding the outcome of the chosen option. Specifically, we hypothesized that people see a good (bad) alternative's outcome as a bad (good) sign regarding their own outcome when the two outcomes are in fact uncorrelated, a phenomenon we call the "Alternative Omen Effect" (ALOE). Subjects had to repeatedly choose between two boxes, the outcomes of which were then sequentially revealed. In Experiments 1 and 2 the alternative's outcome was presented first, and we assessed the individual's prediction of their own outcome. In Experiment 3, subjects had to predict the alternative's outcome after seeing their own. We find that even though the two outcomes were in fact uncorrelated, people tended to see a good (bad) alternative outcome as a bad (good) sign regarding their own outcome. Importantly, this illusory negative correlation affected subsequent behavior and led to irrational choices. Furthermore, the order of presentation was critical: when the outcome of the chosen option was presented first, the effect disappeared, suggesting that this illusory negative correlation is influenced by self-relevance. We discuss the possible sources of this illusory correlation as well as its implications for research on counterfactual thinking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Defective interleukin-4/Stat6 activity correlates with increased constitutive expression of negative regulators SOCS-3, SOCS-7, and CISH in colon cancer cells.

PubMed

Liu, Xiao Hong; Xu, Shuang Bing; Yuan, Jia; Li, Ben Hui; Zhang, Yan; Yuan, Qin; Li, Pin Dong; Li, Feng; Zhang, Wen Jie

2009-12-01

Interleukin-4 (IL-4)-induced Stat6 activities (phenotypes) vary among human cancer cells, of which the HT-29 cell line carries an active Stat6(high) phenotype, while Caco-2 carries a defective Stat6(null) phenotype, respectively. Cancer cells with Stat6(high) show resistance to apoptosis and exaggerated metastasis, suggesting the clinical significance of Stat6 phenotypes. We previously showed that Stat6(high) HT-29 cells exhibited low constitutive expression of Stat6-negative regulators SOCS-1 and SHP-1 because of gene hypermethylation. This study further examined the constitutive expression of other closely related SOCS family numbers including SOCS-3, SOCS-5, SOCS-7, and CISH using RT-PCR. Similar to SOCS-1 and SHP-1, Stat6(high) HT-29 cells expressed low constitutive mRNA of SOCS-3, SOCS-7, and CISH than Stat6(null) Caco-2 cells. Interestingly, DNA demethylation using 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in HT-29 cells up-regulated mRNA expression of the above genes, indicating a hypermethylation status, which was confirmed by methylation-specific sequencing in selected SOCS-3 gene. Furthermore, defective Stat6(null) Caco-2 exhibited impaired phosphorylation of Stat6 after IL-4 stimulation by flow cytometry, in keeping with the notion of an over-performed negative regulation. The findings that IL-4/Stat6 phenotypes show differential expression of multiple negative regulators suggest a model that a collective force of powerful negative regulators, directly and indirectly, acts on Stat6 activation, which may result in differential Stat6 phenotypes.

Contingent negative variation in patients with deficit schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder with psychotic features: measurement and correlation with clinical characteristics.

PubMed

Li, Zhe; Deng, Wei; Liu, Xiang; Zheng, Zhong; Li, Mingli; Li, Yinfei; Han, Yuanyuan; Ma, Xiaohong; Wang, Qiang; Liu, Xiehe; Li, Tao

2015-04-01

Schizophrenia is a highly heterogeneous disease. Event-related potentials have been regarded to establish intermediate phenotypes of schizophrenia. Our previous study found that patients with deficit schizophrenia (DS) are relatively homogeneous and show a significantly longer onset latency of contingent negative variation (CNV) expectancy wave. To further examine CNV in patients with first-episode and drug-naïve DS or bipolar I disorder (BP I) with psychotic features, and also investigate correlations between CNV and clinical characteristics in DS and BP I. We elicited a CNV using an alarm (S1)-imperative (S2) paradigm in 30 DS patients or 33 BP I with psychotic features as well as 40 healthy controls. CNV amplitude was significantly smaller and reaction time significantly longer in the DS and BP I groups than in healthy controls. Post-imperative negative variation (PINV) interval was significantly shorter in the DS group than in healthy controls. The onset latency of CNV expectancy wave was significantly longer and PINV area significantly smaller in the DS group than in the other groups. In the DS group, CNV amplitude and PINV interval correlated negatively with the subscale of negative symptoms on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS); CNV amplitude also correlated negatively with disease duration. In the BP I group, CNV amplitude and reaction time showed no correlation with clinical features. CNV amplitude is a common trait marker for psychosis. The onset latency of CNV expectancy wave appears to be a specific trait marker and may be used to identify candidate genes for DS.

Geomagnetic activity during the previous day is correlated with increased consumption of sucrose during subsequent days: is increased geomagnetic activity aversive?

PubMed

Galic, M A; Persinger, M A

2004-06-01

In five separate blocks over a period of several months for 33 female rats the amount of geomagnetic activity during the day before ad libitum access to 10% sucrose or water was positively correlated with the volume of sucrose consumed per 24-hr. period. The strength of the correlation (.62 to .77) declined over the subsequent 10 days from between .12 to -.18 and resembled an extinction curve. In a subsequent experiment four rats exposed to 5 nT to 8 nT, 0.5-Hz magnetic fields that ceased for 30 min. once every 4 hr. for 4 days consumed 11% more sucrose than the four rats exposed to no field. We suggest that the initial consumption of 10% sucrose may have been reinforced because it diminished the aversive physiological effects associated with the increased geomagnetic activity. However, over the subsequent days, as geomagnetic activity decreased or habituation occurred, negative reinforcement did not maintain this behavior.

Negative emotion differentiation: its personality and well-being correlates and a comparison of different assessment methods.

PubMed

Erbas, Yasemin; Ceulemans, Eva; Lee Pe, Madeline; Koval, Peter; Kuppens, Peter

2014-01-01

Previous research has shown that individual differences in negative emotion differentiation may play a prominent role in well-being. Yet, many basic questions about negative emotion differentiation remain unanswered, including how it relates and overlaps with related and known dimensions of individual differences and what its possible underlying processes are. To answer these questions, in the current article we present three correlational studies that chart the nomological network of individual differences in negative emotion differentiation in terms of personality, difficulties in identifying and describing feelings, and several indicators of well-being, propose a novel paradigm to assess it in the lab, and explore relationships with a possible underlying mechanism in terms of the motivation to approach or avoid emotions. The results affirm consistent relations between negative emotion differentiation and indicators of adjustment like negative affect, self-esteem, neuroticism, depression and meta-knowledge about one's emotions, and show how it is related to the motivation to experience affective states.

Increased serum APRIL differentially correlates with distinct cytokine profiles and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

PubMed

Boghdadi, Ghada; Elewa, Enass A

2014-09-01

Cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Among the cytokines that regulate B cell homeostasis is a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL). This study aimed to determine whether serum levels of APRIL are raised in patients with SLE and correlate with disease activity or proinflammatory cytokines production, or both. Serum APRIL, interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-4 and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) levels were measured in forty patients with SLE and 30 healthy controls. Disease activity was assessed by SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI), and results were correlated with serum APRIL levels. Serum APRIL levels were significantly higher in patients with SLE than in healthy controls. Positive correlation was found between serum APRIL levels and total SLEDAI score and anti-dsDNA antibody titers. Moreover, serum APRIL levels was significantly higher in patients with arthritis, mucocutaneous manifestations and proteinuria. APRIL is increased in patients with active SLE accompanying the increase of IL-17 and IFN-γ. Significant positive correlations between serum levels of APRIL and IL-17 and IFN-γ and a negative correlation between serum levels of APRIL and IL-4 were found. The results suggest that APRIL may be an important marker of disease activity in patients with SLE. We provide the analyses of APRIL levels in patients with SLE, suggesting new tools for the diagnosis, prognosis and possible therapeutic management of SLE.

TRIF Licenses Caspase-11-Dependent NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation by Gram-Negative Bacteria

PubMed Central

Rathinam, Vijay A.K.; Vanaja, Sivapriya Kailasan; Waggoner, Lisa; Sokolovska, Anna; Becker, Christine; Stuart, Lynda M.; Leong, John M.; Fitzgerald, Katherine A.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Systemic infections with Gram-negative bacteria are characterized by high mortality rates due to the “sepsis syndrome,” a widespread and uncontrolled inflammatory response. Though it is well recognized that the immune response during Gram-negative bacterial infection is initiated after the recognition of endotoxin by Toll-like receptor 4, the molecular mechanisms underlying the detrimental inflammatory response during Gram-negative bacteremia remain poorly defined. Here, we identify a TRIF pathway that licenses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by all Gram-negative bacteria. By engaging TRIF, Gram-negative bacteria activate caspase-11. TRIF activates caspase-11 via type I IFN signaling, an event that is both necessary and sufficient for caspase-11 induction and autoactivation. Caspase-11 subsequently synergizes with the assembled NLRP3 inflammasome to regulate caspase-1 activation and leads to caspase-1-independent cell death. These events occur specifically during infection with Gram-negative, but not Gram-positive, bacteria. The identification of TRIF as a regulator of caspase-11 underscores the importance of TLRs as master regulators of inflammasomes during Gram-negative bacterial infection. PMID:22819539

Leptin levels are negatively correlated with 2-arachidonoylglycerol in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Nicholson, James; Azim, Syed; Rebecchi, Mario J; Galbavy, William; Feng, Tian; Reinsel, Ruth; Rizwan, Sabeen; Fowler, Christopher J; Benveniste, Helene; Kaczocha, Martin

2015-01-01

There is compelling evidence in humans that peripheral endocannabinoid signaling is disrupted in obesity. However, little is known about the corresponding central signaling. Here, we have investigated the relationship between gender, leptin, body mass index (BMI) and levels of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of primarily overweight to obese patients with osteoarthritis. Patients (20 females, 15 males, age range 44-78 years, BMI range 24-42) undergoing total knee arthroplasty for end-stage osteoarthritis were recruited for the study. Endocannabinoids were quantified by liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry. AEA and 2-AG levels in the serum and CSF did not correlate with either age or BMI. However, 2-AG levels in the CSF, but not serum, correlated negatively with CSF leptin levels (Spearman's ρ -0.48, P=0.0076, n=30). No such correlations were observed for AEA and leptin. In the patient sample investigated, there is a negative association between 2-AG and leptin levels in the CSF. This is consistent with pre-clinical studies in animals, demonstrating that leptin controls the levels of hypothalamic endocannabinoids that regulate feeding behavior.

Oxidative stress negatively affects human sperm mitochondrial respiration.

PubMed

Ferramosca, Alessandra; Pinto Provenzano, Sara; Montagna, Daniela Domenica; Coppola, Lamberto; Zara, Vincenzo

2013-07-01

To correlate the level of oxidative stress in serum and seminal fluid and the level of sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation with sperm mitochondrial respiratory efficiency. Sperm mitochondrial respiratory activity was evaluated with a polarographic assay of oxygen consumption carried out in hypotonically treated sperm cells. A possible relationship between sperm mitochondrial respiratory efficiency, the level of oxidative stress, and the level of sperm DNA fragmentation was investigated. Sperm motility was positively correlated with mitochondrial respiration but negatively correlated with oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation. Interestingly, sperm mitochondrial respiratory activity was negatively affected by oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation. Our data indicate that sperm mitochondrial respiration is decreased in patients with high levels of reactive oxygen species by an uncoupling between electron transport and adenosine triphosphate synthesis. This reduction in mitochondrial functionality might be 1 of the reasons responsible for the decrease in spermatozoa motility. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Active microwave negative-index metamaterial transmission line with gain.

PubMed

Jiang, Tao; Chang, Kihun; Si, Li-Ming; Ran, Lixin; Xin, Hao

2011-11-11

We studied the active metamaterial transmission line at microwave frequency. The active composite right-handed or left-handed transmission line was designed to incorporate a germanium tunnel diode with a negative differential resistance property as the gain device at the unit cell level. Measurements of the fabricated planar transmission line structures with one-, two-, and three-unit cells showed that the addition of the dc pumped tunnel diodes not only provided gain but also maintained the left handedness of the transmission line metamaterial. Simulation results agree well with experimental observation. This work demonstrated that negative index material can be obtained with a net gain when an external source is incorporated.

[Correlation of DNase I in serum and synovial fluid with inflammatory activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

PubMed

Xu, Xia-Yu; Yang, Wen-Fang; Zhang, Si-Gong; Zhao, Qin; Linag, Li-Jun; Wang, Xin; Shen, Hai-Li

2016-08-20

To investigate the potential role of deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DNase I activity was measured by radial enzyme-diffusion method in serum samples from 83 RA patients and 60 healthy volunteers and in the synovial fluid (SF) from 27 RA patients and 38 patients with other inflammatory arthritis. SF cfDNA level was measured with Pico Green Kit, and the correlation among DNase I activity, cfDNA level and clinical parameters of RA patients was analyzed. Serum DNase I activity was significantly lower in RA patients than in the healthy control subjects (0.3065∓0.1436 vs 0.4289∓0.1976 U/mL, P<0.001), and was negatively correlated with ESR (r=-0.2862, P=0.0122), CRP (r=-0.2790, P=0.0184) and neutrophil cell counts (r=-0.287, P=0.011). SF DNase I activity was almost negative in patients with RA, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and gouty arthritis (GA). SF cfDNA level in RA patients was significantly higher than that in patients with osteoarthritis (100.81∓142.98 vs 18.98∓31.40 µg/mL, P=0.002), but similar to that in patients with AS (45.85∓47.67 µg/mL, P=0.428) and GA (162.95∓97.49 µg/mL, P=0.132). In patients with inflammatory arthritis, SF cfDNA level was positively correlated with ESR (r=0.4106, P=0.0116) and CRP (r=0.5747, P=0.0002). Impairment of DNase I activity may be responsible for the enhanced NETs generation and plays a role in the pathogenesis of RA.

Acute effects of heroin on negative emotional processing: relation of amygdala activity and stress-related responses.

PubMed

Schmidt, André; Borgwardt, Stefan; Gerber, Hana; Wiesbeck, Gerhard A; Schmid, Otto; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Smieskova, Renata; Lang, Undine E; Walter, Marc

2014-08-15

Negative emotional states and abnormal stress reactivity are central components in drug addiction. The brain stress system in the amygdala is thought to play a key role in the maintenance of drug dependence through negative reinforcement. Although acute heroin administration was found to reduce anxiety, craving, and stress hormone release, whether these effects are reflected in amygdala activity has not yet been investigated. With a randomized, crossover, double-blind design, saline and heroin were administered to 22 heroin-dependent patients, whereas 17 healthy control subjects were included for the placebo administration only. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate blood oxygen level-dependent responses during fearful faces processing. Stress reactivity was measured by adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and by cortisol concentrations in serum and saliva 60 min after substance administration. Anxiety and craving levels were assessed with self-report ratings. Heroin administration acutely reduced the left amygdala response to fearful faces relative to the saline injection. Patients receiving saline showed a significantly higher left amygdala response to fearful faces than healthy control subjects, whose activity did not differ from patients receiving heroin. The left amygdala activity correlated significantly with scores on state-anxiety and levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, serum cortisol, and saliva cortisol among all patients and control subjects. Our results show a direct relation between the acute heroin effects on stress-related emotions, stress reactivity, and left amygdala response to negative facial expressions. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying negative reinforcement in heroin addiction and the effects of regular heroin substitution. © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Society of Biological Psychiatry All rights reserved.

Trait Positive and Negative Emotionality Differentially Associate with Diurnal Cortisol Activity

PubMed Central

Miller, Karissa G.; Wright, Aidan G.C.; Peterson, Laurel M.; Kamarck, Thomas W.; Anderson, Barbara A.; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Marsland, Anna L.; Muldoon, Matthew F.; Manuck, Stephen B.

2016-01-01

Summary Inter-individual variability in metrics of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity, such as the slope of the diurnal decline in cortisol, cortisol awakening response (CAR), and total cortisol output, have been found to associate inversely with trait ratings of extraversion and positive affect (E/PA) and positively with neuroticism and negative affect (N/NA) in some, but not all, investigations. These inconsistencies may partly reflect varied intensity of cortisol sampling among studies and reliance on self-rated traits, which are subject to reporting biases and limitations of introspection. Here, we further examined dispositional correlates of HPA activity in 490 healthy, employed midlife volunteers (M age= 43 years; 54% Female; 86% white). Trait ratings were requested from participants and 2 participant-elected informants using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Extraversion and Neuroticism dimensions of NEO personality inventories. CAR was assessed as percent increase in cortisol levels from awakening to 30 minutes after awakening; and the diurnal slope and total output of cortisol [Area Under the Curve (AUC)] were determined from cortisol measurements taken at awakening, +4 and +9 hours later, and bedtime, across 3 workdays. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate multi-informant E/PA and N/NA factors. We used 3 days of measurement as indicators to model each of the three latent cortisol factors (slope, CAR, and AUC). With the two latent emotionality and three latent cortisol indices included there was good fit to the data (χ2(200)= 278.38, p= .0002; RMSEA= .028, 90% CI= .02–.04; CFI/TLI= .97/.96; SRMR= .04). After controlling for covariates (age, sex, race), results showed higher latent E/PA associated with a steeper diurnal slope (Standardized β= −.19, p= .02) and smaller CAR (Standardized β= −.26, p= .004), whereas N/NA did not associate with any cortisol metric (Standardized β’s= −.12 to .13, p�

Parent-offspring correlations in pedometer-assessed physical activity.

PubMed

Jacobi, David; Caille, Agnès; Borys, Jean-Michel; Lommez, Agnès; Couet, Charles; Charles, Marie-Aline; Oppert, Jean-Michel

2011-01-01

Physical activity is a major component of a healthy lifestyle in youth and adults. To identify determinants of this complex behavior is an important research objective in the process of designing interventions to promote physical activity at population level. In addition to individual determinants, there is evidence documenting familial influences on physical activity. However, the few studies that have addressed this issue with objective measures did not provide data on parent-offspring physical activity relationships throughout childhood and adolescence. The purpose of this study was to assess familial correlations in pedometer-assessed physical activity. We measured ambulatory activity in 286 French nuclear families (283 mothers, 237 fathers, and 631 children aged 8-18 years) by pedometer recordings (Yamax Digiwalker DW 450) over a week. Correlations were computed with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for spouse pairs, siblings, mother-offspring, and father-offspring. Data were expressed as steps per day and computed both for the full recording period and separately for weekdays and weekends. The correlations were the highest between siblings (r=0.28, 95%CI: 0.17-0.38). Parent-offspring correlations were significant in mothers (r=0.21, 95%CI: 0.12-0.30), especially between mothers and daughters (r=0.24, 95%CI: 0.12-0.36 vs. r=0.18, 95%CI: 0.05-0.31 for sons), but were almost nonexistent in fathers. Correlations were generally higher on weekend days compared to weekdays. Mother-offspring correlations did not decrease with increasing age of children (r=0.17, 95%CI: 0.00-0.34 in 8-11-year-olds, r=0.20, 95%CI: 0.07-0.33 in 12-15-year-olds, and r=0.25, 95%CI: 0.07-0.39 in ≥16-year-olds). Finally, between-spouse correlations were significant only during weekend days (r=0.14, 95%CI: 0.01-0.27). Ambulatory activity correlated within families, with a possible mother effect. Mother-offspring correlations remained significant through the transition from childhood to

Development and Pilot Investigation of Behavioral Activation for Negative Symptoms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mairs, Hilary; Lovell, Karina; Campbell, Malcolm; Keeley, Philip

2011-01-01

Negative symptoms cause functional impairment and impede recovery from psychosis, not least, because of limited developments in empirically validated treatments. This article details a pilot evaluation of a behavioral activation (BA) treatment with eight people presenting with psychosis and marked negative symptoms. The rationale for this…

Now why'd he do that? The nature and correlates of mothers' attributions about negative teen behavior.

PubMed

Heatherington, Laurie; Tolejko, Natalie; McDonald, Margaret; Funk, Janette

2007-06-01

This study examined the attributions that mothers make about their teens' negative behaviors and whether these attributions are related to their own attributional styles, as well as the relationship between mothers' attributions and parent-teen relationship conflict. Globality of mothers' attributions was particularly important: Globality of attributions about events in their own lives was correlated with globality of attributions about teens' behavior, and globality of mothers' attributions about teen behavior was correlated with conflict. The nature of the negative behavior (whether it directly involved the parent or did not) made a difference in predictable ways. The results highlight the ways in which a full understanding of the role of attributions in parent-teen relationships calls for more complex conceptualization of traditional attribution dimensions, notably, the internal-external dimension.

Dissociation between active and observational learning from positive and negative feedback in Parkinsonism.

PubMed

Kobza, Stefan; Ferrea, Stefano; Schnitzler, Alfons; Pollok, Bettina; Südmeyer, Martin; Bellebaum, Christian

2012-01-01

Feedback to both actively performed and observed behaviour allows adaptation of future actions. Positive feedback leads to increased activity of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, whereas dopamine neuron activity is decreased following negative feedback. Dopamine level reduction in unmedicated Parkinson's Disease patients has been shown to lead to a negative learning bias, i.e. enhanced learning from negative feedback. Recent findings suggest that the neural mechanisms of active and observational learning from feedback might differ, with the striatum playing a less prominent role in observational learning. Therefore, it was hypothesized that unmedicated Parkinson's Disease patients would show a negative learning bias only in active but not in observational learning. In a between-group design, 19 Parkinson's Disease patients and 40 healthy controls engaged in either an active or an observational probabilistic feedback-learning task. For both tasks, transfer phases aimed to assess the bias to learn better from positive or negative feedback. As expected, actively learning patients showed a negative learning bias, whereas controls learned better from positive feedback. In contrast, no difference between patients and controls emerged for observational learning, with both groups showing better learning from positive feedback. These findings add to neural models of reinforcement-learning by suggesting that dopamine-modulated input to the striatum plays a minor role in observational learning from feedback. Future research will have to elucidate the specific neural underpinnings of observational learning.

CORRELATION INDICES OF CEREBRAL HEMODYNAMICS AND ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN WITH IMPAIRED MOTOR SKILLS.

PubMed

Golovchenko, I V; Hayday, M I

The correlations between the indicators of cerebral hemodynamics and electrical activity in children with impaired motor skills of central origin (children with cerebral palsy) were investigated. There is established a high number of links between indicators of rheoencephalogram (REG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) in the left cerebral hemisphere than in the right. In frontomastoidal allocation 19 correlations and in occipitomastoidal - 59 links. We suppose that poor circulation in vertebroplasty-basilar system leads to the defeat of the brain stem, which, with afferent pathways of the reticular formation, connects the thalamus with the cortex. In the reticular formation there is an inhibition of ascending activators influences, which eland to decreasing of the cortex is tonus. You can talk about the functional immaturity of the system of nonspecific activation by the reticular formation of the brain stem. Children with violation of motor activity had significantly more negative and positive significant and high correlation among the existing indicators of electric brain activity and cerebral hemodynamics, in our opinion, is due to the development of interconnection compensation that is carried out by adjustment of the functional systems and the formation of new forms of adaptive responses in conditions of disontogenetik. Feature correlation pattern of the EEG, of children with disorders of motor activity, is associated with a significantly great number of high and significant correlations between measures of electrical brain activity in the δ- and q- rhythms, especially in the temporal areas of the cerebral cortex. According to visual analysis of EEG there is revealed a common manifestation of changes of bioelectric brain activity in children with disorders of motor activity. This is manifested in the development of paroxysmal activity of action potentials of θ- and δ-rhythms with the focus of activity in the anterior areas of the cerebral cortex; the formation

Developmental Associations between Short-Term Variability and Long-Term Changes: Intraindividual Correlation of Positive and Negative Affect in Daily Life and Cognitive Aging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hülür, Gizem; Hoppmann, Christiane A.; Ram, Nilam; Gerstorf, Denis

2015-01-01

Conceptual notions and empirical evidence suggest that the intraindividual correlation (iCorr) of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) is a meaningful characteristic of affective functioning. PA and NA are typically negatively correlated within-person. Previous research has found that the iCorr of PA and NA is relatively stable over time…

Correlations between physical activity and neurocognitive domain functions in patients with schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kurebayashi, Yusuke; Otaki, Junichi

2017-01-05

Neurocognitive dysfunction is a critical target symptom of schizophrenia treatment. A positive correlation between physical activity level and neurocognitive function has been reported in healthy individuals, but it is unclear whether such a correlation exists in patients with schizophrenia and whether the relationship is different according to inpatients or outpatients. This study aimed to examine the differences in the correlations between physical activity and multiple neurocognitive domains in inpatients and outpatients with schizophrenia and obtain suggestions for further study to facilitate this field. Twenty-nine patients with schizophrenia were examined (16 inpatients and 13 outpatients, 56.0 ± 11.4 years of age). Current symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale and neurocognitive functions using Cognitrax, which yields a composite neurocognitive index (NCI) and 11 domain scores. After testing, participants wore an HJA-750C accelerometer for one week to measure physical activity levels and durations. Partial correlation analyses were performed between exercise and cognitive parameters. In the outpatient group, higher physical activity was associated with faster Motor and Psychomotor Speeds in outpatients. However, higher physical activity was associated with lower overall NCI, Attention score, and Memory scores in inpatients. Although higher physical activity was associated with better neurocognitive functions of outpatients, in inpatients with non-remitted schizophrenia, higher physical activity was associated with worsening of several cognitive domains. In a future study examining the relationship between physical activity and neurocognitive function for facilitating this research field, separation between inpatients and outpatients are needed because the relationship is different between inpatients and outpatients.

Anxiety is correlated with running in adolescent female mice undergoing activity-based anorexia

PubMed Central

Wable, Gauri S.; Min, Jung-Yun; Chen, Yi-Wen; Aoki, Chiye

2015-01-01

Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is a widely used animal model for identifying the biological basis of excessive exercise and starvation, two hallmarks of anorexia nervosa (AN). Anxiety is correlated with exercise in AN. Yet the anxiety level of animals in ABA has not been reported. We asked: Does food restriction as part of ABA induction change the anxiety level of animals? If so, is the degree of anxiety correlated with degree of hyperactivity? We used the open field test before food restriction and the elevated plus maze test (EPM) during food restriction to quantify anxiety among singly housed adolescent female mice and determined whether food restriction alone or combined with exercise (i.e., ABA induction) abates or increases anxiety. We show that food restriction, with or without exercise, reduced anxiety significantly, as measured by the proportion of entries into the open arms of EPM (35.73 %, p= .04). Moreover, ABA-induced individuals varied in their open arm time measure of anxiety and this value was highly and negatively correlated to the individual’s food restriction-evoked wheel activity during the 24 hours following the anxiety test (R = − .75, p= .004, N = 12). This correlation was absent among the exercise-only controls. Additionally, mice with higher increase in anxiety ran more following food restriction. Our data suggest that food restriction-evoked wheel running hyperactivity can be used as a reliable and continuous measure of anxiety in ABA. The parallel relationship between anxiety level and activity in AN and ABA-induced female mice strengthens the animal model. PMID:25730124

Parent-Offspring Correlations in Pedometer-Assessed Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Jacobi, David; Caille, Agnès; Borys, Jean-Michel; Lommez, Agnès; Couet, Charles; Charles, Marie-Aline; Oppert, Jean-Michel

2011-01-01

Background Physical activity is a major component of a healthy lifestyle in youth and adults. To identify determinants of this complex behavior is an important research objective in the process of designing interventions to promote physical activity at population level. In addition to individual determinants, there is evidence documenting familial influences on physical activity. However, the few studies that have addressed this issue with objective measures did not provide data on parent-offspring physical activity relationships throughout childhood and adolescence. The purpose of this study was to assess familial correlations in pedometer-assessed physical activity. Methods We measured ambulatory activity in 286 French nuclear families (283 mothers, 237 fathers, and 631 children aged 8–18 years) by pedometer recordings (Yamax Digiwalker DW 450) over a week. Correlations were computed with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for spouse pairs, siblings, mother-offspring, and father-offspring. Data were expressed as steps per day and computed both for the full recording period and separately for weekdays and weekends. Results The correlations were the highest between siblings (r = 0.28, 95%CI: 0.17–0.38). Parent–offspring correlations were significant in mothers (r = 0.21, 95%CI: 0.12–0.30), especially between mothers and daughters (r = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.12–0.36 vs. r = 0.18, 95%CI: 0.05–0.31 for sons), but were almost nonexistent in fathers. Correlations were generally higher on weekend days compared to weekdays. Mother-offspring correlations did not decrease with increasing age of children (r = 0.17, 95%CI: 0.00–0.34 in 8–11-year-olds, r = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.07–0.33 in 12–15-year-olds, and r = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.07–0.39 in ≥16-year-olds). Finally, between-spouse correlations were significant only during weekend days (r = 0.14, 95%CI: 0.01–0.27). Conclusion Ambulatory activity correlated within families, with a

Dissociation between Active and Observational Learning from Positive and Negative Feedback in Parkinsonism

PubMed Central

Kobza, Stefan; Ferrea, Stefano; Schnitzler, Alfons; Pollok, Bettina

2012-01-01

Feedback to both actively performed and observed behaviour allows adaptation of future actions. Positive feedback leads to increased activity of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, whereas dopamine neuron activity is decreased following negative feedback. Dopamine level reduction in unmedicated Parkinson’s Disease patients has been shown to lead to a negative learning bias, i.e. enhanced learning from negative feedback. Recent findings suggest that the neural mechanisms of active and observational learning from feedback might differ, with the striatum playing a less prominent role in observational learning. Therefore, it was hypothesized that unmedicated Parkinson’s Disease patients would show a negative learning bias only in active but not in observational learning. In a between-group design, 19 Parkinson’s Disease patients and 40 healthy controls engaged in either an active or an observational probabilistic feedback-learning task. For both tasks, transfer phases aimed to assess the bias to learn better from positive or negative feedback. As expected, actively learning patients showed a negative learning bias, whereas controls learned better from positive feedback. In contrast, no difference between patients and controls emerged for observational learning, with both groups showing better learning from positive feedback. These findings add to neural models of reinforcement-learning by suggesting that dopamine-modulated input to the striatum plays a minor role in observational learning from feedback. Future research will have to elucidate the specific neural underpinnings of observational learning. PMID:23185586

Ectophosphatase activity in Candida albicans influences fungal adhesion: study between HIV-positive and HIV-negative isolates.

PubMed

Portela, M B; Kneipp, L F; Ribeiro de Souza, I P; Holandino, C; Alviano, C S; Meyer-Fernandes, J R; de Araújo Soares, R M

2010-07-01

This study describes the expression of acidic ectophosphatase activity on twenty isolates of C. albicans from oral cavities of HIV-infected children (HIV+) and compares them with fifteen isolates from HIV-negative children (HIV-), as well as the fungal adhesion to epithelial cells and medical records. The activities were measured in intact cells grown in BHI medium for 48 h at 37 degrees C. Phosphatase activity was assayed at pH 5.5 using 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate. Yeast adhesion was measured using the MA 104 epithelial cell line. Mean values of ectophosphatase activity were 610.27 +/- 166.36 and 241.25 +/- 78.96 picomoles 4-methylumbelliferone/h/10(7) cells for HIV+ and HIV- group, respectively (P = 0.049). No correlation between C. albicans enzyme activity from HIV children with viral load and CD4 percentual was observed. Yeasts with high enzyme activity, isolated from HIV+ children showed greater adherence than yeasts with basal levels of ectophosphatases from HIV- (Spearman correlation, r = 0.8). Surface phosphatase activity was apparently involved in the adhesion to host cells, as the enhanced attachment of C. albicans to host epithelial cells was reversed by pretreatment of yeast with sodium orthovanadate (1 mM), an acid phosphatase inhibitor. These results show that C. albicans from HIV+ has an ectophosphatase activity significantly higher than the other isolates. Yeasts expressing higher levels of surface phosphatase activity showed greater adhesion to epithelial cells. So, the activity of acidic surface phosphatases on these cells may contribute to the early mechanisms required for disease establishment.

Antidepressant Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy Correlate With Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Activity and Connectivity in Depression

PubMed Central

Liu, Yi; Du, Lian; Li, Yongmei; Liu, Haixia; Zhao, Wenjing; Liu, Dan; Zeng, Jinkun; Li, Xingbao; Fu, Yixiao; Qiu, Haitang; Li, Xirong; Qiu, Tian; Hu, Hua; Meng, Huaqing; Luo, Qinghua

2015-01-01

Abstract The mechanisms underlying the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in major depressive disorder (MDD) are not fully understood. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is a new tool to study the effects of brain stimulation interventions, particularly ECT. The authors aim to investigate the mechanisms of ECT in MDD by rs-fMRI. They used rs-fMRI to measure functional changes in the brain of first-episode, treatment-naive MDD patients (n = 23) immediately before and then following 8 ECT sessions (brief-pulse square-wave apparatus, bitemporal). They also computed voxel-wise amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) as a measure of regional brain activity and selected the left subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) to evaluate functional connectivity between the sgACC and other brain regions. Increased regional brain activity measured by ALFF mainly in the left sgACC following ECT. Functional connectivity of the left sgACC increased in the ipsilateral parahippocampal gyrus, pregenual ACC, contralateral middle temporal pole, and orbitofrontal cortex. Importantly, reduction in depressive symptoms were negatively correlated with increased ALFF in the left sgACC and left hippocampus, and with distant functional connectivity between the left sgACC and contralateral middle temporal pole. That is, across subjects, as depression improved, regional brain activity in sgACC and its functional connectivity increased in the brain. Eight ECT sessions in MDD patients modulated activity in the sgACC and its networks. The antidepressant effects of ECT were negatively correlated with sgACC brain activity and connectivity. These findings suggest that sgACC-associated prefrontal-limbic structures are associated with the therapeutic effects of ECT in MDD. PMID:26559309

Opposing effects of negative emotion on amygdalar and hippocampal memory for items and associations

PubMed Central

Horner, Aidan J.; Hørlyck, Lone D.; Burgess, Neil

2016-01-01

Although negative emotion can strengthen memory of an event it can also result in memory disturbances, as in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We examined the effects of negative item content on amygdalar and hippocampal function in memory for the items themselves and for the associations between them. During fMRI, we examined encoding and retrieval of paired associates made up of all four combinations of neutral and negative images. At test, participants were cued with an image and, if recognised, had to retrieve the associated (target) image. The presence of negative images increased item memory but reduced associative memory. At encoding, subsequent item recognition correlated with amygdala activity, while subsequent associative memory correlated with hippocampal activity. Hippocampal activity was reduced by the presence of negative images, during encoding and correct associative retrieval. In contrast, amygdala activity increased for correctly retrieved negative images, even when cued by a neutral image. Our findings support a dual representation account, whereby negative emotion up-regulates the amygdala to strengthen item memory but down-regulates the hippocampus to weaken associative representations. These results have implications for the development and treatment of clinical disorders in which diminished associations between emotional stimuli and their context contribute to negative symptoms, as in PTSD. PMID:26969864

Abnormal brain activation during directed forgetting of negative memory in depressed patients.

PubMed

Yang, Wenjing; Chen, Qunlin; Liu, Peiduo; Cheng, Hongsheng; Cui, Qian; Wei, Dongtao; Zhang, Qinglin; Qiu, Jiang

2016-01-15

The frequent occurrence of uncontrollable negative thoughts and memories is a troubling aspect of depression. Thus, knowledge on the mechanism underlying intentional forgetting of these thoughts and memories is crucial to develop an effective emotion regulation strategy for depressed individuals. Behavioral studies have demonstrated that depressed participants cannot intentionally forget negative memories. However, the neural mechanism underlying this process remains unclear. In this study, participants completed the directed forgetting task in which they were instructed to remember or forget neutral or negative words. Standard univariate analysis based on the General Linear Model showed that the depressed participants have higher activation in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), superior frontal gyrus (SFG), superior parietal gyrus (SPG), and inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) than the healthy individuals. The results indicated that depressed participants recruited more frontal and parietal inhibitory control resources to inhibit the TBF items, but the attempt still failed because of negative bias. We also used the Support Vector Machine to perform multivariate pattern classification based on the brain activation during directed forgetting. The pattern of brain activity in directed forgetting of negative words allowed correct group classification with an overall accuracy of 75% (P=0.012). The brain regions which are critical for this discrimination showed abnormal activation when depressed participants were attempting to forget negative words. These results indicated that the abnormal neural circuitry when depressed individuals tried to forget the negative words might provide neurobiological markers for depression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlates of children and parents being physically active together.

PubMed

Lee, Sarah M; Nihiser, Allison; Strouse, Darcy; Das, Barnali; Michael, Shannon; Huhman, Marian

2010-11-01

Co-physical activity (between parents and children), as an outcome variable, and its correlates have not been examined previously. The purpose of this study was to investigate correlates of co-physical activity among a nationally representative sample of 9- to 13-year-old children and their parents. Data were from the 2004 Youth Media Campaign Longitudinal Survey, a national survey of 5177 child-parent dyads. Parents of 9- to 13-year-old children were asked to report co-physical activity. Parents and children responded to a series of sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychosocial measures. Co-physical activity was treated as a dichotomous variable (ie, some or none). Logistic regression was used to assess associations of correlates directly and possible interactions between correlates. More than three-quarters of parents reported co-physical activity at least 1 day in the prior week. Age, race/ethnicity, sports team participation, eating meals together, parental confidence to influence the child's organized activity, and the child's perception of parental support were significantly associated with co-physical activity. The majority of respondents reported participating in co-physical activity, and multiple sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychosocial correlates were significantly associated with co-physical activity. This study provides insight for physical activity interventions that might involve parents.

Behavior and neural correlates of empathy in adolescents.

PubMed

Overgaauw, Sandy; Güroğlu, Berna; Rieffe, Carolien; Crone, Eveline A

2014-01-01

This study examined neural correlates of empathy in adolescence while observing harmful acts. A total of 32 participants (aged 12-19 years) viewed pictures depicting negative (offenders inflicting intentional harm) and positive (friends socializing) social situations. After viewing each picture, participants could allocate hypothetical points to either the offender or the victim in a dictator game. Behaviorally, participants of all ages acted prosocially towards victims, fairly towards positive individuals and punishingly towards offenders. Brain imaging analyses showed that viewing negative situations was associated with more activation in the bilateral intraparietal lobule and the superior temporal sulcus (STS), whereas viewing positive situations was associated with more medial prefrontal cortex and left temporal parietal junction activity. Analyses testing for associations between brain activity and self-reported empathy showed that the STS was correlated negatively with reports of understanding others' distress and the willingness to help others. Together, the findings suggest that adolescents show similar prosocial behavior, as previously reported in adults with greater STS activity, when observing negative social acts that is modulated by an individual's empathy for others. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cerebellar Purkinje Cells Generate Highly Correlated Spontaneous Slow-Rate Fluctuations.

PubMed

Cao, Ying; Liu, Yu; Jaeger, Dieter; Heck, Detlef H

2017-01-01

Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PC) fire action potentials at high, sustained rates. Changes in spike rate that last a few tens of milliseconds encode sensory and behavioral events. Here we investigated spontaneous fluctuations of PC simple spike rate at a slow time scale of the order of 1 s. Simultaneous recordings from pairs of PCs that were aligned either along the sagittal or transversal axis of the cerebellar cortex revealed that simple spike rate fluctuations at the 1 s time scale were highly correlated. Each pair of PCs had either a predominantly positive or negative slow-rate correlation, with negative correlations observed only in PC pairs aligned along the transversal axis. Slow-rate correlations were independent of faster rate changes that were correlated with fluid licking behavior. Simultaneous recordings from PCs and cerebellar nuclear (CN) neurons showed that slow-rate fluctuations in PC and CN activity were also highly correlated, but their correlations continually alternated between periods of positive and negative correlation. The functional significance of this new aspect of cerebellar spike activity remains to be determined. Correlated slow-rate fluctuations seem too slow to be involved in the real-time control of ongoing behavior. However, slow-rate fluctuations of PCs converging on the same CN neuron are likely to modulate the excitability of the CN neuron, thus introduce a possible slow modulation of cerebellar output activity.

Anticholinergic load negatively correlates with recovery of cognitive activities of daily living for geriatric patients after stroke in the convalescent stage.

PubMed

Kose, E; Hirai, T; Seki, T; Hidaka, S; Hamamoto, T

2018-05-16

Anticholinergic drugs are associated with risks of falls, confusion and cognitive dysfunction. However, the effect of anticholinergic drug use on rehabilitation outcomes after a stroke is poorly documented. We therefore aimed to establish whether the anticholinergic load was associated with functional recovery among geriatric patients convalescing after stroke. Consecutive geriatric stroke patients admitted and discharged from a convalescence rehabilitation ward between 2010 and 2016 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Anticholinergic load was assessed by the Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS), and functional recovery was assessed by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The primary outcome was cognitive FIM (FIM-C) gain, but we also assessed the interaction of other putative factors identified from univariate analysis. Multivariate analyses were performed, adjusting for confounding factors. We included 418 participants (171 males, 247 females) with a median age of 78 years (interquartile range, 72-84 years). Multiple regression analysis revealed that ARS change, length of stay, and epilepsy were independently and negatively correlated with cognitive FIM gain. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the "Comprehension" and "Memory" items of the cognitive FIM gain were independently and negatively associated with anticholinergic load. A causal relationship cannot be established, but increased ARS scores during hospitalization may predict limited cognitive functional improvement in geriatric patients after stroke. Alternatively, cognitive impairment may lead to increased use of anticholinergic drugs. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Two-Factor Model Better Explains Heterogeneity in Negative Symptoms: Evidence from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.

PubMed

Jang, Seon-Kyeong; Choi, Hye-Im; Park, Soohyun; Jaekal, Eunju; Lee, Ga-Young; Cho, Young Il; Choi, Kee-Hong

2016-01-01

Acknowledging separable factors underlying negative symptoms may lead to better understanding and treatment of negative symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia. The current study aimed to test whether the negative symptoms factor (NSF) of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) would be better represented by expressive and experiential deficit factors, rather than by a single factor model, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Two hundred and twenty individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders completed the PANSS; subsamples additionally completed the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) and the Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR). CFA results indicated that the two-factor model fit the data better than the one-factor model; however, latent variables were closely correlated. The two-factor model's fit was significantly improved by accounting for correlated residuals between N2 (emotional withdrawal) and N6 (lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation), and between N4 (passive social withdrawal) and G16 (active social avoidance), possibly reflecting common method variance. The two NSF factors exhibited differential patterns of correlation with subdomains of the BNSS and MAP-SR. These results suggest that the PANSS NSF would be better represented by a two-factor model than by a single-factor one, and support the two-factor model's adequate criterion-related validity. Common method variance among several items may be a potential source of measurement error under a two-factor model of the PANSS NSF.

From degree-correlated to payoff-correlated activity for an optimal resolution of social dilemmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleta, Alberto; Meloni, Sandro; Perc, Matjaž; Moreno, Yamir

2016-12-01

An active participation of players in evolutionary games depends on several factors, ranging from personal stakes to the properties of the interaction network. Diverse activity patterns thus have to be taken into account when studying the evolution of cooperation in social dilemmas. Here we study the weak prisoner's dilemma game, where the activity of each player is determined in a probabilistic manner either by its degree or by its payoff. While degree-correlated activity introduces cascading failures of cooperation that are particularly severe on scale-free networks with frequently inactive hubs, payoff-correlated activity provides a more nuanced activity profile, which ultimately hinders systemic breakdowns of cooperation. To determine optimal conditions for the evolution of cooperation, we introduce an exponential decay to payoff-correlated activity that determines how fast the activity of a player returns to its default state. We show that there exists an intermediate decay rate at which the resolution of the social dilemma is optimal. This can be explained by the emerging activity patterns of players, where the inactivity of hubs is compensated effectively by the increased activity of average-degree players, who through their collective influence in the network sustain a higher level of cooperation. The sudden drops in the fraction of cooperators observed with degree-correlated activity therefore vanish, and so does the need for the lengthy spatiotemporal reorganization of compact cooperative clusters. The absence of such asymmetric dynamic instabilities thus leads to an optimal resolution of social dilemmas, especially when the conditions for the evolution of cooperation are strongly adverse.

Meditation-induced neuroplastic changes in amygdala activity during negative affective processing.

PubMed

Leung, Mei-Kei; Lau, Way K W; Chan, Chetwyn C H; Wong, Samuel S Y; Fung, Annis L C; Lee, Tatia M C

2018-06-01

Recent evidence suggests that the effects of meditation practice on affective processing and resilience have the potential to induce neuroplastic changes within the amygdala. Notably, literature speculates that meditation training may reduce amygdala activity during negative affective processing. Nonetheless, studies have thus far not verified this speculation. In this longitudinal study, participants (N = 21, 9 men) were trained in awareness-based compassion meditation (ABCM) or matched relaxation training. The effects of meditation training on amygdala activity were examined during passive viewing of affective and neutral stimuli in a non-meditative state. We found that the ABCM group exhibited significantly reduced anxiety and right amygdala activity during negative emotion processing than the relaxation group. Furthermore, ABCM participants who performed more compassion practice had stronger right amygdala activity reduction during negative emotion processing. The lower right amygdala activity after ABCM training may be associated with a general reduction in reactivity and distress. As all participants performed the emotion processing task in a non-meditative state, it appears likely that the changes in right amygdala activity are carried over from the meditation practice into the non-meditative state. These findings suggest that the distress-reducing effects of meditation practice on affective processing may transfer to ordinary states, which have important implications on stress management.

Statistical correlation of low-altitude ENA emissions with geomagnetic activity from IMAGE/MENA observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackler, D. A.; Jahn, J.-M.; Perez, J. D.; Pollock, C. J.; Valek, P. W.

2016-03-01

Plasma sheet particles transported Earthward during times of active magnetospheric convection can interact with exospheric/thermospheric neutrals through charge exchange. The resulting Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) are free to leave the influence of the magnetosphere and can be remotely detected. ENAs associated with low-altitude (300-800 km) ion precipitation in the high-latitude atmosphere/ionosphere are termed low-altitude emissions (LAEs). Remotely observed LAEs are highly nonisotropic in velocity space such that the pitch angle distribution at the time of charge exchange is near 90°. The Geomagnetic Emission Cone of LAEs can be mapped spatially, showing where proton energy is deposited during times of varying geomagnetic activity. In this study we present a statistical look at the correlation between LAE flux (intensity and location) and geomagnetic activity. The LAE data are from the MENA imager on the IMAGE satellite over the declining phase of solar cycle 23 (2000-2005). The SYM-H, AE, and Kp indices are used to describe geomagnetic activity. The goal of the study is to evaluate properties of LAEs in ENA images and determine if those images can be used to infer properties of ion precipitation. Results indicate a general positive correlation to LAE flux for all three indices, with the SYM-H showing the greatest sensitivity. The magnetic local time distribution of LAEs is centered about midnight and spreads with increasing activity. The invariant latitude for all indices has a slightly negative correlation. The combined results indicate LAE behavior similar to that of ion precipitation.

Statistical Correlation of Low-Altitude ENA Emissions with Geomagnetic Activity from IMAGE MENA Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackler, D. A.; Jahn, J.- M.; Perez, J. D.; Pollock, C. J.; Valek, P. W.

2016-01-01

Plasma sheet particles transported Earthward during times of active magnetospheric convection can interact with exospheric/thermospheric neutrals through charge exchange. The resulting Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) are free to leave the influence of the magnetosphere and can be remotely detected. ENAs associated with low-altitude (300-800 km) ion precipitation in the high-latitude atmosphere/ionosphere are termed low-altitude emissions (LAEs). Remotely observed LAEs are highly nonisotropic in velocity space such that the pitch angle distribution at the time of charge exchange is near 90deg. The Geomagnetic Emission Cone of LAEs can be mapped spatially, showing where proton energy is deposited during times of varying geomagnetic activity. In this study we present a statistical look at the correlation between LAE flux (intensity and location) and geomagnetic activity. The LAE data are from the MENA imager on the IMAGE satellite over the declining phase of solar cycle 23 (2000-2005). The SYM-H, AE, and Kp indices are used to describe geomagnetic activity. The goal of the study is to evaluate properties of LAEs in ENA images and determine if those images can be used to infer properties of ion precipitation. Results indicate a general positive correlation to LAE flux for all three indices, with the SYM-H showing the greatest sensitivity. The magnetic local time distribution of LAEs is centered about midnight and spreads with increasing activity. The invariant latitude for all indices has a slightly negative correlation. The combined results indicate LAE behavior similar to that of ion precipitation.

Trait positive and negative emotionality differentially associate with diurnal cortisol activity.

PubMed

Miller, Karissa G; Wright, Aidan G C; Peterson, Laurel M; Kamarck, Thomas W; Anderson, Barbara A; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Marsland, Anna L; Muldoon, Matthew F; Manuck, Stephen B

2016-06-01

Inter-individual variability in metrics of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity, such as the slope of the diurnal decline in cortisol, cortisol awakening response (CAR), and total cortisol output, have been found to associate inversely with trait ratings of extraversion and positive affect (E/PA) and positively with neuroticism and negative affect (N/NA) in some, but not all, investigations. These inconsistencies may partly reflect varied intensity of cortisol sampling among studies and reliance on self-rated traits, which are subject to reporting biases and limitations of introspection. Here, we further examined dispositional correlates of HPA activity in 490 healthy, employed midlife volunteers (M age=43 years; 54% Female; 86% white). Trait ratings were requested from participants and 2 participant-elected informants using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Extraversion and Neuroticism dimensions of NEO personality inventories. CAR was assessed as percent increase in cortisol levels from awakening to 30min after awakening; and the diurnal slope and total output of cortisol [Area Under the Curve (AUC)] were determined from cortisol measurements taken at awakening, +4 and +9h later, and bedtime, across 3 workdays. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate multi-informant E/PA and N/NA factors. We used 3days of measurement as indicators to model each of the three latent cortisol factors (slope, CAR, and AUC). With the two latent emotionality and three latent cortisol indices included there was good fit to the data (χ(2)(200)=278.38, p=0.0002; RMSEA=0.028, 90% CI=0.02-0.04; CFI/TLI=0.97/0.96; SRMR=0.04). After controlling for covariates (age, sex, race), results showed higher latent E/PA associated with a steeper diurnal slope (Standardized β=-0.19, p=0.02) and smaller CAR (Standardized β=-0.26, p=0.004), whereas N/NA did not associate with any cortisol metric (Standardized β's=-0.12 to 0.13, p's=0.10 to 0.53). These

Expression levels of the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand and osteoprotegerin and the number of gram-negative bacteria in symptomatic and asymptomatic periapical lesions.

PubMed

Carneiro, E; Parolin, A B; Wichnieski, C; Rosa, E A R; Silva Neto, U X; Westphalen, V P D; Fariniuk, L F; Johann, A C B R

2017-01-01

The study aimed to verify the potential correlation between the detected amount of gram-negative bacteria and the radiographic sizes of the lesions in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic apical periodontitis. Furthermore, to evaluate whether the expression of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) and the RANKL/OPG ratio are differentially regulated in both groups. Twenty patients with periapical lesions were divided into two groups: symptomatic (SYM) n=10 and asymptomatic (ASYM) n=10. After periapical surgery, the lesions were collected and processed for histological examination, and immunohistochemistry. The percentage of RANKL- and OPG-immunopositive areas relative to the total area of the microscopic field was calculated. For gram staining, the number of gram-negative cells per microscopic field was assessed. The radiographs of each patient were processed and measured. The Student's t-test and the Pearson correlation coefficient were performed. The SYM group showed a significantly higher number of gram-negative cells (p=0.007) when compared to the ASYM group. A higher number of gram-negative bacteria occurred more frequently in larger periapical lesions and the SYM group (p=0.03). The expression for RANKL and OPG and the RANKL/OPG ratio were not significantly different between the groups. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of bacteria and OPG levels in the SYM group (p=0.01). The number of bacteria seems to influence the symptoms and the radiographic size of a periapical lesion. Gram-negative bacteria may play an important role in OPG activity in the SYM group. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of Correlates of Physical Activity among Latino Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovell, M.; And Others

1991-01-01

Study explored possible correlates of both vigorous physical activity and walking for exercise in 127 middle-class, healthy adult Latinos. Questionnaire results indicate correlates of physical activity are different for Latinos than for Anglos. Important variables associated with vigorous activity are self-efficacy, friends' support, childhood…

Battacin (Octapeptin B5), a New Cyclic Lipopeptide Antibiotic from Paenibacillus tianmuensis Active against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria

PubMed Central

Qian, Chao-Dong; Teng, Yi; Zhao, Wen-Peng; Li, Ou; Fang, Sheng-Guo; Huang, Zhao-Hui; Gao, Hai-Chun

2012-01-01

Hospital-acquired infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria are a significant challenge to patient safety. Numerous clinical isolates resistant to almost all commercially available antibiotics have emerged. Thus, novel antimicrobial agents, specifically those for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, are urgently needed. In the current study, we report the isolation, structure elucidation, and preliminary biological characterization of a new cationic lipopeptide antibiotic, battacin or octapeptin B5, produced from a Paenibacillus tianmuensis soil isolate. Battacin kills bacteria in vitro and has potent activity against Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant and extremely drug-resistant clinical isolates. Hospital strains of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the pathogens most sensitive to battacin, with MICs of 2 to 4 μg/ml. The ability of battacin to disrupt the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is comparable to that of polymyxin B, the last-line therapy for infections caused by antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, the capacity of battacin to permeate bacterial plasma membranes is less extensive than that of polymyxin B. The bactericidal kinetics of battacin correlate with the depolarization of the cell membrane, suggesting that battacin kills bacteria by disrupting the cytoplasmic membrane. Other studies indicate that battacin is less acutely toxic than polymyxin B and has potent in vivo biological activity against E. coli. Based on the findings of the current study, battacin may be considered a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. PMID:22183171

Identifying Crucial Parameter Correlations Maintaining Bursting Activity

PubMed Central

Doloc-Mihu, Anca; Calabrese, Ronald L.

2014-01-01

Recent experimental and computational studies suggest that linearly correlated sets of parameters (intrinsic and synaptic properties of neurons) allow central pattern-generating networks to produce and maintain their rhythmic activity regardless of changing internal and external conditions. To determine the role of correlated conductances in the robust maintenance of functional bursting activity, we used our existing database of half-center oscillator (HCO) model instances of the leech heartbeat CPG. From the database, we identified functional activity groups of burster (isolated neuron) and half-center oscillator model instances and realistic subgroups of each that showed burst characteristics (principally period and spike frequency) similar to the animal. To find linear correlations among the conductance parameters maintaining functional leech bursting activity, we applied Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to each of these four groups. PCA identified a set of three maximal conductances (leak current, Leak; a persistent K current, K2; and of a persistent Na+ current, P) that correlate linearly for the two groups of burster instances but not for the HCO groups. Visualizations of HCO instances in a reduced space suggested that there might be non-linear relationships between these parameters for these instances. Experimental studies have shown that period is a key attribute influenced by modulatory inputs and temperature variations in heart interneurons. Thus, we explored the sensitivity of period to changes in maximal conductances of Leak, K2, and P, and we found that for our realistic bursters the effect of these parameters on period could not be assessed because when varied individually bursting activity was not maintained. PMID:24945358

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of novel bisindole amidines active against MDR Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

PubMed

Liu, Yonghua; Hu, Xinxin; Wu, Yanbin; Zhang, Weixing; Chen, Xiaofang; You, Xuefu; Hu, Laixing

2018-04-25

A series of novel diamidines with N-substituents on an amidine N-atom were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity and in vitro antibacterial activity against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Based on structure-activity relationship, N-substituents with a branched chain and a shorter carbon chain on the amidine N-atom exhibited more promising activity against Gram-negative and MDR-Gram-positive bacteria; compounds 5c and 5i were the most powerful candidate compounds. Compound 5c showed greater efficacy than levofloxacin against most drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria and exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, with MIC values in the range of 2-16 μg/mL. Slightly more potent antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Enterobacter cloacae, and Proteus mirabilis was observed for 5i in comparison with 5c. Compound 5i also showed remarkable antibacterial activity against NDM-1-producing Gram-negative bacteria, with MIC values in the range of 2-4 μg/mL, and was superior to the reference drugs meropenem and levofloxacin. Effective antibacterial activity of 5i was also shown in vivo in a mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus MRSA strain, with an ED 50 values of 2.62 mg/kg. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Negative relationship behavior is more important than positive: Correlates of outcomes during stressful life events.

PubMed

Rivers, Alannah Shelby; Sanford, Keith

2018-04-01

When people who are married or cohabiting face stressful life situations, their ability to cope may be associated with two separate dimensions of interpersonal behavior: positive and negative. These behaviors can be assessed with the Couple Resilience Inventory (CRI). It was expected that scales on this instrument would correlate with outcome variables regarding life well-being, stress, and relationship satisfaction. It was also expected that effects for negative behavior would be larger than effects for positive and that the effects might be curvilinear. Study 1 included 325 married or cohabiting people currently experiencing nonmedical major life stressors and Study 2 included 154 married or cohabiting people with current, serious medical conditions. All participants completed an online questionnaire including the CRI along with an alternate measure of couple behavior (to confirm scale validity), a measure of general coping style (to serve as a covariate), and measures of outcome variables regarding well-being, quality of life, perceived stress, and relationship satisfaction. The effects for negative behavior were larger than effects for positive in predicting most outcomes, and many effects were curvilinear. Notably, results remained significant after controlling for general coping style, and scales measuring positive and negative behavior demonstrated comparable levels of validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Voluntary modulation of anterior cingulate response to negative feedback.

PubMed

Shane, Matthew S; Weywadt, Christina R

2014-01-01

Anterior cingulate and medial frontal cortex (dACC/mFC) response to negative feedback represents the actions of a generalized error-monitoring system critical for the management of goal-directed behavior. Magnitude of dACC/mFC response to negative feedback correlates with levels of post-feedback behavioral change, and with proficiency of operant learning processes. With this in mind, it follows that an ability to alter dACC/mFC response to negative feedback may lead to representative changes in operant learning proficiency. To this end, the present study investigated the extent to which healthy individuals would show modulation of their dACC/mFC response when instructed to try to either maximize or minimize their neural response to the presentation of contingent negative feedback. Participants performed multiple runs of a standard time-estimation task, during which they received feedback regarding their ability to accurately estimate a one-second duration. On Watch runs, participants were simply instructed to try to estimate as closely as possible the one second duration. On Increase and Decrease runs, participants performed the same task, but were instructed to "try to increase [decrease] their brain's response every time they received negative feedback". Results indicated that participants showed changes in dACC/mFC response under these differing instructional conditions: dACC/mFC activity following negative feedback was higher in the Increase condition, and dACC activity trended lower in the Decrease condition, compared to the Watch condition. Moreover, dACC activity correlated with post-feedback performance adjustments, and these adjustments were highest in the Increase condition. Potential implications for neuromodulation and facilitated learning are discussed.

Drop or fly? Negative genetic correlation between death-feigning intensity and flying ability as alternative anti-predator strategies

PubMed Central

Ohno, Tatsunori; Miyatake, Takahisa

2006-01-01

A prey animal may have the alternative of flying away or feigning death when it encounters predators. These alternatives have a genetic base as anti-predator strategies in the adzuki bean beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis. A negative genetic correlation between death-feigning intensity and flying ability was found in C. chinensis, i.e. lower flying ability is genetically connected to escaping by dropping from a perch and then feigning death, whereas higher flying ability does not correspond to death-feigning behaviour. Two bidirectional artificial selections for death-feigning duration and flying ability were conducted independently in C. chinensis. The strains selected for shorter (longer) duration of death-feigning had higher (lower) flying ability, while the strains selected for lower (higher) flying ability showed longer (shorter) duration of death-feigning. When the two traits were compared in 21 populations of C. chinensis derived from different geographical regions, a significant negative correlation was found between death-feigning intensity and flying ability. Based on these results, the choice between alternative escaping behaviours in animals is discussed from two points of view: phenotypic plasticity, an individual with two tactics; and pleiotropic genetic correlation, different individuals with opposite strategies. PMID:17476776

The Negative Correlation between Fiber Color and Quality Traits Revealed by QTL Analysis.

PubMed

Feng, Hongjie; Guo, Lixue; Wang, Gaskin; Sun, Junling; Pan, Zhaoe; He, Shoupu; Zhu, Heqin; Sun, Jie; Du, Xiongming

2015-01-01

Naturally existing colored cotton was far from perfection due to having genetic factors for lower yield, poor fiber quality and monotonous color. These factors posed a challenge to colored cotton breeding and innovation. To identify novel quantitative trait loci (QTL) for fiber color along with understanding of correlation between fiber color and quality in colored cotton, a RIL and two F2 populations were generated from crosses among Zong128 (Brown fiber cotton) and two white fiber cotton lines which were then analyzed in four environments. Two stable and major QTLs (qLC-7-1, qFC-7-1) for fiber lint and fuzz color were detected accounting for 16.01%-59.85% of the phenotypic variation across multiple generations and environments. Meanwhile, some minor QTLs were also identified on chromosomes 5, 14, 21 and 24 providing low phenotypic variation (<5%) from only F2 populations, not from the RILs population. Especially, a multiple-effect locus for fiber color and quality has been detected between flanking markers NAU1043 and NAU3654 on chromosome 7 (A genome) over multiple environments. Of which, qLC-7-1, qFC-7-1 were responsible for positive effects and improved fiber color in offsprings. Meanwhile, the QTLs (qFL-7-1, qFU-7-1, qFF-7-1, qFE-7-1, and qFS-7-1) for fiber quality had negative effects and explained 2.19%-8.78% of the phenotypic variation. This multiple-effect locus for fiber color and quality may reveal the negative correlation between the two types of above traits, so paving the way towards cotton genetic improvement.

Correlated activity supports efficient cortical processing

PubMed Central

Hung, Chou P.; Cui, Ding; Chen, Yueh-peng; Lin, Chia-pei; Levine, Matthew R.

2015-01-01

Visual recognition is a computational challenge that is thought to occur via efficient coding. An important concept is sparseness, a measure of coding efficiency. The prevailing view is that sparseness supports efficiency by minimizing redundancy and correlations in spiking populations. Yet, we recently reported that “choristers”, neurons that behave more similarly (have correlated stimulus preferences and spontaneous coincident spiking), carry more generalizable object information than uncorrelated neurons (“soloists”) in macaque inferior temporal (IT) cortex. The rarity of choristers (as low as 6% of IT neurons) indicates that they were likely missed in previous studies. Here, we report that correlation strength is distinct from sparseness (choristers are not simply broadly tuned neurons), that choristers are located in non-granular output layers, and that correlated activity predicts human visual search efficiency. These counterintuitive results suggest that a redundant correlational structure supports efficient processing and behavior. PMID:25610392

E-ADA activity in erythrocytes of lambs experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus and its possible functional correlations with anemia.

PubMed

Da Silva, Aleksandro S; Schafer, Andressa S; Aires, Adelina R; Tonin, Alexandre A; Pimentel, Victor C; Oliveira, Camila B; Zanini, Daniela; Schetinger, Maria R C; Lopes, Sonia T A; Leal, Marta L R

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ecto-adenosine deaminase (E-ADA) activity in erythrocytes of lambs experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus, correlating it with the degrees of anemia of the experimental animals. A total of 14 healthy lambs, with negative fecal exam for parasites, were to carry out the present study. They were divided into two groups, composed by seven animals: Group A represented the healthy animals (uninfected), while in Group B the animals were infected with 15,000 larvae of H. contortus. Blood was drawn on the days 15, 45 and 75 post-infection (PI) in order to perform the hematological analysis, as well as the mensuration of E-ADA activity in erythrocytes. Parasitological stool exam were performed on the same days mentioned above to follow up the evolution of the infection, as well to determine the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG). On day 15PI, the animals presented negative EPG and there was not significant (P>0.05) difference between groups in relation to E-ADA activity and hematologic parameters. Animals in Group B had positive EPG for helminths on days 45 and 75 PI, accompanied by varying degrees of anemia, when compared to Group A. At the same periods E-ADA activity was significantly (P<0.05) increased in the erythrocytes of animals of Group B when compared with the not-infected ones. Statistically, there was a negative correlation (P<0.01) between activity E-ADA in erythrocytes and hematocrit on days 45 (r = -0.76) and 75 (r = -0.85)PI. Based on these results and in the scientific literature, it is possible to conclude that the E-ADA may participate on mechanisms related with the pathogenesis and host response against anemia caused by H. contortus. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Memory traces for spoken words in the brain as revealed by the hemodynamic correlate of the mismatch negativity.

PubMed

Shtyrov, Yury; Osswald, Katja; Pulvermüller, Friedemann

2008-01-01

The mismatch negativity response, considered a brain correlate of automatic preattentive auditory processing, is enhanced for word stimuli as compared with acoustically matched pseudowords. This lexical enhancement, taken as a signature of activation of language-specific long-term memory traces, was investigated here using functional magnetic resonance imaging to complement the previous electrophysiological studies. In passive oddball paradigm, word stimuli were randomly presented as rare deviants among frequent pseudowords; the reverse conditions employed infrequent pseudowords among word stimuli. Random-effect analysis indicated clearly distinct patterns for the different lexical types. Whereas the hemodynamic mismatch response was significant for the word deviants, it did not reach significance for the pseudoword conditions. This difference, more pronounced in the left than right hemisphere, was also assessed by analyzing average parameter estimates in regions of interests within both temporal lobes. A significant hemisphere-by-lexicality interaction confirmed stronger blood oxygenation level-dependent mismatch responses to words than pseudowords in the left but not in the right superior temporal cortex. The increased left superior temporal activation and the laterality of cortical sources elicited by spoken words compared with pseudowords may indicate the activation of cortical circuits for lexical material even in passive oddball conditions and suggest involvement of the left superior temporal areas in housing such word-processing neuronal circuits.

Two-dimensional nanoscale correlations in the strong negative thermal expansion material ScF 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Handunkanda, Sahan U.; Occhialini, Connor A.; Said, Ayman H.

We present diffuse x-ray scattering data on the strong negative thermal expansion (NTE) material ScF3 and find that two-dimensional nanoscale correlations exist at momentum-space regions associated with possibly rigid rotations of the perovskite octahedra. We address the extent to which rigid octahedral motion describes the dynamical fluctuations behind NTE by generalizing a simple model supporting a single floppy mode that is often used to heuristically describe instances of NTE. We find this model has tendencies toward dynamic inhomogeneities and its application to recent and existing experimental data suggest an intricate link between the nanometer correlation length scale, the energy scalemore » for octahedral tilt fluctuations, and the coefficient of thermal expansion in ScF3. We then investigate the breakdown of the rigid limit and propose a resolution to an outstanding debate concerning the role of molecular rigidity in strong NTE materials.« less

Negative religious coping as a correlate of suicidal ideation in patients with advanced cancer

PubMed Central

Trevino, K. M.; Balboni, M.; Zollfrank, A.; Balboni, T.; Prigerson, H. G.

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between negative religious coping (NRC) and suicidal ideation in patients with advanced cancer, controlling for demographic and disease characteristics and risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation. Methods Adult patients with advanced cancer (life expectancy ≤6 months) were recruited from seven medical centers in the northeastern and southwestern USA (n = 603). Trained raters verbally administered the examined measures to patients upon study entry. Multivariable logistic regression analyses regressed suicidal ideation on NRC controlling for significant demographic, disease, risk, and protective factors. Results Negative religious coping was associated with an increased risk for suicidal ideation (OR, 2.65 [95% CI, 1.22, 5.74], p = 0.01) after controlling for demographic and disease characteristics, mental and physical health, self-efficacy, secular coping, social support, spiritual care received, global religiousness and spirituality, and positive religious coping. Conclusions Negative religious coping is a robust correlate of suicidal ideation. Assessment of NRC in patients with advanced cancer may identify patients experiencing spiritual distress and those at risk for suicidal ideation. Confirmation of these results in future studies would suggest the need for interventions targeting the reduction of NRC to reduce suicidal ideation among advanced cancer patients. PMID:24577802

Neural correlates of reappraisal considering working memory capacity and cognitive flexibility.

PubMed

Zaehringer, Jenny; Falquez, Rosalux; Schubert, Anna-Lena; Nees, Frauke; Barnow, Sven

2018-01-09

Cognitive reappraisal of emotion is strongly related to long-term mental health. Therefore, the exploration of underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms has become an essential focus of research. Considering that reappraisal and executive functions rely on a similar brain network, the question arises whether behavioral differences in executive functions modulate neural activity during reappraisal. Using functional neuroimaging, the present study aimed to analyze the role of working memory capacity (WMC) and cognitive flexibility in brain activity during down-regulation of negative emotions by reappraisal in N = 20 healthy participants. Results suggests that WMC and cognitive flexibility were negatively correlated with prefrontal activity during reappraisal condition. Here, results also revealed a negative correlation between cognitive flexibility and amygdala activation. These findings provide first hints that (1) individuals with lower WMC and lower cognitive flexibility might need more higher-order cognitive neural resources in order to down-regulate negative emotions and (2) cognitive flexibility relates to emotional reactivity during reappraisal.

Locking of correlated neural activity to ongoing oscillations

PubMed Central

Helias, Moritz

2017-01-01

Population-wide oscillations are ubiquitously observed in mesoscopic signals of cortical activity. In these network states a global oscillatory cycle modulates the propensity of neurons to fire. Synchronous activation of neurons has been hypothesized to be a separate channel of signal processing information in the brain. A salient question is therefore if and how oscillations interact with spike synchrony and in how far these channels can be considered separate. Experiments indeed showed that correlated spiking co-modulates with the static firing rate and is also tightly locked to the phase of beta-oscillations. While the dependence of correlations on the mean rate is well understood in feed-forward networks, it remains unclear why and by which mechanisms correlations tightly lock to an oscillatory cycle. We here demonstrate that such correlated activation of pairs of neurons is qualitatively explained by periodically-driven random networks. We identify the mechanisms by which covariances depend on a driving periodic stimulus. Mean-field theory combined with linear response theory yields closed-form expressions for the cyclostationary mean activities and pairwise zero-time-lag covariances of binary recurrent random networks. Two distinct mechanisms cause time-dependent covariances: the modulation of the susceptibility of single neurons (via the external input and network feedback) and the time-varying variances of single unit activities. For some parameters, the effectively inhibitory recurrent feedback leads to resonant covariances even if mean activities show non-resonant behavior. Our analytical results open the question of time-modulated synchronous activity to a quantitative analysis. PMID:28604771

Vision Drives Correlated Activity without Patterned Spontaneous Activity in Developing Xenopus Retina

PubMed Central

Demas, James A.; Payne, Hannah; Cline, Hollis T.

2011-01-01

Developing amphibians need vision to avoid predators and locate food before visual system circuits fully mature. Xenopus tadpoles can respond to visual stimuli as soon as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) innervate the brain, however, in mammals, chicks and turtles, RGCs reach their central targets many days, or even weeks, before their retinas are capable of vision. In the absence of vision, activity-dependent refinement in these amniote species is mediated by waves of spontaneous activity that periodically spread across the retina, correlating the firing of action potentials in neighboring RGCs. Theory suggests that retinorecipient neurons in the brain use patterned RGC activity to sharpen the retinotopy first established by genetic cues. We find that in both wild type and albino Xenopus tadpoles, RGCs are spontaneously active at all stages of tadpole development studied, but their population activity never coalesces into waves. Even at the earliest stages recorded, visual stimulation dominates over spontaneous activity and can generate patterns of RGC activity similar to the locally correlated spontaneous activity observed in amniotes. In addition, we show that blocking AMPA and NMDA type glutamate receptors significantly decreases spontaneous activity in young Xenopus retina, but that blocking GABAA receptor blockers does not. Our findings indicate that vision drives correlated activity required for topographic map formation. They further suggest that developing retinal circuits in the two major subdivisions of tetrapods, amphibians and amniotes, evolved different strategies to supply appropriately patterned RGC activity to drive visual circuit refinement. PMID:21312343

The Correlation Between PARP1 and BRCA1 in AR Positive Triple-negative Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Luo, Jiayan; Jin, Juan; Yang, Fang; Sun, Zijia; Zhang, Wenwen; Shi, Yaqin; Xu, Jing; Guan, Xiaoxiang

2016-01-01

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) expression and thus cannot benefit from conventional hormonal or anti-HER2 targeted therapies. Anti-androgen therapy has shown a certain effect on androgen receptor (AR) positive TNBC. The emerging researches have proved that poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor is effective in BRCA1-deficient breast cancers. We demonstrated that combination of AR antagonist (bicalutamide) and PARP inhibitor (ABT-888) could inhibit cell viability and induce cell apoptosis significantly whatever in vitro or in vivo setting in AR-positive TNBC. Previous studies have proved that both BRCA1 and PARP1 have close connections with AR in prostate cancer. We explored the correlation among AR, PARP1 and BRCA1 in TNBC for the first time. After BRCA1 overexpression, the expression of AR and PARP1 were decreased in mRNA and protein levels. Additionally, AR positively regulated PARP1 while PARP1 also up-regulated AR expression in vitro. We also confirmed BRCA1 expression was negatively correlated with AR and PARP1 in TNBC patients using a tissue microarray with TNBC patient samples. These results suggest that the combination of bicalutamide and PARP inhibitor may be a potential strategy for TNBC patients and merits further evaluation.

Phenolic acids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, antioxidant activity, minerals and their correlations in non-pigmented, red, and black rice.

PubMed

Shao, Yafang; Hu, Zhanqiang; Yu, Yonghong; Mou, Renxiang; Zhu, Zhiwei; Beta, Trust

2018-01-15

Soluble-free, soluble-conjugated, insoluble-bound phenolics and antioxidant activity, flavonoid (TFC), proanthocyanidins (TPAC), anthocyanins and minerals of fifteen whole rice grains with different colors were investigated. Soluble-free protocatechuic and vanillic acids were only quantified in black rice, which had the most quantities. Non-pigmented rice had no detectable conjugated protocatechuic and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acids both of which were found in black and red rice, respectively. The main bound phenolic acids were ferulic and p-coumaric, as well as 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic in red rice and protocatechuic and vanillic acids in black rice. Soluble-conjugated phenolics, TFC, and anthocyanins were negatively correlated with L ∗ , b ∗ , C and H° values. TPAC was positively correlated with a ∗ (P<0.01). Protocatechuic, vanillic, syringic and ferulic acids were associated with TPC and antioxidant activity in the soluble-conjugated fraction while protocatechuic and ferulic acid were correlated with those in the insoluble-bound fraction. Principal component analysis divided samples into non-pigmented, red and black rice groups. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Macro-Level Correlates of Malware Infections Using a Routine Activities Framework.

PubMed

Holt, Thomas J; Burruss, George W; Bossler, Adam M

2018-05-01

The ability to gain unauthorized access to computer systems to engage in espionage and data theft poses a massive threat to individuals worldwide. There has been minimal focus, however, on the role of malicious software, or malware, which can automate this process. This study examined the macro-correlates of malware infection at the national level by using an open repository of known malware infections and utilizing a routine activities framework. Negative inflated binomial models for counts indicated that nations with greater technological infrastructure, more political freedoms, and with less organized crime financial impact were more likely to report malware infections. The number of Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) in a nation was not significantly related with reported malware infection. The implications of the study for the understanding of malware infection, routine activity theory, and target-hardening strategies are discussed.

Buckling, stiffening, and negative dissipation in the dynamics of a biopolymer in an active medium

PubMed Central

Kikuchi, Norio; Ehrlicher, Allen; Koch, Daniel; Käs, Josef A.; Ramaswamy, Sriram; Rao, Madan

2009-01-01

We present a generic theory for the dynamics of a stiff filament under tension, in an active medium with orientational correlations, such as a microtubule in contractile actin. In sharp contrast to the case of a passive medium, we find the filament can stiffen, and possibly oscillate or buckle, depending on both the contractile or tensile nature of the activity and the filament-medium anchoring interaction. We also demonstrate a strong violation of the fluctuation–dissipation (FD) relation in the effective dynamics of the filament, including a negative FD ratio. Our approach is also of relevance to the dynamics of axons, and our model equations bear a remarkable formal similarity to those in recent work [Martin P, Hudspeth AJ, Juelicher F (2001) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:14380–14385] on auditory hair cells. Detailed tests of our predictions can be made by using a single filament in actomyosin extracts or bacterial suspensions. PMID:19901332

Negative stiffness and modulated states in active nematics.

PubMed

Srivastava, Pragya; Mishra, Prashant; Marchetti, M Cristina

2016-10-04

We examine the dynamics of an active nematic liquid crystal on a frictional substrate. When frictional damping dominates over viscous dissipation, we eliminate flow in favor of active stresses to obtain a minimal dynamical model for the nematic order parameter, with elastic constants renormalized by activity. The renormalized elastic constants can become negative at large activity, leading to the selection of spatially inhomogeneous patterns via a mechanism analogous to that responsible for modulated phases arising at an equilibrium Lifshitz point. Tuning activity and the degree of nematic order in the passive system, we obtain a linear stability phase diagram that exhibits a nonequilibrium tricritical point where ordered, modulated and disordered phases meet. Numerical solution of the nonlinear equations yields a succession of spatial structures of increasing complexity with increasing activity, including kink walls and active turbulence, as observed in experiments on microtubule bundles confined at an oil-water interface. Our work provides a minimal model for an overdamped active nematic that reproduces all the nonequilibrium structures seen in simulations of the full active nematic hydrodynamics and provides a framework for understanding some of the mechanisms for selection of the nonequilibrium patterns in the language of equilibrium critical phenomena.

Cerebral interregional correlations of associative language processing: a positron emission tomography activation study using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose.

PubMed

Schreckenberger, M; Gouzoulis-Mayfrank, E; Sabri, O; Arning, C; Schulz, G; Tuttass, T; Wagenknecht, G; Kaiser, H J; Sass, H; Buell, U

1998-11-01

Even though there have been numerous positron emission tomography (PET) activation studies on the perfusional and metabolic bases of language processing, little is known about the intracerebral functional network of language and cognitive processes. It was the aim of this study to investigate the cerebral interregional correlations during voluntary word association versus word repetition in healthy subjects to gain insight into the functional connectivity of associative speech processing. Due to individual variability in functional anatomy, the study protocol was designed as an averaged single-subject study. Eight healthy volunteers performed a verbal association task during fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET scanning. Two different tasks were performed in randomized order: (a) word repetition (after auditory presentation of nouns) as a control condition, and (b) word association (after auditory presentation of nouns) as a specific semantic activation. The regional metabolic rate of glucose (rMRGlu) was calculated after brain regionalization [112 regions of interest on individual 3D flash magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] and PET/MRI realignment. Statistical analysis was performed for comparison of association and repetition and for calculation of interregional correlation coefficients during both tasks. Compared with word repetition, word association was associated with significant increases in rMRGlu in the left prefrontal cortex, the left frontal operculum (Broca's area) and the left insula, indicating involvement of these areas in associative language processing. Decreased rMRGlu was found in the left posterior cingulum during word association. During word repetition, highly significant negative correlations were found between the left prefrontal cortex, the contralateral cortex areas and the ipsilateral posterior cingulum. These negative correlations were almost completely eliminated during the association task, suggesting a functional decoupling of

Potentiated processing of negative feedback in depression is attenuated by anhedonia

PubMed Central

Mueller, E. M.; Pechtel, P.; Cohen, A.L.; Douglas, S.R.; Pizzagalli, D.A.

2014-01-01

Background Although cognitive theories of depression have postulated enhanced processing of negatively valenced information, previous EEG studies have shown both increased and reduced sensitivity for negative performance feedback in MDD. To reconcile these paradoxical findings, it has been speculated that sensitivity for negative feedback is potentiated in moderate MDD but reduced in highly anhedonic subjects. The goal of this study was to test this hypothesis by analyzing the feedback-related negativity (FRN), frontomedial theta power (FMT), and source-localized anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) activity after negative feedback. Methods Fourteen unmedicated participants with MDD and 15 control participants performed a reinforcement learning task while 128-channel EEG was recorded. FRN, FMT and LORETA source-localized aMCC activity after negative and positive feedback were compared between groups. Results The MDD group showed higher FRN amplitudes and aMCC activation to negative feedback than controls. Moreover, aMCC activation to negative feedback was inversely related to self-reported anhedonia. In contrast, self-reported anxiety correlated with feedback-evoked frontomedial theta (FMT) within the depression group. Conclusions The present findings suggest that, among depressed and anxious individuals, enhanced processing of negative feedback occurs relatively early in the information processing stream. These results extend prior work and indicate that although moderate depression is associated with elevated sensitivity for negative feedback, high levels of anhedonia may attenuate this effect. PMID:25620272

Iro/IRX transcription factors negatively regulate Dpp/TGF-β pathway activity during intestinal tumorigenesis.

PubMed

Martorell, Òscar; Barriga, Francisco M; Merlos-Suárez, Anna; Stephan-Otto Attolini, Camille; Casanova, Jordi; Batlle, Eduard; Sancho, Elena; Casali, Andreu

2014-11-01

Activating mutations in Wnt and EGFR/Ras signaling pathways are common in colorectal cancer (CRC). Remarkably, clonal co-activation of these pathways in the adult Drosophila midgut induces "tumor-like" overgrowths. Here, we show that, in these clones and in CRC cell lines, Dpp/TGF-β acts as a tumor suppressor. Moreover, we discover that the Iroquois/IRX-family-protein Mirror downregulates the transcription of core components of the Dpp pathway, reducing its tumor suppressor activity. We also show that this genetic interaction is conserved in human CRC cells, where the Iro/IRX proteins IRX3 and IRX5 diminish the response to TGF-β. IRX3 and IRX5 are upregulated in human adenomas, and their levels correlate inversely with the gene expression signature of response to TGF-β. In addition, Irx5 expression confers a growth advantage in the presence of TGF-β, but is selected against in its absence. Together, our results identify a set of Iro/IRX proteins as conserved negative regulators of Dpp/TGF-β activity. We propose that during the characteristic adenoma-to-carcinoma transition of human CRC, the activity of IRX proteins could reduce the sensitivity to the cytostatic effect of TGF-β, conferring a growth advantage to tumor cells prior to the acquisition of mutations in TGF-β pathway components. © 2014 The Authors.

What do women with breast cancer expect from their treatment? Correlates of negative treatment expectations about endocrine therapy.

PubMed

Heisig, Sarah R; Shedden-Mora, Meike C; von Blanckenburg, Pia; Rief, Winfried; Witzel, Isabell; Albert, Ute-Susann; Nestoriuc, Yvonne

2016-12-01

Patients' negative treatment expectations can lead to nocebo-related side effects and non-initiation of treatment. This study aims to identify correlates of treatment expectations in patients with breast cancer before the start of endocrine therapy. Expectations were assessed in a cross-sectional sample of 166 patients with breast cancer after receiving treatment information. Side effect expectations (one item) and treatment necessity-concern balance (Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire) were assessed. Correlates were analyzed using regression analyses. The structure of treatment expectations was investigated using a network analysis. About 25% of patients expressed negative expectations. Higher side effect expectations were associated with lower treatment efficacy expectations (ß = -0.20, p = 0.01), higher medication overuse beliefs (ß = 0.17, p = 0.01), and a negative treatment appraisal before study treatment information (ß = -0.17, p = 0.02). A negative necessity-concern balance was associated with lower treatment efficacy expectations (ß = 0.36, p < 0.001), lower adherence intention (ß = 0.21, p < 0.001), and no knowledge of tumor's receptor status (ß = 0.21, p < 0.001); furthermore, it was associated with higher medication harmfulness beliefs (ß = -0.16, p = 0.02), negative treatment pre-appraisal (ß = 0.15, p = 0.01), higher somatosensory amplification (ß = -0.14, p = 0.02), and higher education (ß = -0.12, p = 0.02). The most important network node was the concern that endocrine therapy disrupts life. Negative treatment expectations before treatment start are mainly associated with psychological variables. These results are relevant for patient education in clinical settings. To improve expectations, clinicians might emphasize treatment efficacy and discuss general and specific medication concerns. Improving treatment knowledge could also be beneficial. Copyright �

Personal, social, and game-related correlates of active and non-active gaming among dutch gaming adolescents: survey-based multivariable, multilevel logistic regression analyses.

PubMed

Simons, Monique; de Vet, Emely; Chinapaw, Mai Jm; de Boer, Michiel; Seidell, Jacob C; Brug, Johannes

2014-04-04

Playing video games contributes substantially to sedentary behavior in youth. A new generation of video games-active games-seems to be a promising alternative to sedentary games to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior. At this time, little is known about correlates of active and non-active gaming among adolescents. The objective of this study was to examine potential personal, social, and game-related correlates of both active and non-active gaming in adolescents. A survey assessing game behavior and potential personal, social, and game-related correlates was conducted among adolescents (12-16 years, N=353) recruited via schools. Multivariable, multilevel logistic regression analyses, adjusted for demographics (age, sex and educational level of adolescents), were conducted to examine personal, social, and game-related correlates of active gaming ≥1 hour per week (h/wk) and non-active gaming >7 h/wk. Active gaming ≥1 h/wk was significantly associated with a more positive attitude toward active gaming (OR 5.3, CI 2.4-11.8; P<.001), a less positive attitude toward non-active games (OR 0.30, CI 0.1-0.6; P=.002), a higher score on habit strength regarding gaming (OR 1.9, CI 1.2-3.2; P=.008) and having brothers/sisters (OR 6.7, CI 2.6-17.1; P<.001) and friends (OR 3.4, CI 1.4-8.4; P=.009) who spend more time on active gaming and a little bit lower score on game engagement (OR 0.95, CI 0.91-0.997; P=.04). Non-active gaming >7 h/wk was significantly associated with a more positive attitude toward non-active gaming (OR 2.6, CI 1.1-6.3; P=.035), a stronger habit regarding gaming (OR 3.0, CI 1.7-5.3; P<.001), having friends who spend more time on non-active gaming (OR 3.3, CI 1.46-7.53; P=.004), and a more positive image of a non-active gamer (OR 2, CI 1.07-3.75; P=.03). Various factors were significantly associated with active gaming ≥1 h/wk and non-active gaming >7 h/wk. Active gaming is most strongly (negatively) associated with attitude with

Neural correlates of emotional regulation while viewing films.

PubMed

Shimamura, Arthur P; Marian, Diane E; Haskins, Andrew L

2013-03-01

Negative and arousal-inducing film clips were used to assess the neural correlates of emotional expression and suppression. Compared to viewing neutral clips, both negative (disgusting) and arousal (action) clips activated primarily posterior regions in the parietal and occipital cortex when participants were instructed to express their emotions. When instructed to suppress their emotions while viewing negative clips, a broad frontoparietal network was activated that included lateral, medial, and orbital regions in the prefrontal cortex as well as lateral and medial regions of the posterior parietal cortex. The suppression of arousal clips also activated prefrontal and parietal regions, though not to the same extent as the suppression of negative clips. The findings demonstrate the potency of using movies to engage emotional processes and highlight a broad frontoparietal network that is engaged during the suppression of negative film clips.

Urine lipoarabinomannan glycan in HIV-negative patients with pulmonary tuberculosis correlates with disease severity.

PubMed

Paris, Luisa; Magni, Ruben; Zaidi, Fatima; Araujo, Robyn; Saini, Neal; Harpole, Michael; Coronel, Jorge; Kirwan, Daniela E; Steinberg, Hannah; Gilman, Robert H; Petricoin, Emanuel F; Nisini, Roberto; Luchini, Alessandra; Liotta, Lance

2017-12-13

An accurate urine test for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), affecting 9.6 million patients worldwide, is critically needed for surveillance and treatment management. Past attempts failed to reliably detect the mycobacterial glycan antigen lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a marker of active TB, in HIV-negative, pulmonary TB-infected patients' urine (85% of 9.6 million patients). We apply a copper complex dye within a hydrogel nanocage that captures LAM with very high affinity, displacing interfering urine proteins. The technology was applied to study pretreatment urine from 48 Peruvian patients, all negative for HIV, with microbiologically confirmed active pulmonary TB. LAM was quantitatively measured in the urine with a sensitivity of >95% and a specificity of >80% ( n = 101) in a concentration range of 14 to 2000 picograms per milliliter, as compared to non-TB, healthy and diseased, age-matched controls (evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis; area under the curve, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.9005 to 0.9957). Urinary LAM was elevated in patients with a higher mycobacterial burden ( n = 42), a higher proportion of weight loss ( n = 37), or cough ( n = 50). The technology can be configured in a variety of formats to detect a panel of previously undetectable very-low-abundance TB urinary analytes. Eight of nine patients who were smear-negative and culture-positive for TB tested positive for urinary LAM. This technology has broad implications for pulmonary TB screening, transmission control, and treatment management for HIV-negative patients. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

5-HTTLPR polymorphism modulates neural mechanisms of negative self-reflection.

PubMed

Ma, Yina; Li, Bingfeng; Wang, Chenbo; Shi, Zhenhao; Sun, Yun; Sheng, Feng; Zhang, Yifan; Zhang, Wenxia; Rao, Yi; Han, Shihui

2014-09-01

Cognitive distortion in depression is characterized by enhanced negative thoughts about both environment and oneself. Carriers of a risk allele for depression, that is, the short (s) allele of the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR), exhibit amygdala hyperresponsiveness to negative environmental stimuli relative to homozygous long variant (l/l). However, the neural correlates of negative self-schema in s allele carriers remain unknown. Using functional MRI, we scanned individuals with s/s or l/l genotype of the 5-HTTLPR during reflection on their own personality traits or a friend's personality traits. We found that relative to l/l carriers, s/s carriers showed stronger distressed feelings and greater activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC)/dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and the right anterior insula (AI) during negative self-reflection. The 5-HTTLPR effect on the distressed feelings was mediated by the AI/inferior frontal (IF) activity during negative self-reflection. The dACC/dmPFC activity explained 20% of the variation in harm-avoidance tendency in s/s but not l/l carriers. The genotype effects on distress and brain activity were not observed during reflection on a friend's negative traits. Our findings reveal that 5-HTTLPR polymorphism modulates distressed feelings and brain activities associated with negative self-schema and suggest a potential neurogenetic susceptibility mechanism for depression. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stereotype validation: the effects of activating negative stereotypes after intellectual performance.

PubMed

Clark, Jason K; Thiem, Kelsey C; Barden, Jamie; Stuart, Jillian O'Rourke; Evans, Abigail T

2015-04-01

With regard to intellectual performance, a large body of research has shown that stigmatized group members may perform more poorly when negative, self-relevant stereotypes become activated prior to a task. However, no research to date has identified the potential ramifications of stereotype activation that happens after-rather than before-a person has finished performing. Six studies examined how postperformance stereotype salience may increase the certainty individuals have in evaluations of their own performance. In the current research, the accessibility of gender or racial stereotypes was manipulated after participants completed either a difficult math test (Studies 1-5) or a test of child-care knowledge (Study 6). Consistent with predictions, stereotype activation was found to increase the certainty that women (Studies 1, 2, 4, and 5), African Americans (Study 3), and men (Study 6) had toward negative evaluations of their own test performance. These effects emerged when performance-related perceptions were stereotype consistent rather than inconsistent (Studies 1-6) and were found to be most pronounced among those who were highly identified with the stereotyped group (Study 5). Furthermore, greater certainty-triggered by negative stereotypes-predicted lowered domain-relevant beliefs (Studies 1, 2, 3, and 6) and differential exposure to domain-relevant stimuli (Studies 4 and 5). (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Up-Regulation of Soluble Axl and Mer Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Negatively Correlates with Gas6 in Established Multiple Sclerosis Lesions

PubMed Central

Weinger, Jason G.; Omari, Kakuri M.; Marsden, Kurt; Raine, Cedric S.; Shafit-Zagardo, Bridget

2009-01-01

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that is characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and axonal damage; it ultimately forms gliotic scars and lesions that severely compromise the function of the central nervous system. Evidence has shown previously that altered growth factor receptor signaling contributes to lesion formation, impedes recovery, and plays a role in disease progression. Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6), the ligand for the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family, consisting of Tyro3, Axl, and Mer, is important for cell growth, survival, and clearance of debris. In this study, we show that levels of membrane-bound Mer (205 kd), soluble Mer (∼150 kd), and soluble Axl (80 kd) were all significantly elevated in homogenates from established multiple sclerosis lesions comprised of both chronic active and chronic silent lesions. Whereas in normal tissue Gas6 positively correlated with soluble Axl and Mer, there was a negative correlation between Gas6 and soluble Axl and Mer in established multiple sclerosis lesions. In addition, increased levels of soluble Axl and Mer were associated with increased levels of mature ADAM17, mature ADAM10, and Furin, proteins that are associated with Axl and Mer solubilization. Soluble Axl and Mer are both known to act as decoy receptors and block Gas6 binding to membrane-bound receptors. These data suggest that in multiple sclerosis lesions, dysregulation of protective Gas6 receptor signaling may prolong lesion activity. PMID:19541935

Are Plasma Oxytocin and Vasopressin Levels Reflective of Amygdala Activation during the Processing of Negative Emotions? A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Motoki, Kosuke; Sugiura, Motoaki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nakagawa, Seishu; Yokoyama, Ryoichi; Kawashima, Ryuta

2016-01-01

Plasma oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are associated with individual differences in emotional responses and behaviors. The amygdala is considered to be an important brain region for regulating emotion-based behavior, with OT and AVP modulating activity in the amygdala during the processing of negative emotions. In particular, increased OT levels may diminish amygdala activation (anxiolytic effects) and enhanced AVP levels may augment amygdala activation (anxiogenic effects) when negative emotions are processed. A growing body of research has shown that the effects of OT and AVP are modulated by sex: the aforementioned anxiolytic effects of OT and the anxiogenic effects of AVP occur in men, but not in women. However, we have little knowledge regarding the biological mechanisms underlying OT and AVP plasma levels or their respective anxiogenic and anxiolytic effects; similarly, little is known about the causes and nature of sex differences related to these neuropeptides and their effects on emotional processing. In the current study, we focused on the neural functions associated with the biological mechanisms underlying such effects. We hypothesized that amygdala activation would correlate with trait plasma OT (anxiolytic effects) and AVP (anxiogenic effects) levels because the amygdala is thought to affect the coordinated release of these neuropeptides following affective experiences. We further hypothesized that the effects would be modulated by sex. We assessed 51 participants (male and female) using a paradigm involving negative emotion in conjunction with functional magnetic resonance imaging and measurements of plasma OT and AVP levels. We determined that increased plasma AVP levels were positively associated with amygdala activation (anxiogenic effects) in men, but not in women. These findings highlight the potential underlying neural mechanisms of plasma AVP levels in men.

Drug-resistant gram-negative uropathogens: A review.

PubMed

Khoshnood, Saeed; Heidary, Mohsen; Mirnejad, Reza; Bahramian, Aghil; Sedighi, Mansour; Mirzaei, Habibollah

2017-10-01

Urinary tract infection(UTI) caused by Gram-negative bacteria is the second most common infectious presentation in community medical practice. Approximately 150 million people are diagnosed with UTI each year worldwide. Drug resistance in Gram-negative uropathogens is a major global concern which can lead to poor clinical outcomes including treatment failure, development of bacteremia, requirement for intravenous therapy, hospitalization, and extended length of hospital stay. The mechanisms of drug resistance in these bacteria are important due to they are often not identified by routine susceptibility tests and have an exceptional potential for outbreaks. Treatment of UTIs depends on the access to effective drugs, which is now threatened by antibiotic resistant Gram-negative uropathogens. Although several effective antibiotics with activity against highly resistant Gram-negatives are available, there is not a unique antibiotic with activity against the high variety of resistance. Therefore, antimicrobial susceptibility tests, correlation between clinicians and laboratories, development of more rapid diagnostic methods, and continuous monitoring of drug resistance are urgent priorities. In this review, we will discuss about the current global status of drug-resistant Gram-negative uropathogens and their mechanisms of drug resistance to provide new insights into their treatment options. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Active motion assisted by correlated stochastic torques.

PubMed

Weber, Christian; Radtke, Paul K; Schimansky-Geier, Lutz; Hänggi, Peter

2011-07-01

The stochastic dynamics of an active particle undergoing a constant speed and additionally driven by an overall fluctuating torque is investigated. The random torque forces are expressed by a stochastic differential equation for the angular dynamics of the particle determining the orientation of motion. In addition to a constant torque, the particle is supplemented by random torques, which are modeled as an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process with given correlation time τ(c). These nonvanishing correlations cause a persistence of the particles' trajectories and a change of the effective spatial diffusion coefficient. We discuss the mean square displacement as a function of the correlation time and the noise intensity and detect a nonmonotonic dependence of the effective diffusion coefficient with respect to both correlation time and noise strength. A maximal diffusion behavior is obtained if the correlated angular noise straightens the curved trajectories, interrupted by small pirouettes, whereby the correlated noise amplifies a straightening of the curved trajectories caused by the constant torque.

HIV-1 protease has a genetic T-cell adjuvant effect which is negatively regulated by proteolytic activity.

PubMed

Kim, Kwang Soon; Jin, Dong Bin; Ahn, So Shin; Park, Ki Seok; Seo, Sang Hwan; Suh, You Suk; Sung, Young Chul

2010-08-01

HIV protease (PR) mediates the processing of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) polyproteins and is necessary for the viral production. Recently, HIV PR was shown to possess both cytotoxic and chaperone like activity. We demonstrate here that HIV PR can serve as a genetic adjuvant that enhances the HIV Env and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA vaccine-induced T-cell response in a dose-dependent manner, only when codelivered with DNA vaccine. Interestingly, the T-cell adjuvant effects of HIV PR were increased by introducing several mutations that inhibited its proteolytic activity, indicating that the adjuvant properties were inversely correlated with its proteolytic activity. Conversely, the introduction of a mutation in the flap region of HIV PR limiting the access to the core domain of HIV PR inhibited the T-cell adjuvant effect, suggesting that the HIV PR chaperone like activity may play a role in mediating T-cell adjuvant properties. A similar adjuvant effect was also observed in adenovirus vaccine, indicating vaccine type independency. These findings suggest that HIV PR can modulate T-cell responses elicited by a gene-based vaccine positively by inherent chaperone like activity and negatively by its proteolytic activity.

Negative differential mobility and trapping in active matter systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichhardt, C.; Reichhardt, C. J. O.

2018-01-01

Using simulations, we examine the average velocity as a function of applied drift force for active matter particles moving through a random obstacle array. We find that for low drift force, there is an initial flow regime where the mobility increases linearly with drive, while for higher drift forces a regime of negative differential mobility appears in which the velocity decreases with increasing drive due to the trapping of active particles behind obstacles. A fully clogged regime exists at very high drift forces when all the particles are permanently trapped behind obstacles. We find for increasing activity that the overall mobility is nonmonotonic, with an enhancement of the mobility for small levels of activity and a decrease in mobility for large activity levels. We show how these effects evolve as a function of disk and obstacle density, active run length, drift force, and motor force.

Large-scale cortical correlation structure of spontaneous oscillatory activity

PubMed Central

Hipp, Joerg F.; Hawellek, David J.; Corbetta, Maurizio; Siegel, Markus; Engel, Andreas K.

2013-01-01

Little is known about the brain-wide correlation of electrophysiological signals. Here we show that spontaneous oscillatory neuronal activity exhibits frequency-specific spatial correlation structure in the human brain. We developed an analysis approach that discounts spurious correlation of signal power caused by the limited spatial resolution of electrophysiological measures. We applied this approach to source estimates of spontaneous neuronal activity reconstructed from magnetoencephalography (MEG). Overall, correlation of power across cortical regions was strongest in the alpha to beta frequency range (8–32 Hz) and correlation patterns depended on the underlying oscillation frequency. Global hubs resided in the medial temporal lobe in the theta frequency range (4–6 Hz), in lateral parietal areas in the alpha to beta frequency range (8–23 Hz), and in sensorimotor areas for higher frequencies (32–45 Hz). Our data suggest that interactions in various large-scale cortical networks may be reflected in frequency specific power-envelope correlations. PMID:22561454

Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, or Diet-What Are the Correlates of Obesity in Polish School Children?

PubMed

Czyż, Stanisław H; Toriola, Abel L; Starościak, Wojciech; Lewandowski, Marek; Paul, Yvonne; Oyeyemi, Adewale L

2017-06-20

There is substantial evidence of rising prevalence of overweight and obesity and its co-morbidities among children in western-high income developed countries. In the European Union, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing fastest among Polish children. Yet, there is paucity of evidence on the relationship of behavioral factors with body weight status of children in Poland. This study examined the association of obesity with physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet among Polish children. A total of 641 children (10-15 years) recruited from the Lower Silesia region of Poland participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants' anthropometrics, physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and dietary intake were assessed. Outcome variables were weight categories (according to body mass index [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], and percentage body fat [% BF]). The strongest negative correlation was found between VO₂max and %BF ( r = -0.39, p <0.05). Significant negative correlation was also found between VO₂max and weight categories ( r = -0.15). Results of the multinomial logit analysis showed that VO₂max increased in groups of overweight, normal weight and underweight children by 13%, 26% and 19%, respectively as compared to the group of obese children. VO₂max and weight and obesity indices were strongly correlated in both gender and age groups. Education and intervention programs to increase physical fitness (VO₂max) through aerobic training are recommended for Physical Education teachers, parents and children in order to reduce the rate of overweight and obesity among children in the Lower Silesia region of Poland.

Correlation among Singlet-Oxygen Quenching, Free-Radical Scavenging, and Excited-State Intramolecular-Proton-Transfer Activities in Hydroxyflavones, Anthocyanidins, and 1-Hydroxyanthraquinones.

PubMed

Nagaoka, Shin-Ichi; Bandoh, Yuki; Nagashima, Umpei; Ohara, Keishi

2017-10-26

Singlet-oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) quenching, free-radical scavenging, and excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) activities of hydroxyflavones, anthocyanidins, and 1-hydroxyanthraquinones were studied by means of laser, stopped-flow, and steady-state spectroscopies. In hydroxyflavones and anthocyanidins, the 1 O 2 quenching activity positively correlates to the free-radical scavenging activity. The reason for this correlation can be understood by considering that an early step of each reaction involves electron transfer from the unfused phenyl ring (B-ring), which is singly bonded to the bicyclic chromen or chromenylium moiety (A- and C-rings). Substitution of an electron-donating OH group at B-ring enhances the electron transfer leading to activation of the 1 O 2 quenching and free-radical scavenging. In 3-hydroxyflavones, the OH substitution at B-ring reduces the activity of ESIPT within C-ring, which can be explained in terms of the nodal-plane model. As a result, the 1 O 2 quenching and free-radical scavenging activities negatively correlate to the ESIPT activity. A catechol structure at B-ring is another factor that enhances the free-radical scavenging in hydroxyflavones. In contrast to these hydroxyflavones, 1-hydroxyanthraquinones having an electron-donating OH substituent adjacent to the O-H---O═C moiety susceptible to ESIPT do not show a simple correlation between their 1 O 2 quenching and ESIPT activities, because the OH substitution modulates these reactions.

Interleukin-6 levels in the central nervous system are negatively correlated with fat mass in overweight/obese subjects.

PubMed

Stenlöf, Kaj; Wernstedt, Ingrid; Fjällman, Ted; Wallenius, Ville; Wallenius, Kristina; Jansson, John-Olov

2003-09-01

Recently, we demonstrated that intracerebroventricular injection of IL-6 increases energy expenditure and decreases body fat in rodents. Therefore, IL-6 may play a role in appetite and body weight control in the central nervous system. In the present study we evaluated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum IL-6 levels in humans in relation to body fat content and to CSF and serum levels of leptin. Thirty-two healthy overweight/obese male subjects with a body mass index range of 29.3-36.0 kg/m(2) were studied. Total and sc body fat were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography, respectively. CSF IL-6 levels were in some individuals higher than serum IL-6 levels and correlated negatively with total body weight, sc and total body fat. In contrast, CSF leptin levels were 30-60 times lower than serum leptin levels and correlated positively with serum leptin, body weight, sc and total body fat. Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between CSF IL-6 and leptin. In conclusion, CSF IL-6 differs in many ways from CSF leptin. CSF IL-6 may be locally produced rather than serum derived, and body fat-regulating regions in the central nervous system may be exposed to insufficient IL-6 levels in more severe obesity.

Toxic responses of cytochrome P450 sub-enzyme activities to heavy metals exposure in soil and correlation with their bioaccumulation in Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Cao, Xiufeng; Bi, Ran; Song, Yufang

2017-10-01

The dose- and time- dependent responses of cytochrome P450 (CYP) sub-enzyme activities to heavy metals in soil, and the relationships between biomarker responses and metal bioaccumulation in Eisenia fetida were evaluated. Earthworms were exposed to soils spiked with increasing doses of Cd, Cu, Pb or Zn for 21 d. Results demonstrated that EROD and CYP3A4 activities responded significantly with increasing dose and exposure duration. EROD activity significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with CYP3A4 activity exposed to Pb and Cu. The earthworm metal burdens had significant correlation with the total metal concentrations in soil (P < 0.01). The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) decreased with the increasing metal concentration in soil. The order of metal bioavailability to E. fetida was Cd > Zn > Cu > Pb. CYP3A4 activity in Pb-exposed earthworms had a significant correlation with the accumulated metal (P < 0.05). Both EROD and CYP3A4 activities in Cu-exposed worms negatively correlated with BAF (P < 0.05). Based on Discriminant Analysis (DA), CYPs activities were sensitive biomarkers of heavy metals exposure, and we also concluded that different biomarkers with multiple durations could be conducted in the eco-toxicological diagnosis of soil pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Within-Subject Correlation Analysis to Detect Functional Areas Associated With Response Inhibition.

PubMed

Yamasaki, Tomoko; Ogawa, Akitoshi; Osada, Takahiro; Jimura, Koji; Konishi, Seiki

2018-01-01

Functional areas in fMRI studies are often detected by brain-behavior correlation, calculating across-subject correlation between the behavioral index and the brain activity related to a function of interest. Within-subject correlation analysis is also employed in a single subject level, which utilizes cognitive fluctuations in a shorter time period by correlating the behavioral index with the brain activity across trials. In the present study, the within-subject analysis was applied to the stop-signal task, a standard task to probe response inhibition, where efficiency of response inhibition can be evaluated by the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). Since the SSRT is estimated, by definition, not in a trial basis but from pooled trials, the correlation across runs was calculated between the SSRT and the brain activity related to response inhibition. The within-subject correlation revealed negative correlations in the anterior cingulate cortex and the cerebellum. Moreover, the dissociation pattern was observed in the within-subject analysis when earlier vs. later parts of the runs were analyzed: negative correlation was dominant in earlier runs, whereas positive correlation was dominant in later runs. Regions of interest analyses revealed that the negative correlation in the anterior cingulate cortex, but not in the cerebellum, was dominant in earlier runs, suggesting multiple mechanisms associated with inhibitory processes that fluctuate on a run-by-run basis. These results indicate that the within-subject analysis compliments the across-subject analysis by highlighting different aspects of cognitive/affective processes related to response inhibition.

Positive And Negative Feedback Loops Coupled By Common Transcription Activator And Repressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sielewiesiuk, Jan; Łopaciuk, Agata

2015-03-01

Dynamical systems consisting of two interlocked loops with negative and positive feedback have been studied using the linear analysis of stability and numerical solutions. Conditions for saddle-node bifurcation were formulated in a general form. Conditions for Hopf bifurcations were found in a few symmetrical cases. Auto-oscillations, when they exist, are generated by the negative feedback repressive loop. This loop determines the frequency and amplitude of oscillations. The positive feedback loop of activation slightly modifies the oscillations. Oscillations are possible when the difference between Hilll's coefficients of the repression and activation is sufficiently high. The highly cooperative activation loop with a fast turnover slows down or even makes the oscillations impossible. The system under consideration can constitute a component of epigenetic or enzymatic regulation network.

Personal, Social, and Game-Related Correlates of Active and Non-Active Gaming Among Dutch Gaming Adolescents: Survey-Based Multivariable, Multilevel Logistic Regression Analyses

PubMed Central

de Vet, Emely; Chinapaw, Mai JM; de Boer, Michiel; Seidell, Jacob C; Brug, Johannes

2014-01-01

strongly (negatively) associated with attitude with respect to non-active games, followed by observed active game behavior of brothers and sisters and attitude with respect to active gaming (positive associations). On the other hand, non-active gaming is most strongly associated with observed non-active game behavior of friends, habit strength regarding gaming and attitude toward non-active gaming (positive associations). Habit strength was a correlate of both active and non-active gaming, indicating that both types of gaming are habitual behaviors. Although these results should be interpreted with caution because of the limitations of the study, they do provide preliminary insights into potential correlates of active and non-active gaming that can be used for further research as well as preliminary direction for the development of effective intervention strategies for replacing non-active gaming by active gaming among adolescents. PMID:25654657

The role of sense of coherence and physical activity in positive and negative affect of Turkish adolescents.

PubMed

Oztekin, Ceyda; Tezer, Esin

2009-01-01

This study investigated the role of sense of coherence and total physical activity in positive and negative affect. Participants were 376 (169 female, 206 male, and 1 missing value) student volunteers from different faculties of Middle East Technical University. Three questionnaires: Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire (PAAQ), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were administered to the students together with the demographic information sheet. Two separate stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the predictive power of sense of coherence and total physical activity on positive and negative affect scores. Results revealed that both sense of coherence and total physical activity predicted the positive affect whereas only the sense of coherence predicted the negative affect on university students. Findings are discussed in light of sense of coherence, physical activity, and positive and negative affect literature.

Fluctuations in Tree Ring Cellulose d18O during the Little Ice Age Correlate with Solar Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Y. T.; Yokoyama, Y.; Miyahara, H.; Nakatsuka, T.

2008-12-01

The Maunder Minimum (AD1645-1715), when sunspots became exceedingly rare, is known to coincide with the coldest period during the Little Ice Age. This is a useful period to investigate possible linkage between solar activity and climate because variation in solar activity was different from that of today. The solar cycle length was longer (14 and 28 years) than that of today (11 and 22 years) hence any climate archives that have similar periodic changes could be separated from other internal climate forcing. We have reported that Greenland temperature variations coincided with decadal-scale variability in solar activity during the Maunder Minimum (Miyahara et al. 2008). Here we report interannual and intra-annual relative humidity (RH) variations in central Japan during that period, using tree ring cellulose d18O in a 382-year-old Japanese cedar tree (Cryptomeria japonica). The isotopic composition of tree rings can be a powerful tool to study the relationship between solar activity and climate, because we can directly compare solar activity (D14C) and climate (d18O) with little dating error. The climate proxy obtained using tree ring cellulose d18O is correlated both negatively and positively with RH and d18O in precipitation, respectively. Since d18O in precipitation is negatively correlated with the amount of precipitation in the monsoon area, tree ring cellulose d18O can be a reliable proxy for past RH and/or amount of precipitation in the area of the interest. Tree ring cellulose d18O of the cedar tree during AD1938-1998 in fact correlates significantly with the mean RH in June in central Japan. Tree ring d18O inferred RH variability during the Maunder Minimum shows distinct high RH spikes with an approximate 14-year quasiperiodicity. All nine solar minima during AD1640-1756 deduced from tree ring D14C coincided with high RH spikes, and seven of which coincided within 1-year. Interannual RH variations also coincided with Greenland temperature during this

Correlation of Paraoxonase Status with Disease Activity Score and Systemic Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritic Patients.

PubMed

Bindal, Usha Dudeja; Saxena, Rahul; Siddiqui, Merajul Haque; Sharma, Dilutpal

2016-03-01

Despite, various preventive efforts on conventional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, the incidence of CVD in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients increases continuously. To solve this conundrum one needs more investigations. The present study was conducted to evaluate the plasma paraoxonase (PON) activity along with the markers of systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and disease activity score-28 (DAS28) in RA patients and clarify their role in determining the probability of RA patients to develop future CVD risk. Plasma PON, total antioxidant activity (TAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), synovial interleukin-6 (IL-6) and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated in 40 RA patients aged 40-55 years aged and 40 age-matched healthy controls. The data obtained were compared statistically by using Student's t-test and Pearson correlation test. Besides dyslipidaemia, marked reduction in plasma PON and TAA (p< 0.05) were observed in RA patients as compared with that of healthy controls. Erythrocyte MDA, plasma CRP and synovial IL-6 levels were increased significantly (p<0.05) in RA patients. PON was negatively correlated with MDA (r = - 0.672; p < 0.001), CRP (r = -0.458; p<0.05), IL-6 (r = -0.426; p<0.05) and DAS28 (r = -0.598; p < 0.001), and positively correlated with HDL cholesterol (r = 0.648; p<0.001) and TAA (r = 0.608; p< 0.001) levels in RA patients. Alteration in PON activity might contribute to the progression of future CVD risk in RA patients, which may result from interplay of several confounding factors, such as inflammation, oxidative stress and dyslipidaemia. Furthermore, plasma PON activity, CRP and TAA levels could be considered as non-traditional factors to predict CVD risk. Thus, it is suggested that future drugs could be developed to target the non-traditional risk factors in RA patients.

The change in spatial distribution of upper trapezius muscle activity is correlated to contraction duration.

PubMed

Farina, Dario; Leclerc, Frédéric; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars; Buttelli, Olivier; Madeleine, Pascal

2008-02-01

The aim of the study was to confirm the hypothesis that the longer a contraction is sustained, the larger are the changes in the spatial distribution of muscle activity. For this purpose, surface electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded with a 13 x 5 grid of electrodes from the upper trapezius muscle of 11 healthy male subjects during static contractions with shoulders 90 degrees abducted until endurance. The entropy (degree of uniformity) and center of gravity of the EMG root mean square map were computed to assess spatial inhomogeneity in muscle activation and changes over time in EMG amplitude spatial distribution. At the endurance time, entropy decreased (mean+/-SD, percent change 2.0+/-1.6%; P<0.0001) and the center of gravity moved in the cranial direction (shift 11.2+/-6.1mm; P<0.0001) with respect to the beginning of the contraction. The shift in the center of gravity was positively correlated with endurance time (R(2)=0.46, P<0.05), thus subjects with larger shift in the activity map showed longer endurance time. The percent variation in average (over the grid) root mean square was positively correlated with the shift in the center of gravity (R(2)=0.51, P<0.05). Moreover, the shift in the center of gravity was negatively correlated to both initial and final (at the endurance) entropy (R(2)=0.54 and R(2)=0.56, respectively; P<0.01 in both cases), indicating that subjects with less uniform root mean square maps had larger shift of the center of gravity over time. The spatial changes in root mean square EMG were likely due to spatially-dependent changes in motor unit activation during the sustained contraction. It was concluded that the changes in spatial muscle activity distribution play a role in the ability to maintain a static contraction.

Correlates of home and neighbourhood-based physical activity in UK 3-4-year-old children.

PubMed

Hnatiuk, Jill A; Hesketh, Kathryn R; van Sluijs, Esther M F

2016-12-01

Identifying context-specific correlates of home- and neighbourhood-based physical activity in preschool-aged children may help improve intervention program development for these settings. A total of 153 3-4-year-old children were recruited through preschool settings in Cambridgeshire (January-July 2013). Children wore Actiheart accelerometers for ≤7 days to assess their sedentary time (ST), light-(LPA) and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). A parent-completed questionnaire assessed correlates across the ecological model and the child's preschool attendance during the measurement week. Only accelerometer data for times when children were at home were used. Multilevel models (Level 1: days; Level 2: child) examined associations between maternal-reported exposure variables and each outcome (children's home- and neighbourhood-based ST, LPA and MVPA) (main analysis). Further analyses included the subsample of children with complete paternal correlates data (father analysis). In the main analyses, children with older siblings engaged in less ST. Children whose mothers reported being 'moderately inactive' or 'active' (vs. inactive) engaged in less LPA, while children whose mothers worked >35 h week -1 engaged in less MVPA. More equipment at home was associated with lower LPA but greater MVPA. In the father analysis, father's television viewing before 6 pm was associated with greater ST and less MVPA in children; the negative association between mother's activity and children's LPA was retained. Family demographics and parental behaviours appear to have the strongest association with children's home- and neighbourhood-based ST, LPA and MVPA. This study further highlights the importance of examining both maternal and paternal behaviours. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.

Adolescent age moderates genetic and environmental influences on parent-adolescent positivity and negativity: Implications for genotype-environment correlation.

PubMed

Marceau, Kristine; Knopik, Valerie S; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Lichtenstein, Paul; Spotts, Erica L; Ganiban, Jody M; Reiss, David

2016-02-01

We examined how genotype-environment correlation processes differ as a function of adolescent age. We tested whether adolescent age moderates genetic and environmental influences on positivity and negativity in mother-adolescent and father-adolescent relationships using parallel samples of twin parents from the Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden and twin/sibling adolescents from the Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development Study. We inferred differences in the role of passive and nonpassive genotype-environment correlation based on biometric moderation findings. The findings indicated that nonpassive gene-environment correlation played a stronger role for positivity in mother- and father-adolescent relationships in families with older adolescents than in families with younger adolescents, and that passive gene-environment correlation played a stronger role for positivity in the mother-adolescent relationship in families with younger adolescents than in families with older adolescents. Implications of these findings for the timing and targeting of interventions on family relationships are discussed.

Salivary aldehyde dehydrogenase - temporal and population variability, correlations with drinking and smoking habits and activity towards aldehydes contained in food.

PubMed

Giebułtowicz, Joanna; Dziadek, Marta; Wroczyński, Piotr; Woźnicka, Katarzyna; Wojno, Barbara; Pietrzak, Monika; Wierzchowski, Jacek

2010-01-01

Fluorimetric method based on oxidation of the fluorogenic 6-methoxy-2-naphthaldehyde was applied to evaluate temporal and population variability of the specific activity of salivary aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and the degree of its inactivation in healthy human population. Analyzed was also its dependence on drinking and smoking habits, coffee consumption, and its sensitivity to N-acetylcysteine. Both the specific activity of salivary ALDH and the degree of its inactivation were highly variable during the day, with the highest activities recorded in the morning hours. The activities were also highly variable both intra- and interpersonally, and negatively correlated with age, and this correlation was stronger for the subgroup of volunteers declaring abstinence from alcohol and tobacco. Moderately positive correlations of salivary ALDH specific activity with alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking were also recorded (r(s) ~0.27; p=0.004 and r(s) =0.30; p=0.001, respectively). Moderate coffee consumption correlated positively with the inactivation of salivary ALDH, particularly in the subgroup of non-drinking and non-smoking volunteers. It was found that mechanical stimulation of the saliva flow increases the specific activity of salivary ALDH. The specific activity of the salivary ALDH was strongly and positively correlated with that of superoxide dismutase, and somewhat less with salivary peroxidase. The antioxidant-containing drug N-acetylcysteine increased activity of salivary ALDH presumably by preventing its inactivation in the oral cavity. Some food-related aldehydes, mainly cinnamic aldehyde and anisaldehyde, were excellent substrates of the salivary ALDH3A1 enzyme, while alkenals, particularly those with short chain, were characterized by lower affinity towards this enzyme but high catalytic constants. The protective role of salivary ALDH against aldehydes in food and those found in the cigarette smoke is discussed, as well as its participation in

Correlations for number of sunspots, unemployment rate, and suicide mortality in Japan.

PubMed

Otsu, Akiko; Chinami, Masanobu; Morgenthale, Stephan; Kaneko, Yoshihiro; Fujita, Daisuke; Shirakawa, Taro

2006-04-01

We studied the correlations among sunspot numbers, business cycles, and suicide mortalitites. Based on data from Japan between 1971 and 2001, a significant negative correlation between sunspot numbers and unemployment rate was found, R= -.17. The correlation between suicide mortality and unemployment rate was positive for males (R=.46) and negative for females (R =-.69). Both are statistically significant. The hypothesis that variation of sun activity may affect the economy and the unemployment rate and hence increase the male suicide mortality is raised.

Brain Oscillatory Correlates of Altered Executive Functioning in Positive and Negative Symptomatic Schizophrenia Patients and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Berger, Barbara; Minarik, Tamas; Griesmayr, Birgit; Stelzig-Schoeler, Renate; Aichhorn, Wolfgang; Sauseng, Paul

2016-01-01

Working Memory and executive functioning deficits are core characteristics of patients suffering from schizophrenia. Electrophysiological research indicates that altered patterns of neural oscillatory mechanisms underpinning executive functioning are associated with the psychiatric disorder. Such brain oscillatory changes have been found in local amplitude differences at gamma and theta frequencies in task-specific cortical areas. Moreover, interregional interactions are also disrupted as signified by decreased phase coherence of fronto-posterior theta activity in schizophrenia patients. However, schizophrenia is not a one-dimensional psychiatric disorder but has various forms and expressions. A common distinction is between positive and negative symptomatology but most patients have both negative and positive symptoms to some extent. Here, we examined three groups-healthy controls, predominantly negative, and predominantly positive symptomatic schizophrenia patients-when performing a working memory task with increasing cognitive demand and increasing need for executive control. We analyzed brain oscillatory activity in the three groups separately and investigated how predominant symptomatology might explain differences in brain oscillatory patterns. Our results indicate that differences in task specific fronto-posterior network activity (i.e., executive control network) expressed by interregional phase synchronization are able to account for working memory dysfunctions between groups. Local changes in the theta and gamma frequency range also show differences between patients and healthy controls, and more importantly, between the two patient groups. We conclude that differences in oscillatory brain activation patterns related to executive processing can be an indicator for positive and negative symptomatology in schizophrenia. Furthermore, changes in cognitive and especially executive functioning in patients are expressed by alterations in a task-specific fronto

Correlates of Trading Sex for Methamphetamine in a Sample of HIV-Negative Heterosexual Methamphetamine Users

PubMed Central

Semple, Shirley J.; Strathdee, Steffanie A.; Zians, Jim; Patterson, Thomas L.

2012-01-01

While many studies have examined correlates of trading sex for money, few have examined factors associated with exclusive trading of sex for drugs. We identified sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychological correlates of trading sex for methamphetamine in a sample of HIV-negative heterosexual men and women who were enrolled in a sexual risk reduction intervention in San Diego, California. Of 342 participants, 26% overall (21% of males and 31% of females) reported trading sex for methamphetamine in the past two months. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that recently trading sex for methamphetamine was independently associated with being female, homeless, binging on methamphetamine, sexual victimization in the past two months, engaging in anal sex 24 or more times in the past two months, and higher sexual compulsivity scores. Effective interventions for this high-risk population should consider gender-focused counseling for sexual abuse, motivational enhancement therapy, social-cognitive skills training, as well as enhanced access and utilization of social services, including drug treatment. PMID:21858954

Correlates of trading sex for methamphetamine in a sample of HIV-negative heterosexual methamphetamine users.

PubMed

Semple, Shirley J; Strathdee, Steffanie A; Zians, Jim; Patterson, Thomas L

2011-01-01

While many studies have examined correlates of trading sex for money, few have examined factors associated with exclusive trading of sex for drugs. We identified sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychological correlates of trading sex for methamphetamine in a sample of HIV-negative heterosexual men and women who were enrolled in a sexual risk reduction intervention in San Diego, California. Of 342 participants, 26% overall (21% of males and 31% of females) reported trading sex for methamphetamine in the past two months. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that recently trading sex for methamphetamine was independently associated with being female, homeless, binging on methamphetamine, sexual victimization in the past two months, engaging in anal sex 24 or more times in the past two months, and higher sexual compulsivity scores. Effective interventions for this high-risk population should consider gender-focused counseling for sexual abuse, motivational enhancement therapy, social-cognitive skills training, as well as enhanced access and utilization of social services, including drug treatment.

Linear Analysis of Autonomic Activity and Its Correlation with Creatine Kinase-MB in Overt Thyroid Dysfunctions.

PubMed

Mavai, Manisha; Singh, Yogendra Raj; Gupta, R C; Mathur, Sandeep K; Bhandari, Bharti

2018-04-01

Autonomic activity may be deranged in thyroid dysfunctions and may lead to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Myopathy is a common manifestation in thyroid disorders and may be associated with raised serum creatine kinase (CK). We hypothesized that cardiovascular abnormality in thyroid dysfunction may manifest as raised CK-MB. This study was designed to investigate the correlation of CK and its isoform CK-MB with thyroid profile and linear parameters of heart rate variability (HRV). The study was conducted on 35 hypothyroid and hyperthyroid patients each, and 25 age-matched healthy controls. Autonomic activity was assessed by simple short term 5-min HRV. Biochemical evaluation of serum thyroid profile, CK-NAC and CK-MB were estimated in all the subjects. Our results demonstrated low HRV in hypo- as well as hyperthyroid patients. We observed significantly higher serum CK levels in hypothyroid patients when compared to hyperthyroids and controls. However, no significant differences were observed in CK-MB levels in the three groups. Significant positive correlation of CK with TSH and negative correlation with some HRV parameters (LF power, HF power, total power, SDNN, RMSSD) was observed in hypothyroid patients. Whereas correlation of CK-MB with thyroid profile as well as HRV parameters was non-significant in all the groups. Based on the CK and CK-MB findings and their correlation, we conclude that the cardiovascular changes seen in thyroid dysfunctions may primarily be due to autonomic imbalance without apparent cardiac muscle involvement. Whereas, raised CK levels indicate predominantly skeletal muscle involvement in hypothyroid patients.

Suggestibility and negative priming: two replication studies.

PubMed

David, Daniel; Brown, Richard J

2002-07-01

Research suggests that inhibiting the effect of irrelevant stimuli on subsequent thought and action (cognitive inhibition) may be an important component of suggestibility. Two small correlation studies were conducted to address the relationship between different aspects of suggestibility and individual differences in cognitive inhibition, operationalized as the degree of negative priming generated by to-be-ignored stimuli in a semantic categorization task. The first study found significant positive correlations between negative priming, hypnotic suggestibility, and creative imagination; a significant negative correlation was obtained between negative priming and interrogative suggestibility, demonstrating the discriminant validity of the study results. The second study replicated the correlation between negative priming and hypnotic suggestibility, using a different suggestibility measurement procedure that assessed subjective experience and hypnotic involuntariness as well as objective responses to suggestions. These studies support the notion that the ability to engage in cognitive inhibition may be an important component of hypnotic responsivity and maybe of other forms of suggestibility.

Soil properties drive a negative correlation between species diversity and genetic diversity in a tropical seasonal rainforest

PubMed Central

Xu, Wumei; Liu, Lu; He, Tianhua; Cao, Min; Sha, Liqing; Hu, Yuehua; Li, Qiaoming; Li, Jie

2016-01-01

A negative species-genetic diversity correlation (SGDC) could be predicted by the niche variation hypothesis, whereby an increase in species diversity within community reduces the genetic diversity of the co-occurring species because of the reduction in average niche breadth; alternatively, competition could reduce effective population size and therefore genetic diversity of the species within community. We tested these predictions within a 20 ha tropical forest dynamics plot (FDP) in the Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rainforest. We established 15 plots within the FDP and investigated the soil properties, tree diversity, and genetic diversity of a common tree species Beilschmiedia roxburghiana within each plot. We observed a significant negative correlation between tree diversity and the genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana within the communities. Using structural equation modeling, we further determined that the inter-plot environmental characteristics (soil pH and phosphorus availability) directly affected tree diversity and that the tree diversity within the community determined the genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana. Increased soil pH and phosphorus availability might promote the coexistence of more tree species within community and reduce genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana for the reduced average niche breadth; alternatively, competition could reduce effective population size and therefore genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana within community. PMID:26860815

Soil properties drive a negative correlation between species diversity and genetic diversity in a tropical seasonal rainforest.

PubMed

Xu, Wumei; Liu, Lu; He, Tianhua; Cao, Min; Sha, Liqing; Hu, Yuehua; Li, Qiaoming; Li, Jie

2016-02-10

A negative species-genetic diversity correlation (SGDC) could be predicted by the niche variation hypothesis, whereby an increase in species diversity within community reduces the genetic diversity of the co-occurring species because of the reduction in average niche breadth; alternatively, competition could reduce effective population size and therefore genetic diversity of the species within community. We tested these predictions within a 20 ha tropical forest dynamics plot (FDP) in the Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rainforest. We established 15 plots within the FDP and investigated the soil properties, tree diversity, and genetic diversity of a common tree species Beilschmiedia roxburghiana within each plot. We observed a significant negative correlation between tree diversity and the genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana within the communities. Using structural equation modeling, we further determined that the inter-plot environmental characteristics (soil pH and phosphorus availability) directly affected tree diversity and that the tree diversity within the community determined the genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana. Increased soil pH and phosphorus availability might promote the coexistence of more tree species within community and reduce genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana for the reduced average niche breadth; alternatively, competition could reduce effective population size and therefore genetic diversity of B. roxburghiana within community.

The neural correlates of priming emotion and reward systems for conflict processing in alcoholics.

PubMed

Schulte, T; Jung, Y-C; Sullivan, E V; Pfefferbaum, A; Serventi, M; Müller-Oehring, E M

2017-12-01

Emotional dysregulation in alcoholism (ALC) may result from disturbed inhibitory mechanisms. We therefore tested emotion and alcohol cue reactivity and inhibitory processes using negative priming. To test the neural correlates of cue reactivity and negative priming, 26 ALC and 26 age-matched controls underwent functional MRI performing a Stroop color match-to-sample task. In cue reactivity trials, task-irrelevant emotion and alcohol-related pictures were interspersed between color samples and color words. In negative priming trials, pictures primed the semantic content of an alcohol or emotion Stroop word. Behaviorally, both groups showed response facilitation to picture cue trials and response inhibition to primed trials. For cue reactivity to emotion and alcohol pictures, ALC showed midbrain-limbic activation. By contrast, controls activated frontoparietal executive control regions. Greater midbrain-hippocampal activation in ALC correlated with higher amounts of lifetime alcohol consumption and higher anxiety. With negative priming, ALC exhibited frontal cortical but not midbrain-hippocampal activation, similar to the pattern observed in controls. Higher frontal activation to alcohol-priming correlated with less craving and to emotion-priming with fewer depressive symptoms. The findings suggest that neurofunctional systems in ALC can be primed to deal with upcoming emotion- and alcohol-related conflict and can overcome the prepotent midbrain-limbic cue reactivity response.

Origins of correlated activity in an olfactory circuit.

PubMed

Kazama, Hokto; Wilson, Rachel I

2009-09-01

Multineuronal recordings often reveal synchronized spikes in different neurons. The manner in which correlated spike timing affects neural codes depends on the statistics of correlations, which in turn reflects the connectivity that gives rise to correlations. However, determining the connectivity of neurons recorded in vivo can be difficult. We investigated the origins of correlated activity in genetically labeled neurons of the Drosophila antennal lobe. Dual recordings showed synchronized spontaneous spikes in projection neurons (PNs) postsynaptic to the same type of olfactory receptor neuron (ORN). Odors increased these correlations. The primary origin of correlations lies in the divergence of each ORN onto every PN in its glomerulus. Reciprocal PN-PN connections make a smaller contribution to correlations and PN spike trains in different glomeruli were only weakly correlated. PN axons from the same glomerulus reconverge in the lateral horn, where pooling redundant signals may allow lateral horn neurons to average out noise that arises independently in these PNs.

Alcohol use and negative consequences among active duty military personnel.

PubMed

Mattiko, Mark J; Olmsted, Kristine L Rae; Brown, Janice M; Bray, Robert M

2011-06-01

An examination of alcohol use patterns in the active duty military to determine the relations of drinking levels and self-reported negative outcomes. A population-based cross-sectional study design using two-stage complex sampling methodology. Paper and pencil surveys were administered anonymously in groups at 64 U.S. military installations worldwide. Randomly selected active duty members (28,546) at major military installations representing the total active force, with the exception of recruits, cadets, and incarcerated personnel. Personnel were classified into five drinking levels ranging from abstainer to heavy drinker based on quantity and frequency of alcohol intake. Negative outcomes were measured as self-reported serious consequences of alcohol use and alcohol-related productivity loss. Risk for other alcohol related problems was assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Alcohol negative outcomes showed a curvilinear dose-response relationship with drinking levels. Higher levels of drinking were associated with higher rates of alcohol problems, but problem rates were notably higher for heavy drinkers. Heavy alcohol users showed nearly three times the rate of self-reported serious consequences and over twice the rate of self-reported productivity loss than moderate/heavy drinkers. Heavy drinkers also had the highest risk for alcohol problems on the AUDIT. One fifth of military personnel were heavy drinkers and were most likely aged 18 to 35. Prevention and clinical interventions should include a major focus on heavy drinkers. Commanders and peers should be trained in recognizing signs of heavy alcohol use and in approaching heavy alcohol users in a way that will foster positive attitudes as opposed to defensiveness and stigma. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

fMRI activities in the emotional cerebellum: a preference for negative stimuli and goal-directed behavior.

PubMed

Schraa-Tam, Caroline K L; Rietdijk, Willem J R; Verbeke, Willem J M I; Dietvorst, Roeland C; van den Berg, Wouter E; Bagozzi, Richard P; De Zeeuw, Chris I

2012-03-01

Several studies indicate that the cerebellum might play a role in experiencing and/or controlling emphatic emotions, but it remains to be determined whether there is a distinction between positive and negative emotions, and, if so, which specific parts of the cerebellum are involved in these types of emotions. Here, we visualized activations of the cerebellum and extracerebellar regions using high-field fMRI, while we asked participants to observe and imitate images with pictures of human faces expressing different emotional states or with moving geometric shapes as control. The state of the emotions could be positive (happiness and surprise), negative (anger and disgust), or neutral. The positive emotional faces only evoked mild activations of crus 2 in the cerebellum, whereas the negative emotional faces evoked prominent activations in lobules VI and VIIa in its hemispheres and lobules VIII and IX in the vermis. The cerebellar activations associated with negative emotions occurred concomitantly with activations of mirror neuron domains such as the insula and amygdala. These data suggest that the potential role of the cerebellum in control of emotions may be particularly relevant for goal-directed behavior that is required for observing and reacting to another person's (negative) expressions.

Personality, negative affect coping, and drinking alone: a structural equation modeling approach to examine correlates of adolescent solitary drinking

PubMed Central

Creswell, Kasey G.; Chung, Tammy; Wright, Aidan G. C.; Clark, Duncan B.; Black, Jessica J.; Martin, Christopher S.

2015-01-01

Aims This study examined the personality traits of negative emotionality and constraint and the ability to resist drinking during negative affective states as correlates of solitary drinking in adolescence. We hypothesized that higher levels of negative emotionality and lower levels of constraint would predict solitary drinking and that these relationships would be mediated by the ability to resist drinking in response to negative emotions. Design Structural equation modeling was used to fit a path model from the personality traits of negative emotionality and constraint to solitary drinking status through intermediate effects on the ability to resist drinking during negative emotions using cross-sectional data. Setting Clinical and community settings in Pennsylvania, USA. Participants The sample included 761 adolescent drinkers (mean age = 17.1). Measurements Adolescents completed the Lifetime Drinking History, the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, the Constructive Thinking Inventory and the Situational Confidence Questionnaire. Findings The path model provided a good fit to the data. The association between trait negative emotionality and solitary drinking was fully mediated by adolescents' ability to resist drinking during negative affective states (b = 0.05, P = 0.01). In contrast, constraint had a direct effect on solitary drinking (odds ratio (OR) = 0.79, b = –0.23, P<0.01), as well as an indirect effect through the ability to resist drinking during negative affective states (b = –0.03, P = 0.02). Conclusions The ability to resist drinking while experiencing negative feelings or emotions may be an important underlying mechanism linking trait negative emotionality (a tendency toward depression, anxiety and poor reaction to stress) and constraint (lack of impulsiveness) to adolescent solitary drinking. PMID:25664806

Personality, negative affect coping, and drinking alone: a structural equation modeling approach to examine correlates of adolescent solitary drinking.

PubMed

Creswell, Kasey G; Chung, Tammy; Wright, Aidan G C; Clark, Duncan B; Black, Jessica J; Martin, Christopher S

2015-05-01

This study examined the personality traits of negative emotionality and constraint and the ability to resist drinking during negative affective states as correlates of solitary drinking in adolescence. We hypothesized that higher levels of negative emotionality and lower levels of constraint would predict solitary drinking and that these relationships would be mediated by the ability to resist drinking in response to negative emotions. Structural equation modeling was used to fit a path model from the personality traits of negative emotionality and constraint to solitary drinking status through intermediate effects on the ability to resist drinking during negative emotions using cross-sectional data. Clinical and community settings in Pennsylvania, USA. The sample included 761 adolescent drinkers (mean age = 17.1). Adolescents completed the Lifetime Drinking History, the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, the Constructive Thinking Inventory and the Situational Confidence Questionnaire. The path model provided a good fit to the data. The association between trait negative emotionality and solitary drinking was fully mediated by adolescents' ability to resist drinking during negative affective states (b = 0.05, P = 0.01). In contrast, constraint had a direct effect on solitary drinking (odds ratio (OR) = 0.79, b = -0.23, P<0.01), as well as an indirect effect through the ability to resist drinking during negative affective states (b = -0.03, P = 0.02). The ability to resist drinking while experiencing negative feelings or emotions may be an important underlying mechanism linking trait negative emotionality (a tendency toward depression, anxiety and poor reaction to stress) and constraint (lack of impulsiveness) to adolescent solitary drinking. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Increased motor preparation activity during fluent single word production in DS: A correlate for stuttering frequency and severity.

PubMed

Vanhoutte, Sarah; Santens, Patrick; Cosyns, Marjan; van Mierlo, Pieter; Batens, Katja; Corthals, Paul; De Letter, Miet; Van Borsel, John

2015-08-01

Abnormal speech motor preparation is suggested to be a neural characteristic of stuttering. One of the neurophysiological substrates of motor preparation is the contingent negative variation (CNV). The CNV is an event-related, slow negative potential that occurs between two defined stimuli. Unfortunately, CNV tasks are rarely studied in developmental stuttering (DS). Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate motor preparation in DS by use of a CNV task. Twenty five adults who stutter (AWS) and 35 fluent speakers (FS) were included. They performed a picture naming task while an electro-encephalogram was recorded. The slope of the CNV was evaluated at frontal, central and parietal electrode sites. In addition, a correlation analysis was performed with stuttering severity and frequency measures. There was a marked increase in CNV slope in AWS as compared to FS. This increase was observed over the entire scalp with respect to stimulus onset, and only over the right hemisphere with respect to lip movement onset. Moreover, strong positive correlations were found between CNV slope and stuttering frequency and severity. As the CNV is known to reflect the activity in the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical-network, the present findings confirm an increased activation of this loop during speech motor preparation in stuttering. The more a person stutters, the more neurons of this cortical-subcortical network seem to be activated. Because this increased CNV slope was observed during fluent single word production, it is discussed whether or not this observation refers to a successful compensation strategy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial activities of β-glucan (laminaran) against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamidah, A.; Hardoko, Prihanto, A. A.

2017-05-01

This study aimed to determine the antibacterial activity of β-Glucan (laminaran) of LAE and LME extracts from brown algae Sargassum crassifolium using HPMS and Ultrasonication against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli). The highest antibacterial activities of LME extract obtained using the HPMS method against Gram-positive bacteria (B. subtilis and S. aureus) were at 18:10 and 18.80 mm. The ultrasonication method showed a lower inhibition trend than the HPMS method, with MIC and MBC values of 250 mg/ml and 2-8 CFU/ml, respectively, in all Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The results showed that LME extract at a concentration of 250 mg/mL is bacteriostatic against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria.

The correlation between intradermal testing and serum specific IgE to house dust mite in negative skin prick test allergic rhinitis adult patients.

PubMed

Tantilipikorn, Pongsakorn; Danpornprasert, Piyanart; Ngaotepprutaram, Premyot; Assanasen, Paraya; Bunnag, Chaweewan; Thinkhamrop, Bandit

2015-12-01

Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (AR) is based on history, physical examination, and skin prick test (SPT) while intradermal (ID) test can be performed to confirm the diagnosis in case of negative result of SPT. However, the ID test is not recommended for cat and timothy grass allergy because of its high false positive rate. As a result, the "quantitative" technique of serum specific IgE (sIgE) measurement might be helpful to diagnose AR with more confidence. To evaluate the correlation between ID tests and sIgE in the diagnosis of house dust mite (HDM)-sensitive AR patients. Patients with chronic rhinitis (CR) were recruited and SPT was performed. If SPT was negative, ID test and sIgE to HDM [Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp)] measurement were performed. Eighty-two patients with chronic rhinitis (CR), whose SPTs were negative for Dp, were included. There were 39 males (47.6%) and 43 females (52.4%) aged between 18 and 76 years old (mean age = 43.3 years). The ID test was positive in 13 patients (15.9%), and was negative in 69 patients (84.1 %). sIgE to HDM was positive ( ≥ 0.35 kUA/l) in 2 patients (2.4%). There was a fair to moderate correlation between the size of wheal of ID test and sIgE to HDM (r = 0.44, 95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.67, p < 0.01). ID test has a fair to moderate correlation with sIgE Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and it can be used in CR patients with negative SPT where sIgE is not feasible.

Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, or Diet—What Are the Correlates of Obesity in Polish School Children?

PubMed Central

Czyż, Stanisław H.; Toriola, Abel L.; Starościak, Wojciech; Lewandowski, Marek; Paul, Yvonne; Oyeyemi, Adewale L.

2017-01-01

There is substantial evidence of rising prevalence of overweight and obesity and its co-morbidities among children in western-high income developed countries. In the European Union, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing fastest among Polish children. Yet, there is paucity of evidence on the relationship of behavioral factors with body weight status of children in Poland. This study examined the association of obesity with physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet among Polish children. A total of 641 children (10–15 years) recruited from the Lower Silesia region of Poland participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants’ anthropometrics, physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and dietary intake were assessed. Outcome variables were weight categories (according to body mass index [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], and percentage body fat [% BF]). The strongest negative correlation was found between VO2max and %BF (r = −0.39, p <0.05). Significant negative correlation was also found between VO2max and weight categories (r = −0.15). Results of the multinomial logit analysis showed that VO2max increased in groups of overweight, normal weight and underweight children by 13%, 26% and 19%, respectively as compared to the group of obese children. VO2max and weight and obesity indices were strongly correlated in both gender and age groups. Education and intervention programs to increase physical fitness (VO2max) through aerobic training are recommended for Physical Education teachers, parents and children in order to reduce the rate of overweight and obesity among children in the Lower Silesia region of Poland. PMID:28632175

Children's physical activity: an exploratory study of psychological correlates.

PubMed

Biddle, S; Armstrong, N

1992-02-01

Data are now accumulating that show that some children have apparently low levels of habitual physical activity, as measured by heart rate telemetry. However, relatively little is known about the likely correlates or determinants of such activity patterns. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to explore the extent to which activity levels were related to selected psychological factors. The heart rates of 11/12-year old boys and girls (N = 72) were monitored continuously for 12 hr on each of three school days. The same subjects completed psychological inventories assessing physical self-perceptions and motivation. Intrinsic motivation towards physical education and sport was significantly correlated with activity levels for boys. Motivational orientations also predicted activity, but differently for boys and girls. Evidence was found for a discrimination between 'active' and 'less active' girls on the basis of their physical self-perception and motivation scores.

Microwave active filters based on coupled negative resistance method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Chi-Yang; Itoh, Tatsuo

1990-12-01

A novel coupled negative resistance method for building a microwave active bandpass filter is introduced. Based on this method, four microstrip line end-coupled filters were built. Two are fixed-frequency one-pole and two-pole filters, and two are tunable one-pole and two-pole filters. In order to broaden the bandwidth of the end-coupled filter, a modified end-coupled structure is proposed. Using the modified structure, an active filter with a bandwidth up to 7.5 percent was built. All of the filters show significant passband performance improvement. Specifically, the passband bandwidth was broadened by a factor of 5 to 20.

Body conscious? Interoceptive awareness, measured by heartbeat perception, is negatively correlated with self-objectification.

PubMed

Ainley, Vivien; Tsakiris, Manos

2013-01-01

'Self-objectification' is the tendency to experience one's body principally as an object, to be evaluated for its appearance rather than for its effectiveness. Within objectification theory, it has been proposed that self-objectification accounts for the poorer interoceptive awareness observed in women, as measured by heartbeat perception. Our study is, we believe, the first specifically to test this relationship. Using a well-validated and reliable heartbeat perception task, we measured interoceptive awareness in women and compared this with their scores on the Self-Objectification Questionnaire, the Self-Consciousness Scale and the Body Consciousness Questionnaire. Interoceptive awareness was negatively correlated with self-objectification. Interoceptive awareness, public body consciousness and private body consciousness together explained 31% of the variance in self-objectification. However, private body consciousness was not significantly correlated with interoceptive awareness, which may explain the many nonsignificant results in self-objectification studies that have used private body consciousness as a measure of body awareness. We propose interoceptive awareness, assessed by heartbeat perception, as a measure of body awareness in self-objectification studies. Our findings have implications for those clinical conditions, in women, which are characterised by self-objectification and low interoceptive awareness, such as eating disorders.

Neural Activations of Guided Imagery and Music in Negative Emotional Processing: A Functional MRI Study.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Eun; Han, Yeji; Park, HyunWook

2016-01-01

The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music uses music and imagery to access and explore personal emotions associated with episodic memories. Understanding the neural mechanism of guided imagery and music (GIM) as combined stimuli for emotional processing informs clinical application. We performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to demonstrate neural mechanisms of GIM for negative emotional processing when personal episodic memory is recalled and re-experienced through GIM processes. Twenty-four healthy volunteers participated in the study, which used classical music and verbal instruction stimuli to evoke negative emotions. To analyze the neural mechanism, activated regions associated with negative emotional and episodic memory processing were extracted by conducting volume analyses for the contrast between GIM and guided imagery (GI) or music (M). The GIM stimuli showed increased activation over the M-only stimuli in five neural regions associated with negative emotional and episodic memory processing, including the left amygdala, left anterior cingulate gyrus, left insula, bilateral culmen, and left angular gyrus (AG). Compared with GI alone, GIM showed increased activation in three regions associated with episodic memory processing in the emotional context, including the right posterior cingulate gyrus, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, and AG. No neural regions related to negative emotional and episodic memory processing showed more activation for M and GI than for GIM. As a combined multimodal stimulus, GIM may increase neural activations related to negative emotions and episodic memory processing. Findings suggest a neural basis for GIM with personal episodic memories affecting cortical and subcortical structures and functions. © the American Music Therapy Association 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Negative Affect and Neural Response to Palatable Food Intake in Bulimia Nervosa

PubMed Central

Bohon, Cara; Stice, Eric

2012-01-01

Binge eating is often preceded by reports of negative affect, but the mechanism by which affect may lead to binge eating is unclear. This study evaluated the effect of negative affect on neural response to anticipation and receipt of palatable food in women with bulimia nervosa (BN) versus healthy controls. We also evaluated connectivity between the amygdala and reward-related brain regions. Females with and without BN (N = 26) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during receipt and anticipated receipt of chocolate milkshake and a tasteless solution. We measured negative affect just prior to the scan. Women with BN showed a positive correlation between negative affect and activity in the putamen, caudate, and pallidum during anticipated receipt of milkshake (versus tasteless solution). There were no significant relations between negative affect and receipt of milkshake. Connectivity analyses revealed a greater relation of amygdala activity to activation in the left putamen and insula during anticipated receipt of milkshake in the bulimia group relative to the control group. The opposite pattern was found for the taste of milkshake; the control group showed a greater relation of amygdala activity to activation in the left putamen and insula in response to milkshake receipt than the bulimia group. Results show that as negative affect increases, so does responsivity of reward regions to anticipated intake of palatable food, implying that negative affect may increase the reward value of food for individuals with bulimia nervosa or that negative affect has become a conditioned cue due to a history of binge eating in a negative mood. PMID:22387716

Sex-specific correlates of adult physical activity in an Australian rural community.

PubMed

Carroll, Suzanne; Dollman, Jim; Daniel, Mark

2014-02-01

Rural Australians have a higher likelihood of chronic disease and lower levels of physical activity than urban Australians. Little is known of the factors associated with physical activity among rural-dwelling Australians. This study sought to determine the correlates of physical activity among men and women of the South Australian Riverland region. Cross-sectional survey. Regional area. There are 299 randomly selected 18-65 year olds. Determinations of insufficient and sufficient physical activity levels based on public health recommendations. Using logistic regression: in men, sufficient physical activity was associated with reporting perceived sufficient physical activity for health (odds ratio 3.194 [1.703-5.989]), and having friends who encouraged physical activity (3.641 [1.450-9.141]). Men who reported insufficient time (0.350 [0.151-0.812]) and getting enough physical activity at their job (0.374 [0.199-0.702]) were less likely to be sufficiently active. In women, sufficient physical activity was associated with not being employed (2.929 [1.063-8.066]), higher self-efficacy (2.939 [1.118-7.726]) and having a regular physical activity routine (3.404 [1.829-6.337]). Older age (0.960 [0.929-0.995]), poorer self-rated health (0.233 [0.060-0.900]) and weekend sitting time (0.823 [0.692-0.980]) were negatively associated with sufficient physical activity for women. Factors associated with physical activity in this rural adult population differed by sex. Sex-specific approaches to promote physical activity might have utility for this population. Strategies to enhance social connectedness among men and encourage physical activity outside of work can be warranted. Women can require programs to help them develop a regular physical activity routine and improve self-efficacy. © 2014 The Authors. Australian Journal of Rural Health © National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Thermal-inertial ratchet effects: negative mobility, resonant activation, noise-enhanced stability, and noise-weakened stability.

PubMed

Li, Jing-hui; Łuczka, Jerzy

2010-10-01

Transport properties of a Brownian particle in thermal-inertial ratchets subject to an external time-oscillatory drive and a constant bias force are investigated. Since the phenomena of negative mobility, resonant activation and noise-enhance stability were reported before, in the present paper, we report some additional aspects of negative mobility, resonant activation and noise-enhance stability, such as the ingredients for the appearances of these phenomena, multiple resonant activation peaks, current reversals, noise-weakened stability, and so on.

The Tie2 receptor antagonist angiopoietin-2 in systemic lupus erythematosus: its correlation with various disease activity parameters.

PubMed

Salama, Maysa K; Taha, Fatma M; Safwat, Miriam; Darweesh, Hanan E A; Basel, Mohamed El

2012-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus is one of the autoimmune diseases characterized by multisystem involvement associated with autoantibody and immune complex vasculitis along with endothelial cell damage. to study the possible role of Angiopoietin- 2 (Ang-2) as a recently highlighted inflammatory and angiogenic mediator in the pathogenesis of SLE and its correlation with the state of another inflammatory marker, P-Selectin, as well as with various markers of the disease activity. The present study included 3 main groups: active SLE patients (group I), inactive SLE patients (group II) and healthy normal control subjects (group III). Groups I and II were subjected to disease activity assessment using the SLEDAI scoring system and measurement of plasma Ang-2 and P-Selectin by ELISA in addition to various laboratory investigations to assess disease activity as: Complete blood count, ESR, serum creatinine, C3, C4 and 24-h urinary proteins. The mean level of Plasma Ang-2 and P-selectin showed a high significant increase in active group compared to inactive SLE patients and control subjects (p < 0.001).There was a significant positive correlation between Ang-2, P-Selectin, and each of SLEDAI score and 24-h urinary proteins in all SLE patients as well as in the active group, and Ang-2 was a significant independent marker for proteinuria. A significant negative correlation was found between Ang-2, P-Selectin and each of C3, C4. Ang-2 and P-Selectin showed a high sensitivity and specificity in the patients with SLE. Our study suggests that Ang-2 may be a more useful marker than P-Selectin, C3 and C4 in the assessment of disease activity.

Notch pathway activity identifies cells with cancer stem cell-like properties and correlates with worse survival in lung adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Hassan, Khaled A.; Wang, Luo; Korkaya, Hasan; Chen, Guoan; Maillard, Ivan; Beer, David G.; Kalemkerian, Gregory P.; Wicha, Max S.

2013-01-01

Purpose The cancer stem cell theory postulates that tumors contain a subset of cells with stem cell properties of self-renewal, differentiation and tumor-initiation. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of Notch activity in identifying lung cancer stem cells. Experimental Design We investigated the role of Notch activity in lung adenocarcinoma utilizing a Notch GFP-reporter construct and a gamma-secretase inhibitor (GSI), which inhibits Notch pathway activity. Results Transduction of lung cancer cells with Notch GFP-reporter construct identified a subset of cells with high Notch activity (GFP-bright). GFP-bright cells had the ability to form more tumor spheres in serum-free media, and were able to generate both GFP-bright and GFP-dim (lower Notch activity) cell populations. GFP-bright cells were resistant to chemotherapy and were tumorigenic in serial xenotransplantation assays. Tumor xenografts of mice treated with GSI had decreased expression of downstream effectors of Notch pathway and failed to regenerate tumors upon reimplantation in NOD/SCID mice. Using multivariate analysis, we detected a statistically significant correlation between poor clinical outcome and Notch activity (reflected in increased Notch ligand expression or decreased expression of the negative modulators), in a group of 441 lung adenocarcinoma patients. This correlation was further confirmed in an independent group of 89 adenocarcinoma patients where Hes-1 overexpression correlated with poor overall survival. Conclusions Notch activity can identify lung cancer stem cell-like population and its inhibition may be an appropriate target for treating lung adenocarcinoma. PMID:23444212

The influence of positive and negative emotional associations on semantic processing in depression: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Sass, Katharina; Habel, Ute; Kellermann, Thilo; Mathiak, Klaus; Gauggel, Siegfried; Kircher, Tilo

2014-02-01

In depression, patients suffer from emotional and cognitive deficits, among others in semantic processing. If these semantic deficits are cognitive or interact with emotional dysfunctions, is still an open question. The aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of emotional valence on the neural correlates of semantic priming in major depression. In a lexical decision task, positive, negative, and neutral word pairs were presented during fMRI measurement. Nineteen inpatients and 19 demographically matched controls were recruited. Behaviorally, positive and neutral valence induced a priming effect whereas negative valence induced no effect (controls) or even inhibition (slower RT for related stimuli) in patients. At the neural level, the semantic relation effect revealed similar neural activation in right middle frontal regions for patients and controls. Group differences emerged in the right fusiform gyrus and the ACC. Activity associated with positive valence differed at the DLPFC and amygdala and for negative valence at putamen and cerebellum. The activation of amygdala and DLPFC correlated negatively with the severity of depression. To conclude, semantic processing deficits in depression are modulated by emotional valence of the stimulus on the behavioral as well as on neural level in right-lateralized prefrontal areas and the amygdala. The results highlighted an influence of depression severity on emotion information processing as the severity of symptoms correlated negatively with neural responses to positively and negatively valenced information. Hence, the dysfunctional emotion processing may further enhance the cognitive deficits in depression. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Negative core affect and employee silence: How differences in activation, cognitive rumination, and problem-solving demands matter.

PubMed

Madrid, Hector P; Patterson, Malcolm G; Leiva, Pedro I

2015-11-01

Employees can help to improve organizational performance by sharing ideas, suggestions, or concerns about practices, but sometimes they keep silent because of the experience of negative affect. Drawing and expanding on this stream of research, this article builds a theoretical rationale based on core affect and cognitive appraisal theories to describe how differences in affect activation and boundary conditions associated with cognitive rumination and cognitive problem-solving demands can explain employee silence. Results of a diary study conducted with professionals from diverse organizations indicated that within-person low-activated negative core affect increased employee silence when, as an invariant factor, cognitive rumination was high. Furthermore, within-person high-activated negative core affect decreased employee silence when, as an invariant factor, cognitive problem-solving demand was high. Thus, organizations should manage conditions to reduce experiences of low-activated negative core affect because these feelings increase silence in individuals high in rumination. In turn, effective management of experiences of high-activated negative core affect can reduce silence for individuals working under high problem-solving demand situations. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

General physical activity levels influence positive and negative priming effects in young adults.

PubMed

Kamijo, Keita; Takeda, Yuji

2009-03-01

To investigate the relationship between general physical activity level and the cognitive functions of executive control in young adults using behavioral measures and event-related brain potentials. Forty young adults (mean age=21.1 yrs; 19 females) were differentiated on the basis of their regular physical activity level into two groups: active and sedentary. They performed a spatial priming task consisting of three conditions: control, positive, and negative priming. Spatial priming effects, which are related to executive control and occur automatically, were assessed as indicators of cognitive functioning. Negative priming effects on reaction time and P3 latency in the active group were larger than in the sedentary group. By contrast, positive priming effects were only observed in the sedentary group. The cognitive effects of regular physical activity could be observed using a relatively simple paradigm. The results indicate that regular physical activity has a beneficial effect on the cognitive processes on executive control in young adults. The present study provides additional evidence of the beneficial effects of regular physical activity on cognitive functioning in young adults.

Correlations among Psychological Resilience, Self-Efficacy, and Negative Emotion in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

PubMed

Liu, Neng; Liu, Shaohui; Yu, Nan; Peng, Yunhua; Wen, Yumei; Tang, Jie; Kong, Lingyu

2018-01-01

We investigated the influencing factors of the psychological resilience and self-efficacy of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the relationships of psychological resilience and self-efficacy with negative emotion. Eighty-eight participants were enrolled. Psychological resilience, self-efficacy, and negative emotion were assessed with the Psychological Resilience Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively. Furthermore, the relationships of psychological resilience and self-efficacy with negative emotion were investigated. The average scores of psychological resilience, self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression were 70.08 ± 13.26, 21.56 ± 9.66, 53.68 ± 13.10, and 56.12 ± 12.37, respectively. The incidences of anxiety and depression were 23.90% (21/88) and 28.40% (25/88), respectively. The psychological resilience and self-efficacy scores of AMI patients after PCI varied significantly with age and economic status. SAS scores and SDS scores were significantly negatively correlated with psychological resilience and self-efficacy. Negative emotions in AMI patients after PCI are closely related to psychological resilience and self-efficacy. Therefore, anxiety and depression could be alleviated by improving the psychological resilience and self-efficacy of patients undergoing PCI, thus improving patients' quality of life.

Correlation analyses of phytochemical composition, chemical, and cellular measures of antioxidant activity of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. Var. italica).

PubMed

Eberhardt, Marian V; Kobira, Kanta; Keck, Anna-Sigrid; Juvik, John A; Jeffery, Elizabeth H

2005-09-21

Chemical measures of antioxidant activity within the plant, such as the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, have been reported for many plant-based foods. However, the extent to which chemical measures relate to cellular measures of oxidative stress is unclear. The natural variation in the phytochemical content of 22 broccoli genotypes was used to determine correlations among chemical composition (carotenoids, tocopherols and polyphenolics), chemical antioxidant activity (ORAC), and measures of cellular antioxidation [prevention of DNA oxidative damage and of oxidation of the biomarker dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) in HepG2 cells] using hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts of broccoli. For lipophilic extracts, ORAC (ORAC-L) correlated with inhibition of cellular oxidation of DCFH (DCFH-L, r = 0.596, p = 0.006). Also, DNA damage in the presence of the lipophilic extract was negatively correlated with both chemical and cellular measures of antioxidant activity as measured by ORAC-L (r = -0.705, p = 0.015) and DCFH-L (r = -0.671, p = 0.048), respectively. However, no correlations were observed for hydrophilic (-H) extracts, except between polyphenol content and ORAC (ORAC-H; r = 0.778, p < 0.001). Inhibition of cellular oxidation by hydrophilic extracts (DCFH-H) and ORAC-H were approximately 8- and 4-fold greater than DCFH-L and ORAC-L, respectively. Whether ORAC-H has more biological relevance than ORAC-L because of its magnitude or whether ORAC-L bears more biological relevance because it relates to cellular estimates of antioxidant activity remains to be determined. Chemical estimates of antioxidant capacity within the plant may not accurately reflect the complex nature of the full antioxidant activity of broccoli extracts within cells.

Multicontextual correlates of adolescent leisure-time physical activity.

PubMed

Graham, Dan J; Wall, Melanie M; Larson, Nicole; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-06-01

Adolescent moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is influenced by many factors. MVPA-promotion interventions would fare better if these multiple determinants were better understood. To simultaneously assess overall and relative contributions of factors from personal, family, friend, school, and neighborhood contexts to adolescent MVPA. It was hypothesized that (1) key correlates would emerge in each context and (2) factors from more- versus less-proximal contexts would relate more strongly to MVPA. Students in grades 6-12 (n=2,793; mean age=14.4 [SD=2.0] years; 53% girls) were recruited from 20 Minnesota public schools in 2009-2010 to participate in the Eating and Activity in Teens 2010 study. Regression analyses conducted in 2013 examined factors related to weekly MVPA. Data were collected from adolescent participants, their parents and friends, school teachers and administrators, and GIS sources. Fifty multicontextual factors explained 25% of MVPA variance for boys and 27% for girls. Personal factors (e.g., self-efficacy) were most predictive of MVPA, followed by social factors (e.g., support for PA); environmental factors (e.g., access to PA resources) were least predictive of adolescent PA. Gender differences emerged for several predictors (e.g., in mutually adjusted analyses, MVPA among girls, but not boys, related positively to distance to trails and MVPA among female friends and fathers, and related negatively to perceived barriers). Stronger linkages exist between adolescent MVPA and more-proximal (personal, family, and friend) factors compared to more-distal (school and neighborhood) factors, suggesting the importance of working with adolescents, their families, and friends to promote PA. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multicontextual Correlates of Adolescent Leisure-Time Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Graham, Dan J.; Wall, Melanie M.; Larson, Nicole; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-01-01

Background Adolescent moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is influenced by many factors. MVPA-promotion interventions would fare better if these multiple determinants were better understood. Purpose To simultaneously assess overall and relative contributions of factors from personal, family, friend, school, and neighborhood contexts to adolescent MVPA. It was hypothesized that: (1) key correlates would emerge in each context; (2) factors from more- versus less-proximal contexts would relate more strongly to MVPA. Methods Students in grades 6–12 (n=2793; mean age=14.4 [SD=2.0] years; 53% girls) were recruited from 20 Minnesota public schools in 2009–2010 to participate in the Eating and Activity in Teens 2010 study. Regression analyses conducted in 2013 examined factors related to weekly MVPA. Data were collected from adolescent participants, their parents and friends, school teachers and administrators, and GIS sources. Results Fifty multicontextual factors explained 25% of MVPA variance for boys and 27% for girls. Personal factors (e.g., self-efficacy) were most predictive of MVPA, followed by social factors (e.g., support for PA); environmental factors (e.g., access to PA resources) were least predictive of adolescent PA. Gender differences emerged for several predictors (e.g., in mutually adjusted analyses, MVPA among girls, but not boys, related positively to distance to trails and MVPA among female friends and fathers, and related negatively to perceived barriers). Conclusions Stronger linkages exist between adolescent MVPA and more-proximal (personal, family, and friend) factors compared to more-distal (school and neighborhood) factors, suggesting the importance of working with adolescents, their families, and friends to promote PA. PMID:24842737

Actigraphy in the critically ill: correlation with activity, agitation, and sedation.

PubMed

Grap, Mary Jo; Borchers, C Todd; Munro, Cindy L; Elswick, R K; Sessler, Curtis N

2005-01-01

To determine the feasibility of continuous measurement of limb movement via wrist and ankle actigraphy (an activity measure) in critically ill patients and to compare actigraphy measurements with observed activity, subjective scores on sedation-agitation scales, and heart rate and blood pressure of patients. In a prospective, descriptive, correlational study, all activity of 20 adult patients in medical and coronary care units in a university medical center were observed for 2 hours and documented. Wrist and ankle actigraphy, heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure data were collected every minute. The Comfort Scale and the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale were completed at the beginning of the observation period and 1 and 2 hours later. Wrist actigraphy data correlated with scores on the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (r = 0.58) and the Comfort Scale (r = 0.62) and with observed stimulation and activity events of patients (r = 0.45). Correlations with systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures were weaker. Wrist and ankle actigraphy data were significantly correlated (r = 0.69; P < .001); however, their mean values (wrist, 418; ankle, 147) were significantly different (t = 5.77; P < .001). Actigraphy provides a continuous recording of patients' limb movement. Actigraphy measurements correlate well with patients' observed activity and with subjective scores on agitation and sedation scales. Actigraphy may become particularly important as a continuous measurement of activity for use in behavioral research and may enhance early recognition and management of the excessive activity that characterizes agitation.

Correlations Decrease with Propagation of Spiking Activity in the Mouse Barrel Cortex

PubMed Central

Ranganathan, Gayathri Nattar; Koester, Helmut Joachim

2011-01-01

Propagation of suprathreshold spiking activity through neuronal populations is important for the function of the central nervous system. Neural correlations have an impact on cortical function particularly on the signaling of information and propagation of spiking activity. Therefore we measured the change in correlations as suprathreshold spiking activity propagated between recurrent neuronal networks of the mammalian cerebral cortex. Using optical methods we recorded spiking activity from large samples of neurons from two neural populations simultaneously. The results indicate that correlations decreased as spiking activity propagated from layer 4 to layer 2/3 in the rodent barrel cortex. PMID:21629764

Feeling Better About Self After Receiving Negative Feedback: When the Sense That Ability Can Be Improved Is Activated.

PubMed

Hu, Xinyi; Chen, Yinghe; Tian, Baowei

2016-01-01

Past studies suggest that managers and educators often consider negative feedback as a motivator for individuals to think about their shortcomings and improve their work, but delivering negative feedback does not always achieve desired results. The present study, based on incremental theory, employed an intervention method to activate the belief that a particular ability could be improved after negative feedback. Three experiments tested the intervention effect on negative self-relevant emotion. Study 1 indicated conveying suggestions for improving ability reduced negative self-relevant emotion after negative feedback. Study 2 tested whether activating the sense of possible improvement in the ability could reduce negative self-relevant emotion. Results indicated activating the belief that ability could be improved reduced negative self-relevant emotion after failure, but delivering emotion management information alone did not yield the same effect. Study 3 extended the results by affirming the effort participants made in doing the test, and found the affirmation reduced negative self-relevant emotion. Collectively, the findings indicated focusing on the belief that the ability could be improved in the future can reduce negative self-relevant emotion after negative feedback.

Monitoring volcanic activity using correlation patterns between infrasound and ground motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichihara, M.; Takeo, M.; Yokoo, A.; Oikawa, J.; Ohminato, T.

2012-02-01

This paper presents a simple method to distinguish infrasonic signals from wind noise using a cross-correlation function of signals from a microphone and a collocated seismometer. The method makes use of a particular feature of the cross-correlation function of vertical ground motion generated by infrasound, and the infrasound itself. Contribution of wind noise to the correlation function is effectively suppressed by separating the microphone and the seismometer by several meters because the correlation length of wind noise is much shorter than wavelengths of infrasound. The method is applied to data from two recent eruptions of Asama and Shinmoe-dake volcanoes, Japan, and demonstrates that the method effectively detects not only the main eruptions, but also minor activity generating weak infrasound hardly visible in the wave traces. In addition, the correlation function gives more information about volcanic activity than infrasound alone, because it reflects both features of incident infrasonic and seismic waves. Therefore, a graphical presentation of temporal variation in the cross-correlation function enables one to see qualitative changes of eruptive activity at a glance. This method is particularly useful when available sensors are limited, and will extend the utility of a single microphone and seismometer in monitoring volcanic activity.

Inducing Negative Affect Increases the Reward Value of Appetizing Foods in Dieters

PubMed Central

Wagner, Dylan D.; Boswell, Rebecca G.; Kelley, William M.; Heatherton, Todd F.

2013-01-01

Experiencing negative affect frequently precedes lapses in self-control for dieters, smokers, and drug addicts. Laboratory research has similarly shown that inducing negative emotional distress increases the consumption of food or drugs. One hypothesis for this finding is that emotional distress sensitizes the brain’s reward system to appetitive stimuli. Using functional neuroimaging, we demonstrate that inducing negative affect in chronic dieters increases activity in brain regions representing the reward value of appetitive stimuli when viewing appetizing food cues. Thirty female chronic dieters were randomly assigned to receive either a negative (n = 15) or neutral mood induction (n = 15) immediately followed by exposure to images of appetizing foods and natural scenes during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Compared to chronic dieters in a neutral mood, those receiving a negative mood induction showed increased activity in the orbitofrontal cortex to appetizing food images. In addition, activity to food images in the orbitofrontal cortex and ventral striatum was correlated with individual differences in the degree to which the negative mood induction decreased participants’ self-esteem. These findings suggest that distress sensitizes the brain’s reward system to appetitive cues thereby offering a mechanism for the oft-observed relationship between negative affect and disinhibited eating. PMID:22524295

Bacteriocins active against multi-resistant gram negative bacteria implicated in nosocomial infections.

PubMed

Ghodhbane, Hanen; Elaidi, Sabrine; Sabatier, Jean-Marc; Achour, Sami; Benhmida, Jeannette; Regaya, Imed

2015-01-01

Multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria are the prime mover of nosocomial infections. Some are naturally resistant to antibiotics, their genetic makes them insensitive to certain families of antibiotics and they transmit these resistors to their offspring. Moreover, when bacteria are subjected to antibiotics, they eventually develop resistance against drugs to which they were previously sensitive. In recent years, many bacteriocins active against gram-negative bacteria have been identified proving their efficacy in treating infections. While further investigation remains necessary before the possibilities for bacteriocins in clinical practice can be described more fully, this review provides an overview of bacteriocins acting on the most common infectious gram negative bacteria (Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli).

Personality trait correlates of color preference in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Tao, Baiping; Xu, Shaofang; Pan, Xin; Gao, Qianqian; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

Background The goal of the present study was to evaluate the color preferences of patients with schizophrenia and their correlations with personality traits. Methodology Sixty-three patients with schizophrenia and 59 healthy volunteers were asked to undertake the color preference and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) tests. Results The healthy volunteers showed a greater preference for green but a lesser one for brown compared to the patients with schizophrenia. Patients scored higher than the healthy volunteers on the ZKPQ Neuroticism-Anxiety and Activity scales. Moreover, in patients, black preference ranking was associated with the Neuroticism-Anxiety, whereas pink and orange preferences were negatively associated with Activity; white preference correlated negatively with Sociability. Conclusions Patients with schizophrenia preferred green less but brown more, and displayed their personality correlates of these color preferences. These findings are suggesting that patients with schizophrenia should be encouraged to be more exposed to bright colors such as green and white, and less to dark colors such as black, during therapy and rehabilitation sessions. PMID:28123802

Stimulus background influences phase invariant coding by correlated neural activity

PubMed Central

Metzen, Michael G; Chacron, Maurice J

2017-01-01

Previously we reported that correlations between the activities of peripheral afferents mediate a phase invariant representation of natural communication stimuli that is refined across successive processing stages thereby leading to perception and behavior in the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus (Metzen et al., 2016). Here, we explore how phase invariant coding and perception of natural communication stimuli are affected by changes in the sinusoidal background over which they occur. We found that increasing background frequency led to phase locking, which decreased both detectability and phase invariant coding. Correlated afferent activity was a much better predictor of behavior as assessed from both invariance and detectability than single neuron activity. Thus, our results provide not only further evidence that correlated activity likely determines perception of natural communication signals, but also a novel explanation as to why these preferentially occur on top of low frequency as well as low-intensity sinusoidal backgrounds. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24482.001 PMID:28315519

Negative affect and neural response to palatable food intake in bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Bohon, Cara; Stice, Eric

2012-06-01

Binge eating is often preceded by reports of negative affect, but the mechanism by which affect may lead to binge eating is unclear. This study evaluated the effect of negative affect on neural response to anticipation and receipt of palatable food in women with bulimia nervosa (BN) versus healthy controls. We also evaluated connectivity between the amygdala and reward-related brain regions. Females with and without BN (n=26) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during receipt and anticipated receipt of chocolate milkshake and a tasteless solution. We measured negative affect just prior to the scan. Women with BN showed a positive correlation between negative affect and activity in the putamen, caudate, and pallidum during anticipated receipt of milkshake (versus tasteless solution). There were no significant relations between negative affect and receipt of milkshake. Connectivity analyses revealed a greater relation of amygdala activity to activation in the left putamen and insula during anticipated receipt of milkshake in the bulimia group relative to the control group. The opposite pattern was found for the taste of milkshake; the control group showed a greater relation of amygdala activity to activation in the left putamen and insula in response to milkshake receipt than the bulimia group. Results show that as negative affect increases, so does responsivity of reward regions to anticipated intake of palatable food, implying that negative affect may increase the reward value of food for individuals with bulimia nervosa or that negative affect has become a conditioned cue due to a history of binge eating in a negative mood. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotional and cognitive health correlates of leisure activities in older Latino and Caucasian women

PubMed Central

Herrera, Angelica P.; Meeks, Thomas W.; Dawes, Sharron E.; Hernandez, Dominique M.; Thompson, Wesley K.; Sommerfeld, David H.; Allison, Matthew A.; Jeste, Dilip V.

2011-01-01

This study examined differences in the frequency of leisure activity participation and relationships to depressive symptom burden and cognition in Latino and Caucasian women. Cross-sectional data were obtained from a demographically matched subsample of Latino and Caucasian (n = 113 each) post-menopausal women (age ≥60), interviewed in 2004–06 for a multi-ethnic cohort study of successful aging in San Diego County. Frequencies of engagement in 16 leisure activities and associations between objective cognitive performance and depressive symptom burden by ethnicity were identified using bivariate and linear regression, adjusted for physical functioning and demographic covariates. Compared to Caucasian women, Latinas were significantly more likely to be caregivers and used computers less often. Engaging in organized social activity was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in both groups. Listening to the radio was positively correlated with lower depressive symptom burden for Latinas, and better cognitive functioning in Caucasians. Cognitive functioning was better in Latinas who read and did puzzles. Housework was negatively associated with Latinas’ emotional health and Caucasians’ cognitive functioning. Latino and Caucasian women participate in different patterns of leisure activities. Additionally, ethnicity significantly affects the relationship between leisure activities and both emotional and cognitive health. PMID:21391135

Environmental and psychosocial correlates of objectively measured physical activity among older adults.

PubMed

Fleig, Lena; Ashe, Maureen C; Voss, Christine; Therrien, Suzanne; Sims-Gould, Joanie; McKay, Heather A; Winters, Meghan

2016-12-01

Neighborhood environments can support or hinder physical activity especially as health declines with age. This study puts psychological theories of health behavior change in context with built environment research to better understand the interplay of environmental and psychosocial characteristics impacting older adults' sedentary behavior and physical activity. The Active Streets, Active People study recruited 193 older adults living in a highly walkable neighborhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Participants completed questionnaires on attitudes toward walking, behavioral control for walking, and perceived built environment variables. To assess behavior, participants wore an ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. Regression-based path analysis was conducted to examine whether the link between the perceived environment and behavior is mediated by psychosocial variables. In total, 174 participants had valid accelerometry data (Mage = 70.3, SD = 7.2) and demonstrated a daily average of 525.7 min of sedentary behavior (SD = 65.1) as well as high levels of total physical activity (M = 254.3, SD = 65.1 min/day). Mediation analysis revealed that perceived street connectivity and diversity of land use were negatively related to sedentary behavior, but only indirectly through behavioral control. Similarly, effects of street connectivity and diversity of land use on physical activity were mediated by behavioral control. Results highlighted that the perceived built environment is important for physical activity and sedentary behavior, largely because these environmental perceptions are positively linked to older adults' confidence in walking. By integrating environmental and psychosocial correlates of preventive health behaviors within a theoretical structure, the psychosocial mechanisms through which the environment affects activity can be better understood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Body Conscious? Interoceptive Awareness, Measured by Heartbeat Perception, Is Negatively Correlated with Self-Objectification

PubMed Central

Ainley, Vivien; Tsakiris, Manos

2013-01-01

Background ‘Self-objectification’ is the tendency to experience one's body principally as an object, to be evaluated for its appearance rather than for its effectiveness. Within objectification theory, it has been proposed that self-objectification accounts for the poorer interoceptive awareness observed in women, as measured by heartbeat perception. Our study is, we believe, the first specifically to test this relationship. Methodology/Principal Findings Using a well-validated and reliable heartbeat perception task, we measured interoceptive awareness in women and compared this with their scores on the Self-Objectification Questionnaire, the Self-Consciousness Scale and the Body Consciousness Questionnaire. Interoceptive awareness was negatively correlated with self-objectification. Interoceptive awareness, public body consciousness and private body consciousness together explained 31% of the variance in self-objectification. However, private body consciousness was not significantly correlated with interoceptive awareness, which may explain the many nonsignificant results in self-objectification studies that have used private body consciousness as a measure of body awareness. Conclusions/Significance We propose interoceptive awareness, assessed by heartbeat perception, as a measure of body awareness in self-objectification studies. Our findings have implications for those clinical conditions, in women, which are characterised by self-objectification and low interoceptive awareness, such as eating disorders. PMID:23405173

Expanding the Use of a Fluorogenic Method to Determine Activity and Mode of Action of Bacillus thuringiensis Bacteriocins Against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

PubMed Central

de la Fuente-Salcido, Norma M.; Barboza-Corona, J. Eleazar; Espino Monzón, A. N.; Pacheco Cano, R. D.; Balagurusamy, N.; Bideshi, Dennis K.; Salcedo-Hernández, Rubén

2012-01-01

Previously we described a rapid fluorogenic method to measure the activity of five bacteriocins produced by Mexican strains of Bacillus thuringiensis against B. cereus 183. Here we standardize this method to efficiently determine the activity of bacteriocins against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It was determined that the crucial parameter required to obtain reproducible results was the number of cells used in the assay, that is, ~4 × 108 cell/mL and ~7 × 108 cell/mL, respectively, for target Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Comparative analyses of the fluorogenic and traditional well-diffusion assays showed correlation coefficients of 0.88 to 0.99 and 0.83 to 0.99, respectively, for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The fluorogenic method demonstrated that the five bacteriocins of B. thuringiensis have bacteriolytic and bacteriostatic activities against all microorganisms tested, including clinically significant bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Proteus vulgaris, and Shigella flexneri reported previously to be resistant to the antimicrobials as determined using the well-diffusion protocol. These results demonstrate that the fluorogenic assay is a more sensitive, reliable, and rapid method when compared with the well-diffusion method and can easily be adapted in screening protocols for bacteriocin production by other microorganisms. PMID:22919330

Correlations between endotoxin, interferon-gamma, biopterin and serum phospholipase A2-activities during lethal gram negative sepsis in rats.

PubMed

Hunsicker, A; Kullich, W; Weissenhofer, W; Lorenz, D; Petermann, J; Rokos, H; Schwesinger, G

1997-05-01

To establish a standardised reproducible animal model of intraperitoneal sepsis, and to investigate early immunoserological responses to find a mediator-based system for evaluation and grading of diffuse peritonitis in patients Prospective experimental study 4 Teaching hospitals, Germany and Austria 42 LEW. 1W rats, 12 of which acted as controls Gram negative sepsis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 6 ml of a mixture of Escherichia coli (K1:H+) 10(10) organisms/ml, autogenous haemoglobin 2.9 ml (haemoglobin concentration 3%), 0.9% sodium chloride 3 ml, and suspension 0.1 ml. Control rats were given physiological saline 6 ml alone. Concentrations of endotoxin, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), and biopterin, and serum phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. There were significant differences between the septic and control rats in concentrations of endotoxin (EU/ml) (median (interquartile range) 21.85 (2.02-159.5) compared with 0, p < 0.0001; IFN-gamma (pg/ml) 1263.0 (271.0-7575.0) compared with 101.0 (89.0-141.0), p < 0.0001; biopterin (nmol/L) 111.0 (66.4-156.3) compared with 53.7 (38.3-67.6), p < 0.001; and PLA2 (U/L) 163.0 (125.8-209.0) compared with 112.5 (88.5-126.5) p < 0.01. Measurements of concentrations of endotoxin, IFN-gamma, pteridines, and PLA2 activity may well be adequate markers for early recognition of sepsis, and perhaps for grading it during the first 6 hours after induction. The allow a clear distinction to be made between septic and non-septic disorders in 87% of cases.

Psycho-Social Correlates of Organized Physical Activity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greendorfer, Susan L.

1987-01-01

The assumption has been that because play, games, and sport are good, positive attitudes, behaviors, and values are inevitably transmitted. This article summarizes research on a variety of topics related to psychosocial correlates of physical activity and urges caution in the way claims are made. (MT)

Does the prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis and frequency of Rhesus-negative subjects correlate with the nationwide rate of traffic accidents?

PubMed

Flegr, Jaroslav; Dama, Madhukar

2014-12-01

Latent toxoplasmosis is probably the most common protistan parasitic disease with many indirect negative impacts on human health. One of the important impacts is impaired psychomotor function leading to reduced driving efficiency in Toxoplasma-seropositive subjects. Numerous case-control studies have established a positive relation between the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) and probability of traffic accidents in study populations. The prevalence of toxoplasmosis varies between populations according to local geographical conditions, hygienic practices and kitchen habits. Similarly, we see a striking variation in the incidence of traffic accidents across countries. Hence, we compiled the largest ever data set on the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and tried to understand its role in traffic accident-related deaths and disabilities across 87 countries. Simple non-parametric analysis showed a positive and strong relation of T. gondii seroprevalence and traffic accident related disabilities. Further, we conducted multivariate analysis to control for confounding factors. After controlling for wealth, geographical latitude, health of population, length of roads and number of vehicles, the correlation disappeared. When the frequency of RhD negativity and its interaction with toxoplasmosis were included into the model, the effects of toxoplasmosis seemingly returned. However, the analysed data suffered from the problem of multicollinearity. When a proper method of analysis, ridge regression, was applied, the effects of toxoplasmosis prevalence and RhD negativity frequency disappeared again. The existence of a strong correlation between the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and health of population in particular countries, which was the probable cause of multicollinearity and possible reason for the negative result of the present study, suggests that 'asymptomatic' latent toxoplasmosis could have a large impact on public health.

Neuroanatomical correlates of negative emotionality-related traits: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mincic, Adina M

2015-10-01

Two central traits present in the most influential models of personality characterize the response to positive and, respectively, negative emotional events. Negative emotionality (NE)-related traits are linked to vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders; this has fuelled a special interest in examining stable differences in brain morphology associated to these traits. Structural imaging methods including voxel-based morphometry, cortical thickness analysis and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have yielded inconclusive and sometimes contradictory results. This review summarizes the findings reported to date through these methods and discusses them in relation to the functional imaging results. To detect topographic convergence between studies showing positive and, respectively, negative grey matter associations with NE-traits, activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses of VBM studies were performed. Individuals scoring high on NE-related traits show consistent morphological differences in a left-lateralized circuit: higher grey matter volume (GMV) in amygdala and anterior parahippocampal gyrus and lower GMV in the orbitofrontal cortex extending into perigenual anterior cingulate cortex. Most DTI studies indicate reduced white matter integrity in various brain regions and tracts, particularly in the uncinate fasciculus and in cingulum bundle. These results show that the behavioural phenotype associated to NE traits is reflected in structural differences within the cortico-limbic system, suggesting alterations in information processing and transmission. The results are discussed from the perspective of neuron-glia interactions. Future directions are outlined based on recent developments in structural imaging techniques. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of positive and negative schizophrenic syndromes in Nigerian patients.

PubMed

Gureje, O

1989-11-01

The two-syndrome concept of schizophrenia was investigated in a sample of 70 Nigerian schizophrenic patients. The positive and negative syndromes were studied in relation to demographic, historical, neurological and psychometric measures. The negative syndrome was associated with cognitive impairment, behavioural deterioration and left eye dominance, and also with poor pre-morbid educational achievement and longer length of current stay in hospital. The positive syndrome was unrelated to any of the independent variables. The two syndromes were not significantly related, supporting the view that they represent relatively independent dimensions of pathology. This provides further support for the validity of the Type I-Type II subtyping of schizophrenia in populations of patients from different cultural backgrounds, and suggests that the negative syndrome is related to the presence of neurodevelopmental deficits that possibly antedate the schizophrenic illness.

Phytotoxicity of pesticides mancozeb and chlorpyrifos: correlation with the antioxidative defence system in Allium cepa.

PubMed

Fatma, Firdos; Verma, Sonam; Kamal, Aisha; Srivastava, Alka

2018-02-01

Pesticides are a group of chemical substances which are widely used to improve agricultural production. However, these substances could be persistent in soil and water, accumulative in sediment or bio-accumulative in biota depending on their solubility, leading to different types of environmental pollution. The present study was done to assess the impact of pesticides-mancozeb and chlorpyrifos, via morphological and physiological parameters using Allium cepa test system. Phytotoxic effects of pesticides were examined via germination percentage, survival percentage, root and shoot length, root shoot length ratio, seedling vigor index, percentage of phytotoxicity and tolerance index. Oxidative stress on Allium seedlings caused by pesticides was also assessed by investigating the activity of antioxidative enzymes viz. catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Correlation was worked out between morphological parameters and antioxidative enzymes to bring out the alliance between them. Mancozeb and chlorpyrifos concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with the activity of antioxidative enzymes and negatively correlated with morphological parameters. Significant positive correlation between various morphological parameters showed their interdependency. However, negative correlation was obtained between activity of antioxidative enzymes and morphological parameters. The enzymes however, showed positive correlation with each other. Based on our result we can conclude that all morphological parameters were adversely affected by the two pesticides as reflected by phytotoxicity in Allium . Their negative correlation with activity of antioxidative enzymes indicates that upregulation of antioxidative enzymes is not sufficient to overcome the toxic effect, thereby signifying the threat being caused by the regular use of these pesticides.

[A cross-correlational analysis of the background neuronal pulse trains in surviving slices of the guinea pig neocortex].

PubMed

Bortnik, A T; Iakupova, L P

1991-01-01

Cross-correlation analysis of interdependence of the background spike activity was carried out for pairs of adjacent neurons simultaneously recorded in the incubated slices of the neocortex of guinea-pig. Statistical correlation of spike discharges was detected in 16 out of 26 recorded pairs of the neurons. Significant correlation was observed mainly in the range of +/- 100 ms from the null point. Cross-correlation had symmetric or asymmetric maxima up to 150 ms long and negative shifts up to 200 ms long. More complex positive-negative types of cross-correlations were also obtained. The data were compared to those known from other authors for the intact brain. The contribution of intrinsic intracortical interactions and extrinsic afferent influences in these correlations of activity is discussed.

Thioredoxin-1 Negatively Modulates ADAM17 Activity Through Direct Binding and Indirect Reductive Activity.

PubMed

Granato, Daniela C; E Costa, Rute A P; Kawahara, Rebeca; Yokoo, Sami; Aragão, Annelize Z; Domingues, Romênia R; Pauletti, Bianca A; Honorato, Rodrigo V; Fattori, Juliana; Figueira, Ana Carolina M; Oliveira, Paulo S L; Consonni, Silvio R; Fernandes, Denise; Laurindo, Francisco; Hansen, Hinrich P; Paes Leme, Adriana F

2018-02-27

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17) modulates signaling events by releasing surface protein ectodomains such as TNFa and the EGFR-ligands. We have previously characterized cytoplasmic thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) as a partner of ADAM17 cytoplasmic domain. Still, the mechanism of ADAM17 regulation by Trx-1 is unknown, and it has become of paramount importance to assess the degree of influence that Trx-1 has on metalloproteinase ADAM17. Combining discovery and targeted proteomic approaches, we uncovered that Trx-1 negatively regulates ADAM17 by direct and indirect effect. We performed cell-based assays with synthetic peptides and site-directed mutagenesis, and we demonstrated that the interaction interface of Trx-1 and ADAM17 is important for the negative regulation of ADAM17 activity. However, both Trx-1 K72A and catalytic site mutant Trx-1 C32/35S rescued ADAM17 activity, although the interaction with Trx-1 C32/35S was unaffected, suggesting an indirect effect of Trx-1. We confirmed that the Trx-1 C32/35S mutant showed diminished reductive capacity, explaining this indirect effect on increasing ADAM17 activity through oxidant levels. Interestingly, Trx-1 K72A mutant showed similar oxidant levels to Trx-1 C32/35S , even though its catalytic site was preserved. We further demonstrated that the general reactive oxygen species inhibitor, Nacetylcysteine (NAC), maintained the regulation of ADAM17 dependent of Trx-1 reductase activity levels; whereas the electron transport chain modulator, rotenone, abolished Trx-1 effect on ADAM17 activity. We show for the first time that the mechanism of ADAM17 regulation, Trx-1 dependent, can be by direct interaction and indirect effect, bringing new insights into the cross-talk between isomerases and mammalian metalloproteinases. This unexpected Trx-1 K72A behavior was due to more dimer formation and, consequently, the reduction of its Trx-1 reductase activity, evaluated through dimer verification, by gel filtration and mass

Personal and environmental correlates of active travel and physical activity in a deprived urban population

PubMed Central

Ogilvie, David; Mitchell, Richard; Mutrie, Nanette; Petticrew, Mark; Platt, Stephen

2008-01-01

Background Environmental characteristics may be associated with patterns of physical activity in general or with particular types of physical activity such as active travel (walking or cycling for transport). However, most studies in this field have been conducted in North America and Australia, and hypotheses about putative correlates should be tested in a wider range of sociospatial contexts. We therefore examined the contribution of putative personal and environmental correlates of active travel and overall physical activity in deprived urban neighbourhoods in Glasgow, Scotland as part of the baseline for a longitudinal study of the effects of opening a new urban motorway (freeway). Methods We conducted a postal survey of a random sample of residents (n = 1322), collecting data on socioeconomic status, perceptions of the local environment, travel behaviour, physical activity and general health and wellbeing using a new 14-item neighbourhood rating scale, a travel diary, the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the SF-8. We analysed the correlates of active travel and overall physical activity using multivariate logistic regression, first building models using personal (individual and household) explanatory variables and then adding environmental variables. Results Active travel was associated with being younger, living in owner-occupied accommodation, not having to travel a long distance to work and not having access to a car, whereas overall physical activity was associated with living in social rented accommodation and not being overweight. After adjusting for personal characteristics, neither perceptions of the local environment nor the objective proximity of respondents' homes to motorway or major road infrastructure explained much of the variance in active travel or overall physical activity, although we did identify a significant positive association between active travel and perceived proximity to shops. Conclusion

Sensitivity of negative subsequent memory and task-negative effects to age and associative memory performance.

PubMed

de Chastelaine, Marianne; Mattson, Julia T; Wang, Tracy H; Donley, Brian E; Rugg, Michael D

2015-07-01

The present fMRI experiment employed associative recognition to investigate the relationships between age and encoding-related negative subsequent memory effects and task-negative effects. Young, middle-aged and older adults (total n=136) were scanned while they made relational judgments on visually presented word pairs. In a later memory test, the participants made associative recognition judgments on studied, rearranged (items studied on different trials) and new pairs. Several regions, mostly localized to the default mode network, demonstrated negative subsequent memory effects in an across age-group analysis. All but one of these regions also demonstrated task-negative effects, although there was no correlation between the size of the respective effects. Whereas negative subsequent memory effects demonstrated a graded attenuation with age, task-negative effects declined markedly between the young and the middle-aged group, but showed no further reduction in the older group. Negative subsequent memory effects did not correlate with memory performance within any age group. By contrast, in the older group only, task-negative effects predicted later memory performance. The findings demonstrate that negative subsequent memory and task-negative effects depend on dissociable neural mechanisms and likely reflect distinct cognitive processes. The relationship between task-negative effects and memory performance in the older group might reflect the sensitivity of these effects to variations in amount of age-related neuropathology. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Memory. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical routine utility of basophil activation testing for diagnosis of hymenoptera-allergic patients with emphasis on individuals with negative venom-specific IgE antibodies.

PubMed

Korošec, Peter; Šilar, Mira; Eržen, Renato; Čelesnik, Nina; Bajrović, Nissera; Zidarn, Mihaela; Košnik, Mitja

2013-01-01

Previous reports suggest the usefulness of basophil activation testing (BAT) in Hymenoptera-allergic patients with negative venom-specific IgE antibodies. We sought to evaluate the diagnostic utility of this testing in a routine clinical laboratory setting. Twenty-one patients with anaphylactic reactions to Hymenoptera sting (median grade III) and negative venom-specific IgE were routinely and prospectively tested with BAT. We were able to diagnose 81% (17 of 21) of patients with BAT and 57% (12 of 21) with intradermal skin testing. Three wasp venom-allergic patients showed IgE positivity to rVes v 5. Four patients (19%) were negative for all tests. In the case of double-positive BAT, the culprit insect correlated with the venom that induced a significantly higher basophil response. BAT allows the identification of severe Hymenoptera-allergic patients with negative specific IgE and skin tests. The routine use of this cellular test should facilitate prescription of venom immunotherapy in complex cases with inconclusive diagnostic results. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An fMRI study of joint action–varying levels of cooperation correlates with activity in control networks

PubMed Central

Chaminade, Thierry; Marchant, Jennifer L.; Kilner, James; Frith, Christopher D.

2012-01-01

As social agents, humans continually interact with the people around them. Here, motor cooperation was investigated using a paradigm in which pairs of participants, one being scanned with fMRI, jointly controlled a visually presented object with joystick movements. The object oscillated dynamically along two dimensions, color and width of gratings, corresponding to the two cardinal directions of joystick movements. While the overall control of each participant on the object was kept constant, the amount of cooperation along the two dimensions varied along four levels, from no (each participant controlled one dimension exclusively) to full (each participant controlled half of each dimension) cooperation. Increasing cooperation correlated with BOLD signal in the left parietal operculum and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), while decreasing cooperation correlated with activity in the right inferior frontal and superior temporal gyri, the intraparietal sulci and inferior temporal gyri bilaterally, and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. As joint performance improved with the level of cooperation, we assessed the brain responses correlating with behavior, and found that activity in most of the areas associated with levels of cooperation also correlated with the joint performance. The only brain area found exclusively in the negative correlation with cooperation was in the dorso medial frontal cortex, involved in monitoring action outcome. Given the cluster location and condition-related signal change, we propose that this region monitored actions to extract the level of cooperation in order to optimize the joint response. Our results, therefore, indicate that, in the current experimental paradigm involving joint control of a visually presented object with joystick movements, the level of cooperation affected brain networks involved in action control, but not mentalizing. PMID:22715326

Functional connectivity of default mode network components: correlation, anticorrelation, and causality

PubMed Central

Uddin, Lucina Q.; Clare Kelly, A. M.; Biswal, Bharat B.; Castellanos, F. Xavier; Milham, Michael P.

2013-01-01

The default mode network (DMN), based in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), exhibits higher metabolic activity at rest than during performance of externally-oriented cognitive tasks. Recent studies have suggested that competitive relationships between the DMN and various task-positive networks involved in task performance are intrinsically represented in the brain in the form of strong negative correlations (anticorrelations) between spontaneous fluctuations in these networks. Most neuroimaging studies characterize the DMN as a homogenous network, thus few have examined the differential contributions of DMN components to such competitive relationships. Here we examined functional differentiation within the default mode network, with an emphasis on understanding competitive relationships between this and other networks. We used a seed correlation approach on resting-state data to assess differences in functional connectivity between these two regions and their anticorrelated networks. While the positively correlated networks for the vmPFC and PCC seeds largely overlapped, the anticorrelated networks for each showed striking differences. Activity in vmPFC negatively predicted activity in parietal visual spatial and temporal attention networks, whereas activity in PCC negatively predicted activity in prefrontal-based motor control circuits. Granger causality analyses suggest that vmPFC and PCC exert greater influence on their anticorrelated networks than the other way around, suggesting that these two default mode nodes may directly modulate activity in task-positive networks. Thus, the two major nodes comprising the default mode network are differentiated with respect to the specific brain systems with which they interact, suggesting greater heterogeneity within this network than is commonly appreciated. PMID:18219617

Error-related negativity varies with the activation of gender stereotypes.

PubMed

Ma, Qingguo; Shu, Liangchao; Wang, Xiaoyi; Dai, Shenyi; Che, Hongmin

2008-09-19

The error-related negativity (ERN) was suggested to reflect the response-performance monitoring process. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the activation of gender stereotypes influences the ERN. Twenty-eight male participants were asked to complete a tool or kitchenware identification task. The prime stimulus is a picture of a male or female face and the target stimulus is either a kitchen utensil or a hand tool. The ERN amplitude on male-kitchenware trials is significantly larger than that on female-kitchenware trials, which reveals the low-level, automatic activation of gender stereotypes. The ERN that was elicited in this task has two sources--operation errors and the conflict between the gender stereotype activation and the non-prejudice beliefs. And the gender stereotype activation may be the key factor leading to this difference of ERN. In other words, the stereotype activation in this experimental paradigm may be indexed by the ERN.

Nonlinear correlations impair quantification of episodic memory by mesial temporal BOLD activity.

PubMed

Klamer, Silke; Zeltner, Lena; Erb, Michael; Klose, Uwe; Wagner, Kathrin; Frings, Lars; Groen, Georg; Veil, Cornelia; Rona, Sabine; Lerche, Holger; Milian, Monika

2013-07-01

Episodic memory processes can be investigated using different functional MRI (fMRI) paradigms. The purpose of the present study was to examine correlations between neuropsychological memory test scores and BOLD signal changes during fMRI scanning using three different memory tasks. Twenty-eight right-handed healthy subjects underwent three paradigms, (a) a word pair, (b) a space-labyrinth, and (c) a face-name association paradigm. These paradigms were compared for their value in memory quantification and lateralization by calculating correlations between the BOLD signals in the mesial temporal lobe and behavioral data derived from a neuropsychological test battery. As expected, group analysis showed left-sided activation for the verbal, a tendency to right-sided activation for the spatial, and bilateral activation for the face-name paradigm. No linear correlations were observed between neuropsychological data and activation in the temporo-mesial region. However, we found significant u-shaped correlations between behavioral memory performance and activation in both the verbal and the face-name paradigms, that is, BOLD signal changes were greater not only among participants who performed best on the neuropsychological tests, but also among the poorest performers. The figural learning task did not correlate with the activations in the space-labyrinth paradigm at all. We interpreted the u-shaped correlations to be due to compensatory hippocampal activations associated with low performance when people try unsuccessfully to remember presented items. Because activation levels did not linearly increase with memory performance, the latter cannot be quantified by fMRI alone, but only be used in conjunction with neuropsychological testing. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Correlates of home and neighbourhood-based physical activity in UK 3–4-year-old children

PubMed Central

Hesketh, Kathryn R.; van Sluijs, Esther M.F.

2016-01-01

Background: Identifying context-specific correlates of home- and neighbourhood-based physical activity in preschool-aged children may help improve intervention program development for these settings. Methods: A total of 153 3–4-year-old children were recruited through preschool settings in Cambridgeshire (January–July 2013). Children wore Actiheart accelerometers for ≤7 days to assess their sedentary time (ST), light-(LPA) and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). A parent-completed questionnaire assessed correlates across the ecological model and the child’s preschool attendance during the measurement week. Only accelerometer data for times when children were at home were used. Multilevel models (Level 1: days; Level 2: child) examined associations between maternal-reported exposure variables and each outcome (children’s home- and neighbourhood-based ST, LPA and MVPA) (main analysis). Further analyses included the subsample of children with complete paternal correlates data (father analysis). Results: In the main analyses, children with older siblings engaged in less ST. Children whose mothers reported being ‘moderately inactive’ or ‘active’ (vs. inactive) engaged in less LPA, while children whose mothers worked >35 h week−1 engaged in less MVPA. More equipment at home was associated with lower LPA but greater MVPA. In the father analysis, father’s television viewing before 6 pm was associated with greater ST and less MVPA in children; the negative association between mother’s activity and children’s LPA was retained. Conclusion: Family demographics and parental behaviours appear to have the strongest association with children’s home- and neighbourhood-based ST, LPA and MVPA. This study further highlights the importance of examining both maternal and paternal behaviours. PMID:27175002

Exploring Neural Correlates of Different Dimensions in Drug Craving Self-Reports among Heroin Dependents.

PubMed

Hassani-Abharian, Peyman; Ganjgahi, Habib; Tabatabaei-Jafari, Hosein; Oghabian, Mohammad Ali; Mokri, Azarakhsh; Ekhtiari, Hamed

2015-10-01

Drug craving could be described as a motivational state which drives drug dependents towards drug seeking and use. Different types of self-reports such as craving feeling, desire and intention, wanting and need, imagery of use, and negative affect have been attributed to this motivational state. By using subjective self-reports for different correlates of drug craving along with functional neuroimaging with cue exposure paradigm, we investigated the brain regions that could correspond to different dimensions of subjective reports for heroin craving. A total of 25 crystalline-heroin smokers underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), while viewing heroin-related and neutral cues presented in a block-design task. During trial intervals, subjects verbally reported their subjective feeling of cue induced craving (CIC). After fMRI procedure, participants reported the intensity of their "need for drug use" and "drug use imagination" on a 0-100 visual analog scale (VAS). Afterwards, they completed positive and negative affect scale (PANAS) and desire for drug questionnaire (DDQ) with 3 components of "desire and intention to drug use," "negative reinforcement," and "loss of control." The study showed significant correlation between "subjective feeling of craving" and activation of the left and right anterior cingulate cortex, as well as right medial frontal gyrus. Furthermore, the "desire and intention to drug use" was correlated with activation of the left precentral gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, and left middle frontal gyrus. Subjects also exhibited significant correlation between the "need for drug use" and activation of the right inferior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, and right parahippocampal gyrus. Correlation between subjective report of "heroin use imagination" and activation of the cerebellar vermis was also observed. Another significant correlation was between the "negative affect" and activation of the left precuneus, right

A truncated human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha splice variant with dominant negative activity.

PubMed

Gervois, P; Torra, I P; Chinetti, G; Grötzinger, T; Dubois, G; Fruchart, J C; Fruchart-Najib, J; Leitersdorf, E; Staels, B

1999-09-01

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) plays a key role in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. However, important inter- and intraspecies differences exist in the response to PPARalpha activators. This incited us to screen for PPARalpha variants with different signaling functions. In the present study, using a RT-PCR approach a variant human PPARalpha mRNA species was identified, which lacks the entire exon 6 due to alternative splicing. This deletion leads to the introduction of a premature stop codon, resulting in the formation of a truncated PPARalpha protein (PPARalphatr) lacking part of the hinge region and the entire ligand-binding domain. RNase protection analysis demonstrated that PPARalphatr mRNA is expressed in several human tissues and cells, representing between 20-50% of total PPARalpha mRNA. By contrast, PPARalphatr mRNA could not be detected in rodent tissues. Western blot analysis using PPARalpha-specific antibodies demonstrated the presence of an immunoreactive protein migrating at the size of in vitro produced PPARalphatr protein both in human hepatoma HepG2 cells and in human hepatocytes. Both in the presence or absence of 9-cis-retinoic acid receptor, PPARalphatr did not bind to DNA in gel shift assays. Immunocytochemical analysis of transfected CV-1 cells indicated that, whereas transfected PPARalphawt was mainly nuclear localized, the majority of PPARalphatr resided in the cytoplasm, with presence in the nucleus depending on cell culture conditions. Whereas a chimeric PPARalphatr protein containing a nuclear localization signal cloned at its N-terminal localized into the nucleus and exhibited strong negative activity on PPARalphawt transactivation function, PPARalphatr interfered with PPARalphatr transactivation function only under culture conditions inducing its nuclear localization. Cotransfection of the coactivator CREB-binding protein relieved the transcriptional repression of PPARalphawt by PPARalphatr, suggesting

Negative correlation between altitudes and oxygen isotope ratios of seeds: exploring its applicability to assess vertical seed dispersal.

PubMed

Naoe, Shoji; Tayasu, Ichiro; Masaki, Takashi; Koike, Shinsuke

2016-10-01

Vertical seed dispersal, which plays a key role in plant escape and/or expansion under climate change, was recently evaluated for the first time using negative correlation between altitudes and oxygen isotope ratio of seeds. Although this method is innovative, its applicability to other plants is unknown. To explore the applicability of the method, we regressed altitudes on δ 18 O of seeds of five woody species constituting three families in temperate forests in central Japan. Because climatic factors, including temperature and precipitation that influence δ 18 O of plant materials, demonstrate intensive seasonal fluctuation in the temperate zone, we also evaluated the effect of fruiting season of each species on δ 18 O of seeds using generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). Negative correlation between altitudes and δ 18 O of seeds was found in four of five species tested. The slope of regression lines tended to be lower in late-fruiting species. The GLMM analysis revealed that altitudes and date of fruiting peak negatively affected δ 18 O of seeds. These results indicate that the estimation of vertical seed dispersal using δ 18 O of seeds can be applicable for various species, not just confined to specific taxa, by identifying the altitudes of plants that produced seeds. The results also suggest that the regression line between altitudes and δ 18 O of seeds is rather species specific and that vertical seed dispersal in late-fruiting species is estimated at a low resolution due to their small regression slopes. A future study on the identification of environmental factors and plant traits that cause a difference in δ 18 O of seeds, combined with an improvement of analysis, will lead to effective evaluation of vertical seed dispersal in various species and thereby promote our understanding about the mechanism and ecological functions of vertical seed dispersal.

Sex differences in brain activation patterns during processing of positively and negatively valenced emotional words.

PubMed

Hofer, Alex; Siedentopf, Christian M; Ischebeck, Anja; Rettenbacher, Maria A; Verius, Michael; Felber, Stephan; Wolfgang Fleischhacker, W

2007-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that men and women process emotional stimuli differently. In this study, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate gender differences in regional cerebral activity during the perception of positive or negative emotions. The experiment comprised two emotional conditions (positively/negatively valenced words) during which fMRI data were acquired. Thirty-eight healthy volunteers (19 males, 19 females) were investigated. A direct comparison of brain activation between men and women revealed differential activation in the right putamen, the right superior temporal gyrus, and the left supramarginal gyrus during processing of positively valenced words versus non-words for women versus men. By contrast, during processing of negatively valenced words versus non-words, relatively greater activation was seen in the left perirhinal cortex and hippocampus for women versus men, and in the right supramarginal gyrus for men versus women. Our findings suggest gender-related neural responses to emotional stimuli and could contribute to the understanding of mechanisms underlying the gender disparity of neuropsychiatric diseases such as mood disorders.

Are secular correlations between sunspots, geomagnetic activity, and global temperature significant?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, J.J.; Mursula, K.; Tsai, V.C.; Perkins, D.M.

2011-01-01

Recent studies have led to speculation that solar-terrestrial interaction, measured by sunspot number and geomagnetic activity, has played an important role in global temperature change over the past century or so. We treat this possibility as an hypothesis for testing. We examine the statistical significance of cross-correlations between sunspot number, geomagnetic activity, and global surface temperature for the years 1868-2008, solar cycles 11-23. The data contain substantial autocorrelation and nonstationarity, properties that are incompatible with standard measures of cross-correlational significance, but which can be largely removed by averaging over solar cycles and first-difference detrending. Treated data show an expected statistically- significant correlation between sunspot number and geomagnetic activity, Pearson p < 10-4, but correlations between global temperature and sunspot number (geomagnetic activity) are not significant, p = 0.9954, (p = 0.8171). In other words, straightforward analysis does not support widely-cited suggestions that these data record a prominent role for solar-terrestrial interaction in global climate change. With respect to the sunspot-number, geomagnetic-activity, and global-temperature data, three alternative hypotheses remain difficult to reject: (1) the role of solar-terrestrial interaction in recent climate change is contained wholly in long-term trends and not in any shorter-term secular variation, or, (2) an anthropogenic signal is hiding correlation between solar-terrestrial variables and global temperature, or, (3) the null hypothesis, recent climate change has not been influenced by solar-terrestrial interaction. ?? 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Are secular correlations between sunspots, geomagnetic activity, and global temperature significant?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Love, Jeffrey J.; Mursula, Kalevi; Tsai, Victor C.; Perkins, David M.

2011-11-01

Recent studies have led to speculation that solar-terrestrial interaction, measured by sunspot number and geomagnetic activity, has played an important role in global temperature change over the past century or so. We treat this possibility as an hypothesis for testing. We examine the statistical significance of cross-correlations between sunspot number, geomagnetic activity, and global surface temperature for the years 1868-2008, solar cycles 11-23. The data contain substantial autocorrelation and nonstationarity, properties that are incompatible with standard measures of cross-correlational significance, but which can be largely removed by averaging over solar cycles and first-difference detrending. Treated data show an expected statistically-significant correlation between sunspot number and geomagnetic activity, Pearson p < 10-4, but correlations between global temperature and sunspot number (geomagnetic activity) are not significant, p = 0.9954, (p = 0.8171). In other words, straightforward analysis does not support widely-cited suggestions that these data record a prominent role for solar-terrestrial interaction in global climate change. With respect to the sunspot-number, geomagnetic-activity, and global-temperature data, three alternative hypotheses remain difficult to reject: (1) the role of solar-terrestrial interaction in recent climate change is contained wholly in long-term trends and not in any shorter-term secular variation, or, (2) an anthropogenic signal is hiding correlation between solar-terrestrial variables and global temperature, or, (3) the null hypothesis, recent climate change has not been influenced by solar-terrestrial interaction.

pH Effects on solubility, zeta potential, and correlation between antibacterial activity and molecular weight of chitosan.

PubMed

Chang, Shun-Hsien; Lin, Hong-Ting Victor; Wu, Guan-James; Tsai, Guo Jane

2015-12-10

Six chitosans with molecular weights (MWs) of 300, 156, 72.1, 29.2, 7.1, and 3.3 kDa were prepared by cellulase degradation of chitosan (300 kDa) and ultrafiltration techniques. We examined the correlation between activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and chitosan MW, and provided the underlying explanation. In acidic pH conditions, the chitosan activity increased with increasing MW, irrespective of the temperature and bacteria tested. However, at neutral pH, chitosan activity increased as the MW decreased, and little activity was observed for chitosans with MW >29.2 kDa. At pH 5.0 and 6.0, chitosans exhibited good water solubility and zeta potential (ZP) decreased with the MW, whereas the solubility and ZP of the chitosans decreased with increasing MW at pH 7.0. Particularly, low solubility and negative ZP values were determined for chitosans with MW >29.2 kDa, which may explain the loss of their antibacterial activity at pH 7.0. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of the processing of self-referent emotional information in bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Pringle, A; Ashworth, F; Harmer, C J; Norbury, R; Cooper, M J

2011-10-01

There is increasing interest in understanding the roles of distorted beliefs about the self, ostensibly unrelated to eating, weight and shape, in eating disorders (EDs), but little is known about their neural correlates. We therefore used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural correlates of self-referent emotional processing in EDs. During the scan, unmedicated patients with bulimia nervosa (n=11) and healthy controls (n=16) responded to personality words previously found to be related to negative self beliefs in EDs and depression. Rating of the negative personality descriptors resulted in reduced activation in patients compared to controls in parietal, occipital and limbic areas including the amygdala. There was no evidence that reduced activity in patients was secondary to increased cognitive control. Different patterns of neural activation between patients and controls may be the result of either habituation to personally relevant negative self beliefs or of emotional blunting in patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A closer look at the relationship between the default network, mind wandering, negative mood, and depression.

PubMed

Konjedi, Shaghayegh; Maleeh, Reza

2017-08-01

By a systematic analysis of the current literature on the neural correlates of mind wandering, that is, the default network (DN), and by shedding light on some determinative factors and conditions which affect the relationship between mind wandering and negative mood, we show that (1) mind wandering per se does not necessarily have a positive correlation with negative mood and, on the higher levels, depression. We propose that negative mood as a consequence of mind wandering generally depends on two determinative conditions, that is, whether mind wandering is with or without meta-awareness and whether mind wandering occurs during high or low vigilance states; (2) increased activity of the DN is not necessarily followed by an increase in unhappiness and depression. We argue that while in some kinds of meditation practices we witness an increase in the structure and in the activity of the DN, no increase in unhappiness and depression is observed.

Effects of mood induction via music on cardiovascular measures of negative emotion during simulated driving.

PubMed

Fairclough, Stephen H; van der Zwaag, Marjolein; Spiridon, Elena; Westerink, Joyce

2014-04-22

A study was conducted to investigate the potential of mood induction via music to influence cardiovascular correlates of negative emotions experience during driving behaviour. One hundred participants were randomly assigned to one of five groups, four of whom experienced different categories of music: High activation/positive valence (HA/PV), high activation/negative valence (HA/NV), low activation/positive valence (LA/PV) and low activation/negative valence (LA/NV). Following exposure to their respective categories of music, participants were required to complete a simulated driving journey with a fixed time schedule. Negative emotion was induced via exposure to stationary traffic during the simulated route. Cardiovascular reactivity was measured via blood pressure, heart rate and cardiovascular impedance. Subjective self-assessment of anger and mood was also recorded. Results indicated that low activation music, regardless of valence, reduced systolic reactivity during the simulated journey relative to HA/NV music and the control (no music) condition. Self-reported data indicated that participants were not consciously aware of any influence of music on their subjective mood. It is concluded that cardiovascular reactivity to negative mood may be mediated by the emotional properties of music. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation Among Soil Enzyme Activities, Root Enzyme Activities, and Contaminant Removal in Two-Stage In Situ Constructed Wetlands Purifying Domestic Wastewater.

PubMed

Ni, Lixiao; Xu, Jiajun; Chu, Xianglin; Li, Shiyin; Wang, Peifang; Li, Yiping; Li, Yong; Zhu, Liang; Wang, Chao

2016-07-01

Two-stage in situ wetlands (two vertical flow constructed wetlands in parallel and a horizontal flow constructed wetland) were constructed for studying domestic wastewater purification and the correlations between contaminant removal and plant and soil enzyme activities. Results indicated the removal efficiency of NH4 (+) and NO3 (-) were significantly correlated with both urease and protease activity, and the removal of total phosphorus was significantly correlated with phosphatase activity. Chemical oxygen demand removal was not correlated with enzyme activity in constructed wetlands. Plant root enzyme (urease, phosphatase, protease and cellulose) activity correlation was apparent with all contaminant removal in the two vertical flow constructed wetlands. However, the correlation between the plant root enzyme activity and contaminant removal was poor in horizontal flow constructed wetlands. Results indicated that plant roots clearly played a role in the removal of contaminants.

Effect of physical activity on frailty and associated negative outcomes: the LIFE randomized trial

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Limited evidence suggests that physical activity may prevent frailty and associated negative outcomes in older adults. Definitive data from large, long-term, randomized trials are lacking. Objective: To determine whether a long-term structured moderate-intensity physical activity (PA) p...

Activation of parallel fiber feedback by spatially diffuse stimuli reduces signal and noise correlations via independent mechanisms in a cerebellum-like structure.

PubMed

Simmonds, Benjamin; Chacron, Maurice J

2015-01-01

Correlations between the activities of neighboring neurons are observed ubiquitously across systems and species and are dynamically regulated by several factors such as the stimulus' spatiotemporal extent as well as by the brain's internal state. Using the electrosensory system of gymnotiform weakly electric fish, we recorded the activities of pyramidal cell pairs within the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) under spatially localized and diffuse stimulation. We found that both signal and noise correlations were markedly reduced (>40%) under the latter stimulation. Through a network model incorporating key anatomical features of the ELL, we reveal how activation of diffuse parallel fiber feedback from granule cells by spatially diffuse stimulation can explain both the reduction in signal as well as the reduction in noise correlations seen experimentally through independent mechanisms. First, we show that burst-timing dependent plasticity, which leads to a negative image of the stimulus and thereby reduces single neuron responses, decreases signal but not noise correlations. Second, we show trial-to-trial variability in the responses of single granule cells to sensory input reduces noise but not signal correlations. Thus, our model predicts that the same feedback pathway can simultaneously reduce both signal and noise correlations through independent mechanisms. To test this prediction experimentally, we pharmacologically inactivated parallel fiber feedback onto ELL pyramidal cells. In agreement with modeling predictions, we found that inactivation increased both signal and noise correlations but that there was no significant relationship between magnitude of the increase in signal correlations and the magnitude of the increase in noise correlations. The mechanisms reported in this study are expected to be generally applicable to the cerebellum as well as other cerebellum-like structures. We further discuss the implications of such decorrelation on the neural

Can organized leisure-time activities buffer the negative outcomes of unstructured activities for adolescents' health?

PubMed

Badura, Petr; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Sigmundova, Dagmar; Sigmund, Erik; van Dijk, Jitse P; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2018-06-02

We aimed to assess the associations of involvement in selected unstructured activities (UA) with health-risk behaviours and academic achievement and the degree to which the participation in organized leisure-time activities (OLTA) changes these associations. Using a sample of 6935 Czech adolescents aged 13 and 15 years, we investigated adolescents' weekly involvement in hanging out, visiting shopping malls for fun and meeting friends after 8 p.m., OLTA and engagement in three health-risk behaviours and academic achievement. Weekly involvement in the selected UA was associated with higher odds for regular smoking, being drunk, having early sexual intercourse and low academic achievement. Concurrent participation in OLTA did not buffer these negative outcomes, except for sexual experience. However, those highly engaged only in UA were more likely to participate in the health-risk behaviours and report worse academic achievement than those participating in any OLTA concurrently. The selected UA are strongly associated with an increased occurrence of adolescents' health-risk behaviours and low academic achievement. Concurrent participation in OLTA does not buffer these negative outcomes significantly, but adolescents engaged only in UA consistently report the least favourable outcomes.

Intraspecific chemical diversity among neighbouring plants correlates positively with plant size and herbivore load but negatively with herbivore damage.

PubMed

Bustos-Segura, Carlos; Poelman, Erik H; Reichelt, Michael; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Gols, Rieta

2017-01-01

Intraspecific plant diversity can modify the properties of associated arthropod communities and plant fitness. However, it is not well understood which plant traits determine these ecological effects. We explored the effect of intraspecific chemical diversity among neighbouring plants on the associated invertebrate community and plant traits. In a common garden experiment, intraspecific diversity among neighbouring plants was manipulated using three plant populations of wild cabbage that differ in foliar glucosinolates. Plants were larger, harboured more herbivores, but were less damaged when plant diversity was increased. Glucosinolate concentration differentially correlated with generalist and specialist herbivore abundance. Glucosinolate composition correlated with plant damage, while in polycultures, variation in glucosinolate concentrations among neighbouring plants correlated positively with herbivore diversity and negatively with plant damage levels. The results suggest that intraspecific variation in secondary chemistry among neighbouring plants is important in determining the structure of the associated insect community and positively affects plant performance. © 2016 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Correlation of neural activity with behavioral kinematics reveals distinct sensory encoding and evidence accumulation processes during active tactile sensing.

PubMed

Delis, Ioannis; Dmochowski, Jacek P; Sajda, Paul; Wang, Qi

2018-07-15

Many real-world decisions rely on active sensing, a dynamic process for directing our sensors (e.g. eyes or fingers) across a stimulus to maximize information gain. Though ecologically pervasive, limited work has focused on identifying neural correlates of the active sensing process. In tactile perception, we often make decisions about an object/surface by actively exploring its shape/texture. Here we investigate the neural correlates of active tactile decision-making by simultaneously measuring electroencephalography (EEG) and finger kinematics while subjects interrogated a haptic surface to make perceptual judgments. Since sensorimotor behavior underlies decision formation in active sensing tasks, we hypothesized that the neural correlates of decision-related processes would be detectable by relating active sensing to neural activity. Novel brain-behavior correlation analysis revealed that three distinct EEG components, localizing to right-lateralized occipital cortex (LOC), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and supplementary motor area (SMA), respectively, were coupled with active sensing as their activity significantly correlated with finger kinematics. To probe the functional role of these components, we fit their single-trial-couplings to decision-making performance using a hierarchical-drift-diffusion-model (HDDM), revealing that the LOC modulated the encoding of the tactile stimulus whereas the MFG predicted the rate of information integration towards a choice. Interestingly, the MFG disappeared from components uncovered from control subjects performing active sensing but not required to make perceptual decisions. By uncovering the neural correlates of distinct stimulus encoding and evidence accumulation processes, this study delineated, for the first time, the functional role of cortical areas in active tactile decision-making. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlates of tuberculosis risk: predictive biomarkers for progression to active tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Petruccioli, Elisa; Scriba, Thomas J.; Petrone, Linda; Hatherill, Mark; Cirillo, Daniela M.; Joosten, Simone A.; Ottenhoff, Tom H.; Denkinger, Claudia M.; Goletti, Delia

2016-01-01

New approaches to control the spread of tuberculosis (TB) are needed, including tools to predict development of active TB from latent TB infection (LTBI). Recent studies have described potential correlates of risk, in order to inform the development of prognostic tests for TB disease progression. These efforts have included unbiased approaches employing “omics” technologies, as well as more directed, hypothesis-driven approaches assessing a small set or even individual selected markers as candidate correlates of TB risk. Unbiased high-throughput screening of blood RNAseq profiles identified signatures of active TB risk in individuals with LTBI, ≥1 year before diagnosis. A recent infant vaccination study identified enhanced expression of T-cell activation markers as a correlate of risk prior to developing TB; conversely, high levels of Ag85A antibodies and high frequencies of interferon (IFN)-γ specific T-cells were associated with reduced risk of disease. Others have described CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+ T-cells as possibly predictive markers of TB disease. T-cell responses to TB latency antigens, including heparin-binding haemagglutinin and DosR-regulon-encoded antigens have also been correlated with protection. Further studies are needed to determine whether correlates of risk can be used to prevent active TB through targeted prophylactic treatment, or to allow targeted enrolment into efficacy trials of new TB vaccines and therapeutic drugs. PMID:27836953

Developmental associations between short-term variability and long-term changes: Intraindividual correlation of positive and negative affect in daily life and cognitive aging.

PubMed

Hülür, Gizem; Hoppmann, Christiane A; Ram, Nilam; Gerstorf, Denis

2015-07-01

Conceptual notions and empirical evidence suggest that the intraindividual correlation (iCorr) of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) is a meaningful characteristic of affective functioning. PA and NA are typically negatively correlated within-person. Previous research has found that the iCorr of PA and NA is relatively stable over time within individuals, that it differs across individuals, and that a less negative iCorr is associated with better resilience and less vulnerability. However, little is known about how the iCorr of PA and NA relates to cognitive aging. This project examined how the association between PA and NA in everyday life is associated with long-term cognitive aging trajectories. To do so, we linked microlongitudinal data on PA and NA obtained on up to 33 occasions over 6 consecutive days with macrolongitudinal data on fluid and crystallized cognitive abilities obtained over 15 years from a subsample of Berlin Aging Study participants (N = 81, mean age at the microlongitudinal study = 81 years, range 73-98; 41% women). Over and above age, gender, education, overall levels of PA and NA, and number of health conditions, a less negative iCorr of PA and NA was associated with lower levels of cognitive ability and steeper cognitive declines, particularly for fluency and knowledge abilities. We discuss possible mechanisms for this finding and argue that a less negative iCorr of PA and NA may be indicative of deficits in emotional integration that are tied to changes in crystallized aspects of cognitive abilities. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

JIP1-Mediated JNK Activation Negatively Regulates Synaptic Plasticity and Spatial Memory.

PubMed

Morel, Caroline; Sherrin, Tessi; Kennedy, Norman J; Forest, Kelly H; Avcioglu Barutcu, Seda; Robles, Michael; Carpenter-Hyland, Ezekiel; Alfulaij, Naghum; Standen, Claire L; Nichols, Robert A; Benveniste, Morris; Davis, Roger J; Todorovic, Cedomir

2018-04-11

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signal transduction pathway is implicated in learning and memory. Here, we examined the role of JNK activation mediated by the JNK-interacting protein 1 (JIP1) scaffold protein. We compared male wild-type mice with a mouse model harboring a point mutation in the Jip1 gene that selectively blocks JIP1-mediated JNK activation. These male mutant mice exhibited increased NMDAR currents, increased NMDAR-mediated gene expression, and a lower threshold for induction of hippocampal long-term potentiation. The JIP1 mutant mice also displayed improved hippocampus-dependent spatial memory and enhanced associative fear conditioning. These results were confirmed using a second JIP1 mutant mouse model that suppresses JNK activity. Together, these observations establish that JIP1-mediated JNK activation contributes to the regulation of hippocampus-dependent, NMDAR-mediated synaptic plasticity and learning. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The results of this study demonstrate that c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation induced by the JNK-interacting protein 1 (JIP1) scaffold protein negatively regulates the threshold for induction of long-term synaptic plasticity through the NMDA-type glutamate receptor. This change in plasticity threshold influences learning. Indeed, mice with defects in JIP1-mediated JNK activation display enhanced memory in hippocampus-dependent tasks, such as contextual fear conditioning and Morris water maze, indicating that JIP1-JNK constrains spatial memory. This study identifies JIP1-mediated JNK activation as a novel molecular pathway that negatively regulates NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity and memory. Copyright © 2018 the authors 0270-6474/18/383708-21$15.00/0.

Synaptic input correlations leading to membrane potential decorrelation of spontaneous activity in cortex.

PubMed

Graupner, Michael; Reyes, Alex D

2013-09-18

Correlations in the spiking activity of neurons have been found in many regions of the cortex under multiple experimental conditions and are postulated to have important consequences for neural population coding. While there is a large body of extracellular data reporting correlations of various strengths, the subthreshold events underlying the origin and magnitude of signal-independent correlations (called noise or spike count correlations) are unknown. Here we investigate, using intracellular recordings, how synaptic input correlations from shared presynaptic neurons translate into membrane potential and spike-output correlations. Using a pharmacologically activated thalamocortical slice preparation, we perform simultaneous recordings from pairs of layer IV neurons in the auditory cortex of mice and measure synaptic potentials/currents, membrane potentials, and spiking outputs. We calculate cross-correlations between excitatory and inhibitory inputs to investigate correlations emerging from the network. We furthermore evaluate membrane potential correlations near resting potential to study how excitation and inhibition combine and affect spike-output correlations. We demonstrate directly that excitation is correlated with inhibition thereby partially canceling each other and resulting in weak membrane potential and spiking correlations between neurons. Our data suggest that cortical networks are set up to partially cancel correlations emerging from the connections between neurons. This active decorrelation is achieved because excitation and inhibition closely track each other. Our results suggest that the numerous shared presynaptic inputs do not automatically lead to increased spiking correlations.

Social Cognitive Correlates of Physical Activity in Inactive Adults with Multiple Sclerosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dlugonski, Deirdre; Wojcicki, Thomas R.; McAuley, Edward; Motl, Robert W.

2011-01-01

Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) are often physically inactive. This observation has prompted the search for modifiable constructs derived from established theories that act as correlates of physical activity. This study investigated self efficacy, outcome expectations, impediments, and goal setting as correlates of physical activity in…

Negatively charged silver nanoparticles with potent antibacterial activity and reduced toxicity for pharmaceutical preparations.

PubMed

Salvioni, Lucia; Galbiati, Elisabetta; Collico, Veronica; Alessio, Giulia; Avvakumova, Svetlana; Corsi, Fabio; Tortora, Paolo; Prosperi, Davide; Colombo, Miriam

2017-01-01

The discovery of new solutions with antibacterial activity as efficient and safe alternatives to common preservatives (such as parabens) and to combat emerging infections and drug-resistant bacterial pathogens is highly expected in cosmetics and pharmaceutics. Colloidal silver nanoparticles (NPs) are attracting interest as novel effective antimicrobial agents for the prevention of several infectious diseases. Water-soluble, negatively charged silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by reduction with citric and tannic acid and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, differential centrifuge sedimentation, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. AgNPs were tested with model Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in comparison to two different kinds of commercially available AgNPs. In this work, AgNPs with higher antibacterial activity compared to the commercially available colloidal silver solutions were prepared and investigated. Bacteria were plated and the antibacterial activity was tested at the same concentration of silver ions in all samples. The AgNPs did not show any significant reduction in the antibacterial activity for an acceptable time period. In addition, AgNPs were transferred to organic phase and retained their antibacterial efficacy in both aqueous and nonaqueous media and exhibited no toxicity in eukaryotic cells. We developed AgNPs with a 20 nm diameter and negative zeta potential with powerful antibacterial activity and low toxicity compared to currently available colloidal silver, suitable for cosmetic preservatives and pharmaceutical preparations administrable to humans and/or animals as needed.

Negatively charged silver nanoparticles with potent antibacterial activity and reduced toxicity for pharmaceutical preparations

PubMed Central

Salvioni, Lucia; Galbiati, Elisabetta; Collico, Veronica; Alessio, Giulia; Avvakumova, Svetlana; Corsi, Fabio; Tortora, Paolo; Prosperi, Davide; Colombo, Miriam

2017-01-01

Background The discovery of new solutions with antibacterial activity as efficient and safe alternatives to common preservatives (such as parabens) and to combat emerging infections and drug-resistant bacterial pathogens is highly expected in cosmetics and pharmaceutics. Colloidal silver nanoparticles (NPs) are attracting interest as novel effective antimicrobial agents for the prevention of several infectious diseases. Methods Water-soluble, negatively charged silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by reduction with citric and tannic acid and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, differential centrifuge sedimentation, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. AgNPs were tested with model Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in comparison to two different kinds of commercially available AgNPs. Results In this work, AgNPs with higher antibacterial activity compared to the commercially available colloidal silver solutions were prepared and investigated. Bacteria were plated and the antibacterial activity was tested at the same concentration of silver ions in all samples. The AgNPs did not show any significant reduction in the antibacterial activity for an acceptable time period. In addition, AgNPs were transferred to organic phase and retained their antibacterial efficacy in both aqueous and nonaqueous media and exhibited no toxicity in eukaryotic cells. Conclusion We developed AgNPs with a 20 nm diameter and negative zeta potential with powerful antibacterial activity and low toxicity compared to currently available colloidal silver, suitable for cosmetic preservatives and pharmaceutical preparations administrable to humans and/or animals as needed. PMID:28408822

Membrane-active macromolecules kill antibiotic-tolerant bacteria and potentiate antibiotics towards Gram-negative bacteria

PubMed Central

Uppu, Divakara S. S. M.; Konai, Mohini M.; Sarkar, Paramita; Samaddar, Sandip; Fensterseifer, Isabel C. M.; Farias-Junior, Celio; Krishnamoorthy, Paramanandam; Shome, Bibek R.; Franco, Octávio L.

2017-01-01

Chronic bacterial biofilms place a massive burden on healthcare due to the presence of antibiotic-tolerant dormant bacteria. Some of the conventional antibiotics such as erythromycin, vancomycin, linezolid, rifampicin etc. are inherently ineffective against Gram-negative bacteria, particularly in their biofilms. Here, we report membrane-active macromolecules that kill slow dividing stationary-phase and antibiotic tolerant cells of Gram-negative bacteria. More importantly, these molecules potentiate antibiotics (erythromycin and rifampicin) to biofilms of Gram-negative bacteria. These molecules eliminate planktonic bacteria that are liberated after dispersion of biofilms (dispersed cells). The membrane-active mechanism of these molecules forms the key for potentiating the established antibiotics. Further, we demonstrate that the combination of macromolecules and antibiotics significantly reduces bacterial burden in mouse burn and surgical wound infection models caused by Acinetobacter baumannii and Carbapenemase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC) clinical isolate respectively. Colistin, a well-known antibiotic targeting the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Gram-negative bacteria fails to kill antibiotic tolerant cells and dispersed cells (from biofilms) and bacteria develop resistance to it. On the contrary, these macromolecules prevent or delay the development of bacterial resistance to known antibiotics. Our findings emphasize the potential of targeting the bacterial membrane in antibiotic potentiation for disruption of biofilms and suggest a promising strategy towards developing therapies for topical treatment of Gram-negative infections. PMID:28837596

Increased serum alkaline phosphatase levels correlate with high disease activity and low bone mineral density in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

PubMed

Kang, Kwi Young; Hong, Yeon Sik; Park, Sung-Hwan; Ju, Ji Hyeon

2015-10-01

Recent studies report an association between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and inflammation. The present study examined the relationship between ALP and disease activity, bone mineral density (BMD), and radiological damage in axial spondyloarthritis (SpA). A total of 115 patients who fulfilled the ASAS axial SpA criteria were enrolled. Serum ALP, bone-specific ALP (BALP), serum cross-linked telopeptide of type-I collagen (sCTX), and inflammatory markers were measured. Clinical parameters, BMD, grade of sacroiliitis, and the modified Stoke AS Spinal Score (mSASSS) were also assessed. The Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) was also calculated. The associations between serum ALP, disease activity score, BMD, and radiologic damage were evaluated. The mean serum ALP level was 77 ± 26 U/l. Serum ALP levels increased in 14 patients (13%). Serum ALP levels increased along with ASDAS-CRP after adjusting for age and sex (p = 0.004), and were significantly correlated with ASDAS-ESR and ASDAS-CRP (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively), negatively correlated with BMD in the lumbar spine and femoral neck (p = 0.003 and 0.046, respectively), and positively correlated with sacroiliitis grade and the mSASSS (p < 0.001 and p < 0.002, respectively). BALP and sCTX were not associated with disease activity or BMD. Multivariate analysis showed that serum ALP was independently associated with ASDAS-CRP (p = 0.010). Increased serum ALP levels were associated with high disease activity, low BMD, and higher structural damage scores in SpA patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Count Model to Study the Correlates of 60 Min of Daily Physical Activity in Portuguese Children

PubMed Central

Borges, Alessandra; Gomes, Thayse Natacha; Santos, Daniel; Pereira, Sara; dos Santos, Fernanda K.; Chaves, Raquel; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.; Maia, José

2015-01-01

This study aimed to present data on Portuguese children (aged 9–11 years) complying with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines, and to identify the importance of correlates from multiple domains associated with meeting the guidelines. Physical activity (PA) was objectively assessed by accelerometry throughout seven days on 777 children. A count model using Poisson regression was used to identify the best set of correlates that predicts the variability in meeting the guidelines. Only 3.1% of children met the recommended daily 60 min of MVPA for all seven days of the week. Further, the Cochrane–Armitage chi-square test indicated a linear and negative trend (p < 0.001) from none to all seven days of children complying with the guidelines. The count model explained 22% of the variance in meeting MVPA guidelines daily. Being a girl, having a higher BMI, belonging to families with higher income, sleeping more and taking greater time walking from home to a sporting venue significantly reduced the probability of meeting daily recommended MVPA across the seven days. Furthermore, compared to girls, increasing sleep time in boys increased their chances of compliance with the MVPA recommendations. These results reinforce the relevance of considering different covariates’ roles on PA compliance when designing efficient intervention strategies to promote healthy and active lifestyles in children. PMID:25730296

A count model to study the correlates of 60 min of daily physical activity in Portuguese children.

PubMed

Borges, Alessandra; Gomes, Thayse Natacha; Santos, Daniel; Pereira, Sara; dos Santos, Fernanda K; Chaves, Raquel; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Maia, José

2015-02-26

This study aimed to present data on Portuguese children (aged 9-11 years) complying with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines, and to identify the importance of correlates from multiple domains associated with meeting the guidelines. Physical activity (PA) was objectively assessed by accelerometry throughout seven days on 777 children. A count model using Poisson regression was used to identify the best set of correlates that predicts the variability in meeting the guidelines. Only 3.1% of children met the recommended daily 60 min of MVPA for all seven days of the week. Further, the Cochrane-Armitage chi-square test indicated a linear and negative trend (p<0.001) from none to all seven days of children complying with the guidelines. The count model explained 22% of the variance in meeting MVPA guidelines daily. Being a girl, having a higher BMI, belonging to families with higher income, sleeping more and taking greater time walking from home to a sporting venue significantly reduced the probability of meeting daily recommended MVPA across the seven days. Furthermore, compared to girls, increasing sleep time in boys increased their chances of compliance with the MVPA recommendations. These results reinforce the relevance of considering different covariates' roles on PA compliance when designing efficient intervention strategies to promote healthy and active lifestyles in children.

Essential Oils and Their Components as Modulators of Antibiotic Activity against Gram-Negative Bacteria

PubMed Central

Aelenei, Petruta; Miron, Anca; Trifan, Adriana; Bujor, Alexandra; Gille, Elvira; Aprotosoaie, Ana Clara

2016-01-01

Gram-negative bacteria cause infections that are difficult to treat due to the emergence of multidrug resistance. This review summarizes the current status of the studies investigating the capacity of essential oils and their components to modulate antibiotic activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Synergistic interactions are particularly discussed with reference to possible mechanisms by which essential oil constituents interact with antibiotics. Special emphasis is given to essential oils and volatile compounds that inhibit efflux pumps, thus reversing drug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, indifference and antagonism between essential oils/volatile compounds and conventional antibiotics have also been reported. Overall, this literature review reveals that essential oils and their purified components enhance the efficacy of antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria, being promising candidates for the development of new effective formulations against Gram-negative bacteria. PMID:28930130

Understanding volatility correlation behavior with a magnitude cross-correlation function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, Woo Cheol; Oh, Gabjin; Kim, Seunghwan

2006-06-01

We propose an approach for analyzing the basic relation between correlation properties of the original signal and its magnitude fluctuations by decomposing the original signal into its positive and negative fluctuation components. We use this relation to understand the following phenomenon found in many naturally occurring time series: the magnitude of the signal exhibits long-range correlation, whereas the original signal is short-range correlated. The applications of our approach to heart rate variability signals and high-frequency foreign exchange rates reveal that the difference between the correlation properties of the original signal and its magnitude fluctuations is induced by the time organization structure of the correlation function between the magnitude fluctuations of positive and negative components. We show that this correlation function can be described well by a stretched-exponential function and is related to the nonlinearity and the multifractal structure of the signals.

Understanding volatility correlation behavior with a magnitude cross-correlation function.

PubMed

Jun, Woo Cheol; Oh, Gabjin; Kim, Seunghwan

2006-06-01

We propose an approach for analyzing the basic relation between correlation properties of the original signal and its magnitude fluctuations by decomposing the original signal into its positive and negative fluctuation components. We use this relation to understand the following phenomenon found in many naturally occurring time series: the magnitude of the signal exhibits long-range correlation, whereas the original signal is short-range correlated. The applications of our approach to heart rate variability signals and high-frequency foreign exchange rates reveal that the difference between the correlation properties of the original signal and its magnitude fluctuations is induced by the time organization structure of the correlation function between the magnitude fluctuations of positive and negative components. We show that this correlation function can be described well by a stretched-exponential function and is related to the nonlinearity and the multifractal structure of the signals.

Distinct brain activity in processing negative pictures of animals and objects --- the role of human contexts

PubMed Central

Cao, Zhijun; Zhao, Yanbing; Tan, Tengteng; Chen, Gang; Ning, Xueling; Zhan, Lexia; Yang, Jiongjiong

2013-01-01

Previous studies have shown that the amygdala is important in processing not only animate entities but also social information. It remains to be determined to what extent the factors of category and social context interact to modulate the activities of the amygdala and cortical regions. In this study, pictures depicting animals and inanimate objects in negative and neutral levels were presented. The contexts of the pictures differed in whether they included human/human parts. The factors of valence, arousal, familiarity and complexity of pictures were controlled across categories. The results showed that the amygdala activity was modulated by category and contextual information. Under the nonhuman context condition, the amygdala responded more to animals than objects for both negative and neutral pictures. In contrast, under the human context condition, the amygdala showed stronger activity for negative objects than animals. In addition to cortical regions related to object action, functional and effective connectivity analyses showed that the anterior prefrontal cortex interacted with the amygdala more for negative objects (vs. animals) in the human context condition, by a top-down modulation of the anterior prefrontal cortex to the amygdala. These results highlighted the effects of category and human contexts on modulating brain activity in emotional processing. PMID:24099847

Robust activation method for negative electron affinity photocathodes

DOEpatents

Mulhollan, Gregory A [Dripping Springs, TX; Bierman, John C [Austin, TX

2011-09-13

A method by which photocathodes(201), single crystal, amorphous, or otherwise ordered, can be surface modified to a robust state of lowered and in best cases negative, electron affinity has been discovered. Conventional methods employ the use of Cs(203) and an oxidizing agent(207), typically carried by diatomic oxygen or by more complex molecules, for example nitrogen trifluoride, to achieve a lowered electron affinity(404). In the improved activation method, a second alkali, other than Cs(205), is introduced onto the surface during the activation process, either by co-deposition, yo-yo, or sporadic or intermittent application. Best effect for GaAs photocathodes has been found through the use of Li(402) as the second alkali, though nearly the same effect can be found by employing Na(406). Suitable photocathodes are those which are grown, cut from boules, implanted, rolled, deposited or otherwise fabricated in a fashion and shape desired for test or manufacture independently supported or atop a support structure or within a framework or otherwise affixed or suspended in the place and position required for use.

Coexistence of the loss of heterozygosity at the PTEN locus and HER2 overexpression enhances the Akt activity thus leading to a negative progesterone receptor expression in breast carcinoma.

PubMed

Tokunaga, Eriko; Oki, Eiji; Kimura, Yasue; Yamanaka, Takeharu; Egashira, Akinori; Nishida, Kojiro; Koga, Tadashi; Morita, Masaru; Kakeji, Yoshihiro; Maehara, Yoshihiko

2007-03-01

Serine/threonine kinase Akt/PKB is known to regulate divergent cellular processes, including apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and metabolism. Akt is activated by a variety of stimuli, through such growth factor receptors as HER2, in phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase (PI3K)-dependent manner. A loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) function also activates Akt. It has recently been shown that Akt activation is associated with a worse outcome among endocrine treated breast cancer patients and that it also inhibits the progesterone receptor (PR) expression via the PI3K/Akt pathway in breast cancer cells. Therefore, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway has recently attracted considerable attention as a new target for effective therapeutic strategies. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between Akt activation and either HER2 overexpression or PTEN gene alteration, as well as the PR expression. We analyzed the incidence of LOH at the PTEN locus in 138 breast cancer patients, using our new system for microsatellite analysis, called high-resolution fluorescent microsatellite analysis (HRFMA). We showed Akt activation to significantly correlate with HER2 overexpression or LOH at the PTEN gene locus while inversely correlating with the PR expression. In addition, when LOH at the PTEN gene locus and HER2 overexpression occurred simultaneously, the incidence of Akt activation and reduced PR expression was significant. The association between Akt activation and PR negative expression was observed even in the ER-positive cases. Our results suggest that simultaneous PTEN LOH and HER2 overexpression enhances Akt activation and may thus lead to a negative PR expression.

NHERF1 inhibits proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells by suppressing GPER signaling.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Peng, Zhiqiang; Meng, Ran; Tao, Tao; Wang, Qiqi; Zhao, Chunjuan; Liu, Hua; Song, Ran; Zheng, Junfang; Qin, Qiong; He, Junqi

2017-07-01

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) signaling is activated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, the detailed mechanisms of its regulation remain unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in GPER activation in TNBC. In MDA-MB-231 cells, a TNBC cell line, NHERF1 interaction with GPER was verified by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescent staining assays. Overexpression of NHERF1 in MDA-MB-231 cells inhibited GPER-mediated proliferation and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt. Furthermore, NHERF1 expression levels were negatively correlated with the gene signatures of GPER activation, ERK1/2 and Akt signaling, and cell proliferation in early stage of TNBC tumors from the TCGA data set. Taken together, NHERF1 inhibited the activation of GPER-mediated signaling and suppressed the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells. Loss of NHERF1 expression may play a pivotal role in the early stage of TNBC carcinogenesis.

Year in school and physical activity stage of change as discriminators of variation in the physical activity correlate profile of adolescent females.

PubMed

Burns, Con; Murphy, John J; MacDonncha, Ciaran

2014-05-01

Knowledge of the physical activity correlate profile of adolescent females will provide insight into decreasing physical activity patterns among adolescent females. Correlates of physical activity and physical activity stage of change were assessed during 2007-2008 among 871 Irish adolescent females in years 1-6 in secondary schools (15.28 ± 1.8 years). Multivariate Analysis of Variance was used to identify whether differences in correlates of physical activity could be detected across year in school and physical activity stages of change. Significant differences (P < .01) were found in 11 of the 16 measured correlates across year in school and in 14 of the 16 correlates across stage of change. Effect size estimates and regression analysis revealed perceived competence, peer social support and intention to be physically active (partial eta range (ηp2) .21-.25) to be the most important predictors of physical activity stage of change. Females in more senior years in school and in earlier physical activity stages of change reported a significantly less positive physical activity correlate profile than females in junior years and in later physical activity stages of change. This finding supports the construct validity of the physical activity stages of change.

The Effects of Age, Memory Performance, and Callosal Integrity on the Neural Correlates of Successful Associative Encoding

PubMed Central

Wang, Tracy H.; Minton, Brian; Muftuler, L. Tugan; Rugg, Michael D.

2011-01-01

This functional magnetic resonance imaging study investigated the relationship between the neural correlates of associative memory encoding, callosal integrity, and memory performance in older adults. Thirty-six older and 18 young subjects were scanned while making relational judgments on word pairs. Neural correlates of successful encoding (subsequent memory effects) were identified by contrasting the activity elicited by study pairs that were correctly identified as having been studied together with the activity elicited by pairs wrongly judged to have come from different study trials. Subsequent memory effects common to the 2 age groups were identified in several regions, including left inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral hippocampus. Negative effects (greater activity for forgotten than for remembered items) in default network regions in young subjects were reversed in the older group, and the amount of reversal correlated negatively with memory performance. Additionally, older subjects' subsequent memory effects in right frontal cortex correlated positively with anterior callosal integrity and negatively with memory performance. It is suggested that recruitment of right frontal cortex during verbal memory encoding may reflect the engagement of processes that compensate only partially for age-related neural degradation. PMID:21282317

Neural correlates of math anxiety - an overview and implications.

PubMed

Artemenko, Christina; Daroczy, Gabriella; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety is a common phenomenon which can have a negative impact on numerical and arithmetic performance. However, so far little is known about the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. This mini review provides an overview of studies investigating the neural correlates of math anxiety which provide several hints regarding its influence on math performance: while behavioral studies mostly observe an influence of math anxiety on difficult math tasks, neurophysiological studies show that processing efficiency is already affected in basic number processing. Overall, the neurocognitive literature suggests that (i) math anxiety elicits emotion- and pain-related activation during and before math activities, (ii) that the negative emotional response to math anxiety impairs processing efficiency, and (iii) that math deficits triggered by math anxiety may be compensated for by modulating the cognitive control or emotional regulation network. However, activation differs strongly between studies, depending on tasks, paradigms, and samples. We conclude that neural correlates can help to understand and explore the processes underlying math anxiety, but the data are not very consistent yet.

Correlates of physical activity: why are some people physically active and others not?

PubMed

Bauman, Adrian E; Reis, Rodrigo S; Sallis, James F; Wells, Jonathan C; Loos, Ruth J F; Martin, Brian W

2012-07-21

Physical inactivity is an important contributor to non-communicable diseases in countries of high income, and increasingly so in those of low and middle income. Understanding why people are physically active or inactive contributes to evidence-based planning of public health interventions, because effective programmes will target factors known to cause inactivity. Research into correlates (factors associated with activity) or determinants (those with a causal relationship) has burgeoned in the past two decades, but has mostly focused on individual-level factors in high-income countries. It has shown that age, sex, health status, self-efficacy, and motivation are associated with physical activity. Ecological models take a broad view of health behaviour causation, with the social and physical environment included as contributors to physical inactivity, particularly those outside the health sector, such as urban planning, transportation systems, and parks and trails. New areas of determinants research have identified genetic factors contributing to the propensity to be physically active, and evolutionary factors and obesity that might predispose to inactivity, and have explored the longitudinal tracking of physical activity throughout life. An understanding of correlates and determinants, especially in countries of low and middle income, could reduce the eff ect of future epidemics of inactivity and contribute to effective global prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Sex differences in effective fronto-limbic connectivity during negative emotion processing.

PubMed

Lungu, Ovidiu; Potvin, Stéphane; Tikàsz, Andràs; Mendrek, Adrianna

2015-12-01

In view of the greater prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in women than in men, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have examined sex-differences in brain activations during emotion processing. Comparatively, sex-differences in brain connectivity received little attention, despite evidence for important fronto-limbic connections during emotion processing across sexes. Here, we investigated sex-differences in fronto-limbic connectivity during negative emotion processing. Forty-six healthy individuals (25 women, 21 men) viewed negative, positive and neutral images during an fMRI session. Effective connectivity between significantly activated regions was examined using Granger causality and psychophysical interaction analyses. Sex steroid hormones and feminine-masculine traits were also measured. Subjective ratings of negative emotional images were higher in women than in men. Across sexes, significant activations were observed in the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and the right amygdala. Granger connectivity from right amygdala was significantly greater than that from dmPFC during the 'high negative' condition, an effect driven by men. Magnitude of this effect correlated negatively with highly negative image ratings and feminine traits and positively with testosterone levels. These results highlight critical sex differences in brain connectivity during negative emotion processing and point to the fact that both biological (sex steroid hormones) and psychosocial (gender role and identity) variables contribute to them. As the dmPFC is involved in social cognition and action planning, and the amygdala-in threat detection, the connectivity results suggest that compared to women, men have a more evaluative, rather than purely affective, brain response during negative emotion processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Finding Biomass Degrading Enzymes Through an Activity-Correlated Quantitative Proteomics Platform (ACPP).

PubMed

Ma, Hongyan; Delafield, Daniel G; Wang, Zhe; You, Jianlan; Wu, Si

2017-04-01

The microbial secretome, known as a pool of biomass (i.e., plant-based materials) degrading enzymes, can be utilized to discover industrial enzyme candidates for biofuel production. Proteomics approaches have been applied to discover novel enzyme candidates through comparing protein expression profiles with enzyme activity of the whole secretome under different growth conditions. However, the activity measurement of each enzyme candidate is needed for confident "active" enzyme assignments, which remains to be elucidated. To address this challenge, we have developed an Activity-Correlated Quantitative Proteomics Platform (ACPP) that systematically correlates protein-level enzymatic activity patterns and protein elution profiles using a label-free quantitative proteomics approach. The ACPP optimized a high performance anion exchange separation for efficiently fractionating complex protein samples while preserving enzymatic activities. The detected enzymatic activity patterns in sequential fractions using microplate-based assays were cross-correlated with protein elution profiles using a customized pattern-matching algorithm with a correlation R-score. The ACPP has been successfully applied to the identification of two types of "active" biomass-degrading enzymes (i.e., starch hydrolysis enzymes and cellulose hydrolysis enzymes) from Aspergillus niger secretome in a multiplexed fashion. By determining protein elution profiles of 156 proteins in A. niger secretome, we confidently identified the 1,4-α-glucosidase as the major "active" starch hydrolysis enzyme (R = 0.96) and the endoglucanase as the major "active" cellulose hydrolysis enzyme (R = 0.97). The results demonstrated that the ACPP facilitated the discovery of bioactive enzymes from complex protein samples in a high-throughput, multiplexing, and untargeted fashion. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Finding Biomass Degrading Enzymes Through an Activity-Correlated Quantitative Proteomics Platform (ACPP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Hongyan; Delafield, Daniel G.; Wang, Zhe; You, Jianlan; Wu, Si

2017-04-01

The microbial secretome, known as a pool of biomass (i.e., plant-based materials) degrading enzymes, can be utilized to discover industrial enzyme candidates for biofuel production. Proteomics approaches have been applied to discover novel enzyme candidates through comparing protein expression profiles with enzyme activity of the whole secretome under different growth conditions. However, the activity measurement of each enzyme candidate is needed for confident "active" enzyme assignments, which remains to be elucidated. To address this challenge, we have developed an Activity-Correlated Quantitative Proteomics Platform (ACPP) that systematically correlates protein-level enzymatic activity patterns and protein elution profiles using a label-free quantitative proteomics approach. The ACPP optimized a high performance anion exchange separation for efficiently fractionating complex protein samples while preserving enzymatic activities. The detected enzymatic activity patterns in sequential fractions using microplate-based assays were cross-correlated with protein elution profiles using a customized pattern-matching algorithm with a correlation R-score. The ACPP has been successfully applied to the identification of two types of "active" biomass-degrading enzymes (i.e., starch hydrolysis enzymes and cellulose hydrolysis enzymes) from Aspergillus niger secretome in a multiplexed fashion. By determining protein elution profiles of 156 proteins in A. niger secretome, we confidently identified the 1,4-α-glucosidase as the major "active" starch hydrolysis enzyme (R = 0.96) and the endoglucanase as the major "active" cellulose hydrolysis enzyme (R = 0.97). The results demonstrated that the ACPP facilitated the discovery of bioactive enzymes from complex protein samples in a high-throughput, multiplexing, and untargeted fashion.

TET1-mediated hypomethylation activates oncogenic signaling in triple-negative breast cancer.

PubMed

Good, Charly Ryan; Panjarian, Shoghag; Kelly, Andrew D; Madzo, Jozef; Patel, Bela; Jelinek, Jaroslav; Issa, Jean-Pierre J

2018-06-11

Both gains and losses of DNA methylation are common in cancer, but the factors controlling this balance of methylation remain unclear. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype that does not overexpress hormone receptors or HER2/NEU, is one of the most hypomethylated cancers observed. Here we discovered that the TET1 DNA demethylase is specifically overexpressed in about 40% of patients with TNBC, where it is associated with hypomethylation of up to 10% of queried CpG sites and a worse overall survival. Through bioinformatic analyses in both breast and ovarian cancer cell line panels, we uncovered an intricate network connecting TET1 to hypomethylation and activation of cancer-specific oncogenic pathways including PI3K, EGFR, and PDGF. TET1 expression correlated with sensitivity to drugs targeting the PI3K-mTOR pathway, and CRISPR-mediated deletion of TET1 in two independent TNBC cell lines resulted in reduced expression of PI3K pathway genes, upregulation of immune response genes, and substantially reduced cellular proliferation, suggesting dependence of oncogenic pathways on TET1 overexpression. Our work establishes TET1 as a potential oncogene that contributes to aberrant hypomethylation in cancer and suggests that TET1 could serve as a druggable target for therapeutic intervention. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

A pilot study examining correlates of body image among women living with SCI.

PubMed

Bassett, R L; Martin Ginis, K A; Buchholz, A C

2009-06-01

Cross-sectional pilot study. To explore correlates of body image among women with spinal cord injury (SCI), within the framework of Cash's cognitive behavioral model of body image. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Women with SCI (N=11, 64% with tetraplegia) reported their functional and appearance body image (Adult Body Satisfaction Questionnaire). A 3-day recall of leisure time physical activity (LTPA), three measures of body composition (that is, weight, waist circumference, body fat) and several demographic variables were assessed as potential correlates. Appearance satisfaction was negatively correlated with all three measures of body composition and positively correlated with years postinjury. Functional satisfaction was positively correlated with years postinjury, and negatively correlated with various LTPA variables. Functional and appearance body image may improve with time following SCI. Body composition may impact satisfaction with physical appearance for some women. The negative relationship between LTPA and functional satisfaction merits further examination, as functional dissatisfaction may motivate individuals to engage in certain types and intensities of LTPA. Correlates of body image differ between appearance and functional satisfaction. Future research should examine appearance and functional satisfaction separately among women with SCI.

Neural correlate of human reciprocity in social interactions

PubMed Central

Sakaiya, Shiro; Shiraito, Yuki; Kato, Junko; Ide, Hiroko; Okada, Kensuke; Takano, Kouji; Kansaku, Kenji

2013-01-01

Reciprocity plays a key role maintaining cooperation in society. However, little is known about the neural process that underpins human reciprocity during social interactions. Our neuroimaging study manipulated partner identity (computer, human) and strategy (random, tit-for-tat) in repeated prisoner's dilemma games and investigated the neural correlate of reciprocal interaction with humans. Reciprocal cooperation with humans but exploitation of computers by defection was associated with activation in the left amygdala. Amygdala activation was also positively and negatively correlated with a preference change for human partners following tit-for-tat and random strategies, respectively. The correlated activation represented the intensity of positive feeling toward reciprocal and negative feeling toward non-reciprocal partners, and so reflected reciprocity in social interaction. Reciprocity in social interaction, however, might plausibly be misinterpreted and so we also examined the neural coding of insight into the reciprocity of partners. Those with and without insight revealed differential brain activation across the reward-related circuitry (i.e., the right middle dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal caudate) and theory of mind (ToM) regions [i.e., ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) and precuneus]. Among differential activations, activation in the precuneus, which accompanied deactivation of the VMPFC, was specific to those without insight into human partners who were engaged in a tit-for-tat strategy. This asymmetric (de)activation might involve specific contributions of ToM regions to the human search for reciprocity. Consequently, the intensity of emotion attached to human reciprocity was represented in the amygdala, whereas insight into the reciprocity of others was reflected in activation across the reward-related and ToM regions. This suggests the critical role of mentalizing, which was not equated with reward expectation during social interactions

Neural correlate of human reciprocity in social interactions.

PubMed

Sakaiya, Shiro; Shiraito, Yuki; Kato, Junko; Ide, Hiroko; Okada, Kensuke; Takano, Kouji; Kansaku, Kenji

2013-01-01

Reciprocity plays a key role maintaining cooperation in society. However, little is known about the neural process that underpins human reciprocity during social interactions. Our neuroimaging study manipulated partner identity (computer, human) and strategy (random, tit-for-tat) in repeated prisoner's dilemma games and investigated the neural correlate of reciprocal interaction with humans. Reciprocal cooperation with humans but exploitation of computers by defection was associated with activation in the left amygdala. Amygdala activation was also positively and negatively correlated with a preference change for human partners following tit-for-tat and random strategies, respectively. The correlated activation represented the intensity of positive feeling toward reciprocal and negative feeling toward non-reciprocal partners, and so reflected reciprocity in social interaction. Reciprocity in social interaction, however, might plausibly be misinterpreted and so we also examined the neural coding of insight into the reciprocity of partners. Those with and without insight revealed differential brain activation across the reward-related circuitry (i.e., the right middle dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal caudate) and theory of mind (ToM) regions [i.e., ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) and precuneus]. Among differential activations, activation in the precuneus, which accompanied deactivation of the VMPFC, was specific to those without insight into human partners who were engaged in a tit-for-tat strategy. This asymmetric (de)activation might involve specific contributions of ToM regions to the human search for reciprocity. Consequently, the intensity of emotion attached to human reciprocity was represented in the amygdala, whereas insight into the reciprocity of others was reflected in activation across the reward-related and ToM regions. This suggests the critical role of mentalizing, which was not equated with reward expectation during social interactions.

Structural correlates of active-staining following magnetic resonance microscopy in the mouse brain

PubMed Central

Cleary, Jon O.; Wiseman, Frances K.; Norris, Francesca C.; Price, Anthony N.; Choy, ManKin; Tybulewicz, Victor L.J.; Ordidge, Roger J.; Brandner, Sebastian; Fisher, Elizabeth M.C.; Lythgoe, Mark F.

2011-01-01

Extensive worldwide efforts are underway to produce knockout mice for each of the ~ 25,000 mouse genes, which may give new insights into the underlying pathophysiology of neurological disease. Microscopic magnetic resonance imaging (μMRI) is a key method for non-invasive morphological phenotyping, capable of producing high-resolution 3D images of ex-vivo brains, after fixation with an MR contrast agent. These agents have been suggested to act as active-stains, enhancing structures not normally visible on MRI. In this study, we investigated the structural correlates of the MRI agent Gd-DTPA, together with the optimal preparation and scan parameters for contrast-enhanced gradient-echo imaging of the mouse brain. We observed that in-situ preparation was preferential to ex-situ due to the degree of extraction damage. In-situ brains scanned with optimised parameters, enabled images with a high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR ~ 30) and comprehensive anatomical delineation. Direct correlation of the MR brain structures to histology, detailed fine histoarchitecture in the cortex, cerebellum, olfactory bulb and hippocampus. Neurofilament staining demonstrated that regions of negative MR contrast strongly correlated to myelinated white-matter structures, whilst structures of more positive MR contrast corresponded to areas with high grey matter content. We were able to identify many sub-regions, particularly within the hippocampus, such as the unmyelinated mossy fibres (stratum lucidum) and their region of synapse in the stratum pyramidale, together with the granular layer of the dentate gyrus, an area of densely packed cell bodies, which was clearly visible as a region of hyperintensity. This suggests that cellular structure influences the site-specific distribution of the MR contrast agent, resulting in local variations in T2*, which leads to enhanced tissue discrimination. Our findings provide insights not only into the cellular distribution and mechanism of MR active

Neural responses to negative feedback are related to negative emotionality in healthy adults

PubMed Central

Santesso, Diane L.; Bogdan, Ryan; Birk, Jeffrey L.; Goetz, Elena L.; Holmes, Avram J.

2012-01-01

Prior neuroimaging and electrophysiological evidence suggests that potentiated responses in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), particularly the rostral ACC, may contribute to abnormal responses to negative feedback in individuals with elevated negative affect and depressive symptoms. The feedback-related negativity (FRN) represents an electrophysiological index of ACC-related activation in response to performance feedback. The purpose of the present study was to examine the FRN and underlying ACC activation using low resolution electromagnetic tomography source estimation techniques in relation to negative emotionality (a composite index including negative affect and subclinical depressive symptoms). To this end, 29 healthy adults performed a monetary incentive delay task while 128-channel event-related potentials were recorded. We found that enhanced FRNs and increased rostral ACC activation in response to negative—but not positive—feedback was related to greater negative emotionality. These results indicate that individual differences in negative emotionality—a putative risk factor for emotional disorders—modulate ACC-related processes critically implicated in assessing the motivational impact and/or salience of environmental feedback. PMID:21917847

Brain activation to negative stimuli mediates a relationship between adolescent marijuana use and later emotional functioning.

PubMed

Heitzeg, Mary M; Cope, Lora M; Martz, Meghan E; Hardee, Jillian E; Zucker, Robert A

2015-12-01

This work investigated the impact of heavy marijuana use during adolescence on emotional functioning, as well as the brain functional mediators of this effect. Participants (n=40) were recruited from the Michigan Longitudinal Study (MLS). Data on marijuana use were collected prospectively beginning in childhood as part of the MLS. Participants were classified as heavy marijuana users (n=20) or controls with minimal marijuana use. Two facets of emotional functioning-negative emotionality and resiliency (a self-regulatory mechanism)-were assessed as part of the MLS at three time points: mean age 13.4, mean age 19.6, and mean age 23.1. Functional neuroimaging data during an emotion-arousal word task were collected at mean age 20.2. Negative emotionality decreased and resiliency increased across the three time points in controls but not heavy marijuana users. Compared with controls, heavy marijuana users had less activation to negative words in temporal, prefrontal, and occipital cortices, insula, and amygdala. Activation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to negative words mediated an association between marijuana group and later negative emotionality. Activation of the cuneus/lingual gyrus mediated an association between marijuana group and later resiliency. Results support growing evidence that heavy marijuana use during adolescence affects later emotional outcomes. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Increased serum urea to creatinine ratio and its negative correlation with arterial pressure in canine babesiosis.

PubMed

Zygner, Wojciech; Gójska-Zygner, Olga

2014-09-01

The increase of the serum urea to creatinine ratio (UCR) was observed in dogs infected with Babesia canis. Previous studies have suggested that decrease of blood pressure can be one of the reasons for this phenomenon. In this work statistically significant increase of the UCR was observed in dogs with babesiosis. Comparison of the UCR between 23 azotaemic dogs and 25 non-azotaemic dogs infected with Babesia canis showed statistically significantly higher mean of the UCR in azotaemic dogs. Correlations between UCR and systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure (SAP, DAP and MAP) in 48 dogs infected with B. canis were negative (UCR and SAP: r = -0.3909; UCR and DAP: r = -0.3182; UCR and MAP: r = -0.3682) and statistically significant (p < 0.05). This result may indicate contribution of hypotension in the increase of the UCR in canine babesiosis. However, the correlations were not high, and there was no statistically significant correlation between UCR and arterial pressures in azotaemic dogs. Thus, it seems that decrease of blood pressure in dogs with babesiosis explains only partially the cause of increased UCR in infected dogs. The other authors suggested hyperureagenesis and myocardial injury as a potential reason for the increased UCR in canine babesiosis. Thus, further studies are needed to determine causes of increased UCR in dogs with babesiosis, especially on the connection between UCR changes and the concentrations of plasma cardiac troponins and ammonia, and the occurrence of occult blood on fecal examination.

Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Active Transportation Patterns in French Women.

PubMed

Perchoux, Camille; Enaux, Christophe; Oppert, Jean-Michel; Menai, Mehdi; Charreire, Hélène; Salze, Paul; Weber, Christiane; Hercberg, Serge; Feuillet, Thierry; Hess, Franck; Roda, Célina; Simon, Chantal; Nazare, Julie-Anne

2017-01-01

The objectives were (1) to define physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) patterns in daily life contexts (work, leisure, and transportation) in French working women from NutriNet-Santé web-cohort and (2) to identify pattern(s) of active transportation and their individual, social, and environmental correlates. 23,432 participants completed two questionnaires to evaluate PA and SB in daily life contexts and individual representations of residential neighborhood and transportation modes. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed which identified 6 distinct movement behavior patterns: (i) active occupation, high sedentary leisure, (ii) sedentary occupation, low leisure, (iii) sedentary transportation, (iv) sedentary occupation and leisure, (v) active transportation, and (vi) active leisure. Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to identify correlates of the "active transportation" cluster. The perceived environmental characteristics positively associated with "active transportation" included "high availability of destinations around home," "presence of bicycle paths," and "low traffic." A "positive image of walking/cycling," the "individual feeling of being physically active," and a "high use of active transport modes by relatives/friends" were positively related to "active transportation," identified as a unique pattern regarding individual and environmental correlates. Identification of PA and SB context-specific patterns will help to understand movement behaviors' complexity and to design interventions to promote active transportation in specific subgroups.

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR, a c-Myc activated driver of malignancy, negatively regulates miRNA-130a in gallbladder cancer

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Protein coding genes account for only about 2% of the human genome, whereas the vast majority of transcripts are non-coding RNAs including long non-coding RNAs. A growing volume of literature has proposed that lncRNAs are important players in cancer. HOTAIR was previously shown to be an oncogene and negative prognostic factor in a variety of cancers. However, the factors that contribute to its upregulation and the interaction between HOTAIR and miRNAs are largely unknown. Methods A computational screen of HOTAIR promoter was conducted to search for transcription-factor-binding sites. HOTAIR promoter activities were examined by luciferase reporter assay. The function of the c-Myc binding site in the HOTAIR promoter region was tested by a promoter assay with nucleotide substitutions in the putative E-box. The association of c-Myc with the HOTAIR promoter in vivo was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and Electrophoretic mobility shift assay. A search for miRNAs with complementary base paring with HOTAIR was performed utilizing online software program. Gain and loss of function approaches were employed to investigate the expression changes of HOTAIR or miRNA-130a. The expression levels of HOTAIR, c-Myc and miRNA-130a were examined in 65 matched pairs of gallbladder cancer tissues. The effects of HOTAIR and miRNA-130a on gallbladder cancer cell invasion and proliferation was tested using in vitro cell invasion and flow cytometric assays. Results We demonstrate that HOTAIR is a direct target of c-Myc through interaction with putative c-Myc target response element (RE) in the upstream region of HOTAIR in gallbladder cancer cells. A positive correlation between c-Myc and HOTAIR mRNA levels was observed in gallbladder cancer tissues. We predicted that HOTAIR harbors a miRNA-130a binding site. Our data showed that this binding site is vital for the regulation of miRNA-130a by HOTAIR. Moreover, a negative correlation between HOTAIR and miRNA-130a was

Preserved serotonin transporter binding in de novo Parkinson's disease: negative correlation with the dopamine transporter.

PubMed

Strecker, Karl; Wegner, Florian; Hesse, Swen; Becker, Georg-Alexander; Patt, Marianne; Meyer, Philipp M; Lobsien, Donald; Schwarz, Johannes; Sabri, Osama

2011-01-01

Recent imaging and neuropathological studies indicate reduced serotonin transporter (SERT) in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, data on SERT in early PD patients are sparse. Following the hypothesis that the serotonergic system is damaged early in PD, the aim of our study was to investigate SERT availability by means of PET imaging. Since the loss of dopaminergic neurons is the pathologic hallmark of PD and SERT might be associated with psychiatric co-morbidity, we further sought to correlate SERT availability with the availability of dopamine transporter (DAT) and depressive or motor symptoms in early PD. We prospectively recruited nine early PD patients (4 female, 5 male; 42-76 years) and nine age matched healthy volunteers (5 female, 4 male; 42-72 years). Diagnosis of PD was confirmed by the UK brain bank criteria and DAT imaging. SERT availability was measured by means of [11C]DASB PET. For neuropsychiatric assessment done on the day of PET we applied UPDRS parts I, II and III, Beck's Depression Inventory, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Mini-Mental State Examination and Demtect. SERT was not reduced in any of 14 investigated regions of interest in the nine PD patients compared to healthy controls (p>0.13). SERT was negatively associated with DAT in the striatum (r=-0.69; p=0.04) but not within the midbrain. There was no correlation of SERT availability with depressive symptoms. No alteration of SERT binding in our patients suggests that the serotonergic system is remarkably preserved in early PD. Correlation with DAT might point to a compensatory regulation of the serotonergic system in early stages of PD.

Unattractive infant faces elicit negative affect from adults

PubMed Central

Schein, Stevie S.; Langlois, Judith H.

2015-01-01

We examined the relationship between infant attractiveness and adult affect by investigating whether differing levels of infant facial attractiveness elicit facial muscle movement correlated with positive and negative affect from adults (N = 87) using electromyography. Unattractive infant faces evoked significantly more corrugator supercilii and levator labii superioris movement (physiological correlates of negative affect) than attractive infant faces. These results suggest that unattractive infants may be at risk for negative affective responses from adults, though the relationship between those responses and caregiving behavior remains elusive. PMID:25658199

Uniformity and nonuniformity of neural activities correlated to different insight problem solving.

PubMed

Zhao, Q; Li, Y; Shang, X; Zhou, Z; Han, L

2014-06-13

Previous studies on the neural basis of insight reflected weak consistency except for the anterior cingulate cortex. The present work adopted the semantic and homophonic punny riddle to explore the uniformity and nonuniformity of neural activities correlated to different insight problem solving. Results showed that in the early period of insight solving, the semantic and homophonic punny riddles induced a common N350-500 over the central scalp. However, during -400 to 0 ms before the riddles were solved, the semantic punny riddles induced a positive event-related potential (ERP) deflection over the temporal cortex for retrieving the extensive semantic information, while the homophonic punny riddles induced a positive ERP deflection over the temporal cortex and a negative one in the left frontal cortex which might reflect the semantic and phonological information processing respectively. Our study indicated that different insight problem solving should have the same cognitive process of detecting cognitive conflicts, but have different ways to solve the conflicts. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Classification of multipartite entanglement via negativity fonts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, S. Shelly; Sharma, N. K.

2012-04-01

Partial transposition of state operator is a well-known tool to detect quantum correlations between two parts of a composite system. In this paper, the global partial transpose (GPT) is linked to conceptually multipartite underlying structures in a state—the negativity fonts. If K-way negativity fonts with nonzero determinants exist, then selective partial transposition of a pure state, involving K of the N qubits (K⩽N), yields an operator with negative eigenvalues, identifying K-body correlations in the state. Expansion of GPT in terms of K-way partially transposed (KPT) operators reveals the nature of intricate intrinsic correlations in the state. Classification criteria for multipartite entangled states based on the underlying structure of global partial transpose of canonical state are proposed. The number of N-partite entanglement types for an N-qubit system is found to be 2N-1-N+2, while the number of major entanglement classes is 2N-1-1. Major classes for three- and four-qubit states are listed. Subclasses are determined by the number and type of negativity fonts in canonical states.

Observations of Blue Discharges Associated With Negative Narrow Bipolar Events in Active Deep Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Feifan; Zhu, Baoyou; Lu, Gaopeng; Qin, Zilong; Lei, Jiuhou; Peng, Kang-Ming; Chen, Alfred B.; Huang, Anjing; Cummer, Steven A.; Chen, Mingli; Ma, Ming; Lyu, Fanchao; Zhou, Helin

2018-03-01

On 19 August 2012, the Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning on board the FORMOSAT-2 satellite captured a sequence of seven blue discharges within 1 min that emanated from a parent thunderstorm over Lake Taihu in East China. The analysis of lightning activity produced in the thunderstorm indicates that at least six of these events occurred in association with negative narrow bipolar events (NBEs) that were concurrent with the blue discharge by less than 1 ms, and negative cloud-to-ground occurred within 6 s before each blue discharge, which is in agreement with the modeling presented by Krehbiel et al. (2008). Therefore, the frequent occurrence of negative cloud-to-ground could provide the favorable condition for the production of blue discharges, and negative NBEs are probably the initial event of blue discharges. The detection of negative NBEs might provide a convenient approach to detect the occurrence of blue discharges as lightning bolt shooting upward from the top of energetic thunderstorms.

Plasma thymidine kinase-1 activity predicts outcome in patients with hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy

PubMed Central

Bonechi, Martina; Galardi, Francesca; Biagioni, Chiara; De Luca, Francesca; Bergqvist, Mattias; Neumüller, Magnus; Guarducci, Cristina; Boccalini, Giulia; Gabellini, Stefano; Migliaccio, Ilenia; Di Leo, Angelo; Pestrin, Marta; Malorni, Luca

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate if thymidine kinase-1 (TK1), a well-known proliferation marker, could represent a valid circulating biomarker to identify hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2 negative (HER2neg) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients most likely to benefit from endocrine therapy (ET). We used the DiviTum™ assay to analyze TK1 activity in cell lysates of three HR+/HER2neg BC cell lines and in plasma of 31 HR+/HER2neg MBC patients receiving ET. Blood samples were collected at treatment initiation, after one month and at disease progression. CTCs count and ESR1/PIK3CA mutations in circulating tumor DNA were performed and correlated with TK1 activity. TK1 activity was reduced in the two endocrine-sensitive cell lines after 2 days of treatment. In patients, high baseline TK1 activity correlated with CTCs positivity (p-value=0.014). Patients with low baseline levels of TK1 activity had a significantly better PFS compared to those with high baseline TK1 activity (p-value=0.012). Patients with an early drop of TK1 activity after one month of treatment had a significantly better PFS compared to those who experienced an increase (p-value=0.0026). Our study suggests that TK1 could be a potential prognostic, predictive and monitoring marker of early ET response in HR+/HER2neg MBC patients. PMID:29662653

Plasma thymidine kinase-1 activity predicts outcome in patients with hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy.

PubMed

Bonechi, Martina; Galardi, Francesca; Biagioni, Chiara; De Luca, Francesca; Bergqvist, Mattias; Neumüller, Magnus; Guarducci, Cristina; Boccalini, Giulia; Gabellini, Stefano; Migliaccio, Ilenia; Di Leo, Angelo; Pestrin, Marta; Malorni, Luca

2018-03-27

The aim of this study was to investigate if thymidine kinase-1 (TK1), a well-known proliferation marker, could represent a valid circulating biomarker to identify hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2 negative (HER2neg) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients most likely to benefit from endocrine therapy (ET). We used the DiviTum™ assay to analyze TK1 activity in cell lysates of three HR+/HER2neg BC cell lines and in plasma of 31 HR+/HER2neg MBC patients receiving ET. Blood samples were collected at treatment initiation, after one month and at disease progression. CTCs count and ESR1 / PIK3CA mutations in circulating tumor DNA were performed and correlated with TK1 activity. TK1 activity was reduced in the two endocrine-sensitive cell lines after 2 days of treatment. In patients, high baseline TK1 activity correlated with CTCs positivity (p-value=0.014). Patients with low baseline levels of TK1 activity had a significantly better PFS compared to those with high baseline TK1 activity (p-value=0.012). Patients with an early drop of TK1 activity after one month of treatment had a significantly better PFS compared to those who experienced an increase (p-value=0.0026). Our study suggests that TK1 could be a potential prognostic, predictive and monitoring marker of early ET response in HR+/HER2neg MBC patients.

Cathelicidin (LL-37) and its correlation with pro-oxidant, antioxidant balance and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional human study.

PubMed

Sahebari, M; Roshandel, G; Saadati, N; Saghafi, M; Abdolahi, N; Rezaieyazdi, Z

2017-08-01

Background Cathelicidin (LL-37), an endogenous antimicrobial peptide, has recently been involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. To assess whether LL-37 reflects disease activity, we measured serum levels of it in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with active and inactive disease compared to healthy controls. LL-37 was also compared between new and old cases. Moreover, the correlation of LL-37 and pro-oxidant, antioxidant balance (PAB) was measured. Methods The study population consisted of 50 SLE patients and 28 healthy controls. Of those, 39 patients had active and 11 patients had inactive disease. Serum levels of LL-37 were measured by ELISA and PAB values by a special method. Results There was no difference in levels of LL-37 between patients and healthy controls (50.9 ± 20.8 vs. 67.7 ± 43.3 ng/ml, P = 0.31). LL-37 did not correlate with SLEDAI and its items in total patients. LL-37 had a positive correlation with SLEDAI in active patients ( P = 0.01, r = 0.4). In active patients (78% of patients), multivariate regression analysis showed significant negative correlation between LL-37 and C3 ( P = 0.01, standardized beta -0.50). No difference was found in levels of PAB between patients and controls (90.4 ± 34.1 vs. 86.9 ± 25.6 HK, P = 0.4).There was no difference in the levels of PAB between patients with active and inactive disease (93.2 ± 34.1 vs. 80.2 ± 33.7 HK, P = 0.27). No correlation was found between levels of PAB and SLEDAI items and total score. However, a positive correlation between the levels of LL-37 and PAB in SLE patients was found ( r = 0.3, P < 0.01). Conclusion Based on this study, serum LL-37 and PAB did not increase in lupus compared with healthy individuals. LL-37 serum values rose in parallel with SLEDAI in active disease. Positive correlation between serum PAB and LL-37 could be a great achievement of this study that may suggest the role of

Personal, social and environmental correlates of active transport to school among adolescents in Otago, New Zealand.

PubMed

Mandic, Sandra; Leon de la Barra, Sophia; García Bengoechea, Enrique; Stevens, Emily; Flaherty, Charlotte; Moore, Antoni; Middlemiss, Melanie; Williams, John; Skidmore, Paula

2015-07-01

With increasingly sedentary lifestyles, opportunities for physical activity such as active transport to school need to be promoted in adolescents. This study examines personal, social and environmental correlates of active transport to school among adolescents including sociodemographics, behavioural patterns, motivational factors, perceived barriers, peer support, family resources, school characteristics, urban/rural setting, distance to school and neighbourhood safety perceptions. Cross-sectional study. In 2009 and 2011, 2018 secondary school students (age: 14.8±1.3 years; 73% urban; 53% boys) from 22 out of 24 schools from Otago, New Zealand completed the Otago School Students Lifestyle Survey. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to compare active transport to school correlates in students using active transport to school versus bus and car users (motorised transport). Overall, 37% of students used active transport to school, 24% bus, and 39% car. Compared to motorised transport users, active transport to school users were more likely to live closer to school (1.4±1.4 active transport to school vs. 8.3±8.4km motorised transport; p<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, shorter distance to school (OR (95%CI) (0.03 (0.01-0.05)), younger age (0.85 (0.78-0.92)), fewer vehicles (0.66 (0.49-0.89)) and fewer screens (0.53 (0.35-0.82)) per household, meeting screen time guidelines (1.74 (1.22-2.50)), opportunity to chat with friends (2.26 (1.58-3.23)), nice scenery (1.69 (1.14-2.50)), and parental perceptions of active transport to school safety (2.32 (1.25-4.30)) were positively associated with active transport to school, while perceived time constraints (0.46 (0.29-0.72)) and attending girls-only school (0.51 (0.35-0.75)) had a negative association with active transport to school. Future active transport to school interventions in adolescents should focus on encouraging active transport to school, reiterating its social benefits, and addressing

Child-evoked maternal negativity from 9 to 27 months: evidence of gene-environment correlation and its moderation by marital distress

PubMed Central

Fearon, R.M. Pasco; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Scaramella, Laura V.; Ganiban, Jody M.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.

2014-01-01

Past research has documented pervasive genetic influences on emotional and behavioral disturbance across the lifespan and on liability to adult psychiatric disorder. Increasingly, interest is turning to mechanisms of gene-environment interplay in attempting to understand the earliest manifestations of genetic risk. We report findings from a prospective adoption study, which aimed to test the role of evocative gene-environment correlation in early development. 561 infants adopted at birth were studied between 9 and 27 months with their adoptive parents and birth mothers. Birth mother psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms scales were used as indicators of genetic influence, and multiple self-report measures were used to index adoptive mother parental negativity. We hypothesized that birth parent psychopathology would be associated with greater adoptive parent negativity, and that such evocative effects would be amplified under conditions of high family adversity. The findings suggested that genetic factors linked to birth mother externalizing psychopathology may evoke negative reactions in adoptive mothers in the first year of life, but primarily when the adoptive family environment was characterized by marital problems. The observed maternal negativity mediated the effects of genetic risk on child adjustment at 27 months. The results underline the importance of genetically-influenced evocative processes in early development. PMID:25216383

Child-evoked maternal negativity from 9 to 27 months: Evidence of gene-environment correlation and its moderation by marital distress.

PubMed

Fearon, R M Pasco; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D; Shaw, Daniel S; Scaramella, Laura V; Ganiban, Jody M; Neiderhiser, Jenae M

2015-11-01

Past research has documented pervasive genetic influences on emotional and behavioral disturbance across the life span and on liability to adult psychiatric disorder. Increasingly, interest is turning to mechanisms of gene-environment interplay in attempting to understand the earliest manifestations of genetic risk. We report findings from a prospective adoption study, which aimed to test the role of evocative gene-environment correlation in early development. Included in the study were 561 infants adopted at birth and studied between 9 and 27 months, along with their adoptive parents and birth mothers. Birth mother psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms scales were used as indicators of genetic influence, and multiple self-report measures were used to index adoptive mother parental negativity. We hypothesized that birth mother psychopathology would be associated with greater adoptive parent negativity and that such evocative effects would be amplified under conditions of high adoptive family adversity. The findings suggested that genetic factors associated with birth mother externalizing psychopathology may evoke negative reactions in adoptive mothers in the first year of life, but only when the adoptive family environment is characterized by marital problems. Maternal negativity mediated the effects of genetic risk on child adjustment at 27 months. The results underscore the importance of genetically influenced evocative processes in early development.

A transcriptionally active estrogen receptor mutant is a novel type of dominant negative inhibitor of estrogen action.

PubMed

McInerney, E M; Ince, B A; Shapiro, D J; Katzenellenbogen, B S

1996-12-01

We have characterized a human estrogen receptor (ER) mutant, V364E, which has a single amino acid substitution in its hormone-binding domain. This ER mutant is fully active or even superactive at saturating levels of estradiol (10(-8) M E2) yet has the capacity to act as a strong dominant negative inhibitor of the wild type ER. In transient transfection assays using ER-negative Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and two different estrogen response element (ERE)-containing promoter reporter genes, V364E treated with 10(-8) M E2 exhibited approximately 250% and 100% of the activity of the wild type ER with these two promoter contexts, respectively. Despite the high activity of V364E when present alone in cells, coexpression of both V364E and wild type ER causes a significant decrease in overall ER-mediated transcriptional activity. On the TATA promoter, where V364E was more inhibitory, estrogen-stimulated activity was reduced by approximately 50% at a 1:1 ratio of mutant to wild type ER expression vector, and at a 10:1 ratio, 75% of ER activity was inhibited. V364E was expressed at lower levels than wild type ER and has a approximately 40-fold lower affinity for E2 compared with wild type ER. In promoter interference assays, V364E exhibited a strict dependence upon E2 for binding to an ERE. Surprisingly, even when V364E was unable to bind to ERE DNA (i.e. either at low E2 concentration or by mutation of its DNA-binding domain), this mutant retained full dominant negative activity. This highly active ER mutant is, thus, able to repress ER-mediated transcription when the mutant and wild type ER are present together in cells, even without DNA binding. Since competition for ERE binding and the formation of inactive heterodimers cannot fully account for the dominant negative activity of V364E, it is probable that altered interactions with proteins important in ER-mediated transcription play a key role in the repression of transcription by V364E. The properties and probable

Development of Preparatory Activity Indexed by the Contingent Negative Variation in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Angelica B.; Digiacomo, Marcia R.; Meneres, Susana; Trigo, Eva; Gomez, Carlos M.

2009-01-01

Objectives: The present study investigated the effect of age on task-specific preparatory activation induced by a spatial cue using the central cue Posner's paradigm. The behavioral responses and the contingent negative variation (CNV) generated between S1 (the warning stimulus) and S2 (the imperative stimulus) were compared between 16 healthy…

Do aggression and rule-breaking have different interpersonal correlates? A study of antisocial behavior subtypes, negative affect, and hostile perceptions of others.

PubMed

Burt, S Alexandra; Mikolajewski, Amy J; Larson, Christine L

2009-01-01

There is mounting evidence that physical aggression and nonaggressive, rule-breaking delinquency constitute two separable though correlated subtypes of antisocial behavior. Even so, it remains unclear whether these behavioral subtypes have meaningfully different interpersonal correlates, particularly as they are subsumed within the same broad domain of antisocial behavior. To evaluate this, we examined whether hostile perceptions of others (assessed via exposure to a series of neutral unknown faces) were linked to level and type of antisocial behavior aggression vs. rule-breaking, and moreover, whether this association persisted even when also considering the common association with negative affect (as manipulated via written recollection of one's best and worst life experiences). Analyses revealed that aggression, but not rule-breaking, was uniquely tied to hostile perceptions of others. Furthermore, this association persisted over and above the common association of both hostile perceptions and aggression with negative affect (at both trait and state levels). Such results provide additional support for clinically meaningful differences between the behavioral subtypes of aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking and for the independent role of hostile perceptions in aggressive behavior.

Post-exercise heart-rate recovery correlates to resting heart-rate variability in healthy men.

PubMed

Molina, Guilherme Eckhardt; Fontana, Keila Elizabeth; Porto, Luiz Guilherme Grossi; Junqueira, Luiz Fernando

2016-12-01

The relationship between post-exercise heart-rate recovery (HRR) and resting cardiac autonomic modulation is an incompletely explored issue. To correlate HRR with resting supine and orthostatic autonomic status. HRR at the 1st, 3th, and 5th min following maximal treadmill exercise were correlated with 5-min time-domain (CV, pNN50 and rMSSD) and frequency-domain (TP, LF, HF, LFn, HFn, and LF/HF ratio) indices of heart-rate variability (HRV) in both supine and standing positions in 31 healthy physically active non-athletes men. Statistical analysis employed non-parametric tests with two-tailed p value set at 5 %. Absolute HRR and Δ %HRR at each post-exercise time did not correlated with HRV in supine position, as well as at 1st min in standing position. At the 3rd min and 5th min, these measures negatively correlated with pNN50, rMSSD, TP, and HF indices, and only in the 5th min, they showed negative correlation with HFn and positive correlation with LF, LFn, and LF/HF ratio in the standing position. Coefficient of HRR (CHRR) at the 1st min negatively correlated with pNN50 and rMSSD and at 3rd and 5th min showed positive correlation with LFn and LF/HF ratio in supine position. With HRV indices in standing position CHRR from the 1st to 5th min showed the same respective negative and positive correlations as the other measures. HRR from the 1st to 5th min post-exercise negatively correlated with parasympathetic modulation in resting orthostatic, but showed no correlation in supine position. At the 3rd and 5th min, a positive correlation with combined sympathetic-parasympathetic modulation in both positions was observed.

Aging-related changes in the default mode network and its anti-correlated networks: a resting-state fMRI study.

PubMed

Wu, Jing-Tao; Wu, Hui-Zhen; Yan, Chao-Gan; Chen, Wen-Xin; Zhang, Hong-Ying; He, Yong; Yang, Hai-Shan

2011-10-17

Intrinsic brain activity in a resting state incorporates components of the task negative network called default mode network (DMN) and task-positive networks called attentional networks. In the present study, the reciprocal neuronal networks in the elder group were compared with the young group to investigate the differences of the intrinsic brain activity using a method of temporal correlation analysis based on seed regions of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). We found significant decreased positive correlations and negative correlations with the seeds of PCC and vmPFC in the old group. The decreased coactivations in the DMN network components and their negative networks in the old group may reflect age-related alterations in various brain functions such as attention, motor control and inhibition modulation in cognitive processing. These alterations in the resting state anti-correlative networks could provide neuronal substrates for the aging brain. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cholinergic Oculomotor Nucleus Activity Is Induced by REM Sleep Deprivation Negatively Impacting on Cognition.

PubMed

Santos, Patrícia Dos; Targa, Adriano D S; Noseda, Ana Carolina D; Rodrigues, Lais S; Fagotti, Juliane; Lima, Marcelo M S

2017-09-01

Several efforts have been made to understand the involvement of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep for cognitive processes. Consolidation or retention of recognition memories is severely disrupted by REM sleep deprivation (REMSD). In this regard, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) and other brainstem nuclei, such as pontine nucleus (Pn) and oculomotor nucleus (OCM), appear to be candidates to take part in this REM sleep circuitry with potential involvement in cognition. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate a possible association between the performance of Wistar rats in a declarative memory and PPT, Pn, and OCM activities after different periods of REMSD. We examined c-Fos and choline acetyltransferase (ChaT) expressions as indicators of neuronal activity as well as a familiarity-based memory test. The animals were distributed in groups: control, REMSD, and sleep rebound (REB). At the end of the different REMSD (24, 48, 72, and 96 h) and REB (24 h) time points, the rats were immediately tested in the object recognition test and then the brains were collected. Results indicated that OCM neurons presented an increased activity, due to ChaT-labeling associated with REMSD that negatively correlated (r = -0.32) with the cognitive performance. This suggests the existence of a cholinergic compensatory mechanism within the OCM during REMSD. We also showed that 24 h of REMSD impacted similarly in memory, compared to longer periods of REMSD. These data extend the notion that REM sleep is influenced by areas other than PPT, i.e., Pn and OCM, which could be key players in both sleep processes and cognition.

Physical Activity Correlates in Middle School Adolescents: Perceived Benefits and Barriers and Their Determinants.

PubMed

Roth, Sarah E; Gill, Monique; Chan-Golston, Alec M; Rice, Lindsay N; Crespi, Catherine M; Koniak-Griffin, Deborah; Cole, Brian L; Upchurch, Dawn M; Prelip, Michael L

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the determinants of benefits and barriers and their relationship with physical activity (PA) among predominantly Latino middle school students. Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey of 4,773 seventh-grade students recruited from a large, urban school district in Los Angeles. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to assess determinants of benefits and barriers as well as their association with self-reported PA. Differences in benefits and barriers were observed by gender, ethnicity, and body size. Barriers were negatively correlated with all three PA outcomes while benefits were positively associated with exercising at least 60 min daily. A deeper understanding of benefits and barriers can facilitate the development of interventions and collaborative efforts among physical education teachers, school nurses, and administrators to implement comprehensive approaches that encourage students' participation in PA inside and outside of the classroom.

Testing for the impact of correlates on medical technologists' intent to leave their jobs.

PubMed

Blau, Gary; Ward-Cook, Kory; Edgar, Laura Culver

2006-01-01

This study used a sample of 209 repeat-respondent medical technologists over a 4-year period to investigate correlates of intent to leave one's job. Correlates measured included two job search behaviors (i.e., preparatory and active) and three job search motives (i.e., gain leverage, leave employer, and family related). Results showed that active job search and the leave employer job search motives were each positively related to final intent to leave one's job. The gain leverage job search motive was negatively related to final intent to leave one's job. In addition, job satisfaction was negatively related, while only initial job loss insecurity was positively related, to final intent to leave one's job.

Unattractive infant faces elicit negative affect from adults.

PubMed

Schein, Stevie S; Langlois, Judith H

2015-02-01

We examined the relationship between infant attractiveness and adult affect by investigating whether differing levels of infant facial attractiveness elicit facial muscle movement correlated with positive and negative affect from adults (N=87) using electromyography. Unattractive infant faces evoked significantly more corrugator supercilii and levator labii superioris movement (physiological correlates of negative affect) than attractive infant faces. These results suggest that unattractive infants may be at risk for negative affective responses from adults, though the relationship between those responses and caregiving behavior remains elusive. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adolescent Age Moderates Genetic and Environmental Influences on Parent-Adolescent Positivity and Negativity: Implications for Genotype-Environment Correlation

PubMed Central

Marceau, Kristine; Knopik, Valerie S.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Lichtenstein, Paul; Spotts, Erica L.; Ganiban, Jody M.; Reiss, David

2015-01-01

In the present study we examined how genotype-environment correlation processes differ as a function of adolescent age. We tested whether adolescent age moderates genetic and environmental influences on positivity and negativity in mother-adolescent and father-adolescent relationships using parallel samples of twin parents from the Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden and twin/sibling adolescents from the Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development Study. We inferred differences in the role of passive and non-passive genotype-environment correlation based on biometric moderation findings. Findings indicated that non-passive rGE played a stronger role for positivity in mother- and father- adolescent relationships in families with older adolescents than families with younger adolescents, and that passive rGE played a stronger role for positivity in the mother-adolescent relationship in families with younger adolescents than in families with older adolescents. Implications of these findings for the timing and targeting of interventions on family relationships are discussed. PMID:25924807

Correlated Template-Switching Events during Minus-Strand DNA Synthesis: a Mechanism for High Negative Interference during Retroviral Recombination

PubMed Central

Anderson, Jeffrey A.; Teufel, Ronald J.; Yin, Philip D.; Hu, Wei-Shau

1998-01-01

Two models for the mechanism of retroviral recombination have been proposed: forced copy choice (minus-strand recombination) and strand displacement-assimilation (plus-strand recombination). Each minus-strand recombination event results in one template switch, whereas each plus-strand recombination event results in two template switches. Recombinant proviruses with one and more than one template switches were previously observed. Recombinants with one template switch were generated by minus-strand recombination, while recombinants containing more than one template switch may have been generated by plus-strand recombination or by correlated minus-strand recombination. We recently observed that retroviral recombination exhibits high negative interference whereby the frequency of recombinants containing multiple template-switching events is higher than expected. To delineate the mechanism that generates recombinants with more than one template switch, we devised a system that permits only minus-strand recombination. Two highly homologous vectors, WH204 and WH221, containing eight different restriction site markers were used. The primer binding site (PBS) of WH221 was deleted; although reverse transcription cannot initiate from WH221 RNA, it can serve as a template for DNA synthesis in heterozygotic virions. After one round of retroviral replication, the structures of the recombinant proviruses were examined. Recombinants containing two, three, four, and five template switches were observed at 1.4-, 10-, 65-, and 50-fold-higher frequencies, respectively, than expected. This indicates that minus-strand recombination events are correlated and can generate proviruses with multiple template switches efficiently. The frequencies of recombinants containing multiple template switches were similar to those observed in the previous system, which allowed both minus- and plus-strand recombination. Thus, the previously reported high negative interference during retroviral

Non-stationarity and cross-correlation effects in the MHD solar activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demin, S. A.; Nefedyev, Y. A.; Andreev, A. O.; Demina, N. Y.; Timashev, S. F.

2018-01-01

The analysis of turbulent processes in sunspots and pores which are self-organizing long-lived magnetic structures is a complicated and not yet solved problem. The present work focuses on studying such magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) formations on the basis of flicker-noise spectroscopy using a new method of multi-parametric analysis. The non-stationarity and cross-correlation effects taking place in solar activity dynamics are considered. The calculated maximum values of non-stationarity factor may become precursors of significant restructuring in solar magnetic activity. The introduced cross-correlation functions enable us to judge synchronization effects between the signals of various solar activity indicators registered simultaneously.

Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Active Transportation Patterns in French Women

PubMed Central

Perchoux, Camille; Enaux, Christophe; Oppert, Jean-Michel; Menai, Mehdi; Charreire, Hélène; Salze, Paul; Weber, Christiane; Hercberg, Serge; Feuillet, Thierry; Hess, Franck; Roda, Célina; Simon, Chantal

2017-01-01

The objectives were (1) to define physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) patterns in daily life contexts (work, leisure, and transportation) in French working women from NutriNet-Santé web-cohort and (2) to identify pattern(s) of active transportation and their individual, social, and environmental correlates. 23,432 participants completed two questionnaires to evaluate PA and SB in daily life contexts and individual representations of residential neighborhood and transportation modes. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed which identified 6 distinct movement behavior patterns: (i) active occupation, high sedentary leisure, (ii) sedentary occupation, low leisure, (iii) sedentary transportation, (iv) sedentary occupation and leisure, (v) active transportation, and (vi) active leisure. Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to identify correlates of the “active transportation” cluster. The perceived environmental characteristics positively associated with “active transportation” included “high availability of destinations around home,” “presence of bicycle paths,” and “low traffic.” A “positive image of walking/cycling,” the “individual feeling of being physically active,” and a “high use of active transport modes by relatives/friends” were positively related to “active transportation,” identified as a unique pattern regarding individual and environmental correlates. Identification of PA and SB context-specific patterns will help to understand movement behaviors' complexity and to design interventions to promote active transportation in specific subgroups. PMID:28717653

Correlates of habitual physical activity and organized sports in German primary school children.

PubMed

Kobel, S; Kettner, S; Kesztyüs, D; Erkelenz, N; Drenowatz, C; Steinacker, J M

2015-03-01

The increased prevalence of childhood obesity has also been attributed to low physical activity (PA) levels. Understanding factors affecting child PA levels is especially important considering the benefits PA offers to youth. This study therefore examined different correlates affecting habitual PA and sports participation in primary school children. Height and weight were measured during a school visit in 1714 children (7.1 ± .6 years). PA and behavioural correlates were assessed by parental questionnaire. The effect of various correlates on PA as well as participation in organized sports was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Significant correlates of PA and sports participation were engagement in sporting activities outside of clubs and children's weight status. Playing outdoors for more than 60 min/day was significant for PA, having well educated parents and being male. Participation in sports was influenced by children's media consumption, active travel to school and having active parents. No influence was found for migration, income, parental weight status and health consciousness. In this study, a multiplicity of independent correlates of PA and sports participation, which require a broad approach to promote an active lifestyle, have been considered. Understanding these factors might support the development of effective health-promoting interventions. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Bell-correlated activable bound entanglement in multiqubit systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bandyopadhyay, Somshubhro; Chattopadhyay, Indrani; Roychowdhury, Vwani

2005-06-15

We show that the Hilbert space of even number ({>=}4) of qubits can always be decomposed as a direct sum of four orthogonal subspaces such that the normalized projectors onto the subspaces are activable bound entangled (ABE) states. These states also show a surprising recursive relation in the sense that the states belonging to 2N+2 qubits are Bell correlated to the states of 2N qubits; hence, we refer to these states as Bell-correlated ABE (BCABE) states. We also study the properties of noisy BCABE states and show that they are very similar to that of two qubit Bell-diagonal states.

Environmental and psychological correlates of older adult's active commuting.

PubMed

Panter, Jenna R; Jones, Andrew P; van Sluijs, Esther M F; Griffin, Simon J; Wareham, Nicholas J

2011-07-01

This study explored the environmental and psychological correlates of active commuting in a sample of adults from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer Norfolk cohort. Members of the cohort who were in employment, lived within 10 km of work, and did not report a limitation that precluded walking were included in this analysis. Psychological factors, perceptions of the neighborhood environment and travel mode to work were reported using questionnaires. Neighborhood and route environmental characteristics were estimated objectively using a geographical information system. The mediating effects of psychological factors were assessed using a series of regression models. A total of 1279 adults (mean age=60.4 yr, SD=5.4 yr) were included in this analysis, of whom 25% actively commuted to work. In multivariable regression analyses, those who reported strong habits for walking or cycling were more likely to actively commute, whereas those living 4-10 km from work were less likely to actively commute. In addition, living in a rural area was associated with a decreased likelihood of men's active commuting, and in women, living in a neighborhood with high road density and having a route to work that was not on a main or secondary road was associated with an increased likelihood of active commuting. There was weak evidence that habit acted to partly mediate the associations between environmental correlates and active commuting in both sexes. The findings suggest that interventions designed to encourage the development of habitual behaviors for active commuting may be effective, especially among those living close to work.

Neural correlates of math anxiety – an overview and implications

PubMed Central

Artemenko, Christina; Daroczy, Gabriella; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety is a common phenomenon which can have a negative impact on numerical and arithmetic performance. However, so far little is known about the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. This mini review provides an overview of studies investigating the neural correlates of math anxiety which provide several hints regarding its influence on math performance: while behavioral studies mostly observe an influence of math anxiety on difficult math tasks, neurophysiological studies show that processing efficiency is already affected in basic number processing. Overall, the neurocognitive literature suggests that (i) math anxiety elicits emotion- and pain-related activation during and before math activities, (ii) that the negative emotional response to math anxiety impairs processing efficiency, and (iii) that math deficits triggered by math anxiety may be compensated for by modulating the cognitive control or emotional regulation network. However, activation differs strongly between studies, depending on tasks, paradigms, and samples. We conclude that neural correlates can help to understand and explore the processes underlying math anxiety, but the data are not very consistent yet. PMID:26388824

Schizotypal Perceptual Aberrations of Time: Correlation between Score, Behavior and Brain Activity

PubMed Central

Arzy, Shahar; Mohr, Christine; Molnar-Szakacs, Istvan; Blanke, Olaf

2011-01-01

A fundamental trait of the human self is its continuum experience of space and time. Perceptual aberrations of this spatial and temporal continuity is a major characteristic of schizophrenia spectrum disturbances – including schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder and schizotypy. We have previously found the classical Perceptual Aberration Scale (PAS) scores, related to body and space, to be positively correlated with both behavior and temporo-parietal activation in healthy participants performing a task involving self-projection in space. However, not much is known about the relationship between temporal perceptual aberration, behavior and brain activity. To this aim, we composed a temporal Perceptual Aberration Scale (tPAS) similar to the traditional PAS. Testing on 170 participants suggested similar performance for PAS and tPAS. We then correlated tPAS and PAS scores to participants' performance and neural activity in a task of self-projection in time. tPAS scores correlated positively with reaction times across task conditions, as did PAS scores. Evoked potential mapping and electrical neuroimaging showed self-projection in time to recruit a network of brain regions at the left anterior temporal cortex, right temporo-parietal junction, and occipito-temporal cortex, and duration of activation in this network positively correlated with tPAS and PAS scores. These data demonstrate that schizotypal perceptual aberrations of both time and space, as reflected by tPAS and PAS scores, are positively correlated with performance and brain activation during self-projection in time in healthy individuals along the schizophrenia spectrum. PMID:21267456

Polynomial Monogamy Relations for Entanglement Negativity.

PubMed

Allen, Grant W; Meyer, David A

2017-02-24

The notion of nonclassical correlations is a powerful contrivance for explaining phenomena exhibited in quantum systems. It is well known, however, that quantum systems are not free to explore arbitrary correlations-the church of the smaller Hilbert space only accepts monogamous congregants. We demonstrate how to characterize the limits of what is quantum mechanically possible with a computable measure, entanglement negativity. We show that negativity only saturates the standard linear monogamy inequality in trivial cases implied by its monotonicity under local operations and classical communication, and derive a necessary and sufficient inequality which, for the first time, is a nonlinear higher degree polynomial. For very large quantum systems, we prove that the negativity can be distributed at least linearly for the tightest constraint and conjecture that it is at most linear.

Cortical activation patterns correlate with speech understanding after cochlear implantation

PubMed Central

Olds, Cristen; Pollonini, Luca; Abaya, Homer; Larky, Jannine; Loy, Megan; Bortfeld, Heather; Beauchamp, Michael S.; Oghalai, John S.

2015-01-01

Objectives Cochlear implants are a standard therapy for deafness, yet the ability of implanted patients to understand speech varies widely. To better understand this variability in outcomes, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to image activity within regions of the auditory cortex and compare the results to behavioral measures of speech perception. Design We studied 32 deaf adults hearing through cochlear implants and 35 normal-hearing controls. We used fNIRS to measure responses within the lateral temporal lobe and the superior temporal gyrus to speech stimuli of varying intelligibility. The speech stimuli included normal speech, channelized speech (vocoded into 20 frequency bands), and scrambled speech (the 20 frequency bands were shuffled in random order). We also used environmental sounds as a control stimulus. Behavioral measures consisted of the Speech Reception Threshold, CNC words, and AzBio Sentence tests measured in quiet. Results Both control and implanted participants with good speech perception exhibited greater cortical activations to natural speech than to unintelligible speech. In contrast, implanted participants with poor speech perception had large, indistinguishable cortical activations to all stimuli. The ratio of cortical activation to normal speech to that of scrambled speech directly correlated with the CNC Words and AzBio Sentences scores. This pattern of cortical activation was not correlated with auditory threshold, age, side of implantation, or time after implantation. Turning off the implant reduced cortical activations in all implanted participants. Conclusions Together, these data indicate that the responses we measured within the lateral temporal lobe and the superior temporal gyrus correlate with behavioral measures of speech perception, demonstrating a neural basis for the variability in speech understanding outcomes after cochlear implantation. PMID:26709749

Brain Activation in Primary Motor and Somatosensory Cortices during Motor Imagery Correlates with Motor Imagery Ability in Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

Confalonieri, Linda; Pagnoni, Giuseppe; Barsalou, Lawrence W.; Rajendra, Justin; Eickhoff, Simon B.; Butler, Andrew J.

2012-01-01

Aims. While studies on healthy subjects have shown a partial overlap between the motor execution and motor imagery neural circuits, few have investigated brain activity during motor imagery in stroke patients with hemiparesis. This work is aimed at examining similarities between motor imagery and execution in a group of stroke patients. Materials and Methods. Eleven patients were asked to perform a visuomotor tracking task by either physically or mentally tracking a sine wave force target using their thumb and index finger during fMRI scanning. MIQ-RS questionnaire has been administered. Results and Conclusion. Whole-brain analyses confirmed shared neural substrates between motor imagery and motor execution in bilateral premotor cortex, SMA, and in the contralesional inferior parietal lobule. Additional region of interest-based analyses revealed a negative correlation between kinaesthetic imagery ability and percentage BOLD change in areas 4p and 3a; higher imagery ability was associated with negative and lower percentage BOLD change in primary sensorimotor areas during motor imagery. PMID:23378930

Social Cognitive Correlates of Physical Activity in Black Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Kinnett-Hopkins, Dominique; Motl, Robert W

2016-04-01

To examine variables from social cognitive theory as correlates of physical activity in black and white individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Cross-sectional. National survey. Black (n=151) and white (n=185) individuals with MS were recruited through the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis Registry. Not applicable. The battery of questionnaires included information on demographic and clinical characteristics, physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, function, social support, exercise outcome expectations, and exercise goal setting and planning. Black individuals with MS reported significantly lower levels of physical activity compared with white individuals with MS. Physical activity levels were significantly correlated with self-efficacy, outcome expectations, functional limitations as impediments, and goal setting in black participants with MS. The pattern and magnitude of correlations were comparable with those observed in white participants based on Fisher z tests. Researchers should consider applying behavioral interventions that target social cognitive theory variables for increasing physical activity levels among black individuals with MS. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of receiving an apology and active forgiveness: an FMRI study.

PubMed

Strang, Sabrina; Utikal, Verena; Fischbacher, Urs; Weber, Bernd; Falk, Armin

2014-01-01

Interpersonal conflicts are a common element of many social relationships. One possible process in rebuilding social relationships is the act of apologizing. Behavioral studies have shown that apologies promote forgiveness. However, the neural bases of receiving an apology and forgiveness are still unknown. Hence, the aim of the present fMRI study was to investigate brain processes involved in receiving an apology and active forgiveness of an ambiguous offense. We asked one group of participants (player A) to make decisions, which were either positive or negative for another group of participants (player B). The intention of player A was ambiguous to player B. In case of a negative impact, participants in the role of player A could send an apology message to participants in the role of player B. Subsequently players B were asked whether they wanted to forgive player A for making a decision with negative consequences. We found that receiving an apology yielded activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus, the left middle temporal gyrus, and left angular gyrus. In line with previous research we found that forgiving judgments activated the right angular gyrus.

Mindfulness in schizophrenia: Associations with self-reported motivation, emotion regulation, dysfunctional attitudes, and negative symptoms.

PubMed

Tabak, Naomi T; Horan, William P; Green, Michael F

2015-10-01

Mindfulness-based interventions are gaining empirical support as alternative or adjunctive treatments for a variety of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders. Emerging evidence now suggests that mindfulness-based treatments may also improve clinical features of schizophrenia, including negative symptoms. However, no research has examined the construct of mindfulness and its correlates in schizophrenia. In this study, we examined self-reported mindfulness in patients (n=35) and controls (n=25) using the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. We examined correlations among mindfulness, negative symptoms, and psychological constructs associated with negative symptoms and adaptive functioning, including motivation, emotion regulation, and dysfunctional attitudes. As hypothesized, patients endorsed lower levels of mindfulness than controls. In patients, mindfulness was unrelated to negative symptoms, but it was associated with more adaptive emotion regulation (greater reappraisal) and beliefs (lower dysfunctional attitudes). Some facets of mindfulness were also associated with self-reported motivation (behavioral activation and inhibition). These patterns of correlations were similar in patients and controls. Findings from this initial study suggest that schizophrenia patients may benefit from mindfulness-based interventions because they (a) have lower self-reported mindfulness than controls and (b) demonstrate strong relationships between mindfulness and psychological constructs related to adaptive functioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of regional activation by factorization of high-density surface EMG signals: A comparison of Principal Component Analysis and Non-negative Matrix factorization.

PubMed

Gallina, Alessio; Garland, S Jayne; Wakeling, James M

2018-05-22

In this study, we investigated whether principal component analysis (PCA) and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) perform similarly for the identification of regional activation within the human vastus medialis. EMG signals from 64 locations over the VM were collected from twelve participants while performing a low-force isometric knee extension. The envelope of the EMG signal of each channel was calculated by low-pass filtering (8 Hz) the monopolar EMG signal after rectification. The data matrix was factorized using PCA and NMF, and up to 5 factors were considered for each algorithm. Association between explained variance, spatial weights and temporal scores between the two algorithms were compared using Pearson correlation. For both PCA and NMF, a single factor explained approximately 70% of the variance of the signal, while two and three factors explained just over 85% or 90%. The variance explained by PCA and NMF was highly comparable (R > 0.99). Spatial weights and temporal scores extracted with non-negative reconstruction of PCA and NMF were highly associated (all p < 0.001, mean R > 0.97). Regional VM activation can be identified using high-density surface EMG and factorization algorithms. Regional activation explains up to 30% of the variance of the signal, as identified through both PCA and NMF. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation of glucosinolate content to myrosinase activity in horseradish (Armoracia rusticana).

PubMed

Li, Xian; Kushad, Mosbah M

2004-11-17

Fully developed horseradish (Armoracia rusticana Gaertn., Mey., & Scherb.) roots from 27 accessions and leaves from a subset of 9 accessions were evaluated for glucosinolates and myrosinase enzyme activity. Eight different glucosinolates were detected (based on HPLC retention times as desulfoglucosinolates) in both root and leaf tissues. The sum of these glucosinolates, referred to as total, ranged from 2 to 296 micromol g(-1) of dry weight (DW) in both tissues. Four glucosinolates (sinigrin, glucobrassicin, neoglucobrassicin, and gluconasturtiin) were detected in major quantities. In fully developed roots, sinigrin concentration represented approximately 83%, gluconasturtiin approximately 11%, and glucobrassicin approximately 1% of the total glucosinolates. Approximately the same proportions of individual glucosinolates appeared in fully developed leaves, except that glucobrassicin was substituted by neoglucobrassicin and gluconasturtiin concentration was significantly lower (<1%). At least four other glucosinolates were detected in very small quantities (<1%) in both roots and leaves. Myrosinase (beta-thioglucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.3.1) is the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of the parent glucosinolates into biologically active products. Very little is known about myrosinase activity and the correlation of its activity to total and individual glucosinolates in plant tissues. Significant differences in myrosinase activity were detected between the roots and leaves, ranging from 1.2 to 57.1 units g(-1) of DW. Data showed no correlation between myrosinase activity and total and/or individual glucosinolates in the roots. However, in the leaves, significant correlations were found between myrosinase activity and total glucosinolates (0.78 at P = 0.01) and between myrosinase activity and sinigrin (0.80 at P = 0.01). Glucosinolates content and myrosinase activity were also correlated in young and fully developed roots and leaves and during tissue crushing

Error-Related Brain Activity in Young Children: Associations with Parental Anxiety and Child Temperamental Negative Emotionality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torpey, Dana C.; Hajcak, Greg; Kim, Jiyon; Kujawa, Autumn J.; Dyson, Margaret W.; Olino, Thomas M.; Klein, Daniel N.

2013-01-01

Background: There is increasing interest in error-related brain activity in anxiety disorders. The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the event-related potential approximately 50 [milliseconds] after errors compared to correct responses. Recent studies suggest that the ERN may be a biomarker for anxiety, as it is positively…

Neurofunctional correlates of ethical, food-related decision-making.

PubMed

Cherry, J Bradley C; Bruce, Jared M; Lusk, Jayson L; Crespi, John M; Lim, Seung-Lark; Bruce, Amanda S

2015-01-01

For consumers today, the perceived ethicality of a food's production method can be as important a purchasing consideration as its price. Still, few studies have examined how, neurofunctionally, consumers are making ethical, food-related decisions. We examined how consumers' ethical concern about a food's production method may relate to how, neurofunctionally, they make decisions whether to purchase that food. Forty-six participants completed a measure of the extent to which they took ethical concern into consideration when making food-related decisions. They then underwent a series of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans while performing a food-related decision-making (FRDM) task. During this task, they made 56 decisions whether to purchase a food based on either its price (i.e., high or low, the "price condition") or production method (i.e., with or without the use of cages, the "production method condition"), but not both. For 23 randomly selected participants, we performed an exploratory, whole-brain correlation between ethical concern and differential neurofunctional activity in the price and production method conditions. Ethical concern correlated negatively and significantly with differential neurofunctional activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). For the remaining 23 participants, we performed a confirmatory, region-of-interest (ROI) correlation between the same variables, using an 8-mm3 volume situated in the left dlPFC. Again, the variables correlated negatively and significantly. This suggests, when making ethical, food-related decisions, the more consumers take ethical concern into consideration, the less they may rely on neurofunctional activity in the left dlPFC, possibly because making these decisions is more routine for them, and therefore a more perfunctory process requiring fewer cognitive resources.

Boredom proneness: its relationship to positive and negative affect.

PubMed

Vodanovich, S J; Verner, K M; Gilbride, T V

1991-12-01

170 undergraduate students completed the Boredom Proneness Scale by Farmer and Sundberg and the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist by Zuckerman and Lubin. Significant negative relationships were found between boredom proneness and negative affect scores (i.e., Depression, Hostility, Anxiety). Significant positive correlations also obtained between boredom proneness and positive affect (i.e., Positive Affect, Sensation Seeking). The correlations between boredom proneness "subscales" and positive and negative affect were congruent with those obtained using total boredom proneness scores. Implications for counseling are discussed.

Identifying a size-specific hazard of silica nanoparticles after intravenous administration and its relationship to the other hazards that have negative correlations with the particle size in mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handa, Takayuki; Hirai, Toshiro; Izumi, Natsumi; Eto, Shun-ichi; Tsunoda, Shin-ichi; Nagano, Kazuya; Higashisaka, Kazuma; Yoshioka, Yasuo; Tsutsumi, Yasuo

2017-03-01

Many of the beneficial and toxic biological effects of nanoparticles have been shown to have a negative correlation with particle size. However, few studies have demonstrated biological effects that only occur at specific nanoparticle sizes. Further elucidation of the size-specific biological effects of nanoparticles may reveal not only unknown toxicities, but also novel benefits of nanoparticles. We used surface-unmodified silica particles with a wide range of diameters and narrow size intervals between the diameters (10, 30, 50, 70, 100, 300, and 1000 nm) to investigate the relationship between particle size and acute toxicity after intravenous administration in mice. Negative correlations between particle size and thrombocytopenia, liver damage, and lethal toxicity were observed. However, a specific size-effect was observed for the severity of hypothermia, where silica nanoparticles with a diameter of 50 nm induced the most severe hypothermia. Further investigation revealed that this hypothermia was mediated not by histamine, but by platelet-activating factor, and it was independent of the thrombocytopenia and the liver damage. In addition, macrophages/Kupffer cells and platelets, but not neutrophils, play a critical role in the hypothermia. The present results reveal that silica nanoparticles have particle size-specific toxicity in mice, suggesting that other types of nanoparticles may also have biological effects that only manifest at specific particle sizes. Further study of the size-specific effects of nanoparticles is essential for safer and more effective nanomedicines.

Predictive Model of Linear Antimicrobial Peptides Active against Gram-Negative Bacteria.

PubMed

Vishnepolsky, Boris; Gabrielian, Andrei; Rosenthal, Alex; Hurt, Darrell E; Tartakovsky, Michael; Managadze, Grigol; Grigolava, Maya; Makhatadze, George I; Pirtskhalava, Malak

2018-05-29

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified as a potential new class of anti-infectives for drug development. There are a lot of computational methods that try to predict AMPs. Most of them can only predict if a peptide will show any antimicrobial potency, but to the best of our knowledge, there are no tools which can predict antimicrobial potency against particular strains. Here we present a predictive model of linear AMPs being active against particular Gram-negative strains relying on a semi-supervised machine-learning approach with a density-based clustering algorithm. The algorithm can well distinguish peptides active against particular strains from others which may also be active but not against the considered strain. The available AMP prediction tools cannot carry out this task. The prediction tool based on the algorithm suggested herein is available on https://dbaasp.org.

The level of negative emotions, coping with stress and social support for parents of children suffering from epilepsy.

PubMed

Wojtas, Katarzyna; Oskedra, Iwona; Cepuch, Grazyna; Świderska, Elzbiera

2014-01-01

Child epilepsy can be source of negative emotions and stress in pa- rents. Social support is an external personal resource coupled with the process of coping with difficult situations. The aim of the study evaluation the severity of negative emotions and ways of dealing with the stress of parents of children with epilepsy in relation to the received social support. The study was conducted in one of the children's hospitals in Małopolska, on 213 parents (148 women and 65 men) aged 21 to 66 years. The study used: HADS-M (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Modified HADS-M, BSSS (Berlin Social Suport Scale), Inventory for Measurement Coping Mini-COPE and the author's questionnaire. Statistical analysis used Pearson and Spearman's correlation and Mann-Whitney test and t-test. Calculations were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 Statistical significance was p ≤0.05. The dominant emotion that accompanied the parents was anxiety. Parents have used more strategies based on active coping, and seeking emotional support or instrumental. It has been shown there is a correlation between the level of intensity of negative emotions and social support, and also correlation between social support and ways of coping with stress. Parents expressed negative emotions but not of high severity which may be related to the choice of active coping strategies. Steps should be taken not only to assess the prevalence of negative emotions in a group of parents, but also to reduce the level of their intensity by exposing the importance of social support.

Race and Sex Differences in College Student Physical Activity Correlates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArthur, Laura H.; Raedeke, Thomas D.

2009-01-01

Objectives: To assess sex/race differences on psychosocial correlates of physical activity among college students. Methods: Survey research protocol. Results: Students (n = 636) exercised an average of 3.5 days per week, with black females being the least active. Across subgroups, health/fitness was rated as the most important motive for exercise,…

Attention-related changes in correlated neuronal activity arise from normalization mechanisms

PubMed Central

Verhoef, Bram-Ernst; Maunsell, John H.R.

2017-01-01

Attention is believed to enhance perception by altering the correlations between pairs of neurons. How attention changes neuronal correlations is unknown. Using multi-electrodes in primate visual cortex, we measured spike-count correlations when single or multiple stimuli were presented, and stimuli were attended or unattended. When stimuli were unattended, adding a suppressive, non-preferred, stimulus beside a preferred stimulus increased spike-count correlations between pairs of similarly-tuned neurons, but decreased spike-count correlations between pairs of oppositely-tuned neurons. These changes are explained by a stochastic normalization model containing populations of oppositely-tuned, mutually-suppressive neurons. Importantly, this model also explains why attention decreased (attend preferred stimulus) or increased (attend non-preferred stimulus) correlations: as an indirect consequence of attention-related changes in the inputs to normalization mechanisms. Our findings link normalization mechanisms to correlated neuronal activity and attention, showing that normalization mechanisms shape response correlations and that these correlations change when attention biases normalization mechanisms. PMID:28553943

Validation of Turkish version of brief negative symptom scale.

PubMed

Polat Nazlı, Irmak; Ergül, Ceylan; Aydemir, Ömer; Chandhoke, Swati; Üçok, Alp; Gönül, Ali Saffet

2016-11-01

Negative symptoms in schizophrenia have been assessed by many instruments. However, a current consensus on these symptoms has been built and new tools, such as the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS), are generated. This study aimed to evaluate reliability and validity of the Turkish version of BNSS. The scale was translated to Turkish and backtranslated to English. After the approval of the translation, 75 schizophrenia patients were interviewed with BNSS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS). Reliability and validity analyses were then calculated. In the reliability analysis, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.96 and item-total score correlation coefficients were between 0.655-0.884. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.665. The inter-rater reliability was 0.982 (p < 0.0001). In the validity analysis, the total score of BNSS-TR was correlated with PANSS Total Score, Positive Symptoms Subscale, Negative Symptoms Subscale, and General Psychopathology Subscale. CDSS and ESRS were not correlated with BNSS-TR. The factor structure of the scale was consisting the same items as in the original version. Our study confirms that the Turkish version of BNSS is an applicable tool for the evaluation of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

Correlates of pedometer-measured and self-reported physical activity among young Australian adults.

PubMed

Cleland, Verity J; Schmidt, Michael D; Salmon, Jo; Dwyer, Terence; Venn, Alison

2011-11-01

Accurately quantifying physical activity is important for investigating relations with potential correlates, but past studies have mostly relied on self-report measures, which may be susceptible to error and biases, limiting interpretability. This study aimed to examine correlates of pedometer-determined physical activity and compare them with correlates of self-reported physical activity. Cross-sectional data were taken from 2017 Australian adults (aged 26-36 years) who were involved in the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health follow-up study during 2004-2006. Daily steps were recorded for seven days using Yamax pedometers and physical activity (total min/week) was reported via the long International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Demographic, biological, behavioral, psychological, social and environmental factors were assessed. Lower education, blue collar occupation and higher mental health score (men) and low-moderate alcohol intake (women) were positively associated with self-report and pedometer-measured activity. Among men, body mass index (BMI) was inversely and physical health score was positively associated with pedometer-measured activity while smoking, low to moderate alcohol intake, higher general health and urban area of residence were positively associated with self-reported activity. Among women, age and general health status were positively associated and number of live births inversely associated with pedometer-measured activity, while lower education, blue collar occupation, part time employment, smoking, diet, higher physical health score and higher mental health score were positively associated and white collar occupation inversely associated with self-reported activity. Many physical activity correlates differed depending on the measure employed; researchers should be mindful of these differences when selecting measures of physical activity. Copyright © 2011 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anticipatory pleasure and approach motivation in schizophrenia-like negative symptoms.

PubMed

Engel, Maike; Fritzsche, Anja; Lincoln, Tania M

2013-12-15

Previous research of negative symptoms in schizophrenia has emphasized an anticipatory pleasure deficit, yet the relationship of this deficit to patients' motivation in everyday life is poorly understood. This study tested the link between anticipatory pleasure and two broad motivational systems that are said to regulate the intensity of approach and avoidance behavior, the Behavioral Inhibition system (BIS) and the Behavioral Activation System (BAS). It was hypothesized that high vulnerability for negative symptoms would be associated with low reward responsiveness and that this association will be mediated by the amount of anticipated pleasure. Students (n=171) with varying vulnerability for negative symptoms (assessed by the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences) completed questionnaires regarding (a) anticipatory and consummatory pleasure, and (b) responsiveness to threat and reward. As hypothesized, anticipatory pleasure correlated significantly negatively with subclinical negative symptoms (r=-0.21) and significantly positively with BAS (r=0.55). Furthermore, evidence for a partial mediation effect was found. The findings support the notion of a close association between negative symptoms, the ability to anticipate pleasure and approach motivation that is evident even in healthy persons. It is suggested that the behavioral deficits immanent to negative symptoms reflect difficulties in the ability to translate emotions into motivation. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Do Negative Emotions Impair Self-Control? A Neural Model of Negative Urgency

PubMed Central

Chester, David S.; Lynam, Donald R.; Milich, Richard; Powell, David K.; Andersen, Anders H.; DeWall, C. Nathan

2016-01-01

Self-control often fails when people experience negative emotions. Negative urgency represents the dispositional tendency to experience such self-control failure in response to negative affect. The neural underpinnings of negative urgency are not fully understood, nor is the more general phenomenon of self-control failure in response to negative emotions. Previous theorizing suggests that an insufficient, inhibitory response from the prefrontal cortex may be the culprit behind such self-control failure. However, we entertained an alternative hypothesis: negative emotions lead to self-control failure because they excessively tax inhibitory regions of the prefrontal cortex. Using fMRI, we compared the neural activity of people high in negative urgency with controls on an emotional, inhibitory Go/No-Go task. While experiencing negative (but not positive or neutral) emotions, participants high in negative urgency showed greater recruitment of inhibitory brain regions than controls. Suggesting a compensatory function, inhibitory accuracy among participants high in negative urgency was associated with greater prefrontal recruitment. Greater activity in the anterior insula on negatively-valenced, inhibitory trials predicted greater substance abuse one month and one year after the MRI scan among individuals high in negative urgency. These results suggest that, among people whose negative emotions often lead to self-control failure, excessive reactivity of the brain’s regulatory resources may be the culprit. PMID:26892861

Enhanced performance of Zn(II)-doped lead-acid batteries with electrochemical active carbon in negative mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Jiayuan; Hu, Chen; Chen, Liying; Zhang, Dong; Ding, Ping; Chen, Dong; Liu, Hao; Chen, Jian; Wu, Xianzhang; Lai, Xiaokang

2016-10-01

The effect and mechanism of Zn(II) on improving the performances of lead-acid cell with electrochemical active carbon (EAC) in negative mass is investigated. The hydrogen evolution of the cell is significantly reduced due to the deposition of Zn on carbon surface and the increased porosity of negative mass. Zn(II) additives can also improve the low-temperature and high-rate capacities of the cell with EAC in negative mass, which ascribes to the formation of Zn on lead and carbon surface that constructs a conductive bridge among the active mass. Under the co-contribution of EAC and Zn(II), the partial-state-of-charge cycle life is greatly prolonged. EAC optimizes the NAM structure and porosity to enhance the charge acceptance and retard the lead sulfate accumulation. Zn(II) additive reduces the hydrogen evolution during charge process and improves the electric conductivity of the negative electrode. The cell with 0.6 wt% EAC and 0.006 wt% ZnO in negative mass exhibits 90% reversible capacity of the initial capacity after 2100 cycles. In contrast, the cell with 0.6 wt% EAC exhibits 84% reversible capacity after 2100 cycles and the control cell with no EAC and Zn(II) exhibits less than 80% reversible capacity after 1350 cycles.

Structural and Functional Cerebral Correlates of Hypnotic Suggestibility

PubMed Central

Huber, Alexa; Lui, Fausta; Duzzi, Davide; Pagnoni, Giuseppe; Porro, Carlo Adolfo

2014-01-01

Little is known about the neural bases of hypnotic suggestibility, a cognitive trait referring to the tendency to respond to hypnotic suggestions. In the present magnetic resonance imaging study, we performed regression analyses to assess hypnotic suggestibility-related differences in local gray matter volume, using voxel-based morphometry, and in waking resting state functional connectivity of 10 resting state networks, in 37 healthy women. Hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with gray matter volume in portions of the left superior and medial frontal gyri, roughly overlapping with the supplementary and pre-supplementary motor area, and negatively correlated with gray matter volume in the left superior temporal gyrus and insula. In the functional connectivity analysis, hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with functional connectivity between medial posterior areas, including bilateral posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, and both the lateral visual network and the left fronto-parietal network; a positive correlation was also found with functional connectivity between the executive-control network and a right postcentral/parietal area. In contrast, hypnotic suggestibility was negatively correlated with functional connectivity between the right fronto-parietal network and the right lateral thalamus. These findings demonstrate for the first time a correlation between hypnotic suggestibility, the structural features of specific cortical regions, and the functional connectivity during the normal resting state of brain structures involved in imagery and self-monitoring activity. PMID:24671130

Structural and functional cerebral correlates of hypnotic suggestibility.

PubMed

Huber, Alexa; Lui, Fausta; Duzzi, Davide; Pagnoni, Giuseppe; Porro, Carlo Adolfo

2014-01-01

Little is known about the neural bases of hypnotic suggestibility, a cognitive trait referring to the tendency to respond to hypnotic suggestions. In the present magnetic resonance imaging study, we performed regression analyses to assess hypnotic suggestibility-related differences in local gray matter volume, using voxel-based morphometry, and in waking resting state functional connectivity of 10 resting state networks, in 37 healthy women. Hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with gray matter volume in portions of the left superior and medial frontal gyri, roughly overlapping with the supplementary and pre-supplementary motor area, and negatively correlated with gray matter volume in the left superior temporal gyrus and insula. In the functional connectivity analysis, hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with functional connectivity between medial posterior areas, including bilateral posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, and both the lateral visual network and the left fronto-parietal network; a positive correlation was also found with functional connectivity between the executive-control network and a right postcentral/parietal area. In contrast, hypnotic suggestibility was negatively correlated with functional connectivity between the right fronto-parietal network and the right lateral thalamus. These findings demonstrate for the first time a correlation between hypnotic suggestibility, the structural features of specific cortical regions, and the functional connectivity during the normal resting state of brain structures involved in imagery and self-monitoring activity.

Effects of Positive and Negative Mood Induction on the Prefrontal Cortex Activity Measured by Near Infrared Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Compare, A; Brugnera, Agostino; Adorni, R; Sakatani, K

2016-01-01

The neurophysiological mechanism of positive versus negative emotions is insufficiently understood. In the present study, we examined the effect of event recall tasks on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Nine healthy adults were instructed to recall episodes of their life associated with positive (happiness) and negative (anger) emotion, both silently and verbally. Heart rate (HR) changes were simultaneously measured. NIRS showed an increased oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) in the bilateral PFC during silent and verbal recall of both positive and negative episodes. The changes of oxy-Hb in the bilateral PFC during silent recall of negative episodes were significantly larger than those during silent recall of positive episodes (p < 0.01). There was no difference in average changes of oxy-Hb between silent and verbal recall of negative episodes (p > 0.95), while changes of oxy-Hb during verbal recall of positive episodes were larger than those during silent recall of positive episodes (p < 0.05). Both verbal and silent recall of positive and negative episodes increased HR; however, verbal recall caused larger increases of HR than silent recall (p < 0.01). The present results suggest that recall of negative episodes affect the PFC activity, which plays a key role in cognitive control of emotions, more than positive episodes.

Analysis of PIK3CA Mutations and Activation Pathways in Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Cossu-Rocca, Paolo; Orrù, Sandra; Muroni, Maria Rosaria; Sanges, Francesca; Sotgiu, Giovanni; Ena, Sara; Pira, Giovanna; Murgia, Luciano; Manca, Alessandra; Uras, Maria Gabriela; Sarobba, Maria Giuseppina; Urru, Silvana; De Miglio, Maria Rosaria

2015-01-01