Three-Dimensional Digital Capture of Head Size in Neonates – A Method Evaluation

PubMed Central

Ifflaender, Sascha; Rüdiger, Mario; Koch, Arite; Burkhardt, Wolfram

2013-01-01

Introduction The quality of neonatal care is mainly determined by long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. The neurodevelopment of preterm infants is related to postnatal head growth and depends on medical interventions such as nutritional support. Head circumference (HC) is currently used as a two-dimensional measure of head growth. Since head deformities are frequently found in preterm infants, HC may not always adequately reflect head growth. Laser aided head shape digitizers offer semiautomatic acquisition of HC and cranial volume (CrV) and could thus be useful in describing head size more precisely. Aims 1) To evaluate reproducibility of a 3D digital capture system in newborns. 2) To compare manual and digital HC measurements in a neonatal cohort. 3) To determine correlation of HC and CrV and predictive value of HC. Methods Within a twelve-month period data of head scans with a laser shape digitizer were analysed. Repeated measures were used for method evaluation. Manually and digitally acquired HC was compared. Regression analysis of HC and CrV was performed. Results Interobserver reliability was excellent for HC (bias-0.005%, 95% Limits of Agreement (LoA) −0.39–0.39%) and CrV (bias1.5%, 95%LoA-0.8–3.6%). Method comparison data was acquired from 282 infants. It revealed interchangeability of the methods (bias-0.45%; 95%LoA-4.55–3.65%) and no significant systematic or proportional differences. HC and CrV correlated (r2 = 0.859, p<0.001), performance of HC predicting CrV was poor (RSD ±24 ml). Correlation was worse in infants with lower postmenstrual age (r2 = 0.745) compared to older infants (r2 = 0.843). Discussion The current practice of measuring HC for describing head growth in preterm infants could be misleading since it does not represent a 3D approach. CrV can vary substantially in infants of equal HC. The 3D laser scanner represents a new and promising method to provide reproducible data of CrV and HC. Since it does not provide data on cerebral structures, additional imaging is required. PMID:23580107

Gross and fine motor function in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

PubMed Central

Rasouli, Omid; Fors, Egil A; Borchgrevink, Petter Chr; Öhberg, Fredrik; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin

2017-01-01

Purpose This paper aimed to investigate motor proficiency in fine and gross motor function, with a focus on reaction time (RT) and movement skill, in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods A total of 60 individuals (20 CFS, 20 FM, and 20 HC), age 19–49 years, participated in this study. Gross motor function in the lower extremity was assessed using a RT task during gait initiation in response to an auditory trigger. Fine motor function in the upper extremity was measured during a precision task (the Purdue Pegboard test) where the number of pins inserted within 30 s was counted. Results No significant differences were found between FM and CFS in any parameters. FM and CFS groups had significantly longer RT than HC in the gait initiation (p=0.001, and p=0.004 respectively). In the Purdue Pegboard test, 20% in the FM group, 15% in the CFS groups, and 0% of HC group, scored below the threshold of the accepted performance. However, there were no significant differences between FM, CFS, and HC in this task (p=0.12). Conclusion Compared to controls, both CFS and FM groups displayed significantly longer RT in the gait initiation task. Generally, FM patients showed the worst results in both tests, although no group differences were found in fine motor control, according to the Purdue Pegboard test. PMID:28223840

Accurate and Fully Automatic Hippocampus Segmentation Using Subject-Specific 3D Optimal Local Maps Into a Hybrid Active Contour Model

PubMed Central

Gkontra, Polyxeni; Daras, Petros; Maglaveras, Nicos

2014-01-01

Assessing the structural integrity of the hippocampus (HC) is an essential step toward prevention, diagnosis, and follow-up of various brain disorders due to the implication of the structural changes of the HC in those disorders. In this respect, the development of automatic segmentation methods that can accurately, reliably, and reproducibly segment the HC has attracted considerable attention over the past decades. This paper presents an innovative 3-D fully automatic method to be used on top of the multiatlas concept for the HC segmentation. The method is based on a subject-specific set of 3-D optimal local maps (OLMs) that locally control the influence of each energy term of a hybrid active contour model (ACM). The complete set of the OLMs for a set of training images is defined simultaneously via an optimization scheme. At the same time, the optimal ACM parameters are also calculated. Therefore, heuristic parameter fine-tuning is not required. Training OLMs are subsequently combined, by applying an extended multiatlas concept, to produce the OLMs that are anatomically more suitable to the test image. The proposed algorithm was tested on three different and publicly available data sets. Its accuracy was compared with that of state-of-the-art methods demonstrating the efficacy and robustness of the proposed method. PMID:27170866

Hemocoagulase Combined with Microbubble-Enhanced Ultrasound Cavitation for Augmented Ablation of Microvasculature in Rabbit VX2 Liver Tumors.

PubMed

Yang, Qian; Tang, Peng; He, Guangbin; Ge, Shuping; Liu, Liwen; Zhou, Xiaodong

2017-08-01

We investigated a new method for combining microbubble-enhanced ultrasound cavitation (MEUC) with hemocoagulase (HC) atrox. Our goal was to induce embolic effects in the vasculature and combine these with an anti-angiogenic treatment strategy. Fourteen days after being implanted with a single slice of the liver VX2 tumor, rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: (i) a control group injected intra-venously with saline using a micropump; (ii) a group given only an injection of HC; (iii) a group treated only with ultrasound cavitation; (iv) a group treated with MEUC; (v) a group treated with MEUC + HC. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was performed before treatment and 1 h and 7 d post-treatment to measure tumor size, enhancement and necrosis range. QontraXt software was used to determine the time-intensity curve of tumor blood perfusion and microvascular changes. At 1 h and 7 d after treatment with MEUC + HC, the parameters of the time-intensity curve, which included peak value, regional blood volume, regional blood flow and area under the curve value and which were measured using contrast-enhanced ultrasound, were significantly lower than those of the other treatment groups. The MEUC + HC treatment group exhibited significant growth inhibition relative to the ultrasound cavitation only, HC and MEUC treatment groups. No damage was observed in the surrounding normal tissues. These results support the feasibility of reducing the blood perfusion of rabbit VX2 liver tumors using a new method that combines MEUC and HC. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. All rights reserved.

Deficient Suppression of Default Mode Regions during Working Memory in Individuals with Early Psychosis and at Clinical High-Risk for Psychosis

PubMed Central

Fryer, Susanna L.; Woods, Scott W.; Kiehl, Kent A.; Calhoun, Vince D.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Roach, Brian J.; Ford, Judith M.; Srihari, Vinod H.; McGlashan, Thomas H.; Mathalon, Daniel H.

2013-01-01

Background: The default mode network (DMN) is a set of brain regions typically activated at rest and suppressed during extrinsic cognition. Schizophrenia has been associated with deficient DMN suppression, though the extent to which DMN dysfunction predates psychosis onset is unclear. This study examined DMN suppression during working memory (WM) performance in youth at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis, early schizophrenia (ESZ) patients, and healthy controls (HC). We hypothesized that the DMN would show load-dependent suppression during WM retrieval in HC but not in ESZ, with CHR participants showing an intermediate pattern. Methods: fMRI data were collected from CHR (n = 32), ESZ (n = 22), and HC (n = 54) participants, ages 12–30. DMN regions were defined via seed-based connectivity analysis of resting-state fMRI data from an independent HC sample. Load-dependent deactivations of these DMN regions in response to WM probes were interrogated. Results: Healthy controls showed linear load-dependent increases in DMN deactivation. Significant Group-by-Load interactions were observed in DMN regions including medial prefrontal and lateral posterior parietal cortices. Group-by-Load effects in posterior DMN nodes resulted from less suppression at higher WM loads in ESZ relative to HC, with CHR differing from neither group. In medial prefrontal cortex, suppression of activity at higher WM loads was significantly diminished in both CHR and ESZ groups, relative to HC. In addition, investigation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activations revealed that ESZ activated right DLPFC significantly more than HC, with CHR differing from neither group. Conclusion: While HC showed WM load-dependent modulation of DMN suppression, CHR individuals had deficient higher-load DMN suppression that was similar to, but less pronounced than, the distributed suppression deficits evident in ESZ patients. These results suggest that DMN dysregulation associated with schizophrenia predates psychosis onset. PMID:24032017

Basal forebrain infusion of HC-3 in rats: maze learning deficits and neuropathology.

PubMed

Hurlbut, B J; Lubar, J F; Switzer, R; Dougherty, J; Eisenstadt, M L

1987-01-01

Ten adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were infused with hemicholinium (HC-3) using mini-osmotic pumps over a 14 day period through bilateral, chronically implanted cannulae in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (nbm). Ten matched controls were infused in the same fashion with saline. HC-3 rats receiving implants demonstrated a significant deficit in maze-learning ability compared with individual and group performances before receiving the implants. In saline rats there was no significant difference in maze-learning ability before and after receiving implants. The HC-3 group receiving implants demonstrated a significant deficit in maze-learning ability compared with the saline control group. Serial sections through nbm from control and HC-3 rats indicated that all cannulae were located within infusion range of nbm. In HC-3 subjects, cholinergic cell bodies were destroyed with concurrent degeneration of terminal fields in cortex. Except for cannula insertion damage, the cholinergic neurotransmitter system appeared unharmed in controls. Stains for neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary damage were negative in both groups. The memory deficit in experimental subjects supported by the demonstrated destruction of nbm cholinergic neurons suggests that HC-3 may be useful in the development of an animal model for Alzheimer's Disease.

The Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Honeycomb Cyst Contains A Mucocilary Pseudostratified Epithelium

PubMed Central

Seibold, Max A.; Smith, Russell W.; Urbanek, Cydney; Groshong, Steve D.; Cosgrove, Gregory P.; Brown, Kevin K.; Schwarz, Marvin I.

2013-01-01

Background We previously identified a MUC5B gene promoter-variant that is a risk allele for sporadic and familial Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis/Usual Interstitial Pneumonia (IPF/UIP). This allele was strongly associated with increased MUC5B gene expression in lung tissue from unaffected subjects. Despite the strong association of this airway epithelial marker with disease, little is known of mucin expressing structures or of airway involvement in IPF/UIP. Methods Immunofluorescence was used to subtype mucus cells according to MUC5B and MUC5AC expression and to identify ciliated, basal, and alveolar type II (ATII) cells in tissue sections from control and IPF/UIP subjects. Staining patterns were quantified for distal airways (Control and IPF/UIP) and in honeycomb cysts (HC). Results MUC5B-expressing cells (EC) were detected in the majority of control distal airways. MUC5AC-EC were identified in half of these airways and only in airways that contained MUC5B-EC. The frequency of MUC5B+ and MUC5AC+ distal airways was increased in IPF/UIP subjects. MUC5B-EC were the dominant mucus cell type in the HC epithelium. The distal airway epithelium from control and IPF/UIP subjects and HC was populated by basal and ciliated cells. Most honeycombing regions were distinct from ATII hyperplasic regions. ATII cells were undetectable in the overwhelming majority of HC. Conclusions The distal airway contains a pseudostratified mucocilary epithelium that is defined by basal epithelial cells and mucus cells that express MUC5B predominantly. These data suggest that the HC is derived from the distal airway. PMID:23527003

The Effects of Acute Dopamine Precursor Depletion on the Reinforcing Value of Exercise in Anorexia Nervosa.

PubMed

O'Hara, Caitlin B; Keyes, Alexandra; Renwick, Bethany; Leyton, Marco; Campbell, Iain C; Schmidt, Ulrike

2016-01-01

This study investigated whether dopaminergic systems are involved in the motivation to engage in behaviours associated with anorexia nervosa (AN), specifically, the drive to exercise. Women recovered from AN (AN REC, n = 17) and healthy controls (HC, n = 15) were recruited. The acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion (APTD) method was used to transiently decrease dopamine synthesis and transmission. The effect of dopamine precursor depletion on drive to exercise was measured using a progressive ratio (PR) exercise breakpoint task. Both groups worked for the opportunity to exercise, and, at baseline, PR breakpoint scores were higher in AN REC than HC. Compared to values on the experimental control session, APTD did not decrease PR breakpoint scores in AN REC, but significantly decreased scores in HC. These data show that women recovered from AN are more motivated to exercise than HC, although in both groups, activity is more reinforcing than inactivity. Importantly, decreasing dopamine does not reduce the motivation to exercise in people recovered from AN, but in contrast, does so in HC. It is proposed that in AN, drive to exercise develops into a behaviour that is largely independent of dopamine mediated reward processes and becomes dependent on cortico-striatal neurocircuitry that regulates automated, habit- or compulsive-like behaviours. These data strengthen the case for the involvement of reward, learning, habit, and dopaminergic systems in the aetiology of AN.

The Effects of Acute Dopamine Precursor Depletion on the Reinforcing Value of Exercise in Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

O’Hara, Caitlin B.; Keyes, Alexandra; Renwick, Bethany; Leyton, Marco; Campbell, Iain C.; Schmidt, Ulrike

2016-01-01

This study investigated whether dopaminergic systems are involved in the motivation to engage in behaviours associated with anorexia nervosa (AN), specifically, the drive to exercise. Women recovered from AN (AN REC, n = 17) and healthy controls (HC, n = 15) were recruited. The acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion (APTD) method was used to transiently decrease dopamine synthesis and transmission. The effect of dopamine precursor depletion on drive to exercise was measured using a progressive ratio (PR) exercise breakpoint task. Both groups worked for the opportunity to exercise, and, at baseline, PR breakpoint scores were higher in AN REC than HC. Compared to values on the experimental control session, APTD did not decrease PR breakpoint scores in AN REC, but significantly decreased scores in HC. These data show that women recovered from AN are more motivated to exercise than HC, although in both groups, activity is more reinforcing than inactivity. Importantly, decreasing dopamine does not reduce the motivation to exercise in people recovered from AN, but in contrast, does so in HC. It is proposed that in AN, drive to exercise develops into a behaviour that is largely independent of dopamine mediated reward processes and becomes dependent on cortico-striatal neurocircuitry that regulates automated, habit- or compulsive-like behaviours. These data strengthen the case for the involvement of reward, learning, habit, and dopaminergic systems in the aetiology of AN. PMID:26808920

Assessing the Potential Impact of Hormonal-Based Contraceptives on HIV Transmission Dynamics Among Heterosexuals.

PubMed

Malunguza, Noble J; Hove-Musekwa, Senelani D; Mukandavire, Zindoga

2017-04-01

HIV susceptibility linked to hormonal contraception (HC) has been studied before, but with mixed results. Reports from some of the recent findings have prompted the World Health Organisation to encourage women who use HC to concurrently use condoms in order to prevent HIV infection in the light of possible increased HIV risk of infection associated with hormone-based contraceptives. A two-sex HIV model classifying women into three risk groups consisting of individuals who use condoms, natural methods, and hormone-based contraceptives is formulated and analysed to assess the possible effects of various birth control strategies on the transmission dynamics of the disease. Our model results showed that women who use HC could be key drivers of the epidemic and that their increased infectivity may be critical in driving the epidemic. Women who use hormone-based contraceptives potentially act as a core group from which men get infected and in turn transmit the disease to other population groups. We fitted the model to HIV prevalence data for Zimbabwe reported by UNAIDS and Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care and used the model fit to project HIV prevalence. Predictions using HIV data for Zimbabwe suggest that a hypothesised increase in susceptibility and infectivity of two-, three-, and fourfold would result in a 25, 50, and 100% increase in baseline HIV prevalence projection, respectively, thus suggesting possible increased disease burden even in countries reporting plausible HIV prevalence declines. Although a possible causal relationship between HIV susceptibility and HC use remains subject of continuing scientific probe, its inclusion as part of birth control strategy has been shown in this study, to possibly increase HIV transmission. If proven, HC use may potentially explain the inordinate spread of HIV within the sub-Saharan Africa region and therefore compel for urgent assessment with a view to reorienting birth control methods in use in settings with generalised epidemics.

A comparative study of magnetic resonance venography techniques for the evaluation of the internal jugular veins in multiple sclerosis patients☆

PubMed Central

Rahman, M. Tamizur; Sethi, Sean K.; Utriainen, David T.; Hewett, J. Joseph; Haacke, E. Mark

2014-01-01

Background and Purpose The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the vascular nature of diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) is a growing field of research. This work reports on the application of MR angiographic (MRA) and venographic (MRV) techniques in assessing the extracranial vasculature in MS patients. Materials and Methods A standardized MRI protocol containing 2D TOF-MRV and dynamic 3D contrast-enhanced (CE) MRAV was run for 170 MS patients and 40 healthy controls (HC). The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the internal jugular veins (IJVs) was measured at three neck levels in all subjects for both MRV techniques to determine the presence of venous stenoses. All data were analyzed retrospectively. Results For the values where both methods showed signal, the 3D method showed larger CSA measurement values compared to 2D methods in both IJVs, in both MS and HC subjects which was confirmed with student paired t-tests. Of the 170 MS patients, 93 (55%) in CE-MRAV and 103 (61%) in TOF-MRV showed stenosis in at least one IJV. The corresponding numbers for the 40 HC subjects were 2 (5%) and 4 (10%), respectively. Carotid ectasias with IJV stenosis were seen in 26 cases (15%) with 3D CE-MRAV and were not observable with 2D TOF-MRV. Carotid ectasias were not seen in the HC group. In the 2D TOF-MRV data, banding of the IJVs related to slow flow was seen in 58 (34%) MS cases and in no HC cases. MS patients showed lower average CSAs than the HC subjects. Conclusion The 3D CE MRAV depicted the vascular anatomy more completely than the 2D TOF-MRV. However, the 3D CE MRAV does not provide any information about the flow characteristics which are indirectly available in the 2D TOF-MRV in those cases where there is slow flow. PMID:23850076

The effect of terpene enhancer lipophilicity on the percutaneous permeation of hydrocortisone formulated in HPMC gel systems.

PubMed

El-Kattan, A F; Asbill, C S; Michniak, B B

2000-04-05

The percutaneous permeation of hydrocortisone (HC) was investigated in hairless mouse skin after application of an alcoholic hydrogel using a diffusion cell technique. The formulations contained one of 12 terpenes, the selection of which was based on an increase in their lipophilicity (log P 1.06-5.36). Flux, cumulative receptor concentrations, skin content, and lag time of HC were measured over 24 h and compared with control gels (containing no terpene). Furthermore, HC skin content and the solubility of HC in the alcoholic hydrogel solvent mixture in the presence of terpene were determined, and correlated to the enhancing activity of terpenes. The in vitro permeation experiments with hairless mouse skin revealed that the terpene enhancers varied in their ability to enhance the flux of HC. Nerolidol which possessed the highest lipophilicity (log P = 5.36+/-0.38) provided the greatest enhancement for HC flux (35.3-fold over control). Fenchone (log P = 2.13+/-0.30) exhibited the lowest enhancement of HC flux (10.1-fold over control). In addition, a linear relationship was established between the log P of terpenes and the cumulative amount of HC in the receptor after 24 h (Q(24)). Nerolidol, provided the highest Q(24) (1733+/-93 microg/cm(2)), whereas verbenone produced the lowest Q(24) (653+/-105 microg/cm(2)). Thymol provided the lowest HC skin content (1151+/-293 microg/g), while cineole produced the highest HC skin content (18999+/-5666 microg/g). No correlation was established between the log P of enhancers and HC skin content. A correlation however, existed between the log P of terpenes and the lag time. As log P increased, a linear decrease in lag time was observed. Cymene yielded the shortest HC lag time, while fenchone produced the longest lag time. Also, the increase in the log P of terpenes resulted in a proportional increase in HC solubility in the formulation solvent mixture.

Pattern Electroretinography and Visual Evoked Potentials Provide Clinical Evidence of CNS Modulation of High- and Low-Contrast VEP Latency in Glaucoma

PubMed Central

Sponsel, William E.; Johnson, Susan L.; Trevino, Rick; Gonzalez, Alberto; Groth, Sylvia L.; Majcher, Carolyn; Fulton, Diane C.; Reilly, Matthew A.

2017-01-01

Purpose Both pattern electroretinography (PERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP) can be performed using low- (15%; Lc) and high- (85%; Hc) contrast gratings that may preferentially stimulate the magno- and parvocellular pathways. We observed that among glaucomatous patients showing only one VEP latency deficit per eye, there appeared to be a very strong tendency for an Hc delay in one eye and an Lc delay in the other. Methods Diopsys NOVA-LX system was used to measure VEP Hc and Lc latency among a clinical glaucoma population to find all individuals with either a single Hc or Lc latency abnormality in each eye (group 1), or with greater than 0 and less than 4 Hc or Lc VEP latency abnormalities in the two eyes (group 2) to determine whether a significant inverse correlation existed for these values in either group. Hc and Lc PERG data were also evaluated to assess associated retinal ganglion cell responses. Results A strong inverse correlation (P = 0.0000003) was observed between the Hc and Lc VEP latency values among the 64 eyes in group 1. Group 2 provided a comparable result (n = 143; 286 eyes; P = 0.0005). PERG (n = 81; 162 eyes) also showed strong bilateral symmetry for magnitude values (P < 0.0001 for both Lc and Hc in groups 1 and 2). Conclusions Bilateral retention of both low-resolution/high-speed and high-resolution/low-speed function may persist with both eyes open despite symmetrically pathologic retinal ganglion cell PERG waveform asynchrony for Hc and Lc stimuli in the paired eyes. Translational Relevance Clinical electrophysiology strongly suggests binocular compensation for dynamic dysfunction operates under central nervous system (CNS) control in glaucoma. PMID:29134137

Association between ABO blood/rhesus grouping and hepatitis B and C: a case-control study.

PubMed

Pourhassan, Abolfazl

2014-06-01

During past decades, a connection between hepatitis and the host ABO/Rh blood groups has been always under dispute, with no appropriately designed study yet. This study aimed to investigate possible association between ABO blood/Rh groups with both hepatitis B and C. In this case-control setting, 200 healthy individuals (controls), 200 patients with chronic Hepatitis-B infection (HB) and 200 patients with chronic Hepatitis-C infection (HC) were recruited from 2010 to 2013 in Tabriz Sina Hospital. ABO blood and Rh grouping was performed and the results were compared between the case and control groups. Both pair of the control and HB groups and the control and HC groups were matched for their subjects' age and sex. In the control group, 178 subjects (89%) were Rh+ and 22 subjects (11%) were Rh-. In the HB group, there were 180 Rh+ (90%) and 20 Rh- (10%) patients. In the HC group there were 168 Rh+ (84%) and 32 Rh-negative (16%) patients. Both pair of the control and HB groups (p = 0.74), as well as the control and HC groups (p = 0.14) were comparable for the status of Rh. In the control group there were 84 (42%), 32 (16%), 66 (33%) and 18 (9%) subjects with A, B, O and AB blood groups, respectively. The corresponding figures were 84 (42%), 34 (17%), 58 (29%) and 24 (12%) for the HB patients; and 80 (40%), 29 (14.5%), 85 (42.5%) and 6 (3%) for the HC patients. Comparing between the control and HB groups showed no significant difference in terms of the frequency of ABO blood groups (p = 0.70). However, with comparing the control and HC groups, the rate of O blood group was significantly higher in the HC group and concomitantly, the rate of AB blood group was significantly higher in the control group (p = 0.04). Although, there is not a significant association between ABO blood groups and HB, this association is significant between certain ABO blood groups and HC.

Competitive segmentation of the hippocampus and the amygdala from MRI data: validation on young healthy controls and Alzheimer's disease patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chupin, Marie; Hasboun, Dominique; Mukuna-Bantumbakulu, Romain; Bardinet, Eric; Baillet, Sylvain; Kinkingnéhun, Serge; Lemieux, Louis; Dubois, Bruno; Garnero, Line

2006-03-01

The hippocampus (Hc) and the amygdala (Am) are two cerebral structures that play a central role in main cognitive processes. Their segmentation allows atrophy in specific neurological illnesses to be quantified, but is made difficult by the complexity of the structures. In this work, a new algorithm for the simultaneous segmentation of Hc and Am based on competitive homotopic region deformations is presented. The deformations are constrained by relational priors derived from anatomical knowledge, namely probabilities for each structure around automatically retrieved landmarks at the border of the objects. The approach is designed to perform well on data from diseased subjects. The segmentation is initialized by extracting a bounding box and positioning two seeds; total execution time for both sides is between 10 and 15 minutes including initialization for the two structures. We present the results of validation based on comparison with manual segmentation, using volume error, spatial overlap and border distance measures. For 8 young healthy subjects the mean volume error was 7% for Hc and 11% for Am, the overlap: 84% for Hc and 83% for Am, the maximal distance: 4.2mm for Hc and 3.1mm for Am; for 4 Alzheimer's disease patients the mean volume error was 9% for Hc and Am, the overlap: 83% for Hc and 78% for Am, the maximal distance: 6mm for Hc and 4.4mm for Am. We conclude that the performance of the proposed method compares favourably with that of other published approaches in terms of accuracy and has a short execution time.

Systems and methods to mitigate NO.sub.x and HC emissions

DOEpatents

Gupta, Aniket; Cunningham, Michael J.; Ruth, Michael J.; Chilumukuru, Krishna P.

2017-06-14

Systems and methods are provided for managing low temperature NO.sub.x and HC emissions, such as during a cold start of an internal combustion engine. The systems and methods include storing NO.sub.x and HC emissions at low temperatures and passively releasing and treating these emissions as the temperature of the exhaust system increases.

CMIP5 models' shortwave cloud radiative response and climate sensitivity linked to the climatological Hadley cell extent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipat, Bernard R.; Tselioudis, George; Grise, Kevin M.; Polvani, Lorenzo M.

2017-06-01

This study analyzes Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) model output to examine the covariability of interannual Southern Hemisphere Hadley cell (HC) edge latitude shifts and shortwave cloud radiative effect (SWCRE). In control climate runs, during years when the HC edge is anomalously poleward, most models substantially reduce the shortwave radiation reflected by clouds in the lower midlatitude region (LML; ˜28°S-˜48°S), although no such reduction is seen in observations. These biases in HC-SWCRE covariability are linked to biases in the climatological HC extent. Notably, models with excessively equatorward climatological HC extents have weaker climatological LML subsidence and exhibit larger increases in LML subsidence with poleward HC edge expansion. This behavior, based on control climate interannual variability, has important implications for the CO2-forced model response. In 4×CO2-forced runs, models with excessively equatorward climatological HC extents produce stronger SW cloud radiative warming in the LML region and tend to have larger climate sensitivity values than models with more realistic climatological HC extents.

Monitoring of heparin concentration in serum by Raman spectroscopy within hollow core photonic crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khetani, Altaf; Tiwari, Vidhu S.; Harb, Alaa; Anis, Hanan

2011-08-01

The feasibility of using hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) in conjunction with Raman spectroscopy has been explored for real time monitoring of heparin concentration in serum. Heparin is an important blood anti-coagulant whose precise monitoring and controlling in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and dialysis is of utmost importance. Our method of heparin monitoring offers a novel alternative to existing clinical procedures in terms of accuracy, response time and sample volume. The optical design configuration simply involves a 785-nm laser diode whose light is coupled into HC-PCF filled with heparin-serum mixtures. By non-selectively filling HC-PCF, a strong modal field overlap is obtained. Consequently, an enhanced Raman signal (>90 times) is obtained from various heparin-serum mixtures filled HC-PCFs compared to its bulk counterpart (cuvette). The present scheme has the potential to serve as a `generic biosensing tool' for diagnosing a wide range of biological samples.

Dietary antioxidant capacity of the patients with cardiovascular disease in a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zujko, Małgorzata E; Witkowska, Anna M; Waśkiewicz, Anna; Piotrowski, Walerian; Terlikowska, Katarzyna M

2015-03-15

The purpose of this study was to establish sources and patterns of antioxidant, polyphenol and flavonoid intakes in men and women with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The subjects with CVD and healthy controls (HC) were participants of the Polish National Multicenter Health Survey (WOBASZ). Food intakes were measured with the 1-day 24-hour recall method. A self-developed database was used to calculate dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC), dietary total polyphenol content (DTPC) and dietary total flavonoid content (DTFC). DTAC did not differ between the men with CVD and HC men (6442 vs. 6066 μmol trolox equivalents - TE), but in the women with CVD it was significantly higher than in the HC women (6182 vs. 5500 μmol TE). The main sources of antioxidants in the males with CVD were: tea, coffee, apples, and nuts and seeds, and tea, coffee and apples in HC. In the females they were: tea, coffee, apples and strawberries, both in the women with CVD and HC. DTPC in the men with CVD did not differ from HC (1198 vs. 1114 mg gallic acid equivalents, GAE). In the females, DTPC was significantly higher in the subjects with CVD as compared to HC (1075 vs. 981 mg GAE). Predominant sources of polyphenols were: tea, coffee, cabbage, potatoes, apples and white bread in the men with CVD, and tea, coffee, potatoes, white bread and apples in HC, while in the women (both with CVD and HC): tea, coffee, apples, potatoes and cabbage. No differences in DTFC have been found between the males with CVD and HC (212 vs. 202 mg quercetine equivalents, QE). In the women with CVD, DTFC was significantly higher than in HC (200 vs. 177 mg QE). Main sources of flavonoids in all participants (men and women, CVD and HC) were tea, apples, cabbage and coffee. Polish men and women faced with CVD beneficially modify their dietary practices by enhancing intakes of foods that are sources of antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids. Different sources and patterns of antioxidant, polyphenol and flavonoid intakes, however, between male and female patients with CVD were observed.

The Evolution of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder in Early Parkinson Disease

PubMed Central

Sixel-Döring, Friederike; Zimmermann, Johannes; Wegener, Andrea; Mollenhauer, Brit; Trenkwalder, Claudia

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate the development of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and REM sleep behavioral events (RBE) not yet fulfilling diagnostic criteria for RBD as markers for neurodegeneration in a cohort of Parkinson disease (PD) patients between their de novo baseline assessment and two-year follow-up in comparison to healthy controls (HC). Methods: Clinically confirmed PD patients and HC with video-supported polysomnography (vPSG) data at baseline were re-investigated after two years. Diagnostic scoring for RBE and RBD was performed in both groups and related to baseline findings. Results: One hundred thirteen PD patients and 102 healthy controls (HC) were included in the study. Within two years, the overall occurrence of behaviors during REM sleep in PD patients increased from 50% to 63% (P = 0.02). RBD increased from 25% to 43% (P < 0.001). Eleven of 29 (38%) RBE positive PD patients and 10/56 (18%) patients with normal REM sleep at baseline converted to RBD. In HC, the occurrence of any REM behavior increased from 17% to 20% (n.s.). RBD increased from 2% to 4% (n.s.). One of 15 (7%) RBE positive HC and 1/85 (1%) HC with normal REM at baseline converted to RBD. Conclusions: RBD increased significantly in PD patients from the de novo state to two-year follow-up. We propose RBE being named “prodromal RBD” as it may follow a continuous evolution in PD possibly similar to the spreading of Lewy bodies in PD patients. RBD itself was shown as a robust and stable marker of early PD. Citation: Sixel-Döring F, Zimmermann J, Wegener A, Mollenhauer B, Trenkwalder C. The evolution of REM sleep behavior disorder in early Parkinson disease. SLEEP 2016;39(9):1737–1742. PMID:27306265

Head circumference of children with sickle cell disease in Lagos, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Senbanjo, Idowu Odunayo; Oshikoya, Kazeem Adeola; Salisu, Mohammed; Diaku-Akinwumi, Ijeoma Nnenna

2016-01-01

Introduction Growth retardation and under-nutrition are common in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). The aim of this study was to compare the head circumference (HC) of SCD children and non-SCD children and to determine the effect of malnutrition on head circumference of children with SCD. Methods This was a prospective case-control study conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, involving SCD children (subject, n = 118) and non-SCD children (control, n = 118) matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Weight, height and HC were measured using standard techniques. Results The mean ages of children with and without SCD were 7.46 ± 3.69 years and 7.01 ± 3.58 years, respectively. The HC increased significantly with age in both males and females (r = 0.75, p = < 0.001; r = 0.70, p < 0.001 respectively). There was no significant difference in HC between males and females (p > 0.05). At all ages, the mean head circumference of SCD children was not significantly (p > 0.05) different from non-SCD children. The In the age group 11-15 years, the prevalence of stunting was significantly higher among SCD children than non-SCD children. The mean HC of SCD children with stunting was significantly lower than those not stunted (51.7 vs. 53.5; P= 0.006) in age group 11.15 years. Conclusion The head circumference of children with SCD is not significantly different from that of non-SCD children. Therefore, the HC chart for the general population is also applicable for monitoring head growth in children with SCD. The effect of malnutrition on head circumference of SCD children is most marked in age group 11-15 years. PMID:28154697

Longitudinal CSF biomarkers in patients with early Parkinson disease and healthy controls

PubMed Central

Caspell-Garcia, Chelsea J.; Coffey, Christopher S.; Taylor, Peggy; Shaw, Leslie M.; Trojanowski, John Q.; Singleton, Andy; Frasier, Mark; Marek, Kenneth; Galasko, Douglas

2017-01-01

Objective: To analyze longitudinal levels of CSF biomarkers in drug-naive patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and healthy controls (HC), examine the extent to which these biomarker changes relate to clinical measures of PD, and identify what may influence them. Methods: CSF α-synuclein (α-syn), total and phosphorylated tau (t- and p-tau), and β-amyloid 1–42 (Aβ42) were measured at baseline and 6 and 12 months in 173 patients with PD and 112 matched HC in the international multicenter Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative. Baseline clinical and demographic variables, PD medications, neuroimaging, and genetic variables were evaluated as potential predictors of CSF biomarker changes. Results: CSF biomarkers were stable over 6 and 12 months, and there was a small but significant increase in CSF Aβ42 in both patients with patients with PD and HC from baseline to 12 months. The t-tau remained stable. The p-tau increased marginally more in patients with PD than in HC. α-syn remained relatively stable in patients with PD and HC. Ratios of p-tau/t-tau increased, while t-tau/Aβ42 decreased over 12 months in patients with PD. CSF biomarker changes did not correlate with changes in Movement Disorder Society–sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor scores or dopamine imaging. CSF α-syn levels at 12 months were lower in patients with PD treated with dopamine replacement therapy, especially dopamine agonists. Conclusions: These core CSF biomarkers remained stable over 6 and 12 months in patients with early PD and HC. PD medication use may influence CSF α-syn. Novel biomarkers are needed to better profile progressive neurodegeneration in PD. PMID:29030452

Amino Acid Transport Associated to Cluster of Differentiation 98 Heavy Chain (CD98hc) Is at the Cross-road of Oxidative Stress and Amino Acid Availability.

PubMed

de la Ballina, Laura R; Cano-Crespo, Sara; González-Muñoz, Elena; Bial, Susanna; Estrach, Soline; Cailleteau, Laurence; Tissot, Floriane; Daniel, Hannelore; Zorzano, Antonio; Ginsberg, Mark H; Palacín, Manuel; Féral, Chloé C

2016-04-29

CD98hc functions as an amino acid (AA) transporter (together with another subunit) and integrin signaling enhancer. It is overexpressed in highly proliferative cells in both physiological and pathological conditions. CD98hc deletion induces strong impairment of cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro Here, we investigate CD98hc-associated AA transport in cell survival and proliferation. By using chimeric versions of CD98hc, the two functions of the protein can be uncoupled. Although recovering the CD98hc AA transport capacity restores the in vivo and in vitro proliferation of CD98hc-null cells, reconstitution of the integrin signaling function of CD98hc is unable to restore in vitro proliferation of those cells. CD98hc-associated transporters (i.e. xCT, LAT1, and y(+)LAT2 in wild-type cells) are crucial to control reactive oxygen species and intracellular AA levels, thus sustaining cell survival and proliferation. Moreover, in CD98hc-null cells the deficiency of CD98hc/xCT cannot be compensated, leading to cell death by ferroptosis. Supplementation of culture media with β-mercaptoethanol rescues CD98hc-deficient cell survival. Under such conditions null cells show oxidative stress and intracellular AA imbalance and, consequently, limited proliferation. CD98hc-null cells also present reduced intracellular levels of branched-chain and aromatic amino acids (BCAAs and ARO AAs, respectively) and induced expression of peptide transporter 1 (PEPT1). Interestingly, external supply of dipeptides containing BCAAs and ARO AAs rescues cell proliferation and compensates for impaired uptake of CD98hc/LAT1 and CD98hc/y(+)LAT2. Our data establish CD98hc as a master protective gene at the cross-road of redox control and AA availability, making it a relevant therapeutic target in cancer. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Vitamin E and regression of hypercholesterolemia-induced oxidative stress in kidney.

PubMed

Prasad, Kailash

2014-01-01

Hypercholesterolemia (HC) is an independent risk factor for the onset and progression of renal disease. HC induces oxidative stress (OS) in the kidney; Vitamin E (Vit.E), an antioxidant, slows the progression of OS in the kidney. This study was to investigate if Vit.E regresses the HC-induced OS, and the regression is associated with an increase in the antioxidant reserve (AR). The studies were carried out in four groups of rabbits. The kidneys were removed under anesthesia. OS and AR in the renal tissue were assessed by measuring malondialdetyde (MDA) and chemiluminescent (CL) activity, respectively. High-cholesterol diet elevated the serum total cholesterol (TC), and the regular diet with or without Vit.E following a high-cholesterol diet reduced the serum TC to control levels. HC increased the MDA levels of kidney by 5.54-fold compared to control. The MDA contents of the kidneys in groups on regular diet with or without Vit.E were, respectively, 56 and 53 % lower than the control group. The CL activity in the control group was 12.15 ± 0.73 × 10(6) RLU/mg protein. The CL activity in HC group was 45.26 % lower than that in control, indicating an increase in AR. The regular diet with or without Vit.E following high-cholesterol diet normalized the CL activity/AR. In conclusion, HC increases OS in the kidney; reduction of serum cholesterol by regular diet regresses the renal OS but Vit.E does not regress HC-induced OS in kidney.

The Relationship between Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and the UPPS-P Impulsivity Facets in Eating Disorders and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Claes, Laurence; Islam, Mohammed A; Fagundo, Ana B; Jimenez-Murcia, Susana; Granero, Roser; Agüera, Zaida; Rossi, Elisa; Menchón, José M; Fernández-Aranda, Fernando

2015-01-01

In the present study, we investigated the association between Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) and the UPPS-P impulsivity facets in eating disorder patients and healthy controls. The prevalence of NSSI in eating disorder (ED) patients ranged from 17% in restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN-R) patients to 43% in patients with bulimia nervosa (BN). In healthy controls (HC), the prevalence of NSSI was 19%. Eating disorder patients from the binge eating/purging type showed significantly more NSSI compared to restrictive ED and HC participants. Binge-eating/purging ED patients also scored significantly higher on Negative/Positive Urgency, Lack of Premeditation and Lack of Perseverance compared to HC and restrictive ED patients. Comparable findings were found between ED patients and HC with and without NSSI; ED patients and HC with NSSI scored significantly higher in four of the five UPPS-P dimensions compared to participants without NSSI; Sensation Seeking was the exception. Finally, the presence of NSSI in HC/ED patients was particularly predicted by low levels of Perseverance. Therefore, the treatment of ED patients with NSSI certainly needs to focus on the training of effortful control.

Automatic Prediction of Conversion from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Probable Alzheimer’s Disease using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Nho, Kwangsik; Shen, Li; Kim, Sungeun; Risacher, Shannon L.; West, John D.; Foroud, Tatiana; Jack, Clifford R.; Weiner, Michael W.; Saykin, Andrew J.

2010-01-01

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is thought to be a precursor to the development of early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). For early diagnosis of AD, the development of a model that is able to predict the conversion of amnestic MCI to AD is challenging. Using automatic whole-brain MRI analysis techniques and pattern classification methods, we developed a model to differentiate AD from healthy controls (HC), and then applied it to the prediction of MCI conversion to AD. Classification was performed using support vector machines (SVMs) together with a SVM-based feature selection method, which selected a set of most discriminating predictors for optimizing prediction accuracy. We obtained 90.5% cross-validation accuracy for classifying AD and HC, and 72.3% accuracy for predicting MCI conversion to AD. These analyses suggest that a classifier trained to separate HC vs. AD has substantial potential for predicting MCI conversion to AD. PMID:21347037

Combining the Sterile Insect Technique with Wolbachia-Based Approaches: II- A Safer Approach to Aedes albopictus Population Suppression Programmes, Designed to Minimize the Consequences of Inadvertent Female Release

PubMed Central

Zhang, Dongjing; Lees, Rosemary Susan; Xi, Zhiyong; Gilles, Jeremie R. L.; Bourtzis, Kostas

2015-01-01

Due to the absence of a perfect method for mosquito sex separation, the combination of the sterile insect technique and the incompatible insect technique is now being considered as a potentially effective method to control Aedes albopictus. In this present study first we examine the minimum pupal irradiation dose required to induce complete sterility in Wolbachia triple-infected (HC), double-infected (GUA) and uninfected (GT) female Ae. albopictus. The HC line is a candidate for Ae. albopictus population suppression programmes, but due to the risk of population replacement which characterizes this triple infected line, the individuals to be released need to be additionally irradiated. After determining the minimum irradiation dose required for complete female sterility, we test whether sterilization is sufficient to prevent invasion of the triple infection from the HC females into double-infected (GUA) populations. Our results indicate that irradiated Ae. albopictus HC, GUA and GT strain females have decreased fecundity and egg hatch rate when irradiated, inversely proportional to the dose, and the complete sterilization of females can be acquired by pupal irradiation with doses above 28 Gy. PCR-based analysis of F1 and F2 progeny indicate that the irradiated HC females, cannot spread the new Wolbachia wPip strain into a small cage GUA population, released at a 1:5 ratio. Considering the above results, we conclude that irradiation can be used to reduce the risk of population replacement caused by an unintentional release of Wolbachia triple-infected Ae. albopictus HC strain females during male release for population suppression. PMID:26252474

Biological control of wheat root diseases by the CLP-producing strain Pseudomonas fluorescens HC1-07.

PubMed

Yang, Ming-Ming; Wen, Shan-Shan; Mavrodi, Dmitri V; Mavrodi, Olga V; von Wettstein, Diter; Thomashow, Linda S; Guo, Jian-Hua; Weller, David M

2014-03-01

Pseudomonas fluorescens HC1-07, previously isolated from the phyllosphere of wheat grown in Hebei province, China, suppresses the soilborne disease of wheat take-all, caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici. We report here that strain HC1-07 also suppresses Rhizoctonia root rot of wheat caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-8. Strain HC1-07 produced a cyclic lipopeptide (CLP) with a molecular weight of 1,126.42 based on analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Extracted CLP inhibited the growth of G. graminis var. tritici and R. solani in vitro. To determine the role of this CLP in biological control, plasposon mutagenesis was used to generate two nonproducing mutants, HC1-07viscB and HC1-07prtR2. Analysis of regions flanking plasposon insertions in HC1-07prtR2 and HC1-07viscB revealed that the inactivated genes were similar to prtR and viscB, respectively, of the well-described biocontrol strain P. fluorescens SBW25 that produces the CLP viscosin. Both genes in HC1-07 were required for the production of the viscosin-like CLP. The two mutants were less inhibitory to G. graminis var. tritici and R. solani in vitro and reduced in ability to suppress take-all. HC1-07viscB but not HC-07prtR2 was reduced in ability to suppress Rhizoctonia root rot. In addition to CLP production, prtR also played a role in protease production.

Purification and identification of 25-hydroxycholesterol in a reptile: Seasonal variation and hormonal regulation.

PubMed

Singh, Varsha; Priyam, Manisha; Tripathy, Mamta; Rai, Umesh

2017-06-01

The present in vitro study, for the first time, demonstrates the production of 25-hydroxycholestrol (25-HC) by testicular macrophages of a non-mammalian vertebrate. The ether extracts of testicular macrophage-conditioned medium (TMCM) were fractionated on a C18 reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column using methanol as the mobile phase. The mass spectrometry (MS) fragmentation pattern of HPLC-purified 25-HC was found to be identical to that of authentic 25-HC. Further, a significant seasonal variation in 25-HC concentration was observed with maximal level in regressed and minimal during breeding phase. To understand the hormonal control of 25-HC production, testicular macrophages from regressed phase testes were incubated with 0.5μg/ml of ovine follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and 0.1, 1 and 10μg/ml of testosterone (T). FSH considerably enhanced 25-HC production by testicular macrophages. In contrast, T markedly inhibited 25-HC production in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, T significantly inhibited FSH-induced 25-HC production, though pre-treatment with T was more effective as compared to post-treatment with T to FSH. Our findings on production, seasonal variation and hormonal control of 25-HC suggest the functional significance of 25-HC in the testis of reptiles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Material and methods to increase plant growth and yield

DOEpatents

Kirst, Matias

2015-09-15

The present invention relates to materials and methods for modulating growth rates, yield, and/or resistance to drought conditions in plants. In one embodiment, a method of the invention comprises increasing expression of an hc1 gene (or a homolog thereof that provides for substantially the same activity), or increasing expression or activity of the protein encoded by an hc1 gene thereof, in a plant, wherein expression of the hc1 gene or expression or activity of the protein encoded by an hc1 gene results in increased growth rate, yield, and/or drought resistance in the plant.

Materials and methods to increase plant growth and yield

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

Kirst, Matias

The present invention relates to materials and methods for modulating growth rates, yield, and/or resistance to drought conditions in plants. In one embodiment, a method of the invention comprises increasing expression of an hc1 gene (or a homolog thereof that provides for substantially the same activity), or increasing expression or activity of the protein encoded by an hc1 gene thereof, in a plant, wherein expression of the hc1 gene or expression or activity of the protein encoded by an hc1 gene results in increased growth rate, yield, and/or drought resistance in the plant.

CD98 regulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Baumer, Yvonne; McCurdy, Sara; Alcala, Martin; Mehta, Nehal; Lee, Bog-Hieu; Ginsberg, Mark H; Boisvert, William A

2017-01-01

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) migrate and proliferate to form a stabilizing fibrous cap that encapsulates atherosclerotic plaques. CD98 is a transmembrane protein made of two subunits, CD98 heavy chain (CD98hc) and one of six light chains, and is known to be involved in cell proliferation and survival. Because the influence of CD98hc on atherosclerosis development is unknown, our aim was to determine if CD98hc expressed on VSMC plays a role in shaping the morphology of atherosclerotic plaques by regulating VSMC function. In addition to determining the role of CD98hc in VSMC proliferation and apoptosis, we utilized mice with SMC-specific deletion of CD98hc (CD98hc fl/fl SM22αCre + ) to determine the effects of CD98hc deficiency on VSMC function in atherosclerotic plaque. After culturing for 5 days in vitro, CD98hc -/- VSMC displayed dramatically reduced cell counts, reduced proliferation, as well as reduced migration compared to control VSMC. Analysis of aortic VSCM after 8 weeks of HFD showed a reduction in CD98hc -/- VSMC proliferation as well as increased apoptosis compared to controls. A long-term atherosclerosis study using SMC-CD98hc -/- /ldlr -/- mice was performed. Although total plaque area was unchanged, CD98hc -/- mice showed reduced presence of VSMC within the plaque (2.1 ± 0.4% vs. 4.3 ± 0.4% SM22α-positive area per plaque area, p < 0.05), decreased collagen content, as well as increased necrotic core area (25.8 ± 1.9% vs. 10.9 ± 1.6%, p < 0.05) compared to control ldlr -/- mice. We conclude that CD98hc is required for VSMC proliferation, and that its deficiency leads to significantly reduced presence of VSMC in the neointima. Thus, CD98hc expression in VSMC contributes to the formation of plaques that are morphologically more stable, and thereby protects against atherothrombosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formulaic Language in Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease: Complementary Effects of Subcortical and Cortical Dysfunction

PubMed Central

Van Lancker Sidtis, Diana; Choi, JiHee; Alken, Amy

2015-01-01

Purpose The production of formulaic expressions (conversational speech formulas, pause fillers, idioms, and other fixed expressions) is excessive in the left hemisphere and deficient in the right hemisphere and in subcortical stroke. Speakers with Alzheimer's disease (AD), having functional basal ganglia, reveal abnormally high proportions of formulaic language. Persons with Parkinson's disease (PD), having dysfunctional basal ganglia, were predicted to show impoverished formulaic expressions in contrast to speakers with AD. This study compared participants with PD, participants with AD, and healthy control (HC) participants on protocols probing production and comprehension of formulaic expressions. Method Spontaneous speech samples were recorded from 16 individuals with PD, 12 individuals with AD, and 18 HC speakers. Structured tests were then administered as probes of comprehension. Results The PD group had lower proportions of formulaic expressions compared with the AD and HC groups. Comprehension testing yielded opposite contrasts: participants with PD showed significantly higher performance compared with participants with AD and did not differ from HC participants. Conclusions The finding that PD produced lower proportions of formulaic expressions compared with AD and HC supports the view that subcortical nuclei modulate the production of formulaic expressions. Contrasting results on formal testing of comprehension, whereby participants with AD performed significantly worse than participants with PD and HC participants, indicate differential effects on procedural and declarative knowledge associated with these neurological conditions. PMID:26183940

Visualizing Hyperactivation in Neurodegeneration Based on Prefrontal Oxygenation: A Comparative Study of Mild Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Yap, Kah Hui; Ung, Wei Chun; Ebenezer, Esther G. M.; Nordin, Nadira; Chin, Pui See; Sugathan, Sandheep; Chan, Sook Ching; Yip, Hung Loong; Kiguchi, Masashi; Tang, Tong Boon

2017-01-01

Background: Cognitive performance is relatively well preserved during early cognitive impairment owing to compensatory mechanisms. Methods: We explored functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) alongside a semantic verbal fluency task (SVFT) to investigate any compensation exhibited by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, a group of healthy controls (HC) was studied. A total of 61 volunteers (31 HC, 12 patients with MCI and 18 patients with mild AD) took part in the present study. Results: Although not statistically significant, MCI exhibited a greater mean activation of both the right and left PFC, followed by HC and mild AD. Analysis showed that in the left PFC, the time taken for HC to achieve the activation level was shorter than MCI and mild AD (p = 0.0047 and 0.0498, respectively); in the right PFC, mild AD took a longer time to achieve the activation level than HC and MCI (p = 0.0469 and 0.0335, respectively); in the right PFC, HC, and MCI demonstrated a steeper slope compared to mild AD (p = 0.0432 and 0. 0107, respectively). The results were, however, not significant when corrected by the Bonferroni-Holm method. There was also found to be a moderately positive correlation (R = 0.5886) between the oxygenation levels in the left PFC and a clinical measure [Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score] in MCI subjects uniquely. Discussion: The hyperactivation in MCI coupled with a better SVFT performance may suggest neural compensation, although it is not known to what degree hyperactivation manifests as a potential indicator of compensatory mechanisms. However, hypoactivation plus a poorer SVFT performance in mild AD might indicate an inability to compensate due to the degree of structural impairment. Conclusion: Consistent with the scaffolding theory of aging and cognition, the task-elicited hyperactivation in MCI might reflect the presence of compensatory mechanisms and hypoactivation in mild AD could reflect an inability to compensate. Future studies will investigate the fNIRS parameters with a larger sample size, and their validity as prognostic biomarkers of neurodegeneration. PMID:28919856

F19. TELOMERE SHORTENING IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS: A 12-MONTH FOLLOW-UP STUDY

PubMed Central

Fraguas, David; Recio, Sandra; Diaz-Caneja, Covadonga M; Blasco, Maria A; Moisés, Ana Carolina; Arango, Celso

2018-01-01

Abstract Background Short telomere length is a biomarker of cell oxidation and aging. Patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) have been reported to have shorter telomeres than healthy controls (HC), suggesting that there is a premature and accelerated cellular aging in FEP. However, there are not data on longitudinal changes of telomere length in people with FEP relative to HC. We present preliminary results on 1-year longitudinal changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) telomere length and the proportion of PBMCs with short telomeres in young people with FEP and HC. Methods 16 young patients with FEP (43.8% female, mean age 17.9 years) and 21 young HC (61.9% female, mean age 16.6 years) were enrolled in the study. PBMCs telomere length and the proportion of PBMCs with short telomeres (i.e. <3kb) were determined using high-throughput quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (HT Q-FISH) at baseline (16 patients with FEP and 21 HC) and 12-month follow-up (4 patients with FEP and 4 HC). Results At baseline, we did not find significant differences in telomere length nor in proportion of PBMCs with short telomeres between FEP patients and HC. During the one-year follow-up, we found a significantly greater loss of telomere length (p=0.019; explained variance=69.7%) and a non-significantly trend for greater increase in the proportion of PBMCs with short telomeres (p=0.097; explained variance=45.5%) in patients with FEP than in HC. Discussion Telomere length changes during the first years of the illness can represent an early marker of accelerated cellular aging in patients with first-episode psychosis.

Head circumference: the forgotten tool for hydrocephalus management. A reference interval study in the Spanish population.

PubMed

Poca, Maria A; Martínez-Ricarte, Francisco R; Portabella, Mireia; Torné, Ramon; Fuertes, Maria L; González-Tartiere, Pilar; Sahuquillo, Juan

2013-11-01

In children, deviations from the normal range of head circumference (HC) have traditionally been related with CSF dynamics abnormalities. In adults, this neglected parameter is helpful in the diagnosis and understanding of the pathophysiology of some CSF abnormalities. It has been demonstrated that HC is related to height. Because humans have increased in stature dramatically during the last 50 years, pediatric charts for head growth physiology and normal HC values in adults should be reevaluated. The main aim of the present study was to assess HC in a series of 270 normal healthy Spanish adults and to determine any differences between sexes and age groups. A secondary aim was to discuss the relevance of this parameter in the management of hydrocephalus in adult people. HC measurements were taken using a measuring tape placed over the greatest frontal and occipital protuberances. The reference interval and the upper and lower thresholds for HC were calculated by 3 different methods: normal distribution, the non-parametrical percentile method, and the "robust method". The results were consistent and showed that Spanish adult men with a HC greater than 60 cm, and Spanish adult women with a HC greater than 58 cm should be considered macrocephalic. Microcephaly should be considered when HC is 53.6 cm in men and 51.3 cm in women. Adult age groups of either sex do not present any statistically significant differences in HC. HC obtained in Spanish adult people are greater than those reported in the classical Nellhaus graphs in both men and women aged 18. These findings should be considered in the management of hydrocephalus in adults today. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Specific patterns of whole-brain structural covariance of the anterior and posterior hippocampus in young APOE ε4 carriers.

PubMed

Stening, Eva; Persson, Jonas; Eriksson, Elias; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Zetterberg, Henrik; Söderlund, Hedvig

2017-05-30

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 has been associated with smaller hippocampal volumes in healthy aging, while findings in young adults are inconclusive. Previous studies have mostly used univariate methods, and without considering potential anterior/posterior differences. Here, we used a multivariate method, partial least squares, and assessed whole-brain structural covariance of the anterior (aHC) and posterior (pHC) hippocampus in young adults (n=97) as a function of APOE ε4 status and sex. Two significant patterns emerged: (1) specific structural covariance of the aHC with frontal regions, temporal and occipital areas in APOE ε4 women, whereas the volume of both the aHC and pHC in all other groups co-varied with frontal, parietal and cerebellar areas; and (2) opposite structural covariance of the pHC in ε4 carriers compared to the aHC in non-carriers, with the pHC of ε4 carriers covarying with parietal and frontal areas, and the aHC of ε4 non-carriers covarying with motor areas and the middle frontal gyrus. APOE ε4 has in young adults been associated with better episodic and spatial memory, functions involving the aHC and pHC, respectively. We found no associations between structural covariance and performance, suggesting that other factors underlie the performance differences seen between carriers and non-carriers. Our findings indicate that APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers differ in hippocampal organization and that there are differences as a function of sex and hippocampal segment. They stress the need to consider the hippocampus as a heterogeneous structure, and highlight the benefits of multivariate methods in assessing group differences in the brain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside Induces Neovascularization Mediated Cardioprotection against Ischemic-Reperfusion Injury In Hypercholesterolemic Myocardium

PubMed Central

Penumathsa, Suresh Varma; Koneru, Srikanth; Zhan, Lijun; John, Saji; Menon, Venogopal P; Prasad, Kailash; Maulik, Nilanjana

2009-01-01

Background Hypercholesterolemia (HC) induced endothelial cell dysfunction and decreased endothelial nitric oxide formation result in impaired angiogenesis & subsequent cardiovascular disorders. Therapeutic angiogenesis is known to be a novel strategy for treatment of those patients with ischemic heart disease. We have shown that secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is angiogenic & cardioprotective against myocardial ischemia. In the present study we examined the efficacy of SDG in a hypercholesterolemic myocardial infarction (MI) model. Methods The rats were maintained on a normal and high cholesterol diet (2%) for 8 weeks followed by oral administration of SDG (20mg/kg) for 2 weeks. The rats were divided into 4 groups (n=12 in each): Control (C); SDG control (SDG); HC; & HC + SDG (HSDG). Isolated hearts subjected to 30 min of global ischemia followed by 120 min of reperfusion were used to measure the cardiac functions, infarct size & examine the protein expression profile. After treatment MI was induced by ligating the left anterior descending artery. Echocardiographic parameters were examined 30 days after MI. Results Significant reduction in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and increase in HDL-cholesterol levels were observed in HSDG as compared to HC. Decreased infarct size was observed in the HSDG group (43%) compared to the HC (54%). Increased phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS) (3.1 fold), Vascular endothelial growth factor (1.9 fold) and Heme Oxygenase-1(2.3 fold) was observed in the HSDG group as compared to the HC group. Significant improvement in left ventricular functions was also observed in the HSDG group as evidenced by increased ejection fraction (55 vs 45%), fractional shortening (28 vs 22%) & decreased left ventricular inner diameter in systole (8 vs 6 mm) in HSDG compared to HC. Moreover, MI model has shown increased capillary density (2531 vs 1901) and arteriolar density (2.6 vs 1.8) in SDG treated rats as compared to the HC. The increased capillary & arteriolar density along with increased left ventricular functions on SDG treatment might be due to increased HO-1, VEGF and p-eNOS expression. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that SDG treatment reduces ventricular remodeling by neovascularization of the infarcted HC myocardium. PMID:18001768

Biological Control of Wheat Root Diseases by the CLP-Producing Strain Pseudomonas fluorescens HC1-07

PubMed Central

Yang, Ming-Ming; Wen, Shan-Shan; Mavrodi, Dmitri V.; Mavrodi, Olga V.; von Wettstein, Diter; Thomashow, Linda S.; Guo, Jian-Hua; Weller, David M.

2017-01-01

Pseudomonas fluorescens HC1-07, previously isolated from the phyllosphere of wheat grown in Hebei province, China, suppresses the soilborne disease of wheat take-all, caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici. We report here that strain HC1-07 also suppresses Rhizoctonia root rot of wheat caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-8. Strain HC1-07 produced a cyclic lipopeptide (CLP) with a molecular weight of 1,126.42 based on analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Extracted CLP inhibited the growth of G. graminis var. tritici and R. solani in vitro. To determine the role of this CLP in biological control, plasposon mutagenesis was used to generate two nonproducing mutants, HC1-07viscB and HC1-07prtR2. Analysis of regions flanking plasposon insertions in HC1-07prtR2 and HC1-07viscB revealed that the inactivated genes were similar to prtR and viscB, respectively, of the well-described biocontrol strain P. fluorescens SBW25 that produces the CLP viscosin. Both genes in HC1-07 were required for the production of the viscosin-like CLP. The two mutants were less inhibitory to G. graminis var. tritici and R. solani in vitro and reduced in ability to suppress take-all. HC1-07viscB but not HC-07prtR2 was reduced in ability to suppress Rhizoctonia root rot. In addition to CLP production, prtR also played a role in protease production. PMID:24512115

Expression pattern of four storage xyloglucan mobilization-related genes during seedling development of the rain forest tree Hymenaea courbaril L.

PubMed

Brandão, A D; Del Bem, L E V; Vincentz, M; Buckeridge, M S

2009-01-01

During seedling establishment, cotyledons of the rain forest tree Hymenaea courbaril mobilize storage cell wall xyloglucan to sustain growth. The polysaccharide is degraded and its products are transported to growing sink tissues. Auxin from the shoot controls the level of xyloglucan hydrolytic enzymes. It is not yet known how important the expression of these genes is for the control of storage xyloglucan degradation. In this work, partial cDNAs of the genes xyloglucan transglycosylase hydrolase (HcXTH1) and beta-galactosidase (HcBGAL1), both related to xyloglucan degradation, and two other genes related to sucrose metabolism [alkaline invertase (HcAlkIN1) and sucrose synthase (HcSUS1)], were isolated. The partial sequences were characterized by comparison with sequences available in the literature, and phylogenetic trees were assembled. Gene expression was evaluated at intervals of 6 h during 24 h in cotyledons, hypocotyl, roots, and leaves, using 45-d-old plantlets. HcXTH1 and HcBGAL1 were correlated to xyloglucan degradation and responded to auxin and light, being down-regulated when transport of auxin was prevented by N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) and stimulated by constant light. Genes related to sucrose metabolism, HcAlkIN1 and HcSUS1, responded to inhibition of auxin transport in consonance with storage mobilization in the cotyledons. A model is proposed suggesting that auxin and light are involved in the control of the expression of genes related to storage xyloglucan mobilization in seedlings of H. courbaril. It is concluded that gene expression plays a role in the control of the intercommunication system of the source-sink relationship during seeding growth, favouring its establishment in the shaded environment of the rain forest understorey.

Expression pattern of four storage xyloglucan mobilization-related genes during seedling development of the rain forest tree Hymenaea courbaril L.

PubMed Central

Brandão, A. D.; Del Bem, L. E. V.; Vincentz, M.; Buckeridge, M. S.

2009-01-01

During seedling establishment, cotyledons of the rain forest tree Hymenaea courbaril mobilize storage cell wall xyloglucan to sustain growth. The polysaccharide is degraded and its products are transported to growing sink tissues. Auxin from the shoot controls the level of xyloglucan hydrolytic enzymes. It is not yet known how important the expression of these genes is for the control of storage xyloglucan degradation. In this work, partial cDNAs of the genes xyloglucan transglycosylase hydrolase (HcXTH1) and β-galactosidase (HcBGAL1), both related to xyloglucan degradation, and two other genes related to sucrose metabolism [alkaline invertase (HcAlkIN1) and sucrose synthase (HcSUS1)], were isolated. The partial sequences were characterized by comparison with sequences available in the literature, and phylogenetic trees were assembled. Gene expression was evaluated at intervals of 6 h during 24 h in cotyledons, hypocotyl, roots, and leaves, using 45-d-old plantlets. HcXTH1 and HcBGAL1 were correlated to xyloglucan degradation and responded to auxin and light, being down-regulated when transport of auxin was prevented by N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) and stimulated by constant light. Genes related to sucrose metabolism, HcAlkIN1 and HcSUS1, responded to inhibition of auxin transport in consonance with storage mobilization in the cotyledons. A model is proposed suggesting that auxin and light are involved in the control of the expression of genes related to storage xyloglucan mobilization in seedlings of H. courbaril. It is concluded that gene expression plays a role in the control of the intercommunication system of the source–sink relationship during seeding growth, favouring its establishment in the shaded environment of the rain forest understorey. PMID:19221141

Polymeric microsphere-facilitated site-specific delivery of quercetin prevents senescence of pancreatic islets in vivo and improves transplantation outcomes in mouse model of diabetes.

PubMed

Pathak, Shiva; Regmi, Shobha; Nguyen, Tiep Tien; Gupta, Biki; Gautam, Milan; Yong, Chul Soon; Kim, Jong Oh; Son, Youlim; Kim, Jae-Ryong; Park, Min Hui; Bae, Young Kyung; Park, So Young; Jeong, Daewon; Yook, Simmyung; Jeong, Jee-Heon

2018-06-05

Attenuation of senescence progression may be attractive way to preserve the functionality of pancreatic islets (PI) after transplantation. In this study, we developed a model for in vitro induction of premature senescence in rat PI and showed the effectiveness of quercetin (QU) to prevent the senescence. To provide targeted-delivery of QU to the PI after transplantation, we prepared the hybrid clusters (HC) of islet single cells (ISC) and QU-loaded polymeric microspheres (QU; ∼7.55 ng HC -1 ). Long-term culture of the HC revealed reduced levels of reactive oxygen species and decreased expression of senescence-associated beta galactosidase, Rb, p53, p16, and p21 compared to that of the control islets. Transplantation of HC into subcutaneous space of the immune-deficient mice produced better glycemic control compared to the control islets or the ICC-transplanted mice. SA-β-Gal staining of the in vivo transplanted HC sample showed lower intensity compared to that of the control islets or the islet cell clusters. Thus, in situ delivery of therapeutic agent may be a promising approach to improve therapeutic outcomes in cell therapy. In this study, we aimed to improve outcomes in islet transplantation using in situ delivery of quercetin to pancreatic islets, using polymeric microspheres. We prepared prolonged release-type microspheres and constructed hybrid clusters of pancreatic islets and the microspheres using hanging drop method. The presence of quercetin in the cellular microenvironment attenuated the progression of senescence in the pancreatic islets in a long-term in vitro culture. Moreover, transplantation of the hybrid clusters in the diabetic mice produced better glycemic control compared to that of the control islets. In addition, quercetin delayed the progression of senescence in the pancreatic islets after in vivo transplantation. Thus, local delivery of antioxidants like quercetin may be an attractive way to improve outcomes in cell therapy. Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterisation of hydrocortisone particles using a supercritical fluids extraction process.

PubMed

Velaga, Sitaram P; Ghaderi, Raouf; Carlfors, Johan

2002-01-14

Crystallisation and subsequent milling of pharmaceutical powders by traditional methods often cause variations in physicochemical properties thereby influencing bioavailability of the formulation. Crystallisation of drug substances using supercritical fluids (SFs) offers some advantages over existing traditional methods in controlling particle characteristics. The novel particle formation method, solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical (SEDS) fluids was used for the preparation of hydrocortisone (HC) particles. The influence of processing conditions on the solid-state properties of the particles was studied. HC, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, particles were prepared from acetone and methanol solutions using the SEDS process. The solutions were dispersed with supercritical CO(2), acting as an anti-solvent, through a specially designed co-axial nozzle into a pressured vessel maintained at a specific constant temperature and pressure. The temperatures and pressures studied were 40-90 degrees C and 90-180 bar, respectively. The relative flow rates of drug solution to CO(2) were varied between 0.002 and 0.03. Solid-state characterisation of particles included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), solubility studies and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination. The aerodynamic properties of SEDS prepared particles were determined by a multistage liquid impinger (MLI). Particles produced from acetone solutions were crystalline needles, melting at 221+/-2 degrees C. Their morphology was independent of processing conditions. With methanol solutions, particles were flakes or needles depending on the processing temperature and pressure. This material melted at 216+/-1 degrees C, indicating a different crystal structure from the original material, in agreement with observed differences in the position and intensity of the XRPD peaks. The simulated lung deposition, using the MLI, for HC powder was improved after SEDS processing. It was possible to produce and control the crystallinity, morphology, and aerodynamic properties of HC particles with the SEDS technique. This method may be useful for the processing of inhalation powders.

The Study of Health Coaching: The Ithaca Coaching Project, Research Design, and Future Directions

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Health coaching (HC) is a process holding tremendous potential as a complementary medical intervention to shape healthy behavior change and affect rates of chronic lifestyle diseases. Empirical knowledge of effectiveness for the HC process, however, is lacking. The purposes of this paper are to present the study protocol for the Ithaca Coaching Project while also addressing research design, methodological issues, and directions for HC research. This is one of the first large-scale, randomized control trials of HC for primary prevention examining impact on physical and emotional health status in an employee population. An additional intent for the project is to investigate self-determination theory as a theoretical framework for the coaching process. Participants (n=300) are recruited as part of a campus-wide wellness initiative and randomly assigned to one of three levels of client-centered HC or a control with standard wellness program care. Repeated measures analyses of covariance will be used to examine coaching effectiveness while path analyses will be used to examine relationships between coaching processes, self-determination variables, and health outcomes. There is a great need for well-designed HC studies that define coaching best practices, examine intervention effectiveness, provide cost:benefit analysis, and address scope of practice. This information will allow a clearer definition of HC to emerge and determination of if, and how, HC fits in modern-day healthcare. This is an exciting but critical time for HC research and for the practice of HC. PMID:24416673

The study of health coaching: the ithaca coaching project, research design, and future directions.

PubMed

Sforzo, Gary A

2013-05-01

Health coaching (HC) is a process holding tremendous potential as a complementary medical intervention to shape healthy behavior change and affect rates of chronic lifestyle diseases. Empirical knowledge of effectiveness for the HC process, however, is lacking. The purposes of this paper are to present the study protocol for the Ithaca Coaching Project while also addressing research design, methodological issues, and directions for HC research. This is one of the first large-scale, randomized control trials of HC for primary prevention examining impact on physical and emotional health status in an employee population. An additional intent for the project is to investigate self-determination theory as a theoretical framework for the coaching process. Participants (n=300) are recruited as part of a campus-wide wellness initiative and randomly assigned to one of three levels of client-centered HC or a control with standard wellness program care. Repeated measures analyses of covariance will be used to examine coaching effectiveness while path analyses will be used to examine relationships between coaching processes, self-determination variables, and health outcomes. There is a great need for well-designed HC studies that define coaching best practices, examine intervention effectiveness, provide cost:benefit analysis, and address scope of practice. This information will allow a clearer definition of HC to emerge and determination of if, and how, HC fits in modern-day healthcare. This is an exciting but critical time for HC research and for the practice of HC.

Effects of a traditional Chinese medicine formula and its extraction on muscle fiber characteristics in finishing pigs, porcine cell proliferation and isoforms of myosin heavy chain gene expression in myocytes

PubMed Central

Yu, Qin Ping; Feng, Ding Yuan; He, Xiao Jun; Wu, Fan; Xia, Min Hao; Dong, Tao; Liu, Yi Hua; Tan, Hui Ze; Zou, Shi Geng; Zheng, Tao; Ou, Xian Hua; Zuo, Jian Jun

2017-01-01

Objective This study evaluated the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine formula (TCMF) on muscle fiber characteristics in finishing pigs and the effects of the formula’s extract (distilled water, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether extraction) on porcine cell proliferation and isoforms of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) gene expression in myocytes. Methods In a completely randomized design, ninety pigs were assigned to three diets with five replications per treatment and six pigs per pen. The diets included the basal diet (control group), TCMF1 (basal diet+2.5 g/kg TCMF) and TCMF2 (basal diet+5 g/kg TCMF). The psoas major muscle was obtained from pigs at the end of the experiment. Muscle fiber characteristics in the psoas major muscle were analyzed using myosin ATPase staining. Cell proliferation was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) dye and cytometry. Isoforms of MyHC gene expression were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results The final body weight and carcass weight of finishing pigs were increased by TCMF1 (p<0.05), while the psoas major muscle cross-sectional area was increased by TCMF (p<0.05). The cross-sectional area and diameter of psoas major muscle fiber I, IIA, and IIB were increased by TCMF2 (p<0.05). The cross-sectional area and fiber diameter of psoas major muscle fiber IIA and IIB were increased by diet supplementation with TCMF1 (p<0.05). Psoas major muscle fiber IIA and IIB fiber density from the pigs fed the TCMF1 diet and the type IIB fiber density from the pigs fed the TCMF2 diet were lower compared to pigs fed the control diet (p<0.05). Pigs fed TCMF2 had a higher composition of type I fiber and a lower percentage of type IIB fiber in the psoas major muscle (p<0.05). The expression levels of MyHC I, MyHC IIa, and MyHC IIx mRNA increased and the amount of MyHC IIb mRNA decreased in the psoas major muscle from TCMF2, whereas MyHC I and MyHC IIx mRNA increased in the psoas major muscle from TCMF1 (p<0.05). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α and CaN mRNA expression in the psoas major muscle were up-regulated by TCMF (p<0.05). Porcine skeletal muscle satellite cell proliferation was promoted by 4 μg/mL and 20 μg/mL TCMF water extraction (p<0.05). Both 1 μg/mL and 5 μg/mL of TCMF water extraction increased MyHC IIa, MyHC IIb, and MyHC IIx mRNA expression in porcine myocytes (p<0.05), while MyHC I mRNA expression in porcine myocytes was decreased by 5 μg/mL TCMF water extraction (p<0.05). Porcine myocyte MyHC I and MyHC IIx mRNA expression were increased, and MyHC IIa and MyHC IIb mRNA expression were down-regulated by 5 μg/mL TCMF ethyl acetate extraction (p<0.05). MyHC I and MyHC IIa mRNA expression in porcine myocytes were increased, and the MyHC IIb mRNA expression was decreased by 1 μg/mL TCMF ethyl acetate extraction (p<0.05). Four isoforms of MyHC mRNA expression in porcine myocytes were reduced by 5 μg/mL TCMF petroleum ether extraction (p<0.05). MyHC IIa mRNA expression in porcine myocytes increased and MyHC IIb mRNA expression decreased by 1 μg/mL in a TCMF petroleum ether extraction (p<0.05). Conclusion These results indicated that TCMF amplified the psoas major muscle cross-sectional area through changing muscle fiber characteristics in finishing pigs. This effect was confirmed as TCMF extraction promoted porcine cell proliferation and affected isoforms of MyHC gene expression in myocytes. PMID:28728382

HEMORRHAGIC CYSTITIS AFTER ALLOGENEIC HEMATOPOIETIC CELL TRANSPLANTATION: RISK FACTORS, GRAFT SOURCE, AND SURVIVAL

PubMed Central

Lunde, Laura E.; Dasaraju, Sandhyarani; Cao, Qing; Cohn, Claudia S.; Reding, Mark; Bejanyan, Nelli; Trottier, Bryan; Rogosheske, John; Brunstein, Claudio; Warlick, Erica; Young, Jo Anne H.; Weisdorf, Daniel J.; Ustun, Celalettin

2017-01-01

Although hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT), its risk factors and effects on survival are not well-known. We evaluated HC in a large cohort (n=1321, 2003 – 2012) receiving alloHCT from all graft sources, including umbilical cord blood (UCB). We compared HC patients with non-HC (control) patients and examined clinical variables at HC onset and resolution. Of these 1321 patients, 219 (16.6%) developed HC at a median of 22 days after alloHCT. BK viruria was detected in 90% of 109 tested HC patients. Median duration of HC was 27 days. At the time of HC diagnosis, acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), fever, severe thrombocytopenia, and steroid use were more frequent than at the time of HC resolution. In univariate analysis, male sex, age <20 years, myeloablative conditioning with cyclophosphamide and acute GVHD were associated with HC. In multivariate analysis, HC was significantly more common in males and HLA-mismatched UCB graft recipients. Severe grade HC (grade III–IV) was associated with increased treatment-related mortality (TRM) but not with overall survival at 1 year. HC remains hazardous and therefore better prophylaxis and early interventions to limit its severity are still needed. PMID:26168069

Comprehensive Study of Sol-Gel versus Hydrolysis-Condensation Methods To Prepare ZnO Films: Electron Transport Layers in Perovskite Solar Cells.

PubMed

Zhao, Yu-Han; Zhang, Kai-Cheng; Wang, Zhao-Wei; Huang, Peng; Zhu, Kai; Li, Zhen-Dong; Li, Da-Hua; Yuan, Li-Gang; Zhou, Yi; Song, Bo

2017-08-09

Owing to the high charge mobility and low processing temperature, ZnO is regarded as an ideal candidate for electron transport layer (ETL) material in thin-film solar cells. For the film preparation, the presently dominated sol-gel (SG) and hydrolysis-condensation (HC) methods show great potential; however, the effect of these two methods on the performance of the resulting devices has not been investigated in the same frame. In this study, the ZnO films made through SG and HC methods were applied in perovskite solar cells (Pero-SCs), and the performances of corresponding devices were compared under parallel conditions. We found that the surface morphologies and the conductivities of the films prepared by SG and HC methods showed great differences. The HC-ZnO films with higher conductivity led to relatively higher device performance, and the best power conversion efficiencie (PCE) of 12.9% was obtained; meanwhile, for Pero-SCs based on SG-ZnO, the best PCE achieved was 10.9%. The better device performance of Pero-SCs based on HC-ZnO should be attributed to the better charge extraction and transportation ability of HC-ZnO film. Moreover, to further enhance the performance of Pero-SCs, a thin layer of pristine C 60 was introduced between HC-ZnO and perovskite layers. By doing so, the quality of perovskite films was improved, and the PCE was elevated to 14.1%. The preparation of HC-ZnO film involves relatively lower-temperature (maximum 100 °C) processing; the films showed better charge extraction and transportation properties and can be a more promising ETL material in Pero-SCs.

Step-off, vertical electromagnetic responses of a deep resistivity layer buried in marine sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hangilro; Jang, Hannuree; Lee, Ki Ha; Kim, Hee Joon

2013-04-01

A frequency-domain, marine controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) method has been applied successfully in deep water areas for detecting hydrocarbon (HC) reservoirs. However, a typical technique with horizontal transmitters and receivers requires large source-receiver separations with respect to the target depth. A time-domain EM system with vertical transmitters and receivers can be an alternative because vertical electric fields are sensitive to deep resistive layers. In this paper, a time-domain modelling code, with multiple source and receiver dipoles that are finite in length, has been written to investigate transient EM problems. With the use of this code, we calculate step-off responses for one-dimensional HC reservoir models. Although the vertical electric field has much smaller amplitude of signal than the horizontal field, vertical currents resulting from a vertical transmitter are sensitive to resistive layers. The modelling shows a significant difference between step-off responses of HC- and water-filled reservoirs, and the contrast can be recognized at late times at relatively short offsets. A maximum contrast occurs at more than 4 s, being delayed with the depth of the HC layer.

Enhanced Facilitation of Spatial Attention in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Spencer, Kevin M.; Nestor, Paul G.; Valdman, Olga; Niznikiewicz, Margaret A.; Shenton, Martha E.; McCarley, Robert W.

2010-01-01

Objective While attentional functions are usually found to be impaired in schizophrenia, a review of the literature on the orienting of spatial attention in schizophrenia suggested that voluntary attentional orienting in response to a valid cue might be paradoxically enhanced. We tested this hypothesis with orienting tasks involving the cued detection of a laterally-presented target stimulus. Method Subjects were chronic schizophrenia patients (SZ) and matched healthy control subjects (HC). In Experiment 1 (15 SZ, 16 HC), cues were endogenous (arrows) and could be valid (100% predictive) or neutral with respect to the subsequent target position. In Experiment 2 (16 SZ, 16 HC), subjects performed a standard orienting task with unpredictive exogenous cues (brightening of the target boxes). Results In Experiment 1, SZ showed a larger attentional facilitation effect on reaction time than HC. In Experiment 2, no clear sign of enhanced attentional facilitation was found in SZ. Conclusions The voluntary, facilitatory shifting of spatial attention may be relatively enhanced in individuals with schizophrenia in comparison to healthy individuals. This effect bears resemblance to other relative enhancements of information processing in schizophrenia such as saccade speed and semantic priming. PMID:20919764

Effect of Breastfeeding on Head Circumference of Children from Impoverished Communities

PubMed Central

Xavier Júnior, Antonio Fernando Silva; de Assunção, Monica Lopes; dos Santos, Ewerton Amorim; Horta, Bernardo Lessa

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective This study investigated the effect of exclusive breastfeeding on head circumference (HC) among children living in impoverished communities. Subjects and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among children 12–60 months old from the 39 quilombos located in the State of Alagoas, Brazil. HC deficit was defined by a z-score of less than −2 from the median (based on the 2006 World Health Organization growth standards). Prevalence ratio and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were estimated using Poisson regression with robust adjustment of the variance, and estimates were adjusted for possible confounders (anthropometric, socioeconomic, demographic, and health-related variables). Results We evaluated 725 children (365 boys and 360 girls). The prevalence of HC deficit was 13.3% among those children who were exclusively breastfed for less than 30 days, 10.6% among those exclusively breastfed for 30–119 days, and 5.8% among those who were exclusively breastfed for 120 days or more. Even after controlling for possible confounding variables, exclusive breastfeeding for ≥4 months decreased the risk of HC deficit (prevalence ratio, 0.48; 95% CI 0.24, 0.99). Conclusions Exclusive breastfeeding for ≥4 months was associated with a larger HC in children exposed to great social vulnerability in impoverished communities. PMID:23414229

Functional Dysphonia during Mental Imagery: Testing the Trait Theory of Voice Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Mersbergen, Miriam; Patrick, Christopher; Glaze, Leslie

2008-01-01

Purpose: Previous research has proposed that persons with functional dysphonia (FD) present with temperamental traits that predispose them to their voice disorder. We investigated this theory in a controlled experiment and compared them with social anxiety (SA) and healthy control (HC) groups. Method: Twelve participants with FD, 19 participants…

Latent feature representation with stacked auto-encoder for AD/MCI diagnosis

PubMed Central

Lee, Seong-Whan

2014-01-01

Recently, there have been great interests for computer-aided diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its prodromal stage, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Unlike the previous methods that considered simple low-level features such as gray matter tissue volumes from MRI, and mean signal intensities from PET, in this paper, we propose a deep learning-based latent feature representation with a stacked auto-encoder (SAE). We believe that there exist latent non-linear complicated patterns inherent in the low-level features such as relations among features. Combining the latent information with the original features helps build a robust model in AD/MCI classification, with high diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, thanks to the unsupervised characteristic of the pre-training in deep learning, we can benefit from the target-unrelated samples to initialize parameters of SAE, thus finding optimal parameters in fine-tuning with the target-related samples, and further enhancing the classification performances across four binary classification problems: AD vs. healthy normal control (HC), MCI vs. HC, AD vs. MCI, and MCI converter (MCI-C) vs. MCI non-converter (MCI-NC). In our experiments on ADNI dataset, we validated the effectiveness of the proposed method, showing the accuracies of 98.8, 90.7, 83.7, and 83.3 % for AD/HC, MCI/HC, AD/MCI, and MCI-C/MCI-NC classification, respectively. We believe that deep learning can shed new light on the neuroimaging data analysis, and our work presented the applicability of this method to brain disease diagnosis. PMID:24363140

Head circumference and body proportions before and during growth hormone treatment in short children who were born small for gestational age.

PubMed

Arends, Nicolette J T; Boonstra, Venje H; Hokken-Koelega, Anita C S

2004-09-01

Although short children who were born small for gestational age (SGA) seem to have normal body proportions, objective data both before and during growth hormone (GH) treatment are very limited. Therefore, we investigated in a large group of short children who were born SGA the effects of GH treatment versus no treatment on head circumference (HC) and body proportions. Furthermore, we studied differences in linear growth and HC between SGA children who were born with a low birth length and birth weight (SGA(L+W)) and SGA children who were born with a low birth length only (SGA(L)). An open-labeled, GH-controlled, multicenter study was conducted for 3 years. Non-GH-deficient short SGA children (n = 87), with a mean age (standard deviation) of 5.9 (1.5) years, were randomized to either a GH group (n = 61), receiving GH in a dose of 33 microg/kg/day, or an untreated control group (n = 26). Height; weight; HC; sitting height; armspan; and hand, tibial, and foot size were measured and expressed as standard deviation score (SDS) adjusting for gender and age. At baseline, all anthropometric measurements, except HC SDS, were significantly lower compared with -2 SDS. During GH treatment, all anthropometric measurements normalized in accordance to the normalization of height SDS. At the start of the study, mean HC SDS was significantly lower in SGA(L+W) children compared with SGA(L) children. It is interesting that most (14 of 16) children with an HC SDS less than -2.00 had been born SGA(L+W). During GH treatment, the 3-year increase in height, HC, and other anthropometric measurements was comparable between SGA(L+W) and SGA(L) children. In both SGA(L+W) and SGA(L) control subjects, no changes in SDSs of height, HC, and other anthropometric measurements were found during the 3-year follow-up period. Untreated short SGA children have normal body proportions with the exception of HC, which is relatively large in many of these children. SGA(L+W) children still had a smaller HC at the age of 5.9 years compared with SGA(L) children. Three years of GH treatment induced a proportionate growth resulting in a normalization of height and other anthropometric measurements, including HC, in contrast to untreated SGA control subjects.

275 C Downhole Microcomputer System

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

Chris Hutchens; Hooi Miin Soo

2008-08-31

An HC11 controller IC and along with serial SRAM and ROM support ICs chip set were developed to support a data acquisition and control for extreme temperature/harsh environment conditions greater than 275 C. The 68HC11 microprocessor is widely used in well logging tools for control, data acquisition, and signal processing applications and was the logical choice for a downhole controller. This extreme temperature version of the 68HC11 enables new high temperature designs and additionally allows 68HC11-based well logging tools and MWD tools to be upgraded for high temperature operation in deep gas reservoirs, The microcomputer chip consists of the microprocessormore » ALU, a small boot ROM, 4 kbyte data RAM, counter/timer unit, serial peripheral interface (SPI), asynchronous serial interface (SCI), and the A, B, C, and D parallel ports. The chip is code compatible with the single chip mode commercial 68HC11 except for the absence of the analog to digital converter system. To avoid mask programmed internal ROM, a boot program is used to load the microcomputer program from an external mask SPI ROM. A SPI RAM IC completes the chip set and allows data RAM to be added in 4 kbyte increments. The HC11 controller IC chip set is implemented in the Peregrine Semiconductor 0.5 micron Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) process using a custom high temperature cell library developed at Oklahoma State University. Yield data is presented for all, the HC11, SPI-RAM and ROM. The lessons learned in this project were extended to the successful development of two high temperature versions of the LEON3 and a companion 8 Kbyte SRAM, a 200 C version for the Navy and a 275 C version for the gas industry.« less

Differences in cognitive ability and hippocampal volume between Alzheimer's disease, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and healthy control groups, and their correlation.

PubMed

Choi, Mi-Hyun; Kim, Hyung-Sik; Gim, Seon-Young; Kim, Woo-Ram; Mun, Kyung-Ryul; Tack, Gye-Rae; Lee, Bongsoo; Choi, Young Chil; Kim, Hyun-Jun; Hong, Seung Hwa; Lim, Dae-Woon; Chung, Soon-Cheol

2016-05-04

The study investigated differences in cognitive ability and hippocampal volume between groups of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and healthy control (HC) subjects, and explored the relationship between cognitive ability and hippocampal volume. Among the sub-tests of Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), the Boston naming test score decreased in the order HC, aMCI, and AD. The hippocampal volumes of subjects with AD and aMCI were relatively smaller than those of HC individuals. There were strongly positive correlations between hippocampal volume and the scores for the Boston naming test. Discriminant analysis identified the Boston naming test as having the highest level of discrimination among the variables used to differentiate the three groups (89.9%). In conclusion, the Boston naming test accurately differentiated the three groups and was correlated with hippocampal volume. These results will be helpful for choosing an accurate and economically feasible test method that efficiently differentiates the three groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

High strength fusion splicing of hollow core photonic crystal fiber and single-mode fiber by large offset reheating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ningfang; Wu, Chunxiao; Luo, Wenyong; Zhang, Zuchen; Li, Wei

2016-12-01

High strength fusion splicing hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) and single-mode fiber (SMF) requires sufficient energy, which results in collapse of the air holes inside HC-PCF. Usually the additional splice loss induced by the collapse of air holes is too large. By large offset reheating, the collapse length of HC-PCF is reduced, thus the additional splice loss induced by collapse is effectively suppressed. This method guarantees high-strength fusion splicing between the two types of fiber with a low splice loss. The strength of the splice compares favorably with the strength of HC-PCF itself. This method greatly improves the reliability of splices between HC-PCFs and SMFs.

A One-Step Immunostaining Method to Visualize Rodent Muscle Fiber Type within a Single Specimen

PubMed Central

Sawano, Shoko; Komiya, Yusuke; Ichitsubo, Riho; Ohkawa, Yasuyuki; Nakamura, Mako; Tatsumi, Ryuichi; Ikeuchi, Yoshihide; Mizunoya, Wataru

2016-01-01

In this study, we present a quadruple immunostaining method for rapid muscle fiber typing of mice and rats using antibodies specific to the adult myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms MyHC1, 2A, 2X, and 2B, which are common marker proteins of distinct muscle fiber types. We developed rat monoclonal antibodies specific to each MyHC isoform and conjugated these four antibodies to fluorophores with distinct excitation and emission wavelengths. By mixing the four types of conjugated antibodies, MyHC1, 2A, 2X, and 2B could be distinguished within a single specimen allowing for facile delineation of skeletal muscle fiber types. Furthermore, we could observe hybrid fibers expressing MyHC2X and MyHC2B together in single longitudinal muscle sections from mice and rats, that was not attained in previous techniques. This staining method is expected to be applied to study muscle fiber type transition in response to environmental factors, and to ultimately develop techniques to regulate animal muscle fiber types. PMID:27814384

Calcineurin-NFAT Signaling and Neurotrophins Control Transformation of Myosin Heavy Chain Isoforms in Rat Soleus Muscle in Response to Aerobic Treadmill Training.

PubMed

Liu, Wenfeng; Chen, Gan; Li, Fanling; Tang, Changfa; Yin, Dazhong

2014-12-01

This study elucidated the role of CaN-NFAT signaling and neurotrophins on the transformation of myosin heavy chain isoforms in the rat soleus muscle fiber following aerobic exercise training. To do so, we examined the content and distribution of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms in the rat soleus muscle fiber, the activity of CaN and expression of NFATc1 in these fibers, and changes in the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neutrophin-3 (NT-3) in the soleus and striatum following high-and medium-intensity aerobic treadmill training. Specific pathogen-free 2 month old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: Control group (Con, n = 8), moderate-intensity aerobic exercise group (M-Ex, n = 8) and high-intensity aerobic exercise group (H-Ex, n = 8). We used ATPase staining to identify the muscle fiber type I and II, SDS-PAGE to separate and analyze the isoforms MyHCI, MyHCIIA, MyHCIIB and MyHCIIx, and performed western blots to determine the expression of NFATc1, NGF, BDNF and NT-3. CaN activity was measured using a colorimetric assay. In the soleus muscle, 8 weeks of moderate-intensity exercise can induce transformation of MyHC IIA and MyHC IIB to MyHC IIX and MyHC I (p < 0.01), while high-intensity treadmill exercise can induce transform MyHC IIx to MyHC IIB, MyHC IIA and MyHC I (p < 0.01). In comparison to the control group, CaN activity and NFATcl protein level were significantly increased in both the M-Ex and H-Ex groups (p < 0.05, p < 0.01), with a more pronounced upregulation in the M-Ex group (p < 0.05). Eight weeks of moderate- and high-intensity aerobic exercise induced the expression of NGF, BDNF and NT-3 in the soleus muscle and the striatum (p < 0.01), with the most significant increase in the H-Ex group (p < 0.01). In the rat soleus muscle, (1) CaN-NFATcl signaling contributes to the conversion of MyHC I isoform in response to moderate-intensity exercise; (2) Neurotrophins NGF, BDNF and NT-3 might play a role in the conversion of MyHC II isoform in response to high-intensity treadmill exercise. Key pointsEight weeks of moderate-intensity treadmill training induces the transformation MyHC IIA and MyHC IIB to MyHC IIX and MyHC I in the soleus muscles, while high-intensity exercise leads to transformation of MyHC IIX to MyHC IIA, MyHC IIB and MyHC I.MyHC I conversion in response to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is mediated by calcineurin-NFATcl signaling.Eight weeks of moderate- and high-ntensity aerobic exercise induces the expression of NGF, BDNF and NT-3 in expression noted in rats subjected to high-intensity training. NGF and NT-3 expression in the striatum is lower than in the soleus muscle, while BDNF levels are similar. Neurotrophins may be involved in mediating MyHC II conversion in response to high-intensity aerobic exercise.

Muscle fatigue in fibromyalgia is in the brain, not in the muscles: a case-control study of perceived versus objective muscle fatigue.

PubMed

Bandak, Elisabeth; Amris, Kirstine; Bliddal, Henning; Danneskiold-Samsøe, Bente; Henriksen, Marius

2013-06-01

To investigate relationships between perceived and objectively measured muscle fatigue during exhausting muscle contractions in women with fibromyalgia (FM) compared with healthy controls (HC). Women with FM and HC completed an isometric muscle exhaustion task at 90° shoulder abduction. Surface electromyographic (EMG) activity in the deltoid muscle was recorded together with self-reported level of muscle fatigue. 25 participants with FM and 23 HC were included. Average time to exhaustion was 254 s shorter in participants with FM than in HC. Participants with FM did not exhibit the same level of objective signs of muscle fatigue, seen as fewer changes in the EMG activity, as the HC during the exhaustion task. The task did not provoke pain in the HC, while participants with FM reported a doubling of pain. Women with FM had shorter exhaustion times and showed fewer objective signs of muscle fatigue during an exhausting isometric shoulder abduction compared with younger HC. This indicates that perceived muscle fatigue may be of central origin and supports the notion of central nervous dysfunction as basic pathological changes in FM.

Detection of tobacco-related biomarkers in urine samples by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy coupled with thin-layer chromatography.

PubMed

Huang, Rongfu; Han, Sungyub; Li, Xiao Sheryl

2013-08-01

The nicotine metabolites, cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (3HC) are considered as superior biomarkers for identifying tobacco exposure. More importantly, the ratio of 3HC to cotinine is a good indicator to phenotype individuals for cytochrome P450 2A6 activity and to individualize pharmacotherapy for tobacco addiction. In this paper, a simple, robust and novel method based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy coupled with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was developed to directly quantify the biomarkers in human urine samples. This is the first time surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was used to detect cotinine and 3HC in urine samples. The linear dynamic range for the detection of cotinine is from 40 nM to 8 μM while that of 3HC is from 1 μM to 15 μM. The detection limits are 10 nM and 0.2 μM for cotinine and 3HC, respectively. The proposed method was further validated by quantifying the concentration of both cotinine and 3HC in smokers' urine samples. This TLC-SERS method allows the direct detection of cotinine in the urine samples of both active and passive smokers and the detection of 3HC in smokers.

Larger Gray Matter Volume in the Basal Ganglia of Heavy Cannabis Users Detected by Voxel-Based Morphometry and Subcortical Volumetric Analysis.

PubMed

Moreno-Alcázar, Ana; Gonzalvo, Begoña; Canales-Rodríguez, Erick J; Blanco, Laura; Bachiller, Diana; Romaguera, Anna; Monté-Rubio, Gemma C; Roncero, Carlos; McKenna, Peter J; Pomarol-Clotet, Edith

2018-01-01

Background: Structural imaging studies of cannabis users have found evidence of both cortical and subcortical volume reductions, especially in cannabinoid receptor-rich regions such as the hippocampus and amygdala. However, the findings have not been consistent. In the present study, we examined a sample of adult heavy cannabis users without other substance abuse to determine whether long-term use is associated with brain structural changes, especially in the subcortical regions. Method: We compared the gray matter volume of 14 long-term, heavy cannabis users with non-using controls. To provide robust findings, we conducted two separate studies using two different MRI techniques. Each study used the same sample of cannabis users and a different control group, respectively. Both control groups were independent of each other. First, whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare the cannabis users against 28 matched controls (HC1 group). Second, a volumetric analysis of subcortical regions was performed to assess differences between the cannabis users and a sample of 100 matched controls (HC2 group) obtained from a local database of healthy volunteers. Results: The VBM study revealed that, compared to the control group HC1, the cannabis users did not show cortical differences nor smaller volume in any subcortical structure but showed a cluster ( p < 0.001) of larger GM volume in the basal ganglia, involving the caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens, bilaterally. The subcortical volumetric analysis revealed that, compared to the control group HC2, the cannabis users showed significantly larger volumes in the putamen ( p = 0.001) and pallidum ( p = 0.0015). Subtle trends, only significant at the uncorrected level, were also found in the caudate ( p = 0.05) and nucleus accumbens ( p = 0.047). Conclusions: This study does not support previous findings of hippocampal and/or amygdala structural changes in long-term, heavy cannabis users. It does, however, provide evidence of basal ganglia volume increases.

Choline Kinase, A Novel Drug Target for the Inhibition of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Tahl; Ibrahim, Salam

2017-09-25

Gram-positive pathogens, such as S treptococcus pneumoniae , can have deleterious effects on both human and animal health. Antibiotics and antimicrobials have been developed to treat infections caused by such pathogens and to prevent food contamination. However, these strategies have been increasingly thwarted by the emergence of resistant bacteria strains. Thus, new methods for controlling Gram-positive pathogen growth need to be continuously developed. Choline analogs, such as Hemicholinium-3 (HC-3), have been shown to be useful in blocking cell division in eukaryotic cells through the inhibition of choline kinase, an enzyme which catalyzes the production of phosphocholine from choline and ATP. In some Gram-positive pathogens, choline kinase is an important enzyme in the production of the cell wall element, lipoteichoic acid. However, it is not known if inhibiting this enzyme has any effect on cell division in Gram-positive bacteria. Using the R6 strain as a model, we tested the ability of HC-3 to block the activity of choline kinase in S. pneumoniae and inhibit cell growth. Mass-spectrometry measurements of crude extracts revealed that HC-3 blocked choline kinase activity. Turbidity measurements and population counts showed that HC-3 inhibited cell growth. Competition assays with choline suggested that HC-3 also blocked choline transporters. Western blots showed that lipoteichoic acid production was blocked in the presence of HC-3, and autolytic assays showed that this decrease in lipoteichoic acids caused cells to be more resistant to autolysis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that HC-3 distorted the cell wall. This study thus establishes choline kinase as a novel drug target for S. pneumoniae .

Task Related Cerebral Blood Flow Changes of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Arterial Spin Labeling Study

PubMed Central

Staud, Roland; Boissoneault, Jeff; Craggs, Jason G.; Lai, Song; Robinson, Michael E.

2018-01-01

Purpose One hallmark of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is task related worsening of fatigue. Global brain hypoperfusion, abnormal regional activation, and altered functional connectivity of brain areas associated with cognition and memory have been reported but remain controversial. Methods We enrolled 17 female participants fulfilling the CDC Criteria for ME/CFS and 16 matched healthy controls (HC). Using a 3T-Phillips Achieva MRI-scanner, pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeling (pCASL), was used to study the dynamics of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and their relationship to mental fatigue in ME/CFS patients and HC during a demanding cognitive task, i.e. modified Paced-Auditory-Serial-Addition-Testing (PASAT). Results ME/CFS subjects reported more fatigue than HC at baseline (p < .01). Global brain perfusion of ME/CFS and HC subjects was similar at rest. The PASAT resulted in significantly increased fatigue in ME/CFS participants and HC. Although not different between groups, overall CBF significantly increased over the first 3 min of the PASAT and then decreased thereafter. Regional CBF (rCBF) changes were significantly different between groups during the post-task recovery period. Whereas improvement of fatigue of ME/CFS subjects was associated with decreased rCBF in both superior temporal gyri (STG), precuneus, and fusiform gyrus, it was associated with increased rCBF in the same areas in HC. Conclusions Our results suggest that ME/CFS is associated with normal global CBF at rest and during a strenuous task (PASAT); however rCBF of several brain regions associated with memory, goal-oriented attention, and visual function was differentially associated with recovery from fatigue in ME/CFS patients and HC. PMID:29707427

Nutritional status and body composition by bioelectrical impedance vector analysis: A cross sectional study in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Cova, Ilaria; Pomati, Simone; Maggiore, Laura; Forcella, Marica; Cucumo, Valentina; Ghiretti, Roberta; Grande, Giulia; Muzio, Fulvio; Mariani, Claudio

2017-01-01

Analysis of nutritional status and body composition in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). A cross-sectional study was performed in a University-Hospital setting, recruiting 59 patients with AD, 34 subjects with MCI and 58 elderly healthy controls (HC). Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric parameters (body mass index; calf, upper arm and waist circumferences), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and body composition by bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA). Variables were analyzed by analysis of variance and subjects were grouped by cognitive status and gender. Sociodemographic variables did not differ among the three groups (AD, MCI and HC), except for females' age, which was therefore used as covariate in a general linear multivariate model. MNA score was significantly lower in AD patients than in HC; MCI subjects achieved intermediate scores. AD patients (both sexes) had significantly (p<0.05) higher height-normalized impedance values and lower phase angles (body cell mass) compared with HC; a higher ratio of impedance to height was found in men with MCI with respect to HC. With BIVA method, MCI subjects showed a significant displacement on the RXc graph on the right side indicating lower soft tissues (Hotelling's T2 test: men = 10.6; women = 7.9;p < 0,05) just like AD patients (Hotelling's T2 test: men = 18.2; women = 16.9; p<0,001). Bioelectrical parameters significantly differ from MCI and AD to HC; MCI showed an intermediate pattern between AD and HC. Longitudinal studies are required to investigate if BIVA could reflect early AD-changes in body composition in subjects with MCI.

Killing of Escherichia coli by Crohn's Disease Monocyte-derived Macrophages and Its Enhancement by Hydroxychloroquine and Vitamin D

PubMed Central

Flanagan, Paul K.; Chiewchengchol, Direkrit; Wright, Helen L.; Edwards, Steven W.; Alswied, Abdullah; Satsangi, Jack; Subramanian, Sreedhar; Rhodes, Jonathan M.

2015-01-01

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with defective innate immunity, including impaired neutrophil chemotaxis, and mucosal invasion by bacteria, particularly adherent and invasive Escherichia coli that replicate inside macrophage phagolysosomes. We compared CD and healthy control (HC) macrophages for their abilities to kill E. coli and generate neutrophil chemoattractants and also assessed the effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and vitamin D on killing of phagocytosed E. coli. Methods: Peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages from CD and HC were compared for bacterial killing and generation of neutrophil chemoattractants in response to CD-derived E. coli. Escherichia coli replication was also assessed in the presence and absence of HCQ, alone and with antibiotics, and vitamin D. Results: Monocyte-derived macrophages from patients with CD were similar to HC in allowing replication of phagocytosed CD-derived E. coli: HM605 {CD: N = 10, mean fold replication in 3 hr = 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39–1.78); HC: N = 9, 1.50 (95% CI, 1.02–1.97); P = 0.15} and also in generation of neutrophil chemoattractants in response to E. coli (mean fold chemotaxis relative to control: CD = 2.55 [95% CI, 2.31–2.80]; HC = 2.65 [95% CI, 2.46–2.85], P = 0.42). HCQ and 1,25 OH2-vitamin D3 both caused dose-dependent inhibition of intramacrophage E. coli replication 3-hour postinfection; HCQ: 73.9% inhibition (P < 0.001) at 1 μg/mL, accompanied by raised intraphagosomal pH, and 1,25 OH2-vitamin D3: 80.7% inhibition (P < 0.05) at 80 nM. HCQ had synergistic effects with doxycycline and ciprofloxacin. Conclusions: CD and HC macrophages perform similarly in allowing replication of phagocytosed E. coli and generating neutrophil chemoattractants. Replication of phagocytosed E. coli was substantially decreased by HCQ and vitamin D. These warrant further therapeutic trials in CD in combination with relevant antibiotics. PMID:25839777

Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus mutants expressing reduced susceptibility to common house-cleaners

PubMed Central

Davis, A.O.; O’Leary, J.O.; Muthaiyan, A.; Langevin, M.J.; Delgado, A.; Abalos, A.T.; Fajardo, A.R.; Marek, J.; Wilkinson, B.J.; Gustafson, J.E.

2013-01-01

Aims To characterize mutants of Staphylococcus aureus expressing reduced susceptibility to house cleaners (HC), assess the impact of the alternative sigma factor SigB on HC susceptibility, and determine the MIC of clinical methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) to a HC. Methods and Results Susceptibility to HC, HC components, H2O2, vancomycin and oxacillin and physiological parameters were determined for HC-reduced susceptibility (HCRS) mutants, parent strain COL and COLsigB::kan. HCRS mutants selected with three HC expressed reduced susceptibility to multiple HC, HC components, H2O2 and vancomycin. Two unique HCRS mutants also lost the methicillin resistance determinant. In addition, all HCRS mutants exhibited better growth at two temperatures, and one HCRS mutant expressed reduced carotenoid production. COLsigB::kan demonstrated increased susceptibility to all HC and many HC components. sigB operon mutations were not detected in one HCRS mutant background. Of 76 clinical MRSA, 20 exhibited reduced susceptibility to a HC. Conclusions HCRS mutants demonstrate altered susceptibility to multiple antimicrobials. While sigB is required for full HC resistance, one HCRS mechanism does not involve sigB operon mutations. Clinical MRSA expressing reduced susceptibility to a common HC were detected. Significance and Impact of the Study This study suggests that HCRS mutants are not protected against, nor selected by, practical HC concentrations. PMID:15659191

Control over the Scheduling of Simulated Office Work Reduces the Impact of Workload on Mental Fatigue and Task Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hockey, G. Robert J.; Earle, Fiona

2006-01-01

Two experiments tested the hypothesis that task-induced mental fatigue is moderated by control over work scheduling. Participants worked for 2 hr on simulated office work, with control manipulated by a yoking procedure. Matched participants were assigned to conditions of either high control (HC) or low control (LC). HC participants decided their…

Finding the most accurate method to measure head circumference for fetal weight estimation.

PubMed

Schmidt, Ulrike; Temerinac, Dunja; Bildstein, Katharina; Tuschy, Benjamin; Mayer, Jade; Sütterlin, Marc; Siemer, Jörn; Kehl, Sven

2014-07-01

Accurate measurement of fetal head biometry is important for fetal weight estimation (FWE) and is therefore an important prognostic parameter for neonatal morbidity and mortality and a valuable tool for determining the further obstetric management. Measurement of the head circumference (HC) in particular is employed in many commonly used weight equations. The aim of the present study was to find the most accurate method to measure head circumference for fetal weight estimation. This prospective study included 481 term pregnancies. Inclusion criteria were a singleton pregnancy and ultrasound examination with complete fetal biometric parameters within 3 days of delivery, and an absence of structural or chromosomal malformations. Different methods were used for ultrasound measurement of the HC (ellipse-traced, ellipse-calculated, and circle-calculated). As a reference method, HC was also determined using a measuring tape immediately after birth. FWE was carried out with Hadlock formulas, including either HC or biparietal diameter (BPD), and differences were compared using percentage error (PE), absolute percentage error (APE), limits of agreement (LOA), and cumulative distribution. The ellipse-traced method showed the best results for FWE among all of the ultrasound methods assessed. It had the lowest median APE and the narrowest LOA. With regard to the cumulative distribution, it included the largest number of cases at a discrepancy level of ±10%. The accuracy of BPD was similar to that of the ellipse-traced method when it was used instead of HC for weight estimation. Differences between the three techniques for calculating HC were small but significant. For clinical use, the ellipse-traced method should be recommended. However, when BPD is used instead of HC for FWE, the accuracy is similar to that of the ellipse-traced method. The BPD might therefore be a good alternative to head measurements in estimating fetal weight. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The LDIFLARE and CCM methods demonstrate early nerve fibre abnormalities in untreated hypothyroidism: a prospective study.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjeev; Tobin, Victoria; Vas, Prashant R J; Rayman, Gerry

2018-05-31

Recent studies using skin biopsy suggest presence of small fibre neuropathy in subclinical hypothyroidism. This study uses two novel non-invasive methods - the Laser Doppler imager (LDIFLARE) and Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) - to assess small fibre function (SFF) and structure (SFS) respectively in newly diagnosed hypothyroidism (HT) before and after adequate treatment. Single-center, prospective, intervention-based cohort study. 20 patients with newly diagnosed HT- 15 primary and 5 post-radioiodine - along with 20 age-matched healthy controls (HC). Both HT and HC were assessed neurologically at diagnosis and baseline respectively. The HT group was reassessed after optimal replacement (defined as TSH:0.27-4.20mIU/L) with levothyroxine (LT4) while HC were reviewed at 1-year interval. Neurological assessment for small fibres was performed using the LDIFLARE for SFF and CCM for SFS while large fibres were studied by sural nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) and amplitude (SNAP). At baseline, compared to HC, both LDIFLARE (mean±SD) (6.74±1.20vs.8.90±1.75cm2; p=0.0002) and CCM-nerve fibre density (CNFD) (50.77±6.54vs.58.32±6.54no/mm2;p=0.002) were significantly reduced in HT whereas neither SNCV nor SNAP were different (p=>0.05). Following optimal LT4 treatment, both LDIFLARE (7.72±1.12vs.6.74±1.20 cm2; p=<0.0001) and CNFD (54.43±5.70vs.50.77±6.54no/mm2; p=0.02) improved significantly but remained significantly reduced compared to HC (p=0.008 and p=0.01 respectively) despite normalization of TSH. This study demonstrates that dysfunction of small fibres precedes large neural fibres in early hypothyroidism. This can be reversed by replacement therapy to achieve a biochemically euthyroid state but small fibres neural outcomes continued to be remain low when compared to HC.

Identification of mildly oxidized low-density lipoprotein (electronegative LDL) and its auto-antibodies IgG in children and adolescents hypercholesterolemic offsprings.

PubMed

Barros, Marcos Roberto Andrade Costa; Bertolami, Marcelo Chiara; Abdalla, Dulcinéia Saes Parra; Ferreira, Waldinai Pereira

2006-01-01

Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is an essential step in atherogenesis, generating minimally oxidized LDL, also called electronegative LDL [LDL(-)], which has chemotactic, cytotoxic and immunogenic properties. Serum LDL(-) and anti-LDL(-) auto-antibodies (IgG) were evaluated in 28 children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) antecedents, with or without early coronary artery disease in first-degree relatives (eCAD), hypercholesterolemic (hc) or normocholesterolemic (nc) versus a control group of normocholesterolemic children without pathologic antecedents (C). ELISA method was used for detection of LDL(-) and anti-LDL(-) IgG. LDL(-) serum levels did not differ among the four groups (FH-eCAD-hc 41.4 +/- 24.9 microg/dl; FH-hc 38.3 +/- 11.2 microg/dl; FH-nc 47.3 +/- 17.0 microg/dl and C 44.2 +/- 28.8 microg/dl, p = 0.659). However, IgG anti-LDL(-) auto-antibodies were significantly higher in the control group in comparison to the FH groups with or without eCAD, independent of hypercholesterolemia or normocholesterolemia (FH-eCAD-hc 0.825 +/- 0.289 microg/dl; FH-hc 0.667 +/- 0.307 microg/dl; FH-nc 0.763 +/- 0.204 microg/dl and C 1.105 +/- 0.233 microg/dl, p = 0.006). When the auto-antibodies of groups with FH, with or without eCAD and with or without hypercholesterolemia were compared, no differences were found (p = 0.509). These results showed that FH and/or eCAD children and adolescents have lower titers of auto-antibodies anti-LDL(-) than children from normal families, independent of serum LDL-cholesterol or serum LDL(-).

A pilot study on the benefit of cognitive rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease

PubMed Central

Adamski, Natalia; Adler, Matthias; Opwis, Klaus; Penner, Iris-Katharina

2016-01-01

Purpose: Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) show inefficiencies in cognitive performance including working memory functions. Since these problems impact on quality of life and overall well-being, the current study was aimed at improving patients’ situations by evaluating the computerized cognitive training tool, BrainStim. Method: A total of 19 healthy controls (HCs) and six patients with PD were included in the study. While all PD patients received cognitive training, the HC sample was subdivided into 12 subjects with training (HC-T) and 10 subjects without (HC-NT). Participants underwent a double baseline assessment, a post-training assessment, and a 3-month follow up on neuropsychological tests and self-report measures on fatigue and depression. Training was administered between the second baseline and postassessment. It comprised 16 supervised sessions according to a standardized training protocol over 4 weeks. Results: Significant improvements in verbal and visuospatial short-term and long-term memory were found in both training groups. In addition, the HC-T improved on mental speed, and verbal and visuospatial working memory. Both training groups showed stable results for all short-term visuospatial measures after 3 months. Further, the HC-T showed stable results for working memory, verbal, and visuospatial short-term and long-term memory. Conclusions: The efficacy of the applied computerized cognitive training tool BrainStim could be verified in patients with PD and healthy age-matched controls. The preliminary findings highlighted the suitability of a specific cognitive intervention to improve cognitive inefficiencies in patients with PD as well as in healthy older people. Further research on cognitive training in combination with PD drug therapy is needed to better understand the mutual interaction and to offer optimal therapeutic approaches to patients. PMID:27134671

Reducing Anxiety in the Pediatric Emergency Department: A Comparative Trial

PubMed Central

Heilbrunn, Benjamin R.; Wittern, Rachael E.; Lee, Justin B.; Pham, Phung K.; Hamilton, Anita H.; Nager, Alan L.

2014-01-01

Background Anxiety among patients in a Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) can be significant but often goes unaddressed. Objective To determine whether exposure to Child Life (CL) or Hospital Clowning (HC) can reduce anxiety in children presenting to a PED. Methods Patients were randomized to CL, HC or control and assessed upon: entry to examination room (T1), prior to physician arrival (T2) and during physician examination (T3), using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS). CL and HC interventions occurred for 5–10 minutes prior to physician entry. Effects were analyzed using mixed ANOVA. Results m-YPAS scores ranged from 23 to 59, with a higher score indicating increased anxiety. Mixed ANOVA on the study sample (n=113) showed a significant interaction between groups (CL, HC, control) and time, p = .02. Further analyses indicated effect of group only at T2 (MCL = 23.8, 95% CI 23.2–24.5; MHC = 25.2, 95% CI 24.2–26.2; Mcontrol = 26.1, 95% CI 24.2–27.9), p = .02. Sub-analysis of patients with T1 m-YPAS score ≥ 28 (n=56) showed a significant interaction between group and time, p = .01. Further analysis showed effect of group only at T2 (MCL = 24.4, 95% CI 23.3–25.6; MHC = 27.0, 95% CI 25.2–28.7; Mcontrol = 29.2, 95% CI 25.6–32.7), p = .003. Conclusion CL services can reduce SA for patients presenting to a PED with heightened anxiety at baseline. This reduction occurred immediately following CL intervention, but was not observed in patients exposed to HC or during physician examination. PMID:25271180

Mediators of Treatment Effects in a Randomized Clinical Trial of Multisystemic Therapy-Health Care in Adolescents With Poorly Controlled Asthma: Disease Knowledge and Device Use Skills.

PubMed

Ellis, Deborah A; King, Pamela; Naar-King, Sylvie

2016-06-01

Determine whether Multisystemic Therapy-Health Care (MST-HC) improved asthma knowledge and controller device use skills among African-American youth with poorly controlled asthma and whether any improvements mediated changes in illness management. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 170 adolescents with moderate to severe asthma. Families were randomized to MST-HC or attention control. Data were collected at baseline and 6 and 12 months after intervention completion. In linear mixed models, adolescents in the MST-HC group had increases in asthma knowledge; asthma knowledge was unchanged for attention control. Controller device use skills increased for adolescents in the MST-HC group, while skills declined for attention control. Both knowledge and skills mediated the relationship between intervention condition and changes in illness management. Tailored, home-based interventions that include knowledge and skills building components are one means by which illness management in African-American youth with poorly controlled asthma can be improved. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of hydrocarbon yields in cotton from field grown vs. greenhouse grown plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Four accession of cotton (SA-1181, 1403, 1419, and 2269) were grown both in field conditions and a greenhouse to compare the environmental effects on leaf biomass, % yield of hydrocarbons (HC), and total HC (g HC /g leaves) under natural and controlled (protected) conditions. Leaf biomass was simi...

Health promotion for patients with diabetes: health coaching or formal health education?

PubMed

Basak Cinar, Ayse; Schou, Lone

2014-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if a Health Coaching (HC) approach compared with formal health education (HE) resulted in better health outcomes among type II diabetes (T2DM) patients in improving glycaemic control and oral health, by use of clinical and subjective outcome measures. The study is part of a prospective intervention among randomly selected T2DM patients (n = 186) in Istanbul, Turkey. The data analysed were clinical [glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1C)), clinical attachment loss (CAL)] and psychological measures [tooth-brushing self efficacy (TBSES)]. Data were collected initially and at the end of intervention. Participants were allocated randomly to HC (intervention) (n = 77) and HE (control) (n = 111) groups. At baseline, there was no statistical difference between HC and HE regarding clinical and psychological measures, (P > 0.05). At post-intervention the HC group had significantly lower HBA(1C) and CAL (reduction: 7%, 56%) than the HE group (reduction: HbA(1C) 0%; CAL 26%), (P ≤ 0.01). Similarly, HC group, compared with HE group, had better TBSES (increase: 61% vs. 25%) and stress (reduction: 16% vs. 1%), (P ≤ 0.01). Among high-risk group patients, the HC patients had significant improvements compared with the HE group (reduction: HbA(1C) 16% vs. 5%; CAL 63% vs. 18%; stress 39% vs. 2%; fold increase: TBSES 6.6 vs. 3.6) (P ≤ 0.01). The present findings may imply that HC has a significantly greater impact on better management of oral health and glycaemic control than HE. It is notable that the impact was more significant among high-risk group patients, thus HC may be recommended especially for high-risk group patients. © 2013 FDI World Dental Federation.

Temperamental commonalities and differences in euthymic mood disorder patients, creative controls, and healthy controls.

PubMed

Nowakowska, Cecylia; Strong, Connie M; Santosa, Claudia M; Wang, Po W; Ketter, Terence A

2005-03-01

Understanding of mood disorders can be enhanced through assessment of temperamental traits. We explored temperamental commonalities and differences among euthymic bipolar (BP) and unipolar (MDD) mood disorder patients, creative discipline graduate student controls (CC), and healthy controls (HC). Forty-nine BP, 25 MDD, 32 CC, and 47 HC completed self-report temperament/personality measures including: The Affective Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-A); the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R); and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Euthymic BP, MDD, and CC, compared to HC, had significantly increased cyclothymia, dysthymia and irritability scores on TEMPS-A; increased neuroticism and decreased conscientiousness on NEO-PI-R; and increased harm avoidance and novelty seeking as well as decreased self-directedness on TCI. TEMPS-A cyclothymia scores were significantly higher in BP than in MDD. NEO-PI-R openness was increased in BP and CC, compared to HC, and in CC compared to MDD. TCI self-transcendence scores in BP were significantly higher than in MDD, CC, and HC. Most of the subjects were not professional artists, and represented many fields; temperament might be different in different art fields. Euthymic BP, MDD, and CC compared to HC, had prominent temperamental commonalities. However, BP and CC had the additional commonality of increased openness compared to HC. BP had particularly high Cyclothymia scores that were significantly higher then those of MDD. The prominent BP-CC overlap suggests underlying neurobiological commonalities between people with mood disorders and individuals involved in creative disciplines, consistent with the notion of a temperamental contribution to enhanced creativity in individuals with bipolar disorders.

Adjusting head circumference for covariates in autism: clinical correlates of a highly heritable continuous trait

PubMed Central

Chaste, Pauline; Klei, Lambertus; Sanders, Stephan J.; Murtha, Michael T.; Hus, Vanessa; Lowe, Jennifer K.; Willsey, A. Jeremy; Moreno-De-Luca, Daniel; Yu, Timothy W.; Fombonne, Eric; Geschwind, Daniel; Grice, Dorothy E.; Ledbetter, David H.; Lord, Catherine; Mane, Shrikant M.; Martin, Christa Lese; Martin, Donna M.; Morrow, Eric M.; Walsh, Christopher A.; Sutcliffe, James S.; State, Matthew W.; Devlin, Bernie; Cook, Edwin H.; Kim, Soo-Jeong

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Brain development follows a different trajectory in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) than in typically developing children. A proxy for neurodevelopment could be head circumference (HC), but studies assessing HC and its clinical correlates in ASD have been inconsistent. This study investigates HC and clinical correlates in the Simons Simplex Collection cohort. METHODS We used a mixed linear model to estimate effects of covariates and the deviation from the expected HC given parental HC (genetic deviation). After excluding individuals with incomplete data, 7225 individuals in 1891 families remained for analysis. We examined the relationship between HC/genetic deviation of HC and clinical parameters. RESULTS Gender, age, height, weight, genetic ancestry and ASD status were significant predictors of HC (estimate of the ASD effect=0.2cm). HC was approximately normally distributed in probands and unaffected relatives, with only a few outliers. Genetic deviation of HC was also normally distributed, consistent with a random sampling of parental genes. Whereas larger HC than expected was associated with ASD symptom severity and regression, IQ decreased with the absolute value of the genetic deviation of HC. CONCLUSIONS Measured against expected values derived from covariates of ASD subjects, statistical outliers for HC were uncommon. HC is a strongly heritable trait and population norms for HC would be far more accurate if covariates including genetic ancestry, height and age were taken into account. The association of diminishing IQ with absolute deviation from predicted HC values suggests HC could reflect subtle underlying brain development and warrants further investigation. PMID:23746936

The Influence of Al+++ Substitution for Fe+++ in M-Type Ba Ferrite Powder on the Intrinsic Coercivity HcJ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zong-Yu; Feng, Jie; Mei, Xue-Ming; Guo, Bi-Jun; Zhang,

1990-05-01

The influence of Al+++ Substitution for Fe+++ in M-type Ba ferrite on the magnetocrystalline anisotropy field HA and the critical single-domain radius Rc has been studied by Haneda and Kojima. It is difficult to obtain HcJ values agreeing with theoretical results for the reason that the HcJ is very sensitive to the preparation method. We have been developing a new method called “coprecipitation combined with high-temperature melting.” It offers a suitable condition for studying the rule of HcJ of Ba Fe12-xAlxO19. Our results conformed to the effects calculated by Haneda and Kojima. The highest level of HcJ in our experiment reached 16000 Oe. We have fabricated plastic sheet magnets from the superhigh HcJ ferrite powder and padded the soft ferrite core with this sheet magnet to adjust the bias magnetic field. This ferrite core can be improved and the weight and size of the device can be reduced.

A simple method to determine IgG light chain to heavy chain polypeptide ratios expressed by CHO cells.

PubMed

Gerster, Anja; Wodarczyk, Claas; Reichenbächer, Britta; Köhler, Janet; Schulze, Andreas; Krause, Felix; Müller, Dethardt

2016-12-01

To establish a high-throughput method for determination of antibodies intra- and extracellular light chain (LC) to heavy chain (HC) polypeptide ratio as screening parameter during cell line development. Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) TurboCell pools containing different designed vectors supposed to result in different LC:HC polypeptide ratios were generated by targeted integration. Cell culture supernatants and cell lysates of a fed batch experiment were purified by combined Protein A and anti-kappa affinity batch purification in 96-well format. Capture of all antibodies and their fragments allowed the determination of the intra- and extracellular LC:HC peptide ratios by reduced SDS capillary electrophoresis. Results demonstrate that the method is suitable to show the significant impact of the vector design on the intra- and extracellular LC:HC polypeptide ratios. Determination of LC:HC polypeptide ratios can give important information in vector design optimization leading to CHO cell lines with optimized antibody assembly and preferred product quality.

Identifying current and remitted major depressive disorder with the Hurst exponent: a comparative study on two automated anatomical labeling atlases

PubMed Central

Yan, Huagang; Dong, Jianxin; Mo, Xiao; Li, Dan; Liu, Chunhong; Li, Haiyun

2017-01-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading world-wide psychiatric disorder with high recurrence rate, therefore, it is desirable to identify current MDD (cMDD) and remitted MDD (rMDD) for their appropriate therapeutic interventions. In the study, 19 cMDD, 19 rMDD and 19 well-matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled and scanned with the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). The Hurst exponent (HE) of rs-fMRI in AAL-90 and AAL-1024 atlases were calculated and compared between groups. Then, a radial basis function (RBF) based support vector machine was proposed to identify every pair of the cMDD, rMDD and HC groups using the abnormal HE features, and a leave-one-out cross-validation was used to evaluate the classification performance. Applying the proposed method with AAL-1024 and AAL-90 atlas respectively, 87% and 84% subjects were correctly identified between cMDD and HC, 84% and 71% between rMDD and HC, and 89% and 74% between cMDD and rMDD. Our results indicated that the HE was an effective feature to distinguish cMDD and rMDD from HC, and the recognition performances with AAL-1024 parcellation were better than that with the conventional AAL-90 parcellation. PMID:29163844

Temporal discounting across three psychiatric disorders: Anorexia nervosa, obsessive compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Steinglass, Joanna E.; Lempert, Karolina M.; Choo, Tse-Hwei; Kimeldorf, Marcia B.; Wall, Melanie; Walsh, B. Timothy; Fyer, Abby J.; Schneier, Franklin R.; Simpson, H. Blair

2018-01-01

Background Temporal discounting refers to the tendency for rewards to lose value as the expected delay to receipt increases. Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been found to show reduced temporal discounting rates, indicating a greater preference for delayed rewards compared to healthy peers. Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) commonly co-occur with AN, and anxiety has been related to development and prognosis of AN. We examined whether reduced temporal discounting is present across these potentially related disorders, and explored the relationship between temporal discounting and anxiety trans-diagnostically. Methods One hundred ninety six individuals (75 healthy controls (HC); 50 OCD; 27 AN; 44 SAD) completed two temporal discounting tasks in which they chose between smaller-sooner and larger-later monetary rewards. Two measures of discounting—discount rate and discount factor—were compared between diagnostic groups, and associations with anxious traits were examined. Results Individuals with AN showed decreased temporal discounting compared to HC. OCD and SAD groups did not differ significantly from HC. Across the sample, anxiety was associated with decreased discounting; more anxious individuals showed a greater preference for delayed reward. Conclusions We replicated the findings that individuals with AN show an increased preference for delayed reward relative to HC and that individuals with OCD do not differ from HC. We also showed that individuals with SAD do not differ from HC in discounting. Across this large sample, two measures of anxious temperament were associated with temporal discounting. These data raise new questions about the relationship between this dimensional trait and psychopathology. PMID:28009473

Paradoxical aging in HIV: immune senescence of B Cells is most prominent in young age.

PubMed

Rinaldi, Stefano; Pallikkuth, Suresh; George, Varghese K; de Armas, Lesley R; Pahwa, Rajendra; Sanchez, Celeste M; Pallin, Maria Fernanda; Pan, Li; Cotugno, Nicola; Dickinson, Gordon; Rodriguez, Allan; Fischl, Margaret; Alcaide, Maria; Gonzalez, Louis; Palma, Paolo; Pahwa, Savita

2017-04-01

Combination antiretroviral therapies (cART)can lead to normal life expectancy in HIV-infected persons, and people aged >50 yrs represent the fastest growing HIV group. Although HIV and aging are independently associated with impaired humoral immunity, immune status in people aging with HIV is relatively unexplored. In this study influenza vaccination was used to probe age associated perturbations in the B cell compartment of HIV-negative "healthy controls" (HC) and virologically controlled HIV-infected participants on cART (HIV) (n=124), grouped by age as young (<40 yrs), middle-aged (40-59yrs) or old ( > 60 yrs). H1N1 antibody response at d21 post-vaccination correlated inversely with age in both HC and HIV. Immunophenotyping of cryopreserved PBMC demonstrated increased frequencies of double negative B cells and decreased plasmablasts in old compared to young HC. Remarkably, young HIV were different from young HC but similar to old HC in B cell phenotype, influenza specific spontaneous (d7) or memory (d21) antibody secreting cells. We conclude that B cell immune senescence is a prominent phenomenon in young HIV in comparison to young HC, but distinctions between old HIV and old HC are less evident though both groups manifest age-associated B cell dysfunction.

The Longitudinal Force Measurement of CWR Tracks with Hetero-Cladding FBG Sensors: A Proof of Concept.

PubMed

Shao, Li-Yang; Zhang, Meng; Xie, Kaize; Zhang, Xinpu; Wang, Ping; Yan, Lianshan

2016-12-18

A new method has been proposed to accurately determine longitudinal additional force in continuous welded rail (CWR) on bridges via hetero-cladding fiber Bragg grating (HC-FBG) sensors. The HC-FBG sensor consists of two FBGs written in the same type of fiber but with different cladding diameters. The HC-FBGs have the same temperature sensitivity but different strain sensitivity because of the different areas of the cross section. The differential strain coefficient is defined as the relative wavelength differences of two FBGs with the change of applied longitudinal force. In the verification experiment in the lab, the HC-FBGs were attached on a section of rail model of which the material property is the same as that of rail on line. The temperature and differential strain sensitivity were calibrated using a universal testing machine. As shown by the test results, the linearity between the relative wavelength difference and the longitudinal additional force is greater than 0.9999. The differential strain sensitivity is 4.85 × 10 -6 /N. Moreover, the relative wavelength difference is not affected by the temperature change. Compared to the theoretical results, the accumulated error is controlled within 5.0%.

Decision Making Impairment: A Shared Vulnerability in Obesity, Gambling Disorder and Substance Use Disorders?

PubMed Central

Mallorquí-Bagué, Nuria; Fagundo, Ana B.; Jimenez-Murcia, Susana; de la Torre, Rafael; Baños, Rosa M.; Botella, Cristina; Casanueva, Felipe F.; Crujeiras, Ana B.; Fernández-García, Jose C.; Fernández-Real, Jose M.; Frühbeck, Gema; Granero, Roser; Rodríguez, Amaia; Tolosa-Sola, Iris; Ortega, Francisco J.; Tinahones, Francisco J.; Alvarez-Moya, Eva; Ochoa, Cristian; Menchón, Jose M.

2016-01-01

Introduction Addictions are associated with decision making impairments. The present study explores decision making in Substance use disorder (SUD), Gambling disorder (GD) and Obesity (OB) when assessed by Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and compares them with healthy controls (HC). Methods For the aims of this study, 591 participants (194 HC, 178 GD, 113 OB, 106 SUD) were assessed according to DSM criteria, completed a sociodemographic interview and conducted the IGT. Results SUD, GD and OB present impaired decision making when compared to the HC in the overall task and task learning, however no differences are found for the overall performance in the IGT among the clinical groups. Results also reveal some specific learning across the task patterns within the clinical groups: OB maintains negative scores until the third set where learning starts but with a less extend to HC, SUD presents an early learning followed by a progressive although slow improvement and GD presents more random choices with no learning. Conclusions Decision making impairments are present in the studied clinical samples and they display individual differences in the task learning. Results can help understanding the underlying mechanisms of OB and addiction behaviors as well as improve current clinical treatments. PMID:27690367

The M68HC11 gripper controller software. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsai, Jodi Wei-Duk

1991-01-01

This thesis discusses the development of firmware for the 68HC11 gripper controller. A general description of the software and hardware interfaces is given. The C library interface for the gripper is then described and followed by a detailed discussion of the software architecture of the firmware. A procedure to assemble and download 68HC11 programs is presented in the form of a tutorial. The tools used to implement this environment are then described. Finally, the implementation of the configuration management scheme used to manage all CIRSSE software is presented.

Subendocardial motion in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: assessment from long- and short-axis views by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tabata, T.; Oki, T.; Yamada, H.; Abe, M.; Onose, Y.; Thomas, J. D.

2000-01-01

BACKGROUND: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is a recently developed technique that allows the instantaneous measurement of intrinsic regional myocardial motion velocity. Pulsed TDI is capable of separately assessing left ventricular (LV) regional motion velocity caused by circumferential and longitudinal fiber contraction. This particular feature of function is still controversial in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). METHODS: To better characterize intrinsic circumferential and longitudinal LV systolic myocardial function in HC, we used pulsed TDI to measure short- and long-axis LV motion velocities, respectively. The subendocardial motion velocity patterns at the middle of the LV posterior wall (PW) and ventricular septum (IVS) in LV parasternal and apical long-axis views were recorded by pulsed TDI in 19 patients with nonobstructive HC and in 21 normal controls (NC). RESULTS: Peak short- and long-axis systolic subendocardial velocities in both the LV PW and IVS were significantly smaller in the HC group than in the NC group, and the time to peak velocity was significantly delayed. Furthermore, peak PW systolic velocity was significantly greater along the long axis than along the short axis in the NC group (8.8 +/- 1.5 cm/s vs 8.2 +/- 1.4 cm/s, P <.05), whereas the opposite was observed in the HC group (6.1 +/- 1.2 cm/s vs 7.5 +/- 1.0 cm/s, P <.0001). No significant differences were found in either group between the long- and short-axis IVS velocities (HC: 5.9 +/- 1.4 cm/s vs 5.5 +/- 1.3 cm/s; NC: 7.8 +/- 1.3 cm/s vs 7.9 +/- 1.6 cm/s). CONCLUSIONS: By using the capability of pulsed TDI for the evaluation of intrinsic myocardial velocity instantaneously in a specific region and direction, we found impairment of LV myocardial systolic function in patients with HC not only in the hypertrophied IVS but also in the nonhypertrophied LV PW. We also found a greater decrease in LV PW velocities along the long axis than the short axis, suggesting greater impairment of long-axis contraction in patients with HC. Because our HC patients did not appear to have excessive intracavitary pressure, these results suggest that the relatively normal-appearing PW is directly affected by the HC pathologic process.

Do you see what I see? Mobile eye-tracker contextual analysis and inter-rater reliability.

PubMed

Stuart, S; Hunt, D; Nell, J; Godfrey, A; Hausdorff, J M; Rochester, L; Alcock, L

2018-02-01

Mobile eye-trackers are currently used during real-world tasks (e.g. gait) to monitor visual and cognitive processes, particularly in ageing and Parkinson's disease (PD). However, contextual analysis involving fixation locations during such tasks is rarely performed due to its complexity. This study adapted a validated algorithm and developed a classification method to semi-automate contextual analysis of mobile eye-tracking data. We further assessed inter-rater reliability of the proposed classification method. A mobile eye-tracker recorded eye-movements during walking in five healthy older adult controls (HC) and five people with PD. Fixations were identified using a previously validated algorithm, which was adapted to provide still images of fixation locations (n = 116). The fixation location was manually identified by two raters (DH, JN), who classified the locations. Cohen's kappa correlation coefficients determined the inter-rater reliability. The algorithm successfully provided still images for each fixation, allowing manual contextual analysis to be performed. The inter-rater reliability for classifying the fixation location was high for both PD (kappa = 0.80, 95% agreement) and HC groups (kappa = 0.80, 91% agreement), which indicated a reliable classification method. This study developed a reliable semi-automated contextual analysis method for gait studies in HC and PD. Future studies could adapt this methodology for various gait-related eye-tracking studies.

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: functional effects of myosin mutation R723G in cardiomyocytes.

PubMed

Kraft, Theresia; Witjas-Paalberends, E Rosalie; Boontje, Nicky M; Tripathi, Snigdha; Brandis, Almuth; Montag, Judith; Hodgkinson, Julie L; Francino, Antonio; Navarro-Lopez, Francisco; Brenner, Bernhard; Stienen, Ger J M; van der Velden, Jolanda

2013-04-01

Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (FHC) is frequently caused by mutations in the β-cardiac myosin heavy chain (β-MyHC). To identify changes in sarcomeric function triggered by such mutations, distinguishing mutation effects from other functional alterations of the myocardium is essential. We previously identified a direct effect of mutation R723G (MyHC723) on myosin function in slow Musculus soleus fibers. Here we investigate contractile features of left ventricular cardiomyocytes of FHC-patients with the same MyHC723-mutation and compare these to the soleus data. In mechanically isolated, triton-permeabilized MyHC723-cardiomyocytes, maximum force was significantly lower but calcium-sensitivity was unchanged compared to donor. Conversely, MyHC723-soleus fibers showed significantly higher maximum force and reduced calcium-sensitivity compared to controls. Protein phosphorylation, a potential myocardium specific modifying mechanism, might account for differences compared to soleus fibers. Analysis revealed reduced phosphorylation of troponin I and T, myosin-binding-protein C, and myosin-light-chain 2 in MyHC723-myocardium compared to donor. Saturation of protein-kinaseA phospho-sites led to comparable, i.e., reduced MyHC723-calcium-sensitivity in cardiomyocytes as in M. soleus fibers, while maximum force remained reduced. Myofibrillar disarray and lower density of myofibrils, however, largely account for reduced maximum force in MyHC723-cardiomyocytes. The changes seen when phosphorylation of sarcomeric proteins in myocardium of affected patients is matched to control tissue suggest that the R723G mutation causes reduced Ca(++)-sensitivity in both cardiomyocytes and M. soleus fibers. In MyHC723-myocardium, however, hypophosphorylation can compensate for the reduced calcium-sensitivity, while maximum force generation, lowered by myofibrillar deficiency and disarray, remains impaired, and may only be compensated by hypertrophy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomarkers of Eating Disorders Using Support Vector Machine Analysis of Structural Neuroimaging Data: Preliminary Results

PubMed Central

Cerasa, Antonio; Castiglioni, Isabella; Salvatore, Christian; Funaro, Angela; Martino, Iolanda; Alfano, Stefania; Donzuso, Giulia; Perrotta, Paolo; Gioia, Maria Cecilia; Gilardi, Maria Carla; Quattrone, Aldo

2015-01-01

Presently, there are no valid biomarkers to identify individuals with eating disorders (ED). The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility of a machine learning method for extracting reliable neuroimaging features allowing individual categorization of patients with ED. Support Vector Machine (SVM) technique, combined with a pattern recognition method, was employed utilizing structural magnetic resonance images. Seventeen females with ED (six with diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and 11 with bulimia nervosa) were compared against 17 body mass index-matched healthy controls (HC). Machine learning allowed individual diagnosis of ED versus HC with an Accuracy ≥ 0.80. Voxel-based pattern recognition analysis demonstrated that voxels influencing the classification Accuracy involved the occipital cortex, the posterior cerebellar lobule, precuneus, sensorimotor/premotor cortices, and the medial prefrontal cortex, all critical regions known to be strongly involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of ED. Although these findings should be considered preliminary given the small size investigated, SVM analysis highlights the role of well-known brain regions as possible biomarkers to distinguish ED from HC at an individual level, thus encouraging the translational implementation of this new multivariate approach in the clinical practice. PMID:26648660

Thermal stability of hydrocarbons in nature: Limits, evidence, characteristics, and possible controls

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, L.C.

1993-01-01

Numerous petroleum-geochemical analyses of deeply buried, high-rank, fine-grained rocks from ultra-deep wellbores by different investigators demonstrate that C15+ hydrocarbons (HCs) persist in moderate to high concentrations at vitrinite reflectance (R0) values of 2.0-5.0% and persist in measurable concentrations up to R0 = 7.0-8.0%, at which point the thermal deadline for C15+ HC's is finally approached. Qualitative analyses have been carried out on 1. (1) high-rank gas condensates which have been exposed to the HC-thermal-destructive phase, 2. (2) bitumens from high-temperature aqueous-pyrolysis experiments in the HC-thermal-destructive phase, and 3. (3) bitumens from high-rank, fine-grained rocks near the HC-thermal-destructive phase. These analyses clearly demonstrate that well-defined compositional suites are established in the saturated, aromatic, and sulfur-bearing aromatic HCs in and near the HC-thermal-destructive phase. On the other hand, accepted petroleum-geochemical paradigms place rigid limits on HC thermal stability: C15+ HCs begin thermal cracking at R0 values of 0.9% and are completely thermally destroyed by R0 = 1.35%; C2-C4 HC gases are thermally destroyed by R0 = 2.0% and methane is thermally destroyed by R0 = 4.0%. Furthermore, published data and observations in many HC basins worldwide support these models; for example, 1. (1) sharp basinal zonations of gas and oil deposits vs. maturation rank in HC basins and 2. (2) decreasing C15+ HC concentrations in some fine-grained rocks at ranks of R0 ??? 0.9%. The fact that observed data (C15+ HCs thermally stable to R0 = 7.0-8.0%) is so far removed from predicted behavior (C15+) HCs expected to be thermally destroyed by R0 = 1.35%) may be due to 1. (1) a lack of recognition of some important possible controlling parameters of organic matter (OM) metamorphism and too much importance given to other assumed controlling parameters; and 2. (2) assigning HC distribution patterns in petroleum basins to HC thermal cracking when such patterns may be due to other causes. In the first case, laboratory experiments strongly suggest that the presence of water, increasing fluid pressures, and closed systems (product retention) all suppress OM metamorphic reactions. Conversely, the absence of water, low fluid pressures, and open systems (product escape) all promote OM metamorphic reactions. These experiments also demonstrate that OM metamorphic reactions proceed by reaction kinetics greater than first order. Thus, the effect of geologic time appears to have been over-estimated in OM metamorphism. In the second case, the strong decreases in C15+ HC concentrations in fine-grained rocks with Type III OM over R0 = 0.9-1.35% are most probably due to intense primary migration and loss of HCs to drilling muds during the trip uphole in drilling operations. Data from coals demonstrate that these decreases in HC concentrations cannot be due to C15+ HC thermal destruction. Oil deposits are generally found at shallow depths in basins, and "dry gas" (methane ??? 98% of all HC gases) deposits are found at the greatest depths. This HC distribution pattern would be caused by methane, generated during the late stages of C15+ HC generation, flushing oil (including C2-C4 HC gases condensed into the liquid phase) out of deep basinal traps by Gussow's (1954) principle of differential entrapment. Hence, only "dry gas" deposits are left in the basin deeps. Oil emplacement processes in traps during expulsion and secondary migration could also contribute to the HC distribution pattern observed in petroleum basins. ?? 1993.

Resveratrol prevents high-calorie diet-induced learning and memory dysfunction in juvenile C57BL/6J mice.

PubMed

Xu, Bao-Lei; Zhang, Hui; Ma, Li-Na; Dong, Wen; Zhao, Zhi-Wei; Zhang, Jing-Shuang; Wang, Yu-Lan; Zhang, Xu; Wang, Rong

2018-05-24

Because resveratrol (RSV) has been shown to improve learning and memory, so we investigated the potential benefit of RSV on learning and memory deficits in juvenile mice fed with a HC diet and explored the molecular mechanisms underlying this process. Six-week-old C57BL/6J mice were divided into three different diet groups: control, HC diet, and HC + RSV diet. Serum insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Administration of RSV daily (30 mg/kg) prevented the HC diet-induced increase in juvenile animal body weight but did not improve any other physiological conditions, including fasting blood glucose and serum cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, and IGF-1 levels. However, RSV did prevent learning and memory deficits in the HC group. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) was downregulated in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in both the HC and HC + RSV groups, but the reduction was significantly greater in the HC + RSV group (P < .01 compared with the HC group). Moreover, although the HC diet reduced the number of p16-positive neurons, the HC + RSV diet significantly upregulated p16 expression in the CA1 region of the hippocampus (P < .01 compared with the HC group). RSV protected against learning and memory impairments in juvenile animals fed with a HC diet, possibly via upregulation of p16 or downregulation of PPARγ in the hippocampal CA1 region.

Effects of carrot pomace powder and a mixture of pectin and xanthan on the quality of gluten-free batter and cakes.

PubMed

Majzoobi, Mahsa; Vosooghi Poor, Zahra; Mesbahi, Gholamreza; Jamalian, Jalal; Farahnaky, Asgar

2017-12-01

Carrot pomace powder (CPP) is a valuable by-product of carrot processing containing nutrients and fiber and can be utilized for enrichment of gluten-free products. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effects of various levels of CPP (0, 10, 20, and 30%) and a mixture of hydrocolloids (HC) including pectin and xanthan (1.5% of each) on the quality of batter and gluten-free cakes. With increasing the level of CPP and inclusion of HC the viscosity of the batter increased significantly from 87 mPa s for the control to >7000 mPa s for 30%CCP + HC sample. The density of the control batter was 1.2 g/cm 3 which reduced significantly to 0.899 g/cm 3 for HC sample. The pH of the cake reduced from 7.23 to 6.78 with addition of CPP but increased slightly with inclusion of HC. The density of the cake reduced from 0.510 g/cm 3 for the control to 0.395 g/cm 3 for 20%CCP + C sample. The texture of the cakes became softer, more springy and chewable with addition of CPP, CPP + HC, and HC. The control sample had the lowest uniformity index (0.178) which improved with addition of CPP and CPP + HC and a highly uniform cake with a uniformity index of 0.045 was obtained for the 30%CCP + HC cake. Addition of CPP increased the dark color of the cakes while inclusion of HC had no effect on the appearance of the cake and color. It was concluded that inclusion of maximum 30%CCP and 20%CPP + HC promoted the quality and sensory attributes of gluten-free cakes. Although different types of gluten-free products are available in the market, most of them contain insufficient amount of fiber and nutrients. Despite popularity, gluten-free cakes are poor in fiber and nutrient contents. Therefore, improving the nutritional value of these products has received an increasing attention by the food industry. Carrot pomace powder (CPP) is an available source of fiber and nutrients and hence can be utilized for enrichment of gluten-free products. This study showed that the inclusion of up to 30% CPP or 20% CPP with a mixture of xanthan and pectin (3%, 1:1) improved the quality and sensory attributes of the cakes. Industrial implications of this study may lead to new product development and improved marketing due to the enhancement of quality, sensory attributes, and nutritional value of the products. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of monensin and essential oils on performance and energy metabolism of transition dairy cows.

PubMed

Drong, C; Meyer, U; von Soosten, D; Frahm, J; Rehage, J; Breves, G; Dänicke, S

2016-06-01

This work examined preventive effects of a dietary and a medical intervention measure on postpartum (p.p.) ketogenesis in dairy cows overconditioned in late pregnancy. Sixty German Holstein cows were allocated 6 weeks antepartum (a.p.) to three high body condition score (BCS) groups (BCS 3.95 ± 0.08) and one low BCS group (LC, BCS 2.77 ± 0.14). Concentrate proportion in diet a.p. was higher (60% vs. 20%) and increase in proportion p.p. from 30% up to 50% decelerated (3 vs. 2 weeks) in high BCS groups. High BCS cows received a monensin controlled-release capsule (CRC) (HC/MO), a blend of essential oils (HC/EO) or formed a control group (HC). Performance parameters and energy status were evaluated in three periods [day (d) -42 until calving, one until 14 days in milk (DIM), 15 until 56 DIM]. Feed efficiency was 65% and 53% higher in HC/MO than in LC (p < 0.001) and HC groups (p = 0.002) in the second period. Milk fat content was higher in HC/EO (5.60 vs. 4.82%; p = 0.012) and milk urea higher in HC/MO (135 mg/kg) than in LC cows (107 mg/kg; p < 0.001). Increased p.p. levels of non-esterified fatty acids in serum were found in HC (p = 0.003), HC/MO (p = 0.068) and HC/EO (p = 0.002) in comparison with LC cows. Prevalence of subclinical and clinical ketosis was 54% and 46%, respectively, in HC group. Monensin decreased the prevalence to 50% and 7% respectively. Ruminal fermentation pattern showed higher proportions of propionate (23.43 mol % and 17.75 mol %, respectively; p < 0.008) and lower acetate:propionate ratio (2.66 vs. 3.76; p < 0.001) in HC/MO than HC group. Results suggest that a monensin CRC improved energy status and feed efficiency of transition dairy cows while essential oils failed to elicit any effect. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Mental State Inferences Abilities Contribution to Verbal Irony Comprehension in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Gaudreau, G.; Monetta, L.; Macoir, J.; Poulin, S.; Laforce, R. Jr.; Hudon, C.

2015-01-01

Objective. The present study examined mentalizing capacities as well as the relative implication of mentalizing in the comprehension of ironic and sincere assertions among 30 older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 30 healthy control (HC) subjects. Method. Subjects were administered a task evaluating mentalizing by means of short stories. A verbal irony comprehension task, in which participants had to identify ironic or sincere statements within short stories, was also administered; the design of the task allowed uniform implication of mentalizing across the conditions. Results. Findings indicated that participants with MCI have second-order mentalizing difficulties compared to HC subjects. Moreover, MCI participants were impaired compared to the HC group in identifying ironic or sincere stories, both requiring mental inference capacities. Conclusion. This study suggests that, in individuals with MCI, difficulties in the comprehension of ironic and sincere assertions are closely related to second-order mentalizing deficits. These findings support previous data suggesting a strong relationship between irony comprehension and mentalizing. PMID:26199459

The Interaction of Lexical Characteristics and Speech Production in Parkinson's Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Yi-Fang; Forrest, Karen

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the interaction of speech movement execution with higher order lexical parameters. The authors examined how lexical characteristics affect speech output in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy control (HC) speakers. Method: Twenty speakers with PD and 12 healthy speakers read sentences…

Hard clam extracts induce atypical apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells

PubMed Central

Song, Eing-Ju; Chan, Michael W.Y.; Shin, Jyh-Wei; Chen, Che-Chun

2017-01-01

Hard clams (HCs) are a nutritionally high-quality and popular seafood, and are established to be a potent antitumor food. The aim of the present study was to determine whether HC extracts induce apoptosis in the human gastric cancer cell line, AGS. In contrast with previously reported methods of extraction, crude extracts of HC were obtained by freezing and thawing and by a method free of hot water or organic solvents. The composition, quality and properties of the HC extracts were demonstrated to be stable since the extracts that were evaluated by capillary electrophoresis and HPLC analysis at different timepoints were similar. HC extracts also have an inhibitory effect against the survival of AGS cells. Treatment with HC extracts induced a marked sub-G1 DNA peak and reduced the expression of the anti-apoptotic genes BIRC5 and KPNA2. However, hallmarks of classical apoptosis such as DNA fragmentation and apoptotic body formation were not observed, indicating atypical apoptosis. Furthermore, it was revealed that HC extracts interrupted cell cycle progression in AGS cells through altered expression of six cell cycle-associated genes: CDC20, KPNA2, BIRC5, ANAPC2, CDKN1A and RB1. The present findings suggest that HC may contribute to a novel future anticancer agent. PMID:28810604

BK virus (BKV) quantification in urine samples of bone marrow transplanted patients is helpful for diagnosis of hemorrhagic cystitis, although wide individual variations exist.

PubMed

Priftakis, Peter; Bogdanovic, Gordana; Kokhaei, Parviz; Mellstedt, Håkan; Dalianis, Tina

2003-01-01

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) in allogeneic bone marrow transplanted (BMT) patients is associated with BK virus (BKV) reactivation manifested as BK viruria. However, since 77-90% of all adult BMT patients excrete BKV, viral reactivation alone cannot be responsible for HC. Recently, a significant overrepresentation of C-->G mutations in the Sp1 binding site in the non-coding control region (NCCR) of BKV was shown to be present in HC patients and absent in non-HC patients. We aimed to investigate if this mutation resulted in excessive BKV excretion in HC patients. A Real-Time PCR was developed and used to quantify BKV in urine samples from 21 patients with HC, with and without the mutations, as well as from patients without HC. Quantification of BKV was successful in 18 of 21 urine patients (six with and six without C-->G mutations) and six patients without HC. A mean of 3.0 x 10(6) BKV copies/microl was detected in urine samples of HC patients with C-->G mutations, compared to a mean of 1.5 x 10(6) BKV copies/microl in HC patients without C-->G mutations and a mean of 1.0 x 10(6) BKV copies/microl in patients without HC. The obtained differences were however not statistically significant, due to one individual non-HC patient with an extremely high BKV copy number. Nevertheless, while 50% of the samples in the HC groups expressed 1 x 10(6) copies/microl or more, only one of the samples in the non-HC group contained a virus quantity higher than 5 x 10(5) copies. Although we could not confirm that the C-->G mutations in the Sp1 site of BKV were responsible for an increased viral load in patients with HC, our data suggest that levels of BKV above 10(4) copies/microl may indicate a risk for HC.

DFT/TD-DFT study on the electronic and spectroscopic properties of hollow cubic and hollow spherical (ZnO) m quantum dots interacting with CO, NO2 and SO3 molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopalakrishnan, Sankarasubramanian; Shankar, Ramasamy; Kolandaivel, Ponmalai

2018-03-01

Hollow spherical (HS) and hollow cubic (HC) (ZnO) m quantum dots (QDs) were constructed and optimized using density functional theory (DFT) method. CO, NO2 and SO3 molecules were used to interact with the HC and HS (ZnO) m QDs at the centre and on the surface of the QDs. The changes in the electronic energy levels of HC and HS (ZnO) m QDs due to the interactions of CO, NO2 and SO3 molecules have been studied. The electronic and spectroscopic properties, such as density of states, HOMO-LUMO energy gap, absorption spectra, IR and Raman spectra of HC and HS (ZnO) m QDs have been studied using DFT and Time dependent-DFT (TD-DFT) methods. The interaction energy values show that the SO3 molecule has strongly interacted with HC and HS (ZnO) m QDs than the CO and NO2 molecules. The results of the density of states show that the HC QDs have peaks that are very close to each other, whereas the same is found to be broad in the HS QDs. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap is more for the HS QDs than the HC QDs, and also it gets decreased, when the NO2 and SO3 molecules interact at the centre of the HC and HS (ZnO) m QDs. The blue and red shifts were observed in the absorption spectra of HS and HC QDs. The natural transition orbital (NTO) plot reveals that the interaction of the molecules on the surface of the QDs reduce the chance of electron-hole recombination; hence the energy gap increases for NO2 and SO3 molecular interactions on the surface of the HC and HS (ZnO) m QDs. The vibrational assignments have been made for HC and HS QDs interacting with CO, NO2 and SO3 molecules.

Emotion regulation in social anxiety disorder: behavioral and neural responses to three socio-emotional tasks

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is thought to involve deficits in emotion regulation, and more specifically, deficits in cognitive reappraisal. However, evidence for such deficits is mixed. Methods Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal, we examined reappraisal-related behavioral and neural responses in 27 participants with generalized SAD and 27 healthy controls (HC) during three socio-emotional tasks: (1) looming harsh faces (Faces); (2) videotaped actors delivering social criticism (Criticism); and (3) written autobiographical negative self-beliefs (Beliefs). Results Behaviorally, compared to HC, participants with SAD had lesser reappraisal-related reduction in negative emotion in the Beliefs task. Neurally, compared to HC, participants with SAD had lesser BOLD responses in reappraisal-related brain regions when reappraising faces, in visual and attention related regions when reappraising criticism, and in the left superior temporal gyrus when reappraising beliefs. Examination of the temporal dynamics of BOLD responses revealed late reappraisal-related increased responses in HC, compared to SAD. In addition, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), which showed reappraisal-related increased activity in both groups, had similar temporal dynamics in SAD and HC during the Faces and Criticism tasks, but greater late response increases in HC, compared to SAD, during the Beliefs task. Reappraisal-related greater late DMPFC responses were associated with greater percent reduction in negative emotion ratings in SAD patients. Conclusions These results suggest a dysfunction of cognitive reappraisal in SAD patients, with overall reduced late brain responses in prefrontal regions, particularly when reappraising faces. Decreased late activity in the DMPFC might be associated with deficient reappraisal and greater negative reactivity. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00380731 PMID:24517388

Physiological measures in participants with chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis and healthy controls following repeated exercise: a pilot study.

PubMed

Hodges, L D; Nielsen, T; Baken, D

2017-08-07

To compare physiological responses of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls (HC) following a 24-h repeated exercise test. Ten CFS, seven MS and 17 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (10, CFS HC; and seven, MS HC) were recruited. Each participant completed a maximal incremental cycle exercise test on day 1 and again 24 h later. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), oxygen consumption (V˙O2), carbon dioxide production and workload (WL) were recorded. Data analysis investigated these responses at anaerobic threshold (AT) and peak work rate (PWR). On day 2, both CFS and MS had significantly reduced max workload compared to HC. On day 2, significant differences were apparent in WL between CFS and CFS HC (93 ± 37 W, 132 ± 42 W, P<0·042). CFS workload decreased on day 2, alongside a decrease in HR but with an increase in V˙O2 (ml   kg   min -1 ). This was in comparison with an increase in WL, HR and V˙O2 for CFS HC. MS demonstrated a decreased WL compared to MS HC on both days of the study (D1 81 ± 30 W, 116 ±30 W; D2 84 ± 29 W, 118 ± 36 W); however, patients with MS were able to achieve a higher WL on day 2 alongside MS HC. These results suggest that exercise exhibits a different physiological response in MS and CFS/ME, demonstrating repeated cardiovascular exercise testing as a valid measure for differentiating between fatigue conditions. © 2017 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Urinary Biomarkers and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Down Syndrome

PubMed Central

Elsharkawi, Ibrahim; Gozal, David; Macklin, Eric A.; Voelz, Lauren; Weintraub, Gil; Skotko, Brian G.

2017-01-01

Study Objectives The study aim was to compare urinary biomarkers in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) with and without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to those of age- and sex-matched neurotypically developing healthy controls (HC). We further investigated whether we could predict OSA in individuals with DS using these biomarkers. Methods Urine samples were collected from 58 individuals with DS the night before or the morning after their scheduled overnight polysomnogram or both, of whom 47 could be age- and sex-matched to a sample of 43 HC. Concentrations of 12 neurotransmitters were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Log-transformed creatinine-corrected assay levels were normalized. Normalized z-scores were compared between individuals with DS vs. HC, between individuals with DS with vs. without OSA, and to derive composite models to predict OSA. Results Most night-sampled urinary biomarkers were elevated among individuals with DS relative to matched HC. No urinary biomarker levels differed between individuals with DS with vs. without OSA. A combination of four urinary biomarkers predicted AHI > 1 with a positive predictive value of 90% and a negative predictive value of 68%. Conclusions Having DS, even in the absence of concurrent OSA, is associated with a different urinary biomarker profile when compared to HC. Therefore, while urinary biomarkers may be predictive of OSA in the general pediatric population, a different approach is needed in interpreting urinary biomarker assays in individuals with DS. Certain biomarkers also seem promising to be predictive of OSA in individuals with DS. PMID:28522103

Sensitivity and specificity of ANA and anti-dsDNA in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparison using control sera obtained from healthy individuals and patients with multiple medical problems.

PubMed

Wichainun, Ramjai; Kasitanon, Nuntana; Wangkaew, Suparaporn; Hongsongkiat, Sith; Sukitawut, Waraporn; Louthrenoo, Worawit

2013-12-01

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) are often tested as a screening tool in patients with suspected systemic lupus erythematosus or connective tissue diseases. ANA can be seen in healthy controls (HC) and patients with multiple medical problems (MMP). To determine the sensitivity and specificity of ANA and anti-dsDNA in SLE patients, using sera from HC and MMP patients. Serum samples from HC, MMP and SLE patients, 100 in each group, were analyzed for the presence of ANA and anti-dsDNA, by indirect immunofluorescent assay, using a HEp-2 cell and Crithidia luciliae as substrates, respectively. The prevalence of ANA at a titer of ≥1:80 and ≥ 1:160 was 8% and 4%, respectively, in HC; and it was 12% and 6% respectively, in MMP patients. The prevalence of anti-dsDNA was 0% in HC and 3% in MMP patients. When using HC sera for the diagnosis of SLE, the sensitivity of ANA at a titer of ≥ 1:80 and ≥ 1:160 was 98% and 90%, respectively, with specificity of 92% and 96%, respectively. The specificity decreased to 88% and 94%, respectively, when using sera from MMP patients. The specificity of anti-dsDNA was 100% and 97%, when using sera from HC and MMP patients, respectively. ANA and anti-dsDNA gave high sensitivity and high specificity in patients with SLE, even when using MMP patient's sera as controls. Physicians should take care in interpreting ANA and anti-dsDNA results in MMP patients who do not have signs or symptoms of SLE or connective tissue diseases.

Cytokine Response after Stimulation with Key Commensal Bacteria Differ in Post-Infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome (PI-IBS) Patients Compared to Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Sundin, Johanna; Rangel, Ignacio; Repsilber, Dirk; Brummer, Robert-Jan

2015-01-01

Microbial dysbiosis and prolonged immune activation resulting in low-grade inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction have been suggested to be underlying causes of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in cytokine response between mucosal specimens of PI-IBS patients and healthy controls (HC) after ex vivo stimulation with key anaerobic bacteria. Colonic biopsies from 11 PI-IBS patients and 10 HC were stimulated ex vivo with the commensal bacteria Bacteroides ovatus, Ruminococcus gnavus, Akkermansia muciniphila, Subdoligranulum variabile and Eubacterium limosum, respectively. The cytokine release (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17, TNF-α and IFN-γ) in stimulation supernatants was analyzed using the LUMINEX assay. Comparison of cytokine release between PI-IBS patients and healthy controls was performed taking both unstimulated and bacterially stimulated mucosal specimens into account. IL-13 release from mucosal specimens without bacterial stimulation was significantly lower in PI-IBS patients compared to HC (p < 0.05). After stimulation with Subdoligranulum variabile, IL-1β release from PI-IBS patients was significantly increased compared to HC (p < 0.05). Stimulation with Eubacterium limosum resulted in a significantly decreased IL-10 release in HC compared to PI-IBS patients (p < 0.05) and a tendency to decreased IL-13 release in HC compared to PI-IBS patients (p = 0.07). PI-IBS patients differ from HC with regard to cytokine release ex vivo after stimulation with selected commensal bacteria. Hence, our results support that the pathogenesis of PI-IBS comprises an altered immune response against commensal gut microbes.

Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a specialized health coaching intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention in women: the HIPP study.

PubMed

Skouteris, Helen; McCabe, Marita; Milgrom, Jeannette; Kent, Bridie; Bruce, Lauren J; Mihalopoulos, Cathrine; Herring, Sharon J; Barnett, Malcolm; Patterson, Denise; Teale, Glyn; Gale, Janette

2012-01-25

Pregnancy is a time of significant physiological and physical change for women. In particular, it is a time at which many women are at risk of gaining excessive weight. We describe the rationale and methods of the Health in Pregnancy and Post-birth (HIPP) Study, a study which aims primarily to determine the effectiveness of a specialized health coaching (HC) intervention during pregnancy, compared to education alone, in preventing excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention 12 months post birth. A secondary aim of this study is to evaluate the mechanisms by which our HC intervention impacts on weight management both during pregnancy and post birth. The randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 220 women who have a BMI > 18.5 (American IOM cut-off for normal weight), are 18 years of age or older, English speaking, no history of disordered eating or diabetes and are less than 18 weeks gestation at recruitment. Women will be randomly allocated to either a specialized HC intervention group or an Education Alone group. Our specialized HC intervention has two components: (1) one-on-one sessions with a Health Coach, and (2) two by two hour educational group sessions led by a Health Coach. Women in the Education Alone group will receive two by two hour educational group sessions with no HC components. Body Mass Index, waist circumference, and psychological factors including motivation, readiness to change, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and body dissatisfaction will be assessed at baseline (14-16 weeks gestation), and again at follow-up: 32 weeks gestation, 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months postpartum. Our study responds to the urgent need to design effective interventions in pregnancy to prevent excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention. Our pregnancy HC intervention is novel and innovative and has been designed to be easily adopted by health professionals who work with pregnant women, such as obstetricians, midwives, allied health professionals and health psychologists. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12611000331932.

Automated on-line SPE LC-MS/MS method to quantitate 6beta-hydroxycortisol and cortisol in human urine: use of the 6beta-hydroxycortisol to cortisol ratio as an indicator of CYP3A4 activity.

PubMed

Barrett, Yu Chen; Akinsanya, Billy; Chang, Shu-Ying; Vesterqvist, Ole

2005-07-25

A sensitive method for quantitation of urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol (6beta-HC) and cortisol using on-line SPE and LC-MS/MS was developed and validated. Human urine samples were injected directly onto an on-line solid phase extraction apparatus, Prospekt-2, followed by HPLC separation and electrospray triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS detection. The inter-day precision for the 6beta-HC:cortisol ratio was 7-9%. The lower limit of quantitation was 1 and 0.2 ng/mL for 6beta-HC and cortisol, respectively. Using the method we observed a diurnal variation on the 6beta-HC:cortisol ratio in healthy volunteers with the maximal ratio observed in the 2-10 pm urine collection period.

Modality-specific alterations in the perception of emotional stimuli in Bipolar Disorder compared to Healthy Controls and Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Vederman, Aaron C.; Weisenbach, Sara L.; Rapport, Lisa J.; Leon, Hadia M.; Haase, Brennan D.; Franti, Lindsay M.; Schallmo, Michael-Paul; Saunders, Erika F.H.; Kamali, Masoud M.; Zubieta, Jon-Kar; Langenecker, Scott A.; McInnis, Melvin G.

2013-01-01

Objectives Affect identification accuracy paradigms have increasingly been utilized to understand psychiatric illness including Bipolar Disorder (BD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This investigation focused on perceptual accuracy in affect identification in both visual and auditory domains among patients with BD, relative to Healthy Controls (HC) and patients with MDD. Demographic and clinical variables, in addition to medications were also investigated. Methods The visual Facial Emotion Perception Test (FEPT) and auditory Emotional Perception Test (EPT) were administered to adults with BD (n = 119) and MDD (n = 78) as well as HC (n = 66). Results Performance on the FEPT was significantly stronger than on the EPT irrespective of group. Performance on the EPT did not significantly differentiate the groups. On the FEPT, BD samples had the greatest difficulty relative to HC in identification of sad and fearful faces. BD participants also had greater difficulty identifying sad faces relative to MDD participants though not after controlling for severity of illness factors. For the BD (but not MDD) sample several clinical variables were also correlated with FEPT performance. Conclusions The findings suggest that disruptions in identification of negative emotions such as sadness and fear may be a characteristic trait of BD. However, this effect may be moderated by greater illness severity found in our BD sample. PMID:21683948

Effect of cyclical thermal to mechanical properties of Hybrid Laminate Composites (HLC) with skin recycle polypropylene/natural fiber/halloysite and core PP/KF composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sri Suharty, Neng; Ismail, Hanafi; Suci Handayani, Desi; Diharjo, Kuncoro; Rachman Wibowo, Fajar; Arnita Wuri, Margaretha

2016-02-01

This research has successfully synthesized six hybrid laminate composites (HLC). These HLC consist of two layers skin composites and one layer of core PP/KF composites. There are sticked with epoxy adhesive by using cold press method. In this research 6 types of skin are used, namely the rPP (recycled polypropylene, HC1); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/KF (HC2); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/Hall (HC3); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/Hall+ZB (HC4); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/KF/Hall (HC5) and rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/KF/Hall+ZB (HC6) composites. The mechanical properties assessment tensile strength (TS) of various HLC before and after cyclical thermal (CT) was done by ASTM D638. While testing the flame retardant: such as time to ignition (TTI) and burning rate (BR) was done by ASTM D635. Heat stability of HLC can be recognized by conducting the CT treatment. It is to determine the effect of fluctuating heat loads on mechanical properties of HLC materials. The TS result of five HLCs (HC2, HC3, HC4, HC5 and HC6) before CT treatment were higher than HC1 (blank HLC). Those five HLC are also able to increase the TTI and reduce the BR compared to HC1. The CT treatment conditions performed at 45 oC as much as 125 times. After CT treatment, the TS values only slightly decline compared to before CT treatment.

Quantitative kinetic analysis of PET amyloid imaging agents [(11)C]BF227 and [(18)F]FACT in human brain.

PubMed

Shidahara, Miho; Watabe, Hiroshi; Tashiro, Manabu; Okamura, Nobuyuki; Furumoto, Shozo; Watanuki, Shoichi; Furukawa, Katsutoshi; Arakawa, Yuma; Funaki, Yoshihito; Iwata, Ren; Gonda, Kohsuke; Kudo, Yukitsuka; Arai, Hiroyuki; Ishiwata, Kiichi; Yanai, Kazuhiko

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to compare two amyloid imaging agents, [(11)C]BF227 and [(18)F]FACT (derivative from [(11)C]BF227) through quantitative pharmacokinetics analysis in human brain. Positron emission tomography studies were performed on six elderly healthy control (HC) subjects and seven probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients with [(11)C]BF227 and 10 HC subjects and 10 probable AD patients with [(18)F]FACT. Data from nine regions of interest were analyzed by several approaches, namely non-linear least-squared fitting methods with arterial input functions (one-tissue compartment model(1TCM), two-tissue compartment model (2TCM)), Logan plot, and linearized methods with reference region (Reference Logan plot (RefLogan), MRTM0, MRTM2). We also evaluated SUV and SUVR for both tracers. The parameters estimated by several approaches were compared between two tracers for detectability of differences between HC and AD patients. For [(11)C]BF227, there were no significant difference of VT (2TCM, 1TCM) and SUV in all regions (Student t-test; p<0.05) and significant differences in the DVRs (Logan, RefLogan, and MRTM2) and SUVRs in six neocortical regions (p<0.05) between the HC and AD groups. For [(18)F]FACT, significant differences in DVRs (RefLogan, MRTM0, and MRTM2) were observed in more than four neocortical regions between the HC and AD groups (p<0.05), and the significant differences were found in SUVRs for two neocortical regions (inferior frontal coretex and lateral temporal coretex). Our results showed that both tracers can clearly distinguish between HC and AD groups although the pharmacokinetics and distribution patterns in brain for two tracers were substantially different. This study revealed that although the PET amyloid imaging agents [(11)C]BF227 and [(18)F]FACT have similar chemical and biological properties, they have different pharmacokinetics, and caution must be paid for usage of the tracers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrophysiological resting-state biomarker for diagnosing mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis.

PubMed

Jin, Seung-Hyun; Chung, Chun Kee

2017-01-01

The main aim of the present study was to evaluate whether resting-state functional connectivity of magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals can differentiate patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) from healthy controls (HC) and can differentiate between right and left MTLE as a diagnostic biomarker. To this end, a support vector machine (SVM) method among various machine learning algorithms was employed. We compared resting-state functional networks between 46 MTLE (right MTLE=23; left MTLE=23) patients with histologically proven HS who were free of seizure after surgery, and 46 HC. The optimal SVM group classifier distinguished MTLE patients with a mean accuracy of 95.1% (sensitivity=95.8%; specificity=94.3%). Increased connectivity including the right posterior cingulate gyrus and decreased connectivity including at least one sensory-related resting-state network were key features reflecting the differences between MTLE patients and HC. The optimal SVM model distinguished between right and left MTLE patients with a mean accuracy of 76.2% (sensitivity=76.0%; specificity=76.5%). We showed the potential of electrophysiological resting-state functional connectivity, which reflects brain network reorganization in MTLE patients, as a possible diagnostic biomarker to differentiate MTLE patients from HC and differentiate between right and left MTLE patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with dysbiosis independent of body mass index and insulin resistance.

PubMed

Da Silva, Hannah E; Teterina, Anastasia; Comelli, Elena M; Taibi, Amel; Arendt, Bianca M; Fischer, Sandra E; Lou, Wendy; Allard, Johane P

2018-01-23

This study aimed to determine if there is an association between dysbiosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) independent of obesity and insulin resistance (IR). This is a prospective cross-sectional study assessing the intestinal microbiome (IM) of 39 adults with biopsy-proven NAFLD (15 simple steatosis [SS]; 24 nonalcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH]) and 28 healthy controls (HC). IM composition (llumina MiSeq Platform) in NAFLD patients compared to HC were identified by two statistical methods (Metastats, Wilcoxon). Selected taxa was validated using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Metabolites in feces and serum were also analyzed. In NAFLD, 8 operational taxonomic units, 6 genera, 6 families and 2 phyla (Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes) were less abundant and; 1 genus (Lactobacillus) and 1 family (Lactobacillaceae) were more abundant compared to HC. Lower abundance in both NASH and SS patients compared to HC were confirmed by qPCR for Ruminococcus, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Coprococcus. No difference was found between NASH and SS. This lower abundance in NAFLD (NASH+SS) was independent of BMI and IR. NAFLD patients had higher concentrations of fecal propionate and isobutyric acid and serum 2-hydroxybutyrate and L-lactic acid. These findings suggest a potential role for a specific IM community and functional profile in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Elasticity in portion selection is predicted by severity of anorexia and food type in adolescents.

PubMed

Herzog, M; Douglas, C R; Kissileff, H R; Brunstrom, J M; Halmi, K A

2016-08-01

The size of portions that people select is an indicator of underlying mechanisms controlling food intake. Fears of eating excessive portions drive down the sizes of portions patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) can tolerate eating significantly below those of healthy controls (HC) (Kissileff et al., 2016). To determine whether patients with AN will also reduce the sizes of typical or ideal portions below those of controls, ANOVA was used to compare maximum tolerable, typical, and ideal portions of four foods (potatoes, rice, pizza, and M&M's) in the same group of 24 adolescent AN patients and 10 healthy adolescent controls (HC), on which only the maximal portion data were previously reported. Typical and ideal portion sizes did not differ on any food for AN, but for HC, typical portions sizes (kcals) became larger than ideal as the energy density of the food increased, and were significant for the most energy dense food. Ideal portions of low energy dense foods were the same for AN as for in HC. There was a significant 3-way (group × food × portion type) interaction, such that HC selected larger maximum than typical portions only for pizza. We therefore proposed that individuals of certain groups, depending on the food, can be flexible in the amounts of food chosen to be eaten. We call this difference between maximum-tolerable, and typical portion sizes selected "elasticity." Elasticity was significantly smaller for AN patients compared to HC for pizza and was significantly inversely correlated with severity of illness. This index could be useful for clinical assessment of AN patients, and those with eating problems such as in obesity and bulimia nervosa and tracking their response to treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monocrotaline: Histological Damage and Oxidant Activity in Brain Areas of Mice

PubMed Central

Honório Junior, José Eduardo Ribeiro; Vasconcelos, Germana Silva; Rodrigues, Francisca Taciana Sousa; Sena Filho, José Guedes; Barbosa-Filho, José Maria; Aguiar, Carlos Clayton Torres; Leal, Luzia Kalyne Almeida Moreira; Soares, Pedro Marcos Gomes; Woods, David John; Fonteles, Marta Maria de França; Vasconcelos, Silvânia Maria Mendes

2012-01-01

This work was designed to study MCT effect in histopathological analysis of hippocampus (HC) and parahippocampal cortex (PHC) and in oxidative stress (OS) parameters in brain areas such as hippocampus (HC), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and striatum (ST). Swiss mice (25–30 g) were administered a single i.p. dose of MCT (5, 50, or 100 mg/kg) or 4% Tween 80 in saline (control group). After 30 minutes, the animals were sacrificed by decapitation and the brain areas (HC, PHC, PFC, or ST) were removed for histopathological analysis or dissected and homogenized for measurement of OS parameters (lipid peroxidation, nitrite, and catalase) by spectrophotometry. Histological evaluation of brain structures of rats treated with MCT (50 and 100 mg/kg) revealed lesions in the hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex compared to control. Lipid peroxidation was evident in all brain areas after administration of MCT. Nitrite/nitrate content decreased in all doses administered in HC, PFC, and ST. Catalase activity was increased in the MCT group only in HC. In conclusion, monocrotaline caused cell lesions in the hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex regions and produced oxidative stress in the HC, PFC, and ST in mice. These findings may contribute to the neurological effects associated with this compound. PMID:23251721

Sensitivity of an opiate immunoassay for detecting hydrocodone and hydromorphone in urine from a clinical population: analysis of subthreshold results.

PubMed

Bertholf, Roger L; Johannsen, Laura M; Reisfield, Gary M

2015-01-01

Urine drug testing (UDT) is an emerging standard of care in the evaluation and treatment of chronic non-cancer pain patients with opioid analgesics. UDT may be used both to verify adherence with the opioid analgesic regimen and to monitor abstinence from non-prescribed or illicit controlled substances. In the former scenario, it is vital to determine whether the drug is present in the urine, even at low concentrations, because failure to detect the drug may lead to accusations of opioid abuse or diversion. Opiate immunoassays typically are developed to detect morphine and are most sensitive to morphine and codeine. Although many opiate immunoassays also detect hydrocodone (HC) and/or hydromorphone (HM), sensitivities for these analytes are often much lower, increasing the possibility of negative screening results when the drug is present in the urine. We selected 112 urine specimens from patients who had been prescribed HC or hydromorphone but were presumptive negative by the Roche Online DAT Opiate II™ urine drug screening assay, which is calibrated to 300 ng/mL morphine. Using a GC/MS confirmatory method with a detection limit of 50 ng/mL both for HC and for HM, one or both of these opiates were detected in 81 (72.3%) of the urine specimens. Examination of the raw data from these presumptive negative opiate screens revealed that, in many cases, the turbidity signal was greater than the signal obtained for the negative control, but less than the signal for the 300 ng/mL (morphine) threshold calibrator. A receiver operating characteristic curve generated for the reciprocal of the ratio of turbidity measurements in the patient specimens and negative (drug-free) controls, against the presence or absence of HC and/or HM by confirmatory analyses, produced an area under the curve of 0.910. We conclude that this opiate immunoassay has sufficient sensitivity to detect HC and/or HM in some urine specimens that screen presumptive negative for these commonly prescribed opiates at the established threshold. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The genes for the {alpha}-type HC3 (PMSA2) and {beta}-type HC5 (PMSB1) subunits of human proteasomes map to chromosomes 6q27 and 7p12-p13 by fluorescence in situ hybridization

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

Okumura, Katsuzumi; Nogami, Masahiro; Taguchi, Hiroshi

1995-05-20

The authors have determined the locations of the genes for the two subunits, HC3 and HC5, by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Chromosome spreads were obtained from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated blood lymphocytes of a healthy donor after thymidine synchronization and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation by the method of Takahashi et al. Genomic DNA fragments of HC3 (4.3 kb, including exons 3, 4, and 5) and HC5 (7.5 kb including exons 1 and 2) (11) were labeled with biotin-16-dUTP by nick-translation. In situ hybridization was performed according to Lichter et al. in the presence of COT-1 DNA as a competitor. Hybridized probe was detected withmore » FITC-conjugated avidin without further signal amplification. Comparison of the fluorescence signals and the banding patterns of the chromosomes indicated that the HC3 and HC5 genes were located on chromosome band 6q27 and 7p12-p13, respectively.« less

Executive Functions Profile in Extreme Eating/Weight Conditions: From Anorexia Nervosa to Obesity

PubMed Central

Fagundo, Ana B.; de la Torre, Rafael; Jiménez-Murcia, Susana; Agüera, Zaida; Granero, Roser; Tárrega, Salomé; Botella, Cristina; Baños, Rosa; Fernández-Real, Jose M.; Rodríguez, Roser; Forcano, Laura; Frühbeck, Gema; Gómez-Ambrosi, Javier; Tinahones, Francisco J.; Fernández-García, Jose C.; Casanueva, Felipe F.; Fernández-Aranda, Fernando

2012-01-01

Background Extreme weight conditions (EWC) groups along a continuum may share some biological risk factors and intermediate neurocognitive phenotypes. A core cognitive trait in EWC appears to be executive dysfunction, with a focus on decision making, response inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Differences between individuals in these areas are likely to contribute to the differences in vulnerability to EWC. The aim of the study was to investigate whether there is a common pattern of executive dysfunction in EWC while comparing anorexia nervosa patients (AN), obese subjects (OB) and healthy eating/weight controls (HC). Methods Thirty five AN patients, fifty two OB and one hundred thirty seven HC were compared using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST); Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT); and Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). All participants were female, aged between 18 and 60 years. Results There was a significant difference in IGT score (F(1.79); p<.001), with AN and OB groups showing the poorest performance compared to HC. On the WCST, AN and OB made significantly more errors than controls (F(25.73); p<.001), and had significantly fewer correct responses (F(2.71); p<.001). Post hoc analysis revealed that the two clinical groups were not significantly different from each other. Finally, OB showed a significant reduced performance in the inhibition response measured with the Stroop test (F(5.11); p<.001) compared with both AN and HC. Conclusions These findings suggest that EWC subjects (namely AN and OB) have similar dysfunctional executive profile that may play a role in the development and maintenance of such disorders. PMID:22927962

Comparison of analytical methods of brain [18F]FDG-PET after severe traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Madsen, Karine; Hesby, Sara; Poulsen, Ingrid; Fuglsang, Stefan; Graff, Jesper; Larsen, Karen B; Kammersgaard, Lars P; Law, Ian; Siebner, Hartwig R

2017-11-01

Loss of consciousness has been shown to reduce cerebral metabolic rates of glucose (CMRglc) measured by brain [ 18 F]FDG-PET. Measurements of regional metabolic patterns by normalization to global cerebral metabolism or cerebellum may underestimate widespread reductions. The aim of this study was to compare quantification methods of whole brain glucose metabolism, including whole brain [18F]FDG uptake normalized to uptake in cerebellum, normalized to injected activity, normalized to plasma tracer concentration, and two methods for estimating CMRglc. Six patients suffering from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ten healthy controls (HC) underwent a 10min static [ 18 F]FDG-PET scan and venous blood sampling. Except from normalizing to cerebellum, all quantification methods found significant lower level of whole brain glucose metabolism of 25-33% in TBI patients compared to HC. In accordance these measurements correlated to level of consciousness. Our study demonstrates that the analysis method of the [ 18 F]FDG PET data has a substantial impact on the estimated whole brain cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with severe TBI. Importantly, the SUVR method which is often used in a clinical setting was not able to distinguish patients with severe TBI from HC at the whole-brain level. We recommend supplementing a static [ 18 F]FDG scan with a single venous blood sample in future studies of patients with severe TBI or reduced level of consciousness. This can be used for simple semi-quantitative uptake values by normalizing brain activity uptake to plasma tracer concentration, or quantitative estimates of CMRglc. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Default mode network connectivity distinguishes chemotherapy-treated breast cancer survivors from controls

PubMed Central

Kesler, Shelli R.; Wefel, Jeffrey S.; Hosseini, S. M. Hadi; Cheung, Maria; Watson, Christa L.; Hoeft, Fumiko

2013-01-01

Breast cancer (BC) chemotherapy is associated with cognitive changes including persistent deficits in some individuals. We tested the accuracy of default mode network (DMN) resting state functional connectivity patterns in discriminating chemotherapy treated (C+) from non–chemotherapy (C−) treated BC survivors and healthy controls (HC). We also examined the relationship between DMN connectivity patterns and cognitive function. Multivariate pattern analysis was used to classify 30 C+, 27 C−, and 24 HC, which showed significant accuracy for discriminating C+ from C− (91.23%, P < 0.0001) and C+ from HC (90.74%, P < 0.0001). The C− group did not differ significantly from HC (47.06%, P = 0.60). Lower subjective memory function was correlated (P < 0.002) with greater hyperplane distance (distance from the linear decision function that optimally separates the groups). Disrupted DMN connectivity may help explain long-term cognitive difficulties following BC chemotherapy. PMID:23798392

Palliative Sedation in Terminal Cancer Patients Admitted to Hospice or Home Care Programs: Does the Setting Matter? Results From a National Multicenter Observational Study.

PubMed

Caraceni, Augusto; Speranza, Raffaella; Spoldi, Elio; Ambroset, Cristina Sonia; Canestrari, Stefano; Marinari, Mauro; Marzi, Anna Maria; Orsi, Luciano; Piva, Laura; Rocchi, Mirta; Valenti, Danila; Zeppetella, Gianluigi; Zucco, Furio; Raimondi, Alessandra; Matos, Leonor Vasconcelos; Brunelli, Cinzia

2018-03-13

Few studies regarding palliative sedation (PS) have been carried out in home care (HC) setting. A comparison of PS rate and practices between hospice (HS) and HC is also lacking. Comparing HC and HS settings for PS rate, patient clinical characteristics before and during PS, decision-making process, and clinical aspects of PS. About 38 HC/HS services in Italy participated in a multicenter observational longitudinal study. Consecutive adult cancer patients followed till death during a four-month period and undergoing PS were eligible. Symptom control and level of consciousness were registered every eight hours to death. About 4276 patients were screened, 2894 followed till death, and 531 (18%) underwent PS. PS rate was 15% in HC and 21% in HS (P < 0.001). Principal refractory symptoms were delirium (54%) and dyspnea (45%), respectively, more common in HC (P < 0.001) and HS (P = 0.03). Informed consent was not obtained in 72% of patients but achieved by 96% of families. Midazolam was the most used drug (94% HS vs. 75% HC; P < 0.001) mainly by continuous infusion (74% HC vs. 89% HS; P < 0.001). PS duration was less than 48 hours in 67% of patients. Hydration during PS was less frequent in HC (27% vs. 49%; P < 0.001). In the eight hours before death, consciousness level was unrousable to mild physical stimulation in 81% and symptom control complete in 89% of cases. Our results show feasibility of PS in HC and HS and suggest setting differences in rates, indications, and practice of PS, possibly related to patients' selection or care organization. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Degradation of reactive orange 4 dye using hydrodynamic cavitation based hybrid techniques.

PubMed

Gore, Mohan M; Saharan, Virendra Kumar; Pinjari, Dipak V; Chavan, Prakash V; Pandit, Aniruddha B

2014-05-01

In the present work, degradation of reactive orange 4 dye (RO4) has been investigated using hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) and in combination with other AOP's. In the hybrid techniques, combination of hydrodynamic cavitation and other oxidizing agents such as H2O2 and ozone have been used to get the enhanced degradation efficiency through HC device. The hydrodynamic cavitation was first optimized in terms of different operating parameters such as operating inlet pressure, cavitation number and pH of the operating medium to get the maximum degradation of RO4. Following the optimization of HC parameters, the degradation of RO4 was carried out using the combination of HC with H2O2 and ozone. It has been found that the efficiency of the HC can be improved significantly by combining it with H2O2 and ozone. The mineralization rate of RO4 increases considerably with 14.67% mineralization taking place using HC alone increases to 31.90% by combining it with H2O2 and further increases to 76.25% through the combination of HC and ozone. The synergetic coefficient of greater than one for the hybrid processes of HC+H2O2 and HC+Ozone has suggested that the combination of HC with other oxidizing agents is better than the individual processes for the degradation of dye effluent containing RO4. The combination of HC with ozone proves to be the most energy efficient method for the degradation of RO4 as compared to HC alone and the hybrid process of HC and H2O2. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-level SUMO-mediated fusion expression of ABP-dHC-cecropin A from multiple joined genes in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiaxin; Movahedi, Ali; Wei, Zhiheng; Sang, Ming; Wu, Xiaolong; Wang, Mengyang; Wei, Hui; Pan, Huixin; Yin, Tongming; Zhuge, Qiang

2016-09-15

The antimicrobial peptide ABP-dHC-cecropin A is a small cationic peptide with potent activity against a wide range of bacterial species. Evidence of antifungal activity has also been suggested; however, evaluation of this peptide has been limited due to the low expression of cecropin proteins in Escherichia coli. To improve the expression level of ABP-dHC-cecropin A in E. coli, tandem repeats of the ABP-dHC-cecropin A gene were constructed and expressed as fusion proteins (SUMO-nABP-dHC-cecropin, n = 1, 2, 3, 4) via pSUMO-nABP-dHC-cecropin A vectors (n = 1, 2, 3, 4). Comparison of the expression levels of soluble SUMO-nABP-dHC-cecropin A fusion proteins (n = 1, 2, 3, 4) suggested that BL21 (DE3)/pSUMO-3ABP-dHC-cecropin A is an ideal recombinant strain for ABP-dHC-cecropin A production. Under the selected conditions of cultivation and isopropylthiogalactoside (IPTG) induction, the expression level of ABP-dHC-cecropin A was as high as 65 mg/L, with ∼21.3% of the fusion protein in soluble form. By large-scale fermentation, protein production reached nearly 300 mg/L, which is the highest yield of ABP-dHC-cecropin A reported to date. In antibacterial experiments, the efficacy was approximately the same as that of synthetic ABP-dHC-cecropin A. This method provides a novel and effective means of producing large amounts of ABP-dHC-cecropin A. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantification of polyoma BK viruria in hemorrhagic cystitis complicating bone marrow transplantation.

PubMed

Leung, A Y; Suen, C K; Lie, A K; Liang, R H; Yuen, K Y; Kwong, Y L

2001-09-15

Polyoma BK virus (BKV) is frequently identified in the urine of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) patients with hemorrhagic cystitis (HC). However, viruria is common even in asymptomatic patients, making a direct causative role of BKV difficult to establish. This study prospectively quantified BK viruria and viremia in 50 BMT patients to define the quantitative relationship of BKV reactivation with HC. Adenovirus (ADV) was similarly quantified as a control. More than 800 patient samples were quantified for BKV VP1 gene with a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Twenty patients (40%) developed HC, 6 with gross hematuria (HC grade 2 or higher) and 14 with microscopic hematuria (HC grade 1). When compared with asymptomatic patients, patients with HC had significantly higher peak BK viruria (6 x 10(12) versus 5.7 x 10(7) genome copies/d, P <.001) and larger total amounts of BKV excreted during BMT (4.9 x 10(13) versus 7.7 x 10(8) genome copies, P <.001). There was no detectable increase in BK viremia. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that BK viruria was the only risk factor, with HC not related to age, conditioning regimen, type of BMT, and graft-versus-host disease. Furthermore, the levels of ADV viruria in patients with or without HC were similar and comparable with those of BK viruria in patients without HC, suggesting that the significant increase in BK viruria in HC patients was not due to background viral reactivation or damage to the urothelium. BK viruria was quantitatively related to the occurrence of HC after BMT.

Occupational health of home care aides: results of the safe home care survey

PubMed Central

Quinn, Margaret M; Markkanen, Pia K; Galligan, Catherine J; Sama, Susan R; Kriebel, David; Gore, Rebecca J; Brouillette, Natalie M; Okyere, Daniel; Sun, Chuan; Punnett, Laura; Laramie, Angela K; Davis, Letitia

2016-01-01

Objectives In countries with ageing populations, home care (HC) aides are among the fastest growing jobs. There are few quantitative studies of HC occupational safety and health (OSH) conditions. The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess quantitatively the OSH hazards and benefits for a wide range of HC working conditions, and (2) compare OSH experiences of HC aides who are employed via different medical and social services systems in Massachusetts, USA. Methods HC aides were recruited for a survey via agencies that employ aides and schedule their visits with clients, and through a labour union of aides employed directly by clients or their families. The questionnaire included detailed questions about the most recent HC visits, as well as about individual aides’ OSH experiences. Results The study population included 1249 HC aides (634 agency-employed, 615 client-employed) contributing information on 3484 HC visits. Hazards occurring most frequently related to musculoskeletal strain, exposure to potentially infectious agents and cleaning chemicals for infection prevention and experience of violence. Client-hired and agency-hired aides had similar OSH experiences with a few exceptions, including use of sharps and experience of verbal violence. Conclusions The OSH experience of HC aides is similar to that of aides in institutional healthcare settings. Despite OSH challenges, HC aides enjoy caring for others and the benefits of HC work should be enhanced. Quantification of HC hazards and benefits is useful to prioritise resources for the development of preventive interventions and to provide an evidence base for policy-setting. PMID:26209318

Conflict anticipation in alcohol dependence - A model-based fMRI study of stop signal task.

PubMed

Hu, Sien; Ide, Jaime S; Zhang, Sheng; Sinha, Rajita; Li, Chiang-Shan R

2015-01-01

Our previous work characterized altered cerebral activations during cognitive control in individuals with alcohol dependence (AD). A hallmark of cognitive control is the ability to anticipate changes and adjust behavior accordingly. Here, we employed a Bayesian model to describe trial-by-trial anticipation of the stop signal and modeled fMRI signals of conflict anticipation in a stop signal task. Our goal is to characterize the neural correlates of conflict anticipation and its relationship to response inhibition and alcohol consumption in AD. Twenty-four AD and 70 age and gender matched healthy control individuals (HC) participated in the study. fMRI data were pre-processed and modeled with SPM8. We modeled fMRI signals at trial onset with individual events parametrically modulated by estimated probability of the stop signal, p(Stop), and compared regional responses to conflict anticipation between AD and HC. To address the link to response inhibition, we regressed whole-brain responses to conflict anticipation against the stop signal reaction time (SSRT). Compared to HC (54/70), fewer AD (11/24) showed a significant sequential effect - a correlation between p(Stop) and RT during go trials - and the magnitude of sequential effect is diminished, suggesting a deficit in proactive control. Parametric analyses showed decreased learning rate and over-estimated prior mean of the stop signal in AD. In fMRI, both HC and AD responded to p(Stop) in bilateral inferior parietal cortex and anterior pre-supplementary motor area, although the magnitude of response increased in AD. In contrast, HC but not AD showed deactivation of the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC). Furthermore, deactivation of the pgACC to increasing p(Stop) is positively correlated with the SSRT in HC but not AD. Recent alcohol consumption is correlated with increased activation of the thalamus and cerebellum in AD during conflict anticipation. The current results highlight altered proactive control that may serve as an additional behavioral and neural marker of alcohol dependence.

The Efficacy of a Family-Based Intervention Program on Childhood Obesity: A Quasi-Experimental Design.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Ying; Kao, Chia-Chan; Hsu, Hsiu-Yueh; Wang, Ruey-Hsia; Hsu, Shu-Hua

2015-10-01

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the efficacy of a family-based (FB) weight-loss and behavior-modification intervention among overweight/obese children (age 9-11 years) and their parents in Taiwan. The intervention group (52 child-parent dyads) participated in an FB program for 7 weeks. The control group (55 child-parent dyads) received an educational pamphlet about obesity prevention. The children's body mass index (BMI) z-scores were the primary outcome variable. The parents' BMI, high-calorie (HC) food-intake behaviors, screen-related behaviors, and restrictions on children's consumption of HC foods and screen-related behaviors and the availability of HC foods at home were the secondary outcome variables. Outcome variables were measured at baseline (T0), at the end of the intervention (T1), and 4 weeks after the end of the intervention (T2). A linear mixed model was used to assess the efficacy of the FB program. Results indicated that the children's BMI z-scores decreased significantly more from T0 to T2 in the experimental group than in the control group. The decreases in parents' HC food-intake behaviors and availability of HC foods at home and the increase in parental restrictions on children's consumption of HC foods were significantly greater in the experimental than in the control group from T0 to T1 and T0 to T2. The FB program was effective in modifying parental behaviors and the weight of overweight/obese children in a Taiwanese population. © The Author(s) 2015.

Adverse Events Associated with Hospitalization or Detected through the RAI-HC Assessment among Canadian Home Care Clients

PubMed Central

Doran, Diane; Hirdes, John P.; Blais, Régis; Baker, G. Ross; Poss, Jeff W.; Li, Xiaoqiang; Dill, Donna; Gruneir, Andrea; Heckman, George; Lacroix, Hélène; Mitchell, Lori; O'Beirne, Maeve; Foebel, Andrea; White, Nancy; Qian, Gan; Nahm, Sang-Myong; Yim, Odilia; Droppo, Lisa; McIsaac, Corrine

2013-01-01

Background: The occurrence of adverse events (AEs) in care settings is a patient safety concern that has significant consequences across healthcare systems. Patient safety problems have been well documented in acute care settings; however, similar data for clients in home care (HC) settings in Canada are limited. The purpose of this Canadian study was to investigate AEs in HC, specifically those associated with hospitalization or detected through the Resident Assessment Instrument for Home Care (RAI-HC). Method: A retrospective cohort design was used. The cohort consisted of HC clients from the provinces of Nova Scotia, Ontario, British Columbia and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Results: The overall incidence rate of AEs associated with hospitalization ranged from 6% to 9%. The incidence rate of AEs determined from the RAI-HC was 4%. Injurious falls, injuries from other than fall and medication-related events were the most frequent AEs associated with hospitalization, whereas new caregiver distress was the most frequent AE identified through the RAI-HC. Conclusion: The incidence of AEs from all sources of data ranged from 4% to 9%. More resources are needed to target strategies for addressing safety risks in HC in a broader context. Tools such as the RAI-HC and its Clinical Assessment Protocols, already available in Canada, could be very useful in the assessment and management of HC clients who are at safety risk. PMID:23968676

Losartan alleviates hyperuricemia-induced atherosclerosis in a rabbit model.

PubMed

Zheng, Hongchao; Li, Ning; Ding, Yueyou; Miao, Peizhi

2015-01-01

To investigate the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of losartan on hyperuricemia-induced aortic atherosclerosis, in an experimental rabbit model. Male rabbits (n = 48) were divided into control, hyperuricemia (HU), hypercholesterolemia + hyperuricemia (HC + HU) and high-purine with 30-mg/kg/d losartan (HU + losartan) groups. Serum uric acid (UA) and plasma renin and angiotensin II activities were determined. Aortic tissue specimens were analyzed for histological changes and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Liver tissues were sampled for quantitative analyses of liver low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) mRNA and protein via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. After 12 weeks, serum UA and plasma renin and plasma angiotensin II activities were enhanced in the HU and HU + HC groups (P < 0.001) compared to the control, whereas in the HU + losartan group plasma renin activity was not different and serum UA concentrations as well as plasma angiotensin II activity were moderately enhanced (P < 0.05). Smooth muscle cell (SMC) PCNA expression increased strongly in the HU and HU + HC groups (P < 0.001), but was less pronounced in the HU + losartan group. In contrast, transcription and expression of LDLR mRNA and protein were significantly higher in the control and HU + losartan groups compared to the HU and HU + HC groups. Both the HU and HU + HC groups had elevated intima thickness and intima areas compared to the control and HU + losartan groups. Losartan can alleviate experimental atherosclerosis induced by hyperuricemia.

Characterizing the nature of home care work and occupational hazards: a developmental intervention study.

PubMed

Markkanen, Pia; Quinn, Margaret; Galligan, Catherine; Sama, Susan; Brouillette, Natalie; Okyere, Daniel

2014-04-01

Home care (HC) aide is the fastest growing occupation, yet job hazards are under-studied. This study documents the context of HC aide work, characterizes occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards, and identifies preventive interventions using qualitative methods. We conducted 12 focus groups among aides and 26 in-depth interviews comprising 15 HC agency, union, and insurance company representatives as well as 11 HC recipients in Massachusetts. All focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded with NVIVO software. Major OSH concerns were musculoskeletal disorders from client care tasks and verbal abuse. Performing tasks beyond specified job duties may be an OSH risk factor. HC aides' safety and clients' safety are closely linked. Client handling devices, client evaluation, care plan development, and training are key interventions for both aides' and clients' safety. Promoting OSH in HC is essential for maintaining a viable workforce. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Effectiveness of FTA Elute® indicating cartridge in combination with hybrid capture 2 for cervical cancer screening].

PubMed

Chen, Feng; Zhang, Xi; Wang, Shaoming; Hu, Shangying; Chen, Wen; Zhao, Fanghui; He, Wei; Zhang, Yuqing; Qiao, Youlin

2015-02-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of FTA Elute® Cartridge (GE healthcare, Kent, UK) in combination with hybrid capture 2 (HC2) testing for cervical cancer screening. From May to June 2012, 412 women aged 25 to 65 years in Jiangxi Tonggu were enrolled in the study. We used pathological outcome as the gold standard, and the accuracy of the FTA card in combination with HC2 testing was investigated from both physician- and self-sampling, respectively. Physician sampling using the FTA card in combination with HC2 testing showed a comparable sensitivity (12/13) with the liquid based medium, but a higher specificity 69.5% (266/383) vs (77.8%, 298/383) (P < 0.001).When self sampling method was used, the sensitivity and specificity of using the FTA card in combination with HC2 testing with liquid based medium was 10/13 vs 8/13(P = 0.625) and (62.3%, 238/382) vs (75.7%, 289/382) (P < 0.001). The agreement of detection results for HC2 between FTA and liquid-based sampling medium was 86.1% (340/395) and 79.5% (314/395). For physician-collected samples used for HC2 testing to detect CIN2+, the accuracy of the FTA card was superior to that of the liquid-based medium (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.898, 95%CI:0.838-0.958). FTA Elute® cartridge in combination with HC2 testing is a promising method of specimen transport for cervical cancer screening programs with a good precision.With further optimization, it could become an effective method for cervical cancer screening in various economic levels of areas.

Hydroxyurea and Growth in Young Children With Sickle Cell Disease

PubMed Central

Houston, Patricia E.; Wang, Winfred C.; Iyer, Rathi V.; Goldsmith, Jonathan; Casella, James F.; Reed, Caroline K.; Rogers, Zora R.; Waclawiw, Myron A.; Thompson, Bruce

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Growth impairment is a known complication of sickle cell disease. Effects of hydroxyurea (HU) on growth in very young children are not known. METHODS: Height, weight, BMI, and head circumference (HC) were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards in BABY HUG, a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled 2-year clinical trial of HU in 193 children 9 to 18 months of age. Anthropometric data were closely monitored and converted to z scores by using WHO standardized algorithms for descriptive analyses. The treatment and placebo groups were compared longitudinally by using a mixed model analysis. RESULTS: At entry, the z scores of BABY HUG children were higher than WHO norms. After 2 years of HU or placebo treatment, there were no significant differences between the groups, except for the mean HC z scores at study exit (HU: +0.8 versus placebo: +1.0, P = .05). Baseline z scores were the best predictors of z scores at study exit. The absolute neutrophil count, absolute reticulocyte count, and total white blood cell count had significant negative correlations with growth measures. CONCLUSIONS: Both groups had normal or near normal anthropometric measures during the study. The HC z scores at study entry and exit were slightly greater than WHO norms. Higher baseline white blood cell count, absolute reticulocyte count, and absolute neutrophil count were associated with poorer growth. The significance of the slightly lower HC in the treatment group at study exit is not clear. Trends toward normalization of weight and height and effects on HC will be monitored in ongoing BABY HUG follow-up studies. PMID:25157002

Machine learning based analytics of micro-MRI trabecular bone microarchitecture and texture in type 1 Gaucher disease.

PubMed

Sharma, Gulshan B; Robertson, Douglas D; Laney, Dawn A; Gambello, Michael J; Terk, Michael

2016-06-14

Type 1 Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease, affecting bone metabolism, structure and strength. Current bone assessment methods are not ideal. Semi-quantitative MRI scoring is unreliable, not standardized, and only evaluates bone marrow. DXA BMD is also used but is a limited predictor of bone fragility/fracture risk. Our purpose was to measure trabecular bone microarchitecture, as a biomarker of bone disease severity, in type 1 GD individuals with different GD genotypes and to apply machine learning based analytics to discriminate between GD patients and healthy individuals. Micro-MR imaging of the distal radius was performed on 20 type 1 GD patients and 10 healthy controls (HC). Fifteen stereological and textural measures (STM) were calculated from the MR images. General linear models demonstrated significant differences between GD and HC, and GD genotypes. Stereological measures, main contributors to the first two principal components (PCs), explained ~50% of data variation and were significantly different between males and females. Subsequent PCs textural measures were significantly different between GD patients and HC individuals. Textural measures also significantly differed between GD genotypes, and distinguished between GD patients with normal and pathologic DXA scores. PCA and SVM predictive analyses discriminated between GD and HC with maximum accuracy of 73% and area under ROC curve of 0.79. Trabecular STM differences can be quantified between GD patients and HC, and GD sub-types using micro-MRI and machine learning based analytics. Work is underway to expand this approach to evaluate GD disease burden and treatment efficacy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Qualitative Characteristics of Depression in Parkinson's Patients and Controls.

PubMed

Kritzinger, Cleo; Vollstedt, Eva-Juliane; Hückelheim, Katja; Lorwin, Anne; Graf, Julia; Tunc, Sinem; Klein, Christine; Kasten, Meike

2015-01-01

Depression is common in Parkinson's disease (PD); in light of typical PD pathology it may differ phenomenologically from depression in the general population. To assess depressive symptoms in PD patients and control groups and compare symptom profiles. After postal screening of 10,000 citizens of Lübeck, 642 participants were examined and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was sufficiently answered by 477 subjects. Based on motor examinations, we distinguished PD patients, Healthy Controls (HC, no motor impairment), and Disease Controls (DC, motor impairment other than PD). The sample comprised 331 men and 311 women, aged 65 ± 8 years. Out of the overall sample, 198 (41.5%) had a BDI score ≥9. BDI results above 9 points occurred in 34.5% of HC, 50.3% of DC, and 42.4% of PD patients. Compared to the control groups (HC, DC) the PD patients endorsed more "dissatisfaction" and "loss of appetite" but less "feelings of guilt," "self-hate," and "loss of libido." Depressive symptoms are more frequent in PD patients compared to HC but not DC. Interestingly, the distribution of individual symptoms of the BDI differs between groups with an emphasis on loss of pleasure/enjoyment in the PD group, a symptom typically considered to be dopaminergically transmitted.

Controlled and reversible induction of differentiation and activation of adult human hepatocytes by a biphasic culture technique.

PubMed

Auth, Marcus-K H; Boost, Kim A; Leckel, Kerstin; Beecken, Wolf-Dietrich; Engl, Tobias; Jonas, Dietger; Oppermann, Elsie; Hilgard, Philip; Markus, Bernd H; Bechstein, Wolf-Otto; Blaheta, Roman A

2005-04-14

Clinical application of human hepatocytes (HC) is hampered by the progressive loss of growth and differentiation in vitro. The object of the study was to evaluate the effect of a biphasic culture technique on expression and activation of growth factor receptors and differentiation of human adult HC. Isolated HC were sequentially cultured in a hormone enriched differentiation medium (DM) containing nicotinamide, insulin, transferrin, selenium, and dexame-thasone or activation medium (AM) containing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Expression, distribution and activation of the HC receptors (MET and EGFR) and the pattern of characteristic cytokeratin (CK) filaments were measured by fluorometry, confocal microscopy and Western blotting. In the biphasic culture system, HC underwent repeated cycles of activation (characterized by expression and activation of growth factor receptors) and re-differentiation (illustrated by distribution of typical filaments CK-18 but low or absent expression of CK-19). In AM increased expression of MET and EGFR was associated with receptor translocation into the cytoplasm and induction of atypical CK-19. In DM low expression of MET and EGFR was localized on the cell membrane and CK-19 was reduced. Receptor phosphorylation required embedding of HC in collagen type I gel. Control and reversible modulation of growth factor receptor activation of mature human HC can be accomplished in vitro, when defined signals from the extracellular matrix and sequential growth stimuli are provided. The biphasic technique helps overcome de-differentiation, which occurs during continuous stimulation by means of growth factors.

Stability of Cellular Immune Parameters over 12 Weeks in Patients with Major Depression or Somatoform Disorder and in Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Krause, Daniela; Stapf, Theresa M; Kirnich, Verena B; Hennings, Anika; Riemer, Sabine; Chrobok, Agnieszka; Fries, Daniel R; Pedrosa Gil, Francisco; Rief, Winfried; Schwarz, Markus J; Schmidmaier, Ralf

2018-06-12

Cellular immune status in major depression (MD) patients differs from that in somatoform disorder (SFD) patients and healthy controls (HC). It is still questionable whether the patterns of immune parameters remain stable over time. Therefore, we studied lymphocyte and monocyte cell counts and neopterin levels in peripheral blood of MD and SFD patients and HC over 12 weeks and tested for correlations between biochemical and psychometric parameters. Thirty-nine patients with MD, 27 with SFD, and 51 HC were recruited. Peripheral blood was drawn at four visits, at 4-week intervals. We assessed the total cell count of B lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, T lymphocyte subpopu-lations, and monocytes by flow cytometry, and neopterin serum levels by ELISA. Psychometric parameters were measured with questionnaires. Counts of lymphocytes, monocytes, and neopterin were stable in the SFD and HC groups. In the MD group, total CD3+, CD3+CD8+, NK cells, and CD3+CD25+ T cells showed inhomogeneous variances in Friedman tests, particularly in females. Neopterin correlated with depressed mood in MD patients, and with body mass index in HC. Cellular immune parameters are stable in HC and SFD. Our results may indicate influences of MD and gender on some cellular immune parameters. This may need to be considered in future immunological studies. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Hadley circulation strength and width in a wide range of simulated climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Agostino, R.; Adam, O.; Lionello, P.; Schneider, T.

2016-12-01

Understanding how the Hadley circulation (HC) responds to global warming is crucial because it determines climatic features such as the seasonal migration of the ITCZ, the extent of subtropical arid regions and the strength of the monsoons. Here we analyse changes in the HC strength and width in the set of PMIP3 and CMIP5 simulations, spanning a wide range of climate conditions from Last Glacial Maximum to future RCP projections. The large climate change signal emerging from comparing paleoclimate simulations to future scenarios offers the possibility to analyse the corresponding HC change and to investigate its response to large variations of the factors controlling it. The results confirm that the HC generally expands and weakens as the global mean temperature increases, consistent with results from other studies. Furthermore, we find an asymmetric HC response between the northern and southern hemisphere in the rate at which the HC edges shift poleward with global warming. The mid-latitude static stability and meridional temperature gradients affect the HC edges to different degrees in the two hemispheres. In the southern hemisphere the increase in the mid-latitude static stability is associated with a poleward shift of the southern HC edge, while in the northern hemisphere, the reduction in the meridional temperature gradient plays the dominant role in the poleward shift of the northern HC edge. The two hemispheres also exhibit very different changes of HC strength. The HC weakening with global warming occurs primarily in the northern hemisphere, while there is no change, or even a slighter weakening in the southern hemisphere. The HC changes also have pronounced seasonal signatures. The maximum poleward shift of the northern HC edge occurs one month later (from August to September) in future global warming scenarios than when comparing pre-industrial simulations with the Last Glacial Maximum.

Improving biogas production from continuous co-digestion of oily wastewater and waste-activated sludge by hydrodynamic cavitation pre-treatment.

PubMed

Habashi, Nima; Alighardashi, Abolghasem; Mennerich, Artur; Mehrdadi, Nasser; Torabian, Ali

2018-04-01

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) was evaluated as a pretreatment for synthetic oily wastewater (OWW) to be co-digested with waste-activated sludge (WAS). The main objective of the present research was the enhancement of biogas production by the application of HC pretreatment. HC was applied to the OWW, and the OWW and WAS were added to a 50 L continuous digestion reactor. As a control system, an identical digestion reactor was set up for co-digestion of the WAS and the OWW without pretreatment. The reactors were initially filled with inoculum and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was set to 22 d. The HRT was gradually reduced to 19, 16, and finally 13 d, but the substrate quality was kept constant. The loading rate, accordingly, increased from 0.86 to 1.46 g TVS/(L d). The biogas volume was recorded online and its quality was analyzed regularly. The HC improved biogas production up to 43% at 22 d of HRT. Reducing the HRT decreased biogas production from the main reactor while that of the control reactor was more or less constant. HC also increased the biogas methane content; the methane concentration of the main reactor was about 3% higher than the methane concentration of the control reactor. The main reactor experienced no clogging or accumulation of fatty materials.

Gross and fine motor function in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

PubMed

Rasouli, Omid; Fors, Egil A; Borchgrevink, Petter Chr; Öhberg, Fredrik; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin

2017-01-01

This paper aimed to investigate motor proficiency in fine and gross motor function, with a focus on reaction time (RT) and movement skill, in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) compared to healthy controls (HC). A total of 60 individuals (20 CFS, 20 FM, and 20 HC), age 19-49 years, participated in this study. Gross motor function in the lower extremity was assessed using a RT task during gait initiation in response to an auditory trigger. Fine motor function in the upper extremity was measured during a precision task (the Purdue Pegboard test) where the number of pins inserted within 30 s was counted. No significant differences were found between FM and CFS in any parameters. FM and CFS groups had significantly longer RT than HC in the gait initiation ( p =0.001, and p =0.004 respectively). In the Purdue Pegboard test, 20% in the FM group, 15% in the CFS groups, and 0% of HC group, scored below the threshold of the accepted performance. However, there were no significant differences between FM, CFS, and HC in this task ( p =0.12). Compared to controls, both CFS and FM groups displayed significantly longer RT in the gait initiation task. Generally, FM patients showed the worst results in both tests, although no group differences were found in fine motor control, according to the Purdue Pegboard test.

Digastric Muscle Phenotypes of the Ts65Dn Mouse Model of Down Syndrome

PubMed Central

Connor, Nadine P.

2016-01-01

Down syndrome is frequently associated with complex difficulties in oromotor development, feeding, and swallowing. However, the muscle phenotypes underlying these deficits are unclear. We tested the hypotheses that the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS has significantly altered myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform profiles of the muscles involved in feeding and swallowing, as well as reductions in the speed of these movements during behavioral assays. SDS-PAGE, immunofluorescence, and qRT-PCR were used to assess MyHC isoform expression in pertinent muscles, and functional feeding and swallowing performance were quantified through videofluoroscopy and mastication assays. We found that both the anterior digastric (ADG) and posterior digastric (PDG) muscles in 11-day old and 5–6 week old Ts65Dn groups showed significantly lower MyHC 2b protein levels than in age-matched euploid control groups. In videofluoroscopic and videotape assays used to quantify swallowing and mastication performance, 5–6 week old Ts65Dn and euploid controls showed similar swallow rates, inter-swallow intervals, and mastication rates. In analysis of adults, 10–11 week old Ts65Dn mice revealed significantly less MyHC 2b mRNA expression in the posterior digastric, but not the anterior digastric muscle as compared with euploid controls. Analysis of MyHC 2b protein levels across an adult age range (10–53 weeks of age) revealed lower levels of MyHC 2b protein in the PDG of Ts65Dn than in euploids, but similar levels of MyHC 2b in the ADG. Cumulatively, these results indicate biochemical differences in some, but not all, muscles involved in swallowing and jaw movement in Ts65Dn mice that manifest early in post-natal development, and persist into adulthood. These findings suggest potential utility of this model for future investigations of the mechanisms of oromotor difficulties associated with Down syndrome. PMID:27336944

Neural Mechanisms of Cognitive Reappraisal of Negative Self-Beliefs in Social Anxiety Disorder

PubMed Central

Goldin, Philippe R.; Ball, Tali M.; Werner, Kelly; Heimberg, Richard; Gross, James J.

2009-01-01

Background Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by distorted negative self-beliefs (NSBs) which are thought to enhance emotional reactivity, interfere with emotion regulation, and undermine social functioning. Cognitive reappraisal is a type of emotion regulation used to alter NSBs, with the goal of modulating emotional reactivity. Despite its relevance, little is known about the neural bases and temporal features of cognitive reappraisal in patients with SAD. Methods Twenty-seven patients with SAD and 27 healthy controls (HC) were trained to react and to implement cognitive reappraisal in order to down-regulate negative emotional reactivity to NSBs while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging and providing ratings of negative emotion experience. Results Behaviorally, compared with HC, patients with SAD reported greater negative emotion both while reacting to and reappraising NSBs. However, when cued, participants in both groups were able to use cognitive reappraisal to decrease emotion. Neurally, reacting to NSBs resulted in early amygdala response in both groups. Reappraising NSBs resulted in greater early cognitive control, language, and visual processing in HC, but greater late cognitive control, visceral, and visual processing in patients with SAD. Functional connectivity analysis during reappraisal identified more regulatory regions inversely related to left amygdala in HCs than in patients with SAD. Reappraisal-related brain regions that differentiated patients and controls were associated with negative emotion ratings and cognitive reappraisal self-efficacy. Conclusions Findings regarding cognitive reappraisal suggest neural timing, connectivity, and brain-behavioral associations specific to patients with SAD, and elucidate neural mechanisms that might serve as biomarkers of interventions for SAD. PMID:19717138

Cost and effectiveness comparison of two methods for screening potential blood donors for anaemia in Vietnam.

PubMed

Tyrrell, A; Worrall, E; Que, T N; Bates, I

2011-06-01

To compare the cost and effectiveness of Copper Sulphate (CS) and HemoCue (HC) methods for screening blood donors for anaemia. Robust information from developing countries about cost and effectiveness of anaemia screening methods for blood donors is scarce. In such countries there are widespread shortages of blood, so the most cost-effective method should maximise blood supply without compromising donor safety. Economic data (e.g. staff time, equipment and buildings) were collected from direct observation of procedures and purchase data from Hanoi's Central Blood Bank administrative department. A framework for comparing the cost and effectiveness of anaemia screening methods was developed and a cost per effective (i.e. usable and accurate) test was generated for each method. Samples from 100 potential donors from the Hanoi Central Blood Bank (static) and 198 from two mobile units were tested. The mean probability of an ineffective anaemia test was 0·1 (0·05-0·2). The average cost of an HC test was $0·75 (static $0·61 and mobile $0·89) and a CS test was $0·31 (static $0·17 and mobile $0·45). The difference between static and mobile units was predominantly due to transport costs; the difference between the two methods was predominantly due to the HC microcuvettes. In this setting the CS yields greater value for money than the HC method for screening blood donors. The relative cost and effectiveness of CS and HC may be different in places with higher staff turnover, lower test accuracy, higher anaemia prevalence or lower workload than in Vietnam. © 2010 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Transfusion Medicine © 2010 British Blood Transfusion Society.

Differential Neural Responses to Food Images in Women with Bulimia versus Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

Brooks, Samantha J.; O′Daly, Owen G.; Uher, Rudolf; Friederich, Hans-Christoph; Giampietro, Vincent; Brammer, Michael; Williams, Steven C. R.; Schiöth, Helgi B.; Treasure, Janet; Campbell, Iain C.

2011-01-01

Background Previous fMRI studies show that women with eating disorders (ED) have differential neural activation to viewing food images. However, despite clinical differences in their responses to food, differential neural activation to thinking about eating food, between women with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) is not known. Methods We compare 50 women (8 with BN, 18 with AN and 24 age-matched healthy controls [HC]) while they view food images during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Results In response to food (vs non-food) images, women with BN showed greater neural activation in the visual cortex, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right insular cortex and precentral gyrus, women with AN showed greater activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, cerebellum and right precuneus. HC women activated the cerebellum, right insular cortex, right medial temporal lobe and left caudate. Direct comparisons revealed that compared to HC, the BN group showed relative deactivation in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus/insula, and visual cortex, and compared to AN had relative deactivation in the parietal lobe and dorsal posterior cingulate cortex, but greater activation in the caudate, superior temporal gyrus, right insula and supplementary motor area. Conclusions Women with AN and BN activate top-down cognitive control in response to food images, yet women with BN have increased activation in reward and somatosensory regions, which might impinge on cognitive control over food consumption and binge eating. PMID:21799807

Impulsive Behaviors in Patients With Pathological Buying.

PubMed

Zander, Heike; Claes, Laurence; Voth, Eva M; de Zwaan, Martina; Müller, Astrid

2016-09-01

Aim To investigate impulsive behaviors in pathological buying (PB). Methods The study included three groups matched for age and gender: treatment seeking outpatients with PB (PB+), treatment seeking psychiatric inpatients without PB (PB-), and a healthy control group (HC). PB was assessed by means of the Compulsive Buying Scale and by the impulse control disorder (ICD) module of the research version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-ICD). All participants answered questionnaires concerning symptoms of borderline personality disorder, self-harming behaviors, binge eating and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, comorbid ICDs were assessed using the SCID-ICD. Results The PB+ and PB- groups did not differ with regard to borderline personality disorder or ADHD symptoms, but both groups reported significantly more symptoms than the HC group. Frequencies of self-harming behaviors did not differ between the three groups. Patients with PB were more often diagnosed with any current ICD (excluding PB) compared to those without PB and the HC group (38.7% vs. 12.9% vs. 12.9%, respectively, p=.017). Discussion Our findings confirm prior research suggesting more impulsive behaviors in patients with and without PB compared to healthy controls. The results of the questionnaire-based assessment indicate that outpatients with PB perceive themselves equally impulsive and self-harm as frequently as inpatients without PB; but they seem to suffer more often from an ICD as assessed by means of an interview.

Impulsive Behaviors in Patients With Pathological Buying

PubMed Central

Zander, Heike; Claes, Laurence; Voth, Eva M.; de Zwaan, Martina; Müller, Astrid

2016-01-01

Aim To investigate impulsive behaviors in pathological buying (PB). Methods The study included three groups matched for age and gender: treatment seeking outpatients with PB (PB+), treatment seeking psychiatric inpatients without PB (PB−), and a healthy control group (HC). PB was assessed by means of the Compulsive Buying Scale and by the impulse control disorder (ICD) module of the research version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-ICD). All participants answered questionnaires concerning symptoms of borderline personality disorder, self-harming behaviors, binge eating and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, comorbid ICDs were assessed using the SCID-ICD. Results The PB+ and PB− groups did not differ with regard to borderline personality disorder or ADHD symptoms, but both groups reported significantly more symptoms than the HC group. Frequencies of self-harming behaviors did not differ between the three groups. Patients with PB were more often diagnosed with any current ICD (excluding PB) compared to those without PB and the HC group (38.7% vs. 12.9% vs. 12.9%, respectively, p=.017). Discussion Our findings confirm prior research suggesting more impulsive behaviors in patients with and without PB compared to healthy controls. The results of the questionnaire-based assessment indicate that outpatients with PB perceive themselves equally impulsive and self-harm as frequently as inpatients without PB; but they seem to suffer more often from an ICD as assessed by means of an interview. PMID:27415604

40 CFR Appendix Ix to Part 266 - Methods Manual for Compliance With the BIF Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Systems 2.1Performance Specifications for Continuous Emission Monitoring of Carbon Monoxide and Oxygen for... Methodology for Bevill Residue Determinations 8.0Procedures for Determining Default Values for Air Pollution Control System Removal Efficiencies 8.1APCS RE Default Values for Metals 8.2APCS RE Default Values for HC1...

40 CFR Appendix Ix to Part 266 - Methods Manual for Compliance With the BIF Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Systems 2.1Performance Specifications for Continuous Emission Monitoring of Carbon Monoxide and Oxygen for... Methodology for Bevill Residue Determinations 8.0Procedures for Determining Default Values for Air Pollution Control System Removal Efficiencies 8.1APCS RE Default Values for Metals 8.2APCS RE Default Values for HC1...

Reconstruction of Hyaline Cartilage Deep Layer Properties in 3-Dimensional Cultures of Human Articular Chondrocytes.

PubMed

Nanduri, Vibudha; Tattikota, Surendra Mohan; T, Avinash Raj; Sriramagiri, Vijaya Rama Rao; Kantipudi, Suma; Pande, Gopal

2014-06-01

Articular cartilage (AC) injuries and malformations are commonly noticed because of trauma or age-related degeneration. Many methods have been adopted for replacing or repairing the damaged tissue. Currently available AC repair methods, in several cases, fail to yield good-quality long-lasting results, perhaps because the reconstructed tissue lacks the cellular and matrix properties seen in hyaline cartilage (HC). To reconstruct HC tissue from 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) cultures of AC-derived human chondrocytes that would specifically exhibit the cellular and biochemical properties of the deep layer of HC. Descriptive laboratory study. Two-dimensional cultures of human AC-derived chondrocytes were established in classical medium (CM) and newly defined medium (NDM) and maintained for a period of 6 weeks. These cells were suspended in 2 mm-thick collagen I gels, placed in 24-well culture inserts, and further cultured up to 30 days. Properties of chondrocytes, grown in 2D cultures and the reconstructed 3D cartilage tissue, were studied by optical and scanning electron microscopic techniques, immunohistochemistry, and cartilage-specific gene expression profiling by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and were compared with those of the deep layer of native human AC. Two-dimensional chondrocyte cultures grown in NDM, in comparison with those grown in CM, showed more chondrocyte-specific gene activity and matrix properties. The NDM-grown chondrocytes in 3D cultures also showed better reproduction of deep layer properties of HC, as confirmed by microscopic and gene expression analysis. The method used in this study can yield cartilage tissue up to approximately 1.6 cm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness that satisfies the very low cell density and matrix composition properties present in the deep layer of normal HC. This study presents a novel and reproducible method for long-term culture of AC-derived chondrocytes and reconstruction of cartilage tissue with properties similar to the deep layer of HC in vitro. The HC tissue obtained by the method described can be used to develop an implantable product for the replacement of damaged or malformed AC, especially in younger patients where the lesions are caused by trauma or mechanical stress.

40 CFR 86.348-79 - Alternative to fuel H/C analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES Emission... average H/C ratios are used for all calculations. (1) #1B1 Diesel: 1:93 (2) #1B2 Diesel: 1:80 (3) Gasoline...

Longitudinal effect of eteplirsen versus historical control on ambulation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

PubMed Central

Goemans, Nathalie; Lowes, Linda P.; Alfano, Lindsay N.; Berry, Katherine; Shao, James; Kaye, Edward M.; Mercuri, Eugenio; Hamid, Hoda Abdel; Byrne, Barry J.; Connolly, Anne M.; Dracker, Robert A.; Matthew Frank, L.; Heydemann, Peter T.; O'Brien, Kevin C.; Sparks, Susan E.; Specht, Linda A.; Rodino‐Klapac, Louise; Sahenk, Zarife; Al‐Zaidy, Samiah; Cripe, Linda H.; Lewis, Sarah; M, Pane; E, Mazzone; S, Messina; GL, Vita; Bertini, D Amico A; Casimiro, Berardinelli A; Y, Torrente; F, Magri; GP, Comi; G, Baranello; T, Mongini; A, Pini; R, Battini; E, Pegoraro; C, Bruno; L, Politano; S, Previtali

2016-01-01

Objective To continue evaluation of the long‐term efficacy and safety of eteplirsen, a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer designed to skip DMD exon 51 in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Three‐year progression of eteplirsen‐treated patients was compared to matched historical controls (HC). Methods Ambulatory DMD patients who were ≥7 years old and amenable to exon 51 skipping were randomized to eteplirsen (30/50mg/kg) or placebo for 24 weeks. Thereafter, all received eteplirsen on an open‐label basis. The primary functional assessment in this study was the 6‐Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Respiratory muscle function was assessed by pulmonary function testing (PFT). Longitudinal natural history data were used for comparative analysis of 6MWT performance at baseline and months 12, 24, and 36. Patients were matched to the eteplirsen group based on age, corticosteroid use, and genotype. Results At 36 months, eteplirsen‐treated patients (n = 12) demonstrated a statistically significant advantage of 151m (p < 0.01) on 6MWT and experienced a lower incidence of loss of ambulation in comparison to matched HC (n = 13) amenable to exon 51 skipping. PFT results remained relatively stable in eteplirsen‐treated patients. Eteplirsen was well tolerated. Analysis of HC confirmed the previously observed change in disease trajectory at age 7 years, and more severe progression was observed in patients with mutations amenable to exon skipping than in those not amenable. The subset of patients amenable to exon 51 skipping showed a more severe disease course than those amenable to any exon skipping. Interpretation Over 3 years of follow‐up, eteplirsen‐treated patients showed a slower rate of decline in ambulation assessed by 6MWT compared to untreated matched HC. Ann Neurol 2016;79:257–271 PMID:26573217

Neurobiological support to the diagnosis of ADHD in stimulant-naïve adults: pattern recognition analyses of MRI data.

PubMed

Chaim-Avancini, T M; Doshi, J; Zanetti, M V; Erus, G; Silva, M A; Duran, F L S; Cavallet, M; Serpa, M H; Caetano, S C; Louza, M R; Davatzikos, C; Busatto, G F

2017-12-01

In adulthood, the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been subject of recent controversy. We searched for a neuroanatomical signature associated with ADHD spectrum symptoms in adults by applying, for the first time, machine learning-based pattern classification methods to structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data obtained from stimulant-naïve adults with childhood-onset ADHD and healthy controls (HC). Sixty-seven ADHD patients and 66 HC underwent high-resolution T1-weighted and DTI acquisitions. A support vector machine (SVM) classifier with a non-linear kernel was applied on multimodal image features extracted on regions of interest placed across the whole brain. The discrimination between a mixed-gender ADHD subgroup and individually matched HC (n = 58 each) yielded area-under-the-curve (AUC) and diagnostic accuracy (DA) values of up to 0.71% and 66% (P = 0.003) respectively. AUC and DA values increased to 0.74% and 74% (P = 0.0001) when analyses were restricted to males (52 ADHD vs. 44 HC). Introvert personality traits showed independent risk effects on suicidality regardless of diagnosis status. Among high risk individuals with suicidal thoughts, higher neuroticism tendency is further associated with increased risk of suicide attempt. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mode of Genetic Inheritance Modifies the Association of Head Circumference and Autism-Related Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Davis, Jonathan M.; Keeney, Jonathon G.; Sikela, James M.; Hepburn, Susan

2013-01-01

Background Frequently individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been noted with a larger head circumference (HC) than their typical developing peers. Biologic hypotheses suggest that an overly rapid brain growth leads to the core symptoms of ASD by impairing connectivity. Literature is divided however where deleterious, protective and null associations of HC with ASD symptoms in individuals with ASD have been found. Method Individuals (n = 1,416) from the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange with ASD were examined for associations of HC with ASD like symptoms. Mixed models controlling for sex, age, race/ethnicity, simplex/multiplex status and accounting for correlations between siblings were used. Interactions by simplex/multiplex were explored. Adjustments for height in a sub-population with available data were explored as well. Results A Significant interaction term (p = 0.03) suggested that the effect of HC was dependent on whether the individual was simplex or multiplex. In simplex individuals at mean age (8.9 years) 1 cm increase in head circumference was associated with a 24% increase in the odds of a high social diagnostic score from the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (odds ratio  = 1.24, p = 0.01). There was no association in multiplex individuals. Additionally, individuals classified with a non-verbal IQ <70 were 90% simplex and had a significantly increased head circumference (0.7 cm p = 0.03) relative to a mid-range non-verbal IQ group. Interestingly, children classified with a >110 non-verbal IQ also had an increased HC (0.4 cm p = 0.04), relative to a mid-range non-verbal IQ group, and were 90% multiplex. HC effects do not appear to be confounded by height, however, larger samples with height information are needed. Conclusion The potential link between brain growth and autism like symptoms is complex and could depend on specific etiologies. Further investigations accounting for a likely mode of inheritance will help identify an ASD subtype related to HC. PMID:24058641

SA54. The Structure of Embodied Emotions in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Hong, Seok Jin; Snodgress, Matthew A.; Nichols, Heathman S.; Nummenmaa, Lauri; Glerean, Enrico; Park, Sohee

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Past research suggests a disconnection between experienced emotions and bodily sensations in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), but mechanisms underlying abnormal embodiment of emotions in SZ are unknown. There might be an overall reduction in emotion-related bodily sensations, but it is also possible that the spatial distribution of bodily sensations associated with emotions may be altered in SZ. We hypothesized the presence of a more coherent underlying structure giving rise to embodied emotions in healthy controls (HC) compared to SZ. Methods: Fifteen SZ and 15 demographically matched HC (bootstrapped from a possible 300 HC) were asked to complete the emBODY task (Nummenmaa et al., 2014). In the emBODY task, participants were asked to shade in where they felt sensations (activation and deactivation) on the outline of a human body when presented with an emotion word. Fourteen emotion words were presented sequentially. From activation and deactivation data, body maps of emotions were generated and 2 separate principal components analyses (PCA) were conducted, one for each group to determine the multivariate structure of embodied emotions. Results: The pattern of principal components for HC differed significantly from that of the SZ group. SZ showed more diffuse components with lesser magnitude than the HC. Moreover, the variance that accounts for these dimensions was significantly reduced for SZ. This suggests anomalous embodied emotion in SZ. In this PCA framework, a particular set of innate constructs is thought to yield the activation and deactivation maps of emotions on the body. Our results imply that the complexity of this set in SZ is highly deviant from that of the HC. Conclusion: Quantitative modeling of the underlying structure of self-reported embodied emotion provided novel insight into altered emotional experience in SZ. Our findings illustrate radically different bodily maps of emotions in SZ compared to HC. Bodily sensations are not only different in intensity but also in where they are felt in SZ. While an important first step, our analysis was exploratory and limited by the small sample size. Future direction includes probing the specific contents of the underlying dimensions that give rise to embodied emotions.

Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Adolescent Girls with Anorexia Nervosa are Lower Compared to Healthy and Psychiatric Controls.

PubMed

Föcker, Manuel; Stalder, Tobias; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Albrecht, Muriel; Adams, Frederike; de Zwaan, Martina; Hebebrand, Johannes; Peters, Triinu; Albayrak, Özgür

2016-11-01

In anorexia nervosa (AN) hypercortisolism has been described using urine, plasma and saliva samples as short-term markers for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis. Here, for the first time, we analyse hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a marker for long-term integrated cortisol secretion in female patients with AN compared to female healthy controls (HC) and female psychiatric controls (PC). HCC was assessed in 22 female adolescent psychiatric inpatients with AN compared to 20 female HC and to 117 female PC of the same age range. For further analyses we examined the associations of age and body mass index (BMI) with HCC. Log HCC was lower in AN-patients compared to HC (p = 0.030). BMI-standard deviation scores (SDS) but not age correlated with log HCC (BMI-SDS: r = 0.19, bias corrected accelerated 95% confidence interval: [.04, .34], p = 0.015; age: r = 0.10, bias corrected accelerated 95% confidence interval: [-.07, .25], p = 0.213) when combining AN, HC and PC samples. We find lower HCC in AN, compared to HC and PC, respectively. Based on the relationship between HCC and BMI-SDS across AN, HC and PC, we argue that HCC might not capture endocrine alterations because of AN pathology-related processes but rather shows consistent relationships with BMI, which extent even to the very low range of BMI values, as present in AN patients. Alternatively, incorporation of cortisol into the hair follicle might have been compromised because of trophic hair follicle disturbances that had been reported in AN patients, previously. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

SA45. Amotivation in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder: A Preliminary Comparison Study

PubMed Central

Zou, Ying-min; Ni, Ke; Wang, Yang-yu; Yu, En-qing; Lui, Simon S. Y.; Cheung, Eric F. C.; Chan, Raymond C. K.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Deficits in reward processing, such as approaching motivation, reward learning and effort-based decision-making, have been observed in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, little is known about the nature of reward-processing deficits in these 3 diagnostic groups. The present study aimed to compare and contrast amotivation in these 3 diagnostic groups using an effort-based decision-making task. Methods: Sixty patients (19 SCZ patients, 18 BD patients and 23 MDD patients) and 27 healthy controls (HC) were recruited for the present study. The Effort Expenditure for Reward Task (EEfRT) was administered to evaluate their effort allocation pattern. This task required participants to choose easy or hard tasks in response to different levels of reward magnitude and reward probability. Results: Results showed that SCZ, BD, and MDD patients chose fewer hard tasks compared to HC. As reward magnitude increased, MDD patients made the least effort to gain reward compared to the other groups. When reward probability was intermediate, MDD patients chose fewer hard tasks than SCZ patients, whereas BD patients and HC chose more hard tasks than MDD and SCZ patients. When the reward probability was high, all 3 groups of patients tried fewer hard tasks than HC. Moreover, SCZ and MDD patients were less likely to choose hard tasks than BD patients and HC in the intermediate estimated value conditions. However, in the highest estimated value condition, there was no group difference in hard task choices between these 3 clinical groups, and they were all less motivated than HC. Conclusion: SCZ, BD, and MDD patients shared common deficits in gaining reward if the reward probability and estimated value were high. SCZ and MDD patients showed less motivation than BD patients in gaining reward when the reward probability and estimated value was intermediate.

Foveal and Peripapillary Vascular Decrement in Migraine With Aura Demonstrated by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

PubMed Central

Chang, Melinda Y.; Phasukkijwatana, Nopasak; Garrity, Sean; Pineles, Stacy L.; Rahimi, Mansour; Sarraf, David; Johnston, Mollie; Charles, Andrew; Arnold, Anthony C.

2017-01-01

Purpose Migraine, particularly with aura, has been associated with ocular and systemic ischemic complications, but there are limited data on the ocular vasculature in migraine. We used optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to assess perfusion of the macula and optic nerve in migraine patients, with (MA) and without (MO) aura, compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods We recruited 15 MA (mean age 42 years), 12 MO (mean age 46 years), and 22 HC (mean age 39 years) participants from neurology and neuro-ophthalmology clinics. Participants underwent optical coherence tomography and 3 × 3 mm OCTA of the macula and optic nerve. Foveal avascular zone area was automatically measured using AngioVue software, and vessel density was calculated as blood vessel length divided by scan area (mm−1) after skeletonization of OCTA images. Results On macular OCTA, MA participants had an enlarged foveal avascular zone area when compared with HC (0.300 ± 0.019 vs. 0.220 ± 0.066 mm2, P = 0.006). In addition, superficial foveal vessel density was decreased in MA participants when compared with MO participants (7.8 ± 0.31 vs. 9.3 ± 0.44, P = 0.04) and HC (7.8 ± 0.31 vs. 9.4 ± 0.21 mm−1, P = 0.002). On optic nerve OCTA, the MA participants had reduced superior peripapillary vessel density when compared with the MO participants (12.0 ± 0.45 vs. 14.0 ± 0.38 mm−1, P = 0.031) and HC (12.0 ± 0.45 vs. 14.1 ± 0.53 mm−1, P = 0.035). There were no significant differences between the MO and HC groups. Conclusions Migraine with, but not without, aura was associated with foveal and peripapillary vascular decrements, which may possibly mediate increased risk of ocular and systemic vascular complications in these patients. OCTA could potentially be useful as a biomarker for migraine with aura. PMID:29059314

Airflow in Tracheobronchial Tree of Subjects with Tracheal Bronchus Simulated Using CT Image Based Models and CFD Method.

PubMed

Qi, Shouliang; Zhang, Baihua; Yue, Yong; Shen, Jing; Teng, Yueyang; Qian, Wei; Wu, Jianlin

2018-03-01

Tracheal Bronchus (TB) is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by the presence of an abnormal bronchus originating from the trachea or main bronchi and directed toward the upper lobe. The airflow pattern in tracheobronchial trees of TB subjects is critical, but has not been systemically studied. This study proposes to simulate the airflow using CT image based models and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. Six TB subjects and three health controls (HC) are included. After the geometric model of tracheobronchial tree is extracted from CT images, the spatial distribution of velocity, wall pressure, wall shear stress (WSS) is obtained through CFD simulation, and the lobar distribution of air, flow pattern and global pressure drop are investigated. Compared with HC subjects, the main bronchus angle of TB subjects and the variation of volume are large, while the cross-sectional growth rate is small. High airflow velocity, wall pressure, and WSS are observed locally at the tracheal bronchus, but the global patterns of these measures are still similar to those of HC. The ratio of airflow into the tracheal bronchus accounts for 6.6-15.6% of the inhaled airflow, decreasing the ratio to the right upper lobe from 15.7-21.4% (HC) to 4.9-13.6%. The air into tracheal bronchus originates from the right dorsal near-wall region of the trachea. Tracheal bronchus does not change the global pressure drop which is dependent on multiple variables. Though the tracheobronchial trees of TB subjects present individualized features, several commonalities on the structural and airflow characteristics can be revealed. The observed local alternations might provide new insight into the reason of recurrent local infections, cough and acute respiratory distress related to TB.

An intention to achieve better postnatal in-hospital-growth for preterm infants: adjustable protein fortification of human milk.

PubMed

Alan, Serdar; Atasay, Begum; Cakir, Ufuk; Yildiz, Duran; Kilic, Atila; Kahvecioglu, Dilek; Erdeve, Omer; Arsan, Saadet

2013-12-01

We assessed the effect of human milk (HM) fortification with extra protein supplement by an adjustable protein fortification method according to the weekly blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels on growth in hospitalized preterm infants. A prospective observational intervention study in 58 preterms born ≤32 weeks of gestation and fed with breast milk was conducted. Preterms who were given a commercial HM fortifier which provides an additional protein of 0.8 g/3 scales according to the standard feeding strategy served as a historical control group. Infants who were given extra protein in addition to the HM fortifier with another commercial protein supplement which provides an additional protein of 2.2g/1 scale comprised the intervention group. Additional protein supplementation was adjusted according to BUN levels weekly in the intervention group. Weight gain velocities (g/kg/day), length, head circumferences (HC) gain velocities (mm/day) and daily growth indexes for weight, height and HC (percentage per day) were calculated. The median amount of daily enteral protein intake [4 (3.4-4.6) vs. 2.78 (2.1-3.1) g/kg/day, p < 0.0001] was significantly higher in the interventional group. Length (p = 0.008) and HC (p < 0.0001) gain velocities were significantly higher in the intervention group. Daily growth indexes for weight (2.2% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.026), for length (0.4% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.027) and for HC (0.48% vs. 0.36% per day, p = 0.003) were significantly higher in the intervention group. A higher protein intake by adjustable protein fortification method without energy or volume change leads to improved postnatal in-hospital-growth in very low birth weight infants. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theory and computation of hot carriers generated by surface plasmon polaritons in noble metals

PubMed Central

Bernardi, Marco; Mustafa, Jamal; Neaton, Jeffrey B.; Louie, Steven G.

2015-01-01

Hot carriers (HC) generated by surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in noble metals are promising for application in optoelectronics, plasmonics and renewable energy. However, existing models fail to explain key quantitative details of SPP-to-HC conversion experiments. Here we develop a quantum mechanical framework and apply first-principles calculations to study the energy distribution and scattering processes of HCs generated by SPPs in Au and Ag. We find that the relative positions of the s and d bands of noble metals regulate the energy distribution and mean free path of the HCs, and that the electron–phonon interaction controls HC energy loss and transport. Our results prescribe optimal conditions for HC generation and extraction, and invalidate previously employed free-electron-like models. Our work combines density functional theory, GW and electron–phonon calculations to provide microscopic insight into HC generation and ultrafast dynamics in noble metals. PMID:26033445

A new anthraquinone and eight constituents from Hedyotis caudatifolia Merr. et Metcalf: isolation, purification and structural identification.

PubMed

Luo, Peng; Su, Jiale; Zhu, Yilin; Wei, Jianhua; Wei, Wanxing; Pan, Weigao

2016-10-01

Hedyotis caudatifolia Merr. et Metcalf. (HC), a folk medicine in Yao nationalities areas in China, was used to investigate the chemical constituents. Through silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, nine compounds were isolated and purified. By physical and chemical properties, IR, MS (EI-MS, high resolution EI-MS), 1D NMR ((1)H NMR, (13)C NMR) and 2D NMR (HSQC, (1)H-(1)H COSY, HMBC), their structures were identified as β-sitosterol (1), stigmasterol (2), scopolin (3), 2-hydroxy-1,7,8-trimethoxyanthracene-9,10-dione (4), oleanolic acid (5), ursolic acid (6), methyl barbinervate (7), β-daucosterol (8) and p-Hydroxybenzoic acid (9). These compounds were isolated from HC for the first time, and 4 a new anthraquinone whose biological activities are worth to be investigated in future. These compounds may contribute to the HC's pharmacological effects on treating diseases, and may be used as candidates for control index in establishing the quality control standard of HC.

Controlled chemical modification of the internal surface of photonic crystal fibers for application as biosensitive elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pidenko, Sergey A.; Burmistrova, Natalia A.; Pidenko, Pavel S.; Shuvalov, Andrey A.; Chibrova, Anastasiya A.; Skibina, Yulia S.; Goryacheva, Irina Y.

2016-10-01

Photonic crystal fibers (PCF) are one of the most promising materials for creation of constructive elements for bio-, drug and contaminant sensing based on unique optical properties of the PCF as effective nanosized optical signal collectors. In order to provide efficient and controllable binding of biomolecules, the internal surface of glass hollow core photonic crystal fibers (HC-PCF) has been chemically modified with silanol groups and functionalized with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES). The shift of local maxima in the HC-PCF transmission spectrum has been selected as a signal for estimating the amount of silanol groups on the HC-PCF inner surface. The relationship between amount of silanol groups on the HC-PCF inner surface and efficiency of following APTES functionalization has been evaluated. Covalent binding of horseradish peroxidase (chosen as a model protein) on functionalized PCF inner surface has been performed successively, thus verifying the possibility of creating a biosensitive element.

Evidence for a general stiffening motor control pattern in neck pain: a cross sectional study.

PubMed

Meisingset, Ingebrigt; Woodhouse, Astrid; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin; Stavdahl, Øyvind; Lorås, Håvard; Gismervik, Sigmund; Andresen, Hege; Austreim, Kristian; Vasseljen, Ottar

2015-03-17

Neck pain is associated with several alterations in neck motion and motor control. Previous studies have investigated single constructs of neck motor control, while few have applied a comprehensive set of tests to investigate cervical motor control. This comparative cross- sectional study aimed to investigate different motor control constructs in neck pain patients and healthy controls. A total of 166 subjects participated in the study, 91 healthy controls (HC) and 75 neck pain patients (NP) with long-lasting moderate to severe neck pain. Neck flexibility, proprioception, head steadiness, trajectory movement control, and postural sway were assessed using a 3D motion tracking system (Liberty). The different constructs of neck motion and motor control were based on tests used in previous studies. Neck flexibility was lower in NP compared to HC, indicated by reduced cervical ROM and conjunct motion. Movement velocity was slower in NP compared to HC. Tests of head steadiness showed a stiffer movement pattern in NP compared to HC, indicated by lower head angular velocity. NP patients departed less from a predictable trajectory movement pattern (figure of eight) compared to healthy controls, but there was no difference for unpredictable movement patterns (the Fly test). No differences were found for postural sway in standing with eyes open and eyes closed. However, NP patients had significantly larger postural sway when standing on a balance pad. Proprioception did not differ between the groups. Largest effect sizes (ES) were found for neck flexibility (ES range: 0.2-0.8) and head steadiness (ES range: 1.3-2.0). Neck flexibility was the only construct that showed a significant association with current neck pain, while peak velocity was the only variable that showed a significant association with kinesiophobia. NP patients showed an overall stiffer and more rigid neck motor control pattern compared to HC, indicated by lower neck flexibility, slower movement velocity, increased head steadiness and more rigid trajectory head motion patterns. Only neck flexibility showed a significant association with clinical features in NP patients.

Hydrocortisone concentration influences time to clinically significant healing of acute inflammation of the ocular surface and adnexa - results from a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sergiyenko, Nikolay; Sukhina, Ludmila; Bezdetko, Pavel; Kovalenko, Yuriy; Nikitin, Nikolai; Merzbacher, Matthias; Gross, Dorothea; Kohnen, Ralf

2014-05-10

The efficacy of topical ophthalmic corticosteroids depends upon small modifications in preparations, such as drug concentration.The aim of this study was to confirm that hydrocortisone acetate (HC-ac) ophthalmic ointments of 2.5% and 1% are more effective than a 0.5% eye ointment. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical study, the change of signs and symptoms of acute inflammation of the ocular surface and adnexa was evaluated in 411 subjects. Median time to clinically relevant response as estimated by 50% reduction in clinical signs and symptoms (CSS) total score over the entire trial was similar for subjects treated with HC-ac 2.5% (73.5 h) and for subjects treated with HC-ac 1.0% (67.7 h) and was considerably and significantly longer for subjects treated with HC-ac 0.5% (111.8 h) [p < 0.001 for both dosages]. All trial medications were safe and well tolerated. Hydrocortisone acetate 2.5% and Hydrocortisone acetate 1% eye ointments are efficacious and safe treatments for acute inflammations of the ocular surface or adnexa, and showed significantly better efficacy than a control group treated with Hydrocortisone acetate 0.5% therapy. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15464650.

The gut microbial profile in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis is distinct from patients with ulcerative colitis without biliary disease and healthy controls.

PubMed

Kummen, Martin; Holm, Kristian; Anmarkrud, Jarl Andreas; Nygård, Ståle; Vesterhus, Mette; Høivik, Marte L; Trøseid, Marius; Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich; Schrumpf, Erik; Moum, Bjørn; Røsjø, Helge; Aukrust, Pål; Karlsen, Tom H; Hov, Johannes R

2017-04-01

Gut microbiota could influence gut, as well as hepatic and biliary immune responses. We therefore thoroughly characterised the gut microbiota in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) compared with healthy controls (HC) and patients with ulcerative colitis without liver disease. We prospectively collected 543 stool samples. After a stringent exclusion process, bacterial DNA was submitted for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. PSC and HC were randomised to an exploration panel or a validation panel, and only significant results (p<0.05, Q FDR <0.20) in both panels were reported, followed by a combined comparison of all samples against UC. Patients with PSC (N=85) had markedly reduced bacterial diversity compared with HC (N=263, p<0.0001), and a different global microbial composition compared with both HC (p<0.001) and UC (N=36, p<0.01). The microbiota of patients with PSC with and without IBD was similar. Twelve genera separated PSC and HC, out of which 11 were reduced in PSC. However, the Veillonella genus showed a marked increase in PSC compared with both HC (p<0.0001) and UC (p<0.02). Using receiver operating characteristic analysis, Veillonella abundance yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.64 to discriminate PSC from HC, while a combination of PSC-associated genera yielded an AUC of 0.78. Patients with PSC exhibited a gut microbial signature distinct from both HC and UC without liver disease, but similar in PSC with and without IBD. The Veillonella genus, which is also associated with other chronic inflammatory and fibrotic conditions, was enriched in PSC. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Deficient Suppression of Default Mode Regions during Working Memory in Individuals with Early Psychosis and at Clinical High-Risk for Psychosis.

PubMed

Fryer, Susanna L; Woods, Scott W; Kiehl, Kent A; Calhoun, Vince D; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Roach, Brian J; Ford, Judith M; Srihari, Vinod H; McGlashan, Thomas H; Mathalon, Daniel H

2013-01-01

The default mode network (DMN) is a set of brain regions typically activated at rest and suppressed during extrinsic cognition. Schizophrenia has been associated with deficient DMN suppression, though the extent to which DMN dysfunction predates psychosis onset is unclear. This study examined DMN suppression during working memory (WM) performance in youth at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis, early schizophrenia (ESZ) patients, and healthy controls (HC). We hypothesized that the DMN would show load-dependent suppression during WM retrieval in HC but not in ESZ, with CHR participants showing an intermediate pattern. fMRI data were collected from CHR (n = 32), ESZ (n = 22), and HC (n = 54) participants, ages 12-30. DMN regions were defined via seed-based connectivity analysis of resting-state fMRI data from an independent HC sample. Load-dependent deactivations of these DMN regions in response to WM probes were interrogated. Healthy controls showed linear load-dependent increases in DMN deactivation. Significant Group-by-Load interactions were observed in DMN regions including medial prefrontal and lateral posterior parietal cortices. Group-by-Load effects in posterior DMN nodes resulted from less suppression at higher WM loads in ESZ relative to HC, with CHR differing from neither group. In medial prefrontal cortex, suppression of activity at higher WM loads was significantly diminished in both CHR and ESZ groups, relative to HC. In addition, investigation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activations revealed that ESZ activated right DLPFC significantly more than HC, with CHR differing from neither group. While HC showed WM load-dependent modulation of DMN suppression, CHR individuals had deficient higher-load DMN suppression that was similar to, but less pronounced than, the distributed suppression deficits evident in ESZ patients. These results suggest that DMN dysregulation associated with schizophrenia predates psychosis onset.

Early Generalized Overgrowth in Boys With Autism

PubMed Central

Chawarska, Katarzyna; Campbell, Daniel; Chen, Lisha; Shic, Frederick; Klin, Ami; Chang, Joseph

2016-01-01

Context Multiple studies have reported an overgrowth in head circumference (HC) in the first year of life in autism. However, it is unclear whether this phenomenon is independent of overall body growth and whether it is associated with specific social or cognitive features. Objectives To examine the trajectory of early HC growth in autism compared with control groups; to assess whether HC growth in autism is independent of height and weight growth during infancy; and to examine HC growth from birth to 24 months in relationship to social, verbal, cognitive, and adaptive functioning levels. Design Retrospective study. Setting A specialized university-based clinic. Participants Boys diagnosed as having autistic disorder (n=64), pervasive developmental disorder–not otherwise specified (n=34), global developmental delay (n=13), and other developmental problems (n=18) and typically developing boys (n=55). Main Outcome Measures Age-related changes in HC, height, and weight between birth and age 24 months; measures of social, verbal, and cognitive functioning at age 2 years. Results Compared with typically developing controls, boys with autism were significantly longer by age 4.8 months, had a larger HC by age 9.5 months, and weighed more by age 11.4 months (P=.05 for all). None of the other clinical groups showed a similar overgrowth pattern. Boys with autism who were in the top 10% of overall physical size in infancy exhibited greater severity of social deficits (P=.009) and lower adaptive functioning (P=.03). Conclusions Boys with autism experienced accelerated HC growth in the first year of life. However, this phenomenon reflected a generalized process affecting other morphologic features, including height and weight. The study highlights the importance of studying factors that influence not only neuronal development but also skeletal growth in autism. PMID:21969460

Telomere length is inversely correlated with urinary stress hormone levels in healthy controls but not in un-medicated depressed individuals-preliminary findings.

PubMed

Fair, Brittany; Mellon, Synthia H; Epel, Elissa S; Lin, Jue; Révész, Dóra; Verhoeven, Josine E; Penninx, Brenda W; Reus, Victor I; Rosser, Rebecca; Hough, Christina M; Mahan, Laura; Burke, Heather M; Blackburn, Elizabeth H; Wolkowitz, Owen M

2017-08-01

Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of cellular aging affected by chronic stress. The relationship of LTL to the stress hormones, cortisol and catecholamines, is unclear, as are possible differences between healthy controls (HC) and individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This small pilot study is the first to examine the relationship between cortisol, catecholamines and LTL specifically in un-medicated MDD in comparison with HC. Participants included 16 un-medicated MDD subjects and 15 HC for assay of LTL, 12-hour overnight urinary free cortisol and catecholamine levels. LTL, cortisol and catecholamine levels did not significantly differ between groups. In HC, a hierarchical regression analysis indicated that higher levels of cortisol were correlated with shorter LTL (p=0.003) above and beyond age and sex. Higher catecholamine levels were nearly-significant with shorter LTL (p=0.055). Neither hormone was correlated with shorter LTL in MDD (p's>0.28). To assess a possible cumulative effect of stress hormone activation, a summary score was calculated for each subject based on the number of stress hormone levels above the median for that group (HC or MDD). A significant inverse graded relationship was observed between LTL and the number of activated systems in HC (p=0.001), but not in MDD (p=0.96). This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that stress hormone levels, especially cortisol, are inversely related to LTL in HC, but not in un-medicated MDD. Clarification of these relationships in larger samples could aid in understanding differential mechanisms underlying stress-related cellular aging in healthy and depressed populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protective effect of exercise and alpha tocopherol on atherosclerosis promotion in hypercholesterolemic domestic rabbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shekh, Mudhir S.; Mahmud, Almas M. R.

2017-09-01

This study was designed to determine effects of exercise training (Moderate and severe) and alpha tocopherol on lipid profiles and organ weights in hypercholesterolemic domestic rabbits. Hypercholesterolemia (HC) and atherosclerotic lesions were induced by feeding the male rabbits the standard chow supplemented with 1% cholesterol (atherogenic diet) for 36 days. Experimental rabbits were divided into seven groups: normal (T1), HC control (T2), HC plus alpha tocopherol (0.5mg /animal/day) (T3), HC plus moderate exercise 40 minutes/day (0.5km/day) 5 days/week (T4), HC plus severe exercise 40 minutes/day (1km/day) 5 days/week (T5), HC plus alpha tocopherol plus moderate exercise (T6) and HC plus alpha tocopherol plus severe exercise (T7). After the treatment period of 36th day, blood samples were collected and total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol, High-density lipoproteins (HDL)-cholesterol, Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, serum glucose, body and organ weights were assayed and compared with hypercholesterolemic control. Combination of moderate exercise with alpha tocopherol produced significant reduction (P<0.01) in TG and high significant decrement (P<0.001), in VLDL-cholesterol, TC and LDL-cholesterol compared with hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Serum TC, LDL and VLDL (P<0.001) and TG (P<0.01) significantly increased when compared with normal rabbits diet, while, HDL decreased (P<0.05) significantly. Severe exercise group showed no significant change in all lipid profiles. However, the decrement in the above parameters was comparable with hypercholesterolemic rabbits in combination of severe exercise with alpha tocopherol. The results suggest that the combination of moderate exercise with alpha tocopherol can be exploited for prevention of atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

18F-Flortaucipir Binding in Choroid Plexus: Related to Race and Hippocampus Signal

PubMed Central

Lee, Christopher M.; Jacobs, Heidi I.L.; Marquié, Marta; Becker, John A.; Andrea, Nicolas V.; Jin, David S.; Schultz, Aaron P.; Frosch, Matthew P.; Gómez-Isla, Teresa; Sperling, Reisa A.; Johnson, Keith A.

2018-01-01

Background On target 18F-Flortaucipir (FTP) binding of Alzheimer’s disease tau aggregates and off-target binding of melanocytes have been demonstrated with autoradiography. Objective We aimed to investigate the hypothesis that if binding in choroid plexus (CP) is due to melanocytes, the signal would be elevated in Black/African American (B/AA) compared to White (W) participants. In addition, we examined whether CP signal affects measurements in adjacent regions, and whether correcting for spill-in effects has an influence on associations between hippocampus (HC) FTP and amyloid or cognition. Methods FTP race differences in 147 Harvard Aging Brain Study participants (23 B/AA, 124W) were examined in CP, HC, HC covaried for CP, amygdala, inferior temporal gyrus, entorhinal cortex, and fusiform regions. Associations between CP FTP and other regions-of-interest (ROIs) were probed to assess spill-in effects. A statistical regression approach to attenuate CP spill-in was tested by relating adjusted HC SUVR residuals and unadjusted HC SUVR to race, cognition and amyloid. All analyses were covaried for age, sex, education and amyloid deposition, and Bonferroni-corrected for multiple comparisons. Results B/AA individuals had elevated CP and HC SUVR (p < 0.007), whereas other ROI SUVR and HC SUVR covaried for CP SUVR did not show race differences (p > 0.05). CP SUVR was associated with HC SUVR (p < 10−14), but with no other ROI SUVR (p > 0.05). When adjusting HC SUVR for CP SUVR, no race differences in residual HC SUVR were detected, and relationships with amyloid and memory became apparent. Conclusion Melanocyte FTP binding may account partially for high CP signal. This off-target binding affects mainly HC FTP measurements, which should be interpreted with caution. PMID:29614677

Elevated levels of circulating IL-18BP and perturbed regulation of IL-18 in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin (IL)-18 has been proposed to play a role in schizophrenia, since elevated circulating levels of its protein and altered frequencies of genetic variants in its molecular system are reported in schizophrenic patients. Methods We analyzed 77 patients with schizophrenia diagnosis (SCZ) and 77 healthy control subjects (HC) for serum concentration of both IL-18 and its natural inhibitor, the IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP). Results We confirmed that serum levels of total IL-18 are significantly increased in SCZ, as compared to HC. However, due to a highly significant increase in levels of circulating IL-18BP in SCZ, as compared to HC, the levels of free, bioactive IL-18 are not significantly different between the two groups. In addition, the relationships between the levels of IL-18 and its inhibitor, as well as between the two molecules and age appear dissimilar for SCZ and HC. In particular, the elevated levels of IL-18BP, likely a consequence of the body’s attempt to counteract the early prominent inflammation which characterizes schizophrenia, are maintained in earlier and later stages of the disease. However, the IL-18BP elevation appears ineffective to balance the IL-18 system in younger SCZ patients, while in older patients the levels of circulating bioactive IL-18 are comparable to those of HC, if not lower. Conclusions In conclusion, these findings indicate that the IL-18 system is perturbed in schizophrenia, supporting the idea that this pro-inflammatory cytokine might be part of a pathway of genetic and environmental components for vulnerability to the disease. PMID:22913567

Optical coherence tomography angiography of optic nerve head and parafovea in multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaogang; Jia, Yali; Spain, Rebecca; Potsaid, Benjamin; Liu, Jonathan J; Baumann, Bernhard; Hornegger, Joachim; Fujimoto, James G; Wu, Qiang; Huang, David

2015-01-01

Aims To investigate swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography in the optic nerve head (ONH) and parafoveal regions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Fifty-two MS eyes and 21 healthy control (HC) eyes were included. There were two MS subgroups: 38 MS eyes without an optic neuritis (ON) history (MS −ON), and 14 MS eyes with an ON history (MS +ON). The OCT images were captured by high-speed 1050 nm swept-source OCT. The ONH flow index (FI) and parafoveal FI were quantified from OCT angiograms. Results The mean ONH FI was 0.160±0.010 for the HC group, 0.156±0.017 for the MS−ON group, and 0.140±0.020 for the MS+ON group. The ONH FI of the MS+ON group was reduced by 12.5% compared to HC eyes (p=0.004). A higher percentage of MS+ON eyes had abnormal ONH FI compared to HC patients (43% vs 5%, p=0.01). Mean parafoveal FIs were 0.126±0.007, 0.127±0.010, and 0.129±0.005 for the HC, MS−ON, and MS +ON groups, respectively, and did not differ significantly among them. The coefficient of variation (CV) of intravisit repeatability and intervisit reproducibility were 1.03% and 4.53% for ONH FI, and 1.65% and 3.55% for parafoveal FI. Conclusions Based on OCT angiography, the FI measurement is feasible, highly repeatable and reproducible, and it is suitable for clinical measurement of ONH and parafoveal perfusion. The ONH FI may be useful in detecting damage from ON and quantifying its severity. PMID:24831719

Increased Expression of Toll-Like Receptors by Monocytes and Natural Killer Cells in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis

PubMed Central

Tadema, Henko; Abdulahad, Wayel H.; Stegeman, Coen A.; Kallenberg, Cees G. M.; Heeringa, Peter

2011-01-01

Introduction Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of receptors that sense pathogen associated patterns such as bacterial cell wall proteins. Bacterial infections are associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). Here, we assessed the expression of TLRs 2, 4, and 9 by peripheral blood leukocytes from patients with AAV, and investigated TLR mediated responses ex vivo. Methods Expression of TLRs was determined in 38 AAV patients (32 remission, 6 active disease), and 20 healthy controls (HC). Membrane expression of TLRs 2, 4, and 9, and intracellular expression of TLR9 by B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, NK cells, monocytes and granulocytes was assessed using 9-color flowcytometry. Whole blood from 13 patients and 7 HC was stimulated ex vivo with TLR 2, 4 and 9 ligands and production of cytokines was analyzed. Results In patients, we observed increased proportions of TLR expressing NK cells. Furthermore, patient monocytes expressed higher levels of TLR2 compared to HC, and in a subset of patients an increased proportion of TLR4+ monocytes was observed. Monocytes from nasal carriers of Staphylococcus aureus expressed increased levels of intracellular TLR9. Membrane expression of TLRs by B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, and granulocytes was comparable between AAV patients and HC. Patients with active disease did not show differential TLR expression compared to patients in remission. Ex vivo responses to TLR ligands did not differ significantly between patients and HC. Conclusions In AAV, monocytes and NK cells display increased TLR expression. Increased TLR expression by these leukocytes, probably resulting from increased activation, could play a role in disease (re)activation. PMID:21915309

Reduced Responses of Submucous Neurons from Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients to a Cocktail Containing Histamine, Serotonin, TNFα, and Tryptase (IBS-Cocktail)

PubMed Central

Ostertag, Daniela; Buhner, Sabine; Michel, Klaus; Pehl, Christian; Kurjak, Manfred; Götzberger, Manuela; Schulte-Frohlinde, Ewert; Frieling, Thomas; Enck, Paul; Phillip, Josef; Schemann, Michael

2015-01-01

Background and Aims: Malfunctions of enteric neurons are believed to play an important role in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Our aim was to investigate whether neuronal activity in biopsies from IBS patients is altered in comparison to healthy controls (HC). Methods: Activity of human submucous neurons in response to electrical nerve stimulation and local application of nicotine or a mixture of histamine, serotonin, tryptase, and TNF-α (IBS-cocktail) was recorded in biopsies from 17 HC and 35 IBS patients with the calcium-sensitive-dye Fluo-4 AM. The concentrations of the mediators resembeled those found in biopsy supernatants or blood. Neuronal activity in guinea-pig submucous neurons was studied with the voltage-sensitive-dye di-8-ANEPPS. Results: Activity in submucous ganglia in response to nicotine or electrical nerve stimulation was not different between HC and IBS patients (P = 0.097 or P = 0.448). However, the neuronal response after application of the IBS-cocktail was significantly decreased (P = 0.039) independent of whether diarrhea (n = 12), constipation (n = 5) or bloating (n = 5) was the predominant symptom. In agreement with this we found that responses of submucous ganglia conditioned by overnight incubation with IBS mucosal biopsy supernatant to spritz application of this supernatant was significantly reduced (P = 0.019) when compared to incubation with HC supernatant. Conclusion: We demonstrated for the first time reduced neuronal responses in mucosal IBS biopsies to an IBS mediator cocktail. While excitability to classical stimuli of enteric neurons was comparable to HC, the activation by the IBS-cocktail was decreased. This was very likely due to desensitization to mediators constantly released by mucosal and immune cells in the gut wall of IBS patients. PMID:26733780

Decreased coronary vasodilatory capacity in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy determined by split-dose thallium-dipyridamole myocardial scintigraphy

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

Koga, Y.; Yamaguchi, R.; Ogata, M.

1990-05-01

Split-dose thallium-dipyridamole myocardial scintigraphy was performed in patients with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) who had angiographically normal coronary arteries. The dipyridamole-induced increases in thallium-201 uptake, calculated to evaluate coronary vasodilatory capacity, were significantly lower in 30 patients with HC than in 13 control subjects (177 +/- 58 vs 281 +/- 46%) and the reductions were observed in both the septal and lateral segments. The reductions of the septal segment in HC patients were significantly greater than those in 10 hypertensive patients with comparable degrees of septal hypertrophy. Of patients with HC, 16 had increases in thallium uptake well below themore » normal range. Compared with those having normal increases, these patients had significantly lower exercise duration (11 vs 15 minutes), with 33% having ST depression develop at a workload less than or equal to 80 watts. These data indicate that approximately one-half of patients with HC have impaired coronary vasodilatory capacity that could be an important pathophysiologic abnormality of HC resulting in the development of myocardial ischemia and the impairment of cardiac performance during exercise.« less

Impact of a district-wide health center strengthening intervention on healthcare utilization in rural Rwanda: Use of interrupted time series analysis

PubMed Central

Iyer, Hari S.; Hirschhorn, Lisa R.; Nisingizwe, Marie Paul; Kamanzi, Emmanuel; Drobac, Peter C.; Rwabukwisi, Felix C.; Law, Michael R.; Muhire, Andrew; Rusanganwa, Vincent; Basinga, Paulin

2017-01-01

Background Evaluations of health systems strengthening (HSS) interventions using observational data are rarely used for causal inference due to limited data availability. Routinely collected national data allow use of quasi-experimental designs such as interrupted time series (ITS). Rwanda has invested in a robust electronic health management information system (HMIS) that captures monthly healthcare utilization data. We used ITS to evaluate impact of an HSS intervention to improve primary health care facility readiness on health service utilization in two rural districts of Rwanda. Methods We used controlled ITS analysis to compare changes in healthcare utilization at health centers (HC) that received the intervention (n = 13) to propensity score matched non-intervention health centers in Rwanda (n = 86) from January 2008 to December 2012. HC support included infrastructure renovation, salary support, medical equipment, referral network strengthening, and clinical training. Baseline quarterly mean outpatient visit rates and population density were used to model propensity scores. The intervention began in May 2010 and was implemented over a twelve-month period. We used monthly healthcare utilization data from the national Rwandan HMIS to study changes in the (1) number of facility deliveries per 10,000 women, (2) number of referrals for high risk pregnancy per 100,000 women, and (3) the number of outpatient visits performed per 1,000 catchment population. Results PHIT HC experienced significantly higher monthly delivery rates post-HSS during the April-June season than comparison (3.19/10,000, 95% CI: [0.27, 6.10]). In 2010, this represented a 13% relative increase, and in 2011, this represented a 23% relative increase. The post-HSS change in monthly rate of high-risk pregnancies referred increased slightly in intervention compared to control HC (0.03/10,000, 95% CI: [-0.007, 0.06]). There was a small immediate post-HSS increase in outpatient visit rates in intervention compared to control HC (6.64/1,000, 95% CI: [-13.52, 26.81]). Conclusion We failed to find strong evidence of post-HSS increases in outpatient visit rates or referral rates at health centers, which could be explained by small sample size and high baseline nation-wide health service coverage. However, our findings demonstrate that high quality routinely collected health facility data combined with ITS can be used for rigorous policy evaluation in resource-limited settings. PMID:28763505

Human bone marrow-derived clonal mesenchymal stem cells inhibit inflammation and reduce acute pancreatitis in rats.

PubMed

Jung, Kyung Hee; Song, Sun U; Yi, Tacghee; Jeon, Myung-Shin; Hong, Sang-Won; Zheng, Hong-Mei; Lee, Hee-Seung; Choi, Myung-Joo; Lee, Don-Haeng; Hong, Soon-Sun

2011-03-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) has a high mortality rate; repetitive AP induces chronic AP and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunoregulatory effects and reduce inflammation. We developed a protocol to isolate human bone marrow-derived clonal MSCs (hcMSCs) from bone marrow aspirate and investigated the effects of these cells in rat models of mild and severe AP. Mild AP was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by 3 intraperitoneal injections of cerulein (100 μg/kg), given at 2-hour intervals; severe AP was induced by intraparenchymal injection of 3% sodium taurocholate solution. hcMSCs were labeled with CM-1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3'-tetramethylindo-carbocyanine perchloride and administered to rats through the tail vein. hcMSCs underwent self-renewal and had multipotent differentiation capacities and immunoregulatory functions. Greater numbers of infused hcMSCs were detected in pancreas of rats with mild and severe AP than of control rats. Infused hcMSCs reduced acinar-cell degeneration, pancreatic edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration in each model of pancreatitis. The hcMSCs reduced expression of inflammation mediators and cytokines in rats with mild and severe AP. hcMSCs suppressed the mixed lymphocyte reaction and increased expression of Foxp3(+) (a marker of regulatory T cells) in cultured rat lymph node cells. Rats with mild or severe AP that were given infusions of hcMSCs had reduced numbers of CD3(+) T cells and increased expression of Foxp3(+) in pancreas tissues. hcMSCs reduced inflammation and damage to pancreatic tissue in a rat model of AP; they reduced levels of cytokines and induced numbers of Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells. hcMSCs might be developed as a cell therapy for pancreatitis. Copyright © 2011 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hair cell counts in a rat model of sound damage: Effects of tissue preparation & identification of regions of hair cell loss.

PubMed

Neal, Christopher; Kennon-McGill, Stefanie; Freemyer, Andrea; Shum, Axel; Staecker, Hinrich; Durham, Dianne

2015-10-01

Exposure to intense sound can damage or kill cochlear hair cells (HC). This loss of input typically manifests as noise induced hearing loss, but it can also be involved in the initiation of other auditory disorders such as tinnitus or hyperacusis. In this study we quantify changes in HC number following exposure to one of four sound damage paradigms. We exposed adult, anesthetized Long-Evans rats to a unilateral 16 kHz pure tone that varied in intensity (114 dB or 118 dB) and duration (1, 2, or 4 h) and sacrificed animals 2-4 weeks later. We compared two different methods of tissue preparation, plastic embedding/sectioning and whole mount dissection, for quantifying hair cell loss as a function of frequency. We found that the two methods of tissue preparation produced largely comparable cochleograms, with whole mount dissections allowing a more rapid evaluation of hair cell number. Both inner and outer hair cell loss was observed throughout the length of the cochlea irrespective of sound damage paradigm. Inner HC loss was either equal to or greater than outer HC loss. Increasing the duration of sound exposures resulted in more severe HC loss, which included all HC lesions observed in an analogous shorter duration exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of low- and high-carbohydrate diets for type 2 diabetes management: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Tay, Jeannie; Luscombe-Marsh, Natalie D; Thompson, Campbell H; Noakes, Manny; Buckley, Jonathan D; Wittert, Gary A; Yancy, William S; Brinkworth, Grant D

2015-10-01

Few well-controlled studies have comprehensively examined the effects of very-low-carbohydrate diets on type 2 diabetes (T2D). We compared the effects of a very-low-carbohydrate, high-unsaturated fat, low-saturated fat (LC) diet with a high-carbohydrate, low-fat (HC) diet on glycemic control and cardiovascular disease risk factors in T2D after 52 wk. In this randomized controlled trial that was conducted in an outpatient research clinic, 115 obese adults with T2D [mean ± SD age: 58 ± 7 y; body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 34.6 ± 4.3; glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c): 7.3 ± 1.1%; duration of diabetes: 8 ± 6 y] were randomly assigned to consume either a hypocaloric LC diet [14% of energy as carbohydrate (carbohydrate <50 g/d), 28% of energy as protein, and 58% of energy as fat (<10% saturated fat)] or an energy-matched HC diet [53% of energy as carbohydrate, 17% of energy as protein, and 30% of energy as fat (<10% saturated fat)] combined with supervised aerobic and resistance exercise (60 min; 3 d/wk). Outcomes were glycemic control assessed with use of measurements of HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, glycemic variability assessed with use of 48-h continuous glucose monitoring, diabetes medication, weight, blood pressure, and lipids assessed at baseline, 24, and 52 wk. Both groups achieved similar completion rates (LC diet: 71%; HC diet: 65%) and mean (95% CI) reductions in weight [LC diet: -9.8 kg (-11.7, -7.9 kg); HC diet: -10.1 kg (-12.0, -8.2 kg)], blood pressure [LC diet: -7.1 (-10.6, -3.7)/-6.2 (-8.2, -4.1) mm Hg; HC diet: -5.8 (-9.4, -2.2)/-6.4 (-8.4, -4.3) mm Hg], HbA1c [LC diet: -1.0% (-1.2%, -0.7%); HC diet: -1.0% (-1.3%, -0.8%)], fasting glucose [LC diet: -0.7 mmol/L (-1.3, -0.1 mmol/L); HC diet: -1.5 mmol/L (-2.1, -0.8 mmol/L)], and LDL cholesterol [LC diet: -0.1 mmol/L (-0.3, 0.1 mmol/L); HC diet: -0.2 mmol/L (-0.4, 0.03 mmol/L)] (P-diet effect ≥ 0.10). Compared with the HC-diet group, the LC-diet group achieved greater mean (95% CI) reductions in the diabetes medication score [LC diet: -0.5 arbitrary units (-0.7, -0.4 arbitrary units); HC diet: -0.2 arbitrary units (-0.4, -0.06 arbitrary units); P = 0.02], glycemic variability assessed by measuring the continuous overall net glycemic action-1 [LC diet: -0.5 mmol/L (-0.6, -0.3 mmol/L); HC diet: -0.05 mmol/L (-0.2, -0.1 mmol/L); P = 0.003], and triglycerides [LC diet: -0.4 mmol/L (-0.5, -0.2 mmol/L); HC diet: -0.01 mmol/L (-0.2, 0.2 mmol/L); P = 0.001] and greater mean (95% CI) increases in HDL cholesterol [LC diet: 0.1 mmol/L (0.1, 0.2 mmol/L); HC diet: 0.06 mmol/L (-0.01, 0.1 mmol/L); P = 0.002]. Both diets achieved substantial weight loss and reduced HbA1c and fasting glucose. The LC diet, which was high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat, achieved greater improvements in the lipid profile, blood glucose stability, and reductions in diabetes medication requirements, suggesting an effective strategy for the optimization of T2D management. This trial was registered at www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12612000369820. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Fenofibrate-associated changes in renal function and relationship to clinical outcomes among individuals with type 2 diabetes: the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) experience.

PubMed

Bonds, D E; Craven, T E; Buse, J; Crouse, J R; Cuddihy, R; Elam, M; Ginsberg, H N; Kirchner, K; Marcovina, S; Mychaleckyj, J C; O'Connor, P J; Sperl-Hillen, J-A

2012-06-01

Fenofibrate has been noted to cause an elevation in serum creatinine in some individuals. Participants in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Lipid Study were studied to better characterise who is at risk of an increase in creatinine level and to determine whether those with creatinine elevation have a differential risk of adverse renal or cardiovascular outcomes. A fenofibrate-associated creatinine increase (FACI) was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of at least 20% from baseline to month 4 in participants assigned to fenofibrate. Baseline patient characteristics, and baseline and 4-month drug, clinical, laboratory characteristics and study outcomes were examined by FACI status. Of the sample, 48% of those randomised to receive fenofibrate had at least a 20% increase in serum creatinine within 4 months. In multivariable analysis, participants who were older, male, used an ACE inhibitor at baseline, used a thiazolidinedione (TZD) at 4 months post-randomisation, had baseline CVD, and had lower baseline serum creatinine and LDL-cholesterol levels were all more likely to meet the criteria for FACI. Participants in the FACI group were also more likely to have a decrease in their serum triacylglycerol level from baseline to 4 months. No differences in study outcomes were seen by FACI criteria. Several characteristics predict a rapid rise in serum creatinine upon starting fenofibrate. Participants who met the criteria for FACI also had a greater change in triacylglycerol levels. In the setting of careful renal function surveillance and reduction of fenofibrate dose as indicated, no increase in renal disease or cardiovascular outcome was seen in those individuals demonstrating FACI. ClincalTrials.gov: NCT00000620. The ACCORD Trial was supported by grants (N01-HC-95178, N01-HC-95179, N01-HC-95180, N01-HC-95181, N01-HC-95182, N01-HC-95183, N01-HC-95184, IAA-Y1-HC-9035 and IAA-Y1-HC-1010) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Eye Institute; by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; by General Clinical Research Centers and by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards. Abbott Laboratories, Amylin Pharmaceutical, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Bayer HealthCare LLC, Closer Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, King Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Omron Healthcare, sanofi-aventis US and Takeda Pharmaceuticals provided study medications, equipment or supplies.

BK Virus-Hemorrhagic Cystitis Following Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: Clinical Characteristics and Utility of Leflunomide Treatment

PubMed Central

Park, Young Hoon; Lim, Joo Han; Yi, Hyeon Gyu; Lee, Moon Hee; Kim, Chul Soo

2016-01-01

Objective: BK virus-hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) is a potential cause of morbidity and mortality in patients having undergone allogeneic stem cell transplantation (Allo-SCT). We analyzed the clinical features of BKV-HC following Allo-SCT and reported the utility of leflunomide therapy for BKV-HC. Materials and Methods: From January 2005 to June 2014, among the 69 patients that underwent Allo-SCT in our institution, the patients who experienced BKV-HC were investigated retrospectively. Results: HC was observed in 30 patients (43.5%), and among them, 18 of the cases (26.1%) were identified as BKV-HC. The median age of the patients (12 males and 6 females) was 45 years (minimum-maximum: 13-63). Patients received Allo-SCT for acute myeloid leukemia (n=11), aplastic anemia (n=4), myelodysplastic syndrome (n=2), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n=1). The donor types were human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donor for six patients, HLA-matched unrelated donor for nine, and haploidentical familial donor for two. The median onset and duration of BKV-HC was on day 21 after transplantation (minimum-maximum: 7-97) and 22 days (minimum-maximum: 6-107). Eleven patients (62.1%) had grade I-II HC and seven patients (38.9%) had grade III-IV (high-grade) HC. Among the seven patients who had high-grade HC, one had complete response, one had partial response, and five had no response. Among the five nonresponders, one died of BKV-HC associated complications. The remaining four patients were treated with leflunomide, achieving complete response (n=2) and partial response (n=2). The median duration from the start of leflunomide therapy to response was 13 days (minimum-maximum: 8-17 days). All patients tolerated the leflunomide treatment well, with three patients having mild gastrointestinal symptoms, including anorexia and abdominal bloating. Conclusion: BKV-HC was commonly observed in patients with HC following Allo-SCT. In high-grade BKV-HC patients who do not respond to supportive care, leflunomide may be a feasible option without significant toxicity. PMID:27094950

Usefulness of Time-Point Serum Cortisol and ACTH Measurements for the Adjustment of Glucocorticoid Replacement in Adrenal Insufficiency

PubMed Central

Trzepla, Géraldine; Parienti, Jean Jacques; Freret, Thomas; Vanthygem, Marie Christine; Desailloud, Rachel; Lefebvre, Hervé; Coquerel, Antoine; Reznik, Yves

2015-01-01

Background Adjustment of daily hydrocortisone dose on clinical criteria lacks sensitivity for fine tuning. Long term hydrocortisone (HC) over-replacement may lead to increased morbidity and mortality in patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI). Biochemical criteria may help detecting over- or under-replacement but have been poorly evaluated. Methods Multicenter, institutional, pharmacokinetic study on ACTH and cortisol plasma profiles during HC replacement in 27 AI patients compared to 29 matched controls. All AI patients were administered HC thrice daily at doses of 6, 10 and 14 mg/m2/d. Blood samples were drawn hourly from 0800h to 1900h. The main outcome measures were: i) plasma peak cortisol and cortisol area under the curve (AUC) in AI patients compared to controls, ii) correlations between cortisol AUC vs single-point cortisol or ACTH decrease from baseline (ΔACTH) and iii) the predictive value of the two latters for obtaining AI patients’ cortisol AUC in the control range. Results Cortisol peaks were observed 1h after each HC intake and a dose response was demonstrated for cortisol peak and cortisol AUC. The comparison of AI patients’ cortisol AUC to controls showed that 81.5% AI patients receiving 6mg/m2/d were adequately replaced, whereas most patients receiving higher doses were over-replaced. The correlation coefficient between 1000h/1400h cortisol concentrations and 0800-1900h cortisol AUC were 0.93/0.88 respectively, whereas the 0800-1200h ΔACTH fairly correlated with 0800-1900h cortisol AUC (R = 0.57). ROC curve analysis indicated that the 1000h and 1400h cortisol concentrations best predicted over-replacement. Conclusions Patients receiving a 6mg/m2 hydrocortisone daily dose exhibited the most physiological daytime cortisol profile. Single point plasma cortisol correlated with daytime cortisol AUC in AI patients. Although hydrocortisone dose should be currently determined on clinical grounds, our data suggest that single point plasma cortisol may be an adjunct for further hydrocortisone dose adjustment in AI patients. PMID:26317782

Production of Korean Idiomatic Utterances Following Left- and Right-Hemisphere Damage: Acoustic Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Seung-yun; Van Lancker Sidtis, Diana

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study investigates the effects of left- and right-hemisphere damage (LHD and RHD) on the production of idiomatic or literal expressions utilizing acoustic analyses. Method: Twenty-one native speakers of Korean with LHD or RHD and in a healthy control (HC) group produced 6 ditropically ambiguous (idiomatic or literal) sentences in 2…

[Homocysteine and von Willebrand factor in chronic alcoholism].

PubMed

Koriakin, A M; Epifantseva, N N; Dadyka, I V; Gorbatovskiĭ, Ia A

2010-04-01

The levels of homocysteine (HC) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) as cardiovascular risk factors were studied in patients with Stage II chronic alcoholism. Forty-one men with Stage II chronic alcoholism without clinical signs of somatic and infectious diseases were examined. Their median age was 37 (range 32-40) years; the alcoholization period was 12 (range 8-17) years. Plasma HC and VWF (amount and activity) levels were determined. In 63.4% of chronic alcoholic patients, HC levels was twice as high as in the controls; in 80.6%, both the content and activity of VWF were increased. There was no correlation between the levels of HC and VWF. Vascular endothelial damage concurrent with hyperhomocysteinemia increases a cardiovascular risk in patients with Stage II chronic alcoholism.

Protective effect of Korean Red Ginseng against chemotherapeutic drug-induced premature catagen development assessed with human hair follicle organ culture model

PubMed Central

Keum, Dong In; Pi, Long-Quan; Hwang, Sungjoo Tommy; Lee, Won-Soo

2015-01-01

Background Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is one of the most distressing side effects for patients undergoing chemotherapy. This study evaluated the protective effect of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on CIA in a well-established in vitro human hair follicle organ culture model as it occurs in vivo. Methods We examined whether KRG can prevent premature hair follicle dystrophy in a human hair follicle organ culture model during treatment with a key cyclophosphamide metabolite, 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC). Results 4-HC inhibited human hair growth, induced premature catagen development, and inhibited proliferation and stimulated apoptosis of hair matrix keratinocytes. In addition, 4-HC increased p53 and Bax protein expression and decreased Bcl2 protein expression. Pretreatment with KRG protected against 4-HC-induced hair growth inhibition and premature catagen development. KRG also suppressed 4-HC-induced inhibition of matrix keratinocyte proliferation and stimulation of matrix keratinocyte apoptosis. Moreover, KRG restored 4-HC-induced p53 and Bax/Bcl2 expression. Conclusion Overall, our results indicate that KRG may protect against 4-HC-induced premature catagen development through modulation of p53 and Bax/Bcl2 expression. PMID:27158238

Tendon Volume Determination on Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Supraspinatus Tendinopathy.

PubMed

Spall, Benjamin F; Fransson, Boel A; Martinez, Steve A; Wilkinson, Thomas E

2016-04-01

To determine the supraspinatus tendon volume using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in dogs with non-calcified supraspinatus tendinopathy (NCST), in dogs with orthopedic disease other than NCST, and in healthy dogs. Case series. Twenty-two dogs (18 client-owned dogs; 4 purpose-bred dogs). Dogs undergoing shoulder MRI were categorized as NCST if they were diagnosed with NCST only, had histologic confirmed diagnosis, underwent surgical treatment, and were available for follow-up longer than 4 months. Dogs with MRI performed for a forelimb lameness because of a diagnosis other than NCST were categorized as orthopedic control (OC). Healthy dogs from an unrelated study were categorized as healthy controls (HC). Tendon volume was determined from MRI using public domain software and compared across categories. The study included 9 NCST dogs, 9 OC dogs, and 4 HC dogs. The median tendon volume for NCST was 1,323 mm(3), OC was 630 mm(3), and HC was 512 mm(3). The volume was significantly higher in the NCST than OC (P = .0012) and HC (P = .003). There was no difference between OC and HC (P = .76). Dogs diagnosed with NCST had higher supraspinatus tendon volumes compared to dogs with other orthopedic disorders and healthy dogs. © Copyright 2016 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Recombinant Botulinum Neurotoxin Hc Subunit (BoNT Hc) and Catalytically Inactive Clostridium botulinum Holoproteins (ciBoNT HPs) as Vaccine Candidates for the Prevention of Botulism

PubMed Central

Webb, Robert P.; Smith, Theresa J.; Smith, Leonard A.; Wright, Patrick M.; Guernieri, Rebecca L.; Brown, Jennifer L.; Skerry, Janet C.

2017-01-01

There are few available medical countermeasures against botulism and the discontinuation of the pentavalent botulinum toxoid vaccine by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2011 has resulted in the need for a safe and effective prophylactic alternative. Advances in genetic engineering have resulted in subsequent vaccine efforts being primarily focused on the production of highly purified recombinant protein antigens representing one or more domains of the botulinum neurotoxin. Recombinant subunit vaccines based on the carboxy one-third of the toxin (Hc) developed in our lab against serotypes A-F have been shown to be safe and effective. However, in response to the identification of an ever increasing number of BoNT subtypes with significant amino acid heterogeneity, we have developed catalytically inactive BoNT holoproteins (ciBoNT HPs) in an attempt to elicit greater protective immunity to address these toxin variants. Here we report the production of ciBoNT/B1 HP, ciBoNT/C1 HP, ciBoNT/E1 HP and ciBoNT/F1 HP and compare the immunological and protective abilities of ciBoNT HPs and BoNT/A Hc, BoNT/B Hc, BoNT/C Hc, BoNT/E Hc and BoNT/F Hc vaccines when challenged with homologous and heterologous toxins. Our results suggest the ciBoNT HP vaccines exhibit superior potency after single vaccinations but multiple vaccinations with BoNT/Hc antigens resulted in increased survival rates at the toxin challenge levels used. PMID:28869522

Brain Activity toward Gaming-Related Cues in Internet Gaming Disorder during an Addiction Stroop Task.

PubMed

Zhang, Yifen; Lin, Xiao; Zhou, Hongli; Xu, Jiaojing; Du, Xiaoxia; Dong, Guangheng

2016-01-01

Attentional bias for drug-related stimuli is a key characteristic for drug addiction. Characterizing the relationship between attentional bias and brain reactivity to Internet gaming-related stimuli may help in identifying the neural substrates that critical to Internet gaming disorder (IGD). 19 IGD and 21 healthy control (HC) subjects were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging while they were performing an addiction Stroop task. Compared with HC group, IGD subjects showed higher activations when facing Internet gaming-related stimuli in regions including the inferior parietal lobule, the middle occipital gyrus and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These brain areas were thought to be involved in selective attention, visual processing, working memory and cognitive control. The results demonstrated that compared with HC group, IGD subjects show impairment in both visual and cognitive control ability while dealing with gaming-related words. This finding might be helpful in understanding the underlying neural basis of IGD.

Proportions of myosin heavy chain mRNAs, protein isoforms and fiber types in the slow and fast skeletal muscles are maintained after alterations of thyroid status in rats.

PubMed

Soukup, T; Diallo, M

2015-01-01

Recently, we have established that slow soleus (SOL) and fast extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of euthyroid (EU) Lewis rats posses the same proportions between their four myosin heavy chain (MyHC) mRNAs, protein isoforms and fiber types as determined by real time RT-PCR, SDS-PAGE and 2-D stereological fiber type analysis, respectively. In the present paper we investigated if these proportions are maintained in adult Lewis rats with hyperthyroid (HT) and hypothyroid (HY) status. Although HT and HY states change MyHC isoform expression, results from all three methods showed that proportion between MyHC mRNA-1, 2a, -2x/d, -2b, protein isoforms MyHC-1, -2a, -2x/d, -2b and to lesser extent also fiber types 1, 2A, 2X/D, 2B were preserved in both SOL and EDL muscles. Furthermore, in the SOL muscle mRNA expression of slow MyHC-1 remained up to three orders higher compared to fast MyHC transcripts, which explains the predominance of MyHC-1 isoform and fiber type 1 even in HT rats. Although HT status led in the SOL to increased expression of MyHC-2a mRNA, MyHC-2a isoform and 2A fibers, it preserved extremely low expression of MyHC-2x and -2b mRNA and protein isoforms, which explains the absence of pure 2X/D and 2B fibers. HY status, on the other hand, almost completely abolished expression of all three fast MyHC mRNAs, MyHC protein isoforms and fast fiber types in the SOL muscle. Our data present evidence that a correlation between mRNA, protein content and fiber type composition found in EU status is also preserved in HT and HY rats.

BKV infection and hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic bone marrow transplant.

PubMed

Fioriti, D; Degener, A M; Mischitelli, M; Videtta, M; Arancio, A; Sica, S; Sora, F; Pietropaolo, V

2005-01-01

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a well-known complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) and can be related to adenovirus or human polyomavirus BK (BKV) infections. In this study a group of 20 patients after allogeneic BMT has been examined. BMT urine samples were analysed for the presence of Adenovirus and BKV DNAby means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 5/20 BMT patients developed HC after BMT. The presence of BKV DNA in urine samples was evident in 3/15 patients without HC and in 5/5 patients with HC. In 2/5 HC-patients the BKV DNA was not found after therapy with Cidofovir and Ribavirin. The search for adenovirus DNA in all samples was negative. The analysis of BKV non-coding control region (NCCR) isolated from urine samples revealed a structure very similar to the archetype in all samples. The RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism assay) showed the presence of BKV subtypes I and IV, with the prevalence of subtype I (4/5). This study supports the hypothesis that HC is mainly related to BKV rather than to adenovirus infection in BMT patients. Moreover, since BKV subtype I was predominant, it is reasonable to hypothesize that a specific BKV subtype could be associated with the development of HC.

Paradoxical aging in HIV: immune senescence of B Cells is most prominent in young age

PubMed Central

George, Varghese K.; de Armas, Lesley R.; Pahwa, Rajendra; Sanchez, Celeste M.; Pallin, Maria Fernanda; Pan, Li; Cotugno, Nicola; Dickinson, Gordon; Rodriguez, Allan; Fischl, Margaret; Alcaide, Maria; Gonzalez, Louis; Palma, Paolo; Pahwa, Savita

2017-01-01

Combination antiretroviral therapies (cART) can lead to normal life expectancy in HIV-infected persons, and people aged >50 yrs represent the fastest growing HIV group. Although HIV and aging are independently associated with impaired humoral immunity, immune status in people aging with HIV is relatively unexplored. In this study influenza vaccination was used to probe age associated perturbations in the B cell compartment of HIV-negative “healthy controls” (HC) and virologically controlled HIV-infected participants on cART (HIV) (n=124), grouped by age as young (<40 yrs), middle-aged (40-59yrs) or old (≥60 yrs). H1N1 antibody response at d21 post-vaccination correlated inversely with age in both HC and HIV. Immunophenotyping of cryopreserved PBMC demonstrated increased frequencies of double negative B cells and decreased plasmablasts in old compared to young HC. Remarkably, young HIV were different from young HC but similar to old HC in B cell phenotype, influenza specific spontaneous (d7) or memory (d21) antibody secreting cells. We conclude that B cell immune senescence is a prominent phenomenon in young HIV in comparison to young HC, but distinctions between old HIV and old HC are less evident though both groups manifest age-associated B cell dysfunction. PMID:28448963

The relationship between stressful life events and Axis I diagnoses among adolescent offspring of probands with bipolar and non-bipolar psychiatric disorders and healthy controls

PubMed Central

Pan, Lisa A.; Goldstein, Tina R.; Rooks, Brian T.; Hickey, Mary; Fan, Jie Yu; Merranko, John; Monk, Kelly; Diler, Rasim S.; Sakolsky, Dara J.; Hafeman, Daniella; Iyengar, Satish; Goldstein, Benjamin; Kupfer, David J.; Axelson, David; Brent, David A.; Birmaher, Boris

2018-01-01

Background Previous studies have explored the role of stressful life events in the development of mood disorders. We examined the frequency and nature of stressful life events as measured by the Stressful Life Events Scale(SLES) among three groups of adolescent offspring of probands: with bipolar(BD), with non-BD psychiatric disorders, and healthy control(HC). Furthermore, we examined the relationship between stressful life events and presence of DSM-IV Axis I disorders in these offspring. Stressful life events were characterized as dependent, independent, or uncertain (neither dependent or independent), and positive, negative, and neutral (neither positive or negative). Method Offspring of probands with BD aged 13–18 years(N=269), demographically-matched offspring of probands with non-BD Axis I disorders(N=88), and HC probands(N=81) from the Pittsburgh Bipolar Offspring Study were assessed from 2002–2007 with standardized instruments at intake. Probands completed the SLES for their offspring for life events within the prior year. Life events were evaluated with regard to current offspring Axis I diagnoses after adjusting for confounds. Results After adjusting for demographic and clinical between-group differences(in probands and offspring), offspring of BD probands had greater independent and neutral life events compared with HC offspring and greater number of more severe stressful life events than HC offspring, but not non-BD offspring. Offspring of BD probands with comorbid substance use disorder reported more independent stressful life events. Greater frequency and severity of stressful life events were associated with current Axis I disorder in offspring of both BD and non-BD affected probands regardless of dependency or valence. Greater frequency and severity of stressful life events were associated with greater current Axis I disorder in all offspring. Conclusions Offspring of BD probands have greater exposure to independent and neutral life events than HC offspring. Greater frequency and severity of stressful life events was associated with Axis I disorder in offspring of both BD and non-BD affected probands. PMID:28199068

Hadley circulation extent and strength in a wide range of simulated climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Agostino, Roberta; Adam, Ori; Lionello, Piero; Schneider, Tapio

2017-04-01

Understanding the Hadley circulation (HC) dynamics is crucial because its changes affect the seasonal migration of the ITCZ, the extent of subtropical arid regions and the strength of the monsoons. Despite decades of study, the factors controlling its strength and extent have remained unclear. Here we analyse how HC strength and extent change over a wide range of climate conditions from the Last Glacial Maximum to future projections. The large climate change between paleoclimate simulations and future scenarios offers the chance to analyse robust HC changes and their link to large-scale factors. The HC shrinks and strengthens in the coldest simulation relative to the warmest. A progressive poleward shift of its edges is evident as the climate warms (at a rate of 0.35°lat./K in each hemisphere). The HC extent and strength both depend on the isentropic slope, which in turn is related to the meridional temperature gradient, subtropical static stability and tropopause height. In multiple robust regression analysis using these as predictors, we find that the tropical tropopause height does not add relevant information to the model beyond surface temperature. Therefore, primarily the static stability and secondarily the meridional temperature contrast together account for the bulk of the almost the total HC variance. However, the regressions leave some of the northern HC edge and southern HC strength variance unexplained. The effectiveness of this analysis is limited by the correlation among the predictors and their relationship with mean temperature. In fact, for all simulations, the tropical temperature explains well the variations of HC except its southern hemisphere intensity. Hence, it can be used as the sole predictor to diagnose the HC response to greenhouse-induced global warming. How to account for the evolution of the southern HC strength remains unclear, because of the large inter-model spread in this quantity.

Improving Motor Activity Assessment in Depression: Which Sensor Placement, Analytic Strategy and Diurnal Time Frame Are Most Powerful in Distinguishing Patients from Controls and Monitoring Treatment Effects

PubMed Central

Deuschle, Michael; Gilles, Maria; Hill, Holger; Limberger, Matthias F.; Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich W.

2015-01-01

Background Abnormalities in motor activity represent a central feature in major depressive disorder. However, measurement issues are poorly understood, limiting the use of objective measurement of motor activity for diagnostics and treatment monitoring. Methods To improve measurement issues, especially sensor placement, analytic strategies and diurnal effects, we assessed motor activity in depressed patients at the beginning (MD; n=27) and after anti-depressive treatment (MD-post; n=18) as well as in healthy controls (HC; n=16) using wrist- and chest-worn accelerometers. We performed multiple analyses regarding sensor placements, extracted features, diurnal variation, motion patterns and posture to clarify which parameters are most powerful in distinguishing patients from controls and monitoring treatment effects. Results Whereas most feature-placement combinations revealed significant differences between groups, acceleration (wrist) distinguished MD from HC (d=1.39) best. Frequency (vertical axis chest) additionally differentiated groups in a logistic regression model (R2=0.54). Accordingly, both amplitude (d=1.16) and frequency (d=1.04) showed alterations, indicating reduced and decelerated motor activity. Differences between MD and HC in gestures (d=0.97) and walking (d=1.53) were found by data analysis from the wrist sensor. Comparison of motor activity at the beginning and after MD-treatment largely confirms our findings. Limitations Sample size was small, but sufficient for the given effect sizes. Comparison of depressed in-patients with non-hospitalized controls might have limited motor activity differences between groups. Conclusions Measurement of wrist-acceleration can be recommended as a basic technique to capture motor activity in depressed patients as it records whole body movement and gestures. Detailed analyses showed differences in amplitude and frequency denoting that depressed patients walked less and slower. PMID:25885258

Inhibition of jet fuel aliphatic hydrocarbon induced toxicity in human epidermal keratinocytes.

PubMed

Inman, A O; Monteiro-Riviere, N A; Riviere, J E

2008-05-01

Jet propellant (JP)-8, the primary jet fuel used by the U.S. military, consists of hydrocarbon-rich kerosene base commercial jet fuel (Jet-A) plus additives DC1-4A, Stadis 450 and diethylene glycol monomethyl ether. Human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) were exposed to JP-8, aliphatic hydrocarbon (HC) fuel S-8 and aliphatic HC pentadecane (penta), tetradecane (tetra), tridecane (tri) and undecane (un) for 5 min. Additional studies were conducted with signal transduction pathway blockers parthenolide (P; 3.0 microm), isohelenin (I; 3.0 microm), SB 203580 (SB; 13.3 microm), substance P (SP; 3.0 microm) and recombinant human IL-10 (rHIL-10; 10 ng ml(-1)). In the absence of inhibitors, JP-8 and to a lesser extent un and S-8, had the greatest toxic effect on cell viability and inflammation suggesting, as least in vitro, that synthetic S-8 fuel is less irritating than the currently used JP-8. Each inhibitor significantly (P < 0.05) decreased HEK viability. DMSO, the vehicle for P, I and SB, had a minimal effect on viability. Overall, IL-8 production was suppressed at least 30% after treatment with each inhibitor. Normalizing data relative to control indicate which inhibitors suppress HC-mediated IL-8 to control levels. P was the most effective inhibitor of IL-8 release; IL-8 was significantly decreased after exposure to un, tri, tetra and penta but significantly increased after JP-8 exposure compared with controls. Inhibitors were not effective in suppressing IL-8 release in JP-8 exposures to control levels. This study shows that inhibiting NF-kappa B, which appears to play a role in cytokine production in HC-exposed HEK in vitro, may reduce the inflammatory effect of HC in vivo. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Higher criticism approach to detect rare variants using whole genome sequencing data

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Because of low statistical power of single-variant tests for whole genome sequencing (WGS) data, the association test for variant groups is a key approach for genetic mapping. To address the features of sparse and weak genetic effects to be detected, the higher criticism (HC) approach has been proposed and theoretically has proven optimal for detecting sparse and weak genetic effects. Here we develop a strategy to apply the HC approach to WGS data that contains rare variants as the majority. By using Genetic Analysis Workshop 18 "dose" genetic data with simulated phenotypes, we assess the performance of HC under a variety of strategies for grouping variants and collapsing rare variants. The HC approach is compared with the minimal p-value method and the sequence kernel association test. The results show that the HC approach is preferred for detecting weak genetic effects. PMID:25519367

Early Head Growth in Infants at Risk of Autism: A Baby Siblings Research Consortium Study

PubMed Central

Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Young, Gregory S.; Stone, Wendy L.; Dobkins, Karen; Ozonoff, Sally; Brian, Jessica; Bryson, Susan E.; Carver, Leslie J.; Hutman, Ted; Iverson, Jana M.; Landa, Rebecca J.; Messinger, Daniel

2014-01-01

Objective: While early brain overgrowth is frequently reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the relationship between ASD and head circumference (HC) is less clear, with inconsistent findings from longitudinal studies that include community controls. Our aim was to examine whether head growth in the first 3 years differed between children with ASD from a high-risk (HR) sample of infant siblings of children with ASD (by definition, multiplex), HR siblings not diagnosed with ASD, and low-risk (LR) controls. Method: Participants included 442 HR and 253 LR infants from 12 sites of the international Baby Siblings Research Consortium. Longitudinal HC data were obtained prospectively, supplemented by growth records. Random effects non-linear growth models were used to compare HC in HR infants and LR infants. Additional comparisons were conducted with the HR group stratified by diagnostic status at age 3: ASD (n=77), developmental delay (DD; n=32), and typical development (TD; n=333). Nonlinear growth models were also developed for height to assess general overgrowth associated with ASD. Results: There was no overall difference in head circumference growth over the first 3 years between HR and LR infants, although secondary analyses suggested possible increased total growth in HR infants, reflected by the model asymptote. Analyses stratifying the HR group by 3-year outcomes did not detect differences in head growth or height between HR infants who developed ASD and those who did not, nor between infants with ASD and LR controls. Conclusion: Head growth was uninformative as an ASD risk marker within this HR cohort. PMID:25245349

Effects of Temperature during Moist Heat Treatment on Ruminal Degradability and Intestinal Digestibility of Protein and Amino Acids in Hempseed Cake.

PubMed

Karlsson, L; Ruiz-Moreno, M; Stern, M D; Martinsson, K

2012-11-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in hempseed cake (HC) that were moist heat treated at different temperatures. Samples of cold-pressed HC were autoclaved for 30 min at 110, 120 or 130°C, and a sample of untreated HC was used as the control. Ruminal degradability of CP was estimated, using the in situ Dacron bag technique; intestinal CP digestibility was estimated for the 16 h in situ residue using a three-step in vitro procedure. AA content was determined for the HC samples (heat treated and untreated) of the intact feed, the 16 h in situ residue and the residue after the three-step procedure. There was a linear increase in RUP (p = 0.001) and intestinal digestibility of RUP (p = 0.003) with increasing temperature during heat treatment. The 130°C treatment increased RUP from 259 to 629 g/kg CP, while intestinal digestibility increased from 176 to 730 g/kg RUP, compared to the control. Hence, the intestinal available dietary CP increased more than eight times. Increasing temperatures during heat treatment resulted in linear decreases in ruminal degradability of total AA (p = 0.006) and individual AA (p<0.05) and an increase in intestinal digestibility that could be explained both by a linear and a quadratic model for total AA and most individual AA (p<0.05). The 130°C treatment decreased ruminal degradability of total AA from 837 to 471 g/kg, while intestinal digestibility increased from 267 to 813 g/kg of rumen undegradable AA, compared with the control. There were differences between ruminal AA degradability and between intestinal AA digestibility within all individual HC treatments (p<0.001). It is concluded that moist heat treatment at 130°C did not overprotect the CP of HC and could be used to shift the site of CP and AA digestion from the rumen to the small intestine. This may increase the value of HC as a protein supplement for ruminants.

Antidepressants normalize the default mode network in patients with dysthymia.

PubMed

Posner, Jonathan; Hellerstein, David J; Gat, Inbal; Mechling, Anna; Klahr, Kristin; Wang, Zhishun; McGrath, Patrick J; Stewart, Jonathan W; Peterson, Bradley S

2013-04-01

The default mode network (DMN) is a collection of brain regions that reliably deactivate during goal-directed behaviors and is more active during a baseline, or so-called resting, condition. Coherence of neural activity, or functional connectivity, within the brain's DMN is increased in major depressive disorder relative to healthy control (HC) subjects; however, whether similar abnormalities are present in persons with dysthymic disorder (DD) is unknown. Moreover, the effect of antidepressant medications on DMN connectivity in patients with DD is also unknown. To use resting-state functional-connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study (1) the functional connectivity of the DMN in subjects with DD vs HC participants and (2) the effects of antidepressant therapy on DMN connectivity. After collecting baseline MRI scans from subjects with DD and HC participants, we enrolled the participants with DD into a 10-week prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of duloxetine and collected MRI scans again at the conclusion of the study. Enrollment occurred between 2007 and 2011. University research institute. Volunteer sample of 41 subjects with DD and 25 HC participants aged 18 to 53 years. Control subjects were group matched to patients with DD by age and sex. We used resting-state functional-connectivity MRI to measure the functional connectivity of the brain's DMN in persons with DD compared with HC subjects, and we examined the effects of treatment with duloxetine vs placebo on DMN connectivity. Of the 41 subjects with DD, 32 completed the clinical trial and MRI scans, along with the 25 HC participants. At baseline, we found that the coherence of neural activity within the brain's DMN was greater in persons with DD compared with HC subjects. Following a 10-week clinical trial, we found that treatment with duloxetine, but not placebo, normalized DMN connectivity. The baseline imaging findings are consistent with those found in patients with major depressive disorder and suggest that increased connectivity within the DMN may be important in the pathophysiology of both acute and chronic manifestations of depressive illness. The normalization of DMN connectivity following antidepressant treatment suggests an important causal pathway through which antidepressants may reduce depression.

Effects of Temperature during Moist Heat Treatment on Ruminal Degradability and Intestinal Digestibility of Protein and Amino Acids in Hempseed Cake

PubMed Central

Karlsson, L.; Ruiz-Moreno, M.; Stern, M. D.; Martinsson, K.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in hempseed cake (HC) that were moist heat treated at different temperatures. Samples of cold-pressed HC were autoclaved for 30 min at 110, 120 or 130°C, and a sample of untreated HC was used as the control. Ruminal degradability of CP was estimated, using the in situ Dacron bag technique; intestinal CP digestibility was estimated for the 16 h in situ residue using a three-step in vitro procedure. AA content was determined for the HC samples (heat treated and untreated) of the intact feed, the 16 h in situ residue and the residue after the three-step procedure. There was a linear increase in RUP (p = 0.001) and intestinal digestibility of RUP (p = 0.003) with increasing temperature during heat treatment. The 130°C treatment increased RUP from 259 to 629 g/kg CP, while intestinal digestibility increased from 176 to 730 g/kg RUP, compared to the control. Hence, the intestinal available dietary CP increased more than eight times. Increasing temperatures during heat treatment resulted in linear decreases in ruminal degradability of total AA (p = 0.006) and individual AA (p<0.05) and an increase in intestinal digestibility that could be explained both by a linear and a quadratic model for total AA and most individual AA (p<0.05). The 130°C treatment decreased ruminal degradability of total AA from 837 to 471 g/kg, while intestinal digestibility increased from 267 to 813 g/kg of rumen undegradable AA, compared with the control. There were differences between ruminal AA degradability and between intestinal AA digestibility within all individual HC treatments (p<0.001). It is concluded that moist heat treatment at 130°C did not overprotect the CP of HC and could be used to shift the site of CP and AA digestion from the rumen to the small intestine. This may increase the value of HC as a protein supplement for ruminants. PMID:25049517

Hydrocortisone Diffusion Through Synthetic Membrane, Mouse Skin, and Epiderm™ Cultured Skin

PubMed Central

Christensen, John Mark; Chuong, Monica Chang; Le, Hang; Pham, Loan; Bendas, Ehab

2011-01-01

Objectives The penetration of hydrocortisone (HC) from six topical over-the-counter products along with one prescription cream through cultured normal human-derived epidermal keratinocytes (Epiderm™), mouse skin and synthetic nylon membrane was performed as well as the effect hydrating the skin by pre-washing was explored using the Upright Franz Cell. Method and Results Permeation of HC through EpiDerm™, mouse skin and synthetic membrane was highest with the topical HC gel formulation with prewash treatment of the membranes among seven products evaluated, 198 ± 32 µg/cm2, 746.32 ± 12.43 µg/cm2, and 1882 ± 395.18 µg/cm2, respectively. Pre-washing to hydrate the skin enhanced HC penetration through EpiDerm™ and mouse skin. The 24-hour HC released from topical gel with prewash treatment was 198.495 ± 32 µg/cm2 and 746.32 ± 12.43 µg/cm2 while without prewash, the 24-h HC released from topical gel was 67.2 ± 7.41 µg/cm2 and 653.43 ± 85.62 µg/cm2 though EpiDerm™ and mouse skin, respectively. HC penetration through synthetic membrane was ten times greater than through mouse skin and EpiDerm™. Generally, the shape, pattern, and rank order of HC diffusion from each commercial product was similar through each membrane. PMID:21572515

The effectiveness of an enhanced invitation letter on uptake of National Health Service Health Checks in primary care: a pragmatic quasi-randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Sallis, Anna; Bunten, Amanda; Bonus, Annabelle; James, Andrew; Chadborn, Tim; Berry, Daniel

2016-03-24

The National Health Service Health Check (NHS HC) is a population level public health programme. It is a primary prevention initiative offering cardiovascular risk assessment and management for adults aged 40-74 years (every five years). It was designed to reduce the incidence of major vascular disease events by preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes, heart and kidney disease, stroke and vascular dementia . Effectiveness of the programme has been modelled on a national uptake of 75% however in 2012/13 uptake, nationally, was 49%. Ensuring a high percentage of those offered an NHS HC actually receive one is key to optimising the clinical and cost effectiveness of the programme. A pragmatic quasi-randomised controlled trial was conducted in four general practitioner practices in Medway, England with randomisation of 3511 patients. The aim was to compare attendance at the NHS HC using the standard national invitation template letter (control) compared to an enhanced invitation letter using insights from behavioural science (intervention). The intervention letter includes i) simplification - reducing letter content for less effortful processing ii) behavioural instruction - action focused language iii) personal salience - appointment due rather than invited and iv) addressing implementation intentions with a tear off slip to record the date, time and location of the appointment. Logistic Regression explored the association between control and intervention group and attendance at a health check. 29.3% of patients who received the control letter and 33.5% of those who received the intervention letter attended their NHS HC (adjusted odds ratio 1.26, 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.47, p < 0.01). This was an absolute difference in uptake of 4.2 percentage points for those receiving the intervention letter. An invitation letter applying behavioural insights was more effective than the existing national template letter at encouraging attendance at an NHS HC. Making small, no cost behaviourally informed changes to letter invitations can improve uptake of the NHS HC. Further research is required to replicate the effect with more robust methodology and powered for sub-group analysis including socio-economic status. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN66757664 , date of registration 28/3/2014.

Hazard Categorization Reduction via Nature of the Process Argument

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

Chelise A. Van De Graaff; Dr. Chad Pope; J. Todd Taylor

2012-05-01

This paper documents the Hazard Categorization (HC) and Critical Safety Evaluation (CSE) for activities performed using an Inspection Object (IO) in excess of the single parameter subcritical limit of 700 g of U-235. By virtue of exceeding the single parameter subcritical limit and the subsequent potential for criticality, the IO HC is initially categorized as HC2. However, a novel application of the nature of the process argument was employed to reduce the IO HC from HC2 to less than HC3 (LTHC3). The IO is composed of five separate uranium metal plates that total no greater than 3.82 kg of U-235more » (U(20)). The IO is planned to be arranged in various configurations. As the IO serves as a standard for experimentation aimed at establishing techniques for detection of fissionable materials, it may be placed in close proximity to various reflectors, moderators, or both. The most reactive configurations of the IO were systematically evaluated and shown that despite the mass of U-235 and potential positioning near various reflectors and moderators, the IO cannot be assembled into a critical configuration. Therefore, the potential for criticality does not exist. With Department of Energy approval, a Hazards Assessment Document with high-level (facility-level) controls on the plates negates the potential for criticality and satisfies the nature of the process argument to reduce the HC from HC2 to LTHC3.« less

Head size and intelligence, learning, nutritional status and brain development. Head, IQ, learning, nutrition and brain.

PubMed

Ivanovic, Daniza M; Leiva, Boris P; Pérez, Hernán T; Olivares, Manuel G; Díaz, Nora S; Urrutia, María Soledad C; Almagià, Atilio F; Toro, Triana D; Miller, Patricio T; Bosch, Enrique O; Larraín, Cristián G

2004-01-01

This multifactorial study investigates the interrelationships between head circumference (HC) and intellectual quotient (IQ), learning, nutritional status and brain development in Chilean school-age children graduating from high school, of both sexes and with high and low IQ and socio-economic strata (SES). The sample consisted of 96 right-handed healthy students (mean age 18.0 +/- 0.9 years) born at term. HC was measured both in the children and their parents and was expressed as Z-score (Z-HC). In children, IQ was determined by means of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults-Revised (WAIS-R), scholastic achievement (SA) through the standard Spanish language and mathematics tests and the academic aptitude test (AAT) score, nutritional status was assessed through anthropometric indicators, brain development was determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and SES applying the Graffar modified method. Results showed that microcephalic children (Z-HC < or = 2 S.D.) had significantly lower values mainly for brain volume (BV), parental Z-HC, IQ, SA, AAT, birth length (BL) and a significantly higher incidence of undernutrition in the first year of life compared with their macrocephalic peers (Z-HC > 2S.D.). Multiple regression analysis revealed that BV, parental Z-HC and BL were the independent variables with the greatest explanatory power for child's Z-HC variance (r(2) = 0.727). These findings confirm the hypothesis formulated in this study: (1) independently of age, sex and SES, brain parameters, parental HC and prenatal nutritional indicators are the most important independent variables that determine HC and (2) microcephalic children present multiple disorders not only related to BV but also to IQ, SA and nutritional background.

Connection between in-plane upper critical field Hc 2 and gap symmetry in layered d -wave superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing-Rong; Liu, Guo-Zhu; Zhang, Chang-Jin

2016-07-01

Angle-resolved upper critical field Hc 2 provides an efficient tool to probe the gap symmetry of unconventional superconductors. We revisit the behavior of in-plane Hc 2 in d -wave superconductors by considering both the orbital effect and Pauli paramagnetic effect. After carrying out systematic analysis, we show that the maxima of Hc 2 could be along either nodal or antinodal directions of a d -wave superconducting gap, depending on the specific values of a number of tuning parameters. This behavior is in contrast to the common belief that the maxima of in-plane Hc 2 are along the direction where the superconducting gap takes its maximal value. Therefore, identifying the precise d -wave gap symmetry through fitting experiments results of angle-resolved Hc 2 with model calculations at a fixed temperature, as widely used in previous studies, is difficult and practically unreliable. However, our extensive analysis of angle-resolved Hc 2 show that there is a critical temperature T*: in-plane Hc 2 exhibits its maxima along nodal directions at T

Biodiesel production process intensification using a rotor-stator type generator of hydrodynamic cavitation.

PubMed

Crudo, Daniele; Bosco, Valentina; Cavaglià, Giuliano; Grillo, Giorgio; Mantegna, Stefano; Cravotto, Giancarlo

2016-11-01

Triglyceride transesterification for biodiesel production is a model reaction which is used to compare the conversion efficiency, yield, reaction time, energy consumption, scalability and cost estimation of different reactor technology and energy source. This work describes an efficient, fast and cost-effective procedure for biodiesel preparation using a rotating generator of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC). The base-catalyzed transesterification (methanol/sodium hydroxide) has been carried out using refined and bleached palm oil and waste vegetable cooking oil. The novel HC unit is a continuous rotor-stator type reactor in which reagents are directly fed into the controlled cavitation chamber. The high-speed rotation of the reactor creates micron-sized droplets of the immiscible reacting mixture leading to outstanding mass and heat transfer and enhancing the kinetics of the transesterification reaction which completes much more quickly than traditional methods. All the biodiesel samples obtained respect the ASTM standard and present fatty acid methyl ester contents of >99% m/m in both feedstocks. The electrical energy consumption of the HC reactor is 0.030kWh per L of produced crude biodiesel, making this innovative technology really quite competitive. The reactor can be easily scaled-up, from producing a few hundred to thousands of liters of biodiesel per hour while avoiding the risk of orifices clogging with oil impurities, which may occur in conventional HC reactors. Furthermore it requires minimal installation space due to its compact design, which enhances overall security. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hemicrania continua: Case series presenting in an orofacial pain clinic.

PubMed

Hryvenko, Iryna; Cervantes-Chavarría, Andrés R; Law, Alan S; Nixdorf, Donald R

2018-01-01

Aim of investigation Hemicrania continua (HC) is an uncommon primary headache and little is known of the characteristics of such patients managed in an orofacial pain setting. This study provides clinical features of HC, its association with other disorders, and treatment outcomes of patients managed in the TMD and Orofacial Pain Clinic at the University of Minnesota. Methods A retrospective review of patient records was undertaken. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of HC and confirmation at follow-up. Results Six of the 1617 new patients seen between 2015 and 2017 met the selection criteria. Four patients presented with "facial pain", one with "toothache" and one with "jaw pain". All were female with mean age 55 ± 10.5 years (range = 41-69). Headache characteristics included unilateral (R:L = 1:1) pain of moderate intensity with severe exacerbations in the distribution of V 1 (1/6), V 1  + V 2 (3/6) and V 1  + V 2  + V 3 (2/6). Lacrimation and photophobia were the most common associated symptoms. Patient presentations were complicated by multiple medical and comorbid diagnoses. All were diagnosed with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Indomethacin alone was sufficient for adequate headache control in 2/6 patients with several add-on medications providing sustained pain relief. Conclusions Comorbid pain conditions can be expected in patients with HC presenting to orofacial pain clinics. Symptom presentation varies, and multimodal treatment approach is necessary for success.

Is there less to social anxiety than meets the eye? Behavioral and neural responses to three socio-emotional tasks

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is widely thought to be characterized by heightened behavioral and limbic reactivity to socio-emotional stimuli. However, although behavioral findings are clear, neural findings are surprisingly mixed. Methods Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined behavioral and brain responses in a priori emotion generative regions of interest (amygdala and insula) in 67 patients with generalized SAD and in 28 healthy controls (HC) during three distinct socio-emotional tasks. We administered these socio-emotional tasks during one fMRI scanning session: 1) looming harsh faces (Faces); 2) videotaped actors delivering social criticism (Criticism); and 3) written negative self-beliefs (Beliefs). Results In each task, SAD patients reported heightened negative emotion, compared to HC. There were, however, no SAD versus HC differential brain responses in the amygdala and insula. Between-group whole-brain analyses confirmed no group differences in the responses of the amygdala and insula, and indicated different brain networks activated during each of the tasks. In SAD participants, social anxiety symptom severity was associated with increased BOLD signal in the left insula during the Faces task. Conclusions The similar responses in amygdala and insula in SAD and HC participants suggest that heightened negative emotion responses reported by patients with SAD may be related to dysfunction in higher cognitive processes (e.g., distorted appraisal, attention biases, or ineffective cognitive reappraisal). In addition, the findings of this study emphasize the differential effects of socio-emotional experimental tasks. PMID:23448192

Understanding the needs of hand control users, driver rehabilitation specialists, and dealers/installers.

PubMed

Lowe, Evan; Drouin, Nathalie; Venhovens, Paul J; Brooks, Johnell O

2014-10-01

Understanding unique perspectives from key stakeholder groups involved in the hand control (HC) industry, including driver rehabilitation specialists (DRSs) who train users how to use their HCs, dealers/installers, and users, may become increasingly important in the United States due to increases in elderly, diabetic, and wounded warrior amputee driving populations. In this exploratory study, phone interviews were conducted with 20 DRSs, 20 dealers/installers, and 20 users regarding their perspectives about HC training, maintenance and operation, and design improvements. Results revealed common views and differences in perspectives about whether HC users should receive training and for how long, when and how often users should receive maintenance on their HCs, and what DRSs, dealers/installers, and users would like to see in the future.

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

Cotlet, M.; Mudalige, K.; Habuchi, S.

HcRed is a dimeric intrinsically fluorescent protein with origins in the sea anemone Heteractis crispa. This protein exhibits deep red absorption and emission properties. Using a combination of ensemble and single molecule methods and by varying environmental parameters such as temperature and pH, we found spectroscopic evidence for the presence of two ground state conformers, trans and cis chromophores that are in thermal equilibrium and that follow different excited-state pathways upon exposure to light. The photocycle of HcRed appears to be a combination of both kindling proteins and bright emitting GFP/GFP-like proteins: the trans chromophore undergoes light driven isomerization followedmore » by radiative relaxation with a fluorescence lifetime of 0.5 ns. The cis chromophore exhibits a photocycle similar to bright GFPs and GFP-like proteins such as enhanced GFP, enhanced YFP or DsRed, with radiative relaxation with a fluorescence lifetime of 1.5 ns, singlet-triplet deactivation on a microsecond time scale and solvent controlled protonation/deprotonation in tens of microseconds. Using single molecule spectroscopy, we identify trans and cis conformers at the level of individual moieties and show that it is possible that the two conformers can coexist in a single protein due to the dimeric nature of HcRed.« less

Nanogel antigenic protein-delivery system for adjuvant-free intranasal vaccines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nochi, Tomonori; Yuki, Yoshikazu; Takahashi, Haruko; Sawada, Shin-Ichi; Mejima, Mio; Kohda, Tomoko; Harada, Norihiro; Kong, Il Gyu; Sato, Ayuko; Kataoka, Nobuhiro; Tokuhara, Daisuke; Kurokawa, Shiho; Takahashi, Yuko; Tsukada, Hideo; Kozaki, Shunji; Akiyoshi, Kazunari; Kiyono, Hiroshi

2010-07-01

Nanotechnology is an innovative method of freely controlling nanometre-sized materials. Recent outbreaks of mucosal infectious diseases have increased the demands for development of mucosal vaccines because they induce both systemic and mucosal antigen-specific immune responses. Here we developed an intranasal vaccine-delivery system with a nanometre-sized hydrogel (`nanogel') consisting of a cationic type of cholesteryl-group-bearing pullulan (cCHP). A non-toxic subunit fragment of Clostridium botulinum type-A neurotoxin BoHc/A administered intranasally with cCHP nanogel (cCHP-BoHc/A) continuously adhered to the nasal epithelium and was effectively taken up by mucosal dendritic cells after its release from the cCHP nanogel. Vigorous botulinum-neurotoxin-A-neutralizing serum IgG and secretory IgA antibody responses were induced without co-administration of mucosal adjuvant. Importantly, intranasally administered cCHP-BoHc/A did not accumulate in the olfactory bulbs or brain. Moreover, intranasally immunized tetanus toxoid with cCHP nanogel induced strong tetanus-toxoid-specific systemic and mucosal immune responses. These results indicate that cCHP nanogel can be used as a universal protein-based antigen-delivery vehicle for adjuvant-free intranasal vaccination.

Assessment of Personality Dimensions in Children and Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder Using the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory

PubMed Central

Fonseca, Manoela; Caetano, Sheila C.; Hatch, John P.; Hunter, Kristina; Nicoletti, Mark; Pliszka, Steven R.; Cloninger, C. Robert; Soares, Jair C.

2009-01-01

Abstract Objective We compared temperament and character traits in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder (BP) and healthy control (HC) subjects. Method Sixty nine subjects (38 BP and 31 HC), 8–17 years old, were assessed with the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia–Present and Lifetime. Temperament and character traits were measured with parent and child versions of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory. Results BP subjects scored higher on novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and fantasy subscales, and lower on reward dependence, persistence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness compared to HC (all p < 0.007), by child and parent reports. These findings were consistent in both children and adolescents. Higher parent-rated novelty seeking, lower self-directedness, and lower cooperativeness were associated with co-morbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Lower parent-rated reward dependence was associated with co-morbid conduct disorder, and higher child-rated persistence was associated with co-morbid anxiety. Conclusions These findings support previous reports of differences in temperament in BP children and adolescents and may assist in a greater understating of BP children and adolescents beyond mood symptomatology. PMID:19232019

The effects of waste-activated sludge pretreatment using hydrodynamic cavitation for methane production.

PubMed

Lee, Ilgyu; Han, Jong-In

2013-11-01

Disintegration of waste-activated sludge (WAS) is regarded as a prerequisite of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process to reduce sludge volume and increase methane yield. Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC), which shares a similar underlying principle with ultrasonication but is energy-efficient, was employed as a physical means to break up WAS. Compared with ultrasonic (180-3600 kJ/kg TS) and thermal methods (72,000 kJ/kg TS), HC (60-1200 kJ/kg TS) found to consume significantly low power. A synergetic effect was observed when HC was combined with alkaline treatment in which NaOH, KOH, and Ca(OH)2 were used as alkaline catalysts at pH ranging from 8 to 13. As expected, the production yield of CH4 gas increased proportionally as WAS disintegration proceeded. HC, when combined with alkaline pretreatment, was found to be a cost-effective substitute to conventional methods for WAS pretreatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Evolution of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder in Early Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Sixel-Döring, Friederike; Zimmermann, Johannes; Wegener, Andrea; Mollenhauer, Brit; Trenkwalder, Claudia

2016-09-01

To investigate the development of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and REM sleep behavioral events (RBE) not yet fulfilling diagnostic criteria for RBD as markers for neurodegeneration in a cohort of Parkinson disease (PD) patients between their de novo baseline assessment and two-year follow-up in comparison to healthy controls (HC). Clinically confirmed PD patients and HC with video-supported polysomnography (vPSG) data at baseline were re-investigated after two years. Diagnostic scoring for RBE and RBD was performed in both groups and related to baseline findings. One hundred thirteen PD patients and 102 healthy controls (HC) were included in the study. Within two years, the overall occurrence of behaviors during REM sleep in PD patients increased from 50% to 63% (P = 0.02). RBD increased from 25% to 43% (P < 0.001). Eleven of 29 (38%) RBE positive PD patients and 10/56 (18%) patients with normal REM sleep at baseline converted to RBD. In HC, the occurrence of any REM behavior increased from 17% to 20% (n.s.). RBD increased from 2% to 4% (n.s.). One of 15 (7%) RBE positive HC and 1/85 (1%) HC with normal REM at baseline converted to RBD. RBD increased significantly in PD patients from the de novo state to two-year follow-up. We propose RBE being named "prodromal RBD" as it may follow a continuous evolution in PD possibly similar to the spreading of Lewy bodies in PD patients. RBD itself was shown as a robust and stable marker of early PD. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Creative Thinking, Professional Artists, and Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Canesi, Margherita; Rusconi, Maria Luisa; Moroni, Federica; Ranghetti, Alessandra; Cereda, Emanuele; Pezzoli, Gianni

2016-01-01

An increase in artistic-like production in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been associated with compulsive and repetitive behaviours after the introduction of dopaminergic treatment (DT). Recent data suggest that it could be due to the emergence of artistic-like skills triggered by DT. In order to evaluate whether artistic production and creative thinking are influenced by DT or linked to artistic-like skills, we characterize creativity features in PD and healthy controls (HC) including professional artists. Three groups of PD out-patients were included consecutively: professional artists (PD-A), patients with (PD-C) and without artistic-like production (PD-NC). Twenty-four gender and age-matched HC were included: professional artists (HC-A) and non-artists (HC-NC). All patients were evaluated by means of a) a battery of neuropsychological tests and a semi-structured interview; b) the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults (ATTA) for creative thinking; c) the Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview (mMIDI) and a screening for impulse control disorders (ICDs) for compulsive behaviour. ATTA total score was significantly higher in HC-A and PD-A than in the other groups. Although PD-NC showed the lowest ATTA total score the difference vs HC-NC was not significant. ATTA scores were not significantly correlated with DT dosage and duration. mMIDI tests were positive only in PD. There were no differences in ICDs among PD groups. Our results do not support a relationship between DT and the emergence of artistic creativity. We believe that DT may increase the drive to create and that further studies in "on" and "off" medication are needed to clarify this issue.

Macronutrients Association with Change in Waist and Hip Circumference Over 9 Years.

PubMed

Lofley, Amy C; Root, Martin M

2017-01-01

The calorie distribution of macronutrients affects individuals' health. Quantity and source of macronutrients may play major roles in waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC). This study's purpose is to investigate the association between the quantity and source of macronutrients and the change in WC and HC over 9 years. Participants (N = 11,343) were from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Community Study. Those diagnosed with cancer or a decrease in WC or HC of 15 cm or more over 9 years were excluded. Change scores were created for anthropometrics between clinic visits over 9 years. Macronutrient intakes were assessed by a food frequency questionnaire at visit 1 and presented as a percentage of energy intake. Linear regressions were performed with quartiles of dietary components on change scores for WC and HC with controlling cofactors. Gender subgroup analysis was performed. A larger increase in WC was associated with higher intakes of total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and fructose (p for trend < 0.005). A smaller increase in WC was associated with higher intakes of sucrose, total protein, animal protein, and alcohol (p for trend < 0.02). A larger increase in HC was associated with higher intakes of total carbohydrate, sucrose, fructose, animal protein, and vegetable fat (p for trend < 0.05). A smaller increase in HC was associated with higher intakes of animal fat, total fat, and total protein (p for trend < 0.05). In males, changes in WC and HC were associated with fructose, sucrose, total fat, and total protein. In females, changes in WC and HC were associated with dietary fiber, fructose, alcohol, animal protein, total protein, animal fat, and vegetable fat. Macronutrient source and quantity play a significant role in individuals' adiposity and effects on WC and HC. Overall, an increase in WC and HC was seen over the 11 years. The source and quantity of the macronutrients play a significant role in WC and HC. Further research needs to be conducted to see the exact effect that macronutrients play on WC and HC.

Milk yield and composition, nutrition, body conformation traits, body condition scores, fertility and diseases in high-yielding dairy cows--Part 1.

PubMed

Aeberhard, K; Bruckmaier, R M; Kuepfer, U; Blum, J W

2001-03-01

Twenty-nine pairs of high-yielding dairy cows (HC; > or = 45 kg/day reached at least once during lactation) and corresponding control cows (CC; with milk yields representing the average yield of the herds) were examined on 29 Swiss farms from March 1995 to September 1996. The hypotheses were tested that there are differences in feed intake, body-conformation traits, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), fertility status and disease incidence between HC and CC cows. Cows were studied 2 weeks before and at 5, 9, 13, 17 and 40 weeks post-partum. HC cows produced more energy-corrected milk (ECM) than CC cows (10,670 +/- 321 kg in 293 +/- 5 days and 8385 +/- 283 kg in 294 +/- 4 days, respectively; P < or = 0.001) and yields in the first 100 days of lactation were greater in HC than in CC cows (46.2 +/- 1.1 and 36.2 +/- 1.0 kg ECM/day, respectively; P < or = 0.001). Concentrate intake was greater (P < or = 0.05) in HC than in CC cows (7.6 +/- 0.5 and 5.7 +/- 0.5 kg/day, respectively) and dry matter intakes (measured in week 5 of lactation over 3 days on six farms) were greater in HC than in CC cows (24.0 +/- 1.1 and 20.3 +/- 1.1 kg/day, respectively; P < or = 0.001). HC cows were taller than CC cows (wither heights 143.3 +/- 0.8 and 140.1 +/- 0.8 cm, respectively; P < or = 0.01). Although BW in HC cows was greater than in CC cows throughout the study, differences and decreases of BW during lactation were not significant. BCS at the end of pregnancy and decrements during lactation were similar in HC and CC cows. Fertility parameters were similar in HC and CC cows. Incidences of mastitis, claw and feet problems, hypocalcemia/downer cow syndrome, ovarian cysts and abortions were similar in HC and CC cows, but there were more indigestion problems in HC than in CC cows.

Origins, characteristics, controls, and economic viabilities of deep- basin gas resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, L.C.

1995-01-01

Dry-gas deposits (methane ???95% of the hydrocarbon (HC) gases) are thought to originate from in-reservoir thermal cracking of oil and C2+ HC gases to methane. However, because methanes from Anadarko Basin dry-gas deposits do not carry the isotopic signature characteristics of C15+ HC destruction, an origin of these methanes from this process is considered improbable. Instead, the isotopic signature of these methanes suggests that they were cogenerated with C15+ HC's. Only a limited resource of deep-basin gas deposits may be expected by the accepted model for the origin of dry-gas deposits because of a limited number of deep-basin oil deposits originally available to be thermally converted to dry gas. However, by the models of this paper (inefficient source-rock oil and gas expulsion, closed fluid systems in petroleum-basin depocenters, and most dry-gas methane cogenerated with C15+ HC's), very large, previously unrecognized, unconventional, deep-basin gas resources are expected. -from Author

Analysis of CO2, CO and HC emission reduction in automobiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balan, K. N.; Valarmathi, T. N.; Reddy, Mannem Soma Harish; Aravinda Reddy, Gireddy; Sai Srinivas, Jammalamadaka K. M. K.; Vasan

2017-05-01

In the present scenario, the emission from automobiles is becoming a serious problem to the environment. Automobiles, thermal power stations and Industries majorly constitute to the emission of CO2, CO and HC. Though the CO2 available in the atmosphere will be captured by oceans, grasslands; they are not enough to control CO2 present in the atmosphere completely. Also advances in engine and vehicle technology continuously to reduce the emission from engine exhaust are not sufficient to reduce the HC and CO emission. This work concentrates on design, fabrication and analysis to reduce CO2, CO and HC emission from exhaust of automobiles by using molecular sieve 5A of 1.5mm. In this paper, the details of the fabrication, results and discussion about the process are discussed.

Excessive physical activity in young girls with restrictive-type anorexia nervosa: its role on cardiac structure and performance.

PubMed

Billeci, Lucia; Brunori, Elena; Scardigli, Silvia; Curzio, Olivia; Calderoni, Sara; Maestro, Sandra; Morales, Maria Aurora

2017-10-20

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of hyperactivity on left ventricular mass (LVM) in Anorexia Nervosa restricting-type (AN-R) and the correlation between LVM and auxologic parameters/circulating hormones. Echocardiography was performed in 44 AN-R girls, subgrouped in 24 hyperactive (ANH+) and 20 non-hyperactive (ANH-), and in 20 controls (HC). LVM indexed to Body Surface Area (LVMi) and LVM indexed to height (LVMh) were calculated. LVMi and LVMh were significantly lower in the AN-R subjects compared to HC. Moreover, both LVMi and LVMh were higher in the ANH+ than in the ANH-. In the HC, LVMi was higher when compared to the ANH- subjects than to the ANH+. Stepwise analysis revealed that in the ANH+ group, fT4 was the only independent predictor of LVMh, while in the ANH- group, height was the only independent predictors of LVMi. Despite its negative influence on disease severity and outcome, hyperactivity from the standpoint of cardiac function makes the LVM of AN-R young girls more similar to HC. Level III, case-control study.

Low testosterone in non-responsive coeliac disease: A case series, case-control study with comparisons to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

PubMed

Kurada, Satya; Veeraraghavan, Gopal; Kaswala, Dharmesh; Hansen, Josh; Cohen, David; Kelly, Ciaran; Leffler, Daniel

2016-10-01

Adults with coeliac disease (CD) often report persistent fatigue, even when CD appears well controlled for unknown reasons. To evaluate common indications for testosterone panel (TP) testing and prevalence of low testosterone (T) in CD. In our case series, we determined common indications for checking TP in CD. Next, we conducted a case-control study to compare TP in CD vs. healthy controls (HC). We compared mean total T (TT), free T (FT) based on serologic, histologic disease activity. Finally, we assessed TT in tissue transglutaminase (tTG)+ vs. tTG- subjects and CD vs. HC obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). 53 coeliac males had TP tested. Common indications included osteoporosis and fatigue. Low FT was observed in 7/13 men with osteoporosis and 5/6 with fatigue. In our case-control study (n=26 each), there was no difference in mean TT or FT between CD vs. HC, tTG+ vs tTG- or Marsh 0 vs. Marsh 3 groups. NHANES data showed no difference in mean TT between tTG+ vs tTG- (n=16 each) or CD vs. HC subjects (n=5 each). Low T occurs in CD patients at a similar rate as the general population. Common presentations of low T may mimic non-responsive CD symptoms. Copyright © 2016 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Top-down and bottom-up lipidomic analysis of rabbit lipoproteins under different metabolic conditions using flow field-flow fractionation, nanoflow liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Byeon, Seul Kee; Kim, Jin Yong; Lee, Ju Yong; Chung, Bong Chul; Seo, Hong Seog; Moon, Myeong Hee

2015-07-31

This study demonstrated the performances of top-down and bottom-up approaches in lipidomic analysis of lipoproteins from rabbits raised under different metabolic conditions: healthy controls, carrageenan-induced inflammation, dehydration, high cholesterol (HC) diet, and highest cholesterol diet with inflammation (HCI). In the bottom-up approach, the high density lipoproteins (HDL) and the low density lipoproteins (LDL) were size-sorted and collected on a semi-preparative scale using a multiplexed hollow fiber flow field-flow fractionation (MxHF5), followed by nanoflow liquid chromatography-ESI-MS/MS (nLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis of the lipids extracted from each lipoprotein fraction. In the top-down method, size-fractionated lipoproteins were directly infused to MS for quantitative analysis of targeted lipids using chip-type asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (cAF4-ESI-MS/MS) in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. The comprehensive bottom-up analysis yielded 122 and 104 lipids from HDL and LDL, respectively. Rabbits within the HC and HCI groups had lipid patterns that contrasted most substantially from those of controls, suggesting that HC diet significantly alters the lipid composition of lipoproteins. Among the identified lipids, 20 lipid species that exhibited large differences (>10-fold) were selected as targets for the top-down quantitative analysis in order to compare the results with those from the bottom-up method. Statistical comparison of the results from the two methods revealed that the results were not significantly different for most of the selected species, except for those species with only small differences in concentration between groups. The current study demonstrated that top-down lipid analysis using cAF4-ESI-MS/MS is a powerful high-speed analytical platform for targeted lipidomic analysis that does not require the extraction of lipids from blood samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differential Patterns of Abnormal Activity and Connectivity in the Amygdala-Prefrontal Circuitry in Bipolar-I and Bipolar-NOS Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladouceur, Cecile D.; Farchione, Tiffany; Diwadkar, Vaibhav; Pruitt, Patrick; Radwan, Jacqueline; Axelson, David A.; Birmaher, Boris; Phillips, Mary L.

2011-01-01

Objective: The functioning of neural systems supporting emotion processing and regulation in youth with bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BP-NOS) remains poorly understood. We sought to examine patterns of activity and connectivity in youth with BP-NOS relative to youth with bipolar disorder type I (BP-I) and healthy controls (HC). Method:…

Open source and healthcare in Europe - time to put leading edge ideas into practice.

PubMed

Murray, Peter J; Wright, Graham; Karopka, Thomas; Betts, Helen; Orel, Andrej

2009-01-01

Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) is a process of software development, a method of licensing and a philosophy. Although FLOSS plays a significant role in several market areas, the impact in the health care arena is still limited. FLOSS is promoted as one of the most effective means for overcoming fragmentation in the health care sector and providing a basis for more efficient, timely and cost effective health care provision. The 2008 European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI) Special Topic Conference (STC) explored a range of current and future issues related to FLOSS in healthcare (FLOSS-HC). In particular, there was a focus on health records, ubiquitous computing, knowledge sharing, and current and future applications. Discussions resulted in a list of main barriers and challenges for use of FLOSS-HC. Based on the outputs of this event, the 2004 Open Steps events and subsequent workshops at OSEHC2009 and Med-e-Tel 2009, a four-step strategy has been proposed for FLOSS-HC: 1) a FLOSS-HC inventory; 2) a FLOSS-HC collaboration platform, use case database and knowledge base; 3) a worldwide FLOSS-HC network; and 4) FLOSS-HC dissemination activities. The workshop will further refine this strategy and elaborate avenues for FLOSS-HC from scientific, business and end-user perspectives. To gain acceptance by different stakeholders in the health care industry, different activities have to be conducted in collaboration. The workshop will focus on the scientific challenges in developing methodologies and criteria to support FLOSS-HC in becoming a viable alternative to commercial and proprietary software development and deployment.

A step towards measuring the fetal head circumference with the use of obstetric ultrasound in a low resource setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Heuvel, Thomas L. A.; Petros, Hezkiel; Santini, Stefano; de Korte, Chris L.; van Ginneken, Bram

2017-03-01

Worldwide, 99% of all maternal deaths occur in low-resource countries. Ultrasound imaging can be used to detect maternal risk factors, but requires a well-trained sonographer to obtain the biometric parameters of the fetus. One of the most important biometric parameters is the fetal Head Circumference (HC). The HC can be used to estimate the Gestational Age (GA) and assess the growth of the fetus. In this paper we propose a method to estimate the fetal HC with the use of the Obstetric Sweep Protocol (OSP). With the OSP the abdomen of pregnant women is imaged with the use of sweeps. These sweeps can be taught to somebody without any prior knowledge of ultrasound within a day. Both the OSP and the standard two-dimensional ultrasound image for HC assessment were acquired by an experienced gynecologist from fifty pregnant women in St. Luke's Hospital in Wolisso, Ethiopia. The reference HC from the standard two-dimensional ultrasound image was compared to both the manually measured HC and the automatically measured HC from the OSP data. The median difference between the estimated GA from the manual measured HC using the OSP and the reference standard was -1.1 days (Median Absolute Deviation (MAD) 7.7 days). The median difference between the estimated GA from the automatically measured HC using the OSP and the reference standard was -6.2 days (MAD 8.6 days). Therefore, it can be concluded that it is possible to estimate the fetal GA with simple obstetric sweeps with a deviation of only one week.

Evidence that congenital hydrocephalus is a precursor to idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus in only a subset of patients

PubMed Central

Wilson, Robin K; Williams, Michael A

2007-01-01

Objective To identify the proportion of patients in a large idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) cohort with large head circumference (HC) who presumably have congenital hydrocephalus that has not become clinically apparent until late in life. Methods HC was measured in 158 patients diagnosed with communicating INPH and assigned to HC centile range adjusted for height and sex. The proportion of patients with INPH and HC above the 97th, 90th or 50th centiles was compared with the proportion expected in a normal population. Results The proportion of patients with HC >90th centile was significantly larger than would be expected in a normal distribution (19.6% vs 10%, p = 0.0001), as was the proportion of patients with HC >97th centile (8.9% vs 3%, p = 0.0001). The relative association between INPH and HC >97th centile was nearly tripled (relative association 2.95; CI 1.36 to 6.41), but the relative association between INPH and HC >50th centile was not significantly higher than predicted (relative association 1.13; CI 0.95 to 1.34). Conclusion A significantly larger proportion of elderly adults with INPH have a HC greater than the 90th or 97th centile than predicted by population norms, supporting the concept that compensated congenital hydrocephalus that does not become symptomatic until late in life is one aetiology of INPH, but is not responsible for all INPH. The mechanism that leads to the development of INPH in most patients remains elusive. PMID:17202229

Relationships between trunk performance, gait and postural control in persons with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Freund, Jane E; Stetts, Deborah M; Vallabhajosula, Srikant

2016-06-30

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system. Compared to healthy individuals, persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) have increased postural sway in quiet stance, decreased gait speed and increased fall incidence. Trunk performance has been implicated in postural control, gait dysfunction, and fall prevention in older adults. However, the relationship of trunk performance to postural control and gait has not been adequately studied in PwMS. To compare trunk muscle structure and performance in PwMS to healthy age and gendered-matched controls (HC); to determine the effects of isometric trunk endurance testing on postural control in both populations; and to determine the relationship of trunk performance with postural control, gait and step activity in PwMS. Fifteen PwMS and HC completed ultrasound imaging of trunk muscles, 10 m walk test, isometric trunk endurance tests, and postural sway test. Participants wore a step activity monitor for 7 days. PwMS had worse isometric trunk endurance compared to HC. PwMS trunk flexion endurance negatively correlated to several postural control measures and positively correlated to gait speed and step activity. Clinicians should consider evaluation and interventions directed at impaired trunk endurance in PwMS.

A Novel Variant of Narrow-Spectrum Antifungal Bacterial Lipopeptides That Strongly Inhibit Ganoderma boninense.

PubMed

Pramudito, Theodorus Eko; Agustina, Delia; Nguyen, Thi Kim Ngan; Suwanto, Antonius

2018-03-01

Bacterial antifungal cyclic lipopeptides (ACLs) have become a promising alternative to synthetic fungicide to control pathogenic fungi. Bacillus sp. is known to produce three families of ACL, namely iturin, surfactin, and fengycin. In this paper, we characterized the ACLs produced by B. methylotrophicus HC51 (referred as HC51) mainly regarding its composition and effectivity against fungal plant pathogen. HC51 culture was tested against various pathogenic fungi and the ACLs were extracted and analyzed using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. HC51 showed strong antifungal activity against the plant pathogens Ganoderma sp. and Fusarium sp. Cell-free methanol extract of HC51 contains iturin A and various variants of fengycin. C16 fengycin A was present in four fractions which indicates it as a major component of ACL from HC51. Five variants of fengycin were detected, four of which had been previously reported. We found a novel C17 fengycin F that is characterized by a substitution of L-ornithine into lysine. Considering that L-ornithine is an important building block of fengycin, this substitution suggests the possibility of an alternative pathway for fengycin biosynthesis.

Characterization of the microbiome of nipple aspirate fluid of breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Chan, Alfred A; Bashir, Mina; Rivas, Magali N; Duvall, Karen; Sieling, Peter A; Pieber, Thomas R; Vaishampayan, Parag A; Love, Susan M; Lee, Delphine J

2016-06-21

The microbiome impacts human health and disease. Until recently, human breast tissue and milk were presumed to be sterile. Here, we investigated the presence of microbes in the nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) and their potential association with breast cancer. We compared the NAF microbiome between women with a history of breast cancer (BC) and healthy control women (HC) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The NAF microbiome from BC and HC showed significant differences in community composition. Two Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) showed differences in relative abundances between NAF collected from BC and HC. In NAF collected from BC, there was relatively higher incidence of the genus Alistipes. By contrast, an unclassified genus from the Sphingomonadaceae family was relatively more abundant in NAF from HC. These findings reflect the ductal source DNA since there were no differences between areolar skin samples collected from BC and HC. Furthermore, the microbes associated with BC share an enzymatic activity, Beta-Glucuronidase, which may promote breast cancer. This is the first report of bacterial DNA in human breast ductal fluid and the differences between NAF from HC and BC. Further investigation of the ductal microbiome and its potential role in breast cancer are warranted.

Influence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and hydrocortisone on the co-culture of mature adipocytes and endothelial cells for vascularized adipose tissue engineering.

PubMed

Huber, Birgit; Czaja, Alina Maria; Kluger, Petra Juliane

2016-05-01

The composition of vascularized adipose tissue is still an ongoing challenge as no culture medium is available to supply adipocytes and endothelial cells appropriately. Endothelial cell medium is typically supplemented with epidermal growth factor (EGF) as well as hydrocortisone (HC). The effect of EGF on adipocytes is discussed controversially. Some studies say it inhibits adipocyte differentiation while others reported of improved adipocyte lipogenesis. HC is known to have lipolytic activities, which might result in mature adipocyte dedifferentiation. In this study, we evaluated the influence of EGF and HC on the co-culture of endothelial cells and mature adipocytes regarding their cell morphology and functionality. We showed in mono-culture that high levels of HC promoted dedifferentiation and proliferation of mature adipocytes, whereas EGF seemed to have no negative influence. Endothelial cells kept their typical cobblestone morphology and showed a proliferation rate comparable to the control independent of EGF and HC concentration. In co-culture, HC promoted dedifferentiation of mature adipocytes, which was shown by a higher glycerol release. EGF had no negative impact on adipocyte morphology. No negative impact on endothelial cell morphology and functionality could be seen with reduced EGF and HC supplementation in co-culture with mature adipocytes. Taken together, our results demonstrate that reduced levels of HC are needed for co-culturing mature adipocytes and endothelial cells. In co-culture, EGF had no influence on mature adipocytes. Therefore, for the composition of vascularized adipose tissue constructs, the media with low levels of HC and high or low levels of EGF can be used. © 2016 International Federation for Cell Biology.

Head circumference in untreated and IGF-I treated patients with Laron syndrome: comparison with untreated and hGH-treated children with isolated growth hormone deficiency.

PubMed

Laron, Zvi; Iluz, Moshe; Kauli, Rivka

2012-04-01

Head circumference (HC) is a simple and practical measure of brain size, development and longitudinal measurements of the HC in childhood are an index of brain growth. To determine the effects of long IGF-I deficiency and treatment on HC in patients with Laron syndrome (LS). 20 untreated adult LS patients, aged 48.4±11.2 years and 13 LS patients treated between ages of 5.6±4 to 11.3±3 years were studied. 15 patients with congenital IGHD treated between age 6.1±4 and 13±4 by hGH served as controls. HC was expressed as standard deviation (SD) and Ht as SDS. HC was measured and plotted on Nellhaus charts. Linear height (Ht) was measured by a Harpenden Stadiometer. The mean HC deficit of the adult untreated LS males was -2.9±0.6 SD compared to a Ht deficit of -7.0±1.7 SDS. The HC of the LS adult females was -3.6±1 SD compared to a Ht SDS of -6.9±1.5 (p<0.001). IGF-I treatment (150-200 μg/kg once daily) increased the HC from -3.3±0.9 (m±SD) to normal values (0.87±1.8 SD) (p<0.001) in 11/13 children. The Ht SDS deficit decreased only by 1.5 SDS. hGH treatment of cIGHD children increased the HC from -2.0±1.8 to 0.3±1.2 SD and the Ht SDS from -4.8±1.6 to 1.6±1.0. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graph Theory-Based Brain Connectivity for Automatic Classification of Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Courses.

PubMed

Kocevar, Gabriel; Stamile, Claudio; Hannoun, Salem; Cotton, François; Vukusic, Sandra; Durand-Dubief, Françoise; Sappey-Marinier, Dominique

2016-01-01

Purpose: In this work, we introduce a method to classify Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients into four clinical profiles using structural connectivity information. For the first time, we try to solve this question in a fully automated way using a computer-based method. The main goal is to show how the combination of graph-derived metrics with machine learning techniques constitutes a powerful tool for a better characterization and classification of MS clinical profiles. Materials and Methods: Sixty-four MS patients [12 Clinical Isolated Syndrome (CIS), 24 Relapsing Remitting (RR), 24 Secondary Progressive (SP), and 17 Primary Progressive (PP)] along with 26 healthy controls (HC) underwent MR examination. T1 and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were used to obtain structural connectivity matrices for each subject. Global graph metrics, such as density and modularity, were estimated and compared between subjects' groups. These metrics were further used to classify patients using tuned Support Vector Machine (SVM) combined with Radial Basic Function (RBF) kernel. Results: When comparing MS patients to HC subjects, a greater assortativity, transitivity, and characteristic path length as well as a lower global efficiency were found. Using all graph metrics, the best F -Measures (91.8, 91.8, 75.6, and 70.6%) were obtained for binary (HC-CIS, CIS-RR, RR-PP) and multi-class (CIS-RR-SP) classification tasks, respectively. When using only one graph metric, the best F -Measures (83.6, 88.9, and 70.7%) were achieved for modularity with previous binary classification tasks. Conclusion: Based on a simple DTI acquisition associated with structural brain connectivity analysis, this automatic method allowed an accurate classification of different MS patients' clinical profiles.

Impaired prefrontal activity to regulate the intrinsic motivation-action link in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Takeda, Kazuyoshi; Matsumoto, Madoka; Ogata, Yousuke; Maida, Keiko; Murakami, Hiroki; Murayama, Kou; Shimoji, Keigo; Hanakawa, Takashi; Matsumoto, Kenji; Nakagome, Kazuyuki

2017-01-01

A core feature of schizophrenia (SCZ) is impairment in intrinsic motivation. Although intrinsic motivation plays an important role in enhancing improvement of the social functioning, its neural mechanisms of impairment have yet to be clarified. We hypothesized that abnormal function of the frontostriatal loop consisting of the striatum and lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) may be related to impaired intrinsic motivation in SCZ. We tested this by comparing the brain activity measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral parameters associated with movement, motivation, and cognitive control between 18 stable SCZ patients and 17 healthy control (HC) participants during a task that elicits intrinsic motivation. We also compared the functional connectivity during resting-state and the fractional anisotropy using diffusion tensor imaging analysis between the two groups. We adopted an enjoyable timing task to stop a stopwatch at an exact time, which in our previous study has demonstrated to elicit intrinsic motivation. Although the performance level in general was not different between groups, the SCZ group performed worse than the HC group in trials following "overshoot" errors (i.e., the response was too late). SCZ participants showed lower intrinsic motivation to the task than the HC group in an inventory report. The striatal activity during the prediction at the task cue period was consistently lower in SCZ participants than in HC. The LPFC activity at the task cue period positively correlated with intrinsic motivation and also with the rate of success following overshoot errors in the HC group, but not in the SCZ group. The LPFC activity at the task cue period was also positively correlated with the striatal activity in both groups. The striatal activity during the feedback period was not significantly different between groups. These results suggest that, unlike HC, the neural activity in the LPFC fails to mediate between prediction of hedonic events and cognitive control of action plans in SCZ, whereas the hedonic response is retained.

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside induces neovascularization-mediated cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury in hypercholesterolemic myocardium.

PubMed

Penumathsa, Suresh Varma; Koneru, Srikanth; Zhan, Lijun; John, Saji; Menon, Venogopal P; Prasad, Kailash; Maulik, Nilanjana

2008-01-01

Hypercholesterolemia (HC) induced endothelial cell dysfunction and decreased endothelial nitric oxide formation results in impaired angiogenesis and subsequent cardiovascular disorders. Therapeutic angiogenesis is known to be a novel strategy for treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease. We have shown that secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is angiogenic as well as cardioprotective against myocardial ischemia. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of SDG in a hypercholesterolemic myocardial infarction (MI) model. The rats were maintained on a normal and high cholesterol diet (2%) for 8 weeks followed by oral administration of SDG (20 mg/kg) for 2 weeks. The rats were divided into four groups (n=24 in each): Control (C); SDG control (SDG); HC; and HC+SDG (HSDG). Isolated hearts subjected to 30 min of global ischemia followed by 120 min of reperfusion were used to measure the cardiac functions, infarct size and to examine the protein expression profile. After treatment, MI was induced by ligating the left anterior descending artery. Echocardiographic parameters were examined 30 days after MI. Significant reduction in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and an increase in HDL-cholesterol levels were observed in HSDG as compared to the HC. Decreased infarct size was observed in the HSDG group (43%) compared to the HC (54%). Increased phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS) (3.1-fold), vascular endothelial growth factor (1.9-fold) and heme oxygenase-1 (2.3-fold) was observed in the HSDG group as compared to the HC group. Significant improvement in left ventricular functions was also observed in the HSDG group as evidenced by increased ejection fraction (55% vs. 45%), fractional shortening (28% vs. 22%) and decreased left ventricular inner diameter in systole (8 vs. 6 mm) in HSDG compared to HC. Moreover, MI model has shown increased capillary density (2531 vs. 1901) and arteriolar density (2.6 vs. 1.8) in SDG-treated rats as compared to the HC. The increased capillary and arteriolar density along with increased left ventricular functions on SDG treatment might be due to increased HO-1, VEGF and p-eNOS expression. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that SDG treatment reduces ventricular remodeling by neovascularization of the infarcted HC myocardium.

Intermediate Cognitive Phenotypes in Bipolar Disorder

PubMed Central

Langenecker, Scott A.; Saunders, Erika F.H.; Kade, Allison M.; Ransom, Michael T.; McInnis, Melvin G.

2013-01-01

Background Intermediate cognitive phenotypes (ICPs) are measurable and quantifiable states that may be objectively assessed in a standardized method, and can be integrated into association studies, including genetic, biochemical, clinical, and imaging based correlates. The present study used neuropsychological measures as ICPs, with factor scores in executive functioning, attention, memory, fine motor function, and emotion processing, similar to prior work in schizophrenia. Methods Healthy control subjects (HC, n=34) and euthymic (E, n=66), depressed (D, n=43), or hypomanic/mixed (HM, n=13) patients with bipolar disorder (BD) were assessed with neuropsychological tests. These were from eight domains consistent with previous literature; auditory memory, visual memory, processing speed with interference resolution, verbal fluency and processing speed, conceptual reasoning and set-shifting, inhibitory control, emotion processing, and fine motor dexterity. Results Of the eight factor scores, the HC group outperformed the E group in three (Processing Speed with Interference Resolution, Visual Memory, Fine Motor Dexterity), the D group in seven (all except Inhibitory Control), and the HM group in four (Inhibitory Control, Processing Speed with Interference Resolution, Fine Motor Dexterity, and Auditory Memory). Limitations The HM group was relatively small, thus effects of this phase of illness may have been underestimated. Effects of medication could not be fully controlled without a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Conclusions Use of the factor scores can assist in determining ICPs for BD and related disorders, and may provide more specific targets for development of new treatments. We highlight strong ICPs (Processing Speed with Interference Resolution, Visual Memory, Fine Motor Dexterity) for further study, consistent with the existing literature. PMID:19800130

Introduction of sodium pentosan polysulfate and avoidance of urethral catheterisation: improved outcomes in children with haemorrhagic cystitis post stem cell transplant/chemotherapy.

PubMed

Duthie, Gillian; Whyte, Lisa; Chandran, Harish; Lawson, Sarah; Velangi, Mark; McCarthy, Liam

2012-02-01

Haemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is an uncommon but potentially devastating complication of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation in children. We aimed to test the hypothesis that early recognition, sodium pentosan polysulfate (SPP), and avoidance of urethral catheterisation improve outcomes in children with HC. A retrospective case note review was performed of all patients treated for HC in our hospital from 2002 to 2010. A protocol for the management of HC was introduced in 2007 advocating early detection, use of SPP, and avoidance of urethral catheterisation. Data collected on each patient included primary condition, medications at onset, blood transfusions, duration of symptoms, catheter usage, and outcome. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's Exact test as appropriate, P < .05 being significant. Five patients were treated using protocol with 5 historical controls. There was no significant difference between the ages of the group, diagnosis, and treatment at onset of HC. In the historical group, 4 of 5 died with HC, but all recovered in the protocol group (P < .05). Blood transfusion requirements were also significantly reduced after protocol introduction (P < .05). Early identification, avoidance of urethral catheterisation, and use of SPP significantly reduces blood transfusion requirements and mortality from HC. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence for a medial prefrontal cortex-hippocampal axis associated with heart rate control in conscious humans.

PubMed

Norton, Katelyn N; Luchyshyn, Torri A; Kevin Shoemaker, J

2013-11-13

Cardiovascular arousal correlates to activity within the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). Additional evidence provides anatomical and functional links between the MPFC and hippocampus (HC). This study tested the hypothesis that the MPFC and HC form a sub-network associated with rapid heart rate (HR) responses to volitional effort. Primary analyses were performed on 29 individuals (18 males) ranging from 21 to 80 years of age, who produced a HR response >3bpm to an isometric handgrip (IHG) task. HR and cortical activity were recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging with blood oxygen level-dependent contrast. The average change in HR from baseline was 6bpm ±2. Activity in the MPFC and left HC was reduced relative to baseline in all subjects when correlated with the HR time course. Measures of connectivity demonstrated that the MPFC engaged in significantly stronger functional connectivity to the left HC during a 40% IHG task. Effective connectivity revealed a directionality of influence from the MPFC to the left HC. A second group (n=15) of individuals without a HR response (~1bpm) to IHG were studied post-hoc and these individuals showed no deactivation in either the MPFC or left HC. These results suggest the presence of a MPFC-HC axis that participates in the neurally-mediated HR response to exercise. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Presence, species distribution, and density of Malassezia yeast in patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis - a community-based case-control study and review of literature.

PubMed

Barac, Aleksandra; Pekmezovic, Marina; Milobratovic, Danica; Otasevic-Tasic, Suzana; Radunovic, Milena; Arsic Arsenijevic, Valentina

2015-02-01

Malassezia yeast belongs to the normal cutaneous flora and under certain conditions it causes seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD). There is no culture-based study about the presence and density of the Malassezia in SD patients in Serbia. Aim was to show the presence, species distribution and density of Malassezia in patients with SD on lesional skin (LS) and non-lesional skin (NLS) and healthy controls (HC) and to compare data between Serbia and other countries. The study included 70 HC and 60 patients with SD in the study group (SG). Isolation, identification and examination of density of Malassezia colony-forming units from LS and NLS were performed. Malassezia was found more frequently in the SG than in HC, 90% and 60%, respectively (P < 0.01). The most frequent isolates in SG on LS were M. slooffiae (26%), followed by M. globosa (17%) and M. sympodialis (17%). The yeast density was much higher on LS of SG than on NLS of SG or in the HC group (P < 0.05). Higher density of Malassezia was shown on LS of SG than on NLS of SG and HC. M. slooffiae is the most prevalent species in SD patients in Serbia. This study demonstrated a positive relationship between severity of SD and presence of Malassezia spp. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The cumulative influence of hyperoxia and hypercapnia on blood oxygenation and R2*

PubMed Central

Faraco, Carlos C; Strother, Megan K; Siero, Jeroen CW; Arteaga, Daniel F; Scott, Allison O; Jordan, Lori C; Donahue, Manus J

2015-01-01

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR)-weighted blood-oxygenation-level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI) experiments are frequently used in conjunction with hyperoxia. Owing to complex interactions between hyperoxia and hypercapnia, quantitative effects of these gas mixtures on BOLD responses, blood and tissue R2*, and blood oxygenation are incompletely understood. Here we performed BOLD imaging (3 T; TE/TR=35/2,000 ms; spatial resolution=3 × 3 × 3.5 mm3) in healthy volunteers (n=12; age=29±4.1 years) breathing (i) room air (RA), (ii) normocapnic–hyperoxia (95% O2/5% N2, HO), (iii) hypercapnic–normoxia (5% CO2/21% O2/74% N2, HC-NO), and (iv) hypercapnic–hyperoxia (5% CO2/95% O2, HC-HO). For HC-HO, experiments were performed with separate RA and HO baselines to control for changes in O2. T2-relaxation-under-spin-tagging MRI was used to calculate basal venous oxygenation. Signal changes were quantified and established hemodynamic models were applied to quantify vasoactive blood oxygenation, blood–water R2*, and tissue–water R2*. In the cortex, fractional BOLD changes (stimulus/baseline) were HO/RA=0.011±0.007; HC-NO/RA=0.014±0.004; HC-HO/HO=0.020±0.008; and HC-HO/RA=0.035±0.010; for the measured basal venous oxygenation level of 0.632, this led to venous blood oxygenation levels of 0.660 (HO), 0.665 (HC-NO), and 0.712 (HC-HO). Interleaving a HC-HO stimulus with HO baseline provided a smaller but significantly elevated BOLD response compared with a HC-NO stimulus. Results provide an outline for how blood oxygenation differs for several gas stimuli and provides quantitative information on how hypercapnic BOLD CVR and R2* are altered during hyperoxia. PMID:26174329

Comparison of clinical and analytical performance of the Abbott Realtime High Risk HPV test to the performance of hybrid capture 2 in population-based cervical cancer screening.

PubMed

Poljak, Mario; Ostrbenk, Anja; Seme, Katja; Ucakar, Veronika; Hillemanns, Peter; Bokal, Eda Vrtacnik; Jancar, Nina; Klavs, Irena

2011-05-01

The clinical performance of the Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV (human papillomavirus) test (RealTime) and that of the Hybrid Capture 2 HPV DNA test (hc2) were prospectively compared in the population-based cervical cancer screening setting. In women >30 years old (n = 3,129), the clinical sensitivity of RealTime for detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 (CIN2) or worse (38 cases) and its clinical specificity for lesions of less than CIN2 (3,091 controls) were 100% and 93.3%, respectively, and those of hc2 were 97.4% and 91.8%, respectively. A noninferiority score test showed that the clinical specificity (P < 0.0001) and clinical sensitivity (P = 0.011) of RealTime were noninferior to those of hc2 at the recommended thresholds of 98% and 90%. In the total study population (women 20 to 64 years old; n = 4,432; 57 cases, 4,375 controls), the clinical sensitivity and specificity of RealTime were 98.2% and 89.5%, and those of hc2 were 94.7% and 87.7%, respectively. The analytical sensitivity and analytical specificity of RealTime in detecting targeted HPV types evaluated with the largest sample collection to date (4,479 samples) were 94.8% and 99.8%, and those of hc2 were 93.4% and 97.8%, respectively. Excellent analytical agreement between the two assays was obtained (kappa value, 0.84), while the analytical accuracy of RealTime was significantly higher than that of hc2. RealTime demonstrated high intralaboratory reproducibility and interlaboratory agreement with 500 samples retested 61 to 226 days after initial testing in two different laboratories. RealTime can be considered to be a reliable and robust HPV assay clinically comparable to hc2 for the detection of CIN2+ lesions in a population-based cervical cancer screening setting.

Does rTMS Alter Neurocognitive Functioning in Patients with Panic Disorder/Agoraphobia? An fNIRS-Based Investigation of Prefrontal Activation during a Cognitive Task and Its Modulation via Sham-Controlled rTMS

PubMed Central

Sickinger, Stephanie; Haeussinger, Florian B.; Laeger, Inga; Arolt, Volker; Zwanzger, Peter; Fallgatter, Andreas J.

2014-01-01

Objectives. Neurobiologically, panic disorder (PD) is supposed to be characterised by cerebral hypofrontality. Via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we investigated whether prefrontal hypoactivity during cognitive tasks in PD-patients compared to healthy controls (HC) could be replicated. As intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) modulates cortical activity, we furthermore investigated its ability to normalise prefrontal activation. Methods. Forty-four PD-patients, randomised to sham or verum group, received 15 iTBS-sessions above the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in addition to psychoeducation. Before first and after last iTBS-treatment, cortical activity during a verbal fluency task was assessed via fNIRS and compared to the results of 23 HC. Results. At baseline, PD-patients showed hypofrontality including the DLPFC, which differed significantly from activation patterns of HC. However, verum iTBS did not augment prefrontal fNIRS activation. Solely after sham iTBS, a significant increase of measured fNIRS activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during the phonological task was found. Conclusion. Our results support findings that PD is characterised by prefrontal hypoactivation during cognitive performance. However, verum iTBS as an “add-on” to psychoeducation did not augment prefrontal activity. Instead we only found increased fNIRS activation in the left IFG after sham iTBS application. Possible reasons including task-related psychophysiological arousal are discussed. PMID:24757668

Does patients' choice of health centre doctor depend on the organization? A comparative study of four municipalities with different forms of service provision in Finland.

PubMed

Laamanen, Ritva; Simonsen-Rehn, Nina; Suominen, Sakari; Brommels, Mats

2010-11-01

The aim of the study was to examine the use of physician services and the willingness to choose an health centre (HC) doctor rather than an alternative (i.e. private, occupational healthcare, other doctor) by the working age population in four municipalities in Finland. In a Southern municipality primary health care was contracted out to a non-profit organization whereas Eastern, Western and South-Western municipalities mainly provided services themselves. A mail survey of a random sample of the 15-64-age population was conducted in 2002 (n = 2,000, response rate 62%). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as bi- and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Of the respondents, 69% had visited an HC doctor during the past year, and of these, more than 40% had also visited another doctor outside the HC. The willingness to choose an HC doctor varied from 40% to 54% and was highest in the Southern municipality. When significantly associated variables - age, working status, perceived stress in life situation, access to an appointment, perceived interpersonal quality, and visits to doctors - were controlled for, the willingness to choose an HC doctor was, compared with the Southern municipality, less popular only in the Western municipality. The tendency to choose an HC doctor rather than an alternative was quite low, probably reflecting lack of attractiveness of HC to patients. However, contracting out service production did not additionally decrease patients' willingness to choose an HC doctor. More attention should be paid to improving access, interpersonal quality and continuity of care.

Brief Report: A Preliminary Study of Fetal Head Circumference Growth in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehouse, Andrew J. O.; Hickey, Martha; Stanley, Fiona J.; Newnham, John P.; Pennell, Craig E.

2011-01-01

Fetal head circumference (HC) growth was examined prospectively in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD participants (N = 14) were each matched with four control participants (N = 56) on a range of parameters known to influence fetal growth. HC was measured using ultrasonography at approximately 18 weeks gestation and again at birth…

A large head circumference is more strongly associated with unplanned cesarean or instrumental delivery and neonatal complications than high birthweight.

PubMed

Lipschuetz, Michal; Cohen, Sarah M; Ein-Mor, Eliana; Sapir, Hanna; Hochner-Celnikier, Drorith; Porat, Shay; Amsalem, Hagai; Valsky, Dan V; Ezra, Yossef; Elami-Suzin, Matan; Paltiel, Ora; Yagel, Simcha

2015-12-01

Fetal size impacts on perinatal outcomes. We queried whether the fetal head, as the fetal part interfacing with the birth canal, might impact on obstetric outcomes more than birthweight (BW). We examined associations between neonatal head circumference (HC) and delivery mode and risk of perinatal complications as compared to high BW. This was an electronic medical records-based study of term singleton births (37-42 weeks' gestation) from January 2010 through December 2012 (N = 24,780, 6343 primiparae). We assessed risks of unplanned cesarean or instrumental delivery and maternal and fetal complications in cases with HC or BW ≥95th centile (large HC, high BW) vs those with parameters <95th centile (normal). Newborns were stratified into 4 subgroups: normal HC/normal BW (reference, n = 22,548, primiparae 5862); normal HC/high BW (n = 817, P = 213); large HC/normal BW (n = 878, P = 265); and large HC/high BW (n = 537, P = 103). Multinomial multivariable regression provided adjusted odds ratio (aOR) while controlling for potential confounders. Infants with HC ≥95th centile (n = 1415) were delivered vaginally in 62% of cases, unplanned cesarean delivery 16%, and instrumental delivery 11.2%; 78.4% of infants with HC <95th centile were delivered vaginally, 7.8% unplanned cesarean, and 6.7% instrumental delivery. Odds ratio (OR) for unplanned cesarean was 2.58 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.22-3.01) and for instrumental delivery OR was 2.13 (95% CI, 1.78-2.54). In contrast, in those with BW ≥95th centile (n = 1354) 80.3% delivered vaginally, 10.2% by unplanned cesarean (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.01-1.44), and 3.4% instrumental delivery (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.34-0.62) compared to infants with BW <95th centile: spontaneous vaginal delivery, 77.3%, unplanned cesarean 8.2%, instrumental 7.1%. Multinomial regression with normal HC/normal BW as reference group showed large HC/normal BW infants were more likely to be delivered by unplanned cesarean (aOR, 3.08; 95% CI, 2.52-3.75) and instrumental delivery (aOR, 3.03; 95% CI, 2.46-3.75). Associations were strengthened in primiparae. Normal HC/high BW was not associated with unplanned cesarean (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.91-1.54), while large HC/high BW was (aOR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.47-2.52). Analysis of unplanned cesarean indications showed large HC infants had more failure to progress (27.7% vs 14.1%, P < .001), while smaller HC infants had more fetal distress (23.4% vs 16.9%, P < .05). A large HC is more strongly associated with unplanned cesarean and instrumental delivery than high BW. Prospective studies are needed to test fetal HC as a predictive parameter for prelabor counseling of women with "big babies." Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased Expression of Complement Regulators CD55 and CD59 on Peripheral Blood Cells in Patients with EAHEC O104:H4 Infection

PubMed Central

Ullrich, Sebastian; Fraedrich, Katharina; Schulze zur Wiesch, Julian; Fründt, Thorben; Tiegs, Gisa; Lohse, Ansgar; Lüth, Stefan

2013-01-01

Background An outbreak of Shiga Toxin 2 (Stx-2) producing enterohemorrhagic and enteroaggregative E.coli (EAHEC) O104H4 infection in May 2011 caused enterocolitis and an unprecedented high 22% rate of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The monoclonal anti-C5 antibody Eculizumab (ECU) has been used experimentally in EAHEC patients with HUS but treatment efficacy is uncertain. ECU can effectively prevent hemolysis in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) caused by a lack of complement-regulating CD55 and CD59 on blood cells. We hypothesized a low expression of CD55 and CD59, as seen in PNH, might correlate with HUS development in EAHEC patients. Methods 76 EAHEC patients (34 only gastrointestinal symptoms [GI], 23: HUS, 19: HUS and neurological symptoms [HUS/N]) and 12 healthy controls (HC) were tested for the expression of CD55 and CD59 on erythrocytes and leukocytes retrospectively. Additionally, the effect of Stx-2 on CD55 and CD59 expression on erythrocytes and leukocytes was studied ex vivo. Results CD55 expression on erythrocytes was similar in all patient groups and HC while CD59 showed a significantly higher expression in HUS and HUS/N patients compared to HC and the GI group. CD55 and CD59 expression on leukocytes and their subsets was significantly higher in all patient groups compared to HC regardless of treatment type. However, CD59 expression on erythrocytes was significantly higher in HUS and HUS/N patients treated combined with plasma separation (PS) and ECU compared to HC. Adding Stx-2 ex vivo had no effect on CD55 and CD59 expression on leukocytes from HC or patients. Conclusion HUS evolved independently from CD55 and CD59 expression on peripheral blood cells in EAHEC O104:H4 infected patients. Our data do not support a role for CD55 and CD59 in HUS development during EAHEC O104:H4 infection and point to a different mechanism within the complement system for HUS development in EAHEC patients. PMID:24086391

Common and distinct structural features of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: The European Network on Psychosis, Affective disorders and Cognitive Trajectory (ENPACT) study

PubMed Central

Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto; Nenadic, Igor; Benedetti, Francesco; Gaser, Christian; Sauer, Heinrich; Roiz-Santiañez, Roberto; Poletti, Sara; Marinelli, Veronica; Bellani, Marcella; Perlini, Cinzia; Ruggeri, Mirella; Altamura, A. Carlo; Diwadkar, Vaibhav A.; Brambilla, Paolo

2017-01-01

Introduction Although schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) share elements of pathology, their neural underpinnings are still under investigation. Here, structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data collected from a large sample of BD and SCZ patients and healthy controls (HC) were analyzed in terms of gray matter volume (GMV) using both voxel based morphometry (VBM) and a region of interest (ROI) approach. Methods The analysis was conducted on two datasets, Dataset1 (802 subjects: 243 SCZ, 176 BD, 383 HC) and Dataset2, a homogeneous subset of Dataset1 (301 subjects: 107 HC, 85 BD and 109 SCZ). General Linear Model analyses were performed 1) at the voxel-level in the whole brain (VBM study), 2) at the regional level in the anatomical regions emerged from the VBM study (ROI study). The GMV comparison across groups was integrated with the analysis of GMV correlates of different clinical dimensions. Results The VBM results of Dataset1 showed 1) in BD compared to HC, GMV deficits in right cingulate, superior temporal and calcarine cortices, 2) in SCZ compared to HC, GMV deficits in widespread cortical and subcortical areas, 3) in SCZ compared to BD, GMV deficits in insula and thalamus (p<0.05, cluster family wise error corrected). The regions showing GMV deficits in the BD group were mostly included in the SCZ ones. The ROI analyses confirmed the VBM results at the regional level in most of the clusters from the SCZ vs. HC comparison (p<0.05, Bonferroni corrected). The VBM and ROI analyses of Dataset2 provided further evidence for the enhanced GMV deficits characterizing SCZ. Based on the clinical-neuroanatomical analyses, we cannot exclude possible confounding effects due to 1) age of onset and medication in BD patients, 2) symptoms severity in SCZ patients. Conclusion Our study reported both shared and specific neuroanatomical characteristics between the two disorders, suggesting more severe and generalized GMV deficits in SCZ, with a specific role for insula and thalamus. PMID:29136642

Cortical thickness as a contributor to abnormal oscillations in schizophrenia?☆

PubMed Central

Edgar, J. Christopher; Chen, Yu-Han; Lanza, Matthew; Howell, Breannan; Chow, Vivian Y.; Heiken, Kory; Liu, Song; Wootton, Cassandra; Hunter, Michael A.; Huang, Mingxiong; Miller, Gregory A.; Cañive, José M.

2013-01-01

Introduction Although brain rhythms depend on brain structure (e.g., gray and white matter), to our knowledge associations between brain oscillations and structure have not been investigated in healthy controls (HC) or in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). Observing function–structure relationships, for example establishing an association between brain oscillations (defined in terms of amplitude or phase) and cortical gray matter, might inform models on the origins of psychosis. Given evidence of functional and structural abnormalities in primary/secondary auditory regions in SZ, the present study examined how superior temporal gyrus (STG) structure relates to auditory STG low-frequency and 40 Hz steady-state activity. Given changes in brain activity as a function of age, age-related associations in STG oscillatory activity were also examined. Methods Thirty-nine individuals with SZ and 29 HC were recruited. 40 Hz amplitude-modulated tones of 1 s duration were presented. MEG and T1-weighted sMRI data were obtained. Using the sources localizing 40 Hz evoked steady-state activity (300 to 950 ms), left and right STG total power and inter-trial coherence were computed. Time–frequency group differences and associations with STG structure and age were also examined. Results Decreased total power and inter-trial coherence in SZ were observed in the left STG for initial post-stimulus low-frequency activity (~ 50 to 200 ms, ~ 4 to 16 Hz) as well as 40 Hz steady-state activity (~ 400 to 1000 ms). Left STG 40 Hz total power and inter-trial coherence were positively associated with left STG cortical thickness in HC, not in SZ. Left STG post-stimulus low-frequency and 40 Hz total power were positively associated with age, again only in controls. Discussion Left STG low-frequency and steady-state gamma abnormalities distinguish SZ and HC. Disease-associated damage to STG gray matter in schizophrenia may disrupt the age-related left STG gamma-band function–structure relationships observed in controls. PMID:24371794

A wirelessly-powered homecage with animal behavior analysis and closed-loop power control.

PubMed

Yaoyao Jia; Zheyuan Wang; Canales, Daniel; Tinkler, Morgan; Chia-Chun Hsu; Madsen, Teresa E; Mirbozorgi, S Abdollah; Rainnie, Donald; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2016-08-01

This paper presents a new EnerCage-homecage system, EnerCage-HC2, for longitudinal electrophysiology data acquisition experiments on small freely moving animal subjects, such as rodents. EnerCage-HC2 is equipped with multi-coil wireless power transmission (WPT), closed-loop power control, bidirectional data communication via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Microsoft Kinect® based animal behavior tracking and analysis. The EnerCage-HC2 achieves a homogeneous power transfer efficiency (PTE) of 14% on average, with ~42 mW power delivered to the load (PDL) at a nominal height of 7 cm by the closed-loop power control mechanism. The Microsoft Kinect® behavioral analysis algorithm can not only track the animal position in real-time but also classify 5 different types of rodent behaviors: standstill, walking, grooming, rearing, and rotating. A proof-of-concept in vivo experiment was conducted on two awake freely behaving rats while successfully operating a one-channel stimulator and generating an ethogram.

Cognition and brain development in children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes.

PubMed

Garcia-Ramos, Camille; Jackson, Daren C; Lin, Jack J; Dabbs, Kevin; Jones, Jana E; Hsu, David A; Stafstrom, Carl E; Zawadzki, Lucy; Seidenberg, Michael; Prabhakaran, Vivek; Hermann, Bruce P

2015-10-01

Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), the most common focal childhood epilepsy, is associated with subtle abnormalities in cognition and possible developmental alterations in brain structure when compared to healthy participants, as indicated by previous cross-sectional studies. To examine the natural history of BECTS, we investigated cognition, cortical thickness, and subcortical volumes in children with new/recent onset BECTS and healthy controls (HC). Participants were 8-15 years of age, including 24 children with new-onset BECTS and 41 age- and gender-matched HC. At baseline and 2 years later, all participants completed a cognitive assessment, and a subset (13 BECTS, 24 HC) underwent T1 volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans focusing on cortical thickness and subcortical volumes. Baseline cognitive abnormalities associated with BECTS (object naming, verbal learning, arithmetic computation, and psychomotor speed/dexterity) persisted over 2 years, with the rate of cognitive development paralleling that of HC. Baseline neuroimaging revealed thinner cortex in BECTS compared to controls in frontal, temporal, and occipital regions. Longitudinally, HC showed widespread cortical thinning in both hemispheres, whereas BECTS participants showed sparse regions of both cortical thinning and thickening. Analyses of subcortical volumes showed larger left and right putamens persisting over 2 years in BECTS compared to HC. Cognitive and structural brain abnormalities associated with BECTS are present at onset and persist (cognition) and/or evolve (brain structure) over time. Atypical maturation of cortical thickness antecedent to BECTS onset results in early identified abnormalities that continue to develop abnormally over time. However, compared to anatomic development, cognition appears more resistant to further change over time. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 International League Against Epilepsy.

Longitudinal CSF biomarkers in patients with early Parkinson disease and healthy controls.

PubMed

Mollenhauer, Brit; Caspell-Garcia, Chelsea J; Coffey, Christopher S; Taylor, Peggy; Shaw, Leslie M; Trojanowski, John Q; Singleton, Andy; Frasier, Mark; Marek, Kenneth; Galasko, Douglas

2017-11-07

To analyze longitudinal levels of CSF biomarkers in drug-naive patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and healthy controls (HC), examine the extent to which these biomarker changes relate to clinical measures of PD, and identify what may influence them. CSF α-synuclein (α-syn), total and phosphorylated tau (t- and p-tau), and β-amyloid 1-42 (Aβ42) were measured at baseline and 6 and 12 months in 173 patients with PD and 112 matched HC in the international multicenter Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative. Baseline clinical and demographic variables, PD medications, neuroimaging, and genetic variables were evaluated as potential predictors of CSF biomarker changes. CSF biomarkers were stable over 6 and 12 months, and there was a small but significant increase in CSF Aβ42 in both patients with patients with PD and HC from baseline to 12 months. The t-tau remained stable. The p-tau increased marginally more in patients with PD than in HC. α-syn remained relatively stable in patients with PD and HC. Ratios of p-tau/t-tau increased, while t-tau/Aβ42 decreased over 12 months in patients with PD. CSF biomarker changes did not correlate with changes in Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor scores or dopamine imaging. CSF α-syn levels at 12 months were lower in patients with PD treated with dopamine replacement therapy, especially dopamine agonists. These core CSF biomarkers remained stable over 6 and 12 months in patients with early PD and HC. PD medication use may influence CSF α-syn. Novel biomarkers are needed to better profile progressive neurodegeneration in PD. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology.

Polysaccharides from Cordyceps sinensis mycelium ameliorate exhaustive swimming exercise-induced oxidative stress.

PubMed

Yan, Feng; Wang, Beibei; Zhang, Yan

2014-02-01

Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. (Clavicipitaceae) is a famous medicinal fungus (mushroom) in Chinese herbal medicine. Polysaccharides from Cordyceps sinensis (CSP) have been identified as active ingredients responsible for its biological activities. Although many pharmacological actions of CSP have received a great deal of attention, research in this area continues. The current study was designed to investigate the effects of CSP on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress. The mice were divided into four groups: control (C), low-dose CSP treated (LC), intermediate-dose CSP treated (IC) and high-dose CSP treated (HC). The treated groups received CSP (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, ig), while the control group received drinking water for 28 days, followed by being forced to undergo exhaustive swimming exercise, and some biochemical parameters including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured using detection kits according to the manufacturers' instructions. Compared with the C group, exhaustive swimming time was significantly prolonged in the LC, IC and HC groups (p < 0.05); SOD activities in serum, liver and muscle were significantly higher in the IC and HC groups (p < 0.05); GPx activities in serum, liver and muscle were significantly higher in the LC, IC and HC groups (p < 0.05); CAT activities in serum, liver and muscle were significantly higher in the HC groups (p < 0.05); MDA and 8-OHdG levels in serum, liver and muscle were significantly lower in the LC, IC and HC groups (p < 0.05). The results obtained herein indicate that CSP could ameliorate exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress.

Altered functioning of reward circuitry in youth offspring of parents with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Manelis, A; Ladouceur, C D; Graur, S; Monk, K; Bonar, L K; Hickey, M B; Dwojak, A C; Axelson, D; Goldstein, B I; Goldstein, T R; Bebko, G; Bertocci, M A; Gill, M K; Birmaher, B; Phillips, M L

2016-01-01

Offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (BD) (BO) are at higher risk of BD than offspring of parents with non-BD psychopathology (NBO), although both groups are at higher risk than offspring of psychiatrically healthy parents (HC) for other affective and psychiatric disorders. Abnormal functioning in reward circuitry has been demonstrated previously in individuals with BD. We aimed to determine whether activation and functional connectivity in this circuitry during risky decision-making differentiated BO, NBO and HC. BO (n = 29; mean age = 13.8 years; 14 female), NBO (n = 28; mean age = 13.9 years; 12 female) and HC (n = 23; mean age = 13.7 years; 11 female) were scanned while performing a number-guessing reward task. Of the participants, 11 BO and 12 NBO had current non-BD psychopathology; five BO and four NBO were taking psychotropic medications. A 3 (group) × 2 (conditions: win-control/loss-control) analysis of variance revealed a main effect of group on right frontal pole activation: BO showed significantly greater activation than HC. There was a significant main effect of group on functional connectivity between the bilateral ventral striatum and the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (Z > 3.09, cluster-p < 0.05): BO showed significantly greater negative functional connectivity than other participants. These between-group differences remained after removing youth with psychiatric disorders and psychotropic medications from analyses. This is the first study to demonstrate that reward circuitry activation and functional connectivity distinguish BO from NBO and HC. The fact that the pattern of findings remained when comparing healthy BO v. healthy NBO v. HC suggests that these neuroimaging measures may represent trait-level neurobiological markers conferring either risk for, or protection against, BD in youth.

Altered structure and function in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex in patients with burning mouth syndrome.

PubMed

Khan, Shariq A; Keaser, Michael L; Meiller, Timothy F; Seminowicz, David A

2014-08-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a debilitating, idiopathic chronic pain condition. For many BMS patients, burning oral pain begins in late morning and becomes more intense throughout the day, peaking by late afternoon or evening. We investigated brain gray matter volume (GMV) with voxel-based morphometry (VBM), white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and functional connectivity in resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI) in a tightly screened, homogeneous sample of 9 female, postmenopausal/perimenopausal BMS patients and 9 matched healthy control subjects. Patients underwent 2 scanning sessions in the same day: in the morning, when ongoing pain/burning was low, and in the afternoon, when pain/burning was significantly higher. Patients had increased GMV and lower FA in the hippocampus (Hc), and decreased GMV in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). rsfMRI revealed altered connectivity patterns in different states of pain/burning, with increased connectivity between mPFC (a node in the default mode network) and anterior cingulate cortex, occipital cortex, ventromedial PFC, and bilateral Hc/amygdala in the afternoon compared with the morning session. Furthermore, mPFC-Hc connectivity was higher in BMS patients than control subjects for the afternoon but not the morning session. mPFC-Hc connectivity was related to Beck depression inventory scores both between groups and between burning states within patients, suggesting that depression and anxiety partially explain pain-related brain dysfunction in BMS. Overall, we provide multiple lines of evidence supporting aberrant structure and function in the mPFC and Hc, and implicate a circuit involving the mPFC and Hc in regulating mood and depressive symptoms in BMS. Copyright © 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Head circumference of children with sickle cell disease in Lagos, Nigeria.

PubMed

Senbanjo, Idowu Odunayo; Oshikoya, Kazeem Adeola; Salisu, Mohammed; Diaku-Akinwumi, Ijeoma Nnenna

2016-01-01

Growth retardation and under-nutrition are common in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). The aim of this study was to compare the head circumference (HC) of SCD children and non-SCD children and to determine the effect of malnutrition on head circumference of children with SCD. This was a prospective case-control study conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, involving SCD children (subject, n = 118) and non-SCD children (control, n = 118) matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Weight, height and HC were measured using standard techniques. The mean ages of children with and without SCD were 7.46 ± 3.69 years and 7.01 ± 3.58 years, respectively. The HC increased significantly with age in both males and females (r = 0.75, p = < 0.001; r = 0.70, p < 0.001 respectively). There was no significant difference in HC between males and females (p > 0.05). At all ages, the mean head circumference of SCD children was not significantly (p > 0.05) different from non-SCD children. The In the age group 11-15 years, the prevalence of stunting was significantly higher among SCD children than non-SCD children. The mean HC of SCD children with stunting was significantly lower than those not stunted (51.7 vs. 53.5; P= 0.006) in age group 11.15 years. The head circumference of children with SCD is not significantly different from that of non-SCD children. Therefore, the HC chart for the general population is also applicable for monitoring head growth in children with SCD. The effect of malnutrition on head circumference of SCD children is most marked in age group 11-15 years.

Differentiation of human bronchial epithelial cells: role of hydrocortisone in development of ion transport pathways involved in mucociliary clearance.

PubMed

Zaidman, Nathan A; Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Angela; O'Grady, Scott M

2016-08-01

Glucocorticoids strongly influence the mucosal-defense functions performed by the bronchial epithelium, and inhaled corticosteroids are critical in the treatment of patients with inflammatory airway diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis. A common pathology associated with these diseases is reduced mucociliary clearance, a defense mechanism involving the coordinated transport of salt, water, and mucus by the bronchial epithelium, ultimately leading to retention of pathogens and particles in the airways and to further disease progression. In the present study we investigated the role of hydrocortisone (HC) in differentiation and development of the ion transport phenotype of normal human bronchial epithelial cells under air-liquid interface conditions. Normal human bronchial epithelial cells differentiated in the absence of HC (HC0) showed significantly less benzamil-sensitive short-circuit current than controls, as well as a reduced response after stimulation with the selective β2-adrenergic receptor agonist salbutamol. Apical membrane localization of epithelial Na(+) channel α-subunits was similarly reduced in HC0 cells compared with controls, supporting a role of HC in the trafficking and density of Na(+) channels in the plasma membrane. Additionally, glucocorticoid exposure during differentiation regulated the transcription of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and β2-adrenergic receptor mRNAs and appeared to be necessary for the expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-dependent anion secretion in response to β2-agonists. HC had no significant effect on surface cell differentiation but did modulate the expression of mucin mRNAs. These findings indicate that glucocorticoids support mucosal defense by regulating critical transport pathways essential for effective mucociliary clearance. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Thinking about Eating Food Activates Visual Cortex with Reduced Bilateral Cerebellar Activation in Females with Anorexia Nervosa: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Brooks, Samantha J.; O'Daly, Owen; Uher, Rudolf; Friederich, Hans-Christoph; Giampietro, Vincent; Brammer, Michael; Williams, Steven C. R.; Schiöth, Helgi B.; Treasure, Janet; Campbell, Iain C.

2012-01-01

Background Women with anorexia nervosa (AN) have aberrant cognitions about food and altered activity in prefrontal cortical and somatosensory regions to food images. However, differential effects on the brain when thinking about eating food between healthy women and those with AN is unknown. Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) examined neural activation when 42 women thought about eating the food shown in images: 18 with AN (11 RAN, 7 BPAN) and 24 age-matched controls (HC). Results Group contrasts between HC and AN revealed reduced activation in AN in the bilateral cerebellar vermis, and increased activation in the right visual cortex. Preliminary comparisons between AN subtypes and healthy controls suggest differences in cortical and limbic regions. Conclusions These preliminary data suggest that thinking about eating food shown in images increases visual and prefrontal cortical neural responses in females with AN, which may underlie cognitive biases towards food stimuli and ruminations about controlling food intake. Future studies are needed to explicitly test how thinking about eating activates restraint cognitions, specifically in those with restricting vs. binge-purging AN subtypes. PMID:22479499

Prospective evaluation of long-term safety of dual-release hydrocortisone replacement administered once daily in patients with adrenal insufficiency

PubMed Central

Nilsson, A G; Marelli, C; Fitts, D; Bergthorsdottir, R; Burman, P; Dahlqvist, P; Ekman, B; Edén Engström, B; Olsson, T; Ragnarsson, O; Ryberg, M; Wahlberg, J; Lennernäs, H; Skrtic, S; Johannsson, G

2014-01-01

Objective The objective was to assess the long-term safety profile of dual-release hydrocortisone (DR-HC) in patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI). Design Randomised, open-label, crossover trial of DR-HC or thrice-daily hydrocortisone for 3 months each (stage 1) followed by two consecutive, prospective, open-label studies of DR-HC for 6 months (stage 2) and 18 months (stage 3) at five university clinics in Sweden. Methods Sixty-four adults with primary AI started stage 1, and an additional 16 entered stage 3. Patients received DR-HC 20–40 mg once daily and hydrocortisone 20–40 mg divided into three daily doses (stage 1 only). Main outcome measures were adverse events (AEs) and intercurrent illness (self-reported hydrocortisone use during illness). Results In stage 1, patients had a median 1.5 (range, 1–9) intercurrent illness events with DR-HC and 1.0 (1–8) with thrice-daily hydrocortisone. AEs during stage 1 were not related to the cortisol exposure-time profile. The percentage of patients with one or more AEs during stage 1 (73.4% with DR-HC; 65.6% with thrice-daily hydrocortisone) decreased during stage 2, when all patients received DR-HC (51% in the first 3 months; 54% in the second 3 months). In stages 1–3 combined, 19 patients experienced 27 serious AEs, equating to 18.6 serious AEs/100 patient-years of DR-HC exposure. Conclusions This long-term prospective trial is the first to document the safety of DR-HC in patients with primary AI and demonstrates that such treatment is well tolerated during 24 consecutive months of therapy. PMID:24944332

Head Circumference of Infants Born to Mothers with Different Educational Levels; The Generation R Study

PubMed Central

Bouthoorn, Selma H.; van Lenthe, Frank J.; Hokken-Koelega, Anita C. S.; Moll, Henriëtte A.; Tiemeier, Henning; Hofman, Albert; Mackenbach, Johan P.; Jaddoe, Vincent W. V.; Raat, Hein

2012-01-01

Objective Head circumference (HC) reflect growth and development of the brain in early childhood. It is unknown whether socioeconomic differences in HC are present in early childhood. Therefore, we investigated the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and HC in early childhood, and potential underlying factors. Methods The study focused on Dutch children born between April 2002 and January 2006 who participated in The Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Maternal educational level was used as indicator of SEP. HC measures were concentrated around 1, 3, 6 and 11 months. Associations and explanatory factors were investigated using linear regression analysis, adjusted for potential mediators. Results The study included 3383 children. At 1, 3 and 6 months of age, children of mothers with a low education had a smaller HC than those with a high education (difference at 1 month: −0.42 SD; 95% CI: −0.54,−0.30; at 3 months: −0.27 SD; 95% CI −0.40,−0.15; and at 6 months: −0.13 SD; 95% CI −0.24,−0.02). Child’s length and weight could only partially explain the smaller HC at 1 and 3 months of age. At 6 months, birth weight, gestational age and parental height explained the HC differences. At 11 months, no HC differences were found. Conclusion Educational inequalities in HC in the first 6 months of life can be mainly explained by pregnancy-related factors, such as birth weight and gestational age. These findings further support public health policies to prevent negative birth outcomes in lower socioeconomic groups. PMID:22768125

AT1 Receptor Modulator Attenuates the Hypercholesterolemia-Induced Impairment of the Myocardial Ischemic Post-Conditioning Benefits

PubMed Central

Li, Yun-Wei; Hon, Yan; Wan, Qi-Lin; He, Rui-Li; Wang, Zhi-Zhong; Zhao, Cui-Hua

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives Ischemic post-conditioning (PostC) has been demonstrated as a novel strategy to harness nature's protection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Hypercholesterolemia (HC) has been reported to block the effect of PostC on the heart. Angiotensin II type-1 (AT1) modulators have shown benefits in myocardial ischemia. The present study investigates the effect of a novel inhibitor of AT1, azilsartan in PostC of the heart of normocholesterolemic (NC) and HC rats. Materials and Methods HC was induced by the administration of high-fat diet to the animals for eight weeks. Isolated Langendorff's perfused NC and HC rat hearts were exposed to global ischemia for 30 min and reperfusion for 120 min. I/R-injury had been assessed by cardiac hemodynamic parameters, myocardial infarct size, release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha troponin I, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, nitrite in coronary effluent, thiobarbituric acid reactive species, a reduced form of glutathione, superoxide anion, and left ventricle collagen content in normal and HC rat hearts. Results Azilsartan post-treatment and six episodes of PostC (10 sec each) afforded cardioprotection against I/R-injury in normal rat hearts. PostC protection against I/R-injury was abolished in HC rat hearts. Azilsartan prevented the HC-mediated impairment of the beneficial effects of PostC in I/R-induced myocardial injury, which was inhibited by L-N5-(1-Iminoethyl)ornithinehydrochloride, a potent inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Conclusion Azilsartan treatment has attenuated the HC-induced impairment of beneficial effects of PostC in I/R-injury of rat hearts, by specifically modulating eNOS. Azilsartan may be explored further in I/R-myocardial injury, both in NC and HC conditions, with or without PostC. PMID:28382073

Impact of 6-month frozen storage of cervical specimens in alkaline buffer conditions on human papillomavirus genotyping.

PubMed

LaMere, Brandon J; Howell, Renee; Fetterman, Barbara; Shieh, Jen; Castle, Philip E

2008-08-01

The impact of 6-month storage of cervical specimens under alkaline conditions that occurs as the result of Hybrid Capture 2 testing on human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping is not well documented. To examine this issue, 143 frozen hc2-positive specimens in specimen transport medium were selected at random from each of the following groups: specimens stored for 6 months, 4 months, and 2.5 months under alkaline pH (pH 12-13) and specimens stored 1 month at neutral pH (pH 6-7) as controls. Specimens were tested in a masked fashion for 20 HPV genotypes (HPV6, 11, 16, 18, 26, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 73, and 82) using a prototype, research-use-only GP5+/6+ L1 consensus PCR method and multiplex hybridization using Luminex xMAP for detection of specific HPV genotypes One control specimen had missing test results. There were no statistical differences in the number of HPV genotypes detected, number of carcinogenic HPV genotypes detected, or in the signal strength among HPV-positive results across groups. Six-month frozen storage of cervical specimens at alkaline pH had little impact on testing for HPV genotypes among hc2-positive women using this HPV genotyping method.

Association of Fetal Abdominal–Head Circumference Size Difference With Shoulder Dystocia: A Multicenter Study

PubMed Central

Endres, Loraine; DeFranco, Emily; Conyac, Theresa; Adams, Marci; Zhou, Ying; Magner, Kristin; O'Rourke, Luke; Bernhard, Kiley A.; Siddiqui, Danish; McCormick, Anna; Abramowicz, Jacques; Merkel, Ronald; Jawish, Rana; Habli, Mounira; Floman, Alissa; Magann, Everett F.; Chauhan, Suneet P.

2015-01-01

Objective This study aims to determine if shoulder dystocia is associated with a difference in the fetal abdominal (AC) to head circumference (HC) of 50 mm or more noted on antenatal ultrasound. Study Design A multicenter matched case–control study was performed comparing women who had shoulder dystocia to controls who did not. Women with vaginal births of live born nonanomalous singletons ≥ 36 weeks of gestation with an antenatal ultrasound within 4 weeks of delivery were included. Controls were matched for gestational age, route of delivery, and diabetes status. Results We identified 181 matched pairs. Only 5% of the fetuses had an AC to HC of ≥ 50 mm. The proportion of AC to HC difference of ≥ 50 mm was significantly higher in shoulder dystocia cases (8%) than controls (1%, p = 0.002). With multivariate regression, the three significant factors associated with shoulder dystocia were AC to HC ≥ 50 mm (odds ratio [OR], 7.3; confidence interval [CI], 1.6–33.3; p = 0.010), femur length (OR, 1.1; CI, 1.0–1.2; p = 0.002), and induced labor (OR, 1.8; CI, 1.1–3.1; p = 0.027). Conclusion A prenatal ultrasound finding of a difference in AC to HC of ≥ 50 mm while uncommon is associated with shoulder dystocia. PMID:26495163

Characterizing amino-acid biosignatures amongst individuals with schizophrenia: a case-control study.

PubMed

Cao, Bing; Wang, Dongfang; Brietzke, Elisa; McIntyre, Roger S; Pan, Zihang; Cha, Danielle; Rosenblat, Joshua D; Zuckerman, Hannah; Liu, Yaqiong; Xie, Qing; Wang, Jingyu

2018-05-23

Amino acids and derivatives participate in the biosynthesis and downstream effects of numerous neurotransmitters. Variations in specific amino acids have been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Herein, we sought to compare levels of amino acids and derivatives between subjects with schizophrenia and healthy controls (HC). Two hundred and eight subjects with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria (DSM-IV)-defined schizophrenia and 175 age- and sex-matched HC were enrolled. The levels of twenty-five amino acids and seven related derivatives were measured in plasma samples using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). After controlling for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), four amino acids and derivatives (i.e., cysteine, GABA, glutamine and sarcosine) were observed to be higher in the schizophrenia group when compared with HC; seven amino acids and derivatives were lower in the schizophrenia group (i.e., arginine, L-ornithine, threonine, taurine, tryptophan, methylcysteine, and kynurenine). Statistically significant differences in plasma amino-acid profiles between subjects with first-episode vs. recurrent schizophrenia for aspartate and glutamine were also demonstrated using generalized linear models controlling for age, sex, and BMI. The differences in amino acids and derivatives among individuals with schizophrenia when compared to HC may represent underlying pathophysiology, including but not limited to dysfunctional proteinogenic processes, alterations in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, changes in ammonia metabolism and the urea cycle. Taken together, amino-acid profiling may provide a novel stratification approach among individuals with schizophrenia.

A peptide N-terminal protection strategy for comprehensive glycoproteome analysis using hydrazide chemistry based method

PubMed Central

Huang, Junfeng; Qin, Hongqiang; Sun, Zhen; Huang, Guang; Mao, Jiawei; Cheng, Kai; Zhang, Zhang; Wan, Hao; Yao, Yating; Dong, Jing; Zhu, Jun; Wang, Fangjun; Ye, Mingliang; Zou, Hanfa

2015-01-01

Enrichment of glycopeptides by hydrazide chemistry (HC) is a popular method for glycoproteomics analysis. However, possible side reactions of peptide backbones during the glycan oxidation in this method have not been comprehensively studied. Here, we developed a proteomics approach to locate such side reactions and found several types of the side reactions that could seriously compromise the performance of glycoproteomics analysis. Particularly, the HC method failed to identify N-terminal Ser/Thr glycopeptides because the oxidation of vicinal amino alcohol on these peptides generates aldehyde groups and after they are covalently coupled to HC beads, these peptides cannot be released by PNGase F for identification. To overcome this drawback, we apply a peptide N-terminal protection strategy in which primary amine groups on peptides are chemically blocked via dimethyl labeling, thus the vicinal amino alcohols on peptide N-termini are eliminated. Our results showed that this strategy successfully prevented the oxidation of peptide N-termini and significantly improved the coverage of glycoproteome. PMID:25959593

The Food-Specific Serum IgG Reactivity in Major Depressive Disorder Patients, Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Karakula-Juchnowicz, Hanna; Gałęcka, Mirosława; Rog, Joanna; Bartnicka, Anna; Łukaszewicz, Zuzanna; Krukow, Pawel; Morylowska-Topolska, Justyna; Skonieczna-Zydecka, Karolina; Krajka, Tomasz; Jonak, Kamil; Juchnowicz, Dariusz

2018-01-01

There is an increasing amount of evidence which links the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with food IgG hyperreactivity. Some authors have suggested that food IgG hyperreactivity could be also involved in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to compare levels of serum IgG against 39 selected food antigens between three groups of participants: patients with MDD (MDD group), patients with IBS (IBS group) and healthy controls (HC group). The study included 65 participants (22 in the MDD group, 22 in the IBS group and 21 in the HC group). Serum IgG levels were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Medical records, clinical data and laboratory results were collected for the analysis. IgG food hyperreactivity (interpreted as an average of levels of IgG antibodies above 7.5 µg/mL) was detected in 28 (43%) participants, including 14 (64%) from the MDD group, ten (46%) from the IBS group and four (19%) from the HC group. We found differences between extreme IgG levels in MDD versus HC groups and in IBS versus HC groups. Patients with MDD had significantly higher serum levels of total IgG antibodies and IgG against celery, garlic and gluten compared with healthy controls. The MDD group also had higher serum IgG levels against gluten compared with the IBS group. Our results suggest dissimilarity in immune responses against food proteins between the examined groups, with the highest immunoreactivity in the MDD group. Further studies are needed to repeat and confirm these results in bigger cohorts and also examine clinical utility of IgG-based elimination diet in patients with MDD and IBS. PMID:29710769

Elevated Brain Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Availability in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Positron Emission Tomography Study

PubMed Central

Neumeister, Alexander; Normandin, Marc D.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Piomelli, Daniele; Zheng, Ming-Qiang; Gujarro-Anton, Ana; Potenza, Marc N.; Bailey, Christopher R.; Lin, Shu-fei; Najafzadeh, Soheila; Ropchan, Jim; Henry, Shannan; Corsi-Travali, Stefani; Carson, Richard E.; Huang, Yiyun

2013-01-01

Endocannabinoids and their attending cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) have been implicated in animal models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, their specific role has not been studied in people with PTSD. Herein, we present an in vivo imaging study using positron emission tomography (PET) and the CB1-selective radioligand [11C]OMAR in individuals with PTSD, and healthy controls with lifetime histories of trauma (trauma controls [TC]) and those without such histories (healthy controls [HC]). Untreated individuals with PTSD (N=25) with non-combat trauma histories, and TC (N=12) and HC (N=23) participated in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging scan and a resting PET scan with the CB1 receptor antagonist radiotracer [11C]OMAR, which measures volume of distribution (VT) linearly related to CB1 receptor availability. Peripheral levels of anandamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and cortisol were also assessed. In the PTSD group, relative to the HC and TC groups, we found elevated brain-wide [11C]OMAR VT values (F(2,53)=7.96, p=.001; 19.5% and 14.5% higher, respectively) which were most pronounced in women (F(1,53)=5.52, p=.023). Anandamide concentrations were reduced in the PTSD relative to the TC (53.1% lower) and HC (58.2% lower) groups. Cortisol levels were lower in the PTSD and TC groups relative to the HC group. Three biomarkers examined collectively—OMAR VT, anandamide, and cortisol—correctly classified nearly 85% of PTSD cases. These results suggest that abnormal CB1 receptor-mediated anandamide signaling is implicated in the etiology of PTSD, and provide a promising neurobiological model to develop novel, evidence-based pharmacotherapies for this disorder. PMID:23670490

Do Children and Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa Display an Inefficient Cognitive Processing Style?

PubMed Central

Lang, Katie; Lloyd, Samantha; Khondoker, Mizanur; Simic, Mima; Treasure, Janet; Tchanturia, Kate

2015-01-01

Objective This study aimed to examine neuropsychological processing in children and adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The relationship of clinical and demographic variables to neuropsychological functioning within the AN group was also explored. Method The performance of 41 children and adolescents with a diagnosis of AN were compared to 43 healthy control (HC) participants on a number of neuropsychological measures. Results There were no differences in IQ between AN and HC groups. However, children and adolescents with AN displayed significantly more perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and lower Style and Central Coherence scores on the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test relative to HCs. Conclusion Inefficient cognitive processing in the AN group was independent of clinical and demographic variables, suggesting it might represent an underlying trait for AN. The implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:26133552

Magnetic properties of carbon-coated, ferromagnetic nanoparticles produced by a carbon-arc method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunsman, E. M.; Sutton, R.; Bortz, E.; Kirkpatrick, S.; Midelfort, K.; Williams, J.; Smith, P.; McHenry, M. E.; Majetich, S. A.; Artman, J. O.; De Graef, M.; Staley, S. W.

1994-05-01

The Krätschmer-Huffman carbon-arc method of preparing fullerenes has been used to generate carbon-coated transition metal (TM) and TM-carbide nanocrystallites. The magnetic nanocrystallites were extracted from the soot with a magnetic gradient field technique. For TM=Co the majority of nanocrystals exist as nominally spherical particles, 0.5-5 nm in radius. Hysteretic and temperature-dependent magnetic response, in randomly and magnetically aligned powder samples frozen in epoxy, correspond to fine particle magnetism associated with monodomain TM particles. The magnetization exhibits a unique functional dependence on H/T, and hysteresis below a blocking temperature TB. Below TB, the temperature dependence of the coercivity can be expressed as Hc=Hc0[1-(T/TB)1/2], where Hc0 is the 0 K coercivity.

Selective cognitive empathy deficit in adolescents with restrictive anorexia nervosa

PubMed Central

Calderoni, Sara; Fantozzi, Pamela; Maestro, Sandra; Brunori, Elena; Narzisi, Antonio; Balboni, Giulia; Muratori, Filippo

2013-01-01

Background A growing, but conflicting body of literature suggests altered empathic abilities in subjects with anorexia nervosa-restricting type (AN-R). This study aims to characterize the cognitive and affective empathic profiles of adolescents with purely AN-R. Methods As part of a standardized clinical and research protocol, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a valid and reliable self-reported instrument to measure empathy, was administered to 32 female adolescents with AN-R and in 41 healthy controls (HC) comparisons, matched for age and gender. Correlational analyses were performed to evaluate the links between empathy scores and psychopathological measures. Results Patients scored significantly lower than HC on cognitive empathy (CE), while they did not differ from controls on affective empathy (AE). The deficit in CE was not related to either disease severity nor was it related to associated psychopathology. Conclusion These results, albeit preliminary, suggest that a dysfunctional pattern of CE capacity may be a stable trait of AN-R that should be taken into account not only for the clinical management, but also in preventive and therapeutic intervention. PMID:24204149

Achieving a physiological cortisol profile with once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone: a pharmacokinetic study

PubMed Central

Lennernäs, Hans; Marelli, Claudio; Rockich, Kevin; Skrtic, Stanko

2016-01-01

Objective Oral once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone (DR-HC) replacement therapy was developed to provide a cortisol exposure−time profile that closely resembles the physiological cortisol profile. This study aimed to characterize single-dose pharmacokinetics (PK) of DR-HC 5–20mg and assess intrasubject variability. Methods Thirty-one healthy Japanese or non-Hispanic Caucasian volunteers aged 20−55 years participated in this randomized, open-label, PK study. Single doses of DR-HC 5, 15 (3×5), and 20mg were administered orally after an overnight fast and suppression of endogenous cortisol secretion. After estimating the endogenous cortisol profile, PK of DR-HC over 24h were evaluated to assess dose proportionality and impact of ethnicity. Plasma cortisol concentrations were analyzed using liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry. PK parameters were calculated from individual cortisol concentration−time profiles. Results DR-HC 20mg provided higher than endogenous cortisol plasma concentrations 0−4h post-dose but similar concentrations later in the profile. Cortisol concentrations and PK exposure parameters increased with increasing doses. Mean maximal serum concentration (Cmax) was 82.0 and 178.1ng/mL, while mean area under the concentration−time curve (AUC)0−∞ was 562.8 and 1180.8h×ng/mL with DR-HC 5 and 20mg respectively. Within-subject PK variability was low (<15%) for DR-HC 20mg. All exposure PK parameters were less than dose proportional (slope <1). PK differences between ethnicities were explained by body weight differences. Conclusions DR-HC replacement resembles the daily normal cortisol profile. Within-subject day-to-day PK variability was low, underpinning the safety of DR-HC for replacement therapy. DR-HC PK were less than dose proportional – an important consideration when managing intercurrent illness in patients with adrenal insufficiency. PMID:27129362

High Resolution Infrared Spectra of Plasma Jet-Cooled - and Triacetylene in the C-H Stretch Region by CW Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, D.; Guss, J.; Walsh, A.; Doney, K.; Linnartz, H.

2013-06-01

Polyacetylenes form an important series of unsaturated hydrocarbons that are of astrophysical interest. Small polyacetylenes have been detected from infrared observations in dense atmosphere of Titan and in a protoplanetary nebula CRL 618. We present here high-resolution mid-infrared spectra of diacetylene (HC_{4}H) and triacetylene (HC_{6}H) that are recorded in a supersonically expanded pulsed planar plasma using an ultra-sensitive detection technique. This method uses an all fiber-laser-based optical parametric oscillator (OPO), in combination with continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (cw-CRDS) as a direct absorption detection tool. A hardware-based multi-trigger concept is developed to apply cw-CRDS to pulsed plasmas. Vibrationally hot but rotationally cold HC_{4}H and HC_{6}H are produced by discharging a C_{2}H_{2}/He/Ar gas mixture which is supersonically expanded into a vacuum chamber through a slit discharge nozzle. Experimental spectra are recorded at a resolution of ˜100 MHz in the 3305-3340 cm^{-1} region, which is characteristic of the C-H stretch vibrations of HC_{4}H and HC_{6}H. Jet-cooling in our experiment reduces the rotational temperature of both HC_{4}H and HC_{6}H to <20 K. In total, ˜2000 lines are measured. More than fourteen (vibrationally hot) bands for HC_{4}H and four bands for HC_{6}H are assigned based on Loomis-Wood diagrams, and nearly half of these bands are analyzed for the first time. For both molecules improved and new molecular constants of a series of vibrational levels are presented. The accurate molecular data reported here, particularly those for low-lying (bending) vibrational levels may be used to interpret the ro-vibrational transitions in the FIR and submillimeter/THz region. D. Zhao, J. Guss, A. Walsh, H. Linnartz Chem. Phys. Lett., {dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cplett.2013.02.025}, in press, 2013.

Characterization of the microbiome of nipple aspirate fluid of breast cancer survivors

PubMed Central

Chan, Alfred A.; Bashir, Mina; Rivas, Magali N.; Duvall, Karen; Sieling, Peter A.; Pieber, Thomas R.; Vaishampayan, Parag A.; Love, Susan M.; Lee, Delphine J.

2016-01-01

The microbiome impacts human health and disease. Until recently, human breast tissue and milk were presumed to be sterile. Here, we investigated the presence of microbes in the nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) and their potential association with breast cancer. We compared the NAF microbiome between women with a history of breast cancer (BC) and healthy control women (HC) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The NAF microbiome from BC and HC showed significant differences in community composition. Two Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) showed differences in relative abundances between NAF collected from BC and HC. In NAF collected from BC, there was relatively higher incidence of the genus Alistipes. By contrast, an unclassified genus from the Sphingomonadaceae family was relatively more abundant in NAF from HC. These findings reflect the ductal source DNA since there were no differences between areolar skin samples collected from BC and HC. Furthermore, the microbes associated with BC share an enzymatic activity, Beta-Glucuronidase, which may promote breast cancer. This is the first report of bacterial DNA in human breast ductal fluid and the differences between NAF from HC and BC. Further investigation of the ductal microbiome and its potential role in breast cancer are warranted. PMID:27324944

Antidepressants Normalize the Default Mode Network in Patients With Dysthymia

PubMed Central

Posner, Jonathan; Hellerstein, David J.; Gat, Inbal; Mechling, Anna; Klahr, Kristin; Wang, Zhishun; McGrath, Patrick J.; Stewart, Jonathan W.; Peterson, Bradley S.

2014-01-01

Importance The default mode network (DMN) is a collection of brain regions that reliably deactivate during goal-directed behaviors and is more active during a baseline, or so-called resting, condition. Coherence of neural activity, or functional connectivity, within the brain’s DMN is increased in major depressive disorder relative to healthy control (HC) subjects; however, whether similar abnormalities are present in persons with dysthymic disorder (DD) is unknown. Moreover, the effect of antidepressant medications on DMN connectivity in patients with DD is also unknown. Objective To use resting-state functional-connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study (1) the functional connectivity of the DMN in subjects with DD vs HC participants and (2) the effects of antidepressant therapy on DMN connectivity. Design After collecting baseline MRI scans from subjects with DD and HC participants, we enrolled the participants with DD into a 10-week prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of duloxetine and collected MRI scans again at the conclusion of the study. Enrollment occurred between 2007 and 2011. Setting University research institute. Participants Volunteer sample of 41 subjects with DD and 25 HC participants aged 18 to 53 years. Control subjects were group matched to patients with DD by age and sex. Main Outcome Measures We used resting-state functional-connectivity MRI to measure the functional connectivity of the brain’s DMN in persons with DD compared with HC subjects, and we examined the effects of treatment with duloxetine vs placebo on DMN connectivity. Results Of the 41 subjects with DD, 32 completed the clinical trial and MRI scans, along with the 25 HC participants. At baseline, we found that the coherence of neural activity within the brain’s DMN was greater in persons with DD compared with HC subjects. Following a 10-week clinical trial, we found that treatment with duloxetine, but not placebo, normalized DMN connectivity. Conclusions and Relevance The baseline imaging findings are consistent with those found in patients with major depressive disorder and suggest that increased connectivity within the DMN may be important in the pathophysiology of both acute and chronic manifestations of depressive illness. The normalization of DMN connectivity following antidepressant treatment suggests an important causal pathway through which antidepressants may reduce depression. PMID:23389382

Methylmalonic Acid and Homocysteine as Indicators of Vitamin B-12 Deficiency in Cancer

PubMed Central

Vashi, Pankaj; Edwin, Persis; Popiel, Brenten; Lammersfeld, Carolyn; Gupta, Digant

2016-01-01

Background/Aims Normal or high serum vitamin B-12 levels can sometimes be seen in a B-12 deficient state, and can therefore be misleading. High levels of Methymalonic Acid (MMA) and Homocysteine (HC) have been identified as better indicators of B-12 deficiency than the actual serum B-12 level itself. We evaluated the prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency using appropriate cut-off levels of vitamin B-12, MMA and HC, and determined the relationship between serum levels of vitamin B-12, MMA and HC in cancer. Methods This is a cross-sectional study using a consecutive case series of 316 cancer patients first seen at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center between April 2014 and June 2014. All patients were evaluated at baseline for vitamin B-12 (pg/mL), MMA (nmol/L) and HC (μmol/L) levels. In accordance with previously published research, the following cut-offs were used to define vitamin B-12 deficiency: <300 pg/mL for vitamin B-12, >260 nmol/L for MMA and >12 μmol/L for HC. The relationship between B-12, MMA and HC was evaluated using Spearman's rho correlation coefficient and cross-tabulation analysis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were estimated using the non-parametric method to further evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of vitamin B-12 using Fedosov quotient as the "gold standard". Results Mean age at presentation was 52.5 years. 134 (42.4%) patients were males while 182 (57.6%) were females. Median vitamin B-12, MMA and HC levels were 582.5 pg/mL, 146.5 nmol/L and 8.4 μmol/L respectively. Of 316 patients, 28 (8.9%) were vitamin B-12 deficient based on vitamin B-12 (<300pg/mL), 34 (10.8%) were deficient based on MMA (>260 nmol/L) while 55 (17.4%) were deficient based on HC (>12 μmol/L). Correlation analysis revealed a significant weak negative correlation between vitamin B-12 and MMA (rho = -0.22) as well as B-12 and HC (rho = -0.35). ROC curves suggested MMA to have the best discriminatory power in predicting B-12 deficiency. Conclusion Vitamin B-12 is poorly correlated with MMA and HC in cancer. Using serum vitamin B-12 alone to evaluate B-12 status in cancer may fail to identify those with functional deficiency. A thorough clinical assessment is important to identify patients that may have risk factors and/or symptoms suggestive of deficiency. These patients should have additional testing of MMA and HC regardless of their B-12 levels. PMID:26807790

Investigation of two- and three-bond carbon-hydrogen coupling constants in cinnamic acid based compounds.

PubMed

Pierens, Gregory K; Venkatachalam, Taracad K; Reutens, David C

2016-12-01

Two- and three-bond coupling constants ( 2 J HC and 3 J HC ) were determined for a series of 12 substituted cinnamic acids using a selective 2D inphase/antiphase (IPAP)-single quantum multiple bond correlation (HSQMBC) and 1D proton coupled 13 C NMR experiments. The coupling constants from two methods were compared and found to give very similar values. The results showed coupling constant values ranging from 1.7 to 9.7 Hz and 1.0 to 9.6 Hz for the IPAP-HSQMBC and the direct 13 C NMR experiments, respectively. The experimental values of the coupling constants were compared with discrete density functional theory (DFT) calculated values and were found to be in good agreement for the 3 J HC . However, the DFT method under estimated the 2 J HC coupling constants. Knowing the limitations of the measurement and calculation of these multibond coupling constants will add confidence to the assignment of conformation or stereochemical aspects of complex molecules like natural products. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Attention bias in adults with anorexia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Schneier, Franklin R.; Kimeldorf, Marcia B.; Choo, Tse; Steinglass, Joanna E.; Wall, Melanie; Fyer, Abby J.; Simpson, H. Blair

2016-01-01

Background Attention bias to threat (selective attention toward threatening stimuli) has been frequently found in anxiety disorder samples, but its distribution both within and beyond this category is unclear. Attention bias has been studied extensively in social anxiety disorder (SAD) but relatively little in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), historically considered an anxiety disorder, or anorexia nervosa (AN), which is often characterized by interpersonal as well as body image/eating fears. Methods Medication-free adults with SAD (n=43), OCD (n=50), or AN (n=30), and healthy control volunteers (HC, n=74) were evaluated for attention bias with an established dot probe task presenting images of angry and neutral faces. Additional outcomes included attention bias variability (ABV), which summarizes fluctuation in attention between vigilance and avoidance, and has been reported to have superior reliability. We hypothesized that attention bias would be elevated in SAD and associated with SAD severity. Results Attention bias in each disorder did not differ from HC, but within the SAD group attention bias correlated significantly with severity of social avoidance. ABV was significantly lower in OCD versus HC, and it correlated positively with severity of OCD symptoms within the OCD group. Conclusions Findings do not support differences from HC in attention bias to threat faces for SAD, OCD, or AN. Within the SAD sample, the association of attention bias with severity of social avoidance is consistent with evidence that attention bias moderates development of social withdrawal. The association of ABV with OCD diagnosis and severity is novel and deserves further study. PMID:27174402

Interaction among subsystems within default mode network diminished in schizophrenia patients: a dynamic connectivity approach

PubMed Central

Du, Yuhui; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Yu, Qingbao; He, Hao; Lin, Dongdong; Sui, Jing; Wu, Lei; Calhoun, Vince D.

2015-01-01

Default mode network (DMN) has been reported altered in schizophrenia (SZ) using static connectivity analysis. However, the studies on dynamic characteristics of DMN in SZ are still limited. In this work, we compare dynamic connectivity within DMN between 82 healthy controls (HC) and 82 SZ patients using resting-state fMRI. Firstly, dynamic DMN was computed using a sliding time window method for each subject. Then, the overall connectivity strengths were compared between two groups. Furthermore, we estimated functional connectivity states using K-means clustering, and then investigated group differences with respect to the connectivity strengths in states, the dwell time in each state, and the transition times between states. Finally, graph metrics of time-varying connectivity patterns and connectivity states were assessed. Results suggest that measured by the overall connectivity, HC showed stronger inter-subsystem interaction than patients. Compared to HC, patients spent less time in the states with nodes tightly connected. For each state, SZ patients presented relatively weaker connectivity strengths mainly in inter-subsystem. Patients also exhibited lower values in averaged node strength, clustering coefficient, global efficiency, and local efficiency than HC. In summary, our findings indicate that SZ showed impaired interaction among DMN subsystems, with a reduced central role for posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC) hubs as well as weaker interaction between dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) subsystem and medial temporal lobe (MTL) subsystem. For SZ, decreased integration of DMN may be associated with impaired ability in making self-other distinctions and coordinating present mental states with episodic decisions about future. PMID:26654933

Frontal lobe bioenergetic metabolism in depressed adolescents with bipolar disorder: a phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

PubMed Central

Shi, Xian-Feng; Kondo, Douglas G; Sung, Young-Hoon; Hellem, Tracy L; Fiedler, Kristen K; Jeong, Eun-Kee; Huber, Rebekah S; Renshaw, Perry F

2015-01-01

Objectives To compare the concentrations of high-energy phosphorus metabolites associated with mitochondrial function in the frontal lobe of depressed adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls (HC). Methods We used in vivo phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) at 3 Tesla to measure phosphocreatine (PCr), beta-nucleoside triphosphate (β-NTP), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and other neurometabolites in the frontal lobe of eight unmedicated and six medicated adolescents with bipolar depression and 24 adolescent HCs. Results Analysis of covariance, including age as a covariate, revealed differences in PCr (p = 0.037), Pi (p = 0.017), and PCr/Pi (p = 0.002) between participant groups. Percentage neurochemical differences were calculated with respect to mean metabolite concentrations in the HC group. Post-hoc Tukey–Kramer analysis showed that unmedicated BD participants had decreased Pi compared with both HC (17%; p = 0.038) and medicated BD (24%; p = 0.022). The unmedicated BD group had increased PCr compared with medicated BD (11%; p = 0.032). The PCr/Pi ratio was increased in unmedicated BD compared with HC (24%; p = 0.013) and with medicated BD (39%; p = 0.002). No differences in β-NTP or pH were observed. Conclusions Our results support the view that frontal lobe mitochondrial function is altered in adolescent BD and may have implications for the use of Pi as a biomarker. These findings join volumetric studies of the amygdala, and proton MRS studies of n-acetyl aspartate in pointing to potential differences in neurobiology between pediatric and adult BD. PMID:22816670

175.4 The Relationship of Aging and Inflammatory Biomarkers to Gray Matter Volume and Episodic Memory Performance in Schizophrenia: Evidence of Pathological Accelerated Aging

PubMed Central

Gama, Clarissa

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with increased somatic morbidity and mortality, in addition to cognitive impairments similar to those seen in normal aging, which may suggest that pathological accelerated aging occurs in SZ. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the relationships of age, telomere length (TL) and CCL11 (aging and inflammatory biomarkers), and gray matter volumes (GM) to episodic memory performance in individuals with SZ compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods: 112 participants (48 SZ and 64 HC) underwent clinical and memory assessments, structural MRI, and had their peripheral blood drawn for biomarkers analysis. Comparisons of group means and correlations were performed. Results: Participants with SZ had decreased TL and GM residual volume, increased CCL11, and worse memory performance compared to HC. In SZ, shorter TL was related to increased CCL11, and they were both related to reduced GM residual volume, all of which were related to worse memory performance. Older age was only associated with reduced GM, but longer duration of illness was related with all the aforementioned variables. Younger age of disease onset was related with increased CCL11 levels and worse memory performance. In HC, there were no significant correlations except for between memory and GM. Conclusion: Our results are consistent with accelerated aging in SZ. These results may indicate that it is not age itself, but the impact of the disease associated with a pathological accelerated aging that leads to impaired outcomes in SZ. Akira Sawa, johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Medical Institutions

Pigmentation abnormalities in systemic scleroderma examined by using a colorimeter (Choromo Meter CR-200).

PubMed

Maeda, M; Kachi, H; Matubara, K; Mori, S; Kitajima, Y

1996-03-01

Cutaneous colors of the dorsum of the hands (A), the distal forearms (B; 5 cm from the wrists), the proximal forearm (C; proximal 1/3 from the elbow) and sternal skin region (D) in patients with systemic scleroderma (73 cases; M:F = 16:57) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or dermatomyositis (27 cases; M:F = 7:20) and healthy controls (HC) (36 cases; M:F = 8:28) was characterized by a XYZ colorimetric system (CIE, 1931) using a colorimeter (Choromo Meter CR-200, Minolta Camera Co. Ltd., Osaka). The index Y, which means color value shows a lower value in male HC and in patients with systemic scleroderma, especially in the more severe type with hyperpigmentation (score 5-6; the system proposed by Ishikawa) than that of female HC. The values of indices x and y, which relate to reddish (erythema with hyperpigmentation) and greenish color (pale), respectively, were higher in the exposed portion of the severe type of systemic scleroderma with hyperpigmentation, especially male and older patients, and in unexposed portions of the female group without hyperpigmentation. Histopathologically, there was prominent pigmentation in the upper dermis of the forearm in the severe type of systemic scleroderma, so that melanin quantity may be closely related to the decrease in index Y. There was no statistical significance in the value of indices Y, x and y between HC, SLE and dermatomyositis. This method may contribute not only to diagnosis of systemic scleroderma and differentiation from other collagen diseases, but also studies of clinical follow-up and effects of medication.

Postural control and freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Schlenstedt, Christian; Muthuraman, Muthuraman; Witt, Karsten; Weisser, Burkhard; Fasano, Alfonso; Deuschl, Günther

2016-03-01

The relationship between freezing of gait (FOG) and postural instability in Parkinson's disease (PD) is unclear. We analyzed the impact of FOG on postural control. 31 PD patients with FOG (PD+FOG), 27 PD patients without FOG (PD-FOG) and 22 healthy control (HC) were assessed in the ON state. Postural control was measured with the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale and with center of pressure (COP) analysis during quiet stance and maximal voluntary forward/backward leaning. The groups were balanced concerning age, disease duration and disease severity. PD+FOG performed significantly worse in the FAB scale (21.8 ± 5.8) compared to PD-FOG (25.6 ± 5.0) and HC (34.9 ± 2.4) (mean ± SD, p < 0.01). PD+FOG had impaired ability to voluntary lean forward, difficulties to stand on foam with eyes closed and reduced limits of stability compared to PD-FOG (p < 0.05). During quiet stance the average anterior-posterior COP position was significantly displaced towards posterior in PD+FOG in comparison to PD-FOG and HC (p < 0.05). The COP position correlated with severity of FOG (p < 0.01). PD+FOG and PD-FOG did not differ in average COP sway excursion, sway velocity, sway regularity and postural control asymmetry. PD+FOG have reduced postural control compared to PD-FOG and HC. Our results show a relationship between the anterior-posterior COP position during quiet stance and FOG. The COP shift towards posterior in PD+FOG leads to a restricted precondition to generate forward progression during gait initiation. This may contribute to the occurrence of FOG or might be a compensatory strategy to avoid forward falls. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speed Pressure in Conflict Situations Impedes Inhibitory Action Control in Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Van Wouwe, N.C.; van den Wildenberg, W.P.M.; Claassen, D.O.; Kanoff, K.; Bashore, T.R.; Wylie, S.A.

2014-01-01

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative basal ganglia disease that disrupts cognitive control processes involved in response selection. The current study investigated the effects of PD on the ability to resolve conflicts during response selection when performance emphasized response speed versus response accuracy. Twenty-one (21) PD patients and 21 healthy controls (HC) completed a Simon conflict task, and a subset of 10 participants from each group provided simultaneous movement-related potential (MRP) data to track patterns of motor cortex activation and inhibition associated with the successful resolution of conflicting response tendencies. Both groups adjusted performance strategically to emphasize response speed or accuracy (i.e., speed-accuracy effect). For HC, interference from a conflicting response was reduced when response accuracy rather than speed was prioritized. For PD patients, however, there was a reduction in interference, but it was not statistically significant. The conceptual framework of the Dual-Process Activation-Suppression (DPAS) model revealed that the groups experienced similar susceptibility to making fast impulsive errors in conflict trials irrespective of speed-accuracy instructions, but PD patients were less proficient and delayed compared to HC at suppressing the interference from these incorrect response tendencies, especially under speed pressure. Analysis of MRPs on response conflict trials showed attenuated inhibition of the motor cortex controlling the conflicting impulsive response tendency in PD patients compared to HC. These results further confirm the detrimental effects of PD inhibitory control mechanisms and their exacerbation when patients perform under speed pressure. The results also suggest that a downstream effect of inhibitory dysfunction in PD is diminished inhibition of motor cortex controlling conflicting response tendencies. PMID:25017503

A healthcare utilization cost comparison between employees receiving a worksite mindfulness or a diet/exercise lifestyle intervention to matched controls 5 years post intervention.

PubMed

Klatt, Maryanna D; Sieck, Cynthia; Gascon, Gregg; Malarkey, William; Huerta, Timothy

2016-08-01

To compare healthcare costs and utilization among participants in a study of two active lifestyle interventions implemented in the workplace and designed to foster awareness of and attention to health with a propensity score matched control group. We retrospectively compared changes in healthcare (HC) utilization among participants in the mindfulness intervention (n=84) and the diet/exercise intervention (n=86) to a retrospectively matched control group (n=258) drawn for this study. The control group was matched from the non-participant population on age, gender, relative risk score, and HC expenditures in the 9 month preceding the study. Measures included number of primary care visits, number and cost of pharmacy prescriptions, number of hospital admissions, and overall healthcare costs tracked for 5 years after the intervention. Significantly fewer primary care visits (p<.001) for both intervention groups as compared to controls, with a non-significant trend towards lower overall HC utilization (4,300.00 actual dollar differences) and hospital admissions for the intervention groups after five years. Pharmacy costs and number of prescriptions were significantly higher for the two intervention groups compared to controls over the five years (p<0.05), yet still resulted in less HC utilization costs, potentially indicating greater self-management of care. This study provides valuable information as to the cost savings and value of providing workplace lifestyle interventions that focus on awareness of one's body and health. Health economic studies validate the scale of personal and organization health cost savings that such programs can generate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR Appendix to Subpart Eee of... - Quality Assurance Procedures for Continuous Emissions Monitors Used for Hazardous Waste Combustors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... and CEMS control capabilities. 2.2Relative Accuracy (RA). The absolute mean difference between the... readings at the zero pollutant level after a stated period of operation during which no unscheduled... Evaluation for CO, O2, and HC CEMS Carbon Monoxide (CO), Oxygen (O2), and Hydrocarbon (HC) CEMS. An Absolute...

40 CFR Appendix to Subpart Eee of... - Quality Assurance Procedures for Continuous Emissions Monitors Used for Hazardous Waste Combustors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... and CEMS control capabilities. 2.2Relative Accuracy (RA). The absolute mean difference between the... readings at the zero pollutant level after a stated period of operation during which no unscheduled... Evaluation for CO, O2, and HC CEMS Carbon Monoxide (CO), Oxygen (O2), and Hydrocarbon (HC) CEMS. An Absolute...

Assessing personal financial management in patients with bipolar disorder and its relation to impulsivity and response inhibition.

PubMed

Cheema, Marvi K; MacQueen, Glenda M; Hassel, Stefanie

2015-01-01

Impulsivity and risk-taking behaviours are reported in bipolar disorder (BD). We examined whether financial management skills are related to impulsivity in patients with BD. We assessed financial management skills using the Executive Personal Finance Scale (EPFS), impulsivity using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and response inhibition using an emotional go/no-go task in bipolar individuals (N = 21) and healthy controls (HC; N = 23). Patients had fewer financial management skills and higher levels of impulsivity than HC. In patients and controls, increased impulsivity was associated with poorer personal financial management. Patients and HC performed equally on the emotional go/no-go task. Higher BIS scores were associated with faster reaction times in HC. In patients, however, higher BIS scores were associated with slower reaction times, possibly indicating compensatory cognitive strategies to counter increased impulsivity. Patients with BD may have reduced abilities to manage personal finances, when compared against healthy participants. Difficulty with personal finance management may arise in part as a result of increased levels of impulsivity. Patients may learn to compensate for increased impulsivity by modulating response times in our experimental situations although whether such compensatory strategies generalize to real-world situations is unknown.

Hydrocortisone administration for the treatment of refractory hypotension in critically ill newborns.

PubMed

Baker, C F W; Barks, J D E; Engmann, C; Vazquez, D M; Neal, C R; Schumacher, R E; Bhatt-Mehta, V

2008-06-01

The purpose of this observation was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of hydrocortisone (HC) for the treatment of refractory hypotension in term and preterm infants. A secondary purpose was to determine the utility of serum cortisol concentrations in predicting the response to treatment. This is a retrospective observational study of 117 infants treated with a standardized HC protocol for refractory hypotension. Refractory hypotension was defined as a mean arterial pressure (MAP) less than the gestational age (GA) despite a total inotrope dose of 20 microg per kg per min. Baseline serum cortisol concentrations were determined prior to treatment with stress dose HC. Treatment with HC increased the MAP at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after initiation, decreased the total inotrope dose at 6, 12 and 24 h, and was associated with resolution of oliguria. There was no correlation between the pretreatment baseline cortisol concentration and GA, birth weight or the response to treatment. The incidence of grades III to IV intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, bacterial or fungal sepsis and spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) after HC treatment was similar to institutional historic controls prior to institution of this standardized HC protocol. HC treatment was associated with a rapid resolution of cardiovascular compromise. The incidence of significant side effects was similar to that in previously published reports, including a comparable incidence of SIP. On the basis of our results, measuring baseline serum cortisol concentration to guide the management of refractory hypotension is unwarranted.

504 Participation of Invariant NKT Cells (Vα24Jα18) during Asthma Exacerbation in Children

PubMed Central

Carpio-Pedroza, Juan Carlos; del Rio-Navarro, Blanca Estela; del Río-Chivardí, Jaime Mariano; Morales-Flores, Amelia; Jiménez-Zamudio, Luis Antonio; Moreno-Lafont, Martha; Pedraza-Sánchez, Sigifredo; Vaughan-Figueroa, Juan Gilberto; Escobar-Gutiérrez, Alejandro

2012-01-01

Background Invariant NKT cells (or type 1 NKT cells) co-express CD3 marker and NK receptors (CD56, CD161) and use a single type of TCRα chain (Vα24Jα18 for humans), comprising CD4-CD8-, CD4+ and CD8+ subsets. Participation of these cells and their cytokines in asthmatic children, in stable conditions and under exacerbation, was studied. Methods Three groups on children (6–12 years old) were selected: 1) asthmatics under exacerbation attack (AE) within the first 24 hours after the attack and before starting any treatment; 2) asthmatics with stable asthma (SA), without symptoms for at least a month before bleeding; and 3) healthy controls (HC) without history of asthma, atopy and with normal lung function were selected in the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Service, Hospital Infantil de Mexico. Invariant NKT cells and subset levels as well as intracellular cytokines were evaluated in whole blood by 4-color flow cytometry (antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD161, Va24, IL-4 and IFN-g). Results Proportion of iNKT cells among total CD3+ cells in HC group was 0.9%, while in SA patients they were increased up to 2.6%; interestingly, during exacerbation such cells were dimished (1.8%). Concerning iNKT CD4+ cells were 0.6% in HC, 1.8% in SA, and 0.7% in AE, while iNKT CD8+ cells were 0.1% in HC, 0.7% in SA, and 0.4% in AE. Both iNKT cell subsets expressed intracellular IFN-g and IL-4 cytokines in AE, SA and HC but predominantly IFN-g in iNKT CD8+ cells from AE patients. Conclusions iNKT cells participation in asthma pathogenesis was confirmed. Increase of IFN-g production in patients with exacerbations, may provide a regulatory environment to stabilize the condition.

Decreased brain venous vasculature visibility on susceptibility-weighted imaging venography in patients with multiple sclerosis is related to chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The potential pathogenesis between the presence and severity of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and its relation to clinical and imaging outcomes in brain parenchyma of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients has not yet been elucidated. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between CCSVI, and altered brain parenchyma venous vasculature visibility (VVV) on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in patients with MS and in sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HC). Methods 59 MS patients, 41 relapsing-remitting and 18 secondary-progressive, and 33 HC were imaged on a 3T GE scanner using pre- and post-contrast SWI venography. The presence and severity of CCSVI was determined using extra-cranial and trans-cranial Doppler criteria. Apparent total venous volume (ATVV), venous intracranial fraction (VIF) and average distance-from-vein (DFV) were calculated for various vein mean diameter categories: < .3 mm, .3-.6 mm, .6-.9 mm and > .9 mm. Results CCSVI criteria were fulfilled in 79.7% of MS patients and 18.2% of HC (p < .0001). Patients with MS showed decreased overall ATVV, ATVV of veins with a diameter < .3 mm, and increased DFV compared to HC (all p < .0001). Subjects diagnosed with CCSVI had significantly increased DFV (p < .0001), decreased overall ATVV and ATVV of veins with a diameter < .3 mm (p < .003) compared to subjects without CCSVI. The severity of CCSVI was significantly related to decreased VVV in MS (p < .0001) on pre- and post-contrast SWI, but not in HC. Conclusions MS patients with higher number of venous stenoses, indicative of CCSVI severity, showed significantly decreased venous vasculature in the brain parenchyma. The pathogenesis of these findings has to be further investigated, but they suggest that reduced metabolism and morphological changes of venous vasculature may be taking place in patients with MS. PMID:22011402

Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in Parkinson's Disease: Potential as Trait-, Progression- and Prediction Marker and Confounding Factors

PubMed Central

Binder, Gerhard; Weber, Karin; Apel, Anja; Roeben, Benjamin; Deuschle, Christian; Maechtel, Mirjam; Heger, Tanja; Nussbaum, Susanne; Gasser, Thomas; Maetzler, Walter; Berg, Daniela

2016-01-01

Introduction Biomarkers indicating trait, progression and prediction of pathology and symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) often lack specificity or reliability. Investigating biomarker variance between individuals and over time and the effect of confounding factors is essential for the evaluation of biomarkers in PD, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Materials and Methods IGF-1 serum levels were investigated in up to 8 biannual visits in 37 PD patients and 22 healthy controls (HC) in the longitudinal MODEP study. IGF-1 baseline levels and annual changes in IGF-1 were compared between PD patients and HC while accounting for baseline disease duration (19 early stage: ≤3.5 years; 18 moderate stage: >4 years), age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and common medical factors putatively modulating IGF-1. In addition, associations of baseline IGF-1 with annual changes of motor, cognitive and depressive symptoms and medication dose were investigated. Results PD patients in moderate (130±26 ng/mL; p = .004), but not early stages (115±19, p>.1), showed significantly increased baseline IGF-1 levels compared with HC (106±24 ng/mL; p = .017). Age had a significant negative correlation with IGF-1 levels in HC (r = -.47, p = .028) and no correlation in PD patients (r = -.06, p>.1). BMI was negatively correlated in the overall group (r = -.28, p = .034). The annual changes in IGF-1 did not differ significantly between groups and were not correlated with disease duration. Baseline IGF-1 levels were not associated with annual changes of clinical parameters. Discussion Elevated IGF-1 in serum might differentiate between patients in moderate PD stages and HC. However, the value of serum IGF-1 as a trait-, progression- and prediction marker in PD is limited as IGF-1 showed large inter- and intraindividual variability and may be modulated by several confounders. PMID:26967642

The development and achievement of a healthy cities network in Taiwan: sharing leadership and partnership building.

PubMed

Hu, Susan C; Kuo, Hsien-Wen

2016-03-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) Healthy Cities (HC) projects are the best known of the settings-based approaches to health promotion. They engage local governments in health development through a process of political commitment, institutional change, capacity-building, partnership-based planning and innovative projects. Many cities have promoted HC projects in Taiwan since 2002. In 2008, the Taiwan Alliance for Healthy Cities (TAHC) was launched to assist local governments in effectively establishing, operating and promoting HC projects. In this article, we share our experiences of establishing a platform and network to promote the HC program in Taiwan. Based on individual city profiles and governance in Taiwan, the TAHC developed a well-organized framework and model to encourage strong leadership in local governments and to promote participation and engagement in their communities. In the last 6 years, leaders from Taiwan's local governments in HC networks have integrated the HC concepts into their governance models, actively engaging and combining various resources with practical expertise and private sectors. The network of health in Taiwan allows each city to develop its unique perspective on the HC projects. Using this method, not only local government meets its needs, but also increases governance efficiency and effectiveness, resulting in the promotion of its citizens' overall sustainable urban health development. This HC network in Taiwan has partnerships with government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with academic support and citizen involvement, a dynamic data collection system and demonstrated leadership in the sharing of information in the Asian region. © The Author(s) 2016.

Fragment C Domain of Tetanus Toxin Mitigates Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity and Its Motor Consequences in Mice

PubMed Central

Mendieta, Liliana; Granado, Noelia; Aguilera, José; Tizabi, Yousef

2016-01-01

Background: The C-terminal domain of the heavy chain of tetanus toxin (Hc-TeTx) is a nontoxic peptide with demonstrated in vitro and in vivo neuroprotective effects against striatal dopaminergic damage induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium and 6-hydoxydopamine, suggesting its possible therapeutic potential in Parkinson’s disease. Methamphetamine, a widely abused psychostimulant, has selective dopaminergic neurotoxicity in rodents, monkeys, and humans. This study was undertaken to determine whether Hc-TeTx might also protect against methamphetamine-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity and the consequent motor impairment. Methods: For this purpose, we treated mice with a toxic regimen of methamphetamine (4mg/kg, 3 consecutive i.p. injections, 3 hours apart) followed by 3 injections of 40 ug/kg of Hc-TeTx into grastrocnemius muscle at 1, 24, and 48 hours post methamphetamine treatment. Results: We found that Hc-TeTx significantly reduced the loss of dopaminergic markers tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter and the increases in silver staining (a well stablished degeneration marker) induced by methamphetamine in the striatum. Moreover, Hc-TeTx prevented the increase of neuronal nitric oxide synthase but did not affect microglia activation induced by methamphetamine. Stereological neuronal count in the substantia nigra indicated loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons after methamphetamine that was partially prevented by Hc-TeTx. Importantly, impairment in motor behaviors post methamphetamine treatment were significantly reduced by Hc-TeTx. Conclusions: Here we demonstrate that Hc-TeTx can provide significant protection against acute methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and motor impairment, suggesting its therapeutic potential in methamphetamine abusers. PMID:26945022

A psychosocial resilience curriculum provides the "missing piece" to boost adolescent physical health: A randomized controlled trial of Girls First in India.

PubMed

Leventhal, Katherine Sachs; DeMaria, Lisa M; Gillham, Jane E; Andrew, Gracy; Peabody, John; Leventhal, Steve M

2016-07-01

Despite a recent proliferation of interventions to improve health, education, and livelihoods for girls in low and middle income countries, psychosocial wellbeing has been neglected. This oversight is particularly problematic as attending to psychosocial development may be important not only for psychosocial but also physical wellbeing. This study examines the physical health effects of Girls First, a combined psychosocial (Girls First Resilience Curriculum [RC]) and adolescent physical health (Girls First Health Curriculum [HC]) intervention (RC + HC) versus its individual components (i.e., RC, HC) and a control group. We expected Girls First to improve physical health versus HC and controls. Over 3000 girls in 76 government middle schools in rural Bihar, India participated. Interventions were delivered through in-school peer-support groups, facilitated by pairs of local women. Girls were assessed before and after program participation on two primary outcomes (health knowledge and gender equality attitudes) and nine secondary outcomes (clean water behaviors, hand washing, menstrual hygiene, health communication, ability to get to a doctor when needed, substance use, nutrition, safety, vitality and functioning). Analyses included Difference-in-Difference Ordinary Least-Squares Regressions and F-tests for equality among conditions. Girls First significantly improved both primary and eight secondary outcomes (all except nutrition) versus controls. Additionally, Girls First demonstrated significantly greater effects, improving both primary and six secondary outcomes (clean water behaviors, hand washing, health communication, ability to get to a doctor, nutrition, safety) versus HC. This study is among the first to assess the impact of a combined psychosocial and adolescent health program on physical health. We found that combining these curricula amplified effects achieved by either curriculum alone. These findings suggest that psychosocial wellbeing should receive much broader attention, not only from those interested in improving psychosocial outcomes but also from those interested in improving physical health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Hydrodynamic cavitation-assisted alkaline pretreatment as a new approach for sugarcane bagasse biorefineries.

PubMed

Terán Hilares, Ruly; Dos Santos, Júlio César; Ahmed, Muhammad Ajaz; Jeon, Seok Hwan; da Silva, Silvio Silvério; Han, Jong-In

2016-08-01

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) was employed in order to improve the efficiency of alkaline pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB). Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize pretreatment parameters: NaOH concentration (0.1-0.5M), solid/liquid ratio (S/L, 3-10%) and HC time (15-45min), in terms of glucan content, lignin removal and enzymatic digestibility. Under an optimal HC condition (0.48M of NaOH, 4.27% of S/L ratio and 44.48min), 52.1% of glucan content, 60.4% of lignin removal and 97.2% of enzymatic digestibility were achieved. Moreover, enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated SCB resulted in a yield 82% and 30% higher than the untreated and alkaline-treated controls, respectively. HC was found to be a potent and promising approach to pretreat lignocellulosic biomass. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medicaid care management: description of high-cost addictions treatment clients.

PubMed

Neighbors, Charles J; Sun, Yi; Yerneni, Rajeev; Tesiny, Ed; Burke, Constance; Bardsley, Leland; McDonald, Rebecca; Morgenstern, Jon

2013-09-01

High utilizers of alcohol and other drug treatment (AODTx) services are a priority for healthcare cost control. We examine characteristics of Medicaid-funded AODTx clients, comparing three groups: individuals <90th percentile of AODTx expenditures (n=41,054); high-cost clients in the top decile of AODTx expenditures (HC; n=5,718); and 1760 enrollees in a chronic care management (CM) program for HC clients implemented in 22 counties in New York State. Medicaid and state AODTx registry databases were combined to draw demographic, clinical, social needs and treatment history data. HC clients accounted for 49% of AODTx costs funded by Medicaid. As expected, HC clients had significant social welfare needs, comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions, and use of inpatient services. The CM program was successful in enrolling some high-needs, high-cost clients but faced barriers to reaching the most costly and disengaged individuals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of menstrual cycle phase on corticolimbic brain activation by visual food cues.

PubMed

Frank, Tamar C; Kim, Ginah L; Krzemien, Alicja; Van Vugt, Dean A

2010-12-02

Food intake is decreased during the late follicular phase and increased in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. While a changing ovarian steroid milieu is believed to be responsible for this behavior, the specific mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Brain activity in response to visual food stimuli was compared during the estrogen dominant peri-ovulatory phase and the progesterone dominant luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Twelve women underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during the peri-ovulatory and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in a counterbalanced fashion. Whole brain T2* images were collected while subjects viewed pictures of high calorie (HC) foods, low calorie (LC) foods, and control (C) pictures presented in a block design. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in the late follicular phase and luteal phase was determined for the contrasts HC-C, LC-C, HC-LC, and LC-HC. Both HC and LC stimuli activated numerous corticolimbic brain regions in the follicular phase, whereas only HC stimuli were effective in the luteal phase. Activation of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), amygdala, and hippocampus in response to the HC-C contrast and the hippocampus in response to the LC-C contrast was significantly increased in the late follicular phase compared to the luteal phase. Activation of the orbitofrontal cortex and mid cingulum in response to the HC-LC contrast was greater during the luteal phase. These results demonstrate for the first time that brain responses to visual food cues are influenced by menstrual cycle phase. We postulate that ovarian steroid modulation of the corticolimbic brain contributes to changes in ingestive behavior during the menstrual cycle. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of 27-hydroxycholesterol on endometrial cancer proliferation.

PubMed

Gibson, Douglas A; Collins, Frances; Cousins, Fiona L; Esnal Zufiaurre, Arantza; Saunders, Philippa T K

2018-04-01

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological malignancy. Obesity is a major risk factor for EC and is associated with elevated cholesterol. 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC) is a cholesterol metabolite that functions as an endogenous agonist for Liver X receptor (LXR) and a selective oestrogen receptor modulator (SERM). Exposure to oestrogenic ligands increases risk of developing EC; however, the impact of 27HC on EC is unknown. Samples of stage 1 EC ( n  = 126) were collected from postmenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy. Expression of LXRs ( NR1H3 , LXRα; NR1H2 , LXRβ) and enzymes required for the synthesis ( CYP27A1 ) or breakdown ( CYP7B1 ) of 27HC were detected in all grades of EC. Cell lines originating from well-, moderate- and poorly-differentiated ECs (Ishikawa, RL95, MFE 280 respectively) were used to assess the impact of 27HC or the LXR agonist GW3965 on proliferation or expression of a luciferase reporter gene under the control of LXR- or ER-dependent promoters (LXRE, ERE). Incubation with 27HC or GW3965 increased transcription via LXRE in Ishikawa, RL95 and MFE 280 cells ( P  < 0.01). 27HC selectively activated ER-dependent transcription ( P  < 0.001) in Ishikawa cells and promoted proliferation of both Ishikawa and RL95 cells ( P  < 0.001). In MFE 280 cells, 27HC did not alter proliferation but selective targeting of LXR with GW3965 significantly reduced cell proliferation ( P  < 0.0001). These novel results suggest that 27HC can contribute to risk of EC by promoting proliferation of endometrial cancer epithelial cells and highlight LXR as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of advanced disease. © 2018 The authors.

The receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPRJ negatively modulates the CD98hc oncoprotein in lung cancer cells

PubMed Central

D’Agostino, Sabrina; Lanzillotta, Delia; Varano, Mariaconcetta; Botta, Cirino; Baldrini, Antonio; Bilotta, Anna; Scalise, Stefania; Dattilo, Vincenzo; Amato, Rosario; Gaudio, Eugenio; Paduano, Francesco; Palmieri, Camillo; Iuliano, Rodolfo; Perrotti, Nicola; Indiveri, Cesare; Fusco, Alfredo; Gaspari, Marco; Trapasso, Francesco

2018-01-01

PTPRJ, a receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase strongly downregulated in human cancer, displays tumor suppressor activity by negatively modulating several proteins involved in proliferating signals. Here, through a proteomic-based approach, we identified a list of potential PTPRJ-interacting proteins and among them we focused on CD98hc, a type II glycosylated integral membrane protein encoded by SLC3A2, corresponding to the heavy chain of a heterodimeric transmembrane amino-acid transporter, including LAT1. CD98hc is widely overexpressed in several types of cancers and contributes to the process of tumorigenesis by interfering with cell proliferation, adhesion, and migration. We first validated PTPRJ-CD98hc interaction, then demonstrated that PTPRJ overexpression dramatically reduces CD98hc protein levels in A549 lung cancer cells. In addition, following to the treatment of PTPRJ-transduced cells with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, CD98hc levels did not decrease compared to controls, indicating that PTPRJ is involved in the regulation of CD98hc proteasomal degradation. Moreover, PTPRJ overexpression combined with CD98hc silencing consistently reduced cell proliferation and triggered apoptosis of lung cancer cells. Interestingly, by interrogating the can Evolve database, we observed an inverse correlation between PTPRJ and SLC3A2 gene expression. Indeed, the non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) of patients showing a short survival rate express the lowest and the highest levels of PTPRJ and SLC3A2, respectively. Therefore, the results reported here contribute to shed lights on PTPRJ signaling in cancer cells: moreover, our findings also support the development of a novel anticancer therapeutic approach by targeting the pathway of PTPRJ that is usually downregulated in highly malignant human neoplasias.

The influence of oxazaphosphorines alkylating agents on autonomic nervous system activity in rat experimental cystitis model.

PubMed

Dobrek, Łukasz; Baranowska, Agnieszka; Thor, Piotr J

2013-01-01

The oxazaphosphorines alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide; CP and ifosfamide; IF) are often used in common clinical practice. However, treatment with CP/IF is burdened with the risk of many adverse drug reactions, especially including hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) that is associated with bladder overactivity symptoms (OAB). The HC pathophysiology is still not fully displayed; it seems that autonomic nervous system (ANS) functional abnormalities play important role in this disturbance. The aim of our study was to reveal the potential ANS differences in rat experimental HC model, evoked by CP and IF by an indirect ANS assessment--heart rate variability (HRV) study. We carried out our experimental research in three essential groups: control group (group 1), cyclophosphamide-induced HC (CP-HC; group 2) one and ifosfamide-induced HC (IF-HC; group 3) one. CP was i.p. administrated four times in dose of 75 mg/kg body weight while IF-treated rats received i.p. five drug doses; 50 mg/kg body weight. Control rats were administrated i.p. vehicle in appropriate volumes as CP/IF treated animals. HRV studies were performed the next day after the last oxazaphosphorines dose. Standard time- and spectral (frequency) domain parameters were estimated. We confirmed the HC development after both CP/IF in macroscopic assessment and bladder wet weight measurement; however, it was more aggravated in CP-HC group. Moreover, we demonstrated HRV disturbances, suggesting ANS impairment after both studied oxazaphosphorines, however, consistent with the findings mentioned above, the autonomic dysfunction was more emphasized after CP. CP treatment was also associated with changes of non-normalized HRV spectral components percentage distribution--a marked very low frequency--VLF [%] increase together with low frequency--LF [%] and high frequency--HF [%] decrease were observed. Taking into consideration the next findings, demonstrating the lack of both normalized power spectral components (nLF and nHF) values, the VLF percentage change seems to be of special meaning. IF produced smaller autonomic disturbances, and gentler bladders histological abnormalities comparing to CP. However, similar to CP, VLF [%] relative augmentation together with LF [%] and HF [%] drop accompanied the global ANS activity decrease. Additionally, in the case of IF treatment, a slight trend of nLF increase with nHF decrease was noted, suggesting the possible functional rearrangement between sympathetic (nLF) and parasympathetic (nHF) tension. It seems possible that the vagal withdrawal and--as a consequence--sympathetic overactivity, reflected by VLF [%] enlargement and HF and LF [%] diminishing (as well as LF and HF values decrease), may be an evidence of impaired anti-inflammatory cholinergic pathway, aggravating bladder inflammatory lesions. To sum up, our study showed ANS impairment in both CP- and IF-evoked experimental HC that was reflected in HRV recordings. HRV study, thus, may be considered to be a diagnostic tool for CP/IF treated patients, estimating autonomic abnormalities, associated with the HC development risk and its clinical course.

The antimicrobial effect of CEN1HC-Br against Propionibacterium acnes and its therapeutic and anti-inflammatory effects on acne vulgaris.

PubMed

Han, Rui; Blencke, Hans-Matti; Cheng, Hao; Li, Chun

2018-01-01

Propionibacterium acnes is a commensal bacterium, which is involved in acne inflammation. An antimicrobial peptide named CEN1HC-Br, which was isolated and characterized form the green sea urchin, has been shown to possess broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Little is known concerning the potential effects of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties against P. acnes. To examine the potency of CEN1HC-Br in acne treatment, we conducted experiments to analyze the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of CEN1HC-Br both in vitro and in vivo. The antimicrobial activity of CEN1HC-Br was evaluated by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays using the broth dilution method. To elucidate the in vitro anti-inflammatory effect, HaCaT cells and human monocytes were treated with different concentration of CEN1HC-Br after stimulation by P. acnes. The expression of TLR2 and the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-12, respectively, were measured by enzyme immunoassays. An evaluation of P. acnes-induced ear edema in rat ear was conducted to compare the in vivo antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect of CEN1HC-Br, the expression of IL-8, TNF-α, MMP-2 and TLR2 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and real time-PCR. CEN1HC-Br showed stronger antimicrobial activity against P. acnes than clindamycin. CEN1HC-Br significantly reduced the expression of interleukin IL-12p40, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and TLR2 in monocytes, but they were not influenced by clindamycin. Both CEN1HC-Br and Clindamycin attenuated P. acnes-induced ear swelling in rat along with pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8, TNF-α, MMP-2 and TLR2. Our data demonstrates that CEN1HC-Br is bactericidal against P. acnes and that it has an anti-inflammatory effect on monocytes. The anti-inflammatory effect may partially occur through TLR2 down-regulation, triggering an innate immune response and the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of Transcerebellar Diameter/Abdominal Circumference Versus Head Circumference/Abdominal Circumference in Predicting Asymmetric Intrauterine Growth Retardation

PubMed Central

Bhimarao; Bhat, Venkataramana; Gowda, Puttanna VN

2015-01-01

Background The high incidence of IUGR and its low recognition lead to increasing perinatal morbidity and mortality for which prediction of IUGR with timely management decisions is of paramount importance. Many studies have compared the efficacy of several gestational age independent parameters and found that TCD/AC is a better predictor of asymmetric IUGR. Aim To compare the accuracy of transcerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference with head circumference/abdominal circumference in predicting asymmetric intrauterine growth retardation after 20 weeks of gestation. Materials and Methods The prospective study was conducted over a period of one year on 50 clinically suspected IUGR pregnancies who were evaluated with 3.5 MHz frequency ultrasound scanner by a single sonologist. BPD, HC, AC and FL along with TCD were measured for assessing the sonological gestational age. Two morphometric ratios- TCD/AC and HC/AC were calculated. Estimated fetal weight was calculated for all these pregnancies and its percentile was determined. Statistical Methods The TCD/AC and HC/AC ratios were correlated with advancing gestational age to know if these were related to GA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy (DA) for TCD/AC and HC/AC ratios in evaluating IUGR fetuses were calculated. Results In the present study, linear relation of TCD and HC in IUGR fetuses with gestation was noted. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV & DA were 88%, 93.5%, 77.1%, 96.3% & 92.4% respectively for TCD/AC ratio versus 84%, 92%, 72.4%, 95.8% & 90.4% respectively for HC/AC ratio in predicting IUGR. Conclusion Both ratios were gestational age independent and can be used in detecting IUGR with good diagnostic accuracy. However, TCD/AC ratio had a better diagnostic validity and accuracy compared to HC/AC ratio in predicting asymmetric IUGR. PMID:26557588

LORETA Current Source Density for Duration Mismatch Negativity and Neuropsychological Assessment in Early Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Miyanishi, Tomohiro; Sumiyoshi, Tomiki; Higuchi, Yuko; Seo, Tomonori; Suzuki, Michio

2013-01-01

Introduction Patients with schizophrenia elicit cognitive decline from the early phase of the illness. Mismatch negativity (MMN) has been shown to be associated with cognitive function. We investigated the current source density of duration mismatch negativity (dMMN), by using low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA), and neuropsychological performance in subjects with early schizophrenia. Methods Data were obtained from 20 patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder, and 20 healthy control (HC) subjects. An auditory odd-ball paradigm was used to measure dMMN. Neuropsychological performance was evaluated by the brief assessment of cognition in schizophrenia Japanese version (BACS-J). Results Patients showed smaller dMMN amplitudes than those in the HC subjects. LORETA current density for dMMN was significantly lower in patients compared to HC subjects, especially in the temporal lobes. dMMN current density in the frontal lobe was positively correlated with working memory performance in patients. Conclusions This is the first study to identify brain regions showing smaller dMMN current density in early schizophrenia. Further, poor working memory was associated with decreased dMMN current density in patients. These results are likely to help understand the neural basis for cognitive impairment of schizophrenia. PMID:23577204

Platelet Function Analyzer 100 and Brain Natriuretic Peptide as Biomarkers in Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Blackshear, Joseph L; Safford, Robert E; Thomas, Colleen S; Bos, J Martijn; Ackerman, Michael J; Geske, Jeffrey B; Ommen, Steve R; Shapiro, Brian P; Johns, Gretchen S

2018-03-15

To test dual blood biomarkers compared with electrocardiogram (ECG) for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) screening, we performed 3 analyses and cut-point assessments. First, we measured platelet function analyzer (PFA)-100 (n = 99) and normalized B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or NT-proBNP (BNP/upper limit of normal [ULN], n = 92) in 64 patients with HC and 29 normal controls (NCs). Second, from the regression equation between PFA and gradient (r = 0.77), we derived estimated PFA in a population of 189 patients with functional class I HC in whom measured BNP/ULN and ECG were available, and calculated single and dual biomarker sensitivity and specificity compared with ECG. Finally, we compared BNP/ULN in class I patients based on mutation and familial history status. In 42 patients with obstructive HC versus NCs, there was a slight overlap of PFA and BNP/ULN, but for the product of PFA × BNP/ULN, there was near-complete separation of values. Among patients with class I obstructive HC, estimated PFA × BNP/ULN had a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 100%; in latent and nonobstructive HC, sensitivity dropped to 61% and 72%; for ECG in obstructive, latent, and nonobstructive HC, sensitivity was 71%, 34%, and 67%. Functional class I patients with positive (n = 28) and negative (n = 36) sarcomere mutations and a positive (n = 71) or a negative (n = 109) family history had significant elevations of BNP/ULN versus NC, with no between-group differences. In conclusion, PFA and BNP were highly associated with obstructive HC and could potentially be used for screening; BNP was not uniquely elevated in patients with familial versus nonfamilial or mutation-positive versus mutation-negative HC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Orthopedic Surgery and Post-Operative Cognitive Decline in Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease: Considerations from a Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Price, Catherine C.; Levy, Shellie-Anne; Tanner, Jared; Garvan, Cyndi; Ward, Jade; Akbar, Farheen; Bowers, Dawn; Rice, Mark; Okun, Michael

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) demarks cognitive decline after major surgery but has been studied to date in “healthy” adults. Although individuals with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly undergo elective surgery, these individuals have yet to be prospectively followed despite hypotheses of increased POCD risk. OBJECTIVE To conduct a pilot study examining cognitive change pre-post elective orthopedic surgery for PD relative to surgery and non-surgery peers. METHODS A prospective one-year longitudinal design. No-dementia idiopathic PD individuals were actively recruited along with non-PD “healthy” controls (HC) undergoing knee replacement surgery. Non-surgical PD and HC controls were also recruited. Attention/processing speed, inhibitory function, memory recall, animal (semantic) fluency, and motor speed were assessed at baseline (pre-surgery), three-weeks, three-months, and one-year post- orthopedic surgery. Reliable change methods examined individual changes for PD individuals relative to control surgery and control non-surgery peers. RESULTS Over two years we screened 152 older adult surgery or non-surgery candidates with 19 of these individuals having a diagnosis of PD. Final participants included 8 PD (5 surgery, 3 non-surgery), 47 Control Surgery, and 21 Control Non-Surgery. Eighty percent (4 of the 5) PD surgery declined greater than 1.645 standard deviations from their baseline performance on measures assessing processing speed and inhibitory function. This was not observed for the non-surgery PD individuals. CONCLUSION This prospective pilot study demonstrated rationale and feasibility for examining cognitive decline in at-risk neurodegenerative populations. We discuss recruitment and design challenges for examining post-operative cognitive decline in neurodegenerative samples. PMID:26683785

48. Associations Between Electrophysiological Measures of Selective Attention and Neurocognitive Measures of Working Memory and Attention in Antipsychotic-Naive, First-Episode Schizophrenia Patients

PubMed Central

Kruiper, Caitlyn; Fagerlund, Birgitte; Nielsen, Mette Ø.; Düring, Signe; Jensen, Maria H.; Ebdrup, Bjørn H.; Glenthøj, Birte Y.; Oranje, Bob

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Deficits in attention and working memory are already present in early stages of schizophrenia. The P3a and b event related brain potentials (ERPs) are believed to underlie processes of attention and working memory, but, only limited research has been performed on the associations between these psychophysiological and cognitive deficits, particularly in the early stages of schizophrenia. We aimed to investigate associations between P3a and P3b amplitudes and measures of attention and working memory in a large cohort of antipsychotic-naive, first-episode schizophrenia patients (AN-FES) and age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Methods: Eighty-three AN-FES patients and 108 HC, matched for age and gender, were assessed for their P3a and b amplitude and latency with the selective attention paradigm from the Copenhagen Psychophysiological Test Battery (CPTB). In addition, the Spatial Working Memory (SWM) and Rapid Visual Information Processing test (RVP) from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess working memory and attention. Outcome measure for the SWM was Strategy, wherein a low score represents a more effective strategy. For the RVP, we used the A’ measure as outcome. This measure represents how well the participant is able to detect target sequences. Results: P3a and P3b amplitudes were significantly reduced in our AN-FES patients compared to HC. In addition, the P3a peak latency was earlier in the AN-FES patients than in HC, while P3b latency did not differ between the groups. Furthermore, AN-FES patients scored significantly lower on the SWM task and the RVP compared to HC. A positive association was found between RVP and P3b in our total group. However, this effect disappeared when split into the two subgroups. In contrast, SWM was positively associated with P3b in HC, while this effect was neither present in AN-FES nor in the total group. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence for P3a and P3b amplitude reductions as well as neurocognitive deficits in AN-FES patients compared to age and gender matched HC. This supports previous data that electrophysiological and neurocognitive deficits already exist in early stages of schizophrenia, and are not due to use of antipsychotics. Our data support significant yet rather weak associations between P3b amplitude and both working memory and attention, although the association between working memory and P3b was only found in HC and not in AN-FES.

State-Dependent Cross-Brain Information Flow in Borderline Personality Disorder.

PubMed

Bilek, Edda; Stößel, Gabriela; Schäfer, Axel; Clement, Laura; Ruf, Matthias; Robnik, Lydia; Neukel, Corinne; Tost, Heike; Kirsch, Peter; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas

2017-09-01

Although borderline personality disorder (BPD)-one of the most common, burdensome, and costly psychiatric conditions-is characterized by repeated interpersonal conflict and instable relationships, the neurobiological mechanism of social interactive deficits remains poorly understood. To apply recent advancements in the investigation of 2-person human social interaction to investigate interaction difficulties among people with BPD. Cross-brain information flow in BPD was examined from May 25, 2012, to December 4, 2015, in pairs of participants studied in 2 linked functional magnetic resonance imaging scanners in a university setting. Participants performed a joint attention task. Each pair included a healthy control individual (HC) and either a patient currently fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for BPD (cBPD) (n = 23), a patient in remission for 2 years or more (rBPD) (n = 17), or a second HC (n = 20). Groups were matched for age and educational level. A measure of cross-brain neural coupling was computed following previously published work to indicate synchronized flow between right temporoparietal junction networks (previously shown to host neural coupling abilities in health). This measure is derived from an independent component analysis contrasting the time courses of components between pairs of truly interacting participants compared with bootstrapped control pairs. In the sample including 23 women with cBPD (mean [SD] age, 26.8 [5.7] years), 17 women with rBPD (mean [SD] age, 28.5 [4.3] years), and 80 HCs (mean [SD] age, 24.0 [3.4] years]) investigated as dyads, neural coupling was found to be associated with disorder state (η2 = 0.17; P = .007): while HC-HC pairs showed synchronized neural responses, cBPD-HC pairs exhibited significantly lower neural coupling just above permutation-based data levels (η2 = 0.16; P = .009). No difference was found between neural coupling in rBPD-HC and HC-HC pairs. The neural coupling in patients was significantly associated with childhood adversity (T = 2.3; P = .03). This study provides a neural correlate for a core diagnostic and clinical feature of BPD. Results indicate that hyperscanning may deliver state-associated biomarkers for clinical social neuroscience. In addition, at least some neural deficits of BPD may be more reversible than is currently assumed for personality disorders.

Promotion and computation of inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity of herbal cream by incorporating indigenous medicinal plants.

PubMed

Sahu, Ram Kumar; Roy, Amit; Dwivedi, Jaya; Jha, Arvind Kumar

2014-01-01

Herbal cream imparts a chief role in regulating melanin production of skin. The phytoconstituents present in herbal cream impact biological functions of skin and contribute nutrients required for the healthy skin. In the present study, it was envisaged to prepare three batches of herbal cream (HC1, HC2 and HC3) containing ethanol extracts of Emblica officinalis (fruits), Daucus carota (root), Mangifera indica (leaves), Mentha arvensis (leaves), Terminalia arjuna (bark) and Cucumis sativus (fruits) and investigated the prepared cream for inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity. The herbal cream was formulated by incorporating different ratio of extracts, by using cream base. Each formulation HC1, HC2 and HC3 were segregated into three different formulations (HC1.1, HC1.2, HC1.3, HC2.1, HC2.2, HC2.3, HC3.1, HC3.2 and HC3.3) by incorporating increasing ratio of extract in formulation. The HC3.2 cream produces highest tyrosinase inhibitory effect 65.23 +/- 0.07%, while the HC2.1 exhibited minimum tyrosinase inhibitory effect 26.19 +/- 0.08% compared to other prepared cream. Comparison of the inhibitory activity of the formulations demonstrated that the rank order was HC3.2 > HC3.3 > HC1.2 > HC1.3 > HC3.1 > HC1.1 > HC2.3 > HC2.2 > HC2.1. It has been observed from the result that the formulations of antityrosinase activity were not concentrate dependent. This finding suggests that decrease in antityrosinase activity of HC1 and HC3 might be considering that the incompatibility of the higher extract content with the base of cream. The HC3 produce the maximum inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity might be due to higher level of polyphenol and flavonoids present in extracts.

Ex vivo dissection of optogenetically activated mPFC and hippocampal inputs to neurons in the basolateral amygdala: implications for fear and emotional memory

PubMed Central

Hübner, Cora; Bosch, Daniel; Gall, Andrea; Lüthi, Andreas; Ehrlich, Ingrid

2014-01-01

Many lines of evidence suggest that a reciprocally interconnected network comprising the amygdala, ventral hippocampus (vHC), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) participates in different aspects of the acquisition and extinction of conditioned fear responses and fear behavior. This could at least in part be mediated by direct connections from mPFC or vHC to amygdala to control amygdala activity and output. However, currently the interactions between mPFC and vHC afferents and their specific targets in the amygdala are still poorly understood. Here, we use an ex-vivo optogenetic approach to dissect synaptic properties of inputs from mPFC and vHC to defined neuronal populations in the basal amygdala (BA), the area that we identify as a major target of these projections. We find that BA principal neurons (PNs) and local BA interneurons (INs) receive monosynaptic excitatory inputs from mPFC and vHC. In addition, both these inputs also recruit GABAergic feedforward inhibition in a substantial fraction of PNs, in some neurons this also comprises a slow GABAB-component. Amongst the innervated PNs we identify neurons that project back to subregions of the mPFC, indicating a loop between neurons in mPFC and BA, and a pathway from vHC to mPFC via BA. Interestingly, mPFC inputs also recruit feedforward inhibition in a fraction of INs, suggesting that these inputs can activate dis-inhibitory circuits in the BA. A general feature of both mPFC and vHC inputs to local INs is that excitatory inputs display faster rise and decay kinetics than in PNs, which would enable temporally precise signaling. However, mPFC and vHC inputs to both PNs and INs differ in their presynaptic release properties, in that vHC inputs are more depressing. In summary, our data describe novel wiring, and features of synaptic connections from mPFC and vHC to amygdala that could help to interpret functions of these interconnected brain areas at the network level. PMID:24634648

Tracing Back to the Onset of Abnormal Head Circumference Growth in Italian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muratori, Filippo; Calderoni, Sara; Apicella, Fabio; Filippi, Tiziana; Santocchi, Elisa; Calugi, Simona; Cosenza, Angela; Tancredi, Raffaella; Narzisi, Antonio

2012-01-01

This retrospective study aims to describe head circumference (HC) developmental course during the first year of life in 50 Italian children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and in a control group of 100 typically developing children (TD). To this end, we use anthropometric measurements (HC, body height, body weight) obtained at birth (T0), 1-2…

Decolorization of Acid Orange 7 by an electric field-assisted modified orifice plate hydrodynamic cavitation system: Optimization of operational parameters.

PubMed

Jung, Kyung-Won; Park, Dae-Seon; Hwang, Min-Jin; Ahn, Kyu-Hong

2015-09-01

In this study, the decolorization of Acid Orange 7 (AO-7) with intensified performance was obtained using hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) combined with an electric field (graphite electrodes). As a preliminary step, various HC systems were compared in terms of decolorization, and, among them, the electric field-assisted modified orifice plate HC (EFM-HC) system exhibited perfect decolorization performance within 40 min of reaction time. Interestingly, when H2O2 was injected into the EFM-HC system as an additional oxidant, the reactor performance gradually decreased as the dosing ratio increased; thus, the remaining experiments were performed without H2O2. Subsequently, an optimization process was conducted using response surface methodology with a Box-Behnken design. The inlet pressure, initial pH, applied voltage, and reaction time were chosen as operational key factors, while decolorization was selected as the response variable. The overall performance revealed that the selected parameters were either slightly interdependent, or had significant interactive effects on the decolorization. In the verification test, complete decolorization was observed under statistically optimized conditions. This study suggests that EFM-HC is a useful method for pretreatment of dye wastewater with positive economic and commercial benefits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MnO2 Nanowire/Biomass-Derived Carbon from Hemp Stem for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Yang, MinHo; Kim, Dong Seok; Hong, Seok Bok; Sim, Jae-Wook; Kim, Jinsoo; Kim, Seung-Soo; Choi, Bong Gill

2017-05-30

Hierarchical 3D nanostructures based on waste biomass are being offered as promising materials for energy storage due to their processabilities, multifunctionalities, environmental benignities, and low cost. Here we report a facile, inexpensive, and scalable strategy for the fabrication of hierarchical porous 3D structure as electrode materials for supercapacitors based on MnO 2 nanowires and hemp-derived activated carbon (HC). Vertical MnO 2 wires are uniformly deposited onto the surface of HC using a one-step hydrothermal method to produce hierarchical porous structures with conductive interconnected 3D networks. HC acts as a near-ideal 3D current collector and anchors electroactive materials, and this confers a specific capacitance of 340 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 with a high rate capability (88% retention) of the 3D MnO 2 /HC composite because of its open-pore system, which facilitates ion and electron transports and synergistic contribution of two energy-storage materials. Moreover, asymmetric supercapacitors fabricated using 3D HC as the anode and 3D MnO 2 /HC as the cathode are able to store 33.3 Wh kg -1 of energy and have a power delivery of 14.8 kW kg -1 .

Bile Flow Phantom Model and Animal Bile Duct Dilation Model for Evaluating Biliary Plastic Stents with Advanced Hydrophilic Coating

PubMed Central

Kwon, Chang-Il; Kim, Gwangil; Jeong, Seok; Lee, Won Seop; Lee, Don Haeng; Ko, Kwang Hyun; Hong, Sung Pyo; Hahm, Ki Baik

2016-01-01

Background/Aims The efforts to improve biliary plastic stents (PSs) for decreasing biofilm formation and overcome short patency time have been continued. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of advanced hydrophilic coating for patency and biodurability of PS. Methods Using an in vitro bile flow phantom model, we compared patency between prototype PS with hydrophilic coating (PS+HC) and prototype PS without hydrophilic coating (PS−HC). We performed an analysis of the degree of luminal narrowing by microscopic examination. Using an in vivo swine bile duct dilation model made by endoscopic papillary closure and stent insertion, we evaluated biodurability of hydrophilic coating. Results In the phantom model, PS+HC showed less biofilm formation and luminal narrowing than PS−HC at 8 weeks (p<0.05). A total of 31 stents were inserted into the dilated bile duct of seven swine models, and 24 stents were successfully retrieved 8 weeks later. There was no statistical difference of stent patency between the polyethylene PS+HC and the polyurethane PS+HC. The biodurability of hydrophilic coating was sustained up to 8 weeks, when assessing the coating layer by scanning electron microscopy examination. Conclusions Advanced hydrophilic coating technology may extend the patency of PS compared to uncoated PS. PMID:27021507

Neurological Abnormalities in Recent-Onset Schizophrenia and Asperger-Syndrome

PubMed Central

Hirjak, Dusan; Wolf, Robert Christian; Koch, Sabine C.; Mehl, Laura; Kelbel, Janna K.; Kubera, Katharina Maria; Traeger, Tanja; Fuchs, Thomas; Thomann, Philipp Arthur

2014-01-01

Background: Neurological abnormalities including a variety of subtle deficits such as discrete impairments in sensory integration, motor coordination (MOCO), and sequencing of complex motor acts are frequently found in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and commonly referred to as neurological soft signs (NSS). Asperger-syndrome (AS) is characterized by sensory-motor difficulties as well. However, the question whether the two disorders share a common or a disease-specific pattern of NSS remains unresolved. Method: A total of 78 age- and education-matched participants [26 patients with recent-onset SZ, 26 individuals with AS, and 26 healthy controls (HC)] were recruited for the study. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), with age, years of education, and medication included as covariates, were used to examine group differences on total NSS and the five subscale scores. Discriminant analyses were employed to identify the NSS subscales that maximally discriminate between the three groups. Results: Significant differences among the three groups were found in NSS total score and on the five NSS subscales. The clinical groups differed significantly in the NSS subscale MOCO. The correct discriminant rate between patients with SZ and individuals with AS was 61.5%. The correct discriminant rate was 92.3% between individuals with AS and HC, and 80.8% between SZ patients and HC, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings provide new evidence for the presence of NSS in AS and lend further support to previously reported difficulties in movement control in this disorder. According to the present results, SZ and AS seem to be characterized by both quantitative and qualitative NSS expression. PMID:25147527

The comparison of muscle strength and short-term endurance in the different periods of type 2 diabetes

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are subjected to reduction in the quality and oxidative capacity of muscles. The effect of duration of diabetes on the muscle endurance response is not clear and strength as well. Objective The aim of this study was the assessment of strength and endurance of knee extensor and flexor in the patients with T2DM < 10 and T2DM > 10 years in comparison with age, sex, BMI, ABI and PAI-matched health control subjects. Methods Isometric maximal peak torque (MPT) of knee extensor and flexor before and after 40 isokinetic repetitions with velocity of 150 degree/s were recorded in 18 patients with T2DM < 10 Y , 12 patients with T2DM > 10 Y and 20 matched health control (HC) groups. Results Both diabetic patient groups had significant lower isometric and isotonic knee extensor and flexor strength than HC. The endurance indices indicated that whereas the isometric MPT of flexor movement was reduced after isokinetic protocol in the both patient groups in comparison with HC, the less decline was seen in the isotonic torque and work during isokinetic protocol in the T2DM > 10 Y group in comparison with two other groups. The HbA1c and FPG were significantly correlated with strength not with endurance indices. Conclusions It seems the progression of diabetes accompanied with vascular, neural and muscular deficits activate, some adaptive and compensatory processes which can maintain muscle performance. PMID:24476108

Effects of a hydrotherapy programme on symbolic and complexity dynamics of heart rate variability and aerobic capacity in fibromyalgia patients.

PubMed

Zamunér, Antonio Roberto; Andrade, Carolina P; Forti, Meire; Marchi, Andrea; Milan, Juliana; Avila, Mariana Arias; Catai, Aparecida Maria; Porta, Alberto; Silva, Ester

2015-01-01

To evaluate the effects of a hydrotherapy programme on aerobic capacity and linear and non-linear dynamics of heart rate variability (HRV) in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). 20 women with FMS and 20 healthy controls (HC) took part in the study. The FMS group was evaluated at baseline and after a 16-week hydrotherapy programme. All participants underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a cycle ergometer and RR intervals recording in supine and standing positions. The HRV was analysed by linear and non-linear methods. The current level of pain, the tender points, the pressure pain threshold and the impact of FMS on quality of life were assessed. The FMS patients presented higher cardiac sympathetic modulation, lower vagal modulation and lower complexity of HRV in supine position than the HC. Only the HC decreased the complexity indices of HRV during orthostatic stimulus. After a 16-week hydrotherapy programme, the FMS patients increased aerobic capacity, decreased cardiac sympathetic modulation and increased vagal modulation and complexity dynamics of HRV in supine. The FMS patients also improved their cardiac autonomic adjustments to the orthostatic stimulus. Associations between improvements in non-linear dynamics of HRV and improvements in pain and in the impact of FMS on quality of life were found. A 16-week hydrotherapy programme proved to be effective in ameliorating symptoms, aerobic functional capacity and cardiac autonomic control in FMS patients. Improvements in the non-linear dynamics of HRV were related to improvements in pain and in the impact of FMS on quality of life.

Power spectrum scale invariance as a neural marker of cocaine misuse and altered cognitive control.

PubMed

Ide, Jaime S; Hu, Sien; Zhang, Sheng; Mujica-Parodi, Lilianne R; Li, Chiang-Shan R

2016-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has highlighted the effects of chronic cocaine exposure on cerebral structures and functions, and implicated the prefrontal cortices in deficits of cognitive control. Recent investigations suggest power spectrum scale invariance (PSSI) of cerebral blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signals as a neural marker of cerebral activity. We examined here how PSSI is altered in association with cocaine misuse and impaired cognitive control. Eighty-eight healthy (HC) and seventy-five age and gender matched cocaine dependent (CD) adults participated in functional MRI of a stop signal task (SST). BOLD images were preprocessed using standard procedures in SPM, including detrending, band-pass filtering (0.01-0.25 Hz), and correction for head motions. Voxel-wise PSSI measures were estimated by a linear fit of the power spectrum with a log-log scale. In group analyses, we examined differences in PSSI between HC and CD, and its association with clinical and behavioral variables using a multiple regression. A critical component of cognitive control is post-signal behavioral adjustment, which is compromised in cocaine dependence. Therefore, we examined the PSSI changes in association with post-signal slowing (PSS) in the SST. Compared to HC, CD showed decreased PSS and PSSI in multiple frontoparietal regions. PSSI was positively correlated with PSS in HC in multiple regions, including the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and right supramarginal gyrus (SMG), which showed reduced PSSI in CD. These findings suggest disrupted connectivity dynamics in the fronto-parietal areas in association with post-signal behavioral adjustment in cocaine addicts. These new findings support PSSI as a neural marker of impaired cognitive control in cocaine addiction.

Acting without being in control: Exploring volition in Parkinson's disease with impulsive compulsive behaviours.

PubMed

Ricciardi, Lucia; Haggard, Patrick; de Boer, Lieke; Sorbera, Chiara; Stenner, Max-Philipp; Morgante, Francesca; Edwards, Mark J

2017-07-01

Several aspects of volitional control of action may be relevant in the pathophysiology of impulsive-compulsive behaviours (ICB) in Parkinson's disease (PD). We aimed to explore multiple aspects of action control, assessing reward-related behaviour, inhibition (externally and internally triggered) and sense of agency in PD patients, with and without ICB compared to healthy subjects. Nineteen PD patients with ICB (PD-ICB), 19 PD without ICB (PD-no-ICB) and 19 healthy controls (HC) underwent a battery of tests including: Intentional Binding task which measures sense of agency; Stop Signal Reaction Time (SSRT) measuring capacity for reactive inhibition; the Marble task, assessing intentional inhibition; Balloon Analog Risk Task for reward sensitivity. One-way ANOVA showed significant main effect of group for action binding (p = 0.004, F = 6.27). Post hoc analysis revealed that PD-ICB had significantly stronger action binding than HC (p = 0.004), and PD-no-ICB (p = 0.04). There was no difference between PD-no-ICB and HC. SSRT did not differ between PD groups, whereas a significant difference between PD-no-ICB and HC was detected (p = 0.01). No other differences were found among groups in the other tasks. PD patients with ICB have abnormal performance on a psychophysical task assessing sense of agency, which might be related to a deficit in action representation at cognitive/experiential level. Yet, they have no deficit on tasks evaluating externally and internally triggered inhibitory control, or in reward-based decision-making. We conclude that impaired sense of agency may be a factor contributing to ICB in PD patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hole traps associated with high-concentration residual carriers in p-type GaAsN grown by chemical beam epitaxy

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

Elleuch, Omar, E-mail: mr.omar.elleuch@gmail.com; Wang, Li; Lee, Kan-Hua

2015-01-28

The hole traps associated with high background doping in p-type GaAsN grown by chemical beam epitaxy are studied based on the changes of carrier concentration, junction capacitance, and hole traps properties due to the annealing. The carrier concentration was increased dramatically with annealing time, based on capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurement. In addition, the temperature dependence of the junction capacitance (C–T) was increased rapidly two times. Such behavior is explained by the thermal ionization of two acceptor states. These acceptors are the main cause of high background doping in the film, since the estimated carrier concentration from C–T results explains the measuredmore » carrier concentration at room temperature using C–V method. The acceptor states became shallower after annealing, and hence their structures are thermally unstable. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) showed that the HC2 hole trap was composed of two signals, labeled HC21 and HC22. These defects correspond to the acceptor levels, as their energy levels obtained from DLTS are similar to those deduced from C–T. The capture cross sections of HC21 and HC22 are larger than those of single acceptors. In addition, their energy levels and capture cross sections change in the same way due to the annealing. This tendency suggests that HC21 and HC22 signals originate from the same defect which acts as a double acceptor.« less

Long-term spacing effect benefits in developmental amnesia: case experiments in rehabilitation.

PubMed

Green, Janet L; Weston, Tina; Wiseheart, Melody; Rosenbaum, R Shayna

2014-09-01

The spacing effect describes the typical finding that repeated items are remembered best when additional items are introduced between each repetition than when the repetitions occur in immediate succession. In this study, we investigated the nature and limits of the spacing effect in the developmental amnesic case H.C. In Experiment 1, we compared the performance of H.C. to that of controls on a short-term, free recall, verbal learning spacing paradigm while controlling for retention interval (timing of item review and recall). In Experiment 2, we compared the performance of H.C. to that of controls on a multiday, cued recall, verbal learning spacing paradigm, in which memory was assessed after 1 week. In both experiments, H.C. demonstrated a spacing effect comparable to the effect exhibited by controls. In Experiment 1, her final recall memory for long-lag (spaced) items was better than recall for no-lag (massed) items t(23) = 10.99, p < .001, d = 2.5. In Experiment 2, her final cued recall memory for next-day-reviewed (spaced) items was better than cued recall for same-day-reviewed (massed) items, t(20) = 17.6, p < .001, d = 4.1. This study demonstrates the spacing effect in a person with impaired episodic memory development and is the first to show long-term benefits of spacing in amnesia. Substantially slower learning-to-criterion suggests an alternate mechanism supporting the spacing effect, perhaps independent of the hippocampus. Spacing should be considered as a candidate memory intervention technique given its effectiveness in both short- and long-term learning settings. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Remarkable heterogeneity in myosin heavy-chain composition of the human young masseter compared with young biceps brachii.

PubMed

Osterlund, Catharina; Lindström, Mona; Thornell, Lars-Eric; Eriksson, Per-Olof

2012-10-01

Adult human jaw muscles differ from limb and trunk muscles in enzyme-histochemical fibre type composition. Recently, we showed that the human masseter and biceps differ in fibre type pattern already at childhood. The present study explored the myosin heavy-chain (MyHC) expression in the young masseter and biceps muscles by means of gel electrophoresis (GE) and immuno-histochemical (IHC) techniques. Plasticity in MyHC expression during life was evaluated by comparing the results with the previously reported data for adult muscles. In young masseter, GE identified MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa MyHC-IIx and small proportions of MyHC-fetal and MyHC-α cardiac. Western blots confirmed the presence of MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa and MyHC-IIx. IHC revealed in the masseter six isomyosins, MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa, MyHC-IIx, MyHC-fetal, MyHC α-cardiac and a previously not reported isoform, termed MyHC-IIx'. The majority of the masseter fibres co-expressed two to four isoforms. In the young biceps, both GE and IHC identified MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa and MyHC-IIx. MyHC-I predominated in both muscles. Young masseter showed more slow and less-fast and fetal MyHC than the adult and elderly masseter. These results provide evidence that the young masseter muscle is unique in MyHC composition, expressing MyHC-α cardiac and MyHC-fetal isoforms as well as hitherto unrecognized potential spliced isoforms of MyHC-fetal and MyHC-IIx. Differences in masseter MyHC expression between young adult and elderly suggest a shift from childhood to adulthood towards more fast contractile properties. Differences between masseter and biceps are proposed to reflect diverse evolutionary and developmental origins and confirm that the masseter and biceps present separate allotypes of muscle.

Domain-Specific Impairment in Cognitive Control among Remitted Youth with a History of Major Depression

PubMed Central

Peters, Amy T.; Jacobs, Rachel H.; Crane, Natania A.; Ryan, Kelly A.; Weisenbach, Sara L.; Ajilore, Olusola; Lamar, Melissa; Kassel, Michelle T.; Gabriel, Laura B.; West, Amy E.; Zubieta, Jon-Kar; Langenecker, Scott A.

2016-01-01

Aim Impairment in neuropsychological functioning is common in major depressive disorder (MDD), but it is not clear to what degree these deficits are related to risk (e.g., trait), scar, burden, or state effects of MDD. The objective of this study was to use neuropsychological measures, with factor scores in verbal fluency, processing speed, attention, set-shifting, and cognitive control in a unique population of young, remitted, un-medicated, early course individuals with a history of MDD in hopes of identifying putative trait markers of MDD. Methods Youth aged 18-23 in remission from MDD (rMDD; n = 62) and healthy controls (HC; n = 43) were assessed with neuropsychological tests at two time points. These were from four domains of executive functioning, consistent with previous literature as impaired in MDD; verbal fluency and processing speed, conceptual reasoning and set-shifting, processing speed with interference resolution, and cognitive control. Results rMDD youth performed comparably to healthy controls on verbal fluency and processing speed, processing speed with interference resolution, and conceptual reasoning and set-shifting, reliably over time. Individuals with rMDD demonstrated relative decrements in cognitive control at Time 1, with greater stability than HC participants. Conclusion MDD may be characterized by regulatory difficulties that do not pertain specifically to active mood state or fluctuations in symptoms. Deficient cognitive control may represent a trait vulnerability or early course scar of MDD that may prove a viable target for secondary prevention or early remediation PMID:26177674

The development and psychometric properties of a new scale to measure mental illness related stigma by health care providers: The opening minds scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Research on the attitudes of health care providers towards people with mental illness has repeatedly shown that they may be stigmatizing. Many scales used to measure attitudes towards people with mental illness that exist today are not adequate because they do not have items that relate specifically to the role of the health care provider. Methods We developed and tested a new scale called the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC). After item-pool generation, stakeholder consultations and content validation, focus groups were held with 64 health care providers/trainees and six people with lived experience of mental illness to develop the scale. The OMS-HC was then tested with 787 health care providers/trainees across Canada to determine its psychometric properties. Results The initial testing OMS-HC scale showed good internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.82 and satisfactory test-retest reliability, intraclass correlation = 0.66 (95% CI 0.54 to 0.75). The OMC-HC was only weakly correlated with social desirability, indicating that the social desirability bias was not likely to be a major determinant of OMS-HC scores. A factor analysis favoured a two-factor structure which accounted for 45% of the variance using 12 of the 20 items tested. Conclusions The OMS–HC provides a good starting point for further validation as well as a tool that could be used in the evaluation of programs aimed at reducing mental illness related stigma by health care providers. The OMS-HC incorporates various dimensions of stigma with a modest number of items that can be used with busy health care providers. PMID:22694771

The respective roles of polar/nonpolar binary patterns and amino acid composition in protein regular secondary structures explored exhaustively using hydrophobic cluster analysis.

PubMed

Rebehmed, Joseph; Quintus, Flavien; Mornon, Jean-Paul; Callebaut, Isabelle

2016-05-01

Several studies have highlighted the leading role of the sequence periodicity of polar and nonpolar amino acids (binary patterns) in the formation of regular secondary structures (RSS). However, these were based on the analysis of only a few simple cases, with no direct mean to correlate binary patterns with the limits of RSS. Here, HCA-derived hydrophobic clusters (HC) which are conditioned binary patterns whose positions fit well those of RSS, were considered. All the HC types, defined by unique binary patterns, which were commonly observed in three-dimensional (3D) structures of globular domains, were analyzed. The 180 HC types with preferences for either α-helices or β-strands distinctly contain basic binary units typical of these RSS. Therefore a general trend supporting the "binary pattern preference" assumption was observed. HC for which observed RSS are in disagreement with their expected behavior (discordant HC) were also examined. They were separated in HC types with moderate preferences for RSS, having "weak" binary patterns and versatile RSS and HC types with high preferences for RSS, having "strong" binary patterns and then displaying nonpolar amino acids at the protein surface. It was shown that in both cases, discordant HC could be distinguished from concordant ones by well-differentiated amino acid compositions. The obtained results could, thus, help to complement the currently available methods for the accurate prediction of secondary structures in proteins from the only information of a single amino acid sequence. This can be especially useful for characterizing orphan sequences and for assisting protein engineering and design. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cognitive Inflexibility and Frontal-Cortical Activation in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

PubMed Central

Britton, Jennifer C.; Rauch, Scott L.; Rosso, Isabelle M.; Killgore, William D.S.; Price, Lauren M.; Ragan, Jennifer; Chosak, Anne; Hezel, Dianne M.; Pine, Daniel S.; Leibenluft, Ellen; Pauls, David L.; Jenike, Michael A.; Stewart, S. Evelyn

2014-01-01

Objective Deficits in cognitive flexibility and response inhibition have been linked to perturbations in cortico-striatal-thalamic circuitry in adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Although similar cognitive deficits have been identified in pediatric OCD, few neuroimaging studies have been conducted to examine its neural correlates in the developing brain. In this study, we tested hypotheses regarding group differences in the behavioral and neural correlates of cognitive flexibility in a pediatric OCD and a healthy comparison (HC) sample. Method In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, a pediatric sample of 10- to 17-year-old subjects, 15 with OCD and 20 HC, completed a set-shifting task. The task, requiring an extradimensional shift to identify a target, examines cognitive flexibility. Within each block, the dimension (color or shape) that identified the target either alternated (i.e., mixed) or remained unchanged (i.e., repeated). Results Compared with the HC group, the OCD group tended to be slower to respond to trials within mixed blocks. Compared with the HC group, the OCD group exhibited less left inferior frontal gyrus/BA47 activation in the set-shifting contrast (i.e., HC > OCD, mixed versus repeated); only the HC group exhibited significant activation in this region. The correlation between set shifting-induced right caudate activation and shift cost (i.e., reaction time differential in response to mixed versus repeated trials) was significantly different between HC and OCD groups, in that we found a positive correlation in HC and a negative correlation in OCD. Conclusions In pediatric OCD, less fronto-striatal activation may explain previously identified deficits in shifting cognitive sets. PMID:20732630

Carbamazepine but not valproate induces CYP2A6 activity in smokers with mental illness

PubMed Central

Williams, Jill M; Gandhi, Kunal K; Benowitz, Neal L

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND Anti-epileptic drugs (AED) are increasingly used in the management of serious mental illness yet their effects on nicotine metabolism have not been studied. METHODS This study investigated the effects of 3 AED (carbamazepine, CBZ; oxcarbazepine, OCB or valproic acid, VPA) on nicotine and nicotine metabolite levels in 149 smokers with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder who participated in an afternoon blood draw for nicotine, cotinine, and 3’-hydroxycotinine (3HC). The ratio of 3HC to cotinine was calculated as a marker of CYP2A6 metabolic activity. Eight smokers were taking CBZ, six were taking OCB and 40 were taking VPA. RESULTS The 3HC/cotinine ratio was significantly higher in individuals taking CBZ or OCB (combined, n=14) vs. those not taking it (mean 0.993 vs. 0.503; p< 0.001). The cotinine/cigarette per day ratio was significantly lower in individuals taking CBZ or OCB. The 3HC/cotinine ratios were also significantly higher in the subgroup of individuals taking CBZ (n=8) vs. those not taking it. There were no significant differences in nicotine or cotinine levels or 3HC/cotinine ratios in individuals taking VPA vs. those not taking it. We conducted backward stepwise linear regression models to identify predictors of the log transformed 3HC/cotinine ratios. Taking CBZ and number of cigarettes smoked per day were significant determinants of log 3HC/Cotinine. CONCLUSIONS CBZ likely induces hepatic metabolism via CYP2A6 and is associated with increased 3HC/Cotinine ratios. IMPACT Increased nicotine metabolism in individuals using AED has implications for increased smoking behavior and exposure to more tobacco toxins that warrants further study. PMID:20719908

Aging adult skull remains through radiological density estimates: A comparison of different computed tomography systems and the use of computer simulations to judge the accuracy of results.

PubMed

Obert, Martin; Kubelt, Carolin; Schaaf, Thomas; Dassinger, Benjamin; Grams, Astrid; Gizewski, Elke R; Krombach, Gabriele A; Verhoff, Marcel A

2013-05-10

The objective of this article was to explore age-at-death estimates in forensic medicine, which were methodically based on age-dependent, radiologically defined bone-density (HC) decay and which were investigated with a standard clinical computed tomography (CT) system. Such density decay was formerly discovered with a high-resolution flat-panel CT in the skulls of adult females. The development of a standard CT methodology for age estimations--with thousands of installations--would have the advantage of being applicable everywhere, whereas only few flat-panel prototype CT systems are in use worldwide. A Multi-Slice CT scanner (MSCT) was used to obtain 22,773 images from 173 European human skulls (89 male, 84 female), taken from a population of patients from the Department of Neuroradiology at the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg during 2010 and 2011. An automated image analysis was carried out to evaluate HC of all images. The age dependence of HC was studied by correlation analysis. The prediction accuracy of age-at-death estimates was calculated. Computer simulations were carried out to explore the influence of noise on the accuracy of age predictions. Human skull HC values strongly scatter as a function of age for both sexes. Adult male skull bone-density remains constant during lifetime. Adult female HC decays during lifetime, as indicated by a correlation coefficient (CC) of -0.53. Prediction errors for age-at-death estimates for both of the used scanners are in the range of ±18 years at a 75% confidence interval (CI). Computer simulations indicate that this is the best that can be expected for such noisy data. Our results indicate that HC-decay is indeed present in adult females and that it can be demonstrated both by standard and by high-resolution CT methods, applied to different subject groups of an identical population. The weak correlation between HC and age found by both CT methods only enables a method to estimate age-at-death with limited practical relevance since the errors of the estimates are large. Computer simulations clearly indicate that data with less noise and CCs in the order of -0.97 or less would be necessary to enable age-at-death estimates with an accuracy of ±5 years at a 75% CI. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postural tachycardia syndrome and inappropriate sinus tachycardia: role of autonomic modulation and sinus node automaticity.

PubMed

Nwazue, Victor C; Paranjape, Sachin Y; Black, Bonnie K; Biaggioni, Italo; Diedrich, André; Dupont, William D; Robertson, David; Raj, Satish R

2014-04-10

Inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) and postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) are 2 disorders characterized by sinus tachycardia. It is debated whether the pathophysiology of IST and POTS results from abnormal autonomic regulation or abnormal sinus node function. We hypothesized that intrinsic heart rate (IHR) after autonomic blockade would be increased in patients with IST but not POTS. We enrolled 48 POTS patients, 8 IST patients, and 17 healthy control (HC) subjects. Intravenous propranolol and atropine were given to block the sympathetic and parasympathetic limbs of the autonomic nervous system in order to determine the IHR. Patients with IST have a higher sympathetic contribution to heart rate when compared with POTS patients (31±13 bpm versus 12±7 bpm, P<0.001) and HC (8±4 bpm; P<0.001) and a trend to less parasympathetic contribution than POTS and HC (IST: 31±11 bpm versus POTS: 46±11 bpm versus HC: 48±11 bpm, ANOVA P=0.108). IHR was not significantly different between IST and either POTS or HC (IST: 111±11 bpm versus POTS: 108±11 bpm versus HC: 106±12 bpm, ANOVA P=0.237). IST patients have more sympathetic tone when compared with either POTS or HC, but IST patients do not have abnormal sinus node automaticity. These data suggest that the treatment of IST and POTS should focus on sympatholysis, reserving sinus node modification for patients with continued debilitating symptoms after beta-blockade and possibly ivabradine. http://clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT00262470.

Fecal and Mucosa-Associated Intestinal Microbiota in Patients with Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

PubMed

Maharshak, Nitsan; Ringel, Yehuda; Katibian, David; Lundqvist, Ashley; Sartor, R Balfour; Carroll, Ian M; Ringel-Kulka, Tamar

2018-05-17

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been associated with changes in the intestinal microbiota. Only a few studies have explored differences in the mucosa-associated microbiota between IBS patients and healthy controls (HC). To characterize and compare the microbiota in mucosal and fecal samples from carefully selected patients with IBS-D and HC. The cohort was composed of 23 diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) patients and 24 HC. Fresh stool samples were collected from participants prior to the collection of colonic mucosal samples from an unprepped bowel. After DNA extraction, 16S rRNA genes were sequenced by 454 pyrosequencing and analyzed using the QIIME pipeline. The fecal microbiota (luminal niche) of IBS-D patients was found to have reduced enteric richness compared to HC (P < 0.05), whereas no differences were observed between the two groups within the mucosal microbiota. Within the luminal niche, the relative proportions of Faecalibacterium genus were found to be lower in IBS-D than in HC and the Dorea genus was higher in IBS-D. None of the taxa proportions were significantly different in IBS-D patients versus HC using an FDR of ≤ 0.1 when analyzing samples that appeared in > 25% samples of either niche. Fecal and mucosal microbiota of IBS-D patients and HC are very similar and are not sufficient to explain the reported altered physiology and symptomatology of IBS-D. Future studies should investigate intestinal microbiome-dependent functional activity in addition to the fecal and mucosal-associated microbial composition.

Individualized identification of euthymic bipolar disorder using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and machine learning.

PubMed

Wu, Mon-Ju; Passos, Ives Cavalcante; Bauer, Isabelle E; Lavagnino, Luca; Cao, Bo; Zunta-Soares, Giovana B; Kapczinski, Flávio; Mwangi, Benson; Soares, Jair C

2016-03-01

Previous studies have reported that patients with bipolar disorder (BD) present with cognitive impairments during mood episodes as well as euthymic phase. However, it is still unknown whether reported neurocognitive abnormalities can objectively identify individual BD patients from healthy controls (HC). A total of 21 euthymic BD patients and 21 demographically matched HC were included in the current study. Participants performed the computerized Cambridge Neurocognitive Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to assess cognitive performance. The least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) machine learning algorithm was implemented to identify neurocognitive signatures to distinguish individual BD patients from HC. The LASSO machine learning algorithm identified individual BD patients from HC with an accuracy of 71%, area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.7143 and significant at p=0.0053. The LASSO algorithm assigned individual subjects with a probability score (0-healthy, 1-patient). Patients with rapid cycling (RC) were assigned increased probability scores as compared to patients without RC. A multivariate pattern of neurocognitive abnormalities comprising of affective Go/No-go and the Cambridge gambling task was relevant in distinguishing individual patients from HC. Our study sample was small as we only considered euthymic BD patients and demographically matched HC. Neurocognitive abnormalities can distinguish individual euthymic BD patients from HC with relatively high accuracy. In addition, patients with RC had more cognitive impairments compared to patients without RC. The predictive neurocognitive signature identified in the current study can potentially be used to provide individualized clinical inferences on BD patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nicotine Metabolite Ratio (3-hydroxycotinine/cotinine) in Plasma and Urine by Different Analytical Methods and Laboratories: Implications for Clinical Implementation

PubMed Central

Tanner, Julie-Anne; Novalen, Maria; Jatlow, Peter; Huestis, Marilyn A.; Murphy, Sharon E.; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kankaanpää, Aino; Galanti, Laurence; Stefan, Cristiana; George, Tony P.; Benowitz, Neal L.; Lerman, Caryn; Tyndale, Rachel F.

2015-01-01

Background The highly genetically variable enzyme CYP2A6 metabolizes nicotine to cotinine (COT) and COT to trans-3′-hydroxycotinine (3HC). The nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR, 3HC/COT) is commonly used as a biomarker of CYP2A6 enzymatic activity, rate of nicotine metabolism, and total nicotine clearance; NMR is associated with numerous smoking phenotypes, including smoking cessation. Our objective was to investigate the impact of different measurement methods, at different sites, on plasma and urinary NMR measures from ad libitum smokers. Methods Plasma (n=35) and urine (n=35) samples were sent to eight different laboratories, which employed similar and different methods of COT and 3HC measurements to derive the NMR. We used Bland-Altman analysis to assess agreement, and Pearson correlations to evaluate associations, between NMR measured by different methods. Results Measures of plasma NMR were in strong agreement between methods according to Bland-Altman analysis (ratios 0.82–1.16) and were highly correlated (all Pearson r>0.96, P<0.0001). Measures of urinary NMR were in relatively weaker agreement (ratios 0.62–1.71) and less strongly correlated (Pearson r values of 0.66–0.98, P<0.0001) between different methods. Plasma and urinary COT and 3HC concentrations, while weaker than NMR, also showed good agreement in plasma, which was better than in urine, as was observed for NMR. Conclusions Plasma is a very reliable biological source for the determination of NMR, robust to differences in these analytical protocols or assessment site. Impact Together this indicates a reduced need for differential interpretation of plasma NMR results based on the approach used, allowing for direct comparison of different studies. PMID:26014804

Data mining for the analysis of hippocampal zones in Alzheimer's disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovando Vázquez, Cesaré M.

2012-02-01

In this work, a methodology to classify people with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Healthy Controls (HC) and people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is presented. This methodology consists of an ensemble of Support Vector Machines (SVM) with the hippocampal boxes (HB) as input data, these hippocampal zones are taken from Magnetic Resonance (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images. Two ways of constructing this ensemble are presented, the first consists of linear SVM models and the second of non-linear SVM models. Results demonstrate that the linear models classify HBs more accurately than the non-linear models between HC and MCI and that there are no differences between HC and AD.

Hypercholesterolemia enhances thromboembolism in arterioles but not venules: complete reversal by L-arginine.

PubMed

Broeders, Martijn A W; Tangelder, Geert Jan; Slaaf, Dick W; Reneman, Robert S; oude Egbrink, Mirjam G A

2002-04-01

We investigated in vivo the effect of cholesterol diet-induced hypercholesterolemia (HC) on thromboembolism in nonatherosclerotic rabbit mesenteric arterioles and venules (diameter 21 to 45 micrometer). After mechanical vessel wall injury, the ensuing thromboembolic reaction was studied by intravital videomicroscopy. A dramatic prolongation of embolization duration (median >600 seconds) was observed in the arterioles of the HC group compared with the arterioles of a normal chow-fed (NC) control group (142 seconds, P<0.0001); concomitantly, relative thrombus height increased (thrombus height/vessel diameter was 68% for the HC group and 58% for the NC group; P<0.05). By contrast, in venules, cholesterol did not affect embolization duration (42 seconds for HC group, 34 seconds for NC group) and thrombus height (66% for HC group, 64% for NC group). Furthermore, the role of endothelial NO synthesis was studied. In arterioles, stimulation of endogenous NO synthesis through mesenteric superfusion of L-arginine (1 mmol/L) completely reversed cholesterol-enhanced embolization (152 seconds) but did not influence thrombus height (63%). L-Arginine had no effect in venules of the HC group (51 seconds) and nor in the arterioles and venules of the NC group (177 seconds for arterioles, 43 seconds for venules). This study indicates that hypercholesterolemia selectively enhances thrombus formation and embolization in arterioles but not in venules and that stimulation of endogenous NO production antagonizes this enhancement of arteriolar thromboembolism.

Sodium Butyrate Ameliorates High-Concentrate Diet-Induced Inflammation in the Rumen Epithelium of Dairy Goats.

PubMed

Dai, Hongyu; Liu, Xinxin; Yan, Jinyu; Aabdin, Zain Ul; Bilal, Muhammad Shahid; Shen, Xiangzhen

2017-01-25

To investigate the effect of sodium butyrate on high-concentrate diet-induced local inflammation of the rumen epithelium, 18 midlactating dairy goats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: a low-concentrate diet group as the control (concentrate:forage = 4:6), a high-concentrate (HC) diet group (concentrate:forage = 6:4), and a sodium butyrate (SB) group (concentrate:forage = 6:4, with 1% SB by weight). The results showed that, with the addition of sodium butyrate, the concentration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rumen fluid (2.62 × 10 4 ± 2.90 × 10 3 EU/mL) was significantly lower than that in the HC group (4.03 × 10 4 ± 2.77 × 10 3 EU/mL). The protein abundance of pp65, gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2,9 in the rumen epithelium were significantly down-regulated by SB compared with those in the HC group. With sodium butyrate administration, the concentration of NH3-N (19.2 ± 0.890 mM) in the rumen fluid was significantly higher than that for the HC group (12.7 ± 1.38 mM). Severe disruption of the rumen epithelium induced by HC was also ameliorated by dietary SB. Therefore, local inflammation and disruption of the rumen epithelium induced by HC were alleviated with SB administration.

Dysfunctional default mode network and executive control network in people with Internet gaming disorder: Independent component analysis under a probability discounting task.

PubMed

Wang, L; Wu, L; Lin, X; Zhang, Y; Zhou, H; Du, X; Dong, G

2016-04-01

The present study identified the neural mechanism of risky decision-making in Internet gaming disorder (IGD) under a probability discounting task. Independent component analysis was used on the functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 19 IGD subjects (22.2 ± 3.08 years) and 21 healthy controls (HC, 22.8 ± 3.5 years). For the behavioral results, IGD subjects prefer the risky to the fixed options and showed shorter reaction time compared to HC. For the imaging results, the IGD subjects showed higher task-related activity in default mode network (DMN) and less engagement in the executive control network (ECN) than HC when making the risky decisions. Also, we found the activities of DMN correlate negatively with the reaction time and the ECN correlate positively with the probability discounting rates. The results suggest that people with IGD show altered modulation in DMN and deficit in executive control function, which might be the reason for why the IGD subjects continue to play online games despite the potential negative consequences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Study of the thermal properties of selected PCMs for latent heat storage in buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentova, Katerina; Pechackova, Katerina; Prikryl, Radek; Ostry, Milan; Zmeskal, Oldrich

2017-07-01

The paper is focused on measurements of thermal properties of selected phase change materials (PCMs) which can be used for latent heat storage in building structures. The thermal properties were measured by the transient step-wise method and analyzed by the thermal spectroscopy. The results of three different materials (RT18HC, RT28HC, and RT35HC) and their thermal properties in solid, liquid, and phase change region were determined. They were correlated with the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement. The results will be used to determine the optimum ratio of components for the construction of drywall and plasters containing listed ingredients, respectively.

Differential Odor Sensitivity in PTSD: Implications for Treatment and Future Research

PubMed Central

Cortese, Bernadette M.; Leslie, Kimberly; Uhde, Thomas W.

2015-01-01

Background Given that odors enhance the retrieval of autobiographical memories, induce physiological arousal, and trigger trauma-related flashbacks, it is reasonable to hypothesize that odors play a significant role in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For these reasons, this preliminary study sought to examine self-reported, odor-elicited distress in PTSD. Methods Combat veterans with (N=30) and without (N=22) PTSD and healthy controls (HC: N=21), completed an olfactory questionnaire that provided information on the hedonic valence of odors as well as their ability to elicit distress or relaxation. Results Two main findings were revealed: Compared to HC, CV+PTSD, but not CV-PTSD, reported a higher prevalence of distress to a limited number of select odors that included fuel (p=.004), blood (p=.02), gunpowder (p=.03), and burning hair (p=.02). In contrast to this increased sensitivity, a blunting effect was reported by both groups of veterans compared to HC that revealed lower rates of distress and relaxation in response to negative hedonic odors (p=.03) and positive hedonic odors (p<.001), respectively. Limitations The study is limited by its use of retrospective survey methods, whereas future investigations would benefit from laboratory measures taken prior, during, and after deployment. Conclusion The present findings suggest a complex role of olfaction in the biological functions of threat detection. Several theoretical models are discussed. One possible explanation for increased sensitivity to select odors with decreased sensitivity to other odors is the co-occurrence of attentional bias toward threat odors with selective ignoring of distractor odors. Working together, these processes may optimize survival. PMID:25845746

Development and applications of 3D-DIVIMP(HC) Monte Carlo impurity modeling code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Yarong

A self-contained gas injection system for the Divertor Material Evaluation System (DiMES) on DIII-D, the Porous Plug Injector (PPI), has been employed by A. McLean for in-situ study of chemical erosion in the tokamak divertor environment by injection of CH4. The principal contribution of the present thesis is a new interpretive code, 3D-DIVIMP(HC), which has been developed and successfully applied to the interpretation of the CH, C I, and C II emissions measured during the PPI experiments. The two principal types of experimental data which are compared here with 3D-DIVIMP(HC) code modeling are (a) absolute emissivities measured with a high resolution spectrometer, and (b) 2D filtered camera (TV) pictures taken from a view essentially straight down on the PPI. Incorporating the Janev-Reiter database for the breakup reactions of methane molecules in a plasma, 3D-DIVIMP(HC) is able to replicate these measurements to within the combined experimental and database uncertainties. It is therefore concluded that the basic elements of the physics and chemistry controlling the breakup of methane entering an attached divertor plasma have been identified and are incorporated in 3D-DIVIMP(HC).

Synthesis, anisotropy, and superconducting properties of LiFeAs single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yoo Jang; Ghim, Jin Soo; Min, Byeong Hun; Kwon, Yong Seung; Jung, Myung Hwa; Rhyee, Jong-Soo

2010-05-01

A LiFeAs single crystal with Tconset˜19.7 K was grown in a sealed tungsten crucible using the Bridgeman method. The electrical resistivity experiments revealed a ratio of room temperature to residual resistivity of approximately 46 and 18 for the in-plane and out-of plane directions, respectively. The estimated anisotropic resistivity, γρ=ρc/ρab, was approximately 3.3 at Tconset. The upper critical fields had large Hc2∥ab and Hc2∥c values of 83.4 T and 72.5 T, respectively, and an anisotropy ratio is γH=Hc2∥ab/Hc2∥c˜1.15. The high upper critical field value and small anisotropy highlight the potential use of LiFeAs in a variety of applications. The calculated critical current density (Jc) from the M-H loop is approximately 103 A/cm2

The pathophysiology of chronic noncommunicating hydrocephalus: lessons from continuous intracranial pressure monitoring and ventricular infusion testing.

PubMed

Eide, Per Kristian

2017-08-11

OBJECTIVE The pathophysiology of chronic noncommunicating hydrocephalus (ncHC) is poorly understood. This present study explored whether lessons about the pathophysiology of this clinical entity might be retrieved from results of overnight monitoring of pulsatile and static intracranial pressure (ICP) and ventricular infusion testing. METHODS The study cohort included adult patients (> 20 years of age) with chronic ncHC due to aqueductal stenosis in whom symptoms had lasted a minimum of 6 months. A reference cohort consisted of age- and sex-matched patients managed for communicating HC (cHC). Information about symptoms and clinical improvement following surgery was retrieved from a quality register, and results of overnight ICP recordings and ventricular infusion testing were retrieved from the hospital ICP database. RESULTS The cohort with ncHC consisted of 61 patients of whom 6 (10%) were managed conservatively, 34 (56%) by endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), and 21 (34%) using ETV and subsequent shunt surgery. In patients responding to surgery, pulsatile ICP (mean ICP wave amplitude) was significantly increased to a similar magnitude in patients with ncHC and the reference cohort (cHC). Furthermore, intracranial compliance (ICC) was reduced in clinical responders. The results of ventricular infusion testing provided evidence that patients responding to ETV have impaired ventricular CSF absorption, while those requiring shunt placement after ETV present with impaired CSF absorption both in the intraventricular and extraventricular compartments. CONCLUSIONS The study may provide some lessons about the pathophysiology of chronic ncHC. First, increased pulsatile ICP and impaired ICC characterize patients with chronic ncHC who respond clinically to CSF diversion surgery, even though static ICP is not increased. Second, in patients responding clinically to ETV, impaired ventricular CSF absorption may be a key factor. Patients requiring shunt placement for clinical response appear to have both intraventricular and extraventricular CSF absorption failure. A subgroup of patients with ncHC due to aqueductal stenosis has normal ventricular CSF absorption and normal ICC and may not be in need of surgical CSF diversion.

Cooperation of Antiporter LAT2/CD98hc with Uniporter TAT1 for Renal Reabsorption of Neutral Amino Acids.

PubMed

Vilches, Clara; Boiadjieva-Knöpfel, Emilia; Bodoy, Susanna; Camargo, Simone; López de Heredia, Miguel; Prat, Esther; Ormazabal, Aida; Artuch, Rafael; Zorzano, Antonio; Verrey, François; Nunes, Virginia; Palacín, Manuel

2018-04-02

Background Reabsorption of amino acids (AAs) across the renal proximal tubule is crucial for intracellular and whole organism AA homeostasis. Although the luminal transport step is well understood, with several diseases caused by dysregulation of this process, the basolateral transport step is not understood. In humans, only cationic aminoaciduria due to malfunction of the basolateral transporter y + LAT1/CD98hc (SLC7A7/SLC3A2), which mediates the export of cationic AAs, has been described. Thus, the physiologic roles of basolateral transporters of neutral AAs, such as the antiporter LAT2/CD98hc (SLC7A8/SLC3A2), a heterodimer that exports most neutral AAs, and the uniporter TAT1 (SLC16A10), which exports only aromatic AAs, remain unclear. Functional cooperation between TAT1 and LAT2/CD98hc has been suggested by in vitro studies but has not been evaluated in vivo Methods To study the functional relationship of TAT1 and LAT2/CD98hc in vivo , we generated a double-knockout mouse model lacking TAT1 and LAT2, the catalytic subunit of LAT2/CD98hc (dKO LAT2-TAT1 mice). Results Compared with mice lacking only TAT1 or LAT2, dKO LAT2-TAT1 mice lost larger amounts of aromatic and other neutral AAs in their urine due to a tubular reabsorption defect. Notably, dKO mice also displayed decreased tubular reabsorption of cationic AAs and increased expression of y + LAT1/CD98hc. Conclusions The LAT2/CD98hc and TAT1 transporters functionally cooperate in vivo , and y + LAT1/CD98hc may compensate for the loss of LAT2/CD98hc and TAT1, functioning as a neutral AA exporter at the expense of some urinary loss of cationic AAs. Cooperative and compensatory mechanisms of AA transporters may explain the lack of basolateral neutral aminoacidurias in humans. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Exceptional visuospatial imagery in schizophrenia; implications for madness and creativity

PubMed Central

Benson, Taylor L.; Park, Sohee

2013-01-01

Biographical and historical accounts suggest a link between scientific creativity and schizophrenia. Longitudinal studies of gifted children indicate that visuospatial imagery plays a pivotal role in exceptional achievements in science and mathematics. We asked whether visuospatial imagery is enhanced in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). We compared SZ and matched healthy controls (HC) on five visuospatial tasks tapping parietal and frontoparietal functions. Two aspects of visuospatial transformation, spatial location and mental imagery manipulation were examined with Paper Folding Test (PFT) and jigsaw puzzle task (JPT), respectively. Visuospatial intelligence was assessed with Ravens Progressive Matrices, which is associated with frontoparietal network activity. Hemispatial inattention implicating parietal function was assessed with line bisection (LB) task. Mediated by prefrontal cortex, spatial delayed response task (DRT) was used to index working memory maintenance, which was impaired in SZ compared to HC. In contrast, SZ showed intact visuospatial intelligence and transformation of location. Further, SZ performed significantly better than HC on JPT indicating enhanced mental imagery manipulation. Spatial working memory (SWM) maintenance and mental imagery manipulation were strongly associated in HC but dissociated in SZ. Thus, we observed enhanced mental imagery manipulation in SZ but the dissociation of mental imagery from working memory suggests a disrupted frontoparietal network. Finally, while HC showed the expected leftward pseudoneglect, SZ showed increased rightward LB bias implicating left hemispatial inattention and impaired right parietal control of spatial attention. The current results chart a unique profile of impaired, spared and enhanced parietal-mediated visuospatial functions implicating parietal abnormalities as a biobehavioral marker for SZ. We discuss these results in relation to creative cognition. PMID:24273503

Controlled study of encopresis and enuresis in children with a prepubertal and early adolescent bipolar-I disorder phenotype.

PubMed

Klages, Tricia; Geller, Barbara; Tillman, Rebecca; Bolhofner, Kristine; Zimerman, Betsy

2005-10-01

To examine the prevalence of encopresis/enuresis, relationship between maternal hostility and encopresis, parent-child concordance of reporting encopresis/enuresis, and familial aggregation of enuresis in subjects with a prepubertal and early adolescent bipolar-I disorder phenotype (PEA-BP), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and healthy controls (HC). There were 268 consecutively ascertained subjects (93 PEA-BP, 81 ADHD, and 94 HC). PEA-BP was defined as DSM-IV BP-I (manic or mixed phase) with elation and/or grandiosity. The WASH-U-KSADS and Psychosocial Schedule for School-Age Children-Revised were administered to parents about their children and separately to children about themselves. Encopresis was more prevalent in PEA-BP versus HC subjects (15.1% versus 3.2%, chi2 = 6.4, p = .012). Enuresis was more common in PEA-BP versus HC (21.5% versus 6.4%, chi2 = 7.8, p = .005) and ADHD versus HC (22.2% versus 6.4%, chi2 = 6.1, p = .014) subjects. All enuresis onset in subjects not receiving lithium. Most encopresis (81.8%) and enuresis (75.0%) onset before mania. Familial aggregation of enuresis was more frequent in enuretics than nonenuretics (47.7% versus 5.4%, chi2 = 41.2, p < .0001). Maternal hostility was more prevalent in encopretic versus nonencopretic subjects (91.7% versus 55.6%, chi2 = 8.3, p = .004). Parent-child concordance on reporting encopresis and enuresis was poor to fair. Children with PEA-BP need to be evaluated for encopresis, enuresis, and mother-child relationships.

Delay discounting and response disinhibition under acute experimental stress in women with borderline personality disorder and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Krause-Utz, A; Cackowski, S; Daffner, S; Sobanski, Esther; Plichta, Michael M; Bohus, M; Ende, G; Schmahl, C

2016-11-01

Impulsivity is a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In BPD, impulsive behavior primarily occurs under acute stress; impulse control deficits under non-stress conditions may be partly related to co-morbid ADHD. We aimed to investigate whether acute experimental stress has an impact on self-reported impulsivity, response inhibition (action withholding, action cancelation) and delay discounting in BPD compared to ADHD. Thirty female BPD patients, 28 female ADHD patients (excluding patients with co-morbid BPD and ADHD), and 30 female healthy controls (HC) completed self-reports and behavioral measures of impulsivity (IMT, assessing action withholding; GoStop, measuring action cancelation, Delay Discounting Task) under baseline conditions and after an experimental stress induction (Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test). Both patient groups reported higher impulsivity than HC, ADHD reported higher trait impulsivity than BPD. On the IMT, ADHD showed significant action-withholding deficits under both conditions, while BPD performed significantly worse than HC under stress. In BPD but not ADHD and HC, action-withholding deficits (IMT) were significantly increased under stress compared to baseline, while no group/stress effects were found for action cancelation (GoStop). Delay discounting was significantly more pronounced in BPD than in HC (no stress effect was found). In BPD, behavioral deficits in action withholding (but not in action cancelation) appear to be influenced by acute experimental stress. Delay discounting seems to be a general feature of BPD, independent of co-morbid ADHD and acute stress, possibly underlying typical expressions of behavioral impulsivity in the disorder.

[The risk factor for low bone mineral density in patients with inflammatory bowel disease].

PubMed

Liu, Jian-bin; Gao, Xiang; Zhang, Fang-bin; Yang, Li; Xiao, Ying-lian; Zhang, Rui-dong; Li, Zi-ping; Hu, Pin-jin; Chen, Min-hu

2009-10-01

To evaluate the prevalence of low bone mineral density in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)and to identify its risk factors. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in IBD patients. Anthropometric measures, biochemical markers of nutrition and bone mineral density measurement were completed for these patients as well as healthy control subjects. Seventy-seven Crohn's disease (CD) and 43 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients were enrolled, and 37 healthy volunteers were recruited as healthy controls (HC). The T value of CD patients, UC patients and HC was -1.72 +/- 1.20, -1.26 +/- 1.12 and -0.62 +/- 0.87 respectively and the T value of CD patients was significantly lower than that of HC (P = 0.000). The prevalence of osteoporosis in CD, UC and HC was 23.3%, 14.0% and 0 respectively. The prevalence of osteoporosis in CD was higher than that in HC (P = 0.003). Logistic regression analysis indicated that low BMI (BMI < or = 18.4 kg/m(2)) was an independent risk factor for osteoporosis both in CD (OR = 11.25, 95%CI 3.198 - 39.580, P = 0.000) and in UC (OR = 14.50, 95%CI 1.058 - 88.200, P = 0.045) patients. Age, disease duration, clinical activity active index (CDAI), oral steroid therapy, immunosuppressant treatment and serum vitamin D concentration were not found to be correlated with osteoporosis in IBD patients. Low bone mineral density is common in both CD and UC patients and low BMI is an independent risk factor for osteoporosis in IBD patients.

Decreased functional connectivity in an executive control network is related to impaired executive function in Internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

Dong, Guangheng; Lin, Xiao; Potenza, Marc N

2015-03-03

Resting brain spontaneous neural activities across cortical regions have been correlated with specific functional properties in psychiatric groups. Individuals with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) demonstrate impaired executive control. Thus, it is important to examine executive control networks (ECNs) during resting states and their relationships to executive control during task performance. Thirty-five IGD and 36 healthy control participants underwent a resting-state fMRI scan and performed a Stroop task inside and outside of the MRI scanner. Correlations between Stroop effect and functional connectivity among ECN regions of interest (ROIs) were calculated within and between groups. IGD subjects show lower functional connectivity in ECNs than do HC participants during resting state; functional-connectivity measures in ECNs were negatively correlated with Stroop effect and positively correlated with brain activations in executive-control regions across groups. Within groups, negative trends were found between Stroop effect and functional connectivity in ECNs in IGD and HC groups, separately; positive trends were found between functional connectivity in ECNs and brain activations in Stroop task in IGD and HC groups, separately. Higher functional connectivity in ECNs may underlie better executive control and may provide resilience with respect to IGD. Lower functional connectivity in ECNs may represent an important feature in understanding and treating IGD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of automobile emission control technology to light piston aircraft engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tripp, D.; Kittredge, G.

1976-01-01

The possibility was evaluated for achieving the EPA Standards for HC and CO emissions through the use of air-fuel ratio enleanment at selected power modes combined with improved air-fuel mixture preparation, and in some cases improved cooling. Air injection was also an effective approach for the reduction of HC and CO, particularly when combined with exhaust heat conservation techniques such as exhaust port liners.

Changes in correlation characteristics of time consumption and mind-reading performance in pre-onset and post-onset psychosis.

PubMed

Zhang, TianHong; Xu, LiHua; Cui, HuiRu; Tang, YingYing; Wei, YanYan; Tang, XiaoChen; Liu, XiaoHua; Cao, XinMei; Li, ChunBo; Wang, JiJun

2018-04-01

There is a strong correlation between neurocognition and social cognition. However, none of these studies have examined the key role of time consumption during social cognition tasks. Participants included 84 individuals with clinical high risk of psychosis (CHR), 95 healthy controls (HC), and 66 case controls (schizophrenia patients, SZ), who were assessed through the Reading-Mind-in-Eyes Tasks (RMET) with computerized recording of the response time (RT). Neurocognitive tests were also performed for the HC and CHR groups. A comparison of RMET performance revealed significantly lower scores in the SZ group compared to the HC group, with CHR individuals scoring between these two. However, both CHR and SZ subjects spent almost twice as long of the time on RMET compared to the HC subjects. Significant positive correlation was found between RMET accuracy and RT, though only in SZ patients. Taking the RT into consideration, the RMET performances were impacted by different neurocognition domains. Our findings provide new evidence about how time consumption in mind-reading may impact the relationship between social cognition and neurocognition, and we discuss the potential importance of recording the response time during social cognition assessment in individuals with early psychosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Adolescent Bariatric Surgery on the Brain and Cognition: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Pearce, Alaina L; Mackey, Eleanor; Cherry, J Bradley C; Olson, Alexandra; You, Xiaozhen; Magge, Sheela N; Mietus-Snyder, Michele; Nadler, Evan P; Vaidya, Chandan J

2017-11-01

Neurocognitive deficits in pediatric obesity relate to poor developmental outcomes. We sought preliminary evidence for changes in brain and cognitive functioning relevant to obesogenic behavior following vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) in adolescents relative to wait-listed (WL) and healthy controls (HC). Thirty-six adolescents underwent fMRI twice 4 months apart, during executive, reward, and episodic memory encoding, in addition to behavioral testing for reward-related decision making. VSG adolescents lost weight, while WL gained weight and HC did not change between time points. Gains in executive and reward-related performance were larger in VSG than control groups. Group × Time interaction (P < 0.05 corrected) in left prefrontal cortex during N-back showed greater presurgical activation and postsurgical reduction comparable to HC levels but increased in WL between time points. Similarly, left striatal parametric response to reward value reduced after surgery to HC levels; WL did not change. Memory-related medial temporal activation did not change in any group. Results provide pilot evidence for functional brain changes induced by VSG in adolescents with severe obesity. Weight loss and gain were paralleled by reduced and increased prefrontal activation, respectively, suggesting neural plasticity related to metabolic change. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Prolonged intestinal transit and diarrhea in patients with an activating GUCY2C mutation

PubMed Central

Brønstad, Ingeborg; Gilja, Odd Helge; R. Tronstad, Rune; Sangnes, Dag Andre; Nortvedt, Ragnar; Hausken, Trygve; Dimcevski, Georg; Fiskerstrand, Torunn; Nylund, Kim

2017-01-01

Introduction Increased intestinal hydration by activation of the epithelial enzyme linked receptor guanylate cyclase C (GC-C) is a pharmacological principle for treating constipation. Activating mutations in the GUCY2C gene encoding GC-C cause Familial GUCY2C diarrhea syndrome (FGDS) which has been diagnosed with severe dysmotility. Aim To investigate gut motility and hormones before and after a meal in FGDS patients and compare with healthy controls (HC). Subjects and methods Bristol stool chart and stool frequency was assessed. Before and after a meal occlusive and non-occlusive contractions were obtained using ultrasound. A wireless motility capsule (WMC) recorded gut transit time, pH, contractions and pressure. Plasma levels of selected gut hormones were measured at different time points. Results The FGDS patients had 4 (range 1–10) loose stools/day and prolonged total gut transit time compared to HC, 55.5 h vs 28.5 h, respectively,with significantly increased colon transit time. In FGDS patients, pH in duodenum, small bowel and colon was increased and the number of contractions and the intraluminal pressure were significantly decreased, measured by WMC. Ultrasound showed in small bowel increased number of non-occlusive contractions in the FGDS patients. Serotonin (5-HT) plasma levels in the HC peaked 30 min after the meal, while the FGDS patients had no response. Conclusion Despite having diarrhea, the FGDS patients have prolonged transit time through the gut compared to HC, particularly in colon. The reduced number of intestinal contractions and lack of 5-HT release after a meal in FGDS patients surprisingly resemble colonic motility disturbances seen in patients with constipation. PMID:28957388

Involvement of shared mucosal-associated microbiota in the duodenum and rectum in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Li, Gangping; Yang, Min; Jin, Yu; Li, Ying; Qian, Wei; Xiong, Hanhua; Song, Jun; Hou, Xiaohua

2018-06-01

Most studies of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) focused on microbiota dysbiosis in a single segment of the intestine such as the colon. However, the intestine as a whole is involved in IBS-D and knowledge about the role of microbiota shared by the duodenum and rectum in IBS-D is limited. Here, we investigated the characteristics of mucosal microbiota shared by the duodenum and rectum in IBS-D patients. We collected duodenal and rectal mucosal samples from 33 adult IBS-D patients and 15 healthy control (HC) subjects. The 454 pyrosequencing method and multiple bioinformatics analyses were used to examine bacterial 16S rRNA. Clinical data including symptoms and Bristol Stool Form were analyzed. Mucosal microbiota in duodenal samples differed from rectal samples in HC, while less difference was shown in IBS-D. More numbers in terms of shared operational taxonomic units and genera found in IBS-D compared with HC. The frequency of genera in the duodenum and rectum of HC differed from that of IBS-D. We identified 24 genera shared in the duodenum and rectum, which both changed dramatically in IBS-D. Among these 24 genera, half had similar trends in frequency differences, and the other half had opposite trends. The frequency of Faecalibacterium and Hyphomicrobium were associated with clinical data of IBS-D patients. Shared mucosal-associated microbiota in the duodenum and rectum appear to contribute to the etiology and pathophysiology of whole intestine of IBS-D and to be potential therapeutic targets. © 2017 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Salivary microbiota and metabolome associated with celiac disease.

PubMed

Francavilla, Ruggiero; Ercolini, Danilo; Piccolo, Maria; Vannini, Lucia; Siragusa, Sonya; De Filippis, Francesca; De Pasquale, Ilaria; Di Cagno, Raffaella; Di Toma, Michele; Gozzi, Giorgia; Serrazanetti, Diana I; De Angelis, Maria; Gobbetti, Marco

2014-06-01

This study aimed to investigate the salivary microbiota and metabolome of 13 children with celiac disease (CD) under a gluten-free diet (treated celiac disease [T-CD]). The same number of healthy children (HC) was used as controls. The salivary microbiota was analyzed by an integrated approach using culture-dependent and -independent methods. Metabolome analysis was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-solid-phase microextraction. Compared to HC, the number of some cultivable bacterial groups (e.g., total anaerobes) significantly (P < 0.05) differed in the saliva samples of the T-CD children. As shown by community-level catabolic profiles, the highest Shannon's diversity and substrate richness were found in HC. Pyrosequencing data showed the highest richness estimator and diversity index values for HC. Levels of Lachnospiraceae, Gemellaceae, and Streptococcus sanguinis were highest for the T-CD children. Streptococcus thermophilus levels were markedly decreased in T-CD children. The saliva of T-CD children showed the largest amount of Bacteroidetes (e.g., Porphyromonas sp., Porphyromonas endodontalis, and Prevotella nanceiensis), together with the smallest amount of Actinobacteria. T-CD children were also characterized by decreased levels of some Actinomyces species, Atopobium species, and Corynebacterium durum. Rothia mucilaginosa was the only Actinobacteria species found at the highest level in T-CD children. As shown by multivariate statistical analyses, the levels of organic volatile compounds markedly differentiated T-CD children. Some compounds (e.g., ethyl-acetate, nonanal, and 2-hexanone) were found to be associated with T-CD children. Correlations (false discovery rate [FDR], <0.05) were found between the relative abundances of bacteria and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The findings of this study indicated that CD is associated with oral dysbiosis that could affect the oral metabolome.

Salivary Microbiota and Metabolome Associated with Celiac Disease

PubMed Central

Francavilla, Ruggiero; Ercolini, Danilo; Piccolo, Maria; Vannini, Lucia; Siragusa, Sonya; De Filippis, Francesca; De Pasquale, Ilaria; Di Cagno, Raffaella; Di Toma, Michele; Gozzi, Giorgia; Serrazanetti, Diana I.; Gobbetti, Marco

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the salivary microbiota and metabolome of 13 children with celiac disease (CD) under a gluten-free diet (treated celiac disease [T-CD]). The same number of healthy children (HC) was used as controls. The salivary microbiota was analyzed by an integrated approach using culture-dependent and -independent methods. Metabolome analysis was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry–solid-phase microextraction. Compared to HC, the number of some cultivable bacterial groups (e.g., total anaerobes) significantly (P < 0.05) differed in the saliva samples of the T-CD children. As shown by community-level catabolic profiles, the highest Shannon's diversity and substrate richness were found in HC. Pyrosequencing data showed the highest richness estimator and diversity index values for HC. Levels of Lachnospiraceae, Gemellaceae, and Streptococcus sanguinis were highest for the T-CD children. Streptococcus thermophilus levels were markedly decreased in T-CD children. The saliva of T-CD children showed the largest amount of Bacteroidetes (e.g., Porphyromonas sp., Porphyromonas endodontalis, and Prevotella nanceiensis), together with the smallest amount of Actinobacteria. T-CD children were also characterized by decreased levels of some Actinomyces species, Atopobium species, and Corynebacterium durum. Rothia mucilaginosa was the only Actinobacteria species found at the highest level in T-CD children. As shown by multivariate statistical analyses, the levels of organic volatile compounds markedly differentiated T-CD children. Some compounds (e.g., ethyl-acetate, nonanal, and 2-hexanone) were found to be associated with T-CD children. Correlations (false discovery rate [FDR], <0.05) were found between the relative abundances of bacteria and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The findings of this study indicated that CD is associated with oral dysbiosis that could affect the oral metabolome. PMID:24657864

Neurocognitive functioning in individuals with bipolar disorder and their healthy siblings: a preliminary study

PubMed Central

Bauer, Isabelle E.; Wu, Mon-Ju; Frazier, T.W.; Mwangi, Benson; Spiker, Danielle; Zunta-Soares, Giovana B.; Soares, Jair C.

2016-01-01

Background Cognitive deficits have been consistently reported in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). The cognitive profile of siblings of individuals with BD is, however, less clearly established possibly due to the heterogeneity of neuropsychological measures used in previous studies. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the cognitive function of siblings of individuals with BD and compare it with that of their first-degree relatives suffering with BD, and healthy controls (HC) using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) - a comprehensive and validated computerized cognitive battery. Methods We recruited 23 HC (33.52±10.29 years, 8 males), 27 individuals with BD (34.26±10.19 years, 9 males, 25 BDI, 1BDII and 1 BD-NOS), and 15 of their biologically related siblings (37.47±13.15 years, 4 males). Siblings had no current or lifetime history of mental disorders. Participants performed the CANTAB and completed questionnaires assessing mood and global functioning. Multivariate analyses compared CANTAB measures across the three participant groups. Results Individuals with BD and their siblings were less accurate in a task of sustained attention (Rapid Visual Processing) when compared to HC. Further, individuals with BD displayed pronounced deficits in affective processing (Affective Go/No-Go) compared to HC. There were no cognitive differences between siblings and individuals with BD. After correcting for current depressive symptoms, these results did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Subthreshold depressive symptoms may be associated with reduced sustained attention in healthy siblings of BD patients. This preliminary result needs to be corroborated by large-scale, longitudinal studies assessing the relationship between cognition and mood in vulnerable individuals. PMID:27179338

Whole blood transcriptional profiles as a prognostic tool in complete and incomplete Kawasaki Disease

PubMed Central

Xu, Zhaohui; Yin, Han; Moore-Clingenpeel, Melissa; Smith, Bennett; Burns, Jane C.; Tremoulet, Adriana H.; Jordan-Villegas, Alejandro; Chaussabel, Damien; Texter, Karen; Pascual, Virginia; Ramilo, Octavio

2018-01-01

Background Early identification of children with Kawasaki Disease (KD) is key for timely initiation of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. However, the diagnosis of the disease remains challenging, especially in children with an incomplete presentation (inKD). Moreover, we currently lack objective tools for identification of non-response (NR) to IVIG. Methods Children with KD were enrolled and samples obtained before IVIG treatment and sequentially at 24 h and 4–6 weeks post-IVIG in a subset of patients. We also enrolled children with other febrile illnesses [adenovirus (AdV); group A streptococcus (GAS)] and healthy controls (HC) for comparative analyses. Blood transcriptional profiles were analyzed to define: a) the cKD and inKD biosignature, b) compare the KD signature with other febrile illnesses and, c) identify biomarkers predictive of clinical outcomes. Results We identified a cKD biosignature (n = 39; HC, n = 16) that was validated in two additional cohorts of children with cKD (n = 37; HC, n = 20) and inKD (n = 13; HC, n = 8) and was characterized by overexpression of inflammation, platelets, apoptosis and neutrophil genes, and underexpression of T and NK cell genes. Classifier genes discriminated KD from adenovirus with higher sensitivity and specificity (92% and 100%, respectively) than for GAS (75% and 87%, respectively). We identified a genomic score (MDTH) that was higher at baseline in IVIG-NR [median 12,290 vs. 5,572 in responders, p = 0.009] and independently predicted IVIG-NR. Conclusion A reproducible biosignature from KD patients was identified, and was similar in children with cKD and inKD. A genomic score allowed early identification of children at higher risk for non-response to IVIG. PMID:29813106

Category and design fluency in mild cognitive impairment: Performance, strategy use, and neural correlates.

PubMed

Peter, Jessica; Kaiser, Jannis; Landerer, Verena; Köstering, Lena; Kaller, Christoph P; Heimbach, Bernhard; Hüll, Michael; Bormann, Tobias; Klöppel, Stefan

2016-12-01

The exploration and retrieval of words during category fluency involves different strategies to improve or maintain performance. Deficits in that task, which are common in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), mirror either impaired semantic memory or dysfunctional executive control mechanisms. Relating category fluency to tasks that place greater demands on either semantic knowledge or executive functions might help to determine the underlying cognitive process. The aims of this study were to compare performance and strategy use of 20 patients with aMCI to 30 healthy elderly controls (HC) and to identify the dominant component (either executive or semantic) for better task performance in category fluency. Thus, the relationship between category fluency, design fluency and naming was examined. As fluency tasks have been associated with the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), and the temporal pole, we further explored the relationship between gray matter volume in these areas and both performance and strategy use. Patients with aMCI showed significantly lower performance and significantly less strategy use during fluency tasks compared to HC. However, both groups equally improved their performance when repeatedly confronted with the same task. In aMCI, performance during category fluency was significantly predicted by design fluency performance, while in HC, it was significantly predicted by naming performance. In HC, volume of the SFG significantly predicted both category and design fluency performance, and strategy use during design fluency. In aMCI, the SFG and the IFG predicted performance during both category and design fluency. The IFG significantly predicted strategy use during category fluency in both groups. The reduced category fluency performance in aMCI seems to be primarily due to dysfunctional executive control mechanisms rather than impaired semantic knowledge. This finding is directly relevant to patients in the different stages of Alzheimer's disease as it links the known semantic fluency deficit in this population to executive functions. Although patients with aMCI are impaired in both performance and strategy use compared to HC, they are able to increase performance over time. However, only HC were able to significantly improve the utilization of fluency strategies in both category and design fluency over time. HC seem to rely more heavily on the SFG during fluency tasks, while in patients with aMCI additional frontal brain areas are involved, possibly reflecting compensational processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emission measurement of diesel vehicles in Hong Kong through on-road remote sensing: Performance review and identification of high-emitters.

PubMed

Huang, Yuhan; Organ, Bruce; Zhou, John L; Surawski, Nic C; Hong, Guang; Chan, Edward F C; Yam, Yat Shing

2018-06-01

A two-year remote sensing measurement program was carried out in Hong Kong to obtain a large dataset of on-road diesel vehicle emissions. Analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of vehicle manufacture year (1949-2015) and engine size (0.4-20 L) on the emission rates and high-emitters. The results showed that CO emission rates of larger engine size vehicles were higher than those of small vehicles during the study period, while HC and NO were higher before manufacture year 2006 and then became similar levels between manufacture years 2006 and 2015. CO, HC and NO of all vehicles showed an unexpectedly increasing trend during 1998-2004, in particular ≥6001 cc vehicles. However, they all decreased steadily in the last decade (2005-2015), except for NO of ≥6001 cc vehicles during 2013-2015. The distributions of CO and HC emission rates were highly skewed as the dirtiest 10% vehicles emitted much higher emissions than all the other vehicles. Moreover, this skewness became more significant for larger engine size or newer vehicles. The results indicated that remote sensing technology would be very effective to screen the CO and HC high-emitters and thus control the on-road vehicle emissions, but less effective for controlling NO emissions. No clear correlation was observed between the manufacture year and percentage of high-emitters for ≤3000 cc vehicles. However, the percentage of high-emitters decreased with newer manufacture year for larger vehicles. In addition, high-emitters of different pollutants were relatively independent, in particular NO emissions, indicating that high-emitter screening criteria should be defined on a CO-or-HC-or-NO basis, rather than a CO-and-HC-and-NO basis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physiological and Perceived Effects of Forearm or Head Cooling During Simulated Firefighting Activity and Rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Yeargin, Susan; McKenzie, Amy L.; Eberman, Lindsey E.; Kingsley, J. Derek; Dziedzicki, David J.; Yoder, Patrick

2016-01-01

Context: Cooling devices aim to protect firefighters by attenuating a rise in body temperature. Devices for head cooling (HC) while firefighting and forearm cooling (FC) during rehabilitation (RHB) intervals are commonly marketed, but research regarding their efficacy is limited. Objective: To investigate the physiological and perceived effects of HC and FC during firefighting drills and RHB. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: Firefighter training center. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-seven male career firefighters (age = 39 ± 7 years; height = 169 ± 7 cm; weight = 95.4 ± 16.8 kg). Intervention(s): Firefighters were randomly assigned to 1 condition: HC (n = 9), in which participants completed drills wearing a cold gel pack inside their helmet; FC (n = 8), in which participants sat on a collapsible chair with water-immersion arm troughs during RHB; or control (n = 10), in which participants used no cooling devices. Firefighters completed four 15-minute drills (D1−D4) wearing full bunker gear and breathing apparatus. Participants had a 15-min RHB after D2 (RHB1) and D4 (RHB2). Main Outcome Measure(s): Change (Δ) in gastrointestinal temperature (TGI), heart rate (HR), physiological strain index, and perceived thermal sensation. Results: The TGI increased similarly in the HC and control groups, respectively (D1: 0.57°C ± 0.41°C, 0.73°C ± 0.30°C; D2: 0.92°C ± 0.28°C, 0.85°C ± 0.27°C; D3: −0.37°C ± 0.34°C, −0.01°C ± 0.72°C; D4: 0.25°C ± 0.42°C, 0.57°C ± 0.26°C; P > .05). The ΔHR, Δ physiological strain index, and Δ thermal sensation were similar between the HC and control groups during drills (P > .05). The FC group demonstrated a decreased TGI compared with the control group after RHB1 (−1.61°C ± 0.35°C versus −0.23°C ± 0.34°C; P < .001) and RHB2 (−1.40°C ± 0.38°C versus −0.38°C ± 0.24°C; P < .001). The physiological strain index score decreased in the FC group compared with the control group after RHB1 (−7.9 ± 1.3 versus −2.6 ± 1.7; P < .001) and RHB2 (−7.9 ± 1.6 versus −3.6 ± 1.1; P < .001), but no differences between groups were demonstrated for ΔHR or Δ thermal sensation (P > .05). Conclusions: The HC did not attenuate rises in physiological or perceptual variables during firefighting drills. The FC effectively reduced TGI and the physiological strain index score but not HR or thermal sensation during RHB. Clinicians and firefighters should not recommend the use of HC during firefighting but can consider using FC during RHB intervals in the field. PMID:28068165

[Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy recognition of metabolic patterns in fecal extracts for early diagnosis of colorectal cancer].

PubMed

Lin, Y; Wang, Z N; Ma, C C; Liu, C K; Yang, J R; Shen, Z W; Wu, R H

2016-09-06

Objective: To characterize the metabolic " fingerprint" of fecal extracts for diagnosis of early-stage colorectal cancer(CRC)using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy( 1 H-NMR)-based metabolomics coupled with pattern recognition. Methods: From January 2014 to December 2014, we collected fecal samples at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, from 25 patients with colorectal adenomas(CR-Ad), 20 with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ CRC, and 32 healthy controls(HCs). The patients were diagnosed by histopathology. No subjects had any complicating diseases. HCs showed no abnormalities from blood tests, endoscopic examination, diagnostic imaging, and/or medical interviews. We excluded participants who used antibiotics, NSAIDS, statins, or probiotics within two months of study participation, and any patients who underwent chemotherapy or radiation treatments prior to surgery. We used orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA)for pattern recognition(dimension reduction)on 1 H-NMR processed data( 1 H frequency of 400.13 MHz), to find metabolic differences among CR-Ad, carcinoma and HC fecal samples; and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis to determine the diagnostic value of the fecal metabolic biomarkers. Results: Fecal samples were collected from 20 patients with Stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ CRC(11 M, 9 F, median age(52±13)years), 25 with CR-Ad(14 M, 11 F, median age(53 ± 11)years)and 32 HCs(15 M, 17 F, median age(53 ± 14)years). OPLS-DA clearly distinguished CR-Ad and stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ CRC from HC samples, based on their metabolomic profiles. Relative signal intensities in HCs were significantly lower than in the cancer patients for butyrate(HC: 23.0±6.0; CR-Ad: 18.0±5.0; CRC: 14.0±6.0; Z =-2.07, P =0.008), acetate(HC: 45.0±11.0; CR-Ad: 31.0±11.0; CRC: 24.0±8.0; Z =- 2.32, P =0.011), propionate(HC: 26.0 ± 7.0; CR-Ad: 22.0 ± 6.0; CRC: 19.0 ± 5.0; Z =- 2.43, P =0.032), glucose(HC: 37.0±7.0; CR-Ad: 31.0±7.0; CRC: 26.0±8.0; Z =-2.07, P =0.044)and glutamine(HC: 4.5±2.0; CR-Ad: 4.9 ± 1.0; CRC: 5.4 ± 1.0; Z =2.21, P =0.044). However, relative signal intensities in HCs were significantly higher than in patients for lactate(HC: 4.8±1.0; CR-Ad: 6.9±2.0; CRC: 4.8± 1.0; Z =2.02, P = 0.038), glutamate(HC: 3.2 ± 2.0; CR-Ad: 4.9 ± 1.0; CRC: 3.2 ± 2.0; Z =2.21, P =0.044)and succinate(HC: 12.0±2.0; CR-Ad: 15.0±3.0; CRC: 12.0± 2.0; Z =2.25, P =0.011). Among the potential biomarkers, acetate at 1.92 ppm, and succinate at 2.41 ppm displayed relatively high area under ROC, with sensitivity and specificity both >90%, to distinguish early-stage CRC patients from HCs. Conclusion: Fecal metabolic profiles distinguish of HCs from patients with CRC patients, even in the early stages(stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ), highlighting the potential of NMR-based fecal metabolomic fingerprinting as tools for early CRC diagnosis.

Neurochemical deficits in the cerebellar vermis in child offspring of parents with bipolar disorder

PubMed Central

Singh, Manpreet K; Spielman, Daniel; Libby, Allison; Adams, Elizabeth; Acquaye, Tenah; Howe, Meghan; Kelley, Ryan; Reiss, Allan; Chang, Kiki D

2011-01-01

Objectives We aimed to compare concentrations of N-acetyl aspartate, myo-inositol, and other neurometabolites in the cerebellar vermis of offspring at risk for bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls to examine whether changes in these neuronal metabolite concentrations occur in at-risk offspring prior to the onset of mania. Methods A total of 22 children and adolescents aged 9–17 years with a familial risk for bipolar I or II disorder [at-risk offspring with non-bipolar I disorder mood symptoms (AR)], and 25 healthy controls (HC) were examined using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3T to study metabolite concentrations in an 8-cc voxel in the cerebellar vermis. Results Decreased myo-inositol and choline concentrations in the vermis were seen in the AR group compared to HC (p < 0.01). Conclusions Decreased cellular metabolism and interference with second messenger pathways may be present in the cerebellar vermis in youth at risk for BD as evident by decreased myo-inositol and choline concentrations in this region. These results may be limited by a cross-sectional design, co-occurring diagnoses, and medication exposure. Longitudinal studies are necessary to determine whether early neurochemical changes can predict the development of mania. Improved methods for identifying children with certain neurochemical vulnerabilities may inform preventive and early intervention strategies prior to the onset of mania. PMID:21443573

Shared polymorphisms and modifiable behavior factors for myocardial infarction and high cholesterol in a retrospective population study

PubMed Central

Liang, Yulan; Kelemen, Arpad

2017-01-01

Abstract Genetic and environmental (behavior, clinical, and demographic) factors are associated with increased risks of both myocardial infarction (MI) and high cholesterol (HC). It is known that HC is major risk factor that may cause MI. However, whether there are common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with both MI and HC is not firmly established, and whether there are modulate and modified effects (interactions of genetic and known environmental factors) on either HC or MI, and whether these joint effects improve the predictions of MI, is understudied. The purpose of this study is to identify novel shared SNPs and modifiable environmental factors on MI and HC. We assess whether SNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI may relate to HC; whether there are moderate effects among SNPs, lifestyle (smoke and drinking), HC, and MI after controlling other factors [gender, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension (HTN)]; and evaluate prediction power of the joint and modulate genetic and environmental factors influencing the MI and HC. This is a retrospective study with residents of Erie and Niagara counties in New York with a history of MI or with no history of MI. The data set includes environmental variables (demographic, clinical, lifestyle). Thirty-one tagSNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI are genotyped. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with imputation-based analysis are conducted for examining the common effects of tagSNPs and environmental exposures and their interactions on having a history of HC or MI. MI, BMI, and HTN are significant risk factors for HC. HC shows the strongest effect on risk of MI in addition to HTN; gender and smoking status while drinking status shows protective effect on MI. rs16944 (gene IL-1β) and rs17222772 (gene ALOX) increase the risks of HC, while rs17231896 (gene CETP) has protective effects on HC either with or without the clinical, behavioral, demographic factors with different effect sizes that may indicate the existence of moderate or modifiable effects. Further analysis with the inclusions of gene–gene and gene–environmental interactions shows interactions between rs17231896 (CETP) and rs17222772 (ALOX); rs17231896 (CETP) and gender. rs17237890 (CETP) and rs2070744 (NOS3) are found to be significantly associated with risks of MI adjusted by both SNPs and environmental factors. After multiple testing adjustments, these effects diminished as expected. In addition, an interaction between drinking and smoking status is significant. Overall, the prediction power in successfully classifying MI status is increased to 80% with inclusions of all significant tagSNPs and environmental factors and their interactions compared with environmental factors only (72%). Having a history of either HC or MI has significant effects on each other in both directions, in addition to HTN and gender. Genes/SNPs identified from this analysis that are associated with HC may be potentially linked to MI, which could be further examined and validated through haplotype-pairs analysis with appropriate population stratification corrections, and function/pathway regulation analysis to eliminate the limitations of the current analysis. PMID:28906356

Shared polymorphisms and modifiable behavior factors for myocardial infarction and high cholesterol in a retrospective population study.

PubMed

Liang, Yulan; Kelemen, Arpad

2017-09-01

Genetic and environmental (behavior, clinical, and demographic) factors are associated with increased risks of both myocardial infarction (MI) and high cholesterol (HC). It is known that HC is major risk factor that may cause MI. However, whether there are common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with both MI and HC is not firmly established, and whether there are modulate and modified effects (interactions of genetic and known environmental factors) on either HC or MI, and whether these joint effects improve the predictions of MI, is understudied.The purpose of this study is to identify novel shared SNPs and modifiable environmental factors on MI and HC. We assess whether SNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI may relate to HC; whether there are moderate effects among SNPs, lifestyle (smoke and drinking), HC, and MI after controlling other factors [gender, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension (HTN)]; and evaluate prediction power of the joint and modulate genetic and environmental factors influencing the MI and HC.This is a retrospective study with residents of Erie and Niagara counties in New York with a history of MI or with no history of MI. The data set includes environmental variables (demographic, clinical, lifestyle). Thirty-one tagSNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI are genotyped. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with imputation-based analysis are conducted for examining the common effects of tagSNPs and environmental exposures and their interactions on having a history of HC or MI.MI, BMI, and HTN are significant risk factors for HC. HC shows the strongest effect on risk of MI in addition to HTN; gender and smoking status while drinking status shows protective effect on MI. rs16944 (gene IL-1β) and rs17222772 (gene ALOX) increase the risks of HC, while rs17231896 (gene CETP) has protective effects on HC either with or without the clinical, behavioral, demographic factors with different effect sizes that may indicate the existence of moderate or modifiable effects. Further analysis with the inclusions of gene-gene and gene-environmental interactions shows interactions between rs17231896 (CETP) and rs17222772 (ALOX); rs17231896 (CETP) and gender. rs17237890 (CETP) and rs2070744 (NOS3) are found to be significantly associated with risks of MI adjusted by both SNPs and environmental factors. After multiple testing adjustments, these effects diminished as expected. In addition, an interaction between drinking and smoking status is significant. Overall, the prediction power in successfully classifying MI status is increased to 80% with inclusions of all significant tagSNPs and environmental factors and their interactions compared with environmental factors only (72%).Having a history of either HC or MI has significant effects on each other in both directions, in addition to HTN and gender. Genes/SNPs identified from this analysis that are associated with HC may be potentially linked to MI, which could be further examined and validated through haplotype-pairs analysis with appropriate population stratification corrections, and function/pathway regulation analysis to eliminate the limitations of the current analysis.

Genome-Wide Reprogramming of Transcript Architecture by Temperature Specifies the Developmental States of the Human Pathogen Histoplasma

PubMed Central

Gilmore, Sarah A.; Voorhies, Mark; Gebhart, Dana; Sil, Anita

2015-01-01

Eukaryotic cells integrate layers of gene regulation to coordinate complex cellular processes; however, mechanisms of post-transcriptional gene regulation remain poorly studied. The human fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) responds to environmental or host temperature by initiating unique transcriptional programs to specify multicellular (hyphae) or unicellular (yeast) developmental states that function in infectivity or pathogenesis, respectively. Here we used recent advances in next-generation sequencing to uncover a novel re-programming of transcript length between Hc developmental cell types. We found that ~2% percent of Hc transcripts exhibit 5’ leader sequences that differ markedly in length between morphogenetic states. Ribosome density and mRNA abundance measurements of differential leader transcripts revealed nuanced transcriptional and translational regulation. One such class of regulated longer leader transcripts exhibited tight transcriptional and translational repression. Further examination of these dually repressed genes revealed that some control Hc morphology and that their strict regulation is necessary for the pathogen to make appropriate developmental decisions in response to temperature. PMID:26177267

Inductive reasoning and doubt in obsessive compulsive disorder.

PubMed

O'Connor, Kieron; Wilson, Samantha; Taillon, Annie; Pélissier, Marie-Claude; Audet, Jean-Sebastien

2018-06-01

Previous studies show that individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) accord more importance than healthy controls (HC) to alternative conclusions, resulting in increased doubt regarding an initial conclusion. The goal of the present study was to replicate and extend this finding. Eighteen participants diagnosed with OCD and 16 HC completed the Reasoning with Inductive Arguments Task (RIAT), which operationalizes doubt as change in confidence towards a conclusion after alternative conclusions are presented. To examine conditions that facilitate doubt, the impact of alternative conclusions that both supported and contradicted the initial conclusion was compared, as well as the effect of neutral and OCD-relevant item content. Both the OCD and HC groups decreased confidence after contradicting conclusions, but only the HC group increased confidence when presented with supporting conclusions. Furthermore, decrease in confidence in the OCD group correlated with OCD symptom severity. The RIAT could be adapted to better take into account of OCD subtypes. Doubt generation may contribute to obsessional doubting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-Wide Reprogramming of Transcript Architecture by Temperature Specifies the Developmental States of the Human Pathogen Histoplasma.

PubMed

Gilmore, Sarah A; Voorhies, Mark; Gebhart, Dana; Sil, Anita

2015-07-01

Eukaryotic cells integrate layers of gene regulation to coordinate complex cellular processes; however, mechanisms of post-transcriptional gene regulation remain poorly studied. The human fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) responds to environmental or host temperature by initiating unique transcriptional programs to specify multicellular (hyphae) or unicellular (yeast) developmental states that function in infectivity or pathogenesis, respectively. Here we used recent advances in next-generation sequencing to uncover a novel re-programming of transcript length between Hc developmental cell types. We found that ~2% percent of Hc transcripts exhibit 5' leader sequences that differ markedly in length between morphogenetic states. Ribosome density and mRNA abundance measurements of differential leader transcripts revealed nuanced transcriptional and translational regulation. One such class of regulated longer leader transcripts exhibited tight transcriptional and translational repression. Further examination of these dually repressed genes revealed that some control Hc morphology and that their strict regulation is necessary for the pathogen to make appropriate developmental decisions in response to temperature.

Methods of Separation of Total Rare Earths in Low-Alloy Constructional Steels

DTIC Science & Technology

1954-11-10

75-6, 1945 . CA 40, 2086. 3, 1946. Various methods for the separation of U and the rare-earths were tested and compared. Precipitation of...the preparation of solid NagRXSzOj)*. K3R(S2OJ)J and (NP^jR (SjOs), These compounds were analyzed by decomposition with concentrated HC1...Madrid) 4, 168-77, 1950. CA 45, 5059f, 1951. A review. After HC1 hydrolysis BaCl2 is added to precipitate BaSO^ and the crystal pattern

A similar pro/anti-inflammatory cytokine balance is present in the airways of competitive athletes and non-exercising asthmatics.

PubMed

Kurowski, Marcin; Jurczyk, Janusz; Olszewska-Ziąber, Agnieszka; Jarzębska, Marzanna; Krysztofiak, Hubert; Kowalski, Marek L

2018-03-01

Intensive exercise modifies airway inflammation and infection susceptibility. We aimed to determine the effect of exercise on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1ra, IL-10) and innate immunity protein (HSPA1, sCD14) levels in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and nasal secretions of competitive athletes, non-exercising asthmatics and healthy controls (HC). The study group consisted of 15 competitive athletes (five speed skaters and ten swimmers) aged 15-25. The control groups comprised 10 mild-to-moderate asthmatics (AC) and seven HC. Athletes were assessed in- and off-training while asthmatics and controls at one time point. Nasal lavages and EBC were collected before and after a treadmill exercise challenge. Protein levels were assessed using ELISA. TNF-α levels in EBC were significantly higher in athletes than HC, but similar to asthmatic patients. In contrast, IL-1ra EBC concentrations were significantly lower in athletes than in HC, but again similar to asthmatics. Significant positive correlations were seen between baseline concentrations of TNF-α in EBC and fall in FEV1 following exercise challenge in athletes during training period (R=0.74, p<0.01) and in asthmatics (R=0.64, p<0.05). In nasal secretions, baseline IL-1ra levels were significantly higher in athletes and asthmatics than in HC. Exercise caused a slight, yet significant, increase in EBC HSPA1 in athletes (p=0.02). The exercise challenge did not considerably influence TNF-α, IL-1ra, HSPA1 and sCD14 in EBC or nasal secretions. Dysregulation of the TNF-α/IL-1ra balance in EBC and nasal secretions from athletes may reflect the presence of airway inflammation induced by repeated strenuous exercise. Copyright © 2017 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence of IL-17 producing innate lymphoid cells in peripheral blood from patients with enteropathic spondyloarthritis.

PubMed

Triggianese, Paola; Conigliaro, Paola; Chimenti, Maria Sole; Biancone, Livia; Monteleone, Giovanni; Perricone, Roberto; Monteleone, Ivan

2016-01-01

Both the innate and the adaptive immune responses contribute to the onset of chronic inflammation in spondyloarthritis (SpA). The association between SpA and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, enteropathic SpA-ESpA) has been largely established and suggests a shared pathophysiology. There is evidence that innate lymphoid cells (ILC) are involved in the pathogenesis of both SpA and IBD while no evidence has been reported to date on ESpA. We aimed to analyse for the first time the frequency and cytokine expression of ILC in peripheral blood from ESpA patients compared with both IBD and healthy subjects. Correlations between immunophenotyping and disease activity were also explored. ESpA patients (n=20) were prospectively enrolled. Healthy controls (HC, n=10) and IBD patients (n=10) served as control groups. Peripheral blood Interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17 expressing T and non-T cells as well as ILC subsets (ILC-1: IFN- γ +; ILC-3: IL-17+; natural killer-NK) were characterised by flowcytometry. Correlations between IL-17+ cells and SpA disease activity were analysed. ESpA patients showed higher levels of ROR-γ expressing non T-cells with the respect to the controls. IL-17 producing non-T cells were higher than the HC and positively correlated with IFN-γ expressing cells levels as well as with SpA disease activity. ESpA showed higher levels of ILC-1 and ILC-3 than both IBD and HC. IFN-γ expressing NK cells were higher in ESpA than HC. Our preliminary findings indicate that peripheral blood of ESpA patients is enriched for IL-17 expressing ILC which distinguishes the blood compartment from both IBD and HC. The increased IL-17 production by ILC indicates a novel role for ILC in ESpA.

The relationship between cannabis use and cortisol levels in youth at ultra high-risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Carol, Emily E; Spencer, Robert L; Mittal, Vijay A

2017-09-01

Recent studies have posited a relationship between cannabis use and the biological stress system, but this critical relationship has not been evaluated during the ultra high-risk (UHR) period immediately preceding the onset of psychotic disorders. Salivary cortisol samples were collected on 46 UHR and 29 control adolescents; these individuals were assessed for current cannabis use with a urine panel and self-report. UHR participants where separated into two groups: Current Cannabis Use (UHR-CU) and No Current Cannabis Use (UHR-NC). Healthy Control participants (HC) were free of cannabis use. Consistent with the literature, results indicate UHR individuals showed elevated cortisol levels when compared to HC participants. Further, we also observed that UHR-CU participants exhibited elevated levels when compared to both the non-using UHR and HC groups. Findings suggest that cannabis use may interact with underlying biological vulnerability associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis system. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Reward/punishment sensitivities among internet addicts: Implications for their addictive behaviors.

PubMed

Dong, Guangheng; Hu, Yanbo; Lin, Xiao

2013-10-01

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) has raised widespread public health concerns. In this study, we used a gambling task to simulate extreme win/lose situations to find the reward/punishment sensitivities after continuous wins and losses. FMRI data were collected from 16 IAD subjects (21.4±3.1years) and 15 healthy controls (HC, 22.1±3.6years). Group comparisons showed higher superior frontal gyrus activations after continuous wins for IAD subjects than for HC. The brain activities in IAD subjects were not disturbed by their losses. In addition, IAD participants showed decreased posterior cingulate activation compared to HC after continuous losses. These results indicated that IAD participants showed preference to win while neglecting their losses. Therefore they engaged less executive endeavor to control their frustration after continuous losses. Taken together, we concluded that IAD subjects showed enhanced sensitivity to win and decreased sensitivity to lose. This can help us understand why IAD subjects continue playing online even after noticing the severe negative consequences of their behaviors. © 2013.

Free/Libre Open Source Software in Health Care: A Review

PubMed Central

Schmuhl, Holger; Demski, Hans

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess the current state of the art and the contribution of Free/Libre Open Source Software in health care (FLOSS-HC). Methods The review is based on a narrative review of the scientific literature as well as sources in the context of FLOSS-HC available through the Internet. All relevant available sources have been integrated into the MedFLOSS database and are freely available to the community. Results The literature review reveals that publications about FLOSS-HC are scarce. The largest part of information about FLOSS-HC is available on dedicated websites and not in the academic literature. There are currently FLOSS alternatives available for nearly every specialty in health care. Maturity and quality varies considerably and there is little information available on the percentage of systems that are actually used in health care delivery. Conclusions The global impact of FLOSS-HC is still very limited and no figures on the penetration and usage of FLOSS-HC are available. However, there has been a considerable growth in the last 5 to 10 years. While there where only few systems available a decade ago, in the meantime many systems got available (e.g., more than 300 in the MedFLOSS database). While FLOSS concepts play an important role in most IT related sectors (e.g., telecommunications, embedded devices) the healthcare industry is lagging behind this trend. PMID:24627814

Next-generation sequencing to identify candidate genes and develop diagnostic markers for a novel Phytophthora resistance gene, RpsHC18, in soybean.

PubMed

Zhong, Chao; Sun, Suli; Li, Yinping; Duan, Canxing; Zhu, Zhendong

2018-03-01

A novel Phytophthora sojae resistance gene RpsHC18 was identified and finely mapped on soybean chromosome 3. Two NBS-LRR candidate genes were identified and two diagnostic markers of RpsHC18 were developed. Phytophthora root rot caused by Phytophthora sojae is a destructive disease of soybean. The most effective disease-control strategy is to deploy resistant cultivars carrying Phytophthora-resistant Rps genes. The soybean cultivar Huachun 18 has a broad and distinct resistance spectrum to 12 P. sojae isolates. Quantitative trait loci sequencing (QTL-seq), based on the whole-genome resequencing (WGRS) of two extreme resistant and susceptible phenotype bulks from an F 2:3 population, was performed, and one 767-kb genomic region with ΔSNP-index ≥ 0.9 on chromosome 3 was identified as the RpsHC18 candidate region in Huachun 18. The candidate region was reduced to a 146-kb region by fine mapping. Nonsynonymous SNP and haplotype analyses were carried out in the 146-kb region among ten soybean genotypes using WGRS. Four specific nonsynonymous SNPs were identified in two nucleotide-binding sites-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) genes, RpsHC18-NBL1 and RpsHC18-NBL2, which were considered to be the candidate genes. Finally, one specific SNP marker in each candidate gene was successfully developed using a tetra-primer ARMS-PCR assay, and the two markers were verified to be specific for RpsHC18 and to effectively distinguish other known Rps genes. In this study, we applied an integrated genomic-based strategy combining WGRS with traditional genetic mapping to identify RpsHC18 candidate genes and develop diagnostic markers. These results suggest that next-generation sequencing is a precise, rapid and cost-effective way to identify candidate genes and develop diagnostic markers, and it can accelerate Rps gene cloning and marker-assisted selection for breeding of P. sojae-resistant soybean cultivars.

Oral atorvastatin therapy increases nitric oxide-dependent cutaneous vasodilation in humans by decreasing ascorbate-sensitive oxidants

PubMed Central

Kenney, W. Larry

2011-01-01

Elevated low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are associated with cutaneous microvascular dysfunction partially mediated by increased arginase activity, which is decreased following a systemic atorvastatin therapy. We hypothesized that increased ascorbate-sensitive oxidant stress, partially mediated through uncoupled nitric oxide synthase (NOS) induced by upregulated arginase, contributes to cutaneous microvascular dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic (HC) humans. Four microdialysis fibers were placed in the skin of nine HC (LDL = 177 ± 6 mg/dl) men and women before and after 3 mo of a systemic atorvastatin intervention and at baseline in nine normocholesterolemic (NC) (LDL = 95 ± 4 mg/dl) subjects. Sites served as control, NOS inhibited, L-ascorbate, and arginase-inhibited+L-ascorbate. Skin blood flow was measured while local skin heating (42°C) induced NO-dependent vasodilation. After the established plateau in all sites, 20 mM ≪ngname≫ was infused to quantify NO-dependent vasodilation. Data were normalized to maximum cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) (sodium nitroprusside + 43°C). The plateau in vasodilation during local heating (HC: 78 ± 4 vs. NC: 96 ± 2% CVCmax, P < 0.01) and NO-dependent vasodilation (HC: 40 ± 4 vs. NC: 54 ± 4% CVCmax, P < 0.01) was reduced in the HC group. Acute L-ascorbate alone (91 ± 5% CVCmax, P < 0.001) or combined with arginase inhibition (96 ± 3% CVCmax, P < 0.001) augmented the plateau in vasodilation in the HC group but not the NC group (ascorbate: 96 ± 2; combo: 93 ± 4% CVCmax, both P > 0.05). After the atorvastatin intervention NO-dependent vasodilation was augmented in the HC group (HC postatorvastatin: 64 ± 4% CVCmax, P < 0.01), and there was no further effect of ascorbate alone (58 ± 4% CVCmax, P > 0.05) or combined with arginase inhibition (67 ± 4% CVCmax, P > 0.05). Increased ascorbate-sensitive oxidants contribute to hypercholesteromic associated cutaneous microvascular dysfunction which is partially reversed with atorvastatin therapy. PMID:21715698

Results of a prospective randomized control trial comparing hydrophilic to uncoated catheters in children with neurogenic bladder.

PubMed

DeFoor, William; Reddy, Pramod; Reed, Melissa; VanderBrink, Brian; Jackson, Elizabeth; Zhang, Bin; Denlinger, Julie; Noh, Paul; Minevich, Eugene; Sheldon, Curtis

2017-08-01

Children with neurogenic bladder (NGB) often require a lifetime of clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), typically using uncoated catheters (UCs). Hydrophilic catheters (HCs) have lower friction than UCs with reported less damage to the urethra. The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes between these catheters. An investigator-initiated, prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare HCs versus UCs. Children aged 2-17 years with NGB on CIC were enrolled for 1 year. Block randomization was used. Dexterity scores were obtained in those who perform self-catheterization. Outcomes were UTI, difficulty passing the catheter, urethral injury, and patient satisfaction. Demographic data is presented in the Table. Seventy-eight patients were enrolled. Age and gender were similar between the groups. Fifteen patients in each group performed CIC via an abdominal wall stoma. Eight and 15 patients withdrew from the UC and HC groups, respectively. The HC group overall had more problems with the catheter, mainly difficulty with handling. There were no differences for passing the catheter, pain, hematuria, or urethral injuries. There were two urinary tract infections (UTIs) in two HC patients and 17 UTIs in seven UC patients (p = 0.003). Patients with UTIs in the HC group went from 16% in the previous year to 5% during the study. Three children in the HC group had three or more UTIs in the year before enrollment and none during the study. The patients that completed the study with HC were overall satisfied and many requested to continue with the HC. HCs may decrease the risk of UTI in children with NGB. Urethral complications were low in both groups. Most HC patients were pleased but some found the slippery coating difficult to handle. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Fat/Carbohydrate Ratio on Progression of Fatty Liver Disease and on Development of Osteopenia in Male Rats Fed Alcohol via Total Enteral Nutrition (TEN)

PubMed Central

Ronis, Martin J. J.; Mercer, Kelly; Suva, Larry J.; Vantrease, Jamie; Ferguson, Matthew; Hogue, William R.; Sharma, Neha; Cleves, Mario A.; Blackburn, Michael L.; Badger, Thomas M.

2014-01-01

Alcohol abuse is associated with the development of fatty liver disease and also with significant osteopenia in both genders. In this study, we examined ethanol-induced pathology in response to diets with differing fat/carbohydrate ratios. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed intragastrically with isocaloric liquid diets. Dietary fat content was either 5% (high carbohydrate, HC) or 45% (high fat, HF), with or without ethanol (12–13 g/kg/day). After 14, 28, or 65 days, livers were harvested and analyzed. In addition, bone morphology was analyzed after 65 days. HC rats gained more weight and had larger fat pads than HF rats with or without ethanol. Steatosis developed in HC + ethanol (HC+EtOH) compared to HF + ethanol (HF+EtOH) rats, accompanied by increased fatty acid (FA) synthesis and increased nuclear carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP) (p < 0.05), but in the absence of effects on hepatic silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog (SIRT-1) or nuclear sterol regulatory binding element protein (SREBP-1c). Ethanol reduced serum leptin (p < 0.05) but not adiponectin. Over time, HC rats developed fatty liver independent of ethanol. FA degradation was significantly elevated by ethanol in both HC and HF groups (p < 0.05). HF+EtOH rats had increased oxidative stress from 28 days, increased necrosis compared to HF controls and higher expression of cytochromes P450, CYP2E1, and CYP4A1 compared to HC+EtOH rats (p < 0.05). In contrast, HC+EtOH rats had no significant increase in oxidative stress until day 65 with no observed increase in necrosis. Unlike liver pathology, no dietary differences were observed on ethanol-induced osteopenia in HC compared to HF groups. These data demonstrate that interactions between diet composition and alcohol are complex, dependent on the length of exposure, and are an important influence in development of fatty liver injury. Importantly, it appears that diet composition does not affect alcohol-associated skeletal toxicity. PMID:24581955

Comparison of Pulmonary Venous and Left Atrial Remodeling in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Versus With Hypertensive Heart Disease.

PubMed

Yoshida, Kentaro; Hasebe, Hideyuki; Tsumagari, Yasuaki; Tsuneoka, Hidekazu; Ebine, Mari; Uehara, Yoshiko; Seo, Yoshihiro; Aonuma, Kazutaka; Takeyasu, Noriyuki

2017-04-15

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) increases susceptibility to atrial fibrillation. Although phenotypical characteristics of the hypertrophied left ventricle are clear, left atrial (LA) and pulmonary venous (PV) remodeling has rarely been investigated. This study aimed to identify differences in LA and PV remodeling between HC and hypertensive heart disease (HHD) using 3-dimensional computed tomography. Included were 33 consecutive patients with HC, 25 with HHD, and 29 without any co-morbidities who were referred for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. Pre-ablation plasma atrial and brain natriuretic peptide levels, post-ablation troponin T level, and LA pressure were measured, and LA and PV diameters were determined 3 dimensionally. LA transverse diameter in the control group was smaller than that in the HHD or HC group (55 ± 6 vs 63 ± 9 vs 65 ± 12 mm, p = 0.0003). PV diameter in all 4 PVs was greatest in the HC group and second greatest in the HHD group (21.0 ± 3.1 vs 23.8 ± 2.8 vs 26.8 ± 4.1 mm, p <0.0001 for left superior PV). Differences in PV size between the HHD and HC groups were enhanced by indexing to the body surface area (12.4 ± 1.9 vs 13.1 ± 1.4 vs 16.1 ± 3.3 mm/m 2 , p <0.0001). The PV/LA diameter ratio was greater in the HC than in the other groups (0.38 ± 0.06 vs 0.38 ± 0.05 vs 0.42 ± 0.07, p = 0.01). Atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide, troponin T levels, and LA pressure were highest in the HC group (all p <0.05). In conclusion, the stiff LA caused from atrial hypertrophy may account for higher levels of biomarkers, higher LA pressure, and PV-dominant remodeling in HC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive and brain structural changes in a lung cancer population.

PubMed

Simó, Marta; Root, James C; Vaquero, Lucía; Ripollés, Pablo; Jové, Josep; Ahles, Tim; Navarro, Arturo; Cardenal, Felipe; Bruna, Jordi; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni

2015-01-01

No study has examined structural brain changes specifically associated with chemotherapy in a lung cancer population. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess differences in brain structure between small-cell lung cancer patients (C+) following chemotherapy, non-small-cell lung cancer patients (C-) before chemotherapy and healthy controls (HC). Twenty-eight small-cell lung cancer patients underwent a neuropsychological assessment and a structural magnetic resonance imaging, including T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging to examine gray matter density and white matter (WM) integrity, respectively, 1 month following completion of platinum-based chemotherapy. This group was compared with 20 age and education-matched non-small-cell lung cancer patients before receiving chemotherapy and 20 HC. Both C+ and C- groups exhibited cognitive impairment compared with the HC group. The C+ group performed significantly worse than HC in verbal fluency and visuospatial subtests; C- performed significantly worse than both C+ and HC in verbal memory. Voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed lower gray matter density in the insula and parahippocampal gyrus bilaterally, and left anterior cingulate cortex in C+ compared with HC. Diffusion tensor imaging indices showed focal decreased WM integrity in left cingulum and bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus in the C+ group and more widespread decreased integrity in the C- group compared with the HC group. This study demonstrates that lung cancer patients exhibit cognitive impairment before and after chemotherapy. Before the treatment, C- showed verbal memory deficits as well as a widespread WM damage. Following treatment, the C+ group performed exhibited lower visuospatial and verbal fluency abilities, together with structural gray matter and WM differences in bilateral regions integrating the paralimbic system.

Grey matter volume patterns in thalamic nuclei are associated with familial risk for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Pergola, Giulio; Trizio, Silvestro; Di Carlo, Pasquale; Taurisano, Paolo; Mancini, Marina; Amoroso, Nicola; Nettis, Maria Antonietta; Andriola, Ileana; Caforio, Grazia; Popolizio, Teresa; Rampino, Antonio; Di Giorgio, Annabella; Bertolino, Alessandro; Blasi, Giuseppe

2017-02-01

Previous evidence suggests reduced thalamic grey matter volume (GMV) in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). However, it is not considered an intermediate phenotype for schizophrenia, possibly because previous studies did not assess the contribution of individual thalamic nuclei and employed univariate statistics. Here, we hypothesized that multivariate statistics would reveal an association of GMV in different thalamic nuclei with familial risk for schizophrenia. We also hypothesized that accounting for the heterogeneity of thalamic GMV in healthy controls would improve the detection of subjects at familial risk for the disorder. We acquired MRI scans for 96 clinically stable SCZ, 55 non-affected siblings of patients with schizophrenia (SIB), and 249 HC. The thalamus was parceled into seven regions of interest (ROIs). After a canonical univariate analysis, we used GMV estimates of thalamic ROIs, together with total thalamic GMV and premorbid intelligence, as features in Random Forests to classify HC, SIB, and SCZ. Then, we computed a Misclassification Index for each individual and tested the improvement in SIB detection after excluding a subsample of HC misclassified as patients. Random Forests discriminated SCZ from HC (accuracy=81%) and SIB from HC (accuracy=75%). Left anteromedial thalamic volumes were significantly associated with both multivariate classifications (p<0.05). Excluding HC misclassified as SCZ improved greatly HC vs. SIB classification (Cohen's d=1.39). These findings suggest that multivariate statistics identify a familial background associated with thalamic GMV reduction in SCZ. They also suggest the relevance of inter-individual variability of GMV patterns for the discrimination of individuals at familial risk for the disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Task Related Cerebral Blood Flow Changes of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Arterial Spin Labeling Study.

PubMed

Staud, Roland; Boissoneault, Jeff; Craggs, Jason G; Lai, Song; Robinson, Michael E

2018-01-01

One hallmark of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is task related worsening of fatigue. Global brain hypoperfusion, abnormal regional activation, and altered functional connectivity of brain areas associated with cognition and memory have been reported but remain controversial. We enrolled 17 female participants fulfilling the CDC Criteria for ME/CFS and 16 matched healthy controls (HC). Using a 3T-Phillips Achieva MRI-scanner, pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeling (pCASL), was used to study the dynamics of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and their relationship to mental fatigue in ME/CFS patients and HC during a demanding cognitive task, i.e. modified Paced-Auditory-Serial-Addition-Testing (PASAT). ME/CFS subjects reported more fatigue than HC at baseline (p < .01). Global brain perfusion of ME/CFS and HC subjects was similar at rest. The PASAT resulted in significantly increased fatigue in ME/CFS participants and HC. Although not different between groups, overall CBF significantly increased over the first 3 min of the PASAT and then decreased thereafter. Regional CBF (rCBF) changes were significantly different between groups during the post-task recovery period. Whereas improvement of fatigue of ME/CFS subjects was associated with decreased rCBF in both superior temporal gyri (STG), precuneus, and fusiform gyrus, it was associated with increased rCBF in the same areas in HC. Our results suggest that ME/CFS is associated with normal global CBF at rest and during a strenuous task (PASAT); however rCBF of several brain regions associated with memory, goal-oriented attention, and visual function was differentially associated with recovery from fatigue in ME/CFS patients and HC.

The effects of two different doses of hydrocortisone on cognition in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency--results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Werumeus Buning, Jorien; Brummelman, Pauline; Koerts, Janneke; Dullaart, Robin P F; van den Berg, Gerrit; van der Klauw, Melanie M; Tucha, Oliver; Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H R; van Beek, André P

2015-05-01

A wide variety in hydrocortisone (HC) substitution dose-regimens are considered physiological for patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI). However, it is likely that cognition is negatively influenced by higher cortisol exposure to the brain. To examine the effects of a high physiological HC dose in comparison to a low physiological HC dose on cognition. This study was a randomized double blind cross-over study at the University Medical Center Groningen. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01546922. Forty-seven patients (29 males, 18 females; mean [SD] age, 51 [14] years, range 19-73) with SAI participated. Patients randomly received first a low dose of HC (0.2-0.3 mg/kg body weight/day) during 10 weeks followed by a high dose (0.4-0.6 mg/kg body weight/day) for another 10 weeks, or vice versa. HC substitution was given in three divided doses with the highest dose in the morning. Cognitive performance (memory, attention, executive functioning and social cognition) of patients was measured at baseline and after each treatment period using a battery of 12 standardized cognitive tests. The higher dose of HC resulted in significantly higher systemic cortisol exposure for example measured at 1h after first dose ingestion (mean [SD], low dose: 653 [281] nmol/L; high dose: 930 [148] nmol/L; P<0.001). No differences in cognitive performance were found between the two dose regimens. No negative influence on memory, attention, executive functioning and social cognition was observed after 10 weeks of treatment with a higher physiological dose of HC in patients with SAI when compared to a lower dose. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dietary fat without body weight gain increases in vivo MCF-7 human breast cancer cell growth and decreases natural killer cell cytotoxicity.

PubMed

Lamas, Bruno; Nachat-Kappes, Rachida; Goncalves-Mendes, Nicolas; Mishellany, Florence; Rossary, Adrien; Vasson, Marie-Paule; Farges, Marie-Chantal

2015-01-01

High-calorie (HC) diet contributes to the increased incidence of obesity, which is a risk factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and in particular for estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumors. This study investigated whether an HC diet increases human ER-positive breast cancer progression and modulates natural killer (NK) cell functions. Four-week-old female BALB/c athymic nude mice were fed a HC diet (5320 kcal/kg) or standard calorie diet (SC, 2820 kcal/kg) for 6 mo. After 5 mo, the mice were randomly implanted with MCF-7 breast cancer cells (SCT and HCT) or received an isovolumic injection (SC and HC) in both inguinal fat pads. Tumor growth was greater in the HCT group than in the SC group without change in body weight. The HC diet decreased the tumor expression of genes involved in the citrate cycle and in adiponectin and lipid metabolism but increased that of genes controlling glycolysis and angiogenesis. The tumor expression level of Ki67 was increased while that of the cleaved caspase 3 and the ER-β and progesterone receptors was reduced. Tumor development in response to the HC diet was associated with smaller numbers and lower cytotoxicity of splenic NK cells. These results indicate that an HC diet without body weight gain increases ER-positive breast cancer cell proliferation and reduces tumor apoptosis. The underlying mechanisms might involve a downexpression of tumor hormonal receptor and reduced NK cell functions, and might also result in the regulation of genes involved in several cellular functions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Very low-carbohydrate versus isocaloric high-carbohydrate diet in dietary obese rats.

PubMed

Axen, Kathleen V; Axen, Kenneth

2006-08-01

The effects of a very low-carbohydrate (VLC), high-fat (HF) dietary regimen on metabolic syndrome were compared with those of an isocaloric high-carbohydrate (HC), low-fat (LF) regimen in dietary obese rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, made obese by 8 weeks ad libitum consumption of an HF diet, developed features of the metabolic syndrome vs. lean control (C) rats, including greater visceral, subcutaneous, and hepatic fat masses, elevated plasma cholesterol levels, impaired glucose tolerance, and fasting and post-load insulin resistance. Half of the obese rats (VLC) were then fed a popular VLC-HF diet (Weeks 9 and 10 at 5% and Weeks 11 to 14 at 15% carbohydrate), and one-half (HC) were pair-fed an HC-LF diet (Weeks 9 to 14 at 60% carbohydrate). Energy intakes of pair-fed VLC and HC rats were less than C rats throughout Weeks 9 to 14. Compared with HC rats, VLC rats exhibited impaired insulin and glycemic responses to an intraperitoneal glucose load at Week 10 and lower plasma triacylglycerol levels but retarded loss of hepatic, retroperitoneal, and total body fat at Week 14. VLC, HC, and C rats no longer differed in body weight, plasma cholesterol, glucose tolerance, or fasting insulin resistance at Week 14. Progressive decreases in fasting insulin resistance in obese groups paralleled concomitant reductions in hepatic, retroperitoneal, and total body fat. When energy intake was matched, the VLC-HF diet provided no advantage in weight loss or in improving those components of the metabolic syndrome induced by dietary obesity and may delay loss of hepatic and visceral fat as compared with an HC-LF diet.

Increased Cortical Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Precedes Incomplete Extinction of Conditioned Fear and Increased Hippocampal Excitatory Tone in a Mouse Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Schneider, Brandy L; Ghoddoussi, Farhad; Charlton, Jennifer L; Kohler, Robert J; Galloway, Matthew P; Perrine, Shane A; Conti, Alana C

2016-09-01

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) contributes to development of affective disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychiatric symptoms typically emerge in a tardive fashion post-TBI, with negative effects on recovery. Patients with PTSD, as well as rodent models of PTSD, demonstrate structural and functional changes in brain regions mediating fear learning, including prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala (AMYG), and hippocampus (HC). These changes may reflect loss of top-down control by which PFC normally exhibits inhibitory influence over AMYG reactivity to fearful stimuli, with HC contribution. Considering the susceptibility of these regions to injury, we examined fear conditioning (FC) in the delayed post-injury period, using a mouse model of mTBI. Mice with mTBI displayed enhanced acquisition and delayed extinction of FC. Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ex vivo, we examined PFC, AMYG, and HC levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate as surrogate measures of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission, respectively. Eight days post-injury, GABA was increased in PFC, with no significant changes in AMYG. In animals receiving FC and mTBI, glutamate trended toward an increase and the GABA/glutamate ratio decreased in ventral HC at 25 days post-injury, whereas GABA decreased and GABA/glutamate decreased in dorsal HC. These neurochemical changes are consistent with early TBI-induced PFC hypoactivation facilitating the fear learning circuit and exacerbating behavioral fear responses. The latent emergence of overall increased excitatory tone in the HC, despite distinct plasticity in dorsal and ventral HC fields, may be associated with disordered memory function, manifested as incomplete extinction and enhanced FC recall.

A Mobile Health Intervention for Self-Management and Lifestyle Change for Persons With Type 2 Diabetes, Part 2: One-Year Results From the Norwegian Randomized Controlled Trial RENEWING HEALTH

PubMed Central

Torbjørnsen, Astrid; Wahl, Astrid Klopstad; Jenum, Anne Karen; Småstuen, Milada Cvancarova; Årsand, Eirik; Ribu, Lis

2014-01-01

Background Self-management is crucial in the daily management of type 2 diabetes. It has been suggested that mHealth may be an important method for enhancing self-management when delivered in combination with health counseling. Objective The objective of this study was to test whether the use of a mobile phone–based self-management system used for 1 year, with or without telephone health counseling by a diabetes specialist nurse for the first 4 months, could improve glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, self-management, and health-related quality of life compared with usual care. Methods We conducted a 3-arm prospective randomized controlled trial involving 2 intervention groups and 1 control group. Eligible participants were persons with type 2 diabetes with an HbA1c level ≥7.1% (≥54.1 mmol/mol) and aged ≥18 years. Both intervention groups received the mobile phone–based self-management system Few Touch Application (FTA). The FTA consisted of a blood glucose–measuring system with automatic wireless data transfer, diet manual, physical activity registration, and management of personal goals, all recorded and operated using a diabetes diary app on the mobile phone. In addition, one intervention group received health counseling based on behavior change theory and delivered by a diabetes specialist nurse for the first 4 months after randomization. All groups received usual care by their general practitioner. The primary outcome was HbA1c level. Secondary outcomes were self-management (heiQ), health-related quality of life (SF-36), depressive symptoms (CES-D), and lifestyle changes (dietary habits and physical activity). Data were analyzed using univariate methods (t test, ANOVA) and multivariate linear and logistic regression. Results A total of 151 participants were randomized: 51 to the FTA group, 50 to the FTA-health counseling (FTA-HC) group, and 50 to the control group. Follow-up data after 1 year were available for 120 participants (79%). HbA1c level decreased in all groups, but did not differ between groups after 1 year. The mean change in the heiQ domain skills and technique acquisition was significantly greater in the FTA-HC group after adjusting for age, gender, and education (P=.04). Other secondary outcomes did not differ between groups after 1 year. In the FTA group, 39% were substantial users of the app; 34% of the FTA-HC group were substantial users. Those aged ≥63 years used the app more than their younger counterparts did (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.02-7.12; P=.045). Conclusions The change in HbA1c level did not differ between groups after the 1-year intervention. Secondary outcomes did not differ between groups except for an increase in the self-management domain of skill and technique acquisition in the FTA-HC group. Older participants used the app more than the younger participants did. PMID:25499872

Co-altered functional networks and brain structure in unmedicated patients with bipolar and major depressive disorders.

PubMed

He, Hao; Sui, Jing; Du, Yuhui; Yu, Qingbao; Lin, Dongdong; Drevets, Wayne C; Savitz, Jonathan B; Yang, Jian; Victor, Teresa A; Calhoun, Vince D

2017-12-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) share similar clinical characteristics that often obscure the diagnostic distinctions between their depressive conditions. Both functional and structural brain abnormalities have been reported in these two disorders. However, the direct link between altered functioning and structure in these two diseases is unknown. To elucidate this relationship, we conducted a multimodal fusion analysis on the functional network connectivity (FNC) and gray matter density from MRI data from 13 BD, 40 MDD, and 33 matched healthy controls (HC). A data-driven fusion method called mCCA+jICA was used to identify the co-altered FNC and gray matter components. Comparing to HC, BD exhibited reduced gray matter density in the parietal and occipital cortices, which correlated with attenuated functional connectivity within sensory and motor networks, as well as hyper-connectivity in regions that are putatively engaged in cognitive control. In addition, lower gray matter density was found in MDD in the amygdala and cerebellum. High accuracy in discriminating across groups was also achieved by trained classification models, implying that features extracted from the fusion analysis hold the potential to ultimately serve as diagnostic biomarkers for mood disorders.

Differences in and correlations between cognitive abilities and brain volumes in healthy control, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease groups.

PubMed

Chung, Soon-Cheol; Choi, Mi-Hyun; Kim, Hyung-Sik; Lee, Jung-Chul; Park, Sung-Jun; Jeong, Ul-Ho; Baek, Ji-Hye; Gim, Seon-Young; Choi, Young Chil; Lee, Beob-Yi; Lim, Dae-Woon; Kim, Boseong

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in and correlations between cognitive abilities and brain volumes in healthy control (HC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) groups. The Korean Version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), which is used to diagnose AD, was used to measure the cognitive abilities of the study subjects, and the volumes of typical brain components related to AD diagnosis-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), gray matter (GM), and white matter (WM)-were acquired. Of the CERAD-K subtests, the Boston Naming Test distinguished significantly among the HC, MCI, and AD groups. GM and WM volumes differed significantly among the three groups. There was a significant positive correlation between Boston Naming Test scores and GM and WM volumes. In conclusion, the Boston Naming Test and GM and WM brain volumes differentiated the three tested groups accurately, and there were strong correlations between Boston Naming Test scores and GM and WM volumes. These results will help to establish a test method that differentiates the three groups accurately and is economically feasible. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of combined physical activity and dietary intervention on obesity and metabolic parameters in adults with abdominal obesity.

PubMed

Soon, Heng Kiang; Saad, Hazizi Abu; Taib, Mohd Nasir Mohd; Rahman, Hejar Abd; Mun, Chan Yoke

2013-03-01

A twelve-week controlled intervention trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of combined physical activity and dietary intervention on obesity and metabolic risk factors among employees of Universiti Putra Malaysia. Participants consisted of adults aged 25-55 years with no reported chronic diseases but with abdominal obesity. They were assigned to either a combined physical activity and dietary intervention group or a control group. The final sample consisted of 56 participants, with an equal number of 28 for each study group. No significant group effect was observed for any variable except for hip circumference (HC) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). There was a significant increase in HC (p=0.007) and reduction in FPG (p=0.02) in the intervention group compared to the control group. In the intervention group, HC (p=0.002), triglycerides (TG) (p=0.0001), total cholesterol (TC) (p=0.0001), LDL cholesterol (LDLC) (p=0.0001) and FPG (p=0.005) were significantly reduced, while waist circumference (WC) (p=0.025) and the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (p=0.027) were significantly reduced in the control group. No significant change in steps/day or calorie intake'was observed in either group. Taken together, these data indicate that the combined physical activity and dietary intervention was not effective at improving diet or physical activity level. However, the intervention was effective in improving FPG among participants with abdominal obesity. The significant increase in HC in the interventions group warrants further study. These findings will be useful to further improve group-based intervention for the prevention and management of obesity.

Breakfast high in whey protein or carbohydrates improves coping with workload in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Sihvola, Nora; Korpela, Riitta; Henelius, Andreas; Holm, Anu; Huotilainen, Minna; Müller, Kiti; Poussa, Tuija; Pettersson, Kati; Turpeinen, Anu; Peuhkuri, Katri

2013-11-14

Dietary components may affect brain function and influence behaviour by inducing the synthesis of neurotransmitters. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of consumption of a whey protein-containing breakfast drink v. a carbohydrate drink v. control on subjective and physiological responses to mental workload in simulated work. In a randomised cross-over design, ten healthy subjects (seven women, median age 26 years, median BMI 23 kg/m(2)) participated in a single-blinded, placebo-controlled study. The subjects performed demanding work-like tasks after having a breakfast drink high in protein (HP) or high in carbohydrate (HC) or a control drink on separate sessions. Subjective states were assessed using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), the Karolinska sleepiness scale (KSS) and the modified Profile of Mood States. Heart rate was recorded during task performance. The ratio of plasma tryptophan (Trp) to the sum of the other large neutral amino acids (LNAA) and salivary cortisol were also analysed. The plasma Trp:LNAA ratio was 30 % higher after the test drinks HP (median 0·13 (μmol/l)/(μmol/l)) and HC (median 0·13 (μmol/l)/(μmol/l)) than after the control drink (median 0·10 (μmol/l)/(μmol/l)). The increase in heart rate was smaller after the HP (median 2·7 beats/min) and HC (median 1·9 beats/min) drinks when compared with the control drink (median 7·2 beats/min) during task performance. Subjective sleepiness was reduced more after the HC drink (median KSS - 1·5) than after the control drink (median KSS - 0·5). There were no significant differences between the breakfast types in the NASA-TLX index, cortisol levels or task performance. We conclude that a breakfast drink high in whey protein or carbohydrates may improve coping with mental tasks in healthy subjects.

Cold exposure increases slow-type myosin heavy chain 1 (MyHC1) composition of soleus muscle in rats.

PubMed

Mizunoya, Wataru; Iwamoto, Yohei; Sato, Yusuke; Tatsumi, Ryuichi; Ikeuchi, Yoshihide

2014-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of cold exposure on rat skeletal muscle fiber type, according to myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform and metabolism-related factors. Male Wistar rats (7 weeks old) were housed individually at 4 ± 2°C as a cold-exposed group or at room temperature (22 ± 2°C) as a control group for 4 weeks. We found that cold exposure significantly increased the slow-type MyHC1 content in the soleus muscle (a typical slow-type fiber), while the intermediate-type MyHC2A content was significantly decreased. In contrast to soleus, MyHC composition of extensor digitorum longus (EDL, a typical fast-type fiber) and gastrocnemius (a mix of slow-type and fast-type fibers) muscle did not change from cold exposure. Cold exposure increased mRNA expression of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) in both the soleus and EDL. Cold exposure also increased mRNA expression of myoglobin, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC1α) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) in the soleus. Upregulation of UCP3 and PGC1α proteins were observed with Western blotting in the gastrocnemius. Thus, cold exposure increased metabolism-related factors in all muscle types that were tested, but MyHC isoforms changed only in the soleus. © 2013 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

The computer-based Symbol Digit Modalities Test: establishing age-expected performance in healthy controls and evaluation of pediatric MS patients.

PubMed

Bigi, Sandra; Marrie, R A; Till, C; Yeh, E A; Akbar, N; Feinstein, A; Banwell, B L

2017-04-01

Decreased information processing speed (IPS) is frequently reported in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The computerized version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (c-SDMT) measures IPS over eight consecutive trials per session and additionally captures changes in performance within the session. Here, we establish normative c-SDMT performance and test-retest reliability in healthy children (HC) and explore differences in the overall c-SDMT-performance between HC and MS patients. This cross-sectional study included 478 HC (237 female, 49.5%) divided into five age groups (2 years each), and 27 MS patients (22 female, 81.5%) aged 8-18 years. The average time to complete the c-SDMT increased with age (|r| 0.70, 95% CI -0.74, -0.64). Test-retest reliability was high (ICC = 0.91) in HC. The total time to complete the c-SDMT did not differ between children with MS and sex- and age- matched HC (p = 0.23). However, MS patients were less likely to show faster performance across all the successive eight trials compared to HC (p = 0.0001). Healthy children demonstrate faster IPS with increasing age, as well as during successive trials of the c-SDMT. The inability of pediatric MS patients to maintain the increase in processing speed over successive trials suggests a reduced capacity for procedural learning, possibly resulting from cognitive fatigue.

Abnormalities in cortical gray matter density in borderline personality disorder

PubMed Central

Rossi, Roberta; Lanfredi, Mariangela; Pievani, Michela; Boccardi, Marina; Rasser, Paul E; Thompson, Paul M; Cavedo, Enrica; Cotelli, Maria; Rosini, Sandra; Beneduce, Rossella; Bignotti, Stefano; Magni, Laura R; Rillosi, Luciana; Magnaldi, Silvia; Cobelli, Milena; Rossi, Giuseppe; Frisoni, Giovanni B

2015-01-01

Background Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic condition with a strong impact on patients‘ affective,cognitive and social functioning. Neuroimaging techniques offer invaluable tools to understand the biological substrate of the disease. We aimed to investigate gray matter alterations over the whole cortex in a group of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods Magnetic resonance-based cortical pattern matching was used to assess cortical gray matter density (GMD) in 26 BPD patients and in their age- and sex-matched HC (age: 38±11; females: 16, 61%). Results BPD patients showed widespread lower cortical GMD compared to HC (4% difference) with peaks of lower density located in the dorsal frontal cortex, in the orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior and posterior cingulate, the right parietal lobe, the temporal lobe (medial temporal cortex and fusiform gyrus) and in the visual cortex (p<0.005). Our BPD subjects displayed a symmetric distribution of anomalies in the dorsal aspect of the cortical mantle, but a wider involvement of the left hemisphere in the mesial aspect in terms of lower density. A few restricted regions of higher density were detected in the right hemisphere. All regions remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons via permutation testing. Conclusions BPD patients feature specific morphology of the cerebral structures involved in cognitive and emotional processing and social cognition/mentalization, consistent with clinical and functional data. PMID:25561291

Verbal Memory in Parkinson’s Disease: A Combined DTI and fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Lucas-Jiménez, Olaia; Díez-Cirarda, María; Ojeda, Natalia; Peña, Javier; Cabrera-Zubizarreta, Alberto; Ibarretxe-Bilbao, Naroa

2015-01-01

Background: While significant progress has been made to determine the functional role of specific gray matter areas underlying verbal memory in Parkinson’s disease (PD), very little is known about the relationship between these regions and their underlying white matter structures. Objective: The objectives of this study were (1) to investigate verbal memory, fractional anisotropy and brain activation differences between PD patients and healthy controls (HC), (2) to explore the neuroanatomical and neurofunctional correlates of verbal memory in PD, and (3) to investigate the relationship between these neuroanatomical and neurofunctional verbal memory correlates in PD. Methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing a verbal memory paradigm and diffusion tensor imaging data (DTI), were acquired in 37 PD patients and 15 age-, sex-, and education-matched HC. Results: PD patients showed verbal recognition memory impairment, lower fractional anisotropy in the anterior cingulate tract, and lower brain activation in the inferior orbitofrontal cortex compared to HC. Brain activation in the inferior orbitofrontal cortex correlated significantly with verbal recognition memory impairment in PD patients. In addition, a relationship between brain activation in the inferior orbitofrontal cortex and fractional anisotropy of the uncinate fasciculus was found in PD. Conclusions: These results reveal that deficits in verbal memory in PD are accompanied by functional brain activation changes, but also have specific structural correlates related to white matter microstructural integrity. PMID:27070003

[Evaluation of the impact of a community intervention on the consumption of fruits and vegetables in Colombia].

PubMed

Prada, Gloria Esperanza; Dubeibe-Blanco, Lucia Yalile; Herrán, Oscar F; Herrera-Anaya, Martha

2007-01-01

To evaluate the impact of an alimentary intervention on the frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) in the municipality of Girón, Santander, Colombia. A community intervention was carried out over a ten-month period, where 66 families who use fourteen community homes (HC) received an alimentary intervention based on educational strategies. Seventy-three families in twelve HC served as a control group. The frequency of FV consumption was evaluated by repeated measurements using a food frequency questionnaire. The evaluation was carried out on two levels: the family and the HC. The Bland-Alman method was used to determine the intra- and inter-group impact. A multiple linear regression model enabled the evaluation of the intervention's effect on consumption frequency, adjusted for economic and demographic variables. The frequency of consumption of fruits increased an average of 1.3 times per week (CI 0.3, 1.8, p = 0.040). This was achieved when the probability of having a blender was higher than 75% (R2 for the regression 0.33; n = 26). The frequency of vegetable consumption did not increase. In poor populations an increase in the consumption of fruits can be achieved through educational strategies. However, the limited access to equipment for transforming and preserving alimentary products is decisive to the final result.

A low redox potential affects monoclonal antibody assembly and glycosylation in cell culture.

PubMed

Dionne, Benjamin; Mishra, Neha; Butler, Michael

2017-03-20

Glycosylation and intracellular assembly of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) is important for glycan profile consistency. To better understand how these factors may be influenced by a lower redox potential, an IgG1-producing NS0 cell line was grown in the presence of varying concentrations of dithiothreitol (DTT). Cultures were monitored for growth and culture redox potential (CRP) with glycan heterogeneity determined using a HILIC-HPLC method. Macroheterogeneity was unchanged in all conditions whereas the Galactosylation Index (GI) decreased by as much as 50% in cultures with lower CRP or higher dithiothreitol levels. This shift in GI is reflected in more agalactosylated and asialylated species being produced. The MAb assembly pathway was determined using radioactive isotope 35 S incorporated into nascent IgG1 molecules. The assembly pathway for this IgG1 was shown to progress via HC→HC 2 →HC 2 LC→HC 2 LC 2 in all conditions tested and autoradiographs highlighted that the ratio of heavy chain dimer to heavy chain monomer increased over time with increasing DTT concentrations. This increase and correspondingly lower GI values may be due to disruption of the disulfide bonds at higher levels of assembly. A change in the assembly pathway may alter the final IgG glycan pattern and lead to control mechanisms that influence glycan profiles of MAbs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effect of engine operating conditions on exhaust gas recirculation cooler fouling

DOE PAGES

Lance, Michael J.; Mills, Zachary G.; Seylar, Joshua C.; ...

2018-05-17

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler fouling occurs when particulate matter (PM) and hydrocarbons (HC) in diesel exhaust form a deposit on the walls of the EGR cooler through thermophoresis and condensation. To better understand the mechanisms controlling deposit formation and removal and how operating conditions can affect cooler performance, 20 identical tube-in-shell EGR coolers with sinusoidal fins were fouled using a 5-factor, 3-level experimental design. The deposit thickness was measured using two methods: (1) epoxy-mounting and polishing cooler cross-sections and comparing deposit thicknesses on the primary (outer tube) to the secondary (fins) heat transfer surfaces, and (2) milling tube sectionsmore » such that the surface of a fin could be observed and measuring the deposit thickness across the fin using a 3D profilometer. Near the cooler inlet, high inlet gas temperatures reduced deposit thickness by promoting mud-cracking and spallation. Near the middle of the cooler, the flow rate had the largest impact on the deposit thickness through the effect on residence time of the PM. The HC concentration along with flow rate had the largest effects near the cooler outlet where the lower temperatures allows for more HC condensation. Furthermore, these insights into how engine operating conditions influence the development of fouling layers in EGR coolers learned through this study will aid in the development of more fouling resistant coolers in the future.« less

Parent-of-origin Effect in Schizophrenia and Non-affective Psychoses: Evidence from Dermatoglyphics

PubMed Central

Divakaran, Anjith; Narayanaswamy, Janardhanan C.; Kalmadi, Sunil V.; Narayan, Vidya; Rao, Naren P.; Venkatasubramanian, Ganesan

2013-01-01

Objective: This study aims at examining “parent-of-origin effect” (POE) in dermatoglyphic patterns among patients with schizophrenia and non-affective psychoses. Materials and Methods: Dermatoglyphic comparison was carried out for schizophrenia patients (n=200) and healthy controls (HC) (n=100). In addition, the effect of family history and POE was examined in the dermatoglyphic pattern. Results: Schizophrenia patients compared to HC had significantly lower left total finger ridge count (LTFRC) (t=3.63, P<0.001), right total finger ridge count (RTFRC) (t=4.86, P<0.001), and absolute finger ridge count (ATFRC) (t=4.80, P<0.001) compared to HC. It was also noted that patient group had significantly higher average number of arches (t=2.20, P=0.03). The comparison between the same sex POE group and the opposite sex POE group revealed that significant differences exist in LTFRC (t=2.91, P<0.01) and ATFRC (t=2.30, P=0.02). The same sex group also had lesser number of whorls compared to opposite sex group (t=2.04, P=0.04). Conclusions: The same sex parental inheritance group seem to be more developmentally compromised than the opposite sex parental inheritance group indicating a significant POE. Complex epigenetic mechanisms along with hormonal modulation could explain the sex specific disease phenotype expression, which is a plausible explanation as in the present study. PMID:24249928

Supine posture changes lung volumes and increases ventilation heterogeneity in cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Smith, Laurie J; Macleod, Kenneth A; Collier, Guilhem J; Horn, Felix C; Sheridan, Helen; Aldag, Ina; Taylor, Chris J; Cunningham, Steve; Wild, Jim M; Horsley, Alex

2017-01-01

Lung Clearance Index (LCI) is recognised as an early marker of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. The effect of posture on LCI however is important when considering longitudinal measurements from infancy and when comparing LCI to imaging studies. 35 children with CF and 28 healthy controls (HC) were assessed. Multiple breath washout (MBW) was performed both sitting and supine in triplicate and analysed for LCI, Scond, Sacin, and lung volumes. These values were also corrected for the Fowler dead-space to create 'alveolar' indices. From sitting to supine there was a significant increase in LCI and a significant decrease in FRC for both CF and HC (p<0.01). LCI, when adjusted to estimate 'alveolar' LCI (LCIalv), increased the magnitude of change with posture for both LCIalv and FRCalv in both groups, with a greater effect of change in lung volume in HC compared with children with CF. The % change in LCIalv for all subjects correlated significantly with lung volume % changes, most notably tidal volume/functional residual capacity (Vtalv/FRCalv (r = 0.54,p<0.001)). There is a significant increase in LCI from sitting to supine, which we believe to be in part due to changes in lung volume and also increasing ventilation heterogeneity related to posture. This may have implications in longitudinal measurements from infancy to older childhood and for studies comparing supine imaging methods to LCI.

The effect of engine operating conditions on exhaust gas recirculation cooler fouling

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

Lance, Michael J.; Mills, Zachary G.; Seylar, Joshua C.

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler fouling occurs when particulate matter (PM) and hydrocarbons (HC) in diesel exhaust form a deposit on the walls of the EGR cooler through thermophoresis and condensation. To better understand the mechanisms controlling deposit formation and removal and how operating conditions can affect cooler performance, 20 identical tube-in-shell EGR coolers with sinusoidal fins were fouled using a 5-factor, 3-level experimental design. The deposit thickness was measured using two methods: (1) epoxy-mounting and polishing cooler cross-sections and comparing deposit thicknesses on the primary (outer tube) to the secondary (fins) heat transfer surfaces, and (2) milling tube sectionsmore » such that the surface of a fin could be observed and measuring the deposit thickness across the fin using a 3D profilometer. Near the cooler inlet, high inlet gas temperatures reduced deposit thickness by promoting mud-cracking and spallation. Near the middle of the cooler, the flow rate had the largest impact on the deposit thickness through the effect on residence time of the PM. The HC concentration along with flow rate had the largest effects near the cooler outlet where the lower temperatures allows for more HC condensation. Furthermore, these insights into how engine operating conditions influence the development of fouling layers in EGR coolers learned through this study will aid in the development of more fouling resistant coolers in the future.« less

Temperature characteristics of fusion splicing Hollow Core Photonic Crystal Fiber by sinusoidal modulation CO2 laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Guangwei; Li, Kuixing; Fu, Xinghu; Bi, Weihong

2013-07-01

During the fusion splicing Hollow Core Photonic Crystal Fiber (HC-PCF), the air-holes collapse easily due to the improper fusion duration time and optical power. To analyze the temperature characteristics of fusion splicing HC-PCF, a heating method by sinusoidal modulation CO2 laser has been proposed. In the sinusoidal modulation, the variation relationships among laser power, temperature difference and angular frequency are analyzed. The results show that the theoretical simulation is basically in accordance with the experimental data. Therefore, a low-loss fusion splicing can be achieved by modulating the CO2 laser frequency to avoid the air-holes collapse of HC-PCF. Further, the errors are also given.

Performance of a New HPV Cervi-Collect Collection and Transportation Kit

PubMed Central

Chernesky, M.; Huang, S.; Jang, D.; Erickson, B.; Salituro, J.; Engel, H.; Gilchrist, J.; Neuscheler, P.; Mak, W. B.; Abravaya, K.

2012-01-01

Background. Liquid-based Pap (L-Pap) media are used for Pap and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. Objectives. To compare RealTime High Risk (HR) HPV testing of a new collection kit (Cervi-Collect) and PreservCyt L-Pap specimens. To determine ease of use and safety of Cervi-Collect. Methods. L-Pap samples (n = 203) were tested with HC2 and RealTime HR HPV and Cervi-Collect with RealTime HR HPV. Discordant samples were genotyped. Results. L-Pap and Cervi-Collect specimens tested by RealTime HR HPV showed 93.1% agreement (Kappa 0.86). RealTime HR HPV and HC2 on L-Pap had 90.3% agreement (Kappa 0.80). RealTime HR HPV on Cervi-Collect and HC2 on L-Pap showed 88.2% agreement (Kappa 0.76). Sixteen of 21 samples which were HC2 negative and RealTime HR HPV positive on L-Pap or Cervi-Collect contained HR HPV genotypes. Eleven healthcare collectors were in strong agreement on a usability and safety questionnaire. Conclusion. Cervi-Collect samples were easy to collect and showed strong agreement with L-Pap samples tested with RealTime HR HPV or HC2. PMID:22174716

Metabolic programming effects initiated in the suckling period predisposing for adult-onset obesity cannot be reversed by calorie restriction.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Malathi; Mahmood, Saleh; Patel, Mulchand S

2013-03-01

Neonatal rats reared on high-carbohydrate (HC) milk formula developed chronic hyperinsulinemia and adult-onset obesity due to programming of islets and the hypothalamic energy circuitry. In this study, calorie restriction by pair-feeding was imposed on HC male rats (HC/PF) to normalize food intake similar to that of mother-fed (MF) rats from weaning until postnatal day 140. A group of HC/PF rats was switched over to ad libitum feeding (HC/PF/AL) from days 90 to 140. Pair-feeding reduced body weight gains and serum insulin and leptin levels in HC/PF rats compared with HC rats, but these parameters were restored to HC levels in the HC/PF/AL rats after ad libitum feeding. Interestingly, the heightened insulin secretory response of isolated islets from adult HC/PF and HC/PF/ AL rats to glucose, acetylcholine, and oxymetazoline were not significantly different from the responses of islets from HC rats. Similarly, the expression of neuropeptide Y and proopiomelanocortin in the hypothalamus was not significantly different among HC, HC/PF, and HC/PF/AL rats. Expression of the leptin receptor in the hypothalami from the HC, HC/PF, and HC/PF/AL rats mirrored that of serum leptin, whereas suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (Socs3) expression remained high in these three groups. The results indicate that, although calorie restriction resulted in reduction in body weight gain and normalized the serum hormonal pattern, the programed predisposition for the hypersecretory capacity of islets and the hypothalamic hyperphagic response in the HC rats could not be permanently overcome by the pair-feeding imposed on HC rats.

Dim light melatonin onset in alcohol-dependent men and women compared with healthy controls.

PubMed

Conroy, Deirdre A; Hairston, Ilana S; Arnedt, J Todd; Hoffmann, Robert F; Armitage, Roseanne; Brower, Kirk J

2012-02-01

Sleep disturbances in alcohol-dependent (AD) individuals may persist despite abstinence from alcohol and can influence the course of the disorder. Although the mechanisms of sleep disturbances of AD are not well understood and some evidence suggests dysregulation of circadian rhythms, dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) has not previously been assessed in AD versus healthy control (HC) individuals in a sample that varied by sex and race. The authors assessed 52 AD participants (mean ± SD age: 36.0 ± 11.0 yrs of age, 10 women) who were 3-12 wks since their last drink (abstinence: 57.9 ± 19.3 d) and 19 age- and sex-matched HCs (34.4 ± 10.6 yrs, 5 women). Following a 23:00-06:00 h at-home sleep schedule for at least 5 d and screening/baseline nights in the sleep laboratory, participants underwent a 3-h extension of wakefulness (02:00 h bedtime) during which salivary melatonin samples were collected every 30 min beginning at 19:30 h. The time of DLMO was the primary measure of circadian physiology and was assessed with two commonly used methodologies. There was a slower rate of rise and lower maximal amplitude of the melatonin rhythm in the AD group. DLMO varied by the method used to derive it. Using 3 pg/mL as threshold, no significant differences were found between the AD and HC groups. Using 2 standard deviations above the mean of the first three samples, the DLMO in AD occurred significantly later, 21:02 ± 00:41 h, than in HC, 20:44 ± 00:21 h (t = -2.4, p = .02). Although melatonin in the AD group appears to have a slower rate of rise, using well-established criteria to assess the salivary DLMO did not reveal differences between AD and HC participants. Only when capturing melatonin when it is already rising was DLMO found to be significantly delayed by a mean 18 min in AD participants. Future circadian analyses on alcoholics should account for these methodological caveats.

An fMRI study of neural pathways following acupuncture in mild cognitive impairment patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Yuanyuan; Bai, Lijun; Wang, Hu; Zhong, Chongguang; You, Youbo; Zhang, Wensheng; Tian, Jie

2012-03-01

While the use of acupuncture as a complementary therapeutic method for treating MCI is popular in certain parts of the world, the underlying mechanism is still elusive. In the current study, we adopted multivariate Granger causality analysis (mGCA) to explore the causal interactions of brain networks involving acupuncture in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients compared to healthy controls (HC). The fMRI experiment was performed with two different paradigms: namely, deep acupuncture (DA) and superficial acupuncture (SA) at acupoint KI3. Results demonstrated that deep acupuncture could modulate the abnormal regions in MCI group. These regions are implicated in memory encoding and retrieving. This may relate to the purported therapeutically beneficial effects of acupuncture for the treatment of MCI. However, the most significant causal interactions were found in the sensorimotor regions in HC group. This may because acupuncture has a greater modulatory effect on patients with a pathological imbalance. This paper provides the preliminary neurophysiological evidence for the potential efficacy effect of acupuncture on MCI.

Electrocortical processing of food and emotional pictures in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Blechert, Jens; Feige, Bernd; Joos, Andreas; Zeeck, Almut; Tuschen-Caffier, Brunna

2011-06-01

Objective To compare the electrocortical processing of food pictures in participants with anorexia nervosa (n = 21), bulimia nervosa (n = 22), and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 32) by measuring the early posterior negativity, an event-related potential that reflects stimulus salience and selective attention. Methods We exposed these three groups to a rapid stream of high- and low-calorie food pictures, as well as standard emotional and neutral pictures. Results Event-related potentials in the time range of 220 milliseconds to 310 milliseconds on posterior electrodes differed between groups: patients with eating disorders showed facilitated processing of both high- and low-calorie food pictures relative to neutral pictures, whereas HC participants did so only for the high-calorie pictures. Subjective palatability of the pictures was rated highest by patients with anorexia nervosa, followed by the HC and bulimia nervosa groups. Conclusions Patients with eating disorders show a generalized attentional bias for food images, regardless of caloric value. This might explain the persistent preoccupation with food in these individuals.

Governance and implementation of sports safety practices by municipal offices in Swedish communities.

PubMed

Backe, S; Janson, S; Timpka, T

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore whether all-purpose health or safety promotion programmes and sports safety policies affect sports safety practices in local communities. Case study research methods were used to compare sports safety activities among offices in 73 Swedish municipalities; 28 with ongoing health or safety promotion programmes and 45 controls. The offices in municipalities with the WHO Healthy Cities (HC) or Safe Communities programmes were more likely to perform frequent inspections of sports facilities, and offices in the WHO HC programme were more likely to involve sports clubs in inspections. More than every second, property management office and environmental protection office conducted sports safety inspections compared with less than one in four planning offices and social welfare offices. It is concluded that all-purpose health and safety promotion programmes can reach out to have an effect on sports safety practices in local communities. These safety practices also reflect administrative work routines and managerial traditions.

The benefits of endurance training in cardiomyocyte function in hypertensive rats are reversed within four weeks of detraining.

PubMed

Carneiro-Júnior, Miguel Araujo; Quintão-Júnior, Judson Fonseca; Drummond, Lucas Rios; Lavorato, Victor Neiva; Drummond, Filipe Rios; da Cunha, Daise Nunes Queiroz; Amadeu, Marco Aurélio; Felix, Leonardo Bonato; de Oliveira, Edilamar Menezes; Cruz, Jader Santos; Prímola-Gomes, Thales Nicolau; Mill, José Geraldo; Natali, Antonio José

2013-04-01

The aim of the present study was to verify the effects of low-intensity endurance training and detraining on the mechanical and molecular properties of cardiomyocytes from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Male SHRs and normotensive control Wistar rats at 16-weeks of age were randomly divided into eight groups of eight animals: NC8 and HC8 (normotensive and hypertensive control for 8weeks); NT8 and HT8 (normotensive and hypertensive trained at 50-60% of maximal exercise capacity for 8weeks); NC12 and HC12 (normotensive and hypertensive control for 12weeks); NDT and HDT (normotensive and hypertensive trained for 8weeks and detrained for 4weeks). The total exercise time until fatigue (TTF) was determined by a maximal exercise capacity test. Resting heart rate (RHR) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) were measured. After the treatments, animals were killed by cervical dislocation and left ventricular myocytes were isolated by enzymatic dispersion. Isolated cells were used to determine intracellular global Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) transient and cardiomyocyte contractility (1Hz; ~25°C). [Ca(2+)]i regulatory proteins were measured by Western blot, and the markers of pathologic cardiac hypertrophy by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-RT-PCR). Exercise training augmented the TTF (NC8, 11.4±1.5min vs. NT8, 22.5±1.4min; HC8, 11.7±1.4min vs. HT8, 24.5±1.3min; P<0.05), reduced RHR (NT8initial, 340±8bpm vs. NT8final, 322±10bpm; HT8initial, 369±8bpm vs. HT8final, 344±10bpm; P<0.05), and SBP in SHR animals (HC8, 178±3mmHg vs. HT8, 161±4mmHg; P<0.05). HC8 rats showed a slower [Ca(2+)]i transient (Tpeak, 83.7±1.8ms vs. 71.7±2.4ms; T50%decay, 284.0±4.3ms vs. 264.0±4.1ms; P<0.05) and cell contractility (Vshortening, 86.1±6.7μm/s vs. 118.6±6.7μm/s; Vrelengthening, 57.5±7.4μm/s vs. 101.3±7.4μm/s; P<0.05), and higher expression of ANF (300%; P<0.05), skeletal α-actin (250%; P<0.05) and a decreased α/β-MHC ratio (70%; P<0.05) compared to NC8. Exercise training increased [Ca(2+)]i transient (NC8, 2.39±0.06F/F0 vs. NT8, 2.72±0.06F/F0; HC8, 2.28±0.05F/F0 vs. HT8, 2.82±0.05F/F0; P<0.05), and cell contractility (NC8, 7.4±0.3% vs. NT8, 8.4±0.3%; HC8, 6.8±0.3% vs. HT8, 7.8±0.3%; P<0.05). Furthermore, exercise normalized the expression of ANF, skeletal α-actin, and the α/β-MHC ratio in HT8 rats, augmented the expression of SERCA2a (NC8, 0.93±0.15 vs. NT8, 1.49±0.14; HC8, 0.83±0.13 vs. HT8, 1.32±0.14; P<0.05) and PLBser16 (NC8, 0.89±0.18 vs. NT8, 1.23±0.17; HC8, 0.77±0.17 vs. HT8, 1.32±0.16; P<0.05), and reduced PLBt/SERCA2a (NC8, 1.21±0.19 vs. NT8, 0.50±0.21; HC8, 1.38±0.17 vs. HT8, 0.66±0.21; P<0.05). However, all these adaptations returned to control values within 4weeks of detraining in both SHR and normotensive control animals. In conclusion, low-intensity endurance training induces positive benefits to left ventricular myocyte mechanical and molecular properties, which are reversed within 4weeks of detraining. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physiotherapists supporting self-management through health coaching: a mixed methods program evaluation.

PubMed

Dufour, Sinéad Patricia; Graham, Shane; Friesen, Josh; Rosenblat, Michael; Rous, Colin; Richardson, Julie

2015-01-01

To evaluate a program in support of chronic disease self-management (CDSM) that is founded on a health coaching (HC) approach, includes supervised exercise and mindfulness-based stress reduction components and is delivered within a private practice physiotherapy setting. An explanatory mixed method design, framed by theory-based program evaluation, was employed to evaluate an eight-week group-based program. Standardized self-rated and performance measures were evaluated pre- and post intervention. Additionally, participant focus groups were conducted following the intervention period. An inductive thematic approach was undertaken to analyze the qualitative data. Seventeen participants (N = 17) completed the study. Improvements were seen in both self-report and performance outcomes. Participants explained how and why they felt the program was beneficial. Six themes were generated: (1) group dynamic; (2) learning versus doing; (3) holism and comprehensive care; (4) self-efficacy and empowerment; (5) previous solutions versus new management strategies; and (6) healthcare provider support. This study established that a group program in support of CDSM founded on a HC approach demonstrated potential value from participants as well as favorable outcomes. A pragmatic randomized control trial is required to determine efficacy of this intervention.

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

Differences in Aβ brain networks in Alzheimer's disease and healthy controls.

PubMed

Duan, Huoqiang; Jiang, Jiehui; Xu, Jun; Zhou, Hucheng; Huang, Zhemin; Yu, Zhihua; Yan, Zhuangzhi

2017-01-15

The prevailing β-amyloid (Aβ)-cascade hypothesis is the most classical Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. In this hypothesis, excessive Aβ plaque deposition in human brain is considered to be the cause of AD. Carbon 11-labeled Pittsburgh compound B Positron emission tomography (11C-PiB PET) is the latest technology to detect Aβ plaques in vivo. Thus, it is possible to investigate the difference of Aβ brain networks between AD patients and Health Controls (HC) by analyzing 11C-PiB PET images. In this study, a graph-theoretical method was employed to investigate the topological properties of Aβ networks in 18 Chinese AD patients and 16 HC subjects from Huashan Hospital, Shanghai. The results showed that both groups demonstrated small-world property, and this property was more obvious in AD group. Additionally, the clustering coefficients and path lengths were significantly lower in AD group. The global efficiency was larger in AD than in HC. A direct comparison between with and without regression found that sex, age and weight had no significant effect on the Aβ network. Moreover, three altered regions in AD group were identified, including left cuneus (CUN.L), right caudate nucleus (CAU.R) and left superior frontal gyrus (SFGdor. L). A voxel-wise correlation analysis showed that in AD patients, the regions of strengthened connection with CUN.L were mainly located in frontal cortex and parietal cortex, the regions of strengthen connection with CAU.R were mainly located in temporal cortex. Finally, a machine learning based analysis demonstrated that the three regions could be better biomarkers than the whole brain for AD classification. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Motility Response to Colonic Distention is Increased in Post-infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome (PI-IBS)

PubMed Central

Kanazawa, Motoyori; Palsson, Olafur S.; van Tilburg, Miranda A.L.; Gangarosa, Lisa M.; Fukudo, Shin; Whitehead., William E.

2015-01-01

Background Acute intestinal infection leads to persistent intestinal smooth muscle hypercontractility and pain hypersensitivity after resolution of the infection in animal models. We investigated whether post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) is associated with abnormalities in phasic contractions of the colon, smooth muscle tone and pain sensitivity compared to non-PI-IBS (NI-IBS) or healthy controls (HC). Methods 218 Rome III positive IBS patients and 43 healthy controls participated. IBS patients were designated PI-IBS if their IBS symptoms began following an episode of gastroenteritis characterized by 2 or more of: fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Pain threshold to phasic distentions of the descending colon was assessed using a barostat. Colonic motility was assessed with the barostat bag minimally inflated to the individual operating pressure (IOP), at 20 mmHg above the IOP, and following a test meal. IBS symptom severity and psychological symptoms were assessed by the IBS Severity Scale (IBS-SS) and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). Key Results Twenty-two (10.1%) met criteria for PI-IBS. Both IBS and HC groups showed a significant increase in motility index during intraluminal distention and following meals. The magnitude of the response to distention above (orad to) the balloon was significantly greater in PI-IBS compared with NI-IBS (p<0.05) or HC (p<0.01). Differences between PI-IBS and NI-IBS were not significant for IBS symptom severity, pain threshold, barostat bag volumes, or any psychological score on the BSI-18. Conclusions & Inferences Patients with PI-IBS have greater colonic hypercontractility than NI-IBS. We speculate that sustained mild mucosal inflammation may cause this colonic irritability. PMID:24602083

Severe fatigue after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ: A comparison with age-matched breast cancer survivors and healthy controls.

PubMed

Abrahams, H J G; Smits, L; Lugt, M de; Roos, W K de; Kamm, Y; Heins, M J; Verhagen, C A H H V M; Gielissen, M F M; Knoop, H

2017-02-01

Severe fatigue after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has not been studied before. The current study examined (i) the prevalence of severe fatigue in DCIS patients versus breast cancer survivors (BCS) and healthy controls (HC), (ii) quality of life and functioning of severely versus non-severely fatigued DCIS patients and BCS, and (iii) the association of fatigue with psychosocial and behavioral factors in DCIS patients. 89 patients treated for DCIS were matched on age and gender to 67 BCS and 178 HC (ratio 1:1:2). Fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Severity subscale of the Checklist Individual Strength. 23% of DCIS patients, 25% of BCS, and 6% of HC were severely fatigued (DCIS versus HC: p < 0.001). Severely fatigued DCIS patients had a lower quality of life and were more impaired in all domains of functioning than non-severely fatigued DCIS patients. Sleep problems, dysfunctional cognitions regarding fatigue, avoidance of activities, all-or-nothing behavior, perceived lack of social support, DCIS-related coping problems, and fear of future cancer occurrence were related to fatigue. The prevalence of severe fatigue in DCIS patients was similar to BCS, but higher than in HC. Severely fatigued DCIS patients had a lower quality of life and more functional impairments. The psychosocial and behavioral fatigue-related factors in DCIS patients are known to perpetuate fatigue in BCS. These factors can be targeted in interventions for cancer-related fatigue. Our findings suggest that the same treatment elements might be applicable to severely fatigued DCIS patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CSER 98-003: Criticality safety evaluation report for PFP glovebox HC-21A with button can opening

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

ERICKSON, D.G.

1999-02-23

Glovebox HC-21A is an enclosure where cans containing plutonium metal buttons or other plutonium bearing materials are prepared for thermal stabilization in the muffle furnaces. The Inert Atmosphere Confinement (IAC), a new feature added to Glovebox HC-21A, allows the opening of containers suspected of containing hydrided plutonium metal. The argon atmosphere in the IAC prevents an adverse reaction between oxygen and the hydride. The hydride is then stabilized in a controlled manner to prevent glovebox over pressurization. After removal from the containers, the plutonium metal buttons or plutonium bearing materials will be placed into muffle furnace boats and then bemore » sent to one of the muffle furnace gloveboxes for stabilization. The materials allowed to be brought into GloveboxHC-21 A are limited to those with a hydrogen to fissile atom ratio (H/X) {le} 20. Glovebox HC-21A is classified as a DRY glovebox, meaning it has no internal liquid lines, and no free liquids or solutions are allowed to be introduced. The double contingency principle states that designs shall incorporate sufficient factors of safety to require at least two unlikely, independent, and concurrent changes in process conditions before a criticality accident is possible. This criticality safety evaluation report (CSER) shows that the operations to be performed in this glovebox are safe from a criticality standpoint. No single identified event that causes criticality controls to be lost exceeded the criticality safety limit of k{sub eff} = 0.95. Therefore, this CSER meets the requirements for a criticality analysis contained in the Hanford Site Nuclear Criticality Safety Manual, HNF-PRO-334, and meets the double contingency principle.« less

Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and gray matter volume in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Poletti, S; Aggio, V; Hoogenboezem, T A; Ambrée, O; de Wit, H; Wijkhuijs, A J M; Locatelli, C; Colombo, C; Arolt, V; Drexhage, H A; Benedetti, F

2017-02-01

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a severe psychiatric condition characterized by grey matter (GM) volumes reduction. Neurotrophic factors have been suggested to play a role in the neuroprogressive changes during the illness course. In particular peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been proposed as a potential biomarker related to disease activity and neuroprogression in BD. The aim of our study was to investigate if serum levels of BDNF are associated with GM volumes in BD patients and healthy controls (HC). We studied 36 inpatients affected by a major depressive episode in course of BD type I and 17 HC. Analysis of variance was performed to investigate the effect of diagnosis on GM volumes in the whole brain. Threshold for significance was P<0.05, Family Wise Error (FWE) corrected for multiple comparisons. All the analyses were controlled for the effect of nuisance covariates known to influence GM volumes, such as age, gender and lithium treatment. BD patients showed significantly higher serum BDNF levels compared with HC. Reduced GM volumes in BD patients compared to HC were observed in several brain areas, encompassing the caudate head, superior temporal gyrus, insula, fusiform gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex. The interaction analysis between BDNF levels and diagnosis showed a significant effect in the middle frontal gyrus. HC reported higher BDNF levels associated with higher GM volumes, whereas no association between BDNF and GM volumes was observed in BD. Our study seems to suggest that although the production of BDNF is increased in BD possibly to prevent and repair neural damage, its effects could be hampered by underlying neuroinflammatory processes interfering with the neurodevelopmental role of BDNF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Searching for a neurobiological basis for self-medication theory in ADHD comorbid with substance use disorders: an in vivo study of dopamine transporters using (99m)Tc-TRODAT-1 SPECT.

PubMed

Silva, Neivo; Szobot, Claudia M; Shih, Ming C; Hoexter, Marcelo Q; Anselmi, Carlos Eduardo; Pechansky, Flavio; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Rohde, Luis Augusto

2014-02-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorders (SUD) frequently co-occur. Although several studies have shown changes in striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) density in these disorders, little is known about the neurobiological basis of the comorbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate striatal DAT density in treatment-naive ADHD adolescents with SUD (ADHD + SUD) and without SUD (ADHD), compared to SUD adolescents without ADHD (SUD) and healthy control subjects (HC). Sixty-two male age-matched subjects diagnosed with DSM-IV criteria were included: ADHD + SUD (n = 18), SUD (n = 14), HC (n = 19), and ADHD (n = 11). Urine tests confirmed participants' drug use. All subjects performed SPECT scans with Tc-TRODAT-1 to evaluate DAT density in the striatum. The mean right striatum specific binding were 1.68 (ADHD), 1.38 (ADHD + SUD), 1.19 (HC), 1.17 (SUD), and in left striatum 1.65 (ADHD), 1.39 (ADHD + SUD), 1.19 (HC), and 1.17 (SUD). The ADHD group presented significantly higher striatal DAT density compared with ADHD + SUD, SUD, and HC groups. Adolescents with ADHD + SUD had significantly lower DAT density than those with ADHD, but significantly higher DAT density than those with SUD only and no significant difference from the healthy control group. The ADHD + SUD group had lower striatal DAT density in comparison with ADHD without SUD. It is possible to speculate that the use of cannabis and cocaine is responsible for the lower striatal DAT density in this group which would help in understanding the neurobiological basis for the self-medication theory in ADHD adolescents.

Pituitary gland shrinkage in bipolar disorder: The role of gender.

PubMed

Delvecchio, Giuseppe; Mandolini, Gian Mario; Perlini, Cinzia; Barillari, Marco; Marinelli, Veronica; Ruggeri, Mirella; Altamura, A Carlo; Bellani, Marcella; Brambilla, Paolo

2018-04-01

Hyperactivity of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPAA) has been consistently reported in mood disorders. However, only few studies investigated the Pituitary gland (PG) in Bipolar Disorder (BD) and the results are so far contrasting. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the integrity of the PG as well as the role of gender and the impact of clinical measurements on this structure in a sample of BD patients compared to healthy controls (HC). 34 BD patients and 41 HC underwent a 1.5 T MRI scan. PG volumes were manually traced for all subjects. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed by means of the Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Bech Rafaelsen Mania Rating Scale. We found decreased PG volumes in BD patients compared to HC (F = 24.9, p < 0.001). Interestingly, after dividing the sample by gender, a significant PG volume decrease was detected only in female BD patients compared to female HC (F = 9.1, p < 0.001), but not in male BD compared to male HC (F = -0.12, p = 0.074). No significant correlations were observed between PG volumes and clinical variables. Our findings suggest that BD patients have decreased PG volumes, probably due to the long-term hyperactivity of the HPAA and to the consequent strengthening of the negative feedback control towards the PG volume itself. This alteration was particularly evident in females, suggesting a role of gender in affecting PG volumes in BD. Finally, the absence of significant correlations between PG volumes and clinical variables further supports that PG disruption is a trait feature of BD, being independent of symptoms severity and duration of treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Episodic memory following deep brain stimulation of the ventral anterior limb of the internal capsule and electroconvulsive therapy.

PubMed

Bergfeld, Isidoor O; Mantione, Mariska; Hoogendoorn, Mechteld L C; Horst, Ferdinand; Notten, Peter; Schuurman, P Richard; Denys, Damiaan

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) are effective treatments for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, a common side effect of ECT is autobiographical memory loss (e.g., personal experiences), whereas the impact of DBS on autobiographical memories has never been established. Comparing autobiographical memories following DBS and ECT. In two hospitals in The Netherlands, we interviewed 25 TRD patients treated with DBS of the ventral anterior limb of the internal capsule (vALIC), 14 TRD patients treated with ECT and 22 healthy controls (HC) with the Autobiographical Memory Inventory - Short Form (AMI-SF) in a prospective, longitudinal study between March 2010 and August 2016. Patients treated with DBS were interviewed before surgery, after surgery, and twice during treatment over 122.7 (SD: ±22.2) weeks. Patients treated with ECT were tested before ECT, after six right unilateral (RUL) ECT sessions and twice following ECT over 65.1 (±9.3) weeks. Controls were tested four times over 81.5 (±15.6) weeks. Compared to HC, the AMI-SF score decreased faster in both TRD groups (P < 0.001). More specifically, AMI-SF score decreased in a comparable rate as HC after DBS surgery, but decreased more during treatment. The AMI-SF decrease in the ECT group was larger than both the DBS and HC groups. Both ECT and vALIC DBS result in a faster autobiographical memory decline compared to HC. DBS might have a negative impact on autobiographical memories, although less so than ECT. Future work should dissect whether DBS or characteristics of TRD cause this decline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Further insight into self-face recognition in schizophrenia patients: Why ambiguity matters.

PubMed

Bortolon, Catherine; Capdevielle, Delphine; Salesse, Robin N; Raffard, Stephane

2016-03-01

Although some studies reported specifically self-face processing deficits in patients with schizophrenia disorder (SZ), it remains unclear whether these deficits rather reflect a more global face processing deficit. Contradictory results are probably due to the different methodologies employed and the lack of control of other confounding factors. Moreover, no study has so far evaluated possible daily life self-face recognition difficulties in SZ. Therefore, our primary objective was to investigate self-face recognition in patients suffering from SZ compared to healthy controls (HC) using an "objective measure" (reaction time and accuracy) and a "subjective measure" (self-report of daily self-face recognition difficulties). Twenty-four patients with SZ and 23 HC performed a self-face recognition task and completed a questionnaire evaluating daily difficulties in self-face recognition. Recognition task material consisted in three different faces (the own, a famous and an unknown) being morphed in steps of 20%. Results showed that SZ were overall slower than HC regardless of the face identity, but less accurate only for the faces containing 60%-40% morphing. Moreover, SZ and HC reported a similar amount of daily problems with self/other face recognition. No significant correlations were found between objective and subjective measures (p > 0.05). The small sample size and relatively mild severity of psychopathology does not allow us to generalize our results. These results suggest that: (1) patients with SZ are as capable of recognizing their own face as HC, although they are susceptible to ambiguity; (2) there are far less self recognition deficits in schizophrenia patients than previously postulated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduced Rapid Eye Movement Density in Parkinson Disease: A Polysomnography-Based Case-Control Study.

PubMed

Schroeder, Lynn A; Rufra, Olivier; Sauvageot, Nicolas; Fays, François; Pieri, Vannina; Diederich, Nico J

2016-12-01

To explore rapid eye movement density (RD) in patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (IPD) and to investigate its usefulness as surrogate marker of excessive daytime sleepiness, a frequent complaint in IPD patients. Retrospective polysomnography study on 81 subjects without dementia: 29 patients with early stage IPD (disease duration ≤ 3 y), 21 patients with middle- stage IPD (disease duration > 3 and < 8 y) and 31 healthy controls (HC). Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was defined as any REM episode with > 3 min of continuous REM sleep. RD was defined as number of ocular movements per minute of REM sleep. Patients with early stage IPD and HC fulfilled the PD-specific sleepiness questionnaires Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) and the Nonmotor Symptoms Questionnaire for Parkinson's disease (NMSQuest). RD was lower in patients with IPD than in HC. The difference was most significant between patients with middle stage IPD and HC (P = 0.001), and most prominent for the third REM episode, again when comparing patients with middle stage IPD and HC (P = 0.03). RD was independent from sex, age, and other sleep parameters. In early stage IPD, RD correlated with the PDSS score (r = -0.63, P = 0.001) and the sleep-related questions of the NMSQuest score (r = 0.48, P = 0.017). REM density is reduced in patients with IPD and correlates with subjective scores on sleep impairment. As an indicator of persistent high sleep pressure, reduced RD in IPD is eligible as a biomarker of excessive daytime sleepiness in IPD. It possibly reflects direct involvement of the brainstem REM generation sites by the disease process. RD is a promising new tool for sleep research in IPD. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

DNA methylation of the IGF2/H19 imprinting control region and adiposity distribution in young adults

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and H19 imprinted genes control growth and body composition. Adverse in-utero environments have been associated with obesity-related diseases and linked with altered DNA methylation at the IGF2/H19 locus. Postnatally, methylation at the IGF2/H19 imprinting control region (ICR) has been linked with cerebellum weight. We aimed to investigate whether decreased IGF2/H19 ICR methylation is associated with decreased birth and childhood anthropometry and increased contemporaneous adiposity. DNA methylation in peripheral blood (n = 315) at 17 years old was measured at 12 cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites (CpGs), analysed as Sequenom MassARRAY EpiTYPER units within the IGF2/H19 ICR. Birth size, childhood head circumference (HC) at six time-points and anthropometry at age 17 years were measured. DNA methylation was investigated for its association with anthropometry using linear regression. Results The principal component of IGF2/H19 ICR DNA methylation (representing mean methylation across all CpG units) positively correlated with skin fold thickness (at four CpG units) (P-values between 0.04 to 0.001) and subcutaneous adiposity (P = 0.023) at age 17, but not with weight, height, BMI, waist circumference or visceral adiposity. IGF2/H19 methylation did not associate with birth weight, length or HC, but CpG unit 13 to 14 methylation was negatively associated with HC between 1 and 10 years. β-coefficients of four out of five remaining CpG units also estimated lower methylation with increasing childhood HC. Conclusions As greater IGF2/H19 methylation was associated with greater subcutaneous fat measures, but not overall, visceral or central adiposity, we hypothesize that obesogenic pressures in youth result in excess fat being preferentially stored in peripheral fat depots via the IGF2/H19 domain. Secondly, as IGF2/H19 methylation was not associated with birth size but negatively with early childhood HC, we hypothesize that the HC may be a more sensitive marker of early life programming of the IGF axis and of fetal physiology than birth size. To verify this, investigations of the dynamics of IGF2/H19 methylation and expression from birth to adolescence are required. PMID:23148549

Hormonal Contraception and the Risk of HIV Acquisition: An Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Morrison, Charles S.; Chen, Pai-Lien; Kwok, Cynthia; Baeten, Jared M.; Brown, Joelle; Crook, Angela M.; Van Damme, Lut; Delany-Moretlwe, Sinead; Francis, Suzanna C.; Friedland, Barbara A.; Hayes, Richard J.; Heffron, Renee; Kapiga, Saidi; Karim, Quarraisha Abdool; Karpoff, Stephanie; Kaul, Rupert; McClelland, R. Scott; McCormack, Sheena; McGrath, Nuala; Myer, Landon; Rees, Helen; van der Straten, Ariane; Watson-Jones, Deborah; van de Wijgert, Janneke H. H. M.; Stalter, Randy; Low, Nicola

2015-01-01

Background Observational studies of a putative association between hormonal contraception (HC) and HIV acquisition have produced conflicting results. We conducted an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis of studies from sub-Saharan Africa to compare the incidence of HIV infection in women using combined oral contraceptives (COCs) or the injectable progestins depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) or norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) with women not using HC. Methods and Findings Eligible studies measured HC exposure and incident HIV infection prospectively using standardized measures, enrolled women aged 15–49 y, recorded ≥15 incident HIV infections, and measured prespecified covariates. Our primary analysis estimated the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) using two-stage random effects meta-analysis, controlling for region, marital status, age, number of sex partners, and condom use. We included 18 studies, including 37,124 women (43,613 woman-years) and 1,830 incident HIV infections. Relative to no HC use, the aHR for HIV acquisition was 1.50 (95% CI 1.24–1.83) for DMPA use, 1.24 (95% CI 0.84–1.82) for NET-EN use, and 1.03 (95% CI 0.88–1.20) for COC use. Between-study heterogeneity was mild (I2 < 50%). DMPA use was associated with increased HIV acquisition compared with COC use (aHR 1.43, 95% CI 1.23–1.67) and NET-EN use (aHR 1.32, 95% CI 1.08–1.61). Effect estimates were attenuated for studies at lower risk of methodological bias (compared with no HC use, aHR for DMPA use 1.22, 95% CI 0.99–1.50; for NET-EN use 0.67, 95% CI 0.47–0.96; and for COC use 0.91, 95% CI 0.73–1.41) compared to those at higher risk of bias (pinteraction = 0.003). Neither age nor herpes simplex virus type 2 infection status modified the HC–HIV relationship. Conclusions This IPD meta-analysis found no evidence that COC or NET-EN use increases women’s risk of HIV but adds to the evidence that DMPA may increase HIV risk, underscoring the need for additional safe and effective contraceptive options for women at high HIV risk. A randomized controlled trial would provide more definitive evidence about the effects of hormonal contraception, particularly DMPA, on HIV risk. PMID:25612136

An fMRI study of the brain responses of traumatized mothers to viewing their toddlers during separation and play.

PubMed

Schechter, Daniel S; Moser, Dominik A; Wang, Zhishun; Marsh, Rachel; Hao, XueJun; Duan, Yunsuo; Yu, Shan; Gunter, Benjamin; Murphy, David; McCaw, Jaime; Kangarlu, Alayar; Willheim, Erica; Myers, Michael M; Hofer, Myron A; Peterson, Bradley S

2012-11-01

This study tested whether mothers with interpersonal violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder (IPV-PTSD) vs healthy controls (HC) would show greater limbic and less frontocortical activity when viewing young children during separation compared to quiet play. Mothers of 20 children (12-42 months) participated: 11 IPV-PTSD mothers and 9 HC with no PTSD. During fMRI, mothers watched epochs of play and separation from their own and unfamiliar children. The study focused on comparison of PTSD mothers vs HC viewing children in separation vs play, and viewing own vs unfamiliar children in separation. Both groups showed distinct patterns of brain activation in response to viewing children in separation vs play. PTSD mothers showed greater limbic and less frontocortical activity (BA10) than HC. PTSD mothers also reported feeling more stressed than HC when watching own and unfamiliar children during separation. Their self-reported stress was associated with greater limbic and less frontocortical activity. Both groups also showed distinct patterns of brain activation in response to viewing their own vs unfamiliar children during separation. PTSD mothers' may not have access to frontocortical regulation of limbic response upon seeing own and unfamiliar children in separation. This converges with previously reported associations of maternal IPV-PTSD and atypical caregiving behavior following separation.

Rock magnetic properties estimated from coercivity - blocking temperature diagram: application to recent volcanic rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terada, T.; Sato, M.; Mochizuki, N.; Yamamoto, Y.; Tsunakawa, H.

2013-12-01

Magnetic properties of ferromagnetic minerals generally depend on their chemical composition, crystal structure, size, and shape. In the usual paleomagnetic study, we use a bulk sample which is the assemblage of magnetic minerals showing broad distributions of various magnetic properties. Microscopic and Curie-point observations of the bulk sample enable us to identify the constituent magnetic minerals, while other measurements, for example, stepwise thermal and/or alternating field demagnetizations (ThD, AFD) make it possible to estimate size, shape and domain state of the constituent magnetic grains. However, estimation based on stepwise demagnetizations has a limitation that magnetic grains with the same coercivity Hc (or blocking temperature Tb) can be identified as the single population even though they could have different size and shape. Dunlop and West (1969) carried out mapping of grain size and coercivity (Hc) using pTRM. However, it is considered that their mapping method is basically applicable to natural rocks containing only SD grains, since the grain sizes are estimated on the basis of the single domain theory (Neel, 1949). In addition, it is impossible to check thermal alteration due to laboratory heating in their experiment. In the present study we propose a new experimental method which makes it possible to estimate distribution of size and shape of magnetic minerals in a bulk sample. The present method is composed of simple procedures: (1) imparting ARM to a bulk sample, (2) ThD at a certain temperature, (3) stepwise AFD on the remaining ARM, (4) repeating the steps (1) ~ (3) with ThD at elevating temperatures up to the Curie temperature of the sample. After completion of the whole procedures, ARM spectra are calculated and mapped on the HC-Tb plane (hereafter called HC-Tb diagram). We analyze the Hc-Tb diagrams as follows: (1) For uniaxial SD populations, theoretical curve for a certain grain size (or shape anisotropy) is drawn on the Hc-Tb diagram. The curves are calculated using the single domain theory, since coercivity and blocking temperature of uniaxial SD grains can be expressed as a function of size and shape. (2) Boundary between SD and MD grains are calculated and drawn on the Hc-Tb diagram according to the theory by Butler and Banerjee (1975). (3) Theoretical predictions by (1) and (2) are compared with the obtained ARM spectra to estimate quantitive distribution of size, shape and domain state of magnetic grains in the sample. This mapping method has been applied to three samples: Hawaiian basaltic lava extruded in 1995, Ueno basaltic lava formed during Matsuyama chron, and Oshima basaltic lava extruded in 1986. We will discuss physical states of magnetic grains (size, shape, domain state, etc.) and their possible origins.

Negative Affectivity, Depression, and Resting Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as Possible Moderators of Endogenous Pain Modulation in Functional Somatic Syndromes.

PubMed

Van Den Houte, Maaike; Van Oudenhove, Lukas; Van Diest, Ilse; Bogaerts, Katleen; Persoons, Philippe; De Bie, Jozef; Van den Bergh, Omer

2018-01-01

Background: Several studies have shown that patients with functional somatic syndromes (FSS) have, on average, deficient endogenous pain modulation (EPM), as well as elevated levels of negative affectivity (NA) and high comorbidity with depression and reduced resting heart rate variability (HRV) compared to healthy controls (HC). The goals of this study were (1) to replicate these findings and (2) to investigate the moderating role of NA, depression, and resting HRV in EPM efficiency within a patient group with fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Resting HRV was quantified as the root mean square of successive differences between inter-beat intervals (RMSSD) in rest, a vagally mediated time domain measure of HRV. Methods: Seventy-eight patients with fibromyalgia and/or CFS and 33 HC completed a counter-irritation paradigm as a measure of EPM efficiency. Participants rated the painfulness of electrocutaneous stimuli (of individually calibrated intensity) on the ankle before (baseline phase), during (counter-irritation phase) and after (recovery phase) the application of a cold pain stimulus on the forearm. A larger reduction in pain in the counter-irritation phase compared to the baseline phase reflects a more efficient EPM. Results: In contrast to our expectations, there was no difference between pain ratings in the baseline compared to counter-irritation phase for both patients and HC. Therefore, reliable conclusions on the moderating effect of NA, depression, and RMSSD could not be made. Surprisingly, patients reported more pain in the recovery compared to the counter-irritation and baseline phase, while HC did not. This latter effect was more pronounced in patients with comorbid depression, patients who rated the painfulness of the counter-irritation stimulus as high and patients who rated the painfulness of the electrocutaneous stimuli as low. We did not manage to successfully replicate the counter-irritation effect in HC or FSS patients. Therefore, no valid conclusions on the association between RMSSD, depression, NA and EPM efficiency can be drawn from this study. Possible reasons for the lack of the counter-irritation effect are discussed.

Are rapid diagnostic tests more accurate in diagnosis of plasmodium falciparum malaria compared to microscopy at rural health centres?

PubMed

Batwala, Vincent; Magnussen, Pascal; Nuwaha, Fred

2010-12-02

Prompt, accurate diagnosis and treatment with artemisinin combination therapy remains vital to current malaria control. Blood film microscopy the current standard test for diagnosis of malaria has several limitations that necessitate field evaluation of alternative diagnostic methods especially in low income countries of sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is endemic. The accuracy of axillary temperature, health centre (HC) microscopy, expert microscopy and a HRP2-based rapid diagnostic test (Paracheck) was compared in predicting malaria infection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the gold standard. Three hundred patients with a clinical suspicion of malaria based on fever and or history of fever from a low and high transmission setting in Uganda were consecutively enrolled and provided blood samples for all tests. Accuracy of each test was calculated overall with 95% confidence interval and then adjusted for age-groups and level of transmission intensity using a stratified analysis. The endpoints were: sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). This study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00565071. Of the 300 patients, 88(29.3%) had fever, 56(18.7%) were positive by HC microscopy, 47(15.7%) by expert microscopy, 110(36.7%) by Paracheck and 89(29.7%) by PCR. The overall sensitivity >90% was only shown by Paracheck 91.0% [95%CI: 83.1-96.0]. The sensitivity of expert microscopy was 46%, similar to HC microscopy. The superior sensitivity of Paracheck compared to microscopy was maintained when data was stratified for transmission intensity and age. The overall specificity rates were: Paracheck 86.3% [95%CI: 80.9-90.6], HC microscopy 93.4% [95%CI: 89.1-96.3] and expert microscopy 97.2% [95%CI: 93.9-98.9]. The NPV >90% was shown by Paracheck 95.8% [95%CI: 91.9-98.2]. The overall PPV was <88% for all methods. The HRP2-based RDT has shown superior sensitivity compared to microscopy in diagnosis of malaria and may be more suitable for screening of malaria infection.

Healthy caregivers-healthy children (HC2) phase 2: Integrating culturally sensitive childhood obesity prevention strategies into childcare center policies.

PubMed

Messiah, Sarah E; Lebron, Cynthia; Moise, Rhoda; Sunil Mathew, M; Sardinas, Krystal; Chang, Catherina; Palenzuela, Joanne; Walsh, Jennifer; Shelnutt, Karla P; Spector, Rachel; Altare, Fiorella; Natale, Ruby

2017-02-01

Despite the high prevalence of obesity among preschool-aged children, most states lack childcare center (CCC) nutrition and physical activity policies. The Healthy Caregivers, Healthy Children (HC) Phase 2 project is examining the relationship between the CCC nutrition and physical activity environment and child dietary intake/physical activity patterns and body mass index (BMI). A total of 24 "Quality Counts" (Miami Dade County, Florida's Quality Rating Improvement System [QRIS)]) CCCs serving low resource families with ≥50 2-to-5year olds attending have been randomized to either intervention (n=12) or control (n=12). The HC2 intervention arm CCCs receive implementation of a daily curricula for (1) teachers/parents; (2) children; (3) snack, beverage, physical activity, and screen time policies; and (4) technical assistance with menu modifications. Control arm schools receive an attention control safety curriculum. HC2 is delivered once a month in year 1, quarterly in year 2 and will be disseminated throughout the Quality Counts network in year 3. Primary outcome measures include the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation tool (EPAO), standardized dietary intake and physical activity patterns surveys, and child BMI. The 'Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM)' framework will guide the interpretation of outcome measures. CCCs are in need of evidence-based standardized nutrition and physical activity policies. The intersection of RE-AIM and early childhood obesity prevention in the childcare setting could generate robust and new information to the field about potential barriers, facilitators, adoption, and sustainability in this setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Divided attention and driving: a pilot study using virtual reality technology.

PubMed

Lengenfelder, Jean; Schultheis, Maria T; Al-Shihabi, Talal; Mourant, Ronald; DeLuca, John

2002-02-01

Virtual reality (VR) was used to investigate the influence of divided attention (simple versus complex) on driving performance (speed control). Three individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and three healthy controls (HC), matched for age, education, and gender, were examined. Preliminary results revealed no differences on driving speed between TBI and HC. In contrast, TBI subjects demonstrated a greater number of errors on a secondary task performed while driving. The findings suggest that VR may provide an innovative medium for direct evaluation of basic cognitive functions (ie, divided attention) and its impact on everyday tasks (ie, driving) not previously available through traditional neuropsychological measures.

Decreased NT-3 plasma levels and platelet serotonin content in patients with hypochondriasis.

PubMed

Brondino, Natascia; Lanati, Niccolò; Barale, Francesco; Martinelli, Valentina; Politi, Pierluigi; Geroldi, Diego; Emanuele, Enzo

2008-11-01

Neurotrophins (NT) are a family of closely related proteins, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5). NTs are deemed to regulate several aspects of neuronal survival, development, and function. Although NTs have been associated to a variety of mental disorders, the potential role of NT alterations in hypochondriasis (HC) has never been investigated. In the present study, plasma concentrations of NTs were evaluated in 23 adult patients meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria for HC and 22 healthy controls. Platelet serotonin (5-HT) content was chosen as a measure of serotonergic function. Hypochondriacal symptoms were assessed using the Whiteley Index of Hypochondriasis (WIH). Plasma NT-3 level (P=.004) and platelet 5-HT (P=.008) were significantly lower in patients with HC compared with controls. Correlation analyses showed that the WIH score was significantly and inversely associated with both NT-3 values (r=-.60, P=.002) and platelet serotonin content (r=-.53, P=.009). We used a multivariate regression model to determine independent predictors of the WIH score. After allowance for potential confounders, plasma NT-3 levels remained the unique independent predictor of the WIH (beta=.003, t=-3.5, P=.003). Decreased NT-3 concentration, alongside with serotonin dysfunction, may represent a biological correlate of HC.

Impairment of the humoral and CD4+ T cell responses in HTLV-1-infected individuals immunized with tetanus toxoid

PubMed Central

Souza, Anselmo; Santos, Silvane; Carvalho, Lucas P.; Grassi, Maria Fernanda R.; Carvalho, Edgar M.

2016-01-01

T cells from HTLV-1-infected individuals have a decreased ability to proliferate after stimulation with recall antigens. This abnormality may be due to the production of regulatory cytokine or a dysfunctional antigen presentation. The aims of this study were to evaluate the antibody production and cytokine expression by lymphocytes before and after immunization with tetanus toxoid (TT) and to evaluate the immune response of monocytes after stimulation with TT and frequency of dendritic cells (DC) subsets. HTLV-1 carriers (HC) and uninfected controls with negative serology for TT were immunized with TT, and the antibody titers were determined by ELISA as well as the cell activation markers expression by monocytes. The frequencies of DC subsets were determined by flow cytometry. Following immunization, the IgG anti-TT titers and the frequency of CD4+ T cells expressing IFN-γ, TNF and IL-10 in response to TT were lower in the (HC) than in the controls. Additionally, monocytes from HC did not exhibit increased HLA-DR expression after stimulation with TT, and presented low numbers of DC subsets, therefore, it’s necessary to perform functional studies with antigen-presenting cells. Collectively, our finding suggests that HC present an impairment of the humoral and CD4+ T cell immune responses after vaccination. PMID:27282836

Deliberately generated and imitated facial expressions of emotions in people with eating disorders.

PubMed

Dapelo, Marcela Marin; Bodas, Sergio; Morris, Robin; Tchanturia, Kate

2016-02-01

People with eating disorders have difficulties in socio emotional functioning that could contribute to maintaining the functional consequences of the disorder. This study aimed to explore the ability to deliberately generate (i.e., pose) and imitate facial expressions of emotions in women with anorexia (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), compared to healthy controls (HC). One hundred and three participants (36 AN, 25 BN, and 42 HC) were asked to pose and imitate facial expressions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. Their facial expressions were recorded and coded. Participants with eating disorders (both AN and BN) were less accurate than HC when posing facial expressions of emotions. Participants with AN were less accurate compared to HC imitating facial expressions, whilst BN participants had a middle range performance. All results remained significant after controlling for anxiety, depression and autistic features. The relatively small number of BN participants recruited for this study. The study findings suggest that people with eating disorders, particularly those with AN, have difficulties posing and imitating facial expressions of emotions. These difficulties could have an impact in social communication and social functioning. This is the first study to investigate the ability to pose and imitate facial expressions of emotions in people with eating disorders, and the findings suggest this area should be further explored in future studies. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

BK Virus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in the Pediatric Population.

PubMed

Pérez-Huertas, Pablo; Cueto-Sola, Margarita; Escobar-Cava, Paloma; Fernández-Navarro, José María; Borrell-García, Carmela; Albert-Marí, Asunción; López-Briz, Eduardo; Poveda-Andrés, José Luis

2016-02-22

To study the incidence, risk factors, and treatment of hemorrhagic cystitis secondary to BK-virus reactivation (HC-BKV) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in the pediatric population. Case-control study in which all pediatric patients (0-18 years) who underwent allo-HSCT from September 2009 to January 2014 were followed. Twenty-nine patients underwent an allo-HSCT. The median age was 9 years (range = 6 months to 15 years), 61% male. The primary diagnosis was acute lymphoblastic leukemia (72.4%). Six (20.7%) developed HC-BKV. In a multivariate analysis of risk factors, it was observed that the reactivation of BK virus was associated with age more than 10 years (P = .098) and those with positive serology for Epstein-Barr virus (P = .06). Five of the 6 patients with HC-BKV received cidofovir (CDV) at doses of 3 to 5 mg/kg/week. The treatment lasted a median of 3 cycles (range = 2-5). One of the patients (20%) developed nephrotoxicity. Of the 5 patients treated with CDV, 3 (60%) had a complete response, 1 (20%) partial response, and 1 (20%) no response. We conclude that HC-BKV is a frequent complication after allo-HSCT. CDV therapy can be effective but controlled clinical trials are needed. © 2016 by Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses.

The Relationship between Alexithymia and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Anorexia Nervosa.

PubMed

Abbate-Daga, Giovanni; Quaranta, Michela; Marzola, Enrica; Amianto, Federico; Fassino, Secondo

2015-01-01

Alexithymia and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) are relevant factors in social and emotional processing abilities in anorexia nervosa (AN) eventually rendering emotional coping difficult. However, the link potentially existing in AN between IU and alexithymia has been so far understudied. Sixty-one patients affected by AN and 59 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled and assessed for study purposes. All participants completed the following self-report questionnaires: Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale. IU and alexithymia were greater in patients with AN when compared to HC. Moreover, in both AN and HC groups, IU and alexithymia significantly correlated with each other as well as with anxiety (STAI score) and depression (BDI score). No correlations were found between alexithymia and age. Patients' duration of illness was negatively correlated with two alexithymia subscales. After adjusting for anxiety, depression, body mass index and duration of illness (for AN), the correlation between IU and alexithymia remained significant. In addition to confirming previous findings on marked levels of IU and alexithymia in AN, this study showed for the first time a correlation between IU and alexithymia in both AN and HC. Moreover, this result remained significant after controlling for a number of clinical variables. Taken together, these findings may have useful clinical implications for the treatment of AN sufferers. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Differences in omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption in people at ultra-high risk of psychosis, first-episode schizophrenia, and in healthy controls.

PubMed

Pawełczyk, Tomasz; Trafalska, Elżbieta; Pawełczyk, Agnieszka; Kotlicka-Antczak, Magdalena

2017-12-01

Supplementation with omega-3 PUFA showed efficacy in reducing the risk of transition into psychosis in UHR individuals. It is uncertain whether dietary patterns can be partly responsible for n-3 deficiencies observed in susceptible participants before the diagnosis of schizophrenia. The study was designed to assess differences in omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA consumption in healthy controls (HC), UHR participants and FES patients as well as to verify the hypothesis that dietary changes in PUFA consumption are present before active psychosis develops, that is, in UHR individuals. Dietary habits during the previous year were assessed in 34 patients at UHR of psychosis, 33 patients diagnosed with FES and 33 HC participants using a validated Food-Frequency Questionnaire and the Polish Food Composition Tables. Significant differences in omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA intake were observed between study groups. UHR and FES groups reported significantly higher consumption of omega-6 PUFA in comparison with HC. FES patients also reported a higher consumption of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) in comparison with HC. No significant differences were seen in consumption of long-chain marine PUFA. Differences in omega-6 and omega-3 PUFA consumption exist before development of psychotic symptoms, fulfilling the criteria of schizophrenia. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus modulates reward processing and action selection in Parkinson patients.

PubMed

Wagenbreth, Caroline; Zaehle, Tino; Galazky, Imke; Voges, Jürgen; Guitart-Masip, Marc; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Düzel, Emrah

2015-06-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective treatment for motor impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD) but its effect on the motivational regulation of action control is still not fully understood. We investigated whether DBS of the STN influences the ability of PD patients to act for anticipated reward or loss, or whether DBS improves action execution independent of motivational valence. 16 PD patients (12 male, mean age = 58.5 ± 10.17 years) treated with bilateral STN-DBS and an age- and gender-matched group of healthy controls (HC) performed a go/no-go task whose contingencies explicitly decouple valence and action. Patients were tested with (ON) and without (OFF) active STN stimulation. For HC, there was a benefit in performing rewarded actions when compared to actions that avoided punishment. PD patients showed such a benefit reliably only when STN stimulation was ON. In fact, the relative behavioral benefit for go for reward over go to avoid losing was stronger in the PD patients under DBS ON than in HC. In PD patients, rather than generally improving motor functions independent of motivational valence, modulation of the STN by DBS improves action execution specifically when rewards are anticipated. Thus, STN-DBS establishes a reliable congruency between action and reward ("Pavlovian congruency") and remarkably enhances it over the level observed in HC.

Resting State EEG in Children With Learning Disabilities: An Independent Component Analysis Approach.

PubMed

Jäncke, Lutz; Alahmadi, Nsreen

2016-01-01

In this study, the neurophysiological underpinnings of learning disabilities (LD) in children are examined using resting state EEG. We were particularly interested in the neurophysiological differences between children with learning disabilities not otherwise specified (LD-NOS), learning disabilities with verbal disabilities (LD-Verbal), and healthy control (HC) children. We applied 2 different approaches to examine the differences between the different groups. First, we calculated theta/beta and theta/alpha ratios in order to quantify the relationship between slow and fast EEG oscillations. Second, we used a recently developed method for analyzing spectral EEG, namely the group independent component analysis (gICA) model. Using these measures, we identified substantial differences between LD and HC children and between LD-NOS and LD-Verbal children in terms of their spectral EEG profiles. We obtained the following findings: (a) theta/beta and theta/alpha ratios were substantially larger in LD than in HC children, with no difference between LD-NOS and LD-Verbal children; (b) there was substantial slowing of EEG oscillations, especially for gICs located in frontal scalp positions, with LD-NOS children demonstrating the strongest slowing; (c) the estimated intracortical sources of these gICs were mostly located in brain areas involved in the control of executive functions, attention, planning, and language; and (d) the LD-Verbal children demonstrated substantial differences in EEG oscillations compared with LD-NOS children, and these differences were localized in language-related brain areas. The general pattern of atypical neurophysiological activation found in LD children suggests that they suffer from neurophysiological dysfunction in brain areas involved with the control of attention, executive functions, planning, and language functions. LD-Verbal children also demonstrate atypical activation, especially in language-related brain areas. These atypical neurophysiological activation patterns might provide a helpful guide for rehabilitation strategies to treat the deficiencies in these children with LD. © EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society (ECNS) 2015.

Revisiting head circumference of Brazilian newborns in public and private maternity hospitals.

PubMed

Amorim, Maria do Socorro Teixeira; Melo, Aurea Nogueira de

2017-06-01

To revisit the head circumference (HC) of newborns in public and private maternity hospitals; to correlate our findings with the gestational age, gender, and type of delivery; and build and validate graphs and curves. This was a prospective study performed on healthy newborns. Differences in HC were analyzed as a function of gestational age, gender, the healthcare system and the type of delivery. Smoothed percentile curves were created using the least mean squares method. Of the included newborns, 697 were born in private maternity hospitals and 2,150 were born in public maternity hospitals. In all, 839 were born by vaginal delivery, and 1,311 were born by cesarean delivery. At 37 to 42 weeks of gestation, male newborns had a larger HC than females. Infants born in private maternity and those born by cesarean delivery had a larger HC. An important result of the present study is that our analyses allowed us to generate curves and statistically-validated graphs that can be used in clinical neonatal practice.

Reference Ranges for Head Circumference in Ethiopian Children 0-2 Years of Age.

PubMed

Amare, Ephrem Bililigne; Idsøe, Mari; Wiksnes, Miriam; Moss, Thomas; Roelants, Mathieu; Shimelis, Damte; Júlíusson, Pétur B; Kiserud, Torvid; Wester, Knut

2015-12-01

Head circumference (HC) charts are important for early detection of hydrocephalus during childhood. In low-income countries where population-based HC charts are rarely available, hydrocephalus occurs more commonly than in developed countries, and is usually not diagnosed early enough to prevent severe brain damage. This applies to Ethiopia as well. The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided standard HC charts advocated for global use, but recent studies cast doubts whether these charts are equally applicable in various populations. The aim of the study was therefore to establish reference ranges for early childhood HC in Ethiopia. In this prospective, observational cross-sectional study, measurements of HC were collected from healthy children of different ethnicities between birth and 24 months, in health centers situated in 5 Ethiopian cities. Reference ranges for HC were estimated using the LMS method and compared with those recommended by WHO. A total of 4019 children were included. Overall, 6.7% of boys and 7.1% of girls were above the +2 standard deviation (SD) of the WHO reference ranges, whereas the corresponding figures below -2 SD were 2.8% and 2.1%. Similarly, the +2 SD lines of the Ethiopian reference curves were considerably higher than those of the WHO growth standards, whereas the median and -2 SD lines were more comparable. Ethiopian HC reference ranges for children from birth to 24 months of age were found to differ significantly from those established by WHO and should correspondingly be considered as the first choice for screening for hydrocephalus in that population. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Home-centered health-enabling technologies and regional health information systems. An integration approach based on international standards.

PubMed

Gietzelt, M; von Bargen, T; Kohlmann, M; Marschollek, M; Schwartze, J; Song, B; Wagner, M; Wolf, K-H; Haux, R

2014-01-01

This article is part of the Focus Theme of Methods of Information in Medicine on "Using Data from Ambient Assisted Living and Smart Homes in Electronic Health Records". In this paper, we present a prototype of a Home-Centered Health-Enabling Technology (HET-HC), which is able to capture, store, merge and process data from various sensor systems at people's home. In addition, we present an architecture designed to integrate HET-HC into an exemplary regional Health Information System (rHIS). rHIS are traditionally document-based to fit to the needs in a clinical context. However, HET-HC are producing continuous data streams for which documents might be an inappropriate representation. Therefore, the HET-HC could register placeholder-documents at rHIS. These placeholder-documents are assembled upon user-authenticated request by the HET-HC and are always up-to-date. Moreover, it is not trivial to find a clinical coding system for continuous sensor data and to make the data machine-readable in order to enhance the interoperability of such systems. Therefore, we propose the use of SNOCAP-HET, which is a nomenclature to describe the context of sensor-based measurements in health-enabling technologies. We present an architectural approach to integrate HET-HC into rHIS. Our solution is the centralized registration of placeholder-documents with rHIS and the decentralized data storage at people's home. We concluded that the presented architecture of integrating HET-HC into rHIS might fit well to the traditional approach of document-based data storage. Data security and privacy issues are also duly considered.

Evidence of the Solar EUV Hot Channel as a Magnetic Flux Rope from Remote-sensing and In Situ Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

SONG, H. Q.; CHEN, Y.; ZHANG, J.; CHENG, X.; Wang, B.; HU, Q.; LI, G.; WANG, Y. M.

2015-07-01

Hot channels (HCs), high-temperature erupting structures in the lower corona of the Sun, have been proposed as a proxy of magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) since their initial discovery. However, it is difficult to provide definitive proof given the fact that there is no direct measurement of the magnetic field in the corona. An alternative method is to use the magnetic field measurement in the solar wind from in situ instruments. On 2012 July 12, an HC was observed prior to and during a coronal mass ejection (CME) by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly high-temperature images. The HC is invisible in the EUVI low-temperature images, which only show the cooler leading front (LF). However, both the LF and an ejecta can be observed in the coronagraphic images. These are consistent with the high temperature and high density of the HC and support that the ejecta is the erupted HC. Meanwhile, the associated CME shock was identified ahead of the ejecta and the sheath through the COR2 images, and the corresponding ICME was detected by the Advanced Composition Explorer, showing the shock, sheath, and magnetic cloud (MC) sequentially, which agrees with the coronagraphic observations. Further, the MC average Fe charge state is elevated, containing a relatively low-ionization-state center and a high-ionization-state shell, consistent with the preexisting HC observation and its growth through magnetic reconnection. All of these observations support that the MC detected near the Earth is the counterpart of the erupted HC in the corona for this event. The study provides strong observational evidence of the HC as an MFR.

Evidence of the Solar EUV Hot Channel as a Magnetic Flux Rope from Remote-sensing and in situ Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, H.

2015-12-01

Hot channels (HCs), high-temperature erupting structures in the lower corona of the Sun, have been proposed as a proxy of magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) since their initial discovery. However, it is difficult to provide definitive proof given the fact that there is no direct measurement of the magnetic field in the corona. An alternative method is to use the magnetic field measurement in the solar wind from in situ instruments. On 2012 July 12, an HC was observed prior to and during a coronal mass ejection (CME) by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly high-temperature images. The HC is invisible in the EUVI low-temperature images, which only show the cooler leading front (LF). However, both the LF and an ejecta can be observed in the coronagraphic images. These are consistent with the high temperature and high density of the HC and support that the ejecta is the erupted HC. Meanwhile, the associated CME shock was identified ahead of the ejecta and the sheath through the COR2 images, and the corresponding ICME was detected by the Advanced Composition Explorer, showing the shock, sheath, and magnetic cloud (MC) sequentially, which agrees with the coronagraphic observations. Further, the MC average Fe charge state is elevated, containing a relatively low-ionization-state center and a high-ionization-state shell, consistent with the preexisting HC observation and its growth through magnetic reconnection. All of these observations support that the MC detected near the Earth is the counterpart of the erupted HC in the corona for this event. The study provides strong observational evidence of the HC as an MFR.

Hormonal contraception increases the risk of psychotropic drug use in adolescent girls but not in adults: A pharmacoepidemiological study on 800 000 Swedish women.

PubMed

Zettermark, Sofia; Perez Vicente, Raquel; Merlo, Juan

2018-01-01

The burden of depression and anxiety disorders is greater in women, and female sex hormones have been shown to affect mood. Psychological side effects of hormonal contraception (HC) are also a common complaint in the clinic, but few previous studies have investigated this subject. We therefore wanted to investigate whether use of HC was associated with adverse psychological health outcomes, and whether this association was modified by age. All women aged 12-30 years on 31 December 2010, residing in Sweden for at least four years and with no previous psychiatric morbidity (n = 815 662), were included. We followed the women from their first HC use (or 31 December 2010, if they were non-users) at baseline, until a prescription fill of psychotropic drugs or the end of the one-year follow-up. We performed age-stratified logistic regression models and estimated odds ratios (OR) to measure the association between different HC methods and psychotropic drug use, as well as the area under the receiver operating curve to estimate discriminatory accuracy of HC in relation to psychotropic drugs. Overall, we found an association between HC and psychotropic drugs (adjusted OR 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30-1.37). In the age-stratified analysis, the strongest association was found in adolescent girls (adjusted OR 3.46, 95% CI 3.04-4.94 for age 12 to 14 years), while it was non-existent for adult women. We conclude that hormonal contraception is associated with psychotropic drug use among adolescent girls, suggesting an adverse effect of HC on psychological health in this population.

Wavelet Entropy and Directed Acyclic Graph Support Vector Machine for Detection of Patients with Unilateral Hearing Loss in MRI Scanning

PubMed Central

Wang, Shuihua; Yang, Ming; Du, Sidan; Yang, Jiquan; Liu, Bin; Gorriz, Juan M.; Ramírez, Javier; Yuan, Ti-Fei; Zhang, Yudong

2016-01-01

Highlights We develop computer-aided diagnosis system for unilateral hearing loss detection in structural magnetic resonance imaging.Wavelet entropy is introduced to extract image global features from brain images. Directed acyclic graph is employed to endow support vector machine an ability to handle multi-class problems.The developed computer-aided diagnosis system achieves an overall accuracy of 95.1% for this three-class problem of differentiating left-sided and right-sided hearing loss from healthy controls. Aim: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is correlated to many neurodegenerative disease. Now more and more computer vision based methods are using to detect it in an automatic way. Materials: We have in total 49 subjects, scanned by 3.0T MRI (Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany). The subjects contain 14 patients with right-sided hearing loss (RHL), 15 patients with left-sided hearing loss (LHL), and 20 healthy controls (HC). Method: We treat this as a three-class classification problem: RHL, LHL, and HC. Wavelet entropy (WE) was selected from the magnetic resonance images of each subjects, and then submitted to a directed acyclic graph support vector machine (DAG-SVM). Results: The 10 repetition results of 10-fold cross validation shows 3-level decomposition will yield an overall accuracy of 95.10% for this three-class classification problem, higher than feedforward neural network, decision tree, and naive Bayesian classifier. Conclusions: This computer-aided diagnosis system is promising. We hope this study can attract more computer vision method for detecting hearing loss. PMID:27807415

Wavelet Entropy and Directed Acyclic Graph Support Vector Machine for Detection of Patients with Unilateral Hearing Loss in MRI Scanning.

PubMed

Wang, Shuihua; Yang, Ming; Du, Sidan; Yang, Jiquan; Liu, Bin; Gorriz, Juan M; Ramírez, Javier; Yuan, Ti-Fei; Zhang, Yudong

2016-01-01

Highlights We develop computer-aided diagnosis system for unilateral hearing loss detection in structural magnetic resonance imaging.Wavelet entropy is introduced to extract image global features from brain images. Directed acyclic graph is employed to endow support vector machine an ability to handle multi-class problems.The developed computer-aided diagnosis system achieves an overall accuracy of 95.1% for this three-class problem of differentiating left-sided and right-sided hearing loss from healthy controls. Aim: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is correlated to many neurodegenerative disease. Now more and more computer vision based methods are using to detect it in an automatic way. Materials: We have in total 49 subjects, scanned by 3.0T MRI (Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany). The subjects contain 14 patients with right-sided hearing loss (RHL), 15 patients with left-sided hearing loss (LHL), and 20 healthy controls (HC). Method: We treat this as a three-class classification problem: RHL, LHL, and HC. Wavelet entropy (WE) was selected from the magnetic resonance images of each subjects, and then submitted to a directed acyclic graph support vector machine (DAG-SVM). Results: The 10 repetition results of 10-fold cross validation shows 3-level decomposition will yield an overall accuracy of 95.10% for this three-class classification problem, higher than feedforward neural network, decision tree, and naive Bayesian classifier. Conclusions: This computer-aided diagnosis system is promising. We hope this study can attract more computer vision method for detecting hearing loss.

Adjusting head circumference for covariates in autism: clinical correlates of a highly heritable continuous trait.

PubMed

Chaste, Pauline; Klei, Lambertus; Sanders, Stephan J; Murtha, Michael T; Hus, Vanessa; Lowe, Jennifer K; Willsey, A Jeremy; Moreno-De-Luca, Daniel; Yu, Timothy W; Fombonne, Eric; Geschwind, Daniel; Grice, Dorothy E; Ledbetter, David H; Lord, Catherine; Mane, Shrikant M; Lese Martin, Christa; Martin, Donna M; Morrow, Eric M; Walsh, Christopher A; Sutcliffe, James S; State, Matthew W; Devlin, Bernie; Cook, Edwin H; Kim, Soo-Jeong

2013-10-15

Brain development follows a different trajectory in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than in typically developing children. A proxy for neurodevelopment could be head circumference (HC), but studies assessing HC and its clinical correlates in ASD have been inconsistent. This study investigates HC and clinical correlates in the Simons Simplex Collection cohort. We used a mixed linear model to estimate effects of covariates and the deviation from the expected HC given parental HC (genetic deviation). After excluding individuals with incomplete data, 7225 individuals in 1891 families remained for analysis. We examined the relationship between HC/genetic deviation of HC and clinical parameters. Gender, age, height, weight, genetic ancestry, and ASD status were significant predictors of HC (estimate of the ASD effect = .2 cm). HC was approximately normally distributed in probands and unaffected relatives, with only a few outliers. Genetic deviation of HC was also normally distributed, consistent with a random sampling of parental genes. Whereas larger HC than expected was associated with ASD symptom severity and regression, IQ decreased with the absolute value of the genetic deviation of HC. Measured against expected values derived from covariates of ASD subjects, statistical outliers for HC were uncommon. HC is a strongly heritable trait, and population norms for HC would be far more accurate if covariates including genetic ancestry, height, and age were taken into account. The association of diminishing IQ with absolute deviation from predicted HC values suggests HC could reflect subtle underlying brain development and warrants further investigation. © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry.

Targeted Delivery of an Antigenic Peptide to the Endoplasmic Reticulum: Application for Development of a Peptide Therapy for Ankylosing Spondylitis

PubMed Central

Yu, Hui-Chun; Lu, Ming-Chi; Li, Chin; Huang, Hsien-Lu; Huang, Kuang-Yung; Liu, Su-Qin; Lai, Ning-Sheng; Huang, Hsien-Bin

2013-01-01

The development of suitable methods to deliver peptides specifically to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can provide some potential therapeutic applications of such peptides. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is strongly associated with the expression of human leukocytic antigen-B27 (HLA-B27). HLA-B27 heavy chain (HC) has a propensity to fold slowly resulting in the accumulation of misfolded HLA-B27 HC in the ER, triggering the unfolded protein response, and forming a homodimer, (B27-HC)2. Natural killer cells and T-helper 17 cells are then activated, contributing to the major pathogenic potentials of AS. The HLA-B27 HC is thus an important target, and delivery of an HLA-B27-binding peptide to the ER capable of promoting HLA-B27 HC folding is a potential mechanism for AS therapy. Here, we demonstrate that a His6-ubiquitin-tagged Tat-derived peptide (THU) can deliver an HLA-B27-binding peptide to the ER promoting HLA-B27 HC folding. The THU-HLA-B27-binding peptide fusion protein crossed the cell membrane to the cytosol through the Tat-derived peptide. The HLA-B27-binding peptide was specifically cleaved from THU by cytosolic ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolases and subsequently transported into the ER by the transporter associated with antigen processing. This approach has potential application in the development of peptide therapy for AS. PMID:24155957

Three STATs are involved in the regulation of the expression of antimicrobial peptides in the triangle sail mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii.

PubMed

Dai, Yun-Jia; Hui, Kai-Min; Zhang, Ying-Hao; Liu, Yan; Wang, Yu-Qing; Zhao, Li-Juan; Lin, Li; Chai, Lian-Qin; Wei, Shun; Lan, Jiang-Feng

2017-04-01

Janus kinase (Jak) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway is associated in antiviral and antibacterial immune response. Previous studies primarily investigated the function of STATs in mammals. For most invertebrates, only one STAT was found in each species, such as STAT92E was found in Drosophila melanogaster. The studies, which focus on the functional difference between various STATs in the same species of invertebrate, are limited. In the present study, three STATs (HcSTAT1, HcSTAT2 and HcSTAT3) were identified in triangle shell pearl mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii. Phylogenetic analysis showed that HcSTAT1 and HcSTAT3 were clustered with Homo sapiens STAT5, and HcSTAT2 was clustered with Pinctada fucata STAT and Crassostea gigas STAT6. All three STATs could be detected in all tested tissues (hemocytes, hepatopancreas, gill, mantle and foot), and were induced expression when challenged with Staphylococcus aureus or Aeromonas hydrophilia in hemocytes and hepatopancreas. HcSTAT1 regulated the expression of HcDef, HcWAP, HcThe and HcTNF. The expression of HcWAP and HcTNF was down-regulated in HcSTAT2-RNAi mussel. And HcSTAT3 affected the expression of HcTNF. The study is the first report of different functions in antibacterial immune responses between STATs in mollusks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research-derived insights into surface geochemical hydrocarbon exploration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, L.C.

1996-01-01

Research studies based on foreland basins (mainly in eastern Colorado) examined three surface geochemical exploration (SGE) methods as possible hydrocarbon (HC) exploration techniques. The first method, microbial soil surveying, has high potential as an exploration tool, especially hi development and enhanced recovery operations. Integrative adsorption, the second technique, is not effective as a quantitative SGE method because water, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, unsaturated hydrocarbons, and organic compounds are collected by the adsorbent (activated charcoal) much more strongly than covalently bonded microseeping Q-Cs thermogenic HCs. Qualitative comparisons (pattern recognition) of C8+ mass spectra cannot gauge HC gas microseepage that involves only the Q-Cs HCs. The third method, soil cakite surveying, also has no potential as an exploration tool. Soil calcite concentrations had patterns with pronounced areal contrasts, but these patterns had no geometric relationship to surface traces of established or potential production, that is, the patterns were random. Microscopic examination of thousands of soils revealed that soil calcite was an uncrystallized caliche coating soil particles. During its precipitation, caliche captures or occludes any gases, elements, or compounds in its immediate vicinity. Thus, increased signal intensity of some SGE methods should depend on increasing soil calcite concentrations. Analyses substantiate this hypothesis. Because soil calcite has no utility as a surface exploration tool, any surface method that depends on soil calcite has a diminished utility as an SGE tool. Isotopic analyses of soil calcites revealed carbonate carbon ??13C values of -4.0 to +2.07co (indicating a strong influence of atmospheric CO2) as opposed to expected values of-45 to -30%c if the carbonate carbon had originated from microbial oxidation of microseeping HC gases. These analyses confirm a surface origin for this soil calcite (caliche), which is not necessarily related to HC gas microseepage. This previously unappreciated pivotal role of caliche is hypothesized to contribute significantly to the poor and inconsistent results of some SGE methods.

Detection of Interstellar HC5O in TMC-1 with the Green Bank Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGuire, Brett A.; Burkhardt, Andrew M.; Shingledecker, Christopher N.; Kalenskii, Sergei V.; Herbst, Eric; Remijan, Anthony J.; McCarthy, Michael C.

2017-07-01

We report the detection of the carbon-chain radical HC5O for the first time in the interstellar medium toward the cold core TMC-1 using the 100 m Green Bank Telescope. We observe four hyperfine components of this radical in the J=17/2\\to 15/2 rotational transition that originates from the {}2{{{\\Pi }}}1/2 fine structure level of its ground state and calculate an abundance of n/{n}{H2}=1.7× {10}-10, assuming an excitation temperature of {T}{ex}=7 K. No indication of HC3O, HC4O, or HC6O, is found in these or archival observations of the source, while we report tentative evidence for HC7O. We compare calculated upper limits and the abundance of HC5O to predictions based on (1) the abundance trend of the analogous HC n N family in TMC-1 and (2) a gas-grain chemical model. We find that the gas-grain chemical model well reproduces the observed abundance of HC5O, as well as the upper limits of HC3O, HC6O, and HC7O, but HC4O is overproduced. The prospects for astronomical detection of both shorter and longer HC n O chains are discussed.

Phospholipase D inhibition by hexanal is associated with calcium signal transduction events in raspberry

PubMed Central

Kayal, Walid El; Paliyath, Gopinadhan; Sullivan, J Alan; Subramanian, Jayasankar

2017-01-01

Raspberry (Rubus spp.) is an economically important crop with a restricted growing season and very limited fruit shelf-life due to its extreme tenderness. In order to prolong its shelf life, an aqueous composition containing hexanal as the key active ingredient (HC) was applied as a preharvest spray during fruit development. The effects of HC were assessed using physiological, biochemical and anatomical parameters on the treated fruits and compared with the effects of mock inoculation which lacked hexanal. Sugars and acidity did not show a significant change in response to HC treatment, while the pulling force (the tension required to detach the berry from the receptacle) significantly improved in the HC-treated fruits, compared to control. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed a high correlation between the presence of rigid epidermal hairs and a stronger degree of attachment between berries and their receptacle in the HC treated fruits. Further, electron micrographs also showed abnormal crystalline depositions on the epidermal drupelets of the treated berries. Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis showed those crystals to be largely composed of calcium. HC treatment also resulted in the reduction of transcript level of three phospholipase D genes, as well as altered expression pattern of five members of the annexin gene family, and four calmodulin-binding transcription activators. Quantification of PLD activity showed that hexanal inhibited PLD activity in treated berries. The potential crosstalk between hexanal, phospholipase D activity and calcium and this crosstalk’s role in delaying fruit softening and in prolonging storage life of fruits shelf life is discussed. PMID:29114390

Temporal discounting across three psychiatric disorders: Anorexia nervosa, obsessive compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Steinglass, Joanna E; Lempert, Karolina M; Choo, Tse-Hwei; Kimeldorf, Marcia B; Wall, Melanie; Walsh, B Timothy; Fyer, Abby J; Schneier, Franklin R; Simpson, H Blair

2017-05-01

Temporal discounting refers to the tendency for rewards to lose value as the expected delay to receipt increases. Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been found to show reduced temporal discounting rates, indicating a greater preference for delayed rewards compared to healthy peers. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) commonly co-occur with AN, and anxiety has been related to development and prognosis of AN. We examined whether reduced temporal discounting is present across these potentially related disorders, and explored the relationship between temporal discounting and anxiety transdiagnostically. One hundred ninety six individuals (75 healthy controls (HC); 50 OCD; 27 AN; 44 SAD) completed two temporal discounting tasks in which they chose between smaller-sooner and larger-later monetary rewards. Two measures of discounting-discount rate and discount factor-were compared between diagnostic groups, and associations with anxious traits were examined. Individuals with AN showed decreased temporal discounting compared to HC. OCD and SAD groups did not differ significantly from HC. Across the sample, anxiety was associated with decreased discounting; more anxious individuals showed a greater preference for delayed reward. We replicated the findings that individuals with AN show an increased preference for delayed reward relative to HC and that individuals with OCD do not differ from HC. We also showed that individuals with SAD do not differ from HC in discounting. Across this large sample, two measures of anxious temperament were associated with temporal discounting. These data raise new questions about the relationship between this dimensional trait and psychopathology. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The role of white matter in personality traits and affective processing in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Bauer, Isabelle E; Wu, Mon-Ju; Meyer, Thomas D; Mwangi, Benson; Ouyang, Austin; Spiker, Danielle; Zunta-Soares, Giovana B; Huang, Hao; Soares, Jair C

2016-09-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by affective processing bias and variations in personality traits. It is still unknown whether these features are linked to the same structural brain alterations. The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between specific personality traits, white matter (WM) properties, and affective processing in BD and HC. 24 healthy controls (HC) and 38 adults with BDI (HC: 29.47 ± 2.23 years, 15 females; BDI: 32.44 ± 1.84 years, 20 females) completed clinical scales and the Big Five Inventory. They were also administered the Affective Go/No-Go (AGN) and the Rapid Visual Processing (RVP) tasks of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) assessed the microstructure of WM tracts. In BDI measures of WM properties were reduced across all major brain white matter tracts. As expected, individuals with BDI reported greater neuroticism, lower agreeableness and conscientiousness, and made a greater number of errors in response to affective stimuli in the AGN task compared to HC. High neuroticism scores were associated with faster AGN latency, and overall reduced AGN accuracy in both HC and BDI. Elevated FA values were associated with reduced neuroticism and increased cognitive processing in HC but not in BDI. Our findings showed important potential links between personality, affective processing and WM integrity in BD. In the future therapeutic interventions for BD using brain stimulation protocols might benefit from the use of DTI to target pathways underlying abnormal affective processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Default mode network connectivity indicates episodic memory capacity in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

McCormick, Cornelia; Quraan, Maher; Cohn, Melanie; Valiante, Taufik A; McAndrews, Mary Pat

2013-05-01

The clinical relevance of resting state functional connectivity in neurologic disorders, including mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE), remains unclear. This study investigated how connectivity in the default mode network changes with unilateral damage to one of its nodes, the hippocampus (HC), and how such connectivity can be exploited clinically to characterize memory deficits and indicate postsurgical memory change. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) resting state scans and neuropsychological memory assessments (Warrington Recognition Tests for Words and Faces) were performed on 19 healthy controls, 20 patients with right mTLE, and 18 patients with left mTLE. In addition, postsurgical fMRI resting state and memory change (postsurgical memory performance-presurgical memory performance) data were available for half of these patients. Patients with mTLE showed reduced connectivity from the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) to the epileptogenic HC and increased PCC connectivity to the contralateral HC. Stronger PCC connectivity to the epileptogenic HC was associated with better presurgical memory and with greater postsurgical memory decline. Stronger PCC connectivity to the contralateral HC was associated with less postsurgical memory decline. Following surgery, PCC connectivity to the remaining HC increased from presurgical values and showed enhanced correlation with postsurgical memory function. It is notable that this index was superior to others (hippocampal volume, preoperative memory scores) in explaining variance in memory change following surgery. Our results demonstrate the striking clinical significance of the brain's intrinsic connectivity in evaluating cognitive capacity and indicating the potential of postsurgical cognitive morbidity in patients with mTLE. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2013 International League Against Epilepsy.

Post-learning stress differentially affects memory for emotional gist and detail in naturally cycling women and women on hormonal contraceptives

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Shawn E.; Ahmed, Imran; Cahill, Larry

2014-01-01

Sex differences in emotional memory have received increasing interest over the past decade. However, to date, no work has explored how a post-learning stressor might modulate the influence of sex hormone status on memory for gist and peripheral detail in an emotional versus neutral context. Here, we tested three predictions. First, compared to naturally cycling women (NC women) in the luteal phase, women on hormonal contraception (HC women) would have significantly blunted HPA reactivity to physical stress. Second, post-learning stress would enhance detail and gist memory from an emotional story in NC women, and finally, post-learning stress would not affect emotional memory for details or gist in HC women. Healthy NC and HC women viewed a brief, narrated story containing neutral or emotionally arousing elements. Immediately after, Cold Pressor Stress (CPS) or a control procedure was administered. One week later, participants received a surprise free recall test for story elements. NC women exhibited significantly greater cortisol increases to CPS compared to HC women. NC women who viewed the emotional story and were administered CPS recalled the most peripheral details overall and more gist from the emotional compared to the neutral story. In HC women, however, the post-learning cortisol release did not affect memory for gist or peripheral details from the emotional or neutral story in any way. Additionally, NC and HC women performed similarly on measures of attention and arousal. These findings suggest that in women, post-learning stress differentially affects memory for emotional information depending on their hormonal contraceptive status. PMID:24841741

Postlearning stress differentially affects memory for emotional gist and detail in naturally cycling women and women on hormonal contraceptives.

PubMed

Nielsen, Shawn E; Ahmed, Imran; Cahill, Larry

2014-08-01

Sex differences in emotional memory have received increasing interest over the past decade. However, to date, no work has explored how a postlearning stressor might modulate the influence of sex hormone status on memory for gist and peripheral detail in an emotional versus neutral context. Here, we tested 3 predictions. First, compared with naturally cycling (NC) women in the luteal phase, women on hormonal contraception (HC) would have significantly blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal reactivity to physical stress. Second, postlearning stress would enhance detail and gist memory from an emotional story in NC women, and finally, postlearning stress would not affect emotional memory for details or gist in HC women. Healthy NC and HC women viewed a brief, narrated story containing neutral or emotionally arousing elements. Immediately after, cold pressor stress (CPS) or a control procedure was administered. One week later, participants received a surprise free recall test for story elements. NC women exhibited significantly greater cortisol increases to CPS compared with HC women. NC women who viewed the emotional story and were administered CPS recalled the most peripheral details overall and more gist from the emotional compared with the neutral story. In HC women, however, the postlearning cortisol release did not affect memory for gist or peripheral details from the emotional or neutral story in any way. Additionally, NC and HC women performed similarly on measures of attention and arousal. These findings suggest that in women, postlearning stress differentially affects memory for emotional information depending on their hormonal contraceptive status.

Bacterial Population in Intestines of Litopenaeus vannamei Fed Different Probiotics or Probiotic Supernatant.

PubMed

Sha, Yujie; Liu, Mei; Wang, Baojie; Jiang, Keyong; Qi, Cancan; Wang, Lei

2016-10-28

The interactions of microbiota in the gut play an important role in promoting or maintaining the health of hosts. In this study, in order to investigate and compare the effects of dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus pentosus HC-2 (HC-2), Enterococcus faecium NRW-2, or the bacteria-free supernatant of a HC-2 culture on the bacterial composition of Litopenaeus vannamei , Illumina sequencing of the V1-V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene was used. The results showed that unique species exclusively existed in specific dietary groups, and the abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly increased in the intestinal bacterial community of shrimp fed with the bacteria-free supernatant of an HC-2 culture compared with the control. In addition, the histology of intestines of the shrimp from the four dietary groups was also described, but no obvious improvements in the intestinal histology were observed. The findings in this work will help to promote the understanding of the roles of intestinal bacteria in shrimps when fed with probiotics or probiotic supernatant.

Enhanced facilitation of spatial attention in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Spencer, Kevin M; Nestor, Paul G; Valdman, Olga; Niznikiewicz, Margaret A; Shenton, Martha E; McCarley, Robert W

2011-01-01

While attentional functions are usually found to be impaired in schizophrenia, a review of the literature on the orienting of spatial attention in schizophrenia suggested that voluntary attentional orienting in response to a valid cue might be paradoxically enhanced. We tested this hypothesis with orienting tasks involving the cued detection of a laterally presented target stimulus. Subjects were chronic schizophrenia patients (SZ) and matched healthy control subjects (HC). In Experiment 1 (15 SZ, 16 HC), cues were endogenous (arrows) and could be valid (100% predictive) or neutral with respect to the subsequent target position. In Experiment 2 (16 SZ, 16 HC), subjects performed a standard orienting task with unpredictive exogenous cues (brightening of the target boxes). In Experiment 1, SZ showed a larger attentional facilitation effect on reaction time than HC. In Experiment 2, no clear sign of enhanced attentional facilitation was found in SZ. The voluntary, facilitatory shifting of spatial attention may be relatively enhanced in individuals with schizophrenia in comparison to healthy individuals. This effect bears resemblance to other relative enhancements of information processing in schizophrenia such as saccade speed and semantic priming. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Simultaneous treatment (cell disruption and lipid extraction) of wet microalgae using hydrodynamic cavitation for enhancing the lipid yield.

PubMed

Lee, Ilgyu; Han, Jong-In

2015-06-01

Simultaneous treatment (combining with cell disruption and lipid extraction) using hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) was applied to Nannochloropsis salina to demonstrate a simple and integrated way to produce oil from wet microalgae. A high lipid yield from the HC (25.9-99.0%) was observed compared with autoclave (16.2-66.5%) and ultrasonication (5.4-26.9%) in terms of the specific energy input (500-10,000 kJ/kg). The optimal conditions for the simultaneous treatment were established using a statistical approach. The efficiency of the simultaneous method was also demonstrated by comparing each separate treatment. The maximum lipid yield (predicted: 45.9% and experimental: 45.5%) was obtained using 0.89% sulfuric acid with a cavitation number of 1.17 for a reaction time of 25.05 min via response surface methodology. Considering its comparable extractability, energy-efficiency, and potential for scale-up, HC may be a promising method to achieve industrial-scale microalgae operation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Treatment-Naïve Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

PubMed Central

Chaim, Tiffany M.; Zhang, Tianhao; Zanetti, Marcus V.; da Silva, Maria Aparecida; Louzã, Mário R.; Doshi, Jimit; Serpa, Mauricio H.; Duran, Fabio L. S.; Caetano, Sheila C.; Davatzikos, Christos; Busatto, Geraldo F.

2014-01-01

Background Attention-Deficit/Hiperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder, but its neuroanatomical circuitry is still relatively understudied, especially in the adult population. The few morphometric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies available to date have found heterogeneous results. This may be at least partly attributable to some well-known technical limitations of the conventional voxel-based methods usually employed to analyze such neuroimaging data. Moreover, there is a great paucity of imaging studies of adult ADHD to date that have excluded patients with history of use of stimulant medication. Methods A newly validated method named optimally-discriminative voxel-based analysis (ODVBA) was applied to multimodal (structural and DTI) MRI data acquired from 22 treatment-naïve ADHD adults and 19 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). Results Regarding DTI data, we found higher fractional anisotropy in ADHD relative to HC encompassing the white matter (WM) of the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal left gyrus, left postcentral gyrus, bilateral cingulate gyrus, bilateral middle temporal gyrus and right superior temporal gyrus; reductions in trace (a measure of diffusivity) in ADHD relative to HC were also found in fronto-striatal-parieto-occipital circuits, including the right superior frontal gyrus and bilateral middle frontal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus and bilateral cingulate gyrus, as well as the left body and right splenium of the corpus callosum, right superior corona radiata, and right superior longitudinal and fronto-occipital fasciculi. Volumetric abnormalities in ADHD subjects were found only at a trend level of significance, including reduced gray matter (GM) in the right angular gyrus, and increased GM in the right supplementary motor area and superior frontal gyrus. Conclusions Our results suggest that adult ADHD is associated with neuroanatomical abnormalities mainly affecting the WM microstructure in fronto-parieto-temporal circuits that have been implicated in cognitive, emotional and visuomotor processes. PMID:25310815

A Geostatistical Approach to the Trickle Irrigation Design in a Heterogeneous Soil 2. A Field Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russo, David

1984-05-01

In a heterogeneous field in which the soil water properties vary under a "deterministic" uniform trickle irrigation system, the midway soil-water pressure head hc and the yield of a crop also differ from place to place. These differences may, in turn, reduce the average (over the field) yield relative to the yield that would be obtained if the soil was uniform throughout the field. A field experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that this yield reduction may be eliminated by using a spatially variable trickle irrigation system. Twenty-five plots (200 m2 each) were established on a 30-m2 grid. Half of each plot was equipped with a standard trickle irrigation system with constant spacing between emitters of d = 50 cm (control plots), and the other half was equipped with a trickle irrigation system for which the spacing between the emitters was selected by using the pertinent hydraulic properties (the saturated hydraulic conductivity Ks and the soil parameter α) according to the procedure of Bresler (1978) as described in paper 1 (Russo, 1983b). Values of hc measured at different times, as well as the total fruit yield Y of bell pepper (Capsicum frutescens var. "Maor"), were used to estimate the seasonal and the spatial distributions of hc and the spatial distribution of Y and their moments. The variograms of hc and Y were calculated and used to estimate their integral scales. It was found that the use of a spatially variable d relative to the use of a uniform d did not change the seasonal behavior of hc but reduced the spatial variability in hc and Y by 35% and 11%, respectively, and increased the integral scale of hc and Y by 30% and 10%, respectively, but increased the average total fruit yield by only 1.9%. The use of a spatially variable d reduced the dependence of Y on hc. This indicates that when the emitters are properly spaced, it is not the water but other factors that most influence yield. When a constant d was used, the dependence of Y of hc decreased with time. This and the relatively good agreement between the values of hc measured at the initial stages of the growing season and those calculated in paper 1 demonstrate that the concept of hc is important in the early stages of the plant's growth, when the root system is not fully developed. Both the theoretical (paper 1) and the experimental results showed that although Ks and α, as well as hc, varied considerably in the field the spatial variability of the crop yield was relatively small. This explains why the use of a spatially variable d essentially was not an improvement over the fixed d. It is suggested that this study will be considered as a methodological one, which can be adapted to solve practical problems associated with field spatial variability.

Immunization of pregnant cows with Shiga toxin-2 induces high levels of specific colostral antibodies and lactoferrin able to neutralize E. coli O157:H7 pathogenicity.

PubMed

Albanese, Adriana; Sacerdoti, Flavia; Seyahian, E Abril; Amaral, Maria Marta; Fiorentino, Gabriela; Fernandez Brando, Romina; Vilte, Daniel A; Mercado, Elsa C; Palermo, Marina S; Cataldi, Angel; Zotta, Elsa; Ibarra, Cristina

2018-03-20

E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen responsible for bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The objective of the present work was to evaluate the ability of colostral IgG obtained from Stx2-immunized cows to prevent against E. coli O157:H7 infection and Stx2 cytotoxicity. Hyperimmune colostrum (HC) was obtained from cows intramuscularly immunized with inactivated Stx2 or vehicle for controls. Colostral IgG was purified by affinity chromatography. Specific IgG antibodies against Stx2 and bovine lactoferrin (bLF) levels in HC and the corresponding IgG (HC-IgG/bLF) were determined by ELISA. The protective effects of HC-IgG/bLF against Stx2 cytotoxicity and adhesion of E. coli O157:H7 and its Stx2-negative mutant were analyzed in HCT-8 cells. HC-IgG/bLF prevention against E. coli O157:H7 was studied in human colon and rat colon loops. Protection against a lethal dose of E. coli O157:H7 was evaluated in a weaned mice model. HC-IgG/bLF showed high anti-Stx2 titers and high bLF levels that were able to neutralize the cytotoxic effects of Stx2 in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, HC-IgG/bLF avoided the inhibition of water absorption induced by E. coli O157:H7 in human colon and also the pathogenicity of E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli O157:H7Δstx2 in rat colon loops. Finally, HC-IgG/bLF prevented in a 100% the lethality caused by E. coli O157:H7 in a weaned mice model. Our study suggests that HC-IgG/bLF have protective effects against E. coli O157:H7 infection. These beneficial effects may be due to specific anti-Stx2 neutralizing antibodies in combination with high bLF levels. These results allow us to consider HC-IgG/bLF as a nutraceutical tool which could be used in combination with balanced supportive diets to prevent HUS. However further studies are required before recommendations can be made for therapeutic and clinical applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial diversity in raw milk and traditional fermented dairy products (Hurood cheese and Jueke) from Inner Mongolia, China.

PubMed

Gao, M L; Hou, H M; Teng, X X; Zhu, Y L; Hao, H S; Zhang, G L

2017-03-08

Hurood cheese (HC) and Jueke (Jk) are 2 traditional fermented dairy products produced from raw milk (RM) in the Inner Mongolia region of China. They have a long history of production and consumption. The microbial compositions of RM, HC, and Jk vary greatly, and are influenced by their geographical origins and unique processing methods. In this study, 2 batches of RM, HC, and Jk samples were collected (April and August 2015) from the Zhenglan Banner, a region located in the southern part of Inner Mongolian belonging to the Xilingol league prefecture. The bacterial and fungal diversities of the samples were determined by 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis, respectively. A total of 112 bacterial and 30 fungal sequences were identified, with Firmicutes and Ascomycota being the predominant phyla for bacteria and fungi, respectively. Lactococcus and Lactobacillus were identified as the main bacterial genera, whereas Kluyveromyces was the predominant fungus identified in the 3 dairy products. Different bacterial and fungal compositions were observed in RM, HC, and Jk samples collected at different times. These results suggested that time of production may be an important factor influencing the microbial diversity present in RM, HC, and Jk.

Efficient decomposition of formaldehyde at room temperature over Pt/honeycomb ceramics with ultra-low Pt content.

PubMed

Nie, Longhui; Zheng, Yingqiu; Yu, Jiaguo

2014-09-14

Pt/honeycomb ceramic (Pt/HC) catalysts with ultra-low Pt content (0.005-0.055 wt%) were for the first time prepared by an impregnation of honeycomb ceramics with Pt precursor and NaBH4-reduction combined method. The microstructures, morphologies and textural properties of the resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained Pt/HC catalysts were used for catalytic oxidative decomposition of formaldehyde (HCHO) at room temperature. It was found that the as-prepared Pt/HC catalysts can efficiently decompose HCHO in air into CO2 and H2O at room temperature. The catalytic activity of the Pt/HC catalysts increases with increasing the Pt loading in the range of 0.005-0.013 wt%, and the further increase of the Pt loading does not obviously improve catalytic activity. From the viewpoint of cost and catalytic performance, 0.013 wt% Pt loading is the optimal Pt loading amount, and the Pt/HC catalyst with 0.013 wt% Pt loading also exhibited good catalytic stability. Considering practical applications, this work will provide new insights into the low-cost and large-scale fabrication of advanced catalytic materials for indoor air purification.

Iranian Nursing Student–patient Health Communication in Medical Surgical Wards

PubMed Central

Abdolrahimi, Mahbobeh; Ghiyasvandian, Shahrzad; Zakerimoghadam, Masoumeh; Ebadi, Abbas

2018-01-01

Background: Health communication (HC) is considered an important task of nurses to provide high quality and holistic care as well as to improve patient health. The nursing student–patient HC is an abstract concept and needs to be clarified. Therefore, this study was conducted to increase the knowledge about nursing students' HC with patients by considering various participants' viewpoints. Materials and Methods: In this conventional qualitative content analysis, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with six nursing students, six nursing instructors, and six patients in educational hospitals affiliated to the University of Medical Sciences. Credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability were established to validate the trustworthiness of the data. The process of data collection and analysis lasted 9 months. Results: After data analysis, two categories were generated: (A) “junior nursing student–patient communication,” with two subcategories of “performing social communication with patients” and “failure to build therapeutic relationships with patients,” and (B) “senior nursing student–patient communication” with two subcategories of “establishing effective communication with patients” and “performing one-way communication with patients.” Conclusions: More attention should be paid to improve HC through shifting towards student-centered approaches in nursing curriculum. Further, role model nurses and clinical educators should guide nursing students for institutionalizing HC in future nurses. PMID:29628962

[Comparison of gut microbiotal compositional analysis of patients with irritable bowel syndrome through different bioinformatics pipelines].

PubMed

Zhu, S W; Liu, Z J; Li, M; Zhu, H Q; Duan, L P

2018-04-18

To assess whether the same biological conclusion, diagnostic or curative effects regarding microbial composition of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients could be reached through different bioinformatics pipelines, we used two common bioinformatics pipelines (Uparse V2.0 and Mothur V1.39.5)to analyze the same fecal microbial 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing data. The two pipelines were used to analyze the diversity and richness of fecal microbial 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing data of 27 samples, including 9 healthy controls (HC group), 9 diarrhea IBS patients before (IBS group) and after Rifaximin treatment (IBS-treatment, IBSt group). Analyses such as microbial diversity, principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA), nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) were used to find out the microbial differences among HC group vs. IBS group and IBS group vs. IBSt group. (1) Microbial composition comparison of the 27 samples in the two pipelines showed significant variations at both family and genera levels while no significant variations at phylum level; (2) There was no significant difference in the comparison of HC vs. IBS or IBS vs. IBSt (Uparse: HC vs. IBS, F=0.98, P=0.445; IBS vs. IBSt, F=0.47,P=0.926; Mothur: HC vs.IBS, F=0.82, P=0.646; IBS vs. IBSt, F=0.37, P=0.961). The Shannon index was significantly decreased in IBSt; (3) Both workshops distinguished the significantly enriched genera between HC and IBS groups. For example, Nitrosomonas and Paraprevotella increased while Pseudoalteromonadaceae and Anaerotruncus decreased in HC group through Uparse pipeline, nevertheless Roseburia 62 increased while Butyricicoccus and Moraxellaceae decreased in HC group through Mothur pipeline.Only Uparse pipeline could pick out significant genera between IBS and IBSt, such as Pseudobutyricibrio, Clostridiaceae 1 and Clostridiumsensustricto 1. There were taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity differences between the two pipelines, Mothur can get more taxonomic details because the count number of each taxonomic level is higher. Both pipelines could distinguish the significantly enriched genera between HC and IBS groups, but Uparse was more capable to identity the difference between IBS and IBSt groups. To increase the reproducibility and reliability and to retain the consistency among similar studies, it is very important to consider the impact on different pipelines.

The effect of digital dermatitis on hoof conformation.

PubMed

Gomez, A; Cook, N B; Rieman, J; Dunbar, K A; Cooley, K E; Socha, M T; Döpfer, D

2015-02-01

Digital dermatitis (DD) is the most prevalent cause of lameness of infectious origin in cattle. However, little is known about the effects of DD on hoof conformation (HC) during the clinical disease. The objectives of the present study were to (1) evaluate the changes in HC observed in feet affected with clinical DD lesions and (2) investigate the temporal relationship between DD and heel horn erosion (HHE). A longitudinal study was carried out including a cohort of 644 Holstein heifers. Digital dermatitis, HC, and presence of HHE in the rear feet of each heifer were assessed during a period of 6 mo. A total of 1,979 feet evaluations were included in the data set, of which 157 corresponded to feet presenting DD lesions >20mm [mean (SD) size of 27.2 (8.2) mm]. Age, days of pregnancy, hip height, and girth circumference were also recorded at cow level. Significant HC changes were observed in DD-affected feet. Results standardized to a period of 90d of follow-up showed an increase in heel height [mean (95% CI) 3.4 (2.5, 4.4) and 2.8 (2.0, 3.7) mm] and claw angle [0.8 (0.2, 1.4) and 1.4 (0.7, 2.0) degrees] of the medial and lateral claws, respectively. In addition, an increase in depth of the interdigital cleft [3.2 (2.7, 3.7) mm] and on debris accumulation [14% (7, 21) of feet] was also observed. Feet affected with clinical DD lesions also experienced a 46% point increase in the presence of severe HHE. In the short term, HC changes returned to normal levels when clinical cure of DD was achieved after topical treatment. In conclusion, significant HC changes occur in heifers affected by clinical DD before lameness symptoms are detected. The transformation of the heel area in feet affected by DD likely promotes the creation of a local environment that favors the persistence of the disease and the occurrence of severe HHE. To avoid further hoof damage, active surveillance and early intervention to reduce HC changes are recommended to improve DD control programs. Successful restoration of HC can be achieved upon clinical cure of DD. The long-term effects in lifetime performance of the HC changes due to DD remain to be further investigated. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of exercise training on Ca2+ release units of left ventricular myocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

PubMed

Carneiro-Júnior, M A; Quintão-Júnior, J F; Drummond, L R; Lavorato, V N; Drummond, F R; Amadeu, M A; Oliveira, E M; Felix, L B; Cruz, J S; Mill, J G; Natali, A J; Prímola-Gomes, T N

2014-08-29

In cardiomyocytes, calcium (Ca2+) release units comprise clusters of intracellular Ca2+ release channels located on the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and hypertension is well established as a cause of defects in calcium release unit function. Our objective was to determine whether endurance exercise training could attenuate the deleterious effects of hypertension on calcium release unit components and Ca2+ sparks in left ventricular myocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Male Wistar and spontaneously hypertensive rats (4 months of age) were divided into 4 groups: normotensive (NC) and hypertensive control (HC), and normotensive (NT) and hypertensive trained (HT) animals (7 rats per group). NC and HC rats were submitted to a low-intensity treadmill running protocol (5 days/week, 1 h/day, 0% grade, and 50-60% of maximal running speed) for 8 weeks. Gene expression of the ryanodine receptor type 2 (RyR2) and FK506 binding protein (FKBP12.6) increased (270%) and decreased (88%), respectively, in HC compared to NC rats. Endurance exercise training reversed these changes by reducing RyR2 (230%) and normalizing FKBP12.6 gene expression (112%). Hypertension also increased the frequency of Ca2+ sparks (HC=7.61±0.26 vs NC=4.79±0.19 per 100 µm/s) and decreased its amplitude (HC=0.260±0.08 vs NC=0.324±0.10 ΔF/F0), full width at half-maximum amplitude (HC=1.05±0.08 vs NC=1.26±0.01 µm), total duration (HC=11.51±0.12 vs NC=14.97±0.24 ms), time to peak (HC=4.84±0.06 vs NC=6.31±0.14 ms), and time constant of decay (HC=8.68±0.12 vs NC=10.21±0.22 ms). These changes were partially reversed in HT rats (frequency of Ca2+ sparks=6.26±0.19 µm/s, amplitude=0.282±0.10 ΔF/F0, full width at half-maximum amplitude=1.14±0.01 µm, total duration=13.34±0.17 ms, time to peak=5.43±0.08 ms, and time constant of decay=9.43±0.15 ms). Endurance exercise training attenuated the deleterious effects of hypertension on calcium release units of left ventricular myocytes.

Is there a correlation between hippocampus and amygdala volume and olfactory function in healthy subjects?

PubMed

Smitka, M; Puschmann, S; Buschhueter, D; Gerber, J C; Witt, M; Honeycutt, N; Abolmaali, N; Hummel, T

2012-01-16

Both amygdala (AG) and hippocampus (HC) are integral parts of the olfactory system. The present study, including a large number of healthy subjects, was performed to compare HC and AG volumes, measured by manual tracing, in relation to specific olfactory functions, including odor threshold, discrimination, identification, and odor memory tasks. It also aimed to provide age-related normative data about the volume of the HC and AG. A total of 117 healthy volunteers participated (age range 19-77 years, mean age 37 years; 62 women, 55 men). Using the "Sniffin' Sticks", subjects received lateralized tests for odor threshold, and odor discrimination. In addition, an odor memory and an odor identification task were performed bilaterally. A Mini-Mental-State test excluded dementia. MR scans were performed using a 1.5 T scanner for later manual volumetric measurements. Volumetric measurements exhibited a good reproducibility. The average volume for the right HC was 3.29 cm(3) (SD 0.47), for the left HC it was 3.15 cm(3) (SD 0.47). The average right AG had a volume of 1.60 cm(3) (SD 0.31), left 1.59 cm(3) (SD 0.3). Increasing age was accompanied by a decrease of HC and AG volumes, which were much more pronounced for the right compared to the left side. Only the volume of the right HC showed a small but significant correlation with odor threshold (r(117)=0.21; p=0.02). Importantly, this correlation was not mediated by age as indicated by the significant partial correlation when controlling for age (r(114)=0.18; p=0.049). In conclusion, the present data obtained in a relatively large group of subjects demonstrates a small correlation between the volume of the HC, as an integral part of the olfactory system, and smell function. In addition, these data can be used as the basis for normative values of HC and AG volumes, separately for men, women and different age groups. This is of potential interest in diseases with acute or chronic impairment of olfactory function, in metabolic or neurodegenerative diseases or in disorders with damage of areas involved in adult neurogenesis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Effects of adiponectin gene SNP45T/G on changes of serum lipid ratios induced by high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet in healthy Chinese youth].

PubMed

Li, Yu-jia; Fang, Ding-zhi; Gong, Ren-rong; Du, Juan; Huang, Xin

2010-09-01

To investigate the effects of adiponectin gene (APM1) SNP45T/G on serum lipid ratios and their responses to high-carbohydrate/low-fat (HC/LF) diet in healthy young Chinese. Fifty-six healthy young subjects were given two consecutive diets. The first was control diet (54% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 31% fat) for 7 days, and the second was HC/LF diet (70% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 15% fat) for 6 days. Before and after each diet, serum lipids and SNP45T/G were analyzed. The ratios of TG/HDL-C, log (TG/HDL-C), TC/HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C were calculated. There was no significant difference of baseline lipid ratios between subjects with TT genotype and subjects carrying G allele (G carriers) in the whole population or in the males and females separately. The G allele was associated with significantly higher TC/HDL-C after HC/LF diet in the males (P < 0.05); and the males with TT genotype had significant decreases of LDL-C/HDL-C (P < 0.05) and TC/HDL-C (P < 0.05) after HC/LF diet compared with those before the diet, while G carriers only experienced significant decrease of TC/HDL-C (P < 0.01). In the females, TT genotype was associated with significantly higher TG/HDL-C (P < 0.05) and log (TG/HDL-C) (P < 0.05) both before and after the HC/LF diet. When compared with those before HC/LF diet, elevated TG/HDL-C (P < 0.05) and log (TG/ HDL-C) (P < 0.05) and declined TC/HDL-C (P < 0.01) were observed in the subjects with TT genotype after the diet. In the female subjects of G carriers, LDL-C/HDL-C (P < 0.05) and TC/HDL-C (P < 0.01) decreased significantly after the HC/LF diet. G allele of APM1 45T/G could inhibit increase of TG/HDL-C and log (TG/HDL-C) and promote the decrease of LDL-C/HDL-C induced by HC/LF diet in healthy young females. But in the healthy young males, it might eliminate the decline of LDL-C/HDL-C induced by HC/LF diet and increase TC/HDL-C.

Interpersonal motives in anorexia nervosa: the fear of losing one's autonomy.

PubMed

Brockmeyer, Timo; Holtforth, Martin Grosse; Bents, Hinrich; Kämmerer, Annette; Herzog, Wolfgang; Friederich, Hans-Christoph

2013-03-01

This study examined the widely held but insufficiently studied hypothesis of autonomy disturbances in anorexia nervosa. A total sample of 112 participants comprising patients with acute anorexia nervosa (AN), women recovered from anorexia nervosa (REC), clinical controls (CC), and healthy controls (HC) completed measures of dependency and intimacy strivings, as well as measures of frustrations of these same strivings. In comparison to HC and CC, AN showed a stronger motivation to avoid dependency and lower strivings for intimacy. Compared with HC, but not with CC, AN also showed stronger frustrations of the same motives. Whereas REC did not differ from AN regarding avoidance of dependency, they reported lower frustration of dependency avoidance (i.e., less actual experiences of dependency). Finally, REC reported higher intimacy motivation as well as better satisfaction of intimacy motivation as compared with AN. The present findings suggest that a pronounced motive of avoiding dependency may be a vulnerability factor for anorexia nervosa that is disorder-specific and trait-like. Frustrations of this motive seem to be associated with psychopathology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Three-phase compositional modeling of CO2 injection by higher-order finite element methods with CPA equation of state for aqueous phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moortgat, Joachim; Li, Zhidong; Firoozabadi, Abbas

2012-12-01

Most simulators for subsurface flow of water, gas, and oil phases use empirical correlations, such as Henry's law, for the CO2 composition in the aqueous phase, and equations of state (EOS) that do not represent the polar interactions between CO2and water. Widely used simulators are also based on lowest-order finite difference methods and suffer from numerical dispersion and grid sensitivity. They may not capture the viscous and gravitational fingering that can negatively affect hydrocarbon (HC) recovery, or aid carbon sequestration in aquifers. We present a three-phase compositional model based on higher-order finite element methods and incorporate rigorous and efficient three-phase-split computations for either three HC phases or water-oil-gas systems. For HC phases, we use the Peng-Robinson EOS. We allow solubility of CO2in water and adopt a new cubic-plus-association (CPA) EOS, which accounts for cross association between H2O and CO2 molecules, and association between H2O molecules. The CPA-EOS is highly accurate over a broad range of pressures and temperatures. The main novelty of this work is the formulation of a reservoir simulator with new EOS-based unique three-phase-split computations, which satisfy both the equalities of fugacities in all three phases and the global minimum of Gibbs free energy. We provide five examples that demonstrate twice the convergence rate of our method compared with a finite difference approach, and compare with experimental data and other simulators. The examples consider gravitational fingering during CO2sequestration in aquifers, viscous fingering in water-alternating-gas injection, and full compositional modeling of three HC phases.

Capacity to Delay Reward Differentiates Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Pinto, Anthony; Steinglass, Joanna E.; Greene, Ashley L.; Weber, Elke U.; Simpson, H. Blair

2013-01-01

Background Although the relationship between obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) has long been debated, clinical samples of OCD (without OCPD) and OCPD (without OCD) have never been systematically compared. We studied whether individuals with OCD, OCPD, or both conditions differ on symptomatology, functioning, and a measure of self-control: the capacity to delay reward. Methods 25 OCD, 25 OCPD, 25 comorbid OCD+OCPD, and 25 healthy controls (HC) completed clinical assessments and a validated intertemporal choice task that measures capacity to forego small immediate rewards for larger delayed rewards. Results OCD and OCPD subjects both showed impairment in psychosocial functioning and quality of life, as well as compulsive behavior, but only subjects with OCD reported obsessions. Individuals with OCPD, with or without comorbid OCD, discounted the value of delayed monetary rewards significantly less than OCD and HC. This excessive capacity to delay reward discriminates OCPD from OCD, and is associated with perfectionism and rigidity. Conclusions OCD and OCPD are both impairing disorders marked by compulsive behaviors, but they can be differentiated by the presence of obsessions in OCD and by excessive capacity to delay reward in OCPD. That individuals with OCPD show less temporal discounting (suggestive of excessive self-control) whereas prior studies have shown that individuals with substance use disorders show greater discounting (suggestive of impulsivity) supports the premise that this component of self-control lies on a continuum in which both extremes (impulsivity and overcontrol) contribute to psychopathology. PMID:24199665

25-Hydroxycholesterol Inhibition of Lassa Virus Infection through Aberrant GP1 Glycosylation.

PubMed

Shrivastava-Ranjan, Punya; Bergeron, Éric; Chakrabarti, Ayan K; Albariño, César G; Flint, Mike; Nichol, Stuart T; Spiropoulou, Christina F

2016-12-20

Lassa virus (LASV) infection is a major public health concern due to high fatality rates and limited effective treatment. The interferon-stimulated gene cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H) encodes an enzyme that catalyzes the production of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC). 25HC is involved in regulating cholesterol biosynthesis and has recently been identified as a potent antiviral targeting enveloped virus entry. Here, we show a previously unrecognized role of CH25H in inhibiting LASV glycoprotein glycosylation and the production of infectious virus. Overexpression of CH25H or treatment with 25HC decreased LASV G1 glycoprotein N-glycan maturation and reduced the production of infectious LASV. Depletion of endogenous CH25H using small interfering RNA (siRNA) enhanced the levels of fully glycosylated G1 and increased infectious LASV production. Finally, LASV particles produced from 25HC-treated cells were found to be less infectious, to incorporate aberrantly glycosylated GP1 species, and to be defective in binding alpha-dystroglycan, an attachment and entry receptor. Our findings identify a novel role for CH25H in controlling LASV propagation and indicate that manipulation of the expression of CH25H or the administration of 25HC may be a useful anti-LASV therapy. Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever in humans caused by Lassa virus (LASV). No vaccine for LASV is currently available. Treatment is limited to the administration of ribavirin, which is only effective when given early in the course of illness. Cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H) is a recently identified interferon-stimulated gene (ISG); it encodes an enzyme that catalyzes the production of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC), which inhibits several viruses. Here, we identify a novel antiviral mechanism of 25HC that is dependent on inhibiting the glycosylation of Lassa virus (LASV) glycoprotein and reducing the infectivity of LASV as a means of suppressing viral replication. Since N-linked glycosylation is a critical feature of other enveloped-virus glycoproteins, 25HC may be a broad inhibitor of virus infectivity. Copyright © 2016 Shrivastava-Ranjan et al.

Oral atorvastatin therapy increases nitric oxide-dependent cutaneous vasodilation in humans by decreasing ascorbate-sensitive oxidants.

PubMed

Holowatz, Lacy A; Kenney, W Larry

2011-09-01

Elevated low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are associated with cutaneous microvascular dysfunction partially mediated by increased arginase activity, which is decreased following a systemic atorvastatin therapy. We hypothesized that increased ascorbate-sensitive oxidant stress, partially mediated through uncoupled nitric oxide synthase (NOS) induced by upregulated arginase, contributes to cutaneous microvascular dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic (HC) humans. Four microdialysis fibers were placed in the skin of nine HC (LDL = 177 ± 6 mg/dl) men and women before and after 3 mo of a systemic atorvastatin intervention and at baseline in nine normocholesterolemic (NC) (LDL = 95 ± 4 mg/dl) subjects. Sites served as control, NOS inhibited, L-ascorbate, and arginase-inhibited+L-ascorbate. Skin blood flow was measured while local skin heating (42°C) induced NO-dependent vasodilation. After the established plateau in all sites, 20 mM ≪ngname≫ was infused to quantify NO-dependent vasodilation. Data were normalized to maximum cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) (sodium nitroprusside + 43°C). The plateau in vasodilation during local heating (HC: 78 ± 4 vs. NC: 96 ± 2% CVC(max), P < 0.01) and NO-dependent vasodilation (HC: 40 ± 4 vs. NC: 54 ± 4% CVC(max), P < 0.01) was reduced in the HC group. Acute L-ascorbate alone (91 ± 5% CVC(max), P < 0.001) or combined with arginase inhibition (96 ± 3% CVC(max), P < 0.001) augmented the plateau in vasodilation in the HC group but not the NC group (ascorbate: 96 ± 2; combo: 93 ± 4% CVC(max), both P > 0.05). After the atorvastatin intervention NO-dependent vasodilation was augmented in the HC group (HC postatorvastatin: 64 ± 4% CVC(max), P < 0.01), and there was no further effect of ascorbate alone (58 ± 4% CVC(max,) P > 0.05) or combined with arginase inhibition (67 ± 4% CVC(max,) P > 0.05). Increased ascorbate-sensitive oxidants contribute to hypercholesteromic associated cutaneous microvascular dysfunction which is partially reversed with atorvastatin therapy.

Ontogenetic development of the inner ear saccule and utricle in the Lusitanian toadfish: Potential implications for auditory sensitivity.

PubMed

Chaves, Patrícia P; Valdoria, Ciara M C; Amorim, M Clara P; Vasconcelos, Raquel O

2017-09-01

Studies addressing structure-function relationships of the fish auditory system during development are sparse compared to other taxa. The Batrachoididae has become an important group to investigate mechanisms of auditory plasticity and evolution of auditory-vocal systems. A recent study reported ontogenetic improvements in the inner ear saccule sensitivity of the Lusitanian toadfish, Halobatrachus didactylus, but whether this results from changes in the sensory morphology remains unknown. We investigated how the macula and organization of auditory receptors in the saccule and utricle change during growth in this species. Inner ear sensory epithelia were removed from the end organs of previously PFA-fixed specimens, from non-vocal posthatch fry (<1.4 cm, standard length) to adults (>23 cm). Epithelia were phalloidin-stained and analysed for area, shape, number and orientation patterns of hair cells (HC), and number and size of saccular supporting cells (SC). Saccular macula area expanded 41x in total, and significantly more (relative to body length) among vocal juveniles (2.3-2.9 cm). Saccular HC number increased 25x but HC density decreased, suggesting that HC addition is slower relative to epithelial growth. While SC density decreased, SC apical area increased, contributing to the epithelial expansion. The utricule revealed increased HC density (striolar region) and less epithelial expansion (5x) with growth, contrasting with the saccule that may have a different developmental pattern due to its larger size and main auditory functions. Both macula shape and HC orientation patterns were already established in the posthatch fry and retained throughout growth in both end organs. We suggest that previously reported ontogenetic improvements in saccular sensitivity might be associated with changes in HC number (not density), size and/or molecular mechanisms controlling HC sensitivity. This is one of the first studies investigating the ontogenetic development of the saccule and utricle in a vocal fish and how it potentially relates to auditory enhancement for acoustic communication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of in vivo jet fuel exposure on subsequent in vitro dermal absorption of individual aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon fuel constituents.

PubMed

Muhammad, F; Monteiro-Riviere, N A; Baynes, R E; Riviere, J E

2005-05-14

The percutaneous absorption of topically applied jet fuel hydrocarbons (HC) through skin previously exposed to jet fuel has not been investigated, although this exposure scenario is the occupational norm. Pigs were exposed to JP-8 jet fuel-soaked cotton fabrics for 1 and 4 d with repeated daily exposures. Preexposed and unexposed skin was then dermatomed and placed in flow-through in vitro diffusion cells. Five cells with exposed skin and four cells with unexposed skin were dosed with a mixture of 14 different HC consisting of nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, tridecane, tetradecane, pentadecane, hexadecane, ethyl benzene, o-xylene, trimethyl benzene (TMB), cyclohexyl benzene (CHB), naphthalene, and dimethyl naphthalene (DMN) in water + ethanol (50:50) as diluent. Another five cells containing only JP-8-exposed skin were dosed solely with diluent in order to determine the skin retention of jet fuel HC. The absorption parameters of flux, diffusivity, and permeability were calculated for the studied HC. The data indicated that there was a two-fold and four-fold increase in absorption of specific aromatic HC like ethyl benzene, o-xylene, and TMB through 1- and 4-dJP-8 preexposed skin, respectively. Similarly, dodecane and tridecane were absorbed more in 4-d than 1-dJP-8 preexposed skin experiments. The absorption of naphthalene and DMN was 1.5 times greater than the controls in both 1- and 4-d preexposures. CHB, naphthalene, and DMN had significant persistent skin retention in 4-d preexposures as compared to 1-d exposures that might leave skin capable of further absorption several days postexposure. The possible mechanism of an increase in HC absorption in fuel preexposed skin may be via lipid extraction from the stratum corneum as indicated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This study suggests that the preexposure of skin to jet fuel enhances the subsequent in vitro percutaneous absorption of HC, so single-dose absorption data for jet fuel HC from naive skin may not be optimal to predict the toxic potential for repeated exposures. For certain compounds, persistent absorption may occur days after the initial exposure.

General and social cognition in remitted first-episode schizophrenia patients: a comparative study.

PubMed

Caldiroli, Alice; Buoli, Massimiliano; Serati, Marta; Cahn, Wiepke; Altamura, A Carlo

2016-10-01

The aim of this paper was to investigate whether both neurocognitive and social cognitive performances were different between remitted first-episode schizophrenia patients, non-remitters and healthy controls (HC). We assessed social cognition (Degraded Facial Affect Recognition Task-DFAR and Emotional Mentalizing Task-EMT) and neurocognition (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and Word Learning Test-WLT) in 174 remitted first-episode schizophrenia patients, 110 non-remitted first-episode schizophrenia patients and 320 HC. Multivariate analyses of variance with age, gender and IQ as covariates (MANCOVA) were performed to compare mean cognitive test scores between the three groups. Remitted first-episode schizophrenia patients performed significantly worse than HC only in one verbal memory task (WLT immediate recall; p = 0.004); in the same test, they were significantly better than non-remitters (p = 0.027). Non-remitted first-episode schizophrenia patients, differently from remitters, performed significantly worse than HC in terms of social cognition (EMT-p < 0.05 and DFAR-p < 0.05). Remitted first-episode schizophrenia patients presented worse cognitive performance than HC in verbal memory tasks, but not in facial affect recognition and in ToM, while non-remitters did; these results suggest that neurocognitive deficits are the core hallmark of schizophrenia and that social cognition is relatively unaffected in remitted patients after their first episode.

Fetal head circumference growth in children with specific language impairment.

PubMed

Whitehouse, Andrew J O; Zubrick, Stephen R; Blair, Eve; Newnham, John P; Hickey, Martha

2012-01-01

To characterise fetal brain growth in children with specific language impairment (SLI). A nested case-control study. Perth, Western Australia. Thirty children meeting criteria for SLI at age 10 years were individually matched with a typically developing comparison child on sex, non-verbal ability, fetal gestational age, maternal age at conception, smoking and alcohol intake during pregnancy. Occipitofrontal head circumference (HC) was measured using ultrasonography at approximately 18 weeks gestation. Femur length provided a measure of fetal length. Occipitofrontal HC was measured at birth and at the 1-year postnatal follow-up using a precise paper tape measure, while crown-heel length acted as an index of body length at both time points. Raw data were transformed to z-scores using reference norms. The SLI group had a significantly smaller mean HC than the typically developing comparison children at birth, but there was no group difference at 18 weeks gestation or at the 1-year postnatal follow-up. Individual analyses found that 12 SLI children had an HC z-score less than -1 at birth, with three of these cases meeting criteria for microcephaly. There was no group difference in the indices of overall body size at any time point. Children with SLI are more likely to have a small HC at birth but not at 18 weeks gestation or infancy, suggesting growth asynchrony in brain development during the second half of pregnancy.

An fMRI study of the brain responses of traumatized mothers to viewing their toddlers during separation and play

PubMed Central

Moser, Dominik A.; Wang, Zhishun; Marsh, Rachel; Hao, XueJun; Duan, Yunsuo; Yu, Shan; Gunter, Benjamin; Murphy, David; McCaw, Jaime; Kangarlu, Alayar; Willheim, Erica; Myers, Michael M.; Hofer, Myron A.; Peterson, Bradley S.

2012-01-01

This study tested whether mothers with interpersonal violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder (IPV-PTSD) vs healthy controls (HC) would show greater limbic and less frontocortical activity when viewing young children during separation compared to quiet play. Mothers of 20 children (12–42 months) participated: 11 IPV-PTSD mothers and 9 HC with no PTSD. During fMRI, mothers watched epochs of play and separation from their own and unfamiliar children. The study focused on comparison of PTSD mothers vs HC viewing children in separation vs play, and viewing own vs unfamiliar children in separation. Both groups showed distinct patterns of brain activation in response to viewing children in separation vs play. PTSD mothers showed greater limbic and less frontocortical activity (BA10) than HC. PTSD mothers also reported feeling more stressed than HC when watching own and unfamiliar children during separation. Their self-reported stress was associated with greater limbic and less frontocortical activity. Both groups also showed distinct patterns of brain activation in response to viewing their own vs unfamiliar children during separation. PTSD mothers’ may not have access to frontocortical regulation of limbic response upon seeing own and unfamiliar children in separation. This converges with previously reported associations of maternal IPV-PTSD and atypical caregiving behavior following separation. PMID:22021653

Depression management within GP-centered health care - A case-control study based on claims data.

PubMed

Freytag, Antje; Krause, Markus; Lehmann, Thomas; Schulz, Sven; Wolf, Florian; Biermann, Janine; Wasem, Jürgen; Gensichen, Jochen

For most patients with depression, GPs are the first and long-term medical providers. GP-centered health care (GPc-HC) programs target patients with chronic diseases. What are the effects of GPc-HC on primary care depression management? An observational retrospective case-control study was conducted using health insurance claims data of patients with depressive disorder from July 2011 to December 2012. From 40,298 patients insured with the largest health plan in Central Germany participating in the GPc-HC program (intervention group, IG), we observed 4645 patients with depression over 18months: 72.2% women; 66.6years (mean); multiple conditions (morbidity-weight 2.50 (mean), 86%>1.0). We compared them with 4013 patients who did not participate (control group). In participants we found lower number of incomplete/non-specified depression diagnoses (4.46vs.4.82;MD-0.36; p<0.01); lower rate of patients consulting more than one GP-practice (49.1%vs.58.0%;PP-8.9;p<0.01); more GP-contacts (18.19vs.15.59;MD+2.60;p<0.01); more GP-initiated referrals to specialists (82.9%vs.79.3%;PP+3.6;p<0.05), more antidepressant pharmacotherapy prescribed by a GP (37.9%vs.35.4%;PP+2.5;p<0.05), more frequent guideline-concordant therapy duration (19.2%vs.13.1%;PP+6.1;p<0.01) and more patients receiving "GP-psychosomatic basic care" (38.2%vs.30.2%;PP+8.0;p<0.01). Depressive patients participating in a GPc-HC program may be more often diagnosed by a GP, receive symptom-monitoring and appropriate depression treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The exaggerated inflammatory response in Behçet's syndrome: identification of dysfunctional post-transcriptional regulation of the IFN-γ/CXCL10 IP-10 pathway

PubMed Central

Ambrose, N; Khan, E; Ravindran, R; Lightstone, L; Abraham, S; Botto, M; Johns, M; Haskard, D O

2015-01-01

The mechanisms underlying the exaggerated inflammatory response in Behçet's syndrome (BS) remain poorly understood. We investigated the response of CD14+ blood monocytes to interferon (IFN)-γ, focusing on the chemokine CXCL10. Chemokine synthesis and release were analysed at a protein and mRNA level following stimulation with IFN-γ. Findings in BS patients were compared with 25 healthy controls (HC), 15 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 15 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease control patients. BS monocytes produced significantly more CXCL10 protein than HC monocytes from 2 h following IFN-γ stimulation, despite equivalent quantities of mRNA, suggesting more efficient translation. This was significantly more pronounced in BS with high disease activity and in those with ocular and neurological clinical manifestations. The imbalance between CXCL10 protein and mRNA expression was not observed in either RA or SLE patients, and was not seen with other chemokines studied (CXCL9, CXCL11 and CCL2). Furthermore, BS monocytes treated with an alternative stimulant (LPS) did not show abnormal tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α release. Sucrose density gradients to segregate monocyte CXCL10 mRNA into free RNA or polysome-associated RNA showed equal proportions in BS and HC samples, suggesting that the difference between BS and HC may be due to reduced negative control of CXCL10 translation in BS at a post-initiation level. We conclude that BS monocytes have dysfunctional post-transcriptional regulation of CXCL10 mRNA, resulting in over-expression of CXCL10 protein upon IFN-γ stimulation. As CXCL10 is a chemokine that recruits mononuclear cells, this abnormality may contribute to the exaggerated inflammatory responses that characterizes BS. PMID:25982097

The exaggerated inflammatory response in Behçet's syndrome: identification of dysfunctional post-transcriptional regulation of the IFN-γ/CXCL10 IP-10 pathway.

PubMed

Ambrose, N; Khan, E; Ravindran, R; Lightstone, L; Abraham, S; Botto, M; Johns, M; Haskard, D O

2015-09-01

The mechanisms underlying the exaggerated inflammatory response in Behçet's syndrome (BS) remain poorly understood. We investigated the response of CD14(+) blood monocytes to interferon (IFN)-γ, focusing on the chemokine CXCL10. Chemokine synthesis and release were analysed at a protein and mRNA level following stimulation with IFN-γ. Findings in BS patients were compared with 25 healthy controls (HC), 15 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 15 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease control patients. BS monocytes produced significantly more CXCL10 protein than HC monocytes from 2 h following IFN-γ stimulation, despite equivalent quantities of mRNA, suggesting more efficient translation. This was significantly more pronounced in BS with high disease activity and in those with ocular and neurological clinical manifestations. The imbalance between CXCL10 protein and mRNA expression was not observed in either RA or SLE patients, and was not seen with other chemokines studied (CXCL9, CXCL11 and CCL2). Furthermore, BS monocytes treated with an alternative stimulant (LPS) did not show abnormal tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α release. Sucrose density gradients to segregate monocyte CXCL10 mRNA into free RNA or polysome-associated RNA showed equal proportions in BS and HC samples, suggesting that the difference between BS and HC may be due to reduced negative control of CXCL10 translation in BS at a post-initiation level. We conclude that BS monocytes have dysfunctional post-transcriptional regulation of CXCL10 mRNA, resulting in over-expression of CXCL10 protein upon IFN-γ stimulation. As CXCL10 is a chemokine that recruits mononuclear cells, this abnormality may contribute to the exaggerated inflammatory responses that characterizes BS. © 2015 British Society for Immunology.

Monocyte-derived macrophages from Crohn's disease patients are impaired in the ability to control intracellular adherent-invasive Escherichia coli and exhibit disordered cytokine secretion profile.

PubMed

Vazeille, Emilie; Buisson, Anthony; Bringer, Marie-Agnès; Goutte, Marion; Ouchchane, Lemlih; Hugot, Jean-Pierre; de Vallée, Amélie; Barnich, Nicolas; Bommelaer, Gilles; Darfeuille-Michaud, Arlette

2015-05-01

Ileal lesions of Crohn's disease [CD] patients are colonised by adherent-invasive Escherichia coli [AIEC] able to survive in macrophage cell lines. We analysed the ability of monocyte-derived macrophages [MDM] from CD patients to control AIEC intracellular replication and the pro-inflammatory cytokine response of the infected-MDM. Peripheral blood MDM were obtained from 24 CD genotyped for NOD2 and ATG16L1 mutations, 5 ulcerative colitis [UC] patients and 12 healthy controls [HC]. The numbers of intracellular bacteria were determined using gentamicin assay. Cytokine secretion was quantified by ELISA assay. We observed that higher levels of bacteria were internalised within MDM from CD patients than MDM from HC or UC patients. MDM from CD patients were unable to restrict AIEC intracellular replication. Infection of MDM from CD patients with AIEC resulted in significantly increased secretion of IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha [TNF α] than did infection with non-pathogenic E. coli. AIEC-infected MDM from CD patients exhibited a disordered cytokines secretion compared with MDM from UC patients and HC. AIEC-infected MDM from patients with quiescent CD released significantly higher amounts of IL-6 and TNF-alpha than those with active disease or those from HC. The level of secreted TNF-alpha was correlated to the number of intracellular AIEC in MDM from CD patients. Treatment of MDM with infliximab did not change the MDM behaviour. MDM from CD patients are unable to restrict intracellular AIEC replication, leading to disordered inflammatory response influenced by disease activity. Copyright © 2015 European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluate and characterize mechanisms controlling transport, fate, and effects of army smokes in the aerosol wind tunnel: Transport, transformations, fate, and terrestrial ecological effects of hexachloroethane obscurant smokes

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

Cataldo, D.A.; Ligotke, M.W.; Bolton, H. Jr.

1989-09-01

The terrestrial transport, chemical fate, and ecological effects of hexachloroethane (HC) smoke were evaluated under controlled wind tunnel conditions. The primary objectives of this research program are to characterize and assess the impacts of smoke and obscurants on: (1) natural vegetation characteristic of US Army training sites in the United States; (2) physical and chemical properties of soils representative of these training sites; and (3) soil microbiological and invertebrate communities. Impacts and dose/responses were evaluated based on exposure scenarios, including exposure duration, exposure rate, and sequential cumulative dosing. Key to understanding the environmental impacts of HC smoke/obscurants is establishing themore » importance of environmental parameters such as relative humidity and wind speed on airborne aerosol characteristics and deposition to receptor surfaces. Direct and indirect biotic effects were evaluated using five plant species and two soil types. HC aerosols were generated in a controlled atmosphere wind tunnel by combustion of hexachloroethane mixtures prepared to simulate normal pot burn rates and conditions. The aerosol was characterized and used to expose plant, soil, and other test systems. Particle sizes of airborne HC ranged from 1.3 to 2.1 {mu}m mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD), and particle size was affected by relative humidity over a range of 20% to 85%. Air concentrations employed ranged from 130 to 680 mg/m{sup 3}, depending on exposure scenario. Chlorocarbon concentrations within smokes, deposition rates for plant and soil surfaces, and persistence were determined. The fate of principal inorganic species (Zn, Al, and Cl) in a range of soils was assessed.« less

Muscle fiber type specific induction of slow myosin heavy chain 2 gene expression by electrical stimulation

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

Crew, Jennifer R.; Falzari, Kanakeshwari; DiMario, Joseph X., E-mail: joseph.dimario@rosalindfranklin.edu

Vertebrate skeletal muscle fiber types are defined by a broad array of differentially expressed contractile and metabolic protein genes. The mechanisms that establish and maintain these different fiber types vary throughout development and with changing functional demand. Chicken skeletal muscle fibers can be generally categorized as fast and fast/slow based on expression of the slow myosin heavy chain 2 (MyHC2) gene in fast/slow muscle fibers. To investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control fiber type formation in secondary or fetal muscle fibers, myoblasts from the fast pectoralis major (PM) and fast/slow medial adductor (MA) muscles were isolated, allowed tomore » differentiate in vitro, and electrically stimulated. MA muscle fibers were induced to express the slow MyHC2 gene by electrical stimulation, whereas PM muscle fibers did not express the slow MyHC2 gene under identical stimulation conditions. However, PM muscle fibers did express the slow MyHC2 gene when electrical stimulation was combined with inhibition of inositol triphosphate receptor (IP3R) activity. Electrical stimulation was sufficient to increase nuclear localization of expressed nuclear-factor-of-activated-T-cells (NFAT), NFAT-mediated transcription, and slow MyHC2 promoter activity in MA muscle fibers. In contrast, both electrical stimulation and inhibitors of IP3R activity were required for these effects in PM muscle fibers. Electrical stimulation also increased levels of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-{gamma} co-activator-1 (PGC-1{alpha}) protein in PM and MA muscle fibers. These results indicate that MA muscle fibers can be induced by electrical stimulation to express the slow MyHC2 gene and that fast PM muscle fibers are refractory to stimulation-induced slow MyHC2 gene expression due to fast PM muscle fiber specific cellular mechanisms involving IP3R activity.« less

The modulation of corticosteroid metabolism by hydrocortisone therapy in patients with hypopituitarism increases tissue glucocorticoid exposure.

PubMed

Sherlock, Mark; Behan, Lucy Ann; Hannon, Mark J; Alonso, Aurora Aragon; Thompson, Christopher J; Murray, Robert D; Crabtree, Nicola; Hughes, Beverly A; Arlt, Wiebke; Agha, Amar; Toogood, Andrew A; Stewart, Paul M

2015-11-01

Patients with hypopituitarism have increased morbidity and mortality. There is ongoing debate about the optimum glucocorticoid (GC) replacement therapy. To assess the effect of GC replacement in hypopituitarism on corticosteroid metabolism and its impact on body composition. We assessed the urinary corticosteroid metabolite profile (using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) and body composition (clinical parameters and full body DXA) of 53 patients (19 female, median age 46 years) with hypopituitarism (33 ACTH-deficient/20 ACTH-replete) (study A). The corticosteroid metabolite profile of ten patients with ACTH deficiency was then assessed prospectively in a cross over study using three hydrocortisone (HC) dosing regimens (20/10 mg, 10/10 mg and 10/5 mg) (study B) each for 6 weeks. 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) activity was assessed by urinary THF+5α-THF/THE. Endocrine Centres within University Teaching Hospitals in the UK and Ireland. Urinary corticosteroid metabolite profile and body composition assessment. In study A, when patients were divided into three groups - patients not receiving HC and patients receiving HC≤20 mg/day or HC>20 mg/day - patients in the group receiving the highest daily dose of HC had significantly higher waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) than the ACTH replete group. They also had significantly elevated THF+5α-THF/THE (P=0.0002) and total cortisol metabolites (P=0.015). In study B, patients on the highest HC dose had significantly elevated total cortisol metabolites and all patients on HC had elevated THF+5α-THF/THE ratios when compared to controls. In ACTH-deficient patients daily HC doses of >20 mg/day have increased WHR, THF+5α-THF/THE ratios and total cortisol metabolites. GC metabolism and induction of 11β-HSD1 may play a pivitol role in the development of the metabolically adverse hypopituitary phenotype. © 2015 European Society of Endocrinology.

Assessment without action; a randomised evaluation of the interRAI home care compared to a national assessment tool on identification of needs and service provision for older people in New Zealand.

PubMed

Parsons, Matthew; Senior, Hugh; Mei-Hu Chen, Xenia; Jacobs, Stephen; Parsons, John; Sheridan, Nicolette; Kenealy, Timothy

2013-09-01

Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is considered the cornerstone of good practice, as it identifies need across multiple domains such as social, physical and psychological. The interRAI home care (interRAI-HC), probably the most well-researched and supported community-based CGA has been implemented globally, often at considerable expense. Policy-makers, managers and clinicians anticipate significant gains in health outcomes following such investment; however, the implementation of CGA is often undertaken in the absence of community service development. This study sought to compare the interRAI-HC with an existing CGA [the Support Needs Assessment (SNA)] in community-dwelling older people. A randomised controlled trial was undertaken from January 2006 to January 2007 comparing the interRAI-HC and the SNA in 316 people (65+) referred for assessment of needs with follow-up at 1 and 4 months. Outcomes included health-related quality of life, physical function, social support, cognitive status, mood and health service usage as well as identified need. The study found that significantly more support needs were identified using the interRAI-HC compared to the SNA. More social and carer support were recommended by SNA and more rehabilitation and preventive health screens were recommended by interRAI-HC. Despite these differences, the mean healthcare use was similar at 4 months, although interRAI-HC participants had more Emergency Department presentations and hospital admissions. No statistically significant differences between groups were reported in terms of outcomes. In conclusion, the interRAI-HC was found to identify more unmet support needs than the SNA though resulted in no favourable outcomes for the older person or their carer. The study highlights the need to invest attention around the service context to maximise outcomes based on identified needs. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.