Evaluation of the Trail Making Test and interval timing as measures of cognition in healthy adults: comparisons by age, education, and gender.

PubMed

Płotek, Włodzimierz; Łyskawa, Wojciech; Kluzik, Anna; Grześkowiak, Małgorzata; Podlewski, Roland; Żaba, Zbigniew; Drobnik, Leon

2014-02-03

Human cognitive functioning can be assessed using different methods of testing. Age, level of education, and gender may influence the results of cognitive tests. The well-known Trail Making Test (TMT), which is often used to measure the frontal lobe function, and the experimental test of Interval Timing (IT) were compared. The methods used in IT included reproduction of auditory and visual stimuli, with the subsequent production of the time intervals of 1-, 2-, 5-, and 7-seconds durations with no pattern. Subjects included 64 healthy adult volunteers aged 18-63 (33 women, 31 men). Comparisons were made based on age, education, and gender. TMT was performed quickly and was influenced by age, education, and gender. All reproduced visual and produced intervals were shortened and the reproduction of auditory stimuli was more complex. Age, education, and gender have more pronounced impact on the cognitive test than on the interval timing test. The reproduction of the short auditory stimuli was more accurate in comparison to other modalities used in the IT test. The interval timing, when compared to the TMT, offers an interesting possibility of testing. Further studies are necessary to confirm the initial observation.

[The relationship between executive functions, physical and functional capability in people over 60 years old].

PubMed

Rajtar-Zembaty, Anna; Sałakowski, Andrzej; Rajtar-Zembaty, Jakub

Nowadays it is believed that cognitive decline may contribute to the formation of gait disturbance and increased risk of falls. Currently the importance of executive functions to maintain proper control of gait is emphasized. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the level of executive function, functional and physical capability in patients over 60 years of age. The study included 300 patients (199 women and 101 men) aged 60-88 years. In order to screening for cognitive function Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used. The following researchers tools were used to conduct functional assessment: a) Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), b) Timed “Up and Go” (TUG) and c) Fast Walking Test. To assess executive fucntion Trail Making Test (TMT) was selected. The relationship between the speed of information processing (part A, TMT), executive functions (Part B, TMT), level of functional and physical capability was observed. The strongest positive correlation was noted between the time of TUG test and TMT part B (r=0.32; p<0.01), and also between Fast Gait Test and TMT part A (r=0.27; p<0.01). It has been proven that the level of executive function is related to the level of functional capability (β=0.18; p=0.001). It was found that 15% of variation in the level of the TUG test was explained by age, TMT- B, GDS and BMI. There is a relationship between level of executive functions, functional and physical capability in patients over 60 years of age. Cognitive processes play an important role in the control of motor functions therefore it is important to incorporate examination of cognitive functions in the early geriatric diagnosis.

The impact of cognitive deficit on self-reported car crashes in ultra-octogenarian population: data of an Italian population-based study.

PubMed

Rozzini, Luca; Riva, Maddalena; Zanetti, Marina; Gottardi, Federica; Caratozzolo, Salvatore; Vicini Chilovi, Barbara; Trabucchi, Marco; Padovani, Alessandro

2013-06-01

To examine the usefulness of specific neurocognitive tests for predicting the crash involvement in ultra-octogenarian population. A total of 800 subjects (mean age 82.4 + 3.1 years) underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests. Global intellectual functioning was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination, mental flexibility and information processing speed were assessed using the Trail Making Test parts A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B), long-term memory was evaluated with the short story, and visuo-spatial skills were tested with Clock Drawing Test. One year after this evaluation, 343 (43%) participants have been interviewed by a telephone call to know if they were currently driving and if they had a car crash during this period. Two hundred ninety-seven subjects had their driving license renewed and completed the follow-up 1 year after. Data shows that less than 11% of this group had a car crash during the first year of observation (Crash Involved). Older subjects involved in a car crash showed significant worse performances on TMT-B (TMT-B pathological Crash Involved vs. Noncrash Involved 47% vs. 27%; p = 0.02) and on short story (short story pathological Crash Involved vs. Noncrash Involved 19% vs. 5%; p = 0.02). Trail Making test B and short story have been demonstrated to provide a predictive value of driving performance of older people. Therefore, we suggest that a simple and standardized battery of neuropsychological tests, lasting about 30 min and administered by an experienced staff, is a good diagnostic instrument for risk prevention of driving activity of older drivers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Timed Up and Go test, atrophy of medial temporal areas and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Kose, Yujiro; Ikenaga, Masahiro; Yamada, Yosuke; Morimura, Kazuhiro; Takeda, Noriko; Ouma, Shinji; Tsuboi, Yoshio; Yamada, Tatsuo; Kimura, Misaka; Kiyonaga, Akira; Higaki, Yasuki; Tanaka, Hiroaki

2016-12-01

This study aimed to ascertain if performance on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is associated with indicators of brain volume and cognitive functions among community-dwelling older adults with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment. Participants were 80 community-dwelling older adults aged 65-89years (44 men, 36 women), including 20 with mild cognitive impairment. Participants completed the TUG and a battery of cognitive assessments, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Logical Memory I and II (LM-I, LM-II) subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised; and the Trail Making Test A and B (TMT-A, TMT-B). Bilateral, right- and left-side medial temporal area atrophy as well as whole gray and white matter indices were determined with the Voxel-based Specific Regional Analysis System for Alzheimer's Disease. We divided participants into three groups based on TUG performance: "better" (≤6.9s); "normal" (7-10s); and "poor" (≥10.1s). Worse TMT-A and TMT-B performance showed significant independent associations with worse TUG performance (P<0.05, P<0.01 for trend, respectively). After adjusting for covariates, severe atrophy of bilateral, right-, and left-side medial temporal areas were significantly independently associated with worse TUG performance (P<0.05 for trend). However, no significant associations were found between MMSE, LM-I, LM-II, whole gray and white matter indices, and TUG performance. Worse TUG performance is related to poor performance on TMT-A and TMT-B, and is independently associated with severe medial temporal area atrophy in community-dwelling older adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rosiglitazone and Cognitive Stability in Older Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes and Mild Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Abbatecola, Angela M.; Lattanzio, Fabrizia; Molinari, Anna M.; Cioffi, Michele; Mansi, Luigi; Rambaldi, Pierfrancesco; DiCioccio, Luigi; Cacciapuoti, Federico; Canonico, Raffaele; Paolisso, Giuseppe

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE Studies have suggested that insulin resistance plays a role in cognitive impairment in individuals with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to determine whether an improvement in insulin resistance could explain cognitive performance variations over 36 weeks in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 97 older individuals (mean ± SD age 76 ± 6 years) who had recently (<2 months) started an antidiabetes treatment of metformin (500 mg twice a day) (n = 30) or metformin (500 mg/day)+rosiglitazone (4 mg/day) (n = 32) or diet (n = 35) volunteered. The neuropsychological test battery consisted of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rey Verbal Auditory Learning Test (RAVLT) total recall, and Trail Making Tests (TMT-A and TMT-B) performed at baseline and every 12 weeks for 36 weeks along with clinical testing. RESULTS At baseline, no significant differences were found between groups in clinical or neuropsychological parameters. Mean ± SD values in the entire population were as follows: A1C 7.5 ± 0.5%, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 8.6 ± 1.3 mmol/l, fasting plasma insulin (FPI) 148 ± 74 pmol/l, MMSE 24.9 ± 2.4, TMT-A 61.6 ± 42.0, TMT-B 162.8 ± 78.7, the difference between TMT-B and TMT-A [DIFFBA] 101.2 ± 58.1, and RAVLT 24.3 ± 2.1. At follow-up, ANOVA models tested changes in metabolic control parameters (FPI, FPG, and A1C). Such parameters improved in the metformin and metformin/rosiglitazone groups (Ptrend < 0.05 in both groups). ANCOVA repeated models showed that results for the metformin/rosiglitazone group remained stable for all neuropsychological tests, and results for the diet group remained stable for the MMSE and TMT-A and declined for the TMT-B (Ptrend = 0.024), executive efficiency (DIFFBA) (Ptrend = 0.026), and RAVLT memory test (Ptrend = 0.011). Results for the metformin group remained stable for the MMSE and TMTs but declined for the RAVLT (Ptrend = 0.011). With use of linear mixed-effects models, the interaction term, FPI × time, correlated with cognitive stability on the RAVLT in the metformin/rosiglitazone group (β = −1.899; P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS Rosiglitazone may protect against cognitive decline in older individuals with type 2 diabetes and MCI. PMID:20435794

What Does It Take to Search Organized? The Cognitive Correlates of Search Organization During Cancellation After Stroke.

PubMed

Ten Brink, Antonia F; Visser-Meily, Johanna M A; Nijboer, Tanja C W

2018-05-01

Stroke could lead to deficits in organization of visual search. Cancellation tests are frequently used in standard neuropsychological assessment and appear suitable to measure search organization. The current aim was to evaluate which cognitive functions are associated with cancellation organization measures after stroke. Stroke patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation were included in this retrospective study. We performed exploratory factor analyses to explore cognitive domains. A digital shape cancellation test (SC) was administered, and measures of search organization (intersections rate and best r) were computed. The following cognitive functions were measured by neuropsychological testing: neglect (SC, line bisection; LB, Catherine Bergego Scale; CBS, and Balloons Test), visuospatial perception and construction (Rey Complex Figure Test, RCFT), psychomotor speed (Trail Making Test; TMT-A), executive functioning/working memory (TMT-B), spatial planning (Tower Test), rule learning (Brixton Test), short-term auditory memory (Digit Span Forward; DSF), and verbal working memory (Digit Span Backward; DSB). In total, 439 stroke patients were included in our analyses. Four clusters were separated: "Executive functioning" (TMT-A, TMT-B, Brixton Test, and Tower Test), "Verbal memory" (DSF and DSB), "Search organization" (intersections rate and best r), and "Neglect" (CBS, RCFT copy, Balloons Test, SC, and LB). Search organization during cancellation, as measured with intersections rate and best r, seems a distinct cognitive construct compared to existing cognitive domains that are tested during neuropsychological assessment. Administering cancellation tests and analyzing measures of search organization could provide useful additional insights into the visuospatial processes of stroke patients. (JINS, 2018, 24, 424-436).

Trail making task performance in inpatients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Vall, Eva; Wade, Tracey D

2015-07-01

Set-shifting inefficiencies have been consistently identified in adults with anorexia nervosa (AN). It is less clear to what degree similar inefficiencies are present in those with bulimia nervosa (BN). It is also unknown whether perfectionism is related to set-shifting performance. We employed a commonly used set-shifting measure, the Trail Making Test (TMT), to compare the performance of inpatients with AN and BN with a healthy control sample. We also investigated whether perfectionism predicted TMT scores. Only the BN sample showed significantly suboptimal performance, while the AN sample was indistinguishable from controls on all measures. There were no differences between the AN subtypes (restrictive or binge/purge), but group sizes were small. Higher personal standards perfectionism was associated with better TMT scores across groups. Higher concern over mistakes perfectionism predicted better accuracy in the BN sample. Further research into the set-shifting profile of individuals with BN or binge/purge behaviours is needed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Electrophysiological assessment of the effects of obstructive sleep apnea on cognition.

PubMed

Gelir, Ethem; Başaran, Cenk; Bayrak, Sibel; Yağcıoğlu, Süha; Budak, Murat Timur; Fırat, Hikmet; Ungan, Pekcan

2014-01-01

We used electrophysiological measures to investigate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea on attention, learning, and memory. Thirty subjects (OSA group, n = 15, control group n = 15) participated in n-back tests, accompanied by P300 recordings, to investigate working memory and attention. The mirror-drawing test was used to study procedural memory, and the trail-making test (TMT) was used to evaluate divided attention and executive function. No significant group difference in reaction time was found in the 0-back and 1-back tests. In the 2-back test, reaction times of patients were longer than those of the control group. No P300 wave was obtained in the OSA group in any (0-, 1-, or 2-back) n-back test. In contrast, in the control group, significant P300 waves were recorded except for the 2-back test. The mirror-drawing scores were unaffected by sleep apnea. There was no difference between groups in the TMT-A test on any of the trials. Although no group difference was found in the first or second trials of the TMT-B test, OSA patients were less successful in learning on the third trial. According to our study results, OSA affects attention and executive function adversely however, we could not detect a significant effect on working or procedural memory.

Exploring the "Obesity Paradox" as a Correlate of Cognitive and Physical Function in Community-dwelling Black and White Older Adults.

PubMed

Skinner, Jeannine S; Abel, Willie Mae; McCoy, Katryna; Wilkins, Consuelo H

2017-01-01

The obesity paradox has been documented in aged populations, yet it remains unclear if this paradox persists for physical and cognitive outcomes in community-dwelling older adult populations. Our study examines associations between body mass index (BMI) classification, cognitive function, and physical function. We also investigate whether these associations are modified by race or age. Cross-sectional study. Senior residential sites and community centers in Saint Louis, Missouri. Study participants included 331 adults, aged >55 years. Age was stratified into young-old (aged 55-74 years) and older (aged ≥75 years). Physical function was measured using the mini-Physical Performance Test (mini-PPT) and grip strength. Cognitive function was assessed with the Short Blessed Test (SBT) and the Trail Making Tests (TMT-A and TMT-B) performance. Older adults who were obese had significantly better cognitive flexibility (TMT-B) performance than normal weight older adults (P=.02), and this association was not influenced by age or race. Adiposity was not associated with psychomotor speed (TMT-A), general cognition (SBT), or measures of physical function (Ps>.05). In a diverse sample of community-dwelling older adults, we found partial support for the controversial obesity paradox. Our results suggest excess adiposity may be protective for executive function processes. Future research is needed to examine the underlying physiological processes linking adiposity to executive function in older adults.

Genetic architecture of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Trail Making Test: evidence for distinct genetic influences on executive function.

PubMed

Vasilopoulos, Terrie; Franz, Carol E; Panizzon, Matthew S; Xian, Hong; Grant, Michael D; Lyons, Michael J; Toomey, Rosemary; Jacobson, Kristen C; Kremen, William S

2012-03-01

To examine how genes and environments contribute to relationships among Trail Making Test (TMT) conditions and the extent to which these conditions have unique genetic and environmental influences. Participants included 1,237 middle-aged male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging. The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System TMT included visual searching, number and letter sequencing, and set-shifting components. Phenotypic correlations among TMT conditions ranged from 0.29 to 0.60, and genes accounted for the majority (58-84%) of each correlation. Overall heritability ranged from 0.34 to 0.62 across conditions. Phenotypic factor analysis suggested a single factor. In contrast, genetic models revealed a single common genetic factor but also unique genetic influences separate from the common factor. Genetic variance (i.e., heritability) of number and letter sequencing was completely explained by the common genetic factor while unique genetic influences separate from the common factor accounted for 57% and 21% of the heritabilities of visual search and set shifting, respectively. After accounting for general cognitive ability, unique genetic influences accounted for 64% and 31% of those heritabilities. A common genetic factor, most likely representing a combination of speed and sequencing, accounted for most of the correlation among TMT 1-4. Distinct genetic factors, however, accounted for a portion of variance in visual scanning and set shifting. Thus, although traditional phenotypic shared variance analysis techniques suggest only one general factor underlying different neuropsychological functions in nonpatient populations, examining the genetic underpinnings of cognitive processes with twin analysis can uncover more complex etiological processes.

Trail making test performance in youth varies as a function of anatomical coupling between the prefrontal cortex and distributed cortical regions

PubMed Central

Lee, Nancy Raitano; Wallace, Gregory L.; Raznahan, Armin; Clasen, Liv S.; Giedd, Jay N.

2014-01-01

While researchers have gained a richer understanding of the neural correlates of executive function in adulthood, much less is known about how these abilities are represented in the developing brain and what structural brain networks underlie them. Thus, the current study examined how individual differences in executive function, as measured by the Trail Making Test (TMT), relate to structural covariance in the pediatric brain. The sample included 146 unrelated, typically developing youth (80 females), ages 9–14 years, who completed a structural MRI scan of the brain and the Halstead-Reitan TMT (intermediate form). TMT scores used to index executive function included those that evaluated set-shifting ability: Trails B time (number-letter sequencing) and the difference in time between Trails B and A (number sequencing only). Anatomical coupling was measured by examining correlations between mean cortical thickness (MCT) across the entire cortical ribbon and individual vertex thickness measured at ~81,000 vertices. To examine how TMT scores related to anatomical coupling strength, linear regression was utilized and the interaction between age-normed TMT scores and both age and sex-normed MCT was used to predict vertex thickness. Results revealed that stronger Trails B scores were associated with greater anatomical coupling between a large swath of prefrontal cortex and the rest of cortex. For the difference between Trails B and A, a network of regions in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes was found to be more tightly coupled with the rest of cortex in stronger performers. This study is the first to highlight the importance of structural covariance in in the prediction of individual differences in executive function skills in youth. Thus, it adds to the growing literature on the neural correlates of childhood executive functions and identifies neuroanatomic coupling as a biological substrate that may contribute to executive function and dysfunction in childhood. PMID:25071613

Influence of educational status on executive function and functional balance in individuals with Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Souza, Carolina de Oliveira; Voos, Mariana Callil; Francato, Débora Valente; Chien, Hsin Fen; Barbosa, Egberto Reis

2013-03-01

This study investigated whether educational status influenced how people with Parkinson disease (PD) performed on Parts A, B, and DELTA of the Trail Making Test (TMT) and on the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Recent studies have shown that educational status may influence cognitive and motor test performance. We gave the TMT and the BBS to assess executive function and functional balance in 28 people with PD (Hoehn and Yahr score between 2 and 3) and 30 healthy elderly people. Participants reported their number of years of formal education. We divided each group of participants by educational status: low (4 to 10 years of education) or high (≥11 years). In both the PD (P=0.018) and control (P=0.003) groups, participants with low educational status performed worse on the TMT Part B than did those with high educational status. Within the PD group, the less-educated participants scored worse on the BBS than did the more educated (P<0.001); this difference was not significant between the more- and less-educated controls (P=0.976). Whether or not they had PD, less-educated people performed worse than more-educated people on the TMT Part B. Educational status affected executive function, but PD status did not. Among individuals with PD, educational status influenced functional balance.

Dance therapy improves motor and cognitive functions in patients with Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

de Natale, Edoardo Rosario; Paulus, Kai Stephan; Aiello, Elena; Sanna, Battistina; Manca, Andrea; Sotgiu, Giovanni; Leali, Paolo Tranquilli; Deriu, Franca

2017-01-01

To explore the effects of Dance Therapy (DT) and Traditional Rehabilitation (TR) on both motor and cognitive domains in Parkinson's Disease patients (PD) with postural instability. Sixteen PD patients with recent history of falls were divided in two groups (Dance Therapy, DT and Traditional Rehabilitation, TR); nine patients received 1-hour DT classes twice per week, completing 20 lessons within 10 weeks; seven patients received a similar cycle of 20 group sessions of 60 minutes TR. Motor (Berg Balance Scale - BBS, Gait Dynamic Index - GDI, Timed Up and Go Test - TUG, 4 Square-Step Test - 4SST, 6-Minute Walking Test - 6MWT) and cognitive measures (Frontal Assessment Battery - FAB, Trail Making Test A & B - TMT A&B, Stroop Test) were tested at baseline, after the treatment completion and after 8-week follow-up. In the DT group, but not in the TR group, motor and cognitive outcomes significantly improved after treatment and retained after follow-up. Significant changes were found for 6MWT (p = 0.028), TUG (p = 0.007), TMT-A (p = 0.014) and TMT-B (p = 0.036). DT is an unconventional physical therapy for PD patients which effectively impacts on motor (endurance and risk of falls) and non-motor functions (executive functions).

The impact of chief executive officer personality on top management team dynamics:one mechanism by which leadership affects organizational performance.

PubMed

Peterson, Randall S; Smith, D Brent; Martorana, Paul V; Owens, Pamela D

2003-10-01

This article explores 1 mechanism by which leader personality affects organizational performance. The authors hypothesized and tested the effects of leader personality on the group dynamics of the top management team (TMT) and of TMT dynamics on organizational performance. To test their hypotheses, the authors used the group dynamics q-sort method, which is designed to permit rigorous, quantitative comparisons of data derived from qualitative sources. Results from independent observations of chief executive officer (CEO) personality and TMT dynamics for 17 CEOs supported the authors' hypothesized relationships both between CEO personality and TMT group dynamics and between TMT dynamics and organizational performance.

Usefulness of the rivermead postconcussion symptoms questionnaire and the trail-making test for outcome prediction in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

de Guise, Elaine; Bélanger, Sara; Tinawi, Simon; Anderson, Kirsten; LeBlanc, Joanne; Lamoureux, Julie; Audrit, Hélène; Feyz, Mitra

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine if the Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) is a better tool for outcome prediction than an objective neuropsychological assessment following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The study included 47 patients with mTBI referred to an outpatient rehabilitation clinic. The RPQ and a brief neuropsychological battery were performed in the first few days following the trauma. The outcome measure used was the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 (MPAI-4) which was completed within the first 3 months. The only variable associated with results on the MPAI-4 was the RPQ score (p < .001). The predictive outcome model including age, education, and the results of the Trail-Making Test-Parts A and B (TMT) had a pseudo-R(2) of .02. When the RPQ score was added, the pseudo-R(2) climbed to .19. This model indicates that the usefulness of the RPQ score and the TMT in predicting moderate-to-severe limitations, while controlling for confounders, is substantial as suggested by a significant increase in the model chi-square value, delta (1df) = 6.517, p < .001. The RPQ and the TMT provide clinicians with a brief and reliable tool for predicting outcome functioning and can help target the need for further intervention and rehabilitation following mTBI.

Clinimetric properties of the Tinetti Mobility Test, Four Square Step Test, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, and spatiotemporal gait measures in individuals with Huntington's disease.

PubMed

Kloos, Anne D; Fritz, Nora E; Kostyk, Sandra K; Young, Gregory S; Kegelmeyer, Deb A

2014-09-01

Individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) experience balance and gait problems that lead to falls. Clinicians currently have very little information about the reliability and validity of outcome measures to determine the efficacy of interventions that aim to reduce balance and gait impairments in HD. This study examined the reliability and concurrent validity of spatiotemporal gait measures, the Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT), Four Square Step Test (FSST), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale in individuals with HD. Participants with HD [n = 20; mean age ± SD=50.9 ± 13.7; 7 male] were tested on spatiotemporal gait measures and the TMT, FSST, and ABC Scale before and after a six week period to determine test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) values. Linear relationships between gait and clinical measures were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Spatiotemporal gait measures, the TMT total and the FSST showed good to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.75). MDC values were 0.30 m/s and 0.17 m/s for velocity in forward and backward walking respectively, four points for the TMT, and 3s for the FSST. The TMT and FSST were highly correlated with most spatiotemporal measures. The ABC Scale demonstrated lower reliability and less concurrent validity than other measures. The high test-retest reliability over a six week period and concurrent validity between the TMT, FSST, and spatiotemporal gait measures suggest that the TMT and FSST may be useful outcome measures for future intervention studies in ambulatory individuals with HD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trail Making Test: normative data for Turkish elderly population by age, sex and education.

PubMed

Cangoz, Banu; Karakoc, Ebru; Selekler, Kaynak

2009-08-15

Trail Making Test (TMT) is a neuropsychological test, which has parts A and B that can precisely measure executive functions, like complex visual-motor conceptual screening, planning, organization, abstract thinking and response inhibition. The main purpose of this study is to standardize TMT for Turkish adults and/or elderly population. This study primarily consists of two main parts; norm determination study and reliability/validity studies, respectively. The standardization study was carried on 484 participants (238 female and 246 male). Participants at the age of 50 years and older were selected from a pool of people employed in or retired from governmental and/or private institutions. The research design of this study involves the following variables mainly; age (7 subgroups), sex (2 subgroups) and education (3 subgroups). Age, sex and education variables have significant influence on eight different kinds of TMT scores. Statistical analysis by ANOVA revealed a major effect of age (p<0.001) and education (p<0.001) on time spent in Part A or B, or time difference between Parts B and A, or sum of Parts A and B. Similarly, influence of sex (p<0.05) on time spent on Part A or B, or sum of Parts A and B was shown to be significant. Kruskal-Wallis Test was performed and chi-square (chi(2)) values revealed that, correction scores for Part A and B were found to be influenced by age groups (p<0.001). Test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability coefficients for time scores of Parts A and B were estimated as 0.78, 0.99 and 0.73, 0.93, respectively. This study provides normative data for a psychometric tool that reliably measures the executive functions in Turkish elderly population at the age of 50 and over.

Genetic effects on information processing speed are moderated by age--converging results from three samples.

PubMed

Ising, M; Mather, K A; Zimmermann, P; Brückl, T; Höhne, N; Heck, A; Schenk, L A; Rujescu, D; Armstrong, N J; Sachdev, P S; Reppermund, S

2014-06-01

Information processing is a cognitive trait forming the basis of complex abilities like executive function. The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a well-established test of information processing with moderate to high heritability. Age of the individual also plays an important role. A number of genetic association studies with the TMT have been performed, which, however, did not consider age as a moderating factor. We report the results of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on age-independent and age-dependent TMT performance in two population-representative community samples (Munich Antidepressant Response Signature, MARS: N1 = 540; Ludwig Maximilians University, LMU: N2 = 350). Age-dependent genome-wide findings were then evaluated in a third sample of healthy elderly subjects (Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, Sydney MAS: N3 = 448). While a meta-analysis on the GWAS findings did not reveal age-independent TMT associations withstanding correction for multiple testing, we found a genome-wide significant age-moderated effect between variants in the DSG1 gene region and TMT-A performance predominantly reflecting visual processing speed (rs2199301, P(meta-analysis) = 1.3 × 10(-7)). The direction of the interaction suggests for the minor allele a beneficial effect in younger adults turning into a detrimental effect in older adults. The detrimental effect of the missense single nucleotide polymorphism rs1426310 within the same DSG1 gene region could be replicated in Sydney MAS participants aged 70-79, but not in those aged 80 years and older, presumably a result of survivor bias. Our findings demonstrate opposing effects of DSG1 variants on information processing speed depending on age, which might be related to the complex processes that DSG1 is involved with, including cell adhesion and apoptosis. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.

The role of striatal dopamine D2/3 receptors in cognitive performance in drug-free patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Veselinović, Tanja; Vernaleken, Ingo; Janouschek, Hildegard; Cumming, Paul; Paulzen, Michael; Mottaghy, Felix M; Gründer, Gerhard

2018-05-01

A considerable body of research links cognitive function to dopaminergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex, but less is known about cognition in relation to striatal dopamine D 2/3 receptors in unmedicated patients with psychosis. We investigated this association by obtaining PET recordings with the high-affinity D 2/3 antagonist ligand [ 18 F] fallypride in 15 medication-free patients with schizophrenia and 11 healthy controls. On the day of PET scanning, we undertook comprehensive neuropsychological testing and assessment of psychopathology using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The patients' performance in cognitive tests was significantly impaired in almost all domains. Irrespective of medication history, the mean [ 18 F] fallypride binding potential (BP ND ) in the patient group tended to be globally 5-10% higher than that of the control group, but without reaching significance in any brain region. There were significant positive correlations between individual patient performance in the Trail Making Test (TMT(A) and TMT(B)) and Digit-Symbol-Substitution-Test with regional [ 18 F] fallypride BP ND , which remained significant after Bonferroni correction for the TMT(A) in caudate nucleus (CN) and for the TMT(B) in CN and putamen. No such correlations were evident in the control group. The association between better cognitive performance and greater BP ND in schizophrenia patients may imply that relatively lower receptor occupancy by endogenous dopamine favors better sparing of cognitive function. Absence of comparable correlations in healthy controls could indicate a greater involvement of signaling at dopamine D 2/3 receptors in certain cognitive functions in schizophrenia patients than in healthy controls.

Lower cognitive function in patients with age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Zhou, Li-Xiao; Sun, Cheng-Lin; Wei, Li-Juan; Gu, Zhi-Min; Lv, Liang; Dang, Yalong

2016-01-01

Objective To investigate the cognitive impairment in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Relevant articles were identified through a search of the following electronic databases through October 2015, without language restriction: 1) PubMed; 2) the Cochrane Library; 3) EMBASE; 4) ScienceDirect. Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 12.0 software. Standardized mean differences with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated. All of the included studies met the following four criteria: 1) the study design was a case–control or randomized controlled trial (RCT) study; 2) the study investigated cognitive function in the patient with AMD; 3) the diagnoses of AMD must be provided; 4) there were sufficient scores data to extract for evaluating cognitive function between cases and controls. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale criteria were used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. Results Of the initial 278 literatures, only six case–control and one RCT studies met all of the inclusion criteria. A total of 794 AMD patients and 1,227 controls were included in this study. Five studies were performed with mini-mental state examination (MMSE), two studies with animal fluency, two studies with trail making test (TMT)-A and -B, one study with Mini-Cog. Results of the meta-analysis revealed lower cognitive function test scores in patients with AMD, especially with MMSE and Mini-Cog test (P≤0.001 for all). The results also showed that differences in the TMT-A (except AMD [total] vs controls) and TMT-B test had no statistical significance (P>0.01). The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale score was ≥5 for all of the included studies. Based on the sensitivity analysis, no single study influenced the overall pooled estimates. Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests lower cognitive function test scores in patients with AMD, especially with MMSE and Mini-Cog test. The other cognitive impairment screening tests, such as animal fluency test and TMT, need more studies to assess. PMID:26966358

Differential relationships between set-shifting abilities and dimensions of insight in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Diez-Martin, J; Moreno-Ortega, M; Bagney, A; Rodriguez-Jimenez, R; Padilla-Torres, D; Sanchez-Morla, E M; Santos, J L; Palomo, T; Jimenez-Arriero, M A

2014-01-01

To assess insight in a large sample of patients with schizophrenia and to study its relationship with set shifting as an executive function. The insight of a sample of 161 clinically stable, community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia was evaluated by means of the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD). Set shifting was measured using the Trail-Making Test time required to complete part B minus the time required to complete part A (TMT B-A). Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationships of TMT B-A with different dimensions of general insight. Regression analyses revealed a significant association between TMT B-A and two of the SUMD general components: 'awareness of mental disorder' and 'awareness of the efficacy of treatment'. The 'awareness of social consequences' component was not significantly associated with set shifting. Our results show a significant relation between set shifting and insight, but not in the same manner for the different components of the SUMD general score. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Executive function and attention span in euthymic patients with bipolar 1 disorder.

PubMed

Normala, I; Abdul, Hamid A R; Azlin, B; Nik Ruzyanei, N J; Hazli, Z; Shah, S A

2010-09-01

This is a cross sectional comparison study to assess executive function and attention span in euthymic patients with bipolar 1 disorder. It compares the performance of these two cognitive domains in 40 patients with bipolar 1 disorder to that of 40 healthy normal subjects using Trail Making (TMT), Digit Span (Forward and Backward) and Verbal Fluency (VF) tests. The association between demographic, clinical characteristics and performance in all tests were examined. Patients with bipolar illness showed significant impairment with moderate to large effect sizes (VF = 0.67, TMT A = 0.52, TMT B = 0.81, Digit Forward = 0.97, Digit backward = 1.10) in all tasks of executive and attention functioning. These impairments are observed in the absence of active mood symptoms while duration and severity of illness are not found to have an effect on both cognitive domains. Medications received by patients with bipolar disorder have significant association with performance on executive tasks. The results of this study add on to the existing global evidence of cognitive impairment in bipolar illness despite its cross cultural differences. Its presence in the absence of mania, depression or mixed episode indicates that cognitive impairment is stable even after symptoms recovery.

Age differences in cognitive performance: A study of cultural differences in Historical Context.

PubMed

Ojeda, Natalia; Aretouli, Eleni; Peña, Javier; Schretlen, David J

2016-03-01

Ethnicity and cultural experience can affect neuropsychological performance, but they are rarely assessed in historical context. Attention measures are considered strongly biologically determined and therefore potentially culture-fair. In this study, we assessed the cross-cultural equivalence of Spanish and English versions of the Trail Making Test (TMT; Reitan, 1958, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 8, 271-276) and the Brief Test of Attention (BTA; Schretlen et al., 1996, The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 10, 80-89) in two large samples of Americans (N = 203) and Spaniards (N = 213), divided into younger and older subgroups. The older Spaniards lived under Franco's political regime (1936-1975), whereas the Americans never experienced such repression. Overall, TMT performance was culture-sensitive, whereas BTA performance was not. However, when both groups were stratified by age, cultural differences in TMT performance were restricted to older participants, suggesting that historical experience across generations might have contributed to the observed differences in cognitive performance. Even such basic cognitive processes as attention, working memory, and resource sharing might be shaped to some degree by historical experiences that contribute to cultural differences. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Neuropsychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Vitamin D status is associated with executive function a decade later: Data from the Women's Healthy Ageing Project.

PubMed

Goodwill, Alicia M; Campbell, Stephen; Simpson, Steven; Bisignano, Maria; Chiang, Cherie; Dennerstein, Lorraine; Szoeke, Cassandra

2018-01-01

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. However, there is a paucity of studies assessing whether this association manifests from midlife. Given the long prodromal stage of dementia, we investigated the association between midlife vitamin D and cognition 10 years later. 252 participants (aged 55-67 years) from the Women's Healthy Ageing Project had baseline (2002) vitamin D and neuropsychological measures assessed. Of these, 170 (aged 65-77 years) had follow-up neuropsychological testing (2012). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) was measured using an automated chemiluminescence system. The neuropsychological tests used were: Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), California Verbal Learning Test Second Edition (CVLT-II), verbal fluency and Trail Making Test-B (TMT-B). Composite scores for verbal episodic memory (CERAD and CVLT-II) and executive function (verbal fluency and TMT-B) were obtained by summating standardized scores for each test. Analyses were adjusted for age, education and body mass index (BMI). Further adjustment for physical activity, depression, vascular risk factors, supplementation and APOE4-genotype did not materially change the results. At baseline, those with vitamin D>25nmol/L performed better on verbal fluency (β=2.46, 95%CI=0.53,4.40) and TMT-B time (β=-18.23, 95%CI=-32.86,-3.61), with higher executive function (β=1.40, 95%CI=0.44,2.37). These relationships persisted 10 years later for TMT-B (β=-15.38, 95%CI=-30.82,0.07) and executive function (β=1.05, 95%CI=0.14,1.95). There were no associations with tests of verbal episodic memory. Midlife vitamin D>25nmol/L is associated with improved aspects of executive function in ageing. Findings highlight a potential therapeutic age window where midlife vitamin D repletion could be neuroprotective against cognitive decline. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Clinimetric properties of the Tinetti Mobility Test, Four Square Step Test, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, and spatiotemporal gait measures in individuals with Huntington's disease

PubMed Central

Kloos, Anne D.; Fritz, Nora E.; Kostyk, Sandra K.; Young, Gregory S.; Kegelmeyer, Deb A.

2014-01-01

Background and purpose Individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) experience balance and gait problems that lead to falls. Clinicians currently have very little information about the reliability and validity of outcome measures to determine the efficacy of interventions that aim to reduce balance and gait impairments in HD. This study examined the reliability and concurrent validity of spatiotemporal gait measures, the Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT), Four Square Step Test (FSST), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale in individuals with HD. Methods Participants with HD [n = 20; mean age ± SD = 50.9 ± 13.7; 7 male] were tested on spatiotemporal gait measures the TMT, FSST, and ABC Scale before and after a six week period to determine test–retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) values. Linear relationships between gait and clinical measures were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results Spatiotemporal gait measures, the TMT total and the FSST showed good to excellent test–retest reliability (ICC > 0.75). MDC values were 0.30 m/s and 0.17 m/s for velocity in forward and backward walking respectively, four points for the TMT, and 3 s for the FSST. The TMT and FSST were highly correlated with most spatiotemporal measures. The ABC Scale demonstrated lower reliability and less concurrent validity than other measures. Conclusions The high test–retest reliability over a six week period and concurrent validity between the TMT, FSST, and spatiotemporal gait measures suggest that the TMT and FSST may be useful outcome measures for future intervention studies in ambulatory individuals with HD. PMID:25128156

Disparities in Age-Associated Cognitive Decline Between African-American and Caucasian Populations: The Roles of Health Literacy and Education.

PubMed

Gupta, Vishal K; Winter, Michael; Cabral, Howard; Henault, Lori; Waite, Katherine; Hanchate, Amresh; Bickmore, Timothy W; Wolf, Michael S; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K

2016-08-01

To examine health literacy as a mediator of racial disparities in cognitive decline as measured by executive function in elderly adults. Prospective cohort study. Secondary analysis of ElderWalk trial in Boston, Massachusetts. English-speaking African-American and Caucasian individuals in a walking intervention for community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older without dementia at baseline who completed baseline and 12-month evaluations (N = 198). Health literacy was measured using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Fluid and crystallized cognitive functions were measured at baseline and 12 months using the Trail-Making Test Part B minus Part B (TMT B-A) and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Associations between health literacy and 12-month cognitive decline were modeled using multivariate linear regression. Participants with higher health literacy and education experienced less cognitive decline than those with limited health literacy according to the TMT B-A (P = .01). After adjusting for covariates, Caucasian participants (n = 63) experienced less decline than African-American participants (n = 135) on TMT B-A (P = .001) and COWAT (P = .001). Adjusting for health literacy led to a 25.3% decrease in the point estimate for racial difference in TMT B-A and a 19.5% decrease in COWAT. Although independently related to cognitive decline, educational attainment did not mediate racial differences. Health literacy is a partial mediator of racial disparities in cognitive decline. These results indicate the need to develop interventions to mitigate cognitive decline that individuals with low heath literacy can use and to modify the healthcare environment to better accommodate this population. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Normative data for Farsi-speaking Iranians in the United States on measures of executive functioning.

PubMed

Avila, Justina F; Verney, Steven P; Kauzor, Kaitlyn; Flowers, Amina; Mehradfar, Maryam; Razani, Jill

2018-01-09

As the Farsi-speaking Iranian population continues to grow in the United States, examination of their cognitive performance is an imperative first step to providing this group with culturally competent services. Thirty-six healthy primarily Farsi-speaking Iranian adults completed Farsi-translated and adapted versions of three frequently used measures of executive/subcortical functioning: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Trail Making Test (TMT), and Color Trails Test (CTT). Participants' performance on each measure was compared to published normative data resulting in 0-85% of cognitively and medically healthy individuals being classified as impaired depending on the executive/subcortical test score examined, with the highest impairment rates for specific WCST outcome scores. These findings raise questions for the use of published norms with Farsi-speaking Iranians residing in the US. The present study provided normative data from this group of Farsi-speaking Iranians on the Farsi-translated and adapted versions of the WCST, TMT, and CTT.

Executive function on the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests.

PubMed

Piper, Brian J; Li, Victoria; Eiwaz, Massarra A; Kobel, Yuliyana V; Benice, Ted S; Chu, Alex M; Olsen, Reid H J; Rice, Douglas Z; Gray, Hilary M; Mueller, Shane T; Raber, Jacob

2012-03-01

The measurement of executive function has a long history in clinical and experimental neuropsychology. The goal of the present report was to determine the profile of behavior across the lifespan on four computerized measures of executive function contained in the recently developed Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) test battery http://pebl.sourceforge.net/ and evaluate whether this pattern is comparable to data previously obtained with the non-PEBL versions of these tests. Participants (N = 1,223; ages, 5-89 years) completed the PEBL Trail Making Test (pTMT), the Wisconsin Card Sort Test (pWCST; Berg, Journal of General Psychology, 39, 15-22, 1948; Grant & Berg, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38, 404-411, 1948), the Tower of London (pToL), or a time estimation task (Time-Wall). Age-related effects were found over all four tests, especially as age increased from young childhood through adulthood. For several tests and measures (including pToL and pTMT), age-related slowing was found as age increased in adulthood. Together, these findings indicate that the PEBL tests provide valid and versatile new research tools for measuring executive functions.

Validity and Reliability Study of the Korean Tinetti Mobility Test for Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Park, Jinse; Koh, Seong-Beom; Kim, Hee Jin; Oh, Eungseok; Kim, Joong-Seok; Yun, Ji Young; Kwon, Do-Young; Kim, Younsoo; Kim, Ji Seon; Kwon, Kyum-Yil; Park, Jeong-Ho; Youn, Jinyoung; Jang, Wooyoung

2018-01-01

Postural instability and gait disturbance are the cardinal symptoms associated with falling among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The Tinetti mobility test (TMT) is a well-established measurement tool used to predict falls among elderly people. However, the TMT has not been established or widely used among PD patients in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the TMT for PD patients. Twenty-four patients diagnosed with PD were enrolled in this study. For the interrater reliability test, thirteen clinicians scored the TMT after watching a video clip. We also used the test-retest method to determine intrarater reliability. For concurrent validation, the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale, Hoehn and Yahr staging, Berg Balance Scale, Timed-Up and Go test, 10-m walk test, and gait analysis by three-dimensional motion capture were also used. We analyzed receiver operating characteristic curve to predict falling. The interrater reliability and intrarater reliability of the Korean Tinetti balance scale were 0.97 and 0.98, respectively. The interrater reliability and intra-rater reliability of the Korean Tinetti gait scale were 0.94 and 0.96, respectively. The Korean TMT scores were significantly correlated with the other clinical scales and three-dimensional motion capture. The cutoff values for predicting falling were 14 points (balance subscale) and 10 points (gait subscale). We found that the Korean version of the TMT showed excellent validity and reliability for gait and balance and had high sensitivity and specificity for predicting falls among patients with PD.

Sadness and mild cognitive impairment as predictors for interferon-alpha-induced depression in patients with hepatitis C.

PubMed

Sarkar, Susanne; Sarkar, Rahul; Berg, Thomas; Schaefer, Martin

2015-01-01

Antiviral therapy with interferon-alpha (IFN-α) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with increased risk for depression. To identify clinical predictors for IFN-α-induced depression during antiviral therapy for HCV infection. Depression (defined with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)) was evaluated before and during antiviral treatment in 91 people with chronic HCV infection without a history of psychiatric disorders. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Trail Making Test A/B (TMT A/B). (Trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00136318.) Depression during antiviral therapy was significantly associated with a baseline MADRS score of 3 or higher (P = 0.006). In total, 89% (n = 16) of patients who had a baseline score >0 for the single item sadness developed depression. Poor baseline performance in the TMT A (P = 0.027) and TMT B (P = 0.033) was predictive for severe depression. Pre-treatment screening for subthreshold depressive and cognitive symptoms will help to identify those at risk for IFN-α-associated depression among patients with chronic hepatitis C. Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Effect size for the main cognitive function determinants in a large cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Mura, T; Amieva, H; Goldberg, M; Dartigues, J-F; Ankri, J; Zins, M; Berr, C

2016-11-01

The aim of our study was to examine the effect sizes of different cognitive function determinants in middle and early old age. Cognitive functions were assessed in 11 711 volunteers (45 to 75 years old), included in the French CONSTANCES cohort between January 2012 and May 2014, using the free and cued selective reminding test (FCSRT), verbal fluency tasks, digit-symbol substitution test (DSST) and trail making test (TMT), parts A and B. The effect sizes of socio-demographic (age, sex, education), lifestyle (alcohol, tobacco, physical activity), cardiovascular (diabetes, blood pressure) and psychological (depressive symptomatology) variables were computed as omega-squared coefficients (ω 2 ; part of the variation of a neuropsychological score that is independently explained by a given variable). These sets of variables explained from R 2 = 10% (semantic fluency) to R 2 = 26% (DSST) of the total variance. In all tests, socio-demographic variables accounted for the greatest part of the explained variance. Age explained from ω 2 = 0.5% (semantic fluency) to ω 2 = 7.5% (DSST) of the total score variance, gender from ω 2 = 5.2% (FCSRT) to a negligible part (semantic fluency or TMT) and education from ω 2 = 7.2% (DSST) to ω 2 = 1.4% (TMT-A). Behavioral, cardiovascular and psychological variables only slightly influenced the cognitive test results (all ω 2 < 0.8%, most ω 2 < 0.1%). Socio-demographic variables (age, gender and education) are the main variables associated with cognitive performance variations between 45 and 75 years of age in the general population. © 2016 EAN.

Accurate, Sensitive, and Precise Multiplexed Proteomics Using the Complement Reporter Ion Cluster

DOE PAGES

Sonnett, Matthew; Yeung, Eyan; Wuhr, Martin

2018-03-09

We present that quantitative analysis of proteomes across multiple time points, organelles, and perturbations is essential for understanding both fundamental biology and disease states. The development of isobaric tags (e.g. TMT) have enabled the simultaneous measurement of peptide abundances across several different conditions. These multiplexed approaches are promising in principle because of advantages in throughput and measurement quality. However, in practice existing multiplexing approaches suffer from key limitations. In its simple implementation (TMT-MS2), measurements are distorted by chemical noise leading to poor measurement accuracy. The current state-of-the-art (TMT-MS3) addresses this, but requires specialized quadrupole-iontrap-Orbitrap instrumentation. The complement reporter ion approachmore » (TMTc) produces high accuracy measurements and is compatible with many more instruments, like quadrupole-Orbitraps. However, the required deconvolution of the TMTc cluster leads to poor measurement precision. Here, we introduce TMTc+, which adds the modeling of the MS2-isolation step into the deconvolution algorithm. The resulting measurements are comparable in precision to TMT-MS3/MS2. The improved duty cycle, and lower filtering requirements make TMTc+ more sensitive than TMT-MS3 and comparable with TMT-MS2. At the same time, unlike TMT-MS2, TMTc+ is exquisitely able to distinguish signal from chemical noise even outperforming TMT-MS3. Lastly, we compare TMTc+ to quantitative label-free proteomics of total HeLa lysate and find that TMTc+ quantifies 7.8k versus 3.9k proteins in a 5-plex sample. At the same time the median coefficient of variation improves from 13% to 4%. Furthermore, TMTc+ advances quantitative proteomics by enabling accurate, sensitive, and precise multiplexed experiments on more commonly used instruments.« less

Accurate, Sensitive, and Precise Multiplexed Proteomics Using the Complement Reporter Ion Cluster

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

Sonnett, Matthew; Yeung, Eyan; Wuhr, Martin

We present that quantitative analysis of proteomes across multiple time points, organelles, and perturbations is essential for understanding both fundamental biology and disease states. The development of isobaric tags (e.g. TMT) have enabled the simultaneous measurement of peptide abundances across several different conditions. These multiplexed approaches are promising in principle because of advantages in throughput and measurement quality. However, in practice existing multiplexing approaches suffer from key limitations. In its simple implementation (TMT-MS2), measurements are distorted by chemical noise leading to poor measurement accuracy. The current state-of-the-art (TMT-MS3) addresses this, but requires specialized quadrupole-iontrap-Orbitrap instrumentation. The complement reporter ion approachmore » (TMTc) produces high accuracy measurements and is compatible with many more instruments, like quadrupole-Orbitraps. However, the required deconvolution of the TMTc cluster leads to poor measurement precision. Here, we introduce TMTc+, which adds the modeling of the MS2-isolation step into the deconvolution algorithm. The resulting measurements are comparable in precision to TMT-MS3/MS2. The improved duty cycle, and lower filtering requirements make TMTc+ more sensitive than TMT-MS3 and comparable with TMT-MS2. At the same time, unlike TMT-MS2, TMTc+ is exquisitely able to distinguish signal from chemical noise even outperforming TMT-MS3. Lastly, we compare TMTc+ to quantitative label-free proteomics of total HeLa lysate and find that TMTc+ quantifies 7.8k versus 3.9k proteins in a 5-plex sample. At the same time the median coefficient of variation improves from 13% to 4%. Furthermore, TMTc+ advances quantitative proteomics by enabling accurate, sensitive, and precise multiplexed experiments on more commonly used instruments.« less

[Neuropsychological modifications at high altitude: from Pamir to Karakorum].

PubMed

Nardi, Bernardo; Brandoni, Marco; Capecci, Ilaria; Castellani, Simona; Rupoli, Sara; Bellantuono, Cesario

2009-01-01

Neuropsychological modifications and acclimatization processes at over 8000 without auxiliary oxygen were investigated in two climbers, evaluating attentive abilities and matching their performances. During rest in base-camp (4800 m), at other three Resorts - Resort I (5800 m), Resort II (6400 m), Resort III (7200 m) -, and four months after the return at low altitude, were administered: Temporal Orientation Test (TOT), Trail Making Test (TMT), Animal Naming (AN), Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), Arithmetical Judgment Test (AJT), and Drawing Test (DT). Results. At TOT and at AJT, both the climbers demonstrated scores at higher normal levels (Eq = 4) in all the Resorts in which they were performed. They showed an impairment at AN test, especially at Resort III, showing sensitivity of animal naming to hypoxia. At the DT, human figures were reduced in their dimensions and details, as consequence of the tendency to self closure and introversion that occurs at higher altitudes. Neuropsychological functions concerning verbal fluency showed sensitivity to hypoxia, especially at higher altitudes. TMT demonstrated that attentive ability can be preserved if acclimatization is good. Sensitivity to hypoxia and acclimatization processes showed a significant subjective variability. The results of this study show that exposure to high altitude produces some significant neuropsychological changes.

Development of torodial magnetic thermometry to study new phenomena associated with the superfluid transition in liquid sup 4 He

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

Duncan, R.V.

1988-01-01

A new type of paramagnetic susceptibility thermometry called toroidal magnetic thermometry (TMT) has been developed. These TMT thermometers have a thermal resolution of five nanoKelvin near the {sup 4}He superfluid transition temperature T{lambda} = 2.172K, making TMT roughly a factor of fifty times better in resolution than conventional germanium resistance thermometry which is commercially available. The dramatic improvement in thermal resolution provided by TMT has been used to observe new phenomena associated with the superfluid transition in pure liquid {sup 4}He. Such phenomena include a component of the thermal boundary (Kapitza) resistance R{sub K} which is singular at the superfluidmore » transition temperature T{lambda}. In addition to the boundary effects described above, these TMT thermometers have been used to detect the depression of T{lambda} be a heat current Q flowing through the liquid helium. When these values of {Delta}T{lambda}(Q) were used to calculate the depression of the superfluid density {Delta}{rho}{sub s}(Q) the results agreed well with a prediction based on the theory of Ginzburg and Pitaevskii. The calibration of the TMT thermometers provide high-resolution measurements of the a.c. paramagnetic susceptibility of their magnetic salt: Copper ammonium bromide (CAB). These calibration parameters, together with power dissipation data near the CAB Curie temperature {Tc} = 1.79K, provide information on the magnetic critical behavior of this nearly ideal Heisenberg ferromagnet. Throughout the detailed description of the TMT design, aspects of the CAB magnetic critical phenomena are discussed.« less

Assessing children's cognitive flexibility with the Shape Trail Test.

PubMed

Chan, Amy Y C; Morgan, Sarah-Jane

2018-01-01

In this paper we report an initial validation of the Shape Trail Test-Child Version (STT-CV) with a non-clinical sample of children aged 6 to 9 years. The STT-CV has been developed as an age-appropriate and culturally fair direct downward extension of the Trail Making Test (TMT) for the assessment of cognitive flexibility. Children completed the STT-CV and four established measures of executive functions that assessed working memory, inhibitory control and task switching. Results showed the expected age-based differences in completion times for both parts of the STT-CV (Trail A and Trail B). Children's performance on the STT-CV correlated significantly with all four measures of executive functions. After controlling for the effects of chronological age, completion times for Trail B remained correlated with most other measures of executive functions. These findings provide emerging evidence for the utility of the STT-CV, and highlight the need for designing and using appropriate variants of the TMT in the behavioural assessment of cognitive flexibility in developmentally and culturally diverse populations.

Investigation of Primary Mirror Segment's Residual Errors for the Thirty Meter Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seo, Byoung-Joon; Nissly, Carl; Angeli, George; MacMynowski, Doug; Sigrist, Norbert; Troy, Mitchell; Williams, Eric

2009-01-01

The primary mirror segment aberrations after shape corrections with warping harness have been identified as the single largest error term in the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) image quality error budget. In order to better understand the likely errors and how they will impact the telescope performance we have performed detailed simulations. We first generated unwarped primary mirror segment surface shapes that met TMT specifications. Then we used the predicted warping harness influence functions and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor model to determine estimates for the 492 corrected segment surfaces that make up the TMT primary mirror. Surface and control parameters, as well as the number of subapertures were varied to explore the parameter space. The corrected segment shapes were then passed to an optical TMT model built using the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) developed Modeling and Analysis for Controlled Optical Systems (MACOS) ray-trace simulator. The generated exit pupil wavefront error maps provided RMS wavefront error and image-plane characteristics like the Normalized Point Source Sensitivity (PSSN). The results have been used to optimize the segment shape correction and wavefront sensor designs as well as provide input to the TMT systems engineering error budgets.

Smoking Is So Ew!: College Smokers' Reactions to Health- Versus Social-Focused Antismoking Threat Messages.

PubMed

Wong, Norman C H; Nisbett, Gwendelyn S; Harvell, Lindsey A

2017-04-01

This study utilizes Terror Management Theory (TMT) to examine differences between eliciting social death and physical death anxiety related to smoking, smoking attitudes, and quitting intent among college students. Moreover, an important TMT variable-self-esteem-was used as a moderator. A 2 × 3 between-subjects factorial design crossed smoking-based self-esteem (low, high) with mortality salience manipulation (health-focused, social-focused, control). Results suggest while both making health-focused salient and making social-focused mortality salient were effective at getting smokers to quit, there was less effect for health-focused mortality salience on those whose self-esteem is strongly tied to smoking. Effect of social-focused mortality salience was more pronounced among participants who highly linked self-esteem with smoking. For smokers with low smoking-based self-esteem, both health-focused and social-focused mortality salience were effective at motivating attitude change toward smoking and quitting intentions. Implications for smoking cessation ad design and TMT are discussed.

Cognitive Function of Artemisia argyi H. Fermented by Monascus purpureus under TMT-Induced Learning and Memory Deficits in ICR Mice

PubMed Central

Kang, Jin Yong; Lee, Du Sang; Park, Seon Kyeong; Ha, Jeong Su; Kim, Jong Min; Ha, Gi Jeong; Seo, Weon Taek

2017-01-01

The cognitive effect of Artemisia argyi H. under liquid-state fermentation by Monascus purpureus (AAFM), which has cellular antioxidant activity and neuronal cell viability, on trimethyltin- (TMT-) induced learning and memory impairment in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice was confirmed. Tests were conducted to determine the neuroprotective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative stress, and the results showed that AAFM has protective effects through the repression of mitochondrial injury and cellular membrane damage against H2O2-induced neurotoxicity. In animal experiments, such as the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests, AAFM also showed excellent ameliorating effects on TMT-induced cognitive dysfunction. After behavioral tests, brain tissues were extracted to assess damage to brain tissue. According to the experimental results, AAFM improved the cholinergic system by upregulating acetylcholine (ACh) contents and inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. AAFM effectively improved the decline of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) level and the increase of the oxidized glutathione (GSH) ratio and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde (MDA) production) caused by TMT-induced oxidative stress. The occurrence of mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis was also decreased compared with the TMT group. Finally, quinic acid derivatives were identified as the major phenolic compounds in AAFM using ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight (UPLC-Q-TOF) MS analysis. PMID:29081819

Cognitive Function of Artemisia argyi H. Fermented by Monascus purpureus under TMT-Induced Learning and Memory Deficits in ICR Mice.

PubMed

Kang, Jin Yong; Lee, Du Sang; Park, Seon Kyeong; Ha, Jeong Su; Kim, Jong Min; Ha, Gi Jeong; Seo, Weon Taek; Heo, Ho Jin

2017-01-01

The cognitive effect of Artemisia argyi H. under liquid-state fermentation by Monascus purpureus (AAFM), which has cellular antioxidant activity and neuronal cell viability, on trimethyltin- (TMT-) induced learning and memory impairment in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice was confirmed. Tests were conducted to determine the neuroprotective effects against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress, and the results showed that AAFM has protective effects through the repression of mitochondrial injury and cellular membrane damage against H 2 O 2 -induced neurotoxicity. In animal experiments, such as the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests, AAFM also showed excellent ameliorating effects on TMT-induced cognitive dysfunction. After behavioral tests, brain tissues were extracted to assess damage to brain tissue. According to the experimental results, AAFM improved the cholinergic system by upregulating acetylcholine (ACh) contents and inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. AAFM effectively improved the decline of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) level and the increase of the oxidized glutathione (GSH) ratio and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde (MDA) production) caused by TMT-induced oxidative stress. The occurrence of mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis was also decreased compared with the TMT group. Finally, quinic acid derivatives were identified as the major phenolic compounds in AAFM using ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight (UPLC-Q-TOF) MS analysis.

Water intake and post-exercise cognitive performance: an observational study of long-distance walkers and runners.

PubMed

Benefer, Martin D; Corfe, Bernard M; Russell, Jean M; Short, Richard; Barker, Margo E

2013-03-01

The impact of diet on endurance performance and cognitive function has been extensively researched in controlled settings, but there are limited observational data in field situations. This study examines relationships between nutrient intake and cognitive function following endurance exercise amongst a group of 33 recreational runners and walkers. All participants (mean age of 43.2 years) took part in a long-distance walking event and completed diet diaries to estimate nutrient intake across three-time periods (previous day, breakfast and during the event). Anthropometric measurements were recorded. Cognitive tests, covering word recall, ruler drop and trail making tests (TMT) A and B were conducted pre- and post-exercise. Participants rated their exercise level on a validated scale. Nutrient intake data were summarised using principal components analysis to identify a nutrient intake pattern loaded towards water intake across all time periods. Regression analysis was used to ascertain relationships between water intake component scores and post-exercise cognitive function, controlling for anthropometric measures and exercise metrics (distance, duration and pace). Participants rated their exercise as 'hard-heavy' (score 14.4, ±3.2). Scores on the water intake factor were associated with significantly faster TMT A (p = 0.001) and TMT B (p = 0.005) completion times, and a tendency for improved short-term memory (p = 0.090). Water intake scores were not associated with simple reaction time (assessed via the ruler drop test). These data are congruent with experimental research demonstrating a benefit of hydration on cognitive function. Further field research to confirm this relationship, supported with precise measures of body weight, is needed.

Pyridoindole antioxidant-induced preservation of rat hippocampal pyramidal cell number linked with reduction of oxidative stress yet without influence on cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer-like neurodegeneration.

PubMed

Gasparova, Zdenka; Stara, Veronika; Janega, Pavol; Navarova, Jana; Sedlackova, Natalia; Mach, Mojmir; Ujhazy, Eduard

2014-01-01

The idea of antioxidant therapy attenuating Alzheimer disease (AD) neuropathology starts to be attractive. Animal models are often used in these studies. An AD-like model of trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neurodegeneration, targeting the hippocampus, involves neuronal cell death and cognitive impairment. Effect of the pyridoindole SMe1EC2 (3×50 mg/kg) and vitamin C (3×50mg/kg) was analyzed in the model of TMT-induced (8 mg/kg) neurodegeneration. The study was focused on the effect of the antioxidants tested on learning performance in the Morris water maze (MWM) on days 21-25 after TMT administration, on biochemical variables - malondyaldehyde (MDA) and lysosomal enzyme NAGA in brain cortex and blood serum, and on pyramidal cell number in the CA1 area of the hippocampus on day 31 after TMT administration in adult male Wistar rats (n=32). Critical deterioration of learning performance was observed due to the TMT administration in the MWM. Further, apparent reduction of pyramidal cell number to 21% in the CA1 area of the hippocampus, increased MDA and NAGA activity in serum and increased NAGA activity in the cortex were determined contrary to controls. In serum, an increase of MDA level was prevented by both antioxidants tested without any effect on NAGA activity. SMe1EC2 apparently preserved pyramidal cell viability in the CA1 area. Both substances tested failed to ameliorate the detrimental effect of TMT on spatial memory. The biochemical and morphometrical findings suggest that reduction of oxidative stress may play a role in AD-like neurodegeneration. Different doses and timing of SMe1EC2 administration might bring improvement in next learning performance.

Research on sub-surface damage and its stress deformation in the process of large aperture and high diameter-to-thickness ratio TMT M3MP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Hai-xiang; Qi, Erhui; Cole, Glen; Hu, Hai-fei; Luo, Xiao; Zhang, Xue-jun

2016-10-01

Large flat mirrors play important roles in large aperture telescopes. However, they also introduce unpredictable problems. The surface errors created during manufacturing, testing, and supporting are all combined during measurement, thus making understanding difficult for diagnosis and treatment. Examining a high diameter-to-thickness ratio flat mirror, TMT M3MP, and its unexpected deformation during processing, we proposed a strain model of subsurface damage to explain the observed phenomenon. We designed a set of experiment, and checked the validity of our diagnosis. On that basis, we theoretical predicted the trend of this strain and its scale effect on Zerodur®, and checked the validity on another piece experimentally. This work guided the grinding-polishing process of M3MP, and will be used as reference for M3M processing as well.

Hypovitaminosis D and executive dysfunction in older adults with memory complaint: a memory clinic-based study.

PubMed

Annweiler, Cédric; Maby, Elodie; Meyerber, Marine; Beauchet, Olivier

2014-01-01

Hypovitaminosis D is associated with executive dysfunction as a whole. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether lower vitamin D levels were associated with mental flexibility, information updating, or cognitive and motor inhibition among older adults. One hundred Caucasian older community dwellers with memory complaint (mean, 71.02 ± 0.74 years; 52.0% female) were divided into 3 groups according to serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentration (deficiency <25 nmol/l, insufficiency 25-50 nmol/l, sufficiency >50 nmol/l). Executive functions were assessed with error rates by executing the Trail Making Test-B (TMT-B) for mental flexibility, the N-Back Test for information updating, the Stroop Interference Test for cognitive inhibition, and the Go/No-Go score for motor inhibition. Age, gender, BMI, education level, number of morbidities, depressive symptoms, Mini-Mental State Examination score, calcemia, estimated glomerular filtration rate and season tested were considered as potential confounders. Compared to participants with vitamin D insufficiency and sufficiency, those with vitamin D deficiency had a poorer TMT-B performance (p = 0.019 and p = 0.017, respectively) but similar N-Back (p = 0.175), Stroop (p = 0.135) and Go/No-Go (p = 0.224) scores. Cognitive performance did not differ between participants with insufficient and sufficient vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with poorer performance on TMT-B (adjusted β = 1.48, p = 0.011), but not on N-Back (p = 0.665), Stroop (p = 0.817) or Go/No-Go (p = 0.971). Vitamin D deficiency was associated with poorer mental flexibility among older community dwellers with memory complaint. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Propensity Score Analysis of Radical Cystectomy Versus Bladder-Sparing Trimodal Therapy in the Setting of a Multidisciplinary Bladder Cancer Clinic.

PubMed

Kulkarni, Girish S; Hermanns, Thomas; Wei, Yanliang; Bhindi, Bimal; Satkunasivam, Raj; Athanasopoulos, Paul; Bostrom, Peter J; Kuk, Cynthia; Li, Kathy; Templeton, Arnoud J; Sridhar, Srikala S; van der Kwast, Theodorus H; Chung, Peter; Bristow, Robert G; Milosevic, Michael; Warde, Padraig; Fleshner, Neil E; Jewett, Michael A S; Bashir, Shaheena; Zlotta, Alexandre R

2017-07-10

Purpose Multidisciplinary management improves complex treatment decision making in cancer care, but its impact for bladder cancer (BC) has not been documented. Although radical cystectomy (RC) currently is viewed as the standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), radiotherapy-based, bladder-sparing trimodal therapy (TMT) that combines transurethral resection of bladder tumor, chemotherapy for radiation sensitization, and external beam radiotherapy has emerged as a valid treatment option. In the absence of randomized studies, this study compared the oncologic outcomes between patients treated with RC or TMT by using a propensity score matched-cohort analysis. Methods Data from patients treated in a multidisciplinary bladder cancer clinic (MDBCC) from 2008 to 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Those who received TMT for MIBC were identified and matched (for sex, cT and cN stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, Charlson comorbidity score, treatment date, age, carcinoma in situ status, and hydronephrosis) with propensity scores to patients who underwent RC. Overall survival and disease-specific survival (DSS) were assessed with Cox proportional hazards modeling and a competing risk analysis, respectively. Results A total of 112 patients with MIBC were included after matching (56 who had been treated with TMT, and 56 who underwent RC). The median age was 68.0 years, and 29.5% had stage cT3/cT4 disease. At a median follow-up of 4.51 years, there were 20 deaths (35.7%) in the RC group (13 as a result of BC) and 22 deaths (39.3%) in the TMT group (13 as a result of BC). The 5-year DSS rate was 73.2% and 76.6% in the RC and TMT groups, respectively ( P = .49). Salvage cystectomy was performed in 6 (10.7%) of 56 patients who received TMT. Conclusion In the setting of a MDBCC, TMT yielded survival outcomes similar to those of matched patients who underwent RC. Appropriately selected patients with MIBC should be offered the opportunity to discuss various treatment options, including organ-sparing TMT.

Quality of Life in Long-term Survivors of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

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

Mak, Kimberley S.; Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Smith, Angela B.

Purpose: Health-related quality of life (QOL) has not been well-studied in survivors of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The present study compared long-term QOL in MIBC patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC) versus bladder-sparing trimodality therapy (TMT). Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional bi-institutional study identified 226 patients with nonmetastatic cT2-cT4 MIBC, diagnosed in 1990 to 2011, who were eligible for RC and were disease free for ≥2 years. Six validated QOL instruments were administered: EuroQOL EQ-5D, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Core Questionnaire and EORTC MIBC module, Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite bowel scale, Cancermore » Treatment and Perception Scale, and Impact of Cancer, version 2. Multivariable analyses of the mean QOL scores were conducted using propensity score matching. Results: The response rate was 77% (n=173). The median follow-up period was 5.6 years. Of the 173 patients, 64 received TMT and 109, RC. The median interval from diagnosis to questionnaire completion was 9 years after TMT and 7 years after RC (P=.009). No significant differences were found in age, gender, comorbidities, tobacco history, performance status, or tumor stage. On multivariable analysis, patients who received TMT had better general QOL by 9.7 points of 100 compared with those who had received RC (P=.001) and higher physical, role, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning by 6.6 to 9.9 points (P≤.04). TMT was associated with better bowel function by 4.5 points (P=.02) and fewer bowel symptoms by 2.7 to 7.1 points (P≤.05). The urinary symptom scores were similar. TMT was associated with better sexual function by 8.7 to 32.1 points (P≤.02) and body image by 14.8 points (P<.001). The patients who underwent TMT reported greater informed decision-making scores by 13.6 points (P=.01) and less concern about the negative effect of cancer by 6.8 points (P=.006). The study limitations included missing baseline QOL data and different follow-up times. Conclusions: Both TMT and RC result in good long-term QOL outcomes in MIBC survivors, supporting TMT as a good alternative to RC for selected patients. Whether TMT leads to superior QOL requires prospective validation.« less

Effects of cognitive-motor dual-task training combined with auditory motor synchronization training on cognitive functioning in individuals with chronic stroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Park, Myoung-Ok; Lee, Sang-Heon

2018-06-01

Preservation and enhancement of cognitive function are essential for the restoration of functional abilities and independence following stroke. While cognitive-motor dual-task training (CMDT) has been utilized in rehabilitation settings, many patients with stroke experience impairments in cognitive function that can interfere with dual-task performance. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CMDT combined with auditory motor synchronization training (AMST) utilizing rhythmic cues on cognitive function in patients with stroke. The present randomized controlled trial was conducted at a single rehabilitation hospital. Thirty patients with chronic stroke were randomly divided an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received 3 CMDT + AMST sessions per week for 6 weeks, whereas the control group received CMDT only 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Changes in cognitive function were evaluated using the trail making test (TMT), digit span test (DST), and stroop test (ST). Significant differences in TMT-A and B (P = .001, P = .001), DST-forward (P = .001, P = .001), DST-backward (P = .000, P = .001), ST-word (P = .001, P = .001), and ST-color (P = .002, P = .001) scores were observed in both the control and experimental groups, respectively. Significant differences in TMT-A (P = .001), DST-forward (P = .027), DST-backward (P = .002), and ST-word (P = .025) scores were observed between the 2 groups. Performance speed on the TMT-A was faster in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CMDT group. Moreover, DST-forward and DST-backward scores were higher in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CDMT group. Although ST-color results were similar in the 2 groups, ST-word scores were higher in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CMDT group. This finding indicates that the combined therapy CMDT and AMST can be used to increase attention, memory, and executive function for people with stroke.

Location of the ischemic focus in rehabilitated stroke patients with impairment of executive functions.

PubMed

Jankowska, Agnieszka M; Klimkiewicz, Robert; Kubsik, Anna; Klimkiewicz, Paulina; Śmigielski, Janusz; Woldańska-Okońska, Marta

2017-08-01

Executive dysfunctions are part of the clinical symptoms of a stroke and can inhibit the process of rehabilitation. Patients with impaired executive functions may manifest aggression, impulsiveness, impaired thinking and planning. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the ischemic focus location on the effectiveness of physiotherapy in improving the executive functions in patients after stroke. Ninety patients after unilateral ischemic cerebral stroke were studied. We studied 45 patients treated at the Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine of the WAM University Hospital of Lodz for 5 weeks. The rehabilitation program included: kinesitherapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, psychological consultations and psychotherapy. The control group consisted of patients who were waiting for admission to the Department of Rehabilitation. The patients in both groups were divided into three subgroups with different locations of stroke: front, back and subcortical. Executive functions were measured by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the trail making test (TMT - A, TMT - B), the verbal fluency test (VFT). Patients rehabilitated in the hospital with the front and subcortical lesion location reported improvement in executive functions in terms of a greater number of the analyzed indicators of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) than those with the back lesion location. Patients rehabilitated at home with the subcortical lesion location did not experience a significant improvement in executive functions in any of the analyzed indicators of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Most of the indicators, with the exception of the total errors of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and TMT B, have not been modified by the location of stroke. Executive dysfunction occurs not only in patients with an anterior location of the stroke, but also in the posterior and subcortical locations. Patients with a subcortical location of the stroke require more treatment to mitigate the dysfunction.

Cognitive switching processes in young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Oades, Robert D; Christiansen, Hanna

2008-01-01

Patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be slow at switching between stimuli, or between sets of stimuli to control behaviour appropriate to changing situations. We examined clinical and experimental parameters that may influence the speed of such processes measured in the trail-making (TMT) and switch-tasks in cases with ADHD combined type, their non-affected siblings and unrelated healthy controls. The latency for completion of the trail-making task controlling for psychomotor processing (TMT-B-A) was longer for ADHD cases, and correlated with Conners' ratings of symptom severity across all subjects. The effect decreased with age. Switch-task responses to questions of "Which number?" and "How many?" between sets of 1/111 or 3/333 elicited differential increases in latency with condition that affected all groups. But there was evidence for increased symptom-related intra-individual variability among the ADHD cases, and across all subjects. Young siblings showed familiality for some measures of TMT and switch-task performance but these were modest. The potential influences of moderator variables on the efficiency of processing stimulus change rather than the speed of processing are discussed.

Microstructure control for high strength 9Cr ferritic-martensitic steels

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

Tan, Lizhen; Hoelzer, David T; Busby, Jeremy T

2012-01-01

Ferritic-martensitic (F-M) steels with 9 wt.%Cr are important structural materials for use in advanced nuclear reactors. Alloying composition adjustment, guided by computational thermodynamics, and thermomechanical treatment (TMT) were employed to develop high strength 9Cr F-M steels. Samples of four heats with controlled compositions were subjected to normalization and tempering (N&T) and TMT, respectively. Their mechanical properties were assessed by Vickers hardness and tensile testing. Ta-alloying showed significant strengthening effect. The TMT samples showed strength superior to the N&T samples with similar ductility. All the samples showed greater strength than NF616, which was either comparable to or greater than the literaturemore » data of the PM2000 oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) steel at temperatures up to 650 C without noticeable reduction in ductility. A variety of microstructural analyses together with computational thermodynamics provided rational interpretations on the strength enhancement. Creep tests are being initiated because the increased yield strength of the TMT samples is not able to deduce their long-term creep behavior.« less

Association of parent-child relationships and executive functioning in South Asian adolescents.

PubMed

Fatima, Shameem; Sheikh, Hamid; Ardila, Alfredo

2016-01-01

It is known that some environmental variables can significantly affect the development of executive functions (EF). The primary aim of this study was to analyze whether some family conditions, such as the adolescent's perception of the quality of parent-child relationships and the socioeconomic status (SES; assessed according to education, occupational status, and income) are significantly associated with EF test scores. There were 370 Pakistani participants ranging in age 13 to 19 years who were selected and then individually administered the following tests taken from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS): Trail Making Test (TMT), Design Fluency Test (DFT), Color Word Interference Test (CWIT), and Card Sorting Test (CST). In addition, a Parent-Child Relationship Scale (PCRS) also was administered. Results showed that perceived "neglect" in the PCRS was negatively associated with the 4 EF test scores. Parents' education and SES were positively associated with 3 EF measures: DFT, CWIT, and CST. Further correlational analyses revealed that inhibition (as measured with the CWIT) and problem-solving ability (as measured with the CST) were significantly associated with the perceived parent-child relationships. Some gender differences also were observed: males outperformed females on TMT, DFT, and CST, while females outperformed males in the CWIT. It was concluded that perceived parent-child relationships, SES, and parents' education are significantly associated with executive function test performance during adolescents. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Optimising mobility outcome measures in Huntington's disease.

PubMed

Busse, Monica; Quinn, Lori; Khalil, Hanan; McEwan, Kirsten

2014-01-01

Many of the performance-based mobility measures that are currently used in Huntington's disease (HD) were developed for assessment in other neurological conditions such as stroke. We aimed to assess the individual item-response of commonly used performance-based mobility measures, with a view to optimizing the scales for specific application in Huntington's Disease (HD). Data from a larger multicentre, observational study were used. Seventy-five people with HD (11 pre-manifest & 64 manifest) were assessed on the Six-Minute Walk Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, Timed "Up & Go" Test (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Physical Performance Test (PPT), Four Square Step Test, and Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT). The Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, Functional Assessment Scale and Total Functional Capacity scores were recorded, alongside cognitive measures. Standard regression analysis was used to assess predictive validity. Individual item responses were investigated using a sequence of approaches to allow for gradual removal of items and the subsequent creation of shortened versions. Psychometric properties (reliability and discriminant ability) of the shortened scales were assessed. TUG (β 0.46, CI 0.20-3.47), BBS (β -0.35, CI -2.10-0.14), and TMT (β -0.45, CI -3.14-0.64) were good disease-specific mobility measures. PPT was the best measure of functional performance (β 0.42, CI 0.00-0.43 for TFC & β 0.57 CI 0.15-0.81 for FAS). Shortened versions of BBS and TMT were developed based on item analysis. The resultant BBS and TMT shortened scales were reliable for use in manifest HD. ROC analysis showed that shortened scales were able to discriminate between manifest and pre-manifest disease states. Our data suggests that the PPT is appropriate as a general measure of function in individuals with HD, and we have identified shortened versions of the BBS and TMT that measure the unique gait and balance impairments in HD. These scales, alongside the TUG, may therefore be important measures to consider in future clinical trials.

A randomized, controlled, single-blind, 6-month pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of MS-Line!: a cognitive rehabilitation programme for patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Gich, Jordi; Freixanet, Jordi; García, Rafael; Vilanova, Joan Carles; Genís, David; Silva, Yolanda; Montalban, Xavier; Ramió-Torrentà, Lluís

2015-09-01

MS-Line! was created to provide an effective treatment for cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. To assess the efficacy of MS-Line!. A randomized, controlled, single-blind, 6-month pilot study. Patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (cognitive rehabilitation with the programme) or to a control group (no cognitive rehabilitation). Randomization was stratified by cognitive impairment level. Cognitive assessment included: selective reminding test, 10/36 spatial recall test (10/36 SPART), symbol digit modalities test, paced auditory serial addition test, word list generation (WLG), FAS test, subtests of WAIS-III, Boston naming test (BNT), and trail making test (TMT). Forty-three patients (22 in the experimental group, 21 in the control group) were analyzed. Covariance analysis showed significant differences in 10/36 SPART (P=0.0002), 10/36 SPART delayed recall (P=0.0021), WLG (P=0.0123), LNS (P=0.0413), BNT (P=0.0007) and TMT-A (P=0.010) scores between groups. The study showed a significant improvement related to learning and visual memory, executive functions, attention and information processing speed, and naming ability in those patients who received cognitive rehabilitation. The results suggest that MS-Line! is effective in improving cognitive impairment in MS patients. © The Author(s), 2015.

Relationships between balance and cognition in patients with subjective cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Tangen, Gro Gujord; Engedal, Knut; Bergland, Astrid; Moger, Tron Anders; Mengshoel, Anne Marit

2014-08-01

Balance impairments are common in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), but which aspects of balance are affected, at which stage of cognitive impairment, and their associations with cognitive domains remain unexplored. The aims of this study were: (1) to explore differences in balance abilities among patients with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild AD, and moderate AD and (2) to examine the relationship between the various aspects of balance and cognitive domains. This was a cross-sectional study. Home-dwelling patients with SCI or MCI (n=33), mild AD (n=99), and moderate AD (n=38) participated in this study. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest), comprising 6 subscales-"Biomechanical Constraints," "Stability Limits/Verticality," "Anticipatory Postural Adjustments," "Postural Responses," "Sensory Orientation," and "Stability in Gait"-was used to assess balance. Cognitive domains were assessed using the following measures: Mini-Mental Status Examination, Word-List Learning Test from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Verbal Fluency Test, Clock Drawing Test, and Trail Making Test, parts A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B, respectively). Two-way between-group analyses of variance, adjusted for age, were used to analyze differences among the groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the associations between balance and cognition. Differences were found between the groups on all BESTest subscales; the moderate AD group had the worst scores. The TMT-B (measuring executive function) was associated with all of the BESTest subscales after controlling for demographic factors. The cross-sectional design hampered interpretation of the development of balance impairments. The study findings indicate that all aspects of balance control deteriorate with increasing severity of cognitive impairment and that executive function plays an important role in balance control. Physical therapists should pay attention to these findings both in clinical practice and in future research. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

The Predictive Impact of Biological and Sociocultural Factors on Executive Processing: The Role of Age, Education, and Frequency of Reading and Writing Habits.

PubMed

Cotrena, Charles; Branco, Laura D; Cardoso, Caroline O; Wong, Cristina Elizabeth I; Fonseca, Rochele P

2016-01-01

Although the impact of education and age on executive functions (EF) has been widely studied, the influence of daily cognitive stimulation on EF has not been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the age, education, and frequency of reading and writing habits (FRWH) of healthy adults could predict their performance on measures of inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Inhibition speed, inhibitory control, and set shifting were assessed using speed, accuracy, and discrepancy scores on the Trail-Making Test (TMT) and Hayling Test. Demographic characteristics and the FRWH were assessed using specialized questionnaires. Regression analyses showed that age and the FRWH predicted speed and accuracy on the TMT. The FRWH predicted both speed and accuracy on the Hayling Test, for which speed and accuracy scores were also partly explained by age and education, respectively. Surprisingly, only the FRWH was associated with Hayling Test discrepancy scores, considered one of the purest EF measures. This highlights the importance of regular cognitive stimulation over the number of years of formal education on EF tasks. Further studies are required to investigate the role of the FRWH so as to better comprehend its relationship with EF and general cognition.

The impact of motivation on neuropsychological performance in sports-related mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Bailey, Christopher M; Echemendia, Ruben J; Arnett, Peter A

2006-07-01

The current project examined the impact of differential motivation on baseline versus post-mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) neuropsychological measures in athletes. Collegiate athletes were administered a neuropsychological battery prior to and post-MTBI. High Motivation at Baseline (HMB) and Suspect Motivation at Baseline (SMB) groups were established for each measure based on whether baseline performance fell +/- one or more standard deviations from the mean of the given measure. Greater improvement was expected in the SMB group than the HMB group given hypothesized differences in baseline motivation. In repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) that removed achievement performance, the SMB groups demonstrated greater improvement than the HMB groups for the Trail Making Test A & B (TMT-A & B), Digit Span, and Stroop-Color Word (Stroop-CW) tests. Also, the percentage of participants who improved according to reliable change indices was greater for the SMB groups on the TMT-A & B, Stroop-CW, and the Vigil. These findings are likely due to lower motivation in the SMB group for each test. However, results also suggest that some tests may be relatively unaffected by motivation. These data may have clinical implications and point to the need for better methods of identifying athletes with suspect motivation at baseline.

The Feasibility of Standardised Geriatric Assessment Tools and Physical Exercises in Frail Older Adults.

PubMed

Jadczak, A D; Mahajan, N; Visvanathan, R

2017-01-01

Geriatric assessment tools are applicable to the general geriatric population; however, their feasibility in frail older adults is yet to be determined. The study aimed to determine the feasibility of standardised geriatric assessment tools and physical exercises in hospitalised frail older adults. Various assessment tools including the FRAIL Screen, the Charlson Comorbidity Index, the SF-36, the Trail Making Test (TMT), the Rapid Cognitive Screen, the Self Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF) and the Lawton iADL as well as standard physical exercises were assessed using observational protocols. The FRAIL Screen, MNA-SF, Rapid Cognitive Screen, Lawton iADL and the physical exercises were deemed to be feasible with only minor comprehension, execution and safety issues. The TMT was not considered to be feasible and the SF-36 should be replaced by its shorter form, the SF-12. In order to ensure the validity of these findings a study with a larger sample size should be undertaken.

Failure to produce conditioning with low-dose trimethylthiazoline or cat feces as unconditioned stimuli.

PubMed

Blanchard, D Caroline; Markham, Chris; Yang, Mu; Hubbard, David; Madarang, Eric; Blanchard, Robert J

2003-04-01

Trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a derivative of fox feces, has been reported to fail to produce aversive conditioning as an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) when presented in large amounts (I. S. McGregor, L. Schrama, P. Ambermoon, & R. A. Dielenberg, 2002). Experiment I evaluated very low TMT levels that nonetheless produced defensive behaviors in rats during exposure. Although each level (0.01, 0.05, and 0.10 microl TMT) produced significant change in defensiveness, none resulted in significant changes the following day in the absence of TMT. Experiment 2 evaluated cat urine, cat feces, and cat fur/skin odor against a no-odor control. Urine produced no significant changes, but feces and fur/skin odors elicited virtually identical changes in defensive behaviors during exposure. When tested the next day in the absence of odor, the fur/skin odor-exposed group showed significant differences on the same behaviors as during exposure, but the feces-exposed group showed no differences on any measure. Results suggest that lack of conditioning to TMT may relate to the type of predator odor rather than the amount, predator species, or possible lack of odor components in TMT that are present in natural feces. Predator feces may also be less effective as a UCS because they are poorly predictive of the actual presence of the predator, suggesting the need for a reevaluation of UCS functions in aversive conditioning.

[Trail walking test for assessment of motor cognitive interference in older adults. Development and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the procedure].

PubMed

Schott, Nadja

2015-12-01

Activities of daily living (ADL), such as walking, often involve the added complexity of walking while doing other activities (i.e. dual task walking). A complex walking task may require a greater motor and mental capacity, resulting in decrements in gait performance not seen for simple walking tasks. The purpose of this study was to determine if the trail walking test (TWT), the mobile adaptation of the trail making test (TMT), could be a reliable and valid early detection tool to discriminate between non-fallers and fallers. This study examined dual task costs of a cognitive and a sensorimotor task (walking) in 94 older adults aged 50-81 years (average age M = 67.4 years, SD ± 7.34). Based on the idea of the paper and pencil TMT, participants walked along a fixed pathway (TWT-1), stepped on targets with increasing sequential numbers (i.e. 1, 2, 3, TWT-2), and increasing sequential numbers and letters (i.e. 1, A, 2, B, 3, C, TWT-3). The dual task costs were calculated for each task. Additionally, the following tests were conducted: TMT, block tapping test (BTT), timed up and go (TUG) test, 30s chair rising test, 10 m walking time test with and without head turns, German physical activity questionnaire (German PAQ-50 +) and the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC-D) scale. The TWT performance times as well as errors increased with increasing age. Reliability coefficients were high (interclass correlation ICC > 0.90). Correlations between the different TWT conditions and potential falls-related predictors were moderate to high (r = -0.430 to 0.699). Of the participants 34 % reported falling in the past year. The stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that the dual task costs for the numbers and letters (odds ratio OR 1.162, 95 % confidence interval CI 1.058-1.277, p = 0.002), the ABC-D (OR 0.767, 95 % CI 0.651-0.904, p = 0.002) and exercise (OR 1.027, 95 % CI 1.008-1.046, p = 0.006) were significantly related to falls and 91.6 % of cases were correctly classified. The results indicate that high-level cognitive processes interfere with automatic processes such as walking. The TWT which converts a relevant fall risk-associated standard neuropsychological test (TMT) with increasing cognitive load into a mobility task, was shown to be a feasible, reliable and valid tool for older adults to discriminate between non-fallers and fallers.

Electronystagmography outcome and neuropsychological findings in tinnitus patients.

PubMed

Jozefowicz-Korczynska, Magdalena; Ciechomska, Elzbieta Agata; Pajor, Anna Maria

2005-01-01

Because psychological aspects often are underscored in the generation of tinnitus, we assessed the neuropsychological status in our group of patients. We found an increased number of abnormal electronystagmography (ENG) recordings in tinnitus patients. The aim of this study was to compare the ENG outcome with the patients' neuropsychological status. We carried out the study on 69 subjects complaining of tinnitus and on 43 healthy persons. We performed clinical neurootological examinations and ENG tests on all patients. Neuropsychological evaluation was conducted by means of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) test, the Mini Mental Status (MMS) test, and the Trail-Making Test (TMT). In 46 patients (66.6%), we found abnormal ENG outcomes (central, 42%; peripheral, 13.0%; mixed, 11.6%). Neuropsychological tests revealed abnormal scores: for the BDI, 43.5% of patients; for the HAD-A, 72.5%; for the HAD-D, 47.8%; for the MMS, 27.5%; and for the TMT, 55.1%. We did not find correlation between the ENG outcomes and neuropsychological test scores. We did not find correlation between the overall ENG outcomes and neuropsychological test scores, with one exception; we found the occurrence of abnormal neuropsychological test scores and the ENG outcome indicating central vestibular dysfunction. Our study showed that despite a high frequency of vestibular system dysfunction signs and a high incidence of abnormal neuropsychological test scores in tinnitus patients, only one correlation existed between these two results.

Correlation between the Quality of Attention and Cognitive Competence with Motor Action in Stroke Patients.

PubMed

Arsic, S; Konstantinovic, Lj; Eminovic, F; Pavlovic, D; Popovic, M B; Arsic, V

2015-01-01

It is considered that cognitive function and attention could affect walking, motion control, and proper conduct during the walk. To determine whether there is a difference in the quality of attention and cognitive ability in stroke patients and patients without neurological damage of similar age and education and to determine whether the connection of attention and cognition affects motor skills, the sample consisted of 50 stroke patients tested with hemiparesis, involved in the process of rehabilitation, and 50 persons, randomly chosen, without neurological damage. The survey used the following tests: Trail Making (TMT A B) test for assessing the flexibility of attention; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive status; Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) test to assess the functional status and parameters of walk: speed, frequency, and length of stride; STEP test for assessing the precision of movement and balance. With stroke patients, relationship between age and performance on the MMSE test was marginally significant. The ratio of performance to TMT A B test and years does not indicate statistical significance, while statistical significance between the MMSE test performance and education exists. In stroke patients, performance on MMSE test is correlated with the frequency and length of stride walk. The quality of cognitive function and attention is associated with motor skills but differs in stroke patients and people without neurological damage of similar age. The significance of this correlation can supplement research in neurorehabilitation, improve the quality of medical rehabilitation, and contribute to efficient recovery of these patients.

The effects of measurement site and ambient temperature on body temperature values in healthy older adults: a cross-sectional comparative study.

PubMed

Lu, Shu-Hua; Dai, Yu-Tzu; Yen, Chung-Jen

2009-11-01

Accurate baseline body temperature measurement is essential for assessment. Tympanic membrane temperature (TMT) measurement is popular, but there is no consensus on whether it is as accurate as oral temperature (OT) for use with the elderly at varying ambient temperature levels. To test agreement between TMT and OT measurement of body temperature among an elderly population; and to explore whether agreement between the two sites depends on ambient temperature. A cross-sectional comparison study. Two samples of older community-dwelling adults were recruited from 17 community senior citizen centers in Taipei, Taiwan in winter (n=262) and summer (n=257) of 2007. TMT and OT were simultaneously measured by electronic infrared ear thermometer and electronic digital thermometer. Ambient temperatures measured by digital thermo-hygrometer of the data collection setting were recorded when body temperature was taken. In winter mean TMT was 36.64 degrees C (S.D. 0.37), and mean OT was 36.74 degrees C (S.D. 0.18). In summer, the mean TMT was 37.05 degrees C (S.D. 0.30) and mean OT was 36.85 degrees C (S.D. 0.22). The relationship between TMT and OT were r=0.42 (p<0.001) in winter and r=0.57 (p<0.001) in summer. The values of OT were used as standard to assess the accuracy of the measurement. The bias between TMT and OT was -0.10 degrees C (S.D. 0.34) and 95% limits of agreement were 0.57 and -0.77 degrees C in winter; and bias was 0.20 degrees C (S.D. 0.25) and 95% limits of agreement were 0.69 and -0.29 degrees C in summer. The findings of this study demonstrate that the TMT has high variability that may under or over estimate body temperatures. There is a lack of agreement in body temperatures values between TMT and OT in community-dwelling elderly in both winter and summer. OT was more stable than TMT regardless of ambient temperature influences. Therefore, the oral cavity is preferable to the TM site for temperature measurement in alert elderly. The limitation of this study is that hospitalized patients who are most likely to need temperature measurement are not included in this study.

Boswellic Acid Improves Cognitive Function in a Rat Model Through Its Antioxidant Activity

PubMed Central

Ebrahimpour, Saeedeh; Fazeli, Mehdi; Mehri, Soghra; Taherianfard, Mahnaz; Hosseinzadeh, Hossein

2017-01-01

Objectives: Boswellic acid (BA), a compound isolated from the gum-resin of Boswellia carterii, is a pentacyclic terpenoid that is active against many inflammatory diseases, including cancer, arthritis, chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and memory impairment, but the mechanism is poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of boswellic acid on spatial learning and memory impairment induced by trimethyltin (TMT) in Wistar rats. Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: Normal group, TMT-administrated rats (8.0 mg/kg, Intraperitoneally, i.p.) and TMT + BA (40, 80 and 160 mg/kg, i.p.)-administrated rats. BA was used daily for 21 days. To evaluate the cognitive improving of BA, we performed the Morris water maze test. Moreover, to investigate the neuroprotective effect of BA, we determined the acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, the malondialdehyde (MDA) level as a marker of lipid peroxidation, and the glutathione (GSH) content in the cerebral cortex. Results: Treatment with TMT impaired learning and memory, and treatment with BA at a dose of 160 mg/kg produced a significant improvement in learning and memory abilities in the water maze tasks. Consistent with behavioral data, the activity of AChE was significantly increased in the TMT-injected rats compared to the control group (P < 0.01) whereas all groups treated with BA presented a more significant inhibitory effect against AChE than the TMT-injected animals. In addition, TMT reduced the GSH content and increased the MDA level in the cerebral cortex as compared to the control group) P < 0.01). On the other hand, treatment with BA at 160 mg/kg slightly increased the GSH content and reduced the MDA level in comparison to the TMT-administered group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The above results suggest that the effect of BA in improving the cognitive function may be mediated through its antioxidant activity. PMID:28392957

Executive Functions as Predictors of School Performance and Social Relationships: Primary and Secondary School Students.

PubMed

Zorza, Juan Pablo; Marino, Julián; Acosta Mesas, Alberto

2016-05-12

This study examined the relationship between executive functions (EFs) and school performance in primary and secondary school students aged 8 to 13 years (N = 146, M = 10.4, 45.8% girls). EFs were evaluated using the Trail Making Test (TMT), Verbal Fluency (VF), and the Stroop Test. Students' GPAs and teachers' assessment of academic skills were used to measure school performance. To evaluate the students' social behavior, participants were asked to rate all their classmates' prosocial behavior and nominate three students with whom they preferred to do school activities; teachers also provided evaluations of students' social skills. EF measures explained 41% (p = .003, f 2 = .694) of variability in school performance and 29% (p = .005, f 2 = .401) of variance in social behavior in primary school students. The predictive power of EFs was found to be lower for secondary school students, although the TMT showed significant prediction and explained 13% (p = .004, f 2 = .149) of variance in school performance and 15% (p = .008, f 2 = .176) in peer ratings of prosocial behavior. This paper discusses the relevance of EFs in the school environment and their different predictive power in primary and secondary school students.

Is impaired set-shifting a feature of "pure" anorexia nervosa? Investigating the role of depression in set-shifting ability in anorexia nervosa and unipolar depression.

PubMed

Giel, Katrin E; Wittorf, Andreas; Wolkenstein, Larissa; Klingberg, Stefan; Drimmer, Eyal; Schönenberg, Michael; Rapp, Alexander M; Fallgatter, Andreas J; Hautzinger, Martin; Zipfel, Stephan

2012-12-30

Impaired set-shifting has been reported in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and in patients with affective disorders, including major depression. Due to the prevalent comorbidity of major depression in AN, this study aimed to examine the role of depression in set-shifting ability. Fifteen patients with AN without a current comorbid depression, 20 patients with unipolar depression (UD) and 35 healthy control participants were assessed using the Trail Making Test (TMT), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and a Parametric Go/No-Go Test (PGNG). Set-shifting ability was intact in patients with AN without a comorbid depression. However, patients with UD performed significantly poorer in all three tasks compared to AN patients and in the TMT compared to healthy control participants. In both patient groups, set-shifting ability was moderately negatively correlated with severity of depressive symptoms, but was unrelated to BMI and severity of eating disorder symptoms in AN patients. Our results suggest a pivotal role of comorbidity for neuropsychological functioning in AN. Impairments of set-shifting ability in AN patients may have been overrated and may partly be due to comorbid depressive disorders in investigated patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with quetiapine in treating bipolar II depression: a randomized, double-blinded, control study.

PubMed

Hu, Shao-Hua; Lai, Jian-Bo; Xu, Dong-Rong; Qi, Hong-Li; Peterson, Bradley S; Bao, Ai-Min; Hu, Chan-Chan; Huang, Man-Li; Chen, Jing-Kai; Wei, Ning; Hu, Jian-Bo; Li, Shu-Lan; Zhou, Wei-Hua; Xu, Wei-Juan; Xu, Yi

2016-07-27

The clinical and cognitive responses to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in bipolar II depressed patients remain unclear. In this study, thirty-eight bipolar II depressed patients were randomly assigned into three groups: (i) left high-frequency (n = 12), (ii) right low-frequency (n = 13), (iii) sham stimulation (n = 13), and underwent four-week rTMS with quetiapine concomitantly. Clinical efficacy was evaluated at baseline and weekly intervals using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Cognitive functioning was assessed before and after the study with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop Word-Color Interference Test (Stroop), and Trail Making Test (TMT). Thirty-five patients were included in the final analysis. Overall, the mean scores of both the HDRS-17 and the MADRS significantly decreased over the 4-week trial, which did not differ among the three groups. Exploratory analyses revealed no differences in factor scores of HDRS-17s, or in response or remission rates. Scores of WCST, Stroop, or TMT did not differ across the three groups. These findings indicated active rTMS combined with quetiapine was not superior to quetiapine monotherapy in improving depressive symptoms or cognitive performance in patients with bipolar II depression.

Of pheromones and kairomones: what receptors mediate innate emotional responses?

PubMed

Fortes-Marco, Lluis; Lanuza, Enrique; Martinez-Garcia, Fernando

2013-09-01

Some chemicals elicit innate emotionally laden behavioral responses. Pheromones mediate sexual attraction, parental care or agonistic confrontation, whereas predators' kairomones elicit defensive behaviors in their preys. This essay explores the hypothesis that the detection of these semiochemicals relies on highly specific olfactory and/or vomeronasal receptors. The V1R, V2R, and formyl-peptide vomeronasal receptors bind their ligands in highly specific and sensitive way, thus being good candidates for pheromone- or kairomone-detectors (e.g., secreted and excreted proteins, peptides and lipophilic volatiles). The olfactory epithelium also expresses specific receptors, for example trace amine-associated receptors (TAAR) and guanylyl cyclase receptors (GC-D and other types), some of which bind kairomones and putative pheromones. However, most of the olfactory neurons express canonical olfactory receptors (ORs) that bind many ligands with different affinity, being not suitable for mediating responses to pheromones and kairomones. In this respect, trimethylthiazoline (TMT) is considered a fox-derived kairomone for mice and rats, but it seems to be detected by canonical ORs. Therefore, we have reassessed the kairomonal nature of TMT by analyzing the behavioral responses of outbred (CD1) and inbred mice (C57BL/J6) to TMT. Our results confirm that both mouse strains avoid TMT, which increases immobility in C57BL/J6, but not CD1 mice. However, mice of both strains sniff at TMT throughout the test and show no trace of TMT-induced contextual conditioning (immobility or avoidance). This suggests that TMT is not a kairomone but, similar to a loud noise, in high concentrations it induces aversion and stress as unspecific responses to a strong olfactory stimulation. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Plasma free choline, betaine and cognitive performance: the Hordaland Health Study.

PubMed

Nurk, Eha; Refsum, Helga; Bjelland, Ingvar; Drevon, Christian A; Tell, Grethe S; Ueland, Per M; Vollset, Stein E; Engedal, Knut; Nygaard, Harald A; Smith, David A

2013-02-14

Choline and betaine are nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism. Choline is essential for neurodevelopment and brain function. We studied the associations between cognitive function and plasma concentrations of free choline and betaine. In a cross-sectional study, 2195 subjects (55 % women), aged 70-74 years, underwent extensive cognitive testing including the Kendrick Object Learning Test (KOLT), Trail Making Test (part A, TMT-A), modified versions of the Digit Symbol Test (m-DST), Block Design (m-BD), Mini-Mental State Examination (m-MMSE) and Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Compared with low concentrations, high choline (>8·4 μmol/l) was associated with better test scores in the TMT-A (56·0 v. 61·5, P=0·004), m-DST (10·5 v. 9·8, P=0·005) and m-MMSE (11·5 v. 11·4, P=0·01). A generalised additive regression model showed a positive dose-response relationship between the m-MMSE and choline (P=0·012 from a corresponding linear regression model). Betaine was associated with the KOLT, TMT-A and COWAT, but after adjustments for potential confounders, the associations lost significance. Risk ratios (RR) for poor test performance roughly tripled when low choline was combined with either low plasma vitamin B₁₂ (≤257 pmol/l) concentrations (RR(KOLT)=2·6, 95 % CI 1·1, 6·1; RR(m-MMSE)=2·7, 95 % CI 1·1, 6·6; RR(COWAT)=3·1, 95 % CI 1·4, 7·2) or high methylmalonic acid (MMA) (≥3·95 μmol/l) concentrations (RR(m-BD)=2·8, 95 % CI 1·3, 6·1). Low betaine (≤31·1 μmol/l) combined with high MMA was associated with elevated RR on KOLT (RR(KOLT)=2·5, 95 % CI 1·0, 6·2). Low plasma free choline concentrations are associated with poor cognitive performance. There were significant interactions between low choline or betaine and low vitamin B₁₂ or high MMA on cognitive performance.

Cognitive control deficit in patients with first-episode schizophrenia is associated with complex deviations of early brain development.

PubMed

Gay, Olivier; Plaze, Marion; Oppenheim, Catherine; Gaillard, Raphael; Olié, Jean-Pierre; Krebs, Marie-Odile; Cachia, Arnaud

2017-03-01

Several clinical and radiological markers of early neurodevelopmental deviations have been independently associated with cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. The aim of our study was to test the cumulative and/or interactive effects of these early neurodevelopmental factors on cognitive control (CC) deficit, a core feature of schizophrenia. We recruited patients with first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, who underwent structural MRI. We evaluated CC efficiency using the Trail Making Test (TMT). Several markers of early brain development were measured: neurological soft signs (NSS), handedness, sulcal pattern of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and ventricle enlargement. We included 41 patients with schizophrenia in our analysis, which revealed a main effect of ACC morphology ( p = 0.041) as well as interactions between NSS and ACC morphology ( p = 0.005), between NSS and handedness ( p = 0.044) and between ACC morphology and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume ( p = 0.005) on CC measured using the TMT-B score - the TMT-A score. No 3- or 4-way interactions were detected between the 4 neurodevelopmental factors. The sample size was clearly adapted to detect main effects and 2-way interactions, but may have limited the statistical power to investigate higher-order interactions. The effects of treatment and illness duration were limited as the study design involved only patients with first-episode psychosis. To our knowledge, our study provides the first evidence of cumulative and interactive effects of different neurodevelopmental markers on CC efficiency in patients with schizophrenia. Such findings, in line with the neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia, support the notion that CC impairments in patients with schizophrenia may be the final common pathway of several early neurodevelopmental mechanisms.

Cognitive control deficit in patients with first-episode schizophrenia is associated with complex deviations of early brain development

PubMed Central

Gay, Olivier; Plaze, Marion; Oppenheim, Catherine; Gaillard, Raphael; Olié, Jean-Pierre; Krebs, Marie-Odile; Cachia, Arnaud

2017-01-01

Background Several clinical and radiological markers of early neurodevelopmental deviations have been independently associated with cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. The aim of our study was to test the cumulative and/or interactive effects of these early neurodevelopmental factors on cognitive control (CC) deficit, a core feature of schizophrenia. Methods We recruited patients with first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, who underwent structural MRI. We evaluated CC efficiency using the Trail Making Test (TMT). Several markers of early brain development were measured: neurological soft signs (NSS), handedness, sulcal pattern of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and ventricle enlargement. Results We included 41 patients with schizophrenia in our analysis, which revealed a main effect of ACC morphology (p = 0.041) as well as interactions between NSS and ACC morphology (p = 0.005), between NSS and handedness (p = 0.044) and between ACC morphology and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume (p = 0.005) on CC measured using the TMT-B score – the TMT-A score. Limitations No 3- or 4-way interactions were detected between the 4 neurodevelopmental factors. The sample size was clearly adapted to detect main effects and 2-way interactions, but may have limited the statistical power to investigate higher-order interactions. The effects of treatment and illness duration were limited as the study design involved only patients with first-episode psychosis. Conclusion To our knowledge, our study provides the first evidence of cumulative and interactive effects of different neurodevelopmental markers on CC efficiency in patients with schizophrenia. Such findings, in line with the neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia, support the notion that CC impairments in patients with schizophrenia may be the final common pathway of several early neurodevelopmental mechanisms. PMID:28245174

Meditation and Music Improve Memory and Cognitive Function in Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Innes, Kim E; Selfe, Terry Kit; Khalsa, Dharma Singh; Kandati, Sahiti

2017-01-01

While effective therapies for preventing or slowing cognitive decline in at-risk populations remain elusive, evidence suggests mind-body interventions may hold promise. In this study, we assessed the effects of Kirtan Kriya meditation (KK) and music listening (ML) on cognitive outcomes in adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a strong predictor of Alzheimer's disease. Sixty participants with SCD were randomized to a KK or ML program and asked to practice 12 minutes/day for 3 months, then at their discretion for the ensuing 3 months. At baseline, 3 months, and 6 months we measured memory and cognitive functioning [Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ), Trail-making Test (TMT-A/B), and Digit-Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)]. The 6-month study was completed by 53 participants (88%). Participants performed an average of 93% (91% KK, 94% ML) of sessions in the first 3 months, and 71% (68% KK, 74% ML) during the 3-month, practice-optional, follow-up period. Both groups showed marked and significant improvements at 3 months in memory and cognitive performance (MFQ, DSST, TMT-A/B; p's≤0.04). At 6 months, overall gains were maintained or improved (p's≤0.006), with effect sizes ranging from medium (DSST, ML group) to large (DSST, KK group; TMT-A/B, MFQ). Changes were unrelated to treatment expectancies and did not differ by age, gender, baseline cognition scores, or other factors. Findings of this preliminary randomized controlled trial suggest practice of meditation or ML can significantly enhance both subjective memory function and objective cognitive performance in adults with SCD, and may offer promise for improving outcomes in this population.

Avoidance and contextual learning induced by a kairomone, a pheromone and a common odorant in female CD1 mice.

PubMed

Fortes-Marco, Lluís; Lanuza, Enrique; Martínez-García, Fernando; Agustín-Pavón, Carmen

2015-01-01

Chemosignals mediate both intra- and inter-specific communication in most mammals. Pheromones elicit stereotyped reactions in conspecifics, whereas kairomones provoke a reaction in an allospecific animal. For instance, predator kairomones elicit anticipated defensive responses in preys. The aim of this work was to test the behavioral responses of female mice to two chemosignals: 2-heptanone (2-HP), a putative alarm pheromone, and 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a fox-derived putative kairomone, widely used to investigate fear and anxiety in rodents. The banana-like odorant isoamyl acetate (IA), unlikely to act as a chemosignal, served as a control odorant. We first presented increasing amounts of these odorants in consecutive days, in a test box in which mice could explore or avoid them. Female mice avoided the highest amounts of all three compounds, with TMT and IA eliciting avoidance at lower amounts (3.8 pmol and 0.35 μmol, respectively) than 2-HP (35 μmol). All three compounds induced minimal effects in global locomotion and immobility in this set up. Further, mice detected 3.5 pmol of TMT and IA in a habituation-dishabituation test, so avoidance of IA started well beyond the detection threshold. Finally, both TMT and IA, but not 2-HP, induced conditioned place avoidance and increased immobility in the neutral compartment during a contextual memory test. These data suggest that intense odors can induce contextual learning irrespective of their putative biological significance. Our results support that synthetic predator-related compounds (like TMT) or other intense odorants are useful to investigate the neurobiological basis of emotional behaviors in rodents. Since intense odorants unlikely to act as chemosignals can elicit similar behavioral reactions than chemosignals, we stress the importance of using behavioral measures in combination with other physiological (e.g., hormonal levels) or neural measures (e.g., immediate early gene expression) to establish the ethological significance of odorants.

Avoidance and contextual learning induced by a kairomone, a pheromone and a common odorant in female CD1 mice

PubMed Central

Fortes-Marco, Lluís; Lanuza, Enrique; Martínez-García, Fernando; Agustín-Pavón, Carmen

2015-01-01

Chemosignals mediate both intra- and inter-specific communication in most mammals. Pheromones elicit stereotyped reactions in conspecifics, whereas kairomones provoke a reaction in an allospecific animal. For instance, predator kairomones elicit anticipated defensive responses in preys. The aim of this work was to test the behavioral responses of female mice to two chemosignals: 2-heptanone (2-HP), a putative alarm pheromone, and 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a fox-derived putative kairomone, widely used to investigate fear and anxiety in rodents. The banana-like odorant isoamyl acetate (IA), unlikely to act as a chemosignal, served as a control odorant. We first presented increasing amounts of these odorants in consecutive days, in a test box in which mice could explore or avoid them. Female mice avoided the highest amounts of all three compounds, with TMT and IA eliciting avoidance at lower amounts (3.8 pmol and 0.35 μmol, respectively) than 2-HP (35 μmol). All three compounds induced minimal effects in global locomotion and immobility in this set up. Further, mice detected 3.5 pmol of TMT and IA in a habituation–dishabituation test, so avoidance of IA started well beyond the detection threshold. Finally, both TMT and IA, but not 2-HP, induced conditioned place avoidance and increased immobility in the neutral compartment during a contextual memory test. These data suggest that intense odors can induce contextual learning irrespective of their putative biological significance. Our results support that synthetic predator-related compounds (like TMT) or other intense odorants are useful to investigate the neurobiological basis of emotional behaviors in rodents. Since intense odorants unlikely to act as chemosignals can elicit similar behavioral reactions than chemosignals, we stress the importance of using behavioral measures in combination with other physiological (e.g., hormonal levels) or neural measures (e.g., immediate early gene expression) to establish the ethological significance of odorants. PMID:26500474

Improvement of n-butanol tolerance in Escherichia coli by membrane-targeted tilapia metallothionein

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Though n-butanol has been proposed as a potential transportation biofuel, its toxicity often causes oxidative stress in the host microorganism and is considered one of the bottlenecks preventing its efficient mass production. Results To relieve the oxidative stress in the host cell, metallothioneins (MTs), which are known as scavengers for reactive oxygen species (ROS), were engineered in E. coli hosts for both cytosolic and outer-membrane-targeted (osmoregulatory membrane protein OmpC fused) expression. Metallothioneins from human (HMT), mouse (MMT), and tilapia fish (TMT) were tested. The host strain expressing membrane-targeted TMT showed the greatest ability to reduce oxidative stresses induced by n-butanol, ethanol, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, and nickel. The same strain also allowed for an increased growth rate of recombinant E. coli under n-butanol stress. Further experiments indicated that the TMT-fused OmpC protein could not only function in ROS scavenging but also regulate either glycine betaine (GB) or glucose uptake via osmosis, and the dual functional fusion protein could contribute in an enhancement of the host microorganism’s growth rate. Conclusions The abilities of scavenging intracellular or extracellular ROS by these engineering E. coli were examined, and TMT show the best ability among three MTs. Additionally, the membrane-targeted fusion protein, OmpC-TMT, improved host tolerance up to 1.5% n-butanol above that of TMT which is only 1%. These results presented indicate potential novel approaches for engineering stress tolerant microorganism strains. PMID:24020941

Improvement of n-butanol tolerance in Escherichia coli by membrane-targeted tilapia metallothionein.

PubMed

Chin, Wei-Chih; Lin, Kuo-Hsing; Chang, Jui-Jen; Huang, Chieh-Chen

2013-09-11

Though n-butanol has been proposed as a potential transportation biofuel, its toxicity often causes oxidative stress in the host microorganism and is considered one of the bottlenecks preventing its efficient mass production. To relieve the oxidative stress in the host cell, metallothioneins (MTs), which are known as scavengers for reactive oxygen species (ROS), were engineered in E. coli hosts for both cytosolic and outer-membrane-targeted (osmoregulatory membrane protein OmpC fused) expression. Metallothioneins from human (HMT), mouse (MMT), and tilapia fish (TMT) were tested. The host strain expressing membrane-targeted TMT showed the greatest ability to reduce oxidative stresses induced by n-butanol, ethanol, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, and nickel. The same strain also allowed for an increased growth rate of recombinant E. coli under n-butanol stress. Further experiments indicated that the TMT-fused OmpC protein could not only function in ROS scavenging but also regulate either glycine betaine (GB) or glucose uptake via osmosis, and the dual functional fusion protein could contribute in an enhancement of the host microorganism's growth rate. The abilities of scavenging intracellular or extracellular ROS by these engineering E. coli were examined, and TMT show the best ability among three MTs. Additionally, the membrane-targeted fusion protein, OmpC-TMT, improved host tolerance up to 1.5% n-butanol above that of TMT which is only 1%. These results presented indicate potential novel approaches for engineering stress tolerant microorganism strains.

Microstructure and properties of thermomechanically strengthened reinforcement bars: A comparative assessment of plain-carbon and low-alloy steel grades

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

Ray, A.; Mukerjee, D.; Sen, S.K.

1997-06-01

An extensive investigation has been carried out to study structure-property characteristics and corrosion behavior in three varieties of thermomechanically treated (TMT) reinforcement bars (rebars) produced in an integrated steel plant under the Steel Authority of India Limited. Three experimental steel heats--one of plain-carbon and two of low-alloy chemistry--were chosen for the study. Of the two low-alloy heats, one was copper-bearing and the other contained both copper and chromium for improved corrosion resistance. Hot-rolled bars for each specific chemistry were subjected to in-line thermomechanical treatment, where quenching parameters were altered to achieve different yield strength levels. All the TMT rebars, regardlessmore » of chemistry and strength level, exhibited a composite microstructure consisting of ferrite-pearlite at the core and tempered martensite at the rim. Although a tendency toward formation of Widmanstaetten ferrite was evident in bars of 500 and 550 MPa yield strength levels, no adverse effect on their strength and ductility was observed. From the standpoint of mechanical properties, the rebars not only conformed to minimum yield strength requirements, but also exhibited high elongation values (21 to 28%) and excellent bendability. Corrosion studies of both TMT and cold-twisted and deformed (CTD) rebars subjected to different laboratory tests indicated that corrosion resistance increased in this order: CTD, plain-carbon TMT, copper-bearing TMT, and copper/chromium-bearing TMT.« less

White matter tracts associated with set-shifting in healthy aging.

PubMed

Perry, Michele E; McDonald, Carrie R; Hagler, Donald J; Gharapetian, Lusineh; Kuperman, Joshua M; Koyama, Alain K; Dale, Anders M; McEvoy, Linda K

2009-11-01

Attentional set-shifting ability, commonly assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT), decreases with increasing age in adults. Since set-shifting performance relies on activity in widespread brain regions, deterioration of the white matter tracts that connect these regions may underlie the age-related decrease in performance. We used an automated fiber tracking method to investigate the relationship between white matter integrity in several cortical association tracts and TMT performance in a sample of 24 healthy adults, 21-80 years. Diffusion tensor images were used to compute average fractional anisotropy (FA) for five cortical association tracts, the corpus callosum (CC), and the corticospinal tract (CST), which served as a control. Results showed that advancing age was associated with declines in set-shifting performance and with decreased FA in the CC and in association tracts that connect frontal cortex to more posterior brain regions, including the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Declines in average FA in these tracts, and in average FA of the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), were associated with increased time to completion on the set-shifting subtask of the TMT but not with the simple sequencing subtask. FA values in these tracts were strong mediators of the effect of age on set-shifting performance. Automated tractography methods can enhance our understanding of the fiber systems involved in performance of specific cognitive tasks and of the functional consequences of age-related changes in those systems.

Quantitative electroencephalographic and neuropsychological investigation of an alternative measure of frontal lobe executive functions: the Figure Trail Making Test.

PubMed

Foster, Paul S; Drago, Valeria; Ferguson, Brad J; Harrison, Patti Kelly; Harrison, David W

2015-12-01

The most frequently used measures of executive functioning are either sensitive to left frontal lobe functioning or bilateral frontal functioning. Relatively little is known about right frontal lobe contributions to executive functioning given the paucity of measures sensitive to right frontal functioning. The present investigation reports the development and initial validation of a new measure designed to be sensitive to right frontal lobe functioning, the Figure Trail Making Test (FTMT). The FTMT, the classic Trial Making Test, and the Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT) were administered to 42 right-handed men. The results indicated a significant relationship between the FTMT and both the TMT and the RFFT. Performance on the FTMT was also related to high beta EEG over the right frontal lobe. Thus, the FTMT appears to be an equivalent measure of executive functioning that may be sensitive to right frontal lobe functioning. Applications for use in frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other patient populations are discussed.

Decreased Serum IGF-1/IGFBP-3 Molar Ratio is Associated with Executive Function Behaviors in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Huang, Rong; Wang, Pin; Han, Jing; Xia, Wenqing; Cai, Rongrong; Sun, Haixia; Sun, Jie; Wang, Shaohua

2015-01-01

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, through insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway, is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer's disease. This study aimed to assess the association of serum IGF-1 and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 levels with cognition status and to determine whether IGF-1 rs972936 polymorphism is associated with T2DM with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of 150 T2DM patients, 75 satisfying the MCI diagnostic criteria and 75 exhibiting healthy cognition, were enrolled in this study. The cognitive function of the subjects was extensively assessed. Serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were measured through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio was calculated. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of the IGF-1-(rs972936) gene were analyzed. Serum IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio in MCI patients was significantly lower than that in the control group (p = 0.003). Significant negative correlations were found between IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio and Trail Making Test A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B) scores (p = 0.003; p <  0.001, respectively), which indicated executive function. Further multiple step-wise regression analysis revealed that the TMT-A or TMT-B score was significantly associated only with serum IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio (p = 0.016; p <  0.001, respectively). No significant difference was found in the genotype or allele distribution of IGF-1 rs972936 polymorphism between MCI and control groups. A low serum IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio is associated with the pathogenesis of MCI, particularly executive function in T2DM populations. Further investigation with a large population size should be conducted to confirm this observed association.

TMT in the Astronomical Landscape of the 2020s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Mark; Inami, Hanae

2014-07-01

Thirty Meter Telescope Observatory and NOAO will host the second TMT Science Forum at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. The TMT Science Forum is an an annual gathering of astronomers, educators, and observatory staff, who meet to explore TMT science, instrumentation, observatory operations, archiving and data processing, astronomy education, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) issues. It is an opportunity for astronomers from the international TMT partners and from the US-at-large community to learn about the observatory status, discuss and plan cutting-edge science, establish collaborations, and to help shape the future of TMT. One important theme for this year's Forum will be the synergy between TMT and other facilities in the post-2020 astronomical landscape. There will be plenary sessions, an instrumentation workshop, topical science sessions and meetings of the TMT International Science Development Teams (ISDTs).

The relative temporal sequence of decline in mobility and cognition among initially unimpaired older adults: Results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

PubMed

Tian, Qu; An, Yang; Resnick, Susan M; Studenski, Stephanie

2017-05-01

most older individuals who experience mobility decline, also show cognitive decline, but whether cognitive decline precedes or follows mobility limitation is not well understood. examine the temporal sequence of mobility and cognition among initially unimpaired older adults. mobility and cognition were assessed every 2 years for 6 years in 412 participants aged ≥60 with initially unimpaired cognition and gait speed. Using autoregressive models, accounting for the dependent variable from the prior assessment, baseline age, sex, body mass index and education, we examine the temporal sequence of change in mobility (6 m usual gait speed, 400 m fast walk time) and executive function (visuoperceptual speed: Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST); cognitive flexibility: Trail Making Test part B (TMT-B)) or memory (California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) immediate, short-delay, long-delay). there was a bidirectional relationship over time between slower usual gait speed and both poorer DSST and TMT-B scores (Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.005). In contrast, slower 400 m fast walk time predicted subsequent poorer DSST, TMT-B, CVLT immediate recall and CVLT short-delay scores (P < 0.005), while these measures did not predict subsequent 400 m fast walk time (P > 0.005). among initially unimpaired older adults, the temporal relationship between usual gait speed and executive function is bidirectional, with each predicting change in the other, while poor fast walking performance predicts future executive function and memory changes but not vice versa. Challenging tasks like the 400 m walk appear superior to usual gait speed for predicting executive function and memory change in unimpaired older adults. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

[Possibilities of transcranial magnetic therapy and color and rhythm therapy in rehabilitation of ischemic stroke].

PubMed

Sholomov, I I; Cherevashchenko, L A; Suprunov, O V; Raĭgorondskiĭ, Iu M

2009-01-01

One hundred and sixteen post-stroke patients were studied in the early rehabilitation period. All patients were divided into 4 groups: 3 main and 1 control groups. Three main groups (87 patients) received transcranial magnetic therapy (TMT) and/or color and rhythm therapy (CRT) along with traditional treatment and the control group (29 patients) received only basic therapy. TMT was conducted using bitemporal technique, running regime with modulation frequency 1-10 Hz. In CRT, the alternating stimulation of the right and left eye with green and/or blue color with a period of 2-4 s and duration of luminescence 1s was applied. Each of 3 main groups received 2 treatment sessions with an interval of 1,5 month (1st - TMT, 2nd - CRT, 3rd - TMT + CRT). After the treatment, the marked positive changes were seen in all main groups, in particular in group 3. The improvement of neurologic symptoms on the B. Lindmark scale was higher by 9,5% in group 3 compared to the control one, on the Barthel index - by 8,8%, on MMSE and A. Luria and Schulte test - by 5,4 and 14,3%, respectively. Rheographic and encephalographic study revealed the significant improvement of hemodynamics and alpha-rhythm differentiation, decrease of patients with dysrhythmia by 14,6% in group 3 as compared to the control group. The best results were seen in the combination of TMT and CRT, TMT exerted a higher effect on the hemodynamics and CRT - on the psychoemotional state. Both therapies were well tolerated and had no side-effects.

DriveSafe and DriveAware Assessment Tools Are a Measure of Driving-Related Function and Predicts Self-Reported Restriction for Older Drivers.

PubMed

Allan, Claire; Coxon, Kristy; Bundy, Anita; Peattie, Laura; Keay, Lisa

2016-06-01

Safety concerns together with aging of the driving population has prompted research into clinic-based driving assessments. This study investigates the relationship between the DriveSafe and DriveAware assessments and restriction of driving. Community-dwelling adults aged more than 75 (n = 380) were recruited in New South Wales, Australia. Questionnaires were administered to assess driving habits and functional assessments to assess driving-related function. Self-reported restriction was prevalent in this cross-sectional sample (62%) and was related to DriveSafe scores and personal circumstances but not DriveAware scores. DriveSafe scores were correlated with better performance on the Trail-Making Test (TMT; β = -2.94, p < .0001) and better contrast sensitivity (β = 48.70, p < .0001). Awareness was associated with better performance on the TMT (β = 0.08, p < .0001). Our data suggest that DriveSafe and DriveAware are sensitive to deficits in vision and cognition, and drivers with worse DriveSafe scores self-report restricting their driving. © The Author(s) 2015.

On the Foundations of the Two Measures Field Theory

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

Guendelman, E. I.; Kaganovich, A. B.

2006-11-03

Two Measures Field Theory (TMT) uses both the Riemannian volume element {radical}(-g)d{sup 4}x and a new one Fcy d4x where the new measure of integration Fcy can be build of four scalar fields. Arguments in favor of TMT, both from the point of view of first principles and from the TMT results are summarized. Possible origin of the TMT and symmetries that protect the structure of TMT are reviewed. It appears that four measure scalar fields treated as 'physical coordinates' allow to define local observables in quantum gravity. The resolution of the old cosmological constant problem as a possible directmore » consequence of the TMT structure is discussed. Other applications of TMT to cosmology and particle physics are also mentioned.« less

Neurotoxicity of trimethyltin in rat cochlear organotypic cultures

PubMed Central

Yu, Jintao; Ding, Dalian; Sun, Hong; Salvi, Richard; Roth, Jerome A.

2015-01-01

Trimethyltin (TMT), which has a variety of applications in industry and agricultural is a neurotoxin that is known to affect the auditory system as well as central nervous system (CNS) of humans and experimental animals. However, the mechanisms underlying TMT-induced auditory dysfunction are poorly understood. To gain insights into the neurotoxic effect of TMT on the peripheral auditory system, we treated cochlear organotypic cultures with concentrations of TMT ranging from 5 to 100 μM for 24 h. Interestingly, TMT preferentially damaged auditory nerve fibers and spiral ganglion neurons in a dose-dependent manner, but had no noticeable effects on the sensory hair cells at the doses employed. TMT-induced damage to auditory neurons was associated with significant soma shrinkage, nuclear condensation and activation of caspase-3, biomarkers indicative of apoptotic cell death. Our findings show that TMT is exclusively neurotoxicity in rat cochlear organotypic culture and that TMT-induced auditory neuron death occurs through a caspase-mediated apoptotic pathway. PMID:25957118

Effects of Tai Chi on Cognition and Fall Risk in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Sungkarat, Somporn; Boripuntakul, Sirinun; Chattipakorn, Nipon; Watcharasaksilp, Kanokwan; Lord, Stephen R

2017-04-01

To examine whether combined center- and home-based Tai Chi training can improve cognitive ability and reduce physiological fall risk in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI). Randomized controlled trial. Chiang Mai, Thailand. Adults aged 60 and older who met Petersen's criteria for multiple-domain a-MCI (N = 66). Three weeks center-based and 12 weeks home-based Tai Chi (50 minutes per session, 3 times per week). Cognitive tests, including Logical Memory (LM) delayed recall, Block Design, Digit Span forward and backward, and Trail-Making Test Part B-A (TMT B-A), and fall risk index using the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA). At the end of the trial, performance on LM, Block Design, and TMT B-A were significantly better for the Tai Chi group than the control group after adjusting for baseline test performance. The Tai Chi group also had significantly better composite PPA score and PPA parameter scores: knee extension strength, reaction time, postural sway, and lower limb proprioception. Combined center- and home-based Tai Chi training three times per week for 15 weeks significantly improved cognitive function and moderately reduced physiological fall risk in older adults with multiple-domain a-MCI. Tai Chi may be particularly beneficial to older adults with this condition. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Thirty Meter Telescope Site Testing V: Seeing and Isoplanatic Angle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skidmore, Warren; Els, Sebastian; Travouillon, Tony; Riddle, Reed; Schöck, Matthias; Bustos, Edison; Seguel, Juan; Walker, David

2009-10-01

In this article we present an analysis of the statistical and temporal properties of seeing and isoplanatic angle measurements obtained with combined Differential Image Motion Monitor (DIMM) and Multi-Aperture Scintillation Sensor (MASS) units at the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) candidate sites. For each of the five candidate sites we obtained multiyear, high-cadence, high-quality seeing measurements. These data allow for a broad and detailed analysis, giving us a good understanding of the characteristics of each of the sites. The overall seeing statistics for the five candidate sites are presented, broken into total seeing (measured by the DIMM), free-atmosphere seeing and isoplanatic angle (measured by the MASS), and ground-layer seeing (difference between the total and free-atmosphere seeing). We examine the statistical distributions of seeing measurements and investigate annual and nightly behavior. The properties of the seeing measurements are discussed in terms of the geography and meteorological conditions at each site. The temporal variability of the seeing measurements over timescales of minutes to hours is derived for each site. We find that each of the TMT candidate sites has its own strengths and weaknesses when compared against the other candidate sites. The results presented in this article form part of the full set of results that are used for the TMT site-selection process. This is the fifth article in a series discussing the TMT site-testing project.

Specific Roles of α- and γ-Tocopherol in Abiotic Stress Responses of Transgenic Tobacco1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Abbasi, Ali-Reza; Hajirezaei, Mohamad; Hofius, Daniel; Sonnewald, Uwe; Voll, Lars M.

2007-01-01

Tocopherols are lipophilic antioxidants that are synthesized exclusively in photosynthetic organisms. In most higher plants, α- and γ-tocopherol are predominant with their ratio being under spatial and temporal control. While α-tocopherol accumulates predominantly in photosynthetic tissue, seeds are rich in γ-tocopherol. To date, little is known about the specific roles of α- and γ-tocopherol in different plant tissues. To study the impact of tocopherol composition and content on stress tolerance, transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants constitutively silenced for homogentisate phytyltransferase (HPT) and γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) activity were created. Silencing of HPT lead to an up to 98% reduction of total tocopherol accumulation compared to wild type. Knockdown of γ-TMT resulted in an up to 95% reduction of α-tocopherol in leaves of the transgenics, which was almost quantitatively compensated for by an increase in γ-tocopherol. The response of HPT and γ-TMT transgenics to salt and sorbitol stress and methyl viologen treatments in comparison to wild type was studied. Each stress condition imposes oxidative stress along with additional challenges like perturbing ion homeostasis, desiccation, or disturbing photochemistry, respectively. Decreased total tocopherol content increased the sensitivity of HPT:RNAi transgenics toward all tested stress conditions, whereas γ-TMT-silenced plants showed an improved performance when challenged with sorbitol or methyl viologen. However, salt tolerance of γ-TMT transgenics was strongly decreased. Membrane damage in γ-TMT transgenic plants was reduced after sorbitol and methyl viologen-mediated stress, as evident by less lipid peroxidation and/or electrolyte leakage. Therefore, our results suggest specific roles for α- and γ-tocopherol in vivo. PMID:17293434

Biomechanical study of tarsometatarsal joint fusion using finite element analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Li, Zengyong; Zhang, Ming

2014-11-01

Complications of surgeries in foot and ankle bring patients with severe sufferings. Sufficient understanding of the internal biomechanical information such as stress distribution, contact pressure, and deformation is critical to estimate the effectiveness of surgical treatments and avoid complications. Foot and ankle is an intricate and synergetic system, and localized intervention may alter the functions to the adjacent components. The aim of this study was to estimate biomechanical effects of the TMT joint fusion using comprehensive finite element (FE) analysis. A foot and ankle model consists of 28 bones, 72 ligaments, and plantar fascia with soft tissues embracing all the segments. Kinematic information and ground reaction force during gait were obtained from motion analysis. Three gait instants namely the first peak, second peak and mid-stance were simulated in a normal foot and a foot with TMT joint fusion. It was found that contact pressure on plantar foot increased by 0.42%, 19% and 37%, respectively after TMT fusion compared with normal foot walking. Navico-cuneiform and fifth meta-cuboid joints sustained 27% and 40% increase in contact pressure at second peak, implying potential risk of joint problems such as arthritis. Von Mises stress in the second metatarsal bone increased by 22% at midstance, making it susceptible to stress fracture. This study provides biomechanical information for understanding the possible consequences of TMT joint fusion. Copyright © 2014 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is there a decline in cognitive functions after combined electroconvulsive therapy and antipsychotic therapy in treatment-refractory schizophrenia?

PubMed

Pawełczyk, Agnieszka; Kołodziej-Kowalska, Emilia; Pawełczyk, Tomasz; Rabe-Jabłońska, Jolanta

2015-03-01

An analysis of literature shows that there is still little evidence concerning the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) combined with antipsychotic therapy in a group of treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients. More precisely, its influence on cognitive functions is still equivocal. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ECT combined with antipsychotic therapy on working memory, attention, and executive functions in a group of treatment-refractory schizophrenia patients. Twenty-seven patients completed the study: 14 men and 13 women, aged 21 to 55 years (mean age, 32.8 years), diagnosed with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Each patient underwent a course of ECT sessions and was treated with antipsychotic medications. Before the ECT and within 3 days after the last ECT session, the participants were assessed with the following neuropsychological tests: Trail Making Test (TMT) and Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test (WCST). There were no significant differences in the TMT and WCST results after combined ECT and antipsychotic therapy in treatment-refractory schizophrenia patients. According to the results of the neuropsychological tests, there was no decline in attention, executive functions, or working memory. The current study shows no significant difference in attention, working memory, or executive functions after treatment with a combination of electroconvulsive and antipsychotic therapy. This suggests that combined electroconvulsive therapy may not have a negative influence on the neuropsychological functioning of patients with treatment resistant schizophrenia.

TMT approach to observatory software development process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buur, Hanne; Subramaniam, Annapurni; Gillies, Kim; Dumas, Christophe; Bhatia, Ravinder

2016-07-01

The purpose of the Observatory Software System (OSW) is to integrate all software and hardware components of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) to enable observations and data capture; thus it is a complex software system that is defined by four principal software subsystems: Common Software (CSW), Executive Software (ESW), Data Management System (DMS) and Science Operations Support System (SOSS), all of which have interdependencies with the observatory control systems and data acquisition systems. Therefore, the software development process and plan must consider dependencies to other subsystems, manage architecture, interfaces and design, manage software scope and complexity, and standardize and optimize use of resources and tools. Additionally, the TMT Observatory Software will largely be developed in India through TMT's workshare relationship with the India TMT Coordination Centre (ITCC) and use of Indian software industry vendors, which adds complexity and challenges to the software development process, communication and coordination of activities and priorities as well as measuring performance and managing quality and risk. The software project management challenge for the TMT OSW is thus a multi-faceted technical, managerial, communications and interpersonal relations challenge. The approach TMT is using to manage this multifaceted challenge is a combination of establishing an effective geographically distributed software team (Integrated Product Team) with strong project management and technical leadership provided by the TMT Project Office (PO) and the ITCC partner to manage plans, process, performance, risk and quality, and to facilitate effective communications; establishing an effective cross-functional software management team composed of stakeholders, OSW leadership and ITCC leadership to manage dependencies and software release plans, technical complexities and change to approved interfaces, architecture, design and tool set, and to facilitate effective communications; adopting an agile-based software development process across the observatory to enable frequent software releases to help mitigate subsystem interdependencies; defining concise scope and work packages for each of the OSW subsystems to facilitate effective outsourcing of software deliverables to the ITCC partner, and to enable performance monitoring and risk management. At this stage, the architecture and high-level design of the software system has been established and reviewed. During construction each subsystem will have a final design phase with reviews, followed by implementation and testing. The results of the TMT approach to the Observatory Software development process will only be preliminary at the time of the submittal of this paper, but it is anticipated that the early results will be a favorable indication of progress.

Effect of virtual reality on cognitive dysfunction in patients with brain tumor.

PubMed

Yang, Seoyon; Chun, Min Ho; Son, Yu Ri

2014-12-01

To investigate whether virtual reality (VR) training will help the recovery of cognitive function in brain tumor patients. Thirty-eight brain tumor patients (19 men and 19 women) with cognitive impairment recruited for this study were assigned to either VR group (n=19, IREX system) or control group (n=19). Both VR training (30 minutes a day for 3 times a week) and computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 2 times) for 4 weeks were given to the VR group. The control group was given only the computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 5 days a week) for 4 weeks. Computerized neuropsychological tests (CNTs), Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were used to evaluate cognitive function and functional status. The VR group showed improvements in the K-MMSE, visual and auditory continuous performance tests (CPTs), forward and backward digit span tests (DSTs), forward and backward visual span test (VSTs), visual and verbal learning tests, Trail Making Test type A (TMT-A), and K-MBI. The VR group showed significantly (p<0.05) better improvements than the control group in visual and auditory CPTs, backward DST and VST, and TMT-A after treatment. VR training can have beneficial effects on cognitive improvement when it is combined with computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation. Further randomized controlled studies with large samples according to brain tumor type and location are needed to investigate how VR training improves cognitive impairment.

Effect of Virtual Reality on Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With Brain Tumor

PubMed Central

Yang, Seoyon; Son, Yu Ri

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate whether virtual reality (VR) training will help the recovery of cognitive function in brain tumor patients. Methods Thirty-eight brain tumor patients (19 men and 19 women) with cognitive impairment recruited for this study were assigned to either VR group (n=19, IREX system) or control group (n=19). Both VR training (30 minutes a day for 3 times a week) and computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 2 times) for 4 weeks were given to the VR group. The control group was given only the computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 5 days a week) for 4 weeks. Computerized neuropsychological tests (CNTs), Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were used to evaluate cognitive function and functional status. Results The VR group showed improvements in the K-MMSE, visual and auditory continuous performance tests (CPTs), forward and backward digit span tests (DSTs), forward and backward visual span test (VSTs), visual and verbal learning tests, Trail Making Test type A (TMT-A), and K-MBI. The VR group showed significantly (p<0.05) better improvements than the control group in visual and auditory CPTs, backward DST and VST, and TMT-A after treatment. Conclusion VR training can have beneficial effects on cognitive improvement when it is combined with computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation. Further randomized controlled studies with large samples according to brain tumor type and location are needed to investigate how VR training improves cognitive impairment. PMID:25566470

Comparative behavioral effects between synthetic 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT) and the odor of natural fox (Vulpes vulpes) feces in mice.

PubMed

Buron, Gaelle; Hacquemand, Romain; Pourie, Gregory; Lucarz, Annie; Jacquot, Laurence; Brand, Gerard

2007-10-01

Synthetic 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT)--a component of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) feces--is frequently used to induce unconditioned fear in rodents. Surprisingly, direct comparison between TMT and natural fox feces odor is almost nonexistent. In this study, Experiment 1 compared the avoidance in relation to TMT concentration, natural fox feces, and gender of fox and mice. Results show that the avoidance is (a) higher with either pure or 50% TMT as compared to natural fox feces, whereas the difference is slight with 10% TMT, and (b) significantly higher for the female mouse group compared to the male mouse group with TMT as well as natural fox feces. In addition, no clear difference in effect was observed between male and female fox feces. Experiment 2 compared behavioral parameters recorded as an index of fear and anxiety, general activity, and avoidance in elevated plus-maze and open-field chamber between 10% TMT and natural fox feces in relation to the estrus cycle of the mice. Results show no cycle period effect--except for the avoidance parameter "distance to odorant"--and no different effects between 10% TMT and natural fox feces except for freezing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Magnolol protects against trimethyltin-induced neuronal damage and glial activation in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Kim, Da Jung; Kim, Yong Sik

2016-03-01

Trimethyltin (TMT), an organotin with potent neurotoxic effects by selectively damaging to hippocampus, is used as a tool for creating an experimental model of neurodegeneration. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of magnolol, a natural biphenolic compound, on TMT-induced neurodegeneration and glial activation in vitro and in vivo. In HT22 murine neuroblastoma cells, TMT induced necrotic/apoptotic cell death and oxidative stress, including intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), protein carbonylation, induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and activation of all mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) family proteins. However, magnolol treatment significantly suppressed neuronal cell death by inhibiting TMT-mediated ROS generation and activation of JNK and p38 MAPKs. In BV-2 microglial cells, magnolol efficiently attenuated TMT-induced microglial activation via suppression of ROS generation and activation of JNK, p38 MAPKs, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling. In an in vivo mouse study, TMT induced massive neuronal damage and enhanced oxidative stress at day 2. We also observed a concomitant increase in glial cells and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression on the same day. These features of TMT toxicity were reversed by treatment of magnolol. We observed that p-JNK and p-p38 MAPK levels were increased in the mouse hippocampus at day 1 after TMT treatment and that magnolol blocked TMT-induced JNK and p38 MAPK activation. Magnolol administration prevented TMT-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration and glial activation, possibly through the regulation of TMT-mediated ROS generation and MAPK activation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Early life stage trimethyltin exposure induces ADP-ribosylation factor expression and perturbs the vascular system in zebrafish.

PubMed

Chen, Jiangfei; Huang, Changjiang; Truong, Lisa; La Du, Jane; Tilton, Susan C; Waters, Katrina M; Lin, Kuanfei; Tanguay, Robert L; Dong, Qiaoxiang

2012-12-16

Trimethyltin chloride (TMT) is an organotin contaminant, widely detected in aqueous environments, posing potential human and environmental risks. In this study, we utilized the zebrafish model to investigate the impact of transient TMT exposure on developmental progression, angiogenesis, and cardiovascular development. Embryos were waterborne exposed to a wide TMT concentration range from 8 to 96 h post fertilization (hpf). The TMT concentration that led to mortality in 50% of the embryos (LC(50)) at 96 hpf was 8.2 μM; malformations in 50% of the embryos (EC(50)) was 2.8 μM. The predominant response observed in surviving embryos was pericardial edema. Additionally, using the Tg (fli1a: EGFP) y1 transgenic zebrafish line to non-invasively monitor vascular development, TMT exposure led to distinct disarrangements in the vascular system. The most susceptible developmental stage to TMT exposure was between 48 and 72 hpf. High density whole genome microarrays were used to identify the early transcriptional changes following TMT exposure from 48 to 60 hpf or 72 hpf. In total, 459 transcripts were differentially expressed at least 2-fold (P<0.05) by TMT compared to control. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) tools, it was revealed that the transcripts misregulated by TMT exposure were clustered in numerous categories including metabolic and cardiovascular disease, cellular function, cell death, molecular transport, and physiological development. In situ localization of highly elevated transcripts revealed intense staining of ADP-ribosylation factors arf3 and arf5 in the head, trunk, and tail regions. When arf5 expression was blocked by morpholinos, the zebrafish did not display the prototypical TMT-induced vascular deficits, indicating that the induction of arf5 was necessary for TMT-induced vascular toxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular cloning, heterologous expression and functional characterization of gamma tocopherol methyl transferase (γ-TMT) from Glycine max.

PubMed

Tewari, Kalpana; Dahuja, Anil; Sachdev, Archana; Kumar, Vaibhav; Ali, Kishwar; Kumar, Amresh; Kumari, Sweta

2017-12-01

γ-Tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) (EC 2.1.1.95) is the last enzyme in the tocopherol biosynthetic pathway and it catalyzes the conversion of γ-tocopherol into α-tocopherol, the nutritionally significant and most bioactive form of vitamin E. Although the γ-TMT gene has been successfully overexpressed in many crops to enhance their α-tocopherol content but still only few attempts have been made to uncover its structural, functional and regulation aspects at protein level. In this study, we have cloned the complete 909bp coding sequence of Glycine max γ-TMT (Gm γ-TMT) gene that encodes the corresponding protein comprising of 302 amino acid residues. The deduced Gm γ-TMT protein showed 74-87% sequence identity with other characterized plant γ-TMTs. Gm γ-TMT belongs to Class I Methyl Transferases that have a Rossmann-like fold which consists of a seven-stranded β sheet joined by α helices. Heterologous expression of Gm γ-TMT in pET29a expression vector under the control of bacteriophage T7 promoter produced a 37.9 kDa recombinant Gm γ-TMT protein with histidine hexamer tag at its C-terminus. The expression of recombinant Gm γ-TMT protein was confirmed by western blotting using anti-His antibody. The recombinant protein was purified by Ni 2+ -NTA column chromatography. The purified protein showed SAM dependent methyltransferase activity. The α-tocopherol produced in the in-vitro reaction catalyzed by the purified enzyme was detected using reverse phase HPLC. This study has laid the foundation to unveil the biochemical understanding of Gm γ-TMT enzyme which can be further explored by studying its kinetic behaviour, substrate specificity and its interaction with other biomolecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a Synthetic Predator Odor (TMT) on Freezing, Analgesia, Stereotypy, and Spatial Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Jon L.; Baez, Catherine; Hladky, Katherine J.; Camacho, Cheri A.

2005-01-01

Exposing rats to the predator odor of trimethylthiazoline (TMT), obtained from the red fox, was compared to exposure to the novel control odor of citronella. In Experiment 1, TMT produced defensive freezing and an analgesic reaction that was reversed by an opiate antagonist. In Experiment 2, TMT augmented response stereotypy induced by an…

Microglia is activated by astrocytes in trimethyltin intoxication

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

Roehl, Claudia; Sievers, Jobst

2005-04-01

Microglia participates in most acute and chronic neuropathologies and its activation appears to involve interactions with neurons and other glial cells. Trimethyltin (TMT)-induced brain damage is a well-characterized model of neurodegeneration, in which microglial activation occurs before neuronal degeneration. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the role of astroglia in TMT-induced microgliosis by using nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and morphological changes as parameters for microglial activation. Our investigation discusses (a) whether microglial cells can be activated directly by TMT; (b) if astroglial cells are capable of triggering or modulating microglial activation; (c) howmore » the morphology and survival of microglia and astrocytes are affected by TMT treatment; and (d) whether microglial-astroglial interactions depend on direct cell contact or on soluble factors. Our results show that microglia are more vulnerable to TMT than astrocytes are and cannot be activated directly by TMT with regard to the examined parameters. In bilayer coculture with viable astroglial cells, microglia produce NO in significant amounts at subcytotoxic concentrations of TMT (20 {mu}mol/l). At these TMT concentrations, microglial cells in coculture convert into small round cells without cell processes, whereas flat, fibroblast-like astrocytes convert into thin process bearing stellate cells with a dense and compact cell body. We conclude that astrocytes trigger microglial activation after treatment with TMT, although the mechanisms of this interaction remain unknown.« less

The Thirty Meter Telescope Site Testing Robotic Computer System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riddle, Reed L.; Schöck, M.; Skidmore, W.; Els, S.; Travouillon, T.

2008-03-01

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project is currently testing five remote sites as candidates for the final location of the telescope. Each site has several instruments, including seeing monitors, weather stations, and turbulence profile measuring systems, each of which is computer controlled. As the sites are remote, they require a control system that can automatically manage the operations of all the varied subsystems, keep the systems safe from damage and recover from errors during operation. The robotic system must also be robust enough to operate without human intervention and when internet connections are lost. It is also critical that a data archiving system diligently records all data as gathered. This is a discussion of the TMT site testing robotic computer system as implemented.

A cross-sectional study to investigate long-term cognitive function in people with treated pituitary Cushing's disease.

PubMed

Heald, A; Parr, C; Gibson, C; O'driscoll, K; Fowler, H

2006-10-01

It has been proposed that exposure to high levels of endogenous steroids in untreated pituitary Cushing's disease damages hippocampal structures leading to impairment in learning and memory processes. We hypothesised that patients with treated pituitary Cushing's disease would perform significantly worse on tests of cognitive ability than those with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. Sixteen adults with pituitary Cushing's disease (PCD) and 16 adults with non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFA) undertook the following comprehensive neuropsychological assessments: National Adult Reading Test (NART: premorbid abilities), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT 2 UK: learning and recall), Stroop (executive functioning), Trail-Making Test (TMT: executive functioning and attention), Adult Memory and Information Processing Battery (AMIPB: Information Processing Speed and Story Recall subtests). There was no significant difference in premorbid IQ scores (NFA mean=101 SD=13; PCD mean=102, SD=13), in verbal learning nor any significant difference in the percentage of verbal material retained in story recall (AMIPB). Performance on higher executive tasks Stroop and TMT and on measures of information processing was similar. However, there were significant decrements between some mean scores for both groups and published normative data with a clear association between higher HADS depression scores and impaired objective memory and attention which was not specific to PCD. We found no difference in cognitive function between patients with PCD and NFA. The results suggest a discrepancy between patients' subjective perception of functional cognitive impairments and objective findings on psychometric testing and point to the influence of affective symptoms on cognitive performance, particularly in Cushing's disease.

Evaluation of a specific balance and coordination programme for individuals with a traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Dault, Mylène Claude; Dugas, Claude

2002-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an aerobic dancing training, designed to reduce postural imbalance and coordination deficits for individuals who had sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A two group experimental design was conducted. A control group participated in a traditional muscular training (TMT) programme while participants in the experimental group were assigned to an aerobic dancing, Slide and Step training programme (specific training group (ST)). Participants were evaluated pre- and post-training. Balance was quantified using a force platform and coordination using a Peak Performance system to compare the velocity profiles of a modified Jumping jack test. Results showed that temporal variables were significantly different pre- and post-training for the ST group, but no changes were found in the TMT group. The results of the balance test indicated a significant reduction of postural sway area in the ST group but not in the TMT group. Overall, the combination workout with Step and Slide is more effective in reducing balance and coordination deficits when compared to muscular based training.

Binge Drinking in Young University Students Is Associated with Alterations in Executive Functions Related to Their Starting Age.

PubMed

Salas-Gomez, Diana; Fernandez-Gorgojo, Mario; Pozueta, Ana; Diaz-Ceballos, Isabel; Lamarain, Maider; Perez, Carmen; Sanchez-Juan, Pascual

2016-01-01

Our aim was to evaluate whether or not alcohol consumption in the form of binge drinking is associated with alterations of memory and executive functions in a population of university students. At the same time, we have studied the role of potential modulating factors, such as the APOE genotype or physical exercise.University students enrolled in academic year 2013-2014 at Escuelas Universitarias Gimbernat-Cantabria, affiliated with the University of Cantabria, were invited to participate in the study. We gathered sociodemographic data and details regarding the lifestyle of 206 students (mean age 19.55 ± 2.39; 67.5% women). We evaluated memory and executive functions via a series of validated cognitive tests. Participants were classified as binge drinkers (BD) and non-BD. Using Student's t-distribution we studied the association between cognitive tests and BD patterns. Multivariate analyses were carried out via multiple linear regression. 47.6% of the students were found to be BD. The BD differed significantly from the non-BD in their results in the executive functions test TMT B (43.41 ± 13.30 vs 37.40 ± 9.77; p = 0.0003). Adjusting by age, sex, academic records, age at which they started consuming alcohol, cannabis consumption, level of physical activity and other possible modifying variables, the association was statistically significant (p = 0.009). We noticed a statistically significant inverse correlation (Pearson's r2 = -0.192; p = 0.007) between TMT B and starting age of alcohol consumption. Differences were observed in another executive functions test, TMT A, but only in the group of women (19.73±6.1 BD vs 17.78±5.4 non-BD p = 0.05). In spite of the young age of our participants, BD was associated with a lower performance in the executive functions test (TMT B). These deficits were related to the age at which they started drinking alcohol, suggesting an accumulative effect.

Psychomotor and cognitive effects of 15-minute inhalation of methoxyflurane in healthy volunteers: implication for post-colonoscopy care.

PubMed

Nguyen, Nam Q; Burgess, Jenna; Debreceni, Tamara L; Toscano, Leanne

2016-11-01

Background and study aims: Colonoscopy with portal inhaled methoxyflurane (Penthrox) is highly feasible with low sedation risk and allows earlier discharge. It is unclear if subjects can return to highly skilled psychomotor skill task shortly after Penthrox assisted colonoscopy. We evaluated the psychomotor and cognitive effects of 15-minute inhalation of Penthrox in adults. Patients and methods: Sixty healthy volunteers (18 to 80 years) were studied on 2 occasions with either Penthrox or placebo in a randomized, double-blind fashion. On each occasion, the subject's psychomotor function was examined before, immediately, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min after a 15-minute inhalation of studied drug, using validated psychomotor tests (Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), auditory reaction time (ART), eye-hand coordination (EHC) test, trail making test (TMT) and logical reasoning test (LRT). Results: Compared to placebo, a 15-minute Penthrox inhalation led to an immediate but small impairment of DSST ( P  < 0.001), ART ( P  < 0.001), EHC ( P  < 0.01), TMT ( P  = 0.02) and LRT ( P  = 0.04). In all subjects, the performance of all 5 tests normalized by 30 minutes after inhalation, and was comparable to that with placebo. Although increasing age was associated with a small deterioration in psychomotor testing performance, the magnitude of Penthrox effects remained comparable among all age groups. Conclusions: In all age groups, a 15-minute Penthrox inhalation induces acute but short-lasting impairment of psychomotor and cognitive performance, which returns to normal within 30 minutes , indicating that subjects who have colonoscopy with Penthrox can return to highly skilled psychomotor skills tasks such as driving and daily work the same day.

Increased Activity of the Vacuolar Monosaccharide Transporter TMT1 Alters Cellular Sugar Partitioning, Sugar Signaling, and Seed Yield in Arabidopsis1[OA

PubMed Central

Wingenter, Karina; Schulz, Alexander; Wormit, Alexandra; Wic, Stefan; Trentmann, Oliver; Hoermiller, Imke I.; Heyer, Arnd G.; Marten, Irene; Hedrich, Rainer; Neuhaus, H. Ekkehard

2010-01-01

The extent to which vacuolar sugar transport activity affects molecular, cellular, and developmental processes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) is unknown. Electrophysiological analysis revealed that overexpression of the tonoplast monosaccharide transporter TMT1 in a tmt1-2::tDNA mutant led to increased proton-coupled monosaccharide import into isolated mesophyll vacuoles in comparison with wild-type vacuoles. TMT1 overexpressor mutants grew faster than wild-type plants on soil and in high-glucose (Glc)-containing liquid medium. These effects were correlated with increased vacuolar monosaccharide compartmentation, as revealed by nonaqueous fractionation and by chlorophyllab-binding protein1 and nitrate reductase1 gene expression studies. Soil-grown TMT1 overexpressor plants respired less Glc than wild-type plants and only about half the amount of Glc respired by tmt1-2::tDNA mutants. In sum, these data show that TMT activity in wild-type plants limits vacuolar monosaccharide loading. Remarkably, TMT1 overexpressor mutants produced larger seeds and greater total seed yield, which was associated with increased lipid and protein content. These changes in seed properties were correlated with slightly decreased nocturnal CO2 release and increased sugar export rates from detached source leaves. The SUC2 gene, which codes for a sucrose transporter that may be critical for phloem loading in leaves, has been identified as Glc repressed. Thus, the observation that SUC2 mRNA increased slightly in TMT1 overexpressor leaves, characterized by lowered cytosolic Glc levels than wild-type leaves, provided further evidence of a stimulated source capacity. In summary, increased TMT activity in Arabidopsis induced modified subcellular sugar compartmentation, altered cellular sugar sensing, affected assimilate allocation, increased the biomass of Arabidopsis seeds, and accelerated early plant development. PMID:20709831

Freezing to the predator odor 2,4,5 dihydro 2,5 trimethylthiazoline (TMT) is disrupted by olfactory bulb removal but not trigeminal deafferentation.

PubMed

Ayers, Luke W; Asok, Arun; Heyward, Frankie D; Rosen, Jeffrey B

2013-09-15

2,4,5 dihydro 2,5 trimethylthiazoline (TMT) is a synthesized component of red fox anal secretions that reliably elicits defensive behaviors in rats and mice. TMT differs from other predator odors because it is a single molecule, it can be synthesized in large quantities, and the dose for exposure is highly controllable in an experimental setting. TMT has become a popular tool for studying the brain mechanisms that mediate innate fear behavior to olfactory stimuli. However, this view of TMT as a biologically relevant olfactory stimulus has been challenged by suggestions that the odor elicits fear behavior due to its irritating properties, presumably working through a nociceptive mechanism. To address this criticism our lab measured freezing behavior in rats during exposures to 2 odors (TMT and butyric acid) and H2O (no odor control) following either surgical transection of the trigeminal nerves or ablation of the olfactory bulbs. Our findings (Experiment 1) indicate that freezing behavior to TMT requires an intact olfactory system, as indicated by the loss of freezing following olfactory bulb removal. Experiment 2 revealed that rats with trigeminal nerve transection freeze normally to TMT, suggesting the olfactory system mediates this behavior to TMT. A replication of Experiment 1 that included contextual fear conditioning revealed that the decreased freezing behavior was not due to an inability of olfactory bulb ablated rats to freeze (Experiment 3). Taken together, these findings support TMT's role as an ecologically relevant predator odor useful in experiments of unconditioned fear that is mediated via olfaction and not nociception. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of a Training Program Involving Body Cooling on Physical and Cognitive Capacities and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Gonzales, Benoit; Chopard, Gilles; Charry, Benjamin; Berger, Eric; Tripard, Julien; Magnin, Eloi; Groslambert, Alain

2017-01-01

Two methods using exercise and body cooling could influence the well-being of patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The aim of this study was to determine whether wearing a cooling vest during a physical training program could increase the cognitive and physical capacities and quality of life in PwMS. Eighteen PwMS (49.6 ± 8 years; Expanded Disability Status Score 5.0 ± 1.0) were randomly assigned to a cooling or control group. PwMS underwent a 7-week physical training program. In the cooling group, PwMS wore a cooling vest during each training session, whereas in the control group, PwMS wore a cotton T-shirt. Before and after the training program, both groups completed the Isaacs Set Test (IST), Trail Making Test A-B (TMT A-B), SEP-59, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory and performed a 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The cooling group showed significantly (p < 0.05) improved performance for IST, TMT A and 6MWT. Their emotional well-being and cognitive functions investigated in SEP-59 were significantly (p < 0.05) improved, and general and physical fatigue significantly (p < 0.05) decreased. This physical training program combined with a cooling strategy could have a significant positive influence on both cognitive and physical performances, perceived fatigue and emotional well-being in heat-sensitive PwMS. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

(Tetramethylthiophene)ruthenium in dichloride dimer: A versatile synthetic intermediate in thiophene coordination chemistry

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

Lockemeyer, J.R.; Rauchfuss, T.B.; Wilson, S.R.

1989-11-22

The thermal reaction of ((cymene)RuCl{sub 2}){sub 2} and tetramethylthiophene (TMT) gives ((TMT)RuCl{sub 2}){sub 2} (1). Treatment of 1 with silver salts in the presence of various ligands gives salts of ((TMT)RuL{sub 3}){sup 2+} where L{sub 3} = (H{sub 2}O){sub 3}, (CH{sub 3}CN){sub 3}, and TMT. A crystallographic study demonstrated that ((TMT){sub 2}Ru)(BF{sub 4}){sub 2} {times} 2CH{sub 3}NO{sub 2} adopts a sandwich structure with sulfur atoms sited cis on the pseudooctahedron. Cyclic voltammetry studies show that ((TMT){sub 2}Ru){sup 2+} undergoes 2 reversible one-electron reductions. Solutions of 1 and phosphine and amine donors react to give well-behaved monometallic derivatives of the typemore » (TMT)RuCl{sub 2}L where L is PR{sub 3} and NH{sub 2}C{sub 6}H{sub 4}Me. For bulky L = PPh{sub 3} and P(C{sub 6}H{sub 4}Me){sub 3}, variable-temperature NMR studies demonstrate hindered rotation about the Ru-P and Ru{hor ellipsis} TMT axes. Treatment of 1 with (Me{sub 3}Si){sub 2}S gives the cluster ((TMT)RuCl){sub 3}S{sup +} whose PF{sub 6}{sup {minus}} salt was examined by X-ray crystallography. The cluster is comprised of 3 conjoined pseudooctahedral Ru centers bridged by 1 {mu}{sub 3}-S and 3 {mu}-Cl atoms.« less

Trimethyltin-Induced Microglial Activation via NADPH Oxidase and MAPKs Pathway in BV-2 Microglial Cells.

PubMed

Kim, Da Jung; Kim, Yong Sik

2015-01-01

Trimethyltin (TMT) is known as a potent neurotoxicant that causes neuronal cell death and neuroinflammation, particularly in the hippocampus. Microglial activation is one of the prominent pathological features of TMT neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how microglial activation occurs in TMT intoxication. In this study, we aimed to investigate the signaling pathways in TMT-induced microglial activation using BV-2 murine microglial cells. Our results revealed that TMT generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases the expression of CD11b and nuclear factor-κB- (NF-κB-) mediated nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α in BV-2 cells. We also observed that NF-κB activation was controlled by p38 and JNK phosphorylation. Moreover, TMT-induced ROS generation occurred via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in BV-2 cells. Interestingly, treatment with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin significantly suppressed p38 and JNK phosphorylation and NF-κB activation and ultimately the production of proinflammatory mediators upon TMT exposure. These findings indicate that NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS generation activated p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which then stimulated NF-κB to release proinflammatory mediators in the TMT-treated BV-2 cells.

Trimethyltin-Induced Microglial Activation via NADPH Oxidase and MAPKs Pathway in BV-2 Microglial Cells

PubMed Central

Kim, Da Jung; Kim, Yong Sik

2015-01-01

Trimethyltin (TMT) is known as a potent neurotoxicant that causes neuronal cell death and neuroinflammation, particularly in the hippocampus. Microglial activation is one of the prominent pathological features of TMT neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how microglial activation occurs in TMT intoxication. In this study, we aimed to investigate the signaling pathways in TMT-induced microglial activation using BV-2 murine microglial cells. Our results revealed that TMT generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases the expression of CD11b and nuclear factor-κB- (NF-κB-) mediated nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α in BV-2 cells. We also observed that NF-κB activation was controlled by p38 and JNK phosphorylation. Moreover, TMT-induced ROS generation occurred via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in BV-2 cells. Interestingly, treatment with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin significantly suppressed p38 and JNK phosphorylation and NF-κB activation and ultimately the production of proinflammatory mediators upon TMT exposure. These findings indicate that NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS generation activated p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which then stimulated NF-κB to release proinflammatory mediators in the TMT-treated BV-2 cells. PMID:26221064

Hazard characterization and management of tetramethyl tin in the production of photovoltaic cell transparent conductive oxide layers

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

Kalb, P.D.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1988-01-01

Tetramethyl tin (TMT) has been used by the photovoltaics industry to prepare transparent conductive oxide films on glass. Significant health hazards, however may be associated with the use of TMT. Short-term exposures to TMT vapors in excess of accepted exposure limits can produce a range of physiological symptoms. Although less is known about the hazards from prolonged exposure to low levels of TMT, some studies suggest that effects are both cumulative and persistent. TMT also is highly flammable and emits toxic fumes on decomposition. In an occupational setting, workers may be routinely or accidentally exposed to TMT liquids or vapors.more » Approaches for controlling these occupational hazards are described. Analysis suggests that routine emissions from large scale manufacturing facilities using TMT will need to be reduced by approximately 90% to comply with toxic gas containment guidelines to protect public health. Thermal afterburners combined with particle filtration may be used to meet these guidelines. Accidental release of the total inventory of TMT at a large-scale plant may present hazards to individuals living about 1 km from the facility's boundary. Because of these hazards, strategies to prevent in-plant release coupled with community emergency response programs are needed. 32 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Hazardous characterization and management of tetramethyl tin in the production of photovoltaic cell transparent conductive oxide layers

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

Kalb, P.D.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1987-08-01

Tetramethyl tin (TMT) has been used by the photovoltaics industry to prepare transparent conductive oxide films on glass. Significant health hazards, however may be associated with the use of TMT. Short-term exposures to TMT vapors in excess of accepted exposure limits can produce a range of physiological symptoms. Although less is known about the hazards from prolonged exposure to low levels of TMT, some studies suggest that effects are both cumulative and persistent. TMT also is highly flammable and emits toxic fumes on decomposition. In an occupational setting, workers may be routinely or accidentally exposed to TMT liquids or vapors.more » Approaches for controlling these occupational hazards are described. Analysis suggests that routine emissions from large scale manufacturing facilities using TMT will need to be reduced by approximately 90% to comply with toxic gas containment guidelines to protect public health. Thermal afterburners combined with particle filtration may be used to meet these guidelines. Accidental release of the total inventory of TMT at a large-scale plant may present hazards to individuals living about 1 km from the facility's boundary. Because of these hazards, strategies to prevent in-plant release coupled with community emergency response programs are needed. 36 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Role of Frontotemporal Fiber Tract Integrity in Task-Switching Performance of Healthy Controls and Patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

PubMed Central

Kucukboyaci, N. Erkut; Girard, H.M.; Hagler, D.J.; Kuperman, J.; Tecoma, E.S.; Iragui, V.J.; Halgren, E.; McDonald, C.R.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the relationships among frontotemporal fiber tract compromise and task-switching performance in healthy controls and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We performed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on 30 controls and 32 patients with TLE (15 left TLE). Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated for four fiber tracts [uncinate fasciculus (UncF), arcuate fasciculus (ArcF), dorsal cingulum (CING), and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF)]. Participants completed the Trail Making Test-B (TMT-B) and Verbal Fluency Category Switching (VFCS) test. Multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVAs) were performed to investigate group differences in fiber FA and set-shifting performances. Canonical correlations were used to examine the overall patterns of structural-cognitive relationships and were followed by within-group bivariate correlations. We found a significant canonical correlation between fiber FA and task-switching performance. In controls, TMT-B correlated with left IFOF, whereas VFCS correlated with FA of left ArcF and left UncF. These correlations were not significant in patients with TLE. We report significant correlations between frontotemporal fiber tract integrity and set-shifting performance in healthy controls that appear to be absent or attenuated in patients with TLE. These findings suggest a breakdown of typical structure-function relationships in TLE that may reflect aberrant developmental or degenerative processes. PMID:22014246

The cognitive impact of chronic low back pain: Positive effect of multidisciplinary pain therapy.

PubMed

Schiltenwolf, Marcus; Akbar, Michael; Neubauer, Eva; Gantz, Simone; Flor, Herta; Hug, Andreas; Wang, Haili

2017-10-01

Little is known about the affected cognitive problems in chronic low back pain patients. For this patient cohort research mostly focused on memory of pain, rather than cognitive difficulties related to pain. Chronic pain may be associated with specific (yet undefined) cognitive deficits that affect everyday behaviour. We set out to compare the cognitive function of patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP) in the course of multidisciplinary pain treatments before and after therapy. Thirty-three patients with cLBP and 25 healthy controls between 20 and 70 years were recruited into the study. The inclusion criteria for patients were: (1) a history of at least 12 weeks of chronic myofascial low back pain without radicular pain sensation before enrolment; (2) grade II and higher chronicity according to von Korff; (3) no opioid medication. The patients recruited had a mean pain duration of 7.13±7.16 years and reported a mean pain intensity of 6.62±2.04 (visual analogue score, VAS). Their mean back function according to the Funktionsfragebogen Hannover (FFbH, a questionnaire comparable with the Health Assessment Questionnaire) was 52.39±20.23%. At three time points (before therapy, 3 weeks and 6 months after therapy) the study subjects were assessed prospectively with a battery of visual memory tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). These included choice reaction time (CRT), pattern recognition memory (PRM) and spatial span (SSP). In parallel, the Trail-Making Test (TMT-A, TMT-B) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) were used to evaluate intelligence and cognitive flexibility. At the beginning of MDPT (T1), it took patients with cLBP significantly longer than HC to complete TMT-A (38.29±19.99s vs 30.25±14.19s, p=0.047) and TMT-B (72.10±26.98s vs 55.99±22.14s, p=0.034). There were no significant differences between patients and HC in CRT, PRM and SSP. Three weeks (T2) and 6 months (T3) after MDPT, TMT-A reaction time of patients significantly improved by 6.5s and 8.1ms (38.3 ±19.9s vs 31.8±12.3s, p=0.02 and 31.8±12.3s vs 30.2±8.9s, p=0.021, respectively). The patients' working memory was also better 6 months after MDPT (48.8±11.1% at T1, 51.2±11.9% at T2, 57.1±10.9% at T3, p=0.008). Significant correlations among pain, depression/anxiety, medication and neuropsychological tests were found. These findings show that patients with cLBP have slowed speeds of information processing and working memory, but no alteration in attention and recognition memory. There are clearly interactions of cognitive function with pain, depression, anxiety, and medication. MDPT may improve the impaired cognitive function of patients with cLBP. Health professionals should contemplate the results from this study when planning therapy strategies especially when prescribing pain medications such opioids to patients with chronic low back pain. Copyright © 2017 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Viewing Death on Television Increases the Appeal of Advertised Products

PubMed Central

DAR-NIMROD, ILAN

2012-01-01

References to death abound in many television programs accessible to most people. Terror Management Theory (TMT) postulates that existential anxiety, which death reminders activate, may reinforce materialistic tendencies. The current paper explores the effect of a death reminder in television shows on the desirability of advertised products. Consistent with TMT's predictions, in two studies participants show greater desire for products, which were advertised immediately following clips from programs that featured a death scene, compared with programs that did not. Cognitive accessibility of death predicted the appeal difference while changes in affect or interest in the show did not. The findings are discussed in light on affective and existential theories which make opposite predictions. Implications and future directions are considered. PMID:22468421

Differences in Cognitive Function between Women and Men with HIV.

PubMed

Maki, Pauline M; Rubin, Leah H; Springer, Gayle; Seaberg, Eric C; Sacktor, Ned; Miller, Eric N; Valcour, Victor; Young, Mary A; Becker, James T; Martin, Eileen M

2018-05-25

Women may be more vulnerable than men to HIV-related cognitive dysfunction due to sociodemographic, lifestyle, mental health, and biological factors. However, studies to date have yielded inconsistent findings on the existence, magnitude and pattern of sex differences. We examined these issues using longitudinal data from two large, prospective, multisite, observational studies of U.S. women and men with and without HIV. Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) and Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). HIV-infected (HIV+) and uninfected (HIV-) WIHS and MACS participants completed tests of psychomotor speed, executive function, and fine motor skills. Groups were matched on HIV status, sex, age, education, and black race. Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine group differences on continuous and categorical demographically-corrected T-scores. Results were adjusted for other confounding factors. The sample (n=1420) included 710 women (429 HIV+) and 710 men (429 HIV+) (67% NonHispanic-Black; 53% high school or less). For continuous T-scores, Sex by HIV Serostatus interactions were observed on the Trail Making Test (TMT) Parts A&B, Grooved Pegboard, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. For these tests, HIV+ women scored lower than HIV+ men, with no sex differences in HIV- individuals. In analyses of categorical scores, particularly TMT Part A and Grooved Pegboard Non-Dominant, HIV+ women also had a higher odds of impairment compared to HIV+ men. Sex differences were constant over time. Although sex differences are generally under-studied, HIV+ women versus men show cognitive disadvantages. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying these differences is critical for tailoring cognitive interventions.

Acute trimethyltin exposure induces oxidative stress response and neuronal apoptosis in Sebastiscus marmoratus.

PubMed

Wang, Xinli; Cai, Jiali; Zhang, Jiliang; Wang, Chonggang; Yu, Ang; Chen, Yixin; Zuo, Zhenghong

2008-10-20

Trimethyltin (TMT) is a well-documented neurotoxicant that affects the function of central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we studied the neurotoxicity of TMT on the brain of marine fish Sebastiscus marmoratus. Our results showed that TMT acute exposure induced brain cell apoptosis in the telencephalon, optic tectum and cerebellum. In addition, we observed increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and one asparate-specific cysteinyl protease named caspase-3 which are often associated with the processes of cell apoptosis, in the brain of S. marmoratus after acute treatment of TMT. Our results indicated that TMT induces neurotoxicity and oxidative stress in marine fish S. marmoratus. Our results suggested that TMT exposure in the environment may affect fish behaviors including schooling, sensory and motorial learnings, based on the observation of cell apoptosis in the cerebral regions.

TMT: An International Plan for Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squires, Gordon; Brewer, Janesse; Dawson, Sandra; Pompea, Stephen M.

2015-08-01

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is an international project involving Canada, China, India, Japan and the United States. When completed in the early 2020s, TMT will be among the world's largest optical/near-infrared telescopes and enable cutting-edge science across the full astrophysics landscape. TMT science and technology is international in scope, meaning that TMT strives to be an observatory-class facillity for astronomers in all of the partner constituencies. In this presentation, we will describe the goals, opportunities, and needs for developing a partnership-wide Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications (WEPOC) plan to support the key elements of the TMT observatory and partnership. Central to this plan is the commitment to be relevant and responsive to all of the partners, fully leverage all phases of the project, and project forward through the 50 year lifetime of the observatory.

Postconditioning Effectively Prevents Trimethyltin Induced Neuronal Damage in the Rat Brain.

PubMed

Lalkovicova, Maria; Burda, Jozef; Nemethova, Miroslava; Burda, Rastislav; Danielisova, Viera

Trimethyltin (TMT) is a toxic substance formerly used as a catalyst in the production of organic substances, as well as in industry and agriculture. TMT poisoning has caused death or severe injury in many dozens of people. The toxicity of TMT is mediated by dose dependent selective damage to the limbic system in humans and other animals, specifically the degeneration of CA1 neurons in the hippocampus. The typical symptoms include memory loss and decreased learning ability. Using knowledge gained in previous studies of global ischaemia, we used delayed postconditioning after TMT intoxication (8 mg/kg i.p.), consisting of applying a stressor (BR, bradykinin 150 μg/kg i.p.) 24 or 48 hours after the injection of TMT. We found that BR had preventive effects on neurodegenerative changes as well as learning and memory deficits induced by TMT intoxication.

The Thirty Meter Telescope site testing robotic computer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riddle, Reed L.; Schöck, Matthias; Skidmore, Warren

2006-06-01

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project is currently testing six remote sites as candidates for the final location of the telescope. Each site has several instruments, including seeing monitors, weather stations, and turbulence profile measuring systems, each of which is computer controlled. As the sites are remote (usually hours from the nearest town), they requires a system that can control the operations of all the varied subsystems, keep the systems safe from damage and recover from errors during operation. The robotic system must also be robust enough to operate without human intervention and when internet connections are lost. It is also critical that a data archiving system diligently records all data as gathered. This paper is a discussion of the TMT site testing robotic computer system as implemented.

The chemistry of (ring)Ru sup 2+ (ring = tetramethylthiophene, p-cymene)

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

Ganja, E.A.; Rauchfuss, T.B.; Stern, C.L.

1991-01-01

Described are the compounds ((ring)Ru(OTf){sub 2}){sub x}, where ring = 2,3,4,5-tetramethylthiophene (TMT, 1), and p-cymene (2). These electrophilic reagents serve as precursors to ((ring)RuL{sub 3}){sup 2+}, where L{sub 3} = (H{sub 2}O){sub 3}, (NH{sub 3}){sub 3}, and (PH{sub 3}){sub 3}. Solutions of 1 and 2 react with carbon monoxide to give (ring)Ru(CO)(OTf){sub 2}. The addition of thiophenes to CH{sub 2}Cl{sub 2} solutions of 1 or 2 leads to the precipitation of the sandwich compounds ((ring)(SC{sub 4}R{sub 4})Ru)(OTf){sub 2}, where SC{sub 4}R{sub 4} = thiophene, 2,5-dimethylthiophene, and TMT. ((TMT)Ru(H{sub 2}O){sub 3})(OTf){sub 2} was characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, which established amore » piano-stool geometry with a planar TMT ligand. ((TMT)Ru(D{sub 2}O){sub 3})(OTf){sub 2} decomposes in D{sub 2}O solution at 150C to give ((TMT){sub 2}Ru){sup 2+}, which undergoes selective deuteration at the 2,5-methyl groups. D{sub 2}O solutions of ((TMT){sub 2}Ru){sup 2+} undergo photochemical loss of one TMT ligand in water to give ((TMT)Ru(H{sub 2}O){sub 3}){sup 2+}. A procedure is described for the reversible loading of 1 onto {gamma}-alumina, which in turn was characterized by {sup 13}C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy.« less

Two Opsin 3-Related Proteins in the Chicken Retina and Brain: A TMT-Type Opsin 3 Is a Blue-Light Sensor in Retinal Horizontal Cells, Hypothalamus, and Cerebellum.

PubMed

Kato, Mutsuko; Sugiyama, Takashi; Sakai, Kazumi; Yamashita, Takahiro; Fujita, Hirofumi; Sato, Keita; Tomonari, Sayuri; Shichida, Yoshinori; Ohuchi, Hideyo

2016-01-01

Opsin family genes encode G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane proteins that bind a retinaldehyde chromophore in photoreception. Here, we sought potential as yet undescribed avian retinal photoreceptors, focusing on Opsin 3 homologs in the chicken. We found two Opsin 3-related genes in the chicken genome: one corresponding to encephalopsin/panopsin (Opn3) in mammals, and the other belonging to the teleost multiple tissue opsin (TMT) 2 group. Bioluminescence imaging and G protein activation assays demonstrated that the chicken TMT opsin (cTMT) functions as a blue light sensor when forced-expressed in mammalian cultured cells. We did not detect evidence of light sensitivity for the chicken Opn3 (cOpn3). In situ hybridization demonstrated expression of cTMT in subsets of differentiating cells in the inner retina and, as development progressed, predominant localization to retinal horizontal cells (HCs). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed cTMT in HCs as well as in small numbers of cells in the ganglion and inner nuclear layers of the post-hatch chicken retina. In contrast, cOpn3-IR cells were found in distinct subsets of cells in the inner nuclear layer. cTMT-IR cells were also found in subsets of cells in the hypothalamus. Finally, we found differential distribution of cOpn3 and cTMT proteins in specific cells of the cerebellum. The present results suggest that a novel TMT-type opsin 3 may function as a photoreceptor in the chicken retina and brain.

The nature of nano-sized precipitates in ferritic/martensitic steel P92 produced by thermomechanical treatment

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

Shen, Yinzhong, E-mail: shenyz@sjtu.edu.cn

Thermomechanical treatment (TMT) can effectively improve the mechanical properties of high-Cr ferritic/martensitic (F/M) steels, which has been mainly attributed to a dense dispersion of nano-sized precipitates. Precipitate phases in high-Cr F/M steels produced by TMT require further investigations. Precipitates in commercial F/M steel P92 produced by a TMT process, warm-rolled at 650 °C plus tempered at 650 °C for 1 h, were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Nano-sized precipitates with a high number density in the steel after the TMT were found to be Cr-rich M{sub 2}(C,N) carbonitride, rather than MX or M{sub 23}C{sub 6} phase. The M{sub 2}(C,N) carbonitridemore » has a hexagonal lattice with the lattice parameters about a/c = 0.299/0.463 nm. These M{sub 2}(C,N) carbonitrides with a typical composition of (Cr{sub 0.85}V{sub 0.06}Fe{sub 0.06}Mo{sub 0.03}){sub 2}(C,N) have an average diameter smaller than 30 nm, and mainly distribute on dislocations and at the boundaries of equiaxed ferrite grains in the TMT steel. The TMT process inhibits the precipitation of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} and M{sub 5}C{sub 2} phases. Enhanced creep properties of the P92 steel after the TMT, as reported previously, were considered to be mainly attributed to plenty of nano-sized Cr-rich M{sub 2}(C,N) carbonitrides produced by the TMT rather than to MX and M{sub 23}C{sub 6} precipitates. - Graphical abstract: TEM micrographs of precipitates on extraction carbon replicas prepared from ferritic/martensitic (F/M) steel P92. (a) After conventional heat treatment, normalized at 1050 °C for 30 min plus tempered at 765 °C for 1 h. (b) After a thermomechanical treatment (TMT), warm-rolled at 650 °C plus tempered at 650 °C for 1 h. Nano-sized precipitates with a high number density in the steel produced by the TMT were found to be Cr-rich M{sub 2}(C,N) carbonitride, rather than MX or M{sub 23}C{sub 6} phase. The TMT process inhibits the precipitation of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} and M{sub 5}C{sub 2} phases. Enhanced creep properties of the steel by the TMT are mainly attributed to plenty of nano-sized Cr-rich M{sub 2}(C,N) carbonitrides, rather than to MX and M{sub 23}C{sub 6} precipitates. It is suggested that plenty of nano-sized Cr-rich M{sub 2}(C,N) carbonitrides produced by the TMT are more helpful to improve the creep properties of the steel than M{sub 23}C{sub 6} plus MX precipitates obtained by the conventional heat treatment. - Highlights: •Carbon replicas were used for precisely identifying nano-sized phases in steel produced by TMT. •Densely nano-sized precipitates in P92 steel after TMT were found to be Cr-rich M{sub 2}(C,N) phase. •Fine precipitates produced by TMT can be M{sub 2}X phase instead of MX and/or M{sub 23}C{sub 6} phase. •Enhanced creep properties of P92 steel by TMT is attributed to fine M{sub 2}X, rather than to MX and M{sub 23}C{sub 6}. •TMT involving a tempering at 650 °C inhibits the formation of M{sub 23}C{sub 6}/M{sub 5}C{sub 2} phases in high-Cr steels.« less

Antiamnesic Effect of Actinidia arguta Extract Intake in a Mouse Model of TMT-Induced Learning and Memory Dysfunction

PubMed Central

Ha, Jeong Su; Jin, Dong Eun; Park, Seon Kyeong; Park, Chang Hyeon; Seung, Tae Wan; Bae, Dong-Won; Kim, Dae-Ok; Heo, Ho Jin

2015-01-01

The antiamnesic effects of ethyl acetate fraction from Actinidia arguta (EFAA) on trimethyltin- (TMT-) induced memory impairment were investigated to find the possibility of functional food substances. EFAA showed a potent AChE inhibitory effect (IC50 = 53 μg/mL) and efficient neuroprotection against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. The administration of EFAA significantly decreased TMT-induced cognitive deficit in Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. After the behavioral tests, the antioxidant activities were confirmed using mice brain tissues. EFAA not only showed the inhibition of AChE activity and the decline of malondialdehyde (MDA) level as a sign of lipid peroxidation but also presented the increase of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) level and the decrease of the oxidized glutathione (GSSG)/total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) ratio. Finally, the phenolics in EFAA were identified using liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometry, and four main phenolics, such as quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeoyl hexose, and quercetin-3-glucoside, were identified. These results suggest that EFAA containing physiological phenolics might enhance drug-induced amnesia through AChE inhibition and neuroprotection. PMID:26576196

Antiamnesic Effect of Actinidia arguta Extract Intake in a Mouse Model of TMT-Induced Learning and Memory Dysfunction.

PubMed

Ha, Jeong Su; Jin, Dong Eun; Park, Seon Kyeong; Park, Chang Hyeon; Seung, Tae Wan; Bae, Dong-Won; Kim, Dae-Ok; Heo, Ho Jin

2015-01-01

The antiamnesic effects of ethyl acetate fraction from Actinidia arguta (EFAA) on trimethyltin- (TMT-) induced memory impairment were investigated to find the possibility of functional food substances. EFAA showed a potent AChE inhibitory effect (IC50 = 53 μg/mL) and efficient neuroprotection against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. The administration of EFAA significantly decreased TMT-induced cognitive deficit in Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. After the behavioral tests, the antioxidant activities were confirmed using mice brain tissues. EFAA not only showed the inhibition of AChE activity and the decline of malondialdehyde (MDA) level as a sign of lipid peroxidation but also presented the increase of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) level and the decrease of the oxidized glutathione (GSSG)/total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) ratio. Finally, the phenolics in EFAA were identified using liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometry, and four main phenolics, such as quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeoyl hexose, and quercetin-3-glucoside, were identified. These results suggest that EFAA containing physiological phenolics might enhance drug-induced amnesia through AChE inhibition and neuroprotection.

Large-scale exploratory genetic analysis of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Mata, Ignacio F; Johnson, Catherine O; Leverenz, James B; Weintraub, Daniel; Trojanowski, John Q; Van Deerlin, Vivianna M; Ritz, Beate; Rausch, Rebecca; Factor, Stewart A; Wood-Siverio, Cathy; Quinn, Joseph F; Chung, Kathryn A; Peterson-Hiller, Amie L; Espay, Alberto J; Revilla, Fredy J; Devoto, Johnna; Yearout, Dora; Hu, Shu-Ching; Cholerton, Brenna A; Montine, Thomas J; Edwards, Karen L; Zabetian, Cyrus P

2017-08-01

Cognitive impairment is a common and disabling problem in Parkinson's disease (PD). Identification of genetic variants that influence the presence or severity of cognitive deficits in PD might provide a clearer understanding of the pathophysiology underlying this important nonmotor feature. We genotyped 1105 PD patients from the PD Cognitive Genetics Consortium for 249,336 variants using the NeuroX array. Participants underwent assessments of learning and memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised [HVLT-R]), working memory/executive function (Letter-Number Sequencing and Trail Making Test [TMT] A and B), language processing (semantic and phonemic verbal fluency), visuospatial abilities (Benton Judgment of Line Orientation [JoLO]), and global cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). For common variants, we used linear regression to test for association between genotype and cognitive performance with adjustment for important covariates. Rare variants were analyzed using the optimal unified sequence kernel association test. The significance threshold was defined as a false discovery rate-corrected p-value (P FDR ) of 0.05. Eighteen common variants in 13 genomic regions exceeded the significance threshold for one of the cognitive tests. These included GBA rs2230288 (E326K; P FDR  = 2.7 × 10 -4 ) for JoLO, PARP4 rs9318600 (P FDR  = 0.006), and rs9581094 (P FDR  = 0.006) for HVLT-R total recall, and MTCL1 rs34877994 (P FDR  = 0.01) for TMT B-A. Analysis of rare variants did not yield any significant gene regions. We have conducted the first large-scale PD cognitive genetics analysis and nominated several new putative susceptibility genes for cognitive impairment in PD. These results will require replication in independent PD cohorts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control - Pilot-Scale Test Results

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

Gary M. Blythe

2006-03-01

This Topical Report summarizes progress on Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, ''Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive.'' The objective of the project is to demonstrate the use of a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additive, Degussa Corporation's TMT-15, to prevent the reemissions of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project intends to demonstrate that the additive can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine TMT salt that can be separated from the FGD liquor and bulk solid byproducts for separate disposal.more » The project will conduct pilot and full-scale tests of the TMT-15 additive in wet FGD absorbers. The tests are intended to determine required additive dosage requirements to prevent Hg{sup 0} reemissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Power River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, TXU Generation Company LP, Southern Company, and Degussa Corporation. TXU Generation has provided the Texas lignite/PRB co-fired test site for pilot FGD tests, Monticello Steam Electric Station Unit 3. Southern Company is providing the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, as well as the pilot and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems to be tested. A third utility, to be named later, will provide the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site. Degussa Corporation is providing the TMT-15 additive and technical support to the test program. The project is being conducted in six tasks. Of the six project tasks, Task 1 involves project planning and Task 6 involves management and reporting. The other four tasks involve field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. The four tasks include: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High Sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. This topical report presents the results from the Task 2 and Task 4 pilot-scale additive tests. The Task 3 and Task 5 full-scale additive tests will be conducted later in calendar year 2006.« less

Neuroprotective effects of fermented soybean products (Cheonggukjang) manufactured by mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis MC31 and Lactobacillus sakei 383 on trimethyltin-induced cognitive defects mice.

PubMed

Go, Jun; Kim, Ji Eun; Kwak, Moon Hwa; Koh, Eun Kyoung; Song, Sung Hwa; Sung, Ji Eun; Kim, Dong Sup; Hong, Jin Tae; Hwang, Dae Youn

2016-07-01

This study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of Cheonggukjang (CGK) manufactured by mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis MC31 and Lactobacillus sakei 383 on neurotoxic damages. The specific aspects of brain functions were measured in Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) mice that had been pretreated for 4 weeks with three difference doses of CGK before trimethyltin (TMT) treatment. The short- and long-term memory loss induced by TMT treatment was significantly improved in the CGK-pretreated group in a dose-dependent manner. The number of dead cells in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus was decreased in the TMT/CGK-cotreated group relative to the TMT/vehicle-treated group, whereas significant suppression of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was observed in the same group. Additionally, a dose-dependent increase in nerve growth factor (NGF) concentration, activation of the NGF receptor signaling pathway including the TrkA high affinity receptor and p75(NTR) low affinity receptor, and decline in Bax/Bcl-2 level was measured in all TMT/CGK-treated groups, although a decrease in the active form of caspase-3 was observed in the TMT/H-CGK-treated group. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was enhanced in the TMT/CGK-treated group, whereas the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, was 43-58% lower in the TMT/CGK-treated group than the TMT/vehicle-treated group. These results demonstrate that CGK fermented by mixed culture of B. subtilis and L. sakei could exert a wide range of beneficial activities for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Huntington disease.

Quantitating silver-stained neurodegeneration: the neurotoxicity of trimethlytin (TMT) in aged rats.

PubMed

Scallet, A C; Pothuluri, N; Rountree, R L; Matthews, J C

2000-05-15

This report describes the development of a histoanalytical procedure to measure the degree of neurodegeneration produced by the organometal toxicant trimethyltin (TMT). Based on a previous, non-quantitated experiment we hypothesized that the same dose of TMT would produce greater damage in animals of increasing age. Male rats aged 6, 12, 18, or 24 months at the time of dosing were given either 4.5 mg/kg TMT or saline (i.p.). One month after dosing, rats were perfused and their brains removed and processed to selectively silver-impregnate degenerating cell bodies as well as axon terminals and dendrites. Neurodegeneration was most prominent in the hippocampi (especially CA1 stratum radiatum) of TMT-treated rats, but not in the controls. Computer-assisted counting of the silver grains marking damage indicated greater neurotoxicity from the same dose of TMT when given to the older animals. Thus the grain density in the 6-month-old TMT-treated rats was not significantly elevated from the 6-month-old controls (P>0.10). The 12-month-old TMT-treated rats had significantly increased grain densities compared to their controls (P<0.05), but still larger increases of grain counts were observed in the 18- and 24-month-old rats (both P-values<0.01). Our findings with TMT are similar to previous, but nonquantitative, reports that the neurotoxic effects of kainic acid and methionine sulfoximine were also greater in older rats. An increased sensitivity to neurotoxicants might help explain the apparently spontaneous degeneration of cortical neurons in aging and in the neurological diseases of old age. The method we report here for quantitation of silver grains marking neurodegeneration should be adaptable to a wide range of histologically-based neurotoxicology investigations.

Expression of γ-tocopherol methyltransferase in chloroplasts results in massive proliferation of the inner envelope membrane and decreases susceptibility to salt and metal-induced oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen species

PubMed Central

Jin, Shuangxia; Daniell, Henry

2014-01-01

Summary The γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) is an important enzyme regulating synthesis of four tocopherols (α, γ, β and δ). In this report, we investigated the role of γ-TMT in regulating abiotic stress within chloroplasts. The At γ-tmt overexpressed via the tobacco chloroplast genome accumulated up to 7.7% of the total leaf protein, resulting in massive proliferation of the inner envelope membrane (IEM, up to 8 layers). Such high level expression of γ-TMT converted most of γ-tocopherol to α-tocopherol in transplastomic seeds (~10 fold higher) in the absence of abiotic stress. When grown in 400 mM NaCl, α-tocopherol content in transplastomic TMT leaves increased up to 8.2-fold and 2.4-fold higher than wild-type leaves. Likewise, under heavy metal stress α-tocopherol content in the TMT leaves increased up to 7.5-fold, twice higher than in the wild-type. Under extreme salt stress, the wild-type accumulated higher starch and total soluble sugars but TMT plants were able to regulate sugar transport. Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide content in wild-type increased up to 3-fold within 48 hours of NaCl stress when compared to TMT plants. The ion leakage from TMT leaves was significantly less than wild-type plants under abiotic stress and with less malondialdehyde, indicating lower lipid peroxidation. Taken together, these studies show that α-tocopherol plays a crucial role in the alleviation of salt and heavy metal stresses by decreasing ROS, lipid peroxidation and ion leakage, in addition to enhancing vitamin E conversion. Increased proliferation of the IEM should facilitate studies on retrograde signaling from chloroplast to the nucleus. PMID:25051898

NHS-based Tandem Mass Tagging of Proteins at the Level of Whole Cells: A Critical Evaluation in Comparison to Conventional TMT-Labeling Approaches for Quantitative Proteome Analysis.

PubMed

Megger, Dominik A; Pott, Leona L; Rosowski, Kristin; Zülch, Birgit; Tautges, Stephanie; Bracht, Thilo; Sitek, Barbara

2017-01-01

Tandem mass tags (TMT) are usually introduced at the levels of isolated proteins or peptides. Here, for the first time, we report the labeling of whole cells and a critical evaluation of its performance in comparison to conventional labeling approaches. The obtained results indicated that TMT protein labeling using intact cells is generally possible, if it is coupled to a subsequent enrichment using anti-TMT antibody. The quantitative results were similar to those obtained after labeling of isolated proteins and both were found to be slightly complementary to peptide labeling. Furthermore, when using NHS-based TMT, no specificity towards cell surface proteins was observed in the case of cell labeling. In summary, the conducted study revealed first evidence for the general possibility of TMT cell labeling and highlighted limitations of NHS-based labeling reagents. Future studies should therefore focus on the synthesis and investigation of membrane impermeable TMTs to increase specificity towards cell surface proteins.

Lithium limits trimethyltin-induced cytotoxicity and proinflammatory response in microglia without affecting the concurrent autophagy impairment.

PubMed

Fabrizi, Cinzia; Pompili, Elena; Somma, Francesca; De Vito, Stefania; Ciraci, Viviana; Artico, Marco; Lenzi, Paola; Fornai, Francesco; Fumagalli, Lorenzo

2017-02-01

Trimethyltin (TMT) is a highly toxic molecule present as an environmental contaminant causing neurodegeneration particularly of the limbic system both in humans and in rodents. We recently described the occurrence of impairment in the late stages of autophagy in TMT-intoxicated astrocytes. Here we show that similarly to astrocytes also in microglia, TMT induces the precocious block of autophagy indicated by the accumulation of the autophagosome marker, microtubule associated protein light chain 3. Consistent with autophagy impairment we observe in TMT-treated microglia the accumulation of p62/SQSTM1, a protein specifically degraded through this pathway. Lithium has been proved effective in limiting neurodegenerations and, in particular, in ameliorating symptoms of TMT intoxication in rodents. In our in vitro model, lithium displays a pro-survival and anti-inflammatory action reducing both cell death and the proinflammatory response of TMT-treated microglia. In particular, lithium exerts these activities without reducing TMT-induced accumulation of light chain 3 protein. In fact, the autophagic block imposed by TMT is unaffected by lithium administration. These results are of interest as defects in the execution of autophagy are frequently observed in neurodegenerative diseases and lithium is considered a promising therapeutic agent for these pathologies. Thus, it is relevant that this cation can still maintain its pro-survival and anti-inflammatory role in conditions of autophagy block. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The organotin compounds trimethyltin (TMT) and triethyltin (TET) but not tributyltin (TBT) induce activation of microglia co-cultivated with astrocytes.

PubMed

Röhl, C; Grell, M; Maser, E

2009-12-01

The organotin compounds trimethyltin (TMT), triethyltin (TET) and tributyltin (TBT) show different organotoxicities in vivo. While TMT and TET induce a strong neurotoxicity accompanied by microglial and astroglial activation, TBT rather effects the immune system. Previously, we have shown in an in vitro co-culture model that microglial cells can be activated by TMT in the presence of astrocytes. In this study, we wanted to investigate (a) if the neurotoxic organotin compound TET can also activate microglial cells in vitro similar to TMT and (b) if differences between the neurotoxicants TMT and TET on the one side and TBT on the other exist concerning microglial activation. Therefore, purified microglial and astroglial cell cultures from neonatal rat brains were treated either alone or in co-cultures for 24h with different concentrations of TMT, TET or TBT and the basal cytotoxicity and nitric oxide formation was determined. Furthermore, morphological changes of astrocytes were examined. Our results show that microglial activation can be increased in subcytolethal concentrations, but only in the presence of astrocytes and not in microglial cell cultures alone. This increase was induced by the neurotoxicants TMT and TET but not by TBT. Taken together, the differing microglia activating effect of the organotin compounds may contribute to the differing neurotoxic potential of this group of chemicals in vivo. In addition, our results emphasize the need for co-culture systems when studying interactions between different cell types for toxicity assessment.

Effects of environmental novelty on fear-related behavior and stress responses of rats to emotionally relevant odors.

PubMed

Nikaido, Y; Nakashima, T

2009-05-16

Although various emotional behaviors and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of rats are induced by the exposure of 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline: TMT, a component of fox odor, these odor-induced responses are influenced by the external environment. Our previous study demonstrated that exposure to green odor, a mixture of cis-3-hexenol and trans-2-hexenal, attenuated stress-induced elevation of the plasma ACTH level in rats. The present study investigated the effect of TMT or green odor on emotional behavior and the HPA axis stress response with or without the influence of environmental novelty. We exposed rats to TMT or green odor in "familiar" or "unfamiliar" environments and compared the various responses, including fear-related behaviors, non-defensive behaviors and plasma ACTH concentrations. TMT induced enhanced freezing behavior, reduced exploration behavior and elevations in plasma ACTH concentrations in two environmental conditions. Comparing TMT-induced responses in an unfamiliar environment with the familiar environment showed that environmental novelty enhanced TMT-induced fear-related behaviors and elevations of plasma ACTH concentrations. These results revealed that TMT causes fear and stress responses in both familiar and unfamiliar environments, although the novelty of an unfamiliar environment enhances these TMT-induced responses. On the other hand, green odor did not induce any responses in either environment. These findings indicate that odor-induced responses are influenced by the surrounding environment.

Cognitive Deficits and Inflammatory Response Resulting from Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats Are Exacerbated by Repeated Pre-Exposure to an Innate Stress Stimulus.

PubMed

Ogier, Michaël; Belmeguenai, Amor; Lieutaud, Thomas; Georges, Béatrice; Bouvard, Sandrine; Carré, Emilie; Canini, Frédéric; Bezin, Laurent

2017-04-15

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in both military and civilian populations, and often results in neurobehavioral sequelae that impair quality of life in both patients and their families. Although individuals who are chronically exposed to stress are more likely to experience TBI, it is still unknown whether pre-injury stress influences the outcome after TBI. The present study tested whether behavioral and cognitive long-term outcome after TBI in rats is affected by prior exposure to an innate stress stimulus. Young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to the predator odor 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT) or to water (WAT); exposure was repeated eight times at irregular intervals over a 2-week period. Rats were subsequently subjected to either mild-to-moderate bilateral brain injury (lateral fluid percussion [LFP]) or sham surgery (Sham). Four experimental groups were studied: Sham-WAT, Sham-TMT, LFP-WAT and LFP-TMT. Compared with Sham-WAT rats, LFP-WAT rats exhibited transient locomotor hyperactivity without signs of anxiety, minor spatial learning acquisition and hippocampal long-term potentiation deficits, and lower baseline activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with slightly stronger reactivity to restraint stress. Exposure to TMT had only negligible effects on Sham rats, whereas it exacerbated all deficits in LFP rats except for locomotor hyperactivity. Early brain inflammatory response (8 h post-trauma) was aggravated in rats pre-exposed to TMT, suggesting that increased brain inflammation may sustain functional deficits in these rats. Hence, these data suggest that pre-exposure to stressful conditions can aggravate long-term deficits induced by TBI, leading to severe stress response deficits, possibly due to dysregulated inflammatory response.

Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS) real-time controller preliminary architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerley, Dan; Smith, Malcolm; Dunn, Jennifer; Herriot, Glen; Véran, Jean-Pierre; Boyer, Corinne; Ellerbroek, Brent; Gilles, Luc; Wang, Lianqi

2016-08-01

The Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS) is the first light Adaptive Optics (AO) system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). A critical component of NFIRAOS is the Real-Time Controller (RTC) subsystem which provides real-time wavefront correction by processing wavefront information to compute Deformable Mirror (DM) and Tip/Tilt Stage (TTS) commands. The National Research Council of Canada - Herzberg (NRC-H), in conjunction with TMT, has developed a preliminary design for the NFIRAOS RTC. The preliminary architecture for the RTC is comprised of several Linux-based servers. These servers are assigned various roles including: the High-Order Processing (HOP) servers, the Wavefront Corrector Controller (WCC) server, the Telemetry Engineering Display (TED) server, the Persistent Telemetry Storage (PTS) server, and additional testing and spare servers. There are up to six HOP servers that accept high-order wavefront pixels, and perform parallelized pixel processing and wavefront reconstruction to produce wavefront corrector error vectors. The WCC server performs low-order mode processing, and synchronizes and aggregates the high-order wavefront corrector error vectors from the HOP servers to generate wavefront corrector commands. The Telemetry Engineering Display (TED) server is the RTC interface to TMT and other subsystems. The TED server receives all external commands and dispatches them to the rest of the RTC servers and is responsible for aggregating several offloading and telemetry values that are reported to other subsystems within NFIRAOS and TMT. The TED server also provides the engineering GUIs and real-time displays. The Persistent Telemetry Storage (PTS) server contains fault tolerant data storage that receives and stores telemetry data, including data for Point-Spread Function Reconstruction (PSFR).

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) extract may prevent the deterioration of spatial memory and the deficit of estimated total number of hippocampal pyramidal cells of trimethyltin-exposed rats.

PubMed

Yuliani, Sapto; Mustofa; Partadiredja, Ginus

2018-01-01

Protection of neurons from degeneration is an important preventive strategy for dementia. Much of the dementia pathology implicates oxidative stress pathways. Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) contains curcuminoids which has anti-oxidative and neuro-protective effects. These effects are considered to be similar to those of citicoline which has been regularly used as one of standard medications for dementia. This study aimed at investigating the effects of turmeric rhizome extract on the hippocampus of trimethyltin (TMT)-treated Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were divided randomly into six groups, i.e., a normal control group (N); Sn group, which was given TMT chloride; Sn-Cit group, which was treated with citicoline and TMT chloride; and three Sn-TE groups, which were treated with three different dosages of turmeric rhizome extract and TMT chloride. Morris water maze test was carried out to examine the spatial memory. The estimated total number of CA1 and CA2-CA3 pyramidal cells was calculated using a stereological method. The administration of turmeric extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg bw has been shown to prevent the deficits in the spatial memory performance and partially inhibit the reduction of the number of CA2-CA3 regions pyramidal neurons. TMT-induced neurotoxic damage seemed to be mediated by the generation of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. Turmeric extract might act as anti inflammatory as well as anti-oxidant agent. The effects of turmeric extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg bw seem to be comparable to those of citicoline.

Terror Management in a Multicultural Society: Effects of Mortality Salience on Attitudes to Multiculturalism Are Moderated by National Identification and Self-Esteem Among Native Dutch People

PubMed Central

Tjew-A-Sin, Mandy; Koole, Sander Leon

2018-01-01

Terror Management Theory (TMT; Greenberg et al., 1997) proposes that mortality concerns may lead people to reject other cultures than their own. Although highly relevant to multiculturalism, TMT has been rarely tested in a European multicultural society. To fill this void, two studies examined the effects of mortality salience (MS) among native Dutch people with varying levels of national identification and self-esteem. Consistent with TMT, MS led to less favorable attitudes about Muslims and multiculturalism among participants with high (rather than low) national identification and low (rather than high) self-esteem (Study 1). Likewise, MS led participants with high national identification and low self-esteem to increase their support of Sinterklaas, a traditional Dutch festivity with purported racist elements (Study 2). Together, these findings indicate that existential concerns may fuel resistance against multiculturalism, especially among people with low self-esteem who strongly identify with their nationality. PMID:29867681

Terror Management in a Multicultural Society: Effects of Mortality Salience on Attitudes to Multiculturalism Are Moderated by National Identification and Self-Esteem Among Native Dutch People.

PubMed

Tjew-A-Sin, Mandy; Koole, Sander Leon

2018-01-01

Terror Management Theory (TMT; Greenberg et al., 1997) proposes that mortality concerns may lead people to reject other cultures than their own. Although highly relevant to multiculturalism, TMT has been rarely tested in a European multicultural society. To fill this void, two studies examined the effects of mortality salience (MS) among native Dutch people with varying levels of national identification and self-esteem. Consistent with TMT, MS led to less favorable attitudes about Muslims and multiculturalism among participants with high (rather than low) national identification and low (rather than high) self-esteem (Study 1). Likewise, MS led participants with high national identification and low self-esteem to increase their support of Sinterklaas, a traditional Dutch festivity with purported racist elements (Study 2). Together, these findings indicate that existential concerns may fuel resistance against multiculturalism, especially among people with low self-esteem who strongly identify with their nationality.

The disposition of /sup 14/C-trimethyltin in the pregnant rat and fetus

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

Lipscomb, J.C.; Paule, M.G.; Slikker, W. Jr.

1989-03-01

Trimethyltin (TMT) is a potent neurotoxicant. For unknown reasons, age at exposure to TMT may dramatically influence the severity of TMT-induced neuropathology. We have demonstrated previously that radiolabel derived from (/sup 14/C)-TMT given to pregnant dams on gestational day (GD) 17 is found in fetal brain and blood. The present study was designed to determine the distribution of radiolabel derived from (14C)-TMT to brain and other tissue in fetuses from dams dosed on either GD 12 or 17 with 7.0 mg/kg TMT chloride. Radioactivity in GD 12 and GD 17 maternal whole blood peaked 1 hour after IP treatment. Wholemore » blood elimination half-lives were 12-15 days. Peak radiolabel concentrations in GD 12 maternal and fetal brain were only 11-30% of those from GD 17 animals, however, peak fetal brain concentrations of radiolabel were not different from their respective maternal brain concentrations. Radiolabel concentrations in liver, kidney, and adrenal of GD 17 dams were higher than those in corresponding GD 12 tissues. Combined urinary and fecal elimination of radiolabel for two weeks after dosing accounted for 31 and 22% of the GD 12 and 17 doses, respectively. It appears that gestational age influences the distribution and elimination of TMT in the rat.« less

Vortioxetine reduces BOLD signal during performance of the N-back working memory task: a randomised neuroimaging trial in remitted depressed patients and healthy controls.

PubMed

Smith, J; Browning, M; Conen, S; Smallman, R; Buchbjerg, J; Larsen, K G; Olsen, C K; Christensen, S R; Dawson, G R; Deakin, J F; Hawkins, P; Morris, R; Goodwin, G; Harmer, C J

2018-05-01

Cognitive dysfunction is common in depression during both acute episodes and remission. Vortioxetine is a novel multimodal antidepressant that has improved cognitive function including executive function in depressed patients in randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials. However, it is unclear whether vortioxetine is able to target directly the neural circuitry implicated in the cognitive deficits in depression. Remitted depressed (n=48) and healthy volunteers (n=48) were randomised to receive 14 days treatment with 20 mg vortioxetine or placebo in a double-blind design. The effects of treatment on functional magnetic resonance imaging responses during an N-back working memory task were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment. Neuropsychological measures of executive function, speed and information processing, attention and learning and memory were examined with the Trail Making Test (TMT), Rey Auditory Learning Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test before and after treatment; subjective cognitive function was assessed using the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ). Compared with placebo, vortioxetine reduced activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus during the N-back task compared with placebo. Vortioxetine also increased TMT-A performance and self-reported cognitive function on the PDQ. These effects were seen across both subject groups. Vortioxetine modulates neural responses across a circuit subserving working memory in a direction opposite to the changes described in depression, when performance is maintained. This study provides evidence that vortioxetine has direct effects on the neural circuitry supporting cognitive function that can be dissociated from its effects on the mood symptoms of depression.

Set shifting and working memory in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Rohlf, Helena; Jucksch, Viola; Gawrilow, Caterina; Huss, Michael; Hein, Jakob; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Salbach-Andrae, Harriet

2012-01-01

Compared to the high number of studies that investigated executive functions (EF) in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a little is known about the EF performance of adults with ADHD. This study compared 37 adults with ADHD (ADHD(total)) and 32 control participants who were equivalent in age, intelligence quotient (IQ), sex, and years of education, in two domains of EF--set shifting and working memory. Additionally, the ADHD(total) group was subdivided into two subgroups: ADHD patients without comorbidity (ADHD(-), n = 19) and patients with at least one comorbid disorder (ADHD(+), n = 18). Participants fulfilled two measures for set shifting (i.e., the trail making test, TMT and a computerized card sorting test, CKV) and one measure for working memory (i.e., digit span test, DS). Compared to the control group the ADHD(total) group displayed deficits in set shifting and working memory. The differences between the groups were of medium-to-large effect size (TMT: d = 0.48; DS: d = 0.51; CKV: d = 0.74). The subgroup comparison of the ADHD(+) group and the ADHD(-) group revealed a poorer performance in general information processing speed for the ADHD(+) group. With regard to set shifting and working memory, no significant differences could be found between the two subgroups. These results suggest that the deficits of the ADHD(total) group are attributable to ADHD rather than to comorbidity. An influence of comorbidity, however, could not be completely ruled out as there was a trend of a poorer performance in the ADHD(+) group on some of the outcome measures.

The relation of close friends to cognitive performance in old age: the mediating role of leisure activities.

PubMed

Ihle, Andreas; Oris, Michel; Baeriswyl, Marie; Kliegel, Matthias

2018-06-01

ABSTRACTBackground:From a conceptual point of view, close friends are an important resource for promoting activity engagement in old age. Leisure activity engagement in turn is a key predictor of cognitive performance. Empirically, it remains unclear so far whether leisure activity engagement mediates between having close friends on the one hand and cognitive performance on the other, which we investigated in a large sample of older adults. We assessed cognitive performance (Mill Hill vocabulary scale and Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B) in 2,812 older adults. Participants reported information on leisure activity engagement and close friends. A larger number of leisure activities and a larger number of close friends were significantly related to better cognitive performance in the Mill Hill vocabulary scale and TMT parts A and B. A larger number of close friends were significantly related to a larger number of leisure activities. The number of leisure activities mediated more than half of the relation of the number of close friends to performance in all three cognitive measures. Having close friends may be helpful to stimulate and promote activity participation in old age. By enhancing individuals' cognitive reserve, this may finally preserve their cognitive performance level in old age.

Reaction time, processing speed and sustained attention in schizophrenia: impact on social functioning.

PubMed

Lahera, Guillermo; Ruiz, Alicia; Brañas, Antía; Vicens, María; Orozco, Arantxa

Previous studies have linked processing speed with social cognition and functioning of patients with schizophrenia. A discriminant analysis is needed to determine the different components of this neuropsychological construct. This paper analyzes the impact of processing speed, reaction time and sustained attention on social functioning. 98 outpatients between 18 and 65 with DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia, with a period of 3 months of clinical stability, were recruited. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, and the following variables were measured: processing speed (Trail Making Test [TMT], symbol coding [BACS], verbal fluency), simple and elective reaction time, sustained attention, recognition of facial emotions and global functioning. Processing speed (measured only through the BACS), sustained attention (CPT) and elective reaction time (but not simple) were associated with functioning. Recognizing facial emotions (FEIT) correlated significantly with scores on measures of processing speed (BACS, Animals, TMT), sustained attention (CPT) and reaction time. The linear regression model showed a significant relationship between functioning, emotion recognition (P=.015) and processing speed (P=.029). A deficit in processing speed and facial emotion recognition are associated with worse global functioning in patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2017 SEP y SEPB. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Gray matter correlates of set-shifting among neurodegenerative disease, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy older adults

PubMed Central

PA, JUDY; POSSIN, KATHERINE L.; WILSON, STEPHEN M.; QUITANIA, LOVINGLY C.; KRAMER, JOEL H.; BOXER, ADAM L.; WEINER, MICHAEL W.; JOHNSON, JULENE K.

2010-01-01

There is increasing recognition that set-shifting, a form of cognitive control, is mediated by different neural structures. However, these regions have not yet been carefully identified as many studies do not account for the influence of component processes (e.g., motor speed). We investigated gray matter correlates of set-shifting while controlling for component processes. Using the Design Fluency (DF), Trail Making Test (TMT), and Color Word Interference (CWI) subtests from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), we investigated the correlation between set-shifting performance and gray matter volume in 160 subjects with neurodegenerative disease, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy older adults using voxel-based morphometry. All three set-shifting tasks correlated with multiple, widespread gray matter regions. After controlling for the component processes, set-shifting performance correlated with focal regions in prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices. We also identified bilateral prefrontal cortex and the right posterior parietal lobe as common sites for set-shifting across the three tasks. There was a high degree of multicollinearity between the set-shifting conditions and the component processes of TMT and CWI, suggesting DF may better isolate set-shifting regions. Overall, these findings highlight the neuroanatomical correlates of set-shifting and the importance of controlling for component processes when investigating complex cognitive tasks. PMID:20374676

Impaired processing of self-face recognition in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Hirot, France; Lesage, Marine; Pedron, Lya; Meyer, Isabelle; Thomas, Pierre; Cottencin, Olivier; Guardia, Dewi

2016-03-01

Body image disturbances and massive weight loss are major clinical symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN). The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of body changes and eating attitudes on self-face recognition ability in AN. Twenty-seven subjects suffering from AN and 27 control participants performed a self-face recognition task (SFRT). During the task, digital morphs between their own face and a gender-matched unfamiliar face were presented in a random sequence. Participants' self-face recognition failures, cognitive flexibility, body concern and eating habits were assessed with the Self-Face Recognition Questionnaire (SFRQ), Trail Making Test (TMT), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), respectively. Subjects suffering from AN exhibited significantly greater difficulties than control participants in identifying their own face (p = 0.028). No significant difference was observed between the two groups for TMT (all p > 0.1, non-significant). Regarding predictors of self-face recognition skills, there was a negative correlation between SFRT and body mass index (p = 0.01) and a positive correlation between SFRQ and EDI-2 (p < 0.001) or BSQ (p < 0.001). Among factors involved, nutritional status and intensity of eating disorders could play a part in impaired self-face recognition.

A Satellite Survey of Cloud Cover and Water Vapor in the Southwestern USA and Northern Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasco, E.; Avila, R.; Erasmus, A.; Djorgovski, S. G.; Walker, A. R.; Blum, R.

2017-03-01

Cloud cover and water vapor conditions in the southwestern USA and northern Mexico were surveyed as a preparatory work for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) in situ site testing program. Although the telescope site is already selected, the TMT site testing team decided to make public these results for its usefulness for the community. Using 58 months of meteorological satellite observations between 1993 July and 1999 September, different atmospheric parameters were quantified from data of the 10.7 μm and of 6.7 μm windows. In particular, cloud cover and water vapor conditions were identified in preferred areas. As a result of the aerial analysis, 15 sites of existing and potential telescope were selected, compared, and ranked in terms of their observing quality. The clearest sites are located along the spine of the Baja peninsula and into southern California on mountain peaks above the temperature inversion layer. A steep gradient of cloudiness was observed along the coast where coastal cloud and fog are trapped below the inversion layer. Moving from west to east over the continent, a significant increase in cloudiness was observed. The analysis shows that San Pedro Mártir, San Gorgonio Mountain and San Jacinto Peak have the largest fraction of clear sky conditions (˜74%). The site with the optimal combination of clear skies and low precipitable water vapor is Boundary Peak, Nevada. An approach based in satellite data provided a reliable method for sites comparison.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction and its relationship to cognitive reserve in elderly total joint replacement patients.

PubMed

Scott, J E; Mathias, J L; Kneebone, A C; Krishnan, J

2017-06-01

Whether total joint replacement (TJR) patients are susceptible to postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) remains unclear due to inconsistencies in research methodologies. Moreover, cognitive reserve may moderate the development of POCD after TJR, but has not been investigated in this context. The current study investigated POCD after TJR, and its relationship with cognitive reserve, using a more rigorous methodology than has previously been utilized. Fifty-three older adults (aged 50+) scheduled for TJR were assessed pre and post surgery (6 months). Forty-five healthy controls matched for age, gender, and premorbid IQ were re-assessed after an equivalent interval. Cognition, cognitive reserve, and physical and mental health were all measured. Standardized regression-based methods were used to assess cognitive changes, while controlling for the confounding effect of repeated cognitive testing. TJR patients only demonstrated a significant decline in Trail Making Test Part B (TMT B) performance, compared to controls. Cognitive reserve only predicted change in TMT B scores among a subset of TJR patients. Specifically, patients who showed the most improvement pre to post surgery had significantly higher reserve than those who showed the greatest decline. The current study provides limited evidence of POCD after TJR when examined using a rigorous methodology, which controlled for practice effects. Cognitive reserve only predicted performance within a subset of the TJR sample. However, the role of reserve in more cognitively compromised patients remains to be determined.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides Protect against Trimethyltin Chloride-Induced Apoptosis via Sonic Hedgehog and PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathways in Mouse Neuro-2a Cells.

PubMed

Zhao, Wanyun; Pan, Xiaoqi; Li, Tao; Zhang, Changchun; Shi, Nian

2016-01-01

Trimethyltin chloride (TMT) is a classic neurotoxicant that can cause severe neurodegenerative diseases. Some signaling pathways involving cell death play pivotal roles in the central nervous system. In this study, the role of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and PI3K/Akt pathways in TMT-induced apoptosis and protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on mouse neuro-2a (N2a) cells were investigated. Results showed that TMT treatment significantly enhanced apoptosis, upregulated proapoptotic Bax, downregulated antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression, and increased caspase-3 activity in a dose-dependent manner in N2a cells. TMT induced oxidative stress in cells, performing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) excessive generation, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity reduction. TMT significantly decreased phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and inhibited Shh and PI3K/Akt pathways. However, the addition of LBP upregulated GSK-3β phosphorylation, activated Shh and PI3K/Akt pathways, and eventually reduced apoptosis and oxidative stress caused by TMT. The interaction between Shh and PI3K/Akt pathways was clarified by specific PI3K inhibitor LY294002 or Shh inhibitor GDC-0449. Moreover, LY294002 and GDC-0449 pretreatment both induced phosphorylated GSK-3β downregulation and significantly promoted apoptosis induced by TMT. These results suggest that LBP could reduce TMT-induced N2a cells apoptosis by regulating GSK-3β phosphorylation, Shh, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides Protect against Trimethyltin Chloride-Induced Apoptosis via Sonic Hedgehog and PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathways in Mouse Neuro-2a Cells

PubMed Central

Zhao, Wanyun; Pan, Xiaoqi; Li, Tao; Zhang, Changchun; Shi, Nian

2016-01-01

Trimethyltin chloride (TMT) is a classic neurotoxicant that can cause severe neurodegenerative diseases. Some signaling pathways involving cell death play pivotal roles in the central nervous system. In this study, the role of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and PI3K/Akt pathways in TMT-induced apoptosis and protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on mouse neuro-2a (N2a) cells were investigated. Results showed that TMT treatment significantly enhanced apoptosis, upregulated proapoptotic Bax, downregulated antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression, and increased caspase-3 activity in a dose-dependent manner in N2a cells. TMT induced oxidative stress in cells, performing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) excessive generation, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity reduction. TMT significantly decreased phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and inhibited Shh and PI3K/Akt pathways. However, the addition of LBP upregulated GSK-3β phosphorylation, activated Shh and PI3K/Akt pathways, and eventually reduced apoptosis and oxidative stress caused by TMT. The interaction between Shh and PI3K/Akt pathways was clarified by specific PI3K inhibitor LY294002 or Shh inhibitor GDC-0449. Moreover, LY294002 and GDC-0449 pretreatment both induced phosphorylated GSK-3β downregulation and significantly promoted apoptosis induced by TMT. These results suggest that LBP could reduce TMT-induced N2a cells apoptosis by regulating GSK-3β phosphorylation, Shh, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. PMID:27143997

Executive Dysfunction in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Anterior Cingulate-Based Resting State Functional Connectivity

PubMed Central

Yun, Je-Yeon; Jang, Joon Hwan; Jung, Wi Hoon; Shin, Na Young; Kim, Sung Nyun; Hwang, Jae Yeon

2017-01-01

Objective Executive dysfunction might be an important determinant for response to pharmacotherapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and could be sustained independently of symptom relief. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been indicated as a potential neural correlate of executive functioning in OCD. The present study examined the brain-executive function relationships in OCD from the ACC-based resting state functional connectivity networks (rs-FCNs), which reflect information processing mechanisms during task performance. Methods For a total of 58 subjects [OCD, n=24; healthy controls (HCs), n=34], four subdomains of executive functioning were measured using the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (RCFT), the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the Trail Making Test part B (TMT-B). To probe for differential patterns of the brain-cognition relationship in OCD compared to HC, the ACC-centered rs-FCN were calculated using five seed regions systemically placed throughout the ACC. Results Significant differences between the OCD group and the HCs with respect to the WCST perseverative errors, SCWT interference scores, and TMT-B reaction times (p<0.05) were observed. Moreover, significant interactions between diagnosis×dorsal ACC [S3]-based rs-FCN strength in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for RCFT organization summary scores as well as between diagnosis×perigenual ACC [S7]-based rs-FCN strength in the left frontal eye field for SCWT color-word interference scores were unveiled. Conclusion These network-based neural foundations for executive dysfunction in OCD could become a potential target of future treatment, which could improve global domains of functioning broader than symptomatic relief. PMID:28539952

Contingent negative variation before and after hemodialysis among patients with end-stage renal disease.

PubMed

Bae, Jong Seok; Park, Sung Sik

2008-04-15

To investigate changes in contingent negative variation (CNV) induced by uremia and to study the effects of hemodialysis. Fifteen right-handed healthy subjects and 12 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were studied. CNV was recorded from the Fz, Cz and Pz (using the International 10-20 System) referenced to linked ear lobes, using an S1 (click)-S2 (flashes)-key press paradigm. The amplitude of initial CNV (iCNV) was calculated as the average amplitude at 550-750 ms after S1. The amplitude of late CNV (lCNV) was the mean amplitude of the last 200 ms before S2. Testing was repeated for the patient group at pre- and post-hemodialysis observations. Neuropsychological measurements, a trail making test (TMT) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE), were conducted at each time. The mean amplitudes of iCNV and lCNV at the vertex (Cz) were both significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group (P<0.05). TMT were also significantly different between patient and control groups (P<0.05)), however MMSE showed no significant difference. There were no significant correlations between the values of neuropsychological tests and the parameters of CNV. Both iCNV and lCNV were not significantly different between the pre- and post-dialysis tests. CNV negativity in patients with ESRD reflects diffuse nonlocalizing neurological symptoms of uremia rather than a selective involvement of the frontal lobes. It is likely to reflect dysfunction in the frontal-subcortical circuit. In addition, hemodialysis seemed to have no significant effect on executive brain function in these patients with ESRD.

Non-invasive brain stimulation of the right inferior frontal gyrus may improve attention in early Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study.

PubMed

Eliasova, Ilona; Anderkova, Lubomira; Marecek, Radek; Rektorova, Irena

2014-11-15

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive tool for modulating cortical activity. In this pilot study, we evaluated the effects of high frequency rTMS applied over the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) on cognitive functions in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or incipient dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Ten patients (6 men; 4 women, mean age of 72 ± 8 years; MMSE 23 ± 3.56) were enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled study with a crossover design. All participants received 2 sessions of 10 Hz rTMS over the non-dominant right hemisphere in random order: IFG (active stimulation site) and vertex (control stimulation site). Intensities were adjusted to 90% of resting motor threshold. A total of 2250 pulses were applied in a session. The Trail Making Test (TMT), the Stroop test, and the complex visual scene encoding task (CVSET) were administered before and immediately after each session. The Wilcoxon paired test was used for data analysis. Stimulation applied over the IFG induced improvement in the TMT parts A (p = 0.037) and B (p = 0.049). No significant changes were found in the Stroop test or the CVSET after the IFG stimulation. We observed no significant cognitive aftereffects of rTMS applied over the vertex. High frequency rTMS of the right IFG induced significant improvement of attention and psychomotor speed in patients with MCI/mild dementia due to AD. This pilot study is part of a more complex protocol and ongoing research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Speed of processing and strategic control of attention after traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Dymowski, Alicia Rhian; Owens, Jacqueline Anne; Ponsford, Jennie Louise; Willmott, Catherine

2015-01-01

Slowed information processing speed has consistently been documented after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Debate continues as to whether deficits in strategic control are proportionate to, or remain after controlling for, reduced speed of processing. The study aim was to investigate the association of speed of processing and strategic control of attention with working memory, selective attention, response inhibition, and mental flexibility task performance after TBI using traditional and novel clinical measures. Twenty-five individuals with complicated mild to severe TBI (post-traumatic amnesia duration, M = 39.52 days, SD = 38.34; worst Glasgow Coma Scale score, M = 7.33, SD = 4.35; time post-injury, M = 392.64 days, SD = 537.19) and 25 matched healthy controls completed assessment of attentional and executive functioning. Measures included the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), the computerized Selective Attention Task (SAT), the Ruff 2&7 Selective Attention Test (2&7), the visual n-back, Digit Span, Hayling Test, and Trail Making Test (TMT). t tests revealed that individuals with TBI demonstrated reduced processing speed on the SDMT, n-back, SAT, 2&7, Hayling Test, and TMT-A (p ≤ .002 for all). Digit Span performance did not differ between groups. Mixed-model ANOVAs revealed that individuals with TBI demonstrated a disproportionate increase in reaction time with complexity, which was accounted for by speed on the SAT but remained on the Hayling Inhibition Test after controlling for speed in ANCOVAs. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed that individuals with TBI also made more errors on the Hayling Test, missed responses on the n-back and were unable to benefit from the automatic condition of the 2&7. While slowed speed of information processing was pervasive across tasks after TBI, residual difficulties in response inhibition remained after controlling for slowness, which suggests impaired strategic control. These findings support targeted intervention for slowed speed of thinking and inhibition following TBI.

Acoustic-pseudoelastic effect and internal friction during stress-induced martensitic transformation in Cu-Al-Ni single crystals

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

Sapozhnikov, K.V.; Vetrov, V.V.; Pulnev, S.A.

1996-05-15

Internal friction (IF) during temperature-induced thermoelastic martensitic transformation (TMT) has been studied extensively, whereas IF behavior during stress-induced TMT has not attracted much attention so far. It is known that quasistatic flow stress may decrease under superimposition of an oscillatory stress in the case of dislocation plasticity (acoustoplastic or Blaha effect). Strain originating from the reversible TMT (so-called transformation pseudoelasticity), in contrast to the dislocation plastic strain, may be completely reversible, however, accompanied by macroscopic hysteresis. The existence of the pseudoelastic hysteresis is usually attributed to the presence of obstacles impeding the mobility of interfaces during stress-induced transformation. A numbermore » of theories also consider the mobility of interfaces as the main source of IF during TMT. As a consequence, one should expect certain interconnection between the ADIF during stress-induced TMT and the macroscopically observed hysteresis. Thus the purpose of present paper is to study in a wide oscillatory strain amplitude range the ADIF during stress-induced TMT and the effect of ultrasound on this mode of deformation.« less

The TMT instrumentation program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simard, Luc; Crampton, David; Ellerbroek, Brent; Boyer, Corinne

2010-07-01

An overview of the current status of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) instrumentation program is presented. Conceptual designs for the three first light instruments (IRIS, WFOS and IRMS) are in progress, as well as feasibility studies of MIRES. Considerable effort is underway to understand the end-to-end performance of the complete telescopeadaptive optics-instrument system under realistic conditions on Mauna Kea. Highly efficient operation is being designed into the TMT system, based on a detailed investigation of the observation workflow to ensure very fast target acquisition and set up of all subsystems. Future TMT instruments will almost certainly involve contributions from institutions in many different locations in North America and partner nations. Coordinating and optimizing the design and construction of the instruments to ensure delivery of the best possible scientific capabilities is an interesting challenge. TMT welcomes involvement from all interested instrument teams.

Thermomechanical treatment for improved neutron irradiation resistance of austenitic alloy (Fe-21Cr-32Ni)

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

L. Tan; J. T. Busby; H. J. M. Chichester

2013-06-01

An optimized thermomechanical treatment (TMT) applied to austenitic alloy 800H (Fe-21Cr-32Ni) had shown significant improvements in corrosion resistance and basic mechanical properties. This study examined its effect on radiation resistance by irradiating both the solution-annealed (SA) and TMT samples at 500 degrees C for 3 dpa. Microstructural characterization using transmission electron microscopy revealed that the radiation-induced Frank loops, voids, and y'-Ni3(Ti,Al) precipitates had similar sizes between the SA and TMT samples. The amounts of radiation-induced defects and more significantly y' precipitates, however, were reduced in the TMT samples. These reductions would approximately reduce by 40.9% the radiation hardening compared tomore » the SA samples. This study indicates that optimized-TMT is an economical approach for effective overall property improvements.« less

Star Formation Studies with SOFIA and its Synergy with TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Buizer, James

2014-07-01

The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a modified Boeing 747 aircraft equipped with a 2.5m telescope that performs observations at high altitude from the optical to the sub-mm. The observatory just reached full operational capability in April of this year. Given that it is slated for a 20-year mission lifetime, SOFIA will overlap TMT by more than a decade. I will discuss the contrasting and complementary features of SOFIA and TMT in the context of star formation, discuss some of the early results from SOFIA in this field, and finish with a discussion of how TMT data can enhance and extended our understanding of star formation processes.[This talk could also be generalized to discuss more about synergies between SOFIA and TMT in a broader context (not just star formation), should the organizers prefer that.

Community engagement and the social context of targeted malaria treatment: a qualitative study in Kayin (Karen) State, Myanmar.

PubMed

Sahan, Kate; Pell, Christopher; Smithuis, Frank; Phyo, Aung Kyaw; Maung, Sai Maung; Indrasuta, Chanida; Dondorp, Arjen M; White, Nicholas J; Day, Nicholas P J; von Seidlein, Lorenz; Cheah, Phaik Yeong

2017-02-14

The spread of artemisinin-resistance in Plasmodium falciparum is a threat to current global malaria control initiatives. Targeted malaria treatment (TMT), which combines mass anti-malarial administration with conventional malaria prevention and control measures, has been proposed as a strategy to tackle this problem. The effectiveness of TMT depends on high levels of population coverage and is influenced by accompanying community engagement activities and the local social context. The article explores how these factors influenced attitudes and behaviours towards TMT in Kayin (Karen) State, Myanmar. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with villagers from study villages (N = 31) and TMT project staff (N = 14) between March and July 2015. Community engagement consisted of a range of activities to communicate the local malaria situation (including anti-malarial drug resistance and asymptomatic malaria), the aims of the TMT project, and its potential benefits. Community engagement was seen by staff as integral to the TMT project as a whole and not a sub-set of activities. Attitudes towards TMT (including towards community engagement) showed that developing trusting relationships helped foster participation. After initial wariness, staff received hospitality and acceptance among villagers. Offering healthcare alongside TMT proved mutually beneficial for the study and villagers. A handful of more socially-mobile and wealthy community members were reluctant to participate. The challenges of community engagement included time constraints and the isolation of the community with its limited infrastructure and a history of conflict. Community engagement had to be responsive to the local community even though staff faced time constraints. Understanding the social context of engagement helped TMT to foster respectful and trusting relationships. The complex relationship between the local context and community engagement complicated evaluation of the community strategy. Nonetheless, the project did record high levels of population coverage.

Expression of γ-tocopherol methyltransferase in chloroplasts results in massive proliferation of the inner envelope membrane and decreases susceptibility to salt and metal-induced oxidative stresses by reducing reactive oxygen species.

PubMed

Jin, Shuangxia; Daniell, Henry

2014-12-01

The γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) is an important enzyme regulating synthesis of four tocopherols (α, γ, β and δ). In this report, we investigated the role of γ-TMT in regulating abiotic stress within chloroplasts. The At γ-tmt overexpressed via the tobacco chloroplast genome accumulated up to 7.7% of the total leaf protein, resulting in massive proliferation of the inner envelope membrane (IEM, up to eight layers). Such high-level expression of γ-TMT converted most of γ-tocopherol to α-tocopherol in transplastomic seeds (~10-fold higher) in the absence of abiotic stress. When grown in 400 mm NaCl, α-tocopherol content in transplastomic TMT leaves increased up to 8.2-fold and 2.4-fold higher than wild-type leaves. Likewise, under heavy metal stress, α-tocopherol content in the TMT leaves increased up to 7.5-fold, twice higher than in the wild type. Under extreme salt stress, the wild type accumulated higher starch and total soluble sugars, but TMT plants were able to regulate sugar transport. Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide content in wild type increased up to 3-fold within 48 h of NaCl stress when compared to TMT plants. The ion leakage from TMT leaves was significantly less than wild-type plants under abiotic stress and with less malondialdehyde, indicating lower lipid peroxidation. Taken together, these studies show that α-tocopherol plays a crucial role in the alleviation of salt and heavy metal stresses by decreasing ROS, lipid peroxidation and ion leakage, in addition to enhancing vitamin E conversion. Increased proliferation of the IEM should facilitate studies on retrograde signalling from chloroplast to the nucleus. © 2014 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The influence of aging on outgroup stereotypes: the mediating role of cognitive and motivational facets of deficient flexibility.

PubMed

Czarnek, Gabriela; Kossowska, Malgorzata; Sedek, Grzegorz

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: The current study was designed to examine previously reported findings about age-related changes in drawing stereotypic inferences; specifically, that older adults are more likely than younger adults to stereotype outgroup members. The study replicates previous research and extends it by exploring the cognitive and motivational facets of deficient flexibility underlying this effect and comparing stereotypes towards ingroup and outgroup members. In the experiment, younger and older adults read stories that allowed for stereotypic inferences. They also completed the Trail Making Test (TMT) and Need for Closure Scale (NFC) as cognitive and motivational measures of deficient flexibility. The results of the experiment revealed that, compared to younger participants, older adults were more likely to rely upon stereotypic inferences when they read a story about outgroup members; however, there were no age-group differences in using stereotypes when they read a story about ingroup members. In addition, the findings showed that making more stereotypical inferences by older versus younger adults in relation to outgroup members was mediated by cognitive (TMT) and motivational (NFC) facets of deficient flexibility. A major implication of these findings is that both cognitive and motivational facets of deficient flexibility contribute to the reliance of older adults on stereotypes compared with younger adults. However, this is only true when older adults process information about outgroup members, but not about ingroup members. Thus, the current research goes beyond previous results by providing direct evidence that ingroup-outgroup perception contributes to stereotyping among older participants.

Trimethyltin chloride inhibits neuronal cell differentiation in zebrafish embryo neurodevelopment.

PubMed

Kim, Jin; Kim, C-Yoon; Song, Juha; Oh, Hanseul; Kim, Cheol-Hee; Park, Jae-Hak

2016-01-01

Trimethyltin chloride (TMT) is a neurotoxicant widely present in the aquatic environment, primarily from effluents of the plastic industry. It is known to cause acute neuronal death in the limbic-cerebellar system, particularly in the hippocampus. However, relatively few studies have estimated the effects of TMT toxicity on neurodevelopment. In this study, we confirmed the dose-dependent effects of TMT on neurodevelopmental stages through analysis of morphological changes and fluorescence assays using HuC-GFP and olig2-dsRed transgenic zebrafish embryos. In addition, we analyzed the expression of genes and proteins related to neurodevelopment. Exposure of embryos to TMT for 4 days post fertilization (dpf) elicited a concentration-related decrease in body length and increase in axial malformation. TMT affected the fluorescent CNS structure by decreasing pattern of HuC-GFP and olig2-dsRed transgenic zebrafish. In addition, it significantly modulated the expression patterns of Sonic hedgehog a (Shha), Neurogenin1 (Ngn1), Embryonic lethal abnormal vision like protein 3 (Elavl3), and Glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap). The overexpression of Shha and Ngn1, and downregulation of Elavl3 and Gfap, indicate repression of proneural cell differentiation. Our study demonstrates that TMT inhibits specific neurodevelopmental stages in zebrafish embryos and suggests a possible mechanism for the toxicity of TMT in vertebrate neurodevelopment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of cognitive tests in four cognitive domains in discriminating MDD patients from healthy controls: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lim, JaeHyoung; Oh, In Kyung; Han, Changsu; Huh, Yu Jeong; Jung, In-Kwa; Patkar, Ashwin A; Steffens, David C; Jang, Bo-Hyoung

2013-09-01

We performed a meta-analysis in order to determine which neuropsychological domains and tasks would be most sensitive for discriminating between patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls. Relevant articles were identified through a literature search of the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for the period between January 1997 and May 2011. A meta-analysis was conducted using the standardized means of individual cognitive tests in each domain. The heterogeneity was assessed, and subgroup analyses according to age and medication status were performed to explore the sources of heterogeneity. A total of 22 trials involving 955 MDD patients and 7,664 healthy participants were selected for our meta-analysis. MDD patients showed significantly impaired results compared with healthy participants on the Digit Span and Continuous Performance Test in the attention domain; the Trail Making Test A (TMT-A) and the Digit Symbol Test in the processing speed domain; the Stroop Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Verbal Fluency in the executive function domain; and immediate verbal memory in the memory domain. The Finger Tapping Task, TMT-B, delayed verbal memory, and immediate and delayed visual memory failed to separate MDD patients from healthy controls. The results of subgroup analysis showed that performance of Verbal Fluency was significantly impaired in younger depressed patients (<60 years), and immediate visual memory was significantly reduced in depressed patients using antidepressants. Our findings have inevitable limitations arising from methodological issues inherent in the meta-analysis and we could not explain high heterogeneity between studies. Despite such limitations, current study has the strength of being the first meta-analysis which tried to specify cognitive function of depressed patients compared with healthy participants. And our findings may provide clinicians with further evidences that some cognitive tests in specific cognitive domains have sensitivity to discriminate MDD patients from healthy controls.

Building customer capital through knowledge management processes in the health care context.

PubMed

Liu, Sandra S; Lin, Carol Yuh-Yun

2007-01-01

Customer capital is a value generated and an asset developed from customer relationships. Successfully managing these relationships is enhanced by knowledge management (KM) infrastructure that captures and transfers customer-related knowledge. The execution of such a system relies on the vision and determination of the top management team (TMT). The health care industry in today's knowledge economy encounters similar challenges of consumerism as its business sector. Developing customer capital is critical for hospitals to remain competitive in the market. This study aims to provide taxonomy for cultivating market-based organizational learning that leads to building of customer capital and attaining desirable financial performance in health care. With the advancement of technology, the KM system plays an important moderating role in the entire process. The customer capital issue has not been fully explored either in the business or the health care industry. The exploratory nature of such a pursuit calls for a qualitative approach. This study examines the proposed taxonomy with the case hospital. The lessons learned also are reflected with three US-based health networks. The TMT incorporated the knowledge process of conceptualization and transformation in their organizational mission. The market-oriented learning approach promoted by TMT helps with the accumulation and sharing of knowledge that prepares the hospital for the dynamics in the marketplace. Their key knowledge advancement relies on both the professional arena and the feedback of customers. The institutionalization of the KM system and organizational culture expands the hospital's customer capital. The implication is twofold: (1) the TMT is imperative for the success of building customer capital through KM process; and (2) the team effort should be enhanced with a learning culture and sharing spirit, in particular, active nurse participation in decision making and frontline staff's role in providing a delightfully surprising patient experience.

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control - Task 3 Full-scale Test Results

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

Gary Blythe

2007-05-01

This Topical Report summarizes progress on Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, 'Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive'. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the use of a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additive, Degussa Corporation's TMT-15, to prevent the reemission of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project intends to demonstrate whether the additive can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine TMT salt that can be separated from the FGD liquor and bulk solid byproducts for separate disposal.more » The project is conducting pilot- and full-scale tests of the TMT-15 additive in wet FGD absorbers. The tests are intended to determine required additive dosages to prevent Hg{sup 0} reemissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Power River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, TXU Generation Company LP, Southern Company, and Degussa Corporation. TXU Generation has provided the Texas lignite/PRB cofired test site for pilot FGD tests, Monticello Steam Electric Station Unit 3. Southern Company is providing the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, as well as the pilot- and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems to be tested. IPL, an AES company, provided the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site and cost sharing. Degussa Corporation is providing the TMT-15 additive and technical support to the test program as cost sharing. The project is being conducted in six tasks. Of the six project tasks, Task 1 involves project planning and Task 6 involves management and reporting. The other four tasks involve field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. The four tasks include: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High-sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Plant Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. The pilot-scale tests were completed in 2005 and have been previously reported. This topical report presents the results from the Task 3 full-scale additive tests, conducted at IPL's Petersburg Station Unit 2. The Task 5 full-scale additive tests will be conducted later in calendar year 2007.« less

Accelerating and Braking in Times of Economic Crisis: Organisational Learning in a Top Management Team

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallo, Andreas; Kock, Henrik; Nilsson, Peter

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present the results of a study of an industrial company's top management team (TMT) that fought to survive an economic crisis. Specifically, the article seeks to focus on describing the TMT's composition, group processes, and work during a period of high external pressure; analysing the TMT's work in…

Trimethyltin-activated cyclooxygenase stimulates tumor necrosis factor-alpha release from glial cells through reactive oxygen species.

PubMed

Viviani, B; Corsini, E; Pesenti, M; Galli, C L; Marinovich, M

2001-04-15

Exposure of a primary culture of glial cells to the classical neurotoxicant trimethyltin (TMT) results in the release of prostaglandin (PG)E(2) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Prior treatment of glial cells with either the nonspecific inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and lypoxygenase eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) or the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin completely prevented TMT-induced PGE(2) production and TNF-alpha release, suggesting a role for cyclooxygenase metabolites in TMT-induced TNF-alpha release. Exposure of glial cells to increasing concentrations of PGE(2) or other prostanoids did not increase TNF-alpha synthesis, while the presence of exogenous PGE(2) during treatment of glial cells with TMT actually suppressed TNF-alpha release. The activation of arachidonic acid metabolism produces reactive oxygen species (ROS). Scavenging of ROS by means of the antioxidant trolox prevented the TMT-induced release of TNF-alpha from glial cells, while indomethacin was found to suppress ROS formation induced by 1 microM TMT in glial cells. These results suggest that activation of arachidonic acid metabolism causes TNF-alpha release through the production of ROS rather than PGE(2). Indeed, PGE(2) may exert negative feedback on the release of TNF-alpha. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Thirty Meter Telescope Detailed Science Case: 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skidmore, Warren; TMT International Science Development Teams; Science Advisory Committee, TMT

2015-12-01

The TMT Detailed Science Case describes the transformational science that the Thirty Meter Telescope will enable. Planned to begin science operations in 2024, TMT will open up opportunities for revolutionary discoveries in essentially every field of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology, seeing much fainter objects much more clearly than existing telescopes. Per this capability, TMT's science agenda fills all of space and time, from nearby comets and asteroids, to exoplanets, to the most distant galaxies, and all the way back to the very first sources of light in the universe. More than 150 astronomers from within the TMT partnership and beyond offered input in compiling the new 2015 Detailed Science Case. The contributing astronomers represent the entire TMT partnership, including the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the University of California, the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy (ACURA) and US associate partner, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). Cover image: artist's rendition of the TMT International Observatory on Mauna Kea opening in the late evening before beginning operations.

A novel computational model to probe visual search deficits during motor performance

PubMed Central

Singh, Tarkeshwar; Fridriksson, Julius; Perry, Christopher M.; Tryon, Sarah C.; Ross, Angela; Fritz, Stacy

2016-01-01

Successful execution of many motor skills relies on well-organized visual search (voluntary eye movements that actively scan the environment for task-relevant information). Although impairments of visual search that result from brain injuries are linked to diminished motor performance, the neural processes that guide visual search within this context remain largely unknown. The first objective of this study was to examine how visual search in healthy adults and stroke survivors is used to guide hand movements during the Trail Making Test (TMT), a neuropsychological task that is a strong predictor of visuomotor and cognitive deficits. Our second objective was to develop a novel computational model to investigate combinatorial interactions between three underlying processes of visual search (spatial planning, working memory, and peripheral visual processing). We predicted that stroke survivors would exhibit deficits in integrating the three underlying processes, resulting in deteriorated overall task performance. We found that normal TMT performance is associated with patterns of visual search that primarily rely on spatial planning and/or working memory (but not peripheral visual processing). Our computational model suggested that abnormal TMT performance following stroke is associated with impairments of visual search that are characterized by deficits integrating spatial planning and working memory. This innovative methodology provides a novel framework for studying how the neural processes underlying visual search interact combinatorially to guide motor performance. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Visual search has traditionally been studied in cognitive and perceptual paradigms, but little is known about how it contributes to visuomotor performance. We have developed a novel computational model to examine how three underlying processes of visual search (spatial planning, working memory, and peripheral visual processing) contribute to visual search during a visuomotor task. We show that deficits integrating spatial planning and working memory underlie abnormal performance in stroke survivors with frontoparietal damage. PMID:27733596

Attention lapses in children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

De la Torre, Gabriel G; Martin, Alba; Cervantes, Elizabeth; Guil, Rocio; Mestre, Jose M

2017-08-01

Attentional lapses are usually defined as temporary and often brief shifts of attention away from some primary task to unrelated internal information processing. This study addressed the incidence of attention lapses and differences in attentional functioning in 30 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 26 healthy children, and 29 children with spina bifida myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus (SBH). Assessments were conducted using computerized tonic and phasic attention tests, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and the Trail Making Test Form B (TMT-B). The group with SBH differed from normal controls on cognitive measures of attention and executive functions. The ADHD group obtained lower scores than the SBH group and healthy children. ANOVA results showed that there was an effect of shunt revisions and shunt-related infections on neuropsychological performance. Lapses of attention together with reaction time may thus represent important factors for the understanding of cognitive deficits in SBH.

Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women.

PubMed

Kuhman, Daniel J; Joyner, Keanan J; Bloomer, Richard J

2015-11-19

Theacrine is a purine alkaloid found primarily in the leaves of the Camellia Kucha plant and is now included within dietary supplements. To compare the effects of a theacrine-containing dietary supplement with caffeine and placebo on energy and mood, as well as objective measures of cognitive performance, heart rate, and blood pressure, 10 healthy men (20.8 ± 0.7 years) and 10 healthy women (22.2 ± 1.1 years) ingested the dietary supplement TheaTrim (Purus Labs; containing a branded form of theacrine (Teacrine™) and caffeine (150 mg)), caffeine only (150 mg), or a placebo on three different days, separated by approximately one week. Before, and for up to 4 h following, ingestion of the assigned condition, subjects completed a subjective assessment of energy and mood, as well as tests of cognitive performance (trail making test (TMT), digit symbol substitution test (DSST)), and reaction time. Heart rate and blood pressure were measured. No condition or interaction effects were noted for TMT, DSST, or reaction time, despite a trend for improvement in selected variables with both TheaTrim and caffeine treatment. Condition effects or trends were noted for subjective feelings, with values for attentive, alert, focused, and energetic higher for TheaTrim than for placebo and caffeine, while values for lethargic and groggy were lower for TheaTrim than for placebo and caffeine. Heart rate and blood pressure were largely unaffected by treatment. These data indicate that TheaTrim treatment does not result in a statistically significant improvement in cognitive performance but may favorably impact multiple subjective feelings related to energy and mood.

Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women

PubMed Central

Kuhman, Daniel J.; Joyner, Keanan J.; Bloomer, Richard J.

2015-01-01

Theacrine is a purine alkaloid found primarily in the leaves of the Camellia Kucha plant and is now included within dietary supplements. To compare the effects of a theacrine-containing dietary supplement with caffeine and placebo on energy and mood, as well as objective measures of cognitive performance, heart rate, and blood pressure, 10 healthy men (20.8 ± 0.7 years) and 10 healthy women (22.2 ± 1.1 years) ingested the dietary supplement TheaTrim (Purus Labs; containing a branded form of theacrine (Teacrine™) and caffeine (150 mg)), caffeine only (150 mg), or a placebo on three different days, separated by approximately one week. Before, and for up to 4 h following, ingestion of the assigned condition, subjects completed a subjective assessment of energy and mood, as well as tests of cognitive performance (trail making test (TMT), digit symbol substitution test (DSST)), and reaction time. Heart rate and blood pressure were measured. No condition or interaction effects were noted for TMT, DSST, or reaction time, despite a trend for improvement in selected variables with both TheaTrim and caffeine treatment. Condition effects or trends were noted for subjective feelings, with values for attentive, alert, focused, and energetic higher for TheaTrim than for placebo and caffeine, while values for lethargic and groggy were lower for TheaTrim than for placebo and caffeine. Heart rate and blood pressure were largely unaffected by treatment. These data indicate that TheaTrim treatment does not result in a statistically significant improvement in cognitive performance but may favorably impact multiple subjective feelings related to energy and mood. PMID:26610558

Vortioxetine reduces BOLD signal during performance of the N-back working memory task: a randomised neuroimaging trial in remitted depressed patients and healthy controls

PubMed Central

Smith, J; Browning, M; Conen, S; Smallman, R; Buchbjerg, J; Larsen, K G; Olsen, C K; Christensen, S R; Dawson, G R; Deakin, J F; Hawkins, P; Morris, R; Goodwin, G; Harmer, C J

2018-01-01

Cognitive dysfunction is common in depression during both acute episodes and remission. Vortioxetine is a novel multimodal antidepressant that has improved cognitive function including executive function in depressed patients in randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials. However, it is unclear whether vortioxetine is able to target directly the neural circuitry implicated in the cognitive deficits in depression. Remitted depressed (n=48) and healthy volunteers (n=48) were randomised to receive 14 days treatment with 20 mg vortioxetine or placebo in a double-blind design. The effects of treatment on functional magnetic resonance imaging responses during an N-back working memory task were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment. Neuropsychological measures of executive function, speed and information processing, attention and learning and memory were examined with the Trail Making Test (TMT), Rey Auditory Learning Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test before and after treatment; subjective cognitive function was assessed using the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ). Compared with placebo, vortioxetine reduced activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus during the N-back task compared with placebo. Vortioxetine also increased TMT-A performance and self-reported cognitive function on the PDQ. These effects were seen across both subject groups. Vortioxetine modulates neural responses across a circuit subserving working memory in a direction opposite to the changes described in depression, when performance is maintained. This study provides evidence that vortioxetine has direct effects on the neural circuitry supporting cognitive function that can be dissociated from its effects on the mood symptoms of depression. PMID:28533517

Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.

PubMed

Morgan, Annette; Stevens, John

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Bacopa monnieri Linn. for improvement of memory performance in healthy older persons. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The trial took place in Lismore, NSW, Australia between February and July 2005. Ninety-eight (98) healthy participants over 55 years of age were recruited from the general population. Participants were randomized to receive an extract of Bacopa monnieri called BacoMind(TM) (Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd.), 300 mg/day, or an identical placebo. Following screening, neuropsychologic and subjective memory assessments were performed at baseline and at 12 weeks. Audioverbal and visual memory performance were measured by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (CFT), and the Reitan Trail Making Test (TMT). Subjective memory performance was measured by the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q). One hundred and thirty-six (136) subjects volunteered; 103 met entry criteria, 98 commenced, and 81 completed the trial. Bacopa significantly improved verbal learning, memory acquisition, and delayed recall as measured by the AVLT: trial a4 (p = 0.000), trial a5 (p = 0.016); trial a6 (p = 0.000); trial a7 (delayed recall) (p = 0.001); total learning (p = 0.011); and retroactive interference (p = 0.048). CFT, MAC-Q, and TMT scores improved but group differences were not significant. Bacopa versus placebo caused gastrointestinal tract (GIT) side-effects. Bacopa significantly improved memory acquisition and retention in healthy older Australians. This concurs with previous findings and traditional use. Bacopa caused GIT side-effects of increased stool frequency, abdominal cramps, and nausea.

Attitudes Toward Medications and the Relationship to Outcomes in Patients with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Campbell, Angela H; Scalo, Julieta F; Crismon, M Lynn; Barner, Jamie C; Argo, Tami R; Lawson, Kenneth A; Miller, Alexander

The determinants of attitudes toward medication (ATM) are not well elucidated. In particular, literature remains equivocal regarding the influence of cognition, adverse events, and psychiatric symptomatology. This study evaluated relationships between those outcomes in schizophrenia and ATM. This is a retrospective analysis of data collected during the Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP, n=307 with schizophrenia-related diagnoses), in outpatient clinics at baseline and every 3 months for ≥1 year (for cognition: 3rd and 9th month only). The Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-30) measured ATM, and independent variables were: cognition (Trail Making Test [TMT], Verbal Fluency Test, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), adverse events (Systematic Assessment for Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events, Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale), psychiatric symptomatology (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms [SANS]), and medication adherence (Medication Compliance Scale). Analyses included binary logistic regression (cognition, psychiatric symptoms) and chi-square (adverse events, adherence) for baseline comparisons, and linear regression (cognition) or ANOVA (adverse events, adherence) for changes over time. Mean DAI-30 scores did not change over 12 months. Odds of positive ATM increased with higher TMT Part B scores (p=0.03) and lower SANS scores (p=0.02). Worsening of general psychopathology (p<0.001), positive symptoms (p<0.001), and negative symptoms (p=0.007) correlated with negative changes in DAI-30 scores. Relationships between cognition, negative symptoms, and ATM warrant further investigation. Studies evaluating therapies for cognitive deficits and negative symptoms should consider including ATM measures as endpoints. Patterns and inconsistencies in findings across studies raise questions about whether some factors thought to influence ATM have nonlinear relationships.

The transfer of skills from cognitive and physical training to activities of daily living: a randomised controlled study.

PubMed

Hagovska, Magdalena; Nagyova, Iveta

2017-06-01

Ageing is associated with the deterioration of all cognitive functions, including attention, memory and psychomotor speed. It has not yet been clearly confirmed whether the effects of cognitive and physical interventions can improve activities of daily living (ADL). This study compared the effectiveness of cognitive and physical training on cognitive functions and the transfer to ADL. Eighty older people with mild cognitive impairment (mean age 67.07 ± 4.3 years) were randomly divided into an experimental group ( n  = 40) and a control group ( n  = 40). Data were collected in an outpatient psychiatric clinic in a randomised controlled trial. Primary outcome measures included the following: cognitive functions were evaluated using the mini mental state examination, the AVLT-Auditory verbal learning test, the Stroop test, the TMT-trail making test, the DRT-disjunctive reaction time and the NHPT-nine hole peg test. Secondary outcome measure was the Bristol activities of daily living scale. The experimental group underwent a CogniPlus and physical training; consisting of 20 training sessions over 10 weeks. Both groups went through 30 min of daily physical training for 10 weeks. After the training, significant differences in favour of the experimental group were found in almost all the tests. In memory (AVLT) (p ≤ 0.0001, effect size (ES) η 2  = 0.218. In reduction of the response time on attention tasks (Stroop tasks) ( p  ≤ 0.006, ES = 0.092-0.115). In lower error rates in all tests: Stroop tasks, DRT, TMT, NHPT ( p  ≤ 0.02-0.001, ES = 0.062-0.176). In ADL ( p  ≤ 0.0001, ES = 0.176). The combined cognitive and physical training had better efficacy for most cognitive functions and for ADL when compared with the physical training only.

Microvascular and Macrovascular Abnormalities and Cognitive and Physical Function in Older Adults: Cardiovascular Health Study.

PubMed

Kim, Dae Hyun; Grodstein, Francine; Newman, Anne B; Chaves, Paulo H M; Odden, Michelle C; Klein, Ronald; Sarnak, Mark J; Lipsitz, Lewis A

2015-09-01

To evaluate and compare the associations between microvascular and macrovascular abnormalities and cognitive and physical function Cross-sectional analysis of the Cardiovascular Health Study (1998-1999). Community. Individuals with available data on three or more of five microvascular abnormalities (brain, retina, kidney) and three or more of six macrovascular abnormalities (brain, carotid artery, heart, peripheral artery) (N = 2,452; mean age 79.5). Standardized composite scores derived from three cognitive tests (Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, Digit-Symbol Substitution Test, Trail-Making Test (TMT)) and three physical tests (gait speed, grip strength, 5-time sit to stand) Participants with high microvascular and macrovascular burden had worse cognitive (mean score difference = -0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.37 to -0.24) and physical (mean score difference = -0.32, 95% CI = -0.38 to -0.26) function than those with low microvascular and macrovascular burden. Individuals with high microvascular burden alone had similarly lower scores than those with high macrovascular burden alone (cognitive function: -0.16, 95% CI = -0.24 to -0.08 vs -0.13, 95% CI = -0.20 to -0.06; physical function: -0.15, 95% CI = -0.22 to -0.08 vs -0.12, 95% CI = -0.18 to -0.06). Psychomotor speed and working memory, assessed using the TMT, were only impaired in the presence of high microvascular burden. Of the 11 vascular abnormalities considered, white matter hyperintensity, cystatin C-based glomerular filtration rate, large brain infarct, and ankle-arm index were independently associated with cognitive and physical function. Microvascular and macrovascular abnormalities assessed using noninvasive tests of the brain, kidney, and peripheral artery were independently associated with poor cognitive and physical function in older adults. Future research should evaluate the usefulness of these tests in prognostication. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

Serum uric acid is associated with better executive function in men but not in women: Baseline assessment of the ELSA-Brasil study.

PubMed

Baena, Cristina Pellegrino; Suemoto, Claudia Kimie; Barreto, Sandhi Maria; Lotufo, Paulo Andrade; Benseñor, Isabela

2017-06-01

Serum uric acid (SUA) may protect against free radical stress damage and was previously linked to cognitive impairment in older adults, but evidence in middle-aged adults is scarce. We sought to analyze whether SUA is associated with cognitive performance in apparently healthy middle-aged participants in the ELSA-Brasil cohort study. We excluded participants older than age 65, those taking allopurinol, benzbromarone, or medications that could impair cognitive performance, those with previous stroke, and those with incomplete data on cognitive tests or SUA. The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Word List Memory Test (CERAD-WLMT), the Semantic Fluency Test (SFT), and the Trail Making Test version B (TMT) were used as dependent variables. Sex-specific linear regression models were used to assess the association between SUA and cognitive tests, adjusted by age, education, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, coronary heart disease, renal function, depression, aspirin use, thyroid function, and menopausal status (in women). We used the Bonferroni procedure to control for the false discovery rate associated with multiple comparisons. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 6751 women and 5464 men. Mean age and standard deviation (SD) of the sample was 49.6 (SD 7.4) years for men and 49.9 (SD 7.3) years for women. The majority of men (52%) and women (51%) were white. Mean SUA value was 4.75 (SD 1.16) mg/dL in women and 6.44 (SD 1.39) mg/dL in men. Multivariate linear models showed no association in women and a significant inverse association between SUA levels and TMT (β=-3.106, 95% CI=-4.594; -1.618, p=0.0004) in men. In a middle-aged subset population, SUA is associated with better performance on an executive function test in men, but not in women in the ELSA-Brasil cohort study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Psychomotor Performance, Cerebral and Arterial Blood Saturation between African-American and Caucasian Males Before, During and After Normobaric Hypoxic Exercise

PubMed Central

FEEBACK, MATTHEW R.; SEO, YONGSUK; DANCY, MATTHEW; GLICKMAN, ELLEN L.

2017-01-01

To further elucidate physiological and cognitive performance differences between African-American (AA) and Caucasian individuals (CAU) before, during or after hypoxic and normoxic exercise. Twelve college aged (18–25) apparently healthy African-American (six volunteers) and Caucasian (six subjects) males took part in two trials consisting of normobaric normoxia and normobaric hypoxia (12% oxygen). Each subject cycled at 50% of their altitude adjusted VO2max (−26% of normoxia VO2max) for one hour after a two-hour baseline. Subjects were monitored for cerebral and arterial O2 saturation, as well as the Trail Making Test A and B (TMT) psychomotor performance. Arterial saturation proved to be significantly higher in AA (86.0±4.7) compared to CAU (79.5±4.8) during the first 60 minutes of exposure to hypoxia at rest (p=0.039), but not during exercise. However, cerebral oxygenation to the left frontal lobe was decreased near the conclusion and in 30 minutes after normoxic exercise. TMT B data revealed that CAU (79±12.7) had faster scores than the AA subjects (98±25.1) at all time points and was significantly different at the 115-minute time point of the hypoxic trial (p=0.024). The data suggests that before, during and after normobaric normoxia and hypoxia trial there is a differential response between AA and CAU in regards to arterial and cerebral oxygenation, as well as psychomotor tests. PMID:28966706

Quantification of superoxide radical production in thylakoid membrane using cyclic hydroxylamines.

PubMed

Kozuleva, Marina; Klenina, Irina; Mysin, Ivan; Kirilyuk, Igor; Opanasenko, Vera; Proskuryakov, Ivan; Ivanov, Boris

2015-12-01

Applicability of two lipophilic cyclic hydroxylamines (CHAs), CM-H and TMT-H, and two hydrophilic CHAs, CAT1-H and DCP-H, for detection of superoxide anion radical (O2(∙-)) produced by the thylakoid photosynthetic electron transfer chain (PETC) of higher plants under illumination has been studied. ESR spectrometry was applied for detection of the nitroxide radical originating due to CHAs oxidation by O2(∙-). CHAs and corresponding nitroxide radicals were shown to be involved in side reactions with PETC which could cause miscalculation of O2(∙-) production rate. Lipophilic CM-H was oxidized by PETC components, reducing the oxidized donor of Photosystem I, P700(+), while at the same concentration another lipophilic CHA, TMT-H, did not reduce P700(+). The nitroxide radical was able to accept electrons from components of the photosynthetic chain. Electrostatic interaction of stable cation CAT1-H with the membrane surface was suggested. Water-soluble superoxide dismutase (SOD) was added in order to suppress the reaction of CHA with O2(∙-) outside the membrane. SOD almost completely inhibited light-induced accumulation of DCP(∙), nitroxide radical derivative of hydrophilic DCP-H, in contrast to TMT(∙) accumulation. Based on the results showing that change in the thylakoid lumen pH and volume had minor effect on TMT(∙) accumulation, the reaction of TMT-H with O2(∙-) in the lumen was excluded. Addition of TMT-H to thylakoid suspension in the presence of SOD resulted in the increase in light-induced O2 uptake rate, that argued in favor of TMT-H ability to detect O2(∙-) produced within the membrane core. Thus, hydrophilic DCP-H and lipophilic TMT-H were shown to be usable for detection of O2(∙-) produced outside and within thylakoid membranes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Set shifting in children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa: an exploratory systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lang, Katie; Stahl, Daniel; Espie, Jonathan; Treasure, Janet; Tchanturia, Kate

2014-05-01

Set shifting inefficiencies in adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) are established, however the neurocognitive profile of children and adolescents with AN is less clear. This study aimed to provide a review of the literature. Electronic databases were used to search for manuscripts. Meta-analysis was performed on seven studies using two neuropsychological tests (Trail Making Task, TMT; Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, WCST). The mean difference in outcome between AN and healthy control (HC) groups was standardized by calculating Cohen's d. Meta-analysis of TMT studies showed a nonsignificant negative, pooled standardized mean difference of -0.005 (95% C.I. -0.416 to 0.406, z = 0.02, p = .98). WCST studies revealed a nonsignificant pooled effect size of d = 0.196 (95% C.I. -0.091-0.483, z = 1.34, p = .18). Studies which did not allow for a calculation of effect size typically showed a nonsignificant, worse performance by the AN groups. The inefficiencies in set shifting that are apparent in the adult AN literature do not appear to be as pronounced in children. This may suggest that set shifting difficulties in adult AN are the result of starvation or indicative of longer duration of illness. Larger studies are needed to confirm these impressions. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control

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

Gary Blythe; MariJon Owens

2007-12-31

This document is the final report for DOE-NETL Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, 'Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive'. The objective of the project has been to demonstrate the use of two flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additives, Evonik Degussa Corporation's TMT-15 and Nalco Company's Nalco 8034, to prevent the re-emission of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project was intended to demonstrate whether such additives can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine salt that can be separated from themore » FGD liquor and bulk solid byproducts for separate disposal. The project involved pilot- and full-scale tests of the additives in wet FGD absorbers. The tests were intended to determine required additive dosages to prevent Hg{sup 0} re-emissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Powder River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, Luminant Power (was TXU Generation Company LP), Southern Company, IPL (an AES company), Evonik Degussa Corporation and the Nalco Company. Luminant Power provided the Texas lignite/PRB co-fired test site for pilot FGD tests and project cost sharing. Southern Company provided the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, the pilot- and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems tested, and project cost sharing. IPL provided the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site and cost sharing. Evonik Degussa Corporation provided the TMT-15 additive, and the Nalco Company provided the Nalco 8034 additive. Both companies also supplied technical support to the test program as in-kind cost sharing. The project was conducted in six tasks. Of the six tasks, Task 1 involved project planning and Task 6 involved management and reporting. The other four tasks involved field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. These four tasks included: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High-sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Plant Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. The pilot-scale tests were completed in 2005 and the full-scale test using high-sulfur coal was completed in 2006; only the TMT-15 additive was tested in these efforts. The Task 5 full-scale additive tests conducted at Southern Company's Plant Yates Unit 1 were completed in 2007, and both the TMT-15 and Nalco 8034 additives were tested.« less

Coenzyme Q10 Ameliorates Trimethyltin Chloride Neurotoxicity in Experimental Model of Injury in Dentate Gyrus of Hippocampus: A Histopathological and Behavioral Study

PubMed Central

Sakhaie, Mohammad Hassan; Soleimani, Mansoureh; Pirhajati, Vahid; Soleimani Asl, Sara; Madjd, Zahra; Mehdizadeh, Mehdi

2016-01-01

Background Coenzyme Q10 has antioxidative and free radical scavenging effects. CoQ10 supplementation is known to have neuroprotective effects in some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate both histopathologic and behavioral whether Coenzyme Q10 is protective against trimethyltin chloride (TMT) induced hippocampal damage. Materials and Methods This was an experimental study. Thirty-six Balb/c mice were divided into four groups, as follows: 1) control group; 2) sham group of mice that received a 100 µL intraperitoneal injection (IP) of sesame oil; 3) TMT group of mice that received a single 2.5 mg/kg/day IP injection of TMT; and 4) TMT + CoQ10 group of mice that received a 10 mg/kg IP injection of CoQ10. Body weight and Morris water maze (MWM) responses were investigated. In addition, the dentate gyrus neurons of the hippocampus were evaluated histopathologically by light and electron microscopes. Results This study revealed that the body weight scale was found to be significantly higher in the CoQ10 group (21.39 ± 2.70), compared to the TMT group (19.39 ± 2.74) (P < 0.05). In the TMT group, the animals showed body a weight loss that was significantly lower than that of the control group (22.33 ± 3.06) (P < 0.05). Our results showed that CoQ10 provided protection against MWM deficits. Furthermore, TMT impaired the ability of mice to locate the hidden platform, compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Microscopic studies showed that TMT caused histopathological changes in the dentate gyrus and increased the number of necrotic neurons (476 ± 78.51), compared to the control group (208 ± 40.84) (P < 0.001). But, CoQ10 significantly attenuated (31 9 ± 60.08) the density of necrotic neurons compared to TMT (P < 0.05). Conclusions The results of the present study indicate that Coenzyme Q10 diminished neuronal necrosis and improved learning memory. Part of its beneficial effect is due to its potential to discount oxidative stress. PMID:27781114

Increased α-tocotrienol content in seeds of transgenic rice overexpressing Arabidopsis γ-tocopherol methyltransferase.

PubMed

Zhang, Gui-Yun; Liu, Ru-Ru; Xu, Geng; Zhang, Peng; Li, Yin; Tang, Ke-Xuan; Liang, Guo-Hua; Liu, Qiao-Quan

2013-02-01

Vitamin E comprises a group of eight lipid soluble antioxidant compounds that are an essential part of the human diet. The α-isomers of both tocopherol and tocotrienol are generally considered to have the highest antioxidant activities. γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) catalyzes the final step in vitamin E biosynthesis, the methylation of γ- and δ-isomers to α- and β-isomers. In present study, the Arabidopsis γ-TMT (AtTMT) cDNA was overexpressed constitutively or in the endosperm of the elite japonica rice cultivar Wuyujing 3 (WY3) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. HPLC analysis showed that, in brown rice of the wild type or transgenic controls with empty vector, the α-/γ-tocotrienol ratio was only 0.7, much lower than that for tocopherol (~19.0). In transgenic rice overexpressing AtTMT driven by the constitutive Ubi promoter, most of the γ-isomers were converted to α-isomers, especially the γ- and δ-tocotrienol levels were dramatically decreased. As a result, the α-tocotrienol content was greatly increased in the transgenic seeds. Similarly, over-expression of AtTMT in the endosperm also resulted in an increase in the α-tocotrienol content. The results showed that the α-/γ-tocopherol ratio also increased in the transgenic seeds, but there was no significant effect on α-tocopherol level, which may reflect the fact that γ-tocopherol is present in very small amounts in wild type rice seeds. AtTMT overexpression had no effect on the absolute total content of either tocopherols or tocotrienols. Taken together, these results are the first demonstration that the overexpression of a foreign γ-TMT significantly shift the tocotrienol synthesis in rice, which is one of the world's most important food crops.

Adsorption of trimethyltin, arsenic and zinc by palm oil mill sludge biochar prepared by microwave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, Goh Ching; Sum, Klinsmann Ng Weng; Bashir, M. J. K.; Sethupathi, Sumathi

2017-04-01

Palm oil mill sludge (POS) is a type of solid left over after anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent. At present, not much work has been reported in the literature on the feasibility of reutilizing this waste. In this study, biochar was prepared from POS. POS was pyrolyzed using microwave technique. Several types of palm oil mill sludge biochar (POSB) was produced by varying the microwave heating power from 100 W to 500 W and the pyrolysis holding time from 5 min to 25 min. The efficiency of the produced POSB was tested for Trimethyltin (TMT), arsenate (As), and zinc (Zn) adsorption capacity. The results of this study highlighted that POSB is able to adsorb Zn by the functional groups. The adsorption capacity of Zn was recorded as 44.5 mg/g. However, for TMT and As, the adsorption was very minimum i.e. about 3.3 mg/g and 5.6 mg/g respectively. It was suggested that poor performance of POSB was due to the anionic nature of TMT and As. It was concluded that microwave pyrolysis was not suitable for POSB preparation.

Motor cortex tRNS improves pain, affective and cognitive impairment in patients with fibromyalgia: preliminary results of a randomised sham-controlled trial.

PubMed

Curatolo, Massimiliano; La Bianca, Giuseppe; Cosentino, Giuseppe; Baschi, Roberta; Salemi, Giuseppe; Talotta, Rossella; Romano, Marcello; Triolo, Giovanni; De Tommaso, Marina; Fierro, Brigida; Brighina, Filippo

2017-01-01

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a clinical syndrome characterised by widespread musculoskeletal pain, chronic fatigue, cognitive deficits, and sleep and mood disorders. The effectiveness of most pharmacological treatments is limited, and there is a need for new, effective and well-tolerated therapies. It has recently been shown that transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) of the motor cortex reduces pain, and that tDCS of the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) improves anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment in FM patients. The new technique of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) using randomly changing alternating currents has very recently been shown to improve working memory and pain in limited series of patients with FM or neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of primary motor cortex (M1) tRNS in FM patients. Twenty female FM patients aged 26-67 years were randomised to undergo active (real) or placebo (sham) tRNS sessions on five days a week (Monday-Friday) for two weeks. Each patient was evaluated before and after treatment using a visual analogue scale (VAS), the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Trail Making Test (TMT), the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), the Forward and Backward Digit Span test, and the FAS verbal fluency test. In comparison with sham treatment, active tRNS of M1 induced a general improvement in the clinical picture of FM, with a significant reduction in pain, depression, anxiety and FIQ scores and a significant improvement in TMT (A), RAVLT and FAS scores. These findings suggest that tRNS of M1 can be very effective in relieving FM symptoms. Unlike motor cortex tDCS, it seems to counteract both pain and cognitive disturbances, possibly because the invoked mechanism of stochastic resonance synchronises neural firing and thus leads to more widespread and lasting effects.

Tchebichef moment transform on image dithering for mobile applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernawan, Ferda; Abu, Nur Azman; Rahmalan, Hidayah

2012-04-01

Currently, mobile image applications spend a lot of computing process to display images. A true color raw image contains billions of colors and it consumes high computational power in most mobile image applications. At the same time, mobile devices are only expected to be equipped with lower computing process and minimum storage space. Image dithering is a popular technique to reduce the numbers of bit per pixel at the expense of lower quality image displays. This paper proposes a novel approach on image dithering using 2x2 Tchebichef moment transform (TMT). TMT integrates a simple mathematical framework technique using matrices. TMT coefficients consist of real rational numbers. An image dithering based on TMT has the potential to provide better efficiency and simplicity. The preliminary experiment shows a promising result in term of error reconstructions and image visual textures.

Overexpression of Medicago sativa TMT elevates the α-tocopherol content in Arabidopsis seeds, alfalfa leaves, and delays dark-induced leaf senescence.

PubMed

Jiang, Jishan; Jia, Huili; Feng, Guangyan; Wang, Zan; Li, Jun; Gao, Hongwen; Wang, Xuemin

2016-08-01

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a major forage legume for livestock and a target for improving their dietary quality. Vitamin E is an essential vitamin that animals must obtain from their diet for proper growth and development. γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT), which catalyzes the conversion of δ- and γ-tocopherols (or tocotrienols) to β- and α-tocopherols (or tocotrienols), respectively, is the final enzyme involved in the vitamin E biosynthetic pathway. The overexpression of M. sativa L.'s γ-TMT (MsTMT) increased the α-tocopherol content 10-15 fold above that of wild type Arabidopsis seeds without altering the total content of vitamin E. Additionally, in response to osmotic stress, the biomass and the expression levels of several osmotic marker genes were significantly higher in the transgenic lines compared with wild type. Overexpression of MsTMT in alfalfa led to a modest, albeit significant, increase in α-tocopherol in leaves and was also responsible for a delayed leaf senescence phenotype. Additionally, the crude protein content was increased, while the acid and neutral detergent fiber contents were unchanged in these transgenic lines. Thus, increased α-tocopherol content occurred in transgenic alfalfa without compromising the nutritional qualities. The targeted metabolic engineering of vitamin E biosynthesis through MsTMT overexpression provides a promising approach to improve the α-tocopherol content of forage crops. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Differential Contributions of Selective Attention and Sensory Integration to Driving Performance in Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Venkatesan, Umesh M; Festa, Elena K; Ott, Brian R; Heindel, William C

2018-05-01

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) demonstrate deficits in cross-cortical feature binding distinct from age-related changes in selective attention. This may have consequences for driving performance given its demands on multisensory integration. We examined the relationship of visuospatial search and binding to driving in patients with early AD and elderly controls (EC). Participants (42 AD; 37 EC) completed search tasks requiring either luminance-motion (L-M) or color-motion (C-M) binding, analogs of within and across visual processing stream binding, respectively. Standardized road test (RIRT) and naturalistic driving data (CDAS) were collected alongside clinical screening measures. Patients performed worse than controls on most cognitive and driving indices. Visual search and clinical measures were differentially related to driving behavior across groups. L-M search and Trail Making Test (TMT-B) were associated with RIRT performance in controls, while C-M binding, TMT-B errors, and Clock Drawing correlated with CDAS performance in patients. After controlling for demographic and clinical predictors, L-M reaction time significantly predicted RIRT performance in controls. In patients, C-M binding made significant contributions to CDAS above and beyond demographic and clinical predictors. RIRT and C-M binding measures accounted for 51% of variance in CDAS performance in patients. Whereas selective attention is associated with driving behavior in EC, cross-cortical binding appears most sensitive to driving in AD. This latter relationship may emerge only in naturalistic settings, which better reflect patients' driving behavior. Visual integration may offer distinct insights into driving behavior, and thus has important implications for assessing driving competency in early AD. (JINS, 2018, 24, 486-497).

Motor skills at 23 years of age in young adults born preterm with very low birth weight.

PubMed

Husby, Ingrid Marie; Skranes, Jon; Olsen, Alexander; Brubakk, Ann-Mari; Evensen, Kari Anne I

2013-09-01

Motor skills have previously not been reported in young adults born with very low birth weight (VLBW), although they are commonly reported in children and adolescents. To compare fine and gross motor skills in VLBW young adults with matched term-born controls, and to study longitudinal changes in the VLBW group. A geographically based follow-up study of a VLBW group and a control group. Thirty-six VLBW (birth weight ≤ 1500 g) young adults, including four participants with cerebral palsy (CP), and 37 matched controls (birth weight ≥ 10th centile) were examined at 14 and 23 years of age. Fine and gross motor skills were assessed using Grooved Pegboard test (GP), Trail Making Test-5 (TMT-5), Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (Movement ABC-2) and High-level Mobility Assessment Tool (HiMAT). VLBW young adults were slower than controls on GP (p = 0.026) and TMT-5 (p < 0.001). Mean total Movement ABC-2 score was 69.7 ± 20.2 in the VLBW group compared with 74.1 ± 14.4 in the control group (p = 0.017). Differences were also seen in manual dexterity and balance. Additionally, HiMAT showed reduced balance and speed in gross motor skills in the VLBW group. The proportion of participants with motor problems did not change between age 14 and 23. After exclusion of participants with CP, scores were essentially the same. VLBW young adults had overall poorer fine and gross motor skills compared with controls. Reduced speed seemed to be an underlying problem. Longitudinal findings indicate that VLBW children have not outgrown their motor problems when entering adulthood. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Local Community Advocacy for the Thirty Meter Telescope on the Big Island of Hawai’i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Currie, Thayne; Ha, Richard; Imai-Hong, Amber; Silva, Jasmin; Stark, Chris; Naea Stevens, Dashiel

2018-01-01

The Thirty Meter Telescope project is a next-generation ground-based optical/infrared telescope planned for construction on Mauna Kea. It is also a prominent social issue in Hawai’i, touching upon a wide range of island-specific issues, including economic/educational opportunities and justice, Hawaii’s long and proud history of astronomy/navigation, the cultural significance of Mauna Kea to some Hawaiians, and Hawaiian sovereignty. In this talk, we describe local community outreach carried out by Hawai’i island resident members of our group, Yes2TMT, and also by the pro-TMT Hawaiian group P.U.E.O based in Hilo. We have cultivated a substantial social media community and persistent on-the-ground advocacy that addresses the many misconceptions about TMT while providing an outlet for concerns from our neighbors. Since early 2016 and thanks to the efforts of many on Hawai’i, support for TMT has increased, especially from the Hawaiian community: the project is now favored by at least 70% of Hawaii’s residents. Our goal is to help bring TMT to Hawai’i under conditions deemed acceptable by the vast majority of the local community.

How Does Hawai’i Really Feel about the Thirty Meter Telescope?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Currie, Thayne; Ha, Richard; Imai-Hong, Amber; Silva, Jasmin; Stark, Chris S.; Naea Stevens, Dashiel

2018-01-01

In 2015, protests temporarily halted the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawai’i and a Hawai’i Supreme Court decision later revoked the permit for this observatory, requiring that the permitting process be restarted. Mainland United States media sources often alternately and simplistically described the opposition to TMT as similar to creationism or as a stand against colonialism, pitting astronomers on one side and Native Hawaiians on the other side. Both of these descriptions are wildly inaccurate, despite their continued invocation. Using a combination of scientific polling and on-the-ground discussions with Hawai’i community members, we present our impression of how Hawai’i residents and Hawaiians feel about the Thirty Meter Telescope. Polls show that support for TMT is very strong (70+% island wide) and increasing over time. The Hawaiian community is either split 50/50 on TMT or now is slightly in favor of the telescope. Finally, we describe *why* Hawai’i residents are for or against the telescope. Perhaps surprisingly, we find that support for TMT often has little to do with the scientific merit of astronomy; those against TMT often do not hold a blanket opposition based on sacredness or sovereignty.

Mobility and reliability performance measurement.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

This project grew out of the fact that mobility was identified early on as one of the key performance focus areas of NCDOTs : strategic transformation effort. The Transformation Management Team (TMT) established a TMT Mobility Workstream Team : in...

Lithium Promotes Neuronal Repair and Ameliorates Depression-Like Behavior following Trimethyltin-Induced Neuronal Loss in the Dentate Gyrus

PubMed Central

Yoneyama, Masanori; Shiba, Tatsuo; Hasebe, Shigeru; Umeda, Kasumi; Yamaguchi, Taro; Ogita, Kiyokazu

2014-01-01

Lithium, a mood stabilizer, is known to ameliorate the stress-induced decrease in hippocampal neurogenesis seen in animal models of stress-related disorders. However, it is unclear whether lithium has beneficial effect on neuronal repair following neuronal damage in neuronal degenerative diseases. Here, we evaluated the effect of in vivo treatment with lithium on the hippocampal neuronal repair in a mouse model of trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neuronal loss/self-repair in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (such mice referred to as “impaired animals”) [Ogita et al. (2005) J Neurosci Res 82: 609–621]. The impaired animals had a dramatically increased number of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-incorporating cells in their dentate gyrus at the initial time window (days 3 to 5 post-TMT treatment) of the self-repair stage. A single treatment with lithium produced no significant change in the number of BrdU-incorporating cells in the dentate granule cell layer and subgranular zone on day 3 post-TMT treatment. On day 5 post-TMT treatment, however, BrdU-incorporating cells were significantly increased in number by lithium treatment for 3 days. Most interestingly, chronic treatment (15 days) with lithium increased the number of BrdU-incorporating cells positive for NeuN or doublecortin in the dentate granule cell layer of the impaired animals, but not in that of naïve animals. The results of a forced swimming test revealed that the chronic treatment with lithium improved the depression-like behavior seen in the impaired animals. Taken together, our data suggest that lithium had a beneficial effect on neuronal repair following neuronal loss in the dentate gyrus through promoted proliferation and survival/neuronal differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells in the subgranular zone. PMID:24504050

FRAS1-related extracellular matrix 3 (FREM3) single-nucleotide polymorphism effects on gene expression, amygdala reactivity and perceptual processing speed: An accelerated aging pathway of depression risk

PubMed Central

Nikolova, Yuliya S.; Iruku, Swetha P.; Lin, Chien-Wei; Conley, Emily Drabant; Puralewski, Rachel; French, Beverly; Hariri, Ahmad R.; Sibille, Etienne

2015-01-01

The A allele of the FRAS1-related extracellular matrix protein 3 (FREM3) rs7676614 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was linked to major depressive disorder (MDD) in an early genome-wide association study (GWAS), and to symptoms of psychomotor retardation in a follow-up investigation. In line with significant overlap between age- and depression-related molecular pathways, parallel work has shown that FREM3 expression in postmortem human brain decreases with age. Here, we probe the effect of rs7676614 on amygdala reactivity and perceptual processing speed, both of which are altered in depression and aging. Amygdala reactivity was assessed using a face-matching BOLD fMRI paradigm in 365 Caucasian participants in the Duke Neurogenetics Study (DNS) (192 women, mean age 19.7 ± 1.2). Perceptual processing speed was indexed by reaction times in the same task and the Trail Making Test (TMT). The effect of rs7676614 on FREM3 mRNA brain expression levels was probed in a postmortem cohort of 169 Caucasian individuals (44 women, mean age 50.8 ± 14.9). The A allele of rs7676614 was associated with blunted amygdala reactivity to faces, slower reaction times in the face-matching condition (p < 0.04), as well as marginally slower performance on TMT Part B (p = 0.056). In the postmortem cohort, the T allele of rs6537170 (proxy for the rs7676614 A allele), was associated with trend-level reductions in gene expression in Brodmann areas 11 and 47 (p = 0.066), reminiscent of patterns characteristic of older age. The low-expressing allele of another FREM3 SNP (rs1391187) was similarly associated with reduced amygdala reactivity and slower TMT Part B speed, in addition to reduced BA47 activity and extraversion (p < 0.05). Together, these results suggest common genetic variation associated with reduced FREM3 expression may confer risk for a subtype of depression characterized by reduced reactivity to environmental stimuli and slower perceptual processing speed, possibly suggestive of accelerated aging. PMID:26441752

Computer simulations and real-time control of ELT AO systems using graphical processing units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lianqi; Ellerbroek, Brent

2012-07-01

The adaptive optics (AO) simulations at the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) have been carried out using the efficient, C based multi-threaded adaptive optics simulator (MAOS, http://github.com/lianqiw/maos). By porting time-critical parts of MAOS to graphical processing units (GPU) using NVIDIA CUDA technology, we achieved a 10 fold speed up for each GTX 580 GPU used compared to a modern quad core CPU. Each time step of full scale end to end simulation for the TMT narrow field infrared AO system (NFIRAOS) takes only 0.11 second in a desktop with two GTX 580s. We also demonstrate that the TMT minimum variance reconstructor can be assembled in matrix vector multiply (MVM) format in 8 seconds with 8 GTX 580 GPUs, meeting the TMT requirement for updating the reconstructor. Analysis show that it is also possible to apply the MVM using 8 GTX 580s within the required latency.

A Study on the Application of Normalized Point Source Sensitivity in Wide Field Optical Spectrometer of the Thirty Meter Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Li-si; Hu, Zhong-wen

2017-10-01

The image evaluation of an optical system is the core of optical design. Based on the analysis and comparison of the PSSN (Normalized Point Source Sensitivity) proposed in the image evaluation of the TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope) and the common image evaluation methods, the application of PSSN in the TMT WFOS (Wide Field Optical Spectrometer) is studied. It includes an approximate simulation of the atmospheric seeing, the effect of the displacement of M3 in the TMT on the PSSN of the system, the effect of the displacement of collimating mirror in the WFOS on the PSSN of the system, the relations between the PSSN and the zenith angle under different conditions of atmospheric turbulence, and the relation between the PSSN and the wavefront aberration. The results show that the PSSN is effective for the image evaluation of the TMT under a limited atmospheric seeing.

Chronic trimethyltin chloride exposure and the development of kidney stones in rats.

PubMed

Ren, Xuefeng; Wu, Xin; Sui, Gang; Gong, Zhihong; Yawson, Emmanuel; Wu, Banghua; Lai, Guanchao; Ruan, Xiaolin; Gao, Hongbin; Zhou, Feng; Su, Bing; Olson, James R; Tang, Xiaojiang

2015-05-01

We recently reported that occupational exposure to trimethyltin (TMT) is a risk factor for developing kidney stones. To further examine the association between TMT exposure and the formation of kidney stones, we conducted a 180-day animal study and exposed the randomly grouped Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats to TMT in the drinking water at doses of 0, 8.2, 32.8 and 131.3 µg kg(-1) day(-1). Transient behavioral changes were observed in the high-dose group during the first 2 weeks of exposure. TMT exposure led to a significant dose-dependent inhibition of renal H(+)/K(+)-ATPase and an increase in urinary pH. In comparison to no kidney stones being identified in the control and the lowest dose group, 1 rat in the 32.8 µg kg(-1) day(-1) dose group and 3 out of 9 rats in the 131.3 µg kg(-1) day(-1) dose group were found to have stones in the kidney/urinary tract. Pathological analysis showed that more wide spread calcium disposition was observed in kidneys of rats with TMT exposure compared with the rats in the control group. However, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis found that the kidney stones were mainly composed of struvite with the formula: NH4MgPO4 6H2O, while calcium-containing components were also detected. Together, this study further demonstrates through animal studies that chronic exposure to a relatively low level of TMT induces nephrotoxicity and increases the risk for developing kidney stones. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adaptive optics program update at TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, C.; Ellerbroek, B.

2016-07-01

The TMT first light AO facility consists of the Narrow Field Infra-Red AO System (NFIRAOS), the associated Laser Guide Star Facility (LGSF) and the AO Executive Software (AOESW). Design, fabrication and prototyping activities of the TMT first light AO systems and their components have significantly ramped up in Canada, China, France, and in the US. NFIRAOS is an order 60 x 60 laser guide star (LGS) multi-conjugate AO (MCAO) system, which provides uniform, diffraction-limited performance in the J, H, and K bands over 34 x 34 arc sec fields with 50 per cent sky coverage at the galactic pole, as required to support the TMT science cases. NFIRAOS includes two deformable mirrors, six laser guide star wavefront sensors, one high order Pyramid WFS for natural guide star AO, and up to three low-order, IR, natural guide star on-instrument wavefront sensors (OIWFS) and four on-detector guide windows (ODGW) within each client instrument. The first light LGSF system includes six sodium lasers to generate the NFIRAOS laser guide stars. In this paper, we will provide an update on the progress in designing, prototyping, fabricating and modeling the TMT first light AO systems and their AO components over the last two years. TMT is continuing with detailed AO modeling to support the design and development of the first light AO systems and components. Major modeling topics studied during the last two years include further studies in the area of pyramid wavefront sensing, high precision astrometry, PSF reconstruction for LGS MCAO, LGSF wavefront error budget and sophisticated low order mode temporal filtering.

Effects of hormones on cognition in schizophrenic male patients--preliminary results.

PubMed

Bratek, Agnieszka; Koźmin-Burzyńska, Agnieszka; Krysta, Krzysztof; Cierpka-Wiszniewska, Katarzyna; Krupka-Matuszczyk, Irena

2015-09-01

Schizophrenia is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder of an unknown etiology and a variable phenotypic expression. In the recent years, the impact of hormones on the course of schizophrenia has been investigated. This study is aimed at assessing the level of correlating serum levels of hormones in schizophrenic male patients with their cognitive functioning measured with neuropsychological tests. In the index group there were 15 medicated male schizophrenic patients. In the control group there were 15 age and education matched healthy men. All subjects underwent analysis of serum hormones level (TSH, testosterone, estradiol, FSH, LH, progesterone and prolactin) and a battery of tests (Trail Making Test A and B, Stroop Test, Verbal and Semantic Fluency Test). The mean serum levels of the following hormones were higher in the index group than in the control group: TSH (1.76 mIU/L vs 1.58 mIU/L; p=0.66), progesterone (0.85 ng/ml vs 0.69 ng/ml; p=0.22) and prolactin (558.71 uIU/ml vs 181 uIU/ml; p=0.025). The mean levels of estradiol (24.36 pg/ml vs 25.40 ng/ml; p=0.64), FSH (3.17 mIU/ml vs 5.72 mIU/ml; p=0.019), LH (3.85 mIU/ml vs 5.77 mIU/ml; p=0.056) and testosterone (2.90 ng/ml vs 5.38 ng/ml; p=0.003) were higher in the control group. In the index group there were significant negative correlations between FSH and semantic fluency (ρ=-0.678606), progesterone and: TMT B (ρ=-0.586763), Stroop 1 (ρ=-0.701880) and Stroop 2 (ρ=-0.601074) and prolactin and TMT A (ρ=-0.579607). The preliminary results of our study show that serum levels of FSH and testosterone are significantly lower, whereas the level of prolactin is markedly higher, in schizophrenic male patients than in healthy men. There is an inverse correlation between serum levels of progesterone, FSH and prolactin and the results of certain cognitive functioning tests in schizophrenic men.

THE NEUROTOXICANT TRIMETHYLTIN STIMULATES APOPTOSIS VIA OXIDATIVE STRESS, CASPASE ACTIVATION AND P38 PROTEIN KINASE.

EPA Science Inventory

Acute exposure to the tri-substituted organotin trimethyltin (TMT) causes neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus, amygdala, pyriform cortex, and neocortex. Developmental exposure to TMT impairs later learning and memory. Despite extensive efforts elucidating neuropathological...

Turmeric extract inhibits apoptosis of hippocampal neurons of trimethyltin-exposed rats.

PubMed

Yuliani, S; Widyarini, S; Mustofa; Partadiredja, G

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to reveal the possible antiapoptotic effect of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) on the hippocampal neurons of rats exposed to trimethyltin (TMT). Oxidative damage in the hippocampus can induce the apoptosis of neurons associated with the pathogenesis of dementiaMETHODS. The ethanolic turmeric extract and a citicoline (as positive control) solution were administered to the TMT-exposed rats for 28 days. The body weights of rats were recorded once a week. The hippocampal weights and imumunohistochemical expression of caspase 3 proteins in the CA1 and CA2-CA3 regions of the hippocampi were examined at the end of the experiment. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the injection of TMT increased the expression of caspase 3 in the CA1 and CA2-CA3 regions of hippocampus. TMT also decreased the body and hippocampal weights. Furthermore, the administration of 200 mg/kg bw dose of turmeric extract decreased the caspase 3 expression in the CA2-CA3 pyramidal neurons but not in the CA1 neurons. It also prevented the decrease of the body and hippocampal weights. We suggest that the 200 mg/kg bw dose of turmeric extract may exert antiapoptotic effect on the hippocampal neurons of the TMT-exposed rats (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 49).

CfAO Fall Science Retreat 2017

Science.gov Websites

: Mark Chun, Astronomy Dept., U. Hawaii) Point Spread Function Reconstruction for AO Science (Organizer : Jessica Lu, Astronomy Dept., UC Berkeley) High Contrast Exoplanet Instrumentation Program for TMT (Organizer: Michael Fitzgerald, Astronomy Dept., UCLA) Special Plenary Session: TMT international training

Religiousness, religious doubt, and death anxiety.

PubMed

Henrie, James; Patrick, Julie Hicks

2014-01-01

Terror Management Theory (TMT) (Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986) suggests that culturally-provided worldviews (e.g., religion) may protect individuals from experiencing death anxiety, and several studies have supported this position. However, if one's worldview can offer protection, doubts concerning one's worldview could undermine this protection. The current study investigated whether age, gender, religiousness, and religious doubt were associated with death anxiety. Using data from 635 younger, middle-aged, and older adults, a structural equation model with age, gender, religiousness, and religious doubt predicting death anxiety was tested. The model had a good fit (chi2 (76) = 193.467, p < .001; GFI = .961, CFI = .976, TLI = .967, RMSEA = .049) and accounted for 12.3% of the variance in death anxiety. Results were consistent with TMT, as religiousness was inversely associated with death anxiety, while religious doubt was positively associated with death anxiety.

Correlation of MRI Visual Scales with Neuropsychological Profile in Mild Cognitive Impairment of Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Vasconcellos, Luiz Felipe; Pereira, João Santos; Adachi, Marcelo; Greca, Denise; Cruz, Manuela; Malak, Ana Lara; Charchat-Fichman, Helenice; Spitz, Mariana

2017-01-01

Few studies have evaluated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visual scales in Parkinson's disease-Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI). We selected 79 PD patients and 92 controls (CO) to perform neurologic and neuropsychological evaluation. Brain MRI was performed to evaluate the following scales: Global Cortical Atrophy (GCA), Fazekas, and medial temporal atrophy (MTA). The analysis revealed that both PD groups (amnestic and nonamnestic) showed worse performance on several tests when compared to CO. Memory, executive function, and attention impairment were more severe in amnestic PD-MCI group. Overall analysis of frequency of MRI visual scales by MCI subtype did not reveal any statistically significant result. Statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between GCA scale and Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), semantic verbal fluency, Stroop test, figure memory test, trail making test (TMT) B, and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). The MTA scale correlated with Stroop test and Fazekas scale with figure memory test, digit span, and Stroop test according to the subgroup evaluated. Visual scales by MRI in MCI should be evaluated by cognitive domain and might be more useful in more severely impaired MCI or dementia patients.

The function of self-esteem in terror management theory and sociometer theory: comment on Pyszczynski et al. (2004).

PubMed

Leary, Mark R

2004-05-01

By applying different standards of evidence to sociometer theory than to terror management theory (TMT), T. Pyszczynski, J. Greenberg, S. Solomon, J. Arndt, and J. Schimel's (2004) review offers an imbalanced appraisal of the theories' merits. Many of Pyszczynski et al.'s (2004) criticisms of sociometer theory apply equally to TMT. and others are based on misconstruals of the theory or misunderstandings regarding how people respond when rejected. Furthermore, much of their review is only indirectly relevant to TMT's position on the function of self-esteem, and the review fails to acknowledge logical and empirical challenges to TMT. A more balanced review suggests that each theory trumps the other in certain respects, both have difficulty explaining all of the evidence regarding self-esteem, and the propositions of each theory can be roughly translated into the concepts of the other. For these reasons, declaring a theoretical winner at this time is premature. ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

Thirty-Meter Telescope: A Technical Study of the InfraRed Multiobject Spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

U, Vivian; Dekany, R.; Mobasher, B.

2013-01-01

The InfraRed Multiobject Spectrograph (IRMS) is an adaptive optics (AO)-fed, reconfigurable near-infrared multi-object spectrograph and imager on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). Its design is based on the MOSFIRE spectrograph currently operating on the Keck Observatory. As one of the first three first-light instruments on the TMT, IRMS is in a mini-conceptual design phase. Here we motivate the science goals of the instrument and present the anticipated sensitivity estimates based on the combination of MOSFIRE with the AO system NFIRAOS on TMT. An assessment of the IRMS on-instrument wavefront sensor performance and vignetting issue will also be discussed.

TRIMETHYLTIN DISRUPTS ACOUSTIC STARTLE RESPONDING IN ADULT RATS

EPA Science Inventory

Trimethyltin (TMT) is a limbic-system toxicant which also produces sensory dysfunction in adult animals. In the present experiment, the authors examined the effects of TMT on the acoustic startle response. Adult male, Long-Evans rats (N=12/dose) received a single i.p. injection o...

Association between fully automated MRI-based volumetry of different brain regions and neuropsychological test performance in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Arlt, Sönke; Buchert, Ralph; Spies, Lothar; Eichenlaub, Martin; Lehmbeck, Jan T; Jahn, Holger

2013-06-01

Fully automated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based volumetry may serve as biomarker for the diagnosis in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. We aimed at investigating the relation between fully automated MRI-based volumetric measures and neuropsychological test performance in amnestic MCI and patients with mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. In order to assess a possible prognostic value of fully automated MRI-based volumetry for future cognitive performance, the rate of change of neuropsychological test performance over time was also tested for its correlation with fully automated MRI-based volumetry at baseline. In 50 subjects, 18 with amnestic MCI, 21 with mild AD, and 11 controls, neuropsychological testing and T1-weighted MRI were performed at baseline and at a mean follow-up interval of 2.1 ± 0.5 years (n = 19). Fully automated MRI volumetry of the grey matter volume (GMV) was performed using a combined stereotactic normalisation and segmentation approach as provided by SPM8 and a set of pre-defined binary lobe masks. Left and right hippocampus masks were derived from probabilistic cytoarchitectonic maps. Volumes of the inner and outer liquor space were also determined automatically from the MRI. Pearson's test was used for the correlation analyses. Left hippocampal GMV was significantly correlated with performance in memory tasks, and left temporal GMV was related to performance in language tasks. Bilateral frontal, parietal and occipital GMVs were correlated to performance in neuropsychological tests comprising multiple domains. Rate of GMV change in the left hippocampus was correlated with decline of performance in the Boston Naming Test (BNT), Mini-Mental Status Examination, and trail making test B (TMT-B). The decrease of BNT and TMT-A performance over time correlated with the loss of grey matter in multiple brain regions. We conclude that fully automated MRI-based volumetry allows detection of regional grey matter volume loss that correlates with neuropsychological performance in patients with amnestic MCI or mild AD. Because of the high level of automation, MRI-based volumetry may easily be integrated into clinical routine to complement the current diagnostic procedure.

Validation of a Self-Administered Computerized System to Detect Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Brinkman, Samuel D.; Reese, Robert J.; Norsworthy, Larry A.; Dellaria, Donna K.; Kinkade, Jacob W.; Benge, Jared; Brown, Kimberly; Ratka, Anna; Simpkins, James W.

2015-01-01

There is increasing interest in the development of economical and accurate approaches to identifying persons in the community who have mild, undetected cognitive impairments. Computerized assessment systems have been suggested as a viable approach to identifying these persons. The validity of a computerized assessment system for identification of memory and executive deficits in older individuals was evaluated in the current study. Volunteers (N = 235) completed a 3-hr battery of neuropsychological tests and a computerized cognitive assessment system. Participants were classified as impaired (n = 78) or unimpaired (n = 157) on the basis of the Mini Mental State Exam, Wechsler Memory Scale-III and the Trail Making Test (TMT), Part B. All six variables (three memory variables and three executive variables) derived from the computerized assessment differed significantly between groups in the expected direction. There was also evidence of temporal stability and concurrent validity. Application of computerized assessment systems for clinical practice and for identification of research participants is discussed in this article. PMID:25332303

Performance Enhancement with Low Stress and Anxiety Modulated by Cognitive Flexibility

PubMed Central

Park, Hyung Woo; Kee, Baik Seok; Na, Churl; Na, Do-Hyun E.; Zaichkowsky, Leonard

2011-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare cognitive flexibility abilities, stress, and anxiety between starters and non-starter athletes. Methods A total of 30 male professional-soccer and 40 professional-baseball athletes were recruited. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Trail Making Test A & B (TMT A & B) were administered to assess cognitive flexibility during competition. The Korean version of the STAI form Y (STAI-KY) and Visual analogue scale for anxiety and stress were used to assess the anxiety and stress. Results The starter group had better cognitive function (fewer perseverative errors and rapid TMTB times) (Z=3.32, p<0.01; Z=2.20, p=0.03, respectively) and lower stress and anxiety (F=4.34, p=0.01; F=6.61, p<0.01, respectively) during competition than the non-starter group. Conclusion The better cognitive performances were negatively correlated with stress and anxiety. Current results suggested that cognitive flexibility would enhance human performance by modulation of the anxiety and stress during competition. PMID:21994509

Black Soybean Extract Protects Against TMT-Induced Cognitive Defects in Mice

PubMed Central

Jeong, Ji Hee; Jo, Yu Na; Kim, Hyeon Ju; Jin, Dong Eun; Kim, Dae-Ok

2014-01-01

Abstract To find a neuroactive compound with a potent inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and in vivo anti-amnesic activity from natural resources, we evaluated anthocyanins and nonanthocyanins from black soybean extract. Nonanthocyanins from black soybean extract were the most potent and dose-dependent AChE inhibitors. Intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation resulting from H2O2 treatment was significantly decreased compared with cells treated with H2O2 only. Nonanthocyanins were also neuroprotective against H2O2 treated neurotoxicity by 3-[4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Finally, nonanthocyanins from black soybean in the preadministration group attenuated trimethyltin (TMT)-induced memory injury in both in vivo tests. AChE, prepared from mice brain tissues, was inhibited by nonanthocyanins from black soybean in a dose-dependent manner. Malondialdehyde generation in the brain homogenates of mice treated with nonanthocyanins from black soybean was decreased. We concluded that nonanthocyanins from black soybean had an efficacious in vitro AChE inhibitory activity, and protected against H2O2-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, our findings suggest that nonanthocyanins from black soybean may improve the TMT-induced learning and memory deficit because of AChE inhibition of mice brain tissue. Consequently, these results demonstrate that the nonanthocyanins from black soybean could possess a wide range of beneficial activities for neurodegenerative disorders. PMID:24456358

Genetic Engineering Workshop Report, 2010

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

Allen, J; Slezak, T

2010-11-03

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Bioinformatics group has recently taken on a role in DTRA's Transformation Medical Technologies (TMT) program. The high-level goal of TMT is to accelerate the development of broad-spectrum countermeasures. To achieve this goal, there is a need to assess the genetic engineering (GE) approaches, potential application as well as detection and mitigation strategies. LLNL was tasked to coordinate a workshop to determine the scope of investments that DTRA should make to stay current with the rapid advances in genetic engineering technologies, so that accidental or malicious uses of GE technologies could be adequately detected andmore » characterized. Attachment A is an earlier report produced by LLNL for TMT that provides some relevant background on Genetic Engineering detection. A workshop was held on September 23-24, 2010 in Springfield, Virginia. It was attended by a total of 55 people (see Attachment B). Twenty four (44%) of the attendees were academic researchers involved in GE or bioinformatics technology, 6 (11%) were from DTRA or the TMT program management, 7 (13%) were current TMT performers (including Jonathan Allen and Tom Slezak of LLNL who hosted the workshop), 11 (20%) were from other Federal agencies, and 7 (13%) were from industries that are involved in genetic engineering. Several attendees could be placed in multiple categories. There were 26 attendees (47%) who were from out of the DC area and received travel assistance through Invitational Travel Orders (ITOs). We note that this workshop could not have been as successful without the ability to invite experts from outside of the Beltway region. This workshop was an unclassified discussion of the science behind current genetic engineering capabilities. US citizenship was not required for attendance. While this may have limited some discussions concerning risk, we felt that it was more important for this first workshop to focus on the scientific state of the art. We also consciously chose to not dwell on matters of policy (for example, screening of commercial gene or oligo synthesis orders), as multiple other forums for policy discussion have taken place in recent years. We acknowledge that other workshops on topics relevant to genetic engineering should be held, some of which may need to take place at higher classification levels. The workshop moderators would like to acknowledge the enthusiastic participation of the attendees in the discussions. Special thanks are given to Sofi Ibrahim, for his extensive assistance on helping this report reach its final form. The genetic engineering workshop brought together a diverse mix of genetic engineering pioneers and experts, Federal agency representatives concerned with abuses of genetic engineering, TMT performers, bioinformatics experts, and representatives from industry involved with large-scale genetic engineering and synthetic biology. Several talks established the current range of genetic engineering capabilities and the relative difficulties of identifying and characterizing the results of their use. Extensive discussions established a number of recommendations to DTRA of how to direct future research investments so that any mis-use of genetic engineering techniques can be promptly identified and characterized.« less

A ROBUST MEASURE OF DARK MATTER HALO ELLIPTICITIES

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

Evslin, Jarah

2016-08-01

In simulations of the standard cosmological model (ΛCDM), dark matter halos are aspherical. However, so far the asphericity of an individual galaxy’s halo has never been robustly established. We use the Jeans equations to define a quantity that robustly characterizes a deviation from rotational symmetry. This quantity is essentially the gravitational torque and it roughly provides the ellipticity projected along the line of sight. We show that the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), with a single epoch of observations combined with those of the Gaia Space Telescope , can distinguish the ΛCDM value of the torque from zero for each Sculptor-likemore » dwarf galaxy with a confidence between 0 and 5 σ , depending on the orientation of each halo. With two epochs of observations, TMT will achieve a 5 σ discovery of torque and thus asphericity for most such galaxies, thus providing a new and powerful test of the ΛCDM model.« less

SYMTRAN - A Time-dependent Symmetric Tandem Mirror Transport Code

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

Hua, D; Fowler, T

2004-06-15

A time-dependent version of the steady-state radial transport model in symmetric tandem mirrors in Ref. [1] has been coded up and first tests performed. Our code, named SYMTRAN, is an adaptation of the earlier SPHERE code for spheromaks, now modified for tandem mirror physics. Motivated by Post's new concept of kinetic stabilization of symmetric mirrors, it is an extension of the earlier TAMRAC rate-equation code omitting radial transport [2], which successfully accounted for experimental results in TMX. The SYMTRAN code differs from the earlier tandem mirror radial transport code TMT in that our code is focused on axisymmetric tandem mirrorsmore » and classical diffusion, whereas TMT emphasized non-ambipolar transport in TMX and MFTF-B due to yin-yang plugs and non-symmetric transitions between the plugs and axisymmetric center cell. Both codes exhibit interesting but different non-linear behavior.« less

Decision making, central coherence and set-shifting: a comparison between Binge Eating Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Aloi, Matteo; Rania, Marianna; Caroleo, Mariarita; Bruni, Antonella; Palmieri, Antonella; Cauteruccio, Maria Antonella; De Fazio, Pasquale; Segura-García, Cristina

2015-01-24

Several studies have investigated the cognitive profile in patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN); on the contrary few studies have evaluated it in patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The purpose of this study was to compare decision making, central coherence and set-shifting between BED and AN patients. A battery of neuropsychological tests including the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (RCFT), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the Trial Making Task (TMT) and the Hayling Sentence Completion Task (HSCT) were administered in a sample of 135 women (45 AN, 45 BED, 45 Healthy Controls [HC]). Furthermore, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered to evaluate depressive symptoms. Years of education, age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and depression severity were considered as covariates in statistical analyses. BED and AN patients showed high rates of cognitive impairment compared to HC on the domains investigated; furthermore, the cognitive profile of BED patients was characterised by poorer decision making and cognitive flexibility compared to patients with AN. Cognitive performance was strongly associated with depressive symptoms. In the present sample, two different neurocognitive profiles emerged: a strong cognitive rigidity and a central coherence based on the details was predominant in patients with AN, while a lack of attention and difficulty in adapting to changes in a new situation seemed to better describe patients with BED. The knowledge of the different cognitive profiles of EDs patients may be important for the planning their psychotherapeutic intervention.

Psychological Defenses against Death Anxiety: Integrating Terror Management Theory and Firestone's Separation Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassett, Jonathan F.

2007-01-01

The author attempts to integrate Terror Management Theory (TMT) and R. W. Firestone's Separation Theory (1984, 1994). Both theories emphasize defense against death anxiety as a key human motive. Whereas TMT focuses extensively on self-esteem and cultural worldview, Firestone posited additional defenses such as gene survival, self-nourishing…

[Transcranial magnetic therapy in the complex treatment of affective disorders in patients with alcoholism].

PubMed

Staroverov, A T; Vil'ianov, V B; Raĭgorodskiĭ, Iu M; Rogozina, M A

2008-01-01

A main group--32 patients receiving transcranial magnetic therapy (TMT) in addition to the basic treatment (nootrops, hepatoprotectors, vitamins/minerals etc)--was compared to a control group (30 patients) receiving placebo instead of TMT. All patients, aged from 35 to 64 years, had the second stage of alcoholism with illness duration from 4 to 12 years and were in the postabstinent state at the moment of treatment. The TMT course included 10 daily sessions with a 10-20 min exposure. A somatic, neurological and instrumental study, including cardiointervalography, electroencephalography, assessment of autonomic system state and psychometric scales for depression and anxiety, was conducted before, during and after the therapy. The improvement of health, mood and sleep, increase of tolerability to physical loading and reduction of alcohol craving were observed after TMT in 75% of patients in the main group and in 30% in the control one. The improvement of patient's state was correlated with the data of the paraclinical study (electrophysiological parameters of the autonomic nervous system and psychometric scales scores).

IsobariQ: software for isobaric quantitative proteomics using IPTL, iTRAQ, and TMT.

PubMed

Arntzen, Magnus Ø; Koehler, Christian J; Barsnes, Harald; Berven, Frode S; Treumann, Achim; Thiede, Bernd

2011-02-04

Isobaric peptide labeling plays an important role in relative quantitative comparisons of proteomes. Isobaric labeling techniques utilize MS/MS spectra for relative quantification, which can be either based on the relative intensities of reporter ions in the low mass region (iTRAQ and TMT) or on the relative intensities of quantification signatures throughout the spectrum due to isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL). Due to the increased quantitative information found in MS/MS fragment spectra generated by the recently developed IPTL approach, new software was required to extract the quantitative information. IsobariQ was specifically developed for this purpose; however, support for the reporter ion techniques iTRAQ and TMT is also included. In addition, to address recently emphasized issues about heterogeneity of variance in proteomics data sets, IsobariQ employs the statistical software package R and variance stabilizing normalization (VSN) algorithms available therein. Finally, the functionality of IsobariQ is validated with data sets of experiments using 6-plex TMT and IPTL. Notably, protein substrates resulting from cleavage by proteases can be identified as shown for caspase targets in apoptosis.

Transfer and targeted overexpression of γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) gene using seed-specific promoter improves tocopherol composition in Indian soybean cultivars.

PubMed

Arun, Muthukrishnan; Subramanyam, Kondeti; Theboral, Jeevaraj; Sivanandhan, Ganeshan; Rajesh, Manoharan; Kapil Dev, Gnanajothi; Jaganath, Balusamy; Manickavasagam, Markandan; Girija, Shanmugam; Ganapathi, Andy

2014-02-01

Soybean oil contains high levels of tocopherols which are an important source of vitamin E in human diet. The conversion of γ- to α-tocopherol catalyzed by γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) is found to be the rate limiting factor in soybean which influences the tocopherol composition. Using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, we overexpressed the γ-TMT gene of Perilla frutescens under the control of the seed-specific promoter vicillin in cultivar Pusa 16. Transgene integration and expression was confirmed in five independently transformed GUS positive soybean plants by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern hybridization, and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that overexpression of Pf-γ-TMT resulted in efficient conversion of γ-tocopherol to α-tocopherol and concomitant increase in seed α-tocopherol content in RT-PCR positive plants. The protocol was successfully applied to three more cultivars PK 416, Gujarat soybean 1, and VL soya 1 in which seeds of transformed plants showed elevated level of α-tocopherol than wild-type seeds.

Influence of thermo-mechanical treatment in ferritic phase field on microstructure and mechanical properties of reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash; Vanaja, J.; Laha, K.; Nageswara Rao, G. V. S.

2018-03-01

The present study focuses on the evaluation of microstructure and mechanical properties of reduced activation ferritic-martensitic (RAFM) steel (9Cr-1W-0.06Ta) subjected to thermo-mechanical treatment (TMT) in ferritic phase field. The results obtained were compared with the steel in conventional normalised plus tempered (N+T) condition. The microstructure of the steel in N+T and TMT conditions was assessed by optical and scanning electron microscopes. Hardness, tensile and creep studies were carried out and the results were correlated with the microstructural studies. While the TMT processed steel resulted in coarser prior austenite grains and exhibited ferritic microstructure with large distribution of fine M23C6 and MX precipitates, the N+T steel reveals tempered martensitic structure with finer prior austenitic grains with coarser M23C6 and MX precipitates. Although ferritic structure is present in TMT processed steel, it exhibits better tensile and creep rupture strengths than N+T steel due to the presence of increased dislocation density and finer distribution of precipitates.

Building a portable data and information interoperability infrastructure-framework for a standard Taiwan Electronic Medical Record Template.

PubMed

Jian, Wen-Shan; Hsu, Chien-Yeh; Hao, Te-Hui; Wen, Hsyien-Chia; Hsu, Min-Huei; Lee, Yen-Liang; Li, Yu-Chuan; Chang, Polun

2007-11-01

Traditional electronic health record (EHR) data are produced from various hospital information systems. They could not have existed independently without an information system until the incarnation of XML technology. The interoperability of a healthcare system can be divided into two dimensions: functional interoperability and semantic interoperability. Currently, no single EHR standard exists that provides complete EHR interoperability. In order to establish a national EHR standard, we developed a set of local EHR templates. The Taiwan Electronic Medical Record Template (TMT) is a standard that aims to achieve semantic interoperability in EHR exchanges nationally. The TMT architecture is basically composed of forms, components, sections, and elements. Data stored in the elements which can be referenced by the code set, data type, and narrative block. The TMT was established with the following requirements in mind: (1) transformable to international standards; (2) having a minimal impact on the existing healthcare system; (3) easy to implement and deploy, and (4) compliant with Taiwan's current laws and regulations. The TMT provides a basis for building a portable, interoperable information infrastructure for EHR exchange in Taiwan.

Fate of Mercury in Synthetic Gypsum Used for Wallboard Production

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

Jessica Sanderson; Gary M. Blythe; Mandi Richardson

2006-12-01

This report presents and discusses results from Task 6 of the study 'Fate of Mercury in Synthetic Gypsum Used for Wallboard Production,' performed at a full-scale commercial wallboard plant. Synthetic gypsum produced by wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems on coal-fired power plants is commonly used in the manufacture of wallboard. This practice has long benefited the environment by recycling the FGD gypsum byproduct, which is becoming available in increasing quantities, decreasing the need to landfill this material, and increasing the sustainable design of the wallboard product. However, new concerns have arisen as recent mercury control strategies involve the capturemore » of mercury in FGD systems. The objective of this study is to determine whether any mercury is released into the atmosphere when the synthetic gypsum material is used as a feedstock for wallboard production. The project is being co-funded by the U.S. DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42080), USG Corporation, and EPRI. USG Corporation is the prime contractor, and URS Group is a subcontractor. The project scope now includes six discrete tasks, each conducted at various USG wallboard plants using synthetic gypsum from different FGD systems. The project was originally composed of five tasks, which were to include (1) a baseline test, then variations representing differing power plant: (2) emissions control configurations, (3) treatment of fine gypsum particles, (4) coal types, and (5) FGD reagent types. However, Task 5, which was to include testing with an alternate FGD reagent, could not be conducted as planned. Instead, Task 5 was conducted at conditions similar to Task 3, although with gypsum from an alternate FGD system. Subsequent to conducting Task 5 under these revised conditions, an opportunity arose to test gypsum produced at the same FGD system, but with an additive (Degussa Corporation's TMT-15) being used in the FGD system. TMT-15 was expected to impact the stability of mercury in synthetic gypsum used to produce wallboard, so Task 6 was added to the project to test this theory. In this project, process stacks in the wallboard plant have been sampled using the Ontario Hydro method. For every task, the stack locations sampled have included a dryer for the wet gypsum as it enters the plant and a gypsum calciner. For Tasks 1, 4, 5 and 6, the stack of the dryer for the wet wallboard product was also tested. Also at each site, in-stream process samples were collected and analyzed for mercury concentration before and after each significant step in wallboard production. The Ontario Hydro results, process sample mercury concentration data, and process data were used to construct mercury mass balances across the wallboard plants. Task 6 was conducted at a wallboard plant processing synthetic gypsum from a power plant that fires Eastern bituminous coal. The power plant has a single-loop, open spray tower limestone forced oxidation FGD system, with the forced oxidation conducted in the reaction tank integral with the FGD absorber. The FGD system has gypsum fines blow down as part of the dewatering step. The power plant is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for NOX emissions control, and the SCR was in service during the time period the gypsum tested was produced. Also, as mentioned above, Degussa additive TMT-15 was being added to the FGD system when this gypsum was produced. The results of the Task 6 stack testing, as measured by the Ontario Hydro method, detected that an average of 55% of the incoming mercury was emitted during wallboard production. These losses were distributed as about 4% across the dryer mill, 6% across the board dryer kiln, and 45% across the kettle calciner. Emissions were similar to what Task 5 results showed on a percentage basis, but about 30% lower on a mass basis. The same power plant FGD system produced the synthetic gypsum used in Task 5 (with no use of TMT-15) and in Task 6 (with TMT-15 added to the FGD system). The lower emissions on a mass basis appeared to be due to lower average mercury content in the gypsum being processed. It is not certain whether the lower average mercury content in the gypsum was an effect of TMT-15 addition to the FGD system. As was seen in the Task 1 through 5 results, most of the mercury detected in the Ontario Hydro method stack testing was in the form of elemental mercury.« less

Altered expression of heat shock protein 110 family members in mouse hippocampal neurons following trimethyltin treatment in vivo and in vitro.

PubMed

Yoneyama, Masanori; Iwamoto, Naoko; Nagashima, Reiko; Sugiyama, Chie; Kawada, Koichi; Kuramoto, Nobuyuki; Shuto, Makoto; Ogita, Kiyokazu

2008-10-01

The heat shock protein (Hsp) 110 family is composed of HSP105, APG-1, and APG-2. As the response of these proteins to neuronal damage is not yet fully understood, in the present study, we assessed their expression in mouse hippocampal neurons following trimethyltin chloride (TMT) treatment in vivo and in vitro. Although each of these three Hsps had a distinct regional distribution within the hippocampus, a low level of all of them was observed in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus in naïve animals. TMT was effective in markedly increasing the level of these Hsps in the granule cell layer, at least 16h to 4days after the treatment. In the dentate granule cell layer on day 2 after TMT treatment, HSP105 was expressed mainly in the perikarya of NeuN-positive cells (intact neurons); whereas APG-1 and APG-2 were predominantly found in NeuN-negative cells (damaged neurons as evidenced by signs of cell shrinkage and condensation of chromatin). Assessments using primary cultures of mouse hippocampal neurons exposed to TMT revealed that whereas HSP105 was observed in intact neurons rather than in damaged neurons, APG-1 and APG-2 were detected in both damaged neurons and intact neurons. Taken together, our data suggest that APG-1 and APG-2 may play different roles from HSP105 in neurons damaged by TMT.

The smell of fear: innate threat of 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline, a single molecule component of a predator odor

PubMed Central

Rosen, Jeffrey B.; Asok, Arun; Chakraborty, Trisha

2015-01-01

In the last several years, the importance of understanding what innate threat and fear is, in addition to learning of threat and fear, has become evident. Odors from predators are ecologically relevant stimuli used by prey animals as warnings for the presence of danger. Of importance, these odors are not necessarily noxious or painful, but they have innate threat-like properties. This review summarizes the progress made on the behavioral and neuroanatomical fundamentals of innate fear of the predator odor, 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a component of fox feces. TMT is one of several single molecule components of predator odors that have been isolated in the last several years. Isolation of these single molecules has allowed for rapid advances in delineating the behavioral constraints and selective neuroanatomical pathways of predator odor induced fear. In naïve mice and rats, TMT induces a number of fear and defensive behaviors, including robust freezing, indicating it is an innate threat stimulus. However, there are a number of behavioral constraints that we do not yet understand. Similarly, while some of the early olfactory sensory pathways for TMT-induced fear are being delineated, the pathways from olfactory systems to emotional and motor output regions are less well understood. This review will focus on what we know and what we still need to learn about the behavior and neuroanatomy of TMT-induced fear. PMID:26379483

A database for TMT interface control documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillies, Kim; Roberts, Scott; Brighton, Allan; Rogers, John

2016-08-01

The TMT Software System consists of software components that interact with one another through a software infrastructure called TMT Common Software (CSW). CSW consists of software services and library code that is used by developers to create the subsystems and components that participate in the software system. CSW also defines the types of components that can be constructed and their roles. The use of common component types and shared middleware services allows standardized software interfaces for the components. A software system called the TMT Interface Database System was constructed to support the documentation of the interfaces for components based on CSW. The programmer describes a subsystem and each of its components using JSON-style text files. A command interface file describes each command a component can receive and any commands a component sends. The event interface files describe status, alarms, and events a component publishes and status and events subscribed to by a component. A web application was created to provide a user interface for the required features. Files are ingested into the software system's database. The user interface allows browsing subsystem interfaces, publishing versions of subsystem interfaces, and constructing and publishing interface control documents that consist of the intersection of two subsystem interfaces. All published subsystem interfaces and interface control documents are versioned for configuration control and follow the standard TMT change control processes. Subsystem interfaces and interface control documents can be visualized in the browser or exported as PDF files.

Etiology and Biomechanics of Tarsometatarsal Injuries in Professional Football Players

PubMed Central

Kent, Richard W.; Lievers, W. Brent; Riley, Patrick O.; Frimenko, Rebecca E.; Crandall, Jeff R.

2014-01-01

Background: Tarsometatarsal (TMT) dislocations are uncommon yet debilitating athletic injuries, particularly in American football. To date, the mechanisms of athletic TMT dislocation have been described only anecdotally. This lack of information confounds the development of preventative countermeasures. Purpose: To use video analysis to provide direct, independent identification of the etiologic and mechanistic variables responsible for TMT dislocations in professional football players. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Sixteen professional National Football League players who sustained publicly reported TMT dislocations were identified. Publicly broadcast game footage of the plays in which injury occurred was reviewed by a panel of 5 biomechanists. Consensus was reached regarding the details surrounding injury, and a weighting was assigned to each detail based on the panel’s confidence. Results: Roughly 90% of injuries occurred while the injured player was engaged with or by another player, a detail that has heretofore been undocumented. Few injuries resulted from direct loading of either the foot or the ipsilateral limb; however, the injured foot was frequently subjected to axial loading from ground engagement with the foot in plantar flexion and the toes dorsiflexed. Injurious loading was often due to external rotation of the midfoot (86%). Fifteen of 16 injuries were season ending. Conclusion: TMT dislocations are frequently associated with engagement by or with a second player but infrequently caused by a direct blow to the foot. Axial loading of the foot, external rotation, and pronation/supination are the most common conditions during injurious loading. PMID:26535306

Executive functions, parental punishment, and aggression: Direct and moderated relations.

PubMed

Fatima, Shameem; Sharif, Imran

2017-12-01

The main focus of the current study was to assess whether executive functions (EFs) moderate the effect of parental punishment on adolescent aggression. The sample were 370 participants (53% girls, 47% boys) enrolled at secondary and higher secondary levels and ranged in age between 13-19 years (M = 15.5, SD = 1.3). Participants were assessed on a self-report measure of aggression and two punishment measures, in addition to a demographic sheet. Then, they were individually assessed on four tests taken from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Functions System (D-KEFS) namely Trial Making Test (TMT), Design Fluency Test (DFT), Color Word Interference Test (CWIT), and Card Sorting Test (CST) to assess cognitive flexibility, nonverbal fluency, inhibition, and problem-solving ability, respectively. Correlation coefficients indicated that all four executive functioning measures and the two punishment measures were significantly correlated with aggression. Moderation analysis indicated that all EFs moderated the relationship between physical punishment and aggression, and only inhibition and problem-solving ability, but not cognitive flexibility and nonverbal fluency, moderated the relations between symbolic punishment and aggression. The findings support the hypothesis that EFs are protective personal factors that promote healthy adolescent adjustment in the presence of challenging environmental factors.

Fine-tuning free paradigm of two-measures theory: k-essence, absence of initial singularity of the curvature, and inflation with graceful exit to the zero cosmological constant state

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

Guendelman, E. I.; Kaganovich, A. B.

2007-04-15

The dilaton-gravity sector of the two-measures field theory (TMT) is explored in detail in the context of spatially flat Friedman-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmology. The model possesses scale invariance which is spontaneously broken due to the intrinsic features of the TMT dynamics. The dilaton {phi} dependence of the effective Lagrangian appears only as a result of the spontaneous breakdown of the scale invariance. If no fine-tuning is made, the effective {phi}-Lagrangian p({phi},X) depends quadratically upon the kinetic term X. Hence TMT represents an explicit example of the effective k-essence resulting from first principles without any exotic term in the underlying action intendedmore » for obtaining this result. Depending of the choice of regions in the parameter space (but without fine-tuning), TMT exhibits different possible outputs for cosmological dynamics: (a) Absence of initial singularity of the curvature while its time derivative is singular. This is a sort of sudden singularities studied by Barrow on purely kinematic grounds. (b) Power law inflation in the subsequent stage of evolution. Depending on the region in the parameter space the inflation ends with a graceful exit either into the state with zero cosmological constant (CC) or into the state driven by both a small CC and the field {phi} with a quintessencelike potential. (c) Possibility of resolution of the old CC problem. From the point of view of TMT, it becomes clear why the old CC problem cannot be solved (without fine-tuning) in conventional field theories. (d) TMT enables two ways for achieving small CC without fine-tuning of dimensionful parameters: either by a seesaw type mechanism or due to a correspondence principle between TMT and conventional field theories (i.e. theories with only the measure of integration {radical}(-g) in the action). (e) There is a wide range of the parameters such that in the late time universe: the equation of state w=p/{rho}<-1; w asymptotically (as t{yields}{infinity}) approaches -1 from below; {rho} approaches a constant, the smallness of which does not require fine-tuning of dimensionful parameters.« less

You Are Alive Right Now: An Experimental Exploration of the Interplay between Existential Salience, Mental Health, and Death Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pashak, Travis J.; Oswald, Samuel R.; Justice, Michelle D.; Seely, Laura T.; Burns, Brittany R.; Shepherd, Sarah J.

2017-01-01

Terror management theory (TMT) places death anxiety in an explanatory role in cognition, affect, and behavior, spanning mental health to cultural trends. We aimed to connect TMT to trait death anxiety, and propose an additional component: "life acknowledgement" (life awareness, lived experience connection, liveliness engagement) which…

Researcher Effects on Mortality Salience Research: A Meta-Analytic Moderator Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yen, Chih-Long; Cheng, Chung-Ping

2013-01-01

A recent meta-analysis of 164 terror management theory (TMT) papers indicated that mortality salience (MS) yields substantial effects (r = 0.35) on worldview and self-esteem-related dependent variables (B. L. Burke, A. Martens, & E. H. Faucher, 2010). This study reanalyzed the data to explore the researcher effects of TMT. By cluster-analyzing…

Terror management theory applied clinically: implications for existential-integrative psychotherapy.

PubMed

Lewis, Adam M

2014-01-01

Existential psychotherapy and Terror Management Theory (TMT) offer explanations for the potential psychological effects of death awareness, although their respective literatures bases differ in clarity, research, and implications for treating psychopathology. Existential therapy is often opaque to many therapists, in part due to the lack of consensus on what constitutes its practice, limited published practical examples, and few empirical studies examining its efficacy. By contrast, TMT has an extensive empirical literature base, both within social psychology and spanning multiple disciplines, although previously unexplored within clinical and counseling psychology. This article explores the implications of a proposed TMT integrated existential therapy (TIE), bridging the gap between disciplines in order to meet the needs of the aging population and current challenges facing existential therapists.

Recent advances in the identification of Tat-mediated transactivation inhibitors: progressing toward a functional cure of HIV.

PubMed

Tabarrini, Oriana; Desantis, Jenny; Massari, Serena

2016-01-01

The current anti-HIV combination therapy does not eradicate the virus that persists mainly in quiescent infected CD4(+) T cells as a latent integrated provirus that resumes after therapy interruption. The Tat-mediated transactivation (TMT) is a critical step in the HIV replication cycle that could give the opportunity to reduce the size of latent reservoirs. More than two decades of research led to the identification of various TMT inhibitors. While none of them met the criteria to reach the market, the search for a suitable TMT inhibitor is still actively pursued. Really promising compounds, including one in a Phase III clinical trial, have been recently identified, thus warranting an update.

New Nano-Particle-Strengthened Ferritic/Martensitic Steels By Conventional Thermomechanical Treatment

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

Klueh, Ronald L; Hashimoto, Naoyuki; Maziasz, Philip J

2007-01-01

For increased fusion power plant efficiency, steels for operation at 650 C and higher are sought. Based on the science of precipitate strengthening, a thermo-mechanical treatment (TMT) was developed that increased the strength from room temperature to 700 C of commercial nitrogen-containing steels and new steels designed for the TMT. At 700 C increases in yield stress of 80 and 200% were observed for a commercial steel and a new steel, respectively, compared to commercial normalized-and-tempered steels. Creep-rupture strength was similarly improved. Depending on the TMT, precipitates were up to eight-times smaller at a number density four orders of magnitudemore » greater than those in a conventionally heat treated steel of similar composition.« less

Gender characteristics of cerebral hemodynamics during complex cognitive functioning.

PubMed

Misteli, Maria; Duschek, Stefan; Richter, André; Grimm, Simone; Rezk, Markus; Kraehenmann, Rainer; Boeker, Heinz; Seifritz, Erich; Schuepbach, Daniel

2011-06-01

Functional Transcranial Doppler sonography (fTCD) has been applied to assess peak mean cerebral blood flow velocity (MFV) with a high temporal resolution during cognitive activation. Yet, little attention has been devoted to gender-related alterations of MFV, including spectral analysis. In healthy subjects, fTCD was used to investigate a series of cerebral hemodynamic parameters in the middle cerebral arteries (MCA) during the Trail Making Tests (TMT), a means of selective attention and complex cognitive functioning. In females, there was a frequency peak at 0.375 Hz in both MCA, and we observed a dynamic shift in hemispheric dominance during that condition. Further, after the start phase, there was an MFV decline during complex functioning for the entire sample. These novel results suggest condition-specific features of cerebral hemodynamics in females, and it adds to the notion that gender is a fundamental confounder of brain physiology. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Specific smartphone usage and cognitive performance affect gait characteristics during free-living and treadmill walking.

PubMed

Niederer, Daniel; Bumann, Anke; Mühlhauser, Yvonne; Schmitt, Mareike; Wess, Katja; Engeroff, Tobias; Wilke, Jan; Vogt, Lutz; Banzer, Winfried

2018-05-01

Mobile phone tasks like texting, typing, and dialling during walking are known to impact gait characteristics. Beyond that, the effects of performing smartphone-typical actions like researching and taking self-portraits (selfie) on gait have not been investigated yet. We aimed to investigate the effects of smartphone usage on relevant gait characteristics and to reveal potential association of basic cognitive and walking plus smartphone dual-task abilities. Our cross-sectional, cross-over study on physically active, healthy participants was performed on two days, interrupted by a 24-h washout in between. Assessments were: 1) Cognitive testing battery consisting of the trail making test (TMT A and B) and the Stroop test 2) Treadmill walking under five smartphone usage conditions: no use (control condition), reading, dialling, internet searching and taking a selfie in randomized order. Kinematic and kinetic gait characteristics were assessed to estimate conditions influence. In our sample of 36 adults (24.6 ± 1 years, 23 female, 13 male), ANCOVAs followed by post-hoc t-tests revealed that smartphone usage impaired all tested gait characteristics: gait speed (decrease, all conditions): F = 54.7, p < 0.001; cadence (increase, all): F = 38.3, p < 0.001; double stride length (decrease, all): F = 33.8, p < 0.001; foot external rotation (increase during dialling, researching, selfie): F = 16.7, p < 0.001; stride length variability (increase): F = 11.7, p < 0.001; step width variability (increase): F = 5.3, p < 0.001; step width (Friedmann test and Wilcoxon Bonferroni-Holm-corrected post-hoc analyses, increase): Z = -2.3 to -2.9; p < 0.05); plantar pressure proportion (increase during reading and researching) (Z = -2.9; p < 0.01). The ability to keep usual gait quality during smartphone usage was systematically associated with the TMT B time regarding cadence and double stride length for reading (r = -0.37), dialling (r = -0.35) and taking a selfie (r = -0.34). Smartphone usage substantially impacts walking characteristics in most situations. Changes of gait patterns indicate higher cognitive loads and lower awareness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of Middle vs. Inferior Total Turbinectomy on Nasal Aerodynamics

PubMed Central

Dayal, Anupriya; Rhee, John S.; Garcia, Guilherme J. M.

2016-01-01

Objectives This computational study aims to: (1) Use virtual surgery to theoretically investigate the maximum possible change in nasal aerodynamics after turbinate surgery; (2) Quantify the relative contributions of the middle and inferior turbinates to nasal resistance and air conditioning; (3) Quantify to what extent total turbinectomy impairs the nasal air conditioning capacity. Study Design Virtual surgery and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Setting Academic tertiary medical center. Subjects and Methods Ten patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy were studied. Three-dimensional models of their nasal anatomies were built based on pre-surgery computed tomography scans. Virtual surgery was applied to create models representing either total inferior turbinectomy (TIT) or total middle turbinectomy (TMT). Airflow, heat transfer, and humidity transport were simulated at a 15 L/min steady-state inhalation rate. The surface area stimulated by mucosal cooling was defined as the area where heat fluxes exceed 50 W/cm2. Results In both virtual total turbinectomy models, nasal resistance decreased and airflow increased. However, the surface area where heat fluxes exceed 50 W/cm2 either decreased (TIT) or did not change significantly (TMT), suggesting that total turbinectomy may reduce the stimulation of cold receptors by inspired air. Nasal heating and humidification efficiencies decreased significantly after both TIT and TMT. All changes were greater in the TIT models than in the TMT models. Conclusion TIT yields greater increases in nasal airflow, but also impairs the nasal air conditioning capacity to a greater extent than TMT. Radical resection of the turbinates may decrease the surface area stimulated by mucosal cooling. PMID:27165673

Impact of Middle versus Inferior Total Turbinectomy on Nasal Aerodynamics.

PubMed

Dayal, Anupriya; Rhee, John S; Garcia, Guilherme J M

2016-09-01

This computational study aims to (1) use virtual surgery to theoretically investigate the maximum possible change in nasal aerodynamics after turbinate surgery, (2) quantify the relative contributions of the middle and inferior turbinates to nasal resistance and air conditioning, and (3) quantify to what extent total turbinectomy impairs the nasal air-conditioning capacity. Virtual surgery and computational fluid dynamics. Academic tertiary medical center. Ten patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy were studied. Three-dimensional models of their nasal anatomies were built according to presurgery computed tomography scans. Virtual surgery was applied to create models representing either total inferior turbinectomy (TIT) or total middle turbinectomy (TMT). Airflow, heat transfer, and humidity transport were simulated at a steady-state inhalation rate of 15 L/min. The surface area stimulated by mucosal cooling was defined as the area where heat fluxes exceed 50 W/m(2). In both virtual total turbinectomy models, nasal resistance decreased and airflow increased. However, the surface area where heat fluxes exceed 50 W/m(2) either decreased (TIT) or did not change significantly (TMT), suggesting that total turbinectomy may reduce the stimulation of cold receptors by inspired air. Nasal heating and humidification efficiencies decreased significantly after both TIT and TMT. All changes were greater in the TIT models than in the TMT models. TIT yields greater increases in nasal airflow but also impairs the nasal air-conditioning capacity to a greater extent than TMT. Radical resection of the turbinates may decrease the surface area stimulated by mucosal cooling. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

TEM characterization of planar defects in massively transformed TiAl alloy

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

Zhang, X.D.; Wiezorek, J.M.K.; Fraser, H.L.

1997-12-31

The microstructure of a massively transformed Ti-49at.%Al alloy has been studied by conventional transmission electron microscopy (CTEM) and high resolution TEM (HREM). A high density of planar defects, namely complex anti-phase domain boundaries (CAPDB) and thermal micro-twins (TMT) have been observed. CTEM images and diffraction patterns showed that two anti-phase related {gamma}-matrix domains were generally separated by a thin layer of a 90{degree}-domain, for which the c-axis is rotated 90{degree} over a common cube axis with respect to those of the {gamma}-matrix domains. HREM confirmed the presence of two crystallographically different types of 90{degree}-domains being associated with the CAPDB. Furthermore,more » interactions between the CAPDB and TMT have been observed. Local faceting of the generally wavy, non-crystallographic CAPDB parallel to the {l_brace}111{r_brace}-twinning planes occurred due to interaction with the TMT. The relaxation of the CAPDB onto {l_brace}111{r_brace} required diffusion which is proposed to be enhanced locally in the presence of the dislocations associated with the formation of TMT during the massive transformation.« less

A theoretical and empirical review of the death-thought accessibility concept in terror management research.

PubMed

Hayes, Joseph; Schimel, Jeff; Arndt, Jamie; Faucher, Erik H

2010-09-01

Terror management theory (TMT) highlights the motivational impact of thoughts of death in various aspects of everyday life. Since its inception in 1986, research on TMT has undergone a slight but significant shift from an almost exclusive focus on the manipulation of thoughts of death to a marked increase in studies that measure the accessibility of death-related cognition. Indeed, the number of death-thought accessibility (DTA) studies in the published literature has grown substantially in recent years. In light of this increasing reliance on the DTA concept, the present article is meant to provide a comprehensive theoretical and empirical review of the literature employing this concept. After discussing the roots of DTA, the authors outline the theoretical refinements to TMT that have accompanied significant research findings associated with the DTA concept. Four distinct categories (mortality salience, death association, anxiety-buffer threat, and dispositional) are derived to organize the reviewed DTA studies, and the theoretical implications of each category are discussed. Finally, a number of lingering empirical and theoretical issues in the DTA literature are discussed with the aim of stimulating and focusing future research on DTA specifically and TMT in general.

Determination and evaluation of gas holdup time with the quadratic equation model and comparison with nonlinear equation models for isothermal gas chromatography

PubMed Central

Wu, Liejun; Chen, Maoxue; Chen, Yongli; Li, Qing X.

2013-01-01

Gas holdup time (tM) is a basic parameter in isothermal gas chromatography (GC). Determination and evaluation of tM and retention behaviors of n-alkanes under isothermal GC conditions have been extensively studied since the 1950s, but still remains unresolved. The difference equation (DE) model [J. Chromatogr. A 1260:215–223] reveals retention behaviors of n-alkanes excluding tM, while the quadratic equation (QE) model [J. Chromatogr. A 1260:224–231] including tM is suitable for applications. In the present study, tM values were calculated with the QE model, which is referred to as tMT, evaluated and compared with other three typical nonlinear models. The QE model gives an accurate estimation of tM in isothermal GC. The tMT values are highly accurate, stable, and easy to calculate and use. There is only one tMT value at each GC condition. The proper classification of tM values can clarify their disagreement and facilitate GC retention data standardization for which tMT values are promising reference tM values. PMID:23726077

Transcranial magnetotherapy in the complex treatment of affective disorders in patients with alcoholism.

PubMed

Staroverov, A T; Vil'yanov, V B; Raigorodskii, Yu M; Rogozina, M A

2009-06-01

Transcranial magnetotherapy (TMT) was used in 32 patients with alcoholism (study group) on the background of basal treatment (nootropes, hepatoprotectors, vitamin/mineral formulations, etc.). The influence of this treatment was compared with a control group (30 subjects), in which TMT was replaced with an appropriate (placebo) procedure. All patients, who were aged from 35 to 64 years, had second-degree alcoholism with disease durations of 4-12 years. Patients were in a post-abstinence state during the treatment period. Courses of TMT consisted of 10 daily procedures with exposures of 10-20 min. Somatic, neurological, and laboratory studies were performed before and after treatment and included cardiointervalography, electroencephalography, assessments of the state of the autonomic nervous system, and use of psychometric scales to evaluate levels of anxiety and depression. TMT was followed by improvements in wellbeing, mood, and sleep, with increases in physical exercise tolerance and decreases in alcohol craving in 75% of patients in the study group and 30% of patients in the control group. Improvements in patients' status were supported by paraclinical investigations (electrophysiological, measures of the state of the autonomic nervous system, etc.) and psychometric scales.

The efficacy and safety of lixivaptan in outpatients with heart failure and volume overload: results of a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study.

PubMed

Ghali, Jalal K; Orlandi, Cesare; Abraham, William T

2012-06-01

Volume overload is the dominant feature of decompensated heart failure (HF) and it often results in adverse clinical outcomes. Vasopressin receptor antagonists such as lixivaptan may provide effective volume unloading. This study assessed weight loss after 1 day and 8 weeks of treatment with lixivaptan in outpatients with HF and volume overload. This phase II, 8-week, multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group study randomized participants (2:1) to receive lixivaptan 100 mg or placebo once daily (in addition to standard HF therapy). Body weight and cardiovascular assessments were made at baseline, Day 1 (not cardiovascular), Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8, and 7 days post-treatment. The Trail-making Test, part B (TMT-B) and the Medical Outcomes Survey 6-item cognitive function scale (MOS-6) were assessed at baseline and Week 4. The study randomized 170 participants (lixivaptan, n = 111; placebo, n = 59). Most (97.1%) were receiving pharmacological therapy for HF at baseline. Demographic characteristics were generally similar between the two groups. Body weight decreased significantly from baseline to Day 1 with lixivaptan vs. placebo (least-square mean change ± standard error: - 0.38 ± 0.08 kg vs. +0.13 ± 0.11 kg; P < 0.001) and at Weeks 1, 2, and 4 (P < 0.01). Cardiovascular changes were generally similar in both groups, though orthopnoea and dyspnoea improved in the lixivaptan group vs. placebo. The TMT-B and MOS-6 showed no significant differences between groups. Lixivaptan was well tolerated-thirst and polyuria occurred more frequently vs. placebo. In outpatients with HF and volume overload, lixivaptan 100 mg once daily, when added to standard therapy, reduced body weight, improved dyspnoea and orthopnoea, and was well tolerated. NCT01055912.

Functional implications of muscle co-contraction during gait in advanced age.

PubMed

Lo, Justine; Lo, On-Yee; Olson, Erin A; Habtemariam, Daniel; Iloputaife, Ikechukwu; Gagnon, Margaret M; Manor, Brad; Lipsitz, Lewis A

2017-03-01

Older adults often exhibit high levels of lower extremity muscle co-contraction, which may be the cause or effect of age-related impairments in gait and associated falls. Normal gait requires intact executive function and thus can be slowed by challenging executive resources available to the neuromuscular system through the performance of a dual task. We therefore investigated associations between lower limb co-contraction and gait characteristics under normal and dual task conditions in healthy older adults (85.4±5.9years). We hypothesized that greater co-contraction is associated with slower gait speed during dual task conditions that stress executive and attentional abilities. Co-contraction was quantified during different phases of the gait cycle using surface electromyography (EMG) signals obtained from the anterior tibialis and lateral gastrocnemius while walking at preferred speed during normal and dual task conditions. Variables included the time difference to complete the Trail Making Test A and B (ΔTMT) and gait measures during normal or dual task walking. Higher co-contraction levels during the swing phase of both normal and dual task walking were associated with longer ΔTMT (normal: R 2 =0.25, p=0.02; dual task: R 2 =0.27, p=0.01). Co-contraction was associated with gait measures during dual task walking only; greater co-contraction levels during stride and stance were associated with slower gait speed (stride: R 2 =0.38, p=0.04; stance: R 2 =0.38, p=0.04), and greater co-contraction during stride was associated with longer stride time (R 2 =0.16, p=0.03). Our results suggest that relatively high lower limb co-contraction may explain some of the mobility impairments associated with the conduct of executive tasks in older adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Collective in exile: Utilizing terror management theory to understand women's wailing performance.

PubMed

Gamliel, Tova

2017-08-01

Although women's wailing at death rites in various cultures typically amplifies mortality salience, this ritual phenomenon is absent in the research literature on terror management theory (TMT). This study explored Yemenite-Jewish wailing in Israel as an example of how a traditional performance manages death anxiety in a community context. Observations of wailing events and interviews with Yemenite-Jewish wailers and mourners in Israel were analyzed to understand respondents' perceptions of the experience of wailing as well as the anxiety-oriented psychotherapeutic expertise involved. The findings are discussed to propose an alternative outlook on the intersubjective adaptive value of death anxiety. After describing TMT's view on the role of culture in coping with death anxiety, I consider the extent to which Yemenite-Jewish wailing is consistent with the premises of TMT.

No atheists in foxholes: arguments for (but not against) afterlife belief buffers mortality salience effects for atheists.

PubMed

Heflick, Nathan A; Goldenberg, Jamie L

2012-06-01

Terror management theory (TMT) posits that people cope with mortality concerns via symbolic immortality (e.g., secular cultural beliefs that outlast death) and/or literal immortality (afterlife belief). However, what happens when these two forms of immortality conflict, as in atheism? Would atheists' mortality concerns be better assuaged by affirming an afterlife, or by affirming their literal immortality-denying worldview? Drawing on an untested TMT hypothesis, we predicted that atheists would be buffered from mortality concerns if their atheistic worldview - no life after death - was challenged, but not if it was supported. Results confirmed the hypothesis and were also found for theists and agnostics. These findings support TMT's claim that literal immortality is of paramount importance in ameliorating death concerns. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

[Dmt(1)]DALDA analogues modified with tyrosine analogues at position 1.

PubMed

Cai, Yunxin; Lu, Dandan; Chen, Zhen; Ding, Yi; Chung, Nga N; Li, Tingyou; Schiller, Peter W

2016-08-01

Analogues of [Dmt(1)]DALDA (H-Dmt-d-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2; Dmt=2',6'-dimethyltyrosine), a potent μ opioid agonist peptide with mitochondria-targeted antioxidant activity were prepared by replacing Dmt with various 2',6'-dialkylated Tyr analogues, including 2',4',6'-trimethyltyrosine (Tmt), 2'-ethyl-6'-methyltyrosine (Emt), 2'-isopropyl-6'-methyltyrosine (Imt) and 2',6'-diethyltyrosine (Det). All compounds were selective μ opioid agonists and the Tmt(1)-, Emt(1) and Det(1)-analogues showed subnanomolar μ opioid receptor binding affinities. The Tmt(1)- and Emt(1)-analogues showed improved antioxidant activity compared to the Dmt(1)-parent peptide in the DPPH radical-scavenging capacity assay, and thus are of interest as drug candidates for neuropathic pain treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation and application of multiple reactions between molybdoniobium heteropoly acid and di- or trimethylthionines

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

Mirzoyam, F.B.; Karapetyan, A.A.

1986-03-01

This paper presents the results of the study and use of reactions of molybdoniobic acid (MNA) with di- and trimethylthiones (DMT and TMT, respectively). It was found that light absorption of acetone solutions of the products of outer-sphere interaction between MNA and DMT or TMT enabled the determination of optimum acidity for MNA formation. Reaction between TMT and MNA gives two different compounds containing two and five associated dye cations, different in molar extinction coefficient and optimum reaction acidity (pH 0.05-0.25 and 0.35-0.90). Formation of the 6th and 8th molybdenum series with an identical composition of the outer sphere ismore » shown. A highly sensitive photometric method for determining niobium has been developed.« less

Improved Segmented-Flow Tracer-Monitored Titration for Automated Measurement of Total Alkalinity in Seawater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaulding, R. S.; Hales, B.; Beck, J. C.; Degrandpre, M. D.

2008-12-01

The four measurable inorganic carbon parameters commonly measured as part of oceanic carbon cycle studies are total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (AT), hydrogen ion concentration (pH) and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). AT determination is critical for anthropogenic CO2 inventory calculations and for quantifying CaCO3 saturation. Additionally, measurement of AT in combination with one other carbonate parameter can be used to describe the inorganic carbon equilibria. Current methods for measuring AT require calibrated volumetric flasks and burettes, gravimetry, or precise flow measurements. These methods also require analysis times of ˜15 min and sample volumes of ˜200 mL, and sample introduction is not automated, resulting in labor-intensive measurements and low temporal resolution. The Tracer Monitored Titration (TMT) system was previously developed at the University of Montana for AT measurements. The TMT is not dependent on accurate gravimetric, volumetric or flow rate measurements because it relies on a pH-sensitive indicator (tracer) to track the amount of titrant added to the sample. Sample and a titrant-indicator mixture are mechanically stirred in an optical flow cell and pH is calculated using the indicator equilibrium constant and the spectrophotometrically determined concentrations of the acid and base forms of the indicator. AT is then determined using these data in a non-linear least squares regression of the AT mass and proton balances. The precision and accuracy of the TMT are 2 and 4 micromol per kg in 16 min using 110-mL of sample. The TMT is dependent on complete mixing of titrant with the sample and accurate absorbance measurements. We have developed the segmented-flow TMT (SF- TMT) to improve on these aspects and decrease sample analysis time. The TMT uses segmented flow instead of active mixing and a white LED instead of a tungsten-halogen light source. Air is added to the liquid flow stream, producing segments of liquid separated by air bubbles. Because liquid is not transferred between flow segments, there is rapid flushing which reduces sample volume to <10 mL. Additionally, the slower movement of liquid at the tube walls compared to that at the tube center creates circulation within each liquid segment, mixing the sample and eliminating the need for mechanical stirring. The white LED has higher output at the wavelengths of interest, thus improving the precision of absorbance measurements. These improvements result in a faster, simpler method for measuring AT.

Study of Inclusion Bands in Continuously Cast Steel Billets for Rolling Thermomechanically Treated Rebars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, J. C.; Choubey, P. N.; Raj, Manish

2008-07-01

The article presents the investigation results of inclusion bands generally formed toward the loose end/inner radius of continuously cast (CC) strands of thermomechanically treated (TMT) rebar grade cast through curved molds. The main analytical tool used for this purpose was an ultrasonic C-scan image analysis system to reveal this band, and the defects detected in this band using the preceding technique were further measured and analyzed in an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) using energy-dispersive system (EDS). The investigation results revealed the presence of macrolevel globular macroinclusions in the size range 50 to 711 μm. The main constituents of the globular inclusions were found to be SiO2 and MnO. Impact test results revealed reduction in ductility in these bands when compared with the billet material without inclusion band toward the opposite face from the inner radius face. In Charpy testing, reduction in the impact energy in these bands was found to be 0.2 kg m. It is important to monitor the severity of macroinclusions present in these bands to avoid the cracking of TMT rebars during hot rolling.

Neuropsychology of domestic violence: a comparative preliminary study of executive functioning.

PubMed

Becerra-García, Juan Antonio

2015-01-01

In neuropsychological studies of executive functioning in domestic violence offenders, the different investigations conducted have only studied differences within this group or in relation to control groups of non-offenders. To minimize the limitations in relation to comparison groups, the purpose of this study was to compare executive functioning in domestic violence offenders in relation to different groups of offenders (i.e. sexual, violent and non-violent) and a control group of non-offenders, with all groups matched on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Executive functioning was tested of all participants with the Trail Making Test (direct and derived scores). Compared with the control group, the domestic violence offenders and sex offenders exhibited the poorest performance on the Trail Making Test part B (time) and on the B-A derived index; whereas, the violent offenders group (i.e. convicted of assault, wounding, homicide etc.) showed a high number of errors in part B. These findings suggest that domestic violence offenders exhibit similar performance on the TMT as sex offenders, where both have poorer cognitive flexibility and executive control. Other violent offenders exhibited different patterns of difficulty on this test (e.g. more impulsivity responses). Executive functioning may be a central psychological process that could help explain the interrelations between domestic and sexual aggression, and could be a relevant construct for common treatment of domestic batterers and sex offenders. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Cognitive functioning and insight in schizophrenia and in schizoaffective disorder.

PubMed

Birindelli, Nadia; Montemagni, Cristiana; Crivelli, Barbara; Bava, Irene; Mancini, Irene; Rocca, Paola

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate cognitive functioning and insight of illness in two groups of patients during their stable phases, one with schizophrenia and one with schizoaffective disorder. We recruited 104 consecutive outpatients, 64 with schizophrenia, 40 with schizoaffective disorder, in the period between July 2010 and July 2011. They all fulfilled formal Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR) diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Psychiatric assessment included the Clinical Global Impression Scale-Severity (CGI-S), the Positive and Negative Sindrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Insight of illness was evaluated using SUMD. Neuropsychological assessment included Winsconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Stroop Test and Trail Making Test (TMT). Differences between the groups were tested using Chi-square test for categorical variables and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for continuous variables. All variables significantly different between the two groups of subjects were subsequently analysed using a logistic regression with a backward stepwise procedure using diagnosis (schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder) as dependent variable. After backward selection of variables, four variables predicted a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis: marital status, a higher number of admission, better attentive functions and awareness of specific signs or symptoms of disease. The prediction model accounted for 55% of the variance of schizoaffective disorder diagnosis. With replication, our findings would allow higher diagnostic accuracy and have an impact on clinical decision making, in light of an amelioration of vocational functioning.

Multicomponent behavioral treatment for chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Beidel, Deborah C.; Frueh, B. Christopher; Uhde, Thomas W.; Wong, Nina; Mentrikoski, Janelle M.

2010-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of a multicomponent cognitive-behavioral therapy, Trauma Management Therapy, which combines exposure therapy and social emotional rehabilitation, to exposure therapy only in a group of male combat veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thirty-five male Vietnam veterans with PTSD were randomly assigned to receive either Trauma Management Therapy (TMT) or Exposure Therapy Only (EXP). Participants were assessed at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and post-treatment. Primary clinical outcomes were reduction of PTSD symptoms and improved social emotional functioning. Results indicated that veterans in both conditions showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in PTSD symptoms from pre- to post-treatment, though consistent with a priori hypotheses there were no group differences on PTSD variables. However, compared to the EXP group, participants in the TMT group showed increased frequency in social activities and greater time spent in social activities. These changes occurred from mid-treatment (after completion of exposure therapy) to post-treatment (after completion of the social emotional rehabilitation component); supporting the hypothesis that TMT alone would result in improved social functioning. Although the TMT group also had a significant decrease in episodes of physical rage, that change occurred prior to introduction of the social emotional component of TMT. This study demonstrates efficacy of exposure therapy for treating the core symptoms of PTSD among combat veterans with a severe and chronic form of this disorder. Moreover, multi-component CBT shows promise for improving social functioning beyond that provided by exposure therapy alone, particularly by increasing social engagement/interpersonal functioning in a cohort of veterans with severe and chronic PTSD. PMID:20951543

IRMS: Infrared Multi-Slit Spectrograph for TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

U, Vivian; Mobasher, B.

2014-07-01

As one of the first-light instruments on the TMT, the IRMS is a near-infrared multi-slit spectrograph and imager designed to sample near the diffraction limit with the help of adaptive optics. Fed by the Narrow-Field Infrared Adaptive Optics Systems (NFIRAOS) on the TMT, the IRMS will provide near-infrared imaging and multi-object spectroscopy at Y, J, H, and K bands (0.9-2.5 microns) with moderate spectral resolution. With a field of view of ~2 arcmin on a side, it has a multiplex capability of up to 46 slits using a slit mask system on a cryogenic configurable slit unit. Here we present a preliminary version of the exposure time calculator for sensitivity comparison with Keck/MOSFIRE. Selected science cases are highlighted to demonstrate the need for IRMS in this upcoming thirty-meter class telescope era.

Meeting the expectations of chronic tinnitus patients: comparison of a structured group therapy program for tinnitus management with a problem-solving group.

PubMed

Wise, K; Rief, W; Goebel, G

1998-06-01

Two different group treatments were evaluated in 144 in-patients suffering from impairment due to chronic tinnitus. A tinnitus management therapy (TMT) was developed using principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy and compared with problem solving group therapy. Self-ratings were used to evaluate the help patients found in dealing with life problems and tinnitus as well as the degree to which they felt they were being properly treated and taken seriously. Patients showed significantly more satisfaction with the TMT group and evaluated the help they found in coping with tinnitus and life problems significantly higher. Thus, in the light of unsatisfactory medical solutions and the poor acceptance of some psychological treatments for tinnitus, TMT appears to be an acceptable and helpful treatment program.

The neuroprotective effects of an ethanolic turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) extract against trimethyltin-induced oxidative stress in rats.

PubMed

Yuliani, Sapto; Mustofa; Partadiredja, Ginus

2018-03-07

Oxidative stress is known to contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. An ethanolic turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) extract containing curcumin has been reported to produce antioxidant effects. The present study aims to investigate the possible neuroprotective effects of the ethanolic turmeric extract against trimethyltin (TMT)-induced oxidative stress in Sprague Dawley rats. The ethanolic turmeric extract and citicoline were administered to the TMT exposed rats from day 1 to day 28 of the experiment. The TMT injection was administered on day 8 of the experiment. The plasma and brain malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and the activities of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes in the brain were examined at the end of the experiment. The administration of 200 mg/kg bw of the ethanolic turmeric extract prevented oxidative stress by decreasing the plasma and brain MDA levels and increasing the SOD, CAT, and GPx enzyme activities and GSH levels in the brain. These effects seem to be comparable to those of citicoline. The ethanolic turmeric extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg bw may exert neuroprotective effects on TMT-exposed Sprague Dawley rats by preventing them from oxidative stress.

Exploiting the anti-HIV 6-desfluoroquinolones to design multiple ligands.

PubMed

Sancineto, Luca; Iraci, Nunzio; Barreca, Maria Letizia; Massari, Serena; Manfroni, Giuseppe; Corazza, Gianmarco; Cecchetti, Violetta; Marcello, Alessandro; Daelemans, Dirk; Pannecouque, Christophe; Tabarrini, Oriana

2014-09-01

It is getting clearer that many drugs effective in different therapeutic areas act on multiple rather than single targets. The application of polypharmacology concepts might have numerous advantages especially for disease such as HIV/AIDS, where the rapid emergence of resistance requires a complex combination of more than one drug. In this paper, we have designed three hybrid molecules combining WM5, a quinolone derivative we previously identified as HIV Tat-mediated transcription (TMT) inhibitor, with the tricyclic core of nevirapine and BILR 355BS (BILR) non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) to investigate whether it could be possible to obtain molecules acting on both transcription steps of the HIV replicative cycle. One among the three designed multiple ligands, reached this goal. Indeed, compound 1 inhibited both TMT and reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. Unexpectedly, while the anti-TMT activity exerted by compound 1 resulted into a selective inhibition of HIV-1 reactivation from latently infected OM10.1 cells, the anti-RT properties shown by all of the synthesized compounds did not translate into an anti-HIV activity in acutely infected cells. Thus, we have herein produced the proof of concept that the design of dual TMT-RT inhibitors is indeed possible, but optimization efforts are needed to obtain more potent derivatives. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Optics for the Thirty Meter Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellerbroek, Brent

2013-12-01

This paper provides an overview of the progress made since the last AO4ELT conference towards developing the first-light AO architecture for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). The Preliminary Design of the facility AO system NFIRAOS has been concluded by the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics. Work on the client Infrared Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) has progressed in parallel, including a successful Conceptual Design Review and prototyping of On-Instrument WFS (OIWFS) hardware. Progress on the design for the Laser Guide Star Facility (LGSF) continues at the Institute of Optics and Electronics in Chengdu, China, including the final acceptance of the Conceptual Design and modest revisions for the updated TMT telescope structure. Design and prototyping activities continue for lasers, wavefront sensing detectors, detector readout electronics, real-time control (RTC) processors, and deformable mirrors (DMs) with their associated drive electronics. Highlights include development of a prototype sum frequency guide star laser at the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (Beijing); fabrication/test of prototype natural- and laser-guide star wavefront sensor CCDs for NFIRAOS by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and W.M. Keck Observatory; a trade study of RTC control algorithms and processors, with prototyping of GPU and FPGA architectures by TMT and the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory; and fabrication/test of a 6x60 actuator DM prototype by CILAS. Work with the University of British Columbia LIDAR is continuing, in collaboration with ESO, to measure the spatial/temporal variability of the sodium layer and characterize the sodium coupling efficiency of several guide star laser systems. AO performance budgets have been further detailed. Modeling topics receiving particular attention include performance vs. computational cost tradeoffs for RTC algorithms; optimizing performance of the tip/tilt, plate scale, and sodium focus tracking loops controlled by the NGS on-instrument wavefront sensors, sky coverage, PSF reconstruction for LGS MCAO, and precision astrometry for the galactic center and other observations.

Humoral Immune Response against Neural Antigens and Its Effects on Cognition in Lung Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Rybacka-Mossakowska, J; Ramlau, R; Gazdulska, J; Gołda-Gocka, I; Kozubski, W; Michalak, S

2016-01-01

Cognitive impairment develops as a clinical manifestation of immune-mediated indirect effects of malignancy in lung cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of humoral immune response on cognition in lung cancer patients. Fifty-one lung cancer patients were subjected to neurological examination: Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making Test (TMT), and Hamilton scale. The Psychology Experiment Building Language software was used for the evaluation of digit span, simple reaction time (SRT), and choice reaction time (CRT) tests. Serum samples were tested for the presence of onconeuronal antibodies and antineural antibodies. The results demonstrate that autoantibodies were found in 31 % patients. MMSE scores were lower (26.7 ± 2.7) in seropositive patients than in seronegative subjects (28.7 ± 1.2; p = 0.013). Executive functions were also influenced by the presence of autoantibodies. The humoral immune response in lung cancer patients affected both SRT and CRT. We conclude that the humoral immune response in lung cancer patients is associated with cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment is associated with both specific reactions against onconeuronal or antineural antigens and non-organ specific reactions against nucleosome antigens.

Learning and Memory Enhancement by Neuropeptides

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-12-31

organometal neurotoxin , ,• trimethyl n (TMT) oon I autoshaping model, it which rats learn to touch a lever to obtain f . Trialkyltins are used as stabilizers... Autoshaped Behavior Caused by Low E oses of Trimethyltin: No Evidence of Storage or Retrieval Deficits"). This study separates ’non-specific" behavioral...TMT does not i mpair performance of easy versions of the autoshaping task with identical sensorimotor ," - and moti ational requirements, but when a

Managing a big ground-based astronomy project: the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanders, Gary H.

2008-07-01

TMT is a big science project and its scale is greater than previous ground-based optical/infrared telescope projects. This paper will describe the ideal "linear" project and how the TMT project departs from that ideal. The paper will describe the needed adaptations to successfully manage real world complexities. The progression from science requirements to a reference design, the development of a product-oriented Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and an organization that parallels the WBS, the implementation of system engineering, requirements definition and the progression through Conceptual Design to Preliminary Design will be summarized. The development of a detailed cost estimate structured by the WBS, and the methodology of risk analysis to estimate contingency fund requirements will be summarized. Designing the project schedule defines the construction plan and, together with the cost model, provides the basis for executing the project guided by an earned value performance measurement system.

Texture evolution during low temperature superplasticity in 5083 and 5052 Al-Mg alloys

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

Su, S.W.; Hsiao, I.C.; Huang, J.C.

2000-07-01

Low temperature superplasticity (LTSP) at 250 C and 1 x 10{sup {minus}3} s{sup {minus}1} was observed in the 5083 Al-Mg base alloy after thermomechanical treatments (TMT). With increasing TMT rolling strain, the high angle grain boundary fraction increased, more favorable for the further operation of grain boundary sliding and LTSP. The strong texture components and bimodal misorientation distributions present after TMT were not affected by static annealing at 250 C, but evolved gradually into a random orientation distribution during LTSP straining from 30% to 100%. When the LTSP elongation was greater than 150%, the macro-deformation anisotropy R ratio would finallymore » reach a stable level. It seems that the LTSP performance was controlled by a large fraction of high angle boundaries, but not by the special coincidence site lattice boundaries.« less

Two decades of terror management theory: a meta-analysis of mortality salience research.

PubMed

Burke, Brian L; Martens, Andy; Faucher, Erik H

2010-05-01

A meta-analysis was conducted on empirical trials investigating the mortality salience (MS) hypothesis of terror management theory (TMT). TMT postulates that investment in cultural worldviews and self-esteem serves to buffer the potential for death anxiety; the MS hypothesis states that, as a consequence, accessibility of death-related thought (MS) should instigate increased worldview and self-esteem defense and striving. Overall, 164 articles with 277 experiments were included. MS yielded moderate effects (r = .35) on a range of worldview- and self-esteem-related dependent variables (DVs), with effects increased for experiments using (a) American participants, (b) college students, (c) a longer delay between MS and the DV, and (d) people-related attitudes as the DV. Gender and self-esteem may moderate MS effects differently than previously thought. Results are compared to other reviews and examined with regard to alternative explanations of TMT. Finally, suggestions for future research are offered.

Thermomechanical treatment of 2124 PM aluminum alloys with low and high dispersoid levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkar, B.; Lisagor, W. B.

1986-01-01

The effects of thermomechanical treatment (TMT) on the mechanical properties and metallurgical structure of 2124 powder metallurgy aluminum alloys prepared from rapidly solidified powders were investigated. The alloys were prepared by using a standard canning/vacuum degassing/hot consolidation/extrusion sequence. Two compositions, with manganese contents of 0.5 and 1.5 percent, were investigated to examine the effects of low and high dispersoid levels. The results indicate that significant improvements in strength can be accomplished through TMT for this PM alloy system with little loss in toughness. The increase in strength observed is attributed to the presence of much finer, more homogeneous S-prime precipitation than that observed without TMT. Rolling deformation at room temperature resulted in some tendency for nonuniform (planar) deformation and resulted in slightly lower notch strength values. The lower notch strengths observed in the higher manganese composition were attributed to the coarser, more dense dispersoids observed in this material.

Empathy, and its relationship with cognitive and emotional functions in alcohol dependency.

PubMed

Erol, Almila; Akyalcin Kirdok, Asusinem; Zorlu, Nabi; Polat, Serap; Mete, Levent

2017-04-01

Empathy can be defined as the ability to understand the other's thoughts and feelings. It contains both cognitive and emotional components. The aim of this study was to investigate the empathy ability of patients with alcohol dependency in association with cognitive and emotional functions, after acute detoxification and during long-term abstinence. Thirty-three alcohol dependent inpatients that completed a detoxification process and stayed abstinent throughout the study, and 33 healthy comparison subjects that matched the patients for age, gender, and education level were included in the study. All the participants were administered the Facial Emotion Identification Test (FEIT), Facial Emotion Discrimination Test (FEDT), Trail Making Test (TMT), Digit Span Test (DST), Auditory Consonant Trigram Test (ACT), and Empathy Quotient Scale (EQS). All the tests were repeated after 3 months of abstinence. At the first evaluation conducted after detoxification, patients performed significantly worse than healthy comparisons in almost all tests. At the second evaluation, which was conducted after 3 months of abstinence, the patients improved significantly in all measures, and no significant differences were detected between the patient and comparison groups. There were significant correlations between the test scores and EQS score. Alcohol dependency has deleterious effects on empathy ability, and cognitive and emotional functions. Those impairments can improve with abstinence. Empathy ability has strong relationships with cognitive and emotional functions.

The TMT Adaptive Optics Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellerbroek, Brent

2011-09-01

We provide an overview of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) AO program, with an emphasis upon the progress made since the first AO4ELT conference held in 2009. The first light facility AO system for TMT is the Narrow Field Infra-Red AO System (NFIRAOS), which will provide diffraction-limited performance in the J, H, and K bands over 18-30 arc sec diameter fields with 50% sky coverage at the galactic pole. This is accomplished with order 60x60 wavefront sensing and correction, two deformable mirrors conjugate to ranges of 0 and 11.2 km, 6 sodium laser guide stars in an asterism with a diameter of 70 arc sec, and three low order (tip/tilt or tip/tilt focus), infra-red natural guide star (NGS) wavefront sensors deployable within a 2 arc minute diameter patrol field. The first light LGS asterism is generated by the Laser Guide Star Facility (LGSF), which initially incorporates 6 20-25W class laser systems mounted to the telescope elevation journal, a mirror-based beam transfer optics system, and a 0.4m diameter laser launch telescope located behind the TMT secondary mirror. Future plans for additional AO capabilities include a mid infra-red AO (MIRAO) system to support science instruments in the 4-20 micron range, a ground-layer AO (GLAO) system for wide-field spectroscopy, a multi-object AO (MOAO) system for multi-object integral field unit spectroscopy, and extreme AO (ExAO) for high contrast imaging. Significant progress has been made in developing the first-light AO architecture since 2009. This includes the adoption of a new NFIRAOS opto-mechanical design consisting of two off-axis parabola (OAP) relays in series, which eliminates field distortion and also significantly simplifies the designs of the LGS wavefront sensors, optical source simulators, and turbulence generator subsystem. The design of the LGSF has also been interated, and has been simplfied by the relocation of the (smaller, gravity invarient) laser systems to the telescope elevation journal. Protoyping activities continue for laser systems, wavefront sensing detectors, and deformable mirrors; work on the associated detector and deformable mirror electronics has also been initiated. AO Performance estimates and error budgets have been further detailed. Some of the modeling topics which have received particular attention include turbulence (Cn2) profile estimation from LGS WFS measurements, sodium layer range tracking, PSF reconstruction for multi-conjugate AO, LGS fratricide, astrometry at the galactic center, and further optimizing sky coverage and the peformance of the tip/tilt and low-order NGS mode control loops. Finally, experiments and field tests continue at the University of British Columbia LIDAR facility to measure the spatial and temporal variability of the sodium layer, and to characterize the sodium coupling efficiency of candidate laser systems for TMT.

Impact of tetrabenazine on gait and functional mobility in individuals with Huntington's disease.

PubMed

Kegelmeyer, Deb A; Kloos, Anne D; Fritz, Nora E; Fiumedora, Marianne M; White, Susan E; Kostyk, Sandra K

2014-12-15

Chorea may contribute to balance problems and walking difficulties that lead to higher fall rates in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD). Few studies have examined the effects of tetrabenazine (TBZ), an anti-choreic drug, on function and mobility in HD. The purpose of this study was to compare: 1) gait measures in forward walking, 2) balance and mobility measures, and 3) hand and forearm function measures on and off TBZ. We hypothesized that use of TBZ would improve gait, transfers and hand and forearm function. Eleven individuals with HD on stable doses of TBZ were evaluated while off medication and again following resumption of medication. Significant improvements were found on the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor scores, Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT) total (t=4.20, p=0.002) and balance subscale (t=-4.61, p=0.001) scores, and the Five Times Sit-to-Stand test (5TSST, t=3.20, p=.009) when on-TBZ compared to off-TBZ. Spatiotemporal gait measures, the Six Condition Romberg test, and UHDRS hand and forearm function items were not changed by TBZ use. Improved TMT and 5TSST performance when on drug indicates that TBZ use may improve balance and functional mobility in individuals with HD. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Learning and Memory Enhancement by Neuropeptides

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-30

learning in an autoshaping task, in which rats learn to touch a lever to obtain food t!-k During the past year we have completed an initial dose...response study of effects of TMT’ý autoshaping and a paper has been accepted for publication (C.A. Cohen, R.B. Messing and S.B. Sparber, Psvchooharmacologv...from specific cognitive effects of the compound. In particular, TMT does not impair performance of easy versions of the autoshaping task with

Conceptual design of a hybrid parallel mechanism for mask exchanging of TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jianping; Zhou, Hongfei; Li, Kexuan; Zhou, Zengxiang; Zhai, Chao

2015-10-01

Mask exchange system is an important part of the Multi-Object Broadband Imaging Echellette (MOBIE) on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). To solve the problem of stiffness changing with the gravity vector of the mask exchange system in the MOBIE, the hybrid parallel mechanism design method was introduced into the whole research. By using the characteristics of high stiffness and precision of parallel structure, combined with large moving range of serial structure, a conceptual design of a hybrid parallel mask exchange system based on 3-RPS parallel mechanism was presented. According to the position requirements of the MOBIE, the SolidWorks structure model of the hybrid parallel mask exchange robot was established and the appropriate installation position without interfering with the related components and light path in the MOBIE of TMT was analyzed. Simulation results in SolidWorks suggested that 3-RPS parallel platform had good stiffness property in different gravity vector directions. Furthermore, through the research of the mechanism theory, the inverse kinematics solution of the 3-RPS parallel platform was calculated and the mathematical relationship between the attitude angle of moving platform and the angle of ball-hinges on the moving platform was established, in order to analyze the attitude adjustment ability of the hybrid parallel mask exchange robot. The proposed conceptual design has some guiding significance for the design of mask exchange system of the MOBIE on TMT.

Relationships Between Performance on Assessments of Executive Function and Fall Risk Screening Measures in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

PubMed

Blackwood, Jennifer; Shubert, Tiffany; Forgarty, Kieran; Chase, Carla

2016-01-01

Fall-related injuries are a leading cause of institutionalization and morbidity in older adults. Limitations in cognition, including deficits in higher cognitive processes, like executive function (EF), contribute to a higher risk of falling in older adults. Specifically, declines in EF have been associated with changes in gait, limited mobility, and an increased frequency of falling. It is unknown whether associations between performance on commonly used clinical assessments of EF and performance on commonly used physical performance measures of fall risk are present. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between a clinical measure of EF, the Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B), and 3 physical performance measures of fall risk: the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, gait speed, and the Five Times Sit to Stand (FTSTS) test, in a group of community-dwelling older adults. Forty-seven community-dwelling older adults met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Demographic information was obtained and measures of fall risk and cognition were performed. Correlations and linear regression analyses to assess relationships between measures were completed. To account for the high prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in this population, the sample was screened and stratified for MCI in post hoc analyses. The EF performance was not significantly correlated with performance on the FTSTS test (ρ = 0.26, P > .05) but was significantly correlated with the TUG test (ρ = 0.31, P < .05) and gait speed (r = -0.36, P < .05). These relationships remained after adjusting for age and education in multivariate models. Results from post hoc analyses demonstrated that only those with MCI had significant relationships between EF and physical performance measures. TMT-B scores in the MCI group were significantly correlated with gait speed (ρ = -0.51, P < .05) and TUG test (ρ = 0.58, P < .05). A significant relationship exists between performance on clinical assessments of EF and fall risk assessments that integrate a mobility task for those individuals who screen positive for MCI. For those who screened negative, no significant relationship exists. Given the large prevalence of undiagnosed MCI in community-dwelling older adults, this finding could be used as an indication to screen older adults for MCI. Screening tools that require cognitive resources such as gait speed appear to have significant relationships with performance of EF for those who screen positive for MCI. This information could be used clinically to identify older adults with cognitive limitations, which could put them at higher risk for falling.

The joint effect of bilingualism and ADHD on executive functions.

PubMed

Mor, Billy; Yitzhaki-Amsalem, Sarin; Prior, Anat

2015-06-01

The current study investigated the combined effect of ADHD, previously associated with executive function (EF) deficits, and of bilingualism, previously associated with EF enhancement, on EF. Eighty University students, Hebrew monolinguals and Russian Hebrew bilinguals, with and without ADHD participated. Inhibition tasks were a Numeric Stroop task and a Simon arrows task. Shifting tasks were the Trail Making Test (TMT) and a task-switching paradigm. Participants with ADHD performed worse than controls, but we did not find a bilingual advantage in EF. The negative impact of ADHD was more pronounced for bilinguals than for monolinguals, but only in interference suppression tasks. Bilingual participants with ADHD had the lowest performance. Bilingualism might prove to be an added burden for adults with ADHD, leading to reduced EF abilities. Alternatively, the current findings might be ascribed to over- or under-diagnosis of ADHD due to cultural differences between groups. These issues should be pursued in future research. © 2014 SAGE Publications.

Cognitive Flexibility in Juvenile Anorexia Nervosain Relation to Comorbid Symptoms of Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Duration of Illness.

PubMed

Rößner, Anne; Juniak, Izabela; van Noort, Betteke Maria; Pfeiffer, Ernst; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Kappel, Viola

2017-09-01

Whereas the evidence in adolescents is inconsistent, anorexia nervosa (AN) in adults is characterized by weak cognitive flexibility. This study investigates cognitive flexibility in adolescents with AN and its potential associations with symptoms of depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and duration of illness. 69 patients and 63 age-matched healthy controls (HC) from 9 till 19 years of age were assessed using the Trail-Making Test (TMT) and self-report questionnaires. In hierarchical regression analyses, set-shifting ability did not differ between AN and HC, whereas AN patients reported significantly higher rates of depression symptoms and OCD symptoms. Age significantly predicted set-shifting in the total sample. Only among AN patients aged 14 years and older did set-shifting decline with increasing age. The presence of AN with depression or OCD symptoms or the duration of illness do not influence cognitive flexibility in children and adolescents. Early interventions may be helpful to prevent a decline in cognitive flexibility in adolescent AN with increasing age.

Concordance of common data elements for assessment of subjective cognitive complaints after mild-traumatic brain injury: a TRACK-TBI Pilot Study.

PubMed

Ngwenya, Laura B; Gardner, Raquel C; Yue, John K; Burke, John F; Ferguson, Adam R; Huang, Michael C; Winkler, Ethan A; Pirracchio, Romain; Satris, Gabriela G; Yuh, Esther L; Mukherjee, Pratik; Valadka, Alex B; Okonkwo, David O; Manley, Geoffrey T

2018-06-04

To determine characteristics and concordance of subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) 6 months following mild-traumatic brain injury (mTBI) as assessed by two different TBI common data elements (CDEs). The Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI) Pilot Study was a prospective observational study that utilized the NIH TBI CDEs, Version 1.0. We examined variables associated with SCC, performance on objective cognitive tests (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, California Verbal Learning Test, and Trail Making Tests A and B), and agreement on self-report of SCCs as assessed by the acute concussion evaluation (ACE) versus the Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ). In total, 68% of 227 participants endorsed SCCs at 6 months. Factors associated with SCC included less education, psychiatric history, and being assaulted. Compared to participants without SCC, those with SCC defined by RPQ performed significantly worse on all cognitive tests. There was moderate agreement between the two measures of SCCs (kappa = 0.567 to 0.680). We show that the symptom questionnaires ACE and RPQ show good, but not excellent, agreement for SCCs in an mTBI study population. Our results support the retention of RPQ as a basic CDE for mTBI research. BSI-18: Brief Symptom Inventory; 18CDEs: common data elements; CT: computed tomography; CVLT: California Verbal Learning Test; ED: emergency department; GCS: Glasgow coma scale; LOC: loss of consciousnessm; TBI: mild-traumatic brain injury; PTA: post-traumatic amnesia; SCC: subjective cognitive complaints; TBI: traumatic brain injury; TRACK-TBI: Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury; TMT: Trail Making Test; WAIS-PSI: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition, Processing Speed Index.

Exposure to predator odor influences the relative use of multiple memory systems: role of basolateral amygdala.

PubMed

Leong, Kah-Chung; Packard, Mark G

2014-03-01

In a dual-solution plus-maze task in which both hippocampus-dependent place learning and dorsolateral striatal-dependent response learning provide an adequate solution, the relative use of multiple memory systems can be influenced by emotional state. Specifically, pre-training peripheral or intra-basolateral (BLA) administration of anxiogenic drugs result in the predominant use of response learning. The present experiments were designed to extend these findings by examining whether exposure to a putatively ethologically valid stressor would also produce a predominant use of response learning. In experiment 1, adult male Long-Evans rats were exposed to either a predator odor (trimethylthiazoline [TMT], a component of fox feces) or distilled water prior to training in a dual-solution water plus maze task. On a probe trial 24h following task acquisition, rats previously exposed to TMT predominantly displayed response learning relative to control animals. In experiment 2, rats trained on a single-solution plus maze task that required the use of response learning displayed enhanced acquisition following pre-training TMT exposure. In experiment 3, rats exposed to TMT or distilled water were trained in the dual-solution task and received post-training intra-BLA injections of the sodium channel blocker bupivacaine (1.0% solution, 0.5 μl) or saline. Relative to control animals, rats exposed to TMT predominantly displayed response learning on the probe trial, and this effect was blocked by neural inactivation of the BLA. The findings indicate that (1) the use of dorsal striatal-dependent habit memory produced by emotional arousal generalizes from anxiogenic drug administration to a putatively ecologically valid stressor (i.e. predator odor), and (2) the BLA mediates the modulatory effect of exposure to predator odor on the relative use of multiple memory systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Different patterns of neuronal activities in the infralimbic and prelimbic cortices and behavioral expression in response to two affective odors, 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline and a mixture of cis-3-hexenol and trans-2-hexenal, in the freely moving rat.

PubMed

Nikaido, Y; Nakashima, T

2011-03-17

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is involved in stimulus perception, attentional control, emotional behavior, and the stress response. These functions are thought to be mediated by the infralimbic (IL) and prelimbic (PL) subregions of mPFC; however, few studies have examined the roles of IL and PL cortices in olfactory cognition. In the present study, we investigated the acute effects of two odors, 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT) and a mixture of cis-3-hexenol and trans-2-hexenal (green odor: GO), on behavioral responses and IL and PL neuronal activities using extracellular single-unit recordings in a freely moving rat. We found that the total number of spike firings in IL and PL neurons did not change with 10s presentation of odors. TMT presentation induced significant changes in burst firing activity in IL and PL neurons, while GO presentation induced changes in burst firing only in IL neurons. In the temporal profile of the firing activity of IL neurons, TMT exposure induced transient activation and GO exposure induced sustained activation. Those of PL neurons showed sustained activation during TMT exposure and transient activations during GO exposure. GO exposure induced a stretch-attend posture, whereas TMT exposure induced immobility. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis indicated that the property of the odor and neuronal activities of IL and PL regions were correlated with behavioral responses. These findings reveal that olfaction-related neurons exist in IL and PL regions, and that the neurons in these regions might temporarily encode odor information in order to modulate motor outputs by tuning firing properties in the early stage of cognition according to the odor property. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spirulina maxima Extract Prevents Neurotoxicity via Promoting Activation of BDNF/CREB Signaling Pathways in Neuronal Cells and Mice.

PubMed

Koh, Eun-Jeong; Seo, Young-Jin; Choi, Jia; Lee, Hyeon Yong; Kang, Do-Hyung; Kim, Kui-Jin; Lee, Boo-Yong

2017-08-17

Spirulina maxima is a microalgae which contains flavonoids and other polyphenols. Although Spirulina maxima 70% ethanol extract (SM70EE) has diverse beneficial effects, its effects on neurotoxicity have not been fully understood. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of SM70EE against trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neurotoxicity in HT-22 cells. SM70EE inhibited the cleavage of poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP). Besides, ROS production was decreased by down-regulating oxidative stress-associated enzymes. SM70EE increased the factors of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/cyclic AMPresponsive elementbinding protein (CREB) signalling pathways. Additionally, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was suppressed by SM70EE. Furthermore, we investigated whether SM70EE prevents cognitive deficits against scopolamine-induced neurotoxicity in mice by applying behavioral tests. SM70EE increased step-through latency time and decreased the escape latency time. Therefore, our data suggest that SM70EE may prevent TMT neurotoxicity through promoting activation of BDNF/CREB neuroprotective signaling pathways in neuronal cells. In vivo study, SM70EE would prevent cognitive deficits against scopolamine-induced neurotoxicity in mice.

Nursing care needs and services utilised by home-dwelling elderly with complex health problems: observational study.

PubMed

Næss, Gro; Kirkevold, Marit; Hammer, Wenche; Straand, Jørund; Wyller, Torgeir Bruun

2017-09-12

In Norway, as in many Western countries, a shift from institutional care to home care is taking place. Our knowledge is limited regarding which needs for nursing interventions patients being cared for in their home have, and how they are met. We aimed at assessing aspects of health and function in a representative sample of the most vulnerable home-dwelling elderly, to identify their needs for nursing interventions and how these needs were met. In this observational study we included patients aged 75+ living in their own homes in Oslo, who received daily home care, had three or more chronic diagnoses, received daily medication, and had been hospitalized during the last year. Focused attention and cognitive processing speed were assessed with the Trail Making Test A (TMT-A), handgrip strength was used as a measure of sarcopenia, mobility was assessed with the "Timed Up-and-Go" test, and independence in primary activities of daily living by the Barthel Index. Diagnoses and medication were collected from electronic medical records. For each diagnosis, medication and functional impairment, a consensus group defined which nursing service that the particular condition necessitated. We then assessed whether these needs were fulfilled for each participant. Of 150 eligible patients, 83 were included (mean age 87 years, 25% men). They had on average 6 diagnoses and used 9 daily medications. Of the 83 patients, 61 (75%) had grip strength indicating sarcopenia, 27 (33%) impaired mobility, and 69 (83%) an impaired TMT-A score. Median amount of home nursing per week was 3.6 h (interquartile range 2.6 to 23.4). Fulfilment of pre-specified needs was >60% for skin and wound care in patients with skin diseases, observation of blood glucose in patients taking antidiabetic drugs, and in supporting food intake in patients with eating difficulties. Most other needs as defined by the consensus group were fulfilled in <10% of the patients. We identified a very frail group of home-dwelling patients. For this group, resources for home nursing should probably be used in a more flexible and pro-active way to aim for preserving functional status, minimize symptom burden, and prevent avoidable hospitalisations.

Efficacy of practising Tai Chi for older people with mild dementia: protocol for a randomised controlled study.

PubMed

Lyu, Jihui; Li, Wenjie; Rong, Xiangjiang; Wei, Lian; Huang, Nayan; Champ, Mei; Xiong, Qian; Chen, Xueli; Li, Mo; Li, Fangling

2018-05-14

Many studies suggest that Tai Chi exercise is a safe and appropriate mind-body exercise for older people and effectively slows down age-related cognitive decline. A set of bespoke Tai Chi exercise named 'Cognition Protecting Tai Chi' (CPT) has been created for older people with cognitive impairments by the research team of geriatricians, neurologists, rehabilitation specialists, experts of sports medicine and experienced practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. This trial is designed to evaluate its effects on cognitive function, behaviour/moods, risk of falls and activities of daily living of the participants with mild dementia. A randomised controlled study will be conducted. Eighty participants with mild dementia will be recruited and randomly allocated to an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group will practice the CPT exercise three times a week for 20 min each time under the guidance of professional therapists. The control group will continue receiving their routine treatments. The duration of this study will be 10 months. All participants will be assessed with a battery of neuropsychological and functional evaluations, which include Mini Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the WHO-University of California Los Angeles-Auditory Verbal Learning test (WHO-UCLA-AVLT), Trail Making Test (TMT), Geriatric Depression Scale, Neuropsychological Inventory and Barthel Index, at the baseline, 5 and 10 months during the study period. Fall incident will also be recorded. The primary outcome will be the WHO-UCLA-AVLT delayed recall score. The secondary outcome will be the TMT score. This study has been approved by the ethical review committee of the Beijing Geriatric Hospital (protocol number: 2015-021). Informed consent will be obtained from all participants or their guardians. The authors intend to submit the findings of the study to peer-reviewed journals or academic conferences to be published. ChiCTR-INR-16009872; Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Safety in the c-suite: How chief executive officers influence organizational safety climate and employee injuries.

PubMed

Tucker, Sean; Ogunfowora, Babatunde; Ehr, Dayle

2016-09-01

According to social learning theory, powerful and high status individuals can significantly influence the behaviors of others. In this paper, we propose that chief executive officers (CEOs) indirectly impact frontline injuries through the collective social learning experiences and effort of different groups of organizational actors-including members of the top management team (TMT), organizational supervisors, and frontline employees. We found support for our collective social learning model using data from 2,714 frontline employees, 1,398 supervisors, and 229 members of TMTs in 54 organizations. TMT members' experiences within a CEO-driven TMT safety climate was positively related to organizational supervisors' reports of the broader organizational safety climate and their subsequent collective support for safety (reported by frontline employees). In turn, supervisory support for safety was associated with fewer employee injuries at the individual level. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for workplace safety research and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Pathogenesis of trimethyltin neuronal toxicity. Ultrastructural and cytochemical observations.

PubMed Central

Bouldin, T. W.; Goines, N. D.; Bagnell, R. C.; Krigman, M. R.

1981-01-01

The ultrastructural cytopathologic and cytochemical effects of trimethyltin (TMT) neurotoxicity were delineated in hippocampal and pyriform neurons of acutely intoxicated adult rats. TMT produced neuronal necrosis that preferentially involved hippocampal formation pyriform cortex. The first subcellular alterations were multifocal collection of dense-cored vesicles and tubules and membrane-delimited vacuoles in the cytoplasm of the perikaryon and proximal dendrite. Ultrastructural cytochemical examination revealed that the vesicles and tubules had acid phosphatase activity analagous to Golgi-associated endoplasmic reticulum (GERL). Shortly after the appearance of the GERL-like vesicles and tubules, autophagic vacuoles and polymorphic dense bodies accumulated in the neuronal cytoplasm. Some dense bodies appeared to arise from the dense-cored tubules. Neuronal necrosis was characterized by increased electron density of the cytoplasm and large, electron-dense intranuclear masses. Alterations of mitochondria and other organelles were not observed in the early stages of cell injury. No light- or electron-microscopic alterations were found in liver or kidney. Comparable subcellular alterations were observed in adult and neonatal rats chronically intoxicated with TMT. A series of other trialkyl and tricyclic tins and dimethyltin did not produce similar pathologic findings. The GERL-like accumulations are unique in neuronal cytopathology. These findings suggests that GERL and autophagy play an important role in the pathogenesis of TMT-induced neuronal injury. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 PMID:7294153

Characterization of Gastric and Neuronal Histaminergic Populations Using a Transgenic Mouse Model

PubMed Central

Walker, Angela K.; Park, Won-Mee; Chuang, Jen-Chieh; Perello, Mario; Sakata, Ichiro; Osborne-Lawrence, Sherri; Zigman, Jeffrey M.

2013-01-01

Histamine is a potent biogenic amine that mediates numerous physiological processes throughout the body, including digestion, sleep, and immunity. It is synthesized by gastric enterochromaffin-like cells, a specific set of hypothalamic neurons, as well as a subset of white blood cells, including mast cells. Much remains to be learned about these varied histamine-producing cell populations. Here, we report the validation of a transgenic mouse line in which Cre recombinase expression has been targeted to cells expressing histidine decarboxylase (HDC), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of histamine. This was achieved by crossing the HDC-Cre mouse line with Rosa26-tdTomato reporter mice, thus resulting in the expression of the fluorescent Tomato (Tmt) signal in cells containing Cre recombinase activity. As expected, the Tmt signal co-localized with HDC-immunoreactivity within the gastric mucosa and gastric submucosa and also within the tuberomamillary nucleus of the brain. HDC expression within Tmt-positive gastric cells was further confirmed by quantitative PCR analysis of mRNA isolated from highly purified populations of Tmt-positive cells obtained by fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS). HDC expression within these FACS-separated cells was found to coincide with other markers of both ECL cells and mast cells. Gastrin expression was co-localized with HDC expression in a subset of histaminergic gastric mucosal cells. We suggest that these transgenic mice will facilitate future studies aimed at investigating the function of histamine-producing cells. PMID:23555941

Trimethyltin-induced apoptosis is associated with upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and Bax in a hippocampal cell line

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

Zhang, L.; Li, L.; Prabhakaran, K.

2006-10-01

Trimethyltin (TMT) produces selective neuronal degeneration in the central nervous system (CNS), in which the hippocampus is the most sensitive area. Since previous studies have been conducted in either non-neural cells or mixed primary cultures, an immortalized hippocampal neuronal cell line (HT-22 cell) was used to assess the mechanism and mode of death produced by TMT. The compound produced a time- and concentration-dependent apoptotic death that was caspase-mediated. Excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential ({delta}{psi}{sub m}) were involved in the cytotoxicity{sub .} Scavenging of ROS by a free radical trapping agent ormore » inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore significantly reduced cell death. Additionally, TMT increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by activation of the redox-sensitive transcription factor NF{kappa}B. Pharmacologic inhibition studies showed that the iNOS-mediated NO generation increased expression of Bax and then mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. It was concluded that excessive ROS generation initiated the apoptotic cell death by upregulating iNOS followed by increased Bax expression which then led to loss of {delta}{psi}{sub m} and caspase-executed cell death. This study is the first to report in a neuronal cell model that TMT stimulates induction of iNOS, which then increases cellular levels of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) to initiate apoptotic death.« less

Natural variations in OsγTMT contribute to diversity of the α-tocopherol content in rice.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-Qiang; Yoon, Min-Young; He, Qiang; Kim, Tae-Sung; Tong, Wei; Choi, Bu-Woong; Lee, Young-Sang; Park, Yong-Jin

2015-12-01

Tocopherols and tocotrienols, collectively known as tocochromanols, are lipid-soluble molecules that belong to the group of vitamin E compounds. Among them, α-tocopherol (αΤ) is one of the antioxidants with diverse functions and benefits for humans and animals. Thus, understanding the genetic basis of these traits would be valuable to improve nutritional quality by breeding in rice. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) has emerged as a powerful strategy for identifying genes or quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying complex traits in plants. To discover the genes or QTLs underlying the naturally occurring variations of αΤ content in rice, we performed GWAS using 1.44 million high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms acquired from re-sequencing of 137 accessions from a diverse rice core collection. Thirteen candidate genes were found across 2-year phenotypic data, among which gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase (OsγTMT) was identified as the major factor responsible for the αΤ content among rice accessions. Nucleotide variations in the coding region of OsγTMT were significantly associated with the αΤ content variations, while nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region of OsγTMT also could partly demonstrate the correlation with αΤ content variations, according to our RNA expression analyses. This study provides useful information for genetic factors underlying αΤ content variations in rice, which will significantly contribute the research on αΤ biosynthesis mechanisms and αΤ improvement of rice.

Older drivers: On-road and off-road test results.

PubMed

Selander, Helena; Lee, Hoe C; Johansson, Kurt; Falkmer, Torbjörn

2011-07-01

Eighty-five volunteer drivers, 65-85 years old, without cognitive impairments impacting on their driving were examined, in order to investigate driving errors characteristic for older drivers. In addition, any relationships between cognitive off-road and on-road tests results, the latter being the gold standard, were identified. Performance measurements included Trail Making Test (TMT), Nordic Stroke Driver Screening Assessment (NorSDSA), Useful Field of View (UFOV), self-rating driving performance and the two on-road protocols P-Drive and ROA. Some of the older drivers displayed questionable driving behaviour. In total, 21% of the participants failed the on-road assessment. Some of the specific errors were more serious than others. The most common driving errors embraced speed; exceeding the speed limit or not controlling the speed. Correlations with the P-Drive protocol were established for NorSDSA total score (weak), UFOV subtest 2 (weak), and UFOV subtest 3 (moderate). Correlations with the ROA protocol were established for UFOV subtest 2 (weak) and UFOV subtest 3 (weak). P-Drive and self ratings correlated weakly, whereas no correlation between self ratings and the ROA protocol was found. The results suggest that specific problems or errors seen in an older person's driving can actually be "normal driving behaviours". Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optomechanical design of TMT NFIRAOS Subsystems at INO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamontagne, Frédéric; Desnoyers, Nichola; Grenier, Martin; Cottin, Pierre; Leclerc, Mélanie; Martin, Olivier; Buteau-Vaillancourt, Louis; Boucher, Marc-André; Nash, Reston; Lardière, Olivier; Andersen, David; Atwood, Jenny; Hill, Alexis; Byrnes, Peter W. G.; Herriot, Glen; Fitzsimmons, Joeleff; Véran, Jean-Pierre

2017-08-01

The adaptive optics system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is the Narrow-Field InfraRed Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS). Recently, INO has been involved in the optomechanical design of several subsystems of NFIRAOS, including the Instrument Selection Mirror (ISM), the NFIRAOS Beamsplitters (NBS), and the NFIRAOS Source Simulator system (NSS) comprising the Focal Plane Mask (FPM), the Laser Guide Star (LGS) sources, and the Natural Guide Star (NGS) sources. This paper presents an overview of these subsystems and the optomechanical design approaches used to meet the optical performance requirements under environmental constraints.

Food Management Program for the Advanced Base

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

Tuna/ Noodle Casserole (TMT) Chicken Casserole Beef Pepper Steak (TMT) BBQ Beef Tips (F.E. Warren) Mashed Potato ( instant ) Spaghetti/Meat Sauce (F.E...CREAMED GROUND T1MT* $5.00 227 14 0 99 0 1 0 27 BEEF, ROAST FOILPACK $0.95 227 18 29 0 0 71 0 30 BEEF, SZECHUAN W/VEG & NOODLES COMMERCIAL $2.69 346 30...0 0 29 JUICE, ORANGE, INSTANT COMMERCIAL $1.92 294 491 4 0 0 95 100 JUICE, PINEAPPLE, BOX (3 PACK) COMMERCIAL $1.08 750 39 99 1 0 0 0 52 JUICE, PINK

Effects of Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Neurogenesis and Cognitive Behavior in an Experimental Model of Hippocampal Injury

PubMed Central

Sakhaie, Mohammad Hassan; Pourheydar, Bagher; Majd, Zahra; Atefimanesh, Pezhman

2017-01-01

Exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields may induce constant modulation in neuronal plasticity. In recent years, tremendous efforts have been made to design a suitable strategy for enhancing adult neurogenesis, which seems to be deterred due to brain senescence and several neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effects of ELF-EMF on neurogenesis and memory, following treatment with trimethyltin chloride (TMT) as a neurotoxicant. The mice in all groups (n = 56) were injected with BrdU during the experiment for seven consecutive days to label newborn cells. Spatial memory was assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM) test. By the end of the experiment, neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation were assessed in the hippocampus, using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Based on the findings, exposure to ELF-EMF enhanced spatial learning and memory in the MWM test. ELF-EMF exposure significantly enhanced the number of BrdU+ and NeuN+ cells in the dentate gyrus of adult mice (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, resp.). Western blot analysis revealed significant upregulation of NeuroD2 in ELF-EMF-exposed mice compared to the TMT-treated group (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that ELF-EMF might have clinical implications for the improvement of neurodegenerative processes and could help develop a novel therapeutic approach in regenerative medicine. PMID:29259353

Unsteady wind loads for TMT: replacing parametric models with CFD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacMartin, Douglas G.; Vogiatzis, Konstantinos

2014-08-01

Unsteady wind loads due to turbulence inside the telescope enclosure result in image jitter and higher-order image degradation due to M1 segment motion. Advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) allow unsteady simulations of the flow around realistic telescope geometry, in order to compute the unsteady forces due to wind turbulence. These simulations can then be used to understand the characteristics of the wind loads. Previous estimates used a parametric model based on a number of assumptions about the wind characteristics, such as a von Karman spectrum and frozen-flow turbulence across M1, and relied on CFD only to estimate parameters such as mean wind speed and turbulent kinetic energy. Using the CFD-computed forces avoids the need for assumptions regarding the flow. We discuss here both the loads on the telescope that lead to image jitter, and the spatially-varying force distribution across the primary mirror, using simulations with the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) geometry. The amplitude, temporal spectrum, and spatial distribution of wind disturbances are all estimated; these are then used to compute the resulting image motion and degradation. There are several key differences relative to our earlier parametric model. First, the TMT enclosure provides sufficient wind reduction at the top end (near M2) to render the larger cross-sectional structural areas further inside the enclosure (including M1) significant in determining the overall image jitter. Second, the temporal spectrum is not von Karman as the turbulence is not fully developed; this applies both in predicting image jitter and M1 segment motion. And third, for loads on M1, the spatial characteristics are not consistent with propagating a frozen-flow turbulence screen across the mirror: Frozen flow would result in a relationship between temporal frequency content and spatial frequency content that does not hold in the CFD predictions. Incorporating the new estimates of wind load characteristics into TMT response predictions leads to revised estimates of the response of TMT to wind turbulence, and validates the aerodynamic design of the enclosure.

Increased CRF mRNA expression in the sexually dimorphic BNST of male but not female GAD67 mice and TMT predator odor stress effects upon spatial memory retrieval.

PubMed

Janitzky, K; Peine, A; Kröber, A; Yanagawa, Y; Schwegler, H; Roskoden, T

2014-10-01

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is an important region for 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT) predator odor-induced stress responses in mice. It is sexually dimorphic and a region for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-enhanced stress responses. Dense GABAergic and CRF input from the amygdala to the BNST gives point to relevant interactions between CRF and GABA activity in these brain regions. Hence, to investigate sexual dimorphism of stress-induced neuronal changes, we studied effects of acute TMT exposure on CRF mRNA expression in stress-related brain regions in male and female GAD67 mice and their wild-type littermates. In GAD67 mice, heterozygous knock-in of GFP in GABAergic neurons caused a 50% decrease of GAD67 protein level in the brain [91,99]. Results show higher CRF mRNA levels in the BNST of male but not female GAD67 mice after TMT and control odor exposure. While CRF neurons in the BNST are predominantly GABAergic and CRF enhances GABAergic transmission in the BNST [20,51], the deficit in GABAergic transmission in GAD67 mice could induce a compensatory CRF increase. Sexual dimorphism of the BNST with greater density of GABA-ir neurons in females could explain the differences in CRF mRNA levels between male and female GAD67 mice. Effects of odor exposure were studied in a radial arm maze (RAM) task. Results show impaired retrieval of spatial memory after acute TMT exposure in both sexes and genotypes. However, only GAD67 mice show increased working memory errors after control odor exposure. Our work elicits GAD67 mice as a model to further study interactions of GABA and CRF in the BNST for a better understanding of how sex-specific characteristics of the brain may contribute to differences in anxiety- and stress-related psychological disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Successful Graded Mirror Therapy in a Patient with Chronic Deafferentation Pain in Whom Traditional Mirror Therapy was Ineffective: A Case Report.

PubMed

Mibu, Akira; Nishigami, Tomohiko; Tanaka, Katsuyoshi; Osumi, Michihiro; Tanabe, Akihito

2016-04-01

A 43-year-old man had deafferentation pain in his right upper extremity secondary to brachial plexus avulsion from a traffic accident 23 years previously. On our initial examination, he had severe tingling pain with numbness in the right fingers rated 10 on the numerical rating scale. The body perception of the affected third and fourth fingers was distorted in the flexed position. Although he performed traditional mirror therapy (TMT) for 4 weeks in the same methods as seen in previous studies, he could not obtain willed motor imagery and pain-alleviation effect. Therefore, we modified the task of TMT: Graded mirror therapy (GMT). GMT consisted of five stages: (1) observation of the mirror reflection of the unaffected side without imagining any movements of the affected side; (2) observation of the mirror reflection of the third and fourth fingers changing shape gradually adjusted from a flexed position to a extended position; (3) observation of the mirror reflection of passive movement; (4) motor imagery of affected fingers with observation of the mirror reflection (similar to TMT); (5) motor imagery of affected fingers without mirror. Each task was performed for 3 to 4 weeks. As a result, pain intensity during mirror therapy gradually decreased and finally disappeared. The body perception of the affected fingers also improved, and he could imagine the movement of the fingers with or without mirror. We suggested that GMT starting from the observation task without motor imagery may effectively decrease deafferentation pain compared to TMT. © 2016 World Institute of Pain.

High IQ May "Mask" the Diagnosis of ADHD by Compensating for Deficits in Executive Functions in Treatment-Naïve Adults With ADHD.

PubMed

Milioni, Ana Luiza Vidal; Chaim, Tiffany Moukbel; Cavallet, Mikael; de Oliveira, Nathalya Moleda; Annes, Marco; Dos Santos, Bernardo; Louzã, Mario; da Silva, Maria Aparecida; Miguel, Carmen Silvia; Serpa, Mauricio Henriques; Zanetti, Marcus V; Busatto, Geraldo; Cunha, Paulo Jannuzzi

2017-04-01

To evaluate and compare the performance of adults with ADHD with high and standard IQ in executive functions (EF) tasks. We investigated the neuropsychological performance of 51 adults with ADHD, compared with 33 healthy controls (HC) while performing a wide battery of neuropsychological tests that measure executive functioning. Adults with clinical diagnosis of ADHD were divided into two groups according to their IQ level (IQ ≥ 110-ADHD group with more elevated IQ, and IQ < 110-ADHD group with standard IQ). The ADHD group with standard IQ presented a worse executive functioning compared with the HC group in the following measures: Stroop 2 ( p = .000) and 3 ( p = .000), Trail Making Test (TMT) B ( p = .005), Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST)-perseverative errors ( p = .022) and failures to maintain set ( p = .020), Continuous Performance Test (CPT)-omission errors ( p = .005) and commission errors ( p = .000), and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB)-conceptualization ( p = .016). The ADHD group with more elevated IQ presented only impairments in the CPT-commission errors ( p = .019) when compared with the control group. Adults with ADHD and more elevated IQ show less evidence of executive functioning deficits compared with those with ADHD and standard IQ, suggesting that a higher degree of intellectual efficiency may compensate deficits in executive functions, leading to problems in establishing a precise clinical diagnosis.

An Internal Standard for Assessing Phosphopeptide Recovery from Metal Ion/Oxide Enrichment Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulo, Joao A.; Navarrete-Perea, Jose; Erickson, Alison R.; Knott, Jeffrey; Gygi, Steven P.

2018-04-01

Phosphorylation-mediated signaling pathways have major implications in cellular regulation and disease. However, proteins with roles in these pathways are frequently less abundant and phosphorylation is often sub-stoichiometric. As such, the efficient enrichment, and subsequent recovery of phosphorylated peptides, is vital. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is a well-established approach for quantifying thousands of phosphorylation events in a single experiment. We designed a peptide internal standard-based assay directed toward sample preparation strategies for mass spectrometry analysis to understand better phosphopeptide recovery from enrichment strategies. We coupled mass-differential tandem mass tag (mTMT) reagents (specifically, TMTzero and TMTsuper-heavy), nine mass spectrometry-amenable phosphopeptides (phos9), and peak area measurements from extracted ion chromatograms to determine phosphopeptide recovery. We showcase this mTMT/phos9 recovery assay by evaluating three phosphopeptide enrichment workflows. Our assay provides data on the recovery of phosphopeptides, which complement other metrics, namely the number of identified phosphopeptides and enrichment specificity. Our mTMT/phos9 assay is applicable to any enrichment protocol in a typical experimental workflow irrespective of sample origin or labeling strategy. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Handedness and lateralised tympanic membrane temperature in relation to approach-avoidance behaviour in Garnett's bushbaby (Otolemur garnettii).

PubMed

Hanbury, David B; Edens, Kyle D; Fontenot, M Babette; Greer, Tammy F; McCoy, John G; Watson, Sheree L

2013-01-01

Studies of handedness suggest a relationship between hemispheric specialisation and emotional processing. Recently measures of lateralised tympanic membrane temperature (TMT) have identified similar relationships (i.e., the left hemisphere is involved in approach behaviour and the right hemisphere avoidance behaviour). In the present study we examined lateralised changes in TMT in response to social interaction in 10 Garnett's bushbabies. Additionally, we examined whether handedness could be used as a predictor of approach-avoidance tendencies. We found a positive association between temperature change and both allogrooming and affiliative approach. Social behaviour did not differ between right- and left-handed bushbabies. These findings are discussed in terms of existing theories of asymmetric emotional processing. Overall, the data suggest that there is a left hemisphere specialisation for processing approach-related behaviours, which is consistent with existing models of lateralised emotional processing. Our data also indicate that TMT is a reliable, cost-effective measure of cerebral activation that is less invasive and more practical than alternative measures such as EEG, PET, and fMRI.

Serial robot for the trajectory optimization and error compensation of TMT mask exchange system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jianping; Zhang, Feifan; Zhou, Zengxiang; Zhai, Chao

2015-10-01

Mask exchange system is the main part of Multi-Object Broadband Imaging Echellette (MOBIE) on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). According to the conception of the TMT mask exchange system, the pre-design was introduced in the paper which was based on IRB 140 robot. The stiffness model of IRB 140 in SolidWorks was analyzed under different gravity vectors for further error compensation. In order to find the right location and path planning, the robot and the mask cassette model was imported into MOBIE model to perform different schemes simulation. And obtained the initial installation position and routing. Based on these initial parameters, IRB 140 robot was operated to simulate the path and estimate the mask exchange time. Meanwhile, MATLAB and ADAMS software were used to perform simulation analysis and optimize the route to acquire the kinematics parameters and compare with the experiment results. After simulation and experimental research mentioned in the paper, the theoretical reference was acquired which could high efficient improve the structure of the mask exchange system parameters optimization of the path and precision of the robot position.

On the precision of aero-thermal simulations for TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogiatzis, Konstantinos; Thompson, Hugh

2016-08-01

Environmental effects on the Image Quality (IQ) of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) are estimated by aero-thermal numerical simulations. These simulations utilize Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to estimate, among others, thermal (dome and mirror) seeing as well as wind jitter and blur. As the design matures, guidance obtained from these numerical experiments can influence significant cost-performance trade-offs and even component survivability. The stochastic nature of environmental conditions results in the generation of a large computational solution matrix in order to statistically predict Observatory Performance. Moreover, the relative contribution of selected key subcomponents to IQ increases the parameter space and thus computational cost, while dictating a reduced prediction error bar. The current study presents the strategy followed to minimize prediction time and computational resources, the subsequent physical and numerical limitations and finally the approach to mitigate the issues experienced. In particular, the paper describes a mesh-independence study, the effect of interpolation of CFD results on the TMT IQ metric, and an analysis of the sensitivity of IQ to certain important heat sources and geometric features.

Pilot Plant Production of Frozen Entree Items for the Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-09-01

15 to 20 minutes to crisp chicken . 18 TABLE 4. Production Guide Used for Baked Lasagna Percent Recipe Weight Weight of for 100 por- Required...SUBMARINES NUTRITION ABSTRACT (tmtUmm «n rmm •!•* M miniWB «Ml Idmntlfr my MM* n—liij Six frozen meat entrees: Oven Fried Chicken , Swiss Steak...and forty pounds of Oven Fried Chicken and 200 pounds of each of the other five products were furnished to the Navy for the test. Additional portions

Does cognition improve following LVAD implantation?

PubMed

Pavol, Marykay A; Willey, Joshua Z; Wei, Ying; Yuzefpolskaya, Melana; Marshall, Randolph S; Marascalco, Philip J; Harwood, Jason; Lazar, Ronald M

2018-05-23

Studies of cognition after LVAD surgery have produced mixed results. To explore whether cognition would improve, decline, or remain stable after LVAD surgery, we examined cognition before and 1- and 3-months after LVAD surgery. Patients with post-surgical stroke were excluded. 28 subjects (mean age = 54.31 ± 12 years) comprised an observational case series from the DuraHeart LVAS device® trial. Cognitive testing was performed at baseline, 1-month, and 3-month post-surgery, and included tests of attention, memory, language, visualmotor speed (TMT) and visualconstruction. No difference in cognition was found between baseline and 1-month exams (means z score improvement = 0.06, p = 0.43) but cognition improved significantly between baseline and 3-month exams (mean z score improvement = 0.34, p < 0.00001). Examination of individual test scores found, after correction for multiple comparisons, only the TMT variable was significantly different at the 3-month exam. We found significantly improved cognition 3 months after LVAD surgery in a subset of patients without post-surgical stroke. The reasons for the lack of cognitive improvement at the 1-month post-surgical assessment may include ongoing medical and physiological disruptions in the immediate post-operative period. Further research into the sources of delayed improvement is warranted. Cognitive assessments performed immediately after surgery should be interpreted with caution because the results may not reflect longer term cognitive outcomes. LVAD patients may require additional support to successfully manage their health in the weeks immediately following surgery but assistance needs may decrease over time.

System modeling of the Thirty Meter Telescope alignment and phasing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dekens, Frank G.; Seo, Byoung-Joon; Troy, Mitchell

2014-08-01

We have developed a system model using the System Modeling Language (SysML) for the Alignment and Phasing System (APS) on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). APS is a Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor that will be used to measure the alignment and phasing of the primary mirror segments, and the alignment of the secondary and tertiary mirrors. The APS system model contains the ow-down of the Level 1 TMT requirements to APS (Level 2) requirements, and from there to the APS sub-systems (Level 3) requirements. The model also contains the operating modes and scenarios for various activities, such as maintenance alignment, post-segment exchange alignment, and calibration activities. The requirements ow-down is captured in SysML requirements diagrams, and we describe the process of maintaining the DOORS database as the single-source-of-truth for requirements, while using the SysML model to capture the logic and notes associated with the ow-down. We also use the system model to capture any needed communications from APS to other TMT systems, and between the APS sub-systems. The operations are modeled using SysML activity diagrams, and will be used to specify the APS interface documents. The modeling tool can simulate the top level activities to produce sequence diagrams, which contain all the communications between the system and subsystem needed for that activity. By adding time estimates for the lowest level APS activities, a robust estimate for the total time on-sky that APS requires to align and phase the telescope can be obtained. This estimate will be used to verify that the time APS requires on-sky meets the Level 1 TMT requirements.

Leadership development programs for health care middle managers: An exploration of the top management team member perspective.

PubMed

Whaley, Alan; Gillis, William E

Hospitals throughout the United States establish leadership and management programs for their middle managers. Despite their pervasiveness and an increased emphasis on physician leadership, there is limited research regarding the development programs designed for clinical and nonclinical health care middle managers. Using two theoretical lenses, signaling and institutional theory, this exploratory study investigates mid-sized hospital development programs from the perspective of top management team (TMT) members. Our objective is to find out what types of programs hospitals have, how they are developed, and how they are evaluated. We conducted semistructured interviews with 13 TMT members in six purposefully selected hospitals and matched these interviews with program curricula. Careful coding of the data allowed us not only to show our data in a meaningful visual representation but also to show the progression of the data from raw form to aggregate themes in the qualitative research process. We identified four types of development programs used in the selected hospitals: (a) ongoing series, (b) curriculum-based, (c) management orientation, and (d) mentoring. Challenges existed in aligning the need for the program with program content. Communication occurred both through direct messaging regarding policies and procedures and through hidden signals. TMT members referenced other programs for guidance but were not always clear about what it is they wanted the programs to accomplish. Finally, there was limited program outcome measurement. Our small sample indicates that specific, structured, and comprehensive programs perform best. The better programs were always trying to improve but that most needed better accountability of tracking outcomes. In setting up a program, a collaborative approach among TMT members to establish what the needs are and how to measure outcomes worked well. Successful programs also tied in their leadership development with overall employee development.

In vivo diffusion characteristics following perineural injection of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve with mepivacaine or iohexol in horses.

PubMed

Contino, E K; King, M R; Valdés-Martínez, A; McIlwraith, C W

2015-03-01

Hindlimb proximal suspensory desmopathy is a common injury of sport horses but diagnosis can be difficult because diagnostic analgesia of the region lacks specificity. Perineural analgesia of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve (DBLPN) has been proposed as a more specific method of isolating pain of the proximal aspect of the suspensory ligament but the technique has not been evaluated in vivo. To determine the extent of diffusion of contrast medium and mepivacaine following DBLPN analgesia using a single-needle injection technique and to determine if there is inadvertent involvement of the tarsal sheath and/or tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint using this technique. In vivo experimental study. Perineural injection of the DBLPN was performed in 16 limbs with 3 ml of either mepivacaine hydrochloride or positive contrast medium. Contrast medium-injected limbs were radiographed 5, 15, and 30 min post injection and diffusion characteristics were described. In mepivacaine-injected limbs, synovial fluid from the TMT joint was obtained 10 and 20 min post injection and mepivacaine concentrations were analysed. At 5, 15 and 30 min post injection, the contrast medium extended, on average, 19.6, 20.6 and 21.0 mm proximal and 38.0, 43.5 and 51.9 mm distal to the injection site, respectively. Three of 8 (37.5%) limbs had evidence of contrast medium in the tarsal sheath. Two of 8 (25%) limbs had mepivacaine concentrations within the TMT joint sufficient to produce analgesia (>300 mg/l) at 10 min post injection. Contrast medium diffused further in a distal direction than in a proximal direction. Analgesia of the DBLPN can result in inadvertent involvement of the tarsal sheath and/or TMT joint. © 2014 EVJ Ltd.

Locoregional Failure Rate After Preoperative Chemoradiation of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and the Outcomes of Salvage Strategies

PubMed Central

Sudo, Kazuki; Taketa, Takashi; Correa, Arlene M.; Campagna, Maria-Claudia; Wadhwa, Roopma; Blum, Mariela A.; Komaki, Ritsuko; Lee, Jeffrey H.; Bhutani, Manoop S.; Weston, Brian; Skinner, Heath D.; Maru, Dipen M.; Rice, David C.; Swisher, Stephen G.; Hofstetter, Wayne L.; Ajani, Jaffer A.

2013-01-01

Purpose The primary purpose of surveillance of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and/or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma after local therapy (eg, chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery or trimodality therapy [TMT]) is to implement a potentially beneficial salvage therapy to overcome possible morbidity/mortality caused by locoregional failure (LRF). However, the benefits of surveillance are not well understood. We report on LRFs and salvage strategies in a large cohort. Patients and Methods Between 2000 and 2010, 518 patients with EAC who completed TMT were analyzed for the frequency of LRF over time and salvage therapy outcomes. Standard statistical techniques were used. Results For 518 patients, the median follow-up time was 29.3 months (range, 1 to 149 months). Distant metastases (with or without LRF) occurred in 188 patients (36%), and LRF only occurred in 27 patients (5%). Eleven of 27 patients had lumen-only LRF. Most LRFs (89%) occurred within 36 months of surgery. Twelve patients had salvage chemoradiotherapy, but only five survived more than 2 years. Four patients needed salvage surgery, and three who survived more than 2 years developed distant metastases. The median overall survival of 27 patients with LRF was 17 months, and 10 patients (37%) survived more than 2 years. Thus, only 2% of all 518 patients benefited from surveillance/salvage strategies. Conclusion Our surveillance strategy, which is representative of many others currently being used, raises doubts about its effectiveness and benefits (along with concerns regarding types and times of studies and costs implications) to patients with EAC who have LRF only after TMT. Fortunately, LRFs are rare after TMT, but the salvage strategies are not highly beneficial. Our data can help develop an evidence-based surveillance strategy. PMID:24145339

Ameliorating effects of ethyl acetate fraction from onion (Allium cepa L.) flesh and peel in mice following trimethyltin-induced learning and memory impairment.

PubMed

Park, Seon Kyeong; Jin, Dong Eun; Park, Chang Hyeon; Seung, Tae Wan; Guo, Tian Jiao; Song, Jong Wook; Kim, Jong Hwan; Kim, Dae Ok; Heo, Ho Jin

2015-09-01

The anti-amnesic effects of onion (Allium cepa L.) flesh (OF) 1 and peel (OP) 2 on trimethyltin (TMT) 3 -induced learning and memory dysfunction were investigated to confirm learning and memory function. The inhibitory effect against cellular acetylcholinesterase (AChE) 4 showed that the EtOAc fraction of OP (EOP 5 , IC 50 value=37.11μg/mL) was higher than the EtOAc fraction of OF (EOF 6 , IC 50 value=433.34μg/mL). The cognitive effects in ICR mice were also evaluated using Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. After the behavioral tests, AChE activity (control=100%, TMT=128%, EOF 20=108%, EOP 10=104%, and EOP 20=98%), superoxide dismutase (SOD) 7 activity, oxidized glutathione (GSSG) 8 /total glutathione (GSH) 9 and malondialdehyde (MDA) 10 production were examined. These results indicate that both EOF and EOP improved learning and memory function. The main compounds of the EOF and EOP were analyzed by Q-TOF UPLC/MS, and the results were as follows: The EOF (quercetin and quercetin-4'-glucoside) and the EOP (quercetin-4'-glucoside and isorhamnetin-4'-glucoside). Consequently, our results suggest that both EOF and EOP could be efficacious in improving cognitive function through AChE inhibition and antioxidant activity in mice brains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the neural substrates of attentional control and human intelligence: Diffusion tensor imaging of prefrontal white matter tractography in healthy cognition.

PubMed

Ohtani, Toshiyuki; Nestor, Paul G; Bouix, Sylvain; Newell, Dominick; Melonakos, Eric D; McCarley, Robert W; Shenton, Martha E; Kubicki, Marek

2017-01-26

We combined diffusion tension imaging (DTI) of prefrontal white matter integrity and neuropsychological measures to examine the functional neuroanatomy of human intelligence. Healthy participants completed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) along with neuropsychological tests of attention and executive control, as measured by Trail Making Test (TMT) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Stochastic tractography, considered the most effective DTI method, quantified white matter integrity of the medial orbital frontal cortex (mOFC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) circuitry. Based on prior studies, we hypothesized that posterior mOFC-rACC connections may play a key structural role linking attentional control processes and intelligence. Behavioral results provided strong support for this hypothesis, specifically linking attentional control processes, measured by Trails B and WCST perseverative errors, to intelligent quotient (IQ). Hierarchical regression results indicated left posterior mOFC-rACC fractional anisotropy (FA) and Trails B performance time, but not WCST perseverative errors, each contributed significantly to IQ, accounting for approximately 33.95-51.60% of the variance in IQ scores. These findings suggested that left posterior mOFC-rACC white matter connections may play a key role in supporting the relationship of executive functions of attentional control and general intelligence in healthy cognition. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Heat balance and thermal management of the TMT Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Hugh; Vogiatzis, Konstantinos

2014-08-01

An extensive campaign of aero-thermal modeling of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) has been carried out and presented in other papers. This paper presents a summary view of overall heat balance of the TMT observatory. A key component of this heat balance that can be managed is the internal sources of heat dissipation to the ambient air inside the enclosure. An engineering budget for both daytime and nighttime sources is presented. This budget is used to ensure that the overall effects on daytime cooling and nighttime seeing are tracked and fall within the modeled results that demonstrate that the observatory meets its performance requirements. In the daytime heat fluxes from air-conditioning, solar loading, infiltration, and deliberate venting through the enclosure top vent are included along with equipment heat sources. In the nighttime convective heat fluxes through the open aperture and vent doors, as well as radiation to the sky are tracked along with the nighttime residual heat dissipations after cooling from equipment in the observatory. The diurnal variation of thermal inertia of large masses, such as the telescope structure, is also included. Model results as well as the overall heat balance and thermal management strategy of the observatory are presented.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Ginkgo biloba extract against trimethyltin-induced hippocampal neuronal injury.

PubMed

Kaur, Sukhwinder; Sharma, Neha; Nehru, Bimla

2018-02-01

Despite the immense neuromodulatory potentials of Ginkgo biloba extract as a memory enhancer, its underlying mechanism seems inadequate particularly with regard to its anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of the present study is to investigate the protective potentials of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) against hippocampal neuronal injury induced by trimethyltin (TMT), a potent neurotoxicant. Male SD rats were administered trimethyltin (8.5 mg kg -1 b.wt) single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, followed by Ginkgo biloba extract (100 mg kg -1 b.wt i.p) for 21 days. The co-administration of GBE with TMT showed marked improvement in cognitive functions. Concomitantly, there was a significant decrease in oxidative stress as evident by reduction in MDA and total ROS levels. In addition, there was a marked suppression of astrocyte activation (GFAP), transcription factor NFκB and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1α, 1L-6), which were found to be elevated by TMT administration. Histopathological observations showed remarkable improvement in hippocampal neuronal injury in the conjunctive group. Therefore, it is suggested that Ginkgo biloba extract is an effective agent against trimethyltin-induced hippocampal neuronal loss owing to its antioxidative as well as anti-inflammatory properties.

MKIDs for TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazin, Ben

2014-07-01

Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) are single photon counting, energy resolving detectors applicable across the UVOIR. The first MKID instrument, ARCONS, has been taking data on the Palomar 200" for several years, and we have recently published the first papers using ARCONS data. There are currently two UVOIR MKID instruments fully funded and under construction for planet hunting, DARKNESS for the Palomar P1640 coronagraph, and MEC for Subaru's SCExAO.There are significant opportunities available in pairing MKIDs with TMT. MKIDs can serve as a combined science camera and fast focal plane speckle sensor, allowing rapid feedback to cancel atmospheric speckles. A MKID-based TMT Planet Imager (potentially just a visiting SCExAO+MEC) could discover and take spectra of planets in the habitable zones of nearby M dwarfs, potentially discovering life by looking at spectral signatures in their atmospheres.Another promising application is using the outer part of the focal plane that is ignored by NFIRAOS for a large MKID array. This instrument would serve as a serendipitous camera, providing imaging and spectroscopy for galaxies that would rotate through the field during the normal use of IRIS and IRMOS. This "free" 30-m time would yield a very deep imaging catalog with R~30 spectroscopy.

Comparative Analysis of Tocopherol Biosynthesis Genes and Its Transcriptional Regulation in Soybean Seeds.

PubMed

T, Vinutha; Bansal, Navita; Kumari, Khushboo; Prashat G, Rama; Sreevathsa, Rohini; Krishnan, Veda; Kumari, Sweta; Dahuja, Anil; Lal, S K; Sachdev, Archana; Praveen, Shelly

2017-12-20

Tocopherols composed of four isoforms (α, β, γ, and δ) and its biosynthesis comprises of three pathways: methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP), shikimate (SK) and tocopherol-core pathways regulated by 25 enzymes. To understand pathway regulatory mechanism at transcriptional level, gene expression profile of tocopherol-biosynthesis genes in two soybean genotypes was carried out, the results showed significantly differential expression of 5 genes: 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-P-reductoisomerase (DXR), geranyl geranyl reductase (GGDR) from MEP, arogenate dehydrogenase (TyrA), tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) from SK and γ-tocopherol methyl transferase 3 (γ-TMT3) from tocopherol-core pathways. Expression data were further analyzed for total tocopherol (T-toc) and α-tocopherol (α-toc) content by coregulation network and gene clustering approaches, the results showed least and strong association of γ-TMT3/tocopherol cyclase (TC) and DXR/DXS, respectively, with gene clusters of tocopherol biosynthesis suggested the specific role of γ-TMT3/TC in determining tocopherol accumulation and intricacy of DXR/DXS genes in coordinating precursor pathways toward tocopherol biosynthesis in soybean seeds. Thus, the present study provides insight into the major role of these genes regulating the tocopherol synthesis in soybean seeds.

Ferulic Acid Regulates the Nrf2/Heme Oxygenase-1 System and Counteracts Trimethyltin-Induced Neuronal Damage in the Human Neuroblastoma Cell Line SH-SY5Y

PubMed Central

Catino, Stefania; Paciello, Fabiola; Miceli, Fiorella; Rolesi, Rolando; Troiani, Diana; Calabrese, Vittorio; Santangelo, Rosaria; Mancuso, Cesare

2016-01-01

Over the past years, several lines of evidence have pointed out the efficacy of ferulic acid (FA) in counteracting oxidative stress elicited by β-amyloid or free radical initiators, based on the ability of this natural antioxidant to up-regulate the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and biliverdin reductase (BVR) system. However, scarce results can be found in literature regarding the cytoprotective effects of FA in case of damage caused by neurotoxicants. The aim of this work is to investigate the mechanisms through which FA exerts neuroprotection in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells exposed to the neurotoxin trimethyltin (TMT). FA (1–10 μM for 6 h) dose-dependently increased both basal and TMT (10 μM for 24 h)-induced HO-1 expression in SH-SY5Y cells by fostering the nuclear translocation of the transcriptional activator Nrf2. In particular, the co-treatment of FA (10 μM) with TMT was also responsible for the nuclear translocation of HO-1 in an attempt to further increase cell stress response in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition to HO-1, FA (1–10 μM for 6 h) dose-dependently increased the basal expression of BVR. The antioxidant and neuroprotective features of FA, through the increase of HO activity, were supported by the evidence that FA inhibited TMT (10 μM)-induced lipid peroxidation (evaluated by detecting 4-hydroxy-nonenal) and DNA fragmentation in SH-SY5Y cells and that this antioxidant effect was reversed by the HO inhibitor Zinc-protoporphyrin-IX (5 μM). Among the by-products of the HO/BVR system, carbon monoxide (CORM-2, 50 nM) and bilirubin (BR, 50 nM) significantly inhibited TMT-induced superoxide anion formation in SH-SY5Y cells. All together, these results corroborate the neuroprotective effect of FA through the up-regulation of the HO-1/BVR system, via carbon monoxide and BR formation, and provide the first evidence on the role of HO-1/Nrf2 axis in FA-related enhancement of cell stress response in human neurons. PMID:26779023

Making the Case: Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications as Mission-Critical Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squires, Gordon K.; Brewer, Janesse; Dawson, Sandra; Program Organizing Committee "Making the Case" workshop 2017

2018-01-01

Increasingly, next-generation science projects will never see first light, or will lose their “right to operate” if they are unable to be responsive to emerging societal values and interests. Science projects with a robust and professional Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications (WEPOC) architecture are able to engage and welcome public discourse about science, trade-offs, and what it means to be a good neighbor in a community. In this talk I will update the latest WEPOC efforts for TMT & NASA projects at Caltech/IPAC, and highlight how WEPOC has entered the critical path for many large, international science projects. I will also present a draft working document being developed by many of the world's largest astronomy and high-energy physics WEPOC leaders as an outcome from a "Making the Case" conference held at Caltech in spring 2017.

Influence of Yoga-Based Personality Development Program on Psychomotor Performance and Self-efficacy in School Children.

PubMed

Das, Madhusudan; Deepeshwar, Singh; Subramanya, Pailoor; Manjunath, Nandi Krishnamurthy

2016-01-01

Selective attention and efficacy are important components of scholastic performance in school children. While attempts are being made to introduce new methods to improve academic performance either as part of curricular or extracurricular activities in schools, the success rates are minimal. Hence, this study assessed the effect of yoga-based intervention on psychomotor performance and self-efficacy in school children. Two hundred ten school children with ages ranging from 11 to 16 years (mean age ± SD; 13.7 ± 0.8 years) satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited for the 10-day yogä program. An equal number of age-matched participants (n = 210; mean ± SD; 13.1 ± 0.8 years) were selected for the control group. Participants were assessed for attention and performance at the beginning and end of 10 days using trail making task (TMT) A and B, and self-efficacy questionnaire. The yoga group showed higher self-efficacy and improved performance after 10 days of yoga intervention. The performance in TMT-A and -B of the yoga group showed a significantly higher number of attempts with a reduction in time taken to complete the task and a number of wrong attempts compared with control group. Results suggest that yoga practice enhances self-efficacy and processing speed with fine motor coordination, visual-motor integration, visual perception, planning ability, and cognitive performance.

Predictors of driving safety in early Alzheimer disease

PubMed Central

Dawson, J D.; Anderson, S W.; Uc, E Y.; Dastrup, E; Rizzo, M

2009-01-01

Objective: To measure the association of cognition, visual perception, and motor function with driving safety in Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: Forty drivers with probable early AD (mean Mini-Mental State Examination score 26.5) and 115 elderly drivers without neurologic disease underwent a battery of cognitive, visual, and motor tests, and drove a standardized 35-mile route in urban and rural settings in an instrumented vehicle. A composite cognitive score (COGSTAT) was calculated for each subject based on eight neuropsychological tests. Driving safety errors were noted and classified by a driving expert based on video review. Results: Drivers with AD committed an average of 42.0 safety errors/drive (SD = 12.8), compared to an average of 33.2 (SD = 12.2) for drivers without AD (p < 0.0001); the most common errors were lane violations. Increased age was predictive of errors, with a mean of 2.3 more errors per drive observed for each 5-year age increment. After adjustment for age and gender, COGSTAT was a significant predictor of safety errors in subjects with AD, with a 4.1 increase in safety errors observed for a 1 SD decrease in cognitive function. Significant increases in safety errors were also found in subjects with AD with poorer scores on Benton Visual Retention Test, Complex Figure Test-Copy, Trail Making Subtest-A, and the Functional Reach Test. Conclusion: Drivers with Alzheimer disease (AD) exhibit a range of performance on tests of cognition, vision, and motor skills. Since these tests provide additional predictive value of driving performance beyond diagnosis alone, clinicians may use these tests to help predict whether a patient with AD can safely operate a motor vehicle. GLOSSARY AD = Alzheimer disease; AVLT = Auditory Verbal Learning Test; Blocks = Block Design subtest; BVRT = Benton Visual Retention Test; CFT = Complex Figure Test; CI = confidence interval; COWA = Controlled Oral Word Association; CS = contrast sensitivity; FVA = far visual acuity; JLO = Judgment of Line Orientation; MCI = mild cognitive impairment; MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; NVA = near visual acuity; SFM = structure from motion; TMT = Trail-Making Test; UFOV = Useful Field of View. PMID:19204261

Dose-Related Effects of Alcohol on Cognitive Functioning

PubMed Central

Dry, Matthew J.; Burns, Nicholas R.; Nettelbeck, Ted; Farquharson, Aaron L.; White, Jason M.

2012-01-01

We assessed the suitability of six applied tests of cognitive functioning to provide a single marker for dose-related alcohol intoxication. Numerous studies have demonstrated that alcohol has a deleterious effect on specific areas of cognitive processing but few have compared the effects of alcohol across a wide range of different cognitive processes. Adult participants (N = 56, 32 males, 24 females aged 18–45 years) were randomized to control or alcohol treatments within a mixed design experiment involving multiple-dosages at approximately one hour intervals (attained mean blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.00, 0.048, 0.082 and 0.10%), employing a battery of six psychometric tests; the Useful Field of View test (UFOV; processing speed together with directed attention); the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT; working memory); Inspection Time (IT; speed of processing independent from motor responding); the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP; strategic optimization); the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART; vigilance, response inhibition and psychomotor function); and the Trail-Making Test (TMT; cognitive flexibility and psychomotor function). Results demonstrated that impairment is not uniform across different domains of cognitive processing and that both the size of the alcohol effect and the magnitude of effect change across different dose levels are quantitatively different for different cognitive processes. Only IT met the criteria for a marker for wide-spread application: reliable dose-related decline in a basic process as a function of rising BAC level and easy to use non-invasive task properties. PMID:23209840

Development of Advanced 9Cr Ferritic-Martensitic Steels and Austenitic Stainless Steels for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor

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

Sham, Sam; Tan, Lizhen; Yamamoto, Yukinori

2013-01-01

Ferritic-martensitic (FM) steel Grade 92, with or without thermomechanical treatment (TMT), and austenitic stainless steels HT-UPS (high-temperature ultrafine precipitate strengthening) and NF709 were selected as potential candidate structural materials in the U.S. Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) program. The objective is to develop advanced steels with improved properties as compared with reference materials such as Grade 91 and Type 316H steels that are currently in nuclear design codes. Composition modification and/or processing optimization (e.g., TMT and cold-work) were performed to improve properties such as resistance to thermal aging, creep, creep-fatigue, fracture, and sodium corrosion. Testings to characterize these properties for themore » advanced steels were conducted by the Idaho National Laboratory, the Argonne National Laboratory and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the U.S. SFR program. This paper focuses on the resistance to thermal aging and creep of the advanced steels. The advanced steels exhibited up to two orders of magnitude increase in creep life compared to the reference materials. Preliminary results on the weldment performance of the advanced steels are also presented. The superior performance of the advanced steels would improve reactor design flexibility, safety margins and economics.« less

Effect of Alloying Elements on Tensile Properties, Microstructure, and Corrosion Resistance of Reinforcing Bar Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panigrahi, B. K.; Srikanth, S.; Sahoo, G.

2009-11-01

The effect of copper, phosphorus, and chromium present in a semikilled reinforcing bar steel produced by in-line quenching [thermomechanical treatment (TMT)] process on the tensile properties, microstructure, and corrosion resistance of steel in simulated chloride environment has been investigated. The results have been compared with that of a semikilled C-Mn reinforcing bar steel without these alloying elements produced by the same process route. Though the amount of phosphorus (0.11 wt.%) was higher than that specified by ASTM A 706 standard, the Cu-P-Cr steel exhibited a composite microstructure, and good balance of yield stress, tensile stress, elongation, and ultimate tensile to yield stress ratio. Two conventional test methods, namely, the salt fog, and potentiodynamic polarization tests, were used for the corrosion test. The rust formed on Cu-P-Cr steel was adherent, and was of multiple colors, while the corrosion products formed on the C-Mn steel were weakly adherent and relatively darker blue. Also, the free corrosion potential of the Cu-P-Cr steel was nobler, and the corrosion current was markedly lower than that of a C-Mn rebar. The Cu-P-Cr steel did not develop any pits/deep grooves on its surface even after the prolonged exposure to salt fog. The improved corrosion resistance of the Cu-P-Cr steel has been attributed to the presence of copper, phosphorus, and small amount of chromium in the dense, adherent rust layer on the surface of reinforcing steel bar. A schematic mechanism of charge transfer has been proposed to explain the improved corrosion resistance of the Cu-P-Cr alloyed TMT rebar.

The instrumentation program for the Thirty Meter Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simard, Luc; Crampton, David; Ellerbroek, Brent; Boyer, Corinne

2012-09-01

An overview of the current status of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) instrumentation program is presented. Science cases and operational concepts as well as their links to the instruments are continually revisited and updated through a series of workshops and conferences. Work on the three first-light instruments (WFOS IRIS, and IRMS) has made significant progress, and many groups in TMT partner communities are developing future instrument concepts. Other instrument-related subsystems are also receiving considerable attention given their importance to the scientific end-to-end performance of the Observatory. As an example, we describe aspects of the facility instrument cooling system that are crucially important to successful diffraction-limited observations on an extremely large telescope.

Toughness testing and high-temperature oxidation evaluations of advanced alloys for core internals

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

Tan, Lizhen; Pint, Bruce A.; Chen, Xiang

2016-09-16

Alloy X-750 was procured from Carpenter Technology and Bodycote in this year. An appropriate TMT was developed on Alloy 439 to obtain materials with refined grain size for property screening tests. Charpy V-notch impact tests were completed for the three ferritic steels Grade 92, Alloy 439, and 14YWT. Fracture toughness tests at elevated temperatures were completed for 14YWT. The tests will be completed for the other alloys in next fiscal year. Steam oxidation tests of the three ferritic steels, 316L, and Zr–2.5Nb have been completed. The steam tests of the Ni-based superalloys and the other austenitic stainless steels will bemore » continued and finished in next fiscal year. Performance ranking in terms of steam oxidation resistance and impact/fracture toughness of the alloys will be deduced.« less

White matter alterations and their associations with motor function in young adults born preterm with very low birth weight.

PubMed

Hollund, Ingrid Marie Husby; Olsen, Alexander; Skranes, Jon; Brubakk, Ann-Mari; Håberg, Asta K; Eikenes, Live; Evensen, Kari Anne I

2018-01-01

Very low birth weight (VLBW: ≤ 1500 g) individuals have an increased risk of white matter alterations and neurodevelopmental problems, including fine and gross motor problems. In this hospital-based follow-up study, the main aim was to examine white matter microstructure and its relationship to fine and gross motor function in 31 VLBW young adults without cerebral palsy compared with 31 term-born controls, at mean age 22.6 ± 0.7 years. The participants were examined with tests of fine and gross motor function (Trail Making Test-5: TMT-5, Grooved Pegboard, Triangle from Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2: MABC-2 and High-level Mobility Assessment Tool: HiMAT) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Probabilistic tractography of motor pathways of the corticospinal tract (CST) and corpus callosum (CC) was performed. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated in non-crossing (capsula interna in CST, body of CC) and crossing (centrum semiovale) fibre regions along the tracts and examined for group differences. Associations between motor test scores and FA in the CST and CC were investigated with linear regression. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to examine group differences in DTI metrics in all major white matter tracts. The VLBW group had lower scores on all motor tests compared with controls, however, only statistically significant for TMT-5. Based on tractography, FA in the VLBW group was lower in non-crossing fibre regions and higher in crossing fibre regions of the CST compared with controls. Within the VLBW group, poorer fine motor function was associated with higher FA in crossing fibre regions of the CST, and poorer bimanual coordination was additionally associated with lower FA in crossing fibre regions of the CC. Poorer gross motor function was associated with lower FA in crossing fibre regions of the CST and CC. There were no associations between motor function and FA in non-crossing fibre regions of the CST and CC within the VLBW group. In the TBSS analysis, the VLBW group had lower FA and higher mean diffusivity compared with controls in all major white matter tracts. The findings in this study may indicate that the associations between motor function and FA are caused by other tracts crossing the CST and CC, and/or by alterations in the periventricular white matter in the centrum semiovale. Some of the associations were in the opposite direction than hypothesized, thus higher FA does not always indicate better function. Furthermore, widespread white matter alterations in VLBW individuals persist into young adulthood.

Preliminary design study of the TMT Telescope structure system: overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usuda, Tomonori; Ezaki, Yutaka; Kawaguchi, Noboru; Nagae, Kazuhiro; Kato, Atsushi; Takaki, Junji; Hirano, Masaki; Hattori, Tomoya; Tabata, Masaki; Horiuchi, Yasushi; Saruta, Yusuke; Sofuku, Satoru; Itoh, Noboru; Oshima, Takeharu; Takanezawa, Takashi; Endo, Makoto; Inatani, Junji; Iye, Masanori; Sadjadpour, Amir; Sirota, Mark; Roberts, Scott; Stepp, Larry

2014-07-01

We present an overview of the preliminary design of the Telescope Structure System (STR) of Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). NAOJ was given responsibility for the TMT STR in early 2012 and engaged Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) to take over the preliminary design work. MELCO performed a comprehensive preliminary design study in 2012 and 2013 and the design successfully passed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in November 2013 and April 2014. Design optimizations were pursued to better meet the design requirements and improvements were made in the designs of many of the telescope subsystems as follows: 1. 6-legged Top End configuration to support secondary mirror (M2) in order to reduce deformation of the Top End and to keep the same 4% blockage of the full aperture as the previous STR design. 2. "Double Lower Tube" of the elevation (EL) structure to reduce the required stroke of the primary mirror (M1) actuators to compensate the primary mirror cell (M1 Cell) deformation caused during the EL angle change in accordance with the requirements. 3. M1 Segment Handling System (SHS) to be able to make removing and installing 10 Mirror Segment Assemblies per day safely and with ease over M1 area where access of personnel is extremely difficult. This requires semi-automatic sequence operation and a robotic Segment Lifting Fixture (SLF) designed based on the Compliance Control System, developed for controlling industrial robots, with a mechanism to enable precise control within the six degrees of freedom of position control. 4. CO2 snow cleaning system to clean M1 every few weeks that is similar to the mechanical system that has been used at Subaru Telescope. 5. Seismic isolation and restraint systems with respect to safety; the maximum acceleration allowed for M1, M2, tertiary mirror (M3), LGSF, and science instruments in 1,000 year return period earthquakes are defined in the requirements. The Seismic requirements apply to any EL angle, regardless of the operational status of Hydro Static Bearing (HSB) system and stow lock pins. In order to find a practical solution, design optimization study for seismic risk mitigation was carried out extensively, including the performing of dynamic response analyses of the STR system under the time dependent acceleration profile of seven major earthquakes. The work is now moving to the final design phase from April 2014 for two years.

The efficacy of Trauma Management Therapy: A controlled pilot investigation of a three-week intensive outpatient program for combat-related PTSD.

PubMed

Beidel, Deborah C; Frueh, B Christopher; Neer, Sandra M; Lejuez, Carl W

2017-08-01

Despite the 8-18.5% of returning Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) veterans who are suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), few receive empirically supported treatments. Among those that do, the dropout rate is high and more than 50% retain their diagnosis after treatment. This study evaluated the efficacy of Trauma Management Therapy (TMT), delivered in a 3-week intensive outpatient (IOP) format. TMT combines virtual-reality augmented individual exposure therapy with a group intervention to address social isolation, anger, and depression. One hundred twelve (112) OIF/OEF/OND veterans and active duty personnel participated. Assessment included measures of PTSD, sleep, depression, anger, guilt, and social isolation, administered at post-treatment, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. The effect size for TMT delivered in an IOP format was 2.06, with 65.9% no longer meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD. There were similar positive effects in other domains and treatment gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up. The results are discussed regarding the need for efficacious, multi-component interventions that can be delivered safely and rapidly, and the potential of this approach towards that end. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exoplanet Science with TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crossfield, Ian

2014-07-01

TMT will have unparalleled capabilities for characterizing the composition of extrasolar planets and their atmospheres, and for probing the complex interplay between planet formation, evolution, and migration. In this plenary talk I will summarize these science cases and discuss their synergy with other observing facilities. High-resolution imaging with IRIS and PFI/SEIT will study young, hot planets in nearby star-forming regions, complementing JWST and WFIRST/AFTA coronagraphic efforts at larger semimajor axes. The same instruments will flesh out planets detected by radial velocity (RV) by measuring the albedos and bolometric radii of old, cold Jovian planets and a few ~300 K super-Earths. Complementing JWST and HST studies of short-period transiting planets, NIRES and IRMS spectroscopy will reveal atmospheric composition, dynamics, and thermal structure for dozens of hot Jupiters and Neptunes; NIRES will also produce 2D global maps and movies of a few exoplanets and dozens of brown dwarfs. HROS high-dispersion spectroscopy will precisely measure the composition of extrasolar planetesimals in polluted white dwarfs, and RV followup will continue to exploit the legacies of Kepler, K2, TESS, and PLATO to measure the masses, orbits, and bulk compositions of Earth analogues. Most exciting of all, TMT may facilitate the next major step in the study of exobiology by allowing the detection of biosignature gases around the closest habitable transiting planets.

Study of temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy and electrical properties in [001]-oriented 0.35Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.35Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.30PbTiO3-Mn single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xing; Fang, Bijun; Deng, Ji; Yan, Hong; Deng, Hao; Yue, Qingwen; Ding, Jianning; Zhao, Xiangyong; Luo, Haosu

2016-01-01

In this work, the temperature-dependent Raman spectra and electrical properties of the [001]-oriented 0.5 mol. % Mn-doped 0.35Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.35Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.30PbTiO3-Mn (PIMNT-Mn) single crystals were investigated. All the unpoled and poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals experience a ferroelectric tetragonal phase to paraelectric cubic phase transition (FET-PC) around 183 °C (TC), which exhibits a second-order transition behavior. Whereas, the poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals exhibit another two dielectric anomalies around 130 °C (TRM) and 148 °C (TMT), in which the ferroelectric rhombohedral phase to ferroelectric monoclinic phase (FER-FEM) and the ferroelectric monoclinic phase to ferroelectric tetragonal phase (FEM-FET) transitions take place, respectively. Both the two ferroelectric phase transitions exhibit a first-order transition behavior. The discontinuous change of the phase degree (θ) and frequencies (fr and fa) around TRM suggest the occurrence of the FER-FEM phase transition in the poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals. The narrowing of the 510 cm-1 and 582 cm-1 Raman modes around the TRM, TMT, and TC temperatures shown in the temperature-dependent Raman spectra suggests their increased ordering of the local structure. The intensity ratio of I272 cm-1/I801 cm-1 increases obviously around the phase transition temperatures (TRM, TMT, and TC), indicating the reduction of the long-range order. The anomalous broadening of the 272 cm-1 Raman mode around the TRM, TMT, and TC temperatures indicates the occurrence of the successive ferroelectric phase transitions (FER-FEM, FEM-FET, and FET-PC) with increasing temperature in the poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals.

Being modest makes you feel bad: effects of the modesty norm and mortality salience on self-esteem in a collectivistic culture.

PubMed

Du, Hongfei; Jonas, Eva

2015-02-01

Terror management research shows that existential terror motivates people to live up to social norms. According to terror management theory (TMT), people can achieve a sense of self-worth through compliance with social norms. However, this has not yet been empirically tested. Modesty has long been known as an important social norm in Eastern cultures, such as China, Japan, and Korea. The current research examined whether conforming to the modesty norm in response to reminders of death concerns increases self-esteem for Chinese. In Study 1, following the modesty norm (i.e., explicit self-effacement) led to decreased implicit self-esteem, however, this was only the case if mortality was salient. In Study 2, violating the modesty norm (i.e., explicit self-enhancement) increased implicit self-esteem - however - again, this was only the case when mortality was salient. These findings indicate that self-esteem cannot be maintained through compliance with the modesty norm. Implications of this research for understanding the interplay between self-esteem and social norms in terror management processes are discussed. © 2014 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Foam concrete of increased strength with the thermomodified peat additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudyakov, A. I.; Kopanitsa, N. O.; Sarkisov, Ju S.; Kasatkina, A. V.; Prischepa, I. A.

2015-01-01

The paper presents the results of research of foam concrete with thermomodified peat additives. The aim of the research was to study the effect of modifying additives on cement stone and foam concrete properties. Peat additives are prepared by heat treatment of peat at 600 °C. Two approaches of obtaining additives are examined: in condition of open air access (TMT-600) and in condition of limited air access (TMT-600-k). Compressive strength of a cement stone with modifiers found to be increased by 28.9 - 65.2%. Introducing peat modifiers into foam concrete mix leads to increase of compressive strength by 44-57% at 28- day age and heat conductivity of foam concrete decreases by 0.089 W/(m·°C).

On-instrument wavefront sensor design for the TMT infrared imaging spectrograph (IRIS) update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, Jennifer; Reshetov, Vladimir; Atwood, Jenny; Pazder, John; Wooff, Bob; Loop, David; Saddlemyer, Leslie; Moore, Anna M.; Larkin, James E.

2014-08-01

The first light instrument on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project will be the InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). IRIS will be mounted on a bottom port of the facility AO instrument NFIRAOS. IRIS will report guiding information to the NFIRAOS through the On-Instrument Wavefront Sensor (OIWFS) that is part of IRIS. This will be in a self-contained compartment of IRIS and will provide three deployable wavefront sensor probe arms. This entire unit will be rotated to provide field de-rotation. Currently in our preliminary design stage our efforts have included: prototyping of the probe arm to determine the accuracy of this critical component, handling cart design and reviewing different types of glass for the atmospheric dispersion.

Wartime Requirements for Ammunition Materiel and Personnel (WARRAMP). Volume I. Materiel Postprocessor User’s Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

ZONE IV ZONE V FEBA DIVISION DIVISION CORPS COMZ COMBAT SUPPORT SUPPORT 0.1 Km i4lKm 6-30Km 30-50’(m 50 +Km Figure 1.4.3 WARF Matrix MDA .) Z. -3 Z 7...publication date, the Combat Support Units (i.e., AG Company, TMT Company, Combat Engineer Company, etc.) will not be arrayed in the COSAGE stylized units...TmE "Y)(" POWTIPTVd OF TmT 3:4n𔃿 ELE’Er4T %AmE MUST bF ChE~ifE 0 TO ’AfFLICT THE1 APPD,PFIAT.. 33:. PT POSTuRE I!L. AT. D_, [t JP ’LI. 34 :.ASC ,T p

Resolved spectroscopy of adolescent and infant galaxies (1 < z < 10)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Shelley; IRIS Science Team

2014-07-01

The combination of integral field spectroscopy (IFS) and adaptive optics (AO) on TMT will be revolutionary in studying the distant universe. The high angular resolution exploited by an AO system with this large aperture will be essential for studying high-redshift (1 < z < 5) galaxies' kinematics and chemical abundance histories. At even greater distances, TMT will be essential for conducting follow-up spectroscopy of Ly-alpha emission from first lights galaxies (6 < z < 10) and determining their kinematics and morphologies. I will present simulations and sensitivity calculations for high-z and first light galaxies using the diffraction-limited instrument IRIS coupled with NFIRAOS. I will put these simulations in context with current IFS+AO high-z observations and future capabilities with JWST.

Structure-property relationships in thermomechanically treated beryllia dispersed nickel alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grewal, M. S.; Sastri, S. A.; Grant, N. J.

1975-01-01

BeO dispersed nickel alloys, produced by powder metallurgy techniques, were studied extensively in stress rupture at 815, 982, and 1093 C (1088, 1255, and 1366 K) and by transmission electron microscopy. The alloys were subjected to a variety of thermomechanical treatments (TMT) to determine the benefits of TMT on properties. It is shown that the use of intermediate annealing treatments after 10 pct reduction steps is highly beneficial on both low and high temperature properties. It is indicated that the high temperature strength is not primarily dependent on the grain aspect ratio or texture but depends strongly on the dislocation density and distribution of dislocations in a stable substructure which is pinned by the fine oxide dispersion.

Efficacy of Acupuncture Therapy for Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Tong, Taishan; Pei, Chunqin; Chen, Jun; Lv, Qing; Zhang, Fuquan; Cheng, Zaohuo

2018-05-08

BACKGROUND Chemotherapy can cause adverse effects such as chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). In this prospective study, the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture therapy in relieving CRCI and its impact on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group with 40 patients in each group. The treatment group was treated at the following acupuncture points: Baihui (DU20), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Shenting (DU24), Zusanli (ST36), Taixi (K13), Dazhong (K14), and Juegu (GB39). Cognitive function was assessed using the functional assessment of cancer treatment cognition test (FACT-COG, version 3), the auditory-verbal learning test (AVLT), the verbal fluency test (VFT), the symbol digit modality test (SDMT), the clock-drawing test (CDT), and the trail-making test part B (TMT-B). In addition, blood serum levels of BDNF were measured before and after treatment. Correlations between change in BDNF levels and cognitive function were also analyzed. RESULTS CRCI was ameliorated in the acupuncture treatment group, with scores on FACT-COG, AVLT-recognition and CDT assessments all significantly increased (P<0.05 in all cases). In addition, serum BDNF levels after acupuncture treatment were significantly higher than before treatment ([i]t[/i]=3.242, [i]P[/i]<0.01). Moreover, the level of BDNF was positively correlated with the total score of FACT-COG, AVLT-recognition, and CDT ([i]r[/i]=0.694, 0.628, and 0.532, respectively; all P<0.05). The control group showed no statistically significant difference in any measures over the same period. CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture therapy is effective in the treatment of CRCI in breast cancer patients through a mechanism that may be related to an increase of BDNF.

Similarities and differences among Internet gaming disorder, gambling disorder and alcohol use disorder: A focus on impulsivity and compulsivity

PubMed Central

CHOI, SAM-WOOK; KIM, HYUN SOO; KIM, GA-YOUNG; JEON, YEONGJU; PARK, SU MI; LEE, JUN-YOUNG; JUNG, HEE YEON; SOHN, BO KYOUNG; CHOI, JUNG-SEOK; KIM, DAI-JIN

2014-01-01

Background and aims: The aim of the present study was to test the impulsivities and compulsivities of behavioral addictions, including Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and gambling disorder (GD), by directly comparing them with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and a healthy control (HC) group. Methods: We enrolled male patients who were diagnosed with IGD, GD or AUD, with 15 patients per group, as well as 15 HCs. Trait impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). The stop-signal test (SST) from the Cambridge Neuro-psychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was used to assess the patients’ abilities to inhibit prepotent responses. Compulsivity was measured using the intra–extra dimensional set shift (IED) test from the CANTAB. The Trail Making Test (TMT) was also used in this study. Results: The IGD and AUD groups scored significantly higher on the BIS-11 as a whole than did the HC group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). The IGD and AUD groups also scored significantly higher on the BIS-11 as a whole than did the GD group (p = 0.006 and p = 0.001, respectively). In addition, the GD group made significantly more errors (p = 0.017 and p = 0.022, respectively) and more individuals failed to achieve criterion on the IED test compared with the IGD and HC groups (p = 0.018 and p = 0.017, respectively). Discussion: These findings may aid in the understanding of not only the differences in categorical aspects between individuals with IGD and GD but also in impulsivity–compulsivity dimensional domains. Conclusion: Additional studies are needed to elucidate the neurocognitive characteristics of behavioral addictive disorders in terms of impulsivity and compulsivity. PMID:25592310

Neuropsychological dysfunction in patients suffering from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PubMed Central

Crews, W. David; Jefferson, Angela L.; Bolduc, Tara; Elliott, Jennifer B.; Ferro, Nikola M.; Broshek, Donna K.; Barth, Jeffrey T.; Robbins, Mark K.

2009-01-01

Few studies have examined the neuropsychological sequelae associated with end-stage pulmonary disease. Neuropsychological data are presented for 47 patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were being evaluated as potential candidates for lung transplantation. Although patients exhibited a diversity of neurocognitive deficits, their highest frequencies of impairment were found on the Selective Reminding Test (SRT). Specifically, over 50% of the patients completing the SRT exhibited impaired immediate free recall and consistent long-term retrieval deficits, while more than 44% of these individuals displayed deficient long-term retrieval. Deficient SRT long-term storage strategies, cued recall, and delayed recall were exhibited by between 26% and 35% of these patients, while more than 32% of this sample displayed elevated numbers of intrusion errors. Over 31% of the patients completing the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) failed to achieve the expected number of categories on this measure, while more than 23% of these individuals demonstrated elevated numbers of perseverative errors and total errors. Clinically notable frequencies of impairment (greater than 20% of the sample) were also found on the Trail Making Test (TMT): Part B and the Wechsler Memory Scale-R (WMS-R) Visual Reproduction II subtest. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) personality assessments indicated that patients were experiencing a diversity of somatic complaints and that they may have been functioning at a reduced level of efficiency. These findings are discussed in light of patients’ end-stage COPD and factors possibly contributing to their neuropsychological test performances. Implications for clinical practice and future research are also included. PMID:14589783

Effect of acute alarm odor exposure and biological sex on generalized avoidance and glutamatergic signaling in the hippocampus of Wistar rats.

PubMed

Homiack, Damek; O'Cinneide, Emma; Hajmurad, Sema; Dohanich, Gary P; Schrader, Laura A

2018-06-19

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by the development of paradoxical memory disturbances including intrusive memories and amnesia for specific details of the traumatic experience. Despite evidence that women are at higher risk to develop PTSD, most animal research has focused on the processes by which male rodents develop adaptive fear memory. As such, the mechanisms contributing to sex differences in the development of PTSD-like memory disturbances are poorly understood. In this investigation, we exposed adult male and female Wistar rats to the synthetic alarm odor 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole (TMT) to assess development of generalized fear behavior and rapid modulation of glutamate uptake and signaling cascades associated with hippocampus-dependent long-term memory. We report that female Wistar rats exposed to alarm odor exhibit context discrimination impairments relative to TMT-exposed male rats, suggesting the intriguing possibility that females are at greater risk in developing generalized fear memories. Mechanistically, alarm odor exposure rapidly modulated signaling cascades consistent with activation of the CREB shut-off cascade in the male, but not the female hippocampus. Moreover, TMT exposure dampened glutamate uptake and affected expression of the glutamate transporter, GLT-1 in the hippocampus. Taken together, these results provide evidence for rapid sex-dependent modulation of CREB signaling in the hippocampus by alarm odor exposure which may contribute to the development of generalized fear.

Analysis of Reproducibility of Proteome Coverage and Quantitation Using Isobaric Mass Tags (iTRAQ and TMT).

PubMed

Casey, Tammy M; Khan, Javed M; Bringans, Scott D; Koudelka, Tomas; Takle, Pari S; Downs, Rachael A; Livk, Andreja; Syme, Robert A; Tan, Kar-Chun; Lipscombe, Richard J

2017-02-03

This study aimed to compare the depth and reproducibility of total proteome and differentially expressed protein coverage in technical duplicates and triplicates using iTRAQ 4-plex, iTRAQ 8-plex, and TMT 6-plex reagents. The analysis was undertaken because comprehensive comparisons of isobaric mass tag reproducibility have not been widely reported in the literature. The highest number of proteins was identified with 4-plex, followed by 8-plex and then 6-plex reagents. Quantitative analyses revealed that more differentially expressed proteins were identified with 4-plex reagents than 8-plex reagents and 6-plex reagents. Replicate reproducibility was determined to be ≥69% for technical duplicates and ≥57% for technical triplicates. The results indicate that running an 8-plex or 6-plex experiment instead of a 4-plex experiment resulted in 26 or 39% fewer protein identifications, respectively. When 4-plex spectra were searched with three software tools-ProteinPilot, Mascot, and Proteome Discoverer-the highest number of protein identifications were obtained with Mascot. The analysis of negative controls demonstrated the importance of running experiments as replicates. Overall, this study demonstrates the advantages of using iTRAQ 4-plex reagents over iTRAQ 8-plex and TMT 6-plex reagents, provides estimates of technical duplicate and triplicate reproducibility, and emphasizes the value of running replicate samples.

Imaging Transitional Disks with TMT: Lessons Learned from the SEEDS Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grady, Carol A.; Fukagawa, M.; Muto, T.; Hashimoto, J.

2014-01-01

TMT studies of the early phases of giant planet formation will build on studies carried out in this decade using 8-meter class telescopes. One such study is the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru transitional disk survey. We have found a wealth of indirect signatures of giant planet presence, including spiral arms, pericenter offsets of the outer disk from the star, and changes in disk color at the inner edge of the outer disk in intermediate-mass PMS star disks. T Tauri star transitional disks are less flamboyant, but are also dynamically colder: any spiral arms in these diskswill be more tightly wound. Imaging such features at the distance of the nearest star-forming regions requires higher angular resolution than achieved with HiCIAO+ AO188. Imaging such disks with extreme AO systems requires use of laser guide stars, and are infeasible with the extreme AO systems currently commissioning on 8-meter class telescopes. Similarly, the JWST and AFTAWFIRST coronagraphs being considered have inner working angles 0.2, and will occult the inner 28 atomic units of systems at d140pc, a region where both high-contrast imagery and ALMA data indicate that giant planets are located in transitional disks. However, studies of transitional disks associated with solar-mass stars and their planet complement are feasible with TMT using NFIRAOS.

The effect of cognitive-motor dual-task training on cognitive function and plasma amyloid β peptide 42/40 ratio in healthy elderly persons: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Hisayo; Okazaki, Kazunobu; Imai, Daiki; Yamashina, Yoshihiro; Takeda, Ryosuke; Naghavi, Nooshin; Ota, Akemi; Hirasawa, Yoshikazu; Miyagawa, Toshiaki

2015-05-28

Physical activity reduces the incidence and progression of cognitive impairment. Cognitive-motor dual-task training, which requires dividing attention between cognitive tasks and exercise, may improve various cognitive domains; therefore, we examined the effect of dual-task training on the executive functions and on plasma amyloid β peptide (Aβ) 42/40 ratio, a potent biomarker of Alzheimer's disease, in healthy elderly people. Twenty-seven sedentary elderly people participated in a 12-week randomized, controlled trial. The subjects assigned to the dual-task training (DT) group underwent a specific cognitive-motor dual-task training, and then the clinical outcomes, including cognitive functions by the Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) examination and the Trail-Making Test (TMT), and the plasma Aβ 42/40 ratio following the intervention were compared with those of the control single-task training (ST) group by unpaired t-test. Among 27 participants, 25 completed the study. The total scores in the 3MS examination as well as the muscular strength of quadriceps were equally improved in both groups after the training. The specific cognitive domains, "registration & recall", "attention", "verbal fluency & understanding", and "visuospatial skills" were significantly improved only in the DT group. Higher scores in "attention", "verbal fluency & understanding", and "similarities" were found in the DT group than in the ST group at post-intervention. The absolute changes in the total (8.5 ± 1.6 vs 2.4 ± 0.9, p = 0.004, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.75-3.39) and in the scores of "attention" (1.9 ± 0.5 vs -0.2 ± 0.4, p = 0.004, 95 % CI 2.25-9.98) were greater in the DT group than in the ST group. We found no changes in the TMT results in either group. Plasma Aβ 42/40 ratio decreased in both groups following the training (ST group: 0.63 ± 0.13 to 0.16 ± 0.03, p = 0.001; DT group: 0.60 ± 0.12 to 0.25 ± 0.06, p = 0.044), although the pre- and post-intervention values were not different between the groups for either measure. Cognitive-motor dual-task training was more beneficial than single-task training alone in improving broader domains of cognitive functions of elderly persons, and the improvement was not directly due to modulating Aβ metabolism.

Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study--a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mastroiacovo, Daniela; Kwik-Uribe, Catherine; Grassi, Davide; Necozione, Stefano; Raffaele, Angelo; Pistacchio, Luana; Righetti, Roberta; Bocale, Raffaella; Lechiara, Maria Carmela; Marini, Carmine; Ferri, Claudio; Desideri, Giovambattista

2015-03-01

Recent evidence has indicated that flavanol consumption may have many health benefits in humans, including improved cognitive activities. The aim was to evaluate the effect of flavanol consumption on cognitive performance in cognitively intact elderly subjects. This was a double-blind, controlled, parallel-arm study conducted in 90 elderly individuals without clinical evidence of cognitive dysfunction who were randomly assigned to consume daily for 8 wk a drink containing 993 mg [high flavanol (HF)], 520 mg [intermediate flavanol (IF)], or 48 mg [low flavanol (LF)] cocoa flavanols (CFs). Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and after 8 wk by using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B, and the Verbal Fluency Test (VFT). The changes in MMSE score in response to the 3 different treatments were not different. In contrast, there was a positive impact of the intervention on specific aspects of cognitive function. Mean changes (±SEs) in the time required to complete the TMT A and B after consumption of the HF (-8.6 ± 0.4 and -16.5 ± 0.8 s, respectively) and IF (-6.7 ± 0.5 and -14.2 ± 0.5 s, respectively) drinks significantly (P < 0.0001) differed from that after consumption of the LF drinks (-0.8 ± 1.6 and -1.1 ± 0.7 s, respectively). Similarly, VFT scores significantly improved among all treatment groups, but the magnitude of improvement in the VFT score was significantly (P < 0.0001) greater in the HF group (7.7 ± 1.1 words/60 s) than in the IF (3.6 ± 1.2 words/60 s) and LF (1.3 ± 0.5 words/60 s) groups. Significantly different improvements in insulin resistance (P < 0.0001), blood pressure (P < 0.0001), and lipid peroxidation (P = 0.001) were also observed for the HF and IF groups in comparison with the LF group. Changes in insulin resistance explained ∼17% of changes in composite z score (partial r² = 0.1703, P < 0.0001). This dietary intervention study provides evidence that regular CF consumption can reduce some measures of age-related cognitive dysfunction, possibly through an improvement in insulin sensitivity. These data suggest that the habitual intake of flavanols can support healthy cognitive function with age. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Fear of self-annihilation and existential uncertainty as predictors of worldview defense: Comparing terror management and uncertainty theories.

PubMed

Rubin, Mark

2018-01-01

Terror management theory (TMT) proposes that thoughts of death trigger a concern about self-annihilation that motivates the defense of cultural worldviews. In contrast, uncertainty theorists propose that thoughts of death trigger feelings of uncertainty that motivate worldview defense. University students (N = 414) completed measures of the chronic fear of self-annihilation and existential uncertainty as well as the need for closure. They then evaluated either a meaning threat stimulus or a control stimulus. Consistent with TMT, participants with a high fear of self-annihilation and a high need for closure showed the greatest dislike of the meaning threat stimulus, even after controlling for their existential uncertainty. Contrary to the uncertainty perspective, fear of existential uncertainty showed no significant effects.

Simple resection arthroplasty for treatment of 4th and 5th tarsometatarsal joint problems. A technical tip and a small case series.

PubMed

Koenis, M J J; Louwerens, J W K

2015-03-01

Osteoarthritis, primary or secondary, of the fourth and/or fifth tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint is a rare condition. When conservative treatment fails or proves to be unacceptable for the patient, operative treatment is an option. In this article the technique of resection arthroplasty is described and a retrospective case series of 6 patients is presented. Three patients underwent tendon interposition arthroplasty after resection of the two joints and in the last three cases no interposition at all was performed. Results suggest that resection arthroplasty without interposition may be as effective as other operative treatment options for patients with fourth and fifth TMT pathology. Copyright © 2014 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Giant Magellan Telescope

Science.gov Websites

collaborate with the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) to articulate a community based science program for presentation to the next Decadal Survey of Astronomy and

Planet Formation Instrument for the Thirty Meter Telescope

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

Macintosh, B; Troy, M; Graham, J

2006-02-22

In the closing years of the 20th Century humankind began its exploration of the planetary systems in the solar neighborhood. Precision radial velocity measurements have now yielded the discovery of over 160 planets. Direct imaging of these planets, as opposed to detection of the effects of orbital motion on their parent star, is now feasible, and the first young planet in a wide orbit may have been detected using adaptive optics systems. Gemini and the VLT are building the first generation of high contrast adaptive optics systems, which deliver planet-imaging performance within few Airy rings of the host star. Thesemore » systems will make the first surveys of the outer regions of solar systems by detecting the self-luminous radiation of young planets. These instruments will establish whether Jovian planets form predominantly through 'top-down' (global gravitational instability) or 'bottom-up' (core accretion) processes. The 8-m 'extreme' AO systems cannot see close enough to the host stars to image Doppler planets, and they cannot reach the relatively distant, young clusters and associations where planets are forming. The Planet Formation Instrument will use the nearly four-fold improved angular resolution of TMT to peer into the inner solar systems of Doppler-planet bearing stars to yield a unified sample of planets with known Keplerian orbital elements and atmospheric properties. In star formation regions, where T Tauri stars (young solar type stars) are found in abundance, PFI can see into the snow line, where the icy cores of planets like Jupiter must have formed. Thus, TMT will be the first facility to witness the formation of new planets.« less

Quantitative proteomic studies in resistance mechanisms of Eimeria tenella against polyether ionophores.

PubMed

Thabet, Ahmed; Honscha, Walther; Daugschies, Arwid; Bangoura, Berit

2017-05-01

Polyether ionophores are widely used to treat and control coccidiosis in chickens. Widespread use of anticoccidials resulted in worldwide resistance. Mechanisms of resistance development and expansion are complex and poorly understood. Relative proteomic quantification using LC-MS/MS was used to compare sensitive reference strains (Ref-1, Ref-2) with putatively resistant and moderately sensitive field strains (FS-R, FS-mS) of Eimeria tenella after isotopic labelling with tandem mass tags (TMT). Ninety-seven proteins were identified, and 25 of them were regulated. Actin was significantly upregulated in resistant strains in comparison with their sensitive counterparts. On the other hand, microneme protein (MIC4) was downregulated in resistant strains. Optimization of labelling E. tenella sporozoites by TMT might identify further proteins that play a role in the obvious complex mechanism leading to resistance against Monensin.

Destined to die but not to wage war: how existential threat can contribute to escalation or de-escalation of violent intergroup conflict.

PubMed

Jonas, Eva; Fritsche, Immo

2013-10-01

War means threat to people's lives. Research derived from terror management theory (TMT) illustrates that the awareness of death leads people to defend cultural ingroups and their worldviews to attain a sense of symbolic immortality and thereby buffer existential anxiety. This can result in hostile effects of mortality salience (MS), such as derogation of outgroup members, prejudice, stereotyping, aggression, and racism, which, in turn, can lead to the escalation of violent intergroup conflict and, thus, the escalation of war. Yet, escalation of destructive conflict following MS is not automatic. Instead, research on TMT suggests that MS does not necessarily result in conflict and intolerance but can also foster positive tendencies, such as intergroup fairness or approval of pacifism, depending on how existential threat is perceived, whether the need for symbolic self-transcendence is satisfied, which social norms are salient, and how social situations are interpreted. In the present article, we review current TMT research with the aim of reconciling the seemingly contradictory findings of hostile and peaceful reactions to reminders of death. We present a terror management model of escalation and de-escalation of violent intergroup conflicts, which takes into account the interaction between threat salience and features of the social situation. We also discuss possible intervention strategies to override detrimental consequences of existential threat and argue that war is not the inevitable consequence of threat. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved

MilQuant: a free, generic software tool for isobaric tagging-based quantitation.

PubMed

Zou, Xiao; Zhao, Minzhi; Shen, Hongyan; Zhao, Xuyang; Tong, Yuanpeng; Wang, Qingsong; Wei, Shicheng; Ji, Jianguo

2012-09-18

Isobaric tagging techniques such as iTRAQ and TMT are widely used in quantitative proteomics and especially useful for samples that demand in vitro labeling. Due to diversity in choices of MS acquisition approaches, identification algorithms, and relative abundance deduction strategies, researchers are faced with a plethora of possibilities when it comes to data analysis. However, the lack of generic and flexible software tool often makes it cumbersome for researchers to perform the analysis entirely as desired. In this paper, we present MilQuant, mzXML-based isobaric labeling quantitator, a pipeline of freely available programs that supports native acquisition files produced by all mass spectrometer types and collection approaches currently used in isobaric tagging based MS data collection. Moreover, aside from effective normalization and abundance ratio deduction algorithms, MilQuant exports various intermediate results along each step of the pipeline, making it easy for researchers to customize the analysis. The functionality of MilQuant was demonstrated by four distinct datasets from different laboratories. The compatibility and extendibility of MilQuant makes it a generic and flexible tool that can serve as a full solution to data analysis of isobaric tagging-based quantitation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved physical fitness correlates with improved cognition in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Beier, Meghan; Bombardier, Charles H; Hartoonian, Narineh; Motl, Robert W; Kraft, George H

2014-07-01

To determine whether there is an association between improvements in objective measures of physical fitness and performance on cognitive tests in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Post hoc correlational analysis in which people demonstrating physical improvement were compared with those not demonstrating physical improvement. Individuals with MS residing in the community. Adults with clinically confirmed MS (N=88) who participated in a controlled trial of a telephone-based health promotion intervention, chose to work on exercise, and completed the pre- and postintervention assessments. Participants were measured for strength (isokinetic dynamometer), aerobic fitness (bicycle ergometer), and cognition (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test [PASAT], Trail Making Test [TMT]) at baseline and 12 weeks later. Change in fitness was calculated by subtracting each participant's baseline score from the outcome score, and then transforming the difference to a z score. Individuals with a z score ≥1 on any fitness measure were placed in the physically improved group (n=25). All others were in the physically not improved group (n=57). After controlling for covariates (age, sex, ethnicity, education, disease activity, MS type), there was a significant group-by-time interaction, suggesting that cognitive functioning changed over time based on level of fitness. Participants in the physically improved group demonstrated improved performance on measures of executive functioning after 12 weeks of exercise. The results of this study lend support to the hypothesis that change in fitness is associated with improved executive functioning in people with MS. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The application of pentaprism scanning technology on the manufacturing of M3MP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Erhui; Hu, Haixiang; Hu, Haifei; Cole, Glen; Luo, Xiao; Ford, Virginia; Zhang, Xuejun

2016-10-01

The PSS (pentaprism scanning system) has advantages of simple structure, needless of reference flat, be able of on-site testing, etc, it plays an important role in large flat reflective mirror's manufacturing, especially the high accuracy testing of low order aberrations. The PSS system measures directly the slope information of the tested flat surface. Aimed at the unique requirement of M3MP, which is the prototype mirror of the tertiary mirror in TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope) project, this paper analyzed the slope distribution of low order aberrations, power and astigmatism, which is very important in the manufacturing process of M3MP. Then the sample route lines of PSS are reorganized and new data process algorism is implemented. All this work is done to improve PSS's measure sensitivity of power and astigmatism, for guiding the manufacturing process of M3MP.

Normalized Point Source Sensitivity for Off-Axis Optical Performance Evaluation of the Thirty Meter Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seo, Byoung-Joon; Nissly, Carl; Troy, Mitchell; Angeli, George

2010-01-01

The Normalized Point Source Sensitivity (PSSN) has previously been defined and analyzed as an On-Axis seeing-limited telescope performance metric. In this paper, we expand the scope of the PSSN definition to include Off-Axis field of view (FoV) points and apply this generalized metric for performance evaluation of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). We first propose various possible choices for the PSSN definition and select one as our baseline. We show that our baseline metric has useful properties including the multiplicative feature even when considering Off-Axis FoV points, which has proven to be useful for optimizing the telescope error budget. Various TMT optical errors are considered for the performance evaluation including segment alignment and phasing, segment surface figures, temperature, and gravity, whose On-Axis PSSN values have previously been published by our group.

Analysis and correction for measurement error of edge sensors caused by deformation of guide flexure applied in the Thirty Meter Telescope SSA.

PubMed

Cao, Haifeng; Zhang, Jingxu; Yang, Fei; An, Qichang; Zhao, Hongchao; Guo, Peng

2018-05-01

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project will design and build a 30-m-diameter telescope for research in astronomy in visible and infrared wavelengths. The primary mirror of TMT is made up of 492 hexagonal mirror segments under active control. The highly segmented primary mirror will utilize edge sensors to align and stabilize the relative piston, tip, and tilt degrees of segments. The support system assembly (SSA) of the segmented mirror utilizes a guide flexure to decouple the axial support and lateral support, while its deformation will cause measurement error of the edge sensor. We have analyzed the theoretical relationship between the segment movement and the measurement value of the edge sensor. Further, we have proposed an error correction method with a matrix. The correction process and the simulation results of the edge sensor will be described in this paper.

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control - Task 5 Full-Scale Test Results

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

Gary Blythe; MariJon Owens

2007-12-01

This Topical Report summarizes progress on Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, 'Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive'. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the use of two flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additives, Evonik Degussa Corporation's TMT-15 and Nalco Company's Nalco 8034, to prevent the re-emission of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project intends to demonstrate whether the additive can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine salt that can be separated from the FGD liquor and bulkmore » solid byproducts for separate disposal. The project is conducting pilot- and full-scale tests of the additives in wet FGD absorbers. The tests are intended to determine required additive dosages to prevent Hg{sup 0} re-emissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Powder River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, Luminant Power (was TXU Generation Company LP), Southern Company, IPL (an AES company), Evonik Degussa Corporation and the Nalco Company. Luminant Power has provided the Texas lignite/PRB co-fired test site for pilot FGD tests and cost sharing. Southern Company has provided the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, as well as the pilot- and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems tested. IPL provided the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site and cost sharing. Evonik Degussa Corporation is providing the TMT-15 additive, and the Nalco Company is providing the Nalco 8034 additive. Both companies are also supplying technical support to the test program as in-kind cost sharing. The project is being conducted in six tasks. Of the six project tasks, Task 1 involves project planning and Task 6 involves management and reporting. The other four tasks involve field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. The four tasks include: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High-sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Plant Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. The pilot-scale tests and the full-scale test using high-sulfur coal were completed in 2005 and 2006 and have been previously reported. This topical report presents the results from the Task 5 full-scale additive tests, conducted at Southern Company's Plant Yates Unit 1. Both additives were tested there.« less

Lack of NF-kappaB p50 exacerbates degeneration of hippocampal neurons after chemical exposure and impairs learning.

PubMed

Kassed, C A; Willing, A E; Garbuzova-Davis, S; Sanberg, P R; Pennypacker, K R

2002-08-01

The roles of activated NF-kappaB subunits in the CNS remain to be discerned. Members of this family of transcription factors are essential to diverse physiological processes and can be activated by pathogens, stress, pharmacological agents, and trauma. We are particularly interested in long-term NF-kappaB activation and its involvement in neuroplastic changes in the brain resulting from acquisition of memory as well as injury. Here, we use lesioning by the limbic-specific neurotoxicant trimethyltin (TMT) as a model in which to examine activation of the NF-kappaB p50 subunit before, during, and after neuronal degeneration. Neurons in wild-type mice that survived TMT-induced injury contained activated p50 and did not label with Fluoro-Jade, a histochemical marker of degenerating neurons. Granule cells of the wild-type dentate gyrus subregion, an area particularly vulnerable to TMT-induced degeneration, contained less activated p50 protein than CA regions. We compared the extent of degeneration in wild-type and p50-null mice and found a fivefold increase in death of hippocampal neurons in mice lacking p50. The hippocampus is key to processes of learning and memory, and NF-kappaB has reported involvement in these processes. The enhanced hippocampal degeneration in p50-null mice prompted us to evaluate their basal learning abilities, and we discovered that difficulties in task acquisition were an additional consequence of p50 ablation. These results indicate that absence of p50 negatively modulates learning ability as well as hippocampal responsiveness to brain injury after a chemical-induced lesion.

Small dark energy and stable vacuum from Dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet coupling in TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guendelman, Eduardo I.; Nishino, Hitoshi; Rajpoot, Subhash

2017-04-01

In two measures theories (TMT), in addition to the Riemannian measure of integration, being the square root of the determinant of the metric, we introduce a metric-independent density Φ in four dimensions defined in terms of scalars \\varphi _a by Φ =\\varepsilon ^{μ ν ρ σ } \\varepsilon _{abcd} (partial _{μ }\\varphi _a)(partial _{ν }\\varphi _b) (partial _{ρ }\\varphi _c) (partial _{σ }\\varphi _d). With the help of a dilaton field φ we construct theories that are globally scale invariant. In particular, by introducing couplings of the dilaton φ to the Gauss-Bonnet (GB) topological density {√{-g}} φ ( R_{μ ν ρ σ }^2 - 4 R_{μ ν }^2 + R^2 ) we obtain a theory that is scale invariant up to a total divergence. Integration of the \\varphi _a field equation leads to an integration constant that breaks the global scale symmetry. We discuss the stabilizing effects of the coupling of the dilaton to the GB-topological density on the vacua with a very small cosmological constant and the resolution of the `TMT Vacuum-Manifold Problem' which exists in the zero cosmological-constant vacuum limit. This problem generically arises from an effective potential that is a perfect square, and it gives rise to a vacuum manifold instead of a unique vacuum solution in the presence of many different scalars, like the dilaton, the Higgs, etc. In the non-zero cosmological-constant case this problem disappears. Furthermore, the GB coupling to the dilaton eliminates flat directions in the effective potential, and it totally lifts the vacuum-manifold degeneracy.

Favorable versus unfavorable prognostic groups by post-chemoradiation FDG-PET imaging in node-positive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy.

PubMed

Yap, Wing-Keen; Chang, Yu-Chuan; Hsieh, Chia-Hsun; Chao, Yin-Kai; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Shih, Ming-Chieh; Hung, Tsung-Min

2018-05-01

Our purpose was to examine the prognostic value of post-CRT PET based on the presence or absence of FDG-avid metastatic lymph node(s) and metabolic response of the primary tumor in patients with clinically node-positive ESCC treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). We identified 108 eligible patients treated by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with or without resection from our prospectively collected database. Absence of FDG-avid metastatic lymph node with at least partial response of the primary tumor on PET scan after initial CRT was defined as the Post-CRT PET favorable group (yPET-F), and otherwise as unfavorable group (yPET-U). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were performed for survival analyses and multivariable analysis, respectively. The study cohort was comprised of 59 patients receiving dCRT. Forty-five patients receiving trimodality therapy (TMT) comprised the comparative group and four patients were excluded from further analyses for developing interval distant metastasis detected on post-CRT PET scan. The median follow-up for the study cohort was 41 months. On K-M analysis of the study cohort, yPET-F was found to have significantly better OS (2-year: 72.5% vs 13.7%, p < 0.01) and DMFS (2-year: 71.6% vs 36.6%, p = 0.01) than yPET-U. In multivariable analysis, yPET-F remained as a strong independent favorable prognosticator on both OS (HR 0.08, p < 0.01) and DMFS (HR 0.14, p = 0.02) for the dCRT cohort. Compared with TMT cohort, for yPET-U patients, TMT had better OS (p = 0.03) than dCRT-Operable and dCRT-Operable had superior OS (p = 0.04) than dCRT-Unresectable. For yPET-F patients, there was no difference in both OS (p > 0.99) and DMFS (p = 0.92) between these three groups. Absence of FDG-avid metastatic lymph node with at least partial response of the primary tumor on PET scan after CRT (i.e., yPET-F status) prognosticate for excellent OS and DMFS in cN+ ESCC patients treated with dCRT, and might be comparable to TMT.

Improved n-butanol production via co-expression of membrane-targeted tilapia metallothionein and the clostridial metabolic pathway in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Chin, Wei-Chih; Lin, Kuo-Hsing; Liu, Chun-Chi; Tsuge, Kenji; Huang, Chieh-Chen

2017-04-11

N-Butanol has favorable characteristics for use as either an alternative fuel or platform chemical. Bio-based n-butanol production using microbes is an emerging technology that requires further development. Although bio-industrial microbes such as Escherichia coli have been engineered to produce n-butanol, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated toxicity may limit productivity. Previously, we show that outer-membrane-targeted tilapia metallothionein (OmpC-TMT) is more effective as an ROS scavenger than human and mouse metallothioneins to reduce oxidative stress in the host cell. The host strain (BUT1-DE) containing the clostridial n-butanol pathway displayed a decreased growth rate and limited n-butanol productivity, likely due to ROS accumulation. The clostridial n-butanol pathway was co-engineered with inducible OmpC-TMT in E. coli (BUT3-DE) for simultaneous ROS removal, and its effect on n-butanol productivity was examined. The ROS scavenging ability of cells overexpressing OmpC-TMT was examined and showed an approximately twofold increase in capacity. The modified strain improved n-butanol productivity to 320 mg/L, whereas the control strain produced only 95.1 mg/L. Transcriptomic analysis revealed three major KEGG pathways that were significantly differentially expressed in the BUT3-DE strain compared with their expression in the BUT1-DE strain, including genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, fructose and mannose metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. These results indicate that OmpC-TMT can increase n-butanol production by scavenging ROS. The transcriptomic analysis suggested that n-butanol causes quinone malfunction, resulting in oxidative-phosphorylation-related nuo operon downregulation, which would diminish the ability to convert NADH to NAD + and generate proton motive force. However, fructose and mannose metabolism-related genes (fucA, srlE and srlA) were upregulated, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis-related genes (pfkB, pgm) were downregulated, which further assisted in regulating NADH/NAD + redox and preventing additional ATP depletion. These results indicated that more NADH and ATP were required in the n-butanol synthetic pathway. Our study demonstrates a potential approach to increase the robustness of microorganisms and the production of toxic chemicals through the ability to reduce oxidative stress.

Quantitative proteome analysis using isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL).

PubMed

Arntzen, Magnus O; Koehler, Christian J; Treumann, Achim; Thiede, Bernd

2011-01-01

The quantitative comparison of proteome level changes across biological samples has become an essential feature in proteomics that remains challenging. We have recently introduced isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL), a novel strategy for isobaric quantification based on the derivatization of peptide termini with complementary isotopically labeled reagents. Unlike non-isobaric quantification methods, sample complexity at the MS level is not increased, providing improved sensitivity and protein coverage. The distinguishing feature of IPTL when comparing it to more established isobaric labeling methods (iTRAQ and TMT) is the presence of quantification signatures in all sequence-determining ions in MS/MS spectra, not only in the low mass reporter ion region. This makes IPTL a quantification method that is accessible to mass spectrometers with limited capabilities in the low mass range. Also, the presence of several quantification points in each MS/MS spectrum increases the robustness of the quantification procedure.

TRIMETHYLTIN EFFECTS ON AUDITORY FUNCTION AND COCHLEAR MORPHOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

TMT is neurotoxicant known to alter auditory function. he present study was designed to compare TNT-induced auditory dysfunction using behavioral, electrophysiological, and anatomical techniques. dult male long Evans hooded rats (n=9-l2/group) were acutely exposed to saline, 3, 5...

Cognitive and Neural Sciences Division. 1988 Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

the P.I. uses a delayed reinforcement autoshaping procedure which incorporates features of both classical and operant conditioning paradigms...Progress: The PT has completed initial dose-response study of effects of TMT on autoshaping and has submitted a paper that separates "non-specific

Calorie restriction and corticosterone elevation during lactation can each modulate adult male fear and anxiety-like behaviour.

PubMed

Govic, Antonina; Bell, Veronica; Samuel, Anil; Penman, Jim; Paolini, Antonio G

2014-09-01

Early life events, such as calorie restriction (CR) and elevated glucocorticoids, can calibrate the lifelong behavioural and physiological profile of an individual. Stress reactivity in adulthood is particularly sensitive to early life events; however, the consequence to fear and anxiety-like behaviour is less clear. Consequently, the current study sought to examine the effects of post-natal CR and glucocorticoid elevation, long considered powerful programming stimuli, on the subsequent fear and anxiety behaviour of the adult offspring. Rat dams received either corticosterone (200 μg/ml) supplementation in drinking water (CORT) or a 25% CR from post-natal day (PND) 1 to 11. Responses to the elevated plus maze (EPM), open field and a predator odour (TMT; 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline) were characterised in the adult male offspring. Both treatment conditions resulted in enhanced fear responses to TMT, characterised by heightened risk assessment and increased avoidance of TMT. CORT nursed offspring further demonstrated an anxiogenic profile in the open field. Basal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function was unchanged in CORT adult offspring, whilst corticosterone concentration was elevated by post-natal CR. CR and CORT treated dams both exhibited greater anxiety-like behaviour in the EPM. A modest and temporary enhancement of maternal care was observed in CR and CORT treated dams, with CR dams further exhibiting rapid pup retrieval latencies. The results indicate enhanced emotionality in the adult male progeny of dams exposed to CR and corticosterone supplementation during the post-natal period. The modest enhancement of maternal care observed by both treatments is unlikely to have influenced the behavioural profile of the offspring. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Trimodality strategy for treating malignant pleural mesothelioma: results of a feasibility study of induction pemetrexed plus cisplatin followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy and postoperative hemithoracic radiation (Japan Mesothelioma Interest Group 0601 Trial).

PubMed

Hasegawa, Seiki; Okada, Morihito; Tanaka, Fumihiro; Yamanaka, Takeharu; Soejima, Toshinori; Kamikonya, Norihiko; Tsujimura, Tohru; Fukuoka, Kazuya; Yokoi, Kohei; Nakano, Takashi

2016-06-01

We conducted a prospective multi-institutional study to determine the feasibility of trimodality therapy (TMT) comprising induction chemotherapy followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) and radiation therapy in Japanese patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Major eligibility criteria were histologically confirmed diagnosis of MPM, including clinical subtypes T0-3, N0-2, M0 disease; no prior treatment for the disease; age 20-75 years; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1; predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume >1000 ml in 1 s; written informed consent. Treatment methods comprised induction chemotherapy using pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2)) plus cisplatin (60 mg/m(2)) for three cycles, followed by EPP and postoperative hemithoracic radiation therapy (54 Gy). Primary endpoints were macroscopic complete resection (MCR) rate for EPP and treatment-related mortality for TMT. Forty-two eligible patients were enrolled: median age 64.5 (range 43-74) years; M:F = 39:3, clinical stage I:II:III = 14:13:15; histological type epithelioid were sarcomatoid; biphasic; others = 28:1:9:4. Of 42 patients, 30 completed EPP with MCR and 17 completed TMT. The trial met the primary endpoints, with an MCR rate of 71 % (30/42) and treatment-related mortality of 9.5 % (4/42). Overall median survival time and 2-year survival rate for 42 registered patients were 19.9 months and 42.9 %, respectively. Two-year relapse-free survival rate of 30 patients who completed EPP with MCR was 37.0 %. This phase II study met the predefined primary endpoints, but its risk/benefit ratio was not satisfactory.

An Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph (IRMS) with adaptive optics for TMT: the science case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mobasher, Bahram; Crampton, David; Simard, Luc

2010-07-01

It has been recognized that a Near-Infrared Multi-object Spectrograph (IRMS) as one of the first light instrument on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) would significantly increase the scientific capability of the observatory. The IRMS is planned to be a clone of the MOSFIRE instrument on the Keck telescope. As a result, we use the already available MOSFIRE design and expertise, significantly reducing the total cost and its development time. The IRMS will be a quasi diffraction limited multi-slit spectrograph with moderate resolution (R~4000), fed by Narrow-Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS). It images over the 2 arcmin diameter field of view of the NFIRAOS. There are a number of exceedingly important scientific questions, waiting to be addressed by the TMT/IRMS combination. Given its relatively small field of view, it is less affected by the sky background, which is a limiting factor in ground-based observations at near-IR wavelengths. The IRMS is the ideal instrument for studying spectroscopic properties of galaxies at the re-ionization epoch (z > 7), where the Lyman alpha line shifts to the near-ir wavelenghths. It can be used to measure rotation curves of spiral and velocity dispersion of elliptical galaxies at z~2-3 and hence, their spectroscopic mass. It can be used to search for population III stars via their spectroscopic signature and to perform measurement of spectroscopic lines at high redshifts, diagnostic of metallicity. Finally, IRMS allows measurement of the blue shifts in the rest-frame MgII line for high redshift galaxies, used to study the winds, leading to the feedback mechanism, responsible for quenching star formation activity in galaxies.

Lengthening osteotomy of the calcaneus and flexor digitorum longus tendon transfer in flexible flatfoot deformity improves talo-1st metatarsal-Index, clinical outcome and pedographic parameter.

PubMed

Richter, Martinus; Zech, Stefan

2013-03-01

Lengthening osteotomy of the calcaneus (LO) and flexor digitorum longus tendon (FDL) transfer to the navicular is one option for the treatment of flexible flatfoot deformity (FD). The aim of the study was to analyse the amount of correction and clinical outcome including pedographic assessment. In a prospective consecutive non-controlled clinical followup study, all patients with FD that were treated with LO and FDL from September 1st 2006 to August 31st, 2009 were included. Assessment was performed before surgery and at 2-year-followup including clinical examination (with staging of posterior tibialis insufficiency) weight bearing radiographs (Talo-1st metatarsal angles (TMT)), pedography (increased midfoot contact area and force) and Visual Analogue Scale Foot and Ankle (VAS FA). 112 feet in 102 patients were analysed (age, 57.6 (13-82), 42% male). In 12 feet (9%) wound healing delay without further surgical measures was registered. All patients achieved full weight bearing during the 7th postoperative week. Until followup, revision surgery was done in 3 patients (fusion calcaneocuboid joint (n=2), correction triple arthrodesis (n=1)). 101 feet (90%) completed 2-year-followup. TMT dorsoplantar/lateral/Index and VAS FA scores were increased, and posterior tibialis insufficiency stage, pedographic midfoot contact area and force percentage were decreased (each p<.05). All relevant parameters (stage of posterior tibialis insufficiency, TMT angles and Index, pedographic midfoot contact area and force percentage, VAS FA) were improved 2 years after LO and FDL transfer to the navicular in FD. The complication rate was low. This method allows safe and predictable correction. Copyright © 2012 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetics of Ustilago violacea. XXXII. Genetic evidence for transposable elements.

PubMed

Garber, E D; Ruddat, M

1994-12-01

Crosses between Ustilago violacea mutant strains with different color phenotypes that were derived from the 1.A1 and 2.A2 laboratory strains yielded, as expected, bisectored teliospore colonies with the parental colors as well as the a-1 and the a-2 mating-types. Generally, wild teliospore collections usually produced sporidia of both mating-types, providing two-mating-type (TMT) strains. Occasionally, however, sporidia with only one mating-type allele, a-1 or a-2, were obtained from teliospores, providing one-mating-type (OMT) strains. Crosses between OMT and laboratory strains with different color phenotypes gave (1) bisectored teliospore colonies with the parental colors or colonies with a parental color and a nonparental color and (2) nonsectored colonies with the nonparental color or with the parental color. The frequencies for the occurrence of non-parental color ranged from 41% to 93%, depending on the strain. The yield of teliospore colonies was usually reduced for these crosses. In many of these teliospore colonies, morphologically-altered sporidia (MAS phenotype) were observed. The morphology and the size of the sporidia with the MAS phenotype differed from those of teliospore colonies of the crosses between the laboratory strains. In addition, these sporidia did not form conjugants. A cross involving the TMT strains C449 yielded the MAS phenotype as well as a high incidence of tetrad colonies with a nonparental color. The high degree of instability of the parental color phenotypes, and the high frequency of the appearance of nonparental color phenotypes as well as the appearance of the MAS phenotype, are in accord with the presence of active and inactive transposable elements in the OMT strains, TMT strains, and laboratory strains.

Effects of Functional-Task Training on Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Pedroso, Renata V; Ayán, Carlos; Fraga, Francisco J; da Silva, Thays M V; Cancela, José M; Santos-Galduròz, Ruth F

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to verify the effects of functional-task training on cognitive function, activities of daily living (ADL) performance, and functional fitness in community-dwelling older adults with diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A total of 57 participants (22 functional-task training group [FTG], 21 social gathering group [SGG], 14 control group [CG]) were recruited. Participants in both intervention groups carried out three 1-hr sessions per week of a functional-task program and social gathering activities for 12 weeks. Significant improvements were observed in executive functions (TMT, t-test, p = .03) in the SGG and in upper limb strength (arm curl, t-test, p = .01) in the FTG. Functional-task training has no significant effect on cognitive function, ADL, and functional fitness among people with AD, although it may contribute to slowing down the process of deterioration this illness causes.

Preexisting depressive symptoms are associated with long-term cognitive decline in patients after cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Patron, Elisabetta; Messerotti Benvenuti, Simone; Zanatta, Paolo; Polesel, Elvio; Palomba, Daniela

2013-01-01

To examine whether preoperative psychological dysfunctions rather than intraoperative factors may differentially predict short- and long-term postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) in patients after cardiac surgery. Forty-two patients completed a psychological evaluation, including the Trail Making Test Part A and B (TMT-A/B), the memory with 10/30-s interference, the phonemic verbal fluency and the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression (CES-D) scale for cognitive functions and depressive symptoms, respectively, before surgery, at discharge and at 18-month follow-up. Ten (24%) and 11 (26%) patients showed POCD at discharge and at 18-month follow-up, respectively. The duration of cardiopulmonary bypass significantly predicted short-term POCD [odds ratio (OR)=1.04, P<.05], whereas preoperative psychological factors were unrelated to cognitive decline at discharge. Conversely, long-term cognitive decline after cardiac surgery was significantly predicted by preoperative scores in the CES-D (OR=1.26, P<.03) but not by intraoperative variables (all Ps >.23). Our findings showed that preexisting depressive symptoms rather than perioperative risk factors are associated with cognitive decline 18 months after cardiac surgery. This study suggests that a preoperative psychological evaluation of depressive symptoms is essential to anticipate which patients are likely to show long-term cognitive decline after cardiac surgery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Why do people need self-esteem? A theoretical and empirical review.

PubMed

Pyszczynski, Tom; Greenberg, Jeff; Solomon, Sheldon; Arndt, Jamie; Schimel, Jeff

2004-05-01

Terror management theory (TMT; J. Greenberg, T. Pyszczynski, & S. Solomon, 1986) posits that people are motivated to pursue positive self-evaluations because self-esteem provides a buffer against the omnipresent potential for anxiety engendered by the uniquely human awareness of mortality. Empirical evidence relevant to the theory is reviewed showing that high levels of self-esteem reduce anxiety and anxiety-related defensive behavior, reminders of one's mortality increase self-esteem striving and defense of self-esteem against threats in a variety of domains, high levels of self-esteem eliminate the effect of reminders of mortality on both self-esteem striving and the accessibility of death-related thoughts, and convincing people of the existence of an afterlife eliminates the effect of mortality salience on self-esteem striving. TMT is compared with other explanations for why people need self-esteem, and a critique of the most prominent of these, sociometer theory, is provided. ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

Systematic Comparison of Label-Free, Metabolic Labeling, and Isobaric Chemical Labeling for Quantitative Proteomics on LTQ Orbitrap Velos

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

Li, Zhou; Adams, Rachel M; Chourey, Karuna

2012-01-01

A variety of quantitative proteomics methods have been developed, including label-free, metabolic labeling, and isobaric chemical labeling using iTRAQ or TMT. Here, these methods were compared in terms of the depth of proteome coverage, quantification accuracy, precision, and reproducibility using a high-performance hybrid mass spectrometer, LTQ Orbitrap Velos. Our results show that (1) the spectral counting method provides the deepest proteome coverage for identification, but its quantification performance is worse than labeling-based approaches, especially the quantification reproducibility; (2) metabolic labeling and isobaric chemical labeling are capable of accurate, precise, and reproducible quantification and provide deep proteome coverage for quantification. Isobaricmore » chemical labeling surpasses metabolic labeling in terms of quantification precision and reproducibility; (3) iTRAQ and TMT perform similarly in all aspects compared in the current study using a CID-HCD dual scan configuration. Based on the unique advantages of each method, we provide guidance for selection of the appropriate method for a quantitative proteomics study.« less

The infrared imaging spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: latest science cases and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Shelley A.; Walth, Gregory; Do, Tuan; Marshall, Daniel; Larkin, James E.; Moore, Anna M.; Adamkovics, Mate; Andersen, David; Armus, Lee; Barth, Aaron; Cote, Patrick; Cooke, Jeff; Chisholm, Eric M.; Davidge, Timothy; Dunn, Jennifer S.; Dumas, Christophe; Ellerbroek, Brent L.; Ghez, Andrea M.; Hao, Lei; Hayano, Yutaka; Liu, Michael; Lopez-Rodriguez, Enrique; Lu, Jessica R.; Mao, Shude; Marois, Christian; Pandey, Shashi B.; Phillips, Andrew C.; Schoeck, Matthias; Subramaniam, Annapurni; Subramanian, Smitha; Suzuki, Ryuji; Tan, Jonathan C.; Terai, Tsuyoshi; Treu, Tommaso; Simard, Luc; Weiss, Jason L.; Wincentsen, James; Wong, Michael; Zhang, Kai

2016-07-01

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) first light instrument IRIS (Infrared Imaging Spectrograph) will complete its preliminary design phase in 2016. The IRIS instrument design includes a near-infrared (0.85 - 2.4 micron) integral field spectrograph (IFS) and imager that are able to conduct simultaneous diffraction-limited observations behind the advanced adaptive optics system NFIRAOS. The IRIS science cases have continued to be developed and new science studies have been investigated to aid in technical performance and design requirements. In this development phase, the IRIS science team has paid particular attention to the selection of filters, gratings, sensitivities of the entire system, and science cases that will benefit from the parallel mode of the IFS and imaging camera. We present new science cases for IRIS using the latest end-to-end data simulator on the following topics: Solar System bodies, the Galactic center, active galactic nuclei (AGN), and distant gravitationally-lensed galaxies. We then briefly discuss the necessity of an advanced data management system and data reduction pipeline.

Improvement of Quantitative Measurements in Multiplex Proteomics Using High-Field Asymmetric Waveform Spectrometry.

PubMed

Pfammatter, Sibylle; Bonneil, Eric; Thibault, Pierre

2016-12-02

Quantitative proteomics using isobaric reagent tandem mass tags (TMT) or isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) provides a convenient approach to compare changes in protein abundance across multiple samples. However, the analysis of complex protein digests by isobaric labeling can be undermined by the relative large proportion of co-selected peptide ions that lead to distorted reporter ion ratios and affect the accuracy and precision of quantitative measurements. Here, we investigated the use of high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) in proteomic experiments to reduce sample complexity and improve protein quantification using TMT isobaric labeling. LC-FAIMS-MS/MS analyses of human and yeast protein digests led to significant reductions in interfering ions, which increased the number of quantifiable peptides by up to 68% while significantly improving the accuracy of abundance measurements compared to that with conventional LC-MS/MS. The improvement in quantitative measurements using FAIMS is further demonstrated for the temporal profiling of protein abundance of HEK293 cells following heat shock treatment.

Creating system engineering products with executable models in a model-based engineering environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karban, Robert; Dekens, Frank G.; Herzig, Sebastian; Elaasar, Maged; Jankevičius, Nerijus

2016-08-01

Applying systems engineering across the life-cycle results in a number of products built from interdependent sources of information using different kinds of system level analysis. This paper focuses on leveraging the Executable System Engineering Method (ESEM) [1] [2], which automates requirements verification (e.g. power and mass budget margins and duration analysis of operational modes) using executable SysML [3] models. The particular value proposition is to integrate requirements, and executable behavior and performance models for certain types of system level analysis. The models are created with modeling patterns that involve structural, behavioral and parametric diagrams, and are managed by an open source Model Based Engineering Environment (named OpenMBEE [4]). This paper demonstrates how the ESEM is applied in conjunction with OpenMBEE to create key engineering products (e.g. operational concept document) for the Alignment and Phasing System (APS) within the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project [5], which is under development by the TMT International Observatory (TIO) [5].

77 FR 43604 - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Notice of Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-25

... Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); the Transformational Medical Technologies (TMT); and Biomedical Advanced Research and... for drugs; 21 CFR 601.90 for biological products). The goals of this workshop are to highlight the...

Why Do People Need Self-Esteem? A Theoretical and Empirical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyszczynsi, Tom; Greenberg, Jeff; Solomon, Sheldon; Arndt, Jamie; Schimel, Jeff

2004-01-01

Terror management theory (TMT; J. Greenberg, T. Pyszczynski, & S. Solomon, 1986) posits that people are motivated to pursue positive self-evaluations because self-esteem provides a buffer against the omnipresent potential for anxiety engendered by the uniquely human awareness of mortality. Empirical evidence relevant to the theory is reviewed…

Grating exchange system of independent mirror supported by floating rotary stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jianhuan; Tao, Jin; Liu, Yan; Nan, Yan

2015-10-01

The performance of The Grating Exchange System can satisfy the Thirty Meter Telescope - TMT for astronomical observation WFOS index requirements and satisfy the requirement of accuracy in the grating exchange. It is used to install in the MOBIE and a key device of MOBIE. The Wide Field Optical Spectrograph (WFOS) is one of the three first-light observing capabilities selected by the TMT Science Advisory Committee. The Multi-Object Broadband Imaging Echellette (MOBIE) instrument design concept has been developed to address the WFOS requirements as described in the TMT Science-Based Requirements Document (SRD). The Grating Exchange System uses a new type of separate movement way of three grating devices and a mirror device. Three grating devices with a mirror are able to achieve independence movement. This kind of grating exchange system can effectively solve the problem that the volume of the grating change system is too large and that the installed space of MOBIE instruments is too limit. This system adopts the good stability, high precision of rotary stage - a kind of using air bearing (Air bearing is famous for its ultra-high precision, and can meet the optical accuracy requirement) and rotation positioning feedback gauge turntable to support grating device. And with a kind of device which can carry greater weight bracket fixed on the MOBIE instrument, with two sets of servo motor control rotary stage and the mirror device respectively. And we use the control program to realize the need of exercising of the grating device and the mirror device. Using the stress strain analysis software--SolidWorks for stress and strain analysis of this structure. And then checking the structure of the rationality and feasibility. And prove that this system can realize the positioning precision under different working conditions can meet the requirements of imaging optical grating diffraction efficiency and error by the calculation and optical performance analysis.

Thin film deposition of conducting tin oxide from TMT in a low pressure glow discharge diode reactor

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

Farber, Y.; Arefi, F.; Amouroux, J.

1993-12-31

This work concerns the study of the deposition mechanisms of tin oxide and its characterization from a mixture of Ar + TMT + O{sub 2} in a RF glow discharge diode reactor at low pressure (0.1-0.3 mbar). The gaseous mixture is introduced in the center of the HV electrode and the glass substrates are placed on the grounded electrode. With the help of an optical fiber fixed in front of a quartz window the discharge was characterized in line. The deposited material is characterized by different surface diagnostic techniques such as XPS, FTIR, SEM/EDX. The sheet conductivity of the thinmore » films were measured by a 4 point-probe measurements. The first step of this work has been to optimize the working parameters (such as the gas composition, the interelectrode gap, the injected power and the treatment time) in order to obtain SnO{sub 2{minus}x}C{sub y} films with reproducible properties. While the second step was devoted to adjust the partial pressure of oxygen in TMT + O{sub 2} + Ar mixture in the aim to decrease the carbon content of the deposit. The carbon-free in oxide films obtained in this way (Sn/O{approx}0.5) present conductivities varying from 10{sup {minus}4} S.cm{sup {minus}1} up to 10{sup 2} S.cm{sup {minus}1} with thicknesses in the range of 500 to 20000 {angstrom}. The conductivity of the films can be improved by either an annealing process in nitrogen gas or by a hydrogen plasma post-treatment. Moreover, in the case of the latter, {beta}Sn crystalline phase has been identified. Finally, the transparent tin oxide films being prepared at relatively low temperature (=100{degrees}C) can be very well realized on polymeric substrates.« less

Hypofractionated Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in Combined Modality Treatment for Bladder Preservation in Elderly Patients With Invasive Bladder Cancer

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

Turgeon, Guy-Anne; Souhami, Luis, E-mail: luis.souhami@muhc.mcgill.ca; Cury, Fabio L.

2014-02-01

Purpose/Objective(s): To review our experience with bladder-preserving trimodality treatment (TMT) using hypofractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for the treatment of elderly patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Methods and Materials: Retrospective study of elderly patients treated with TMT using hypofractionated IMRT (50 Gy in 20 fractions) with concomitant weekly radiosensitizing chemotherapy. Eligibility criteria were as follows: age ≥70 years, a proven diagnosis of muscle-invasive transitional cell bladder carcinoma, stage T2-T3N0M0 disease, and receipt of TMT with curative intent. Response rate was assessed by cystoscopic evaluation and bladder biopsy. Results: 24 patients with a median age of 79 years were eligible.more » A complete response was confirmed in 83% of the patients. Of the remaining patients, 1 of them underwent salvage cystectomy, and no disease was found in the bladder on histopathologic assessment. After a median follow-up time of 28 months, of the patients with a complete response, 2 patients had muscle-invasive recurrence, 1 experienced locoregional failure, and 3 experienced distant metastasis. The overall and cancer-specific survival rates at 3 years were 61% and 71%, respectively. Of the surviving patients, 75% have a disease-free and functioning bladder. All patients completed hypofractionated IMRT, and 19 patients tolerated all 4 cycles of chemotherapy. Acute grade 3 gastrointestinal or genitourinary toxicities occurred in only 4% of the patients, and acute grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicities, liver toxicities, or both were experienced by 17% of the cohort. No patient experienced grade 4 gastrointestinal or genitourinary toxicity. Conclusions: Hypofractionated IMRT with concurrent radiosensitizing chemotherapy appears to be an effective and well-tolerated curative treatment strategy in the elderly population and should be considered for patients who are not candidates for cystectomy or who wish to avoid cystectomy.« less

Association between Executive Function and Problematic Adolescent Driving

PubMed Central

Pope, Caitlin N.; Ross, Lesley A.; Stavrinos, Despina

2016-01-01

Objective Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are one of the leading causes of injury and death for adolescents. Driving is a complex activity that is highly reliant on executive function to safely navigate through the environment. Little research has examined the efficacy of using self-reported executive function measures for assessing adolescent driving risk. This study examined the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire and performance based-executive function tasks as potential predictors of problematic driving outcomes in adolescents. Methods Forty-six adolescent drivers completed the (1) BRIEF, (2) Trail Making Test (TMT), (3) Backwards Digit Span, and (4) self-report on three problematic driving outcomes: the number of times of having been pulled over by a police officer, the number of tickets issued, and the number of MVCs. Results Greater self-reported difficulty with planning and organization was associated with greater odds of having a MVC, while inhibition difficulties were associated with greater odds of receiving a ticket. Greater self-reported difficulty across multiple BRIEF subscales was associated with greater odds of being pulled over. Conclusion Overall findings indicated that the BRIEF, an ecological measure of executive function, showed significant association with self-reported problematic driving outcomes in adolescents. No relationship was found between performance-based executive function measures and self-reported driving outcomes. The BRIEF could offer unique and quick insight into problematic driving behavior and potentially be an indicator of driving risk in adolescent drivers during clinical evaluations. PMID:27661394

Corpus callosum atrophy as a marker of clinically meaningful cognitive decline in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Impact on employment status.

PubMed

Papathanasiou, Athanasios; Messinis, Lambros; Zampakis, Petros; Papathanasopoulos, Panagiotis

2017-09-01

Cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is more frequent and pronounced in secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Cognitive decline is an important predictor of employment status in patients with MS. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) markers have been used to associate tissue damage with cognitive dysfunction. The aim of the study was to designate the MRI marker that predicts cognitive decline in SPMS and explore its effect on employment status. 30 SPMS patients and 30 healthy participants underwent neuropsychological assessment using the Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B, semantic and phonological verbal fluency task and a computerized cognitive screening battery (Central Nervous System Vital Signs). Employment status was obtained as a quality of life measure. Brain MRI was performed in all participants. We measured total lesion volume, third ventricle width, thalamic and corpus callosum atrophy. The frequency of cognitive decline for our SPMS patients was 80%. SPMS patients differed significantly from controls in all neuropsychological measures. Corpus callosum area was correlated with cognitive flexibility, processing speed, composite memory, executive functions, psychomotor speed, reaction time and phonological verbal fluency task. Processing speed and composite memory were the most sensitive markers for predicting employment status. Corpus callosum area was the most sensitive MRI marker for memory and processing speed. Corpus callosum atrophy predicts a clinically meaningful cognitive decline, affecting employment status in our SPMS patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reversal of Trimethyltin-Induced Learning and Memory Deficits by 3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid.

PubMed

Kang, Jin Yong; Park, Seon Kyeong; Guo, Tian Jiao; Ha, Jeong Su; Lee, Du Sang; Kim, Jong Min; Lee, Uk; Kim, Dae Ok; Heo, Ho Jin

2016-01-01

The antiamnesic effect of 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-diCQA) as the main phenolic compound in Artemisia argyi H. extract on cognitive dysfunction induced by trimethyltin (TMT) (7.1  μ g/kg of body weight; intraperitoneal injection) was investigated in order to assess its ameliorating function in mice. In several behavioral tests, namely, the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze (MWM) test, 3,5-diCQA significantly ameliorated learning and memory deficits. After the behavioral tests, brain tissues from the mice were analyzed to characterize the basis of the neuroprotective effect. Acetylcholine (ACh) levels increased, whereas the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) decreased upon administration of 3,5-diCQA. In addition, 3,5-diCQA effectively protected against an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, an increase in the oxidized glutathione (GSH) ratio, and a decline of total superoxide dismutase (SOD) level. 3,5-diCQA may prevent neuronal apoptosis through the protection of mitochondrial activities and the repression of apoptotic signaling molecules such as p-Akt, BAX, and p-tau (Ser 404).

Reversal of Trimethyltin-Induced Learning and Memory Deficits by 3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid

PubMed Central

Kang, Jin Yong; Park, Seon Kyeong; Guo, Tian Jiao; Ha, Jeong Su; Lee, Du Sang; Kim, Jong Min; Lee, Uk; Kim, Dae Ok

2016-01-01

The antiamnesic effect of 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-diCQA) as the main phenolic compound in Artemisia argyi H. extract on cognitive dysfunction induced by trimethyltin (TMT) (7.1 μg/kg of body weight; intraperitoneal injection) was investigated in order to assess its ameliorating function in mice. In several behavioral tests, namely, the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze (MWM) test, 3,5-diCQA significantly ameliorated learning and memory deficits. After the behavioral tests, brain tissues from the mice were analyzed to characterize the basis of the neuroprotective effect. Acetylcholine (ACh) levels increased, whereas the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) decreased upon administration of 3,5-diCQA. In addition, 3,5-diCQA effectively protected against an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, an increase in the oxidized glutathione (GSH) ratio, and a decline of total superoxide dismutase (SOD) level. 3,5-diCQA may prevent neuronal apoptosis through the protection of mitochondrial activities and the repression of apoptotic signaling molecules such as p-Akt, BAX, and p-tau (Ser 404). PMID:28105250

DITEC: Technology Matching Tool (TMT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

of cyberattacks, cybersecurity has become one of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) top priorities. The marketplace of cybersecurity technologies is... cybersecurity products and services. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific’s (SSC Pacific) IA Division has developed the DoD-Centric and...Independent Technology Evaluation Capability (DITEC) to streamline cybersecurity technology evaluation. Specifically, DITEC defines a process for

CEO Ideational Facilitation Leadership and Team Creativity: The Mediating Role of Knowledge Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmeli, Abraham; Paulus, Paul B.

2015-01-01

The development of new ventures is often based on collective creative efforts. We conceptualize team creativity as a process of looking for and exploring new solutions and examine whether and how CEO leadership fosters creativity in top management teams (TMT). Data collected from senior executive teams indicate that CEO ideational facilitation…

Microstructure and mechanical properties of heat-resistant 12% Cr ferritic-martensitic steel EK-181 after thermomechanical treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polekhina, N. A.; Litovchenko, I. Yu.; Tyumentsev, A. N.; Astafurova, E. G.; Chernov, V. M.; Leontyeva-Smirnova, M. V.

2015-10-01

The effect of high-temperature thermomechanical treatment (TMT) with the deformation in the austenitic region on the features of microstructure, phase transformations and mechanical properties of low-activation 12% Cr ferritic-martensitic steel EK-181 is investigated. It is established, that directly after thermomechanical treatment (without tempering) the sizes and density of V(CN) particles are comparable with those after a traditional heat treatment (air quenching and tempering at 720°C, 3 h), where these particles are formed only during tempering. It causes the increasing of the yield strength of the steel up to ≈1450 MPa at room temperature and up to ≈430 MPa at the test temperature T = 650°C. The potential of microstructure modification by this treatment aimed at improving heat resistance of steel is discussed.

Precision cosmology with time delay lenses: High resolution imaging requirements

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

Meng, Xiao -Lei; Treu, Tommaso; Agnello, Adriano

Lens time delays are a powerful probe of cosmology, provided that the gravitational potential of the main deflector can be modeled with sufficient precision. Recent work has shown that this can be achieved by detailed modeling of the host galaxies of lensed quasars, which appear as ``Einstein Rings'' in high resolution images. The distortion of these arcs and counter-arcs, as measured over a large number of pixels, provides tight constraints on the difference between the gravitational potential between the quasar image positions, and thus on cosmology in combination with the measured time delay. We carry out a systematic exploration ofmore » the high resolution imaging required to exploit the thousands of lensed quasars that will be discovered by current and upcoming surveys with the next decade. Specifically, we simulate realistic lens systems as imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and ground based adaptive optics images taken with Keck or the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). We compare the performance of these pointed observations with that of images taken by the Euclid (VIS), Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) surveys. We use as our metric the precision with which the slope γ' of the total mass density profile ρ tot∝ r–γ' for the main deflector can be measured. Ideally, we require that the statistical error on γ' be less than 0.02, such that it is subdominant to other sources of random and systematic uncertainties. We find that survey data will likely have sufficient depth and resolution to meet the target only for the brighter gravitational lens systems, comparable to those discovered by the SDSS survey. For fainter systems, that will be discovered by current and future surveys, targeted follow-up will be required. Furthermore, the exposure time required with upcoming facilitites such as JWST, the Keck Next Generation Adaptive Optics System, and TMT, will only be of order a few minutes per system, thus making the follow-up of hundreds of systems a practical and efficient cosmological probe.« less

Precision cosmology with time delay lenses: high resolution imaging requirements

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

Meng, Xiao-Lei; Liao, Kai; Treu, Tommaso

Lens time delays are a powerful probe of cosmology, provided that the gravitational potential of the main deflector can be modeled with sufficient precision. Recent work has shown that this can be achieved by detailed modeling of the host galaxies of lensed quasars, which appear as ''Einstein Rings'' in high resolution images. The distortion of these arcs and counter-arcs, as measured over a large number of pixels, provides tight constraints on the difference between the gravitational potential between the quasar image positions, and thus on cosmology in combination with the measured time delay. We carry out a systematic exploration ofmore » the high resolution imaging required to exploit the thousands of lensed quasars that will be discovered by current and upcoming surveys with the next decade. Specifically, we simulate realistic lens systems as imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and ground based adaptive optics images taken with Keck or the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). We compare the performance of these pointed observations with that of images taken by the Euclid (VIS), Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) surveys. We use as our metric the precision with which the slope γ' of the total mass density profile ρ{sub tot}∝ r{sup −γ'} for the main deflector can be measured. Ideally, we require that the statistical error on γ' be less than 0.02, such that it is subdominant to other sources of random and systematic uncertainties. We find that survey data will likely have sufficient depth and resolution to meet the target only for the brighter gravitational lens systems, comparable to those discovered by the SDSS survey. For fainter systems, that will be discovered by current and future surveys, targeted follow-up will be required. However, the exposure time required with upcoming facilitites such as JWST, the Keck Next Generation Adaptive Optics System, and TMT, will only be of order a few minutes per system, thus making the follow-up of hundreds of systems a practical and efficient cosmological probe.« less

[Follow-up of resting-state brain function with magnetic resonance imaging in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

Qi, N; Cui, Y; Liu, J C; Yu, M; Teng, G J

2017-10-24

Objective: To investigate the changes of resting brain function with time in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by using regional homogeneity (ReHo) with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods: Multidimensional cognitive function tests and rs-fMRI scans were performed in 21 T2DM patients and 12 healthy controls in 2012 and 2015 respectively.The differences in clinical variables and the ReHo values before and after were measured by paired sample t test, and the correlation between the change of ReHo value and the change of clinical variables was measured by Pearson correlation analysis based on voxel. Results: The delayed score (14±6) of the T2DM patients in 2015 was significantly lower than that in 2012 (18±6) ( t =-2.88, P =0.009); while the value of ReHo in the bilateral occipital lobe and right middle frontal gyrus was significantly lower than that in 2012 ( P <0.01, Alphasim correction). And the decreased ReHo value in the left occipital lobe was significantly correlated with the change of complex figure test (CFT) delay score and the trail making test-B (TMT-B)( r =0.52, -0.46, both P <0.05). No significant change in cognitive function tests in the healthy control group was found between the two years, ReHo value in right cuneus decreased significantly ( P <0.01, Alphasim correction), but it increased significantly in superior frontal gyrus ( P <0.01, Alphasim correction) in 2015.No significant correlation between the changes of the ReHo values in the right cuneus and right superior frontal gyrus and the changes of cognitive function scores was found in the healthy controls. Conclusions: The visual memory is significantly declined in T2DM patients within 3 years.The reduced neural activity areas in T2DM patients are in the bilateral occipitai lobes and the right middle frontal lobe. Decreased neural activity in the left occipital area is related to visual impairment, information processing speed and attention drops.

Conceptualizing Death in a Worldview Consistent, Meaningful Way and Its Effects on Worldview Defense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Ross

2011-01-01

Research within terror management theory (TMT) has shown that when mortality is made salient, people subsequently engage in worldview defense: an increase in derogation of an individual who does not share their worldview along with an increase in veneration of an individual who does. Research has also shown that high levels of self-esteem (either…

Comparative proteomic analysis of the aging soleus and extensor digitorum longus rat muscles using TMT labeling and mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Chaves, Daniela F. S.; Carvalho, Paulo C.; Lima, Diogo B.; Nicastro, Humberto; Lorenzetti, Fábio M.; Filho, Mário S.; Hirabara, Sandro M.; Alves, Paulo H. M.; Moresco, James J.; Yates, John R.; Lancha, Antonio H.

2013-01-01

Sarcopenia describes an age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function that ultimately impairs metabolism, leads to poor balance, frequent falling, limited mobility, and a reduction in quality of life. Here we investigate the pathogenesis of sarcopenia through a proteomic shotgun approach. Briefly, we employed tandem mass tags (TMT) to quantitate and compare the protein profiles obtained from young versus old rat slow-twitch type of muscle (soleus) and a fast-twitch type of muscle (extensor digitorum longus, EDL). Our results disclose 3452 and 1848 proteins identified from soleus and EDL muscles samples of which 78 and 174 were found to be differentially expressed, respectively. In general, most of the proteins were structural related, involved in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, detoxification, or transport. Aging affected soleus and EDL muscles differently and several proteins were regulated in opposite ways. For example, pyruvate kinase had its expression and activity different in both soleus and EDL muscles. We were able to verify with existing literature many of our differentially expressed proteins as candidate aging biomarkers, and most importantly, disclose several new candidate biomarkers such as the glioblastoma amplified sequence (GAS), zero beta-globin, and prolargin. PMID:24001182

The CMS Level-1 Calorimeter Trigger for LHC Run II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinthuprasith, Tutanon

2017-01-01

The phase-1 upgrades of the CMS Level-1 calorimeter trigger have been completed. The Level-1 trigger has been fully commissioned and it will be used by CMS to collect data starting from the 2016 data run. The new trigger has been designed to improve the performance at high luminosity and large number of simultaneous inelastic collisions per crossing (pile-up). For this purpose it uses a novel design, the Time Multiplexed Design, which enables the data from an event to be processed by a single trigger processor at full granularity over several bunch crossings. The TMT design is a modular design based on the uTCA standard. The architecture is flexible and the number of trigger processors can be expanded according to the physics needs of CMS. Intelligent, more complex, and innovative algorithms are now the core of the first decision layer of CMS: the upgraded trigger system implements pattern recognition and MVA (Boosted Decision Tree) regression techniques in the trigger processors for pT assignment, pile up subtraction, and isolation requirements for electrons, and taus. The performance of the TMT design and the latency measurements and the algorithm performance which has been measured using data is also presented here.

NFIRAOS in 2015: engineering for future integration of complex subsystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atwood, Jenny; Andersen, David; Byrnes, Peter; Densmore, Adam; Fitzsimmons, Joeleff; Herriot, Glen; Hill, Alexis

2016-07-01

The Narrow Field InfraRed Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS) will be the first-light facility Adaptive Optics (AO) system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). NFIRAOS will be able to host three science instruments that can take advantage of this high performance system. NRC Herzberg is leading the design effort for this critical TMT subsystem. As part of the final design phase of NFIRAOS, we have identified multiple subsystems to be sub-contracted to Canadian industry. The scope of work for each subcontract is guided by the NFIRAOS Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and is divided into two phases: the completion of the final design and the fabrication, assembly and delivery of the final product. Integration of the subsystems at NRC will require a detailed understanding of the interfaces between the subsystems, and this work has begun by defining the interface physical characteristics, stability, local coordinate systems, and alignment features. In order to maintain our stringent performance requirements, the interface parameters for each subsystem are captured in multiple performance budgets, which allow a bottom-up error estimate. In this paper we discuss our approach for defining the interfaces in a consistent manner and present an example error budget that is influenced by multiple subsystems.

Extreme Adaptive Optics for the Thirty Meter Telescope

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

Macintosh, B; al., e

2006-05-02

Direct detection of extrasolar Jovian planets is a major scientific motivation for the construction of future extremely large telescopes such as the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). Such detection will require dedicated high-contrast AO systems. Since the properties of Jovian planets and their parent stars vary enormously between different populations, the instrument must be designed to meet specific scientific needs rather than a simple metric such as maximum Strehl ratio. We present a design for such an instrument, the Planet Formation Imager (PFI) for TMT. It has four key science missions. The first is the study of newly-formed planets on 5-10more » AU scales in regions such as Taurus and Ophiucus--this requires very small inner working distances that are only possible with a 30m or larger telescope. The second is a robust census of extrasolar giant planets orbiting mature nearby stars. The third is detailed spectral characterization of the brightest extrasolar planets. The final targets are circumstellar dust disks, including Zodiacal light analogs in the inner parts of other solar systems. To achieve these, PFI combines advanced wavefront sensors, high-order MEMS deformable mirrors, a coronagraph optimized for a finely-segmented primary mirror, and an integral field spectrograph.« less

Time-resolved Analysis of Proteome Dynamics by Tandem Mass Tags and Stable Isotope Labeling in Cell Culture (TMT-SILAC) Hyperplexing*

PubMed Central

Welle, Kevin A.; Zhang, Tian; Hryhorenko, Jennifer R.; Shen, Shichen; Qu, Jun; Ghaemmaghami, Sina

2016-01-01

Recent advances in mass spectrometry have enabled system-wide analyses of protein turnover. By globally quantifying the kinetics of protein clearance and synthesis, these methodologies can provide important insights into the regulation of the proteome under varying cellular and environmental conditions. To facilitate such analyses, we have employed a methodology that combines metabolic isotopic labeling (Stable Isotope Labeling in Cell Culture - SILAC) with isobaric tagging (Tandem Mass Tags - TMT) for analysis of multiplexed samples. The fractional labeling of multiple time-points can be measured in a single mass spectrometry run, providing temporally resolved measurements of protein turnover kinetics. To demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, we simultaneously measured the kinetics of protein clearance and accumulation for more than 3000 proteins in dividing and quiescent human fibroblasts and verified the accuracy of the measurements by comparison to established non-multiplexed approaches. The results indicate that upon reaching quiescence, fibroblasts compensate for lack of cellular growth by globally downregulating protein synthesis and upregulating protein degradation. The described methodology significantly reduces the cost and complexity of temporally-resolved dynamic proteomic experiments and improves the precision of proteome-wide turnover data. PMID:27765818

Technical innovations that may facilitate real-time telementoring of damage control surgery in austere environments: a proof of concept comparative evaluation of the importance of surgical experience, telepresence, gravity and mentoring in the conduct of damage control laparotomies.

PubMed

Kirkpatrick, Andrew W; LaPorta, Anthony; Brien, Susan; Leslie, Tim; Glassberg, Elon; McKee, Jessica; Ball, Chad G; Wright Beatty, Heather E; Keillor, Jocelyn; Roberts, Derek J; Tien, Homer

2015-06-01

Bleeding to death is the most preventable cause of posttraumatic death worldwide. Despite the fact that many of these deaths are anatomically salvageable with relatively basic surgical interventions, they remain lethal in actuality in prehospital environments when no facilities and skills exist to contemplate undertaking basic damage control surgery (DCS). With better attention to prehospital control of extremity hemorrhage, intracavitary bleeding (especially intraperitoneal) remains beyond the scope of prehospital providers. However, recent revolutions in the informatics and techniques of telementoring (TMT), DCS and highly realistic accelerated training of motivated first responders suggests that basic lifesaving DCS may have applicability to save bleeding patients in austere environments previously considered unsalvageable. Especially with informatic advances, any provider with Internet connectivity can potentially be supported by highly proficient specialists with content expertise in the index problem. This unprecedented TMT support may allow highly motivated but inexperienced personnel to provide advanced surgical interventions in extreme environments in many austere locations both on and above the planet.

Efficacy and safety of flecainide for ventricular arrhythmias in patients with Andersen-Tawil syndrome with KCNJ2 mutations.

PubMed

Miyamoto, Koji; Aiba, Takeshi; Kimura, Hiromi; Hayashi, Hideki; Ohno, Seiko; Yasuoka, Chie; Tanioka, Yoshihito; Tsuchiya, Takeshi; Yoshida, Yoko; Hayashi, Hiroshi; Tsuboi, Ippei; Nakajima, Ikutaro; Ishibashi, Kohei; Okamura, Hideo; Noda, Takashi; Ishihara, Masaharu; Anzai, Toshihisa; Yasuda, Satoshi; Miyamoto, Yoshihiro; Kamakura, Shiro; Kusano, Kengo; Ogawa, Hisao; Horie, Minoru; Shimizu, Wataru

2015-03-01

Andersen-Tawil syndrome (ATS) is an autosomal dominant genetic or sporadic disorder characterized by ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), periodic paralyses, and dysmorphic features. The optimal pharmacological treatment of VAs in patients with ATS remains unknown. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of flecainide for VAs in patients with ATS with KCNJ2 mutations. Ten ATS probands (7 females; mean age 27 ± 11 years) were enrolled from 6 institutions. All of them had bidirectional VAs in spite of treatment with β-blockers (n = 6), but none of them had either aborted cardiac arrest or family history of sudden cardiac death. Twenty-four-hour Holter recording and treadmill exercise test (TMT) were performed before (baseline) and after oral flecainide therapy (150 ± 46 mg/d). Twenty-four-hour Holter recordings demonstrated that oral flecainide treatment significantly reduced the total number of VAs (from 38,407 ± 19,956 to 11,196 ± 14,773 per day; P = .003) and the number of the longest ventricular salvos (23 ± 19 to 5 ± 5; P = .01). At baseline, TMT induced nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (n = 7) or couplets of premature ventricular complex (n = 2); treatment with flecainide completely (n = 7) or partially (n = 2) suppressed these exercise-induced VAs (P = .008). In contrast, the QRS duration, QT interval, and U-wave amplitude of the electrocardiogram were not altered by flecainide therapy. During a mean follow-up of 23 ± 11 months, no patients developed syncope or cardiac arrest after oral flecainide treatment. This multicenter study suggests that oral flecainide therapy is an effective and safe means of suppressing VAs in patients with ATS with KCNJ2 mutations, though the U-wave amplitude remained unchanged by flecainide. Copyright © 2015 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The infrared imaging spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: volume phase holographic grating performance testing and discussion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shaojie; Meyer, Elliot; Wright, Shelley A.; Moore, Anna M.; Larkin, James E.; Maire, Jerome; Mieda, Etsuko; Simard, Luc

2014-07-01

Maximizing the grating efficiency is a key goal for the first light instrument IRIS (Infrared Imaging Spectrograph) currently being designed to sample the diffraction limit of the TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope). Volume Phase Holographic (VPH) gratings have been shown to offer extremely high efficiencies that approach 100% for high line frequencies (i.e., 600 to 6000l/mm), which has been applicable for astronomical optical spectrographs. However, VPH gratings have been less exploited in the near-infrared, particularly for gratings that have lower line frequencies. Given their potential to offer high throughputs and low scattered light, VPH gratings are being explored for IRIS as a potential dispersing element in the spectrograph. Our team has procured near-infrared gratings from two separate vendors. We have two gratings with the specifications needed for IRIS current design: 1.51-1.82μm (H-band) to produce a spectral resolution of 4000 and 1.19-1.37μm (J-band) to produce a spectral resolution of 8000. The center wavelengths for each grating are 1.629μm and 1.27μm, and the groove densities are 177l/mm and 440l/mm for H-band R=4000 and J-band R=8000, respectively. We directly measure the efficiencies in the lab and find that the peak efficiencies of these two types of gratings are quite good with a peak efficiency of ~88% at the Bragg angle in both TM and TE modes at H-band, and 90.23% in TM mode, 79.91% in TE mode at J-band for the best vendor. We determine the drop in efficiency off the Bragg angle, with a 20-23% decrease in efficiency at H-band when 2.5° deviation from the Bragg angle, and 25%-28% decrease at J-band when 5° deviation from the Bragg angle.

Tribological properties of hydraulic fluids modified by peat-based additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionov, V. V.; Larionov, S. A.; Sarkisov, Ju S.; Kopanica, N. O.; Gorchkova, A. V.; Gorlenko, N. P.; Tzevtkov, N. A.; Ikonnikova, K. V.

2017-02-01

The paper presents physicochemical investigations of the structure and properties of a nano-modifier synthesized from peat, the local raw material subjected to pyrolysis in air-free conditions. This nano-modifying additive is a combination of various forms of nanocarbon and polar and non-polar adsorbing materials such as silica (SiO2), calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and carbon (C). Different nanocarbon forms (nanotubes, fullerenes, nanodiamonds, nanofiber, nanodispersed carbon) used in different proportions with micro and macro peat components give multifunctional properties to the synthesized nano-modifier and the ability to positively change tribological properties of hydraulic fluids and oil lubricants. Test results of type TMT-600 show that its different percentage is required to modify tribological properties of the steel tribocouple under different loading conditions. At 0.5 wt.% content of this nano-modifier, stabilization of the friction ratio and an increase of seizure load are observed.

Assessment of cognitive function in patients with essential hypertension treated with lercanidipine

PubMed Central

Tisaire-Sánchez, J; Roma, J; CamachoAzcargorta, Ignacio; Bueno-Gómez, J; Mora-Maciá, J; Navarro, Angel

2006-01-01

Objectives The aim of this longitudinal, open-label, comparative, multicenter study was to assess cognitive function in hypertensive patients receiving mid-term treatment with lercanidipine. Methods Hypertensive patients aged 40 years or older were treated with lercanidipine (10mg daily) after 7–10 days washout period. The duration of the study was 6 months. Blood pressure (BP) was measured every 4 weeks (JNC 6th report). In patients with inadequate BP control, doxazosin was added and up-titrated. At baseline and after 6 months of treatment, cognitive function was evaluated using the Spanish validated version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Trail Making Test (TMT). Results In the study population of 467 patients, BP decreased from 154.4/95.3 mmHg at baseline to 134.8/80.7 mmHg at 6 months. At the end of the study, 98% of patients were receiving lercanidipine, 20% an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and 6% doxazosin. Adequate BP control was obtained in 68% of patients. The mean (standard deviation) MMSE scores improved from 32.35 (2.59) to 33.25 (2.36) (p<0.0001). Patients with good BP control scored significantly better than those with inadequate BP control (p<0.05), which was already observed at the first month. Conclusions The third-generation calcium channel antagonist, lercanidipine, improved cognitive function after 6 months of treatment especially in patients with good BP control, suggesting that improvements in cognitive function may be associated with a decrease in BP. PMID:17323604

Hypercat - Hypercube of AGN tori

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikutta, Robert; Lopez-Rodriguez, Enrique; Ichikawa, Kohei; Levenson, Nancy A.; Packham, Christopher C.

2018-06-01

AGN unification and observations hold that a dusty torus obscures the central accretion engine along some lines of sight. SEDs of dust tori have been modeled for a long time, but resolved emission morphologies have not been studied in much detail, because resolved observations are only possible recently (VLTI,ALMA) and in the near future (TMT,ELT,GMT). Some observations challenge a simple torus model, because in several objects most of MIR emission appears to emanate from polar regions high above the equatorial plane, i.e. not where the dust supposedly resides.We introduce our software framework and hypercube of AGN tori (Hypercat) made with CLUMPY (www.clumpy.org), a large set of images (6 model parameters + wavelength) to facilitate studies of emission and dust morphologies. We make use of Hypercat to study the morphological properties of the emission and dust distributions as function of model parameters. We find that a simple clumpy torus can indeed produce 10-micron emission patterns extended in polar directions, with extension ratios compatible with those found in observations. We are able to constrain the range of parameters that produce such morphologies.

The study of memory and executive dysfunction in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori.

PubMed

Rezvani, Farzaneh; Sayadnasiri, Mohammad; Rezaei, Omid

2017-11-01

Background Infectious agents are considered as potential causes of Alzheimer's disease. Recently, evidence of a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in patients with Alzheimer's disease has been observed. The aim of this study was to investigate memory and executive function in H. pylori positive persons not suffering from Alzheimer's or other marked cognitive disorders. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. A total 140 participants were selected using purposive sampling from the patients within the age group of 18-60 years old at Fayyaz Bakhsh Hospital, Tehran in spring 2016. The participants were divided into two groups of H. pylori positive and negative according to results of the serologic tests to measure the levels of specific antibodies of IgA and IgG against H. pylori using ELISA method. They were subsequently assessed using two tests of Trail Making (TMT) part A and B and Wechsler Memory Scale - Third Edition. Data were analyzed using independent t-test and chi-square. The level of significance was considered P-value ≤ 0.05. Results Out of 140 participants, there were 41 male (29.3%) and 99 female (70.7%) among which 84 patients (60%) suffered from H. pylori infection (seropositive) and 56 patients (40%) were not infected. Comparison of the results using independent t-test showed a significant difference (P = 0.006) between the memory scores of patients (M: 106, SD: 8.12) and healthy ones (M: 112, SD: 1.12). In addition, the executive function showed there is a significant difference in the executive ability of seropositive individuals in the two age groups of 20-50 years old (Part A: M: 1.36, SD: 7.11, and Part B: M: 8.8, SD: 8.25 p = 0.01) and over 50 years old (Part A: M: 55, SD: 8.20, and Part B: M: 106, SD: 7.22, p = 0.009). Conclusion The results of this study showed that the infected patients have a lower cognitive performance in comparison to healthy individuals. In other words, H. pylori infection increases the prevalence of memory and executive dysfunction.

Destined to Die but Not to Wage War: How Existential Threat Can Contribute to Escalation or De-Escalation of Violent Intergroup Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Eva; Fritsche, Immo

2013-01-01

War means threat to people's lives. Research derived from terror management theory (TMT) illustrates that the awareness of death leads people to defend cultural ingroups and their worldviews to attain a sense of symbolic immortality and thereby buffer existential anxiety. This can result in hostile effects of mortality salience (MS), such as…

Dislocation Strengthening without Ductility Trade-off in Metastable Austenitic Steels

PubMed Central

Liu, Jiabin; Jin, Yongbin; Fang, Xiaoyang; Chen, Chenxu; Feng, Qiong; Liu, Xiaowei; Chen, Yuzeng; Suo, Tao; Zhao, Feng; Huang, Tianlin; Wang, Hongtao; Wang, Xi; Fang, Youtong; Wei, Yujie; Meng, Liang; Lu, Jian; Yang, Wei

2016-01-01

Strength and ductility are mutually exclusive if they are manifested as consequence of the coupling between strengthening and toughening mechanisms. One notable example is dislocation strengthening in metals, which invariably leads to reduced ductility. However, this trend is averted in metastable austenitic steels. A one-step thermal mechanical treatment (TMT), i.e. hot rolling, can effectively enhance the yielding strength of the metastable austenitic steel from 322 ± 18 MPa to 675 ± 15 MPa, while retaining both the formability and hardenability. It is noted that no boundaries are introduced in the optimized TMT process and all strengthening effect originates from dislocations with inherited thermal stability. The success of this method relies on the decoupled strengthening and toughening mechanisms in metastable austenitic steels, in which yield strength is controlled by initial dislocation density while ductility is retained by the capability to nucleate new dislocations to carry plastic deformation. Especially, the simplicity in processing enables scaling and industrial applications to meet the challenging requirements of emissions reduction. On the other hand, the complexity in the underlying mechanism of dislocation strengthening in this case may shed light on a different route of material strengthening by stimulating dislocation activities, rather than impeding motion of dislocations. PMID:27739481

Characterization of Breast Cancer Interstitial Fluids by TmT Labeling, LTQ-Orbitrap Velos Mass Spectrometry and Pathway Analysis

PubMed Central

Cinzia, Raso; Carlo, Cosentino; Marco, Gaspari; Natalia, Malara; Xuemei, Han; Daniel, McClatchy; Kyu, Park Sung; Maria, Renne; Nuria, Vadalà; Ubaldo, Prati; Giovanni, Cuda; Vincenzo, Mollace; Francesco, Amato; Yates, John R.

2012-01-01

Cancer is currently considered as the end point of numerous genomic and epigenomic mutations and as the result of the interaction of transformed cells within the stromal microenvironment. The present work focuses on breast cancer, one of the most common malignancies affecting the female population in industrialized countries. In this study we perform a proteomic analysis of bioptic samples from human breast cancer, namely interstitial fluids and primary cells, normal vs disease tissues, using Tandem mass Tags (TmT) quantitative mass spectrometry combined with the MudPIT technique. To the best of our knowledge this work, with over 1700 proteins identified, represents the most comprehensive characterization of the breast cancer interstitial fluid proteome to date. Network analysis was used to identify functionally active networks in the breast cancer associated samples. From the list of differentially expressed genes we have retrieved the associated functional interaction networks. Many different signaling pathways were found activated, strongly linked to invasion, metastasis development, proliferation and with a significant cross-talking rate. This pilot study presents evidence that the proposed quantitative proteomic approach can be applied to discriminate between normal and tumoral samples and for the discovery of yet unknown carcinogenesis mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. PMID:22563702

The infrared imaging spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: overview of innovative science programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Shelley A.; Larkin, James E.; Moore, Anna M.; Do, Tuan; Simard, Luc; Adamkovics, Maté; Armus, Lee; Barth, Aaron J.; Barton, Elizabeth; Boyce, Hope; Cooke, Jeffrey; Cote, Patrick; Davidge, Timothy; Ellerbroek, Brent; Ghez, Andrea M.; Liu, Michael C.; Lu, Jessica R.; Macintosh, Bruce A.; Mao, Shude; Marois, Christian; Schoeck, Matthias; Suzuki, Ryuji; Tan, Jonathan C.; Treu, Tommaso; Wang, Lianqi; Weiss, Jason

2014-07-01

IRIS (InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph) is a first light near-infrared diffraction limited imager and integral field spectrograph being designed for the future Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). IRIS is optimized to perform astronomical studies across a significant fraction of cosmic time, from our Solar System to distant newly formed galaxies (Barton et al. [1]). We present a selection of the innovative science cases that are unique to IRIS in the era of upcoming space and ground-based telescopes. We focus on integral field spectroscopy of directly imaged exoplanet atmospheres, probing fundamental physics in the Galactic Center, measuring 104 to 1010 M supermassive black hole masses, resolved spectroscopy of young star-forming galaxies (1 < z < 5) and first light galaxies (6 < z < 12), and resolved spectroscopy of strong gravitational lensed sources to measure dark matter substructure. For each of these science cases we use the IRIS simulator (Wright et al. [2], Do et al. [3]) to explore IRIS capabilities. To highlight the unique IRIS capabilities, we also update the point and resolved source sensitivities for the integral field spectrograph (IFS) in all five broadband filters (Z, Y, J, H, K) for the finest spatial scale of 0.004" per spaxel. We briefly discuss future development plans for the data reduction pipeline and quicklook software for the IRIS instrument suite.

Dislocation Strengthening without Ductility Trade-off in Metastable Austenitic Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jiabin; Jin, Yongbin; Fang, Xiaoyang; Chen, Chenxu; Feng, Qiong; Liu, Xiaowei; Chen, Yuzeng; Suo, Tao; Zhao, Feng; Huang, Tianlin; Wang, Hongtao; Wang, Xi; Fang, Youtong; Wei, Yujie; Meng, Liang; Lu, Jian; Yang, Wei

2016-10-01

Strength and ductility are mutually exclusive if they are manifested as consequence of the coupling between strengthening and toughening mechanisms. One notable example is dislocation strengthening in metals, which invariably leads to reduced ductility. However, this trend is averted in metastable austenitic steels. A one-step thermal mechanical treatment (TMT), i.e. hot rolling, can effectively enhance the yielding strength of the metastable austenitic steel from 322 ± 18 MPa to 675 ± 15 MPa, while retaining both the formability and hardenability. It is noted that no boundaries are introduced in the optimized TMT process and all strengthening effect originates from dislocations with inherited thermal stability. The success of this method relies on the decoupled strengthening and toughening mechanisms in metastable austenitic steels, in which yield strength is controlled by initial dislocation density while ductility is retained by the capability to nucleate new dislocations to carry plastic deformation. Especially, the simplicity in processing enables scaling and industrial applications to meet the challenging requirements of emissions reduction. On the other hand, the complexity in the underlying mechanism of dislocation strengthening in this case may shed light on a different route of material strengthening by stimulating dislocation activities, rather than impeding motion of dislocations.

Predictors of early stable symptomatic remission after an exacerbation of schizophrenia: the significance of symptoms, neuropsychological performance and cognitive biases.

PubMed

Andreou, Christina; Roesch-Ely, Daniela; Veckenstedt, Ruth; Bohn, Francesca; Aghotor, Julia; Köther, Ulf; Pfueller, Ute; Moritz, Steffen

2013-12-30

Neuropsychological deficits and severity of initial psychopathology have been repeatedly associated with poor symptomatic outcomes in schizophrenia. The role of higher-order cognitive biases on symptomatic outcomes of the disorder has not yet been investigated. The present study aimed to assess the contribution of cognitive biases, psychopathology and neuropsychological deficits on the probability of achieving early symptomatic remission after a psychotic episode in patients with schizophrenia. Participants were 79 patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder undergoing an acute psychotic episode, and 25 healthy controls. According to psychopathology assessments, patients were split into those who had achieved remission after an average follow-up interval of 7 months, and those who had not (NR). Patients who achieved remission exhibited higher premorbid IQ and better performance on the TMT-B, as well as lower baseline positive, disorganized and distress symptoms than NR patients. TMT-B performance and positive symptoms at baseline were the best predictors of remission. Cognitive biases and negative symptoms were not associated with later remission. The findings highlight the significance of initial symptom severity for at least short-term symptomatic outcomes and, thus, the importance of adequate symptomatic treatment and prevention of psychotic outbreaks in patients. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dislocation Strengthening without Ductility Trade-off in Metastable Austenitic Steels.

PubMed

Liu, Jiabin; Jin, Yongbin; Fang, Xiaoyang; Chen, Chenxu; Feng, Qiong; Liu, Xiaowei; Chen, Yuzeng; Suo, Tao; Zhao, Feng; Huang, Tianlin; Wang, Hongtao; Wang, Xi; Fang, Youtong; Wei, Yujie; Meng, Liang; Lu, Jian; Yang, Wei

2016-10-14

Strength and ductility are mutually exclusive if they are manifested as consequence of the coupling between strengthening and toughening mechanisms. One notable example is dislocation strengthening in metals, which invariably leads to reduced ductility. However, this trend is averted in metastable austenitic steels. A one-step thermal mechanical treatment (TMT), i.e. hot rolling, can effectively enhance the yielding strength of the metastable austenitic steel from 322 ± 18 MPa to 675 ± 15 MPa, while retaining both the formability and hardenability. It is noted that no boundaries are introduced in the optimized TMT process and all strengthening effect originates from dislocations with inherited thermal stability. The success of this method relies on the decoupled strengthening and toughening mechanisms in metastable austenitic steels, in which yield strength is controlled by initial dislocation density while ductility is retained by the capability to nucleate new dislocations to carry plastic deformation. Especially, the simplicity in processing enables scaling and industrial applications to meet the challenging requirements of emissions reduction. On the other hand, the complexity in the underlying mechanism of dislocation strengthening in this case may shed light on a different route of material strengthening by stimulating dislocation activities, rather than impeding motion of dislocations.

Female Fear: Influence of Estrus Cycle on Behavioral Response and Neuronal Activation

PubMed Central

Chen, Wei; Shields, Jessica; Huang, Wei; King, Jean A

2009-01-01

Our observation that male rats innate fear response differed with hormonal status, as well as the higher prevalence of fear and anxiety disorders in human females led to the current investigation of the impact of phases of the estrous cycle on innate fear responding. Female rats in different phases of the cycle were exposed to an innate fear-inducing stimulus (2,5-dihydro- 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline, TMT odor) and monitored for changes in behavior and brain activation. Behavioral data showed freezing responses to TMT were significantly enhanced during estrus as compared to other phases of the cycle. This data was supported by significant increases in pixel intensity in cortical and sub-cortical regions in estrus compared to proestrus and diestrus. Imaging results demonstrated significant increases in brain activation in the somatosensory and insular cortices when comparing estrus to diestrus. There were significant increases in neural activity in the BNST and septum in estrus as compared to proestrus. Additionally, the hippocampus, hypothalamus, olfactory system, and cingulate cortex show significant increases in the estrus phase when compared to both diestrus and proestrus. Taken together, these results suggest that the female's hormonal status may be correlated with alterations in both neuronal and behavioral indices of fear. PMID:19428610

Star Formation in High Redshift Galaxies with Cluster Lenses as Cosmic Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradac, Marusa

2014-07-01

In the recent years HST enabled us to detect galaxies as far as z~11. They are likely beacons of the epoch of reionization, which marked the end of the so-called ``Dark Ages'' and signified the transformation of the universe from opaque to transparent. However very little is known about those galaxies, and a confirmation of their redshift is still out of our hands. TMT will be a major powerhorse in this endeavor in the future. In addition, clusters of galaxies, when used as cosmic telescopes, can greatly simplify the task of studying and finding highest-z galaxies. With a massive cluster one can gain several magnitudes of magnification over a typical observing field, enabling imaging and spectroscopic studies of intrinsically lower-luminosity galaxies than would otherwise be observable, even with the largest telescopes. We are involved and leading several large surveys (SURFS UP for Spitzer imaging, GLASS for HST spectrscopy, and Frontier Field initiative for ultra deep HST imaging) with the main goal of identifying and studying star formation of galaxies at z=1-11. I will present first results from these surveys, show successful measurements of SFR at z~7 and beyond, and discuss the role TMT will be playing in exploring epoch of reionization.

Methodology for Evaluation of Fatigue Crack-Growth Resistance of Aluminum Alloys under Spectrum Loading.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-04-01

fatigue life , except for the 2024 - T351 alloy which had a significantly longer spectrum fatigue life than the other alloys and 2) for...OF FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH OF ALUMINUM ALLOYS UNDER SPECTRUM LOADING MATERIALS PRESENT EFFORT FUTURE EFFORT 2024 - T351 2020-T651 2024 -T851 TMT2020-T6X51...the same spectrum fatigue life . The 2024 - T351 alloy had a significantly longer spectrum

Design of the TMT Mid-Infrared Echelle: Science Drivers and Design Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

plausibility of an extra-terrestrial origin for the prebiotic compounds that led to the emergence of life on Earth. MIRES imaging of debris disks will...explore mechanisms by which water and prebiotic organic compounds may have been delivered to planetary surfaces. These studies will be highly synergistic...that are precursors to complex prebiotic compounds. The high sensitivity also allows the exploration of a wider range of wavelengths, including those

Presbycusis Disrupts Spontaneous Activity Revealed by Resting-State Functional MRI

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Chen; Chen, Huiyou; Jiang, Liang; Bo, Fan; Xu, Jin-Jing; Mao, Cun-Nan; Salvi, Richard; Yin, Xindao; Lu, Guangming; Gu, Jian-Ping

2018-01-01

Purpose: Presbycusis, age-related hearing loss, is believed to involve neural changes in the central nervous system, which is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The goal of this study was to determine if presbycusis disrupted spontaneous neural activity in specific brain areas involved in auditory processing, attention and cognitive function using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) approach. Methods: Hearing and resting-state fMRI measurements were obtained from 22 presbycusis patients and 23 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy controls. To identify changes in spontaneous neural activity associated with age-related hearing loss, we compared the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) of fMRI signals in presbycusis patients vs. controls and then determined if these changes were linked to clinical measures of presbycusis. Results: Compared with healthy controls, presbycusis patients manifested decreased spontaneous activity mainly in the superior temporal gyrus (STG), parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), precuneus and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) as well as increased neural activity in the middle frontal gyrus (MFG), cuneus and postcentral gyrus (PoCG). A significant negative correlation was observed between ALFF/ReHo activity in the STG and average hearing thresholds in presbycusis patients. Increased ALFF/ReHo activity in the MFG was positively correlated with impaired Trail-Making Test B (TMT-B) scores, indicative of impaired cognitive function involving the frontal lobe. Conclusions: Presbycusis patients have disrupted spontaneous neural activity reflected by ALFF and ReHo measurements in several brain regions; these changes are associated with specific cognitive performance and speech/language processing. These findings mainly emphasize the crucial role of aberrant resting-state ALFF/ReHo patterns in presbycusis patients and will lead to a better understanding of the neuropathological mechanisms underlying presbycusis. PMID:29593512

Cannabis use and cognitive function in first episode psychosis: differential effect of heavy use.

PubMed

Núñez, Christian; Ochoa, Susana; Huerta-Ramos, Elena; Baños, Iris; Barajas, Ana; Dolz, Montserrat; Sánchez, Bernardo; Del Cacho, Núria; Usall, Judith

2016-03-01

First episode patients and patients with schizophrenia exhibit increased rates of cannabis use compared to the general population. Contrary to what has been reported in studies with healthy people, most of the published studies so far have reported no impairments or even beneficial effects on neurocognition associated with cannabis consumption in psychotic patients. However, these studies did not address the effects of very high cannabis consumption. Our aim in this study was to assess the effects on neurocognition of medium and heavy cannabis consumption in first psychotic episode patients. A total of 74 patients were included in the study and assigned to three different groups according to their mean cannabis consumption during the last year (non-users, medium users, and heavy users). Participants were administered verbal memory and other neurocognitive tasks. Heavy cannabis users were significantly impaired in all the verbal memory measures with respect to non-users, including immediate (p = .026), short-term (p = .005), and long-term (p = .002) memory. There were no significant differences between medium and non-users. Moreover, non-users performed better than all cannabis users in the arithmetic task (p = .020). Heavy cannabis consumption was associated with more commission errors in the continuous performance task (CPT) (p = .008) and more time to complete trail making test A (TMT-A) (p = .008), compared to the group of medium users. Heavy cannabis consumption seems to impair verbal memory in first psychotic episode patients. Heavy users also perform worse than medium users in other neurocognitive tasks. Based on the results and the available evidence, a dose-related effect of cannabis consumption is suggested.

Redefining the Breast Cancer Exosome Proteome by Tandem Mass Tag Quantitative Proteomics and Multivariate Cluster Analysis.

PubMed

Clark, David J; Fondrie, William E; Liao, Zhongping; Hanson, Phyllis I; Fulton, Amy; Mao, Li; Yang, Austin J

2015-10-20

Exosomes are microvesicles of endocytic origin constitutively released by multiple cell types into the extracellular environment. With evidence that exosomes can be detected in the blood of patients with various malignancies, the development of a platform that uses exosomes as a diagnostic tool has been proposed. However, it has been difficult to truly define the exosome proteome due to the challenge of discerning contaminant proteins that may be identified via mass spectrometry using various exosome enrichment strategies. To better define the exosome proteome in breast cancer, we incorporated a combination of Tandem-Mass-Tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics approach and Support Vector Machine (SVM) cluster analysis of three conditioned media derived fractions corresponding to a 10 000g cellular debris pellet, a 100 000g crude exosome pellet, and an Optiprep enriched exosome pellet. The quantitative analysis identified 2 179 proteins in all three fractions, with known exosomal cargo proteins displaying at least a 2-fold enrichment in the exosome fraction based on the TMT protein ratios. Employing SVM cluster analysis allowed for the classification 251 proteins as "true" exosomal cargo proteins. This study provides a robust and vigorous framework for the future development of using exosomes as a potential multiprotein marker phenotyping tool that could be useful in breast cancer diagnosis and monitoring disease progression.

The effect of organotin compounds on chloride secretion by the in vitro perfused rectal gland of Squalus acanthias

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

Solomon, R.; Lear, S.; Cohen, R.

1989-09-01

The effects of various organotins on membrane function and electrolyte transport were studied in the marine elasmobranch, Squalus acanthias. The isolated perfused rectal gland was used as a model of electrolyte transport. This gland can be stimulated to secrete chloride by atrial natriuretic peptide, veratrine, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide although the mechanism of action of each secretagogue is different. By analysis of the inhibitory effect of an organotin in the presence of each secretagogue, the mechanism of inhibition can be inferred. Tributyltin (TBT) produced a reversible inhibition of epithelial transport at 10(-8) to 10(-7) M which resulted from inhibition ofmore » stimulus-secretion coupling in VIP-containing neurons within the gland. The transporting epithelial cells were unaffected at these concentrations. Trimethytin (TMT) produced inhibition at 10(-7) M which was not reversible and which affected primarily the transporting epithelial cells. Triethyltin and triphenyltin were without effect. The inhibitory effect of TBT and TMT was not affected by simultaneous administration of dithiothreitol. TBT also produced inhibition of oxygen consumption, Na+,K-ATPase, and proton ATPase in dispersed rectal gland cells. These results indicate that organotins are toxic to cell membrane functions which are intimately involved in the movement of electrolytes. This is the first evidence of toxicity to membrane transport functions in a marine species which is at risk from environmental exposure.« less

Luminous Infrared Galaxies Observed from the Ground and Space in the 2020s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inami, Hanae; Armus, L.; Packham, C.; Dickinson, M.

2014-07-01

The dust-penetrating power of infrared observations will allow us to reveal the physical and chemical properties in and around the dust enshrouded nuclei of galaxies. While current near-infrared spectroscopic observations with 8-10m class telescopes can access to z=1-3 regime, they are still very challenging and limited to luminous targets. For z=0 objects, these telescopes can resolve HII regions, but we still do not fully understand the properties of more extreme star formation environments (e.g., rich in gas), which are more prevalent at higher redshifts. Near- and mid-infrared TMT instruments (e.g., two of the first light instruments IRIS and IRMS, and a planned mid-infrared instrument MICHI) will exploit TMT's unprecedented high spatial resolution to constrain the physical processes in individual dusty, intense star-forming regions of local galaxies as well as obtain resolved spectra for z=2-3 star-forming galaxies. During the era of 2020, JWST and SPICA are also expected to be commissioned. The high sensitivity of these space-based infrared observatories will facilitate investigations of the properties of dusty galaxies at even higher redshifts (z > 3). Only with the combination of ground- and space-observatories, we will be able to obtain a complete picture of star formation and AGN activity to explore the evolution of LIRGs which dominate the peak of the galaxy growth in the universe.

Evaluating noise performance of the IUCAA sidecar drive electronics controller (ISDEC) based system for TMT on-instrument wavefront sensing (OIWFS) application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burse, Mahesh; Chattopadhyay, Sabyasachi; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Sinha, Sakya; Prabhudesai, Swapnil; Punnadi, Sujit; Chordia, Pravin; Kohok, Abhay

2016-07-01

As a part of a design study for the On-Instrument Low Order Wave-front Sensor (OIWFS) for the TMT Infra-Red Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), we recently evaluated the noise performance of a detector control system consisting of IUCAA SIDECAR DRIVE ELECRONICS CONTROLLER (ISDEC), SIDECAR ASIC and HAWAII-2RG (H2RG) MUX. To understand and improve the performance of this system to serve as a near infrared wavefront sensor, we implemented new read out modes like multiple regions of interest with differential multi-accumulate readout schemes for the HAWAII-2RG (H2RG) detector. In this system, the firmware running in SIDECAR ASIC programs the detector for ROI readout, reads the detector, processes the detector output and writes the digitized data into its internal memory. ISDEC reads the digitized data from ASIC, performs the differential multi-accumulate operations and then sends the processed data to a PC over a USB interface. A special loopback board was designed and used to measure and reduce the noise from SIDECAR ASIC DC biases2. We were able to reduce the mean r.m.s read noise of this system down to 1-2 e. for any arbitrary window frame of 4x4 size at frame rates below about 200 Hz.

Development of powder metallurgy 2XXX series Al alloy plate and sheet materials for high temperature aircraft structural applications, FY 1983/1984

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chellman, D. J.

1985-01-01

The objective of this investigation is to fabricate and evaluate PM 2124 Al alloy plate and sheet materials according to NASA program goals for damage tolerance and fatigue resistance. Previous research has indicated the outstanding strength-toughness relationship available with PM 2124 Al-Zr modified alloy compositions in extruded product forms. The range of processing conditions was explored in the fabrication of plate and sheet gage materials, as well as the resultant mechanical and metallurgical properties. The PM composition based on Al-3.70 Cu-1.85 Mg-0.20 Mn with 0.60 wt. pct. Zr was selected. Flat rolled material consisting of 0.250 in. thick plate was fabricated using selected thermal mechanical treatments (TMT). The schedule of TMT operations was designed to yield the extreme conditions of grain structure normally encountered in the fabrication of flat rolled products, specifically recrystallized and unrecrystallized. The PM Al alloy plate and sheet materials exhibited improved strength properties at thin gages compared to IM Al alloys, as a consequence of their enhanced ability to inhibit recrystallization and grain growth. In addition, the PM 2124 Al alloys offer much better combinations of strength and toughnessover equivalent IM Al. The alloy microstructures were examined by optical metallographic texture techniques in order to establish the metallurgical basis for these significant property improvements.

Characterisation of a proposed internet synthesis of N,N-dimethyltryptamine using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Martins, Cláudia P B; Freeman, Sally; Alder, John F; Brandt, Simon D

2009-08-14

The psychoactive properties of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) are known to induce altered states of consciousness in humans. These properties attract great interest from clinical, neuroscientific, clandestine and forensic communities. The Breath of Hope Synthesis was reported on an internet website as a convenient two-step methodology for the preparation of DMT. The analytical characterisation of the first stage was the subject of previous publications by the authors and involved the thermal decarboxylation of tryptophan and the formation of tryptamine. The present study reports on the characterisation of the second step of this procedure which was based on the methylation of tryptamine. This employed methyl iodide and benzyltriethylammonium chloride/sodium hydroxide as a phase transfer catalyst. The reaction product was characterised by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry and orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Quantitative evaluation was carried out in positive multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM), which included synthesis of the identified reaction products. MRM screening of the product did not lead to the detection of DMT. Instead, 11.1% tryptamine starting material, 21.0% N,N,N-trimethyltryptammonium iodide (TMT) and 47.4% 1-N-methyl-TMT were detected. A 0.5% trace of the monomethylated N-methyltryptamine was also detected. This study demonstrated the impact on product purity of doubtful synthetic methodologies discussed on the internet.

Trauma management therapy with virtual-reality augmented exposure therapy for combat-related PTSD: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Beidel, Deborah C; Frueh, B Christopher; Neer, Sandra M; Bowers, Clint A; Trachik, Benjamin; Uhde, Thomas W; Grubaugh, Anouk

2017-08-23

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) realistically incorporates traumatic cues into exposure therapy and holds promise in the treatment of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a randomized controlled trial of 92 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and active duty military personnel with combat-related PTSD, we compared the efficacy of Trauma Management Therapy (TMT; VRET plus a group treatment for anger, depression, and social isolation) to VRET plus a psychoeducation control condition. Efficacy was evaluated at mid- and post-treatment, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Consistent with our hypothesis, VRET resulted in significant decreases on the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and the PTSD Checklist-Military version for both groups. Also consistent with our hypothesis, significant decreases in social isolation occurred only for those participants who received the TMT group component. There were significant decreases for depression and anger for both groups, although these occurred after VRET and before group treatment. All treatment gains were maintained six-months later. Although not part of the original hypotheses, sleep was not improved by either intervention and remained problematic. The results support the use of VRET as an efficacious treatment for combat-related PTSD, but suggest that VRET alone does not result in optimal treatment outcomes across domains associated with PTSD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of ketorolac 0.45% versus diclofenac 0.1% for macular thickness and volume after uncomplicated cataract surgery.

PubMed

Lee, Tae Hee; Choi, Won; Ji, Yong Sok; Yoon, Kyung Chul

2016-05-01

To compare the effects of ketorolac 0.45% and diclofenac 0.1% on macular thickness and volume after uncomplicated cataract surgery. A total of 76 eyes of 76 patients who underwent uncomplicated cataract surgery were included. Patients were treated with either diclofenac 0.1% (38 eyes) or ketorolac 0.45% (38 eyes) after surgery. The macular thickness and volume were obtained with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Central subfield thickness (CST, OCT 1 mm zone), total foveal thickness (TFT, OCT 3 mm zone), total macular thickness (TMT, OCT 6 mm zone), average macular thickness (AMT) and total macular volume (TMV) were compared between the two study groups. No significant differences between groups were found in macular thickness or volume 1 month after cataract surgery. Two months after surgery, the ketorolac group had significantly lower CST, TFT, TMT and AMT than the diclofenac group (p < 0.05 for all). Additionally, 1 and 2 months after surgery, changes from preoperative values in CST (both p = 0.04), AMT (p = 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively) and TMV (both p = 0.04) were significantly less in the ketorolac group than in the diclofenac group. Following uncomplicated cataract surgery, topical ketorolac 0.45% was more effective than diclofenac 0.1% in preventing increases in macular thickness and volume. © 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Histological characterization of dilated cardiomyopathy in the juvenile toy Manchester terrier.

PubMed

Legge, C H; López, A; Hanna, P; Côté, E; Hare, E; Martinson, S A

2013-11-01

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), the most common form of cardiomyopathy in the dog, most often occurs in certain breeds. The objective of this study was to describe a rapidly progressive form of DCM that has been recently recognized in juvenile Toy Manchester Terrier dogs (TMTs). The clinical history and gross findings were reviewed in a group of 14 TMTs, and histologic sections of heart were examined in 12 of those 14 TMTs with DCM. Histochemical and histomorphometric analyses were employed to compare the heart in TMTs affected by DCM with that of control dogs. TMTs ranged in age from 10 to 58.3 weeks, with males and females being equally affected. Affected TMT hearts contained foci of degeneration and loss of myofibers with fibrosis and mild lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates. Less prominent features included foci of acute myofiber degeneration and necrosis with or without intralesional mineralization and mild to moderate suppurative and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates. Morphometric quantification demonstrated that the right ventricle was more severely affected (P ≤ .05) than the left ventricle with variable involvement of the interventricular septum. Immunohistochemistry for canine parvovirus was negative in all heart samples. However, the absence of parvoviral antigen does not rule out a possible viral or autoimmune cause. The presence of these myocardial lesions among closely related dogs suggests a genetic contribution to this disease process in the TMT.

Fluoxetine treatment ameliorates depression induced by perinatal arsenic exposure via a neurogenic mechanism

PubMed Central

Tyler, Christina R.; Solomon, Benjamin R.; Ulibarri, Adam L.; Allan, Andrea M.

2014-01-01

Several epidemiological studies have reported an association between arsenic exposure and increased rates of psychiatric disorders, including depression, in exposed populations. We have previously demonstrated that developmental exposure to low amounts of arsenic induces depression in adulthood along with several morphological and molecular aberrations, particularly associated with the hippocampus and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. The extent and potential reversibility of this toxin-induced damage has not been characterized to date. In this study, we assessed the effects of fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant, on adult animals exposed to arsenic during development. Perinatal arsenic exposure (PAE) induced depressive-like symptoms in a mild learned helplessness task and in the forced swim task after acute exposure to a predator odor (2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline, TMT). Chronic fluoxetine treatment prevented these behaviors in both tasks in arsenic-exposed animals and ameliorated arsenic-induced blunted stress responses, as measured by corticosterone (CORT) levels before and after TMT exposure. Morphologically, chronic fluoxetine treatment reversed deficits in adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) after PAE, specifically differentiation and survival of neural progenitor cells. Protein expression of BDNF, CREB, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and HDAC2 was significantly increased in the dentate gyrus of arsenic animals after fluoxetine treatment. This study demonstrates that damage induced by perinatal arsenic exposure is reversible with chronic fluoxetine treatment resulting in restored resiliency to depression via a neurogenic mechanism. PMID:24952232

When You Become a Superman: Subliminal Exposure to Death-Related Stimuli Enhances Men's Physical Force.

PubMed

Kawakami, Naoaki; Miura, Emi; Nagai, Masayoshi

2018-01-01

Research based on terror management theory (TMT) has consistently found that reminders to individuals about their mortality engender responses aimed at shoring up faith in their cultural belief system. Previous studies have focused on the critical role that the accessibility of death-related thought plays in these effects. Moreover, it has been shown that these effects occur even when death-related stimuli are presented without awareness, suggesting the unconscious effects of mortality salience. Because one pervasive cultural ideal for men is to be strong, we hypothesized that priming death-related stimuli would lead to increasing physical force for men, but not for women. Building on self-escape mechanisms from TMT, we propose that the mechanism that turns priming of death-related stimuli into physical exertion relies on the co-activation of the self with death-related concepts. To test this hypothesis, we subjected 123 participants to a priming task that enabled us to combine the subliminal priming of death-related words with briefly presented self-related words. Accordingly, three different conditions were created: a (control) condition in which only self-related stimuli were presented, a (priming) condition in which death-related words were subliminally primed but not directly paired with self-related stimuli, and a (priming-plus-self) condition in which death-related words were subliminally primed and immediately linked to self-related stimuli. We recorded handgrip force before and after the manipulations. Results showed that male participants in the priming-plus-self condition had a higher peak force output than the priming and control conditions, while this effect was absent among female participants. These results support the hypothesis that unconscious mortality salience, which is accompanied with self-related stimuli, increases physical force for men but not for women. The gender difference may reflect the cultural belief system, in which individuals are taught that men should be strong. Thus, the unconscious mortality salience produced by exposure to the death-related stimuli motivates need to conform to this internalized cultural standard.

When You Become a Superman: Subliminal Exposure to Death-Related Stimuli Enhances Men’s Physical Force

PubMed Central

Kawakami, Naoaki; Miura, Emi; Nagai, Masayoshi

2018-01-01

Research based on terror management theory (TMT) has consistently found that reminders to individuals about their mortality engender responses aimed at shoring up faith in their cultural belief system. Previous studies have focused on the critical role that the accessibility of death-related thought plays in these effects. Moreover, it has been shown that these effects occur even when death-related stimuli are presented without awareness, suggesting the unconscious effects of mortality salience. Because one pervasive cultural ideal for men is to be strong, we hypothesized that priming death-related stimuli would lead to increasing physical force for men, but not for women. Building on self-escape mechanisms from TMT, we propose that the mechanism that turns priming of death-related stimuli into physical exertion relies on the co-activation of the self with death-related concepts. To test this hypothesis, we subjected 123 participants to a priming task that enabled us to combine the subliminal priming of death-related words with briefly presented self-related words. Accordingly, three different conditions were created: a (control) condition in which only self-related stimuli were presented, a (priming) condition in which death-related words were subliminally primed but not directly paired with self-related stimuli, and a (priming-plus-self) condition in which death-related words were subliminally primed and immediately linked to self-related stimuli. We recorded handgrip force before and after the manipulations. Results showed that male participants in the priming-plus-self condition had a higher peak force output than the priming and control conditions, while this effect was absent among female participants. These results support the hypothesis that unconscious mortality salience, which is accompanied with self-related stimuli, increases physical force for men but not for women. The gender difference may reflect the cultural belief system, in which individuals are taught that men should be strong. Thus, the unconscious mortality salience produced by exposure to the death-related stimuli motivates need to conform to this internalized cultural standard. PMID:29541042

The effects of mortality salience on escalation of commitment.

PubMed

Yen, Chih-Long; Lin, Chun-Yu

2012-01-01

Based on propositions derived from terror management theory (TMT), the current study proposes that people who are reminded of their mortality exhibit a higher degree of self-justification behavior to maintain their self-esteem. For this reason, they could be expected to stick with their previous decisions and invest an increasing amount of resources in those decisions, despite the fact that negative feedback has clearly indicated that they might be on a course toward failure (i.e., "escalation of commitment"). Our experiment showed that people who were reminded of their mortality were more likely to escalate their level of commitment by maintaining their current course of action. Two imaginary scenarios were tested. One of the scenarios involved deciding whether to send additional troops into the battlefield when previous attempts had failed; the other involved deciding whether to continue developing an anti-radar fighter plane when the enemy had already developed a device to detect it. The results supported our hypothesis that mortality salience increases the tendency to escalate one's level of commitment.

Increased BOLD Activation to Predator Stressor in Subiculum and Midbrain of Amphetamine-Sensitized Maternal Rats

PubMed Central

Febo, Marcelo; Pira, Ashley S.

2011-01-01

Amphetamine, which is known to cause sensitization, potentiates the hormonal and neurobiological signatures of stress and may also increase sensitivity to stress-inducing stimuli in limbic areas. Trimethylthiazoline (5 μL TMT) is a chemical constituent of fox feces that evokes innate fear and activates the neuronal and hormonal signatures of stress in rats. We used blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI to test whether amphetamine sensitization (1 mg/kg, i.p. X 3 days) in female rats has a lasting effect on the neural response to a stress-evoking stimulus, the scent of a predator, during the postpartum period. The subiculum and dopamine-enriched midbrain VTA/SN of amphetamine-sensitized, but not control mothers showed a greater BOLD signal response to predator odor than a control putrid scent. The greater responsiveness of these two brain regions following stimulant sensitization might impact neural processing in response to stressors in the maternal brain. PMID:21134359

Increased BOLD activation to predator stressor in subiculum and midbrain of amphetamine-sensitized maternal rats.

PubMed

Febo, Marcelo; Pira, Ashley S

2011-03-25

Amphetamine, which is known to cause sensitization, potentiates the hormonal and neurobiological signatures of stress and may also increase sensitivity to stress-inducing stimuli in limbic areas. Trimethylthiazoline (5μL TMT) is a chemical constituent of fox feces that evokes innate fear and activates the neuronal and hormonal signatures of stress in rats. We used blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI to test whether amphetamine sensitization (1mg/kg, i.p. ×3days) in female rats has a lasting effect on the neural response to a stress-evoking stimulus, the scent of a predator, during the postpartum period. The subiculum and dopamine-enriched midbrain VTA/SN of amphetamine-sensitized but not control mothers showed a greater BOLD signal response to predator odor than a control putrid scent. The greater responsiveness of these two brain regions following stimulant sensitization might impact neural processing in response to stressors in the maternal brain. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustained and selective attention deficits as vulnerability markers to psychosis.

PubMed

Mulet, B; Valero, J; Gutiérrez-Zotes, A; Montserrat, C; Cortés, M J; Jariod, M; Martorell, L; Vilella, E; Labad, A

2007-04-01

The first descriptions of schizophrenia emphasized attention problems patients with schizophrenia have but recent results evidence that other psychotic disorders share them. We compared the performance in sustained and selective attention between psychotic patients (P), their healthy first degree relatives (R) and healthy volunteers (C) to prove whether these alterations could be an endophenotype of vulnerability to psychosis. We also compared the performance of schizophrenic patients (SZP) and that of patients with other functional psychoses (OP) in order to prove whether these alterations are specific of any psychotic disorder. Seventy-six P, 70 R and 39 C were included in the study. A selective attention index, comprising TMT A and B and Stroop Test, and a sustained attention index comprising the Continuous Performance Test were calculated. We conducted an univariant general linear model to compare three group performances in these indexes, with age, sex and years of education as a covariables. We found significant differences between the indexes when we compared P, R and C. No differences in performance were found between SZP and OP. Our data showed that sustained and selective attention alterations could be a vulnerability factor to psychotic disorders in general, but they were not specific of schizophrenia.

Accountability for U.S. Equipment Provided to Pakistani Security Forces in the Western Frontier Needs to Be Improved

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-15

Honorable Adam Smith Ranking Member Committee on Armed Services House of Representatives The Honorable Ileana Ros -Lehtinen Chairman The Honorable...fully addrc~s all of DSCA ’s 2008 recommendations. 000 REs rO ,""St:: Partially Concur. The repon incorrectly implies thal DSCA did no1 follow up in...provided defense equipment. the GAO recommends tMt the Secretary of Defeose should direclthe Di rector of DSCA to conduct a compliance

Failure causes fear: the effect of self-esteem threat on death-anxiety.

PubMed

Routledge, Clay

2012-01-01

According to terror management theory (TMT; Greenberg, Pyszczynski, 1986), self-esteem protects people from anxiety associated with the knowledge of certain mortality. A number of studies provide evidence consistent with this assertion, but no studies have experimentally examined the effect of threatened self-esteem on death-anxiety. In the current study, self-esteem was manipulated and death-anxiety measured. A self-esteem threat increased death-anxiety relative to a self-esteem boost and non-self threat control condition.

Tailoring Ion Charge State Distribution in Tetramethyltin Clusters under Influence of Moderate Intensity Picosecond Laser Pulse: Role of Laser Wavelength and Rate of Energy Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Pramod; Das, Soumitra; Vatsa, Rajesh K.

2017-07-01

Systematic manipulation of ionic-outcome in laser-cluster interaction process has been realized for studies carried out on tetramethyltin (TMT) clusters under picosecond laser conditions, determined by choice of laser wavelength and intensity. As a function of laser intensity, TMT clusters exhibit gradual enhancement in overall ionization of its cluster constituents, up to a saturation level of ionization, which was distinct for different wavelengths (266, 355, and 532 nm). Simultaneously, systematic appearance of higher multiply charged atomic ions and shift in relative abundance of multiply charged atomic ions towards higher charge state was observed, using time-of-flight mass spectrometer. At saturation level, multiply charged atomic ions up to (C2+, Sn2+) at 266 nm, (C4+, Sn4+) at 355 nm, and (C4+, Sn6+) at 532 nm were detected. In addition, at 355 nm intra-cluster ion chemistry within the ionized cluster leads to generation of molecular hydrogen ion (H2 +) and triatomic molecular hydrogen ion (H3 +). Generation of multiply charged atomic ions is ascribed to efficient coupling of laser pulse with the cluster media, facilitated by inner-ionized electrons produced within the cluster, at the leading edge of laser pulse. Role of inner-ionized electrons is authenticated by measuring kinetic energy distribution of electrons liberated upon disintegration of excessively ionized cluster, under the influence of picosecond laser pulse.

Effect of proline on biochemical and molecular mechanisms in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) exposed to UV-B radiation.

PubMed

Aksakal, Ozkan; Tabay, Dilruba; Esringu, Aslıhan; Icoglu Aksakal, Feyza; Esim, Nevzat

2017-02-15

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the role of proline (Pro) in relieving UV-B radiation-induced oxidative stress in lettuce. Lettuce seedlings were exposed to 3.3 W m -2 UV-B radiation for 12 h after pre-treatment sprayed with 20 mM Pro. The data for malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), endogenous Pro level, the activities of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and peroxidase (POD)], total phenolic concentration, antioxidant capacity, expression of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) and proline dehydrogenase (ProDH) genes, phytohormone levels such as abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellic acid (GA), indole acetic acid (IAA) and salicylic acid (SA), soluble sugars and organic acids were recorded. It was found that Pro alleviated the oxidative damage in the seedlings of lettuce as demonstrated by lower lipid peroxidation and H 2 O 2 content, increasing the endogenous Pro level, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, total phenolic concentration and the antioxidant capacity. Additionally, it was revealed that exogenous application of Pro enhanced the levels of GA, IAA, the concentrations of soluble sugars and organic acids and expressions of PAL, γ-TMT and ProDH genes as compared to the control. The results obtained in this study suggest that pre-treatment with exogenous Pro provides important contributions to the increase in the UV-B tolerance of lettuce by regulating the biochemical mechanisms of UV-B response.

Differences in the verbal fluency, working memory and executive functions in alcoholics: Short-term vs. long-term abstainers.

PubMed

Nowakowska-Domagała, Katarzyna; Jabłkowska-Górecka, Karolina; Mokros, Łukasz; Koprowicz, Jacek; Pietras, Tadeusz

2017-03-01

The aim of the study was to assess differences in verbal fluency, working memory and executive functions in two subgroups of alcohol-dependent patients, those undergoing short-term abstinence (STA) and those undergoing long-term abstinence (LTA), and to compare the level of cognitive functions in patients after long-term abstinence with healthy subjects. The study group consisted of 106 alcohol-dependent patients (53 immediately after drinking at least 3 days and 53 after at least one-year abstinence). The control group comprised 53 subjects, whose age, sex and education levels matched those of the patients in the experimental group. The dependence intensity was assessed using SADD and MAST scales. The neuropsychological assessment was based on the FAS Test, Stroop Test and TMT A&B Test. The results obtained for alcohol-dependent patients revealed significant disturbances of cognitive functions. Such results indicate the presence of severe frontal cerebral cortex dysfunctions. Frontal cortex dysfunctions affecting the verbal fluency and working memory subsystems and the executive functions also persisted during long-term abstinence periods. No significant correlations between the duration of dependence, quantity of alcohol consumed and efficiency of the working memory and executive functions were observed in alcohol-dependent subjects after short-term or long-term abstinence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability and minimal detectable change of physical performance measures in individuals with pre-manifest and manifest Huntington disease.

PubMed

Quinn, Lori; Khalil, Hanan; Dawes, Helen; Fritz, Nora E; Kegelmeyer, Deb; Kloos, Anne D; Gillard, Jonathan W; Busse, Monica

2013-07-01

Clinical intervention trials in people with Huntington disease (HD) have been limited by a lack of reliable and appropriate outcome measures. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of various outcome measures that are potentially suitable for evaluating physical functioning in individuals with HD. This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study. Participants with pre-manifest and manifest HD (early, middle, and late stages) were recruited from 8 international sites to complete a battery of physical performance and functional measures at 2 assessments, separated by 1 week. Test-retest reliability (using intraclass correlation coefficients) and MDC values were calculated for all measures. Seventy-five individuals with HD (mean age=52.12 years, SD=11.82) participated in the study. Test-retest reliability was very high (>.90) for participants with manifest HD for the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 10-Meter Walk Test, Timed "Up & Go" Test (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Physical Performance Test (PPT), Barthel Index, Rivermead Mobility Index, and Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT). Many MDC values suggested a relatively high degree of inherent variability, particularly in the middle stage of HD. Minimum detectable change values for participants with manifest HD that were relatively low across disease stages were found for the BBS (5), PPT (5), and TUG (2.98). For individuals with pre-manifest HD (n=11), the 6MWT and Four Square Step Test had high reliability and low MDC values. The sample size for the pre-manifest HD group was small. The BBS, PPT, and TUG appear most appropriate for clinical trials aimed at improving physical functioning in people with manifest HD. Further research in people with pre-manifest HD is necessary.

CPTAC Evaluates Long-Term Reproducibility of Quantitative Proteomics Using Breast Cancer Xenografts | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)- based methods such as isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) and tandem mass tags (TMT) have been shown to provide overall better quantification accuracy and reproducibility over other LC-MS/MS techniques. However, large scale projects like the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) require comparisons across many genomically characterized clinical specimens in a single study and often exceed the capability of traditional iTRAQ-based quantification.

Improving executive function deficits by playing interactive video-games: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial for individuals with chronic stroke.

PubMed

Rozental-Iluz, Clara; Zeilig, Gabi; Weingarden, Harold; Rand, Debbie

2016-08-01

Executive function deficits negatively impact independence and participation in everyday life of individuals with chronic stroke. Therefore, it is important to explore therapeutic interventions to improve executive functions. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 3-month interactive video-game group intervention compared to a traditional motor group intervention for improving executive functions in individuals with chronic stroke. This study is a secondary analysis of a single-blind randomized controlled trial for improving factors related to physical activity of individuals with chronic stroke. Assessments were administered pre and post the intervention and at 3-month follow-up by assessors blind to treatment allocation. Thirty-nine individuals with chronic stroke with executive function deficits participated in an interactive video-game group intervention (N.=20) or a traditional group intervention (N.=19). The intervention included two 1-hour group sessions per week for three months, either playing video-games or performing traditional exercises/activities. Executive function deficits were assessed using The Trail Making Test (Parts A and B) and by two performance-based assessments; the Bill Paying Task from the Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT) and the Executive Function Route-Finding Task (EFRT). Following intervention, scores for the Bill Paying Task (EFPT) decreased by 27.5% and 36.6% for the participants in the video-game and traditional intervention, respectively (F=17.3, P<0.000) and continued to decrease in the video-game group with small effect sizes. Effect size was small to medium for the TMT-B (F=0.003, P=0.954) and EFRT (F=1.2, P=0.28), without any statistical significance difference. Interactive video-games provide combined cognitive-motor stimulation and therefore have potential to improve executive functioning of individuals with chronic stroke. Further research is needed. These findings highlight the potential of utilizing interactive video-games in a small group for keeping these individuals active, while maintaining and improving executive functioning especially for individuals with chronic stroke, who have completed their formal rehabilitation.

Sensory Gating Deficits in First-Episode Psychosis: Evidence From Neurophysiology, Psychophysiology, and Neuropsychology.

PubMed

Morales-Muñoz, Isabel; Jurado-Barba, Rosa; Fernández-Guinea, Sara; Rodríguez-Jiménez, Roberto; Jiménez-Arriero, Miguel Ángel; Criado, José R; Rubio, Gabriel

2016-12-01

Sensory gating deficits are commonly found in patients with schizophrenia. However, there is still scarce research on this issue. Thirty-eight patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) were compared to thirty-eight controls. A condition-test paradigm of event-related potentials (ERP), prepulse inhibition (PPI), and some specific tasks of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) were used (i.e., TMT, BACS-SC, and Fluency for processing speed and CPT-IP for attention and vigilance). The ERP components measured were P50, N1, and P2. The PPI intervals examined were 30, 60, and 120 msec. Regarding the MCCB, processing speed and attention/vigilance cognitive domains were selected. FEP patients showed significant deficits in N1 and P2 components, at 30 and 60 PPI levels and in all the MCCB subtests selected. We obtained significant relationships in N1 with PPI-60, and with one MCCB subtest for processing speed. In addition, this same subtest showed significant association with P2. Therefore, sensory gating functioning is widely impaired since the very early stages of schizophrenia.

The infrared imaging spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: reflective ruled diffraction grating performance testing and discussion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Elliot; Chen, Shaojie; Wright, Shelley A.; Moore, Anna M.; Larkin, James E.; Simard, Luc; Marie, Jerome; Mieda, Etsuko; Gordon, Jacob

2014-07-01

We present the efficiency of near-infrared reflective ruled diffraction gratings designed for the InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). IRIS is a first light, integral field spectrograph and imager for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and narrow field infrared adaptive optics system (NFIRAOS). IRIS will operate across the near-infrared encompassing the ZYJHK bands (~0.84 - 2.4μm) with multiple spectral resolutions. We present our experimental setup and analysis of the efficiency of selected reflective diffraction gratings. These measurements are used as a comparison sample against selected candidate Volume Phase Holographic (VPH) gratings (see Chen et al., this conference). We investigate the efficiencies of five ruled gratings designed for IRIS from two separate vendors. Three of the gratings accept a bandpass of 1.19-1.37μm (J band) with ideal spectral resolutions of R=4000 and R=8000, groove densities of 249 and 516 lines/mm, and blaze angles of 9.86° and 20.54° respectively. The other two gratings accept a bandpass of 1.51-1.82μm (H Band) with an ideal spectral resolution of R=4000, groove density of 141 lines/mm, and blaze angle of 9.86°. The fraction of flux in each diffraction mode was compared to both a pure reflection mirror as well as the sum of the flux measured in all observable modes. We measure the efficiencies off blaze angle for all gratings and the efficiencies between the polarization transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) states. The peak reflective efficiencies are 98.90 +/- 3.36% (TM) and 84.99 +/- 2.74% (TM) for the H-band R=4000 and J-band R=4000 respectively. The peak reflective efficiency for the J-band R=8000 grating is 78.78 +/- 2.54% (TE). We find that these ruled gratings do not exhibit a wide dependency on incident angle within +/-3°. Our best-manufactured gratings were found to exhibit a dependency on the polarization state of the incident beam with a ~10-20% deviation, consistent with the theoretical efficiency predictions. This work will significantly contribute to the selection of the final grating type and vendor for the IRIS optical system, and are also pertinent to current and future near-infrared astronomical spectrographs.

Extended Multiplexing of Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) Labeling Reveals Age and High Fat Diet Specific Proteome Changes in Mouse Epididymal Adipose Tissue*

PubMed Central

Plubell, Deanna L.; Wilmarth, Phillip A.; Zhao, Yuqi; Fenton, Alexandra M.; Minnier, Jessica; Reddy, Ashok P.; Klimek, John; Yang, Xia; David, Larry L.

2017-01-01

The lack of high-throughput methods to analyze the adipose tissue protein composition limits our understanding of the protein networks responsible for age and diet related metabolic response. We have developed an approach using multiple-dimension liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and extended multiplexing (24 biological samples) with tandem mass tags (TMT) labeling to analyze proteomes of epididymal adipose tissues isolated from mice fed either low or high fat diet for a short or a long-term, and from mice that aged on low versus high fat diets. The peripheral metabolic health (as measured by body weight, adiposity, plasma fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol levels, and glucose and insulin tolerance tests) deteriorated with diet and advancing age, with long-term high fat diet exposure being the worst. In response to short-term high fat diet, 43 proteins representing lipid metabolism (e.g. AACS, ACOX1, ACLY) and red-ox pathways (e.g. CPD2, CYP2E, SOD3) were significantly altered (FDR < 10%). Long-term high fat diet significantly altered 55 proteins associated with immune response (e.g. IGTB2, IFIT3, LGALS1) and rennin angiotensin system (e.g. ENPEP, CMA1, CPA3, ANPEP). Age-related changes on low fat diet significantly altered only 18 proteins representing mainly urea cycle (e.g. OTC, ARG1, CPS1), and amino acid biosynthesis (e.g. GMT, AKR1C6). Surprisingly, high fat diet driven age-related changes culminated with alterations in 155 proteins involving primarily the urea cycle (e.g. ARG1, CPS1), immune response/complement activation (e.g. C3, C4b, C8, C9, CFB, CFH, FGA), extracellular remodeling (e.g. EFEMP1, FBN1, FBN2, LTBP4, FERMT2, ECM1, EMILIN2, ITIH3) and apoptosis (e.g. YAP1, HIP1, NDRG1, PRKCD, MUL1) pathways. Using our adipose tissue tailored approach we have identified both age-related and high fat diet specific proteomic signatures highlighting a pronounced involvement of arginine metabolism in response to advancing age, and branched chain amino acid metabolism in early response to high fat feeding. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD005953. PMID:28325852

Stress-Induced Cubic-to-Hexagonal Phase Transformation in Perovskite Nanothin Films.

PubMed

Cao, Shi-Gu; Li, Yunsong; Wu, Hong-Hui; Wang, Jie; Huang, Baoling; Zhang, Tong-Yi

2017-08-09

The strong coupling between crystal structure and mechanical deformation can stabilize low-symmetry phases from high-symmetry phases or induce novel phase transformation in oxide thin films. Stress-induced structural phase transformation in oxide thin films has drawn more and more attention due to its significant influence on the functionalities of the materials. Here, we discovered experimentally a novel stress-induced cubic-to-hexagonal phase transformation in the perovskite nanothin films of barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) with a special thermomechanical treatment (TMT), where BaTiO 3 nanothin films under various stresses are annealed at temperature of 575 °C. Both high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy show a higher density of hexagonal phase in the perovskite thin film under higher tensile stress. Both X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy does not detect any change in the valence state of Ti atoms, thereby excluding the mechanism of oxygen vacancy induced cubic-to-hexagonal (c-to-h) phase transformation. First-principles calculations show that the c-to-h phase transformation can be completed by lattice shear at elevated temperature, which is consistent with the experimental observation. The applied bending plus the residual tensile stress produces shear stress in the nanothin film. The thermal energy at the elevated temperature assists the shear stress to overcome the energy barriers during the c-to-h phase transformation. The stress-induced phase transformation in perovskite nanothin films with TMT provides materials scientists and engineers a novel approach to tailor nano/microstructures and properties of ferroelectric materials.

Evaluation of Biosynthesis, Accumulation and Antioxidant Activityof Vitamin E in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.) during Kernel Development

PubMed Central

Xie, Lihua; Yu, Yongtao; Mao, Jihua; Liu, Haiying; Hu, Jian Guang; Li, Tong; Guo, Xinbo; Liu, Rui Hai

2017-01-01

Sweet corn kernels were used in this research to study the dynamics of vitamin E, by evaluatingthe expression levels of genes involved in vitamin E synthesis, the accumulation of vitamin E, and the antioxidant activity during the different stage of kernel development. Results showed that expression levels of ZmHPT and ZmTC genes increased, whereas ZmTMT gene dramatically decreased during kernel development. The contents of all the types of vitamin E in sweet corn had a significant upward increase during kernel development, and reached the highest level at 30 days after pollination (DAP). Amongst the eight isomers of vitamin E, the content of γ-tocotrienol was the highest, and increased by 14.9 folds, followed by α-tocopherolwith an increase of 22 folds, and thecontents of isomers γ-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, δ-tocopherol,δ-tocotrienol, and β-tocopherol were also followed during kernel development. The antioxidant activity of sweet corn during kernel development was increased, and was up to 101.8 ± 22.3 μmol of α-tocopherol equivlent/100 g in fresh weight (FW) at 30 DAP. There was a positive correlation between vitamin E contents and antioxidant activity in sweet corn during the kernel development, and a negative correlation between the expressions of ZmTMT gene and vitamin E contents. These results revealed the relations amongst the content of vitamin E isomers and the gene expression, vitamin E accumulation, and antioxidant activity. The study can provide a harvesting strategy for vitamin E bio-fortification in sweet corn. PMID:29261149

The role of mechanisms of buffering anxiety in HIV carriers. A study within the terror management theory paradigm.

PubMed

Kwiatkowska, Marta; Knysz, Brygida; Gąsiorowski, Jacek; Łuszczyńska, Aleksandra; Gładysz, Andrzej

2011-02-28

The paper concerns definition of the level of posttraumatic growth (PTG), the psychological adaptation mechanism occurring after extreme experiences in life, such as being informed of having HIV infection. The study is experimental, aiming to assess whether correlations between exposure to thoughts of stressful experiences and their psychological consequences are mediated by an efficient mechanism of buffering anxiety Fifty-four men and 26 women infected with HIV who underwent manipulated exposure to mortality according to the hypotheses of the terror management theory (TMT) were included. Subjects were randomly assigned to the control group (dental anxiety) or the experimental group (fear of dying). The results confirmed the assumptions of the terror management theory. The subjects had an efficient mechanism of alleviating the fear of dying, the so-called "anxiety buffer." The analysis revealed a high level of posttraumatic growth and advantages derived from the disease. The paper additionally characterizes the specific group of HIV-positive people, their functioning in society and the family. It touches on such issues as professional work, relations with relatives and friends, social life, and adherence. The study has shown that the specific group of people infected with HIV managed very well to adapt to the circumstances. One may say that as a consequence of acquiring the infection, the subjects have experienced significant changes of personality, which have ultimately led to an improvement of their lives and offered new possibilities for personal and social development to them. All the recorded changes fit into the TMT paradigm. ® Postepy Hig Med Dosw

Fox smell abrogates the effect of herbal odor to prolong mouse cardiac allograft survival.

PubMed

Jin, Xiangyuan; Uchiyama, Masateru; Zhang, Qi; Niimi, Masanori

2014-05-09

Herbal medicines have unique odors, and the act of smelling may have modulatory effects on the immune system. We investigated the effect of olfactory exposure to Tokishakuyaku-san (TJ-23), a Japanese herbal medicine, on alloimmune responses in a murine model of cardiac allograft transplantation. Naïve or olfactory-dysfunctional CBA mice underwent transplantation of a C57BL/6 heart and were exposed to the odor of TJ-23 until rejection. Some naïve CBA recipients of an allograft were given olfactory exposure to Sairei-to (TJ-114), trimethylthiazoline (TMT), individual components of TJ-23, or a TJ-23 preparation lacking one component. Adoptive transfer studies were performed to determine whether regulatory cells were generated. Untreated CBA mice rejected their C57BL/6 allografts acutely, as did olfactory-dysfunctional CBA mice exposed to the odor of TJ-23. CBA recipients of a C57BL/6 heart given olfactory exposure to TJ-23 had significantly prolonged allograft survival, whereas those exposed to the odor of TJ-114, TMT, one component of TJ-23, or TJ-23 lacking a component did not. Secondary allograft recipients that were given, at 30 days after transplantation, either whole splenocytes, CD4+ cells, or CD4+CD25+ cells from primary recipients exposed to the odor of TJ-23 had indefinitely prolonged allograft survival. Prolonged survival of cardiac allografts and generation of regulatory cells was associated with exposure to the odor of TJ-23 in our model. The olfactory area of the brain may have a role in the modulation of immune responses.

Evaluation of Biosynthesis, Accumulation and Antioxidant Activityof Vitamin E in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.) during Kernel Development.

PubMed

Xie, Lihua; Yu, Yongtao; Mao, Jihua; Liu, Haiying; Hu, Jian Guang; Li, Tong; Guo, Xinbo; Liu, Rui Hai

2017-12-20

Sweet corn kernels were used in this research to study the dynamics of vitamin E, by evaluatingthe expression levels of genes involved in vitamin E synthesis, the accumulation of vitamin E, and the antioxidant activity during the different stage of kernel development. Results showed that expression levels of Zm HPT and Zm TC genes increased, whereas Zm TMT gene dramatically decreased during kernel development. The contents of all the types of vitamin E in sweet corn had a significant upward increase during kernel development, and reached the highest level at 30 days after pollination (DAP). Amongst the eight isomers of vitamin E, the content of γ-tocotrienol was the highest, and increased by 14.9 folds, followed by α-tocopherolwith an increase of 22 folds, and thecontents of isomers γ-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, δ-tocopherol,δ-tocotrienol, and β-tocopherol were also followed during kernel development. The antioxidant activity of sweet corn during kernel development was increased, and was up to 101.8 ± 22.3 μmol of α-tocopherol equivlent/100 g in fresh weight (FW) at 30 DAP. There was a positive correlation between vitamin E contents and antioxidant activity in sweet corn during the kernel development, and a negative correlation between the expressions of Zm TMT gene and vitamin E contents. These results revealed the relations amongst the content of vitamin E isomers and the gene expression, vitamin E accumulation, and antioxidant activity. The study can provide a harvesting strategy for vitamin E bio-fortification in sweet corn.

Robustness of Thirty Meter Telescope primary mirror control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macmynowski, Douglas G.; Thompson, Peter M.; Shelton, Chris; Roberts, Lewis C., Jr.

2010-07-01

The primary mirror control system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) maintains the alignment of the 492 segments in the presence of both quasi-static (gravity and thermal) and dynamic disturbances due to unsteady wind loads. The latter results in a desired control bandwidth of 1Hz at high spatial frequencies. The achievable bandwidth is limited by robustness to (i) uncertain telescope structural dynamics (control-structure interaction) and (ii) small perturbations in the ill-conditioned influence matrix that relates segment edge sensor response to actuator commands. Both of these effects are considered herein using models of TMT. The former is explored through multivariable sensitivity analysis on a reduced-order Zernike-basis representation of the structural dynamics. The interaction matrix ("A-matrix") uncertainty has been analyzed theoretically elsewhere, and is examined here for realistic amplitude perturbations due to segment and sensor installation errors, and gravity and thermal induced segment motion. The primary influence of A-matrix uncertainty is on the control of "focusmode"; this is the least observable mode, measurable only through the edge-sensor (gap-dependent) sensitivity to the dihedral angle between segments. Accurately estimating focus-mode will require updating the A-matrix as a function of the measured gap. A-matrix uncertainty also results in a higher gain-margin requirement for focus-mode, and hence the A-matrix and CSI robustness need to be understood simultaneously. Based on the robustness analysis, the desired 1 Hz bandwidth is achievable in the presence of uncertainty for all except the lowest spatial-frequency response patterns of the primary mirror.

Neurophysiological analyses in different color environments of cognitive function in patients with traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Kodama, Takayuki; Morita, Kiichiro; Doi, Ryo; Shoji, Yoshihisa; Shigemori, Minoru

2010-09-01

Colors are thought to elicit various emotional effects. Red, with its high likelihood of attracting attention, is considered to have an exciting, active effect; whereas green, with its low attention value, is considered to have a relaxing, sedative effect. Colors are also thought to affect human cognition and emotion. However, there have been few studies of the influence of colors in one's surroundings (e.g., the color environment and its effect on cognitive function). In this study, we investigated the influence of differences in color environments (red, green, or darkness) on cognitive function by analyzing the P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by oddball visual paradigms as a measure of cognitive characteristics in patients who had sustained traumatic brain injury (TBI). In 18 patients with TBI and 18 age-matched control subjects, ERPs were recorded in response to photographs of crying babies. We found that P300 amplitudes in the red environment were significantly larger in controls than in TBI patients, while those in both the green environment and darkness showed no difference between controls and patients. P300 latencies in the red environment and in darkness were significantly longer in patients than in controls. P300 latency in the red environment was significantly shorter than that in darkness. However, P300 latency in the green environment showed no difference between controls and patients. In healthy individuals, the emotional effects of the red environment enhanced cognitive function. In patients with TBI, however, cognitive function was reduced in the red environment. Furthermore, P300 amplitude and latency were strongly correlated with the time on the Trail Making Test (TMT), and the value of the intelligence quotient of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III). These findings suggest that P300 amplitude and latency are useful indexes for the evaluation of TBI patients, and that color environments affect cognitive function.

Discovery and Verification of Osteopontin and Beta-2-microglobulin as Promising Markers for Staging Human African Trypanosomiasis*

PubMed Central

Tiberti, Natalia; Hainard, Alexandre; Lejon, Veerle; Robin, Xavier; Ngoyi, Dieudonné Mumba; Turck, Natacha; Matovu, Enock; Enyaru, John; Ndung'u, Joseph Mathu; Scherl, Alexander; Dayon, Loïc; Sanchez, Jean-Charles

2010-01-01

Human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, is a parasitic disease endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, transmitted to humans through the bite of a tsetse fly. The first or hemolymphatic stage of the disease is associated with presence of parasites in the bloodstream, lymphatic system, and body tissues. If patients are left untreated, parasites cross the blood-brain barrier and invade the cerebrospinal fluid and the brain parenchyma, giving rise to the second or meningoencephalitic stage. Stage determination is a crucial step in guiding the choice of treatment, as drugs used for S2 are potentially dangerous. Current staging methods, based on counting white blood cells and demonstrating trypanosomes in cerebrospinal fluid, lack specificity and/or sensitivity. In the present study, we used several proteomic strategies to discover new markers with potential for staging human African trypanosomiasis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from patients infected with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The stage was determined following the guidelines of the national control program. The proteome of the samples was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (n = 9), and by sixplex tandem mass tag (TMT) isobaric labeling (n = 6) quantitative mass spectrometry. Overall, 73 proteins were overexpressed in patients presenting the second stage of the disease. Two of these, osteopontin and β-2-microglobulin, were confirmed to be potential markers for staging human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) by Western blot and ELISA. The two proteins significantly discriminated between S1 and S2 patients with high sensitivity (68% and 78%, respectively) for 100% specificity, and a combination of both improved the sensitivity to 91%. The levels of osteopontin and β-2-microglobulin in CSF of S2 patients (μg/ml range), as well as the fold increased concentration in S2 compared with S1 (3.8 and 5.5 respectively) make the two markers good candidates for the development of a test for staging HAT patients. PMID:20724469

Modeling update for the Thirty Meter Telescope laser guide star dual-conjugate adaptive optics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilles, Luc; Wang, Lianqi; Ellerbroek, Brent

2010-07-01

This paper describes the modeling efforts undertaken in the past couple of years to derive wavefront error (WFE) performance estimates for the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), which is the facility laser guide star (LGS) dual-conjugate adaptive optics (AO) system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). The estimates describe the expected performance of NFIRAOS as a function of seeing on Mauna Kea, zenith angle, and galactic latitude (GL). They have been developed through a combination of integrated AO simulations, side analyses, allocations, lab and lidar experiments.

Dirhenium decacarbonyl-loaded PLLA nanoparticles: influence of neutron irradiation and preliminary in vivo administration by the TMT technique.

PubMed

Hamoudeh, Misara; Fessi, Hatem; Mehier, Henri; Faraj, Achraf Al; Canet-Soulas, Emmanuelle

2008-02-04

In a previous study, we have described the elaboration of PLLA-based nanoparticles loaded with non radioactive dirhenium decacarbonyl [Re(2)(CO)(10)], a novel neutron-activatable radiopharmaceutical dosage form for intra-tumoral radiotherapy. These nanoparticles are designed for a neutron irradiation which can be carried out in a nuclear reactor facility. This new paper describes the neutron irradiation influence on these Re(2)(CO)(10)-loaded PLLA nanoparticles. The loaded nanoparticles with 23% (w/w) of metallic rhenium have shown to remain stable and separated and to keep out their sphericity at the lower neutron flux (1x10(11)n/cm(2)/s for 0.5h) which was used for rhenium content determination (neutron activation analysis, NAA). However, when loaded nanoparticles were irradiated at the higher neutron flux (1.45x10(13)n/cm(2)/s, 1h), they have shown to be partially coagglomerated and some pores appeared at their surface. Furthermore, DSC results showed a decrease in the PLLA melting point and melting enthalpy in both blank and loaded nanoparticles indicating a decrease in polymer crystallinity. In addition, the polymer molecular weights (M(n), M(w)) decreased after irradiation but without largely affecting the polymer polydispersity index (P.I.) which indicated that an irradiation-induced PLLA chain scission had occurred in a random way. The XRD patterns of irradiated PLLA provided another proof of polymer loss of crystallinity. FTIR spectra results have shown that irradiated nanoparticles retained the chemical identity of the used Re(2)(CO)(10) and PLLA despite the reduction in polymer crystallinity and molecular weight. Nanoparticles suspending after irradiation became also more difficult, but it was properly achievable by adding PVA (1%) and ethanol (10%) into the dispersing medium. Moreover, after 24h incubation of different irradiated nanoparticles in two different culture mediums, visual examination did not show bacterial growth indicating that applied neutron irradiation, yielding an absorbed dose of 450kGy, can be a terminal method for nanoparticles sterilisation. Thereafter, in a preliminary in vivo experiment, superparamagnetic non radioactive nanoparticles loaded with Re(2)(CO)(10) and oleic-acid coated magnetite have been successfully injected into a mice animal model via targeted multi therapy (TMT) technique which would be our selected administration method for future in vivo studies. In conclusion, although some induced neutron irradiation damage to nanoparticles occurs, dirhenium decacarbonyl-loaded PLLA nanoparticles retain their chemical identity and remain almost as re-dispersible and injectable nanoparticles by the TMT technique. These nanoparticles represent a novel interesting candidate for local intra-tumoral radiotherapy.

High-throughput sperm differential proteomics suggests that epigenetic alterations contribute to failed assisted reproduction.

PubMed

Azpiazu, Rubén; Amaral, Alexandra; Castillo, Judit; Estanyol, Josep Maria; Guimerà, Marta; Ballescà, Josep Lluís; Balasch, Juan; Oliva, Rafael

2014-06-01

Are there quantitative alterations in the proteome of normozoospermic sperm samples that are able to complete IVF but whose female partner does not achieve pregnancy? Normozoospermic sperm samples with different IVF outcomes (pregnancy versus no pregnancy) differed in the levels of at least 66 proteins. The analysis of the proteome of sperm samples with distinct fertilization capacity using low-throughput proteomic techniques resulted in the detection of a few differential proteins. Current high-throughput mass spectrometry approaches allow the identification and quantification of a substantially higher number of proteins. This was a case-control study including 31 men with normozoospermic sperm and their partners who underwent IVF with successful fertilization recruited between 2007 and 2008. Normozoospermic sperm samples from 15 men whose female partners did not achieve pregnancy after IVF (no pregnancy) and 16 men from couples that did achieve pregnancy after IVF (pregnancy) were included in this study. To perform the differential proteomic experiments, 10 no pregnancy samples and 10 pregnancy samples were separately pooled and subsequently used for tandem mass tags (TMT) protein labelling, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) identification and peak intensity relative protein quantification. Bioinformatic analyses were performed using UniProt Knowledgebase, DAVID and Reactome. Individual samples (n = 5 no pregnancy samples; n = 6 pregnancy samples) and aliquots from the above TMT pools were used for western blotting. By using TMT labelling and LC-MS/MS, we have detected 31 proteins present at lower abundance (ratio no pregnancy/pregnancy < 0.67) and 35 at higher abundance (ratio no pregnancy/pregnancy > 1.5) in the no pregnancy group. Bioinformatic analyses showed that the proteins with differing abundance are involved in chromatin assembly and lipoprotein metabolism (P values < 0.05). In addition, the differential abundance of one of the proteins (SRSF protein kinase 1) was further validated by western blotting using independent samples (P value < 0.01). For individual samples the amount of recovered sperm not used for IVF was low and in most of the cases insufficient for MS analysis, therefore pools of samples had to be used to this end. Alterations in the proteins involved in chromatin assembly and metabolism may result in epigenetic errors during spermatogenesis, leading to inaccurate sperm epigenetic signatures, which could ultimately prevent embryonic development. These sperm proteins may thus possibly have clinical relevance. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Ministerio de Economia y Competividad; FEDER BFU 2009-07118 and PI13/00699) and Fundación Salud 2000 SERONO13-015. There are no competing interests to declare.

Murine Denys-Drash syndrome: evidence of podocyte de-differentiation and systemic mediation of glomerulosclerosis.

PubMed

Patek, Charles E; Fleming, Stewart; Miles, Colin G; Bellamy, Christopher O; Ladomery, Michael; Spraggon, Lee; Mullins, John; Hastie, Nicholas D; Hooper, Martin L

2003-09-15

Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS) is caused by dominant mutations of the Wilms' tumour suppressor gene, WT1, and characterized by a nephropathy involving diffuse mesangial sclerosis, male pseudohermaphroditism and/or Wilms' tumourigenesis. Previously, we reported that heterozygosity for the Wt1tmT396 mutation induces DDS in heterozygous and chimeric (Wt1tmT396/+<-->+/+) mice. In the present study, the fate of Wt1 mutant cells in chimeric kidneys was assessed by in situ marker analysis, and immunocytochemistry was used to re-examine the claim that glomerulosclerosis (GS) is caused by loss of WT1 and persistent Pax-2 expression by podocytes. Wt1 mutant cells colonized glomeruli efficiently, including podocytes, but some sclerotic glomeruli contained no detectable Wt1 mutant cells. The development of GS was preceded by widespread loss of ZO-1 signal in podocytes (even in kidneys where <5% of glomeruli contained Wt1 mutant podocytes), increased intra-renal renin expression, and de novo podocyte TGF-beta1 expression, but not podocyte Pax-2 expression or loss of WT1, synaptopodin, alpha-actinin-4 or nephrin expression. However, podocytes in partially sclerotic glomeruli that still expressed WT1 at high levels showed reduced vimentin expression, cell cycle re-entry, and re-expressed desmin, cytokeratin and Pax-2. The results suggest that: (i) GS is not due to loss of WT1 expression by podocytes; (ii) podocyte Pax-2 expression reflects re-expression rather than persistent expression, and is the consequence of GS; (iii) GS is mediated systemically and the mechanism involves activation of the renin-angiotensin system; and (iv) podocytes undergo typical maturational changes but subsequently de-differentiate and revert to an immature phenotype during disease progression.

High fat, high sucrose diet causes cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction due in part to oxidative post-translational modification of mitochondrial complex II

PubMed Central

Sverdlov, Aaron L.; Elezaby, Aly; Behring, Jessica B.; Bachschmid, Markus M.; Luptak, Ivan; Tu, Vivian H.; Siwik, Deborah A.; Miller, Edward J.; Liesa, Marc; Shirihai, Orian S; Pimentel, David R.; Cohen, Richard A.; Colucci, Wilson S.

2014-01-01

Background Diet-induced obesity leads to metabolic heart disease (MHD) characterized by increased oxidative stress that may cause oxidative post-translational modifications (OPTM) of cardiac mitochondrial proteins. The functional consequences of OPTM of cardiac mitochondrial proteins in MHD are unknown. Our objective was to determine whether cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction in MHD due to diet-induced obesity is associated with cysteine OPTM. Methods and results Male C57Bl/6J mice were fed either a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) or control diet for 8 months. Cardiac mitochondria from HFHS-fed mice (vs. control diet) had an increased rate of H2O2 production, a decreased GSH/GSSG ratio, a decreased rate of complex II substrate-driven ATP synthesis and decreased complex II activity. Complex II substrate-driven ATP synthesis and complex II activity were partially restored ex-vivo by reducing conditions. A biotin switch assay showed that HFHS feeding increased cysteine OPTM in complex II subunits A (SDHA) and B (SDHB). Using iodo-TMT multiplex tags we found that HFHS feeding is associated with reversible oxidation of cysteines 89 and 231 in SDHA, and 100, 103 and 115 in SDHB. Conclusions MHD due to consumption of a HFHS “Western” diet causes increased H2O2 production and oxidative stress in cardiac mitochondria associated with decreased ATP synthesis and decreased complex II activity. Impaired complex II activity and ATP production are associated with reversible cysteine OPTM of complex II. Possible sites of reversible cysteine OPTM in SDHA and SDHB were identified by iodo-TMT tag labeling. Mitochondrial ROS may contribute to the pathophysiology of MHD by impairing the function of complex II. PMID:25109264

IGF-1 and pAKT signaling promote hippocampal CA1 neuronal survival following injury to dentate granule cells.

PubMed

Wine, Robert N; McPherson, Christopher A; Harry, G Jean

2009-10-01

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) protects neurons from apoptosis and in vivo offers neuroprotective support to hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons following ischemia or seizure. IGF-1 signals through IGF-1 receptors activating phosphytidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt or pMAPK pathways. IGF-1 can be induced with injury and microglia and astrocytes may serve as a source of this neurotrophic factor to promote neuronal survival. An acute systemic injection of trimethyltin (TMT; 2 mg/kg, ip) to mice induces apoptosis of dentate granule neurons within 24 h and a differential response of microglia with ramified microglia present in the CA-1 region. Using this model, we studied the role of IGF-1 in the survival of CA-1 pyramidal neurons under conditions of altered synaptic input due to changes in the dentate gyrus. Within 24 h of injection, IGF-1 mRNA levels were elevated in the hippocampus and IGF-1 protein detected in both astrocytes and microglia. IGF-1 was redistributed within the CA-1 neurons corresponding with an increase in cytoplasmic pAkt, elevated PKBalpha/Akt protein levels, and a decrease in the antagonist, Rho. pMAPK was not detected in CA-1 neurons and ERK2 showed a transient decrease followed by a significant increase, suggesting a lack of recruitment of the pMAPK signaling pathway for neuronal survival. In mice deficient for IGF-1, a similar level of apoptosis was observed in dentate granule neurons as compared to wildtype; however, TMT induced a significant level CA-1 neuronal death, further supporting a role for IGF-1 in the survival of CA-1 neurons.

Nebular line emission from z > 7 galaxies in a cosmological simulation: rest-frame UV to optical lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Ikkoh; Inoue, Akio K.; Okamoto, Takashi; Yoshida, Naoki

2016-10-01

We have performed very large and high-resolution cosmological hydrodynamic simulations in order to investigate detectability of nebular lines in the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) to optical wavelength range from galaxies at z > 7. We find that the expected line fluxes are very well correlated with the apparent UV magnitudes. The C IV 1549 Å and C III] 1909 Å lines of galaxies brighter than 26 AB magnitudes are detectable with current facilities such as the Very Large Telescope (VLT) XShooter and the Keck Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infra-Red Exploration (MOSFIRE). Metal lines such as C IV 1549 Å, C III] 1909 Å, [O II] 3727 Å and [O III] 4959/5007 Å are good targets for spectroscopic observation with the Thirty-Metre Telescope (TMT), European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We also expect Hα and Hβ lines to be detectable with these telescopes. Additionally, we predict the detectability of nebular lines for z > 10 galaxies, which will be found with JWST, the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) and First Light And Reionization Explorer (FLARE) (11 ≤ z ≤ 15). We conclude that the C IV 1549 Å, C III] 1909 Å, [O III] 4959/5007 Å and Hβ lines from even z ˜15 galaxies could be strong targets for TMT, E-ELT and JWST. We also find that magnification by gravitational lensing is of great help in detecting such high-z galaxies. According to our model, the C III] 1909 Å line in z > 9 galaxy candidates is detectable even using current facilities.

Expression Patterns of Genes Involved in Sugar Metabolism and Accumulation during Apple Fruit Development

PubMed Central

Cheng, Lailiang

2012-01-01

Both sorbitol and sucrose are imported into apple fruit from leaves. The metabolism of sorbitol and sucrose fuels fruit growth and development, and accumulation of sugars in fruit is central to the edible quality of apple. However, our understanding of the mechanisms controlling sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple remains quite limited. We identified members of various gene families encoding key enzymes or transporters involved in sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple fruit using homology searches and comparison of their expression patterns in different tissues, and analyzed the relationship of their transcripts with enzyme activities and sugar accumulation during fruit development. At the early stage of fruit development, the transcript levels of sorbitol dehydrogenase, cell wall invertase, neutral invertase, sucrose synthase, fructokinase and hexokinase are high, and the resulting high enzyme activities are responsible for the rapid utilization of the imported sorbitol and sucrose for fruit growth, with low levels of sugar accumulation. As the fruit continues to grow due to cell expansion, the transcript levels and activities of these enzymes are down-regulated, with concomitant accumulation of fructose and elevated transcript levels of tonoplast monosaccharide transporters (TMTs), MdTMT1 and MdTMT2; the excess carbon is converted into starch. At the late stage of fruit development, sucrose accumulation is enhanced, consistent with the elevated expression of sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), MdSPS5 and MdSPS6, and an increase in its total activity. Our data indicate that sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple fruit is developmentally regulated. This represents a comprehensive analysis of the genes involved in sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple, which will serve as a platform for further studies on the functions of these genes and subsequent manipulation of sugar metabolism and fruit quality traits related to carbohydrates. PMID:22412983

Beneficial effect of diosgenin as a stimulator of NGF on the brain with neuronal damage induced by Aβ-42 accumulation and neurotoxicant injection.

PubMed

Koh, Eun-Kyoung; Yun, Woo-Bin; Kim, Ji-Eun; Song, Sung-Hwa; Sung, Ji-Eun; Lee, Hyun-Ah; Seo, Eun-Ji; Jee, Seung-Wan; Bae, Chang-Joon; Hwang, Dae-Youn

2016-06-01

To investigate the beneficial effects of diosgenin (DG) on the multiple types of brain damage induced by Aβ-42 peptides and neurotoxicants, alterations in the specific aspects of brain functions were measured in trimethyltin (TMT)-injected transgenic 2576 (TG) mice that had been pretreated with DG for 21 days. Multiple types of damage were successfully induced by Aβ-42 accumulation and TMT injection into the brains of TG mice. However, DG treatment significantly reduced the number of Aβ-stained plaques and dead cells in the granule cells layer of the dentate gyrus. Significant suppression of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and Bax/Bcl-2 expression was also observed in the DG treated TG mice (TG+DG group) when compared with those of the vehicle (VC) treated TG mice (TG+VC group). Additionally, the concentration of nerve growth factor (NGF) was dramatically enhanced in TG+DG group, although it was lower in the TG+VC group than the non-transgenic (nTG) group. Furthermore, the decreased phosphorylation of downstream members in the TrkA high affinity receptor signaling pathway in the TG+VC group was significantly recovered in the TG+DG group. A similar pattern was observed in p75(NTR) expression and JNK phosphorylation in the NGF low affinity receptor signaling pathway. Moreover, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was enhanced in the TG+DG group, while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, was lower in the TG+DG group than the TG+VC group. These results suggest that DG could exert a wide range of beneficial activities for multiple types of brain damage through stimulation of NGF biosynthesis.

Beneficial effect of diosgenin as a stimulator of NGF on the brain with neuronal damage induced by Aβ-42 accumulation and neurotoxicant injection

PubMed Central

Koh, Eun-Kyoung; Yun, Woo-Bin; Kim, Ji-Eun; Song, Sung-Hwa; Sung, Ji-Eun; Lee, Hyun-Ah; Seo, Eun-Ji; Jee, Seung-Wan

2016-01-01

To investigate the beneficial effects of diosgenin (DG) on the multiple types of brain damage induced by Aβ-42 peptides and neurotoxicants, alterations in the specific aspects of brain functions were measured in trimethyltin (TMT)-injected transgenic 2576 (TG) mice that had been pretreated with DG for 21 days. Multiple types of damage were successfully induced by Aβ-42 accumulation and TMT injection into the brains of TG mice. However, DG treatment significantly reduced the number of Aβ-stained plaques and dead cells in the granule cells layer of the dentate gyrus. Significant suppression of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and Bax/Bcl-2 expression was also observed in the DG treated TG mice (TG+DG group) when compared with those of the vehicle (VC) treated TG mice (TG+VC group). Additionally, the concentration of nerve growth factor (NGF) was dramatically enhanced in TG+DG group, although it was lower in the TG+VC group than the non-transgenic (nTG) group. Furthermore, the decreased phosphorylation of downstream members in the TrkA high affinity receptor signaling pathway in the TG+VC group was significantly recovered in the TG+DG group. A similar pattern was observed in p75NTR expression and JNK phosphorylation in the NGF low affinity receptor signaling pathway. Moreover, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was enhanced in the TG+DG group, while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, was lower in the TG+DG group than the TG+VC group. These results suggest that DG could exert a wide range of beneficial activities for multiple types of brain damage through stimulation of NGF biosynthesis. PMID:27382379

Comparative analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from the meningo-encephalitic stage of T. b. gambiense and rhodesiense sleeping sickness patients using TMT quantitative proteomics.

PubMed

Tiberti, Natalia; Sanchez, Jean-Charles

2015-09-01

The quantitative proteomics data here reported are part of a research article entitled "Increased acute immune response during the meningo-encephalitic stage of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense sleeping sickness compared to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense", published by Tiberti et al., 2015. Transl. Proteomics 6, 1-9. Sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis - HAT) is a deadly neglected tropical disease affecting mainly rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. This parasitic disease is caused by the Trypanosoma brucei (T. b.) parasite, which is transmitted to the human host through the bite of the tse-tse fly. Two parasite sub-species, T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense, are responsible for two clinically different and geographically separated forms of sleeping sickness. The objective of the present study was to characterise and compare the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome of stage 2 (meningo-encephalitic stage) HAT patients suffering from T. b. gambiense or T. b. rhodesiense disease using high-throughput quantitative proteomics and the Tandem Mass Tag (TMT(®)) isobaric labelling. In order to evaluate the CSF proteome in the context of HAT pathophysiology, the protein dataset was then submitted to gene ontology and pathway analysis. Two significantly differentially expressed proteins (C-reactive protein and orosomucoid 1) were further verified on a larger population of patients (n=185) by ELISA, confirming the mass spectrometry results. By showing a predominant involvement of the acute immune response in rhodesiense HAT, the proteomics results obtained in this work will contribute to further understand the mechanisms of pathology occurring in HAT and to propose new biomarkers of potential clinical utility. The mass spectrometry raw data are available in the Pride Archive via ProteomeXchange through the identifier PXD001082.

Analysis of TMT primary mirror control-structure interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacMynowski, Douglas G.; Thompson, Peter M.; Sirota, Mark J.

2008-07-01

The primary mirror control system (M1CS) keeps the 492 segments of the Thirty Meter Telescope primary mirror aligned in the presence of disturbances. A global position control loop uses feedback from inter-segment edge sensors to three actuators behind each segment that control segment piston, tip and tilt. If soft force actuators are used (e.g. voice-coil), then in addition to the global position loop there will be a local servo loop to provide stiffness. While the M1 control system at Keck compensates only for slow disturbances such as gravity and thermal variations, the M1CS for TMT will need to provide some compensation for higher frequency wind disturbances in order to meet stringent error budget targets. An analysis of expected high-wavenumber wind forces on M1 suggests that a 1Hz control bandwidth is required for the global feedback of segment edge-sensorbased position information in order to minimize high spatial frequency segment response for both seeing-limited and adaptive optics performance. A much higher bandwidth is required from the local servo loop to provide adequate stiffness to wind or acoustic disturbances. A related paper presents the control designs for the local actuator servo loops. The disturbance rejection requirements would not be difficult to achieve for a single segment, but the structural coupling between segments mounted on a flexible mirror cell results in controlstructure interaction (CSI) that limits the achievable bandwidth. Using a combination of simplified modeling to build intuition and the full telescope finite element model for verification, we present designs and analysis for both the local servo loop and global loop demonstrating sufficient bandwidth and resulting wind-disturbance rejection despite the presence of CSI.

Developing Performance Estimates for High Precision Astrometry with TMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoeck, Matthias; Do, Tuan; Ellerbroek, Brent; Herriot, Glen; Meyer, Leo; Suzuki, Ryuji; Wang, Lianqi; Yelda, Sylvana

2013-12-01

Adaptive optics on Extremely Large Telescopes will open up many new science cases or expand existing science into regimes unattainable with the current generation of telescopes. One example of this is high-precision astrometry, which has requirements in the range from 10 to 50 micro-arc-seconds for some instruments and science cases. Achieving these requirements imposes stringent constraints on the design of the entire observatory, but also on the calibration procedures, observing sequences and the data analysis techniques. This paper summarizes our efforts to develop a top down astrometry error budget for TMT. It is predominantly developed for the first-light AO system, NFIRAOS, and the IRIS instrument, but many terms are applicable to other configurations as well. Astrometry error sources are divided into 5 categories: Reference source and catalog errors, atmospheric refraction correction errors, other residual atmospheric effects, opto-mechanical errors and focal plane measurement errors. Results are developed in parametric form whenever possible. However, almost every error term in the error budget depends on the details of the astrometry observations, such as whether absolute or differential astrometry is the goal, whether one observes a sparse or crowded field, what the time scales of interest are, etc. Thus, it is not possible to develop a single error budget that applies to all science cases and separate budgets are developed and detailed for key astrometric observations. Our error budget is consistent with the requirements for differential astrometry of tens of micro-arc-seconds for certain science cases. While no show stoppers have been found, the work has resulted in several modifications to the NFIRAOS optical surface specifications and reference source design that will help improve the achievable astrometry precision even further.

Understanding mechanism of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus aestivation: Insights from TMT-based proteomic study.

PubMed

Chen, Muyan; Li, Xingke; Zhu, Aijun; Storey, Kenneth B; Sun, Lina; Gao, Tianxiang; Wang, Tianming

2016-09-01

Marine invertebrate aestivation is a unique strategy for summer survival in response to hot marine conditions. The sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus, is an excellent model marine invertebrate for studies of environmentally-induced aestivation. In the present study, we used a tandem mass tag (TMT)-coupled LC-MS/MS approach to identify and quantify the global proteome expression profile over the aestivation-arousal cycle of A. japonicus. A total of 3920 proteins were identified from the intestine of sea cucumber. Among them, 630 proteins showed significant differential expression when comparing three conditions of sea cucumbers: non-aestivating (active), deep-aestivation (at least 15days of continuous aestivation), and arousal after aestivation (renewed moving and feeding). Sea cucumbers in deep aestivation showed substantial differentially expressed proteins (143 up-regulated and 267 down-regulated proteins compared with non-aestivating controls). These differentially expressed proteins suggested that protein and phospholipid probably are major fuel sources during hypometabolism and a general attenuation of carbohydrate metabolism was observed during deep aestivation. Differentially expressed proteins also provided the first global picture of a shift in protein synthesis, protein folding, DNA binding, apoptosis, cellular transport and signaling, and cytoskeletal proteins during deep aestivation in sea cucumbers. A comparison of arousal from aestivation with deep aestivation, revealed a general reversal of the changes that occurred in aestivation for most proteins. Western blot detection further validated the significant up-regulation of HSP70 and down-regulation of methyltransferase-like protein 7A-like in deep-aestivation. Our results suggest that there is substantial post-transcriptional regulation of proteins during the aestivation-arousal cycle in sea cucumbers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Titan Science with the James Webb Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nixon, Conor A.; Achterberg, Richard; Adamkovics, Mate; Bezard, Bruno; Bjoraker, Gordon; Cornet, Thomas; Hayes, Alexander; Lellouch, Emmanuel; Lemmon, Mark; Lopez Puertas, Manuel; Rodriguez, Sebastien; Sotin, Christophe; Teanby, Nicholas; Turtle, Elizabeth; West, Robert

2015-11-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled for launch in 2018, is an ambitious next-generation large-aperture (6.5 m) space observatory focused on pushing the boundaries of infrared astronomy (0.6-28.0 μm). This long-wavelength focus gives it very substantial potential for solar system science, since the thermal emissions from the surfaces and atmospheres of many planets, moons and small bodies peak in this part of the spectrum. Here we report the findings of a task team convened to examine the potential for Titan science using JWST. These can be divided into five broad areas: (i) the surface, especially the rotational lightcurve; (ii) clouds in the lower atmosphere from direct imaging and near-IR spectroscopy; (iii) composition of the lower atmosphere, especially methane relative humidity; (iv) composition of the middle atmosphere, including thermal and fluorescent emissions from gases; (v) hazes in the middle atmosphere, including seasonal changes in hemispheric contrast. The capability of the major JWST instruments in each area is considered, and limitations such as potential saturation is noted and mitigation strategies (such as sub-arraying) discussed. Overall we find that JWST can make significant contributions to Titan science in many areas, not least in temporal monitoring of seasonal change after the end of the Cassini mission in 2017, in partnership with other next-generation observing facilities (TMT, GMT, EELT, ALMA).

Do similarities or differences between CEO leadership and organizational culture have a more positive effect on firm performance? A test of competing predictions.

PubMed

Hartnell, Chad A; Kinicki, Angelo J; Lambert, Lisa Schurer; Fugate, Mel; Doyle Corner, Patricia

2016-06-01

This study examines the nature of the interaction between CEO leadership and organizational culture using 2 common metathemes (task and relationship) in leadership and culture research. Two perspectives, similarity and dissimilarity, offer competing predictions about the fit, or interaction, between leadership and culture and its predicted effect on firm performance. Predictions for the similarity perspective draw upon attribution theory and social identity theory of leadership, whereas predictions for the dissimilarity perspective are developed based upon insights from leadership contingency theories and the notion of substitutability. Hierarchical regression results from 114 CEOs and 324 top management team (TMT) members failed to support the similarity hypotheses but revealed broad support for the dissimilarity predictions. Findings suggest that culture can serve as a substitute for leadership when leadership behaviors are redundant with cultural values (i.e., they both share a task- or relationship-oriented focus). Findings also support leadership contingency theories indicating that CEO leadership is effective when it provides psychological and motivational resources lacking in the organization's culture. We discuss theoretical and practical implications and delineate directions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Thermophysical and Electronic Properties Information Analysis Center (TEPIAC). A Continuing Systematic Program on Data Tables of Thermophysical and Electronic Properties of Materials.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

cermets, intermetallics, polymers, tomposites, elements, compounds, glasses , coatings, systems, materials, data 1tion. data evaluation, data analysis...intermetallics, glasses , ceramics, cermets, applied coatings, polymers, composites, and systems. The strategy of literature search has been to use both the...Tv i]3qTMt- I I [ 1 f-TL 1i 1: I 11c IQ I HT. Tsfl-)EN11R2 P- J 99’)~ 0 J917 V2O5 Vanadium Ox ide Li~~~~~~~~j ff T7AV~fi YJ rILLVL7T_(For

Unit Fire Direction Center Training Program for the 81mm Mortar

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-02-01

rotor* It to IM Ui. Army ftoioardi instltuto for IM üEaotOfH ond It It «0 Motor NMM. *•••• «o not Sod «« fctonoM. WQTt, Thrt «oiMrcfi *OOMCI * m« to...Virginia 22333-5600 REPORT * PERIOD COVERCO Interim Report June 1983-June 1984 «. PERFORMING OR6. REPORT NUMBER I. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBCRf«) MDA ...command for the FFE? A B C D riet Mc M&- 3§± sec MTM. rat US SM tffl sm. mi Htll Iff TMt ! EZ9 E3B NOTE: EOM, mark as Tgt CD 06

An Explanation Facility for the ROSIE (Tradename) Knowledge Engineering Language

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

Caster supported by ’the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Centra« No- MDA «äSU^C-0080; «ad by TK» RAND CÄposaüß« «a part of its program of public...dsatmatioa: (1] If the «nit is « vend, deny that «aft is docked at that unit’s location sod assert tact unit is docked et the destination J2J If the unit... tMt ’ :aniwcra ’■ the, question, "What an you, doing now?" a graphical display window that answers the question, "Where are you in the cal

Present opto-mechanical design status of NFIRAOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrnes, Peter W. G.; Atwood, Jenny; Boucher, Marc-André; Fitzsimmons, Joeleff; Hill, Alexis; Herriot, Glen; Spanò, Paolo; Szeto, Kei; Wevers, Ivan

2014-07-01

This paper describes the current opto-mechanical design of NFIRAOS (Narrow Field InfraRed Adaptive Optics System) for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). The preliminary design update review for NFIRAOS was successfully held in December 2011, and incremental design progress has since occurred on several fronts. The majority of NFIRAOS is housed within an insulated and cooled enclosure, and operates at -30 C to reduce background emissivity. The cold optomechanics are attached to a space-frame structure, kinematically supported by bipods that penetrate the insulated enclosure. The bipods are attached to an exo-structure at ambient temperature, which also supports up to three client science instruments and a science calibration unit.

Efficacy of memory training in healthy community-dwelling older people: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pérez, Anna; Roqué, Marta; Domènech, Sara; Monteserín, Rosa; Soriano, Núria; Blancafort, Xavier; Bosom, Maria; Vidal, Cristina; Petit, Montse; Hortal, Núria; Gil, Carles; Espelt, Albert; López, Maria José

2015-10-01

There is limited evidence on the efficacy and social utility of cognitive training. To address this, we have designed a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of memory training workshops for healthy older people in terms of their short- and long-term impact on cognitive function, health-related quality of life, and functionality. A randomized controlled trial will be performed in health care centers in Barcelona (Spain) through comparison of a group of individuals participating in memory training workshops (experimental group) with another group with similar characteristics not participating in the workshops (control group). The intervention will consist of twelve 90-minute group sessions imparted once a week by a psychologist specialized in memory training. The groups will each comprise approximately 15 people, for a total number of 230 patients involved in the study. Each session has its own objectives, materials and activities. The content of the intervention is based on memory training from different perspectives, including cognitive and emotional aspects and social and individual skills. Data will be collected at baseline, at 3-4 months and at 6 months. To assess the efficacy of the intervention on cognitive function, health-related quality of life and functionality, a statistical analysis will be performed by fitting a repeated-measures mixed effects model for each main outcome: Self-perceived memory, measured by a Subjective Self-reported Memory Score (from 0 to 10) and by the Memory Failures in Everyday life questionnaire (MFE); Everyday memory, measured using the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test-3 (RBMT-3) and Executive control abilities, measured in terms of visual-perceptual ability, working memory and task-switching ability with the Trail Making Test (TMT) and with the digit span scale of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III (WAIS III). The results of this study will be highly useful for social and public health policies related to older people. Given the continuous increase in the prevalence of older people, a large number of interventions targeting memory loss are funded by public resources. To ensure transparency and effective prioritization, research such as the present study is needed to provide evidence of the effectiveness and usefulness of these interventions. Number: NCT02431182 .

Oxidative stress in schizophrenia: a case-control study on the effects on social cognition and neurocognition.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Liencres, Cristina; Tas, Cumhur; Brown, Elliot C; Erdin, Soner; Onur, Ece; Cubukcoglu, Zeynep; Aydemir, Omer; Esen-Danaci, Aysen; Brüne, Martin

2014-09-24

Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental disorder that presents impairments in neurocognition and social cognition. Several studies have suggested that the etiology of schizophrenia can be partly explained by oxidative stress. However, our knowledge about the implications of oxidative stress on illness-related cognitive deficits is still far from being clear. The aim of this work was to study the role of oxidative stress molecules on social cognition and neurocognition in patients with schizophrenia. We assessed the peripheral levels of several molecules associated with oxidative stress, namely nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), homocysteine, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and neurotrophin 4/5 (NT4/5), in forty-one patients with schizophrenia and forty-three healthy participants. A battery of tests to measure neurocognition and social cognition was also administered to the schizophrenia group. We found that the schizophrenia group presented substantially higher levels of oxidative stress than the control group, as revealed by elevated quantities of the pro-oxidants NO and MDA, and decreased levels of the antioxidants GSH, SOD and NT4/5. Interestingly, the levels of NT4/5, which have been shown to have antioxidant effects, correlated with executive functioning, as measured by two distinct tests (WCST and TMT). However, social cognition and symptom severity were not found to be associated with oxidative stress. We propose a protective role of NT4/5 against oxidative stress, which appears to have a potentially beneficial impact on neurocognition in schizophrenia.

Production of superoxide in chloroplast thylakoid membranes ESR study with cyclic hydroxylamines of different lipophilicity.

PubMed

Kozuleva, Marina; Klenina, Irina; Proskuryakov, Ivan; Kirilyuk, Igor; Ivanov, Boris

2011-04-06

Accumulation of nitroxide radicals, DCP· or TMT·, under illumination of a thylakoid suspension containing either hydrophilic, DCP-H, or lipophilic, TMT-H, cyclic hydroxylamines that have high rate constants of the reaction with superoxide radicals, was measured using ESR. A slower accumulation of TMT· in contrast with DCP· accumulation was explained by re-reduction of TMT· by the carriers of the photosynthetic electron transport chain within the membrane. Superoxide dismutase suppressed TMT· accumulation to a lesser extent than DCP· accumulation. The data are interpreted as evidencing the production of intramembrane superoxide in thylakoids. Copyright © 2011 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Constraining the mass and radius of neutron star by future observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwak, Kyujin; Lee, Chang-Hwan; Kim, Myungkuk; Kim, Young-Min

2018-04-01

The mass and radius of neutron star (NS) in the low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) can be measured simultaneously from the evolving spectra of the photospheric radius expansion (PRE) X-ray bursts (XRBs). Precise measurements require the distance to the target, information on the radiating surface, and the composition of accreted material. Future observations with large ground-based telescopes such as Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) may reduce the uncertainties in the estimation of the mass and radius of NS because they could provide information on the composition of accreted material by identifying the companion stars in LMXBs. We investigate these possibilities and present our results for selected targets.

Design scheme for optical manufacturing support system of TMT M3 prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Haifei; Luo, Xiao

2014-09-01

Thirty Meter Telescope's Tertiary Mirror Cell Assembly (TMTM3-CA) will be manufactured in Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP). To reduce the risk of fabricating TMTM3, a prototype made of Zerodur with a d/t ratio of 72 is planned to be polished. Here the focus is on the design scheme of the prototype's optical manufacturing support system. Firstly the number of support points was estimated, then structural design scheme for equal-force polishing support system are drawn, and finally layout optimization of support points was carried out. As its high performance and efficiency, the work will be beneficial to manufacturing large thin mirrors.

The e-ASTROGAM mission. Exploring the extreme Universe with gamma rays in the MeV - GeV range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Angelis, A.; Tatischeff, V.; Tavani, M.; Oberlack, U.; Grenier, I.; Hanlon, L.; Walter, R.; Argan, A.; von Ballmoos, P.; Bulgarelli, A.; Donnarumma, I.; Hernanz, M.; Kuvvetli, I.; Pearce, M.; Zdziarski, A.; Aboudan, A.; Ajello, M.; Ambrosi, G.; Bernard, D.; Bernardini, E.; Bonvicini, V.; Brogna, A.; Branchesi, M.; Budtz-Jorgensen, C.; Bykov, A.; Campana, R.; Cardillo, M.; Coppi, P.; De Martino, D.; Diehl, R.; Doro, M.; Fioretti, V.; Funk, S.; Ghisellini, G.; Grove, E.; Hamadache, C.; Hartmann, D. H.; Hayashida, M.; Isern, J.; Kanbach, G.; Kiener, J.; Knödlseder, J.; Labanti, C.; Laurent, P.; Limousin, O.; Longo, F.; Mannheim, K.; Marisaldi, M.; Martinez, M.; Mazziotta, M. N.; McEnery, J.; Mereghetti, S.; Minervini, G.; Moiseev, A.; Morselli, A.; Nakazawa, K.; Orleanski, P.; Paredes, J. M.; Patricelli, B.; Peyré, J.; Piano, G.; Pohl, M.; Ramarijaona, H.; Rando, R.; Reichardt, I.; Roncadelli, M.; Silva, R.; Tavecchio, F.; Thompson, D. J.; Turolla, R.; Ulyanov, A.; Vacchi, A.; Wu, X.; Zoglauer, A.

2017-10-01

e-ASTROGAM (`enhanced ASTROGAM') is a breakthrough Observatory space mission, with a detector composed by a Silicon tracker, a calorimeter, and an anticoincidence system, dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the photon energy range from 0.3 MeV to 3 GeV - the lower energy limit can be pushed to energies as low as 150 keV, albeit with rapidly degrading angular resolution, for the tracker, and to 30 keV for calorimetric detection. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with polarimetric capability. Thanks to its performance in the MeV-GeV domain, substantially improving its predecessors, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on the surroundings. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LIGO-Virgo-GEO600-KAGRA, SKA, ALMA, E-ELT, TMT, LSST, JWST, Athena, CTA, IceCube, KM3NeT, and the promise of eLISA.

Elevated temperature alters proteomic responses of individual organisms within a biofilm community

DOE PAGES

Mosier, Annika C.; Li, Zhou; Thomas, Brian C.; ...

2014-07-22

Microbial communities that underpin global biogeochemical cycles will likely be influenced by elevated temperature associated with environmental change. In this paper, we test an approach to measure how elevated temperature impacts the physiology of individual microbial groups in a community context, using a model microbial-based ecosystem. The study is the first application of tandem mass tag (TMT)-based proteomics to a microbial community. We accurately, precisely and reproducibly quantified thousands of proteins in biofilms growing at 40, 43 and 46 °C. Elevated temperature led to upregulation of proteins involved in amino-acid metabolism at the level of individual organisms and the entiremore » community. Proteins from related organisms differed in their relative abundance and functional responses to temperature. Elevated temperature repressed carbon fixation proteins from two Leptospirillum genotypes, whereas carbon fixation proteins were significantly upregulated at higher temperature by a third member of this genus. Leptospirillum group III bacteria may have been subject to viral stress at elevated temperature, which could lead to greater carbon turnover in the microbial food web through the release of viral lysate. Finally, overall, these findings highlight the utility of proteomics-enabled community-based physiology studies, and provide a methodological framework for possible extension to additional mixed culture and environmental sample analyses.« less

Temporal expression profiling of plasma proteins reveals oxidative stress in early stages of Type 1 Diabetes progression

DOE PAGES

Liu, Chih-Wei; Bramer, Lisa; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo; ...

2017-10-07

We report that blood markers other than islet autoantibodies are greatly needed to indicate the pancreatic beta cell destruction process as early as possible, and more accurately reflect the progression of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D). To this end, a longitudinal proteomic profiling of human plasma using TMT-10plex-based LC-MS/MS analysis was performed to track temporal proteomic changes of T1D patients (n = 11) across 9 serial time points, spanning the period of T1D natural progression, in comparison with those of the matching healthy controls (n = 10). To our knowledge, the current study represents the largest (> 2000 proteins measured)more » longitudinal expression profiles of human plasma proteome in T1D research. By applying statistical trend analysis on the temporal expression patterns between T1D and controls, and Benjamini-Hochberg procedure for multiple-testing correction, 13 protein groups were regarded as having statistically significant differences during the entire follow-up period. Moreover, 16 protein groups, which play pivotal roles in response to oxidative stress, have consistently abnormal expression trend before seroconversion to islet autoimmunity. Importantly, the expression trends of two key reactive oxygen species-decomposing enzymes, Catalase and Superoxide dismutase were verified independently by ELISA.« less

Temporal expression profiling of plasma proteins reveals oxidative stress in early stages of Type 1 Diabetes progression

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

Liu, Chih-Wei; Bramer, Lisa; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo

We report that blood markers other than islet autoantibodies are greatly needed to indicate the pancreatic beta cell destruction process as early as possible, and more accurately reflect the progression of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D). To this end, a longitudinal proteomic profiling of human plasma using TMT-10plex-based LC-MS/MS analysis was performed to track temporal proteomic changes of T1D patients (n = 11) across 9 serial time points, spanning the period of T1D natural progression, in comparison with those of the matching healthy controls (n = 10). To our knowledge, the current study represents the largest (> 2000 proteins measured)more » longitudinal expression profiles of human plasma proteome in T1D research. By applying statistical trend analysis on the temporal expression patterns between T1D and controls, and Benjamini-Hochberg procedure for multiple-testing correction, 13 protein groups were regarded as having statistically significant differences during the entire follow-up period. Moreover, 16 protein groups, which play pivotal roles in response to oxidative stress, have consistently abnormal expression trend before seroconversion to islet autoimmunity. Importantly, the expression trends of two key reactive oxygen species-decomposing enzymes, Catalase and Superoxide dismutase were verified independently by ELISA.« less

High fat, high sucrose diet causes cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction due in part to oxidative post-translational modification of mitochondrial complex II.

PubMed

Sverdlov, Aaron L; Elezaby, Aly; Behring, Jessica B; Bachschmid, Markus M; Luptak, Ivan; Tu, Vivian H; Siwik, Deborah A; Miller, Edward J; Liesa, Marc; Shirihai, Orian S; Pimentel, David R; Cohen, Richard A; Colucci, Wilson S

2015-01-01

Diet-induced obesity leads to metabolic heart disease (MHD) characterized by increased oxidative stress that may cause oxidative post-translational modifications (OPTM) of cardiac mitochondrial proteins. The functional consequences of OPTM of cardiac mitochondrial proteins in MHD are unknown. Our objective was to determine whether cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction in MHD due to diet-induced obesity is associated with cysteine OPTM. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) or control diet for 8months. Cardiac mitochondria from HFHS-fed mice (vs. control diet) had an increased rate of H2O2 production, a decreased GSH/GSSG ratio, a decreased rate of complex II substrate-driven ATP synthesis and decreased complex II activity. Complex II substrate-driven ATP synthesis and complex II activity were partially restored ex-vivo by reducing conditions. A biotin switch assay showed that HFHS feeding increased cysteine OPTM in complex II subunits A (SDHA) and B (SDHB). Using iodo-TMT multiplex tags we found that HFHS feeding is associated with reversible oxidation of cysteines 89 and 231 in SDHA, and 100, 103 and 115 in SDHB. MHD due to consumption of a HFHS "Western" diet causes increased H2O2 production and oxidative stress in cardiac mitochondria associated with decreased ATP synthesis and decreased complex II activity. Impaired complex II activity and ATP production are associated with reversible cysteine OPTM of complex II. Possible sites of reversible cysteine OPTM in SDHA and SDHB were identified by iodo-TMT tag labeling. Mitochondrial ROS may contribute to the pathophysiology of MHD by impairing the function of complex II. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Mitochondria: From Basic Mitochondrial Biology to Cardiovascular Disease". Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burnout Disrupts Anxiety Buffer Functioning Among Nurses: A Three-Way Interaction Model

PubMed Central

Trifiletti, Elena; Pedrazza, Monica; Berlanda, Sabrina; Pyszczynski, Tom

2017-01-01

Over the last 40 years, job burnout has attracted a great deal of attention among researchers and practitioners and, after decades of research and interventions, it is still regarded as an important issue. With the aim of extending the Anxiety Buffer Disruption Theory (ABDT), in this paper we argue that high levels of burnout may disrupt the anxiety buffer functioning that protects people from death concerns. ABDT was developed from Terror Management Theory (TMT). According to TMT, reminders of one’s mortality are an essential part of humans’ daily experience and have the potential to awake paralyzing fear and anxiety. In order to cope with death concerns, people typically activate an anxiety-buffering system centered on their cultural worldview and self-esteem. Recent ABDT research shows that individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder are unable to activate such anxiety buffering defenses. In line with these results, we hypothesized that the burnout syndrome may have similar effects, and that individuals with higher levels of burnout will be less likely to activate an anxiety buffering response when their mortality is made salient. Participants were 418 nurses, who completed a questionnaire including: a mortality salience (MS) manipulation, a delay manipulation, and measures of burnout, work-related self-efficacy, and representation of oneself as a valuable caregiver. Nurses are daily exposed both to the risk of burnout and to mortality reminders, and thus constituted an ideal population for this study. In line with an anxiety buffer disruption hypothesis, we found a significant three-way interaction between burnout, MS and delay. Participants with lower levels of burnout reported higher levels of self-efficacy and a more positive representation as caregivers in the MS condition compared to the control condition, when there was a delay between MS manipulation and the assessment of the dependent measures. The difference was non-significant for participants with higher levels of burnout. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed. PMID:28848476

The Infrared Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: multi-tiered wavefront measurements and novel mechanical design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, Jennifer; Andersen, David; Chapin, Edward; Reshetov, Vlad; Wierzbicki, Ramunas; Herriot, Glen; Chalmer, Dean; Isbrucker, Victor; Larkin, James E.; Moore, Anna M.; Suzuki, Ryuji

2016-08-01

The InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) will be the first light adaptive optics instrument on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). IRIS is being built by a collaboration between Caltech, the University of California, NAOJ and NRC Herzberg. In this paper we present novel aspects of the Support Structure, Rotator and On-Instrument Wavefront Sensor systems being developed at NRC Herzberg. IRIS is suspended from the bottom port of the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), and provides its own image de-rotation to compensate for sidereal rotation of the focal plane. This arrangement is a challenge because NFIRAOS is designed to host two other science instruments, which imposes strict mass requirements on IRIS. As the mechanical design of all elements has progressed, we have been tasked with keeping the instrument mass under seven tonnes. This requirement has resulted in a mass reduction of 30 percent for the support structure and rotator compared to the most recent IRIS designs. To accomplish this goal, while still being able to withstand earthquakes, we developed a new design with composite materials. As IRIS is a client instrument of NFIRAOS, it benefits from NFIRAOS's superior AO correction. IRIS plays an important role in providing this correction by sensing low-order aberrations with three On-Instrument Wavefront Sensors (OIWFS). The OIWFS consists of three independently positioned natural guide star wavefront sensor probe arms that patrol a 2-arcminute field of view. We expect tip-tilt measurements from faint stars within the IRIS imager focal plane will further stabilize the delivered image quality. We describe how the use of On-Detector Guide Windows (ODGWs) in the IRIS imaging detector can be incorporated into the AO correction. In this paper, we present our strategies for acquiring and tracking sources with this complex AO system, and for mitigating and measuring the various potential sources of image blur and misalignment due to properties of the mechanical structure and interfaces.

Seven-Tesla Magnetization Transfer Imaging to Detect Multiple Sclerosis White Matter Lesions.

PubMed

Chou, I-Jun; Lim, Su-Yin; Tanasescu, Radu; Al-Radaideh, Ali; Mougin, Olivier E; Tench, Christopher R; Whitehouse, William P; Gowland, Penny A; Constantinescu, Cris S

2018-03-01

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging at 3 Tesla (T) field strength is the most sensitive modality for detecting white matter lesions in multiple sclerosis. While 7T FLAIR is effective in detecting cortical lesions, it has not been fully optimized for visualization of white matter lesions and thus has not been used for delineating lesions in quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the normal appearing white matter in multiple sclerosis. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of 7T magnetization-transfer-weighted (MT w ) images in the detection of white matter lesions compared with 3T-FLAIR. Fifteen patients with clinically isolated syndrome, 6 with multiple sclerosis, and 10 healthy participants were scanned with 7T 3-dimensional (D) MT w and 3T-2D-FLAIR sequences on the same day. White matter lesions visible on either sequence were delineated. Of 662 lesions identified on 3T-2D-FLAIR images, 652 were detected on 7T-3D-MT w images (sensitivity, 98%; 95% confidence interval, 97% to 99%). The Spearman correlation coefficient between lesion loads estimated by the two sequences was .910. The intrarater and interrater reliability for 7T-3D-MT w images was good with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 98.4% and 81.8%, which is similar to that for 3T-2D-FLAIR images (ICC 96.1% and 96.7%). Seven-Tesla MT w sequences detected most of the white matter lesions identified by FLAIR at 3T. This suggests that 7T-MT w imaging is a robust alternative for detecting demyelinating lesions in addition to 3T-FLAIR. Future studies need to compare the roles of optimized 7T-FLAIR and of 7T-MT w imaging. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Neuroimaging published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society of Neuroimaging.

Prospects for Measuring Supermassive Black Hole Masses with Future Extremely Large Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do, Tuan; Wright, S. A.; Barton, E. J.; Barth, A. J.; Simard, L.; Larkin, J. E.; Moore, A.

2013-01-01

The next generation of giant-segmented mirror telescopes (> 20 m) will enable us to observe galactic nuclei at much higher angular resolution and sensitivity than ever before. These capabilities will introduce a revolutionary shift in our understanding of the origin and evolution of supermassive black holes by enabling more precise black hole mass measurements in a mass range that is unreachable today. We present simulations and predictions of the observations of nuclei that will be made with the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and the adaptive optics assisted integral-field spectrograph IRIS. These simulations, for the first time, use realistic values for the sky, telescope, adaptive optics system, and instrument, to determine the expected signal-to-noise of a range of possible targets spanning intermediate mass black holes of ~10^4 M⊙ to the most massive black holes known today of >10^10 M⊙. We find that future integral-field spectrographs will be able to observe Milky Way-mass black holes out the distance of the Virgo cluster, and will allow us to observe many more brightest-cluster galaxies where the most massive black holes are thought to reside. We also evaluate how well the kinematic moments of the velocity distributions can be constrained at different spectral resolutions and plate scales. We find that a spectral resolution of ~8000 will be necessary to measure the masses of IMBHs. We find by using the SDSS DR7 catalog of galaxies that over 4000 massive black holes will be observable at distances between 0.005 < z < 0.3 with the estimated sensitivity and angular resolution of TMT. These observations will provide the most accurate dynamical mass measurements of black holes to enable the study of their demography, address the origin of the M_bh-σ and M_bh - L relationships, and the origins and evolution of black holes through cosmic time.

New Opportunities for Astronomy in Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasinger, Guenther

2012-01-01

As one of the premier astronomy sites in the world, Hawai'i is well positioned to assume a leadership role in the development of the next generation of the world's most powerful ground-based telescopes: the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST), and Pan-STARRS, all slated for the Hawaiian islands. The development of these new facilities represents great scientific potential for the astronomy research community. Pan-STARRS, an innovative wide-field imaging facility developed at IfA, has been operational via its first telescope, PS1, since 2010. With the largest digital camera ever built - 1.4 Gigapixels - and an unprecedented field of 7 deg2, PS1 generates a time-lapse movie of the Northern sky in 5 pass-bands. PS1 has already discovered a number of potentially hazardous asteroids, comets, and a new class of very luminous supernova explosions. The second telescope, PS-2, is under construction on Haleakala, with an ultimate aim a four-telescope system in one enclosure on Mauna Kea. Haleakala--the House of the Sun--is the best place on Earth for solar astronomy and has therefore been chosen by NSF as the site of the world's largest solar telescope, the ATST. ATST will employ a 4m primary mirror with a unique off-axis design optimized for high-contrast solar imaging and spectropolarimetry. Construction, which is already funded, is expected to start soon with two of the first-light instruments being developed in Hawaii. The TMT, ready for construction on Mauna Kea, will be among the world's most advanced ground-based observatories, operating in wavelengths ranging from the ultraviolet to mid-infrared, integrating the most modern innovations in precision control, segmented mirror design, and adaptive optics. It will address bold scientific questions like the search for habitable extrasolar planets, the First Light in the Universe, the earliest Black Holes and the nature of space itself.

Big Data as catalyst for change in Astronomy Libraries - Indian Scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birdie, Christina

2015-08-01

Research in Astronomy fosters exciting missions and encourages libraries to engage themselves in big budget astronomy programs which are the flagship projects for most of the astronomers. The scholarly communication resulting from analyzing Big Data has led to new opportunities for Astronomy librarians to become involved in the management of publications more intelligently. In India the astronomers have committed their participation in the mega ‘TMT’ (Thirty Meter Telescope) project, which is an international partnership science program between Caltech, University of California, Canada, Japan, China and India. Participation in the TMT project will provide Indian astronomers an opportunity to carryout frontline research in astronomy. Within India, there are three major astronomy research institutes, namely, Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Inter-University center for Astronomy & Astrophysics (IUCAA), & Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational sciences (ARIES) are stake holders in this program along with Indian Government as veuture capitalist. This study will examine the potential publishing pattern of those astronomers and technologists within India, with special focus to those three institutes. The indications of already existing collaborations among them, the expertise in instrument building, display of software development skills and cutting edge research capability etc. can be derived from analyzing their publications for the last ten years. Attempt also will be made to examine the in-house technical reports, newsletters,conference presentations etc. from these three institutes with a view to highlight the hidden potential skills and the possible collaboration among the Indian astronomers expressed from the grey literature.The incentive to make the astronomy libraries network stronger within India, may evolve from the findings and future requirements. As this project is deemed to be the national project with the financial support from science & technology department of Government of India, the libraries participating have excellent opportunity to showcase their capabilities and make an impact in the national level.

A Blind Circadian Clock in Cavefish Reveals that Opsins Mediate Peripheral Clock Photoreception

PubMed Central

Cavallari, Nicola; Frigato, Elena; Vallone, Daniela; Fröhlich, Nadine; Lopez-Olmeda, Jose Fernando; Foà, Augusto; Berti, Roberto; Sánchez-Vázquez, Francisco Javier; Bertolucci, Cristiano; Foulkes, Nicholas S.

2011-01-01

The circadian clock is synchronized with the day-night cycle primarily by light. Fish represent fascinating models for deciphering the light input pathway to the vertebrate clock since fish cell clocks are regulated by direct light exposure. Here we have performed a comparative, functional analysis of the circadian clock involving the zebrafish that is normally exposed to the day-night cycle and a cavefish species that has evolved in perpetual darkness. Our results reveal that the cavefish retains a food-entrainable clock that oscillates with an infradian period. Importantly, however, this clock is not regulated by light. This comparative study pinpoints the two extra-retinal photoreceptors Melanopsin (Opn4m2) and TMT-opsin as essential upstream elements of the peripheral clock light input pathway. PMID:21909239

NFIRAOS beamsplitters subsystems optomechanical design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamontagne, Frédéric; Desnoyers, Nichola; Nash, Reston; Boucher, Marc-André; Martin, Olivier; Buteau-Vaillancourt, Louis; Châteauneuf, François; Atwood, Jenny; Hill, Alexis; Byrnes, Peter W. G.; Herriot, Glen; Véran, Jean-Pierre

2016-07-01

The early-light facility adaptive optics system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is the Narrow-Field InfraRed Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS). The science beam splitter changer mechanism and the visible light beam splitter are subsystems of NFIRAOS. This paper presents the opto-mechanical design of the NFIRAOS beam splitters subsystems (NBS). In addition to the modal and the structural analyses, the beam splitters surface deformations are computed considering the environmental constraints during operation. Surface deformations are fit to Zernike polynomials using SigFit software. Rigid body motion as well as residual RMS and peak-to-valley surface deformations are calculated. Finally, deformed surfaces are exported to Zemax to evaluate the transmitted and reflected wave front error. The simulation results of this integrated opto-mechanical analysis have shown compliance with all optical requirements.