Flight Attendant Fatigue Recommendation 2: Flight Attendant Work/Rest Patterns, Alertness, and Performance Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

Recommendation II: Flight Attendant Work/Rest Patterns, Alertness, and Performance Assessment DOT/FAA/AM-10/22 Office of Aerospace Medicine Washington, DC...Recipient’s Catalog No. DOT/FAA/AM-10/22 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date December 2010 6. Performing Organization Code Flight...Attendant Fatigue Recommendation II: Flight Attendant Work/Rest Patterns, Alertness, and Performance Assessment 7. Author(s) 8. Performing

Resting spore formation of aphid-pathogenic fungus Pandora nouryi depends on the concentration of infective inoculum.

PubMed

Huang, Zhi-Hong; Feng, Ming-Guang

2008-07-01

Resting spore formation of some aphid-pathogenic Entomophthorales is important for the seasonal pattern of their prevalence and survival but this process is poorly understood. To explore the possible mechanism involved in the process, Pandora nouryi (obligate aphid pathogen) interacted with green peach aphid Myzus persicae on cabbage leaves under favourable conditions. Host nymphs showered with primary conidia of an isolate (LC(50): 0.9-6.7 conidia mm(-2) 4-7 days post shower) from air captures in the low-latitude plateau of China produced resting spores (azygospores), primary conidia or both spore types. Surprisingly, the proportion of mycosed cadavers forming resting spores (P(CFRS)) increased sharply within the concentrations (C) of 28-240 conidia mm(-2), retained high levels at 240-1760, but was zero or extremely low at 0.3-16. The P(CFRS)-C relationship fit well the logistic equation P(CFRS) = 0.6774/[1 + exp(3.1229-0.0270C)] (r(2) = 0.975). This clarified for the first time the dependence of in vivo resting spore formation of P. nouryi upon the concentration of infective inoculum. A hypothesis is thus proposed that some sort of biochemical signals may exist in the host-pathogen interaction so that the fungal pathogen perceives the signals for prompt response to forthcoming host-density changes by either producing conidia for infecting available hosts or forming resting spores for surviving host absence in situ.

Principal States of Dynamic Functional Connectivity Reveal the Link Between Resting-State and Task-State Brain: An fMRI Study.

PubMed

Cheng, Lin; Zhu, Yang; Sun, Junfeng; Deng, Lifu; He, Naying; Yang, Yang; Ling, Huawei; Ayaz, Hasan; Fu, Yi; Tong, Shanbao

2018-01-25

Task-related reorganization of functional connectivity (FC) has been widely investigated. Under classic static FC analysis, brain networks under task and rest have been demonstrated a general similarity. However, brain activity and cognitive process are believed to be dynamic and adaptive. Since static FC inherently ignores the distinct temporal patterns between rest and task, dynamic FC may be more a suitable technique to characterize the brain's dynamic and adaptive activities. In this study, we adopted [Formula: see text]-means clustering to investigate task-related spatiotemporal reorganization of dynamic brain networks and hypothesized that dynamic FC would be able to reveal the link between resting-state and task-state brain organization, including broadly similar spatial patterns but distinct temporal patterns. In order to test this hypothesis, this study examined the dynamic FC in default-mode network (DMN) and motor-related network (MN) using Blood-Oxygenation-Level-Dependent (BOLD)-fMRI data from 26 healthy subjects during rest (REST) and a hand closing-and-opening (HCO) task. Two principal FC states in REST and one principal FC state in HCO were identified. The first principal FC state in REST was found similar to that in HCO, which appeared to represent intrinsic network architecture and validated the broadly similar spatial patterns between REST and HCO. However, the second FC principal state in REST with much shorter "dwell time" implied the transient functional relationship between DMN and MN during REST. In addition, a more frequent shifting between two principal FC states indicated that brain network dynamically maintained a "default mode" in the motor system during REST, whereas the presence of a single principal FC state and reduced FC variability implied a more temporally stable connectivity during HCO, validating the distinct temporal patterns between REST and HCO. Our results further demonstrated that dynamic FC analysis could offer unique insights in understanding how the brain reorganizes itself during rest and task states, and the ways in which the brain adaptively responds to the cognitive requirements of tasks.

Combinations of resting RSA and RSA reactivity impact maladaptive mood repair and depression symptoms

PubMed Central

Yaroslavsky, Ilya; Bylsma, Lauren M.; Rottenberg, Jonathan; Kovacs, Maria

2013-01-01

We examined whether the combined indices of respiratory sinus arrhythmia at rest (resting RSA) and in response to a sad film (RSA reactivity) predict effective and ineffective responses to reduce sadness (adaptive vs. maladaptive mood repair) in women with histories of juvenile-onset depression (n = 74) and no history of major mental disorders (n = 75). Structural equation models were used to estimate latent resting RSA, depression, and adaptive and maladaptive mood repair and to test the study hypotheses. Results indicated that combinations of resting RSA+RSA reactivity (RSA patterns) predicted maladaptive mood repair, which in turn, mediated the effects of RSA pattern on depression. Further, RSA patterns moderated the depressogenic effects of maladaptive mood repair. RSA patterns were unrelated to adaptive mood repair. Our findings suggest that mood repair is one mechanism through which physiological vulnerabilities adversely affect mental health. PMID:23827087

Combinations of resting RSA and RSA reactivity impact maladaptive mood repair and depression symptoms.

PubMed

Yaroslavsky, Ilya; Bylsma, Lauren M; Rottenberg, Jonathan; Kovacs, Maria

2013-10-01

We examined whether the combined indices of respiratory sinus arrhythmia at rest (resting RSA) and in response to a sad film (RSA reactivity) predict effective and ineffective responses to reduce sadness (adaptive vs. maladaptive mood repair) in women with histories of juvenile-onset depression (n=74) and no history of major mental disorders (n=75). Structural equation models were used to estimate latent resting RSA, depression, and adaptive and maladaptive mood repair and to test the study hypotheses. Results indicated that combinations of resting RSA+RSA reactivity (RSA patterns) predicted maladaptive mood repair, which in turn, mediated the effects of RSA pattern on depression. Further, RSA patterns moderated the depressogenic effects of maladaptive mood repair. RSA patterns were unrelated to adaptive mood repair. Our findings suggest that mood repair is one mechanism through which physiological vulnerabilities adversely affect mental health. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Affective mentalizing and brain activity at rest in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia.

PubMed

Caminiti, Silvia P; Canessa, Nicola; Cerami, Chiara; Dodich, Alessandra; Crespi, Chiara; Iannaccone, Sandro; Marcone, Alessandra; Falini, Andrea; Cappa, Stefano F

2015-01-01

bvFTD patients display an impairment in the attribution of cognitive and affective states to others, reflecting GM atrophy in brain regions associated with social cognition, such as amygdala, superior temporal cortex and posterior insula. Distinctive patterns of abnormal brain functioning at rest have been reported in bvFTD, but their relationship with defective attribution of affective states has not been investigated. To investigate the relationship among resting-state brain activity, gray matter (GM) atrophy and the attribution of mental states in the behavioral variant of fronto-temporal degeneration (bvFTD). We compared 12 bvFTD patients with 30 age- and education-matched healthy controls on a) performance in a task requiring the attribution of affective vs. cognitive mental states; b) metrics of resting-state activity in known functional networks; and c) the relationship between task-performances and resting-state metrics. In addition, we assessed a connection between abnormal resting-state metrics and GM atrophy. Compared with controls, bvFTD patients showed a reduction of intra-network coherent activity in several components, as well as decreased strength of activation in networks related to attentional processing. Anomalous resting-state activity involved networks which also displayed a significant reduction of GM density. In patients, compared with controls, higher affective mentalizing performance correlated with stronger functional connectivity between medial prefrontal sectors of the default-mode and attentional/performance monitoring networks, as well as with increased coherent activity in components of the executive, sensorimotor and fronto-limbic networks. Some of the observed effects may reflect specific compensatory mechanisms for the atrophic changes involving regions in charge of affective mentalizing. The analysis of specific resting-state networks thus highlights an intermediate level of analysis between abnormal brain structure and impaired behavioral performance in bvFTD, reflecting both dysfunction and compensation mechanisms.

Density-Dependent Spacing Behaviour and Activity Budget in Pregnant, Domestic Goats (Capra hircus).

PubMed

Vas, Judit; Andersen, Inger Lise

2015-01-01

Very little is known about the spacing behaviour in social groups of domestic goats (Capra hircus) in the farm environment. In this experiment, we studied interindividual distances, movement patterns and activity budgets in pregnant goats housed at three different densities. Norwegian dairy goats were kept in stable social groups of six animals throughout pregnancy at 1, 2 or 3 m2 per individual and their spacing behaviours (i.e., distance travelled, nearest and furthest neighbour distance) and activity budgets (e.g., resting, feeding, social activities) were monitored. Observations were made in the first, second and last thirds of pregnancy in the mornings, at noon and in the afternoons of each of these phases (4.5 hours per observation period). The findings show that goats held at animal densities of 2 and 3 m2 moved longer distances when they had more space per animal and kept larger nearest and furthest neighbour distances when compared to the 1 m2 per animal density. Less feeding activity was observed at the high animal density compared to the medium and low density treatments. The phase of gestation also had an impact on almost all behavioural variables. Closer to parturition, animals moved further distances and the increase in nearest and furthest neighbour distance was more pronounced at the lower animal densities. During the last period of gestation, goats spent less time feeding and more on resting, social behaviours and engaging in other various activities. Our data suggest that more space per goat is needed for goats closer to parturition than in the early gestation phase. We concluded that in goats spacing behaviour is density-dependent and changes with stages of pregnancy and activities. Finally, the lower density allowed animals to express individual preferences regarding spacing behaviour which is important in ensuring good welfare in a farming situation.

Density-Dependent Spacing Behaviour and Activity Budget in Pregnant, Domestic Goats (Capra hircus)

PubMed Central

Vas, Judit; Andersen, Inger Lise

2015-01-01

Very little is known about the spacing behaviour in social groups of domestic goats (Capra hircus) in the farm environment. In this experiment, we studied interindividual distances, movement patterns and activity budgets in pregnant goats housed at three different densities. Norwegian dairy goats were kept in stable social groups of six animals throughout pregnancy at 1, 2 or 3 m2 per individual and their spacing behaviours (i.e. distance travelled, nearest and furthest neighbour distance) and activity budgets (e.g. resting, feeding, social activities) were monitored. Observations were made in the first, second and last thirds of pregnancy in the mornings, at noon and in the afternoons of each of these phases (4.5 hours per observation period). The findings show that goats held at animal densities of 2 and 3 m2 moved longer distances when they had more space per animal and kept larger nearest and furthest neighbour distances when compared to the 1 m2 per animal density. Less feeding activity was observed at the high animal density compared to the medium and low density treatments. The phase of gestation also had an impact on almost all behavioural variables. Closer to parturition, animals moved further distances and the increase in nearest and furthest neighbour distance was more pronounced at the lower animal densities. During the last period of gestation, goats spent less time feeding and more on resting, social behaviours and engaging in other various activities. Our data suggest that more space per goat is needed for goats closer to parturition than in the early gestation phase. We concluded that in goats spacing behaviour is density-dependent and changes with stages of pregnancy and activities. Finally, the lower density allowed animals to express individual preferences regarding spacing behaviour which is important in ensuring good welfare in a farming situation. PMID:26657240

Actigraphy-Derived Daily Rest-Activity Patterns and Body Mass Index in Community-Dwelling Adults.

PubMed

Cespedes Feliciano, Elizabeth M; Quante, Mirja; Weng, Jia; Mitchell, Jonathan A; James, Peter; Marinac, Catherine R; Mariani, Sara; Redline, Susan; Kerr, Jacqueline; Godbole, Suneeta; Manteiga, Alicia; Wang, Daniel; Hipp, J Aaron

2017-12-01

To examine associations between 24-hour rest-activity patterns and body mass index (BMI) among community-dwelling US adults. Rest-activity patterns provide a field method to study exposures related to circadian rhythms. Adults (N = 578) wore an actigraph on their nondominant wrist for 7 days. Intradaily variability and interdaily stability (IS), M10 (most active 10-hours), L5 (least active 5-hours), and relative amplitude (RA) were derived using nonparametric rhythm analysis. Mesor, acrophase, and amplitude were calculated from log-transformed count data using the parametric cosinor approach. Participants were 80% female and mean (standard deviation) age was 52 (15) years. Participants with higher BMI had lower values for magnitude, RA, IS, total sleep time (TST), and sleep efficiency. In multivariable analyses, less robust 24-hour rest-activity patterns as represented by lower RA were consistently associated with higher BMI: comparing the bottom quintile (least robust) to the top quintile (most robust 24-hour rest-activity pattern) of RA, BMI was 3-kg/m2 higher (p = .02). Associations were similar in magnitude to an hour less of TST (1-kg/m2 higher BMI) or a 10% decrease in sleep efficiency (2-kg/m2 higher BMI), and independent of age, sex, race, education, and the duration of rest and/or activity. Lower RA, reflecting both higher night activity and lower daytime activity, was associated with higher BMI. Independent of the duration of rest or activity during the day or night, 24-hour rest, and activity patterns from actigraphy provide aggregated measures of activity that associate with BMI in community-dwelling adults. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Identification of Resting State Networks Involved in Executive Function.

PubMed

Connolly, Joanna; McNulty, Jonathan P; Boran, Lorraine; Roche, Richard A P; Delany, David; Bokde, Arun L W

2016-06-01

The structural networks in the human brain are consistent across subjects, and this is reflected also in that functional networks across subjects are relatively consistent. These findings are not only present during performance of a goal oriented task but there are also consistent functional networks during resting state. It suggests that goal oriented activation patterns may be a function of component networks identified using resting state. The current study examines the relationship between resting state networks measured and patterns of neural activation elicited during a Stroop task. The association between the Stroop-activated networks and the resting state networks was quantified using spatial linear regression. In addition, we investigated if the degree of spatial association of resting state networks with the Stroop task may predict performance on the Stroop task. The results of this investigation demonstrated that the Stroop activated network can be decomposed into a number of resting state networks, which were primarily associated with attention, executive function, visual perception, and the default mode network. The close spatial correspondence between the functional organization of the resting brain and task-evoked patterns supports the relevance of resting state networks in cognitive function.

X-ray crystallography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

X-rays diffracted from a well-ordered protein crystal create sharp patterns of scattered light on film. A computer can use these patterns to generate a model of a protein molecule. To analyze the selected crystal, an X-ray crystallographer shines X-rays through the crystal. Unlike a single dental X-ray, which produces a shadow image of a tooth, these X-rays have to be taken many times from different angles to produce a pattern from the scattered light, a map of the intensity of the X-rays after they diffract through the crystal. The X-rays bounce off the electron clouds that form the outer structure of each atom. A flawed crystal will yield a blurry pattern; a well-ordered protein crystal yields a series of sharp diffraction patterns. From these patterns, researchers build an electron density map. With powerful computers and a lot of calculations, scientists can use the electron density patterns to determine the structure of the protein and make a computer-generated model of the structure. The models let researchers improve their understanding of how the protein functions. They also allow scientists to look for receptor sites and active areas that control a protein's function and role in the progress of diseases. From there, pharmaceutical researchers can design molecules that fit the active site, much like a key and lock, so that the protein is locked without affecting the rest of the body. This is called structure-based drug design.

Top-down signal transmission and global hyperconnectivity in auditory-visual synesthesia: Evidence from a functional EEG resting-state study.

PubMed

Brauchli, Christian; Elmer, Stefan; Rogenmoser, Lars; Burkhard, Anja; Jäncke, Lutz

2018-01-01

Auditory-visual (AV) synesthesia is a rare phenomenon in which an auditory stimulus induces a "concurrent" color sensation. Current neurophysiological models of synesthesia mainly hypothesize "hyperconnected" and "hyperactivated" brains, but differ in the directionality of signal transmission. The two-stage model proposes bottom-up signal transmission from inducer- to concurrent- to higher-order brain areas, whereas the disinhibited feedback model postulates top-down signal transmission from inducer- to higher-order- to concurrent brain areas. To test the different models of synesthesia, we estimated local current density, directed and undirected connectivity patterns in the intracranial space during 2 min of resting-state (RS) EEG in 11 AV synesthetes and 11 nonsynesthetes. AV synesthetes demonstrated increased parietal theta, alpha, and lower beta current density compared to nonsynesthetes. Furthermore, AV synesthetes were characterized by increased top-down signal transmission from the superior parietal lobe to the left color processing area V4 in the upper beta frequency band. Analyses of undirected connectivity revealed a global, synesthesia-specific hyperconnectivity in the alpha frequency band. The involvement of the superior parietal lobe even during rest is a strong indicator for its key role in AV synesthesia. By demonstrating top-down signal transmission in AV synesthetes, we provide direct support for the disinhibited feedback model of synesthesia. Finally, we suggest that synesthesia is a consequence of global hyperconnectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 39:522-531, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Estimating repetitive spatiotemporal patterns from resting-state brain activity data.

PubMed

Takeda, Yusuke; Hiroe, Nobuo; Yamashita, Okito; Sato, Masa-Aki

2016-06-01

Repetitive spatiotemporal patterns in spontaneous brain activities have been widely examined in non-human studies. These studies have reported that such patterns reflect past experiences embedded in neural circuits. In human magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) studies, however, spatiotemporal patterns in resting-state brain activities have not been extensively examined. This is because estimating spatiotemporal patterns from resting-state MEG/EEG data is difficult due to their unknown onsets. Here, we propose a method to estimate repetitive spatiotemporal patterns from resting-state brain activity data, including MEG/EEG. Without the information of onsets, the proposed method can estimate several spatiotemporal patterns, even if they are overlapping. We verified the performance of the method by detailed simulation tests. Furthermore, we examined whether the proposed method could estimate the visual evoked magnetic fields (VEFs) without using stimulus onset information. The proposed method successfully detected the stimulus onsets and estimated the VEFs, implying the applicability of this method to real MEG data. The proposed method was applied to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and MEG data. The results revealed informative spatiotemporal patterns representing consecutive brain activities that dynamically change with time. Using this method, it is possible to reveal discrete events spontaneously occurring in our brains, such as memory retrieval. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association Between Brain Activation and Functional Connectivity.

PubMed

Tomasi, Dardo; Volkow, Nora D

2018-04-13

The origin of the "resting-state" brain activity recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is still uncertain. Here we provide evidence for the neurovascular origins of the amplitude of the low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and the local functional connectivity density (lFCD) by comparing them with task-induced blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses, which are considered a proxy for neuronal activation. Using fMRI data for 2 different tasks (Relational and Social) collected by the Human Connectome Project in 426 healthy adults, we show that ALFF and lFCD have linear associations with the BOLD response. This association was significantly attenuated by a novel task signal regression (TSR) procedure, indicating that task performance enhances lFCD and ALFF in activated regions. We also show that lFCD predicts BOLD activation patterns, as was recently shown for other functional connectivity metrics, which corroborates that resting functional connectivity architecture impacts brain activation responses. Thus, our findings indicate a common source for BOLD responses, ALFF and lFCD, which is consistent with the neurovascular origin of local hemodynamic synchrony presumably reflecting coordinated fluctuations in neuronal activity. This study also supports the development of task-evoked functional connectivity density mapping.

Perception of Human-Derived Risk Influences Choice at Top of the Food Chain

PubMed Central

Cristescu, Bogdan; Stenhouse, Gordon B.; Boyce, Mark S.

2013-01-01

On human-used landscapes, animal behavior is a trade-off between maximizing fitness and minimizing human-derived risk. Understanding risk perception in wildlife can allow mitigation of anthropogenic risk, with benefits to long-term animal fitness. Areas where animals choose to rest should minimize risk from predators, which for large carnivores typically equate to humans. We hypothesize that high human activity leads to selection for habitat security, whereas low activity enables trading security for forage. We investigated selection of resting (bedding) sites by GPS radiocollared adult grizzly bears (n = 10) in a low density population on a multiple-use landscape in Canada. We compared security and foods at resting and random locations while accounting for land use, season, and time of day. On reclaimed mines with low human access, bears selected high horizontal cover far from trails, but did not avoid open (herbaceous) areas, resting primarily at night. In protected areas bears also bedded at night, in areas with berry shrubs and Hedysarum spp., with horizontal cover selected in the summer, during high human access. On public lands with substantial human recreation, bears bedded at day, selected resting sites with high horizontal cover in the summer and habitat edges, with bedding associated with herbaceous foods. These spatial and temporal patterns of selection suggest that bears perceive human-related risk differentially in relation to human activity level, season and time of day, and employ a security-food trade-off strategy. Although grizzly bears are presently not hunted in Alberta, their perceived risks associated with humans influence resting-site selection. PMID:24367549

Resting-state hemodynamics are spatiotemporally coupled to synchronized and symmetric neural activity in excitatory neurons.

PubMed

Ma, Ying; Shaik, Mohammed A; Kozberg, Mariel G; Kim, Sharon H; Portes, Jacob P; Timerman, Dmitriy; Hillman, Elizabeth M C

2016-12-27

Brain hemodynamics serve as a proxy for neural activity in a range of noninvasive neuroimaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In resting-state fMRI, hemodynamic fluctuations have been found to exhibit patterns of bilateral synchrony, with correlated regions inferred to have functional connectivity. However, the relationship between resting-state hemodynamics and underlying neural activity has not been well established, making the neural underpinnings of functional connectivity networks unclear. In this study, neural activity and hemodynamics were recorded simultaneously over the bilateral cortex of awake and anesthetized Thy1-GCaMP mice using wide-field optical mapping. Neural activity was visualized via selective expression of the calcium-sensitive fluorophore GCaMP in layer 2/3 and 5 excitatory neurons. Characteristic patterns of resting-state hemodynamics were accompanied by more rapidly changing bilateral patterns of resting-state neural activity. Spatiotemporal hemodynamics could be modeled by convolving this neural activity with hemodynamic response functions derived through both deconvolution and gamma-variate fitting. Simultaneous imaging and electrophysiology confirmed that Thy1-GCaMP signals are well-predicted by multiunit activity. Neurovascular coupling between resting-state neural activity and hemodynamics was robust and fast in awake animals, whereas coupling in urethane-anesthetized animals was slower, and in some cases included lower-frequency (<0.04 Hz) hemodynamic fluctuations that were not well-predicted by local Thy1-GCaMP recordings. These results support that resting-state hemodynamics in the awake and anesthetized brain are coupled to underlying patterns of excitatory neural activity. The patterns of bilaterally-symmetric spontaneous neural activity revealed by wide-field Thy1-GCaMP imaging may depict the neural foundation of functional connectivity networks detected in resting-state fMRI.

Resting-state hemodynamics are spatiotemporally coupled to synchronized and symmetric neural activity in excitatory neurons

PubMed Central

Ma, Ying; Shaik, Mohammed A.; Kozberg, Mariel G.; Portes, Jacob P.; Timerman, Dmitriy

2016-01-01

Brain hemodynamics serve as a proxy for neural activity in a range of noninvasive neuroimaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In resting-state fMRI, hemodynamic fluctuations have been found to exhibit patterns of bilateral synchrony, with correlated regions inferred to have functional connectivity. However, the relationship between resting-state hemodynamics and underlying neural activity has not been well established, making the neural underpinnings of functional connectivity networks unclear. In this study, neural activity and hemodynamics were recorded simultaneously over the bilateral cortex of awake and anesthetized Thy1-GCaMP mice using wide-field optical mapping. Neural activity was visualized via selective expression of the calcium-sensitive fluorophore GCaMP in layer 2/3 and 5 excitatory neurons. Characteristic patterns of resting-state hemodynamics were accompanied by more rapidly changing bilateral patterns of resting-state neural activity. Spatiotemporal hemodynamics could be modeled by convolving this neural activity with hemodynamic response functions derived through both deconvolution and gamma-variate fitting. Simultaneous imaging and electrophysiology confirmed that Thy1-GCaMP signals are well-predicted by multiunit activity. Neurovascular coupling between resting-state neural activity and hemodynamics was robust and fast in awake animals, whereas coupling in urethane-anesthetized animals was slower, and in some cases included lower-frequency (<0.04 Hz) hemodynamic fluctuations that were not well-predicted by local Thy1-GCaMP recordings. These results support that resting-state hemodynamics in the awake and anesthetized brain are coupled to underlying patterns of excitatory neural activity. The patterns of bilaterally-symmetric spontaneous neural activity revealed by wide-field Thy1-GCaMP imaging may depict the neural foundation of functional connectivity networks detected in resting-state fMRI. PMID:27974609

On gravity's role in the genesis of rest masses of classical fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabados, László B.

2018-03-01

It is shown that in the Einstein-conformally coupled Higgs-Maxwell system with Friedman-Robertson-Walker symmetries the energy density of the Higgs field has stable local minimum only if the mean curvature of the t=const hypersurfaces is less than a finite critical value χ _c, while for greater mean curvature the energy density is not bounded from below. Therefore, there are extreme gravitational situations in which even quasi-locally defined instantaneous vacuum states of the Higgs sector cannot exist, and hence one cannot at all define the rest mass of all the classical fields. On hypersurfaces with mean curvature less than χ _c the energy density has the `wine bottle' (rather than the familiar `Mexican hat') shape, and the gauge field can get rest mass via the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism. The spacelike hypersurface with the critical mean curvature represents the moment of `genesis' of rest masses.

Differences in resting metabolic rate and physical activity patterns in lean and overweight/obese pregnant women

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Energy requirements vary during pregnancy due to changes in physical activity (PA) and maternal fat stores. This study measured resting metabolic rate (RMR) and PA patterns in healthy lean and overweight/obese (OW) pregnant women. RMR was measured using indirect calorimetry (MOXUS), activity pattern...

Transcranial Electrical Neuromodulation Based on the Reciprocity Principle

PubMed Central

Fernández-Corazza, Mariano; Turovets, Sergei; Luu, Phan; Anderson, Erik; Tucker, Don

2016-01-01

A key challenge in multi-electrode transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is to find a current injection pattern that delivers the necessary current density at a target and minimizes it in the rest of the head, which is mathematically modeled as an optimization problem. Such an optimization with the Least Squares (LS) or Linearly Constrained Minimum Variance (LCMV) algorithms is generally computationally expensive and requires multiple independent current sources. Based on the reciprocity principle in electroencephalography (EEG) and TES, it could be possible to find the optimal TES patterns quickly whenever the solution of the forward EEG problem is available for a brain region of interest. Here, we investigate the reciprocity principle as a guideline for finding optimal current injection patterns in TES that comply with safety constraints. We define four different trial cortical targets in a detailed seven-tissue finite element head model, and analyze the performance of the reciprocity family of TES methods in terms of electrode density, targeting error, focality, intensity, and directionality using the LS and LCMV solutions as the reference standards. It is found that the reciprocity algorithms show good performance comparable to the LCMV and LS solutions. Comparing the 128 and 256 electrode cases, we found that use of greater electrode density improves focality, directionality, and intensity parameters. The results show that reciprocity principle can be used to quickly determine optimal current injection patterns in TES and help to simplify TES protocols that are consistent with hardware and software availability and with safety constraints. PMID:27303311

Transcranial Electrical Neuromodulation Based on the Reciprocity Principle.

PubMed

Fernández-Corazza, Mariano; Turovets, Sergei; Luu, Phan; Anderson, Erik; Tucker, Don

2016-01-01

A key challenge in multi-electrode transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is to find a current injection pattern that delivers the necessary current density at a target and minimizes it in the rest of the head, which is mathematically modeled as an optimization problem. Such an optimization with the Least Squares (LS) or Linearly Constrained Minimum Variance (LCMV) algorithms is generally computationally expensive and requires multiple independent current sources. Based on the reciprocity principle in electroencephalography (EEG) and TES, it could be possible to find the optimal TES patterns quickly whenever the solution of the forward EEG problem is available for a brain region of interest. Here, we investigate the reciprocity principle as a guideline for finding optimal current injection patterns in TES that comply with safety constraints. We define four different trial cortical targets in a detailed seven-tissue finite element head model, and analyze the performance of the reciprocity family of TES methods in terms of electrode density, targeting error, focality, intensity, and directionality using the LS and LCMV solutions as the reference standards. It is found that the reciprocity algorithms show good performance comparable to the LCMV and LS solutions. Comparing the 128 and 256 electrode cases, we found that use of greater electrode density improves focality, directionality, and intensity parameters. The results show that reciprocity principle can be used to quickly determine optimal current injection patterns in TES and help to simplify TES protocols that are consistent with hardware and software availability and with safety constraints.

Linked functional network abnormalities during intrinsic and extrinsic activity in schizophrenia as revealed by a data-fusion approach.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Ryu-Ichiro; Itahashi, Takashi; Okada, Rieko; Hasegawa, Sayaka; Tani, Masayuki; Kato, Nobumasa; Mimura, Masaru

2018-01-01

Abnormalities in functional brain networks in schizophrenia have been studied by examining intrinsic and extrinsic brain activity under various experimental paradigms. However, the identified patterns of abnormal functional connectivity (FC) vary depending on the adopted paradigms. Thus, it is unclear whether and how these patterns are inter-related. In order to assess relationships between abnormal patterns of FC during intrinsic activity and those during extrinsic activity, we adopted a data-fusion approach and applied partial least square (PLS) analyses to FC datasets from 25 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 25 age- and sex-matched normal controls. For the input to the PLS analyses, we generated a pair of FC maps during the resting state (REST) and the auditory deviance response (ADR) from each participant using the common seed region in the left middle temporal gyrus, which is a focus of activity associated with auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). PLS correlation (PLS-C) analysis revealed that patients with schizophrenia have significantly lower loadings of a component containing positive FCs in default-mode network regions during REST and a component containing positive FCs in the auditory and attention-related networks during ADR. Specifically, loadings of the REST component were significantly correlated with the severities of positive symptoms and AVH in patients with schizophrenia. The co-occurrence of such altered FC patterns during REST and ADR was replicated using PLS regression, wherein FC patterns during REST are modeled to predict patterns during ADR. These findings provide an integrative understanding of altered FCs during intrinsic and extrinsic activity underlying core schizophrenia symptoms.

Cognitive performance in healthy older adults relates to spontaneous switching between states of functional connectivity during rest.

PubMed

Cabral, Joana; Vidaurre, Diego; Marques, Paulo; Magalhães, Ricardo; Silva Moreira, Pedro; Miguel Soares, José; Deco, Gustavo; Sousa, Nuno; Kringelbach, Morten L

2017-07-11

Growing evidence has shown that brain activity at rest slowly wanders through a repertoire of different states, where whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) temporarily settles into distinct FC patterns. Nevertheless, the functional role of resting-state activity remains unclear. Here, we investigate how the switching behavior of resting-state FC relates with cognitive performance in healthy older adults. We analyse resting-state fMRI data from 98 healthy adults previously categorized as being among the best or among the worst performers in a cohort study of >1000 subjects aged 50+ who underwent neuropsychological assessment. We use a novel approach focusing on the dominant FC pattern captured by the leading eigenvector of dynamic FC matrices. Recurrent FC patterns - or states - are detected and characterized in terms of lifetime, probability of occurrence and switching profiles. We find that poorer cognitive performance is associated with weaker FC temporal similarity together with altered switching between FC states. These results provide new evidence linking the switching dynamics of FC during rest with cognitive performance in later life, reinforcing the functional role of resting-state activity for effective cognitive processing.

Alterations in Resting-State Activity Relate to Performance in a Verbal Recognition Task

PubMed Central

López Zunini, Rocío A.; Thivierge, Jean-Philippe; Kousaie, Shanna; Sheppard, Christine; Taler, Vanessa

2013-01-01

In the brain, resting-state activity refers to non-random patterns of intrinsic activity occurring when participants are not actively engaged in a task. We monitored resting-state activity using electroencephalogram (EEG) both before and after a verbal recognition task. We show a strong positive correlation between accuracy in verbal recognition and pre-task resting-state alpha power at posterior sites. We further characterized this effect by examining resting-state post-task activity. We found marked alterations in resting-state alpha power when comparing pre- and post-task periods, with more pronounced alterations in participants that attained higher task accuracy. These findings support a dynamical view of cognitive processes where patterns of ongoing brain activity can facilitate –or interfere– with optimal task performance. PMID:23785436

Affective mentalizing and brain activity at rest in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia

PubMed Central

Caminiti, Silvia P.; Canessa, Nicola; Cerami, Chiara; Dodich, Alessandra; Crespi, Chiara; Iannaccone, Sandro; Marcone, Alessandra; Falini, Andrea; Cappa, Stefano F.

2015-01-01

Background bvFTD patients display an impairment in the attribution of cognitive and affective states to others, reflecting GM atrophy in brain regions associated with social cognition, such as amygdala, superior temporal cortex and posterior insula. Distinctive patterns of abnormal brain functioning at rest have been reported in bvFTD, but their relationship with defective attribution of affective states has not been investigated. Objective To investigate the relationship among resting-state brain activity, gray matter (GM) atrophy and the attribution of mental states in the behavioral variant of fronto-temporal degeneration (bvFTD). Methods We compared 12 bvFTD patients with 30 age- and education-matched healthy controls on a) performance in a task requiring the attribution of affective vs. cognitive mental states; b) metrics of resting-state activity in known functional networks; and c) the relationship between task-performances and resting-state metrics. In addition, we assessed a connection between abnormal resting-state metrics and GM atrophy. Results Compared with controls, bvFTD patients showed a reduction of intra-network coherent activity in several components, as well as decreased strength of activation in networks related to attentional processing. Anomalous resting-state activity involved networks which also displayed a significant reduction of GM density. In patients, compared with controls, higher affective mentalizing performance correlated with stronger functional connectivity between medial prefrontal sectors of the default-mode and attentional/performance monitoring networks, as well as with increased coherent activity in components of the executive, sensorimotor and fronto-limbic networks. Conclusions Some of the observed effects may reflect specific compensatory mechanisms for the atrophic changes involving regions in charge of affective mentalizing. The analysis of specific resting-state networks thus highlights an intermediate level of analysis between abnormal brain structure and impaired behavioral performance in bvFTD, reflecting both dysfunction and compensation mechanisms. PMID:26594631

Sampling Outdoor, Resting Anopheles gambiae and Other Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Western Kenya with Clay Pots

PubMed Central

Odiere, M.; Bayoh, M. N.; Gimnig, J.; Vulule, J.; Irungu, L.; Walker, E.

2014-01-01

Clay pots were analyzed as devices for sampling the outdoor resting fraction of Anopheles gambiae Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) and other mosquito species in a rural, western Kenya. Clay pots (Anopheles gambiae resting pots, herein AgREPOTs), outdoor pit shelters, indoor pyrethrum spray collections (PSC), and Colombian curtain exit traps were compared in collections done biweekly for nine intervals from April to June 2005 in 20 housing compounds. Of 10,517 mosquitoes sampled, 4,668 An. gambiae s.l. were sampled in total of which 63% were An. gambiae s.s. (46% female) and 37% were An. arabiensis (66% female). The clay pots were useful and practical for sampling both sexes of An. gambiae s.l. Additionally, 617 An. funestus (58% female) and 5,232 Culex spp. (males and females together) were collected. Temporal changes in abundance of An. gambiae s.l. were similarly revealed by all four sampling methods, indicating that the clay pots could be used as devices to quantify variation in mosquito population density. Dispersion patterns of the different species and sexes fit well the negative binomial distribution, indicating that the mosquitoes were aggregated in distribution. Aside from providing a useful sampling tool, the AgREPOT also may be useful as a delivery vehicle for insecticides or pathogens to males and females that enter and rest in them. PMID:17294916

Investigating the Temporal Patterns within and between Intrinsic Connectivity Networks under Eyes-Open and Eyes-Closed Resting States: A Dynamical Functional Connectivity Study Based on Phase Synchronization

PubMed Central

Wang, Xun-Heng; Li, Lihua; Xu, Tao; Ding, Zhongxiang

2015-01-01

The brain active patterns were organized differently under resting states of eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). The altered voxel-wise and regional-wise resting state active patterns under EO/EC were found by static analysis. More importantly, dynamical spontaneous functional connectivity has been observed in the resting brain. To the best of our knowledge, the dynamical mechanisms of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) under EO/EC remain largely unexplored. The goals of this paper were twofold: 1) investigating the dynamical intra-ICN and inter-ICN temporal patterns during resting state; 2) analyzing the altered dynamical temporal patterns of ICNs under EO/EC. To this end, a cohort of healthy subjects with scan conditions of EO/EC were recruited from 1000 Functional Connectomes Project. Through Hilbert transform, time-varying phase synchronization (PS) was applied to evaluate the inter-ICN synchrony. Meanwhile, time-varying amplitude was analyzed as dynamical intra-ICN temporal patterns. The results found six micro-states of inter-ICN synchrony. The medial visual network (MVN) showed decreased intra-ICN amplitude during EC relative to EO. The sensory-motor network (SMN) and auditory network (AN) exhibited enhanced intra-ICN amplitude during EC relative to EO. Altered inter-ICN PS was found between certain ICNs. Particularly, the SMN and AN exhibited enhanced PS to other ICNs during EC relative to EO. In addition, the intra-ICN amplitude might influence the inter-ICN synchrony. Moreover, default mode network (DMN) might play an important role in information processing during EO/EC. Together, the dynamical temporal patterns within and between ICNs were altered during different scan conditions of EO/EC. Overall, the dynamical intra-ICN and inter-ICN temporal patterns could benefit resting state fMRI-related research, and could be potential biomarkers for human functional connectome. PMID:26469182

Effect Of Leg Exercise On Vascular Volumes During Bed Rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, J. E.; Vernikos, J.; Wade, C. E.; Barnes, P. R.

1993-01-01

Report describes experiments on effects of no-exercise regimen and of two leg-exercise regimens on volumes of plasma, volumes of red blood cells, densities of bodies, and water balances of 19 men (32 to 42 years old) confined to minus 6 degrees-head-down bed rest for 30 days. Purpose of study to determine whether either or both exercise regimens maintain plasma volume and to relate levels of hypovolemia to body fluid balances. Results showed during bed rest, plasma volume maintained in isotomic group but not in other two groups, and no significant differences in body densities, body weights, or water balances among three groups. Concludes isotonic-exercise regimen better than isokinetic-exercise regimen for maintaining plasma volume during prolonged exposure to bed rest.

Resting and reactive frontal brain electrical activity (EEG) among a non-clinical sample of socially anxious adults: Does concurrent depressive mood matter?

PubMed Central

Beaton, Elliott A; Schmidt, Louis A; Ashbaugh, Andrea R; Santesso, Diane L; Antony, Martin M; McCabe, Randi E

2008-01-01

A number of studies have noted that the pattern of resting frontal brain electrical activity (EEG) is related to individual differences in affective style in healthy infants, children, and adults and some clinical populations when symptoms are reduced or in remission. We measured self-reported trait shyness and sociability, concurrent depressive mood, and frontal brain electrical activity (EEG) at rest and in anticipation of a speech task in a non-clinical sample of healthy young adults selected for high and low social anxiety. Although the patterns of resting and reactive frontal EEG asymmetry did not distinguish among individual differences in social anxiety, the pattern of resting frontal EEG asymmetry was related to trait shyness after controlling for concurrent depressive mood. Individuals who reported a higher degree of shyness were likely to exhibit greater relative right frontal EEG activity at rest. However, trait shyness was not related to frontal EEG asymmetry measured during the speech-preparation task, even after controlling for concurrent depressive mood. These findings replicate and extend prior work on resting frontal EEG asymmetry and individual differences in affective style in adults. Findings also highlight the importance of considering concurrent emotional states of participants when examining psychophysiological correlates of personality. PMID:18728822

Brain scaling in mammalian evolution as a consequence of concerted and mosaic changes in numbers of neurons and average neuronal cell size

PubMed Central

Herculano-Houzel, Suzana; Manger, Paul R.; Kaas, Jon H.

2014-01-01

Enough species have now been subject to systematic quantitative analysis of the relationship between the morphology and cellular composition of their brain that patterns begin to emerge and shed light on the evolutionary path that led to mammalian brain diversity. Based on an analysis of the shared and clade-specific characteristics of 41 modern mammalian species in 6 clades, and in light of the phylogenetic relationships among them, here we propose that ancestral mammal brains were composed and scaled in their cellular composition like modern afrotherian and glire brains: with an addition of neurons that is accompanied by a decrease in neuronal density and very little modification in glial cell density, implying a significant increase in average neuronal cell size in larger brains, and the allocation of approximately 2 neurons in the cerebral cortex and 8 neurons in the cerebellum for every neuron allocated to the rest of brain. We also propose that in some clades the scaling of different brain structures has diverged away from the common ancestral layout through clade-specific (or clade-defining) changes in how average neuronal cell mass relates to numbers of neurons in each structure, and how numbers of neurons are differentially allocated to each structure relative to the number of neurons in the rest of brain. Thus, the evolutionary expansion of mammalian brains has involved both concerted and mosaic patterns of scaling across structures. This is, to our knowledge, the first mechanistic model that explains the generation of brains large and small in mammalian evolution, and it opens up new horizons for seeking the cellular pathways and genes involved in brain evolution. PMID:25157220

Differences in Looking at Own- and Other-Race Faces Are Subtle and Analysis-Dependent: An Account of Discrepant Reports.

PubMed

Arizpe, Joseph; Kravitz, Dwight J; Walsh, Vincent; Yovel, Galit; Baker, Chris I

2016-01-01

The Other-Race Effect (ORE) is the robust and well-established finding that people are generally poorer at facial recognition of individuals of another race than of their own race. Over the past four decades, much research has focused on the ORE because understanding this phenomenon is expected to elucidate fundamental face processing mechanisms and the influence of experience on such mechanisms. Several recent studies of the ORE in which the eye-movements of participants viewing own- and other-race faces were tracked have, however, reported highly conflicting results regarding the presence or absence of differential patterns of eye-movements to own- versus other-race faces. This discrepancy, of course, leads to conflicting theoretical interpretations of the perceptual basis for the ORE. Here we investigate fixation patterns to own- versus other-race (African and Chinese) faces for Caucasian participants using different analysis methods. While we detect statistically significant, though subtle, differences in fixation pattern using an Area of Interest (AOI) approach, we fail to detect significant differences when applying a spatial density map approach. Though there were no significant differences in the spatial density maps, the qualitative patterns matched the results from the AOI analyses reflecting how, in certain contexts, Area of Interest (AOI) analyses can be more sensitive in detecting the differential fixation patterns than spatial density analyses, due to spatial pooling of data with AOIs. AOI analyses, however, also come with the limitation of requiring a priori specification. These findings provide evidence that the conflicting reports in the prior literature may be at least partially accounted for by the differences in the statistical sensitivity associated with the different analysis methods employed across studies. Overall, our results suggest that detection of differences in eye-movement patterns can be analysis-dependent and rests on the assumptions inherent in the given analysis.

Differences in Looking at Own- and Other-Race Faces Are Subtle and Analysis-Dependent: An Account of Discrepant Reports

PubMed Central

Arizpe, Joseph; Kravitz, Dwight J.; Walsh, Vincent; Yovel, Galit; Baker, Chris I.

2016-01-01

The Other-Race Effect (ORE) is the robust and well-established finding that people are generally poorer at facial recognition of individuals of another race than of their own race. Over the past four decades, much research has focused on the ORE because understanding this phenomenon is expected to elucidate fundamental face processing mechanisms and the influence of experience on such mechanisms. Several recent studies of the ORE in which the eye-movements of participants viewing own- and other-race faces were tracked have, however, reported highly conflicting results regarding the presence or absence of differential patterns of eye-movements to own- versus other-race faces. This discrepancy, of course, leads to conflicting theoretical interpretations of the perceptual basis for the ORE. Here we investigate fixation patterns to own- versus other-race (African and Chinese) faces for Caucasian participants using different analysis methods. While we detect statistically significant, though subtle, differences in fixation pattern using an Area of Interest (AOI) approach, we fail to detect significant differences when applying a spatial density map approach. Though there were no significant differences in the spatial density maps, the qualitative patterns matched the results from the AOI analyses reflecting how, in certain contexts, Area of Interest (AOI) analyses can be more sensitive in detecting the differential fixation patterns than spatial density analyses, due to spatial pooling of data with AOIs. AOI analyses, however, also come with the limitation of requiring a priori specification. These findings provide evidence that the conflicting reports in the prior literature may be at least partially accounted for by the differences in the statistical sensitivity associated with the different analysis methods employed across studies. Overall, our results suggest that detection of differences in eye-movement patterns can be analysis-dependent and rests on the assumptions inherent in the given analysis. PMID:26849447

Can Sleep and Resting Behaviours Be Used as Indicators of Welfare in Shelter Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)?

PubMed

Owczarczak-Garstecka, Sara C; Burman, Oliver H P

2016-01-01

Previous research on humans and animals suggests that the analysis of sleep patterns may reliably inform us about welfare status, but little research of this kind has been carried out for non-human animals in an applied context. This study explored the use of sleep and resting behaviour as indicators of welfare by describing the activity patterns of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) housed in rescue shelters, and comparing their sleep patterns to other behavioural and cognitive measures of welfare. Sleep and activity patterns were observed over five non-consecutive days in a population of 15 dogs. Subsequently, the characteristics of sleep and resting behaviour were described and the impact of activity on patterns of sleep and resting behaviour analysed. Shelter dogs slept for 2.8% of the day, 14.3% less than previously reported and experienced less sleep fragmentation at night (32 sleep bouts). There were no statistically significant relationships between behaviours exhibited during the day and sleep behaviour. A higher proportion of daytime resting behaviour was significantly associated with a positive judgement bias, less repetitive behaviour and increased time spent coded as 'relaxed' across days by shelter staff. These results suggest that, in the context of a busy shelter environment, the ability to rest more during the day could be a sign of improved welfare. Considering the non-linear relationship between sleep and welfare in humans, the relationship between sleep and behavioural indicators of welfare, including judgement bias, in shelter dogs may be more complex than this study could detect.

Elevated resting heart rate is associated with dyslipidemia in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

PubMed

Sun, Ji Chao; Huang, Xiao Lin; Deng, Xin Ru; Lv, Xiao Fei; Lu, Jie Li; Chen, Yu Hong; Bi, Yu Fang; Wang, Wei Qing; Xu, Min; Ning, Guang

2014-08-01

To study the relationship between resting heart rate and blood lipid level. A total of 9 415 subjects aged ⋝ 40 years were included in the present study. Their resting heart rate was monitored and their serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured to define dyslipidemia according to the 2007 Chinese Guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of Dyslipidemia in Adults. The subjects were divided into group A with their resting heart rate <70 beats/min, group B with their resting heart rate =70-79 beats/min, group C with their resting heart rate =80-89 beats/min, and group D with their resting heart rate ⋝ 90 beats/min. High TG, TC, and LDL-C were presented across the resting heart rate (Ptrend <0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of high TG and TC was higher in subjects with their resting heart rate ⋝ 90 beats/min than in those with their resting heart rate <70 beats/min (OR=1.42; 95% CI: 1.16-1.74 and OR=1.33; 95% CI: 1.09-1.64, respectively). Elevated resting heart rate is associated with high TG and TC in middle-aged and elderly Chinese subjects. Copyright © 2014 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Activity flow over resting-state networks shapes cognitive task activations.

PubMed

Cole, Michael W; Ito, Takuya; Bassett, Danielle S; Schultz, Douglas H

2016-12-01

Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) has helped reveal the intrinsic network organization of the human brain, yet its relevance to cognitive task activations has been unclear. Uncertainty remains despite evidence that resting-state FC patterns are highly similar to cognitive task activation patterns. Identifying the distributed processes that shape localized cognitive task activations may help reveal why resting-state FC is so strongly related to cognitive task activations. We found that estimating task-evoked activity flow (the spread of activation amplitudes) over resting-state FC networks allowed prediction of cognitive task activations in a large-scale neural network model. Applying this insight to empirical functional MRI data, we found that cognitive task activations can be predicted in held-out brain regions (and held-out individuals) via estimated activity flow over resting-state FC networks. This suggests that task-evoked activity flow over intrinsic networks is a large-scale mechanism explaining the relevance of resting-state FC to cognitive task activations.

Activity flow over resting-state networks shapes cognitive task activations

PubMed Central

Cole, Michael W.; Ito, Takuya; Bassett, Danielle S.; Schultz, Douglas H.

2016-01-01

Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) has helped reveal the intrinsic network organization of the human brain, yet its relevance to cognitive task activations has been unclear. Uncertainty remains despite evidence that resting-state FC patterns are highly similar to cognitive task activation patterns. Identifying the distributed processes that shape localized cognitive task activations may help reveal why resting-state FC is so strongly related to cognitive task activations. We found that estimating task-evoked activity flow (the spread of activation amplitudes) over resting-state FC networks allows prediction of cognitive task activations in a large-scale neural network model. Applying this insight to empirical functional MRI data, we found that cognitive task activations can be predicted in held-out brain regions (and held-out individuals) via estimated activity flow over resting-state FC networks. This suggests that task-evoked activity flow over intrinsic networks is a large-scale mechanism explaining the relevance of resting-state FC to cognitive task activations. PMID:27723746

Star formation history and chemical enrichment in the early Universe: clues from the rest-optical and rest-UV spectra of z~2-3 star-forming galaxies in the Keck Baryonic Structure Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strom, Allison L.

2017-01-01

Galaxies at the peak of cosmic star formation (z~2-3) exhibit significantly higher star formation rates and gas fractions at fixed stellar mass than nearby galaxies. These z~2-3 galaxies are also distinct in terms of their nebular spectra, reflecting important differences not only in the physical conditions of their interstellar medium (e.g., electron density and gas-phase metallicity), but also in the details of their massive stellar populations, especially their ionizing radiation fields. Jointly observing galaxies' HII regions, at rest-UV and rest-optical wavelengths, and massive stars, at rest-UV wavelengths, is central to constructing a framework for understanding the differences between z~2-3 and z~0 star-forming galaxies and for self-consistently explaining the trends observed in the high-redshift population. My thesis is based on data from the Keck Baryonic Structure Survey (KBSS), which uniquely combines observations of individual galaxies in these two bandpasses. In total, the near-infrared component of the KBSS includes spectra of >700 z~2-3 galaxies obtained with Keck/MOSFIRE. I will present these results along with a detailed analysis of the full rest-optical (3600-7000 Ang) nebular spectra of ~400 galaxies, showing that high-redshift galaxies exhibit uniformly high degrees of ionization and excitation with respect to most z~0 galaxies. Combined with observations of the same galaxies' rest-UV spectra (obtained with Keck/LRIS) and photoionization model predictions, these results suggest that the disparity arises from differences in the shape of the ionizing radiation field at fixed gas-phase oxygen abundance, most likely due to the effects of Fe-poor massive binary stars. My comprehensive spectroscopic study of an unprecedentedly large sample of z~2-3 galaxies offers compelling evidence that the distinct chemical abundance patterns observed in these galaxies are the result of systematic differences in their star formation histories.

Altered amygdalar resting-state connectivity in depression is explained by both genes and environment.

PubMed

Córdova-Palomera, Aldo; Tornador, Cristian; Falcón, Carles; Bargalló, Nuria; Nenadic, Igor; Deco, Gustavo; Fañanás, Lourdes

2015-10-01

Recent findings indicate that alterations of the amygdalar resting-state fMRI connectivity play an important role in the etiology of depression. While both depression and resting-state brain activity are shaped by genes and environment, the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors mediating the relationship between amygdalar resting-state connectivity and depression remain largely unexplored. Likewise, novel neuroimaging research indicates that different mathematical representations of resting-state fMRI activity patterns are able to embed distinct information relevant to brain health and disease. The present study analyzed the influence of genes and environment on amygdalar resting-state fMRI connectivity, in relation to depression risk. High-resolution resting-state fMRI scans were analyzed to estimate functional connectivity patterns in a sample of 48 twins (24 monozygotic pairs) informative for depressive psychopathology (6 concordant, 8 discordant and 10 healthy control pairs). A graph-theoretical framework was employed to construct brain networks using two methods: (i) the conventional approach of filtered BOLD fMRI time-series and (ii) analytic components of this fMRI activity. Results using both methods indicate that depression risk is increased by environmental factors altering amygdalar connectivity. When analyzing the analytic components of the BOLD fMRI time-series, genetic factors altering the amygdala neural activity at rest show an important contribution to depression risk. Overall, these findings show that both genes and environment modify different patterns the amygdala resting-state connectivity to increase depression risk. The genetic relationship between amygdalar connectivity and depression may be better elicited by examining analytic components of the brain resting-state BOLD fMRI signals. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experimental Study of Internal Waves and Vortices Past 2d Obstacles In A Continuously Stratified Fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitkin, V.

Experimental investigations of fine and macroscopic structures of density and veloc- ity disturbances generated by a towing cylinder or a vertical strip in a linearly strati- fied liquid are carried out in a rectangular tank. A density gradient field is visualised by different Schlieren methods (direct shadow, 'slit-knife', 'slit-thread', 'natural rain- bow') characterised by a high spatial resolution. Profiles of fluid velocity are visu- alised by density markers U wakes past a vertically descending sugar crystal or an ascending gas bubble. In a fluid at rest the density marker acts as a vertical linear source of internal oscillations, which allows us to measure buoyancy frequency over all depth by the Schlieren instrument directly or by a conductivity probe in a particular point. Sensitive methods reveal a set of high gradient interfaces inside and outside the downstream wake besides well-known large-scale elements: upstream disturbances, attached internal waves and vortices. High gradient interfaces bound compact vor- tices. Vortices moving with respect to environment emit their own systems of internal waves randomising a regular pattern of attached antisymmetric internal waves. But after a rather long time a wave recurrence occurs and a regular but symmetric struc- ture of the longest waves (similar to the pattern of initial attached internal waves) is observed again. Results of studying of the influence of obstacles shape on phase struc- ture and amplitudes of attached internal waves field, vortex formation, their structure and characteristics are presented.

Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.

PubMed

Westcott, Wayne L

2012-01-01

Inactive adults experience a 3% to 8% loss of muscle mass per decade, accompanied by resting metabolic rate reduction and fat accumulation. Ten weeks of resistance training may increase lean weight by 1.4 kg, increase resting metabolic rate by 7%, and reduce fat weight by 1.8 kg. Benefits of resistance training include improved physical performance, movement control, walking speed, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem. Resistance training may assist prevention and management of type 2 diabetes by decreasing visceral fat, reducing HbA1c, increasing the density of glucose transporter type 4, and improving insulin sensitivity. Resistance training may enhance cardiovascular health, by reducing resting blood pressure, decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Resistance training may promote bone development, with studies showing 1% to 3% increase in bone mineral density. Resistance training may be effective for reducing low back pain and easing discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia and has been shown to reverse specific aging factors in skeletal muscle.

Dynamic reorganization of human resting-state networks during visuospatial attention.

PubMed

Spadone, Sara; Della Penna, Stefania; Sestieri, Carlo; Betti, Viviana; Tosoni, Annalisa; Perrucci, Mauro Gianni; Romani, Gian Luca; Corbetta, Maurizio

2015-06-30

Fundamental problems in neuroscience today are understanding how patterns of ongoing spontaneous activity are modified by task performance and whether/how these intrinsic patterns influence task-evoked activation and behavior. We examined these questions by comparing instantaneous functional connectivity (IFC) and directed functional connectivity (DFC) changes in two networks that are strongly correlated and segregated at rest: the visual (VIS) network and the dorsal attention network (DAN). We measured how IFC and DFC during a visuospatial attention task, which requires dynamic selective rerouting of visual information across hemispheres, changed with respect to rest. During the attention task, the two networks remained relatively segregated, and their general pattern of within-network correlation was maintained. However, attention induced a decrease of correlation in the VIS network and an increase of the DAN→VIS IFC and DFC, especially in a top-down direction. In contrast, within the DAN, IFC was not modified by attention, whereas DFC was enhanced. Importantly, IFC modulations were behaviorally relevant. We conclude that a stable backbone of within-network functional connectivity topography remains in place when transitioning between resting wakefulness and attention selection. However, relative decrease of correlation of ongoing "idling" activity in visual cortex and synchronization between frontoparietal and visual cortex were behaviorally relevant, indicating that modulations of resting activity patterns are important for task performance. Higher order resting connectivity in the DAN was relatively unaffected during attention, potentially indicating a role for simultaneous ongoing activity as a "prior" for attention selection.

Resting state cerebral blood flow with arterial spin labeling MRI in developing human brains.

PubMed

Liu, Feng; Duan, Yunsuo; Peterson, Bradley S; Asllani, Iris; Zelaya, Fernando; Lythgoe, David; Kangarlu, Alayar

2018-07-01

The development of brain circuits is coupled with changes in neurovascular coupling, which refers to the close relationship between neural activity and cerebral blood flow (CBF). Studying the characteristics of CBF during resting state in developing brain can be a complementary way to understand the functional connectivity of the developing brain. Arterial spin labeling (ASL), as a noninvasive MR technique, is particularly attractive for studying cerebral perfusion in children and even newborns. We have collected pulsed ASL data in resting state for 47 healthy subjects from young children to adolescence (aged from 6 to 20 years old). In addition to studying the developmental change of static CBF maps during resting state, we also analyzed the CBF time series to reveal the dynamic characteristics of CBF in differing age groups. We used the seed-based correlation analysis to examine the temporal relationship of CBF time series between the selected ROIs and other brain regions. We have shown the developmental patterns in both static CBF maps and dynamic characteristics of CBF. While higher CBF of default mode network (DMN) in all age groups supports that DMN is the prominent active network during the resting state, the CBF connectivity patterns of some typical resting state networks show distinct patterns of metabolic activity during the resting state in the developing brains. Copyright © 2018 European Paediatric Neurology Society. All rights reserved.

Identifying Neural Patterns of Functional Dyspepsia Using Multivariate Pattern Analysis: A Resting-State fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Liu, Peng; Qin, Wei; Wang, Jingjing; Zeng, Fang; Zhou, Guangyu; Wen, Haixia; von Deneen, Karen M.; Liang, Fanrong; Gong, Qiyong; Tian, Jie

2013-01-01

Background Previous imaging studies on functional dyspepsia (FD) have focused on abnormal brain functions during special tasks, while few studies concentrated on the resting-state abnormalities of FD patients, which might be potentially valuable to provide us with direct information about the neural basis of FD. The main purpose of the current study was thereby to characterize the distinct patterns of resting-state function between FD patients and healthy controls (HCs). Methodology/Principal Findings Thirty FD patients and thirty HCs were enrolled and experienced 5-mintue resting-state scanning. Based on the support vector machine (SVM), we applied multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to investigate the differences of resting-state function mapped by regional homogeneity (ReHo). A classifier was designed by using the principal component analysis and the linear SVM. Permutation test was then employed to identify the significant contribution to the final discrimination. The results displayed that the mean classifier accuracy was 86.67%, and highly discriminative brain regions mainly included the prefrontal cortex (PFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), supplementary motor area (SMA), temporal pole (TP), insula, anterior/middle cingulate cortex (ACC/MCC), thalamus, hippocampus (HIPP)/parahippocamus (ParaHIPP) and cerebellum. Correlation analysis revealed significant correlations between ReHo values in certain regions of interest (ROI) and the FD symptom severity and/or duration, including the positive correlations between the dmPFC, pACC and the symptom severity; whereas, the positive correlations between the MCC, OFC, insula, TP and FD duration. Conclusions These findings indicated that significantly distinct patterns existed between FD patients and HCs during the resting-state, which could expand our understanding of the neural basis of FD. Meanwhile, our results possibly showed potential feasibility of functional magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic assay for FD. PMID:23874543

Increased ventilatory variability and complexity in patients with hyperventilation disorder.

PubMed

Bokov, Plamen; Fiamma, Marie-Noëlle; Chevalier-Bidaud, Brigitte; Chenivesse, Cécile; Straus, Christian; Similowski, Thomas; Delclaux, Christophe

2016-05-15

It has been hypothesized that hyperventilation disorders could be characterized by an abnormal ventilatory control leading to enhanced variability of resting ventilation. The variability of tidal volume (VT) often depicts a nonnormal distribution that can be described by the negative slope characterizing augmented breaths formed by the relationship between the probability density distribution of VT and VT on a log-log scale. The objectives of this study were to describe the variability of resting ventilation [coefficient of variation (CV) of VT and slope], the stability in respiratory control (loop, controller and plant gains characterizing ventilatory-chemoresponsiveness interactions) and the chaotic-like dynamics (embedding dimension, Kappa values characterizing complexity) of resting ventilation in patients with a well-defined dysfunctional breathing pattern characterized by air hunger and constantly decreased PaCO2 during a cardiopulmonary exercise test. Compared with 14 healthy subjects with similar anthropometrics, 23 patients with hyperventilation were characterized by increased variability of resting tidal ventilation (CV of VT median [interquartile]: 26% [19-35] vs. 36% [28-48], P = 0.020; slope: -6.63 [-7.65; -5.36] vs. -3.88 [-5.91; -2.66], P = 0.004) that was not related to increased chemical drive (loop gain: 0.051 [0.039-0.221] vs. 0.044 [0.012-0.087], P = 0.149) but that was related to an increased ventilatory complexity (Kappa values, P < 0.05). Plant gain was decreased in patients and correlated with complexity (with Kappa 5 - degree 5: Rho = -0.48, P = 0.006). In conclusion, well-defined patients suffering from hyperventilation disorder are characterized by increased variability of their resting ventilation due to increased ventilatory complexity with stable ventilatory-chemoresponsiveness interactions. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Group Independent Component Analysis (gICA) and Current Source Density (CSD) in the study of EEG in ADHD adults.

PubMed

Ponomarev, Valery A; Mueller, Andreas; Candrian, Gian; Grin-Yatsenko, Vera A; Kropotov, Juri D

2014-01-01

To investigate the performance of the spectral analysis of resting EEG, Current Source Density (CSD) and group independent components (gIC) in diagnosing ADHD adults. Power spectra of resting EEG, CSD and gIC (19 channels, linked ears reference, eyes open/closed) from 96 ADHD and 376 healthy adults were compared between eyes open and eyes closed conditions, and between groups of subjects. Pattern of differences in gIC and CSD spectral power between conditions was approximately similar, whereas it was more widely spatially distributed for EEG. Size effect (Cohen's d) of differences in gIC and CSD spectral power between groups of subjects was considerably greater than in the case of EEG. Significant reduction of gIC and CSD spectral power depending on conditions was found in ADHD patients. Reducing power in a wide frequency range in the fronto-central areas is a common phenomenon regardless of whether the eyes were open or closed. Spectral power of local EEG activity isolated by gICA or CSD in the fronto-central areas may be a suitable marker for discrimination of ADHD and healthy adults. Spectral analysis of gIC and CSD provides better sensitivity to discriminate ADHD and healthy adults. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patterns of Default Mode Network Deactivation in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

PubMed Central

Gonçalves, Óscar F.; Soares, José Miguel; Carvalho, Sandra; Leite, Jorge; Ganho-Ávila, Ana; Fernandes-Gonçalves, Ana; Pocinho, Fernando; Carracedo, Angel; Sampaio, Adriana

2017-01-01

The objective of the present study was to research the patterns of Default Mode Network (DMN) deactivation in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in the transition between a resting and a non-rest emotional condition. Twenty-seven participants, 15 diagnosed with OCD and 12 healthy controls (HC), underwent a functional neuroimaging paradigm in which DMN brain activation in a resting condition was contrasted with activity during a non-rest condition consisting in the presentation of emotionally pleasant and unpleasant images. Results showed that HC, when compared with OCD, had a significant deactivation in two anterior nodes of the DMN (medial frontal and superior frontal) in the non-rest pleasant stimuli condition. Additional analysis for the whole brain, contrasting the resting condition with all the non-rest conditions grouped together, showed that, compared with OCD, HC had a significantly deactivation of a widespread brain network (superior frontal, insula, middle and superior temporal, putamen, lingual, cuneus, and cerebellum). Concluding, the present study found that OCD patients had difficulties with the deactivation of DMN even when the non-rest condition includes the presentation of emotional provoking stimuli, particularly evident for images with pleasant content. PMID:28287615

Cryptically Patterned Moths Perceive Bark Structure When Choosing Body Orientations That Match Wing Color Pattern to the Bark Pattern

PubMed Central

Kang, Chang-ku; Moon, Jong-yeol; Lee, Sang-im; Jablonski, Piotr G.

2013-01-01

Many moths have wing patterns that resemble bark of trees on which they rest. The wing patterns help moths to become camouflaged and to avoid predation because the moths are able to assume specific body orientations that produce a very good match between the pattern on the bark and the pattern on the wings. Furthermore, after landing on a bark moths are able to perceive stimuli that correlate with their crypticity and are able to re-position their bodies to new more cryptic locations and body orientations. However, the proximate mechanisms, i.e. how a moth finds an appropriate resting position and orientation, are poorly studied. Here, we used a geometrid moth Jankowskia fuscaria to examine i) whether a choice of resting orientation by moths depends on the properties of natural background, and ii) what sensory cues moths use. We studied moths’ behavior on natural (a tree log) and artificial backgrounds, each of which was designed to mimic one of the hypothetical cues that moths may perceive on a tree trunk (visual pattern, directional furrow structure, and curvature). We found that moths mainly used structural cues from the background when choosing their resting position and orientation. Our findings highlight the possibility that moths use information from one type of sensory modality (structure of furrows is probably detected through tactile channel) to achieve crypticity in another sensory modality (visual). This study extends our knowledge of how behavior, sensory systems and morphology of animals interact to produce crypsis. PMID:24205118

Cryptically patterned moths perceive bark structure when choosing body orientations that match wing color pattern to the bark pattern.

PubMed

Kang, Chang-Ku; Moon, Jong-Yeol; Lee, Sang-Im; Jablonski, Piotr G

2013-01-01

Many moths have wing patterns that resemble bark of trees on which they rest. The wing patterns help moths to become camouflaged and to avoid predation because the moths are able to assume specific body orientations that produce a very good match between the pattern on the bark and the pattern on the wings. Furthermore, after landing on a bark moths are able to perceive stimuli that correlate with their crypticity and are able to re-position their bodies to new more cryptic locations and body orientations. However, the proximate mechanisms, i.e. how a moth finds an appropriate resting position and orientation, are poorly studied. Here, we used a geometrid moth Jankowskia fuscaria to examine i) whether a choice of resting orientation by moths depends on the properties of natural background, and ii) what sensory cues moths use. We studied moths' behavior on natural (a tree log) and artificial backgrounds, each of which was designed to mimic one of the hypothetical cues that moths may perceive on a tree trunk (visual pattern, directional furrow structure, and curvature). We found that moths mainly used structural cues from the background when choosing their resting position and orientation. Our findings highlight the possibility that moths use information from one type of sensory modality (structure of furrows is probably detected through tactile channel) to achieve crypticity in another sensory modality (visual). This study extends our knowledge of how behavior, sensory systems and morphology of animals interact to produce crypsis.

Dusk to dawn activity patterns of anopheline mosquitoes in West Timor and Java, Indonesia.

PubMed

Ndoen, Ermi; Wild, Clyde; Dale, Pat; Sipe, Neil; Dale, Mike

2011-05-01

Malaria is a serious health issue in Indonesia. We investigated the dusk to dawn anopheline mosquito activity patterns, host-seeking and resting locations in coastal plain, hilly and highland areas in West Timor and Java. Adult mosquitoes were captured landing on humans or resting in houses or animal barns. Data analyzed were: mosquito night-time activities; period of peak activity; night-time activity in specific periods of time and for mosquito resting locations. Eleven species were recorded; data were sparse for some species therefore detailed analyses were performed for four species only. In Java Anopheles vagus was common, with a bimodal pattern of high activity. In West Timor, its activity peaked around midnight. Other species with peak activity around the middle of the night were An. barbirostris and An. subpictus. Most species showed no biting and resting preference for indoors or outdoors, although An. barbirostris preferred indoors in West Timor, but outdoors in Java. An. aconitus and An. annularis preferred resting in human dwellings; An. subpictus and An. vagus preferred resting in animal barns. An. barbirostris preferred resting in human dwellings in West Timor and in animal barns in Java. The information is useful for planning the mosquito control aspect of malaria management. For example, where mosquito species have peak activity at night indoors, bednets and indoor residual spraying should reduce malaria risk, but where mosquitoes are most active outdoors, other options may be more effective.

Effect of leg exercise training on vascular volumes during 30 days of 6 deg head-down bed rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, J. E.; Vernikos, J.; Wade, C. E.; Barnes, P. R.

1992-01-01

In order to investigate the effects of leg exercise training on vascular volumes during 30 d of 6-deg head-down bed rest, plasma and red cell volumes, body density, and water balance were measured in 19 men confined to bed rest (BR). One group had no exercise training (NOE), another near-maximal variable-intensity isotonic exercise (ITE) for 60 min/d, and the third near-maximal intermittent isokinetic exercise (IKE) for 60 min/d. Mean energy costs for the NOE, IKE, and ITE regimens were determined. Body densities within groups and mean urine volumes between groups were unchanged during BR. Changes in red cell volume followed changes in plasma volume. There was close coupling between resting plasma volume and plasma protein and osmotic content. It is argued that the ITE training protocol is better than the IKE protocol for maintaining plasma volume during prolonged exposure to BR.

Dengue and yellow fever virus vectors: seasonal abundance, diversity and resting preferences in three Kenyan cities.

PubMed

Agha, Sheila B; Tchouassi, David P; Bastos, Armanda D S; Sang, Rosemary

2017-12-29

The transmission patterns of dengue (DENV) and yellow fever (YFV) viruses, especially in urban settings, are influenced by Aedes (Stegomyia) mosquito abundance and behavior. Despite recurrent dengue outbreaks on the Kenyan coast, these parameters remain poorly defined in this and other areas of contrasting dengue endemicity in Kenya. In assessing the transmission risk of DENV/YFV in three Kenyan cities, we determined adult abundance and resting habits of potential Aedes (Stegomyia) vectors in Kilifi (dengue-outbreak prone), and Nairobi and Kisumu (no dengue outbreaks reported). In addition, mosquito diversity, an important consideration for changing mosquito-borne disease dynamics, was compared. Between October 2014 and June 2016, host-seeking adult mosquitoes were sampled using CO 2 -baited BG-Sentinel traps (12 traps daily) placed in vegetation around homesteads, across study sites in the three major cities. Also, indoor and outdoor resting mosquitoes were sampled using Prokopack aspirators. Three samplings, each of five consecutive days, were conducted during the long-rains, short-rains and dry season for each city. Inter-city and seasonal variation in mosquito abundance and diversity was evaluated using general linear models while mosquito-resting preference (indoors vs outdoors) was compared using Chi-square test. Aedes aegypti, which comprised 60% (n = 7772) of the total 12,937 host-seeking mosquitoes collected, had comparable numbers in Kisumu (45.2%, n = 3513) and Kilifi (37.7%, n = 2932), both being significantly higher than Nairobi (17.1%, n = 1327). Aedes aegypti abundance was significantly lower in the short-rains and dry season relative to the long-rains (P < 0.0001). Aedes bromeliae, which occurred in low numbers, did not differ significantly between seasons or cities. Mosquito diversity was highest during the long-rains and in Nairobi. Only 10% (n = 43) of the 450 houses aspirated were found positive for resting Ae. aegypti, with overall low captures in all areas. Aedes aegypti densities were comparable indoors/outdoors in Kilifi; but with higher densities outdoors than indoors in Kisumu and Nairobi. The presence and abundance of Ae. aegypti near human habitations and dwellings, especially in Kilifi/Kisumu, is suggestive of increased DENV transmission risk due to higher prospects of human vector contact. Despite low abundance of Ae. bromeliae suggestive of low YFV transmission risk, its proximity to human habitation as well as the observed diversity of potential YFV vectors should be of public health concern and monitored closely for targeted control. The largely outdoor resting behavior for Ae. aegypti provides insights for targeted adult vector control especially during emergency outbreak situations.

Disproportionate loss of thin filaments in human soleus muscle after 17-day bed rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, D. A.; Bain, J. L.; Thompson, J. L.; Fitts, R. H.; Widrick, J. J.; Trappe, S. W.; Trappe, T. A.; Costill, D. L.

1998-01-01

Previously we reported that, after 17-day bed rest unloading of 8 humans, soleus slow fibers atrophied and exhibited increased velocity of shortening without fast myosin expression. The present ultrastructural study examined fibers from the same muscle biopsies to determine whether decreased myofilament packing density accounted for the observed speeding. Quantitation was by computer-assisted morphometry of electron micrographs. Filament densities were normalized for sarcomere length, because density depends directly on length. Thick filament density was unchanged by bed rest. Thin filaments/microm2 decreased 16-23%. Glycogen filled the I band sites vacated by filaments. The percentage decrease in thin filaments (Y) correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with the percentage increase in velocity (X), (Y = 0.1X + 20%, R2 = 0.62). An interpretation is that fewer filaments increases thick to thin filament spacing and causes earlier cross-bridge detachment and faster cycling. Increased velocity helps maintain power (force x velocity) as atrophy lowers force. Atrophic muscles may be prone to sarcomere reloading damage because force/microm2 was near normal, and force per thin filament increased an estimated 30%.

Memory consolidation by replay of stimulus-specific neural activity.

PubMed

Deuker, Lorena; Olligs, Jan; Fell, Juergen; Kranz, Thorsten A; Mormann, Florian; Montag, Christian; Reuter, Martin; Elger, Christian E; Axmacher, Nikolai

2013-12-04

Memory consolidation transforms initially labile memory traces into more stable representations. One putative mechanism for consolidation is the reactivation of memory traces after their initial encoding during subsequent sleep or waking state. However, it is still unknown whether consolidation of individual memory contents relies on reactivation of stimulus-specific neural representations in humans. Investigating stimulus-specific representations in humans is particularly difficult, but potentially feasible using multivariate pattern classification analysis (MVPA). Here, we show in healthy human participants that stimulus-specific activation patterns can indeed be identified with MVPA, that these patterns reoccur spontaneously during postlearning resting periods and sleep, and that the frequency of reactivation predicts subsequent memory for individual items. We conducted a paired-associate learning task with items and spatial positions and extracted stimulus-specific activity patterns by MVPA in a simultaneous electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. As a first step, we investigated the amount of fMRI volumes during rest that resembled either one of the items shown before or one of the items shown as a control after the resting period. Reactivations during both awake resting state and sleep predicted subsequent memory. These data are first evidence that spontaneous reactivation of stimulus-specific activity patterns during resting state can be investigated using MVPA. They show that reactivation occurs in humans and is behaviorally relevant for stabilizing memory traces against interference. They move beyond previous studies because replay was investigated on the level of individual stimuli and because reactivations were not evoked by sensory cues but occurred spontaneously.

Visual Learning Induces Changes in Resting-State fMRI Multivariate Pattern of Information.

PubMed

Guidotti, Roberto; Del Gratta, Cosimo; Baldassarre, Antonello; Romani, Gian Luca; Corbetta, Maurizio

2015-07-08

When measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the resting state (R-fMRI), spontaneous activity is correlated between brain regions that are anatomically and functionally related. Learning and/or task performance can induce modulation of the resting synchronization between brain regions. Moreover, at the neuronal level spontaneous brain activity can replay patterns evoked by a previously presented stimulus. Here we test whether visual learning/task performance can induce a change in the patterns of coded information in R-fMRI signals consistent with a role of spontaneous activity in representing task-relevant information. Human subjects underwent R-fMRI before and after perceptual learning on a novel visual shape orientation discrimination task. Task-evoked fMRI patterns to trained versus novel stimuli were recorded after learning was completed, and before the second R-fMRI session. Using multivariate pattern analysis on task-evoked signals, we found patterns in several cortical regions, as follows: visual cortex, V3/V3A/V7; within the default mode network, precuneus, and inferior parietal lobule; and, within the dorsal attention network, intraparietal sulcus, which discriminated between trained and novel visual stimuli. The accuracy of classification was strongly correlated with behavioral performance. Next, we measured multivariate patterns in R-fMRI signals before and after learning. The frequency and similarity of resting states representing the task/visual stimuli states increased post-learning in the same cortical regions recruited by the task. These findings support a representational role of spontaneous brain activity. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/359786-13$15.00/0.

Use of Neuroanatomical Pattern Classification to Identify Subjects in At-Risk Mental States of Psychosis and Predict Disease Transition

PubMed Central

Koutsouleris, Nikolaos; Meisenzahl, Eva M.; Davatzikos, Christos; Bottlender, Ronald; Frodl, Thomas; Scheuerecker, Johanna; Schmitt, Gisela; Zetzsche, Thomas; Decker, Petra; Reiser, Maximilian; Möller, Hans-Jürgen; Gaser, Christian

2014-01-01

Context Identification of individuals at high risk of developing psychosis has relied on prodromal symptomatology. Recently, machine learning algorithms have been successfully used for magnetic resonance imaging–based diagnostic classification of neuropsychiatric patient populations. Objective To determine whether multivariate neuroanatomical pattern classification facilitates identification of individuals in different at-risk mental states (ARMS) of psychosis and enables the prediction of disease transition at the individual level. Design Multivariate neuroanatomical pattern classification was performed on the structural magnetic resonance imaging data of individuals in early or late ARMS vs healthy controls (HCs). The predictive power of the method was then evaluated by categorizing the baseline imaging data of individuals with transition to psychosis vs those without transition vs HCs after 4 years of clinical follow-up. Classification generalizability was estimated by cross-validation and by categorizing an independent cohort of 45 new HCs. Setting Departments of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. Participants The first classification analysis included 20 early and 25 late at-risk individuals and 25 matched HCs. The second analysis consisted of 15 individuals with transition, 18 without transition, and 17 matched HCs. Main Outcome Measures Specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of classification. Results The 3-group, cross-validated classification accuracies of the first analysis were 86% (HCs vs the rest), 91% (early at-risk individuals vs the rest), and 86% (late at-risk individuals vs the rest). The accuracies in the second analysis were 90% (HCs vs the rest), 88% (individuals with transition vs the rest), and 86% (individuals without transition vs the rest). Independent HCs were correctly classified in 96% (first analysis) and 93% (second analysis) of cases. Conclusions Different ARMSs and their clinical outcomes may be reliably identified on an individual basis by assessing patterns of whole-brain neuroanatomical abnormalities. These patterns may serve as valuable biomarkers for the clinician to guide early detection in the prodromal phase of psychosis. PMID:19581561

Functional consequences of neurite orientation dispersion and density in humans across the adult lifespan.

PubMed

Nazeri, Arash; Chakravarty, M Mallar; Rotenberg, David J; Rajji, Tarek K; Rathi, Yogesh; Michailovich, Oleg V; Voineskos, Aristotle N

2015-01-28

As humans age, a characteristic pattern of widespread neocortical dendritic disruption coupled with compensatory effects in hippocampus and other subcortical structures is shown in postmortem investigations. It is now possible to address age-related effects on gray matter (GM) neuritic organization and density in humans using multishell diffusion-weighted MRI and the neurite-orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) model. In 45 healthy individuals across the adult lifespan (21-84 years), we used a multishell diffusion imaging and the NODDI model to assess the intraneurite volume fraction and neurite orientation-dispersion index (ODI) in GM tissues. We also determined the functional correlates of variations in GM microstructure by obtaining resting-state fMRI and behavioral data. We found a significant age-related deficit in neocortical ODI (most prominently in frontoparietal regions), whereas increased ODI was observed in hippocampus and cerebellum with advancing age. Neocortical ODI outperformed cortical thickness and white matter fractional anisotropy for the prediction of chronological age in the same individuals. Higher GM ODI sampled from resting-state networks with known age-related susceptibility (default mode and visual association networks) was associated with increased functional connectivity of these networks, whereas the task-positive networks tended to show no association or even decreased connectivity. Frontal pole ODI mediated the negative relationship of age with executive function, whereas hippocampal ODI mediated the positive relationship of age with executive function. Our in vivo findings align very closely with the postmortem data and provide evidence for vulnerability and compensatory neural mechanisms of aging in GM microstructure that have functional and cognitive impact in vivo. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/351753-10$15.00/0.

Disentangling dynamic networks: Separated and joint expressions of functional connectivity patterns in time.

PubMed

Leonardi, Nora; Shirer, William R; Greicius, Michael D; Van De Ville, Dimitri

2014-12-01

Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) is highly variable across the duration of a scan. Groups of coevolving connections, or reproducible patterns of dynamic FC (dFC), have been revealed in fluctuating FC by applying unsupervised learning techniques. Based on results from k-means clustering and sliding-window correlations, it has recently been hypothesized that dFC may cycle through several discrete FC states. Alternatively, it has been proposed to represent dFC as a linear combination of multiple FC patterns using principal component analysis. As it is unclear whether sparse or nonsparse combinations of FC patterns are most appropriate, and as this affects their interpretation and use as markers of cognitive processing, the goal of our study was to evaluate the impact of sparsity by performing an empirical evaluation of simulated, task-based, and resting-state dFC. To this aim, we applied matrix factorizations subject to variable constraints in the temporal domain and studied both the reproducibility of ensuing representations of dFC and the expression of FC patterns over time. During subject-driven tasks, dFC was well described by alternating FC states in accordance with the nature of the data. The estimated FC patterns showed a rich structure with combinations of known functional networks enabling accurate identification of three different tasks. During rest, dFC was better described by multiple FC patterns that overlap. The executive control networks, which are critical for working memory, appeared grouped alternately with externally or internally oriented networks. These results suggest that combinations of FC patterns can provide a meaningful way to disentangle resting-state dFC. © 2014 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Resting-State Neurophysiological Activity Patterns in Young People with ASD, ADHD, and ASD + ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shephard, Elizabeth; Tye, Charlotte; Ashwood, Karen L.; Azadi, Bahar; Asherson, Philip; Bolton, Patrick F.; McLoughlin, Grainne

2018-01-01

Altered power of resting-state neurophysiological activity has been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which commonly co-occur. We compared resting-state neurophysiological power in children with ASD, ADHD, co-occurring ASD + ADHD, and typically developing controls. Children with ASD…

Movements and diving behavior of internesting green turtles along Pacific Costa Rica.

PubMed

Blanco, Gabriela S; Morreale, Stephen J; Seminoff, Jeffrey A; Paladino, Frank V; Piedra, Rotney; Spotila, James R

2013-09-01

Using satellite transmitters, we determined the internesting movements, spatial ecology and diving behavior of East Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting on Nombre de Jesús and Zapotillal beaches along the Pacific coast of northwestern Costa Rica. Kernel density analysis indicated that turtles spent most of their time in a particularly small area in the vicinity of the nesting beaches (50% utilization distribution was an area of 3 km(2) ). Minimum daily distance traveled during a 12 day internesting period was 4.6 ± 3.5 km. Dives were short and primarily occupied the upper 10 m of the water column. Turtles spent most of their time resting at the surface and conducting U-dives (ranging from 60 to 81% of the total tracking time involved in those activities). Turtles showed a strong diel pattern, U-dives mainly took place during the day and turtles spent a large amount of time resting at the surface at night. The lack of long-distance movements demonstrated that this area was heavily utilized by turtles during the nesting season and, therefore, was a crucial location for conservation of this highly endangered green turtle population. The unique behavior of these turtles in resting at the surface at night might make them particularly vulnerable to fishing activities near the nesting beaches. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

Potential risk for healthy siblings to develop schizophrenia: evidence from pattern classification with whole-brain connectivity.

PubMed

Liu, Meijie; Zeng, Ling-Li; Shen, Hui; Liu, Zhening; Hu, Dewen

2012-03-28

Recent resting-state functional connectivity MRI studies using group-level statistical analysis have demonstrated the inheritable characters of schizophrenia. The objective of the present study was to use pattern classification as a means to investigate schizophrenia inheritance based on the whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity at the individual subject level. One-against-one pattern classifications were made amongst three groups (i.e. patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, healthy siblings, and healthy controls after preprocessing), resulting in an 80.4% separation between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls, a 77.6% separation between schizophrenia patients and their healthy siblings, and a 78.7% separation between healthy siblings and healthy controls, respectively. These results suggest that the healthy siblings of schizophrenia patients have an altered resting-state functional connectivity pattern compared with healthy controls. Thus, healthy siblings may have a potential higher risk for developing schizophrenia compared with the general population. Moreover, this pattern differed from that of schizophrenia patients and may contribute to the normal behavior exhibition of healthy siblings in daily life.

Upper trapezius muscle activity in healthy office workers: reliability and sensitivity of occupational exposure measures to differences in sex and hand dominance.

PubMed

Marker, Ryan J; Balter, Jaclyn E; Nofsinger, Micaela L; Anton, Dan; Fethke, Nathan B; Maluf, Katrina S

2016-09-01

Patterns of cervical muscle activity may contribute to overuse injuries in office workers. The purpose of this investigation was to characterise patterns of upper trapezius muscle activity in pain-free office workers using traditional occupational exposure measures and a modified Active Amplitude Probability Distribution Function (APDF), which considers only periods of active muscle contraction. Bilateral trapezius muscle activity was recorded in 77 pain-free office workers for 1-2 full days in their natural work environment. Mean amplitude, gap frequency, muscular rest and Traditional and Active APDF amplitudes were calculated. All measures demonstrated fair to substantial reliability. Dominant muscles demonstrated higher amplitudes of activity and less muscular rest compared to non-dominant, and women demonstrated less muscular rest with no significant difference in amplitude assessed by Active APDF compared to men. These findings provide normative data to identify atypical motor patterns that may contribute to persistence or recurrence of neck pain in office workers. Practitioner Summary: Upper trapezius muscle activity was characterised in a large cohort of pain-free workers using electromyographic recordings from office environments. Dominant muscles demonstrated higher activity and less rest than non-dominant, and women demonstrated less rest than men. Results may be used to identify atypical trapezius muscle activity in office workers.

Infraslow Electroencephalographic and Dynamic Resting State Network Activity.

PubMed

Grooms, Joshua K; Thompson, Garth J; Pan, Wen-Ju; Billings, Jacob; Schumacher, Eric H; Epstein, Charles M; Keilholz, Shella D

2017-06-01

A number of studies have linked the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal to electroencephalographic (EEG) signals in traditional frequency bands (δ, θ, α, β, and γ), but the relationship between BOLD and its direct frequency correlates in the infraslow band (<1 Hz) has been little studied. Previously, work in rodents showed that infraslow local field potentials play a role in functional connectivity, particularly in the dynamic organization of large-scale networks. To examine the relationship between infraslow activity and network dynamics in humans, direct current (DC) EEG and resting state magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired simultaneously. The DC EEG signals were correlated with the BOLD signal in patterns that resembled resting state networks. Subsequent dynamic analysis showed that the correlation between DC EEG and the BOLD signal varied substantially over time, even within individual subjects. The variation in DC EEG appears to reflect the time-varying contribution of different resting state networks. Furthermore, some of the patterns of DC EEG and BOLD correlation are consistent with previous work demonstrating quasiperiodic spatiotemporal patterns of large-scale network activity in resting state. These findings demonstrate that infraslow electrical activity is linked to BOLD fluctuations in humans and that it may provide a basis for large-scale organization comparable to that observed in animal studies.

Infraslow Electroencephalographic and Dynamic Resting State Network Activity

PubMed Central

Grooms, Joshua K.; Thompson, Garth J.; Pan, Wen-Ju; Billings, Jacob; Schumacher, Eric H.; Epstein, Charles M.

2017-01-01

Abstract A number of studies have linked the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal to electroencephalographic (EEG) signals in traditional frequency bands (δ, θ, α, β, and γ), but the relationship between BOLD and its direct frequency correlates in the infraslow band (<1 Hz) has been little studied. Previously, work in rodents showed that infraslow local field potentials play a role in functional connectivity, particularly in the dynamic organization of large-scale networks. To examine the relationship between infraslow activity and network dynamics in humans, direct current (DC) EEG and resting state magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired simultaneously. The DC EEG signals were correlated with the BOLD signal in patterns that resembled resting state networks. Subsequent dynamic analysis showed that the correlation between DC EEG and the BOLD signal varied substantially over time, even within individual subjects. The variation in DC EEG appears to reflect the time-varying contribution of different resting state networks. Furthermore, some of the patterns of DC EEG and BOLD correlation are consistent with previous work demonstrating quasiperiodic spatiotemporal patterns of large-scale network activity in resting state. These findings demonstrate that infraslow electrical activity is linked to BOLD fluctuations in humans and that it may provide a basis for large-scale organization comparable to that observed in animal studies. PMID:28462586

Effects of Acute Exercise on Resting EEG in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Huang, Chung-Ju; Huang, Ching-Wen; Hung, Chiao-Ling; Tsai, Yu-Jung; Chang, Yu-Kai; Wu, Chien-Ting; Hung, Tsung-Min

2018-06-05

This two stage study examined the effects of acute exercise on resting electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The first stage compared the neural oscillatory patterns of children with and without ADHD. Resting EEGs were recorded under an open-eyes condition from 24 boys with ADHD and 28 matched controls. The second stage of the study employed a randomized cross-over trial design. The 24 boys with ADHD engaged in a 30-min intervention that consisted of either running on a treadmill or watching a video on alternative days, with resting EEGs recorded before and after treatment. The first stage found that children with ADHD exhibited significantly higher theta/beta ratios over the midline electrodes sites than controls. The second stage further indicated that children with ADHD displayed smaller theta/beta ratios following the exercise condition compared with the video-watching condition. This finding suggests that acute exercise normalizes arousal and alertness of children with ADHD, as reflected in resting EEG readings.

A Comparison of Brain Wave Patterns of High and Low Grade Point Average Students During Rest, Problem Solving, and Stress Situations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montor, Karel

The purpose of this study was to compare brain wave patterns produced by high and low grade point average students, while they were resting, solving problems, and subjected to stress situations. The study involved senior midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy. The high group was comprised of those whose cumulative grade point average was…

Flight metabolism in Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): the role of carbohydrates and lipids.

PubMed

Canavoso, Lilián E; Stariolo, Raúl; Rubiolo, Edilberto R

2003-10-01

The metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates related to flight activity in Panstrongylus megistus was investigated. Insects were subjected to different times of flight under laboratory conditions and changes in total lipids, lipophorin density and carbohydrates were followed in the hemolymph. Lipids and glycogen were also assayed in fat body and flight muscle. In resting insects, hemolymph lipids averaged 3.4 mg/ml and significantly increased after 45 min of flight (8.8 mg/ml, P < 0.001). High-density lipophorin was the sole lipoprotein observed in resting animals. A second fraction with lower density corresponding to low-density lipophorin appeared in insects subjected to flight. Particles from both fractions showed significant differences in diacylglycerol content and size. In resting insects, carbohydrate levels averaged 0.52 mg/ml. They sharply declined more than twofold after 15 min of flight, being undetectable in hemolymph of insects flown for 45 min. Lipid and glycogen from fat body and flight muscle decreased significantly after 45 min of flight. Taken together, the results indicate that P. megistus uses carbohydrates during the initiation of the flight after which, switching fuel for flight from carbohydrates to lipids.

Integration of active pauses and pattern of muscular activity during computer work.

PubMed

St-Onge, Nancy; Samani, Afshin; Madeleine, Pascal

2017-09-01

Submaximal isometric muscle contractions have been reported to increase variability of muscle activation during computer work; however, other types of active contractions may be more beneficial. Our objective was to determine which type of active pause vs. rest is more efficient in changing muscle activity pattern during a computer task. Asymptomatic regular computer users performed a standardised 20-min computer task four times, integrating a different type of pause: sub-maximal isometric contraction, dynamic contraction, postural exercise and rest. Surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity was recorded bilaterally from five neck/shoulder muscles. Root-mean-square decreased with isometric pauses in the cervical paraspinals, upper trapezius and middle trapezius, whereas it increased with rest. Variability in the pattern of muscular activity was not affected by any type of pause. Overall, no detrimental effects on the level of SEMG during active pauses were found suggesting that they could be implemented without a cost on activation level or variability. Practitioner Summary: We aimed to determine which type of active pause vs. rest is best in changing muscle activity pattern during a computer task. Asymptomatic computer users performed a standardised computer task integrating different types of pauses. Muscle activation decreased with isometric pauses in neck/shoulder muscles, suggesting their implementation during computer work.

A spatial individual-based model predicting a great impact of copious sugar sources and resting sites on survival of Anopheles gambiae and malaria parasite transmission

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhu, Lin; Qualls, Whitney A.; Marshall, John M; Arheart, Kris L.; DeAngelis, Donald L.; McManus, John W.; Traore, Sekou F.; Doumbia, Seydou; Schlein, Yosef; Muller, Gunter C.; Beier, John C.

2015-01-01

BackgroundAgent-based modelling (ABM) has been used to simulate mosquito life cycles and to evaluate vector control applications. However, most models lack sugar-feeding and resting behaviours or are based on mathematical equations lacking individual level randomness and spatial components of mosquito life. Here, a spatial individual-based model (IBM) incorporating sugar-feeding and resting behaviours of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae was developed to estimate the impact of environmental sugar sources and resting sites on survival and biting behaviour.MethodsA spatial IBM containing An. gambiae mosquitoes and humans, as well as the village environment of houses, sugar sources, resting sites and larval habitat sites was developed. Anopheles gambiae behaviour rules were attributed at each step of the IBM: resting, host seeking, sugar feeding and breeding. Each step represented one second of time, and each simulation was set to run for 60 days and repeated 50 times. Scenarios of different densities and spatial distributions of sugar sources and outdoor resting sites were simulated and compared.ResultsWhen the number of natural sugar sources was increased from 0 to 100 while the number of resting sites was held constant, mean daily survival rate increased from 2.5% to 85.1% for males and from 2.5% to 94.5% for females, mean human biting rate increased from 0 to 0.94 bites per human per day, and mean daily abundance increased from 1 to 477 for males and from 1 to 1,428 for females. When the number of outdoor resting sites was increased from 0 to 50 while the number of sugar sources was held constant, mean daily survival rate increased from 77.3% to 84.3% for males and from 86.7% to 93.9% for females, mean human biting rate increased from 0 to 0.52 bites per human per day, and mean daily abundance increased from 62 to 349 for males and from 257 to 1120 for females. All increases were significant (P < 0.01). Survival was greater when sugar sources were randomly distributed in the whole village compared to clustering around outdoor resting sites or houses.ConclusionsIncreases in densities of sugar sources or outdoor resting sites significantly increase the survival and human biting rates of An. gambiae mosquitoes. Survival of An. gambiae is more supported by random distribution of sugar sources than clustering of sugar sources around resting sites or houses. Density and spatial distribution of natural sugar sources and outdoor resting sites modulate vector populations and human biting rates, and thus malaria parasite transmission.

A spatial individual-based model predicting a great impact of copious sugar sources and resting sites on survival of Anopheles gambiae and malaria parasite transmission.

PubMed

Zhu, Lin; Qualls, Whitney A; Marshall, John M; Arheart, Kris L; DeAngelis, Donald L; McManus, John W; Traore, Sekou F; Doumbia, Seydou; Schlein, Yosef; Müller, Günter C; Beier, John C

2015-02-05

Agent-based modelling (ABM) has been used to simulate mosquito life cycles and to evaluate vector control applications. However, most models lack sugar-feeding and resting behaviours or are based on mathematical equations lacking individual level randomness and spatial components of mosquito life. Here, a spatial individual-based model (IBM) incorporating sugar-feeding and resting behaviours of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae was developed to estimate the impact of environmental sugar sources and resting sites on survival and biting behaviour. A spatial IBM containing An. gambiae mosquitoes and humans, as well as the village environment of houses, sugar sources, resting sites and larval habitat sites was developed. Anopheles gambiae behaviour rules were attributed at each step of the IBM: resting, host seeking, sugar feeding and breeding. Each step represented one second of time, and each simulation was set to run for 60 days and repeated 50 times. Scenarios of different densities and spatial distributions of sugar sources and outdoor resting sites were simulated and compared. When the number of natural sugar sources was increased from 0 to 100 while the number of resting sites was held constant, mean daily survival rate increased from 2.5% to 85.1% for males and from 2.5% to 94.5% for females, mean human biting rate increased from 0 to 0.94 bites per human per day, and mean daily abundance increased from 1 to 477 for males and from 1 to 1,428 for females. When the number of outdoor resting sites was increased from 0 to 50 while the number of sugar sources was held constant, mean daily survival rate increased from 77.3% to 84.3% for males and from 86.7% to 93.9% for females, mean human biting rate increased from 0 to 0.52 bites per human per day, and mean daily abundance increased from 62 to 349 for males and from 257 to 1120 for females. All increases were significant (P < 0.01). Survival was greater when sugar sources were randomly distributed in the whole village compared to clustering around outdoor resting sites or houses. Increases in densities of sugar sources or outdoor resting sites significantly increase the survival and human biting rates of An. gambiae mosquitoes. Survival of An. gambiae is more supported by random distribution of sugar sources than clustering of sugar sources around resting sites or houses. Density and spatial distribution of natural sugar sources and outdoor resting sites modulate vector populations and human biting rates, and thus malaria parasite transmission.

Substantial Regional Variation in Substitution Rates in the Human Genome: Importance of GC Content, Gene Density, and Telomere-Specific Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arndt, Peter F.; Hwa, Terence; Petrov, Dmitri A.

2005-06-01

This study presents the first global, 1 Mbp level analysis of patterns of nucleotide substitutions along the human lineage. The study is based on the analysis of a large amount of repetitive elements deposited into the human genome since the mammalian radiation, yielding a number of results that would have been difficult to obtain using the more conventional comparative method of analysis. This analysis revealed substantial and consistent variability of rates of substitution, with the variability ranging up to 2-fold among different regions. The rates of substitutions of C or G nucleotides with A or T nucleotides vary much more sharply than the reverse rates suggesting that much of that variation is due to differences in mutation rates rather than in the probabilities of fixation of C/G vs. A/T nucleotides across the genome. For all types of substitution we observe substantially more hotspots than coldspots, with hotspots showing substantial clustering over tens of Mbp's. Our analysis revealed that GC-content of surrounding sequences is the best predictor of the rates of substitution. The pattern of substitution appears very different near telomeres compared to the rest of the genome and cannot be explained by the genome-wide correlations of the substitution rates with GC content or exon density. The telomere pattern of substitution is consistent with natural selection or biased gene conversion acting to increase the GC-content of the sequences that are within 10-15 Mbp away from the telomere.

Breathing strategy of the adult horse (Equus caballus) at rest.

PubMed

Koterba, A M; Kosch, P C; Beech, J; Whitlock, T

1988-01-01

To investigate the mechanism underlying the polyphasic airflow pattern of the equine species, we recorded airflow, tidal volum, rib cage and abdominal motion, and the sequence of activation of the diaphragm, intercostal, and abdominal muscles during quiet breathing in nine adult horses standing at rest. In addition, esophageal, abdominal, and transdiaphragmatic pressures were simultaneously recorded using balloon-tipped catheters. Analysis of tidal flow-volume loops showed that, unlike humans, the horse at rest breathes around, rather than from, the relaxed volume of the respiratory system (Vrx). Analysis of the pattern of electromyographic activities and changes in generated pressures during the breathing cycle indicate that the first part of expiration is passive, as in humans, with deflation toward Vrx, but subsequent abdominal activity is responsible for a second phase of expiration: active deflation to below Vrx. From this end-expiratory volume, passive inflation occurs toward Vrx, followed by a second phase of inspiration: active inflation to above Vrx, brought about by inspiratory muscle contraction. Under these conditions the abdominal muscles appear to share the principal pumping duties with the diaphragm. Adoption of this breathing strategy by the horse may relate to its peculiar thoracoabdominal anatomic arrangement and to its very low passive chest wall compliance. We conclude that there is a passive and active phase to both inspiration and expiration due to the coordinated action of the respiratory pump muscles responsible for the resting adult horse's biphasic inspiratory and expiratory airflow pattern. This unique breathing pattern perhaps represents a strategy of minimizing the high elastic work of breathing in this species, at least at resting breathing frequencies.

Respiration in neonate sea turtles.

PubMed

Price, Edwin R; Paladino, Frank V; Strohl, Kingman P; Santidrián T, Pilar; Klann, Kenneth; Spotila, James R

2007-03-01

The pattern and control of respiration is virtually unknown in hatchling sea turtles. Using incubator-raised turtles, we measured oxygen consumption, frequency, tidal volume, and minute volume for leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) turtle hatchlings for the first six days after pipping. In addition, we tested the hatchlings' response to hypercapnic, hyperoxic, and hypoxic challenges over this time period. Hatchling sea turtles generally showed resting ventilation characteristics that are similar to those of adults: a single breath followed by a long respiratory pause, slow frequency, and high metabolic rate. With hypercapnic challenge, both species responded primarily by elevating respiratory frequency via a decrease in the non-ventilatory period. Leatherback resting tidal volume increased with age but otherwise, neither species' resting respiratory pattern nor response to gas challenge changed significantly over the first few days after hatching. At the time of nest emergence, sea turtles have achieved a respiratory pattern that is similar to that of actively diving adults.

Experimental study of a fine structure of 2D wakes and mixing past an obstacle in a continuously stratified fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chashechkin, Yuli. D.; Mitkin, Vladimir V.

2001-10-01

Experimental investigations of fine and macroscopic structures of density and velocity disturbances generated by a towing cylinder or a vertical strip in a linearly stratified liquid are carried out in a rectangular tank. A density gradient field is visualised by different Schlieren methods (direct shadow, 'slit-knife', 'slit-thread', 'natural rainbow') characterised by a high spatial resolution. Profiles of fluid velocity are visualised by density markers — wakes past a vertically descending sugar crystal or an ascending gas bubble. In a fluid at rest, the density marker acts as a vertical linear source of internal oscillations which allows us to measure buoyancy frequency over all depth by the Schlieren instrument directly or by a conductivity probe in a particular point. Sensitive methods reveal a set of high gradient interfaces inside and outside the downstream wake besides well-known large scale elements: upstream disturbances, attached internal waves and vortices. Solitary interfaces located inside the attached internal waves field have no features on their leading and trailing edges. A thickness of interfaces is defined by an appropriate diffusion coefficient and a buoyancy frequency. High gradient interfaces bound compact vortices. Vortices moving with respect to environment emit their own systems of internal waves randomising a regular pattern of attached antisymmetric internal waves. But after a rather long time a wave recurrence occurs and a regular but symmetric structure of the longest waves (similar to the pattern of initial attached internal waves) is observed again. High gradient interfaces and lines of their intersections act as collectors of a dye coming from a compact source or from a coloured liquid volume inside the tank and separate coloured and clear areas.

Irregularity of rest and activity: studies on circadian rhythmicity in man.

PubMed Central

Minors, D S; Nicholson, A N; Spencer, M B; Stone, B M; Waterhouse, J M

1986-01-01

1. Rectal temperature, electrolyte excretion and performance were studied in young adults who followed an irregular pattern of work and rest for 9 days in an isolation unit. 2. In the analysis, effects evoked by the pattern of work and rest were separated from the oscillatory component, and rhythms for individual days were examined by the cosinor method. 3. During the schedule, rhythms no longer showed a period of exactly 24 h, and this effect was confirmed by studies using a repeated cycle of irregular work and rest and by studies using constant routines. 4. Temperature and urinary constituents differed in the strength and phase of their rhythms when corrected for evoked effects, as well as in the strength of the evoked effects themselves. 5. There was evidence of deterioration in performance during work periods which exceeded 9 h, but there was no evidence of progressive deterioration in performance over the 9 day schedule. PMID:3625535

Emotion processing biases and resting EEG activity in depressed adolescents

PubMed Central

Auerbach, Randy P.; Stewart, Jeremy G.; Stanton, Colin H.; Mueller, Erik M.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.

2015-01-01

Background While theorists have posited that adolescent depression is characterized by emotion processing biases (greater propensity to identify sad than happy facial expressions), findings have been mixed. Additionally, the neural correlates associated with putative emotion processing biases remain largely unknown. Our aim was to identify emotion processing biases in depressed adolescents and examine neural abnormalities related to these biases using high-density resting EEG and source localization. Methods Healthy (n = 36) and depressed (n = 23) female adolescents, aged 13–18 years, completed a facial recognition task in which they identified happy, sad, fear, and angry expressions across intensities from 10% (low) to 100% (high). Additionally, 128-channel resting (i.e., task-free) EEG was recorded and analyzed using a distributed source localization technique (LORETA). Given research implicating the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in depression and emotion processing, analyses focused on this region. Results Relative to healthy youth, depressed adolescents were more accurate for sad and less accurate for happy, particularly low-intensity happy faces. No differences emerged for fearful or angry facial expressions. Further, LORETA analyses revealed greater theta and alpha current density (i.e., reduced brain activity) in depressed versus healthy adolescents, particularly in the left DLPFC (BA9/BA46). Theta and alpha current density were positively correlated, and greater current density predicted reduced accuracy for happy faces. Conclusion Depressed female adolescents were characterized by emotion processing biases in favor of sad emotions and reduced recognition of happiness, especially when cues of happiness were subtle. Blunted recognition of happy was associated with left DLPFC resting hypoactivity. PMID:26032684

Resting-State Network Topology Differentiates Task Signals across the Adult Life Span.

PubMed

Chan, Micaela Y; Alhazmi, Fahd H; Park, Denise C; Savalia, Neil K; Wig, Gagan S

2017-03-08

Brain network connectivity differs across individuals. For example, older adults exhibit less segregated resting-state subnetworks relative to younger adults (Chan et al., 2014). It has been hypothesized that individual differences in network connectivity impact the recruitment of brain areas during task execution. While recent studies have described the spatial overlap between resting-state functional correlation (RSFC) subnetworks and task-evoked activity, it is unclear whether individual variations in the connectivity pattern of a brain area (topology) relates to its activity during task execution. We report data from 238 cognitively normal participants (humans), sampled across the adult life span (20-89 years), to reveal that RSFC-based network organization systematically relates to the recruitment of brain areas across two functionally distinct tasks (visual and semantic). The functional activity of brain areas (network nodes) were characterized according to their patterns of RSFC: nodes with relatively greater connections to nodes in their own functional system ("non-connector" nodes) exhibited greater activity than nodes with relatively greater connections to nodes in other systems ("connector" nodes). This "activation selectivity" was specific to those brain systems that were central to each of the tasks. Increasing age was accompanied by less differentiated network topology and a corresponding reduction in activation selectivity (or differentiation) across relevant network nodes. The results provide evidence that connectional topology of brain areas quantified at rest relates to the functional activity of those areas during task. Based on these findings, we propose a novel network-based theory for previous reports of the "dedifferentiation" in brain activity observed in aging. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Similar to other real-world networks, the organization of brain networks impacts their function. As brain network connectivity patterns differ across individuals, we hypothesized that individual differences in network connectivity would relate to differences in brain activity. Using functional MRI in a group of individuals sampled across the adult life span (20-89 years), we measured correlations at rest and related the functional connectivity patterns to measurements of functional activity during two independent tasks. Brain activity varied in relation to connectivity patterns revealed by large-scale network analysis. This relationship tracked the differences in connectivity patterns accompanied by older age, providing important evidence for a link between the topology of areal connectivity measured at rest and the functional recruitment of these areas during task performance. Copyright © 2017 Chan et al.

Individual differences in functional connectivity during naturalistic viewing conditions.

PubMed

Vanderwal, Tamara; Eilbott, Jeffrey; Finn, Emily S; Craddock, R Cameron; Turnbull, Adam; Castellanos, F Xavier

2017-08-15

Naturalistic viewing paradigms such as movies have been shown to reduce participant head motion and improve arousal during fMRI scanning relative to task-free rest, and have been used to study both functional connectivity and stimulus-evoked BOLD-signal changes. These task-based hemodynamic changes are synchronized across subjects and involve large areas of the cortex, and it is unclear whether individual differences in functional connectivity are enhanced or diminished under such naturalistic conditions. This work first aims to characterize variability in BOLD-signal based functional connectivity (FC) across 2 distinct movie conditions and eyes-open rest (n=31 healthy adults, 2 scan sessions each). We found that movies have higher within- and between-subject correlations in cluster-wise FC relative to rest. The anatomical distribution of inter-individual variability was similar across conditions, with higher variability occurring at the lateral prefrontal lobes and temporoparietal junctions. Second, we used an unsupervised test-retest matching algorithm that identifies individual subjects from within a group based on FC patterns, quantifying the accuracy of the algorithm across the three conditions. The movies and resting state all enabled identification of individual subjects based on FC matrices, with accuracies between 61% and 100%. Overall, pairings involving movies outperformed rest, and the social, faster-paced movie attained 100% accuracy. When the parcellation resolution, scan duration, and number of edges used were increased, accuracies improved across conditions, and the pattern of movies>rest was preserved. These results suggest that using dynamic stimuli such as movies enhances the detection of FC patterns that are unique at the individual level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparing Features for Classification of MEG Responses to Motor Imagery.

PubMed

Halme, Hanna-Leena; Parkkonen, Lauri

2016-01-01

Motor imagery (MI) with real-time neurofeedback could be a viable approach, e.g., in rehabilitation of cerebral stroke. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) noninvasively measures electric brain activity at high temporal resolution and is well-suited for recording oscillatory brain signals. MI is known to modulate 10- and 20-Hz oscillations in the somatomotor system. In order to provide accurate feedback to the subject, the most relevant MI-related features should be extracted from MEG data. In this study, we evaluated several MEG signal features for discriminating between left- and right-hand MI and between MI and rest. MEG was measured from nine healthy participants imagining either left- or right-hand finger tapping according to visual cues. Data preprocessing, feature extraction and classification were performed offline. The evaluated MI-related features were power spectral density (PSD), Morlet wavelets, short-time Fourier transform (STFT), common spatial patterns (CSP), filter-bank common spatial patterns (FBCSP), spatio-spectral decomposition (SSD), and combined SSD+CSP, CSP+PSD, CSP+Morlet, and CSP+STFT. We also compared four classifiers applied to single trials using 5-fold cross-validation for evaluating the classification accuracy and its possible dependence on the classification algorithm. In addition, we estimated the inter-session left-vs-right accuracy for each subject. The SSD+CSP combination yielded the best accuracy in both left-vs-right (mean 73.7%) and MI-vs-rest (mean 81.3%) classification. CSP+Morlet yielded the best mean accuracy in inter-session left-vs-right classification (mean 69.1%). There were large inter-subject differences in classification accuracy, and the level of the 20-Hz suppression correlated significantly with the subjective MI-vs-rest accuracy. Selection of the classification algorithm had only a minor effect on the results. We obtained good accuracy in sensor-level decoding of MI from single-trial MEG data. Feature extraction methods utilizing both the spatial and spectral profile of MI-related signals provided the best classification results, suggesting good performance of these methods in an online MEG neurofeedback system.

Thumb-Rest Position and its Role in Neuromuscular Control of the Clarinet Task.

PubMed

Young, Kathryn E; Winges, Sara A

2017-06-01

Musicians spend long hours of practice and performance to master their instrument. Clarinet players support their roughly 2-lb instrument on the right-hand thumb, which results in cumulative static loading of the arm. This posture in turn can cause discomfort and, in some cases, evolve into debilitating overuse injuries and pain throughout the right upper limb. Altering the thumb-rest position has been proposed as a way to alleviate this discomfort, although no quantitative research has been conducted on this issue. The purpose of this study was to address the impact of thumb-rest position on the neuromuscular control of holding the clarinet. Surface electromyographic recordings of superficial muscles that control the right thumb, wrist, and arm were taken during realistic playing tasks. Twenty clarinetists performed 10 held notes and 10 exercises on the three different thumb-rest positions. The notes and exercises were chosen to isolate specific elements of playing. We hypothesized that a high thumb-rest position would result in a significantly different balance of muscle activity than traditional and low thumb-rest positions. The patterns of muscle activity recorded among clarinetists were idiosyncratic, but for all players these patterns were influenced by the note(s) played and thumb-rest position, and thus the hypothesis was partially supported. Muscles that acted on the thumb and wrist were most influenced by thumb-rest position. These results support the notion that adjustment of thumb-rest position may be a useful way to alleviate discomfort in the supporting limb but must be evaluated for each individual.

Comparison of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) resting behavior on two fabric types under consideration for insecticide treatment in a push-pull strategy.

PubMed

Tainchum, Krajana; Polsomboon, Suppaluck; Grieco, John P; Suwonkerd, Wannapa; Prabaripai, Atchariya; Sungvornyothin, Sungsit; Chareonviriyaphap, Theeraphap; Achee, Nicole L

2013-01-01

Aedes aegypti (L.), the primary vector of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever, breeds and rests predominately inside human dwellings. With no current vaccine available, vector control remains the mainstay for dengue management and novel approaches continue to be needed to reduce virus transmission. This requires a full understanding of Ae. aegypti ecology to design effective strategies. One novel approach is the use of contact irritants at target resting sites inside homes to make the surface unacceptable and cause vectors to escape before biting. The objective of the current study was to observe indoor resting behavior patterns of female Ae. aegypti within experimental huts in response to two fabrics under consideration for insecticide treatment: cotton and polyester. Results indicate that fabric type, coverage ratio of dark to light fabric and placement configuration (vertical vs. horizontal) all influenced the resting pattern of mosquito cohorts. Findings from this study will guide evaluations of a push-pull strategy designed to exploit contact irritant behaviors and drive Ae. aegypti out of homes prefeeding.

Frequency specific patterns of resting-state networks development from childhood to adolescence: A magnetoencephalography study.

PubMed

Meng, Lu; Xiang, Jing

2016-11-01

The present study investigated frequency dependent developmental patterns of the brain resting-state networks from childhood to adolescence. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data were recorded from 20 healthy subjects at resting-state with eyes-open. The resting-state networks (RSNs) was analyzed at source-level. Brain network organization was characterized by mean clustering coefficient and average path length. The correlations between brain network measures and subjects' age during development from childhood to adolescence were statistically analyzed in delta (1-4Hz), theta (4-8Hz), alpha (8-12Hz), and beta (12-30Hz) frequency bands. A significant positive correlation between functional connectivity with age was found in alpha and beta frequency bands. A significant negative correlation between average path lengths with age was found in beta frequency band. The results suggest that there are significant developmental changes of resting-state networks from childhood to adolescence, which matures from a lattice network to a small-world network. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural connectivity allows for multi-threading during rest: the structure of the cortex leads to efficient alternation between resting state exploratory behavior and default mode processing.

PubMed

Senden, Mario; Goebel, Rainer; Deco, Gustavo

2012-05-01

Despite the absence of stimulation or task conditions the cortex exhibits highly structured spatio-temporal activity patterns. These patterns are known as resting state networks (RSNs) and emerge as low-frequency fluctuations (<0.1 Hz) observed in the fMRI signal of human subjects during rest. We are interested in the relationship between structural connectivity of the cortex and the fluctuations exhibited during resting conditions. We are especially interested in the effect of degree of connectivity on resting state dynamics as the default mode network (DMN) is highly connected. We find in experimental resting fMRI data that the DMN is the functional network that is most frequently active and for the longest time. In large-scale computational simulations of the cortex based on the corresponding underlying DTI/DSI based neuroanatomical connectivity matrix, we additionally find a strong correlation between the mean degree of functional networks and the proportion of time they are active. By artificially modifying different types of neuroanatomical connectivity matrices in the model, we were able to demonstrate that only models based on structural connectivity containing hubs give rise to this relationship. We conclude that, during rest, the cortex alternates efficiently between explorations of its externally oriented functional repertoire and internally oriented processing as a consequence of the DMN's high degree of connectivity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of the brain at rest--exploring EEG microstates as electrophysiological signatures of BOLD resting state networks.

PubMed

Yuan, Han; Zotev, Vadim; Phillips, Raquel; Drevets, Wayne C; Bodurka, Jerzy

2012-05-01

Neuroimaging research suggests that the resting cerebral physiology is characterized by complex patterns of neuronal activity in widely distributed functional networks. As studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signal, the resting brain activity is associated with slowly fluctuating hemodynamic signals (~10s). More recently, multimodal functional imaging studies involving simultaneous acquisition of BOLD-fMRI and electroencephalography (EEG) data have suggested that the relatively slow hemodynamic fluctuations of some resting state networks (RSNs) evinced in the BOLD data are related to much faster (~100 ms) transient brain states reflected in EEG signals, that are referred to as "microstates". To further elucidate the relationship between microstates and RSNs, we developed a fully data-driven approach that combines information from simultaneously recorded, high-density EEG and BOLD-fMRI data. Using independent component analysis (ICA) of the combined EEG and fMRI data, we identified thirteen microstates and ten RSNs that are organized independently in their temporal and spatial characteristics, respectively. We hypothesized that the intrinsic brain networks that are active at rest would be reflected in both the EEG data and the fMRI data. To test this hypothesis, the rapid fluctuations associated with each microstate were correlated with the BOLD-fMRI signal associated with each RSN. We found that each RSN was characterized further by a specific electrophysiological signature involving from one to a combination of several microstates. Moreover, by comparing the time course of EEG microstates to that of the whole-brain BOLD signal, on a multi-subject group level, we unraveled for the first time a set of microstate-associated networks that correspond to a range of previously described RSNs, including visual, sensorimotor, auditory, attention, frontal, visceromotor and default mode networks. These results extend our understanding of the electrophysiological signature of BOLD RSNs and demonstrate the intrinsic connection between the fast neuronal activity and slow hemodynamic fluctuations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Focal Gray Matter Plasticity as a Function of Long Duration Bedrest: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koppelmans, V.; Erdeniz, B.; De Dios, Y. E.; Wood, S. J.; Reuter-Lorenz, P. A.; Kofman, I.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Mulavara, A. P.; Seidler, R. D.

2014-01-01

Long duration spaceflight (i.e., 22 days or longer) has been associated with changes in sensorimotor systems, resulting in difficulties that astronauts experience with posture control, locomotion, and manual control. It is unknown whether and how spaceflight impacts sensorimotor brain structure and function, and whether such changes may potentially underlie behavioral effects. Long duration head down tilt bed rest has been used repeatedly as an exclusionary analog to study microgravity effects on the sensorimotor system [1]. Bed rest mimics microgravity in body unloading and bodily fluid shifts. We are currently testing sensorimotor function, brain structure, and brain function pre and post a 70-day bed rest period. We will acquire the same measures on NASA crewmembers starting in 2014. Here we present the results of the first eight bed rest subjects. Subjects were assessed at 12 and 7 days before-, at 7, 30, and 70 days in-, and at 8 and 12 days post 70 days of bed rest at the NASA bed rest facility, UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA. At each time point structural MRI scans (i.e., high resolution T1-weighted imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)) were obtained using a 3T Siemens scanner. Focal changes over time in gray matter density were assessed using the voxel based morphometry 8 (VBM8) toolbox under SPM. Focal changes in white matter microstructural integrity were assessed using tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) as part of the FMRIB software library (FSL). TBSS registers all DTI scans to standard space. It subsequently creates a study specific white matter skeleton of the major white matter tracts. Non-parametric permutation based t-tests and ANOVA's were used for voxel-wise comparison of the skeletons. For both VBM and TBSS, comparison of the two pre bed rest measurements did not show significant differences. VBM analysis revealed decreased gray matter density in bilateral areas including the frontal medial cortex, the insular cortex and the caudate nucleus from pre to in bed rest. Over the same time period, there was an increase in gray matter density in the cerebellum, occipital, and parietal cortices. The majority of these changes did not recover from during to post bed rest. TBSS analyses will also be presented. Extended bed rest, which is an analog for microgravity, can result in gray matter changes and potentially in microstructural white matter changes in areas that are important for neuromotor behavior and cognition. These changes did not recover at two weeks post bed rest. These results have significant public health implications, and will also aid in interpretation of our future data obtained pre and post spaceflight. Whether the effects of bed rest wear off at longer times post bed rest, and if they are associated with behavior are important questions that warrant further research.

Regional homogeneity and resting state functional connectivity: associations with exposure to early life stress.

PubMed

Philip, Noah S; Kuras, Yuliya I; Valentine, Thomas R; Sweet, Lawrence H; Tyrka, Audrey R; Price, Lawrence H; Carpenter, Linda L

2013-12-30

Early life stress (ELS) confers risk for psychiatric illness. Previous literature suggests ELS is associated with decreased resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in adulthood, but there are no studies of resting-state neuronal activity in this population. This study investigated whether ELS-exposed individuals demonstrate resting-state activity patterns similar to those found in PTSD. Twenty-seven adults (14 with at least moderate ELS), who were medication-free and without psychiatric or medical illness, underwent MRI scans during two 4-minute rest periods. Resting-state activity was examined using regional homogeneity (ReHo), which estimates regional activation patterns through indices of localized concordance. ReHo values were compared between groups, followed by rs-FC analyses utilizing ReHo-localized areas as seeds to identify other involved regions. Relative to controls, ELS subjects demonstrated diminished ReHo in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and superior temporal gyrus (STG). ReHo values were inversely correlated with ELS severity. Secondary analyses revealed decreased rs-FC between the IPL and right precuneus/posterior cingulate, left fusiform gyrus, cerebellum and caudate in ELS subjects. These findings indicate that ELS is associated with altered resting-state activity and connectivity in brain regions involved in trauma-related psychiatric disorders. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether these associations represent potential imaging biomarkers of stress exposure. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Distribution of resting spores of the Lymantria dispar pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga in soil and on bark

Treesearch

A. E. Hajek; L. Bauer; M. L. McManus; M. M. Wheeler

1998-01-01

Cadavers of late instar Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth) larvae killed by the fungal pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga predominantly contain resting spores (azygospores). These cadavers frequently remain attached to tree trunks for several weeks before they detach and fall to the ground. Density gradient centrifugation was used to...

Lévy walks with variable waiting time: A ballistic case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamińska, A.; Srokowski, T.

2018-06-01

The Lévy walk process for a lower interval of an excursion times distribution (α <1 ) is discussed. The particle rests between the jumps, and the waiting time is position-dependent. Two cases are considered: a rising and diminishing waiting time rate ν (x ) , which require different approximations of the master equation. The process comprises two phases of the motion: particles at rest and in flight. The density distributions for them are derived, as a solution of corresponding fractional equations. For strongly falling ν (x ) , the resting particles density assumes the α -stable form (truncated at fronts), and the process resolves itself to the Lévy flights. The diffusion is enhanced for this case but no longer ballistic, in contrast to the case for the rising ν (x ) . The analytical results are compared with Monte Carlo trajectory simulations. The results qualitatively agree with observed properties of human and animal movements.

Local functional connectivity density is closely associated with the response of electroconvulsive therapy in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Wang, Jiaojian; Wei, Qiang; Yuan, Xinru; Jiang, Xiaoyan; Xu, Jinping; Zhou, Xiaoqin; Tian, Yanghua; Wang, Kai

2018-01-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the neuroanatomical basis of response to ECT is still largely unknown. In present study, we used functional connectivity density (FCD) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) to identify the relationship between the changes of resting-state activities and ECT responses in 23 MDD patients before and after ECT. In addition, the identified neural indices as classification characteristics were entered into multivariate pattern analysis using linear support vector machine (SVM) to classify 23 MDD patients before ECT from 25 gender, age and years of education matched healthy controls. We found that the changes of local FCD (lFCD), not long-range FCD, of the left pre-/postcentral gyrus (Pre-/postCG), left superior temporal gyrus (STG), and right STG were significantly correlated with the changes of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) scores in MDD patients before and after ECT. The subsequent functional connectivity analysis revealed significantly decreased functional connectivity between right STG and right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) in MDD after ECT in spite of no correlation with HRSD scores. Finally, SVM-based classification achieved an accuracy of 72.92% with a sensitivity of 73.91% and a specificity of 72% by leave-one-out cross-validation. Our findings indicated that Pre-/postCG and bilateral STG play an important role in response of ECT in MDD patients, and the lFCD in these areas may serve as a biomarker for predicting ECT response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced disease characterization through multi network functional normalization in fMRI.

PubMed

Çetin, Mustafa S; Khullar, Siddharth; Damaraju, Eswar; Michael, Andrew M; Baum, Stefi A; Calhoun, Vince D

2015-01-01

Conventionally, structural topology is used for spatial normalization during the pre-processing of fMRI. The co-existence of multiple intrinsic networks which can be detected in the resting brain are well-studied. Also, these networks exhibit temporal and spatial modulation during cognitive task vs. rest which shows the existence of common spatial excitation patterns between these identified networks. Previous work (Khullar et al., 2011) has shown that structural and functional data may not have direct one-to-one correspondence and functional activation patterns in a well-defined structural region can vary across subjects even for a well-defined functional task. The results of this study and the existence of the neural activity patterns in multiple networks motivates us to investigate multiple resting-state networks as a single fusion template for functional normalization for multi groups of subjects. We extend the previous approach (Khullar et al., 2011) by co-registering multi group of subjects (healthy control and schizophrenia patients) and by utilizing multiple resting-state networks (instead of just one) as a single fusion template for functional normalization. In this paper we describe the initial steps toward using multiple resting-state networks as a single fusion template for functional normalization. A simple wavelet-based image fusion approach is presented in order to evaluate the feasibility of combining multiple functional networks. Our results showed improvements in both the significance of group statistics (healthy control and schizophrenia patients) and the spatial extent of activation when a multiple resting-state network applied as a single fusion template for functional normalization after the conventional structural normalization. Also, our results provided evidence that the improvement in significance of group statistics lead to better accuracy results for classification of healthy controls and schizophrenia patients.

A periodic pattern of SNPs in the human genome

PubMed Central

Madsen, Bo Eskerod; Villesen, Palle; Wiuf, Carsten

2007-01-01

By surveying a filtered, high-quality set of SNPs in the human genome, we have found that SNPs positioned 1, 2, 4, 6, or 8 bp apart are more frequent than SNPs positioned 3, 5, 7, or 9 bp apart. The observed pattern is not restricted to genomic regions that are known to cause sequencing or alignment errors, for example, transposable elements (SINE, LINE, and LTR), tandem repeats, and large duplicated regions. However, we found that the pattern is almost entirely confined to what we define as “periodic DNA.” Periodic DNA is a genomic region with a high degree of periodicity in nucleotide usage. It turned out that periodic DNA is mainly small regions (average length 16.9 bp), widely distributed in the genome. Furthermore, periodic DNA has a 1.8 times higher SNP density than the rest of the genome and SNPs inside periodic DNA have a significantly higher genotyping error rate than SNPs outside periodic DNA. Our results suggest that not all SNPs in the human genome are created by independent single nucleotide mutations, and that care should be taken in analysis of SNPs from periodic DNA. The latter may have important consequences for SNP and association studies. PMID:17673700

Resting ECG findings in elite football players.

PubMed

Bohm, Philipp; Ditzel, Roman; Ditzel, Heribert; Urhausen, Axel; Meyer, Tim

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate ECG abnormalities in a large sample of elite football players. Data from 566 elite male football players (57 of them of African origin) above 16 years of age were screened retrospectively (age: 20.9 ± 5.3 years; BMI: 22.9 ± 1.7 kg · m(-2), training history: 13.8 ± 4.7 years). The resting ECGs were analysed and classified according to the most current ECG categorisation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) (2010) and a classification of Pelliccia et al. (2000) in order to assess the impact of the new ESC-approach. According to the classification of Pelliccia, 52.5% showed mildly abnormal ECG patterns and 12% were classified as distinctly abnormal ECG patterns. According to the classification of the ESC, 33.7% showed 'uncommon ECG patterns'. Short-QT interval was the most frequent ECG pattern in this group (41.9%), followed by a shortened PR-interval (19.9%). When assessed with a QTc cut-off-point of 340 ms (instead of 360 ms), only 22.2% would have had 'uncommon ECG patterns'. Resting ECG changes amongst elite football players are common. Adjustment of the ESC criteria by adapting proposed time limits for the ECG (e.g. QTc, PR) should further reduce the rate of false-positive results.

Patterns of resting state connectivity in human primary visual cortical areas: a 7T fMRI study.

PubMed

Raemaekers, Mathijs; Schellekens, Wouter; van Wezel, Richard J A; Petridou, Natalia; Kristo, Gert; Ramsey, Nick F

2014-01-01

The nature and origin of fMRI resting state fluctuations and connectivity are still not fully known. More detailed knowledge on the relationship between resting state patterns and brain function may help to elucidate this matter. We therefore performed an in depth study of how resting state fluctuations map to the well known architecture of the visual system. We investigated resting state connectivity at both a fine and large scale within and across visual areas V1, V2 and V3 in ten human subjects using a 7Tesla scanner. We found evidence for several coexisting and overlapping connectivity structures at different spatial scales. At the fine-scale level we found enhanced connectivity between the same topographic locations in the fieldmaps of V1, V2 and V3, enhanced connectivity to the contralateral functional homologue, and to a lesser extent enhanced connectivity between iso-eccentric locations within the same visual area. However, by far the largest proportion of the resting state fluctuations occurred within large-scale bilateral networks. These large-scale networks mapped to some extent onto the architecture of the visual system and could thereby obscure fine-scale connectivity. In fact, most of the fine-scale connectivity only became apparent after the large-scale network fluctuations were filtered from the timeseries. We conclude that fMRI resting state fluctuations in the visual cortex may in fact be a composite signal of different overlapping sources. Isolating the different sources could enhance correlations between BOLD and electrophysiological correlates of resting state activity. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of supplemental oral phosphate on the bone mineral changes during prolonged bed rest

PubMed Central

Hulley, Stephen B.; Vogel, John M.; Donaldson, Charles L.; Bayers, Jon H.; Friedman, Ronald J.; Rosen, Sheldon N.

1971-01-01

Five healthy young men were studied during 24-30 wk of continuous bed rest. During the first 12 wk of bed rest, untreated subjects increased calcium excretion in the urine by 109 mg/day and in the feces by 147 mg/day. The rate of total body calcium loss was 0.5-0.7% per month. Losses of central calcaneus mineral, assessed by gamma ray transmission scanning, occurred at a tenfold higher rate, whereas the mineral content of the radius did not change. Changes in phosphorus balance resembled the calcium pattern, and increased excretion of nitrogen and hydroxyproline also occurred during bed rest. Upon reambulation, the subjects' calcium balance became positive in 1 month and recovery of their calcaneus mineral was complete within 10-20 wk. Treatment with potassium phosphate supplements (1327 mg P/day) entirely prevented the hypercalciuria of bed rest, but fecal calcium tended to increase. During the first 12 wk, calcium balance was slightly less negative (mean - 193 mg/day) than during bed rest without added phosphate (mean - 267 mg/day). This effect was not seen during the second 12 wk of bed rest. The patterns of magnesium excretion were similar to those of calcium. Fecal and urinary phosphorus excretions were doubled, and phosphorus balance became positive (+ 113 mg/day). Mineral loss from the central calcaneus was similar to that of untreated subjects. It is concluded that this form of phosphate supplementation reduces urinary calcium excretion but does not prevent bone loss during bed rest. PMID:5129304

Effects of exercise on fluid exchange and body composition in man during 14-day bed rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, J. E.; Bernauer, E. M.; Juhos, L. T.; Young, H. L.; Morse, J. T.; Staley, R. W.

1977-01-01

A description is presented of an investigation in which body composition, fluid intake, and fluid and electrolyte losses were measured in seven normal, healthy men during three 2-wk bed-rest periods, separated by two 3-wk recovery periods. During bed rest the subjects remained in the horizontal position continuously. During the dietary control periods, body mass decreased significantly with all three regimens, including no exercise, isometric exercise, and isotonic excercise. During bed rest, body mass was essentially unchanged with no exercise, but decreased significantly with isotonic and isometric exercise. With one exception, there were no statistically significant changes in body density, lean body mass, or body fat content by the end of each of the three bed-rest periods.

Case study: dairies utilizing ultra-high stocking density grazing in Pennsylvania and New York

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ultra-high stocking density (UHSD) grazing has gained interest in the forage industry. Proponents of UHSD emphasize increased forage use efficiency and soil improvement by grazing mature forage with stocking densities up to 560,425 kg ha**-1 of beef cattle on small paddocks with rest periods of up t...

Case study: dairies using ultra-high stocking density grazing in the Northeastern U.S.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proponents of ultra-high stocking density (UHSD) grazing emphasize increased forage use efficiency and soil improvement by grazing mature forage with stocking densities up to 500,000 lb per acre of beef cattle on small paddocks with rest periods up to 180 days. However, it is unclear if this managem...

Outdoor stocking density in free-range laying hens: effects on behaviour and welfare.

PubMed

Campbell, D L M; Hinch, G N; Downing, J A; Lee, C

2017-06-01

Free-range laying hen systems are increasing within Australia and research is needed to determine optimal outdoor stocking densities. Six small (n=150 hens) experimental flocks of ISA Brown laying hens were housed with access to ranges simulating one of three outdoor stocking densities with two pen replicates per density: 2000 hens/ha, 10 000 hens/ha or 20 000 hens/ha. Birds were provided daily range access from 21 to 36 weeks of age and the range usage of 50% of hens was tracked using radio-frequency identification technology. Throughout the study, basic external health assessments following a modified version of the Welfare Quality® protocol showed most birds were in visibly good condition (although keel damage was increasingly present with age) with few differences between stocking densities. Toenail length at 36 weeks of age was negatively correlated with hours spent ranging for all pens of birds (all r⩾-0.23, P⩽0.04). At 23 weeks of age, there were no differences between outdoor stocking densities in albumen corticosterone concentrations (P=0.44). At 35 weeks of age, density effects were significant (P<0.001) where the eggs from hens in the highest outdoor stocking density showed the highest albumen corticosterone concentrations, although eggs from hens in the 10 000 hens/ha density showed the lowest concentrations (P<0.017). Behavioural observations of hens both on the range and indoors showed more dust bathing and foraging (scratching followed by ground-pecking) was performed outdoors, but more resting indoors (all P<0.001). Hens from the 2000 hens/ha densities showed the least foraging on the range but the most resting outdoors, with hens from the 20 000 hens/ha densities showing the least amount of resting outdoors (all P<0.017). Proportions of dust bathing outdoors tended to differ between the stocking densities (P=0.08). For each of the health and behavioural measures there were differences between pen replicates within stocking densities. These data show outdoor stocking density has some effects on hen welfare, and it appears that consideration of both individual and group-level behaviour is necessary when developing optimal stocking density guidelines and free-range system management practices.

Distributed effects of methylphenidate on the network structure of the resting brain: a connectomic pattern classification analysis.

PubMed

Sripada, Chandra Sekhar; Kessler, Daniel; Welsh, Robert; Angstadt, Michael; Liberzon, Israel; Phan, K Luan; Scott, Clayton

2013-11-01

Methylphenidate is a psychostimulant medication that produces improvements in functions associated with multiple neurocognitive systems. To investigate the potentially distributed effects of methylphenidate on the brain's intrinsic network architecture, we coupled resting state imaging with multivariate pattern classification. In a within-subject, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over design, 32 healthy human volunteers received either methylphenidate or placebo prior to two fMRI resting state scans separated by approximately one week. Resting state connectomes were generated by placing regions of interest at regular intervals throughout the brain, and these connectomes were submitted for support vector machine analysis. We found that methylphenidate produces a distributed, reliably detected, multivariate neural signature. Methylphenidate effects were evident across multiple resting state networks, especially visual, somatomotor, and default networks. Methylphenidate reduced coupling within visual and somatomotor networks. In addition, default network exhibited decoupling with several task positive networks, consistent with methylphenidate modulation of the competitive relationship between these networks. These results suggest that connectivity changes within and between large-scale networks are potentially involved in the mechanisms by which methylphenidate improves attention functioning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Moderating effects of music on resting state networks.

PubMed

Kay, Benjamin P; Meng, Xiangxiang; Difrancesco, Mark W; Holland, Scott K; Szaflarski, Jerzy P

2012-04-04

Resting state networks (RSNs) are spontaneous, synchronous, low-frequency oscillations observed in the brains of subjects who are awake but at rest. A particular RSN called the default mode network (DMN) has been shown to exhibit changes associated with neurological disorders such as temporal lobe epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies have also found that differing experimental conditions such as eyes-open versus eyes-closed can produce measurable changes in the DMN. These condition-associated changes have the potential of confounding the measurements of changes in RSNs related to or caused by disease state(s). In this study, we use fMRI measurements of resting-state connectivity paired with EEG measurements of alpha rhythm and employ independent component analysis, undirected graphs of partial spectral coherence, and spatiotemporal regression to investigate the effect of music-listening on RSNs and the DMN in particular. We observed similar patterns of DMN connectivity in subjects who were listening to music compared with those who were not, with a trend toward a more introspective pattern of resting-state connectivity during music-listening. We conclude that music-listening is a valid condition under which the DMN can be studied. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical Applications of Resting State Functional Connectivity

PubMed Central

Fox, Michael D.; Greicius, Michael

2010-01-01

During resting conditions the brain remains functionally and metabolically active. One manifestation of this activity that has become an important research tool is spontaneous fluctuations in the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The identification of correlation patterns in these spontaneous fluctuations has been termed resting state functional connectivity (fcMRI) and has the potential to greatly increase the translation of fMRI into clinical care. In this article we review the advantages of the resting state signal for clinical applications including detailed discussion of signal to noise considerations. We include guidelines for performing resting state research on clinical populations, outline the different areas for clinical application, and identify important barriers to be addressed to facilitate the translation of resting state fcMRI into the clinical realm. PMID:20592951

Morphological and Star Formation Evolution to z = 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, F.

The decrease, since z = 1, of the rest-frame UV luminosity density is related to global changes in morphology, color and emission lines properties of galaxies. This is apparently followed by a similar decrease of the rest-frame IR luminosity density. I discuss the relative contribution from the different galaxy morphological types to the observed evolution. The main contributors are compact galaxies observed in large number at optical wavelengths, and the sparse population of extincted & powerful starbursts observed by ISO. This latter population is made of large and massive galaxies mostly found in interacting systems, some of which could be leading to the formation of massive ellipticals at z < 1.

Exploring Instructive Physiological Signaling with the Bioelectric Tissue Simulation Engine

PubMed Central

Pietak, Alexis; Levin, Michael

2016-01-01

Bioelectric cell properties have been revealed as powerful targets for modulating stem cell function, regenerative response, developmental patterning, and tumor reprograming. Spatio-temporal distributions of endogenous resting potential, ion flows, and electric fields are influenced not only by the genome and external signals but also by their own intrinsic dynamics. Ion channels and electrical synapses (gap junctions) both determine, and are themselves gated by, cellular resting potential. Thus, the origin and progression of bioelectric patterns in multicellular tissues is complex, which hampers the rational control of voltage distributions for biomedical interventions. To improve understanding of these dynamics and facilitate the development of bioelectric pattern control strategies, we developed the BioElectric Tissue Simulation Engine (BETSE), a finite volume method multiphysics simulator, which predicts bioelectric patterns and their spatio-temporal dynamics by modeling ion channel and gap junction activity and tracking changes to the fundamental property of ion concentration. We validate performance of the simulator by matching experimentally obtained data on membrane permeability, ion concentration and resting potential to simulated values, and by demonstrating the expected outcomes for a range of well-known cases, such as predicting the correct transmembrane voltage changes for perturbation of single cell membrane states and environmental ion concentrations, in addition to the development of realistic transepithelial potentials and bioelectric wounding signals. In silico experiments reveal factors influencing transmembrane potential are significantly different in gap junction-networked cell clusters with tight junctions, and identify non-linear feedback mechanisms capable of generating strong, emergent, cluster-wide resting potential gradients. The BETSE platform will enable a deep understanding of local and long-range bioelectrical dynamics in tissues, and assist the development of specific interventions to achieve greater control of pattern during morphogenesis and remodeling. PMID:27458581

Decreased voltage-gated potassium currents in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons after chronic constriction injury.

PubMed

Xiao, Yun; Wu, Yang; Zhao, Bo; Xia, Zhongyuan

2016-01-20

Voltage-gated potassium channels (KV) regulate pain transmission by controlling neuronal excitability. Changes in KV expression patterns may thus contribute toward hyperalgesia following nerve injury. The aim of this study was to characterize KV current density in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons following chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the right sciatic nerve, a robust model of post-traumatic neuropathic pain. The study examined changes in small-diameter potassium ion currents (<30 µm) in neurons in the L4-L6 DRG following CCI by whole-cell patch-clamping and the association with post-CCI mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds. Compared with the control group, 7 days after CCI, the mechanical force and temperature required to elicit ipsilateral foot withdrawal decreased significantly, indicating tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Post-CCI neurons had a significantly lower rheobase current and depolarized resting membrane potential than controls, suggesting KV current downregulation. Some ipsilateral DRG neurons also had spontaneous action potentials and repetitive firing. There was a 55% reduction in the total KV current density caused by a 55% decrease in the sustained delayed rectifier potassium ion current (IK) density and a 17% decrease in the transient A-type potassium ion current (IA) density. These results indicated that changes in DRG neuron IK and IA current density and concomitant afferent hyperexcitability may contribute toward neuropathic pain following injury. The rat CCI model may prove valuable for examining pathogenic mechanisms and potential therapies, such as KV channel modulators.

Functional connectivity density mapping: comparing multiband and conventional EPI protocols.

PubMed

Cohen, Alexander D; Tomasi, Dardo; Shokri-Kojori, Ehsan; Nencka, Andrew S; Wang, Yang

2018-06-01

Functional connectivity density mapping (FCDM) is a newly developed data-driven technique that quantifies the number of local and global functional connections for each voxel in the brain. In this study, we evaluated reproducibility, sensitivity, and specificity of both local functional connectivity density (lFCD) and global functional connectivity density (gFCD). We compared these metrics using the human connectome project (HCP) compatible high-resolution (2 mm isotropic, TR = 0.8 s) multiband (MB), and more typical, lower resolution (3.5 mm isotropic, TR = 2.0 s) single-band (SB) resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) acquisitions. Furthermore, in order to be more clinically feasible, only rs-fMRI scans that lasted seven minutes were tested. Subjects were scanned twice within a two-week span. We found sensitivity and specificity increased and reproducibility either increased or did not change for the MB compared to the SB acquisitions. The MB scans also showed improved gray matter/white matter contrast compared to the SB scans. The lFCD and gFCD patterns were similar across MB and SB scans and confined predominantly to gray matter. We also observed a strong spatial correlation of FCD between MB and SB scans indicating the two acquisitions provide similar information. These findings indicate high-resolution MB acquisitions improve the quality of FCD data, and seven minute rs-fMRI scan can provide robust FCD measurements.

Spatial distribution of marine fishes along a cross-shelf gradient containing a continuum of mangrove seagrass coral reefs off southwestern Puerto Rico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar-Perera, Alfonso; Appeldoorn, Richard S.

2008-01-01

Despite an extensive study of the fish community off southwestern Puerto Rico, little information is available on the fish spatial distribution along an inshore-offshore, cross-shelf gradient containing a continuum of mangrove-seagrass-coral reefs. We investigated the spatial distribution of reef-associated fish species using a stratified sampling procedure. A total of 52,138 fishes were recorded, representing 102 species belonging to 32 families. Significant differences in mean fish density were evident among strata. Mean densities at shallow fore reefs and deep fore reefs (Romero key) were significantly higher compared to the rest of strata along the gradient. Mean densities of fishes in mangroves and seagrass (Montalva Bay) were comparable to those at shallow back reefs and deep fore reefs offshore (Turrumote), but lower to those inshore (Romero); the lowest fish densities were found in mangroves and seagrass (Montalva Bay) and seagrass (Romero and Corral). At least 17 species, in 7 families, were among the most common in terms of relative abundance representing 76% of the total individuals sampled. A detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) applied to more abundant fish species showed a spatial pattern in density distribution. Three major groupings were evident corresponding to mangroves and seagrass (Montalva Bay), shallow and deep reefs (Romero), and shallow and deep reefs (Corral and Turrumote). A cluster analysis on mean fish densities of the more abundant species revealed a consistent spatial distribution according to biotope by separating the ichthyofauna associated with mangroves, seagrass and that of shallow (back and fore) reefs, and deep fore reefs.

Competition favors elk over beaver in a riparian willow ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, B.W.; Peinetti, H.R.; Coughenour, M.C.; Johnson, T.L.

2012-01-01

Beaver (Castor spp.) conservation requires an understanding of their complex interactions with competing herbivores. Simulation modeling offers a controlled environment to examine long-term dynamics in ecosystems driven by uncontrollable variables. We used a new version of the SAVANNA ecosystem model to investigate beaver (C. Canadensis) and elk (Cervus elapses) competition for willow (Salix spp.). We initialized the model with field data from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA, to simulate a 4-ha riparian ecosystem containing beaver, elk, and willow. We found beaver persisted indefinitely when elk density was or = 30 elk km_2. The loss of tall willow preceded rapid beaver declines, thus willow condition may predict beaver population trajectory in natural environments. Beaver were able to persist with slightly higher elk densities if beaver alternated their use of foraging sites in a rest-rotation pattern rather than maintained continuous use. Thus, we found asymmetrical competition for willow strongly favored elk over beaver in a simulated montane ecosystem. Finally, we discuss application of the SAVANNA model and mechanisms of competition relative to beaver persistence as metapopulations, ecological resistance and alternative state models, and ecosystem regulation.

Stochastic Lagrangian dynamics for charged flows in the E-F regions of ionosphere

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

Tang Wenbo; Mahalov, Alex

2013-03-15

We develop a three-dimensional numerical model for the E-F region ionosphere and study the Lagrangian dynamics for plasma flows in this region. Our interest rests on the charge-neutral interactions and the statistics associated with stochastic Lagrangian motion. In particular, we examine the organizing mixing patterns for plasma flows due to polarized gravity wave excitations in the neutral field, using Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS). LCS objectively depict the flow topology-the extracted attractors indicate generation of ionospheric density gradients, due to accumulation of plasma. Using Lagrangian measures such as the finite-time Lyapunov exponents, we locate the Lagrangian skeletons for mixing in plasma,more » hence where charged fronts are expected to appear. With polarized neutral wind, we find that the corresponding plasma velocity is also polarized. Moreover, the polarized velocity alone, coupled with stochastic Lagrangian motion, may give rise to polarized density fronts in plasma. Statistics of these trajectories indicate high level of non-Gaussianity. This includes clear signatures of variance, skewness, and kurtosis of displacements taking polarized structures aligned with the gravity waves, and being anisotropic.« less

The Spectral Energy Distributions and Infrared Luminosities of z ≈ 2 Dust-obscured Galaxies from Herschel and Spitzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melbourne, J.; Soifer, B. T.; Desai, Vandana; Pope, Alexandra; Armus, Lee; Dey, Arjun; Bussmann, R. S.; Jannuzi, B. T.; Alberts, Stacey

2012-05-01

Dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) are a subset of high-redshift (z ≈ 2) optically-faint ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs, e.g., L IR > 1012 L ⊙). We present new far-infrared photometry, at 250, 350, and 500 μm (observed-frame), from the Herschel Space Telescope for a large sample of 113 DOGs with spectroscopically measured redshifts. Approximately 60% of the sample are detected in the far-IR. The Herschel photometry allows the first robust determinations of the total infrared luminosities of a large sample of DOGs, confirming their high IR luminosities, which range from 1011.6 L ⊙ 1013 L ⊙. The rest-frame near-IR (1-3 μm) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the Herschel-detected DOGs are predictors of their SEDs at longer wavelengths. DOGs with "power-law" SEDs in the rest-frame near-IR show observed-frame 250/24 μm flux density ratios similar to the QSO-like local ULIRG, Mrk 231. DOGs with a stellar "bump" in their rest-frame near-IR show observed-frame 250/24 μm flux density ratios similar to local star-bursting ULIRGs like NGC 6240. None show 250/24 μm flux density ratios similar to extreme local ULIRG, Arp 220; though three show 350/24 μm flux density ratios similar to Arp 220. For the Herschel-detected DOGs, accurate estimates (within ~25%) of total IR luminosity can be predicted from their rest-frame mid-IR data alone (e.g., from Spitzer observed-frame 24 μm luminosities). Herschel-detected DOGs tend to have a high ratio of infrared luminosity to rest-frame 8 μm luminosity (the IR8 = L IR(8-1000 μm)/νL ν(8 μm) parameter of Elbaz et al.). Instead of lying on the z = 1-2 "infrared main sequence" of star-forming galaxies (like typical LIRGs and ULIRGs at those epochs) the DOGs, especially large fractions of the bump sources, tend to lie in the starburst sequence. While, Herschel-detected DOGs are similar to scaled up versions of local ULIRGs in terms of 250/24 μm flux density ratio, and IR8, they tend to have cooler far-IR dust temperatures (20-40 K for DOGs versus 40-50 K for local ULIRGs) as measured by the rest-frame 80/115 μm flux density ratios (e.g., observed-frame 250/350 μm ratios at z = 2). DOGs that are not detected by Herschel appear to have lower observed-frame 250/24 μm ratios than the detected sample, either because of warmer dust temperatures, lower IR luminosities, or both. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

THE SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS AND INFRARED LUMINOSITIES OF z Almost-Equal-To 2 DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES FROM Herschel AND Spitzer

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

Melbourne, J.; Soifer, B. T.; Desai, Vandana

Dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) are a subset of high-redshift (z Almost-Equal-To 2) optically-faint ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs, e.g., L{sub IR} > 10{sup 12} L{sub Sun} ). We present new far-infrared photometry, at 250, 350, and 500 {mu}m (observed-frame), from the Herschel Space Telescope for a large sample of 113 DOGs with spectroscopically measured redshifts. Approximately 60% of the sample are detected in the far-IR. The Herschel photometry allows the first robust determinations of the total infrared luminosities of a large sample of DOGs, confirming their high IR luminosities, which range from 10{sup 11.6} L{sub Sun} 10{sup 13} L{sub Sun }. Themore » rest-frame near-IR (1-3 {mu}m) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the Herschel-detected DOGs are predictors of their SEDs at longer wavelengths. DOGs with 'power-law' SEDs in the rest-frame near-IR show observed-frame 250/24 {mu}m flux density ratios similar to the QSO-like local ULIRG, Mrk 231. DOGs with a stellar 'bump' in their rest-frame near-IR show observed-frame 250/24 {mu}m flux density ratios similar to local star-bursting ULIRGs like NGC 6240. None show 250/24 {mu}m flux density ratios similar to extreme local ULIRG, Arp 220; though three show 350/24 {mu}m flux density ratios similar to Arp 220. For the Herschel-detected DOGs, accurate estimates (within {approx}25%) of total IR luminosity can be predicted from their rest-frame mid-IR data alone (e.g., from Spitzer observed-frame 24 {mu}m luminosities). Herschel-detected DOGs tend to have a high ratio of infrared luminosity to rest-frame 8 {mu}m luminosity (the IR8 = L{sub IR}(8-1000 {mu}m)/{nu}L{sub {nu}}(8 {mu}m) parameter of Elbaz et al.). Instead of lying on the z = 1-2 'infrared main sequence' of star-forming galaxies (like typical LIRGs and ULIRGs at those epochs) the DOGs, especially large fractions of the bump sources, tend to lie in the starburst sequence. While, Herschel-detected DOGs are similar to scaled up versions of local ULIRGs in terms of 250/24 {mu}m flux density ratio, and IR8, they tend to have cooler far-IR dust temperatures (20-40 K for DOGs versus 40-50 K for local ULIRGs) as measured by the rest-frame 80/115 {mu}m flux density ratios (e.g., observed-frame 250/350 {mu}m ratios at z = 2). DOGs that are not detected by Herschel appear to have lower observed-frame 250/24 {mu}m ratios than the detected sample, either because of warmer dust temperatures, lower IR luminosities, or both.« less

Resting state signatures of domain and demand-specific working memory performance.

PubMed

van Dam, Wessel O; Decker, Scott L; Durbin, Jeffery S; Vendemia, Jennifer M C; Desai, Rutvik H

2015-09-01

Working memory (WM) is one of the key constructs in understanding higher-level cognition. We examined whether patterns of activity in the resting state of individual subjects are correlated with their off-line working and short-term memory capabilities. Participants completed a resting-state fMRI scan and off-line working and short-term memory (STM) tests with both verbal and visual materials. We calculated fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) from the resting state data, and also computed connectivity between seeds placed in frontal and parietal lobes. Correlating fALFF values with behavioral measures showed that the fALFF values in a widespread fronto-parietal network during rest were positively correlated with a combined memory measure. In addition, STM showed a significant correlation with fALFF within the right angular gyrus and left middle occipital gyrus, whereas WM was correlated with fALFF values within the right IPS and left dorsomedial cerebellar cortex. Furthermore, verbal and visuospatial memory capacities were associated with dissociable patterns of low-frequency fluctuations. Seed-based connectivity showed correlations with the verbal WM measure in the left hemisphere, and with the visual WM measure in the right hemisphere. These findings contribute to our understanding of how differences in spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations at rest are correlated with differences in cognitive performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects Of Exercise During Prolonged Bed Rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnaud, S.; Berry, P; Cohen, M.; Danelis, J.; Deroshia, C.; Greenleaf, J.; Harris, B.; Keil, L.; Bernauer, E.; Bond, M.;

An Exploratory Study of Resting Cardiac Rate and Variability from the Last Trimester of Prenatal Life Through the First Year of Postnatal Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Michael; And Others

1970-01-01

The data indicate no relationship between maternal and fetal data. Moreover, there are clear developmental patterns of resting cardiac response over the first year of life, with rate and variability showing linear decreases. (Author/WY)

Influence of climatic variables, forest type, and condition on activity patterns of Geoffroyi's spider monkeys throughout Mesoamerica.

PubMed

González-Zamora, Arturo; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Chaves, Oscar M; Sánchez-López, Sónia; Aureli, Filippo; Stoner, Kathryn E

2011-12-01

Understanding how species cope with variations in climatic conditions, forest types and habitat amount is a fundamental challenge for ecologists and conservation biologists. We used data from 18 communities of Mesoamerican spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) throughout their range to determine whether their activity patterns are affected by climatic variables (temperature and rainfall), forest types (seasonal and nonseasonal forests), and forest condition (continuous and fragmented). Data were derived from 15 published and unpublished studies carried out in four countries (Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama), cumulatively representing more than 18 years (221 months, >3,645 hr) of behavioral observations. Overall, A. geoffroyi spent most of their time feeding (38.4 ± 14.0%, mean ± SD) and resting (36.6 ± 12.8%) and less time traveling (19.8 ± 11.3%). Resting and feeding were mainly affected by rainfall: resting time increased with decreasing rainfall, whereas feeding time increased with rainfall. Traveling time was negatively related to both rainfall and maximum temperature. In addition, both resting and traveling time were higher in seasonal forests (tropical dry forest and tropical moist forest) than in nonseasonal forests (tropical wet forest), but feeding time followed the opposite pattern. Furthermore, spider monkeys spent more time feeding and less time resting (i.e., higher feeding effort) in forest fragments than in continuous forest. These findings suggest that global climate changes and habitat deforestation and fragmentation in Mesoamerica will threaten the survival of spider monkeys and reduce the distributional range of the species in the coming decades. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Generation of large-scale density fluctuations by buoyancy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chasnov, J. R.; Rogallo, R. S.

1990-01-01

The generation of fluid motion from a state of rest by buoyancy forces acting on a homogeneous isotropic small-scale density field is considered. Nonlinear interactions between the generated fluid motion and the initial isotropic small-scale density field are found to create an anisotropic large-scale density field with spectrum proportional to kappa(exp 4). This large-scale density field is observed to result in an increasing Reynolds number of the fluid turbulence in its final period of decay.

Patterns of anismus and the relation to biofeedback therapy.

PubMed

Park, U C; Choi, S K; Piccirillo, M F; Verzaro, R; Wexner, S D

1996-07-01

A study was undertaken to assess physiologic characteristics and clinical significance of anismus. Specifically, we sought to assess patterns of anismus and the relation of these findings to the success of therapy. Sixty-eight patients were found to have anismus based on history and diagnostic criteria including anismus by defecography and at least one of three additional tests: anorectal manometry, electromyography, or colonic transit time study. Interpretation of defecography was based on the consensus of at least three of four observers. Anal canal hypertonia (n = 32) was defined when mean and maximum resting pressures were at least 1 standard deviation higher than those in 63 controls. There were two distinct defecographic patterns of anismus: Type A (n = 26), a flattened anorectal angle without definitive puborectalis indentation but a closed anal canal; Type B (n = 42), a clear puborectalis indentation, narrow anorectal angle, and closed anal canal. Outcomes of 57 patients who had electromyographybased biofeedback therapy were reported as either improved or unimproved at a mean follow-up of 23.7 (range, 6-62) months. These two types of anismus were compared with biofeedback outcome to assess clinical relevance. Patients with Type A anismus showed greater perineal descent at rest (mean, 5.1 vs. 3.5 cm; P < 0.01), greater dynamic descent between rest and evacuation (mean, 2.7 vs. 1.4 cm; P < 0.01), greater difference of anorectal angle between rest and evacuation (mean, 14.6 vs. -3.1 degrees; P < 0.001), higher mean resting pressure (mean, 77.1 vs. 62.8 mmHg; P < 0.05), lower mean squeeze pressure (58.8 vs. 80.7 mmHg; P < 0.05), and a higher incidence of anal canal hypertonia (69.2 vs. 33.3 percent; P < 0.01) than did patients with Type B anismus. Only 25 percent of patients who had Type A anismus with anal canal hypertonia were improved by biofeedback therapy. Conversely, 86 percent of patients with Type B anismus without anal canal hypertonia were successfully treated with biofeedback (P < 0.001; Fisher's exact test). These two distinct physiologic patterns of anismus correlate with the success of biofeedback treatment. Therefore, knowledge of these patterns may help direct therapy.

Avian responses to late-season grazing in a shrub-willow floodplain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, T.R.; Knopf, F.L.

2002-01-01

Riparian vegetation in western North America provides important habitat for breeding birds and valuable forage for grazing livestock. Whereas a number of studies have documented the response of riparian vegetation to the removal of cattle, few have experimentally evaluated specific grazing systems. We evaluated the responses of vegetation and breeding birds to two cycles of late-season (August–September) grazing followed by 34 months of rest on the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado. We used a before-and-after control-impact (BACI) design, with two control (ungrazed) and two treatment ( grazed) pastures composing the experimental units. Vegetation characteristics and bird densities were quantified on sample plots prior to and following two cycles of the treatment. We found no statistical differences in vegetation change and few differences in bird-density change among pastures. Inspection of means for pastures, however, suggests that changes in shrub vigor and spatial pattern differed among ungrazed and grazed pastures and that changes in population density for three of the nine bird species and three guilds studied differed among pastures. Our results suggest that habitat for grazing-sensitive birds may be restored while still allowing late-season grazing, although the rate at which species are recovered will be slower than if all cattle are removed.

Altered interhemispheric functional connectivity in patients with anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia: a resting-state fMRI study.

PubMed

Liang, Minglong; Xie, Bing; Yang, Hong; Yin, Xuntao; Wang, Hao; Yu, Longhua; He, Sheng; Wang, Jian

2017-05-01

Altered brain functional connectivity has been reported in patients with amblyopia by recent neuroimaging studies. However, relatively little is known about the alterations in interhemispheric functional connectivity in amblyopia. The present study aimed to investigate the functional connectivity patterns between homotopic regions across hemispheres in patients with anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia under resting state. Nineteen monocular anisometropic amblyopia (AA), 18 strabismic amblyopia (SA), and 20 normal-sight controls (NC) were enrolled in this study. After a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination, resting-state fMRI scanning was performed in all participants. The pattern of the interhemispheric functional connectivity was measured with the voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) approach. VMHC values differences within and between three groups were compared, and correlations between VMHC values and each the clinical variable were also analyzed. Altered VMHC was observed in AA and SA patients in lingual gyrus and fusiform gyrus compared with NC subjects. The altered VMHC of lingual gyrus showed a pattern of AA > SA > NC, while the altered VMHC of fusiform gyrus showed a pattern of AA > NC > SA. Moreover, the VMHC values of lingual gyrus were positively correlated with the stereoacuity both in AA and SA patients, and the VMHC values of fusiform gyrus were positively correlated with the amount of anisometropia just in AA patients. These findings suggest that interhemispheric functional coordination between several homotopic visual-related brain regions is impaired both in AA and SA patients under resting state and revealed the similarities and differences in interhemispheric functional connectivity between the anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia.

Altered functional connectivity architecture of the brain in medication overuse headache using resting state fMRI.

PubMed

Chen, Zhiye; Chen, Xiaoyan; Liu, Mengqi; Dong, Zhao; Ma, Lin; Yu, Shengyuan

2017-12-01

Functional connectivity density (FCD) could identify the abnormal intrinsic and spontaneous activity over the whole brain, and a seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) could further reveal the altered functional network with the identified brain regions. This may be an effective assessment strategy for headache research. This study is to investigate the RSFC architecture changes of the brain in the patients with medication overuse headache (MOH) using FCD and RSFC methods. 3D structure images and resting-state functional MRI data were obtained from 37 MOH patients, 18 episodic migraine (EM) patients and 32 normal controls (NCs). FCD was calculated to detect the brain regions with abnormal functional activity over the whole brain, and the seed-based RSFC was performed to explore the functional network changes in MOH and EM. The decreased FCD located in right parahippocampal gyrus, and the increased FCD located in left inferior parietal gyrus and right supramarginal gyrus in MOH compared with NC, and in right caudate and left insula in MOH compared with EM. RSFC revealed that decreased functional connectivity of the brain regions with decreased FCD anchored in the right dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex, right frontopolar cortex in MOH, and in left temporopolar cortex and bilateral visual cortices in EM compared with NC, and in frontal-temporal-parietal pattern in MOH compared with EM. These results provided evidence that MOH and EM suffered from altered intrinsic functional connectivity architecture, and the current study presented a new perspective for understanding the neuromechanism of MOH and EM pathogenesis.

Chromosome territory repositioning induced by PHA-activation of lymphocytes: A 2D and 3D appraisal.

PubMed

Ioannou, Dimitrios; Kandukuri, Lakshmi; Simpson, Joe Leigh; Tempest, Helen Ghislaine

2015-01-01

Genomes and by extension chromosome territories (CTs) in a variety of organisms exhibit nonrandom organization within interphase nuclei. CTs are susceptible to movement upon induction by a variety of stimuli, including: cell differentiation, growth factors, genotoxic agents, proliferating status, and stimulants that induce novel transcription profiles. These findings suggest nuclear architecture can undergo reorganization, providing support for a functional significance of CT organization. The effect of the initiation of transcription on global scale chromatin architecture has been underexplored. This study investigates the organization of all 24 human chromosomes in lymphocytes from two individuals in resting and phytohaemagglutinin activated lymphocytes using 2D and 3D approaches. The radial organization of CTs in lymphocytes in both resting and activated lymphocytes follows a gene-density pattern. However, CT organization in activated nuclei appears less constrained exhibiting a more random organization. We report differences in the spatial relationship between homologous and heterologous CTs in activated nuclei. In addition, a reproducible radial hierarchy of CTs was identified and evidence of a CT repositioning was observed in activated nuclei using both 2D and 3D approaches. Alterations between resting and activated lymphocytes could be adaptation of CTs to the new transcription profile and possibly the formation of new neighborhoods of interest or interaction of CTs with nuclear landmarks. The increased distances between homologous and heterologous CTs in activated lymphocytes could be a reflection of a defensive mechanism to reduce potential interaction to prevent any structural chromosome abnormalities (e.g. translocations) as a result of DNA damage that increases during lymphocyte activation.

Development of an electro-responsive platform for the controlled transfection of mammalian cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hook, Andrew L.; Thissen, Helmut W.; Hayes, Jason P.; Voelcker, Nicolas H.

2005-02-01

The recent development of living microarrays as novel tools for the analysis of gene expression in an in-situ environment promises to unravel gene function within living organisms. In order to significantly enhance microarray performance, we are working towards electro-responsive DNA transfection chips. This study focuses on the control of DNA adsorption and desorption by appropriate surface modification of highly doped p++ silicon. Silicon was modified by plasma polymerisation of allylamine (ALAPP), a non-toxic surface that sustains cell growth. Subsequent high surface density grafting of poly(ethylene oxide) formed a layer resistant to biomolecule adsorption and cell attachment. Spatially controlled excimer laser ablation of the surface produced micron resolution patterns of re-exposed plasma polymer whilst the rest of the surface remained non-fouling. We observed electro-stimulated preferential adsorption of DNA to the ALAPP surface and subsequent desorption by the application of a negative bias. Cell culture experiments with HEK 293 cells demonstrated efficient and controlled transfection of cells using the expression of green fluorescent protein as a reporter. Thus, these chemically patterned surfaces are promising platforms for use as living microarrays.

Cancer patterns in Inuit Nunangat: 1998-2007.

PubMed

Carrière, Gisèle M; Tjepkema, Michael; Pennock, Jennifer; Goedhuis, Neil

2012-05-15

To compare cancer incidence patterns between residents of Inuit Nunangat and the rest of Canada. Cancer cases were geographically linked to either Inuit Nunangat or the rest of Canada using postal codes or other geographic information. Population estimates were derived from the 2001 and 2006 censuses. Cancer cases were combined from 1998 to 2007 for Inuit Nunangat and the rest of Canada. Age-standardised incidence rates were calculated for all site cancers and sub-sites by sex. Standardised rate ratios between these 2 areas were calculated for all site cancers and sub-sites. The age-standardised incidence rate for all cancer sites (1998-2007) was 14% lower for the Inuit Nunangat male population and 29% higher for the female population by comparison to the rest of Canada. Cancers of the nasopharynx, lung and bronchus, colorectal, stomach (males), and kidney and renal pelvis (females), were elevated in the Inuit Nunangat population compared to the rest of Canada, whereas prostate and female breast cancers were lower in the Inuit Nunangat population. Cancers with potentially modifiable risk factors, such as buccal cavity and pharynx, nasopharynx, lung and bronchus, and colorectal cancer were elevated in the Inuit Nunangat population compared to the rest of Canada. Besides greater smoking prevalence within Inuit Nunangat by comparison to the rest of Canada, distinct socioeconomic characteristics between respective area populations including housing, and income may have contributed to incidence differentials. This study demonstrated that a geographic approach can be used in cancer surveillance when populations of interest are spatially distinguishable, and reside across distinct jurisdictions whose combined cancer registries will not completely provide information to identify the population of interest.

Use of multiple den sites by Eurasian badgers, Meles meles, in a Mediterranean habitat.

PubMed

Loureiro, Filipa; Rosalino, Luís Miguel; Macdonald, David W; Santos-Reis, Margarida

2007-10-01

Den sites are a conspicuous feature of Eurasian badgers, Meles meles, and in many environments include large communal burrows used by several group members. In Serra de Grândola, southwest Portugal, nine badgers from three social groups were captured and radio collared from 2000 to 2004. A total of 1,787 locations of badgers in their resting sites were registered along with a brief description of the type of site and weather conditions. Resting sites were grouped according to structure (burrows, shrubs, rocks, hollow trees and man-made structures) and function (main, secondary and occasional). Although main setts were the most frequently used shelter (62.25%), an average of 14 (SD 7.55) resting sites were used in each territory. The pattern of use varied seasonally, showing differences according to sex and social group. Overall, females used more than twice as many occasional resting sites as did males. Generally burrows, predominantly main setts, were most frequently used during winter and autumn, whilst non-burrow shelters were preferred during spring and summer, when the weather was hot, dry and not windy. Proximity to food patches had no apparent influence on the location of resting sites. Our results offered no support for the foraging-related hypotheses that multiple resting sites are a means of conserving energy or of maintaining proximity to rich food patches. We suggest that other factors such as thermoregulation needs, disturbance, and reproductive status, could be influencing the observed pattern of resting-site use by badgers in Serra de Grândola.

Selectivity of conventional electrodes for recording motor evoked potentials: An investigation with high-density surface electromyography.

PubMed

Gallina, Alessio; Peters, Sue; Neva, Jason L; Boyd, Lara A; Garland, S Jayne

2017-06-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited with transcranial magnetic stimulation and measured with conventional bipolar electromyography (EMG) are influenced by crosstalk from non-target muscles. MEPs were recorded in healthy participants using conventional EMG electrodes placed over the extensor carpi radialis muscle (ECR) and high-density surface EMG (HDsEMG). Fifty MEPs at 120% resting and active motor threshold were recorded. To determine the contribution of ECR to the MEPs, the amplitude distribution across HDsEMG channels was correlated with EMG activity recorded during a wrist extension task. Whereas the conventional EMG identified MEPs from ECR in >90% of the stimulations, HDsEMG revealed that spatial amplitude distribution representative of ECR activation was observed less frequently at rest than while holding a contraction (P < 0.001). MEPs recorded with conventional EMG may contain crosstalk from non-target muscles, especially when the stimulation is applied at rest. Muscle Nerve 55: 828-834, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is Rest Really Rest? Resting State Functional Connectivity during Rest and Motor Task Paradigms.

PubMed

Jurkiewicz, Michael T; Crawley, Adrian P; Mikulis, David J

2018-04-18

Numerous studies have identified the default mode network (DMN) within the brain of healthy individuals, which has been attributed to the ongoing mental activity of the brain during the wakeful resting-state. While engaged during specific resting-state fMRI paradigms, it remains unclear as to whether traditional block-design simple movement fMRI experiments significantly influence the default mode network or other areas. Using blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI we characterized the pattern of functional connectivity in healthy subjects during a resting-state paradigm and compared this to the same resting-state analysis performed on motor task data residual time courses after regressing out the task paradigm. Using seed-voxel analysis to define the DMN, the executive control network (ECN), and sensorimotor, auditory and visual networks, the resting-state analysis of the residual time courses demonstrated reduced functional connectivity in the motor network and reduced connectivity between the insula and the ECN compared to the standard resting-state datasets. Overall, performance of simple self-directed motor tasks does little to change the resting-state functional connectivity across the brain, especially in non-motor areas. This would suggest that previously acquired fMRI studies incorporating simple block-design motor tasks could be mined retrospectively for assessment of the resting-state connectivity.

Predicting workload profiles of brain-robot interface and electromygraphic neurofeedback with cortical resting-state networks: personal trait or task-specific challenge?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fels, Meike; Bauer, Robert; Gharabaghi, Alireza

2015-08-01

Objective. Novel rehabilitation strategies apply robot-assisted exercises and neurofeedback tasks to facilitate intensive motor training. We aimed to disentangle task-specific and subject-related contributions to the perceived workload of these interventions and the related cortical activation patterns. Approach. We assessed the perceived workload with the NASA Task Load Index in twenty-one subjects who were exposed to two different feedback tasks in a cross-over design: (i) brain-robot interface (BRI) with haptic/proprioceptive feedback of sensorimotor oscillations related to motor imagery, and (ii) control of neuromuscular activity with feedback of the electromyography (EMG) of the same hand. We also used electroencephalography to examine the cortical activation patterns beforehand in resting state and during the training session of each task. Main results. The workload profile of BRI feedback differed from EMG feedback and was particularly characterized by the experience of frustration. The frustration level was highly correlated across tasks, suggesting subject-related relevance of this workload component. Those subjects who were specifically challenged by the respective tasks could be detected by an interhemispheric alpha-band network in resting state before the training and by their sensorimotor theta-band activation pattern during the exercise. Significance. Neurophysiological profiles in resting state and during the exercise may provide task-independent workload markers for monitoring and matching participants’ ability and task difficulty of neurofeedback interventions.

Semi-supervised clustering for parcellating brain regions based on resting state fMRI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Hewei; Fan, Yong

2014-03-01

Many unsupervised clustering techniques have been adopted for parcellating brain regions of interest into functionally homogeneous subregions based on resting state fMRI data. However, the unsupervised clustering techniques are not able to take advantage of exiting knowledge of the functional neuroanatomy readily available from studies of cytoarchitectonic parcellation or meta-analysis of the literature. In this study, we propose a semi-supervised clustering method for parcellating amygdala into functionally homogeneous subregions based on resting state fMRI data. Particularly, the semi-supervised clustering is implemented under the framework of graph partitioning, and adopts prior information and spatial consistent constraints to obtain a spatially contiguous parcellation result. The graph partitioning problem is solved using an efficient algorithm similar to the well-known weighted kernel k-means algorithm. Our method has been validated for parcellating amygdala into 3 subregions based on resting state fMRI data of 28 subjects. The experiment results have demonstrated that the proposed method is more robust than unsupervised clustering and able to parcellate amygdala into centromedial, laterobasal, and superficial parts with improved functionally homogeneity compared with the cytoarchitectonic parcellation result. The validity of the parcellation results is also supported by distinctive functional and structural connectivity patterns of the subregions and high consistency between coactivation patterns derived from a meta-analysis and functional connectivity patterns of corresponding subregions.

Effect of Levodopa + Carbidopa on the Laryngeal Electromyographic Pattern in Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Noffs, Gustavo; de Campos Duprat, André; Zarzur, Ana Paula; Cury, Rubens Gisbert; Cataldo, Berenice Oliveira; Fonoff, Erich

2017-05-01

Vocal impairment is one of the main debilitating symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD). The effect of levodopa on vocal function remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the effect of levodopa on electromyographic patterns of the laryngeal muscle in patients with PD. This is a prospective interventional trial. Nineteen patients with PD-diagnosed by laryngeal electromyography-were enrolled. Cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle activities were measured at rest and during muscle contraction (phonation), when participants were on and off medication (12 hours after the last levodopa dose). Prevalence of resting hypertonia in the cricothyroid muscle was similar in the off and on states (7 of 19, P = 1.00). Eight patients off medication and four patients on medication had hypertonic TA muscle at rest (P = 0.289). No electromyographic alterations were observed during phonation for either medication states. Despite a tendency for increased rest tracings in the TA muscle when participants were on medication, no association was found between laryngeal electromyography findings and levodopa + carbidopa administration. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Resting State Network Topology of the Ferret Brain

PubMed Central

Zhou, Zhe Charles; Salzwedel, Andrew P.; Radtke-Schuller, Susanne; Li, Yuhui; Sellers, Kristin K.; Gilmore, John H.; Shih, Yen-Yu Ian; Fröhlich, Flavio; Gao, Wei

2016-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) has emerged as a versatile tool for non-invasive measurement of functional connectivity patterns in the brain. RsfMRI brain dynamics in rodents, non-human primates, and humans share similar properties; however, little is known about the resting state functional connectivity patterns in the ferret, an animal model with high potential for developmental and cognitive translational study. To address this knowledge-gap, we performed rsfMRI on anesthetized ferrets using a 9.4 tesla MRI scanner, and subsequently performed group-level independent component analysis (gICA) to identify functionally connected brain networks. Group-level ICA analysis revealed distributed sensory, motor, and higher-order networks in the ferret brain. Subsequent connectivity analysis showed interconnected higher-order networks that constituted a putative default mode network (DMN), a network that exhibits altered connectivity in neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, we assessed ferret brain topological efficiency using graph theory analysis and found that the ferret brain exhibits small-world properties. Overall, these results provide additional evidence for pan-species resting-state networks, further supporting ferret-based studies of sensory and cognitive function. PMID:27596024

Resting metabolic expenditure as a potential source of variation in growth rates of the sagebrush lizard.

PubMed

Sears, Michael W

2005-02-01

Along an elevational gradient on SW Utah, sagebrush lizards (Sceloporus graciosus) exhibit an unexpected pattern of growth. Lizards from a high elevation population grow faster than lizards from two populations at lower elevations despite shorter daily and seasonal activity. Results from a common environment study of growth suggest that the differences in growth are not due to adaptation to local environmental conditions. In this study, I test the hypothesis that higher growth rates in lizards from high elevation may be attributable to reduced resting metabolic expenditure compared to that of lizards from populations at two lower elevations. Resting metabolic rates were measured for individuals from each of the study populations across different times of day and over a broad range of temperatures. Under the same laboratory conditions, field-caught lizards from the high elevation population exhibited lower metabolic rates when compared to lizards from lower elevations. Daily resting metabolic expenditures were calculated using the observed metabolic rates coupled with estimates of daily activity. Daily resting metabolic expenditure was 50% greater for individuals from the two lower elevation populations, which could result in 12.5% more energy that could be potentially allocated to growth for lizards from high elevation. Such energetic savings may be able to explain differences in the patterns of growth observed in nature.

A State-trait Analysis of Alpha Density and Personality Variables in a Normal Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Degood, Douglas E.; Valle, Ronald S.

1975-01-01

This paper examined the relationship of some selected trait measures of personality with resting samples of alpha density in a normal population and the implications of such data for a state-trait approach to alpha and the experiential states associated with alpha. (Author/RK)

A look at dairy mob grazing in the Northeast

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proponents of ultra-high stocking density (UHSD) grazing emphasize increased forage use efficiency and soil improvement by grazing mature forage with stocking densities up to 560,425 kg/ha of beef cattle on small paddocks with rest periods up to 125 days. However, it is unclear if this management te...

Task vs. rest-different network configurations between the coactivation and the resting-state brain networks.

PubMed

Di, Xin; Gohel, Suril; Kim, Eun H; Biswal, Bharat B

2013-01-01

There is a growing interest in studies of human brain networks using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, it is unclear whether and how brain networks measured during the resting-state exhibit comparable properties to brain networks during task performance. In the present study, we investigated meta-analytic coactivation patterns among brain regions based upon published neuroimaging studies, and compared the coactivation network configurations with those in the resting-state network. The strength of resting-state functional connectivity between two regions were strongly correlated with the coactivation strength. However, the coactivation network showed greater global efficiency, smaller mean clustering coefficient, and lower modularity compared with the resting-state network, which suggest a more efficient global information transmission and between system integrations during task performing. Hub shifts were also observed within the thalamus and the left inferior temporal cortex. The thalamus and the left inferior temporal cortex exhibited higher and lower degrees, respectively in the coactivation network compared with the resting-state network. These results shed light regarding the reconfiguration of the brain networks between task and resting-state conditions, and highlight the role of the thalamus in change of network configurations in task vs. rest.

Non-linear Analysis of Scalp EEG by Using Bispectra: The Effect of the Reference Choice

PubMed Central

Chella, Federico; D'Andrea, Antea; Basti, Alessio; Pizzella, Vittorio; Marzetti, Laura

2017-01-01

Bispectral analysis is a signal processing technique that makes it possible to capture the non-linear and non-Gaussian properties of the EEG signals. It has found various applications in EEG research and clinical practice, including the assessment of anesthetic depth, the identification of epileptic seizures, and more recently, the evaluation of non-linear cross-frequency brain functional connectivity. However, the validity and reliability of the indices drawn from bispectral analysis of EEG signals are potentially biased by the use of a non-neutral EEG reference. The present study aims at investigating the effects of the reference choice on the analysis of the non-linear features of EEG signals through bicoherence, as well as on the estimation of cross-frequency EEG connectivity through two different non-linear measures, i.e., the cross-bicoherence and the antisymmetric cross-bicoherence. To this end, four commonly used reference schemes were considered: the vertex electrode (Cz), the digitally linked mastoids, the average reference, and the Reference Electrode Standardization Technique (REST). The reference effects were assessed both in simulations and in a real EEG experiment. The simulations allowed to investigated: (i) the effects of the electrode density on the performance of the above references in the estimation of bispectral measures; and (ii) the effects of the head model accuracy in the performance of the REST. For real data, the EEG signals recorded from 10 subjects during eyes open resting state were examined, and the distortions induced by the reference choice in the patterns of alpha-beta bicoherence, cross-bicoherence, and antisymmetric cross-bicoherence were assessed. The results showed significant differences in the findings depending on the chosen reference, with the REST providing superior performance than all the other references in approximating the ideal neutral reference. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of considering the effects of the reference choice in the interpretation and comparison of the results of bispectral analysis of scalp EEG. PMID:28559790

Cerebral Blood Flow during Rest Associates with General Intelligence and Creativity

PubMed Central

Takeuchi, Hikaru; Taki, Yasuyuki; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Sassa, Yuko; Nagase, Tomomi; Nouchi, Rui; Kawashima, Ryuta

2011-01-01

Recently, much scientific attention has been focused on resting brain activity and its investigation through such methods as the analysis of functional connectivity during rest (the temporal correlation of brain activities in different regions). However, investigation of the magnitude of brain activity during rest has focused on the relative decrease of brain activity during a task, rather than on the absolute resting brain activity. It is thus necessary to investigate the association between cognitive factors and measures of absolute resting brain activity, such as cerebral blood flow (CBF), during rest (rest-CBF). In this study, we examined this association using multiple regression analyses. Rest-CBF was the dependent variable and the independent variables included two essential components of cognitive functions, psychometric general intelligence and creativity. CBF was measured using arterial spin labeling and there were three analyses for rest-CBF; namely mean gray matter rest-CBF, mean white matter rest-CBF, and regional rest-CBF. The results showed that mean gray and white matter rest-CBF were significantly and positively correlated with individual psychometric intelligence. Furthermore, mean white matter rest-CBF was significantly and positively correlated with creativity. After correcting the effect of mean gray matter rest-CBF the significant and positive correlation between regional rest-CBF in the perisylvian anatomical cluster that includes the left superior temporal gyrus and insula and individual psychometric intelligence was found. Also, regional rest-CBF in the precuneus was significantly and negatively correlated with individual creativity. Significance of these results of regional rest-CBF did not change when the effect of regional gray matter density was corrected. The findings showed mean and regional rest-CBF in healthy young subjects to be correlated with cognitive functions. The findings also suggest that, even in young cognitively intact subjects, resting brain activity (possibly underlain by default cognitive activity or metabolic demand from developed brain structures) is associated with cognitive functions. PMID:21980485

Comparing Features for Classification of MEG Responses to Motor Imagery

PubMed Central

Halme, Hanna-Leena; Parkkonen, Lauri

2016-01-01

Background Motor imagery (MI) with real-time neurofeedback could be a viable approach, e.g., in rehabilitation of cerebral stroke. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) noninvasively measures electric brain activity at high temporal resolution and is well-suited for recording oscillatory brain signals. MI is known to modulate 10- and 20-Hz oscillations in the somatomotor system. In order to provide accurate feedback to the subject, the most relevant MI-related features should be extracted from MEG data. In this study, we evaluated several MEG signal features for discriminating between left- and right-hand MI and between MI and rest. Methods MEG was measured from nine healthy participants imagining either left- or right-hand finger tapping according to visual cues. Data preprocessing, feature extraction and classification were performed offline. The evaluated MI-related features were power spectral density (PSD), Morlet wavelets, short-time Fourier transform (STFT), common spatial patterns (CSP), filter-bank common spatial patterns (FBCSP), spatio—spectral decomposition (SSD), and combined SSD+CSP, CSP+PSD, CSP+Morlet, and CSP+STFT. We also compared four classifiers applied to single trials using 5-fold cross-validation for evaluating the classification accuracy and its possible dependence on the classification algorithm. In addition, we estimated the inter-session left-vs-right accuracy for each subject. Results The SSD+CSP combination yielded the best accuracy in both left-vs-right (mean 73.7%) and MI-vs-rest (mean 81.3%) classification. CSP+Morlet yielded the best mean accuracy in inter-session left-vs-right classification (mean 69.1%). There were large inter-subject differences in classification accuracy, and the level of the 20-Hz suppression correlated significantly with the subjective MI-vs-rest accuracy. Selection of the classification algorithm had only a minor effect on the results. Conclusions We obtained good accuracy in sensor-level decoding of MI from single-trial MEG data. Feature extraction methods utilizing both the spatial and spectral profile of MI-related signals provided the best classification results, suggesting good performance of these methods in an online MEG neurofeedback system. PMID:27992574

Age Is Associated with Reduced Sharp-Wave Ripple Frequency and Altered Patterns of Neuronal Variability

PubMed Central

Wiegand, Jean-Paul L.; Gray, Daniel T.; Schimanski, Lesley A.; Lipa, Peter; Barnes, C. A.

2016-01-01

Spatial and episodic memory performance declines with age, and the neural basis for this decline is not well understood. Sharp-wave ripples are brief (∼70 ms) high-frequency oscillatory events generated in the hippocampus and are associated with the consolidation of spatial memories. Given the connection between ripple oscillations and memory consolidation, we investigated whether the structure of ripple oscillations and ripple-triggered patterns of single-unit activity are altered in aged rats. Local field and single-unit activity surrounding sharp-wave ripple events were examined in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of old (n = 5) and young (n = 6) F344 rats during periods of rest preceding and following performance on a place-dependent eyeblink-conditioning task. Neural responses in aged rats differed from responses in young rats in several ways. First, compared with young rats, the rate of ripple occurrence (ripple density) is reduced in aged rats during postbehavior rest. Second, mean ripple frequency during prebehavior and postbehavior rest is lower in aged animals (aged: 132 Hz; young: 146 Hz). Third, single neurons in aged animals responded more consistently from ripple to ripple. Fourth, variability in interspike intervals was greater in aged rats. Finally, neurons were tuned to a narrower range of phases of the ripple oscillation relative to young animals. Together, these results suggest that the CA1 network in aged animals has a reduced “vocabulary” of available representational states. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The hippocampus is a structure that is critical for the formation of episodic memories. Sharp-wave ripple events generated in the hippocampus have been implicated in memory consolidation processes critical to memory stabilization. We examine here whether these ripple oscillations are altered over the course of the life span, which could contribute to hippocampus-dependent memory deficits that occur during aging. This experiment used young and aged memory-impaired rats to examine age-related changes in ripple architecture, ripple-triggered spike variance, and spike-phase coherence. We found that there are, indeed, significant changes in characteristics of ripples in older animals that could impact consolidation processes and memory stabilization in the aged brain. PMID:27194342

Local activity determines functional connectivity in the resting human brain: a simultaneous FDG-PET/fMRI study.

PubMed

Riedl, Valentin; Bienkowska, Katarzyna; Strobel, Carola; Tahmasian, Masoud; Grimmer, Timo; Förster, Stefan; Friston, Karl J; Sorg, Christian; Drzezga, Alexander

2014-04-30

Over the last decade, synchronized resting-state fluctuations of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals between remote brain areas [so-called BOLD resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC)] have gained enormous relevance in systems and clinical neuroscience. However, the neural underpinnings of rs-FC are still incompletely understood. Using simultaneous positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging we here directly investigated the relationship between rs-FC and local neuronal activity in humans. Computational models suggest a mechanistic link between the dynamics of local neuronal activity and the functional coupling among distributed brain regions. Therefore, we hypothesized that the local activity (LA) of a region at rest determines its rs-FC. To test this hypothesis, we simultaneously measured both LA (glucose metabolism) and rs-FC (via synchronized BOLD fluctuations) during conditions of eyes closed or eyes open. During eyes open, LA increased in the visual system, and the salience network (i.e., cingulate and insular cortices) and the pattern of elevated LA coincided almost exactly with the spatial pattern of increased rs-FC. Specifically, the voxelwise regional profile of LA in these areas strongly correlated with the regional pattern of rs-FC among the same regions (e.g., LA in primary visual cortex accounts for ∼ 50%, and LA in anterior cingulate accounts for ∼ 20% of rs-FC with the visual system). These data provide the first direct evidence in humans that local neuronal activity determines BOLD FC at rest. Beyond its relevance for the neuronal basis of coherent BOLD signal fluctuations, our procedure may translate into clinical research particularly to investigate potentially aberrant links between local dynamics and remote functional coupling in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders.

Parkinson's disease: increased motor network activity in the absence of movement.

PubMed

Ko, Ji Hyun; Mure, Hideo; Tang, Chris C; Ma, Yilong; Dhawan, Vijay; Spetsieris, Phoebe; Eidelberg, David

2013-03-06

We used a network approach to assess systems-level abnormalities in motor activation in humans with Parkinson's disease (PD). This was done by measuring the expression of the normal movement-related activation pattern (NMRP), a previously validated activation network deployed by healthy subjects during motor performance. In this study, NMRP expression was prospectively quantified in (15)O-water PET scans from a PD patient cohort comprised of a longitudinal early-stage group (n = 12) scanned at baseline and at two or three follow-up visits two years apart, and a moderately advanced group scanned on and off treatment with either subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (n = 14) or intravenous levodopa infusion (n = 14). For each subject and condition, we measured NMRP expression during both movement and rest. Resting expression of the abnormal PD-related metabolic covariance pattern was likewise determined in the same subjects. NMRP expression was abnormally elevated (p < 0.001) in PD patients scanned in the nonmovement rest state. By contrast, network activity measured during movement did not differ from normal (p = 0.34). In the longitudinal cohort, abnormal increases in resting NMRP expression were evident at the earliest clinical stages (p < 0.05), which progressed significantly over time (p = 0.003). Analogous network changes were present at baseline in the treatment cohort (p = 0.001). These abnormalities improved with subthalamic nucleus stimulation (p < 0.005) but not levodopa (p = 0.25). In both cohorts, the changes in NMRP expression that were observed did not correlate with concurrent PD-related metabolic covariance pattern measurements (p > 0.22). Thus, the resting state in PD is characterized by changes in the activity of normal as well as pathological brain networks.

Increased power spectral density in resting-state pain-related brain networks in fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Kim, Ji-Young; Kim, Seong-Ho; Seo, Jeehye; Kim, Sang-Hyon; Han, Seung Woo; Nam, Eon Jeong; Kim, Seong-Kyu; Lee, Hui Joong; Lee, Seung-Jae; Kim, Yang-Tae; Chang, Yongmin

2013-09-01

Fibromyalgia (FM), characterized by chronic widespread pain, is known to be associated with heightened responses to painful stimuli and atypical resting-state functional connectivity among pain-related regions of the brain. Previous studies of FM using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) have focused on intrinsic functional connectivity, which maps the spatial distribution of temporal correlations among spontaneous low-frequency fluctuation in functional MRI (fMRI) resting-state data. In the current study, using rs-fMRI data in the frequency domain, we investigated the possible alteration of power spectral density (PSD) of low-frequency fluctuation in brain regions associated with central pain processing in patients with FM. rsfMRI data were obtained from 19 patients with FM and 20 age-matched healthy female control subjects. For each subject, the PSDs for each brain region identified from functional connectivity maps were computed for the frequency band of 0.01 to 0.25 Hz. For each group, the average PSD was determined for each brain region and a 2-sample t test was performed to determine the difference in power between the 2 groups. According to the results, patients with FM exhibited significantly increased frequency power in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), supplementary motor area (SMA), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. In patients with FM, the increase in PSD did not show an association with depression or anxiety. Therefore, our findings of atypical increased frequency power during the resting state in pain-related brain regions may implicate the enhanced resting-state baseline neural activity in several brain regions associated with pain processing in FM. Copyright © 2013 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compliance with dietary guidelines affects capillary recruitment in healthy middle-aged men and women.

PubMed

Govoni, Virginia; Sanders, Thomas A B; Reidlinger, Dianne P; Darzi, Julia; Berry, Sarah E E; Goff, Louise M; Seed, Paul T; Chowienczyk, Philip J; Hall, Wendy L

2017-04-01

Healthy microcirculation is important to maintain the health of tissues and organs, most notably the heart, kidney and retina. Single components of the diet such as salt, lipids and polyphenols may influence microcirculation, but the effects of dietary patterns that are consistent with current dietary guidelines are uncertain. It was hypothesized that compliance to UK dietary guidelines would have a favourable effect on skin capillary density/recruitment compared with a traditional British diet (control diet). A 12-week randomized controlled trial in men and women aged 40-70 years was used to test whether skin microcirculation, measured by skin video-capillaroscopy on the dorsum of the finger, influenced functional capillary density (number of capillaries perfused under basal conditions), structural capillary density (number of anatomical capillaries perfused during finger cuff inflation) and capillary recruitment (percentage difference between structural and functional capillary density). Microvascular measures were available for 137 subjects out of the 165 participants randomized to treatment. There was evidence of compliance to the dietary intervention, and participants randomized to follow dietary guidelines showed significant falls in resting supine systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure of 3.5, 2.6 and 2.9 mmHg compared to the control diet. There was no evidence of differences in capillary density, but capillary recruitment was 3.5 % (95 % CI 0.2, 6.9) greater (P = 0.04) on dietary guidelines compared with control. Adherence to dietary guidelines may help maintain a healthy microcirculation in middle-aged men and women. This study is registered at www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN92382106.

Cancer patterns in Inuit Nunangat: 1998–2007

PubMed Central

Carrière, Gisèle M.; Tjepkema, Michael; Pennock, Jennifer; Goedhuis, Neil

2012-01-01

Objectives To compare cancer incidence patterns between residents of Inuit Nunangat and the rest of Canada. Study design Cancer cases were geographically linked to either Inuit Nunangat or the rest of Canada using postal codes or other geographic information. Population estimates were derived from the 2001 and 2006 censuses. Methods Cancer cases were combined from 1998 to 2007 for Inuit Nunangat and the rest of Canada. Age-standardised incidence rates were calculated for all site cancers and sub-sites by sex. Standardised rate ratios between these 2 areas were calculated for all site cancers and sub-sites. Results The age-standardised incidence rate for all cancer sites (1998–2007) was 14% lower for the Inuit Nunangat male population and 29% higher for the female population by comparison to the rest of Canada. Cancers of the nasopharynx, lung and bronchus, colorectal, stomach (males), and kidney and renal pelvis (females), were elevated in the Inuit Nunangat population compared to the rest of Canada, whereas prostate and female breast cancers were lower in the Inuit Nunangat population. Conclusions Cancers with potentially modifiable risk factors, such as buccal cavity and pharynx, nasopharynx, lung and bronchus, and colorectal cancer were elevated in the Inuit Nunangat population compared to the rest of Canada. Besides greater smoking prevalence within Inuit Nunangat by comparison to the rest of Canada, distinct socioeconomic characteristics between respective area populations including housing, and income may have contributed to incidence differentials. This study demonstrated that a geographic approach can be used in cancer surveillance when populations of interest are spatially distinguishable, and reside across distinct jurisdictions whose combined cancer registries will not completely provide information to identify the population of interest. PMID:22663938

Functional significance of the pattern of renal sympathetic nerve activation.

PubMed

Dibona, G F; Sawin, L L

1999-08-01

To assess the renal functional significance of the pattern of renal sympathetic nerve activation, computer-generated stimulus patterns (delivered at constant integrated voltage) were applied to the decentralized renal sympathetic nerve bundle and renal hemodynamic and excretory responses determined in anesthetized rats. When delivered at the same integrated voltage, stimulus patterns resembling those observed in in vivo multifiber recordings of renal sympathetic nerve activity (diamond-wave patterns) produced greater renal vasoconstrictor responses than conventional square-wave patterns. Within diamond-wave patterns, increasing integrated voltage by increasing amplitude produced twofold greater renal vasoconstrictor responses than by increasing duration. With similar integrated voltages that were subthreshold for renal vasoconstriction, neither diamond- nor square-wave pattern altered glomerular filtration rate, whereas diamond- but not square-wave pattern reversibly decreased urinary sodium excretion by 25 +/- 3%. At the same number of pulses per second, intermittent stimulation produced faster and greater renal vasoconstriction than continuous stimulation. At the same number of pulses per second, increases in rest period during intermittent stimulation proportionally augmented the renal vasoconstrictor response compared with that observed with continuous stimulation; the maximum augmentation of 55% occurred at a rest period of 500 ms. These results indicate that the pattern of renal sympathetic nerve stimulation (activity) significantly influences the rapidity, magnitude, and selectivity of the renal vascular and tubular responses.

Changes in hydraulic conductivity, mechanical properties, and density reflecting the fall in strain along the lateral roots of two species of tropical trees.

PubMed

Christensen-Dalsgaard, Karen K; Ennos, Anthony R; Fournier, Meriem

2007-01-01

Roots have been described as having larger vessels and so greater hydraulic efficiency than the stem. Differences in the strength and stiffness of the tissue within the root system itself are thought to be an adaptation to the loading conditions experienced by the roots and to be related to differences in density. It is not known how potential mechanical adaptations may affect the hydraulic properties of the roots. The change in strength, stiffness, conductivity, density, sapwood area, and second moment of area distally along the lateral roots of two tropical tree species in which the strain is known to decrease rapidly was studied and the values were compared with those of the trunk. It was found that as the strain fell distally along the roots, so did the strength and stiffness of the tissue, whereas the conductivity increased exponentially. These changes appeared to be related to differences in density. In contrast to the distal-most roots, the tissue of the proximal roots had a lower conductivity and higher strength than that of the trunk. This suggests that mechanical requirements on the structure rather than the water potential gradient from roots to branches are responsible for the general pattern that roots have larger vessels than the stem. In spite of their increased transectional area, the buttressed proximal roots were subjected to higher levels of stress and had a lower total conductivity than the rest of the root system.

Task vs. rest—different network configurations between the coactivation and the resting-state brain networks

PubMed Central

Di, Xin; Gohel, Suril; Kim, Eun H.; Biswal, Bharat B.

2013-01-01

There is a growing interest in studies of human brain networks using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, it is unclear whether and how brain networks measured during the resting-state exhibit comparable properties to brain networks during task performance. In the present study, we investigated meta-analytic coactivation patterns among brain regions based upon published neuroimaging studies, and compared the coactivation network configurations with those in the resting-state network. The strength of resting-state functional connectivity between two regions were strongly correlated with the coactivation strength. However, the coactivation network showed greater global efficiency, smaller mean clustering coefficient, and lower modularity compared with the resting-state network, which suggest a more efficient global information transmission and between system integrations during task performing. Hub shifts were also observed within the thalamus and the left inferior temporal cortex. The thalamus and the left inferior temporal cortex exhibited higher and lower degrees, respectively in the coactivation network compared with the resting-state network. These results shed light regarding the reconfiguration of the brain networks between task and resting-state conditions, and highlight the role of the thalamus in change of network configurations in task vs. rest. PMID:24062654

Nutritional Status and Daytime Pattern of Protein Intake on Match, Post-Match, Rest and Training Days in Senior Professional and Youth Elite Soccer Players.

PubMed

Bettonviel A, E O; Brinkmans N, Y J; Russcher, Kris; Wardenaar, Floris C; Witard, Oliver C

2016-06-01

The nutritional status of elite soccer players across match, postmatch, training and rest days has not been defined. Recent evidence suggests the pattern of dietary protein intake impacts the daytime turnover of muscle proteins and, as such, influences muscle recovery. We assessed the nutritional status and daytime pattern of protein intake in senior professional and elite youth soccer players and compared findings against published recommendations. Fourteen senior professional (SP) and 15 youth elite (YP) soccer players from the Dutch premier division completed nutritional assessments using a 24-hr web-based recall method. Recall days consisted of a match, postmatch, rest, and training day. Daily energy intake over the 4-day period was similar between SP (2988 ± 583 kcal/day) and YP (2938 ± 465 kcal/day; p = .800). Carbohydrate intake over the combined 4-day period was lower in SP (4.7 ± 0.7 g·kg-1 BM·day-1) vs. YP (6.0 ± 1.5 g·kg-1 BM·day-1, p = .006) and SP failed to meet recommended carbohydrate intakes on match and training days. Conversely, recommended protein intakes were met for SP (1.9 ± 0.3 g·kg-1 BM·day-1) and YP (1.7 ± 0.4 g·kg-1 BM·day-1), with no differences between groups (p = .286). Accordingly, both groups met or exceeded recommended daily protein intakes on individual match, postmatch, rest and training days. A similar "balanced" daytime pattern of protein intake was observed in SP and YP. To conclude, SP increased protein intake on match and training days to a greater extent than YP, however at the expense of carbohydrate intake. The daytime distribution of protein intake for YP and SP aligned with current recommendations of a balanced protein meal pattern.

Variation in foraging behavior and body mass in broods of Emperor Geese (Chen canagica): Evidence for interspecific density dependence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmutz, J.A.; Laing, K.K.

2002-01-01

Broods of geese spend time feeding according to availability and quality of food plants, subject to inherent foraging and digestive constraints. We studied behavioral patterns of broods of Emperor Geese (Chen canagica) on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, and examined how feeding and alert behavior varied in relation to habitat and goose density. During 1994–1996, time spent feeding by Emperor Goose goslings and adult females was positively related to multispecies goose densities near observation blinds, and not to just Emperor Goose density. Similarly, body mass of Emperor Goose goslings was more strongly related (negatively) to multispecies goose densities than intraspecific densities. A grazing experiment in 1995 indicated that most above ground primary production by Carex subspathacea, a preferred food plant, was consumed by grazing geese. Those results demonstrate that interspecific competition for food occurred, with greatest support for goslings whose behavioral repertoire is limited primarily to feeding, digesting, and resting. Although the more abundant Cackling Canada Geese (Branta canadensis minima) differed from Emperor Geese in their preferred use of habitats during brooding rearing (Schmutz 2001), the two species occurred in equal abundance in habitats preferred by Emperor Goose broods. Thus, Cackling Canada Geese were a numerically significant competitor with Emperor Geese. Comparing these results to an earlier study, time spent feeding by goslings, adult females, and adult males were greater during 1993–1996 than during 1985–1986. During the interval between those studies, densities of Cackling Canada Geese increased two to three times whereas Emperor Goose numbers remained approximately stable, which implies that interspecific competition affected foraging behavior over a long time period. These density-dependent changes in foraging behavior and body mass indicate that interspecific competition affects nutrient acquisition and gosling growth, which has a demonstrated effect (Schmutz 1993) on juvenile survival of Emperor Geese. Management of Emperor Geese should consider interspecific relations and densities of all goose species occurring on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.

Dairy farmers using mob grazing in Pennsylvania and New York

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proponents of ultra-high stocking density grazing emphasize increased forage use efficiency and soil improvement by grazing mature forage with stocking densities up to 500,000 lb per acre of beef cattle on small paddocks with rest periods up to 180 days. However, it is unclear if this management tec...

Impact of zoo visitors on the fecal cortisol levels and behavior of an endangered species: Indian blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra L.).

PubMed

Rajagopal, Thangavel; Archunan, Govindaraju; Sekar, Mahadevan

2011-01-01

This study investigated behavioral activities (resting, moving, aggressive, social, and reproductive behavior) and fecal cortisol levels in 8 individually identified adult male blackbucks during periods of varying levels of zoo visitors (zero, low, high, and extremely high zoo visitor density). This study also elucidated whether zoo visitor density could disturb nonhuman animal welfare. This study analyzed fecal cortisol from the samples of blackbuck by radioimmunoassay and found significant differences (p < .05) for time the animals devoted to moving, resting, aggressive, reproductive, and social behavior on days with high and extremely high levels of zoo visitors. The ANOVA with Duncan's Multiple Range Test test showed that the fecal cortisol concentration was higher (p < .05) during the extremely high (137.30 ± 5.88 ng/g dry feces) and high (113.51 ± 3.70 ng/g dry feces) levels of zoo visitor density. The results of the study suggest that zoo visitor density affected behavior and adrenocortical secretion in Indian Blackbuck, and this may indicate an animal welfare problem.

The Health of Competitive Fitness Athletes

ClinicalTrials.gov

2018-03-28

Resting Metabolic Rate; Bone Mineral Density, Low, Susceptibility to; Body Image; Perfectionism; Depression; Eating Disorder; Exercise-Related Amenorrhea; Exercise Addiction; Binge Eating; Dietary Amenorrhea; Dietary Deficiency

Deriving frequency-dependent spatial patterns in MEG-derived resting state sensorimotor network: A novel multiband ICA technique.

PubMed

Nugent, Allison C; Luber, Bruce; Carver, Frederick W; Robinson, Stephen E; Coppola, Richard; Zarate, Carlos A

2017-02-01

Recently, independent components analysis (ICA) of resting state magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings has revealed resting state networks (RSNs) that exhibit fluctuations of band-limited power envelopes. Most of the work in this area has concentrated on networks derived from the power envelope of beta bandpass-filtered data. Although research has demonstrated that most networks show maximal correlation in the beta band, little is known about how spatial patterns of correlations may differ across frequencies. This study analyzed MEG data from 18 healthy subjects to determine if the spatial patterns of RSNs differed between delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma, and high gamma frequency bands. To validate our method, we focused on the sensorimotor network, which is well-characterized and robust in both MEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) resting state data. Synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM) was used to project signals into anatomical source space separately in each band before a group temporal ICA was performed over all subjects and bands. This method preserved the inherent correlation structure of the data and reflected connectivity derived from single-band ICA, but also allowed identification of spatial spectral modes that are consistent across subjects. The implications of these results on our understanding of sensorimotor function are discussed, as are the potential applications of this technique. Hum Brain Mapp 38:779-791, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Probing Intrinsic Resting-State Networks in the Infant Rat Brain

PubMed Central

Bajic, Dusica; Craig, Michael M.; Borsook, David; Becerra, Lino

2016-01-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) measures spontaneous fluctuations in blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the absence of external stimuli. It has become a powerful tool for mapping large-scale brain networks in humans and animal models. Several rs-fMRI studies have been conducted in anesthetized and awake adult rats, reporting consistent patterns of brain activity at the systems level. However, the evolution to adult patterns of resting-state activity has not yet been evaluated and quantified in the developing rat brain. In this study, we hypothesized that large-scale intrinsic networks would be easily detectable but not fully established as specific patterns of activity in lightly anesthetized 2-week-old rats (N = 11). Independent component analysis (ICA) identified 8 networks in 2-week-old-rats. These included Default mode, Sensory (Exteroceptive), Salience (Interoceptive), Basal Ganglia-Thalamic-Hippocampal, Basal Ganglia, Autonomic, Cerebellar, as well as Thalamic-Brainstem networks. Many of these networks consisted of more than one component, possibly indicative of immature, underdeveloped networks at this early time point. Except for the Autonomic network, infant rat networks showed reduced connectivity with subcortical structures in comparison to previously published adult networks. Reported slow fluctuations in the BOLD signal that correspond to functionally relevant resting-state networks in 2-week-old rats can serve as an important tool for future studies of brain development in the settings of different pharmacological applications or disease. PMID:27803653

Automated electroencephalography system and electroencephalographic correlates of space motion sickness, part 2. [sleep characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frost, J. D., Jr.

1976-01-01

Sleep pattern alterations were detected in two subjects by electroencephalographic, electrographic, and electromyographic monitoring before, during and after a 28 day bed rest. Standardized criteria were used for data analysis. During the second half of the bed-rest period, sleep latency and stage 3 increased, while total sleep time, stage 2, and REM latency decreased. In addition, during bed rest both subjects showed an increase in the number of REM periods and a slight increase in stage REM amount. No major alterations were seen in the recovery period. Of the alterations found to be associated with bed rest, only one, the increase in stage 3 sleep, was also seen consistently during Skylab. Conversely, none of the postflight changes seen following Skylab were observed during the post-bed-rest recovery period.

Multiple degree of freedom optical pattern recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casasent, D.

1987-01-01

Three general optical approaches to multiple degree of freedom object pattern recognition (where no stable object rest position exists) are advanced. These techniques include: feature extraction, correlation, and artificial intelligence. The details of the various processors are advanced together with initial results.

Demonstrating Test-Retest Reliability of Electrophysiological Measures for Healthy Adults in a Multisite Study of Biomarkers of Antidepressant Treatment Response

PubMed Central

Tenke, Craig E.; Kayser, Jürgen; Pechtel, Pia; Webb, Christian A.; Dillon, Daniel G.; Goer, Franziska; Murray, Laura; Deldin, Patricia; Kurian, Benji T.; McGrath, Patrick J.; Parsey, Ramin; Trivedi, Madhukar; Fava, Maurizio; Weissman, Myrna M.; McInnis, Melvin; Abraham, Karen; Alvarenga, Jorge; Alschuler, Daniel M.; Cooper, Crystal; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Bruder, Gerard E.

2016-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that loudness dependency of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) and resting EEG alpha and theta may be biological markers for predicting response to antidepressants. In spite of this promise, little is known about the joint reliability of these markers, and thus their clinical applicability. New, standardized procedures were developed to improve the compatibility of data acquired with different EEG platforms, and used to examine test-retest reliability for the three electrophysiological measures selected for a multisite project—Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response for Clinical Care (EMBARC). Thirty nine healthy controls across four clinical research sites were tested in two sessions separated by about one week. Resting EEG (eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions) was recorded and LDAEP measured using binaural tones (1000 Hz, 40 ms) at five intensities (60–100 dB SPL). Principal components analysis (PCA) of current source density (CSD) waveforms reduced volume conduction and provided reference-free measures of resting EEG alpha and N1 dipole activity to tones from auditory cortex. Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA) extracted resting theta current density measures corresponding to rostral anterior cingulate (rACC), which has been implicated in treatment response. There were no significant differences in posterior alpha, N1 dipole or rACC theta across sessions. Test-retest reliability was .84 for alpha, .87 for N1 dipole, and .70 for theta rACC current density. The demonstration of good-to-excellent reliability for these measures provides a template for future EEG/ERP studies from multiple testing sites, and an important step for evaluating them as biomarkers for predicting treatment response. PMID:28000259

Neural Correlates of Three Promising Endophenotypes of Depression: Evidence from the EMBARC Study

PubMed Central

Webb, Christian A; Dillon, Daniel G; Pechtel, Pia; Goer, Franziska K; Murray, Laura; Huys, Quentin JM; Fava, Maurizio; McGrath, Patrick J; Weissman, Myrna; Parsey, Ramin; Kurian, Benji T; Adams, Phillip; Weyandt, Sarah; Trombello, Joseph M; Grannemann, Bruce; Cooper, Crystal M; Deldin, Patricia; Tenke, Craig; Trivedi, Madhukar; Bruder, Gerard; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2016-01-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is clinically, and likely pathophysiologically, heterogeneous. A potentially fruitful approach to parsing this heterogeneity is to focus on promising endophenotypes. Guided by the NIMH Research Domain Criteria initiative, we used source localization of scalp-recorded EEG resting data to examine the neural correlates of three emerging endophenotypes of depression: neuroticism, blunted reward learning, and cognitive control deficits. Data were drawn from the ongoing multi-site EMBARC study. We estimated intracranial current density for standard EEG frequency bands in 82 unmedicated adults with MDD, using Low-Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography. Region-of-interest and whole-brain analyses tested associations between resting state EEG current density and endophenotypes of interest. Neuroticism was associated with increased resting gamma (36.5–44 Hz) current density in the ventral (subgenual) anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). In contrast, reduced cognitive control correlated with decreased gamma activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), decreased theta (6.5–8 Hz) and alpha2 (10.5–12 Hz) activity in the dorsal ACC, and increased alpha2 activity in the right dlPFC. Finally, blunted reward learning correlated with lower OFC and left dlPFC gamma activity. Computational modeling of trial-by-trial reinforcement learning further indicated that lower OFC gamma activity was linked to reduced reward sensitivity. Three putative endophenotypes of depression were found to have partially dissociable resting intracranial EEG correlates, reflecting different underlying neural dysfunctions. Overall, these findings highlight the need to parse the heterogeneity of MDD by focusing on promising endophenotypes linked to specific pathophysiological abnormalities. PMID:26068725

Demonstrating test-retest reliability of electrophysiological measures for healthy adults in a multisite study of biomarkers of antidepressant treatment response.

PubMed

Tenke, Craig E; Kayser, Jürgen; Pechtel, Pia; Webb, Christian A; Dillon, Daniel G; Goer, Franziska; Murray, Laura; Deldin, Patricia; Kurian, Benji T; McGrath, Patrick J; Parsey, Ramin; Trivedi, Madhukar; Fava, Maurizio; Weissman, Myrna M; McInnis, Melvin; Abraham, Karen; E Alvarenga, Jorge; Alschuler, Daniel M; Cooper, Crystal; Pizzagalli, Diego A; Bruder, Gerard E

2017-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that loudness dependency of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) and resting EEG alpha and theta may be biological markers for predicting response to antidepressants. In spite of this promise, little is known about the joint reliability of these markers, and thus their clinical applicability. New standardized procedures were developed to improve the compatibility of data acquired with different EEG platforms, and used to examine test-retest reliability for the three electrophysiological measures selected for a multisite project-Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response for Clinical Care (EMBARC). Thirty-nine healthy controls across four clinical research sites were tested in two sessions separated by about 1 week. Resting EEG (eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions) was recorded and LDAEP measured using binaural tones (1000 Hz, 40 ms) at five intensities (60-100 dB SPL). Principal components analysis of current source density waveforms reduced volume conduction and provided reference-free measures of resting EEG alpha and N1 dipole activity to tones from auditory cortex. Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) extracted resting theta current density measures corresponding to rostral anterior cingulate (rACC), which has been implicated in treatment response. There were no significant differences in posterior alpha, N1 dipole, or rACC theta across sessions. Test-retest reliability was .84 for alpha, .87 for N1 dipole, and .70 for theta rACC current density. The demonstration of good-to-excellent reliability for these measures provides a template for future EEG/ERP studies from multiple testing sites, and an important step for evaluating them as biomarkers for predicting treatment response. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Intrinsic Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Human Spinal Cord at 3.0 T.

PubMed

San Emeterio Nateras, Oscar; Yu, Fang; Muir, Eric R; Bazan, Carlos; Franklin, Crystal G; Li, Wei; Li, Jinqi; Lancaster, Jack L; Duong, Timothy Q

2016-04-01

To apply resting-state functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to map functional connectivity of the human spinal cord. Studies were performed in nine self-declared healthy volunteers with informed consent and institutional review board approval. Resting-state functional MR imaging was performed to map functional connectivity of the human cervical spinal cord from C1 to C4 at 1 × 1 × 3-mm resolution with a 3.0-T clinical MR imaging unit. Independent component analysis (ICA) was performed to derive resting-state functional MR imaging z-score maps rendered on two-dimensional and three-dimensional images. Seed-based analysis was performed for cross validation with ICA networks by using Pearson correlation. Reproducibility analysis of resting-state functional MR imaging maps from four repeated trials in a single participant yielded a mean z score of 6 ± 1 (P < .0001). The centroid coordinates across the four trials deviated by 2 in-plane voxels ± 2 mm (standard deviation) and up to one adjacent image section ± 3 mm. ICA of group resting-state functional MR imaging data revealed prominent functional connectivity patterns within the spinal cord gray matter. There were statistically significant (z score > 3, P < .001) bilateral, unilateral, and intersegmental correlations in the ventral horns, dorsal horns, and central spinal cord gray matter. Three-dimensional surface rendering provided visualization of these components along the length of the spinal cord. Seed-based analysis showed that many ICA components exhibited strong and significant (P < .05) correlations, corroborating the ICA results. Resting-state functional MR imaging connectivity networks are qualitatively consistent with known neuroanatomic and functional structures in the spinal cord. Resting-state functional MR imaging of the human cervical spinal cord with a 3.0-T clinical MR imaging unit and standard MR imaging protocols and hardware reveals prominent functional connectivity patterns within the spinal cord gray matter, consistent with known functional and anatomic layouts of the spinal cord.

[Dietary patterns in college freshmen and its relation to bone mineral density].

PubMed

Wang, Sufang; Mu, Min; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Xiaoqin; Shu, Long; Li, Qingyan; Li, Yingchun

2012-07-01

In order to investigate the bone density of freshmen, and to analyze the association between dietary pattern and bone mineral density (BMD). A questionnaire survey on the situation of dietary pattern was conducted in 1414 freshmen. Effective dietary survey questionnaires and bone mineral density measurements were completed for 1319 participants. Bone mass was assessed by using an Ultrasound Bone Densitometer on the right calcaneus (CM-200, Furuno Electric Corporation, Japan), and the speed of sound (SOS, m/s) was used as an indicator for bone density. Factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to identify the dietary patterns. After adjusting for confounders, covariance with Bonferroni's was used to further examine the associations between dietary patterns and bone mineral density (BMD). (1) Four major dietary patterns were noticed. Western food pattern (high consumption in hamburger, fried food, nuts, biscuit, chocolate, cola, coffee, sugars). Animal protein pattern (high consumption in pork, mutton, beef, poultry meat, animal liver). Calcium pattern (high consumption in fresh fruits, eggs, fish and shrimps, kelp laver and sea fish, milk and dairy products, beans and bean products). Traditional Chinese pattern (high consumption in rice and grain, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, pork). (2) No association was observed between the western food pattern and bone mineral density. High animal protein pattern showed lower SOS value compared with low animal protein pattern. High calcium pattern showed higher SOS value compared with low calcium pattern. High traditional Chinese pattern showed higher SOS value compared with the low traditional Chinese pattern. Dietary patterns are closely related with bone mineral density (BMD) of freshmen.

Early changes in the distal intertarsal joint of Dutch Warmblood foals and the influence of exercise on bone density in the third tarsal bone.

PubMed

Barneveld, A; van Weeren, P R

1999-11-01

It was hypothesised that imposition of different exercise levels at a young age would lead to differences in bone density in the third tarsal bone and to difference in the prevalence of pathological lesions that might contribute to the development of bone spavin later in life. Furthermore, based on earlier literature, it was hypothesised that such lesions could be classified as a manifestation of osteochondrosis. Changes in bone density in the third tarsal bone and early pathological changes in the articular cartilage of the distal intertarsal joint were studied in the offspring of sires with radiographic evidence of osteochondrosis in either stifle or hock. Twenty-four foals were studied at age 5 months after having been subjected to different exercise programmes (box-rest, box-rest with sprint training, pasture exercise) from age one week. Nineteen other foals that originally belonged to the same exercise groups were studied at age 11 months, after they had been weaned, housed together and subjected to an identical low level exercise regimen for an additional 6 months. Bone density was quantified using a microscopic technique. Histomorphological analysis was performed semiquantitatively and using high detail radiography techniques. At age 5 months, mean +/- s.d. bone density in the compact bone of the third tarsal bone was significantly lower in the box-rested foals (37 +/- 4%) than in both the trained and pastured foals (48 +/- 7% and 52 +/- 11%, respectively). After 6 months of identical exercise the previously box-rested foals showed an increase in bone density (53 +/- 12%) which became similar to the value found in the formerly pastured foals (52 +/- 8%). Major pathological lesions (chondrocyte necrosis, fragmentation and chondrone formation) of the articular cartilage of the third and central tarsal bones were already present at age 5 months, but were significantly more numerous at 11 months. There was no relation between the number of cartilage lesions and the osteochondrosis status of the foals. Only 2 lesions in 11-month-old foals had histological characteristics compatible with osteochondrosis, all other lesions were degenerative in nature. It is concluded that bone density of the compact bone of the subchondral bone plate in the third tarsal bone reacts strongly to variations in exercise at a very young age. Low bone density, caused by lack of exercise, can be compensated for when exercise is later increased. Pathological changes in the distal intertarsal joint are common at 5 months and increase to 11 months. These lesions are degenerative in nature and seem not to be related to osteochondrosis. Although the clinical relevance of these abnormalities is uncertain, they may be relevant for the development of osteoarthritic processes in this region later in life.

Meta-analyses of habitat selection by fishers at resting sites in the Pacific coastal region

Treesearch

Keith B. Aubry; Catherine M. Raley; Steven W. Buskirk; William J. Zielinski; Michael K. Schwartz; Richard T. Golightly; Kathryn L. Purcell; Richard D. Weir; J. Scott Yaeger

2013-01-01

The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a species of conservation concern throughout the Pacific coastal region in North America. A number of radiotelemetry studies of habitat selection by fishers at resting sites have been conducted in this region, but the applicability of observed patterns beyond the boundaries of each study area is unknown. Broadly...

Resting state network topology of the ferret brain.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhe Charles; Salzwedel, Andrew P; Radtke-Schuller, Susanne; Li, Yuhui; Sellers, Kristin K; Gilmore, John H; Shih, Yen-Yu Ian; Fröhlich, Flavio; Gao, Wei

2016-12-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) has emerged as a versatile tool for non-invasive measurement of functional connectivity patterns in the brain. RsfMRI brain dynamics in rodents, non-human primates, and humans share similar properties; however, little is known about the resting state functional connectivity patterns in the ferret, an animal model with high potential for developmental and cognitive translational study. To address this knowledge-gap, we performed rsfMRI on anesthetized ferrets using a 9.4T MRI scanner, and subsequently performed group-level independent component analysis (gICA) to identify functionally connected brain networks. Group-level ICA analysis revealed distributed sensory, motor, and higher-order networks in the ferret brain. Subsequent connectivity analysis showed interconnected higher-order networks that constituted a putative default mode network (DMN), a network that exhibits altered connectivity in neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, we assessed ferret brain topological efficiency using graph theory analysis and found that the ferret brain exhibits small-world properties. Overall, these results provide additional evidence for pan-species resting-state networks, further supporting ferret-based studies of sensory and cognitive function. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trading shallow safety for deep sleep: Juvenile green turtles select deeper resting sites as they grow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, Kristen M.; White, Connor F.; Iverson, Autumn R.; Whitney, Nick

2016-01-01

To better protect endangered green sea turtles Chelonia mydas, a more thorough understanding of the behaviors of each life stage is needed. Although dive profile analyses obtained using time-depth loggers have provided some insights into habitat use, recent work has shown that more fine-scale monitoring of body movements is needed to elucidate physical activity patterns. We monitored 11 juvenile green sea turtles with tri-axial acceleration data loggers in their foraging grounds in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA, for periods ranging from 43 to 118 h (mean ± SD: 72.8 ± 27.3 h). Approximately half of the individuals (n = 5) remained in shallow (overall mean depth less than 2 m) water throughout the experiment, whereas the remaining individuals (n = 6) made excursions to deeper (4 to 27 m) waters, often at night. Despite these differences in depth use, acceleration data revealed a consistent pattern of diurnal activity and nocturnal resting in most individuals. Nocturnal depth differences thus do not appear to represent differences in behavior, but rather different strategies to achieve the same behavior: rest. We calculated overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA) to assess the relative energetic cost of each behavioral strategy in an attempt to explain the differences between them. Animals in deeper water experienced longer resting dives, more time resting per hour, and lower mean hourly ODBA. These results suggest that resting in deeper water provides energetic benefits that outweigh the costs of transiting to deep water and a potential increased risk of predation.

Stimulus-Elicited Connectivity Influences Resting-State Connectivity Years Later in Human Development: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Gabard-Durnam, Laurel Joy; Gee, Dylan Grace; Goff, Bonnie; Flannery, Jessica; Telzer, Eva; Humphreys, Kathryn Leigh; Lumian, Daniel Stephen; Fareri, Dominic Stephen; Caldera, Christina; Tottenham, Nim

2016-04-27

Although the functional architecture of the brain is indexed by resting-state connectivity networks, little is currently known about the mechanisms through which these networks assemble into stable mature patterns. The current study posits and tests the long-term phasic molding hypothesis that resting-state networks are gradually shaped by recurring stimulus-elicited connectivity across development by examining how both stimulus-elicited and resting-state functional connections of the human brain emerge over development at the systems level. Using a sequential design following 4- to 18-year-olds over a 2 year period, we examined the predictive associations between stimulus-elicited and resting-state connectivity in amygdala-cortical circuitry as an exemplar case (given this network's protracted development across these ages). Age-related changes in amygdala functional connectivity converged on the same regions of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and inferior frontal gyrus when elicited by emotional stimuli and when measured at rest. Consistent with the long-term phasic molding hypothesis, prospective analyses for both connections showed that the magnitude of an individual's stimulus-elicited connectivity unidirectionally predicted resting-state functional connectivity 2 years later. For the amygdala-mPFC connection, only stimulus-elicited connectivity during childhood and the transition to adolescence shaped future resting-state connectivity, consistent with a sensitive period ending with adolescence for the amygdala-mPFC circuit. Together, these findings suggest that resting-state functional architecture may arise from phasic patterns of functional connectivity elicited by environmental stimuli over the course of development on the order of years. A fundamental issue in understanding the ontogeny of brain function is how resting-state (intrinsic) functional networks emerge and relate to stimulus-elicited functional connectivity. Here, we posit and test the long-term phasic molding hypothesis that resting-state network development is influenced by recurring stimulus-elicited connectivity through prospective examination of the developing human amygdala-cortical functional connections. Our results provide critical insight into how early environmental events sculpt functional network architecture across development and highlight childhood as a potential developmental period of heightened malleability for the amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex circuit. These findings have implications for how both positive and adverse experiences influence the developing brain and motivate future investigations of whether this molding mechanism reflects a general phenomenon of brain development. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/364772-14$15.00/0.

Stimulus-Elicited Connectivity Influences Resting-State Connectivity Years Later in Human Development: A Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Gee, Dylan Grace; Goff, Bonnie; Flannery, Jessica; Telzer, Eva; Humphreys, Kathryn Leigh; Lumian, Daniel Stephen; Fareri, Dominic Stephen; Caldera, Christina; Tottenham, Nim

2016-01-01

Although the functional architecture of the brain is indexed by resting-state connectivity networks, little is currently known about the mechanisms through which these networks assemble into stable mature patterns. The current study posits and tests the long-term phasic molding hypothesis that resting-state networks are gradually shaped by recurring stimulus-elicited connectivity across development by examining how both stimulus-elicited and resting-state functional connections of the human brain emerge over development at the systems level. Using a sequential design following 4- to 18-year-olds over a 2 year period, we examined the predictive associations between stimulus-elicited and resting-state connectivity in amygdala-cortical circuitry as an exemplar case (given this network's protracted development across these ages). Age-related changes in amygdala functional connectivity converged on the same regions of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and inferior frontal gyrus when elicited by emotional stimuli and when measured at rest. Consistent with the long-term phasic molding hypothesis, prospective analyses for both connections showed that the magnitude of an individual's stimulus-elicited connectivity unidirectionally predicted resting-state functional connectivity 2 years later. For the amygdala-mPFC connection, only stimulus-elicited connectivity during childhood and the transition to adolescence shaped future resting-state connectivity, consistent with a sensitive period ending with adolescence for the amygdala-mPFC circuit. Together, these findings suggest that resting-state functional architecture may arise from phasic patterns of functional connectivity elicited by environmental stimuli over the course of development on the order of years. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A fundamental issue in understanding the ontogeny of brain function is how resting-state (intrinsic) functional networks emerge and relate to stimulus-elicited functional connectivity. Here, we posit and test the long-term phasic molding hypothesis that resting-state network development is influenced by recurring stimulus-elicited connectivity through prospective examination of the developing human amygdala-cortical functional connections. Our results provide critical insight into how early environmental events sculpt functional network architecture across development and highlight childhood as a potential developmental period of heightened malleability for the amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex circuit. These findings have implications for how both positive and adverse experiences influence the developing brain and motivate future investigations of whether this molding mechanism reflects a general phenomenon of brain development. PMID:27122035

EEG Brain Activity in Dynamic Health Qigong Training: Same Effects for Mental Practice and Physical Training?

PubMed

Henz, Diana; Schöllhorn, Wolfgang I

2017-01-01

In recent years, there has been significant uptake of meditation and related relaxation techniques, as a means of alleviating stress and fostering an attentive mind. Several electroencephalogram (EEG) studies have reported changes in spectral band frequencies during Qigong meditation indicating a relaxed state. Much less is reported on effects of brain activation patterns induced by Qigong techniques involving bodily movement. In this study, we tested whether (1) physical Qigong training alters EEG theta and alpha activation, and (2) mental practice induces the same effect as a physical Qigong training. Subjects performed the dynamic Health Qigong technique Wu Qin Xi (five animals) physically and by mental practice in a within-subjects design. Experimental conditions were randomized. Two 2-min (eyes-open, eyes-closed) EEG sequences under resting conditions were recorded before and immediately after each 15-min exercise. Analyses of variance were performed for spectral power density data. Increased alpha power was found in posterior regions in mental practice and physical training for eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. Theta power was increased after mental practice in central areas in eyes-open conditions, decreased in fronto-central areas in eyes-closed conditions. Results suggest that mental, as well as physical Qigong training, increases alpha activity and therefore induces a relaxed state of mind. The observed differences in theta activity indicate different attentional processes in physical and mental Qigong training. No difference in theta activity was obtained in physical and mental Qigong training for eyes-open and eyes-closed resting state. In contrast, mental practice of Qigong entails a high degree of internalized attention that correlates with theta activity, and that is dependent on eyes-open and eyes-closed resting state.

Introducing Co-Activation Pattern Metrics to Quantify Spontaneous Brain Network Dynamics

PubMed Central

Chen, Jingyuan E.; Chang, Catie; Greicius, Michael D.; Glover, Gary H.

2015-01-01

Recently, fMRI researchers have begun to realize that the brain's intrinsic network patterns may undergo substantial changes during a single resting state (RS) scan. However, despite the growing interest in brain dynamics, metrics that can quantify the variability of network patterns are still quite limited. Here, we first introduce various quantification metrics based on the extension of co-activation pattern (CAP) analysis, a recently proposed point-process analysis that tracks state alternations at each individual time frame and relies on very few assumptions; then apply these proposed metrics to quantify changes of brain dynamics during a sustained 2-back working memory (WM) task compared to rest. We focus on the functional connectivity of two prominent RS networks, the default-mode network (DMN) and executive control network (ECN). We first demonstrate less variability of global Pearson correlations with respect to the two chosen networks using a sliding-window approach during WM task compared to rest; then we show that the macroscopic decrease in variations in correlations during a WM task is also well characterized by the combined effect of a reduced number of dominant CAPs, increased spatial consistency across CAPs, and increased fractional contributions of a few dominant CAPs. These CAP metrics may provide alternative and more straightforward quantitative means of characterizing brain network dynamics than time-windowed correlation analyses. PMID:25662866

Patterns of distribution and abundance of the stalked barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes) in the central and southwest coast of continental Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sousa, Alina; Jacinto, David; Penteado, Nélia; Martins, Pedro; Fernandes, Joana; Silva, Teresa; Castro, João J.; Cruz, Teresa

2013-10-01

The stalked barnacle Pollicipes pollicipes is a cirriped crustacean that lives on very exposed rocky shores. This barnacle is the most important economical resource on intertidal rocky shores of continental Portugal. It is highly prized as food and heavily exploited (professional and recreational fishery), but fishery data are scarce and do not estimate the real pressure upon this resource. Despite its socio-economic interest, specific regulations on this fishery are recent and different along the Portuguese coast. Four regions with different regulation can be identified: the marine reserve “Reserva Natural das Berlengas” (RNB) and the marine park “Parque Marinho Prof. Luiz Saldanha” (PMLS) (both in central Portugal); the natural park located in SW Portugal (“Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina”, PNSACV); and the rest of the coast. The main objective of the present study was to study the spatial patterns of percentage cover, biomass, density and size structure of P. pollicipes in areas with different exploitation regimes, including harvested areas and no-take areas. Additionally, variability between mid shore and low shore barnacles was also analysed. Seven areas were sampled with a variable number of sites (a total of 24) randomly sampled in each area during 2011. Photographs and image analysis (percentage cover) and destructive sampling (density, biomass and size) were used. In general, percentage cover, biomass and density were higher in mid shore when compared to low shore, namely in harvested areas. Low shore barnacles had a higher proportion of adults with moderate and high commercial value, while juveniles were relatively more abundant at mid shore. There were no consistent differences in the patterns of distribution and abundance of P. pollicipes among areas subject to different exploitation regimes. The most different area was the harvested area by professional fishers in RNB, where the highest biomass within the study was registered (mid shore, 7.7 kg·m- 2). Barnacles within this area presented a higher proportion of adults with commercial value, while recruits and juveniles were relatively more abundant in other areas. The hypothesis of a highest percentage cover, density and biomass in the low shore of no-take sites was not supported.

Altered Distant Synchronization of Background Network in Mild Cognitive Impairment during an Executive Function Task.

PubMed

Wang, Pengyun; Li, Rui; Yu, Jing; Huang, Zirui; Yan, Zhixiong; Zhao, Ke; Li, Juan

2017-01-01

Few studies to date have investigated the background network in the cognitive state relying on executive function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Using the index of degree of centrality (DC), we explored distant synchronization of background network in MCI during a hybrid delayed-match-to-sample task (DMST), which mainly relies on the working memory component of executive function. We observed significant interactions between group and cognitive state in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the ventral subregion of precuneus. For normal control (NC) group, the long distance functional connectivity (FC) of the PCC/precuneus with the other regions of the brain was higher in rest state than that working memory state. For MCI patients, however, this pattern altered. There was no significant difference between rest and working memory state. The similar pattern was observed in the other cluster located in the right angular gyrus. To examine whether abnormal DC in PCC/precuneus and angular gyrus partially resulted from the deficit of FC between these regions and the other parts in the whole brain, we conducted a seed-based correlation analysis with these regions as seeds. The results indicated that the FC between bilateral PCC/precuneus and the right inferior parietal lobule (IPL) increased from rest to working memory state for NC participants. For MCI patients, however, there was no significant change between rest and working memory state. The similar pattern was observed for the FC between right angular gyrus and right anterior insula. However, there was no difference between MCI and NC groups in global efficiency and modularity. It may indicate a lack of efficient reorganization from rest state to a working memory state in the brain network of MCI patients. The present study demonstrates the altered distant synchronization of background network in MCI during a task relying on executive function. The results provide a new perspective regarding the neural mechanisms of executive function deficits in MCI patients, and extend our understanding of brain patterns in task-evoked cognitive states.

Prediction of general mental ability based on neural oscillation measures of sleep.

PubMed

Bódizs, Róbert; Kis, Tamás; Lázár, Alpár Sándor; Havrán, Linda; Rigó, Péter; Clemens, Zsófia; Halász, Péter

2005-09-01

The usual assessment of general mental ability (or intelligence) is based on performance attained in reasoning and problem-solving tasks. Differences in general mental ability have been associated with event-related neural activity patterns of the wakeful working brain or physical, chemical and electrical brain features measured during wakeful resting conditions. Recent evidences suggest that specific sleep electroencephalogram oscillations are related to wakeful cognitive performances. Our aim is to reveal the relationship between non-rapid eye movement sleep-specific oscillations (the slow oscillation, delta activity, slow and fast sleep spindle density, the grouping of slow and fast sleep spindles) and general mental ability assessed by the Raven Progressive Matrices Test (RPMT). The grouping of fast sleep spindles by the cortical slow oscillation in the left frontopolar derivation (Fp1) as well as the density of fast sleep spindles over the right frontal area (Fp2, F4), correlated positively with general mental ability. Data from those selected electrodes that showed the high correlations with general mental ability explained almost 70% of interindividual variance in RPMT scores. Results suggest that individual differences in general mental ability are reflected in fast sleep spindle-related oscillatory activity measured over the frontal cortex.

Transport of self-propelling bacteria in micro-channel flow.

PubMed

Costanzo, A; Di Leonardo, R; Ruocco, G; Angelani, L

2012-02-15

Understanding the collective motion of self-propelling organisms in confined geometries, such as that of narrow channels, is of great theoretical and practical importance. By means of numerical simulations we study the motion of model bacteria in 2D channels under different flow conditions: fluid at rest, steady and unsteady flow. We find aggregation of bacteria near channel walls and, in the presence of external flow, also upstream swimming, which turns out to be a very robust result. Detailed analysis of bacterial velocity and orientation fields allows us to quantify the phenomenon by varying cell density, channel width and fluid velocity. The tumbling mechanism turns out to have strong influence on velocity profiles and particle flow, resulting in a net upstream flow in the case of non-tumbling organisms. Finally we demonstrate that upstream flow can be enhanced by a suitable choice of an unsteady flow pattern.

Stability of the Euler resting N-body relative equilibria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheeres, D. J.

2018-03-01

The stability of a system of N equal-sized mutually gravitating spheres resting on each other in a straight line and rotating in inertial space is considered. This is a generalization of the "Euler Resting" configurations previously analyzed in the finite density 3 and 4 body problems. Specific questions for the general case are how rapidly the system must spin for the configuration to stabilize, how rapidly it can spin before the components separate from each other, and how these results change as a function of N. This paper shows that the Euler Resting configuration can only be stable for up to 5 bodies and that for 6 or more bodies the configuration can never be stable. This places an ideal limit of 5:1 on the aspect ratio of a rubble pile body's shape.

Does resting-state connectivity reflect depressive rumination? A tale of two analyses.

PubMed

Berman, Marc G; Misic, Bratislav; Buschkuehl, Martin; Kross, Ethan; Deldin, Patricia J; Peltier, Scott; Churchill, Nathan W; Jaeggi, Susanne M; Vakorin, Vasily; McIntosh, Anthony R; Jonides, John

2014-12-01

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is characterized by rumination. Prior research suggests that resting-state brain activation reflects rumination when depressed individuals are not task engaged. However, no study has directly tested this. Here we investigated whether resting-state epochs differ from induced ruminative states for healthy and depressed individuals. Most previous research on resting-state networks comes from seed-based analyses with the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). By contrast, we examined resting state connectivity by using the complete multivariate connectivity profile (i.e., connections across all brain nodes) and by comparing these results to seeded analyses. We find that unconstrained resting-state intervals differ from active rumination states in strength of connectivity and that overall connectivity was higher for healthy vs. depressed individuals. Relationships between connectivity and subjective mood (i.e., behavior) were strongly observed during induced rumination epochs. Furthermore, connectivity patterns that related to subjective mood were strikingly different for MDD and healthy control (HC) groups suggesting different mood regulation mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The understanding of the concept of 'rest' in the management of a sports concussion by physical therapy students: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Sullivan, S John; Alla, Sridhar; Lee, Hopin; Schneiders, Anthony G; Ahmed, Osman Hassan; McCrory, Paul R

2012-11-01

To investigate physical therapy students' understanding of the concept of rest following a sport concussion and to ascertain if this understanding changes following a lecture based on current best practice concussion knowledge. Pre-post observational survey. University classroom setting. A cohort of 118 (40 male, 78 female) physical therapy students participating in volunteer sports medic training. Participants provided 320 (pre) and 350 (post) responses depicting activities which should be restricted following a concussion. The responses were classified into three rest-related categories: 'Physical rest', 'Cognitive rest' and 'Mixed' (a combination of physical and cognitive rest). Pre-lecture, approximately 74% of the student's responses were categorized as Physical rest, and 25% under Mixed. There was a shift in the response pattern post-lecture, with 96% of the responses falling in the Mixed category. The results of the study highlight a lack of understanding of the concept of cognitive rest in concussion management among trainee sport medics. The need for wider dissemination of this concept as recommended by the recent consensus statement on sports concussion is indicated. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular Adaptations to Long Duration Head-Down Tilt Bed Rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platts, Steven H.; Martin, David S.; Perez, Sondar A.; Ribeiro, Christine; Stenger, Michael B.; Summers, Richard; Meck, Janice V.

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Orthostatic hypotension is a serious risk for crewmembers returning from spaceflight. Numerous cardiovascular mechanisms have been proposed to account for this problem, including vascular and cardiac dysfunction, which we studied during bed rest. METHODS: Thirteen subjects were studied before and during bed rest. Statistical analysis was limited to the first 49-60 days of bed rest, and compared to pre-bed rest data. Ultrasound data were collected on vascular and cardiac structure and function. Tilt testing was conducted for 30 minutes or until presyncopal symptoms intervened. RESULTS: Plasma volume was significantly reduced by day 7 of bed rest. Flow-mediated dilation in the leg was significantly increased at bed rest day 49. Arterial responses to nitroglycerin differed in the arm and leg, but did not change as a result of bed rest. Intimal-medial thickness markedly decreased at bed rest days 21, 35 and 49. Several cardiac functional parameters including isovolumic relaxation time, ejection time and myocardial performance index were significantly increased (indicating a decrease in cardiac function) during bed rest. There was a trend for decreased orthostatic tolerance following 60 days of bed rest. DISCUSSION: These data suggest that 6 head-down tilt bed rest alters cardiovascular structure and function in a pattern similar to short duration spaceflight. Additionally, the vascular alterations are primarily seen in the lower body, while vessels of the upper body are unaffected. KEY WORDS: spaceflight, orthostatic intolerance, hypotension, fluid-shift, plasma volume

Improving robustness against electrode shift of high density EMG for myoelectric control through common spatial patterns.

PubMed

Pan, Lizhi; Zhang, Dingguo; Jiang, Ning; Sheng, Xinjun; Zhu, Xiangyang

2015-12-02

Most prosthetic myoelectric control studies have concentrated on low density (less than 16 electrodes, LD) electromyography (EMG) signals, due to its better clinical applicability and low computation complexity compared with high density (more than 16 electrodes, HD) EMG signals. Since HD EMG electrodes have been developed more conveniently to wear with respect to the previous versions recently, HD EMG signals become an alternative for myoelectric prostheses. The electrode shift, which may occur during repositioning or donning/doffing of the prosthetic socket, is one of the main reasons for degradation in classification accuracy (CA). HD EMG signals acquired from the forearm of the subjects were used for pattern recognition-based myoelectric control in this study. Multiclass common spatial patterns (CSP) with two types of schemes, namely one versus one (CSP-OvO) and one versus rest (CSP-OvR), were used for feature extraction to improve the robustness against electrode shift for myoelectric control. Shift transversal (ST1 and ST2) and longitudinal (SL1 and SL2) to the direction of the muscle fibers were taken into consideration. We tested nine intact-limb subjects for eleven hand and wrist motions. The CSP features (CSP-OvO and CSP-OvR) were compared with three commonly used features, namely time-domain (TD) features, time-domain autoregressive (TDAR) features and variogram (Variog) features. Compared with the TD features, the CSP features significantly improved the CA over 10 % in all shift configurations (ST1, ST2, SL1 and SL2). Compared with the TDAR features, a. the CSP-OvO feature significantly improved the average CA over 5 % in all shift configurations; b. the CSP-OvR feature significantly improved the average CA in shift configurations ST1, SL1 and SL2. Compared with the Variog features, the CSP features significantly improved the average CA in longitudinal shift configurations (SL1 and SL2). The results demonstrated that the CSP features significantly improved the robustness against electrode shift for myoelectric control with respect to the commonly used features.

Lag threads organize the brain’s intrinsic activity

PubMed Central

Mitra, Anish; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Blazey, Tyler; Raichle, Marcus E.

2015-01-01

It has been widely reported that intrinsic brain activity, in a variety of animals including humans, is spatiotemporally structured. Specifically, propagated slow activity has been repeatedly demonstrated in animals. In human resting-state fMRI, spontaneous activity has been understood predominantly in terms of zero-lag temporal synchrony within widely distributed functional systems (resting-state networks). Here, we use resting-state fMRI from 1,376 normal, young adults to demonstrate that multiple, highly reproducible, temporal sequences of propagated activity, which we term “lag threads,” are present in the brain. Moreover, this propagated activity is largely unidirectional within conventionally understood resting-state networks. Modeling experiments show that resting-state networks naturally emerge as a consequence of shared patterns of propagation. An implication of these results is that common physiologic mechanisms may underlie spontaneous activity as imaged with fMRI in humans and slowly propagated activity as studied in animals. PMID:25825720

Behaviour patterns of Mallard Anas Platyrhynchos pairs and broods in Minnesota and North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pietz, P.J.; Buhl, D.A.

1999-01-01

Few studies have quantitatively examined Mallard behaviour in North America during the breeding season. We estimated diurnal time budgets of unmarked Mallard males, females, and broods from over 1,200 hours of observations at two study areas in western Minnesota and south-central North Dakota during 1988-91. Paired males spent less time feeding and more time alert than did females. Both pair members were engaged in the same behaviour about 67% of the time; the male was always most likely to be doing the same thing as the female, but when the male was resting on water or alert, the female was most likely to be feeding. Females with broods spent less time feeding and more time alert and in locomotion than did females without broods. Behaviour of brood females did not differ with brood age or size. Females temporarily left their broods alone 45 times - about once for each 11 hours of observation. Female absences ranged from 2 to >80 minutes (x>27 min); length of absence was not related to brood age or size. Broods of all ages (a few days old to near fledging) and sizes (1-10 ducklings) were left alone on land and water; broods mostly rested and fed during female absences. Brood females spent less time feeding and more time alert than did broods. Females and their broods were engaged in the same behaviour 6267% of the time; the female was always most likely to be doing the same behaviour as her brood, but when the female was resting on water, the brood was most likely to be feeding, and when the female was alert, the brood was most likely to be feeding (North Dakota site) or resting on land (Minnesota site). Daily activity patterns varied between sites for both pairs and broods. Feeding and resting behaviour showed opposite daily patterns, suggesting that time allocated to feeding constrained time spent resting. Differences between sites and years in time spent feeding by pairs and broods probably reflected varying water conditions and food availability. In light of these differences, we caution researchers against extrapolating from time budget data that are temporally or geographically limited.

Extreme brain events: Higher-order statistics of brain resting activity and its relation with structural connectivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amor, T. A.; Russo, R.; Diez, I.; Bharath, P.; Zirovich, M.; Stramaglia, S.; Cortes, J. M.; de Arcangelis, L.; Chialvo, D. R.

2015-09-01

The brain exhibits a wide variety of spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal activity recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging as the so-called blood-oxygenated-level-dependent (BOLD) signal. An active area of work includes efforts to best describe the plethora of these patterns evolving continuously in the brain. Here we explore the third-moment statistics of the brain BOLD signals in the resting state as a proxy to capture extreme BOLD events. We find that the brain signal exhibits typically nonzero skewness, with positive values for cortical regions and negative values for subcortical regions. Furthermore, the combined analysis of structural and functional connectivity demonstrates that relatively more connected regions exhibit activity with high negative skewness. Overall, these results highlight the relevance of recent results emphasizing that the spatiotemporal location of the relatively large-amplitude events in the BOLD time series contains relevant information to reproduce a number of features of the brain dynamics during resting state in health and disease.

Focal Gray Matter Plasticity as a Function of Long Duration Head Down Tilted Bed Rest: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koppelmans, V.; Erdeniz, B.; DeDios, Y. E.; Wood, S. J.; Reuter-Lorenz, P. A.; Kofman, I.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Mulavara, A. P.; Seidler, R. D.

2014-01-01

Long duration spaceflight (i.e., 22 days or longer) has been associated with changes in sensorimotor systems, resulting in difficulties that astronauts experience with posture control, locomotion, and manual control. The microgravity environment is an important causal factor for spaceflight induced sensorimotor changes. Whether these sensorimotor changes are solely related to peripheral changes from reduced vestibular stimulation, body unloading, body fluid shifts or that they may be related to structural and functional brain changes is yet unknown. However, a recent study reported associations between microgravity and flattening of the posterior eye globe and protrusion of the optic nerve [1] possibly as the result of increased intracranial pressure due to microgravity induced bodily fluid shifts [3]. Moreover, elevated intracranial pressure has been related to white matter microstructural damage [2]. Thus, it is possible that spaceflight may affect brain structure and thereby cognitive functioning. Long duration head down tilt bed rest has been suggested as an exclusionary analog to study microgravity effects on the sensorimotor system [4]. Bed rest mimics microgravity in body unloading and bodily fluid shifts. In consideration of the health and performance of crewmembers both in- and post-flight, we are conducting a prospective longitudinal 70-day bed rest study as an analog to investigate the effects of microgravity on brain structure [5]. Here we present results of the first six subjects. Six subjects were assessed at 12 and 7 days before-, at 7, 30, and 70 days in-, and at 8 and 12 days post 70 days of bed rest at the NASA bed rest facility in UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA. At each time point structural MRI scans (i.e., high resolution T1-weighted imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)) were obtained using a 3T Siemens scanner. Focal changes over time in gray matter density were assessed using the voxel based morphometry 8 (VBM8) toolbox under SPM. Longitudinal processing in VBM8 includes linear registration of each scan to the mean of the subject and subsequently transforming all scans in to MNI space by applying the warp from the mean subject to MNI to the individual gray matter segmentations. Modulation was applied so that all images represented the volume of the original structure in native space. Voxel wise analysis was carried out on the gray matter images after smoothing, using a flexible factorial design with family wise error correction. Focal changes in white matter microstructural integrity were assessed using tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) as part of FMRIB software library (FSL). TBSS registers all DTI scans to standard space. It subsequently creates a study specific white matter skeleton of the major white matter tracts. For each subject, for each DTI metric (i.e. fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD)), the maximum value in a line perpendicular to the skeleton tract is projected to the skeleton. Non-parametric permutation based t-tests and ANOVA's were used for voxel-wise comparison of the skeletons. For both VBM and TBSS, comparison of pre bed rest measurements did not show significant differences. VBM analysis revealed decreased gray matter density in bilateral areas including the frontal medial cortex, the insular cortex and the caudate (see Figure) from 'pre to in bed rest'. Over the same time period, there was an increase in gray matter density in the cerebellum, occipital-, and parietal cortex, including the precuneus (see Figure). The majority of these changes did not recover from 'during to post bed rest'. TBSS analysis did not reveal significant changes in white matter microstructural integrity after correction for multiple comparisons. Uncorrected analyses (p<.015) revealed an increase in RD in the cerebellum and brainstem from pre bed rest to the first week in bed rest that did not recover post bed rest. Extended bed rest, which is an analog for microgravity, can result in gray matter changes and potentially in microstructural white matter changes in areas that are important for neuro motor behavior and cognition. These changes did not recover at two weeks post bed rest. Whether the effects of bed rest wear off at longer times post bed rest, and if they are associated with behavior are important questions that warrant further research.

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Moderates the Relation between Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality and Adolescents' Social Adjustment.

PubMed

Van der Graaff, Jolien; Meeus, Wim; de Wied, Minet; van Boxtel, Anton; van Lier, Pol; Branje, Susan

2016-02-01

This 2-wave longitudinal study aimed (1) to investigate whether high resting RSA predicted adolescents' lower externalizing behavior and higher empathic concern, and (2) to address the potential moderating role of resting RSA in the association between parent-adolescent relationship quality and adolescents' externalizing behavior and empathic concern. In a sample of 379 adolescents (212 boys, 167 girls), resting RSA was assessed during a laboratory session, and adolescents reported on parental support, negative interaction with parents, empathic concern and externalizing behavior during a home visit. We found no support for high resting RSA predicting low externalizing behavior or high empathic concern. However, in line with our hypotheses, we did find several instances of RSA functioning as a moderator, although the interaction patterns varied. First, negative interaction with parents was a negative predictor of externalizing behavior for girls low in resting RSA, whereas the association was non-significant for girls with high RSA. Second, higher negative interaction with parents predicted lower empathic concern for boys high in resting RSA, whereas the association was reversed for boys with low resting RSA. Third, parental support was a positive predictor of empathic concern for girls high in resting RSA, whereas the association was non-significant for girls low in resting RSA. The findings suggest that adolescents with different levels of resting RSA respond differentially to relationship quality with parents.

Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Chronic Pain Display Enhanced Alpha Power Density at Rest.

PubMed

Meneses, Francisco M; Queirós, Fernanda C; Montoya, Pedro; Miranda, José G V; Dubois-Mendes, Selena M; Sá, Katia N; Luz-Santos, Cleber; Baptista, Abrahão F

2016-01-01

Patients with chronic pain due to neuropathy or musculoskeletal injury frequently exhibit reduced alpha and increased theta power densities. However, little is known about electrical brain activity and chronic pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). For this purpose, we evaluated power densities of spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) band frequencies (delta, theta, alpha, and beta) in females with persistent pain due to RA. This was a cross-sectional study of 21 participants with RA and 21 healthy controls (mean age = 47.20; SD = 10.40). EEG was recorded at rest over 5 min with participant's eyes closed. Twenty electrodes were placed over five brain regions (frontal, central, parietal, temporal, and occipital). Significant differences were observed in depression and anxiety with higher scores in RA participants than healthy controls (p = 0.002). Participants with RA exhibited increased average absolute alpha power density in all brain regions when compared to controls [F (1.39) = 6.39, p = 0.016], as well as increased average relative alpha power density [F (1.39) = 5.82, p = 0.021] in all regions, except the frontal region, controlling for depression/anxiety. Absolute theta power density also increased in the frontal, central, and parietal regions for participants with RA when compared to controls [F (1, 39) = 4.51, p = 0.040], controlling for depression/anxiety. Differences were not exhibited on beta and delta absolute and relative power densities. The diffuse increased alpha may suggest a possible neurogenic mechanism for chronic pain in individuals with RA.

Multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory: barrier heights and main group and transition metal energetics.

PubMed

Carlson, Rebecca K; Li Manni, Giovanni; Sonnenberger, Andrew L; Truhlar, Donald G; Gagliardi, Laura

2015-01-13

Kohn-Sham density functional theory, resting on the representation of the electronic density and kinetic energy by a single Slater determinant, has revolutionized chemistry, but for open-shell systems, the Kohn-Sham Slater determinant has the wrong symmetry properties as compared to an accurate wave function. We have recently proposed a theory, called multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT), in which the electronic kinetic energy and classical Coulomb energy are calculated from a multiconfiguration wave function with the correct symmetry properties, and the rest of the energy is calculated from a density functional, called the on-top density functional, that depends on the density and the on-top pair density calculated from this wave function. We also proposed a simple way to approximate the on-top density functional by translation of Kohn-Sham exchange-correlation functionals. The method is much less expensive than other post-SCF methods for calculating the dynamical correlation energy starting with a multiconfiguration self-consistent-field wave function as the reference wave function, and initial tests of the theory were quite encouraging. Here, we provide a broader test of the theory by applying it to bond energies of main-group molecules and transition metal complexes, barrier heights and reaction energies for diverse chemical reactions, proton affinities, and the water dimerization energy. Averaged over 56 data points, the mean unsigned error is 3.2 kcal/mol for MC-PDFT, as compared to 6.9 kcal/mol for Kohn-Sham theory with a comparable density functional. MC-PDFT is more accurate on average than complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) for main-group small-molecule bond energies, alkyl bond dissociation energies, transition-metal-ligand bond energies, proton affinities, and the water dimerization energy.

DIFFUSION-WEIGHTED IMAGING TRACTOGRAPHY-BASED PARCELLATION OF THE HUMAN PARIETAL CORTEX AND COMPARISON WITH HUMAN AND MACAQUE RESTING STATE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY

PubMed Central

Mars, Rogier B.; Jbabdi, Saad; Sallet, Jérôme; O’Reilly, Jill X.; Croxson, Paula L.; Olivier, Etienne; Noonan, MaryAnn P.; Bergmann, Caroline; Mitchell, Anna S.; Baxter, Mark G.; Behrens, Timothy E.J.; Johansen-Berg, Heidi; Tomassini, Valentina; Miller, Karla L.; Rushworth, Matthew F.S.

2011-01-01

Despite the prominence of parietal activity in human neuromaging investigations of sensorimotor and cognitive processes there remains uncertainty about basic aspects of parietal cortical anatomical organization. Descriptions of human parietal cortex draw heavily on anatomical schemes developed in other primate species but the validity of such comparisons has been questioned by claims that there are fundamental differences between the parietal cortex in humans and other primates. A scheme is presented for parcellation of human lateral parietal cortex into component regions on the basis of anatomical connectivity and the functional interactions of the resulting clusters with other brain regions. Anatomical connectivity was estimated using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image (MRI) based tractography and functional interactions were assessed by correlations in activity measured with functional MRI (fMRI) at rest. Resting state functional connectivity was also assessed directly in the rhesus macaque lateral parietal cortex in an additional experiment and the patterns found reflected known neuroanatomical connections. Cross-correlation in the tractography-based connectivity patterns of parietal voxels reliably parcellated human lateral parietal cortex into ten component clusters. The resting state functional connectivity of human superior parietal and intraparietal clusters with frontal and extrastriate cortex suggested correspondences with areas in macaque superior and intraparietal sulcus. Functional connectivity patterns with parahippocampal cortex and premotor cortex again suggested fundamental correspondences between inferior parietal cortex in humans and macaques. In contrast, the human parietal cortex differs in the strength of its interactions between the central inferior parietal lobule region and the anterior prefrontal cortex. PMID:21411650

Understanding and controlling the rest potential of carbon nanotube-based supercapacitors for energy density enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Young-Eun; Park, Jinwoo; Kim, Woong

2018-03-01

We present a novel method for enhancing the energy density of an electrical double layer capacitor (EDLC). Surface modification of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) electrodes significantly affects the rest potential (E0) of EDLCs; acid treatment and polyethyleneimine (PEI) coating of SWNTs shift E0 toward more positive and more negative values, respectively. Adjusting E0 towards the center of the electrolyte stability window can increase the cell voltage and hence the energy density. PEI coating on SWNTs increases the cell voltage from 0.8 V to 1.7 V in tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP)/tetrahydrofuran (THF) electrolyte, and from 2.5 V to 3.1 V in tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4)/3-cyanopropionic acid methyl ester (CPAME), respectively. Moreover, PEI-SWNT EDLCs exhibit excellent cycling stability (92% of capacitance retention over 10000 cycles). We attribute the shift in E0 to a change in the Fermi level of SWNTs owing to the surface charge modification. Injection of electrical charge into PEI-SWNTs consistently yielded similar trends and thus validated our hypothesis. Our results may help to push various electrolytes that have been overlooked so far to new frontiers for obtaining high energy-density supercapacitors.

Resting heart rate and the development of antisocial behavior from age 9 to 14: genetic and environmental influences.

PubMed

Baker, Laura A; Tuvblad, Catherine; Reynolds, Chandra; Zheng, Mo; Lozano, Dora Isabel; Raine, Adrian

2009-01-01

The genetic and environmental basis of a well-replicated association between antisocial behavior (ASB) and resting heart rate was investigated in a longitudinal twin study, based on two measurements between the ages of 9 and 14 years. ASB was defined as a broad continuum of externalizing behavior problems, assessed at each occasion through a composite measure based on parent ratings of trait aggression, delinquent behaviors, and psychopathic traits in their children. Parent ratings of ASB significantly decreased across age from childhood to early adolescence, although latent growth models indicated significant variation and twin similarity in the growth patterns, which were explained almost entirely by genetic influences. Resting heart rate at age 9-10 years old was inversely related to levels of ASB but not change patterns of ASB across age or occasions. Biometrical analyses indicated significant genetic influences on heart rate during childhood, as well as ASB throughout development from age 9 to 14. Both level and slope variation were significantly influenced by genetic factors. Of importance, the low resting heart rate and ASB association was significantly and entirely explained by their genetic covariation, although the heritable component of heart rate explained only a small portion (1-4%) of the substantial genetic variance in ASB. Although the effect size is small, children with low resting heart rate appear to be genetically predisposed toward externalizing behavior problems as early as age 9 years old.

A model for nonexercising hindlimb muscles in exercising animals.

PubMed

Bonen, A; Blewett, C; McDermott, J C; Elder, G C

1990-07-01

Nonexercising muscles appear to be metabolically active during exercise. Animal models for this purpose have not been established. However, we have been able to teach animals to run on their forelimbs while their hindlimbs are suspended above the treadmill with no visible limb movement. To document that indeed this mode of exercise does not provoke additional muscle activity, we have compared the levels of neural activation of the soleus and plantaris muscles using a computer analysis of the electromyographic interference pattern, recorded from bipolar fine wire electrodes implanted across each muscle. Via computer analyses of the electromyographic interference patterns the frequencies and amplitudes of motor unit action potentials were obtained. The data were sampled during 20 s of every minute of observation. Comparisons were made in four conditions: (i) resting on the treadmill while bearing weight on the hindlimbs (normal rest), (ii) running on the treadmill (15 m/min, 8% grade) on all four limbs (normal exercise), (iii) resting while the hindlimbs were suspended in a harness above the treadmill (suspended rest), and (iv) exercising with the forelimbs (15 m/min, 8% grade) while the hindlimbs were suspended above the treadmill (suspended exercise). All four experimental conditions were carried out for 90 min each and were performed by each animal. The results clearly show that muscle activities (frequencies and amplitudes), when the hindlimbs are suspended above the treadmill, at rest or during exercise, are lower than the activities in these same muscles when the animals are at rest, supporting only their body weight. Activities in the same muscles during exercise were from 300 to 2000% greater than during hindlimb suspension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sedation of Patients With Disorders of Consciousness During Neuroimaging: Effects on Resting State Functional Brain Connectivity.

PubMed

Kirsch, Muriëlle; Guldenmund, Pieter; Ali Bahri, Mohamed; Demertzi, Athena; Baquero, Katherine; Heine, Lizette; Charland-Verville, Vanessa; Vanhaudenhuyse, Audrey; Bruno, Marie-Aurélie; Gosseries, Olivia; Di Perri, Carol; Ziegler, Erik; Brichant, Jean-François; Soddu, Andrea; Bonhomme, Vincent; Laureys, Steven

2017-02-01

To reduce head movement during resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging, post-coma patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) are frequently sedated with propofol. However, little is known about the effects of this sedation on the brain connectivity patterns in the damaged brain essential for differential diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to assess these effects. Using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging 3T data obtained over several years of scanning patients for diagnostic and research purposes, we employed a seed-based approach to examine resting state connectivity in higher-order (default mode, bilateral external control, and salience) and lower-order (auditory, sensorimotor, and visual) resting state networks and connectivity with the thalamus, in 20 healthy unsedated controls, 8 unsedated patients with DOC, and 8 patients with DOC sedated with propofol. The DOC groups were matched for age at onset, etiology, time spent in DOC, diagnosis, standardized behavioral assessment scores, movement intensities, and pattern of structural brain injury (as assessed with T1-based voxel-based morphometry). DOC were associated with severely impaired resting state network connectivity in all but the visual network. Thalamic connectivity to higher-order network regions was also reduced. Propofol administration to patients was associated with minor further decreases in thalamic and insular connectivity. Our findings indicate that connectivity decreases associated with propofol sedation, involving the thalamus and insula, are relatively small compared with those already caused by DOC-associated structural brain injury. Nonetheless, given the known importance of the thalamus in brain arousal, its disruption could well reflect the diminished movement obtained in these patients. However, more research is needed on this topic to fully address the research question.

Resting-state connectivity predicts visuo-motor skill learning.

PubMed

Manuel, Aurélie L; Guggisberg, Adrian G; Thézé, Raphaël; Turri, Francesco; Schnider, Armin

2018-08-01

Spontaneous brain activity at rest is highly organized even when the brain is not explicitly engaged in a task. Functional connectivity (FC) in the alpha frequency band (α, 8-12 Hz) during rest is associated with improved performance on various cognitive and motor tasks. In this study we explored how FC is associated with visuo-motor skill learning and offline consolidation. We tested two hypotheses by which resting-state FC might achieve its impact on behavior: preparing the brain for an upcoming task or consolidating training gains. Twenty-four healthy participants were assigned to one of two groups: The experimental group (n = 12) performed a computerized mirror-drawing task. The control group (n = 12) performed a similar task but with concordant cursor direction. High-density 156-channel resting-state EEG was recorded before and after learning. Subjects were tested for offline consolidation 24h later. The Experimental group improved during training and showed offline consolidation. Increased α-FC between the left superior parietal cortex and the rest of the brain before training and decreased α-FC in the same region after training predicted learning. Resting-state FC following training did not predict offline consolidation and none of these effects were present in controls. These findings indicate that resting-state alpha-band FC is primarily implicated in providing optimal neural resources for upcoming tasks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Information Flow Between Resting-State Networks.

PubMed

Diez, Ibai; Erramuzpe, Asier; Escudero, Iñaki; Mateos, Beatriz; Cabrera, Alberto; Marinazzo, Daniele; Sanz-Arigita, Ernesto J; Stramaglia, Sebastiano; Cortes Diaz, Jesus M

2015-11-01

The resting brain dynamics self-organize into a finite number of correlated patterns known as resting-state networks (RSNs). It is well known that techniques such as independent component analysis can separate the brain activity at rest to provide such RSNs, but the specific pattern of interaction between RSNs is not yet fully understood. To this aim, we propose here a novel method to compute the information flow (IF) between different RSNs from resting-state magnetic resonance imaging. After hemodynamic response function blind deconvolution of all voxel signals, and under the hypothesis that RSNs define regions of interest, our method first uses principal component analysis to reduce dimensionality in each RSN to next compute IF (estimated here in terms of transfer entropy) between the different RSNs by systematically increasing k (the number of principal components used in the calculation). When k=1, this method is equivalent to computing IF using the average of all voxel activities in each RSN. For k≥1, our method calculates the k multivariate IF between the different RSNs. We find that the average IF among RSNs is dimension dependent, increasing from k=1 (i.e., the average voxel activity) up to a maximum occurring at k=5 and to finally decay to zero for k≥10. This suggests that a small number of components (close to five) is sufficient to describe the IF pattern between RSNs. Our method--addressing differences in IF between RSNs for any generic data--can be used for group comparison in health or disease. To illustrate this, we have calculated the inter-RSN IF in a data set of Alzheimer's disease (AD) to find that the most significant differences between AD and controls occurred for k=2, in addition to AD showing increased IF w.r.t. The spatial localization of the k=2 component, within RSNs, allows the characterization of IF differences between AD and controls.

The Effect of Electroencephalogram (EEG) Reference Choice on Information-Theoretic Measures of the Complexity and Integration of EEG Signals

PubMed Central

Trujillo, Logan T.; Stanfield, Candice T.; Vela, Ruben D.

2017-01-01

Converging evidence suggests that human cognition and behavior emerge from functional brain networks interacting on local and global scales. We investigated two information-theoretic measures of functional brain segregation and integration—interaction complexity CI(X), and integration I(X)—as applied to electroencephalographic (EEG) signals and how these measures are affected by choice of EEG reference. CI(X) is a statistical measure of the system entropy accounted for by interactions among its elements, whereas I(X) indexes the overall deviation from statistical independence of the individual elements of a system. We recorded 72 channels of scalp EEG from human participants who sat in a wakeful resting state (interleaved counterbalanced eyes-open and eyes-closed blocks). CI(X) and I(X) of the EEG signals were computed using four different EEG references: linked-mastoids (LM) reference, average (AVG) reference, a Laplacian (LAP) “reference-free” transformation, and an infinity (INF) reference estimated via the Reference Electrode Standardization Technique (REST). Fourier-based power spectral density (PSD), a standard measure of resting state activity, was computed for comparison and as a check of data integrity and quality. We also performed dipole source modeling in order to assess the accuracy of neural source CI(X) and I(X) estimates obtained from scalp-level EEG signals. CI(X) was largest for the LAP transformation, smallest for the LM reference, and at intermediate values for the AVG and INF references. I(X) was smallest for the LAP transformation, largest for the LM reference, and at intermediate values for the AVG and INF references. Furthermore, across all references, CI(X) and I(X) reliably distinguished between resting-state conditions (larger values for eyes-open vs. eyes-closed). These findings occurred in the context of the overall expected pattern of resting state PSD. Dipole modeling showed that simulated scalp EEG-level CI(X) and I(X) reflected changes in underlying neural source dependencies, but only for higher levels of integration and with highest accuracy for the LAP transformation. Our observations suggest that the Laplacian-transformation should be preferred for the computation of scalp-level CI(X) and I(X) due to its positive impact on EEG signal quality and statistics, reduction of volume-conduction, and the higher accuracy this provides when estimating scalp-level EEG complexity and integration. PMID:28790884

Direct modulation of aberrant brain network connectivity through real-time NeuroFeedback.

PubMed

Ramot, Michal; Kimmich, Sara; Gonzalez-Castillo, Javier; Roopchansingh, Vinai; Popal, Haroon; White, Emily; Gotts, Stephen J; Martin, Alex

2017-09-16

The existence of abnormal connectivity patterns between resting state networks in neuropsychiatric disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has been well established. Traditional treatment methods in ASD are limited, and do not address the aberrant network structure. Using real-time fMRI neurofeedback, we directly trained three brain nodes in participants with ASD, in which the aberrant connectivity has been shown to correlate with symptom severity. Desired network connectivity patterns were reinforced in real-time, without participants' awareness of the training taking place. This training regimen produced large, significant long-term changes in correlations at the network level, and whole brain analysis revealed that the greatest changes were focused on the areas being trained. These changes were not found in the control group. Moreover, changes in ASD resting state connectivity following the training were correlated to changes in behavior, suggesting that neurofeedback can be used to directly alter complex, clinically relevant network connectivity patterns.

The use of actimetry to assess changes to the rest-activity cycle.

PubMed

Carvalho Bos, Sandra; Waterhouse, Jim; Edwards, Ben; Simons, Ries; Reilly, Thomas

2003-11-01

The endogenous circadian oscillator (the body clock) is slow to adjust to altered rest-activity patterns. As a result, several negative consequences arise during night work and after time-zone transitions. The process of adjustment can be assessed by measurements of the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG), core temperature or melatonin secretion, for example, but these techniques are very difficult to apply in field studies, and make very great demands upon both experimenters and subjects. We have sought to establish if the activity record, measured conveniently and unobtrusively by a monitor attached to the wrist, can be treated in ways that enable estimates to be made of the disruption caused by changes to the rest-activity cycle, and the process of adjustment to them. In Part A, we describe the calculation and assessment of a series of "activity indices" that measure the overall activity pattern, activity when out of bed or in bed, or the activity in the hours adjacent to going to bed or getting up. The value of the indices was assessed by measuring changes to them in subjects undergoing night work or undergoing time-zone transitions. In both cases, there is a large body of literature describing the changes that would be expected. First, night workers (working 2 to 4 successive night shifts) were investigated during rest days and night shifts. The indices indicated that night work was associated with lower activity when the subjects were out of bed and higher activity when in bed. Some indices also measured when subjects took an afternoon nap before starting a series of night shifts and gave information about the process of adjustment to night work and recovery from it. Second, in studies from travelers crossing six or more time zones to the east or west, the indices indicated that there were changes to the rest-activity cycle immediately after the flights, both in its overall profile and when activity of the subjects in bed or out of bed was considered, and that adjustment took place on subsequent days. By focusing on those indices describing the activity records during the last hour in bed (LHIB) and the first hour out of bed (FHOB), some evidence was found for incomplete adjustment of the body clock, and for differences between westward and eastward flights. In Part B, the battery of indices are applied to the activity records of long-haul pilots, whose activity patterns showed a mixture of effects due to night work and time-zone transitions. Actimetry was performed during the flights themselves and during the layover days (which were either rest or work days). The indices indicated that all pilots had disrupted rest-activity cycles caused by night flights, and that there were added problems for those who had also undergone time-zone transitions. Rest days were valuable for normalizing the activity profile. For those pilots who flew to the west, adjustment was by delay, though not all aspects of the rest-activity cycle adjusted immediately; for those who flew to the east, some attempted to advance their rest-activity cycle while others maintained home-based activity profiles. The indices indicated that the activity profile was disrupted more in those pilots who attempted to advance their rest-activity cycle. We conclude that objective estimates of the disruption caused to the rest-activity cycle and the circadian system can be obtained by suitable analysis of the activity record.

Exploring the interaction of physical exercise load and pattern recall performance in female handball players.

PubMed

Schapschröer, M; Baker, J; Schorer, J

2016-06-01

Studies examining experts' superiority within domain-specific structured pattern recall tasks have typically had athletes perform them at rest, which is far different from how they are executed in their sport. The aim of this study was to investigate whether performing these tasks under different physical exercise intensities influenced pattern recall results of experts, advanced and novices. In two experiments, 68 participants (experiment 1: n = 33; experiment 2: n = 35) were tested using a handball-specific pattern recall task both at rest and during physical exercise. Physical exercises of 60 % heart rate reserve (constant workload: experiment 1) and of 86.5-90 % HRmax (handball-specific interval load: experiment 2) were induced. Results of both experiments revealed significant group differences with experts recalling patterns more accurately than novices but no significant within-subject differences for the two conditions and no interaction between both factors. Our findings replicate prior research concerning perceptual-cognitive expertise in structured specific pattern recall tasks. However, the lack of intergroup differences between the two conditions or interactions was surprising, suggesting sport-specific pattern recall skill is robust to changes in exercise stimuli. Future work is needed to further examine the impact of "physiological specificity" on perceptual-cognitive expertise.

The study on the effect of pattern density distribution on the STI CMP process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sub, Yoon Myung; Hian, Bernard Yap Tzen; Fong, Lee It; Anak, Philip Menit; Minhar, Ariffin Bin; Wui, Tan Kim; Kim, Melvin Phua Twang; Jin, Looi Hui; Min, Foo Thai

2017-08-01

The effects of pattern density on CMP characteristics were investigated using specially designed wafer for the characterization of pattern-dependencies in STI CMP [1]. The purpose of this study is to investigate the planarization behavior based on a direct STI CMP used in cerium (CeO2) based slurry system in terms of pattern density variation. The minimal design rule (DR) of 180nm generation technology node was adopted for the mask layout. The mask was successfully applied for evaluation of a cerium (CeO2) abrasive based direct STI CMP process. In this study, we described a planarization behavior of the loading-effects of pattern density variation which were characterized with layout pattern density and pitch variations using masks mentioned above. Furthermore, the characterizing pattern dependent on the variations of the dimensions and spacing features, in thickness remaining after CMP, were analyzed and evaluated. The goal was to establish a concept of library method which will be used to generate design rules reducing the probability of CMP-related failures. Details of the characterization were measured in various layouts showing different pattern density ranges and the effects of pattern density on STI CMP has been discussed in this paper.

An investigation into resting behavior in Asian elephants in UK zoos.

PubMed

Williams, Ellen; Bremner-Harrison, Samantha; Harvey, Naomi; Evison, Emma; Yon, Lisa

2015-01-01

Maintaining adequate welfare in captive elephants is challenging. Few studies have investigated overnight rest behavior in zoo elephants, yet time spent resting has been identified as a welfare indicator in some species. We investigated resting behavior in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in UK zoos, with the aim of identifying patterns or preferences in lying rest. Details of standing (SR) and lying (LR) rest behavior were identified by observing video footage of inside enclosures collected for 14 elephants (2 male, 12 female) housed at three UK zoos (Zoo A: 18 nights; Zoo B: 27 nights; Zoo C: 46 nights) from 16:00 to 08:30 (approximately). Elephants engaged in a mean of 58-337 min rest per night. Time of night affected mean duration of LR bouts (P < 0.001); longest bouts were observed between 22:01 and 06:00. Elephants showed a substrate preference when lying to rest; LR was not observed on concrete or tiled flooring. Where sand was available (to 11/14 elephants), all elephants engaged in LR on sand flooring. Only two elephants engaged in LR on rubber flooring (available to 7/14 elephants). Mean duration of rest bouts was greater when a conspecific was within two body lengths than when conspecifics were not (P < 0.01). Our study indicated that elephants show substrate preferences when choosing an area for rest and engage in more rest when conspecifics are in close proximity. The results of this study could be used as a basis for future studies investigating the link between rest and welfare in captive elephants. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Camouflage through an active choice of a resting spot and body orientation in moths.

PubMed

Kang, C-K; Moon, J-Y; Lee, S-I; Jablonski, P G

2012-09-01

Cryptic colour patterns in prey are classical examples of adaptations to avoid predation, but we still know little about behaviours that reinforce the match between animal body and the background. For example, moths avoid predators by matching their colour patterns with the background. Active choice of a species-specific body orientation has been suggested as an important function of body positioning behaviour performed by moths after landing on the bark. However, the contribution of this behaviour to moths' crypticity has not been directly measured. From observations of geometrid moths, Hypomecis roboraria and Jankowskia fuscaria, we determined that the positioning behaviour, which consists of walking and turning the body while repeatedly lifting and lowering the wings, resulted in new resting spots and body orientations in J. fuscaria and in new resting spots in H. roboraria. The body positioning behaviour of the two species significantly decreased the probability of visual detection by humans, who viewed photographs of the moths taken before and after the positioning behaviour. This implies that body positioning significantly increases the camouflage effect provided by moth's cryptic colour pattern regardless of whether the behaviour involves a new body orientation or not. Our study demonstrates that the evolution of morphological adaptations, such as colour pattern of moths, cannot be fully understood without taking into account a behavioural phenotype that coevolved with the morphology for increasing the adaptive value of the morphological trait. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2012 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Growth Failure in Children with Intractable Epilepsy Is Not Due to Increased Resting Energy Expenditure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergqvist, A. G. Christina; Trabulsi, Jillian; Schall, Joan I.; Stallings, Virginia A.

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the resting energy expenditure (REE) of children with intractable epilepsy (IE) compared with healthy children, and to determine factors that contribute to the pattern of REE. REE, growth status, and body composition were assessed in 25 prepubertal children with IE (15 males, 10 females; mean age 5y 5mo [SD 2y…

Environmental factors linked to depression vulnerability are associated with altered cerebellar resting-state synchronization.

PubMed

Córdova-Palomera, Aldo; Tornador, Cristian; Falcón, Carles; Bargalló, Nuria; Brambilla, Paolo; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto; Deco, Gustavo; Fañanás, Lourdes

2016-11-28

Hosting nearly eighty percent of all human neurons, the cerebellum is functionally connected to large regions of the brain. Accumulating data suggest that some cerebellar resting-state alterations may constitute a key candidate mechanism for depressive psychopathology. While there is some evidence linking cerebellar function and depression, two topics remain largely unexplored. First, the genetic or environmental roots of this putative association have not been elicited. Secondly, while different mathematical representations of resting-state fMRI patterns can embed diverse information of relevance for health and disease, many of them have not been studied in detail regarding the cerebellum and depression. Here, high-resolution fMRI scans were examined to estimate functional connectivity patterns across twenty-six cerebellar regions in a sample of 48 identical twins (24 pairs) informative for depression liability. A network-based statistic approach was employed to analyze cerebellar functional networks built using three methods: the conventional approach of filtered BOLD fMRI time-series, and two analytic components of this oscillatory activity (amplitude envelope and instantaneous phase). The findings indicate that some environmental factors may lead to depression vulnerability through alterations of the neural oscillatory activity of the cerebellum during resting-state. These effects may be observed particularly when exploring the amplitude envelope of fMRI oscillations.

Differential resting-state EEG patterns associated with comorbid depression in Internet addiction.

PubMed

Lee, Jaewon; Hwang, Jae Yeon; Park, Su Mi; Jung, Hee Yeon; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dai Jin; Lee, Jun-Young; Choi, Jung-Seok

2014-04-03

Many researchers have reported a relationship between Internet addiction and depression. In the present study, we compared the resting-state quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) activity of treatment-seeking patients with comorbid Internet addiction and depression with those of treatment-seeking patients with Internet addiction without depression, and healthy controls to investigate the neurobiological markers that differentiate pure Internet addiction from Internet addiction with comorbid depression. Thirty-five patients diagnosed with Internet addiction and 34 age-, sex-, and IQ-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Patients with Internet addiction were divided into two groups according to the presence (N=18) or absence (N=17) of depression. Resting-state, eye-closed QEEG was recorded, and the absolute and relative power of the brain were analyzed. The Internet addiction group without depression had decreased absolute delta and beta powers in all brain regions, whereas the Internet addiction group with depression had increased relative theta and decreased relative alpha power in all regions. These neurophysiological changes were not related to clinical variables. The current findings reflect differential resting-state QEEG patterns between both groups of participants with Internet addiction and healthy controls and also suggest that decreased absolute delta and beta powers are neurobiological markers of Internet addiction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of resting duration in the kinematic pattern of two consecutive bench press sets to failure in elite sprint kayakers.

PubMed

García-López, D; Herrero, J A; Abadía, O; García-Isla, F J; Ualí, I; Izquierdo, M

2008-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the role of rest period duration (RP) on the time course of the acceleration portion (AP) and mean velocity of the concentric phase across two bench press sets to failure with a submaximal load (60% of the 1RM) using different RP. Ten elite junior kayakers performed, on four different days, two consecutive bench press sets to failure, allowing randomly 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-min RP between sets. AP reached a maximal value of 66% of the concentric movement time. This maximal AP was observed in repetition number 2 or 3, and then AP declined during the set, with a significant decrease when the number of repetitions was over 80% of the total number of repetitions performed. AP and lifting velocity patterns of the concentric phase were not altered during a second set to failure, regardless of RP. However, when velocity was expressed in absolute terms, 1-min RP was insufficient to maintain the average lifting velocity during the second set, compared to the first one. These results may be of use in selecting number of repetitions and resting duration in order to ensure optimal maintenance of the accelerative portion of concentric movement time with different resting-period durations.

Altered resting-state amygdala functional connectivity in men with posttraumatic stress disorder

PubMed Central

Sripada, Rebecca K.; King, Anthony P.; Garfinkel, Sarah N.; Wang, Xin; Sripada, Chandra S.; Welsh, Robert C.; Liberzon, Israel

2012-01-01

Background Converging neuroimaging research suggests altered emotion neurocircuitry in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotion activation studies in these individuals have shown hyperactivation in emotion-related regions, including the amygdala and insula, and hypoactivation in emotion-regulation regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, few studies have examined patterns of connectivity at rest in individuals with PTSD, a potentially powerful method for illuminating brain network structure. Methods Using the amygdala as a seed region, we measured resting-state brain connectivity using 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging in returning male veterans with PTSD and combat controls without PTSD. Results Fifteen veterans with PTSD and 14 combat controls enrolled in our study. Compared with controls, veterans with PTSD showed greater positive connectivity between the amygdala and insula, reduced positive connectivity between the amygdala and hippocampus, and reduced anticorrelation between the amygdala and dorsal ACC and rostral ACC. Limitations Only male veterans with combat exposure were tested, thus our findings cannot be generalized to women or to individuals with non–combat related PTSD. Conclusion These results demonstrate that studies of functional connectivity during resting state can discern aberrant patterns of coupling within emotion circuits and suggest a possible brain basis for emotion-processing and emotion-regulation deficits in individuals with PTSD. PMID:22313617

Abnormally increased and incoherent resting-state activity is shared between patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings.

PubMed

Liu, Chang; Xue, Zhimin; Palaniyappan, Lena; Zhou, Li; Liu, Haihong; Qi, Chang; Wu, Guowei; Mwansisya, Tumbwene E; Tao, Haojuan; Chen, Xudong; Huang, Xiaojun; Liu, Zhening; Pu, Weidan

2016-03-01

Several resting-state neuroimaging studies in schizophrenia indicate an excessive brain activity while others report an incoherent brain activity at rest. No direct evidence for the simultaneous presence of both excessive and incoherent brain activity has been established to date. Moreover, it is unclear whether unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients who share half of the affected patient's genotype also exhibit the excessive and incoherent brain activity that may render them vulnerable to the development of schizophrenia. 27 pairs of schizophrenia patients and their unaffected siblings, as well as 27 healthy controls, were scanned using gradient-echo echo-planar imaging at rest. By using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (Reho), we investigated the intensity and synchronization of local spontaneous neuronal activity in three groups. We observed that increased amplitude and reduced synchronization (coherence) of spontaneous neuronal activity were shared by patients and their unaffected siblings. The key brain regions with this abnormal neural pattern in both patients and siblings included the middle temporal, orbito-frontal, inferior occipital and fronto-insular gyrus. This abnormal neural pattern of excessive and incoherent neuronal activity shared by schizophrenia patients and their healthy siblings may improve our understanding of neuropathology and genetic predisposition in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dissociative part-dependent resting-state activity in dissociative identity disorder: a controlled FMRI perfusion study.

PubMed

Schlumpf, Yolanda R; Reinders, Antje A T S; Nijenhuis, Ellert R S; Luechinger, Roger; van Osch, Matthias J P; Jäncke, Lutz

2014-01-01

In accordance with the Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality (TSDP), studies of dissociative identity disorder (DID) have documented that two prototypical dissociative subsystems of the personality, the "Emotional Part" (EP) and the "Apparently Normal Part" (ANP), have different biopsychosocial reactions to supraliminal and subliminal trauma-related cues and that these reactions cannot be mimicked by fantasy prone healthy controls nor by actors. Arterial spin labeling perfusion MRI was used to test the hypotheses that ANP and EP in DID have different perfusion patterns in response to rest instructions, and that perfusion is different in actors who were instructed to simulate ANP and EP. In a follow-up study, regional cerebral blood flow of DID patients was compared with the activation pattern of healthy non-simulating controls. Compared to EP, ANP showed elevated perfusion in bilateral thalamus. Compared to ANP, EP had increased perfusion in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and motor-related areas. Perfusion patterns for simulated ANP and EP were different. Fitting their reported role-play strategies, the actors activated brain structures involved in visual mental imagery and empathizing feelings. The follow-up study demonstrated elevated perfusion in the left temporal lobe in DID patients, whereas non-simulating healthy controls had increased activity in areas which mediate the mental construction of past and future episodic events. DID involves dissociative part-dependent resting-state differences. Compared to ANP, EP activated brain structures involved in self-referencing and sensorimotor actions more. Actors had different perfusion patterns compared to genuine ANP and EP. Comparisons of neural activity for individuals with DID and non-DID simulating controls suggest that the resting-state features of ANP and EP in DID are not due to imagination. The findings are consistent with TSDP and inconsistent with the idea that DID is caused by suggestion, fantasy proneness, and role-playing.

Dissociative Part-Dependent Resting-State Activity in Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Controlled fMRI Perfusion Study

PubMed Central

Schlumpf, Yolanda R.; Reinders, Antje A. T. S.; Nijenhuis, Ellert R. S.; Luechinger, Roger; van Osch, Matthias J. P.; Jäncke, Lutz

2014-01-01

Background In accordance with the Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality (TSDP), studies of dissociative identity disorder (DID) have documented that two prototypical dissociative subsystems of the personality, the “Emotional Part” (EP) and the “Apparently Normal Part” (ANP), have different biopsychosocial reactions to supraliminal and subliminal trauma-related cues and that these reactions cannot be mimicked by fantasy prone healthy controls nor by actors. Methods Arterial spin labeling perfusion MRI was used to test the hypotheses that ANP and EP in DID have different perfusion patterns in response to rest instructions, and that perfusion is different in actors who were instructed to simulate ANP and EP. In a follow-up study, regional cerebral blood flow of DID patients was compared with the activation pattern of healthy non-simulating controls. Results Compared to EP, ANP showed elevated perfusion in bilateral thalamus. Compared to ANP, EP had increased perfusion in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and motor-related areas. Perfusion patterns for simulated ANP and EP were different. Fitting their reported role-play strategies, the actors activated brain structures involved in visual mental imagery and empathizing feelings. The follow-up study demonstrated elevated perfusion in the left temporal lobe in DID patients, whereas non-simulating healthy controls had increased activity in areas which mediate the mental construction of past and future episodic events. Conclusion DID involves dissociative part-dependent resting-state differences. Compared to ANP, EP activated brain structures involved in self-referencing and sensorimotor actions more. Actors had different perfusion patterns compared to genuine ANP and EP. Comparisons of neural activity for individuals with DID and non-DID simulating controls suggest that the resting-state features of ANP and EP in DID are not due to imagination. The findings are consistent with TSDP and inconsistent with the idea that DID is caused by suggestion, fantasy proneness, and role-playing. PMID:24922512

Directional patterns of cross frequency phase and amplitude coupling within the resting state mimic patterns of fMRI functional connectivity

PubMed Central

Weaver, Kurt E.; Wander, Jeremiah D.; Ko, Andrew L.; Casimo, Kaitlyn; Grabowski, Thomas J.; Ojemann, Jeffrey G.; Darvas, Felix

2016-01-01

Functional imaging investigations into the brain's resting state interactions have yielded a wealth of insight into the intrinsic and dynamic neural architecture supporting cognition and behavior. Electrophysiological studies however have highlighted the fact that synchrony across large-scale cortical systems is composed of spontaneous interactions occurring at timescales beyond the traditional resolution of fMRI, a feature that limits the capacity of fMRI to draw inference on the true directional relationship between network nodes. To approach the question of directionality in resting state signals, we recorded resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI) and electrocorticography (ECoG) from four human subjects undergoing invasive epilepsy monitoring. Using a seed-point based approach, we employed phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) and biPhase Locking Values (bPLV), two measures of cross-frequency coupling (CFC) to explore both outgoing and incoming connections between the seed and all non-seed, site electrodes. We observed robust PAC between a wide range of low-frequency phase and high frequency amplitude estimates. However, significant bPLV, a CFC measure of phase-phase synchrony, was only observed at specific narrow low and high frequency bandwidths. Furthermore, the spatial patterns of outgoing PAC connectivity were most closely associated with the rsfMRI connectivity maps. Our results support the hypothesis that PAC is relatively ubiquitous phenomenon serving as a mechanism for coordinating high-frequency amplitudes across distant neuronal assemblies even in absence of overt task structure. Additionally, we demonstrate that the spatial distribution of a seed-point rsfMRI sensorimotor network is strikingly similar to specific patterns of directional PAC. Specifically, the high frequency activities of distal patches of cortex owning membership in a rsfMRI sensorimotor network were most likely to be entrained to the phase of a low frequency rhythm engendered from the neural populations at the seed-point, suggestive of greater directional coupling from the seed out to the site electrodes. PMID:26747745

What goes on in the resting-state? A qualitative glimpse into resting-state experience in the scanner

PubMed Central

Hurlburt, Russell T.; Alderson-Day, Ben; Fernyhough, Charles; Kühn, Simone

2015-01-01

The brain’s resting-state has attracted considerable interest in recent years, but currently little is known either about typical experience during the resting-state or about whether there are inter-individual differences in resting-state phenomenology. We used descriptive experience sampling (DES) in an attempt to apprehend high fidelity glimpses of the inner experience of five participants in an extended fMRI study. Results showed that the inner experiences and the neural activation patterns (as quantified by amplitude of low frequency fluctuations analysis) of the five participants were largely consistent across time, suggesting that our extended-duration scanner sessions were broadly similar to typical resting-state sessions. However, there were very large individual differences in inner phenomena, suggesting that the resting-state itself may differ substantially from one participant to the next. We describe these individual differences in experiential characteristics and display some typical moments of resting-state experience. We also show that retrospective characterizations of phenomena can often be very different from moment-by-moment reports. We discuss implications for the assessment of inner experience in neuroimaging studies more generally, concluding that it may be possible to use fMRI to investigate neural correlates of phenomena apprehended in high fidelity. PMID:26500590

An Quantitative Analysis Method Of Trabecular Pattern In A Bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idesawa, Masanor; Yatagai, Toyohiko

1982-11-01

Orientation and density of trabecular pattern observed in a bone is closely related to its mechanical properties and deseases of a bone are appeared as changes of orientation and/or density distrbution of its trabecular patterns. They have been treated from a qualitative point of view so far because quantitative analysis method has not be established. In this paper, the authors proposed and investigated some quantitative analysis methods of density and orientation of trabecular patterns observed in a bone. These methods can give an index for evaluating orientation of trabecular pattern quantitatively and have been applied to analyze trabecular pattern observed in a head of femur and their availabilities are confirmed. Key Words: Index of pattern orientation, Trabecular pattern, Pattern density, Quantitative analysis

Functional Covariance Networks: Obtaining Resting-State Networks from Intersubject Variability

PubMed Central

Gohel, Suril; Di, Xin; Walter, Martin; Biswal, Bharat B.

2012-01-01

Abstract In this study, we investigate a new approach for examining the separation of the brain into resting-state networks (RSNs) on a group level using resting-state parameters (amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation [ALFF], fractional ALFF [fALFF], the Hurst exponent, and signal standard deviation). Spatial independent component analysis is used to reveal covariance patterns of the relevant resting-state parameters (not the time series) across subjects that are shown to be related to known, standard RSNs. As part of the analysis, nonresting state parameters are also investigated, such as mean of the blood oxygen level-dependent time series and gray matter volume from anatomical scans. We hypothesize that meaningful RSNs will primarily be elucidated by analysis of the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) parameters and not by non-RSFC parameters. First, this shows the presence of a common influence underlying individual RSFC networks revealed through low-frequency fluctation (LFF) parameter properties. Second, this suggests that the LFFs and RSFC networks have neurophysiological origins. Several of the components determined from resting-state parameters in this manner correlate strongly with known resting-state functional maps, and we term these “functional covariance networks”. PMID:22765879

Covariance PET patterns in early Alzheimer's disease and subjects with cognitive impairment but no dementia: utility in group discrimination and correlations with functional performance

PubMed Central

Scarmeas, Nikolaos; Habeck, Christian G.; Zarahn, Eric; Anderson, Karen E.; Park, Aileen; Hilton, John; Pelton, Gregory H.; Tabert, Matthias H.; Honig, Lawrence S.; Moeller, James R.; Devanand, Davangere P.; Stern, Yaakov

2011-01-01

Although multivariate analytic techniques might identify diagnostic patterns that are not captured by univariate methods, they have rarely been used to study the neural correlates of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or cognitive impairment. Nonquantitative H215O PET scans were acquired during rest in 17 probable AD subjects selected for mild severity [mean-modified Mini Mental Status Examination (mMMS) 46/57; SD 5.1], 16 control subjects (mMMS 54; SD 2.5) and 23 subjects with minimal to mild cognitive impairment but no dementia (mMMS 53; SD 2.8). Expert clinical reading had low success in discriminating AD and controls. There were no significant mean flow differences among groups in traditional univariate SPM Voxel-wise analyses or region of interest (ROI) analyses. A covariance pattern was identified whose mean expression was significantly higher in the AD as compared to controls (P = 0.03; sensitivity 76–94%; specificity 63–81%). Sites of increased concomitant flow included insula, cuneus, pulvinar, lingual, fusiform, superior occipital and parahippocampal gyri, whereas decreased concomitant flow was found in cingulate, inferior parietal lobule, middle and inferior frontal, supramarginal and precentral gyri. The covariance analysis-derived pattern was then prospectively applied to the cognitively impaired subjects: as compared to subjects with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) = 0, subjects with CDR = 0.5 had significantly higher mean covariance pattern expression (P = 0.009). Expression of this pattern correlated inversely with Selective Reminding Test total recall (r = −0.401, P = 0.002), delayed recall (r = −0.351, P = 0.008) and mMMS scores (r = −0.401, P = 0.002) in all three groups combined. We conclude that patients with AD may differentially express resting cerebral blood flow covariance patterns even at very early disease stages. Significant alterations in expression of resting flow covariance patterns occur even for subjects with cognitive impairment. Expression of covariance patterns correlates with cognitive and functional performance measures, holding promise for meaningful associations with underlying biopathological processes. PMID:15325350

Nutritional Status in Humans during Long-Duration Bed Rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Scott M.; MatthewsOliver, Susan A.; Dillon, E. Lichar; Fesperman, Vernell

2006-01-01

Bed rest is a valuable ground-based model for many of the physiological changes associated with space flight. A series of studies was undertaken to evaluate nutritional changes during and after 60 or 90 days of -6 head-down-tilt bed rest. A total of 11 subjects (8 M, 3 F; age 26-55 y) participated in the studies. Blood and urine were collected twice before bed rest and once per month during bed rest. Samples were analyzed in batch at the end of each study. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Markers of bone resorption (such as n-telopeptide excretion, p less than 0.05) increased during bed rest, and 25-OH vitamin D status tended to decline (p=0.06). During bed rest oxidative damage markers, such as superoxide dismutase increased (p less than 0.01) and 8-(OH)-2'-deoxyguanosine tended to increase (p=0.07); whereas total antioxidant capacity decreased (p less than 0.02). Iron status indices showed patterns of increased iron stores, with decreased transferrin receptors (p less than 0.001). Biochemical markers revealed a tendency toward a loss of muscle mass, by lower excretion of creatinine and 3-methyl-histidine during bed rest. All of these changes are very similar to those observed during space flight, and further document the utility of bed rest as a model of space flight.

GPi Oscillatory Activity Differentiates Tics from the Resting State, Voluntary Movements, and the Unmedicated Parkinsonian State

PubMed Central

Jimenez-Shahed, Joohi; Telkes, Ilknur; Viswanathan, Ashwin; Ince, Nuri F.

2016-01-01

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an emerging treatment strategy for severe, medication-refractory Tourette syndrome (TS). Thalamic (Cm-Pf) and pallidal (including globus pallidus interna, GPi) targets have been the most investigated. While the neurophysiological correlates of Parkinson's disease (PD) in the GPi and subthalamic nucleus (STN) are increasingly recognized, these patterns are not well characterized in other disease states. Recent findings indicate that the cross-frequency coupling (CFC) between beta band and high frequency oscillations (HFOs) within the STN in PD patients is pathologic. Methods: We recorded intraoperative local field potentials (LFPs) from the postero-ventrolateral GPi in three adult patients with TS at rest, during voluntary movements, and during tic activity and compared them to the intraoperative GPi-LFP activity recorded from four unmedicated PD patients at rest. Results: In all PD patients, we noted excessive beta band activity (13–30 Hz) at rest which consistently modulated the amplitude of the co-existent HFOs observed between 200 and 400 Hz, indicating the presence of beta-HFO CFC. In all 3TS patients at rest, we observed theta band activity (4–7 Hz) and HFOs. Two patients had beta band activity, though at lower power than theta oscillations. Tic activity was associated with increased high frequency (200–400 Hz) and gamma band (35–200 Hz) activity. There was no beta-HFO CFC in TS patients at rest. However, CFC between the phase of 5–10 Hz band activity and the amplitude of HFOs was found in two TS patients. During tics, this shifted to CFC between the phase of beta band activity and the amplitude of HFOs in all subjects. Conclusions: To our knowledge this is the first study that shows that beta-HFO CFC exists in the GPi of TS patients during tics and at rest in PD patients, and suggests that this pattern might be specific to pathologic/involuntary movements. Furthermore, our findings suggest that during tics, resting state 5–10 Hz-HFO CFC shifts to beta-HFO CFC which can be used to trigger stimulation in a closed loop system when tics are present. PMID:27733815

New Insights into the Instability of Discharge Products in Na-O2 Batteries.

PubMed

Landa-Medrano, Imanol; Pinedo, Ricardo; Bi, Xuanxuan; Ruiz de Larramendi, Idoia; Lezama, Luis; Janek, Jürgen; Amine, Khalil; Lu, Jun; Rojo, Teófilo

2016-08-10

Sodium-oxygen batteries currently stimulate extensive research due to their high theoretical energy density and improved operational stability when compared to lithium-oxygen batteries. Cell stability, however, needs to be demonstrated also under resting conditions before future implementation of these batteries. In this work we analyze the effect of resting periods on the stability of the sodium superoxide (NaO2) discharge product. The instability of NaO2 in the cell environment is demonstrated leading to the evolution of oxygen during the resting period and the decrease of the cell efficiency. In addition, migration of the superoxide anion (O2(-)) in the electrolyte is observed and demonstrated to be an important factor affecting Coulombic efficiency.

New Insights into the Instability of Discharge Products in Na–O 2 Batteries

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

Landa-Medrano, Imanol; Pinedo, Ricardo; Bi, Xuanxuan

2016-08-10

Sodium–oxygen batteries currently stimulate extensive research due to their high theoretical energy density and improved operational stability when compared to lithium–oxygen batteries. Cell stability, however, needs to be demonstrated also under resting conditions before future implementation of these batteries. In this work we analyze the effect of resting periods on the stability of the sodium superoxide (NaO 2) discharge product. The instability of NaO 2 in the cell environment is demonstrated leading to the evolution of oxygen during the resting period and the decrease of the cell efficiency. In addition, migration of the superoxide anion (O2–) in the electrolyte ismore » observed and demonstrated to be an important factor affecting Coulombic efficiency.« less

Stark parameter dependence of the rest core charge of the emitters for multiply charged ions spectral lines

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

Šćepanović, M., E-mail: mara.scepanovic@gmail.com; Purić, J.

2016-03-25

Stark width and shift simultaneous dependence on the upper level ionization potential and rest core charge of the emitter has been evaluated and discussed. It has been verified that the found relations, connecting Stark broadening parameters with upper level ionization potential and rest core charge of the emitters for particular electron temperature and density, can be used for prediction of Stark line width and shift data in case of ions for which observed data, or more detailed calculations, are not yet available. Stark widths and shifts published data are used to demonstrate the existence of other kinds of regularities withinmore » similar spectra of different elements and their ionization stages. The emphasis is on the Stark parameter dependence on the upper level ionization potential and on the rest core charge for the lines from similar spectra of multiply charged ions. The found relations connecting Stark widths and shift parameters with upper level ionization potential, rest core charge and electron temperature were used for a prediction of new Stark broadening data, thus avoiding much more complicated procedures.« less

Age Is Associated with Reduced Sharp-Wave Ripple Frequency and Altered Patterns of Neuronal Variability.

PubMed

Wiegand, Jean-Paul L; Gray, Daniel T; Schimanski, Lesley A; Lipa, Peter; Barnes, C A; Cowen, Stephen L

2016-05-18

Spatial and episodic memory performance declines with age, and the neural basis for this decline is not well understood. Sharp-wave ripples are brief (∼70 ms) high-frequency oscillatory events generated in the hippocampus and are associated with the consolidation of spatial memories. Given the connection between ripple oscillations and memory consolidation, we investigated whether the structure of ripple oscillations and ripple-triggered patterns of single-unit activity are altered in aged rats. Local field and single-unit activity surrounding sharp-wave ripple events were examined in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of old (n = 5) and young (n = 6) F344 rats during periods of rest preceding and following performance on a place-dependent eyeblink-conditioning task. Neural responses in aged rats differed from responses in young rats in several ways. First, compared with young rats, the rate of ripple occurrence (ripple density) is reduced in aged rats during postbehavior rest. Second, mean ripple frequency during prebehavior and postbehavior rest is lower in aged animals (aged: 132 Hz; young: 146 Hz). Third, single neurons in aged animals responded more consistently from ripple to ripple. Fourth, variability in interspike intervals was greater in aged rats. Finally, neurons were tuned to a narrower range of phases of the ripple oscillation relative to young animals. Together, these results suggest that the CA1 network in aged animals has a reduced "vocabulary" of available representational states. The hippocampus is a structure that is critical for the formation of episodic memories. Sharp-wave ripple events generated in the hippocampus have been implicated in memory consolidation processes critical to memory stabilization. We examine here whether these ripple oscillations are altered over the course of the life span, which could contribute to hippocampus-dependent memory deficits that occur during aging. This experiment used young and aged memory-impaired rats to examine age-related changes in ripple architecture, ripple-triggered spike variance, and spike-phase coherence. We found that there are, indeed, significant changes in characteristics of ripples in older animals that could impact consolidation processes and memory stabilization in the aged brain. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/365650-11$15.00/0.

Origin of heterogeneous spiking patterns from continuously distributed ion channel densities: a computational study in spinal dorsal horn neurons.

PubMed

Balachandar, Arjun; Prescott, Steven A

2018-05-01

Distinct spiking patterns may arise from qualitative differences in ion channel expression (i.e. when different neurons express distinct ion channels) and/or when quantitative differences in expression levels qualitatively alter the spike generation process. We hypothesized that spiking patterns in neurons of the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) of spinal cord reflect both mechanisms. We reproduced SDH neuron spiking patterns by varying densities of K V 1- and A-type potassium conductances. Plotting the spiking patterns that emerge from different density combinations revealed spiking-pattern regions separated by boundaries (bifurcations). This map suggests that certain spiking pattern combinations occur when the distribution of potassium channel densities straddle boundaries, whereas other spiking patterns reflect distinct patterns of ion channel expression. The former mechanism may explain why certain spiking patterns co-occur in genetically identified neuron types. We also present algorithms to predict spiking pattern proportions from ion channel density distributions, and vice versa. Neurons are often classified by spiking pattern. Yet, some neurons exhibit distinct patterns under subtly different test conditions, which suggests that they operate near an abrupt transition, or bifurcation. A set of such neurons may exhibit heterogeneous spiking patterns not because of qualitative differences in which ion channels they express, but rather because quantitative differences in expression levels cause neurons to operate on opposite sides of a bifurcation. Neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, for example, respond to somatic current injection with patterns that include tonic, single, gap, delayed and reluctant spiking. It is unclear whether these patterns reflect five cell populations (defined by distinct ion channel expression patterns), heterogeneity within a single population, or some combination thereof. We reproduced all five spiking patterns in a computational model by varying the densities of a low-threshold (K V 1-type) potassium conductance and an inactivating (A-type) potassium conductance and found that single, gap, delayed and reluctant spiking arise when the joint probability distribution of those channel densities spans two intersecting bifurcations that divide the parameter space into quadrants, each associated with a different spiking pattern. Tonic spiking likely arises from a separate distribution of potassium channel densities. These results argue in favour of two cell populations, one characterized by tonic spiking and the other by heterogeneous spiking patterns. We present algorithms to predict spiking pattern proportions based on ion channel density distributions and, conversely, to estimate ion channel density distributions based on spiking pattern proportions. The implications for classifying cells based on spiking pattern are discussed. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society.

Deep neural network with weight sparsity control and pre-training extracts hierarchical features and enhances classification performance: Evidence from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity patterns of schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Kim, Junghoe; Calhoun, Vince D.; Shim, Eunsoo; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2015-01-01

Functional connectivity (FC) patterns obtained from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data are commonly employed to study neuropsychiatric conditions by using pattern classifiers such as the support vector machine (SVM). Meanwhile, a deep neural network (DNN) with multiple hidden layers has shown its ability to systematically extract lower-to-higher level information of image and speech data from lower-to-higher hidden layers, markedly enhancing classification accuracy. The objective of this study was to adopt the DNN for whole-brain resting-state FC pattern classification of schizophrenia (SZ) patients vs. healthy controls (HCs) and identification of aberrant FC patterns associated with SZ. We hypothesized that the lower-to-higher level features learned via the DNN would significantly enhance the classification accuracy, and proposed an adaptive learning algorithm to explicitly control the weight sparsity in each hidden layer via L1-norm regularization. Furthermore, the weights were initialized via stacked autoencoder based pre-training to further improve the classification performance. Classification accuracy was systematically evaluated as a function of (1) the number of hidden layers/nodes, (2) the use of L1-norm regularization, (3) the use of the pre-training, (4) the use of framewise displacement (FD) removal, and (5) the use of anatomical/functional parcellation. Using FC patterns from anatomically parcellated regions without FD removal, an error rate of 14.2% was achieved by employing three hidden layers and 50 hidden nodes with both L1-norm regularization and pre-training, which was substantially lower than the error rate from the SVM (22.3%). Moreover, the trained DNN weights (i.e., the learned features) were found to represent the hierarchical organization of aberrant FC patterns in SZ compared with HC. Specifically, pairs of nodes extracted from the lower hidden layer represented sparse FC patterns implicated in SZ, which was quantified by using kurtosis/modularity measures and features from the higher hidden layer showed holistic/global FC patterns differentiating SZ from HC. Our proposed schemes and reported findings attained by using the DNN classifier and whole-brain FC data suggest that such approaches show improved ability to learn hidden patterns in brain imaging data, which may be useful for developing diagnostic tools for SZ and other neuropsychiatric disorders and identifying associated aberrant FC patterns. PMID:25987366

Resting-State Retinotopic Organization in the Absence of Retinal Input and Visual Experience

PubMed Central

Binda, Paola; Benson, Noah C.; Bridge, Holly; Watkins, Kate E.

2015-01-01

Early visual areas have neuronal receptive fields that form a sampling mosaic of visual space, resulting in a series of retinotopic maps in which the same region of space is represented in multiple visual areas. It is not clear to what extent the development and maintenance of this retinotopic organization in humans depend on retinal waves and/or visual experience. We examined the corticocortical receptive field organization of resting-state BOLD data in normally sighted, early blind, and anophthalmic (in which both eyes fail to develop) individuals and found that resting-state correlations between V1 and V2/V3 were retinotopically organized for all subject groups. These results show that the gross retinotopic pattern of resting-state connectivity across V1-V3 requires neither retinal waves nor visual experience to develop and persist into adulthood. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Evidence from resting-state BOLD data suggests that the connections between early visual areas develop and are maintained even in the absence of retinal waves and visual experience. PMID:26354906

Latent heat of traffic moving from rest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farzad Ahmadi, S.; Berrier, Austin S.; Doty, William M.; Greer, Pat G.; Habibi, Mohammad; Morgan, Hunter A.; Waterman, Josam H. C.; Abaid, Nicole; Boreyko, Jonathan B.

2017-11-01

Contrary to traditional thinking and driver intuition, here we show that there is no benefit to ground vehicles increasing their packing density at stoppages. By systematically controlling the packing density of vehicles queued at a traffic light on a Smart Road, drone footage revealed that the benefit of an initial increase in displacement for close-packed vehicles is completely offset by the lag time inherent to changing back into a ‘liquid phase’ when flow resumes. This lag is analogous to the thermodynamic concept of the latent heat of fusion, as the ‘temperature’ (kinetic energy) of the vehicles cannot increase until the traffic ‘melts’ into the liquid phase. These findings suggest that in situations where gridlock is not an issue, drivers should not decrease their spacing during stoppages in order to lessen the likelihood of collisions with no loss in flow efficiency. In contrast, motion capture experiments of a line of people walking from rest showed higher flow efficiency with increased packing densities, indicating that the importance of latent heat becomes trivial for slower moving systems.

The effect of supine exercise on the distribution of regional pulmonary blood flow measured using proton MRI

PubMed Central

Hall, E. T.; Sá, R. C.; Holverda, S.; Arai, T. J.; Dubowitz, D. J.; Theilmann, R. J.; Prisk, G. K.

2013-01-01

The Zone model of pulmonary perfusion predicts that exercise reduces perfusion heterogeneity because increased vascular pressure redistributes flow to gravitationally nondependent lung, and causes dilation and recruitment of blood vessels. However, during exercise in animals, perfusion heterogeneity as measured by the relative dispersion (RD, SD/mean) is not significantly decreased. We evaluated the effect of exercise on pulmonary perfusion in six healthy supine humans using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Data were acquired at rest, while exercising (∼27% of maximal oxygen consumption) using a MRI-compatible ergometer, and in recovery. Images were acquired in most of the right lung in the sagittal plane at functional residual capacity, using a 1.5-T MR scanner equipped with a torso coil. Perfusion was measured using arterial spin labeling (ASL-FAIRER) and regional proton density using a fast multiecho gradient-echo sequence. Perfusion images were corrected for coil-based signal heterogeneity, large conduit vessels removed and quantified (in ml·min−1·ml−1) (perfusion), and also normalized for density and quantified (in ml·min−1·g−1) (density-normalized perfusion, DNP) accounting for tissue redistribution. DNP increased during exercise (11.1 ± 3.5 rest, 18.8 ± 2.3 exercise, 13.2 ± 2.2 recovery, ml·min−1·g−1, P < 0.0001), and the increase was largest in nondependent lung (110 ± 61% increase in nondependent, 63 ± 35% in mid, 70 ± 33% in dependent, P < 0.005). The RD of perfusion decreased with exercise (0.93 ± 0.21 rest, 0.73 ± 0.13 exercise, 0.94 ± 0.18 recovery, P < 0.005). The RD of DNP showed a similar trend (0.82 ± 0.14 rest, 0.75 ± 0.09 exercise, 0.81 ± 0.10 recovery, P = 0.13). In conclusion, in contrast to animal studies, in supine humans, mild exercise decreased perfusion heterogeneity, consistent with Zone model predictions. PMID:24356515

Resting-State Brain and the FTO Obesity Risk Allele: Default Mode, Sensorimotor, and Salience Network Connectivity Underlying Different Somatosensory Integration and Reward Processing between Genotypes.

PubMed

Olivo, Gaia; Wiemerslage, Lyle; Nilsson, Emil K; Solstrand Dahlberg, Linda; Larsen, Anna L; Olaya Búcaro, Marcela; Gustafsson, Veronica P; Titova, Olga E; Bandstein, Marcus; Larsson, Elna-Marie; Benedict, Christian; Brooks, Samantha J; Schiöth, Helgi B

2016-01-01

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene are linked to obesity, but how these SNPs influence resting-state neural activation is unknown. Few brain-imaging studies have investigated the influence of obesity-related SNPs on neural activity, and no study has investigated resting-state connectivity patterns. We tested connectivity within three, main resting-state networks: default mode (DMN), sensorimotor (SMN), and salience network (SN) in 30 male participants, grouped based on genotype for the rs9939609 FTO SNP, as well as punishment and reward sensitivity measured by the Behavioral Inhibition (BIS) and Behavioral Activation System (BAS) questionnaires. Because obesity is associated with anomalies in both systems, we calculated a BIS/BAS ratio (BBr) accounting for features of both scores. A prominence of BIS over BAS (higher BBr) resulted in increased connectivity in frontal and paralimbic regions. These alterations were more evident in the obesity-associated AA genotype, where a high BBr was also associated with increased SN connectivity in dopaminergic circuitries, and in a subnetwork involved in somatosensory integration regarding food. Participants with AA genotype and high BBr, compared to corresponding participants in the TT genotype, also showed greater DMN connectivity in regions involved in the processing of food cues, and in the SMN for regions involved in visceral perception and reward-based learning. These findings suggest that neural connectivity patterns influence the sensitivity toward punishment and reward more closely in the AA carriers, predisposing them to developing obesity. Our work explains a complex interaction between genetics, neural patterns, and behavioral measures in determining the risk for obesity and may help develop individually-tailored strategies for obesity prevention.

Resting-State Brain and the FTO Obesity Risk Allele: Default Mode, Sensorimotor, and Salience Network Connectivity Underlying Different Somatosensory Integration and Reward Processing between Genotypes

PubMed Central

Olivo, Gaia; Wiemerslage, Lyle; Nilsson, Emil K.; Solstrand Dahlberg, Linda; Larsen, Anna L.; Olaya Búcaro, Marcela; Gustafsson, Veronica P.; Titova, Olga E.; Bandstein, Marcus; Larsson, Elna-Marie; Benedict, Christian; Brooks, Samantha J.; Schiöth, Helgi B.

2016-01-01

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene are linked to obesity, but how these SNPs influence resting-state neural activation is unknown. Few brain-imaging studies have investigated the influence of obesity-related SNPs on neural activity, and no study has investigated resting-state connectivity patterns. We tested connectivity within three, main resting-state networks: default mode (DMN), sensorimotor (SMN), and salience network (SN) in 30 male participants, grouped based on genotype for the rs9939609 FTO SNP, as well as punishment and reward sensitivity measured by the Behavioral Inhibition (BIS) and Behavioral Activation System (BAS) questionnaires. Because obesity is associated with anomalies in both systems, we calculated a BIS/BAS ratio (BBr) accounting for features of both scores. A prominence of BIS over BAS (higher BBr) resulted in increased connectivity in frontal and paralimbic regions. These alterations were more evident in the obesity-associated AA genotype, where a high BBr was also associated with increased SN connectivity in dopaminergic circuitries, and in a subnetwork involved in somatosensory integration regarding food. Participants with AA genotype and high BBr, compared to corresponding participants in the TT genotype, also showed greater DMN connectivity in regions involved in the processing of food cues, and in the SMN for regions involved in visceral perception and reward-based learning. These findings suggest that neural connectivity patterns influence the sensitivity toward punishment and reward more closely in the AA carriers, predisposing them to developing obesity. Our work explains a complex interaction between genetics, neural patterns, and behavioral measures in determining the risk for obesity and may help develop individually-tailored strategies for obesity prevention. PMID:26924971

Association of Resting Metabolism in the Fear Neural Network With Extinction Recall Activations and Clinical Measures in Trauma-Exposed Individuals.

PubMed

Marin, Marie-France; Song, Huijin; VanElzakker, Michael B; Staples-Bradley, Lindsay K; Linnman, Clas; Pace-Schott, Edward F; Lasko, Natasha B; Shin, Lisa M; Milad, Mohammed R

2016-09-01

Exposure-based therapy, an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), relies on extinction learning principles. In PTSD patients, dysfunctional patterns in the neural circuitry underlying fear extinction have been observed using resting-state or functional activation measures. It remains undetermined whether resting activity predicts activations during extinction recall or PTSD symptom severity. Moreover, it remains unclear whether trauma exposure per se affects resting activity in this circuitry. The authors employed a multimodal approach to examine the relationships among resting metabolism, clinical symptoms, and activations during extinction recall. Three cohorts were recruited: PTSD patients (N=24), trauma-exposed individuals with no PTSD (TENP) (N=20), and trauma-unexposed healthy comparison subjects (N=21). Participants underwent a resting positron emission tomography scan 4 days before a functional MRI fear conditioning and extinction paradigm. Amygdala resting metabolism negatively correlated with clinical functioning (as measured by the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale) in the TENP group, and hippocampal resting metabolism negatively correlated with clinical functioning in the PTSD group. In the PTSD group, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) resting metabolism positively correlated with PTSD symptom severity, and it predicted increased dACC activations but decreased hippocampal and ventromedial prefrontal cortex activations during extinction recall. The TENP group had lower amygdala resting metabolism compared with the PTSD and healthy comparison groups, and it exhibited lower hippocampus resting metabolism relative to the healthy comparison group. Resting metabolism in the fear circuitry correlated with functioning, PTSD symptoms, and extinction recall activations, further supporting the relevance of this network to the pathophysiology of PTSD. The study findings also highlight the fact that chronic dysfunction in the amygdala and hippocampus is demonstrable in PTSD and other trauma-exposed individuals, even without exposure to an evocative stimulus.

Resting Stage of Plankton Diversity from Singapore Coastal Water: Implications for Harmful Algae Blooms and Coastal Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trottet, Aurore; Wilson, Bryan; Sew Wei Xin, Genevieve; George, Christaline; Casten, Lemuel; Schmoker, Claire; Rawi, Nurul Syazana Binte Modh; Chew Siew, Moon; Larsen, Ole; Eikaas, Hans S.; Tun, Karenne; Drillet, Guillaume

2018-02-01

Resting strategies of planktonic organisms are important for the ecological processes of coastal waters and their impacts should be taken into consideration in management of water bodies used by multiple industries. We combined different approaches to evaluate the importance of resting stages in Singapore coastal waters. We used molecular approaches to improve the knowledge on Singapore biodiversity, we sampled and extracted cysts from sediments to evaluate the density of resting stages in Johor Strait, and we compared systematically information on Singapore planktonic biodiversity to existing published information on resting stages from these reported organisms. This is the first study evaluating the importance of resting stages in Singapore waters. Above 120 species reported in Singapore are known to produce resting stages though no previous work has ever been done to evaluate the importance of these strategies in these waters. The results from the resting stage survey confirmed 0.66 to 5.34 cyst g-1 dry weight sediment were present in the Johor Strait suggesting that cysts may be flushed by tidal currents into and out of the strait regularly. This also suggest that the blooms occurring in Singapore are likely due to secondary growth of Harmful Algae Bloom species in the water rather than from direct germination of cysts from sediment. Finally, we discuss the importance of these resting eggs for three main national industries in Singapore (shipping, marine aquaculture and provision of drinking water through seawater desalination). We argue that this study will serve as a baseline for some of the future management of Singapore waters.

Sleep deprivation compromises resting-state emotional regulatory processes: An EEG study.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinxiao; Lau, Esther Yuet Ying; Hsiao, Janet H

2018-03-01

Resting-state spontaneous neural activities consume far more biological energy than stimulus-induced activities, suggesting their significance. However, existing studies of sleep loss and emotional functioning have focused on how sleep deprivation modulates stimulus-induced emotional neural activities. The current study aimed to investigate the impacts of sleep deprivation on the brain network of emotional functioning using electroencephalogram during a resting state. Two established resting-state electroencephalogram indexes (i.e. frontal alpha asymmetry and frontal theta/beta ratio) were used to reflect the functioning of the emotion regulatory neural network. Participants completed an 8-min resting-state electroencephalogram recording after a well-rested night or 24 hr sleep deprivation. The Sleep Deprivation group had a heightened ratio of the power density in theta band to beta band (theta/beta ratio) in the frontal area than the Sleep Control group, suggesting an effective approach with reduced frontal cortical regulation of subcortical drive after sleep deprivation. There was also marginally more left-lateralized frontal alpha power (left frontal alpha asymmetry) in the Sleep Deprivation group compared with the Sleep Control group. Besides, higher theta/beta ratio and more left alpha lateralization were correlated with higher sleepiness and lower vigilance. The results converged in suggesting compromised emotional regulatory processes during resting state after sleep deprivation. Our work provided the first resting-state neural evidence for compromised emotional functioning after sleep loss, highlighting the significance of examining resting-state neural activities within the affective brain network as a default functional mode in investigating the sleep-emotion relationship. © 2018 European Sleep Research Society.

Clinical and Radiographic Correlates of Hypoxemia and Oxygen Therapy in the COPDGene Study

PubMed Central

Kim, Deog Kyeom; Jacobson, Francine L.; Washko, George R.; Casaburi, Richard; Make, Barry J.; Crapo, James D.; Silverman, Edwin K.; Hersh, Craig P.

2011-01-01

Background Severe hypoxemia is a major complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Long term oxygen therapy is beneficial in hypoxemic COPD patients. However, the clinical and radiographic predictors of hypoxemia and the use of oxygen therapy are not well described. This study aimed to find the correlates of resting hypoxemia and the pattern of oxygen use in moderate to severe COPD patients. Methods Subjects with GOLD stage II or higher COPD from the first 2500 COPDGene subjects were included in this analysis. All subjects were current or ex-smokers between ages 45 and 80. Severe resting hypoxemia was defined as room air oxygen saturation (SpO2) ≤ 88%. Use of supplemental oxygen therapy was determined by questionnaire. Results Eighty-two of 1060 COPD subjects (7.7%) had severe resting hypoxemia. Twenty-one of the 82 (25.6%) were not using continuous supplemental oxygen. Female sex, higher BMI, lower FEV1, and enrollment in Denver were independent risk factors for hypoxemia; emphysema severity on quantitative chest CT scan did not predict hypoxemia. 132 of 971(13.6%) subjects without severe resting hypoxemia were using continuous supplemental oxygen. In non-hypoxemic oxygen users, Denver recruitment, higher BMI, lower FEV1, and more severe dyspnea were associated with the use of continuous oxygen. Conclusions A large number of COPD patients without severe hypoxemia were using supplemental oxygen therapy and the pattern of oxygen use was affected by factors other than resting SpO2 and emphysema severity. Longitudinal data will be required to reveal the effects of oxygen therapy in this subgroup. PMID:21396809

Intrinsic Brain Connectivity in Chronic Pain: A Resting-State fMRI Study in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Flodin, Pär; Martinsen, Sofia; Altawil, Reem; Waldheim, Eva; Lampa, Jon; Kosek, Eva; Fransson, Peter

2016-01-01

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is commonly accompanied by pain that is discordant with the degree of peripheral pathology. Very little is known about the cerebral processes involved in pain processing in RA. Here we investigated resting-state brain connectivity associated with prolonged pain in RA. Methods: 24 RA subjects and 19 matched controls were compared with regard to both behavioral measures of pain perception and resting-resting state fMRI data acquired subsequently to fMRI sessions involving pain stimuli. The resting-state fMRI brain connectivity was investigated using 159 seed regions located in cardinal pain processing brain regions. Additional principal component based multivariate pattern analysis of the whole brain connectivity pattern was carried out in a data driven analysis to localize group differences in functional connectivity. Results: When RA patients were compared to controls, we observed significantly lower pain resilience for pressure on the affected finger joints (i.e., P50-joint) and an overall heightened level of perceived global pain in RA patients. Relative to controls, RA patients displayed increased brain connectivity predominately for the supplementary motor areas, mid-cingulate cortex, and the primary sensorimotor cortex. Additionally, we observed an increase in brain connectivity between the insula and prefrontal cortex as well as between anterior cingulate cortex and occipital areas for RA patients. None of the group differences in brain connectivity were significantly correlated with behavioral parameters. Conclusion: Our study provides experimental evidence of increased connectivity between frontal midline regions that are implicated in affective pain processing and bilateral sensorimotor regions in RA patients. PMID:27014038

Exercise Effects on the Brain and Sensorimotor Function in Bed Rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koppelmans, V.; Cassady, K.; De Dios, Y. E.; Szecsy, D.; Gadd, N.; Wood, S. J.; Reuter-Lorenz, R. A.; Kofman, I.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Mulavara, A. P.;

3-D capacitance density imaging system

DOEpatents

Fasching, G.E.

1988-03-18

A three-dimensional capacitance density imaging of a gasified bed or the like in a containment vessel is achieved using a plurality of electrodes provided circumferentially about the bed in levels and along the bed in channels. The electrodes are individually and selectively excited electrically at each level to produce a plurality of current flux field patterns generated in the bed at each level. The current flux field patterns are suitably sensed and a density pattern of the bed at each level determined. By combining the determined density patterns at each level, a three-dimensional density image of the bed is achieved. 7 figs.

3-D capacitance density imaging of fluidized bed

DOEpatents

Fasching, George E.

1990-01-01

A three-dimensional capacitance density imaging of a gasified bed or the like in a containment vessel is achieved using a plurality of electrodes provided circumferentially about the bed in levels and along the bed in channels. The electrodes are individually and selectively excited electrically at each level to produce a plurality of current flux field patterns generated in the bed at each level. The current flux field patterns are suitably sensed and a density pattern of the bed at each level determined. By combining the determined density patterns at each level, a three-dimensional density image of the bed is achieved.

The effect of midday moderate-intensity exercise on postexercise hypoglycemia risk in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Davey, Raymond J; Howe, Warwick; Paramalingam, Nirubasini; Ferreira, Luis D; Davis, Elizabeth A; Fournier, Paul A; Jones, Timothy W

2013-07-01

Exercise increases the risk of hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes. Recently we reported a biphasic increase in glucose requirements to maintain euglycemia after late-afternoon exercise, suggesting a unique pattern of delayed risk for nocturnal hypoglycemia. This study examined whether this pattern of glucose requirements occurs if exercise is performed earlier in the day. Ten adolescents with type 1 diabetes underwent a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic glucose clamp on 2 different occasions during which they either rested or performed 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise at midday. Glucose was infused to maintain euglycemia for 17 hours after exercise. The glucose infusion rate (GIR) to maintain euglycemia, glucose rates of appearance and disappearance, and levels of counterregulatory hormones were compared between conditions. GIRs to maintain euglycemia were not significantly different between groups at baseline (9.8 ± 1.4 and 9.5 ± 1.6 g/h before the exercise and rest conditions, respectively) and did not change in the rest condition throughout the study. In contrast, GIR increased more than 3-fold during exercise (from 9.8 ± 1.4 to 30.6 ± 4.7 g/h), fell within the first hour of recovery, but remained elevated until 11 hours after exercise before returning to baseline levels. The pattern of glucose requirements to maintain euglycemia in response to moderate-intensity exercise performed at midday suggests that the risk of exercise-mediated hypoglycemia increases during and for several hours after moderate-intensity exercise, with no evidence of a biphasic pattern of postexercise risk of hypoglycemia.

Disrupted resting brain graph measures in individuals at high risk for alcoholism.

PubMed

Holla, Bharath; Panda, Rajanikant; Venkatasubramanian, Ganesan; Biswal, Bharat; Bharath, Rose Dawn; Benegal, Vivek

2017-07-30

Familial susceptibility to alcoholism is likely to be linked to the externalizing diathesis seen in high-risk offspring from high-density alcohol use disorder (AUD) families. The present study aimed at comparing resting brain functional connectivity and their association with externalizing symptoms and alcoholism familial density in 40 substance-naive high-risk (HR) male offspring from high-density AUD families and 30 matched healthy low-risk (LR) males without a family history of substance dependence using graph theory-based network analysis. The HR subjects from high-density AUD families compared with LR, showed significantly reduced clustering, small-worldness, and local network efficiency. The frontoparietal, cingulo-opercular, sensorimotor and cerebellar networks exhibited significantly reduced functional segregation. These disruptions exhibited independent incremental value in predicting the externalizing symptoms over and above the demographic variables. The reduction of functional segregation in HR subjects was significant across both the younger and older age groups and was proportional to the family loading of AUDs. Detection and estimation of these developmentally relevant disruptions in small-world architecture at critical brain regions sub-serving cognitive, affective, and sensorimotor processes are vital for understanding the familial risk for early onset alcoholism as well as for understanding the pathophysiological mechanism of externalizing behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do resting brain dynamics predict oddball evoked-potential?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The oddball paradigm is widely applied to the investigation of cognitive function in neuroscience and in neuropsychiatry. Whether cortical oscillation in the resting state can predict the elicited oddball event-related potential (ERP) is still not clear. This study explored the relationship between resting electroencephalography (EEG) and oddball ERPs. The regional powers of 18 electrodes across delta, theta, alpha and beta frequencies were correlated with the amplitude and latency of N1, P2, N2 and P3 components of oddball ERPs. A multivariate analysis based on partial least squares (PLS) was applied to further examine the spatial pattern revealed by multiple correlations. Results Higher synchronization in the resting state, especially at the alpha spectrum, is associated with higher neural responsiveness and faster neural propagation, as indicated by the higher amplitude change of N1/N2 and shorter latency of P2. None of the resting quantitative EEG indices predict P3 latency and amplitude. The PLS analysis confirms that the resting cortical dynamics which explains N1/N2 amplitude and P2 latency does not show regional specificity, indicating a global property of the brain. Conclusions This study differs from previous approaches by relating dynamics in the resting state to neural responsiveness in the activation state. Our analyses suggest that the neural characteristics carried by resting brain dynamics modulate the earlier/automatic stage of target detection. PMID:22114868

Predictive modeling of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands.

PubMed

Thorne, Lesley H; Johnston, David W; Urban, Dean L; Tyne, Julian; Bejder, Lars; Baird, Robin W; Yin, Suzanne; Rickards, Susan H; Deakos, Mark H; Mobley, Joseph R; Pack, Adam A; Chapla Hill, Marie

2012-01-01

Predictive habitat models can provide critical information that is necessary in many conservation applications. Using Maximum Entropy modeling, we characterized habitat relationships and generated spatial predictions of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands. Spinner dolphins in Hawai'i exhibit predictable daily movements, using inshore bays as resting habitat during daylight hours and foraging in offshore waters at night. There are growing concerns regarding the effects of human activities on spinner dolphins resting in coastal areas. However, the environmental factors that define suitable resting habitat remain unclear and must be assessed and quantified in order to properly address interactions between humans and spinner dolphins. We used a series of dolphin sightings from recent surveys in the main Hawaiian Islands and a suite of environmental variables hypothesized as being important to resting habitat to model spinner dolphin resting habitat. The model performed well in predicting resting habitat and indicated that proximity to deep water foraging areas, depth, the proportion of bays with shallow depths, and rugosity were important predictors of spinner dolphin habitat. Predicted locations of suitable spinner dolphin resting habitat provided in this study indicate areas where future survey efforts should be focused and highlight potential areas of conflict with human activities. This study provides an example of a presence-only habitat model used to inform the management of a species for which patterns of habitat availability are poorly understood.

Predictive Modeling of Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) Resting Habitat in the Main Hawaiian Islands

PubMed Central

Thorne, Lesley H.; Johnston, David W.; Urban, Dean L.; Tyne, Julian; Bejder, Lars; Baird, Robin W.; Yin, Suzanne; Rickards, Susan H.; Deakos, Mark H.; Mobley, Joseph R.; Pack, Adam A.; Chapla Hill, Marie

2012-01-01

Predictive habitat models can provide critical information that is necessary in many conservation applications. Using Maximum Entropy modeling, we characterized habitat relationships and generated spatial predictions of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands. Spinner dolphins in Hawai'i exhibit predictable daily movements, using inshore bays as resting habitat during daylight hours and foraging in offshore waters at night. There are growing concerns regarding the effects of human activities on spinner dolphins resting in coastal areas. However, the environmental factors that define suitable resting habitat remain unclear and must be assessed and quantified in order to properly address interactions between humans and spinner dolphins. We used a series of dolphin sightings from recent surveys in the main Hawaiian Islands and a suite of environmental variables hypothesized as being important to resting habitat to model spinner dolphin resting habitat. The model performed well in predicting resting habitat and indicated that proximity to deep water foraging areas, depth, the proportion of bays with shallow depths, and rugosity were important predictors of spinner dolphin habitat. Predicted locations of suitable spinner dolphin resting habitat provided in this study indicate areas where future survey efforts should be focused and highlight potential areas of conflict with human activities. This study provides an example of a presence-only habitat model used to inform the management of a species for which patterns of habitat availability are poorly understood. PMID:22937022

Studying brain organization via spontaneous fMRI signal.

PubMed

Power, Jonathan D; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Petersen, Steven E

2014-11-19

In recent years, some substantial advances in understanding human (and nonhuman) brain organization have emerged from a relatively unusual approach: the observation of spontaneous activity, and correlated patterns in spontaneous activity, in the "resting" brain. Most commonly, spontaneous neural activity is measured indirectly via fMRI signal in subjects who are lying quietly in the scanner, the so-called "resting state." This Primer introduces the fMRI-based study of spontaneous brain activity, some of the methodological issues active in the field, and some ways in which resting-state fMRI has been used to delineate aspects of area-level and supra-areal brain organization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential Resting-State Connectivity Patterns of the Right Anterior and Posterior Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortices (DLPFC) in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Chechko, Natalia; Cieslik, Edna C; Müller, Veronika I; Nickl-Jockschat, Thomas; Derntl, Birgit; Kogler, Lydia; Aleman, André; Jardri, Renaud; Sommer, Iris E; Gruber, Oliver; Eickhoff, Simon B

2018-01-01

In schizophrenia (SCZ), dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been linked to the deficits in executive functions and attention. It has been suggested that, instead of considering the right DLPFC as a cohesive functional entity, it can be divided into two parts (anterior and posterior) based on its whole-brain connectivity patterns. Given these two subregions' differential association with cognitive processes, we investigated the functional connectivity (FC) profile of both subregions through resting-state data to determine whether they are differentially affected in SCZ. Resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained from 120 patients and 172 healthy controls (HC) at 6 different MRI sites. The results showed differential FC patterns for the anterior and posterior parts of the right executive control-related DLPFC in SCZ with the parietal, the temporal and the cerebellar regions, along with a convergent reduction of connectivity with the striatum and the occipital cortex. An increased psychopathology level was linked to a higher difference in posterior vs. anterior FC for the left IFG/anterior insula, regions involved in higher-order cognitive processes. In sum, the current analysis demonstrated that even between two neighboring clusters connectivity could be differentially disrupted in SCZ. Lacking the necessary anatomical specificity, such notions may in fact be detrimental to a proper understanding of SCZ pathophysiology.

Respiration patterns of resting wasps (Vespula sp.)

PubMed Central

Käfer, Helmut; Kovac, Helmut; Stabentheiner, Anton

2013-01-01

We investigated the respiration patterns of wasps (Vespula sp.) in their viable temperature range (2.9–42.4 °C) by measuring CO2 production and locomotor and endothermic activity. Wasps showed cycles of an interburst–burst type at low ambient temperatures (Ta < 5 °C) or typical discontinuous gas exchange patterns with closed, flutter and open phases. At high Ta of >31 °C, CO2 emission became cyclic. With rising Ta they enhanced CO2-emission primarily by an exponential increase in respiration frequency, from 2.6 mHz at 4.7 °C to 74 mHz at 39.7 °C. In the same range of Ta CO2 release per cycle decreased from 38.9 to 26.4 μl g−1 cycle−1. A comparison of wasps with other insects showed that they are among the insects with a low respiratory frequency at a given resting metabolic rate (RMR), and a relatively flat increase of respiratory frequency with RMR. CO2 emission was always accompanied by abdominal respiration movements in all open phases and in 71.4% of the flutter phases, often accompanied by body movements. Results suggest that resting wasps gain their highly efficient gas exchange to a considerable extent via the length and type of respiration movements. PMID:23399474

Seasonal Abundance and Host-Feeding Patterns of Anopheline Vectors in Malaria Endemic Area of Iran

PubMed Central

Basseri, Hamidreza; Raeisi, Ahmad; Ranjbar Khakha, Mansoor; Pakarai, Abaas; Abdolghafar, Hassanzehi

2010-01-01

Seasonal abundance and tendency to feed on humans are important parameters to measure for effective control of malaria vectors. The objective of this study was to describe relation between feeding pattern, abundance, and resting behavior of four malaria vectors in southern Iran. This study was conducted in ten indicator villages (based on malaria incidence and entomological indices) in mountainous/hilly and plain regions situated south and southeastern Iran. Mosquito vectors were collected from indoor as well as outdoor shelters and the blood meals were examined by ELISA test. Over all 7654 female Anopheles spp. were captured, the most common species were Anopheles stephensi, An. culicifacies, An. fluviatilis, and An. d'thali. The overall human blood index was 37.50%, 19.83%, 16.4%, and 30.1% for An. fluviatilis, An. stephensi, An. culicifacies, and An. d'thali, respectively. In addition, An. fluviatilis fed on human blood during the entire year but the feeding behavior of An. stephensi and An. culicifacies varied according to seasons. Overall, the abundance of the female mosquito positive to human blood was 4.25% per human shelter versus 17.5% per animal shelter. This result indicates that the vectors had tendency to rest in animal shelters after feeding on human. Therefore, vector control measure should be planned based on such as feeding pattern, abundance, and resting behavior of these vectors in the area. PMID:21559055

Uncovering Physiologic Mechanisms of Circadian Rhythms and Sleep/Wake Regulation Through Mathematical Modeling

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

the effects of rest -activity-work schedules and interventions on neurobehavioral function. In a symposium titled “Modeling Human Neurobehavioral...physio- logic basis of Process S. The mutually inhibitory neu- ronal populations, together with the surrogate Process S, have the potential to serve...as a function of both ta and φ (Czeisler et al., 1999). Briefly, by imposing a cyclic pattern of bed rest and wake time at a period, T, sufficiently

Using Spatial Multiple Regression to Identify Intrinsic Connectivity Networks Involved in Working Memory Performance

PubMed Central

Gordon, Evan M.; Stollstorff, Melanie; Vaidya, Chandan J.

2012-01-01

Many researchers have noted that the functional architecture of the human brain is relatively invariant during task performance and the resting state. Indeed, intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) revealed by resting-state functional connectivity analyses are spatially similar to regions activated during cognitive tasks. This suggests that patterns of task-related activation in individual subjects may result from the engagement of one or more of these ICNs; however, this has not been tested. We used a novel analysis, spatial multiple regression, to test whether the patterns of activation during an N-back working memory task could be well described by a linear combination of ICNs delineated using Independent Components Analysis at rest. We found that across subjects, the cingulo-opercular Set Maintenance ICN, as well as right and left Frontoparietal Control ICNs, were reliably activated during working memory, while Default Mode and Visual ICNs were reliably deactivated. Further, involvement of Set Maintenance, Frontoparietal Control, and Dorsal Attention ICNs was sensitive to varying working memory load. Finally, the degree of left Frontoparietal Control network activation predicted response speed, while activation in both left Frontoparietal Control and Dorsal Attention networks predicted task accuracy. These results suggest that a close relationship between resting-state networks and task-evoked activation is functionally relevant for behavior, and that spatial multiple regression analysis is a suitable method for revealing that relationship. PMID:21761505

Scale invariant rearrangement of resting state networks in the human brain under sustained stimulation.

PubMed

Tommasin, Silvia; Mascali, Daniele; Moraschi, Marta; Gili, Tommaso; Assan, Ibrahim Eid; Fratini, Michela; DiNuzzo, Mauro; Wise, Richard G; Mangia, Silvia; Macaluso, Emiliano; Giove, Federico

2018-06-14

Brain activity at rest is characterized by widely distributed and spatially specific patterns of synchronized low-frequency blood-oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fluctuations, which correspond to physiologically relevant brain networks. This network behaviour is known to persist also during task execution, yet the details underlying task-associated modulations of within- and between-network connectivity are largely unknown. In this study we exploited a multi-parametric and multi-scale approach to investigate how low-frequency fluctuations adapt to a sustained n-back working memory task. We found that the transition from the resting state to the task state involves a behaviourally relevant and scale-invariant modulation of synchronization patterns within both task-positive and default mode networks. Specifically, decreases of connectivity within networks are accompanied by increases of connectivity between networks. In spite of large and widespread changes of connectivity strength, the overall topology of brain networks is remarkably preserved. We show that these findings are strongly influenced by connectivity at rest, suggesting that the absolute change of connectivity (i.e., disregarding the baseline) may be not the most suitable metric to study dynamic modulations of functional connectivity. Our results indicate that a task can evoke scale-invariant, distributed changes of BOLD fluctuations, further confirming that low frequency BOLD oscillations show a specialized response and are tightly bound to task-evoked activation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Inspiratory flow pattern in humans.

PubMed

Lafortuna, C L; Minetti, A E; Mognoni, P

1984-10-01

The theoretical estimation of the mechanical work of breathing during inspiration at rest is based on the common assumption that the inspiratory airflow wave is a sine function of time. Different analytical studies have pointed out that from an energetic point of view a rectangular wave is more economical than a sine wave. Visual inspection of inspiratory flow waves recorded during exercise in humans and various animals suggests that a trend toward a rectangular flow wave may be a possible systematic response of the respiratory system. To test this hypothesis, the harmonic content of inspiratory flow waves that were recorded in six healthy subjects at rest, during exercise hyperventilation, and during a maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) maneuver were evaluated by a Fourier analysis, and the results were compared with those obtained on sinusoidal and rectangular models. The dynamic work inherent in the experimental waves and in the sine-wave model was practically the same at rest; during exercise hyperventilation and MVV, the experimental wave was approximately 16-20% more economical than the sinusoidal one. It was concluded that even though at rest the sinusoidal model is a reasonably good approximation of inspiratory flow, during exercise and MVV, a physiological controller is probably operating in humans that can select a more economical inspiratory pattern. Other peculiarities of airflow wave during hyperventilation and some optimization criteria are also discussed.

Tremor frequency characteristics in Parkinson's disease under resting-state and stress-state conditions.

PubMed

Lee, Hong Ji; Lee, Woong Woo; Kim, Sang Kyong; Park, Hyeyoung; Jeon, Hyo Seon; Kim, Han Byul; Jeon, Beom S; Park, Kwang Suk

2016-03-15

Tremor characteristics-amplitude and frequency components-are primary quantitative clinical factors for diagnosis and monitoring of tremors. Few studies have investigated how different patient's conditions affect tremor frequency characteristics in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we analyzed tremor characteristics under resting-state and stress-state conditions. Tremor was recorded using an accelerometer on the finger, under resting-state and stress-state (calculation task) conditions, during rest tremor and postural tremor. The changes of peak power, peak frequency, mean frequency, and distribution of power spectral density (PSD) of tremor were evaluated across conditions. Patients whose tremors were considered more than "mild" were selected, for both rest (n=67) and postural (n=25) tremor. Stress resulted in both greater peak powers and higher peak frequencies for rest tremor (p<0.001), but not for postural tremor. Notably, peak frequencies were concentrated around 5 Hz under stress-state condition. The distributions of PSD of tremor were symmetrical, regardless of conditions. Tremor is more evident and typical tremor characteristics, namely a lower frequency as amplitude increases, are different in stressful condition. Patient's conditions directly affect neural oscillations related to tremor frequencies. Therefore, tremor characteristics in PD should be systematically standardized across patient's conditions such as attention and stress levels. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Alendronate as an Effective Countermeasure to Disuse Induced Bone loss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeBlanc, Adrian D.; Driscol, Theda B.; Shackelford, Linda C.; Evans, Harlan J.; Rianon, Nahid J.; Smith, Scott M.; Lai, Dejian

2002-01-01

Microgravity, similar to diuse immobilization on earth, causes rapid bone loss. This loss is believed to be an adaptive response to the reduced musculoskelatal forces in space and occurs gradually enough that changes occurring during short duration space flight are not a concern. Bone loss, however, will be a major impediment for long duration missions if effective countermeasures are not developed and implemented. Bed rest is used to simulate the reduced mechanical forces in humans and was used to test the hypothesis that oral alendronate would reduce the effects of long duration (17 weeks) inactivity on bone. Eight male subjects were given daily oral doses of alendronate during 17 weeks of horizontal bed rest and compared with 13 male control subjects not given the drug. Efficacy was evaluated based on measurements of bone markers, calcium balance and bone density performed before, during and after the bed rest. The results show that oral alendronate attenuates most of the characteristic changes associated with long duration bed rest and presumably space flight.

Sex-related differences in amygdala functional connectivity during resting conditions.

PubMed

Kilpatrick, L A; Zald, D H; Pardo, J V; Cahill, L F

2006-04-01

Recent neuroimaging studies have established a sex-related hemispheric lateralization of amygdala involvement in memory for emotionally arousing material. Here, we examine the possibility that sex-related differences in amygdala involvement in memory for emotional material develop from differential patterns of amygdala functional connectivity evident in the resting brain. Seed voxel partial least square analyses of regional cerebral blood flow data revealed significant sex-related differences in amygdala functional connectivity during resting conditions. The right amygdala was associated with greater functional connectivity in men than in women. In contrast, the left amygdala was associated with greater functional connectivity in women than in men. Furthermore, the regions displaying stronger functional connectivity with the right amygdala in males (sensorimotor cortex, striatum, pulvinar) differed from those displaying stronger functional connectivity with the left amygdala in females (subgenual cortex, hypothalamus). These differences in functional connectivity at rest may link to sex-related differences in medical and psychiatric disorders.

Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review

PubMed Central

Hull, Jocelyn V.; Jacokes, Zachary J.; Torgerson, Carinna M.; Irimia, Andrei; Van Horn, John Darrell

2017-01-01

Ongoing debate exists within the resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) literature over how intrinsic connectivity is altered in the autistic brain, with reports of general over-connectivity, under-connectivity, and/or a combination of both. Classifying autism using brain connectivity is complicated by the heterogeneous nature of the condition, allowing for the possibility of widely variable connectivity patterns among individuals with the disorder. Further differences in reported results may be attributable to the age and sex of participants included, designs of the resting-state scan, and to the analysis technique used to evaluate the data. This review systematically examines the resting-state fMRI autism literature to date and compares studies in an attempt to draw overall conclusions that are presently challenging. We also propose future direction for rs-fMRI use to categorize individuals with autism spectrum disorder, serve as a possible diagnostic tool, and best utilize data-sharing initiatives. PMID:28101064

Direct modulation of aberrant brain network connectivity through real-time NeuroFeedback

PubMed Central

Kimmich, Sara; Gonzalez-Castillo, Javier; Roopchansingh, Vinai; Popal, Haroon; White, Emily; Gotts, Stephen J; Martin, Alex

2017-01-01

The existence of abnormal connectivity patterns between resting state networks in neuropsychiatric disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has been well established. Traditional treatment methods in ASD are limited, and do not address the aberrant network structure. Using real-time fMRI neurofeedback, we directly trained three brain nodes in participants with ASD, in which the aberrant connectivity has been shown to correlate with symptom severity. Desired network connectivity patterns were reinforced in real-time, without participants’ awareness of the training taking place. This training regimen produced large, significant long-term changes in correlations at the network level, and whole brain analysis revealed that the greatest changes were focused on the areas being trained. These changes were not found in the control group. Moreover, changes in ASD resting state connectivity following the training were correlated to changes in behavior, suggesting that neurofeedback can be used to directly alter complex, clinically relevant network connectivity patterns. PMID:28917059

Effect of furosemide on pulmonary blood flow distribution in resting and exercising horses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, H. H.; Bernard, S. L.; Glenny, R. W.; Fedde, M. R.; Polissar, N. L.; Basaraba, R. J.; Walther, S. M.; Gaughan, E. M.; McMurphy, R.; Hlastala, M. P.

1999-01-01

We determined the spatial distribution of pulmonary blood flow (PBF) with 15-micron fluorescent-labeled microspheres during rest and exercise in five Thoroughbred horses before and 4 h after furosemide administration (0.5 mg/kg iv). The primary finding of this study was that PBF redistribution occurred from rest to exercise, both with and without furosemide. However, there was less blood flow to the dorsal portion of the lung during exercise postfurosemide compared with prefurosemide. Furosemide did alter the resting perfusion distribution by increasing the flow to the ventral regions of the lung; however, that increase in flow was abated with exercise. Other findings included 1) unchanged gas exchange and cardiac output during rest and exercise after vs. before furosemide, 2) a decrease in pulmonary arterial pressure after furosemide, 3) an increase in the slope of the relationship of PBF vs. vertical height up the lung during exercise, both with and without furosemide, and 4) a decrease in blood flow to the dorsal region of the lung at rest after furosemide. Pulmonary perfusion variability within the lung may be a function of the anatomy of the pulmonary vessels that results in a predominantly fixed spatial pattern of flow distribution.

Resting EEG and behavioural correlates of interhemispheric transfer times.

PubMed

Simon-Dack, Stephanie L; Holtgraves, Thomas; Hernandez, Kristina; Thomas, Christopher

2015-01-01

Correlations between the relative speeds of left-to-right and right-to-left interhemispheric transfer times and resting quantitative electroencephalography activity were examined in order to determine if variability in interhemispheric transfer was related to individual variability in resting neural firing patterns. Resting electroencephalograph frequencies for 32 participants were regressed for 4 frequency bands at 8 different locations calculated for asymmetrical activation through subtracting the left from right average spectral power of each. Participants also completed a series of behavioural tasks that are typically localized to the right hemisphere (RH). Results indicate that the frontal medial average spectral power of the beta band is correlated with the speed of transfer such that larger resting beta values in the right as compared to left location are associated with faster right-to-left interhemispheric transfer times and that larger resting beta values in the left as compared to right location are associated with faster left-to-right interhemispheric transfer times. Furthermore, enhanced performance on tasks typically localized to the RH is correlated with slower right-to-left interhemispheric transfer times, suggesting that the dominance of one hemisphere may come at a cost to interhemispheric communication.

Deviant dynamics of EEG resting state pattern in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome adolescents: A vulnerability marker of schizophrenia?

PubMed

Tomescu, Miralena I; Rihs, Tonia A; Becker, Robert; Britz, Juliane; Custo, Anna; Grouiller, Frédéric; Schneider, Maude; Debbané, Martin; Eliez, Stephan; Michel, Christoph M

2014-08-01

Previous studies have repeatedly found altered temporal characteristics of EEG microstates in schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether adolescents affected by the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), known to have a 30 fold increased risk to develop schizophrenia, already show deviant EEG microstates. If this is the case, temporal alterations of EEG microstates in 22q11DS individuals could be considered as potential biomarkers for schizophrenia. We used high-density (204 channel) EEG to explore between-group microstate differences in 30 adolescents with 22q11DS and 28 age-matched controls. We found an increased presence of one microstate class (class C) in the 22q11DS adolescents with respect to controls that was associated with positive prodromal symptoms (hallucinations). A previous across-age study showed that the class C microstate was more present during adolescence and a combined EEG-fMRI study associated the class C microstate with the salience resting state network, a network known to be dysfunctional in schizophrenia. Therefore, the increased class C microstates could be indexing the increased risk of 22q11DS individuals to develop schizophrenia if confirmed by our ongoing longitudinal study comparing both the adult 22q11DS individuals with and without schizophrenia, as well as schizophrenic individuals with and without 22q11DS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and behavior of wild infant-juvenile East Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus morio) in Danum Valley.

PubMed

Mendonça, Renata S; Kanamori, Tomoko; Kuze, Noko; Hayashi, Misato; Bernard, Henry; Matsuzawa, Tetsuro

2017-01-01

Orangutans have a long period of immaturity and the longest inter-birth interval (IBI) of all mammals, which can be explained by their solitary life style, preventing the mother from rearing two offspring simultaneously (solitary life hypothesis) [corrected]. We collected data on mother-offspring dyads living in a primary lowland forest in Danum Valley, East Borneo in an effort to examine the developmental and behavioral patterns of the subspecies Pongo pygmaeus morio. We analyzed developmental changes in mother-offspring distance, contact, and activity budgets in orangutans ranging from 1 to 7 years of age. The results indicated decreased resting and playing with increasing age, whereas feeding, traveling and social play all increased significantly. Mothers' feeding and traveling time were good predictors of their offspring's feeding and traveling activities. Mother-offspring contact lasted longer in resting contexts; contact during traveling was almost non-existent after 4 years of age. Comparisons with previously published data on the Sumatran species Pongo abelli revealed no fundamental differences in these behavioral measures. However, a shorter association time with the mother after behavioral independence is documented for this East Bornean population in comparison to Sumatran populations. These results are best explained by the solitary life hypothesis, in agreement with previous studies. We suggest that environmental constraints in Bornean forests, as well as a lower population density, should be considered when interpreting the differences between Sumatran and Bornean orangutans in both the period of association with mother and the IBI.

Biodiversity and density of subtidal benthos of an oceanic tropical island (a comparison within the Pacific Ocean)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sibaja-Cordero, Jeffrey A.; Troncoso, Jesús S.; Cortés, Jorge; Moreira, Juan; Vargas, José A.; Benavides-Varela, Catalina

2016-09-01

The marine macrofauna of the shallow sandy bottom of Isla del Coco, Costa Rica (5°32‧N-87°04‧W) was assessed in April 2010. Comparisons of richness, density and diversity between levels of exposure to ocean influence were carried out. During this study 15,407 specimens with a mean density of 1826 ind m- 2 were found between 3-75 m depth. The specimens were distributed in 267 taxa (29% new additions) with a mean of 55 ± 14 expected taxa m- 2. The values of density, richness and diversity were higher at the exposed coast, whereas they decreased at inner bays due to the influence of freshwater input. These estimates were compared with 40 studies in the Tropical Pacific Ocean (TPO). Taxa and density previously reported from the TPO were dependent on the area and depth range studied. Additionally, these parameters varied according to the sampling gear used. For example, higher densities were reported by using corers or boxcorers. The Shannon-Wiener index was most effective in identifying sediment and geographical patterns of variation along the TPO. Differences in these diversity parameters were also found between islands and mainland studies. Moreover, richness and density values from Isla del Coco were higher than the same parameters reported in studies using grabs in the TPO. At Isla del Coco annelids were dominant in terms of relative abundance (49.6%), followed by crustaceans (10.1%), mollusks (2.8%), and others faunal groups (37.5%). The faunistic composition at Isla del Coco differed when compared to the rest of localities of TPO due to the higher contribution of miscellaneous groups. In conclusion, the comparison with previous studies in the TPO indicate that islands like Isla del Coco have high numbers of taxa and diversity than those of the mainland, but lower density. However, this value is influenced by the sampling methodology. The taxa accumulation curve at Isla del Coco did not reach the asymptote, suggesting that an intensive sampling, especially at deep waters, would increase the number of taxa.

Weekly cycle of NO2 by GOME measurements: A signature of anthropogenic sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beirle, S.; Platt, U.; Wenig, M.; Wagner, T.

2003-07-01

Nitrogen oxides (NO+NO2=NOx) are important trace gases in the troposphere with impact on human health, atmospheric chemistry and climate. Besides natural sources (lightning, soil emissions) and biomass burning, fossil fuel combustion is estimated to be responsible for about 50% of the total production of NOx. Since human activity in industrialized countries largely follows an artificial seven-day cycle, fossil fuel combustion is expected to be reduced during weekends. This "weekend effect" is well known from local, ground based measurements, but has never been analysed on a global scale before. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) on board the ESA-satellite ERS-2 allows measurements of NO2 column densities. Applying sophisticated algorithms, vertical column densities (VCD) of tropospheric NO2 can be determined. We demonstrate the statistical analysis of weekly cycles of tropospheric NO2 VCDs for different regions of the world. In the cycles of the industrialized regions and cities in the US, Europe and Japan a clear Sunday minimum of tropospheric NO2 VCD can be seen. Sunday NO2 VCDs are about 25-50% lower than working day levels. Metropolitan areas with other religious and cultural backgrounds (Jerusalem, Mecca) show different weekly patterns corresponding to different days of rest. In China, no weekly pattern can be found. The presence of a weekly cycle in the measured tropospheric NO2 VCD allows the identification of anthropogenic sources. In addition, the fraction of emissions subjected to a weekly cycle (mainly transport, power generation) with respect to a constant background (all kind of natural sources, biomass burning, heavy industry) can be estimated. Furthermore, we estimated the lifetime of tropospheric NO2 by analysing the mean weekly cycle over Germany in detail, obtaining a value of about 12 h.

Weekly cycle of NO2 by GOME measurements: a signature of anthropogenic sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beirle, S.; Platt, U.; Wenig, M.; Wagner, T.

2003-12-01

Nitrogen oxides (NO+NO2=NOx and reservoir species) are important trace gases in the troposphere with impact on human health, atmospheric chemistry and climate. Besides natural sources (lightning, soil emissions) and biomass burning, fossil fuel combustion is estimated to be responsible for about 50% of the total production of NOx. Since human activity in industrialized countries largely follows a seven-day cycle, fossil fuel combustion is expected to be reduced during weekends. This "weekend effect" is well known from local, ground based measurements, but has never been analysed on a global scale before. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) on board the ESA-satellite ERS-2 allows measurements of NO2 column densities. By estimating and subtracting the stratospheric column, and considering radiative transfer, vertical column densities (VCD) of tropospheric NO2 can be determined (e.g. Leue et al., 2001). We demonstrate the statistical analysis of weekly cycles of tropospheric NO2 VCDs for different regions of the world. In the cycles of the industrialized regions and cities in the US, Europe and Japan a clear Sunday minimum of tropospheric NO2 VCD can be seen. Sunday NO2 VCDs are about 25-50% lower than working day levels. Metropolitan areas with other religious and cultural backgrounds (Jerusalem, Mecca) show different weekly patterns corresponding to different days of rest. In China, no weekly pattern can be found. The presence of a weekly cycle in the measured tropospheric NO2 VCD may help to identify the different anthropogenic source categories. Furthermore, we estimated the lifetime of tropospheric NO2 by analysing the mean weekly cycle exemplarily over Germany, obtaining a value of about 6 h in summer and 18-24 h in winter.

Regional Patterns of Elevated Alpha and High-Frequency Electroencephalographic Activity during Nonrapid Eye Movement Sleep in Chronic Insomnia: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Riedner, Brady A.; Goldstein, Michael R.; Plante, David T.; Rumble, Meredith E.; Ferrarelli, Fabio; Tononi, Giulio; Benca, Ruth M.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in insomnia using high-density electroencephalography (EEG). Methods: All-night sleep recordings with 256 channel high-density EEG were analyzed for 8 insomnia subjects (5 females) and 8 sex and age-matched controls without sleep complaints. Spectral analyses were conducted using unpaired t-tests and topographical differences between groups were assessed using statistical non-parametric mapping. Five minute segments of deep NREM sleep were further analyzed using sLORETA cortical source imaging. Results: The initial topographic analysis of all-night NREM sleep EEG revealed that insomnia subjects had more high-frequency EEG activity (> 16 Hz) compared to good sleeping controls and that the difference between groups was widespread across the scalp. In addition, the analysis also showed that there was a more circumscribed difference in theta (4–8 Hz) and alpha (8–12 Hz) power bands between groups. When deep NREM sleep (N3) was examined separately, the high-frequency difference between groups diminished, whereas the higher regional alpha activity in insomnia subjects persisted. Source imaging analysis demonstrated that sensory and sensorimotor cortical areas consistently exhibited elevated levels of alpha activity during deep NREM sleep in insomnia subjects relative to good sleeping controls. Conclusions: These results suggest that even during the deepest stage of sleep, sensory and sensorimotor areas in insomnia subjects may still be relatively active compared to control subjects and to the rest of the sleeping brain. Citation: Riedner BA, Goldstein MR, Plante DT, Rumble ME, Ferrarelli F, Tononi G, Benca RM. Regional patterns of elevated alpha and high-frequency electroencephalographic activity during nonrapid eye movement sleep in chronic insomnia: a pilot study. SLEEP 2016;39(4):801–812. PMID:26943465

Differences on Brain Connectivity in Adulthood Are Present in Subjects with Iron Deficiency Anemia in Infancy

PubMed Central

Algarin, Cecilia; Karunakaran, Keerthana Deepti; Reyes, Sussanne; Morales, Cristian; Lozoff, Betsy; Peirano, Patricio; Biswal, Bharat

2017-01-01

Iron deficiency continues to be the most prevalent micronutrient deficit worldwide. Since iron is involved in several processes including myelination, dopamine neurotransmission and neuronal metabolism, the presence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in infancy relates to long-lasting neurofunctional effects. There is scarce data regarding whether these effects would extend to former iron deficient anemic human adults. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a novel technique to explore patterns of functional connectivity. Default Mode Network (DMN), one of the resting state networks, is deeply involved in memory, social cognition and self-referential processes. The four core regions consistently identified in the DMN are the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate/retrosplenial cortex and left and right inferior parietal cortex. Therefore to investigate the DMN in former iron deficient anemic adults is a particularly useful approach to elucidate de long term effects on functional brain. We conducted this research to explore the connection between IDA in infancy and altered patterns of resting state brain functional networks in young adults. Resting-state fMRI studies were performed to 31 participants that belong to a follow-up study since infancy. Of them, 14 participants were former iron deficient anemic in infancy and 17 were controls, with mean age of 21.5 years (±1.5) and 54.8% were males. Resting-state fMRI protocol was used and the data was analyzed using the seed based connectivity statistical analysis to assess the DMN. We found that compared to controls, former iron deficient anemic subjects showed posterior DMN decreased connectivity to the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), whereas they exhibited increased anterior DMN connectivity to the right PCC. Differences between groups were also apparent in the left medial frontal gyrus, with former iron deficient anemic participants having increased connectivity with areas included in DMN and dorsal attention networks. These preliminary results suggest different patterns of functional connectivity between former iron deficient anemic and control young adults. Indeed, IDA in infancy, a common nutritional problem among human infants, may turn out to be important for understanding the mechanisms of cognitive alterations, common in adulthood. PMID:28326037

Rickettsia 'in' and 'out': two different localization patterns of a bacterial symbiont in the same insect species.

PubMed

Caspi-Fluger, Ayelet; Inbar, Moshe; Mozes-Daube, Netta; Mouton, Laurence; Hunter, Martha S; Zchori-Fein, Einat

2011-01-01

Intracellular symbionts of arthropods have diverse influences on their hosts, and their functions generally appear to be associated with their localization within the host. The effect of localization pattern on the role of a particular symbiont cannot normally be tested since the localization pattern within hosts is generally invariant. However, in Israel, the secondary symbiont Rickettsia is unusual in that it presents two distinct localization patterns throughout development and adulthood in its whitefly host, Bemisia tabaci (B biotype). In the "scattered" pattern, Rickettsia is localized throughout the whitefly hemocoel, excluding the bacteriocytes, where the obligate symbiont Portiera aleyrodidarum and some other secondary symbionts are housed. In the "confined" pattern, Rickettsia is restricted to the bacteriocytes. We examined the effects of these patterns on Rickettsia densities, association with other symbionts (Portiera and Hamiltonella defensa inside the bacteriocytes) and on the potential for horizontal transmission to the parasitoid wasp, Eretmocerus mundus, while the wasp larvae are developing within the whitefly nymph. Sequences of four Rickettsia genes were found to be identical for both localization patterns, suggesting that they are closely related strains. However, real-time PCR analysis showed very different dynamics for the two localization types. On the first day post-adult emergence, Rickettsia densities were 21 times higher in the "confined" pattern vs. "scattered" pattern whiteflies. During adulthood, Rickettsia increased in density in the "scattered" pattern whiteflies until it reached the "confined" pattern Rickettsia density on day 21. No correlation between Rickettsia densities and Hamiltonella or Portiera densities were found for either localization pattern. Using FISH technique, we found Rickettsia in the gut of the parasitoid wasps only when they developed on whiteflies with the "scattered" pattern. The results suggest that the localization pattern of a symbiont may influence its dynamics within the host.

Molecular biomarkers monitoring human skeletal muscle fibres and microvasculature following long-term bed rest with and without countermeasures

PubMed Central

Salanova, M; Schiffl, G; Püttmann, B; Schoser, B G; Blottner, D

2008-01-01

The cellular mechanisms of human skeletal muscle adaptation to disuse are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the morphological and biochemical changes of the lower limb soleus and vastus lateralis muscles following 60 days of head-down tilt bed rest in women with and without exercise countermeasure using molecular biomarkers monitoring functional cell compartments. Muscle biopsies were taken before (pre) and after bed rest (post) from a bed rest-only and a bed rest exercise group (n = 8, each). NOS1 and NOS3/PECAM, markers of myofibre ‘activity’ and capillary density, and MuRF1 (E3 ubiquitin-ligase), a marker of proteolysis, were documented by confocal immunofluorescence and immunoblot analyses. Morphometrical parameters (myofibre cross-sectional area, type I/II distribution) were largely preserved in muscles from the exercise group with a robust trend for type II hypertrophy in vastus lateralis. In the bed rest-only group, the relative NOS1 immunostaining intensity was decreased at type I and II myofibre membranes, while the bed rest plus exercise group compensated for this loss particularly in soleus. In the microvascular network, NOS3 expression and the capillary-to-fibre ratio were both increased in the exercise group. Elevated MuRF1 immunosignals found in subgroups of atrophic myofibres probably reflected accelerated proteolysis. Immunoblots revealed overexpression of the MuRF1 protein in the soleus of the bed rest-only group (> 35% vs. pre). We conclude that exercise countermeasure during bed rest affected both NOS/NO signalling and proteolysis in female skeletal muscle. Maintenance of NO signalling mechanisms and normal protein turnover by exercise countermeasure may be crucial steps to attenuate human skeletal muscle atrophy and to maintain cell function following chronic disuse. PMID:18221329

Towards affordable biomarkers of frontotemporal dementia: A classification study via network's information sharing.

PubMed

Dottori, Martin; Sedeño, Lucas; Martorell Caro, Miguel; Alifano, Florencia; Hesse, Eugenia; Mikulan, Ezequiel; García, Adolfo M; Ruiz-Tagle, Amparo; Lillo, Patricia; Slachevsky, Andrea; Serrano, Cecilia; Fraiman, Daniel; Ibanez, Agustin

2017-06-19

Developing effective and affordable biomarkers for dementias is critical given the difficulty to achieve early diagnosis. In this sense, electroencephalographic (EEG) methods offer promising alternatives due to their low cost, portability, and growing robustness. Here, we relied on EEG signals and a novel information-sharing method to study resting-state connectivity in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and controls. To evaluate the specificity of our results, we also tested Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The classification power of the ensuing connectivity patterns was evaluated through a supervised classification algorithm (support vector machine). In addition, we compared the classification power yielded by (i) functional connectivity, (ii) relevant neuropsychological tests, and (iii) a combination of both. BvFTD patients exhibited a specific pattern of hypoconnectivity in mid-range frontotemporal links, which showed no alterations in AD patients. These functional connectivity alterations in bvFTD were replicated with a low-density EEG setting (20 electrodes). Moreover, while neuropsychological tests yielded acceptable discrimination between bvFTD and controls, the addition of connectivity results improved classification power. Finally, classification between bvFTD and AD patients was better when based on connectivity than on neuropsychological measures. Taken together, such findings underscore the relevance of EEG measures as potential biomarker signatures for clinical settings.

Ubiquitousness of link-density and link-pattern communities in real-world networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šubelj, L.; Bajec, M.

2012-01-01

Community structure appears to be an intrinsic property of many complex real-world networks. However, recent work shows that real-world networks reveal even more sophisticated modules than classical cohesive (link-density) communities. In particular, networks can also be naturally partitioned according to similar patterns of connectedness among the nodes, revealing link-pattern communities. We here propose a propagation based algorithm that can extract both link-density and link-pattern communities, without any prior knowledge of the true structure. The algorithm was first validated on different classes of synthetic benchmark networks with community structure, and also on random networks. We have further applied the algorithm to different social, information, technological and biological networks, where it indeed reveals meaningful (composites of) link-density and link-pattern communities. The results thus seem to imply that, similarly as link-density counterparts, link-pattern communities appear ubiquitous in nature and design.

Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Colonies of Rod-Shaped Bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitsunezaki, S.

In incubation experiments of bacterial colonies of Proteus Mirabilis, macroscopic spatio-temporal patterns, such as turbulent and unidirectional spiral patterns, appear in colonies. Considering only kinetic propeties of rod-shaped bacteria, we propose a phenomenological model for the directional and positional distributions. As the average density increases, homogeneous states bifurcate sub-critically into nonuniform states exhibiting localized collective motion, and spiral patterns appear for sufficiently large density. These patterns result from interactions between the local bacteria densities and the order parameter representing collective motion. Our model can be described by reduced equations using a perturbative method for large density. The unidirectionality of sprial rotation is also discussed.

Pain in chemotherapy-induced neuropathy--more than neuropathic?

PubMed

Geber, Christian; Breimhorst, Markus; Burbach, Berenike; Egenolf, Christina; Baier, Bernhard; Fechir, Marcel; Koerber, Juergen; Treede, Rolf-Detlef; Vogt, Thomas; Birklein, Frank

2013-12-01

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN) is an adverse effect of chemotherapy. Pain in CIN might comprise neuropathic and nonneuropathic (ie, musculoskeletal) pain components, which might be characterized by pain patterns, electrophysiology, and somatosensory profiling. Included were 146 patients (100 female, 46 male; aged 56 ± 0.8 years) with CIN arising from different chemotherapy regimens. Patients were characterized clinically through nerve conduction studies (NCS) and quantitative sensory testing (QST). Questionnaires for pain (McGill) and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) were supplied. Patients were followed-up after 17 days. Large- (61%) and mixed- (35%) fibre neuropathies were more frequent than small-fibre neuropathy (1.4%). The 5 major chemotherapeutic regimens impacted differently on large- but not on small-fibre function and did not predict painfulness. Chronic pain associated with CIN was reported in 41.7%. Painless and painful CIN did not differ in QST profiles or electrophysiological findings, but different somatosensory patterns were found in CIN subgroups (pain at rest [RestP], n = 25; movement-associated pain [MovP], n = 15; both pain characteristics [MovP+RestP], n = 21; or no pain [NonP], n = 85): small-fibre function (cold-detection threshold, CDT: z score: -1.46 ± 0.21, P < 0.01) was most impaired in RestP; mechanical hyperalgesia was exclusively found in MovP (z score: +0.81 ± 0.30, P < 0.05). "Anxiety" discriminated between painful and painless CIN; "CDT" and "anxiety" discriminated between patients with ongoing (RestP) and movement-associated pain (MovP) or pain components (MovP+RestP). The detrimental effect of chemotherapy on large fibres failed to differentiate painful from painless CIN. Patients stratified for musculoskeletal or neuropathic pain, however, differed in psychological and somatosensory parameters. This stratification might allow for the application of a more specific therapy. Copyright © 2013 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lower body negative pressure treadmill exercise as a countermeasure for bed rest-induced bone loss in female identical twins.

PubMed

Zwart, Sara R; Hargens, Alan R; Lee, Stuart M C; Macias, Brandon R; Watenpaugh, Donald E; Tse, Kevin; Smith, Scott M

2007-02-01

Supine weight-bearing exercise within lower body negative pressure (LBNP) alleviates some of the skeletal deconditioning induced by simulated weightlessness in men. We examined this potential beneficial effect in women. Because dietary acid load affected the degree of bone resorption in men during bed rest, we also investigated this variable in women. Subjects were 7 pairs of female identical twins assigned at random to 2 groups, sedentary bed rest (control) or bed rest with supine treadmill exercise within LBNP. Dietary intake was controlled and monitored. Urinary calcium and markers of bone resorption were measured before bed rest and on bed rest days 5/6, 12/13, 19/20, and 26/27. Bone mineral content was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and after bed rest. Data were analyzed by repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to define the relationships between diet and markers of bone metabolism and to estimate heritability of markers. During bed rest, all markers of bone resorption and urinary calcium and phosphorus increased (P<0.001); parathyroid hormone (P=0.06), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (P=0.06), and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (P=0.09) tended to decrease. LBNP exercise tended to mitigate bone density loss. The ratio of dietary animal protein to potassium was positively correlated with urinary calcium excretion for all weeks of bed rest in the control group, but only during weeks 1 and 3 in the exercise group. Pre-bed rest data suggested that many markers of bone metabolism have strong genetic determinants. Treadmill exercise within LBNP had less of a protective effect on bone resorption during bed rest in women than previously published results had shown for its effect in men, but the same trends were observed for both sexes. Dietary acid load of these female subjects was significantly correlated with calcium excretion but not with other bone resorption markers.

Organ-level quorum sensing directs regeneration in hair stem cell populations

PubMed Central

Chen, Chih-Chiang; Wang, Lei; Plikus, Maksim V.; Jiang, Ting Xin; Murray, Philip J.; Ramos, Raul; Guerrero-Juarez, Christian F.; Hughes, Michael W; Lee, Oscar K.; Shi, Songtao; Widelitz, Randall B.; Lander, Arthur D.; Chuong, Cheng Ming

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Coordinated organ behavior is crucial for an effective response to environmental stimuli. By studying regeneration of hair follicles in response to patterned hair removal, we demonstrate that organ-level quorum sensing allows coordinated responses to skin injury. Removing hair at different densities leads to a regeneration of up to 5 times more neighboring, unplucked resting hairs, indicating activation of a collective decision-making process. Through data modeling, the range of the quorum signal was estimated to be on the order of 1 mm, greater than expected for a diffusible molecular cue. Molecular and genetic analysis uncovered a two-step mechanism, where release of CCL2 from injured hairs leads to recruitment of TNF-α secreting macrophages, which accumulate and signal to both plucked and unplucked follicles. By coupling immune response with regeneration, this mechanism allows skin to respond predictively to distress, disregarding mild injury, while meeting stronger injury with full-scale cooperative activation of stem cells. PMID:25860610

Local thermodynamic equilibrium for globally disequilibrium open systems under stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podladchikov, Yury

2016-04-01

Predictive modeling of far and near equilibrium processes is essential for understanding of patterns formation and for quantifying of natural processes that are never in global equilibrium. Methods of both equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics are needed and have to be combined. For example, predicting temperature evolution due to heat conduction requires simultaneous use of equilibrium relationship between internal energy and temperature via heat capacity (the caloric equation of state) and disequilibrium relationship between heat flux and temperature gradient. Similarly, modeling of rocks deforming under stress, reactions in system open for the porous fluid flow, or kinetic overstepping of the equilibrium reaction boundary necessarily needs both equilibrium and disequilibrium material properties measured under fundamentally different laboratory conditions. Classical irreversible thermodynamics (CIT) is the well-developed discipline providing the working recipes for the combined application of mutually exclusive experimental data such as density and chemical potential at rest under constant pressure and temperature and viscosity of the flow under stress. Several examples will be presented.

Local and Widely Distributed EEG Activity in Schizophrenia With Prevalence of Negative Symptoms.

PubMed

Grin-Yatsenko, Vera A; Ponomarev, Valery A; Pronina, Marina V; Poliakov, Yury I; Plotnikova, Irina V; Kropotov, Juri D

2017-09-01

We evaluated EEG frequency abnormalities in resting state (eyes closed and eyes open) EEG in a group of chronic schizophrenia patients as compared with healthy subjects. The study included 3 methods of analysis of deviation of EEG characteristics: genuine EEG, current source density (CSD), and group independent component (gIC). All 3 methods have shown that the EEG in schizophrenia patients is characterized by enhanced low-frequency (delta and theta) and high-frequency (beta) activity in comparison with the control group. However, the spatial pattern of differences was dependent on the type of method used. Comparative analysis has shown that increased EEG power in schizophrenia patients apparently concerns both widely spatially distributed components and local components of signal. Furthermore, the observed differences in the delta and theta range can be described mainly by the local components, and those in the beta range mostly by spatially widely distributed ones. The possible nature of the widely distributed activity is discussed.

OCCIPITAL SOURCES OF RESTING STATE ALPHA RHYTHMS ARE RELATED TO LOCAL GRAY MATTER DENSITY IN SUBJECTS WITH AMNESIC MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

PubMed Central

Claudio, Babiloni; Claudio, Del Percio; Marina, Boccardi; Roberta, Lizio; Susanna, Lopez; Filippo, Carducci; Nicola, Marzano; Andrea, Soricelli; Raffaele, Ferri; Ivano, Triggiani Antonio; Annapaola, Prestia; Serenella, Salinari; Rasser Paul, E; Erol, Basar; Francesco, Famà; Flavio, Nobili; Görsev, Yener; Durusu, Emek-Savaş Derya; Gesualdo, Loreto; Ciro, Mundi; Thompson Paul, M; Rossini Paolo, M.; Frisoni Giovanni, B

2014-01-01

Occipital sources of resting state electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha rhythms are abnormal, at the group level, in patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here we evaluated the hypothesis that amplitude of these occipital sources is related to neurodegeneration in occipital lobe as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Resting-state eyes-closed EEG rhythms were recorded in 45 healthy elderly (Nold), 100 MCI, and 90 AD subjects. Neurodegeneration of occipital lobe was indexed by weighted averages of gray matter density (GMD), estimated from structural MRIs. EEG rhythms of interest were alpha 1 (8–10.5 Hz) and alpha 2 (10.5–13 Hz). EEG cortical sources were estimated by low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA). Results showed a positive correlation between occipital GMD and amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources in Nold, MCI and AD subjects as a whole group (r=0.3, p=0.000004, N=235). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources and cognitive status as revealed by Mini Mental State Evaluation (MMSE) score across all subjects (r=0.38, p=0.000001, N=235). Finally, amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources allowed a moderate classification of individual Nold and AD subjects (sensitivity: 87.8%; specificity: 66.7%; area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve: 0.81). These results suggest that the amplitude of occipital sources of resting state alpha rhythms is related to AD neurodegeneration in occipital lobe along pathological aging. PMID:25442118

Stochastic analysis of particle movement over a dune bed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Baum K.; Jobson, Harvey E.

1977-01-01

Stochastic models are available that can be used to predict the transport and dispersion of bed-material sediment particles in an alluvial channel. These models are based on the proposition that the movement of a single bed-material sediment particle consists of a series of steps of random length separated by rest periods of random duration and, therefore, application of the models requires a knowledge of the probability distributions of the step lengths, the rest periods, the elevation of particle deposition, and the elevation of particle erosion. The procedure was tested by determining distributions from bed profiles formed in a large laboratory flume with a coarse sand as the bed material. The elevation of particle deposition and the elevation of particle erosion can be considered to be identically distributed, and their distribution can be described by either a ' truncated Gaussian ' or a ' triangular ' density function. The conditional probability distribution of the rest period given the elevation of particle deposition closely followed the two-parameter gamma distribution. The conditional probability distribution of the step length given the elevation of particle erosion and the elevation of particle deposition also closely followed the two-parameter gamma density function. For a given flow, the scale and shape parameters describing the gamma probability distributions can be expressed as functions of bed-elevation. (Woodard-USGS)

Reconfiguration of Brain Network Architectures between Resting-State and Complexity-Dependent Cognitive Reasoning.

PubMed

Hearne, Luke J; Cocchi, Luca; Zalesky, Andrew; Mattingley, Jason B

2017-08-30

Our capacity for higher cognitive reasoning has a measurable limit. This limit is thought to arise from the brain's capacity to flexibly reconfigure interactions between spatially distributed networks. Recent work, however, has suggested that reconfigurations of task-related networks are modest when compared with intrinsic "resting-state" network architecture. Here we combined resting-state and task-driven functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine how flexible, task-specific reconfigurations associated with increasing reasoning demands are integrated within a stable intrinsic brain topology. Human participants (21 males and 28 females) underwent an initial resting-state scan, followed by a cognitive reasoning task involving different levels of complexity, followed by a second resting-state scan. The reasoning task required participants to deduce the identity of a missing element in a 4 × 4 matrix, and item difficulty was scaled parametrically as determined by relational complexity theory. Analyses revealed that external task engagement was characterized by a significant change in functional brain modules. Specifically, resting-state and null-task demand conditions were associated with more segregated brain-network topology, whereas increases in reasoning complexity resulted in merging of resting-state modules. Further increments in task complexity did not change the established modular architecture, but affected selective patterns of connectivity between frontoparietal, subcortical, cingulo-opercular, and default-mode networks. Larger increases in network efficiency within the newly established task modules were associated with higher reasoning accuracy. Our results shed light on the network architectures that underlie external task engagement, and highlight selective changes in brain connectivity supporting increases in task complexity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans have clear limits in their ability to solve complex reasoning problems. It is thought that such limitations arise from flexible, moment-to-moment reconfigurations of functional brain networks. It is less clear how such task-driven adaptive changes in connectivity relate to stable, intrinsic networks of the brain and behavioral performance. We found that increased reasoning demands rely on selective patterns of connectivity within cortical networks that emerged in addition to a more general, task-induced modular architecture. This task-driven architecture reverted to a more segregated resting-state architecture both immediately before and after the task. These findings reveal how flexibility in human brain networks is integral to achieving successful reasoning performance across different levels of cognitive demand. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/378399-13$15.00/0.

Successful group psychotherapy of depression in adolescents alters fronto-limbic resting-state connectivity.

PubMed

Straub, J; Metzger, C D; Plener, P L; Koelch, M G; Groen, G; Abler, B

2017-02-01

Current resting state imaging findings support suggestions that the neural signature of depression and therefore also its therapy should be conceptualized as a network disorder rather than a dysfunction of specific brain regions. In this study, we compared neural connectivity of adolescent patients with depression (PAT) and matched healthy controls (HC) and analysed pre-to-post changes of seed-based network connectivities in PAT after participation in a cognitive behavioral group psychotherapy (CBT). 38 adolescents (30 female; 19 patients; 13-18 years) underwent an eyes-closed resting-state scan. PAT were scanned before (pre) and after (post) five sessions of CBT. Resting-state functional connectivity was analysed in a seed-based approach for right-sided amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC). Symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory Revision (BDI-II). Prior to group CBT, between groups amygdala and sgACC connectivity with regions of the default mode network was stronger in the patients group relative to controls. Within the PAT group, a similar pattern significantly decreased after successful CBT. Conversely, seed-based connectivity with affective regions and regions processing cognition and salient stimuli was stronger in HC relative to PAT before CBT. Within the PAT group, a similar pattern changed with CBT. Changes in connectivity correlated with the significant pre-to-post symptom improvement, and pre-treatment amygdala connectivity predicted treatment response in depressed adolescents. Sample size and missing long-term follow-up limit the interpretability. Successful group psychotherapy of depression in adolescents involved connectivity changes in resting state networks to that of healthy controls. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identifying patients with Alzheimer's disease using resting-state fMRI and graph theory.

PubMed

Khazaee, Ali; Ebrahimzadeh, Ata; Babajani-Feremi, Abbas

2015-11-01

Study of brain network on the basis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has provided promising results to investigate changes in connectivity among different brain regions because of diseases. Graph theory can efficiently characterize different aspects of the brain network by calculating measures of integration and segregation. In this study, we combine graph theoretical approaches with advanced machine learning methods to study functional brain network alteration in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Support vector machine (SVM) was used to explore the ability of graph measures in diagnosis of AD. We applied our method on the resting-state fMRI data of twenty patients with AD and twenty age and gender matched healthy subjects. The data were preprocessed and each subject's graph was constructed by parcellation of the whole brain into 90 distinct regions using the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) atlas. The graph measures were then calculated and used as the discriminating features. Extracted network-based features were fed to different feature selection algorithms to choose most significant features. In addition to the machine learning approach, statistical analysis was performed on connectivity matrices to find altered connectivity patterns in patients with AD. Using the selected features, we were able to accurately classify patients with AD from healthy subjects with accuracy of 100%. Results of this study show that pattern recognition and graph of brain network, on the basis of the resting state fMRI data, can efficiently assist in the diagnosis of AD. Classification based on the resting-state fMRI can be used as a non-invasive and automatic tool to diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. All rights reserved.

Evidence of a dissociation pattern in resting-state default mode network connectivity in first-episode, treatment-naive major depression patients.

PubMed

Zhu, Xueling; Wang, Xiang; Xiao, Jin; Liao, Jian; Zhong, Mingtian; Wang, Wei; Yao, Shuqiao

2012-04-01

Imaging studies have shown that major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with altered activity patterns of the default mode network (DMN). However, the neural correlates of the resting-state DMN and MDD-related pathopsychological characteristics, such as depressive rumination and overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) phenomena, still remain unclear. Using independent component analysis, we analyzed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from 35 first-episode, treatment-naive young adults with MDD and from 35 matched healthy control subjects. Patients with MDD exhibited higher levels of rumination and OGM than did the control subjects. We observed increased functional connectivity in the anterior medial cortex regions (especially the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex) and decreased functional connectivity in the posterior medial cortex regions (especially the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus) in MDD patients compared with control subjects. In the depressed group, the increased functional connectivity in the anterior medial cortex correlated positively with rumination score, while the decreased functional connectivity in the posterior medial cortex correlated negatively with OGM score. We report dissociation between anterior and posterior functional connectivity in resting-state DMNs of first-episode, treatment-naive young adults with MDD. Increased functional connectivity in anterior medial regions of the resting-state DMN was associated with rumination, whereas decreased functional connectivity in posterior medial regions was associated with OGM. These results provide new evidence for the importance of the DMN in the pathophysiology of MDD and suggest that abnormal DMN activity may be an MDD trait. Copyright © 2012 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alterations of Intrinsic Brain Connectivity Patterns in Depression and Bipolar Disorders: A Critical Assessment of Magnetoencephalography-Based Evidence

PubMed Central

Alamian, Golnoush; Hincapié, Ana-Sofía; Combrisson, Etienne; Thiery, Thomas; Martel, Véronique; Althukov, Dmitrii; Jerbi, Karim

2017-01-01

Despite being the object of a thriving field of clinical research, the investigation of intrinsic brain network alterations in psychiatric illnesses is still in its early days. Because the pathological alterations are predominantly probed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), many questions about the electrophysiological bases of resting-state alterations in psychiatric disorders, particularly among mood disorder patients, remain unanswered. Alongside important research using electroencephalography (EEG), the specific recent contributions and future promise of magnetoencephalography (MEG) in this field are not fully recognized and valued. Here, we provide a critical review of recent findings from MEG resting-state connectivity within major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). The clinical MEG resting-state results are compared with those previously reported with fMRI and EEG. Taken together, MEG appears to be a promising but still critically underexploited technique to unravel the neurophysiological mechanisms that mediate abnormal (both hyper- and hypo-) connectivity patterns involved in MDD and BD. In particular, a major strength of MEG is its ability to provide source-space estimations of neuromagnetic long-range rhythmic synchronization at various frequencies (i.e., oscillatory coupling). The reviewed literature highlights the relevance of probing local and interregional rhythmic synchronization to explore the pathophysiological underpinnings of each disorder. However, before we can fully take advantage of MEG connectivity analyses in psychiatry, several limitations inherent to MEG connectivity analyses need to be understood and taken into account. Thus, we also discuss current methodological challenges and outline paths for future research. MEG resting-state studies provide an important window onto perturbed spontaneous oscillatory brain networks and hence supply an important complement to fMRI-based resting-state measurements in psychiatric populations. PMID:28367127

Focal high cell density generates a gradient of patterns in self-organizing vascular mesenchymal cells.

PubMed

Cheng, Henry; Reddy, Aneela; Sage, Andrew; Lu, Jinxiu; Garfinkel, Alan; Tintut, Yin; Demer, Linda L

2012-01-01

In embryogenesis, structural patterns, such as vascular branching, may form via a reaction-diffusion mechanism in which activator and inhibitor morphogens guide cells into periodic aggregates. We previously found that vascular mesenchymal cells (VMCs) spontaneously aggregate into nodular structures and that morphogen pairs regulate the aggregation into patterns of spots and stripes. To test the effect of a focal change in activator morphogen on VMC pattern formation, we created a focal zone of high cell density by plating a second VMC layer within a cloning ring over a confluent monolayer. After 24 h, the ring was removed and pattern formation monitored by phase-contrast microscopy. At days 2-8, the patterns progressed from uniform distributions to swirl, labyrinthine and spot patterns. Within the focal high-density zone (HDZ) and a narrow halo zone, cells aggregated into spot patterns, whilst in the outermost zone of the plate, cells formed a labyrinthine pattern. The area occupied by aggregates was significantly greater in the outermost zone than in the HDZ or halo. The rate of pattern progression within the HDZ increased as a function of its plating density. Thus, focal differences in cell density may drive pattern formation gradients in tissue architecture, such as vascular branching. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Spatial Patterns in Water Temperature in Pacific Northwest Rivers: Diversity at Multiple Scales and Potential Influence of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torgersen, C. E.; Fullerton, A.; Lawler, J. J.; Ebersole, J. L.; Leibowitz, S. G.; Steel, E. A.; Beechie, T. J.; Faux, R.

2016-12-01

Understanding spatial patterns in water temperature will be essential for evaluating vulnerability of aquatic biota to future climate and for identifying and protecting diverse thermal habitats. We used high-resolution remotely sensed water temperature data for over 16,000 km of 2nd to 7th-order rivers throughout the Pacific Northwest and California to evaluate spatial patterns of summertime water temperature at multiple spatial scales. We found a diverse and geographically distributed suite of whole-river patterns. About half of rivers warmed asymptotically in a downstream direction, whereas the rest exhibited complex and unique spatial patterns. Patterns were associated with both broad-scale hydroclimatic variables as well as characteristics unique to each basin. Within-river thermal heterogeneity patterns were highly river-specific; across rivers, median size and spacing of cool patches <15 °C were around 250 m. Patches of this size are large enough for juvenile salmon rearing and for resting during migration, and the distance between patches is well within the movement capabilities of both juvenile and adult salmon. We found considerable thermal heterogeneity at fine spatial scales that may be important to fish that would be missed if data were analyzed at coarser scales. We estimated future thermal heterogeneity and concluded that climate change will cause warmer temperatures overall, but that thermal heterogeneity patterns may remain similar in the future for many rivers. We demonstrated considerable spatial complexity in both current and future water temperature, and resolved spatial patterns that could not have been perceived without spatially continuous data.

Exercise countermeasures for bed-rest deconditioning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, John (Editor)

1993-01-01

The purpose for this 30-day bed rest study was to investigate the effects of short-term, high intensity isotonic and isokinetic exercise training on maintenance of working capacity (peak oxygen uptake), muscular strength and endurance, and on orthostatic tolerance, posture and gait. Other data were collected on muscle atrophy, bone mineralization and density, endocrine analyses concerning vasoactivity and fluid-electrolyte balance, muscle intermediary metabolism, and on performance and mood of the subjects. It was concluded that: The subjects maintained a relatively stable mood, high morale, and high esprit de corps throughout the study. Performance improved in nearly all tests in almost all the subjects. Isotonic training, as opposed to isokinetic exercise training, was associated more with decreasing levels of psychological tension, concentration, and motivation; and improvement in the quality of sleep. Working capacity (peak oxygen uptake) was maintained during bed rest with isotonic exercise training; it was not maintained with isokinetic or no exercise training. In general, there was no significant decrease in strength or endurance of arm or leg muscles during bed rest, in spite of some reduction in muscle size (atrophy) of some leg muscles. There was no effect of isotonic exercise training on orthostasis, since tilt-table tolerance was reduced similarly in all three groups following bed rest. Bed rest resulted in significant decreases of postural stability and self-selected step length, stride length, and walking velocity, which were not influenced by either exercise training regimen. Most pre-bed rest responses were restored by the fourth day of recovery.

Atypical patterns of respiratory sinus arrhythmia index an endophenotype for depression

PubMed Central

Yaroslavsky, Ilya; Rottenberg, Jonathan; Kovacs, Maria

2015-01-01

Can atypical patterns of parasympathetic nervous system activity serve as endophenotypes for depression? Using respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as an index of parasympathetic nervous system function, we examined this question in two studies: one involving mothers with and without depression histories and their offspring (at high and low risk for depression, respectively), and a further study of adolescent sibling pairs concordant and discordant for major depression. In both studies, subjects were exposed to sad mood induction; subjects’ RSA was monitored during rest periods and in response to the mood induction. We used Gottesman and Gould’s (2003) criteria for an endophenotype and a priori defined “atypical” and “normative” RSA patterns (combinations of resting RSA and RSA reactivity). We found that atypical RSA patterns (a) predicted current depressive episodes and remission status among women with histories of juvenile onset depression and healthy controls, (b) predicted longitudinal trajectories of depressive symptoms among high- and low-risk young offspring, (c) were concordant across mothers and their juvenile offspring, (d) were more prevalent among never-depressed youth at high risk for depression than their low-risk peers, and (e) were more concordant across adolescent sibling pairs in which both versus only one had a history of major depression. Thus, the results support atypical RSA patterns as an endophenotype for depression. Possible mechanisms by which RSA patterns increase depression risk and their genetic contributors are discussed. PMID:25422965

I think therefore I am: Rest-related prefrontal cortex neural activity is involved in generating the sense of self.

PubMed

Gruberger, M; Levkovitz, Y; Hendler, T; Harel, E V; Harari, H; Ben Simon, E; Sharon, H; Zangen, A

2015-05-01

The sense of self has always been a major focus in the psychophysical debate. It has been argued that this complex ongoing internal sense cannot be explained by any physical measure and therefore substantiates a mind-body differentiation. Recently, however, neuro-imaging studies have associated self-referential spontaneous thought, a core-element of the ongoing sense of self, with synchronous neural activations during rest in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), as well as the medial and lateral parietal cortices. By applying deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over human PFC before rest, we disrupted activity in this neural circuitry thereby inducing reports of lowered self-awareness and strong feelings of dissociation. This effect was not found with standard or sham TMS, or when stimulation was followed by a task instead of rest. These findings demonstrate for the first time a critical, causal role of intact rest-related PFC activity patterns in enabling integrated, enduring, self-referential mental processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study of concussion in collegiate athletes.

PubMed

Czerniak, Suzanne M; Sikoglu, Elif M; Liso Navarro, Ana A; McCafferty, Joseph; Eisenstock, Jordan; Stevenson, J Herbert; King, Jean A; Moore, Constance M

2015-06-01

Sports-related concussions are currently diagnosed through multi-domain assessment by a medical professional and may utilize neurocognitive testing as an aid. However, these tests have only been able to detect differences in the days to week post-concussion. Here, we investigate a measure of brain function, namely resting state functional connectivity, which may detect residual brain differences in the weeks to months after concussion. Twenty-one student athletes (9 concussed within 6 months of enrollment; 12 non-concussed; between ages 18 and 22 years) were recruited for this study. All participants completed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task and the Color-Word Interference Test. Neuroimaging data, specifically resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data, were acquired to examine resting state functional connectivity. Two sample t-tests were used to compare the neurocognitive scores and resting state functional connectivity patterns among concussed and non-concussed participants. Correlations between neurocognitive scores and resting state functional connectivity measures were also determined across all subjects. There were no significant differences in neurocognitive performance between concussed and non-concussed groups. Concussed subjects had significantly increased connections between areas of the brain that underlie executive function. Across all subjects, better neurocognitive performance corresponded to stronger brain connectivity. Even at rest, brains of concussed athletes may have to 'work harder' than their healthy peers to achieve similar neurocognitive results. Resting state brain connectivity may be able to detect prolonged brain differences in concussed athletes in a more quantitative manner than neurocognitive test scores.

Deep neural network with weight sparsity control and pre-training extracts hierarchical features and enhances classification performance: Evidence from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity patterns of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Kim, Junghoe; Calhoun, Vince D; Shim, Eunsoo; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2016-01-01

Functional connectivity (FC) patterns obtained from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data are commonly employed to study neuropsychiatric conditions by using pattern classifiers such as the support vector machine (SVM). Meanwhile, a deep neural network (DNN) with multiple hidden layers has shown its ability to systematically extract lower-to-higher level information of image and speech data from lower-to-higher hidden layers, markedly enhancing classification accuracy. The objective of this study was to adopt the DNN for whole-brain resting-state FC pattern classification of schizophrenia (SZ) patients vs. healthy controls (HCs) and identification of aberrant FC patterns associated with SZ. We hypothesized that the lower-to-higher level features learned via the DNN would significantly enhance the classification accuracy, and proposed an adaptive learning algorithm to explicitly control the weight sparsity in each hidden layer via L1-norm regularization. Furthermore, the weights were initialized via stacked autoencoder based pre-training to further improve the classification performance. Classification accuracy was systematically evaluated as a function of (1) the number of hidden layers/nodes, (2) the use of L1-norm regularization, (3) the use of the pre-training, (4) the use of framewise displacement (FD) removal, and (5) the use of anatomical/functional parcellation. Using FC patterns from anatomically parcellated regions without FD removal, an error rate of 14.2% was achieved by employing three hidden layers and 50 hidden nodes with both L1-norm regularization and pre-training, which was substantially lower than the error rate from the SVM (22.3%). Moreover, the trained DNN weights (i.e., the learned features) were found to represent the hierarchical organization of aberrant FC patterns in SZ compared with HC. Specifically, pairs of nodes extracted from the lower hidden layer represented sparse FC patterns implicated in SZ, which was quantified by using kurtosis/modularity measures and features from the higher hidden layer showed holistic/global FC patterns differentiating SZ from HC. Our proposed schemes and reported findings attained by using the DNN classifier and whole-brain FC data suggest that such approaches show improved ability to learn hidden patterns in brain imaging data, which may be useful for developing diagnostic tools for SZ and other neuropsychiatric disorders and identifying associated aberrant FC patterns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integration and Segregation of Default Mode Network Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Transition-Age Males with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

PubMed

Joshi, Gagan; Arnold Anteraper, Sheeba; Patil, Kaustubh R; Semwal, Meha; Goldin, Rachel L; Furtak, Stephannie L; Chai, Xiaoqian Jenny; Saygin, Zeynep M; Gabrieli, John D E; Biederman, Joseph; Whitfield-Gabrieli, Susan

2017-11-01

The aim of this study is to assess the resting-state functional connectivity (RsFc) profile of the default mode network (DMN) in transition-age males with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Resting-state blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from adolescent and young adult males with high-functioning ASD (n = 15) and from age-, sex-, and intelligence quotient-matched healthy controls (HCs; n = 16). The DMN was examined by assessing the positive and negative RsFc correlations of an average of the literature-based conceptualized major DMN nodes (medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC], posterior cingulate cortex, bilateral angular, and inferior temporal gyrus regions). RsFc data analysis was performed using a seed-driven approach. ASD was characterized by an altered pattern of RsFc in the DMN. The ASD group exhibited a weaker pattern of intra- and extra-DMN-positive and -negative RsFc correlations, respectively. In ASD, the strength of intra-DMN coupling was significantly reduced with the mPFC and the bilateral angular gyrus regions. In addition, the polarity of the extra-DMN correlation with the right hemispheric task-positive regions of fusiform gyrus and supramarginal gyrus was reversed from typically negative to positive in the ASD group. A wide variability was observed in the presentation of the RsFc profile of the DMN in both HC and ASD groups that revealed a distinct pattern of subgrouping using pattern recognition analyses. These findings imply that the functional architecture profile of the DMN is altered in ASD with weaker than expected integration and segregation of DMN RsFc. Future studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.

Comparative evaluation of four mosquitoes sampling methods in rice irrigation schemes of lower Moshi, northern Tanzania.

PubMed

Kweka, Eliningaya J; Mahande, Aneth M

2009-07-06

Adult malaria vector sampling is the most important parameter for setting up an intervention and understanding disease dynamics in malaria endemic areas. The intervention will ideally be species-specific according to sampling output. It was the objective of this study to evaluate four sampling techniques, namely human landing catch, pit shelter, indoor resting collection and odour-baited entry trap. These four sampling methods were evaluated simultaneously for thirty days during October 2008, a season of low mosquitoes density and malaria transmission. These trapping methods were performed in one village for maximizing homogeneity in mosquito density. The cattle and man used in odour-baited entry trap were rotated between the chambers to avoid bias. A total of 3,074 mosquitoes were collected. Among these 1,780 (57.9%) were Anopheles arabiensis and 1,294 (42.1%) were Culex quinquefasciatus. Each trap sampled different number of mosquitoes, Indoor resting collection collected 335 (10.9%), Odour-baited entry trap-cow 1,404 (45.7%), Odour-baited entry trap-human 378 (12.3%), Pit shelter 562 (18.3%) and HLC 395 (12.8%). General linear model univariate analysis method was used, position of the trapping method had no effect on mosquito density catch (DF = 4, F = 35.596, P = 0.78). Days variation had no effect on the collected density too (DF = 29, F = 4.789, P = 0.09). The sampling techniques had significant impact on the caught mosquito densities (DF = 4, F = 34.636, P < 0.0001). The Wilcoxon pair-wise comparison between mosquitoes collected in human landing catch and pit shelter was significant (Z = -3.849, P < 0.0001), human landing catch versus Indoor resting collection was not significant (Z = -0.502, P = 0.615), human landing catch versus odour-baited entry trap-man was significant (Z = -2.687, P = 0.007), human landing catch versus odour-baited entry trap-cow was significant (Z = -3.127, P = 0.002). Odour-baited traps with different baits and pit shelter have shown high productivity in collecting higher densities of mosquitoes than human landing catch. These abilities are the possibilities of replacing the human landing catch practices for sampling malaria vectors in areas with An. arabiensis as malaria vectors. Further evaluations of these sampling methods need to be investigated is other areas with different species.

Cometary pick-up ions observed near Giacobini-Zinner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gloeckler, G.; Hovestadt, D.; Ipavich, F. M.; Scholer, M.; Klecker, B.

1986-01-01

The number and energy density of cometary water-group ions observed near Comet Giacobini-Zinner are derived using the rest-frame distribution functions. The data reveal that density profiles of inbound and outbound passes and their shape correlate with pick-up ion production model predictions. The lose rate and production rate of water-group cometary molecules calculated from predicted and measured density profiles are 2 x 10 to the -6th/sec and 2.6 x 10 to the 28th/sec respectively. The shapes of the distribution functions are examined to study the solar wind/cometary ions interaction process.

Cometary pick-up ions observed near Giacobini-Zinner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gloeckler, G.; Hovestadt, D.; Ipavich, F. M.; Scholer, M.; Klecker, B.; Galvin, A. B.

1986-03-01

The number and energy density of cometary water-group ions observed near Comet Giacobini-Zinner are derived using the rest-frame distribution functions. The data reveal that density profiles of inbound and outbound passes and their shape correlate with pick-up ion production model predictions. The lose rate and production rate of water-group cometary molecules calculated from predicted and measured density profiles are 2 x 10 to the -6th/sec and 2.6 x 10 to the 28th/sec respectively. The shapes of the distribution functions are examined to study the solar wind/cometary ions interaction process.

Algorithms for computing the geopotential using a simple density layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, F.

1976-01-01

Several algorithms have been developed for computing the potential and attraction of a simple density layer. These are numerical cubature, Taylor series, and a mixed analytic and numerical integration using a singularity-matching technique. A computer program has been written to combine these techniques for computing the disturbing acceleration on an artificial earth satellite. A total of 1640 equal-area, constant surface density blocks on an oblate spheroid are used. The singularity-matching algorithm is used in the subsatellite region, Taylor series in the surrounding zone, and numerical cubature on the rest of the earth.

Dietary Management of Obesity: Cornerstones of Healthy Eating Patterns.

PubMed

Smethers, Alissa D; Rolls, Barbara J

2018-01-01

Several dietary patterns, both macronutrient and food based, can lead to weight loss. A key strategy for weight management that can be applied across dietary patterns is to reduce energy density. Clinical trials show that reducing energy density is effective for weight loss and weight loss maintenance. A variety of practical strategies and tools can help facilitate successful weight management by reducing energy density, providing portion control, and improving diet quality. The flexibility of energy density gives patients options to tailor and personalize their dietary pattern to reduce energy intake for sustainable weight loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

White Matter Connectivity of the Thalamus Delineates the Functional Architecture of Competing Thalamocortical Systems

PubMed Central

O'Muircheartaigh, Jonathan; Keller, Simon S.; Barker, Gareth J.; Richardson, Mark P.

2015-01-01

There is an increasing awareness of the involvement of thalamic connectivity on higher level cortical functioning in the human brain. This is reflected by the influence of thalamic stimulation on cortical activity and behavior as well as apparently cortical lesion syndromes occurring as a function of small thalamic insults. Here, we attempt to noninvasively test the correspondence of structural and functional connectivity of the human thalamus using diffusion-weighted and resting-state functional MRI. Using a large sample of 102 adults, we apply tensor independent component analysis to diffusion MRI tractography data to blindly parcellate bilateral thalamus according to diffusion tractography-defined structural connectivity. Using resting-state functional MRI collected in the same subjects, we show that the resulting structurally defined thalamic regions map to spatially distinct, and anatomically predictable, whole-brain functional networks in the same subjects. Although there was significant variability in the functional connectivity patterns, the resulting 51 structural and functional patterns could broadly be reduced to a subset of 7 similar core network types. These networks were distinct from typical cortical resting-state networks. Importantly, these networks were distributed across the brain and, in a subset, map extremely well to known thalamocortico-basal-ganglial loops. PMID:25899706

Parameters of hormetic stress and resilience to trauma in rats.

PubMed

Plumb, Traci N; Cullen, Patrick K; Minor, Thomas R

2015-01-01

Hormesis is the process by which small stresses build resilience to large stresses. We pre-exposed rats to various parameters of mild-to-moderate stress prior to traumatic stress in the present experiments to assess the potential benefits of hormetic training on resilience to traumatic, uncontrollable stress. Rats underwent varying stress pre-training parameters prior to exposure to uncontrollable traumatic stress in the learned helplessness procedure. The ability to prevent the exaggerated fear responding and escape deficits that normally follow experience with traumatic stress were used as a measure of the benefits of hormetic training. Four experiments examined the effects of number of training sessions, stressor severity and pattern of rest between pre-training stress sessions. Repeated exposure to mild restraint stress or moderate shock stress eliminated both the enhanced fear conditioning and shuttle-escape deficits that result from exposure to traumatic, inescapable shock. The pattern of rest did not contribute to resilience when the pre-exposure stressor was mild, but was vital when the pre-exposure stressor was moderate, with an alternation of stress and rest being the most effective procedure. The data also suggest that the level of resilience may increase with the number of pre-exposure sessions.

Age related changes in the bone tissue under conditions of hypokinesia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Podrushnyak, E. P.; Suslov, E. I.

1980-01-01

Microroentgenography of nine young people, aged 24-29, before and after hypokinesia (16-37 days strict bed rest), showed that the heel bone density of those with initially high bone density generally decreased and that of those with initially low bone density generally increased. X-ray structural analysis of the femurs of 25 corpses of accidentally killed healthy people, aged 18-70, data are presented and discussed, with the conclusion that the bone hydroxyapatite crystal structure stabilizes by ages 20 to 25, is stable from ages 25 to 60 and decreases in density after age 60. It is concluded that bone tissue structure changes, both with age, and in a comparatively short time in hypokinesia.

Work-leave rotation pattern and incidence of offshore workplace injury.

PubMed

Massey, S

2018-05-17

Studies on work-leave rotation pattern and work place injuries among offshore oil and gas workers have been few and limited to a 2- or 3-week rotation schedule. To examine incidence of workplace injury in relation to the duration of time into work rotation for extended work schedules up to 24 weeks. Six-year injury data on four offshore installations were extracted. Data were analysed for incidence of injury over time and relative risk using linear trend lines and regression. In total, 311 injuries for 1302 workers were analysed, 39% with rotation schedule of 4 weeks work and 4 weeks rest, 27% 8 weeks work and 4 weeks rest, 23% 16 weeks work and 4 weeks rest and 10% 24 weeks work and 4 weeks rest. Incidence of injury decreased as duration of time into the work rotation increased, corrected for exposure, and this was statistically significant for all rotations in first 4 weeks (P < 0.01). Negative correlation between time offshore and injury was observed in all schedules and consistent for age groups, categories of work, shifts and severity of injury. There was no difference in relative risk of injuries between the four schedules, when corrected for exposure and occupational risk of injury. These results are at variance with previous studies, although no prior study has looked beyond 3-week rotation schedule. Longer offshore schedules are safely possible and this could help decrease manpower and logistics costs for oil and gas companies coping with unprecedented low oil prices.

Abnormal Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Unilateral Chronic Tinnitus Patients

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Chen; Liu, Shenghua; Lv, Han; Bo, Fan; Feng, Yuan; Chen, Huiyou; Xu, Jin-Jing; Yin, Xindao; Wang, Shukui; Gu, Jian-Ping

2018-01-01

Purpose: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been suggested to be involved in chronic subjective tinnitus. Tinnitus may arise from aberrant functional coupling between the ACC and cerebral cortex. To explore this hypothesis, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to illuminate the functional connectivity (FC) network of the ACC subregions in chronic tinnitus patients. Methods: Resting-state fMRI scans were obtained from 31 chronic right-sided tinnitus patients and 40 healthy controls (age, sex, and education well-matched) in this study. Rostral ACC and dorsal ACC were selected as seed regions to investigate the intrinsic FC with the whole brain. The resulting FC patterns were correlated with clinical tinnitus characteristics including the tinnitus duration and tinnitus distress. Results: Compared with healthy controls, chronic tinnitus patients showed disrupted FC patterns of ACC within several brain networks, including the auditory cortex, prefrontal cortex, visual cortex, and default mode network (DMN). The Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaires (THQ) scores showed positive correlations with increased FC between the rostral ACC and left precuneus (r = 0.507, p = 0.008) as well as the dorsal ACC and right inferior parietal lobe (r = 0.447, p = 0.022). Conclusions: Chronic tinnitus patients have abnormal FC networks originating from ACC to other selected brain regions that are associated with specific tinnitus characteristics. Resting-state ACC-cortical FC disturbances may play an important role in neuropathological features underlying chronic tinnitus. PMID:29410609

National citation patterns of NEJM, The Lancet, JAMA and The BMJ in the lay press: a quantitative content analysis

PubMed Central

Rius, Roser

2017-01-01

Objectives To analyse the total number of newspaper articles citing the four leading general medical journals and to describe national citation patterns. Design Quantitative content analysis. Setting/sample Full text of 22 general newspapers in 14 countries over the period 2008–2015, collected from LexisNexis. The 14 countries have been categorised into four regions: the USA, the UK, Western World (European countries other than the UK, and Australia, New Zealand and Canada) and Rest of the World (other countries). Main outcome measure Press citations of four medical journals (two American: NEJM and JAMA; and two British: The Lancet and The BMJ) in 22 newspapers. Results British and American newspapers cited some of the four analysed medical journals about three times a week in 2008–2015 (weekly mean 3.2 and 2.7 citations, respectively); the newspapers from other Western countries did so about once a week (weekly mean 1.1), and those from the Rest of the World cited them about once a month (monthly mean 1.1). The New York Times cited above all other newspapers (weekly mean 4.7). The analysis showed the existence of three national citation patterns in the daily press: American newspapers cited mostly American journals (70.0% of citations), British newspapers cited mostly British journals (86.5%) and the rest of the analysed press cited more British journals than American ones. The Lancet was the most cited journal in the press of almost all Western countries outside the USA and the UK. Multivariate correspondence analysis confirmed the national patterns and showed that over 85% of the citation data variability is retained in just one single new variable: the national dimension. Conclusion British and American newspapers are the ones that cite the four analysed medical journals more often, showing a domestic preference for their respective national journals; non-British and non-American newspapers show a common international citation pattern. PMID:29133334

Dynamic Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Major Depression.

PubMed

Kaiser, Roselinde H; Whitfield-Gabrieli, Susan; Dillon, Daniel G; Goer, Franziska; Beltzer, Miranda; Minkel, Jared; Smoski, Moria; Dichter, Gabriel; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2016-06-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by abnormal resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC), especially in medial prefrontal cortical (MPFC) regions of the default network. However, prior research in MDD has not examined dynamic changes in functional connectivity as networks form, interact, and dissolve over time. We compared unmedicated individuals with MDD (n=100) to control participants (n=109) on dynamic RSFC (operationalized as SD in RSFC over a series of sliding windows) of an MPFC seed region during a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Among participants with MDD, we also investigated the relationship between symptom severity and RSFC. Secondary analyses probed the association between dynamic RSFC and rumination. Results showed that individuals with MDD were characterized by decreased dynamic (less variable) RSFC between MPFC and regions of parahippocampal gyrus within the default network, a pattern related to sustained positive connectivity between these regions across sliding windows. In contrast, the MDD group exhibited increased dynamic (more variable) RSFC between MPFC and regions of insula, and higher severity of depression was related to increased dynamic RSFC between MPFC and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These patterns of highly variable RSFC were related to greater frequency of strong positive and negative correlations in activity across sliding windows. Secondary analyses indicated that increased dynamic RSFC between MPFC and insula was related to higher levels of recent rumination. These findings provide initial evidence that depression, and ruminative thinking in depression, are related to abnormal patterns of fluctuating communication among brain systems involved in regulating attention and self-referential thinking.

Ethogram of Immature Green Turtles: Behavioral Strategies for Somatic Growth in Large Marine Herbivores

PubMed Central

Okuyama, Junichi; Nakajima, Kana; Noda, Takuji; Kimura, Satoko; Kamihata, Hiroko; Kobayashi, Masato; Arai, Nobuaki; Kagawa, Shiro; Kawabata, Yuuki; Yamada, Hideaki

2013-01-01

Animals are assumed to obtain/conserve energy effectively to maximise their fitness, which manifests itself in a variety of behavioral strategies. For marine animals, however, these behavioral strategies are generally unknown due to the lack of high-resolution monitoring techniques in marine habitats. As large marine herbivores, immature green turtles do not need to allocate energy to reproduction but are at risk of shark predation, although it is a rare occurrence. They are therefore assumed to select/use feeding and resting sites that maximise their fitness in terms of somatic growth, while avoiding predation. We investigated fine-scale behavioral patterns (feeding, resting and other behaviors), microhabitat use and time spent on each behavior for eight immature green turtles using data loggers including: depth, global positioning system, head acceleration, speed and video sensors. Immature green turtles at Iriomote Island, Japan, spent an average of 4.8 h feeding on seagrass each day, with two peaks, between 5∶00 and 9∶00, and between 17∶00 and 20∶00. This feeding pattern appeared to be restricted by gut capacity, and thus maximised energy acquisition. Meanwhile, most of the remaining time was spent resting at locations close to feeding grounds, which allowed turtles to conserve energy spent travelling and reduced the duration of periods exposed to predation. These behavioral patterns and time allocations allow immature green turtles to effectively obtain/conserve energy for growth, thus maximising their fitness. PMID:23840367

Artificial Gravity: Effects on Bone Turnover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heer, M.; Zwart, S /R.; Baecker, N.; Smith, S. M.

2007-01-01

The impact of microgravity on the human body is a significant concern for space travelers. Since mechanical loading is a main reason for bone loss, artificial gravity might be an effective countermeasure to the effects of microgravity. In a 21-day 6 head-down tilt bed rest (HDBR) pilot study carried out by NASA, USA, the utility of artificial gravity (AG) as a countermeasure to immobilization-induced bone loss was tested. Blood and urine were collected before, during, and after bed rest for bone marker determinations. Bone mineral density was determined by DXA and pQCT before and after bed rest. Urinary excretion of bone resorption markers (n-telopeptide and helical peptide) were increased from pre-bed rest, but there was no difference between the control and the AG group. The same was true for serum c-telopeptide measurements. Bone formation markers were affected by bed rest and artificial gravity. While bone-specific alkaline phosphatase tended to be lower in the AG group during bed rest (p = 0.08), PINP, another bone formation marker, was significantly lower in AG subjects than CN before and during bed rest. PINP was lower during bed rest in both groups. For comparison, artificial gravity combined with ergometric exercise was tested in a 14-day HDBR study carried out in Japan (Iwase et al. J Grav Physiol 2004). In that study, an exercise regime combined with AG was able to significantly mitigate the bed rest-induced increase in the bone resorption marker deoxypyridinoline. While further study is required to more clearly differentiate bone and muscle effects, these initial data demonstrate the potential effectiveness of short-radius, intermittent AG as a countermeasure to the bone deconditioning that occurs during bed rest and spaceflight. Future studies will need to optimize not only the AG prescription (intensity and duration), but will likely need to include the use of exercise or other combined treatments.

Lower body negative pressure treadmill exercise as a countermeasure for bed rest-induced bone loss in female identical twins

PubMed Central

Zwart, Sara R.; Hargens, Alan R.; Lee, Stuart M. C.; Macias, Brandon R.; Watenpaugh, Donald E.; Tse, Kevin; Smith, Scott M.

2007-01-01

Supine weight-bearing exercise within lower body negative pressure (LBNP) alleviates some of the skeletal deconditioning induced by simulated weightlessness in men. We examined the potential beneficial effect in women. Because dietary acid load affected the degree of bone resorption in men during bed rest, we also investigated this variable in women. Subjects were 7 pairs of female identical twins assigned at random to 2 groups, sedentary bed rest (control) or bed rest with supine treadmill exercise within LBNP. Dietary intake was controlled and monitored. Urinary calcium and markers of bone resorption were measured before bed rest (BR) and on BR days 5/6, 12/13, 19/20, and 26/27. Bone mineral content was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and after bed rest. Data were analyzed by repeated measures two-way analysis of variance. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to define the relationships between diet and markers of bone metabolism, and to estimate heritability of markers. During bed rest, all markers of bone resorption and urinary calcium and phosphorus increased (P < 0.001); parathyroid hormone (P = 0.06), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.06), and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (P = 0.09) tended to decrease. LBNP exercise tended to mitigate bone density loss. The ratio of dietary animal protein to potassium was positively correlated with urinary calcium excretion for all weeks of bed rest in the control group, but only during weeks 1 and 3 for the exercise group. Pre-bed rest data suggested that many markers of bone metabolism have strong genetic determinants. Treadmill exercise within LBNP had less of a protective effect on bone resorption during bed rest in women than previously-published results had shown for its effect in men, but the same trends were observed for both sexes. Dietary acid load of these female subjects was significantly correlated with calcium excretion but not with other bone resorption markers. PMID:17070743

Altitudinal patterns in breeding bird species richness and density in relation to climate, habitat heterogeneity, and migration influence in a temperate montane forest (South Korea).

PubMed

Kim, Jin-Yong; Lee, Sanghun; Shin, Man-Seok; Lee, Chang-Hoon; Seo, Changwan; Eo, Soo Hyung

2018-01-01

Altitudinal patterns in the population ecology of mountain bird species are useful for predicting species occurrence and behavior. Numerous hypotheses about the complex interactions among environmental factors have been proposed; however, these still remain controversial. This study aimed to identify the altitudinal patterns in breeding bird species richness or density and to test the hypotheses that climate, habitat heterogeneity (horizontal and vertical), and heterospecific attraction in a temperate forest, South Korea. We conducted a field survey of 142 plots at altitudes between 200 and 1,400 m a.s.l in the breeding season. A total of 2,771 individuals from 53 breeding bird species were recorded. Altitudinal patterns of species richness and density showed a hump-shaped pattern, indicating that the highest richness and density could be observed at moderate altitudes. Models constructed with 13 combinations of six variables demonstrated that species richness was positively correlated with vertical and horizontal habitat heterogeneity. Density was positively correlated with vertical, but not horizontal habitat heterogeneity, and negatively correlated with migratory bird ratio. No significant relationships were found between spring temperature and species richness or density. Therefore, the observed patterns in species richness support the hypothesis that habitat heterogeneity, rather than climate, is the main driver of species richness. Also, neither habitat heterogeneity nor climate hypotheses fully explains the observed patterns in density. However, vertical habitat heterogeneity does likely help explain observed patterns in density. The heterospecific attraction hypothesis did not apply to the distribution of birds along the altitudinal gradient. Appropriate management of vertical habitat heterogeneity, such as vegetation cover, should be maintained for the conservation of bird diversity in this area.

Insights into neutrino decoupling gleaned from considerations of the role of electron mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grohs, E.; Fuller, George M.

2017-10-01

We present calculations showing how electron rest mass influences entropy flow, neutrino decoupling, and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) in the early universe. To elucidate this physics and especially the sensitivity of BBN and related epochs to electron mass, we consider a parameter space of rest mass values larger and smaller than the accepted vacuum value. Electromagnetic equilibrium, coupled with the high entropy of the early universe, guarantees that significant numbers of electron-positron pairs are present, and dominate over the number of ionization electrons to temperatures much lower than the vacuum electron rest mass. Scattering between the electrons-positrons and the neutrinos largely controls the flow of entropy from the plasma into the neutrino seas. Moreover, the number density of electron-positron-pair targets can be exponentially sensitive to the effective in-medium electron mass. This entropy flow influences the phasing of scale factor and temperature, the charged current weak-interaction-determined neutron-to-proton ratio, and the spectral distortions in the relic neutrino energy spectra. Our calculations show the sensitivity of the physics of this epoch to three separate effects: finite electron mass, finite-temperature quantum electrodynamic (QED) effects on the plasma equation of state, and Boltzmann neutrino energy transport. The ratio of neutrino to plasma-component energy scales manifests in Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) observables, namely the baryon density and the radiation energy density, along with the primordial helium and deuterium abundances. Our results demonstrate how the treatment of in-medium electron mass (i.e., QED effects) could translate into an important source of uncertainty in extracting neutrino and beyond-standard-model physics limits from future high-precision CMB data.

[The influence of single moderate exercise on the sympathetic nervous system activity in patients with essential hypertension].

PubMed

Gajek, Jacek; Zyśko, Dorota

2002-12-01

Sympathetic nervous system may play an important role in development and maintenance of hypertension. Its activity can be assessed by plasma levels of catecholamines, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and adrenergic receptor density. Hypertensive subjects may be more prone to reveal overactivity of sympathetic nervous system, for instance as a result of physical stress. The aim of the study was to determine the activity of sympathetic nervous system in young patients with newly recognized, untreated mild hypertension. The study was carried out in 22 patients (age 38.5 +/- 10.3 years) and 20 normotensive volunteers (age 38.5 +/- 8.6 years) as a control group, matched for sex. Density of alpha 2- and beta-adrenergic receptors using 3H-yohimbine and 125I-cyanopindolol respectively, total catecholamines and plasma renin activity using radioenzymatic assay, neuropeptide Y and aldosterone using radioimmunoassay were assessed in the blood taken in the supine position and after moderate bicycle ergometer exercise. Plasma concentration of NPY at rest did not differ between the groups, but increased significantly after exercise and was greater in hypertensive patients (p < 0.05). The density of alpha 2- and beta-adrenergic receptors at rest and after exercise in hypertensive subjects was unchanged when comparing to healthy individuals. The plasma concentrations of endogenous catecholamines, plasma renin activity and aldosterone level increase during exercise in both studied groups (p < 0.05). Aldosterone level was higher in hypertensive patients at rest (p < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between baseline aldosterone and NPY levels in hypertensive patients (r = -0.44, p < 0.05). Moderate exercise in hypertensive subjects causes the hyperactivity of sympathetic nervous system expressed as increase of NPY plasma level.

Automatic classification of schizophrenia using resting-state functional language network via an adaptive learning algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Maohu; Jie, Nanfeng; Jiang, Tianzi

2014-03-01

A reliable and precise classification of schizophrenia is significant for its diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a novel tool increasingly used in schizophrenia research. Recent advances in statistical learning theory have led to applying pattern classification algorithms to access the diagnostic value of functional brain networks, discovered from resting state fMRI data. The aim of this study was to propose an adaptive learning algorithm to distinguish schizophrenia patients from normal controls using resting-state functional language network. Furthermore, here the classification of schizophrenia was regarded as a sample selection problem where a sparse subset of samples was chosen from the labeled training set. Using these selected samples, which we call informative vectors, a classifier for the clinic diagnosis of schizophrenia was established. We experimentally demonstrated that the proposed algorithm incorporating resting-state functional language network achieved 83.6% leaveone- out accuracy on resting-state fMRI data of 27 schizophrenia patients and 28 normal controls. In contrast with KNearest- Neighbor (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and l1-norm, our method yielded better classification performance. Moreover, our results suggested that a dysfunction of resting-state functional language network plays an important role in the clinic diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Rickettsia ‘In’ and ‘Out’: Two Different Localization Patterns of a Bacterial Symbiont in the Same Insect Species

PubMed Central

Caspi-Fluger, Ayelet; Inbar, Moshe; Mozes-Daube, Netta; Mouton, Laurence; Hunter, Martha S.; Zchori-Fein, Einat

2011-01-01

Intracellular symbionts of arthropods have diverse influences on their hosts, and their functions generally appear to be associated with their localization within the host. The effect of localization pattern on the role of a particular symbiont cannot normally be tested since the localization pattern within hosts is generally invariant. However, in Israel, the secondary symbiont Rickettsia is unusual in that it presents two distinct localization patterns throughout development and adulthood in its whitefly host, Bemisia tabaci (B biotype). In the “scattered” pattern, Rickettsia is localized throughout the whitefly hemocoel, excluding the bacteriocytes, where the obligate symbiont Portiera aleyrodidarum and some other secondary symbionts are housed. In the “confined” pattern, Rickettsia is restricted to the bacteriocytes. We examined the effects of these patterns on Rickettsia densities, association with other symbionts (Portiera and Hamiltonella defensa inside the bacteriocytes) and on the potential for horizontal transmission to the parasitoid wasp, Eretmocerus mundus, while the wasp larvae are developing within the whitefly nymph. Sequences of four Rickettsia genes were found to be identical for both localization patterns, suggesting that they are closely related strains. However, real-time PCR analysis showed very different dynamics for the two localization types. On the first day post-adult emergence, Rickettsia densities were 21 times higher in the “confined” pattern vs. “scattered” pattern whiteflies. During adulthood, Rickettsia increased in density in the “scattered” pattern whiteflies until it reached the “confined” pattern Rickettsia density on day 21. No correlation between Rickettsia densities and Hamiltonella or Portiera densities were found for either localization pattern. Using FISH technique, we found Rickettsia in the gut of the parasitoid wasps only when they developed on whiteflies with the “scattered” pattern. The results suggest that the localization pattern of a symbiont may influence its dynamics within the host. PMID:21712994

Energy intake and dietary patterns in childhood and throughout adulthood and mammographic density: results from a British prospective cohort.

PubMed

Mishra, Gita D; dos Santos Silva, Isabel; McNaughton, Sarah A; Stephen, Alison; Kuh, Diana

2011-02-01

To examine the role of energy intake and dietary patterns in childhood and throughout adulthood on subsequent mammographic density. Prospective data were available from a cohort of 1161 British women followed up since their birth in 1946. Dietary intakes at age 4 years were determined by 24-hour recalls and during adulthood, average food consumed at ages 36 and 43 years by 5-day food records. Dietary patterns were determined by factor analysis. Associations between energy intake, dietary patterns, and percent breast density were investigated using regression analysis. During adulthood, energy intake was positively associated with percent breast density (adjusted regression coefficient [per SD) (95% CI): 0.12 (0.01, 0.23)]. The effect of the high fat and sugar dietary pattern remained similar when adjusted for total energy intake [0.06 (-0.01, 0.13)]. There was no evidence of an associations for the patterns low fat, high fiber pattern 0.03 (-0.04, 0.11); the alcohol and fish -0.02 (-0.13, 0.17); meat, potatoes, and vegetables -0.03 (-0.10, 0.04). No association was found for dietary pattern at age 4 and percent breast density. This study supports the hypothesis that overall energy intake during middle life is a determinant of subsequent mammographic breast density measured 15 years later.

A Comparative Study of Standardized Infinity Reference and Average Reference for EEG of Three Typical Brain States

PubMed Central

Zheng, Gaoxing; Qi, Xiaoying; Li, Yuzhu; Zhang, Wei; Yu, Yuguo

2018-01-01

The choice of different reference electrodes plays an important role in deciphering the functional meaning of electroencephalography (EEG) signals. In recent years, the infinity zero reference using the reference electrode standard technique (REST) has been increasingly applied, while the average reference (AR) was generally advocated as the best available reference option in previous classical EEG studies. Here, we designed EEG experiments and performed a direct comparison between the influences of REST and AR on EEG-revealed brain activity features for three typical brain behavior states (eyes-closed, eyes-open and music-listening). The analysis results revealed the following observations: (1) there is no significant difference in the alpha-wave-blocking effect during the eyes-open state compared with the eyes-closed state for both REST and AR references; (2) there was clear frontal EEG asymmetry during the resting state, and the degree of lateralization under REST was higher than that under AR; (3) the global brain functional connectivity density (FCD) and local FCD have higher values for REST than for AR under different behavior states; and (4) the value of the small-world network characteristic in the eyes-closed state is significantly (in full, alpha, beta and gamma frequency bands) higher than that in the eyes-open state, and the small-world effect under the REST reference is higher than that under AR. In addition, the music-listening state has a higher small-world network effect than the eyes-closed state. The above results suggest that typical EEG features might be more clearly presented by applying the REST reference than by applying AR when using a 64-channel recording. PMID:29593490

The Rest-Frame Optical Luminosity Functions of Galaxies at 2<=z<=3.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchesini, D.; van Dokkum, P.; Quadri, R.; Rudnick, G.; Franx, M.; Lira, P.; Wuyts, S.; Gawiser, E.; Christlein, D.; Toft, S.

2007-02-01

We present the rest-frame optical (B, V, and R band) luminosity functions (LFs) of galaxies at 2<=z<=3.5, measured from a K-selected sample constructed from the deep NIR MUSYC, the ultradeep FIRES, and the GOODS-CDFS. This sample is unique for its combination of area and range of luminosities. The faint-end slopes of the LFs at z>2 are consistent with those at z~0. The characteristic magnitudes are significantly brighter than the local values (e.g., ~1.2 mag in the R band), while the measured values for Φ* are typically ~5 times smaller. The B-band luminosity density at z~2.3 is similar to the local value, and in the R band it is ~2 times smaller than the local value. We present the LF of distant red galaxies (DRGs), which we compare to that of non-DRGs. While DRGs and non-DRGs are characterized by similar LFs at the bright end, the faint-end slope of the non-DRG LF is much steeper than that of DRGs. The contribution of DRGs to the global densities down to the faintest probed luminosities is 14%-25% in number and 22%-33% in luminosity. From the derived rest-frame U-V colors and stellar population synthesis models, we estimate the mass-to-light ratios (M/L) of the different subsamples. The M/L ratios of DRGs are ~5 times higher (in the R and V bands) than those of non-DRGs. The global stellar mass density at 2<=z<=3.5 appears to be dominated by DRGs, whose contribution is of order ~60%-80% of the global value. Qualitatively similar results are obtained when the population is split by rest-frame U-V color instead of observed J-K color. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Also based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatories on Paranal, Chile as part of the ESO program 164.O-0612.

Perceived Density, Social Interaction and Morale in New South Wales Rural Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argent, Neil

2008-01-01

This paper explores the relationships between population density, social interaction patterns, and morale in rural communities. It tests two apparently competing hypotheses concerning rural population density, social interaction patterns and overall levels of morale: one, that low (and rapidly declining) rural densities lead to feelings of…

12-h abstinence-induced functional connectivity density changes and craving in young smokers: a resting-state study.

PubMed

Zhao, Shuzhi; Li, Yangding; Li, Min; Wang, Ruonan; Bi, Yanzhi; Zhang, Yajuan; Lu, Xiaoqi; Yu, Dahua; Yang, Likun; Yuan, Kai

2018-06-20

Studying the neural correlates of craving to smoke is of great importance to improve treatment outcomes in smoking addiction. According to previous studies, the critical roles of striatum and frontal brain regions had been revealed in addiction. However, few studies focused on the hub of brain regions in the 12 h abstinence induced craving in young smokers. Thirty-one young male smokers were enrolled in the present study. A within-subject experiment design was carried out to compare functional connectivity density between 12-h smoking abstinence and smoking satiety conditions during resting state in young adult smokers by using functional connectivity density mapping (FCDM). Then, the functional connectivity density changes during smoking abstinence versus satiety were further used to examine correlations with abstinence-induced changes in subjective craving. We found young adult smokers in abstinence state (vs satiety) had higher local functional connectivity density (lFCD) and global functional connectivity density (gFCD) in brain regions including striatal subregions (i.e., bilateral caudate and putamen), frontal regions (i.e., anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and orbital frontal cortex (OFC)) and bilateral insula. We also found higher lFCD during smoking abstinence (vs satiety) in bilateral thalamus. Additionally, the lFCD changes of the left ACC, bilateral caudate and right OFC were positively correlated with the changes in craving induced by abstinence (i.e., abstinence minus satiety) in young adult smokers. The present findings improve the understanding of the effects of acute smoking abstinence on the hubs of brain gray matter in the abstinence-induces craving and may contribute new insights into the neural mechanism of abstinence-induced craving in young smokers in smoking addiction.

NASA to study effects of jet lag on pilot performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Existing scientific literature on circadian rhythm was translated into lay terms and disseminated to the aviation community. The effects of rest, sleep, dietary, and drug use patterns of commercial airline crews were investigated.

Effect of leg exercise training on vascular volumes during 30 days of 6 degrees head-down bed rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, J. E.; Vernikos, J.; Wade, C. E.; Barnes, P. R.

1992-01-01

Plasma and red cell volumes, body density, and water balance were measured in 19 men (32-42 yr) confined to bed rest (BR). One group (n = 5) had no exercise training (NOE), another near-maximal variable-intensity isotonic exercise for 60 min/day (ITE; n = 7), and the third near-maximal intermittent isokinetic exercise for 60 min/day (IKE; n = 7). Caloric intake was 2,678-2,840 kcal/day; mean body weight (n = 19) decreased by 0.58 +/- 0.35 (SE) kg during BR due to a negative fluid balance (diuresis) on day 1. Mean energy costs for the NOE, and IKE, and ITE regimens were 83 (3.6 +/- 0.2 ml O2.min-1.kg-1), 214 (8.9 +/- 0.5 ml.min-1.kg-1), and 446 kcal/h (18.8 +/- 1.6 ml.min-1.kg-1), respectively. Body densities within groups and mean urine volumes (1,752-1,846 ml/day) between groups were unchanged during BR. Resting changes in plasma volume (ml/kg) after BR were -1.5 +/- 2.3% (NS) in ITE, -14.7 +/- 2.8% (P less than 0.05) in NOE, and -16.8 +/- 2.9% (P less than 0.05) in IKE, and mean water balances during BR were +295, -106, and +169 ml/24 h, respectively. Changes in red cell volume followed changes in plasma volume. The significant chronic decreases in plasma volume in the IKE and NOE groups and its maintenance in the ITE group could not be accounted for by water balance or by responses of the plasma osmotic, protein, vasopressin, or aldosterone concentrations or plasma renin activity. There was close coupling between resting plasma volume and plasma protein and osmotic content.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).

Change in Mean Frequency of Resting-State Electroencephalography after Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

PubMed Central

Boonstra, Tjeerd W.; Nikolin, Stevan; Meisener, Ann-Christin; Martin, Donel M.; Loo, Colleen K.

2016-01-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is proposed as a tool to investigate cognitive functioning in healthy people and as a treatment for various neuropathological disorders. However, the underlying cortical mechanisms remain poorly understood. We aim to investigate whether resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) can be used to monitor the effects of tDCS on cortical activity. To this end we tested whether the spectral content of ongoing EEG activity is significantly different after a single session of active tDCS compared to sham stimulation. Twenty participants were tested in a sham-controlled, randomized, crossover design. Resting-state EEG was acquired before, during and after active tDCS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (15 min of 2 mA tDCS) and sham stimulation. Electrodes with a diameter of 3.14 cm2 were used for EEG and tDCS. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis was used to examine differences in power spectral density (PSD) and the EEG mean frequency to quantify the slowing of EEG activity after stimulation. PLS revealed a significant increase in spectral power at frequencies below 15 Hz and a decrease at frequencies above 15 Hz after active tDCS (P = 0.001). The EEG mean frequency was significantly reduced after both active tDCS (P < 0.0005) and sham tDCS (P = 0.001), though the decrease in mean frequency was smaller after sham tDCS than after active tDCS (P = 0.073). Anodal tDCS of the left DLPFC using a high current density bi-frontal electrode montage resulted in general slowing of resting-state EEG. The similar findings observed following sham stimulation question whether the standard sham protocol is an appropriate control condition for tDCS. PMID:27375462

Altered cerebral blood flow velocity features in fibromyalgia patients in resting-state conditions

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Alejandro; Tembl, José; Mesa-Gresa, Patricia; Muñoz, Miguel Ángel; Montoya, Pedro

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to characterize in resting-state conditions the cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) signals of fibromyalgia patients. The anterior and middle cerebral arteries of both hemispheres from 15 women with fibromyalgia and 15 healthy women were monitored using Transcranial Doppler (TCD) during a 5-minute eyes-closed resting period. Several signal processing methods based on time, information theory, frequency and time-frequency analyses were used in order to extract different features to characterize the CBFV signals in the different vessels. Main results indicated that, in comparison with control subjects, fibromyalgia patients showed a higher complexity of the envelope CBFV and a different distribution of the power spectral density. In addition, it has been observed that complexity and spectral features show correlations with clinical pain parameters and emotional factors. The characterization features were used in a lineal model to discriminate between fibromyalgia patients and healthy controls, providing a high accuracy. These findings indicate that CBFV signals, specifically their complexity and spectral characteristics, contain information that may be relevant for the assessment of fibromyalgia patients in resting-state conditions. PMID:28700720

Altered cerebral blood flow velocity features in fibromyalgia patients in resting-state conditions.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Alejandro; Tembl, José; Mesa-Gresa, Patricia; Muñoz, Miguel Ángel; Montoya, Pedro; Rey, Beatriz

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to characterize in resting-state conditions the cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) signals of fibromyalgia patients. The anterior and middle cerebral arteries of both hemispheres from 15 women with fibromyalgia and 15 healthy women were monitored using Transcranial Doppler (TCD) during a 5-minute eyes-closed resting period. Several signal processing methods based on time, information theory, frequency and time-frequency analyses were used in order to extract different features to characterize the CBFV signals in the different vessels. Main results indicated that, in comparison with control subjects, fibromyalgia patients showed a higher complexity of the envelope CBFV and a different distribution of the power spectral density. In addition, it has been observed that complexity and spectral features show correlations with clinical pain parameters and emotional factors. The characterization features were used in a lineal model to discriminate between fibromyalgia patients and healthy controls, providing a high accuracy. These findings indicate that CBFV signals, specifically their complexity and spectral characteristics, contain information that may be relevant for the assessment of fibromyalgia patients in resting-state conditions.

An overview of the issues: physiological effects of bed rest and restricted physical activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Convertino, V. A.; Bloomfield, S. A.; Greenleaf, J. E.

1997-01-01

Reduction of exercise capacity with confinement to bed rest is well recognized. Underlying physiological mechanisms include dramatic reductions in maximal stroke volume, cardiac output, and oxygen uptake. However, bed rest by itself does not appear to contribute to cardiac dysfunction. Increased muscle fatigue is associated with reduced muscle blood flow, red cell volume, capillarization and oxidative enzymes. Loss of muscle mass and bone density may be reflected by reduced muscle strength and higher risk for injury to bones and joints. The resultant deconditioning caused by bed rest can be independent of the primary disease and physically debilitating in patients who attempt to reambulate to normal active living and working. A challenge to clinicians and health care specialists has been the identification of appropriate and effective methods to restore physical capacity of patients during or after restricted physical activity associated with prolonged bed rest. The examination of physiological responses to bed rest deconditioning and exercise training in healthy subjects has provided significant information to develop effective rehabilitation treatments. The successful application of acute exercise to enhance orthostatic stability, daily endurance exercise to maintain aerobic capacity, or specific resistance exercises to maintain musculoskeletal integrity rather than the use of surgical, pharmacological, and other medical treatments for clinical conditions has been enhanced by investigation and understanding of underlying mechanisms that distinguish physical deconditioning from the disease. This symposium presents an overview of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal deconditioning associated with reduced physical work capacity following prolonged bed rest and exercise training regimens that have proven successful in ameliorating or reversing these adverse effects.

Orbits of two electrons released from rest in a uniform transverse magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mungan, Carl E.

2018-03-01

Two identical charged particles released from rest repel each other radially. A uniform perpendicular magnetic field will then cause their trajectories to curve into a flower petal pattern. The orbit of each particle is approximately circular with a long period for a strong magnetic field, whereas it becomes a figure-eight for a weak magnetic field with each lobe completed in a cyclotron period. For example, such radially bound motions arise for two-dimensional electron gases. The level of treatment is appropriate for an undergraduate calculus-based electromagnetism course.

The many faces of REST oversee epigenetic programming of neuronal genes.

PubMed

Ballas, Nurit; Mandel, Gail

2005-10-01

Nervous system development relies on a complex signaling network to engineer the orderly transitions that lead to the acquisition of a neural cell fate. Progression from the non-neuronal pluripotent stem cell to a restricted neural lineage is characterized by distinct patterns of gene expression, particularly the restriction of neuronal gene expression to neurons. Concurrently, cells outside the nervous system acquire and maintain a non-neuronal fate that permanently excludes expression of neuronal genes. Studies of the transcriptional repressor REST, which regulates a large network of neuronal genes, provide a paradigm for elucidating the link between epigenetic mechanisms and neurogenesis. REST orchestrates a set of epigenetic modifications that are distinct between non-neuronal cells that give rise to neurons and those that are destined to remain as nervous system outsiders.

Resting-state fMRI in sleeping infants more closely resembles adult sleep than adult wakefulness

PubMed Central

Snyder, Abraham Z.; Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Laufs, Helmut; Elison, Jed; Emerson, Robert W.; Shen, Mark D.; Wolff, Jason J.; Botteron, Kelly N.; Dager, Stephen; Estes, Annette M.; Evans, Alan; Gerig, Guido; Hazlett, Heather C.; Paterson, Sarah J.; Schultz, Robert T.; Styner, Martin A.; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2017-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in infants enables important studies of functional brain organization early in human development. However, rs-fMRI in infants has universally been obtained during sleep to reduce participant motion artifact, raising the question of whether differences in functional organization between awake adults and sleeping infants that are commonly attributed to development may instead derive, at least in part, from sleep. This question is especially important as rs-fMRI differences in adult wake vs. sleep are well documented. To investigate this question, we compared functional connectivity and BOLD signal propagation patterns in 6, 12, and 24 month old sleeping infants with patterns in adult wakefulness and non-REM sleep. We find that important functional connectivity features seen during infant sleep closely resemble those seen during adult sleep, including reduced default mode network functional connectivity. However, we also find differences between infant and adult sleep, especially in thalamic BOLD signal propagation patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering sleep state when drawing developmental inferences in infant rs-fMRI. PMID:29149191

Co-activation patterns in resting-state fMRI signals.

PubMed

Liu, Xiao; Zhang, Nanyin; Chang, Catie; Duyn, Jeff H

2018-02-08

The brain is a complex system that integrates and processes information across multiple time scales by dynamically coordinating activities over brain regions and circuits. Correlations in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) signals have been widely used to infer functional connectivity of the brain, providing a metric of functional associations that reflects a temporal average over an entire scan (typically several minutes or longer). Not until recently was the study of dynamic brain interactions at much shorter time scales (seconds to minutes) considered for inference of functional connectivity. One method proposed for this objective seeks to identify and extract recurring co-activation patterns (CAPs) that represent instantaneous brain configurations at single time points. Here, we review the development and recent advancement of CAP methodology and other closely related approaches, as well as their applications and associated findings. We also discuss the potential neural origins and behavioral relevance of CAPs, along with methodological issues and future research directions in the analysis of fMRI co-activation patterns. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resting-state fMRI in sleeping infants more closely resembles adult sleep than adult wakefulness.

PubMed

Mitra, Anish; Snyder, Abraham Z; Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Laufs, Helmut; Elison, Jed; Emerson, Robert W; Shen, Mark D; Wolff, Jason J; Botteron, Kelly N; Dager, Stephen; Estes, Annette M; Evans, Alan; Gerig, Guido; Hazlett, Heather C; Paterson, Sarah J; Schultz, Robert T; Styner, Martin A; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Piven, Joseph; Pruett, John R; Raichle, Marcus

2017-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in infants enables important studies of functional brain organization early in human development. However, rs-fMRI in infants has universally been obtained during sleep to reduce participant motion artifact, raising the question of whether differences in functional organization between awake adults and sleeping infants that are commonly attributed to development may instead derive, at least in part, from sleep. This question is especially important as rs-fMRI differences in adult wake vs. sleep are well documented. To investigate this question, we compared functional connectivity and BOLD signal propagation patterns in 6, 12, and 24 month old sleeping infants with patterns in adult wakefulness and non-REM sleep. We find that important functional connectivity features seen during infant sleep closely resemble those seen during adult sleep, including reduced default mode network functional connectivity. However, we also find differences between infant and adult sleep, especially in thalamic BOLD signal propagation patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering sleep state when drawing developmental inferences in infant rs-fMRI.

Functional Connectivity of Resting Hemodynamic Signals in Submillimeter Orientation Columns of the Visual Cortex.

PubMed

Vasireddi, Anil K; Vazquez, Alberto L; Whitney, David E; Fukuda, Mitsuhiro; Kim, Seong-Gi

2016-09-07

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging has been increasingly used for examining connectivity across brain regions. The spatial scale by which hemodynamic imaging can resolve functional connections at rest remains unknown. To examine this issue, deoxyhemoglobin-weighted intrinsic optical imaging data were acquired from the visual cortex of lightly anesthetized ferrets. The neural activity of orientation domains, which span a distance of 0.7-0.8 mm, has been shown to be correlated during evoked activity and at rest. We performed separate analyses to assess the degree to which the spatial and temporal characteristics of spontaneous hemodynamic signals depend on the known functional organization of orientation columns. As a control, artificial orientation column maps were generated. Spatially, resting hemodynamic patterns showed a higher spatial resemblance to iso-orientation maps than artificially generated maps. Temporally, a correlation analysis was used to establish whether iso-orientation domains are more correlated than orthogonal orientation domains. After accounting for a significant decrease in correlation as a function of distance, a small but significant temporal correlation between iso-orientation domains was found, which decreased with increasing difference in orientation preference. This dependence was abolished when using artificially synthetized orientation maps. Finally, the temporal correlation coefficient as a function of orientation difference at rest showed a correspondence with that calculated during visual stimulation suggesting that the strength of resting connectivity is related to the strength of the visual stimulation response. Our results suggest that temporal coherence of hemodynamic signals measured by optical imaging of intrinsic signals exists at a submillimeter columnar scale in resting state.

Functional dissociation of ventral frontal and dorsomedial default mode network components during resting state and emotional autobiographical recall

PubMed Central

Bado, Patricia; Engel, Annerose; de Oliveira-Souza, Ricardo; Bramati, Ivanei E; Paiva, Fernando F; Basilio, Rodrigo; Sato, João R; Tovar-Moll, Fernanda; Moll, Jorge

2014-01-01

Humans spend a substantial share of their lives mind-wandering. This spontaneous thinking activity usually comprises autobiographical recall, emotional, and self-referential components. While neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that a specific brain “default mode network” (DMN) is consistently engaged by the “resting state” of the mind, the relative contribution of key cognitive components to DMN activity is still poorly understood. Here we used fMRI to investigate whether activity in neural components of the DMN can be differentially explained by active recall of relevant emotional autobiographical memories as compared with the resting state. Our study design combined emotional autobiographical memory, neutral memory and resting state conditions, separated by a serial subtraction control task. Shared patterns of activation in the DMN were observed in both emotional autobiographical and resting conditions, when compared with serial subtraction. Directly contrasting autobiographical and resting conditions demonstrated a striking dissociation within the DMN in that emotional autobiographical retrieval led to stronger activation of the dorsomedial core regions (medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex), whereas the resting state condition engaged a ventral frontal network (ventral striatum, subgenual and ventral anterior cingulate cortices) in addition to the IPL. Our results reveal an as yet unreported dissociation within the DMN. Whereas the dorsomedial component can be explained by emotional autobiographical memory, the ventral frontal one is predominantly associated with the resting state proper, possibly underlying fundamental motivational mechanisms engaged during spontaneous unconstrained ideation. Hum Brain Mapp 35:3302–3313, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:25050426

Glutamatergic stimulation of the left dentate gyrus abolishes depressive-like behaviors in a rat learned helplessness paradigm.

PubMed

Seo, Jeho; Cho, Hojin; Kim, Gun Tae; Kim, Chul Hoon; Kim, Dong Goo

2017-10-01

Episodic experiences of stress have been identified as the leading cause of major depressive disorder (MDD). The occurrence of MDD is profoundly influenced by the individual's coping strategy, rather than the severity of the stress itself. Resting brain activity has been shown to alter in several mental disorders. However, the functional relationship between resting brain activity and coping strategies has not yet been studied. In the present study, we observed different patterns of resting brain activity in rats that had determined either positive (resilient to stress) or negative (vulnerable to stress) coping strategies, and examined whether modulation of the preset resting brain activity could influence the behavioral phenotype associated with negative coping strategy (i.e., depressive-like behaviors). We used a learned helplessness paradigm-a well-established model of MDD-to detect coping strategies. Differences in resting state brain activity between animals with positive and negative coping strategies were assessed using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Glutamatergic stimulation was used to modulate resting brain activity. After exposure to repeated uncontrollable stress, seven of 23 rats exhibited positive coping strategies, while eight of 23 rats exhibited negative coping strategies. Increased resting brain activity was observed only in the left ventral dentate gyrus of the positive coping rats using FDG-PET. Furthermore, glutamatergic stimulation of the left dentate gyrus abolished depressive-like behaviors in rats with negative coping strategies. Increased resting brain activity in the left ventral dentate gyrus helps animals to select positive coping strategies in response to future stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Graded bit patterned magnetic arrays fabricated via angled low-energy He ion irradiation.

PubMed

Chang, L V; Nasruallah, A; Ruchhoeft, P; Khizroev, S; Litvinov, D

2012-07-11

A bit patterned magnetic array based on Co/Pd magnetic multilayers with a binary perpendicular magnetic anisotropy distribution was fabricated. The binary anisotropy distribution was attained through angled helium ion irradiation of a bit edge using hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) resist as an ion stopping layer to protect the rest of the bit. The viability of this technique was explored numerically and evaluated through magnetic measurements of the prepared bit patterned magnetic array. The resulting graded bit patterned magnetic array showed a 35% reduction in coercivity and a 9% narrowing of the standard deviation of the switching field.

A random walk description of individual animal movement accounting for periods of rest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilles, Paulo F. C.; Petrovskii, Sergei V.; Natti, Paulo L.

2016-11-01

Animals do not move all the time but alternate the period of actual movement (foraging) with periods of rest (e.g. eating or sleeping). Although the existence of rest times is widely acknowledged in the literature and has even become a focus of increased attention recently, the theoretical approaches to describe animal movement by calculating the dispersal kernel and/or the mean squared displacement (MSD) rarely take rests into account. In this study, we aim to bridge this gap. We consider a composite stochastic process where the periods of active dispersal or `bouts' (described by a certain baseline probability density function (pdf) of animal dispersal) alternate with periods of immobility. For this process, we derive a general equation that determines the pdf of this composite movement. The equation is analysed in detail in two special but important cases such as the standard Brownian motion described by a Gaussian kernel and the Levy flight described by a Cauchy distribution. For the Brownian motion, we show that in the large-time asymptotics the effect of rests results in a rescaling of the diffusion coefficient. The movement occurs as a subdiffusive transition between the two diffusive asymptotics. Interestingly, the Levy flight case shows similar properties, which indicates a certain universality of our findings.

A random walk description of individual animal movement accounting for periods of rest.

PubMed

Tilles, Paulo F C; Petrovskii, Sergei V; Natti, Paulo L

2016-11-01

Animals do not move all the time but alternate the period of actual movement (foraging) with periods of rest (e.g. eating or sleeping). Although the existence of rest times is widely acknowledged in the literature and has even become a focus of increased attention recently, the theoretical approaches to describe animal movement by calculating the dispersal kernel and/or the mean squared displacement (MSD) rarely take rests into account. In this study, we aim to bridge this gap. We consider a composite stochastic process where the periods of active dispersal or 'bouts' (described by a certain baseline probability density function (pdf) of animal dispersal) alternate with periods of immobility. For this process, we derive a general equation that determines the pdf of this composite movement. The equation is analysed in detail in two special but important cases such as the standard Brownian motion described by a Gaussian kernel and the Levy flight described by a Cauchy distribution. For the Brownian motion, we show that in the large-time asymptotics the effect of rests results in a rescaling of the diffusion coefficient. The movement occurs as a subdiffusive transition between the two diffusive asymptotics. Interestingly, the Levy flight case shows similar properties, which indicates a certain universality of our findings.

A random walk description of individual animal movement accounting for periods of rest

PubMed Central

Tilles, Paulo F. C.

2016-01-01

Animals do not move all the time but alternate the period of actual movement (foraging) with periods of rest (e.g. eating or sleeping). Although the existence of rest times is widely acknowledged in the literature and has even become a focus of increased attention recently, the theoretical approaches to describe animal movement by calculating the dispersal kernel and/or the mean squared displacement (MSD) rarely take rests into account. In this study, we aim to bridge this gap. We consider a composite stochastic process where the periods of active dispersal or ‘bouts’ (described by a certain baseline probability density function (pdf) of animal dispersal) alternate with periods of immobility. For this process, we derive a general equation that determines the pdf of this composite movement. The equation is analysed in detail in two special but important cases such as the standard Brownian motion described by a Gaussian kernel and the Levy flight described by a Cauchy distribution. For the Brownian motion, we show that in the large-time asymptotics the effect of rests results in a rescaling of the diffusion coefficient. The movement occurs as a subdiffusive transition between the two diffusive asymptotics. Interestingly, the Levy flight case shows similar properties, which indicates a certain universality of our findings. PMID:28018645

T-dependent activation of resting B cells mediated by concanavalin A.

PubMed

Ratcliffe, M J; Julius, M H

1984-03-01

In cultures containing long-term cultured lines of antigen-specific helper T (Th) cells, normal unprimed B cells and concanavalin A (Con A), induction of B cells to immunoglobulin secretion and DNA synthesis was observed. The plaque-forming cell (PFC) response was large (frequently greater than 75 000 PFC/10(6) input B cells) demonstrating the polyspecific nature of the response. Con A-mediated maturation and induction to DNA synthesis of responding B cells was completely Th cell dependent and inhibited with methyl-alpha-D-mannoside. Both resting and blasted B cells, separated by Percoll density centrifugation, were induced to DNA synthesis and immunoglobulin secretion. Responses were completely unrestricted by the B cell major histocompatibility complex, even at the level of the resting B cell. The polyclonal nature of the response taken together with the Con A-mediated bypassing of T cell specificity and restricting haplotype indicates that this response is analogous to lectin-mediated cytotoxicity.

High-density patterned media fabrication using jet and flash imprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhengmao; Ramos, Rick; Brooks, Cynthia; Simpson, Logan; Fretwell, John; Carden, Scott; Hellebrekers, Paul; LaBrake, Dwayne; Resnick, Douglas J.; Sreenivasan, S. V.

2011-04-01

The Jet and Flash Imprint Lithography (J-FIL®) process uses drop dispensing of UV curable resists for high resolution patterning. Several applications, including patterned media, are better, and more economically served by a full substrate patterning process since the alignment requirements are minimal. Patterned media is particularly challenging because of the aggressive feature sizes necessary to achieve storage densities required for manufacturing beyond the current technology of perpendicular recording. In this paper, the key process steps for the application of J-FIL to pattern media fabrication are reviewed with special attention to substrate cleaning, vapor adhesion of the adhesion layer and imprint performance at >300 disk per hour. Also discussed are recent results for imprinting discrete track patterns at half pitches of 24nm and bit patterned media patterns at densities of 1 Tb/in2.

Dynamics and Physiological Roles of Stochastic Firing Patterns Near Bifurcation Points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Bing; Gu, Huaguang

2017-06-01

Different stochastic neural firing patterns or rhythms that appeared near polarization or depolarization resting states were observed in biological experiments on three nervous systems, and closely matched those simulated near bifurcation points between stable equilibrium point and limit cycle in a theoretical model with noise. The distinct dynamics of spike trains and interspike interval histogram (ISIH) of these stochastic rhythms were identified and found to build a relationship to the coexisting behaviors or fixed firing frequency of four different types of bifurcations. Furthermore, noise evokes coherence resonances near bifurcation points and plays important roles in enhancing information. The stochastic rhythms corresponding to Hopf bifurcation points with fixed firing frequency exhibited stronger coherence degree and a sharper peak in the power spectrum of the spike trains than those corresponding to saddle-node bifurcation points without fixed firing frequency. Moreover, the stochastic firing patterns changed to a depolarization resting state as the extracellular potassium concentration increased for the injured nerve fiber related to pathological pain or static blood pressure level increased for aortic depressor nerve fiber, and firing frequency decreased, which were different from the physiological viewpoint that firing frequency increased with increasing pressure level or potassium concentration. This shows that rhythms or firing patterns can reflect pressure or ion concentration information related to pathological pain information. Our results present the dynamics of stochastic firing patterns near bifurcation points, which are helpful for the identification of both dynamics and physiological roles of complex neural firing patterns or rhythms, and the roles of noise.

Core networks and their reconfiguration patterns across cognitive loads.

PubMed

Zuo, Nianming; Yang, Zhengyi; Liu, Yong; Li, Jin; Jiang, Tianzi

2018-04-20

Different cognitively demanding tasks recruit globally distributed but functionally specific networks. However, the configuration of core networks and their reconfiguration patterns across cognitive loads remain unclear, as does whether these patterns are indicators for the performance of cognitive tasks. In this study, we analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging data of a large cohort of 448 subjects, acquired with the brain at resting state and executing N-back working memory (WM) tasks. We discriminated core networks by functional interaction strength and connection flexibility. Results demonstrated that the frontoparietal network (FPN) and default mode network (DMN) were core networks, but each exhibited different patterns across cognitive loads. The FPN and DMN both showed strengthened internal connections at the low demand state (0-back) compared with the resting state (control level); whereas, from the low (0-back) to high demand state (2-back), some connections to the FPN weakened and were rewired to the DMN (whose connections all remained strong). Of note, more intensive reconfiguration of both the whole brain and core networks (but no other networks) across load levels indicated relatively poor cognitive performance. Collectively these findings indicate that the FPN and DMN have distinct roles and reconfiguration patterns across cognitively demanding loads. This study advances our understanding of the core networks and their reconfiguration patterns across cognitive loads and provides a new feature to evaluate and predict cognitive capability (e.g., WM performance) based on brain networks. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Resting state activity in patients with disorders of consciousness

PubMed Central

Soddu, Andrea; Vanhaudenhuyse, Audrey; Demertzi, Athena; Bruno, Marie-Aurélie; Tshibanda, Luaba; Di, Haibo; Boly, Mélanie; Papa, Michele; Laureys, Steven; Noirhomme, Quentin

Summary Recent advances in the study of spontaneous brain activity have demonstrated activity patterns that emerge with no task performance or sensory stimulation; these discoveries hold promise for the study of higher-order associative network functionality. Additionally, such advances are argued to be relevant in pathological states, such as disorders of consciousness (DOC), i.e., coma, vegetative and minimally conscious states. Recent studies on resting state activity in DOC, measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques, show that functional connectivity is disrupted in the task-negative or the default mode network. However, the two main approaches employed in the analysis of resting state functional connectivity data (i.e., hypothesis-driven seed-voxel and data-driven independent component analysis) present multiple methodological difficulties, especially in non-collaborative DOC patients. Improvements in motion artifact removal and spatial normalization are needed before fMRI resting state data can be used as proper biomarkers in severe brain injury. However, we anticipate that such developments will boost clinical resting state fMRI studies, allowing for easy and fast acquisitions and ultimately improve the diagnosis and prognosis in the absence of DOC patients’ active collaboration in data acquisition. PMID:21693087

Reduced brain resting-state network specificity in infants compared with adults.

PubMed

Wylie, Korey P; Rojas, Donald C; Ross, Randal G; Hunter, Sharon K; Maharajh, Keeran; Cornier, Marc-Andre; Tregellas, Jason R

2014-01-01

Infant resting-state networks do not exhibit the same connectivity patterns as those of young children and adults. Current theories of brain development emphasize developmental progression in regional and network specialization. We compared infant and adult functional connectivity, predicting that infants would exhibit less regional specificity and greater internetwork communication compared with adults. Functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest was acquired in 12 healthy, term infants and 17 adults. Resting-state networks were extracted, using independent components analysis, and the resulting components were then compared between the adult and infant groups. Adults exhibited stronger connectivity in the posterior cingulate cortex node of the default mode network, but infants had higher connectivity in medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex than adults. Adult connectivity was typically higher than infant connectivity within structures previously associated with the various networks, whereas infant connectivity was frequently higher outside of these structures. Internetwork communication was significantly higher in infants than in adults. We interpret these findings as consistent with evidence suggesting that resting-state network development is associated with increasing spatial specificity, possibly reflecting the corresponding functional specialization of regions and their interconnections through experience.

Effects of posture on upper and lower limb peripheral resistance following submaximal cycling.

PubMed

Swan, P D; Spitler, D L; Todd, M K; Maupin, J L; Lewis, C L; Darragh, P M

1989-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine postural effects on upper and lower limb peripheral resistance (PR) after submaximal exercise. Twelve subjects (six men and six women) completed submaximal cycle ergometer tests (60% age-predicted maximum heart rate) in the supine and upright seated positions. Each test included 20 minutes of rest, 20 minutes of cycling, and 15 minutes of recovery. Stroke volume and heart rate were determined by impedance cardiography, and blood pressure was measured by auscultation during rest, immediately after exercise, and at minutes 1-5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 of recovery. Peripheral resistance was calculated from values of mean arterial pressure and cardiac output. No significant (p less than 0.05) postural differences in PR were noted during rest for either limb. Immediately after exercise, PR decreased (55% to 61%) from resting levels in both limbs, independent of posture. Recovery ankle PR values were significantly different between postures. Upright ankle PR returned to 92% of the resting level within four minutes of recovery, compared to 76% of the resting level after 15 minutes in the supine posture. Peripheral resistance values in the supine and upright arm were not affected by posture and demonstrated a gradual pattern of recovery similar to the supine ankle recovery response (85% to 88% of rest within 15 minutes). The accelerated recovery rate of PR after upright exercise may result from local vasoconstriction mediated by a central regulatory response to stimulation from gravitational pressure on lower body circulation.

A fuzzy logic-based model for noise control at industrial workplaces.

PubMed

Aluclu, I; Dalgic, A; Toprak, Z F

2008-05-01

Ergonomics is a broad science encompassing the wide variety of working conditions that can affect worker comfort and health, including factors such as lighting, noise, temperature, vibration, workstation design, tool design, machine design, etc. This paper describes noise-human response and a fuzzy logic model developed by comprehensive field studies on noise measurements (including atmospheric parameters) and control measures. The model has two subsystems constructed on noise reduction quantity in dB. The first subsystem of the fuzzy model depending on 549 linguistic rules comprises acoustical features of all materials used in any workplace. Totally 984 patterns were used, 503 patterns for model development and the rest 481 patterns for testing the model. The second subsystem deals with atmospheric parameter interactions with noise and has 52 linguistic rules. Similarly, 94 field patterns were obtained; 68 patterns were used for training stage of the model and the rest 26 patterns for testing the model. These rules were determined by taking into consideration formal standards, experiences of specialists and the measurements patterns. The results of the model were compared with various statistics (correlation coefficients, max-min, standard deviation, average and coefficient of skewness) and error modes (root mean square error and relative error). The correlation coefficients were significantly high, error modes were quite low and the other statistics were very close to the data. This statement indicates the validity of the model. Therefore, the model can be used for noise control in any workplace and helpful to the designer in planning stage of a workplace.

Deep sleep divides the cortex into opposite modes of anatomical-functional coupling.

PubMed

Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Crossley, Nicolas; Bullmore, Edward T; Laufs, Helmut

2016-11-01

The coupling of anatomical and functional connectivity at rest suggests that anatomy is essential for wake-typical activity patterns. Here, we study the development of this coupling from wakefulness to deep sleep. Globally, similarity between whole-brain anatomical and functional connectivity networks increased during deep sleep. Regionally, we found differential coupling: during sleep, functional connectivity of primary cortices resembled more the underlying anatomical connectivity, while we observed the opposite in associative cortices. Increased anatomical-functional similarity in sensory areas is consistent with their stereotypical, cross-modal response to the environment during sleep. In distinction, looser coupling-relative to wakeful rest-in higher order integrative cortices suggests that sleep actively disrupts default patterns of functional connectivity in regions essential for the conscious access of information and that anatomical connectivity acts as an anchor for the restoration of their functionality upon awakening.

Dietary patterns of adolescents in Germany--associations with nutrient intake and other health related lifestyle characteristics.

PubMed

Richter, Almut; Heidemann, Christin; Schulze, Matthias B; Roosen, Jutta; Thiele, Silke; Mensink, Gert B M

2012-03-22

The aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns among a representative sample of German adolescents and their associations with energy and nutrient intake, socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics, and overweight status. In the analysis, data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents were used. The survey included a comprehensive dietary history interview conducted among 1272 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Dietary patterns were determined with principal component analysis (PCA) based on 48 food groups, for boys and girls separately. Three dietary patterns among boys and two among girls were identified. Among boys, high adherence to the 'western' pattern was associated with higher age, lower socioeconomic status (SES), and lower physical activity level (PA). High adherence to the 'healthy' pattern among boys, but not among girls, was associated with higher SES, and higher PA. Among boys, high adherence to the 'traditional' pattern was associated with higher age. Among girls, high adherence to the 'traditional and western' pattern was associated with lower age, lower SES and more hours watching TV per day. The nutrient density of several vitamins and minerals, particularly of B-vitamins and calcium, increased with increasing scores of the 'healthy' pattern among both sexes. Conversely, with increasing scores of the 'western' pattern among boys, most nutrient densities decreased, particularly of fibre, beta-carotene, vitamin D, biotin and calcium. Among girls with higher scores of the 'traditional and western' pattern, nutrient densities of vitamin A, C, E, K and folate decreased. Among boys, high adherence to the 'traditional' pattern was correlated with higher densities of vitamin B12 and vitamin D and lower densities of fibre, magnesium and iron. No significant associations between dietary patterns and overweight were found. Higher scores for dietary patterns characterized by higher consumption of take away food, meat, confectionary and soft drinks ('western' and 'traditional and western') were found particularly among 16- to 17-years old boys and among adolescents with lower SES. These patterns were also associated with higher energy density, higher percent of energy from unsaturated fatty acids and lower percent of energy from carbohydrates as well as lower nutrient densities of several vitamins and minerals. Therefore, nutritional interventions should try to focus more on adolescents with lower SES and boys in general.

Mob grazing for dairy cows

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proponents of mob grazing emphasize increased forage use efficiency and soil improvement by grazing mature forage with stocking densities up to 560,425 lb/ac of beef cattle on small paddocks with rest periods up to 125 days. However, it is unclear if this management technique is appropriate for dair...

Electrophysiological signatures of atypical intrinsic brain connectivity networks in autism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shou, Guofa; Mosconi, Matthew W.; Wang, Jun; Ethridge, Lauren E.; Sweeney, John A.; Ding, Lei

2017-08-01

Objective. Abnormal local and long-range brain connectivity have been widely reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet the nature of these abnormalities and their functional relevance at distinct cortical rhythms remains unknown. Investigations of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) and their coherence across whole brain networks hold promise for determining whether patterns of functional connectivity abnormalities vary across frequencies and networks in ASD. In the present study, we aimed to probe atypical intrinsic brain connectivity networks in ASD from resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) data via characterizing the whole brain network. Approach. Connectivity within individual ICNs (measured by spectral power) and between ICNs (measured by coherence) were examined at four canonical frequency bands via a time-frequency independent component analysis on high-density EEG, which were recorded from 20 ASD and 20 typical developing (TD) subjects during an eyes-closed resting state. Main results. Among twelve identified electrophysiological ICNs, individuals with ASD showed hyper-connectivity in individual ICNs and hypo-connectivity between ICNs. Functional connectivity alterations in ASD were more severe in the frontal lobe and the default mode network (DMN) and at low frequency bands. These functional connectivity measures also showed abnormal age-related associations in ICNs related to frontal, temporal and motor regions in ASD. Significance. Our findings suggest that ASD is characterized by the opposite directions of abnormalities (i.e. hypo- and hyper-connectivity) in the hierarchical structure of the whole brain network, with more impairments in the frontal lobe and the DMN at low frequency bands, which are critical for top-down control of sensory systems, as well as for both cognition and social skills.

Language networks in anophthalmia: maintained hierarchy of processing in 'visual' cortex.

PubMed

Watkins, Kate E; Cowey, Alan; Alexander, Iona; Filippini, Nicola; Kennedy, James M; Smith, Stephen M; Ragge, Nicola; Bridge, Holly

2012-05-01

Imaging studies in blind subjects have consistently shown that sensory and cognitive tasks evoke activity in the occipital cortex, which is normally visual. The precise areas involved and degree of activation are dependent upon the cause and age of onset of blindness. Here, we investigated the cortical language network at rest and during an auditory covert naming task in five bilaterally anophthalmic subjects, who have never received visual input. When listening to auditory definitions and covertly retrieving words, these subjects activated lateral occipital cortex bilaterally in addition to the language areas activated in sighted controls. This activity was significantly greater than that present in a control condition of listening to reversed speech. The lateral occipital cortex was also recruited into a left-lateralized resting-state network that usually comprises anterior and posterior language areas. Levels of activation to the auditory naming and reversed speech conditions did not differ in the calcarine (striate) cortex. This primary 'visual' cortex was not recruited to the left-lateralized resting-state network and showed high interhemispheric correlation of activity at rest, as is typically seen in unimodal cortical areas. In contrast, the interhemispheric correlation of resting activity in extrastriate areas was reduced in anophthalmia to the level of cortical areas that are heteromodal, such as the inferior frontal gyrus. Previous imaging studies in the congenitally blind show that primary visual cortex is activated in higher-order tasks, such as language and memory to a greater extent than during more basic sensory processing, resulting in a reversal of the normal hierarchy of functional organization across 'visual' areas. Our data do not support such a pattern of organization in anophthalmia. Instead, the patterns of activity during task and the functional connectivity at rest are consistent with the known hierarchy of processing in these areas normally seen for vision. The differences in cortical organization between bilateral anophthalmia and other forms of congenital blindness are considered to be due to the total absence of stimulation in 'visual' cortex by light or retinal activity in the former condition, and suggests development of subcortical auditory input to the geniculo-striate pathway.

Comparison between the summed difference score and myocardial blood flow measured by 13N-ammonia.

PubMed

Giubbini, Raffaele; Peli, Alessia; Milan, Elisa; Sciagrà, Roberto; Camoni, Luca; Albano, Domenico; Bertoli, Mattia; Bonacina, Mattia; Motta, Federica; Statuto, Massimo; Rodella, Carlo Alberto; De Agostini, Antonio; Calabretta, Raffaella; Bertagna, Francesco

2017-02-03

Both the myocardial perfusion pattern and myocardial blood flow (MBF) are used to assess patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to compare the perfusion pattern (using the summed difference score [SDS]) to MBF in a consecutive group of patients undergoing PET/CT with 13 N-ammonia ( 13 NH 3 ). 47 consecutive patients, aged 65 ± 12 years (42 men) with known or suspected CAD, underwent vasodilator stress/rest PET/CT with 13 NH 3 for clinical indications. The SDS was determined by a commercially available software based on a 17-segment model. MBF was measured at rest and during hyperemia by dynamic acquisition and single-compartment model analysis. From the rest and stress MBF, the absolute difference (stress-rest) in myocardial blood flow defined as difference in myocardial blood flow (DMBF) was derived. There were no significant differences between patients with no ischemia (SDS ≤ 1) and those with ischemia (SDS > 1) in CFR (2.84 ± 0.73 vs 2.63 ± 0.89, P = NS) and DMBF (1.34 ± 0.45 vs 1.24 ± 0.53 mL·minute -1 ·g -1 , P = NS). There were however significant regional differences (141 different vascular territories in 47 patients) between these two groups (CFR: 2.84 ± 0.95 vs 2.16 ± 0.57, P < .001 and DMBF: 1.39 ± 0.6 vs 0.87 ± 0.39, P < .0001). The correlation between regional CFR and regional DMBF with SDS was significant (y = 2.7145e -0.059x R = 0.358 and y = 1.2769e -0.119x R = 0.44) CONCLUSION: The SDS is the difference between two measurements (stress-rest) and it correlates better with regional DMBF, which is another measurement that reflects the difference between stress and rest. The correlation is better on regional than global basis.

Large-scale changes in network interactions as a physiological signature of spatial neglect

PubMed Central

Baldassarre, Antonello; Ramsey, Lenny; Hacker, Carl L.; Callejas, Alicia; Astafiev, Serguei V.; Metcalf, Nicholas V.; Zinn, Kristi; Rengachary, Jennifer; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Carter, Alex R.; Shulman, Gordon L.

2014-01-01

The relationship between spontaneous brain activity and behaviour following focal injury is not well understood. Here, we report a large-scale study of resting state functional connectivity MRI and spatial neglect following stroke in a large (n = 84) heterogeneous sample of first-ever stroke patients (within 1–2 weeks). Spatial neglect, which is typically more severe after right than left hemisphere injury, includes deficits of spatial attention and motor actions contralateral to the lesion, and low general attention due to impaired vigilance/arousal. Patients underwent structural and resting state functional MRI scans, and spatial neglect was measured using the Posner spatial cueing task, and Mesulam and Behavioural Inattention Test cancellation tests. A principal component analysis of the behavioural tests revealed a main factor accounting for 34% of variance that captured three correlated behavioural deficits: visual neglect of the contralesional visual field, visuomotor neglect of the contralesional field, and low overall performance. In an independent sample (21 healthy subjects), we defined 10 resting state networks consisting of 169 brain regions: visual-fovea and visual-periphery, sensory-motor, auditory, dorsal attention, ventral attention, language, fronto-parietal control, cingulo-opercular control, and default mode. We correlated the neglect factor score with the strength of resting state functional connectivity within and across the 10 resting state networks. All damaged brain voxels were removed from the functional connectivity:behaviour correlational analysis. We found that the correlated behavioural deficits summarized by the factor score were associated with correlated multi-network patterns of abnormal functional connectivity involving large swaths of cortex. Specifically, dorsal attention and sensory-motor networks showed: (i) reduced interhemispheric functional connectivity; (ii) reduced anti-correlation with fronto-parietal and default mode networks in the right hemisphere; and (iii) increased intrahemispheric connectivity with the basal ganglia. These patterns of functional connectivity:behaviour correlations were stronger in patients with right- as compared to left-hemisphere damage and were independent of lesion volume. Our findings identify large-scale changes in resting state network interactions that are a physiological signature of spatial neglect and may relate to its right hemisphere lateralization. PMID:25367028

An MCNPX2.7.0 study of Bragg peak degradation owing to density heterogeneity patterns for a CGMH therapeutic proton beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Tsi-Chian; Tsai, Yi-Chun; Chen, Shih-Kuan; Wu, Shu-Wei; Tung, Chuan-Jong; Hong, Ji-Hong; Wang, Chun-Chieh; Lee, Chung-Chi

2017-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the density heterogeneity pattern as a factor affecting Bragg peak degradation, including shifts in Bragg peak depth (ZBP), distal range (R80 and R20), and distal fall-off (R80-R20) using Monte Carlo N-Particles, eXtension (MCNPX). Density heterogeneities of different patterns with increasing complexity were placed downstream of commissioned proton beams at the Proton and Radiation Therapy Centre of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, including one 150 MeV wobbling broad beam (10×10 cm2) and one 150 MeV proton pencil beam (FWHM of cross-plane=2.449 cm, FWHM of in-plane=2.256 cm). MCNPX 2.7.0 was used to model the transport and interactions of protons and secondary particles in density heterogeneity patterns and water using its repeated structure geometry. Different heterogeneity patterns were inserted into a 21×21×20 cm3 phantom. Mesh tally was used to track the dose distribution when the proton beam passed through the different density heterogeneity patterns. The results show that different heterogeneity patterns do cause different Bragg peak degradations owing to multiple Coulomb scattering (MCS) occurring in the density heterogeneities. A trend of increasing R20 and R80-R20 with increasing geometry complexity was observed. This means that Bragg peak degradation is mainly caused by the changes to the proton spectrum owing to MCS in the density heterogeneities. In contrast, R80 did not change considerably with different heterogeneity patterns, which indicated that the energy spectrum has only minimum effects on R80. Bragg peak degradation can occur both for a broad proton beam and a pencil beam, but is less significant for the broad beam.

Well pattern optimization in a low permeability sandstone reservoir: a case study from Erlian Basin in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xia; Fu, Lixia; Yan, Aihua; Guo, Fajun; Wu, Cong; Chen, Hong; Wang, Xinying; Lu, Ming

2018-02-01

Study on optimization of development well patterns is the core content of oilfield development and is a prerequisite for rational and effective development of oilfield. The study on well pattern optimization mainly includes types of well patterns and density of well patterns. This paper takes the Aer-3 fault block as an example. Firstly, models were built for diamond-shaped inverted 9-spot patterns, rectangular 5-spot patterns, square inverted 9-spot patterns and inverted 7-spot patterns under the same well pattern density to correlate the effect of different well patterns on development; secondly, comprehensive analysis was conducted to well pattern density in terms of economy and technology using such methods as oil reservoir engineering, numerical simulation, economic limits and economic rationality. Finally, the development mode of vertical well + horizontal well was presented according to the characteristics of oil reservoirs in some well blocks, which has realized efficient development of this fault block.

Does the Prevalence of Dyslipidemias Differ between Newfoundland and the Rest of Canada? Findings from the Electronic Medical Records of the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network

PubMed Central

Asghari, Shabnam; Aref-Eshghi, Erfan; Hurley, Oliver; Godwin, Marshall; Duke, Pauline; Williamson, Tyler; Mahdavian, Masoud

2015-01-01

Introduction: Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) has the highest prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Canada. Dyslipidemia is a risk factor for CVD. This study compares the prevalence of dyslipidemia in the NL population with the rest of Canada. Methods: A cross-sectional study, using data from the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN), was undertaken. The study population included adults, excluding pregnant women, aged 20 years and older. Canadian guidelines were used for classifying dyslipidemia. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to compare the lipid levels and prevalence of dyslipidemia between NL and the rest of Canada. Results: About 128,825 individuals (NL: 7,772; rest of Canada: 121,053) were identified with a mean age of 59 years (55% females). Mean levels of total cholesterol (4.96 vs. 4.93, p = 0.03), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (3.00 vs. 2.90 mmol/L, p < 0.0001), triglyceride (1.47 vs. 1.41 mmol/L, p < 0.0001), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (1.29 vs. 1.39 mmol/L, p < 0.0001) were significantly different in NL compared to the rest of Canada. Dyslipidemias of LDL (29 vs. 25% p < 0.0001), HDL (38 vs. 27%, p < 0.0001), and triglyceride (29 vs. 26%, p < 0.0001) were significantly more common in NL. After adjustment for confounding variables, NL inhabitants were more likely to have dyslipidemia of total cholesterol (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.10–1.23, p < 0.0001), HDL (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.44–1.60, p < 0.0001), LDL (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.30–1.46, p < 0.0001), and ratio (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.42–1.60, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The NL population has a significantly higher rate of dyslipidemia compared to the rest of Canada, and the mean levels of all lipid components are worse in NL. Distinct cultural and genetic features of the NL population may explain this, accounting for a higher rate of CVD in NL. PMID:26664873

Genetic and Diagnostic Biomarker Development in ASD Toddlers Using Resting State Functional MRI

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-01

and activation-based fMRI from the Courchesne lab report the presence of structural and functional abnormality in these structures by ages 1 to 2...young ages. With this invaluable resource, we will identify early developmental patterns of intrinsic functional network abnormalities in ASD infants...all infants and toddlers, analyses also investigate whether there may be subtypes of abnormal intrinsic connectivity patterns based on early clinical

Analysis of microvascular perfusion with multi-dimensional complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise algorithm: Processing of laser speckle contrast images recorded in healthy subjects, at rest and during acetylcholine stimulation.

PubMed

Humeau-Heurtier, Anne; Marche, Pauline; Dubois, Severine; Mahe, Guillaume

2015-01-01

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a full-field imaging modality to monitor microvascular blood flow. It is able to give images with high temporal and spatial resolutions. However, when the skin is studied, the interpretation of the bidimensional data may be difficult. This is why an averaging of the perfusion values in regions of interest is often performed and the result is followed in time, reducing the data to monodimensional time series. In order to avoid such a procedure (that leads to a loss of the spatial resolution), we propose to extract patterns from LSCI data and to compare these patterns for two physiological states in healthy subjects: at rest and at the peak of acetylcholine-induced perfusion peak. For this purpose, the recent multi-dimensional complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (MCEEMDAN) algorithm is applied to LSCI data. The results show that the intrinsic mode functions and residue given by MCEEMDAN show different patterns for the two physiological states. The images, as bidimensional data, can therefore be processed to reveal microvascular perfusion patterns, hidden in the images themselves. This work is therefore a feasibility study before analyzing data in patients with microvascular dysfunctions.

Gear Shifting of Quadriceps during Isometric Knee Extension Disclosed Using Ultrasonography.

PubMed

Zhang, Shu; Huang, Weijian; Zeng, Yu; Shi, Wenxiu; Diao, Xianfen; Wei, Xiguang; Ling, Shan

2018-01-01

Ultrasonography has been widely employed to estimate the morphological changes of muscle during contraction. To further investigate the motion pattern of quadriceps during isometric knee extensions, we studied the relative motion pattern between femur and quadriceps under ultrasonography. An interesting observation is that although the force of isometric knee extension can be controlled to change almost linearly, femur in the simultaneously captured ultrasound video sequences has several different piecewise moving patterns. This phenomenon is like quadriceps having several forward gear ratios like a car starting from rest towards maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and then returning to rest. Therefore, to verify this assumption, we captured several ultrasound video sequences of isometric knee extension and collected the torque/force signal simultaneously. Then we extract the shapes of femur from these ultrasound video sequences using video processing techniques and study the motion pattern both qualitatively and quantitatively. The phenomenon can be seen easier via a comparison between the torque signal and relative spatial distance between femur and quadriceps. Furthermore, we use cluster analysis techniques to study the process and the clustering results also provided preliminary support to the conclusion that, during both ramp increasing and decreasing phases, quadriceps contraction may have several forward gear ratios relative to femur.

Replicability of time-varying connectivity patterns in large resting state fMRI samples.

PubMed

Abrol, Anees; Damaraju, Eswar; Miller, Robyn L; Stephen, Julia M; Claus, Eric D; Mayer, Andrew R; Calhoun, Vince D

2017-12-01

The past few years have seen an emergence of approaches that leverage temporal changes in whole-brain patterns of functional connectivity (the chronnectome). In this chronnectome study, we investigate the replicability of the human brain's inter-regional coupling dynamics during rest by evaluating two different dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) analysis frameworks using 7 500 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets. To quantify the extent to which the emergent functional connectivity (FC) patterns are reproducible, we characterize the temporal dynamics by deriving several summary measures across multiple large, independent age-matched samples. Reproducibility was demonstrated through the existence of basic connectivity patterns (FC states) amidst an ensemble of inter-regional connections. Furthermore, application of the methods to conservatively configured (statistically stationary, linear and Gaussian) surrogate datasets revealed that some of the studied state summary measures were indeed statistically significant and also suggested that this class of null model did not explain the fMRI data fully. This extensive testing of reproducibility of similarity statistics also suggests that the estimated FC states are robust against variation in data quality, analysis, grouping, and decomposition methods. We conclude that future investigations probing the functional and neurophysiological relevance of time-varying connectivity assume critical importance. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Replicability of time-varying connectivity patterns in large resting state fMRI samples

PubMed Central

Abrol, Anees; Damaraju, Eswar; Miller, Robyn L.; Stephen, Julia M.; Claus, Eric D.; Mayer, Andrew R.; Calhoun, Vince D.

2018-01-01

The past few years have seen an emergence of approaches that leverage temporal changes in whole-brain patterns of functional connectivity (the chronnectome). In this chronnectome study, we investigate the replicability of the human brain’s inter-regional coupling dynamics during rest by evaluating two different dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) analysis frameworks using 7 500 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets. To quantify the extent to which the emergent functional connectivity (FC) patterns are reproducible, we characterize the temporal dynamics by deriving several summary measures across multiple large, independent age-matched samples. Reproducibility was demonstrated through the existence of basic connectivity patterns (FC states) amidst an ensemble of inter-regional connections. Furthermore, application of the methods to conservatively configured (statistically stationary, linear and Gaussian) surrogate datasets revealed that some of the studied state summary measures were indeed statistically significant and also suggested that this class of null model did not explain the fMRI data fully. This extensive testing of reproducibility of similarity statistics also suggests that the estimated FC states are robust against variation in data quality, analysis, grouping, and decomposition methods. We conclude that future investigations probing the functional and neurophysiological relevance of time-varying connectivity assume critical importance. PMID:28916181

Sex differences in autism: a resting-state fMRI investigation of functional brain connectivity in males and females

PubMed Central

Swinnen, Stephan P.; Wenderoth, Nicole

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are far more prevalent in males than in females. Little is known however about the differential neural expression of ASD in males and females. We used a resting-state fMRI-dataset comprising 42 males/42 females with ASD and 75 male/75 female typical-controls to examine whether autism-related alterations in intrinsic functional connectivity are similar or different in males and females, and particularly whether alterations reflect ‘neural masculinization’, as predicted by the Extreme Male Brain theory. Males and females showed a differential neural expression of ASD, characterized by highly consistent patterns of hypo-connectivity in males with ASD (compared to typical males), and hyper-connectivity in females with ASD (compared to typical females). Interestingly, patterns of hyper-connectivity in females with ASD reflected a shift towards the (high) connectivity levels seen in typical males (neural masculinization), whereas patterns of hypo-connectivity observed in males with ASD reflected a shift towards the (low) typical feminine connectivity patterns (neural feminization). Our data support the notion that ASD is a disorder of sexual differentiation rather than a disorder characterized by masculinization in both genders. Future work is needed to identify underlying factors such as sex hormonal alterations that drive these sex-specific neural expressions of ASD. PMID:26989195

Alteration of Left Ventricular Function with Dobutamine Challenge in Patients with Myocardial Bridge

PubMed Central

Jhi, Joon-Hyung; Ha, Jong-kun; Jung, Chan-Woo; kim, Bong-Jae; Park, Seong-Oh; Jo, A-Ra; Kim, Seong-Man; Lee, Hyeon-Gook; Kim, Tae-Ik

2011-01-01

Background/Aims The aim of this study was to identify changes in left ventricular (LV) performance in patients with a myocardial bridge (MB) in the left anterior descending coronary artery during resting and in an inotropic state. Methods Myocardial strain measurement by speckle-tracking echocardiography and conventional LV wall-motion scoring was performed in 18 patients with MB (mean age, 48.1 ± 1.7 years, eight female) during resting and intravenous dobutamine challenge (10 and 20 µg/kg/min). Results Conventional LV wall-motion scoring was normal in all patients during resting and in an inotropic state. Peak regional circumferential strain increased dose dependently upon dobutamine challenge. Longitudinal strains of the anterior and anteroseptal segments were, however, reduced at 20 µg/kg/min and showed a dyssynchronous pattern at 20 µg/kg/min. Although there were no significant differences in radial strain and displacement of all segments at rest compared with under 10 µg/kg/min challenge, radial strain and displacement of anterior segments at 20 µg/kg/min were significantly reduced compared with posterior segments at the papillary muscle level (44.8 ± 14.9% vs. 78.4 ± 20.1% and 5.3 ± 2.3 mm vs. 8.5 ± 1.8 mm, respectively; all p < 0.001), and showed plateau (40%) or biphasic (62%) patterns. Conclusions Reduced LV strain of patients with MB after inotropic stimulation was identified. Speckle-tracking strain echocardiography identified a LV myocardial dyssynchrony that was not demonstrated by conventional echocardiography in patients with MB. PMID:22205841

Neural markers of loss aversion in resting-state brain activity.

PubMed

Canessa, Nicola; Crespi, Chiara; Baud-Bovy, Gabriel; Dodich, Alessandra; Falini, Andrea; Antonellis, Giulia; Cappa, Stefano F

2017-02-01

Neural responses in striatal, limbic and somatosensory brain regions track individual differences in loss aversion, i.e. the higher sensitivity to potential losses compared with equivalent gains in decision-making under risk. The engagement of structures involved in the processing of aversive stimuli and experiences raises a further question, i.e. whether the tendency to avoid losses rather than acquire gains represents a transient fearful overreaction elicited by choice-related information, or rather a stable component of one's own preference function, reflecting a specific pattern of neural activity. We tested the latter hypothesis by assessing in 57 healthy human subjects whether the relationship between behavioral and neural loss aversion holds at rest, i.e. when the BOLD signal is collected during 5minutes of cross-fixation in the absence of an explicit task. Within the resting-state networks highlighted by a spatial group Independent Component Analysis (gICA), we found a significant correlation between strength of activity and behavioral loss aversion in the left ventral striatum and right posterior insula/supramarginal gyrus, i.e. the very same regions displaying a pattern of neural loss aversion during explicit choices. Cross-study analyses confirmed that this correlation holds when voxels identified by gICA are used as regions of interest in task-related activity and vice versa. These results suggest that the individual degree of (neural) loss aversion represents a stable dimension of decision-making, which reflects in specific metrics of intrinsic brain activity at rest possibly modulating cortical excitability at choice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Altered activity-rest patterns in mice with a human autosomal-dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy mutation in the β2 nicotinic receptor

PubMed Central

Xu, Jian; Cohen, Bruce N.; Zhu, Yongling; Dziewczapolski, Gustavo; Panda, Satchidananda; Lester, Henry A.; Heinemann, Stephen F.; Contractor, Anis

2010-01-01

High-affinity nicotinic receptors containing beta2 subunits (β2*) are widely expressed in the brain, modulating many neuronal processes and contributing to neuropathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Mutations in both the α4 and β2 subunits are associated with a rare partial epilepsy, autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE). Here we introduced one such human missense mutation into the mouse genome to generate a knock-in strain carrying a valine-to-leucine mutation β2V287L.β2V287L mice were viable and born at an expected Mendelian ratio. Surprisingly, mice did not display an overt seizure phenotype; however homozygous mice did display significant alterations in their activity-rest patterns. This was manifest as an increase in activity during the light cycle suggestive of disturbances in the normal sleep patterns of mice; a parallel phenotype to that found in human ADNFLE patients. Consistent with the role of nicotinic receptors in reward pathways, we found that β2V287L mice did not develop a normal proclivity to voluntary wheel running, a model for natural reward. Anxiety-related behaviors were also affected by the V287L mutation. Mutant mice spent more time in the open arms on the elevated plus maze (EPM) suggesting that they had reduced levels of anxiety. Together, these findings emphasize several important roles of β2* nicotinic receptors in complex biological processes including the activity-rest cycle, natural reward, and anxiety. PMID:20603624

Markers of bone resorption and calcium metabolism are related to dietary intake patterns in male and female bed rest subjects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Scott M.; Zwart, S. R.; Hargens, A. r.

2006-01-01

Dietary potassium and protein intakes predict net endogenous acid production in humans. Intracellular buffers, including exchangeable bone mineral, play a crucial role in balancing chronic acid-base perturbations in the body; subsequently, chronic acid loads can potentially contribute to bone loss. Bone is lost during space flight, and a dietary countermeasure would be desirable for many reasons. We studied the ability of diet protein and potassium to predict levels of bone resorption markers in males and females. Identical twin pairs (8 M, 7 F) were assigned to 2 groups: bed rest (sedentary, SED) or bed rest with supine treadmill exercise in a lower body negative pressure chamber (EX). Diet was controlled for 3 d before and 30 d of bed rest (BR). Urinary Ca, N-telopeptide (NTX), and pyridinium crosslinks (PYD) were measured before and on days 5, 12, 19, and 26 of BR. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation (P<0.05). The ratio of dietary animal protein/potassium intake was not correlated with NTX before BR for males or females, but they were positively correlated in both groups of males during bed rest. Dietary animal protein/potassium and urine Ca were correlated before and during bed rest for the males, and only during bed rest for the females. Conversely, the ratio of dietary vegetable protein/potassium intake was negatively correlated with urinary calcium during bed rest for the females, but there was no relationship between vegetable protein/potassium intake and bone markers for the males. These data suggest that the ratio of animal protein/potassium intake may affect bone, particularly in bed rest subjects. These data show that the type of protein and gender may be additional factors that modulate the effect of diet on bone metabolism during bed rest. Altering this ratio may help prevent bone loss on Earth and during space flight.

Bed rest suppresses bioassayable growth hormone release in response to muscle activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCall, G. E.; Goulet, C.; Grindeland, R. E.; Hodgson, J. A.; Bigbee, A. J.; Edgerton, V. R.

1997-01-01

Hormonal responses to muscle activity were studied in eight men before (-13 or -12 and -8 or -7 days), during (2 or 3, 8 or 9, and 13 or 14 days) and after (+2 or +3 and +10 or +11 days) 17 days of bed rest. Muscle activity consisted of a series of unilateral isometric plantar flexions, including 4 maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs), 48 contractions at 30% MVC, and 12 contractions at 80% MVC, all performed at a 4:1-s work-to-rest ratio. Blood was collected before and immediately after muscle activity to measure plasma growth hormone by radioimmunoassay (IGH) and by bioassay (BGH) of tibia epiphyseal cartilage growth in hypophysectomized rats. Plasma IGH was unchanged by muscle activity before, during, or after bed rest. Before bed rest, muscle activity increased (P < 0.05) BGH by 66% at -13 or -12 days (2,146 +/- 192 to 3,565 +/- 197 microg/l) and by 92% at -8 or -7 days (2,162 +/- 159 to 4,161 +/- 204 microg/l). After 2 or 3 days of bed rest, there was no response of BGH to the muscle activity, a pattern that persisted through 8 or 9 days of bed rest. However, after 13 or 14 days of bed rest, plasma concentration of BGH was significantly lower after than before muscle activity (2,594 +/- 211 to 2,085 +/- 109 microg/l). After completion of bed rest, muscle activity increased BGH by 31% at 2 or 3 days (1,807 +/- 117 to 2,379 +/- 473 microg/l; P < 0.05), and by 10 or 11 days the BGH response was similar to that before bed rest (1,881 +/- 75 to 4,160 +/- 315 microg/l; P < 0.05). These data demonstrate that the ambulatory state of an individual can have a major impact on the release of BGH, but not IGH, in response to a single bout of muscle activity.

Estimating the progression of muscle fatigue based on dependence between motor units using high density surface electromyogram.

PubMed

Bingham, Adrian; Arjunan, Sridhar P; Kumar, Dinesh K

2016-08-01

In this study we have tested the hypothesis regarding the increase in synchronization with the onset of muscle fatigue. For this aim, we have investigated the difference in the synchronicity between high density surface electromyogram (sEMG) channels of the rested muscles and when at the limit of endurance. Synchronization was measured by computing and normalizing the mutual information between the sEMG signals recorded from the high-density array electrode locations. Ten volunteers (Age range: 21 and 35 years; Mean age = 26 years; Male = 6, Female = 4) participated in our experiment. The participants performed isometric dorsiflexion of their dominate foot at two levels of contraction; 40% and 80% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) until task failure. During the experiment an array of 64 electrodes (16 by 4) placed over the TA parallel to the muscle fiber was used to record the HD-sEMG. Normalized Mutual Information (NMI) between electrodes was calculated using the HD-sEMG data and then analyzed. The results show that that the average NMI of the TA significantly increased during fatigue at both levels of contraction. There was a statistically significant difference between NMI of the rested muscle compared with it being at the point of task failure.

Effects of spatial habitat heterogeneity on habitat selection and annual fecundity for a migratory forest songbird

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cornell, K.L.; Donovan, T.M.

2010-01-01

Understanding how spatial habitat patterns influence abundance and dynamics of animal populations is a primary goal in landscape ecology. We used an information-theoretic approach to investigate the association between habitat patterns at multiple spatial scales and demographic patterns for black-throated blue warblers (Dendroica caerulescens) at 20 study sites in west-central Vermont, USA from 2002 to 2005. Sites were characterized by: (1) territory-scale shrub density, (2) patch-scale shrub density occurring within 25 ha of territories, and (3) landscape-scale habitat patterns occurring within 5 km radius extents of territories. We considered multiple population parameters including abundance, age ratios, and annual fecundity. Territory-scale shrub density was most important for determining abundance and age ratios, but landscape-scale habitat structure strongly influenced reproductive output. Sites with higher territory-scale shrub density had higher abundance, and were more likely to be occupied by older, more experienced individuals compared to sites with lower shrub density. However, annual fecundity was higher on sites located in contiguously forested landscapes where shrub density was lower than the fragmented sites. Further, effects of habitat pattern at one spatial scale depended on habitat conditions at different scales. For example, abundance increased with increasing territory-scale shrub density, but this effect was much stronger in fragmented landscapes than in contiguously forested landscapes. These results suggest that habitat pattern at different spatial scales affect demographic parameters in different ways, and that effects of habitat patterns at one spatial scale depends on habitat conditions at other scales. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

Hyperactive external awareness against hypoactive internal awareness in disorders of consciousness using resting-state functional MRI: highlighting the involvement of visuo-motor modulation.

PubMed

He, Jiang-Hong; Yang, Yi; Zhang, Yi; Qiu, Si-You; Zhou, Zhen-Yu; Dang, Yuan-Yuan; Dai, Yi-Wu; Liu, Yi-Jun; Xu, Ru-Xiang

2014-08-01

Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) has emerged as a valuable tool to characterize the complex states encompassing disorders of consciousness (DOC). Awareness appears to comprise two coexistent, anticorrelated components named the external and internal awareness networks. The present study hypothesizes that DOC interrupts the balance between the internal and external awareness networks. To gain more understanding of this phenomenon, the present study analyzed resting-state fMRI data from 12 patients with DOC versus 12 healthy age-matched controls. The data were explored using independent component analysis and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis. The results indicated that DOC deactivated midline areas associated with internal awareness. In addition, external awareness was strengthened in DOC because of increased activation in the insula, lingual gyrus, paracentral and supplementary motor area. The activity patterns suggested strengthened external awareness against weakened internal awareness in DOC. In particular, increased activity found in the insula, lingual gyrus, paracentral and supplementary motor area of patients with DOC implied possible involvement of augmented visuo-motor modulation in these patients. DOC is probably related to hyperactive external awareness opposing hypoactive internal awareness. This unique pattern of brain activity may potentially be a prognostic marker for DOC. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Spatial occupancy patterns and activity of arid rangeland cattle grazing small riparian pastures.

PubMed

Larson, Larry; Johnson, Douglas E; Wilson, Marie; Wilson, Kerry; Louhaichi, Mounir; Williams, John

2017-03-01

The spatial occupancy patterns and activity of cattle grazing three riparian pastures was investigated in northeastern Oregon using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars logging at 1-sec intervals. Cattle consistently selected plant communities as grazing areas that had forage in sufficient volume to meet their requirements and favored communities as resting areas that were dry and open. Cattle were stationary for more than 50% of the time in each pasture and consistently rested between dark and 04:00 hours. Interaction with stream channels was found to be 1-2% of total occupancy time and occurred on less than 10% of channel length. Cattle were indifferent or avoided channel areas relative to their area and, when in this zone, they spent most of their time moving not resting. Cattle did not prefer the stream bank zone and spent only 2% of their time in that zone. When occupied, the stream bank zone was used as a travel corridor to gain access to water or cross the channel to access other pasture areas. These results are in contrast with the general belief that cattle are a primary occupant of the stream bank/channel area; additional research is needed to define factors influencing cattle occupancy. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Body position effects on sternocleidomastoid and masseter EMG pattern activity in patients undergoing occlusal splint therapy.

PubMed

Ormeño, G; Miralles, R; Santander, H; Casassus, R; Ferrer, P; Palazzi, C; Moya, H

1997-10-01

This study was conducted in order to determine the effects of body position on electromyographic (EMG) activity of sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscles, in 15 patients with myogenic cranio-cervical-mandibular dysfunction undergoing occlusal splint therapy. EMG activity was recorded by placing surface electrodes on the sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscles (contralateral to the habitual sleeping side of each patient). EMG activity at rest and during swallowing of saliva and maximal voluntary clenching was recorded in the following body positions: standing, supine and lateral decubitus. In the sternocleidomastoid muscle significant higher EMG activities at rest and during swallowing were recorded in the lateral decubitus position, whereas during maximal voluntary clenching EMG activity did not change. In the masseter muscle significant higher EMG activity during maximal voluntary clenching in a standing position was observed, whereas EMG activity at rest and during swallowing did not change. The opposite pattern of EMG activity supports the idea that there may exist a differential modulation of the motor neuron pools of the sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscles, of peripheral and/or central origin. This suggests that the presence of parafunctional habits and body position could be closely correlated with the clinical symptomatology in these muscles in patients with myogenic craniomandibular dysfunction.

On the respiratory flow in the cuttlefish sepia officinalis.

PubMed

Bone, Q; Brown, E; Travers, G

1994-09-01

The respiratory flow of water over the gills of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis at rest is produced by the alternate activity of the radial muscles of the mantle and the musculature of the collar flaps; mantle circular muscle fibres are not involved. Inspiration takes place as the radial fibres contract, thinning the mantle and expanding the mantle cavity. The rise in mantle cavity pressure (up to 0.15 kPa), expelling water via the siphon during expiration, is brought about by inward movement of the collar flaps and (probably) mainly by elastic recoil of the mantle connective tissue network 'wound up' by radial fibre contraction during inspiration. Sepia also shows a second respiratory pattern, in which mantle cavity pressures during expiration are greater (up to 0.25 kPa). Here, the mantle circular fibres are involved, as they are during the large pressure transients (up to 10 kPa) seen during escape jetting. Active contraction of the muscles of the collar flaps is seen in all three patterns of expulsion of water from the mantle cavity, electrical activity increasing with increasing mantle cavity pressures. Respiratory expiration in the resting squid Loligo vulgaris is probably driven as in Sepia, whereas in the resting octopus Eledone cirrhosa, the mantle circular musculature is active during expiration. The significance of these observations is discussed.

Functional Connectivity Mapping in the Animal Model: Principles and Applications of Resting-State fMRI

PubMed Central

Gorges, Martin; Roselli, Francesco; Müller, Hans-Peter; Ludolph, Albert C.; Rasche, Volker; Kassubek, Jan

2017-01-01

“Resting-state” fMRI has substantially contributed to the understanding of human and non-human functional brain organization by the analysis of correlated patterns in spontaneous activity within dedicated brain systems. Spontaneous neural activity is indirectly measured from the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal as acquired by echo planar imaging, when subjects quietly “resting” in the scanner. Animal models including disease or knockout models allow a broad spectrum of experimental manipulations not applicable in humans. The non-invasive fMRI approach provides a promising tool for cross-species comparative investigations. This review focuses on the principles of “resting-state” functional connectivity analysis and its applications to living animals. The translational aspect from in vivo animal models toward clinical applications in humans is emphasized. We introduce the fMRI-based investigation of the non-human brain’s hemodynamics, the methodological issues in the data postprocessing, and the functional data interpretation from different abstraction levels. The longer term goal of integrating fMRI connectivity data with structural connectomes obtained with tracing and optical imaging approaches is presented and will allow the interrogation of fMRI data in terms of directional flow of information and may identify the structural underpinnings of observed functional connectivity patterns. PMID:28539914

Rapidly assessing changes in bone mineral balance using natural stable calcium isotopes

PubMed Central

Morgan, Jennifer L. L.; Skulan, Joseph L.; Gordon, Gwyneth W.; Romaniello, Stephen J.; Smith, Scott M.; Anbar, Ariel D.

2012-01-01

The ability to rapidly detect changes in bone mineral balance (BMB) would be of great value in the early diagnosis and evaluation of therapies for metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis and some cancers. However, measurements of BMB are hampered by difficulties with using biochemical markers to quantify the relative rates of bone resorption and formation and the need to wait months to years for altered BMB to produce changes in bone mineral density large enough to resolve by X-ray densitometry. We show here that, in humans, the natural abundances of Ca isotopes in urine change rapidly in response to changes in BMB. In a bed rest experiment, use of high-precision isotope ratio MS allowed the onset of bone loss to be detected in Ca isotope data after about 1 wk, long before bone mineral density has changed enough to be detectable with densitometry. The physiological basis of the relationship between Ca isotopes and BMB is sufficiently understood to allow quantitative translation of changes in Ca isotope abundances to changes in bone mineral density using a simple model. The rate of change of bone mineral density inferred from Ca isotopes is consistent with the rate observed by densitometry in long-term bed rest studies. Ca isotopic analysis provides a powerful way to monitor bone loss, potentially making it possible to diagnose metabolic bone disease and track the impact of treatments more effectively than is currently possible. PMID:22652567

Large-scale brain networks in the awake, truly resting marmoset monkey.

PubMed

Belcher, Annabelle M; Yen, Cecil C; Stepp, Haley; Gu, Hong; Lu, Hanbing; Yang, Yihong; Silva, Afonso C; Stein, Elliot A

2013-10-16

Resting-state functional MRI is a powerful tool that is increasingly used as a noninvasive method for investigating whole-brain circuitry and holds great potential as a possible diagnostic for disease. Despite this potential, few resting-state studies have used animal models (of which nonhuman primates represent our best opportunity of understanding complex human neuropsychiatric disease), and no work has characterized networks in awake, truly resting animals. Here we present results from a small New World monkey that allows for the characterization of resting-state networks in the awake state. Six adult common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) were acclimated to light, comfortable restraint using individualized helmets. Following behavioral training, resting BOLD data were acquired during eight consecutive 10 min scans for each conscious subject. Group independent component analysis revealed 12 brain networks that overlap substantially with known anatomically constrained circuits seen in the awake human. Specifically, we found eight sensory and "lower-order" networks (four visual, two somatomotor, one cerebellar, and one caudate-putamen network), and four "higher-order" association networks (one default mode-like network, one orbitofrontal, one frontopolar, and one network resembling the human salience network). In addition to their functional relevance, these network patterns bear great correspondence to those previously described in awake humans. This first-of-its-kind report in an awake New World nonhuman primate provides a platform for mechanistic neurobiological examination for existing disease models established in the marmoset.

Using Dual Regression to Investigate Network Shape and Amplitude in Functional Connectivity Analyses

PubMed Central

Nickerson, Lisa D.; Smith, Stephen M.; Öngür, Döst; Beckmann, Christian F.

2017-01-01

Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is one of the most popular techniques for the analysis of resting state FMRI data because it has several advantageous properties when compared with other techniques. Most notably, in contrast to a conventional seed-based correlation analysis, it is model-free and multivariate, thus switching the focus from evaluating the functional connectivity of single brain regions identified a priori to evaluating brain connectivity in terms of all brain resting state networks (RSNs) that simultaneously engage in oscillatory activity. Furthermore, typical seed-based analysis characterizes RSNs in terms of spatially distributed patterns of correlation (typically by means of simple Pearson's coefficients) and thereby confounds together amplitude information of oscillatory activity and noise. ICA and other regression techniques, on the other hand, retain magnitude information and therefore can be sensitive to both changes in the spatially distributed nature of correlations (differences in the spatial pattern or “shape”) as well as the amplitude of the network activity. Furthermore, motion can mimic amplitude effects so it is crucial to use a technique that retains such information to ensure that connectivity differences are accurately localized. In this work, we investigate the dual regression approach that is frequently applied with group ICA to assess group differences in resting state functional connectivity of brain networks. We show how ignoring amplitude effects and how excessive motion corrupts connectivity maps and results in spurious connectivity differences. We also show how to implement the dual regression to retain amplitude information and how to use dual regression outputs to identify potential motion effects. Two key findings are that using a technique that retains magnitude information, e.g., dual regression, and using strict motion criteria are crucial for controlling both network amplitude and motion-related amplitude effects, respectively, in resting state connectivity analyses. We illustrate these concepts using realistic simulated resting state FMRI data and in vivo data acquired in healthy subjects and patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. PMID:28348512

Bioelectric memory: modeling resting potential bistability in amphibian embryos and mammalian cells.

PubMed

Law, Robert; Levin, Michael

2015-10-15

Bioelectric gradients among all cells, not just within excitable nerve and muscle, play instructive roles in developmental and regenerative pattern formation. Plasma membrane resting potential gradients regulate cell behaviors by regulating downstream transcriptional and epigenetic events. Unlike neurons, which fire rapidly and typically return to the same polarized state, developmental bioelectric signaling involves many cell types stably maintaining various levels of resting potential during morphogenetic events. It is important to begin to quantitatively model the stability of bioelectric states in cells, to understand computation and pattern maintenance during regeneration and remodeling. To facilitate the analysis of endogenous bioelectric signaling and the exploitation of voltage-based cellular controls in synthetic bioengineering applications, we sought to understand the conditions under which somatic cells can stably maintain distinct resting potential values (a type of state memory). Using the Channelpedia ion channel database, we generated an array of amphibian oocyte and mammalian membrane models for voltage evolution. These models were analyzed and searched, by simulation, for a simple dynamical property, multistability, which forms a type of voltage memory. We find that typical mammalian models and amphibian oocyte models exhibit bistability when expressing different ion channel subsets, with either persistent sodium or inward-rectifying potassium, respectively, playing a facilitative role in bistable memory formation. We illustrate this difference using fast sodium channel dynamics for which a comprehensive theory exists, where the same model exhibits bistability under mammalian conditions but not amphibian conditions. In amphibians, potassium channels from the Kv1.x and Kv2.x families tend to disrupt this bistable memory formation. We also identify some common principles under which physiological memory emerges, which suggest specific strategies for implementing memories in bioengineering contexts. Our results reveal conditions under which cells can stably maintain one of several resting voltage potential values. These models suggest testable predictions for experiments in developmental bioelectricity, and illustrate how cells can be used as versatile physiological memory elements in synthetic biology, and unconventional computation contexts.

Alignment of cell division axes in directed epithelial cell migration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marel, Anna-Kristina; Podewitz, Nils; Zorn, Matthias; Oskar Rädler, Joachim; Elgeti, Jens

2014-11-01

Cell division is an essential dynamic event in tissue remodeling during wound healing, cancer and embryogenesis. In collective migration, tensile stresses affect cell shape and polarity, hence, the orientation of the cell division axis is expected to depend on cellular flow patterns. Here, we study the degree of orientation of cell division axes in migrating and resting epithelial cell sheets. We use microstructured channels to create a defined scenario of directed cell invasion and compare this situation to resting but proliferating cell monolayers. In experiments, we find a strong alignment of the axis due to directed flow while resting sheets show very weak global order, but local flow gradients still correlate strongly with the cell division axis. We compare experimental results with a previously published mesoscopic particle based simulation model. Most of the observed effects are reproduced by the simulations.

Task-Rest Modulation of Basal Ganglia Connectivity in Mild to Moderate Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Müller-Oehring, Eva M.; Sullivan, Edith V.; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Huang, Neng C.; Poston, Kathleen L.; Bronte-Stewart, Helen M.; Schulte, Tilman

2014-01-01

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with abnormal synchronization in basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops. We tested whether early PD patients without demonstrable cognitive impairment exhibit abnormal modulation of functional connectivity at rest, while engaged in a task, or both. PD and healthy controls underwent two functional MRI scans: a resting-state scan and a Stroop Match-to-Sample task scan. Rest-task modulation of basal ganglia (BG) connectivity was tested using seed-to-voxel connectivity analysis with task and rest time series as conditions. Despite substantial overlap of BG–cortical connectivity patterns in both groups, connectivity differences between groups had clinical and behavioral correlates. During rest, stronger putamen–medial parietal and pallidum–occipital connectivity in PD than controls was associated with worse task performance and more severe PD symptoms suggesting that abnormalities in resting-state connectivity denote neural network dedifferentiation. During the executive task, PD patients showed weaker BG-cortical connectivity than controls, i.e., between caudate–supramarginal gyrus and pallidum–inferior prefrontal regions, that was related to more severe PD symptoms and worse task performance. Yet, task processing also evoked stronger striatal–cortical connectivity, specifically between caudate–prefrontal, caudate–precuneus, and putamen–motor/premotor regions in PD relative to controls, which was related to less severe PD symptoms and better performance on the Stroop task. Thus, stronger task-evoked striatal connectivity in PD demonstrated compensatory neural network enhancement to meet task demands and improve performance levels. fMRI-based network analysis revealed that despite resting-state BG network compromise in PD, BG connectivity to prefrontal, premotor, and precuneus regions can be adequately invoked during executive control demands enabling near normal task performance. PMID:25280970

Role of mitochondrial calcium uptake homeostasis in resting state fMRI brain networks.

PubMed

Kannurpatti, Sridhar S; Sanganahalli, Basavaraju G; Herman, Peter; Hyder, Fahmeed

2015-11-01

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake influences both brain energy metabolism and neural signaling. Given that brain mitochondrial organelles are distributed in relation to vascular density, which varies considerably across brain regions, we hypothesized different physiological impacts of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake across brain regions. We tested the hypothesis by monitoring brain "intrinsic activity" derived from the resting state functional MRI (fMRI) blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fluctuations in different functional networks spanning the somatosensory cortex, caudate putamen, hippocampus and thalamus, in normal and perturbed mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake states. In anesthetized rats at 11.7 T, mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake was inhibited or enhanced respectively by treatments with Ru360 or kaempferol. Surprisingly, mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake inhibition by Ru360 and enhancement by kaempferol led to similar dose-dependent decreases in brain-wide intrinsic activities in both the frequency domain (spectral amplitude) and temporal domain (resting state functional connectivity; RSFC). The fact that there were similar dose-dependent decreases in the frequency and temporal domains of the resting state fMRI-BOLD fluctuations during mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake inhibition or enhancement indicated that mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and its homeostasis may strongly influence the brain's functional organization at rest. Interestingly, the resting state fMRI-derived intrinsic activities in the caudate putamen and thalamic regions saturated much faster with increasing dosage of either drug treatment than the drug-induced trends observed in cortical and hippocampal regions. Regional differences in how the spectral amplitude and RSFC changed with treatment indicate distinct mitochondrion-mediated spontaneous neuronal activity coupling within the various RSFC networks determined by resting state fMRI. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Early processing variations in selective attention to the color and direction of moving stimuli during 30 days head-down bed rest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lin-Jie; He, Si-Yang; Niu, Dong-Bin; Guo, Jian-Ping; Xu, Yun-Long; Wang, De-Sheng; Cao, Yi; Zhao, Qi; Tan, Cheng; Li, Zhi-Li; Tang, Guo-Hua; Li, Yin-Hui; Bai, Yan-Qiang

2013-11-01

Dynamic variations in early selective attention to the color and direction of moving stimuli were explored during a 30 days period of head-down bed rest. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded at F5, F6, P5, P6 scalp locations in seven male subjects who attended to pairs of bicolored light emitting diodes that flashed sequentially to produce a perception of movement. Subjects were required to attend selectively to a critical feature of the moving target, e.g., color or direction. The tasks included: a no response task, a color selective response task, a moving direction selective response task, and a combined color-direction selective response task. Subjects were asked to perform these four tasks on: the 3rd day before bed rest; the 3rd, 15th and 30th day during the bed rest; and the 5th day after bed rest. Subjects responded quickly to the color than moving direction and combined color-direction response. And they had a longer reaction time during bed rest on the 15th and 30th day during bed rest after a relatively quicker response on the 3rd day. Using brain event-related potentials technique, we found that in the color selective response task, the mean amplitudes of P1 and N1 for target ERPs decreased in the 3rd day during bed rest and 5th day after bed rest in comparison with pre-bed rest, 15th day and 30th day during bed rest. In the combined color-direction selective response task, the P1 latencies for target ERPs on the 3rd and 30th day during bed rest were longer than on the 15th day during bed rest. As 3rd day during bed rest was in the acute adaptation period and 30th day during bed rest was in the relatively adaptation stage of head-down bed rest, the results help to clarify the effects of bed rest on different task loads and patterns of attention. It was suggested that subjects expended more time to give correct decision in the head-down tilt bed rest state. A difficulty in the recruitment of brain resources was found in feature selection task, but no variations were detected in the no response and direction selective response tasks. It is suggested that the negative shift in color selective response task on the 3rd day of bed rest are a result of fluid redistribution. And feature selection was more affected than motion selection in the head down bed rest. The variations in cognitive processing speed observed for the combined color-direction selective response task are suggested to reflect the interaction between top-down mechanisms and hierarchical physiological characteristics during 30 days head-down bed rest.

Hemispheric asymmetry of electroencephalography-based functional brain networks.

PubMed

Jalili, Mahdi

2014-11-12

Electroencephalography (EEG)-based functional brain networks have been investigated frequently in health and disease. It has been shown that a number of graph theory metrics are disrupted in brain disorders. EEG-based brain networks are often studied in the whole-brain framework, where all the nodes are grouped into a single network. In this study, we studied the brain networks in two hemispheres and assessed whether there are any hemispheric-specific patterns in the properties of the networks. To this end, resting state closed-eyes EEGs from 44 healthy individuals were processed and the network structures were extracted separately for each hemisphere. We examined neurophysiologically meaningful graph theory metrics: global and local efficiency measures. The global efficiency did not show any hemispheric asymmetry, whereas the local connectivity showed rightward asymmetry for a range of intermediate density values for the constructed networks. Furthermore, the age of the participants showed significant direct correlations with the global efficiency of the left hemisphere, but only in the right hemisphere, with local connectivity. These results suggest that only local connectivity of EEG-based functional networks is associated with brain hemispheres.

Testing the variability of the proton-to-electron mass ratio from observations of methanol in the dark cloud core L1498

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daprà, M.; Henkel, C.; Levshakov, S. A.; Menten, K. M.; Muller, S.; Bethlem, H. L.; Leurini, S.; Lapinov, A. V.; Ubachs, W.

2017-12-01

The dependence of the proton-to-electron mass ratio, μ, on the local matter density was investigated using methanol emission in the dense dark cloud core L1498. Towards two different positions in L1498, five methanol transitions were detected and an extra line was tentatively detected at a lower confidence level in one of the positions. The observed centroid frequencies were then compared with their rest-frame frequencies derived from least-squares fitting to a large data set. Systematic effects, as the underlying methanol hyperfine structure and the Doppler tracking of the telescope, were investigated and their effects were included in the total error budget. The comparison between the observations and the rest-frame frequencies constrains potential μ variation at the level of Δμ/μ < 6 × 10-8, at a 3σ confidence level. For the dark cloud, we determine a total CH3OH (A+E) beam averaged column density of ∼3-4 × 1012 cm-2 (within roughly a factor of two), an E- to A-type methanol column density ratio of N(A-CH3OH)/N(E-CH3OH) ∼1.00 ± 0.15, a density of n(H2) = 3 × 105 cm-3 (again within a factor of two) and a kinetic temperature of Tkin = 6 ± 1 K. In a kinetic model including the line intensities observed for the methanol lines, the n(H2) density is higher and the temperature is lower than that derived in previous studies based on different molecular species; the intensity of the 10 → 1-1 E line strength is not well reproduced.

ABERRANT RESTING-STATE BRAIN ACTIVITY IN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: A META-ANALYSIS AND SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

PubMed

Koch, Saskia B J; van Zuiden, Mirjam; Nawijn, Laura; Frijling, Jessie L; Veltman, Dick J; Olff, Miranda

2016-07-01

About 10% of trauma-exposed individuals develop PTSD. Although a growing number of studies have investigated resting-state abnormalities in PTSD, inconsistent results suggest a need for a meta-analysis and a systematic review. We conducted a systematic literature search in four online databases using keywords for PTSD, functional neuroimaging, and resting-state. In total, 23 studies matched our eligibility criteria. For the meta-analysis, we included 14 whole-brain resting-state studies, reporting data on 663 participants (298 PTSD patients and 365 controls). We used the activation likelihood estimation approach to identify concurrence of whole-brain hypo- and hyperactivations in PTSD patients during rest. Seed-based studies could not be included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Therefore, a separate qualitative systematic review was conducted on nine seed-based functional connectivity studies. The meta-analysis showed consistent hyperactivity in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex and the parahippocampus/amygdala, but hypoactivity in the (posterior) insula, cerebellar pyramis and middle frontal gyrus in PTSD patients, compared to healthy controls. Partly concordant with these findings, the systematic review on seed-based functional connectivity studies showed enhanced salience network (SN) connectivity, but decreased default mode network (DMN) connectivity in PTSD. Combined, these altered resting-state connectivity and activity patterns could represent neurobiological correlates of increased salience processing and hypervigilance (SN), at the cost of awareness of internal thoughts and autobiographical memory (DMN) in PTSD. However, several discrepancies between findings of the meta-analysis and systematic review were observed, stressing the need for future studies on resting-state abnormalities in PTSD patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The influence of mosquito resting behaviour and associated microclimate for malaria risk.

PubMed

Paaijmans, Krijn P; Thomas, Matthew B

2011-07-07

The majority of the mosquito and parasite life-history traits that combine to determine malaria transmission intensity are temperature sensitive. In most cases, the process-based models used to estimate malaria risk and inform control and prevention strategies utilize measures of mean outdoor temperature. Evidence suggests, however, that certain malaria vectors can spend large parts of their adult life resting indoors. If significant proportions of mosquitoes are resting indoors and indoor conditions differ markedly from ambient conditions, simple use of outdoor temperatures will not provide reliable estimates of malaria transmission intensity. To date, few studies have quantified the differential effects of indoor vs outdoor temperatures explicitly, reflecting a lack of proper understanding of mosquito resting behaviour and associated microclimate. Published records from 8 village sites in East Africa revealed temperatures to be warmer indoors than outdoors and to generally show less daily variation. Exploring the effects of these temperatures on malaria parasite development rate suggested indoor-resting mosquitoes could transmit malaria between 0.3 and 22.5 days earlier than outdoor-resting mosquitoes. These differences translate to increases in transmission risk ranging from 5 to approaching 3,000%, relative to predictions based on outdoor temperatures. The pattern appears robust for low- and highland areas, with differences increasing with altitude. Differences in indoor vs outdoor environments lead to large differences in the limits and the intensity of malaria transmission. This finding highlights a need to better understand mosquito resting behaviour and the associated microclimate, and to broaden assessments of transmission ecology and risk to consider the potentially important role of endophily.

Spatial analysis of rural land development

Treesearch

Seong-Hoon Cho; David H. Newman

2005-01-01

This article examines patterns of rural land development and density using spatial econometric models with the application of Geographical Information System (GIS). The cluster patterns of both development and high-density development indicate that the spatially continuous expansions of development and high-density development exist in relatively remote rural areas....

Simian virus 40 small t antigen is not required for the maintenance of transformation but may act as a promoter (cocarcinogen) during establishment of transformation in resting rat cells.

PubMed Central

Seif, R; Martin, R G

1979-01-01

Simian virus 40 deletion mutants affecting the 20,000-dalton (20K) t antigen and tsA mutants rendering the 90K T antigen temperature sensitive, as well as double mutants containing both mutations, induced host DNA synthesis in resting rat cells at the restrictive temperature. Nonetheless, the deletion mutants and double mutants did not induce transformation in resting cells even at the permissive temperature. On the other hand, the deletion mutants did induce full transformants when actively growing rat cells were infected; the transformants grew efficiently in agar and to high saturation densities on platic. The double mutants did not induce T-antigen-independent (temperature-insensitive) transformants which were shown previously to arise preferentially from resting cells. Thus, small t antigen was dispensable for the maintenance of the transformed phenotype in T-antigen-dependent rat transformants (transformants derived from growing cells) and may play a role in the establishment of T-antigen-independent transformants. We attempt to establish a parallel between transformation induced by chemical carcinogens and simian virus 40-induced transformation. Images PMID:229274

Simian virus 40 small t antigen is not required for the maintenance of transformation but may act as a promoter (cocarcinogen) during establishment of transformation in resting rat cells.

PubMed

Seif, R; Martin, R G

1979-12-01

Simian virus 40 deletion mutants affecting the 20,000-dalton (20K) t antigen and tsA mutants rendering the 90K T antigen temperature sensitive, as well as double mutants containing both mutations, induced host DNA synthesis in resting rat cells at the restrictive temperature. Nonetheless, the deletion mutants and double mutants did not induce transformation in resting cells even at the permissive temperature. On the other hand, the deletion mutants did induce full transformants when actively growing rat cells were infected; the transformants grew efficiently in agar and to high saturation densities on platic. The double mutants did not induce T-antigen-independent (temperature-insensitive) transformants which were shown previously to arise preferentially from resting cells. Thus, small t antigen was dispensable for the maintenance of the transformed phenotype in T-antigen-dependent rat transformants (transformants derived from growing cells) and may play a role in the establishment of T-antigen-independent transformants. We attempt to establish a parallel between transformation induced by chemical carcinogens and simian virus 40-induced transformation.

Fast computation of voxel-level brain connectivity maps from resting-state functional MRI using l₁-norm as approximation of Pearson's temporal correlation: proof-of-concept and example vector hardware implementation.

PubMed

Minati, Ludovico; Zacà, Domenico; D'Incerti, Ludovico; Jovicich, Jorge

2014-09-01

An outstanding issue in graph-based analysis of resting-state functional MRI is choice of network nodes. Individual consideration of entire brain voxels may represent a less biased approach than parcellating the cortex according to pre-determined atlases, but entails establishing connectedness for 1(9)-1(11) links, with often prohibitive computational cost. Using a representative Human Connectome Project dataset, we show that, following appropriate time-series normalization, it may be possible to accelerate connectivity determination replacing Pearson correlation with l1-norm. Even though the adjacency matrices derived from correlation coefficients and l1-norms are not identical, their similarity is high. Further, we describe and provide in full an example vector hardware implementation of l1-norm on an array of 4096 zero instruction-set processors. Calculation times <1000 s are attainable, removing the major deterrent to voxel-based resting-sate network mapping and revealing fine-grained node degree heterogeneity. L1-norm should be given consideration as a substitute for correlation in very high-density resting-state functional connectivity analyses. Copyright © 2014 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution, dynamics and productivity of a colonizing ( Polydora quadrilobata) and an established ( P. Ligni) polydorid polychaete in lake grevelingen: An enclosed estuary in the SW Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambeck, R. H. D.; Valentijn, P.

The enclosure of the Grevelingen estuary in May 1971 (from then on saline Lake Grevelingen) did not result in an immediate population response of Polydora ligni, known as an opportunist. A large summer settlement (2 to 5000 ind·m -2) and a subsequent high mortality occurred at one station in the period 1972 to 1975; abundance fluctuations at a second station were much smaller. In 1977 densities were very low. The congeneric P. quadrilobata (a species new to Dutch waters) was not observed in 1971-1975, but an average density of 760 ind·m -2 (with a biomass of 0.1 g ADW·m -2) was found in the lake in April 1977. Its abundance was low in shallow water (<2.5 m); in the rest (54%) of the lake no preference for depth, substrate or species association could be detected. Seasonal maxima occurred in spring. These opposing population developments can be explained from the different life histories of the two polydorids in combination with a changed seasonal pattern in food supply. The maximum life span of P. quadrilobata was 1 to 1 {1}/{2} years with one main cohort a year. Maximum values for its biomass and density at the stations were 1.42 g ADW·m -2 and 6900 ind·m -2. Based on reconstructed survivorship curves, annual minimum and maximum values for production were calculated. The (conservative) estimates varied from 0.2 to 2.6 g ADW ·m -2·a -1 for different stations and years, with P/B values varying from 1.5 to 8.2.

Scalp and Source Power Topography in Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors: A High-Density EEG Study

PubMed Central

Castelnovo, Anna; Riedner, Brady A.; Smith, Richard F.; Tononi, Giulio; Boly, Melanie; Benca, Ruth M.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine scalp and source power topography in sleep arousals disorders (SADs) using high-density EEG (hdEEG). Methods: Fifteen adult subjects with sleep arousal disorders (SADs) and 15 age- and gender-matched good sleeping healthy controls were recorded in a sleep laboratory setting using a 256 channel EEG system. Results: Scalp EEG analysis of all night NREM sleep revealed a localized decrease in slow wave activity (SWA) power (1–4 Hz) over centro-parietal regions relative to the rest of the brain in SADs compared to good sleeping healthy controls. Source modelling analysis of 5-minute segments taken from N3 during the first half of the night revealed that the local decrease in SWA power was prominent at the level of the cingulate, motor, and sensori-motor associative cortices. Similar patterns were also evident during REM sleep and wake. These differences in local sleep were present in the absence of any detectable clinical or electrophysiological sign of arousal. Conclusions: Overall, results suggest the presence of local sleep differences in the brain of SADs patients during nights without clinical episodes. The persistence of similar topographical changes in local EEG power during REM sleep and wakefulness points to trait-like functional changes that cross the boundaries of NREM sleep. The regions identified by source imaging are consistent with the current neurophysiological understanding of SADs as a disorder caused by local arousals in motor and cingulate cortices. Persistent localized changes in neuronal excitability may predispose affected subjects to clinical episodes. Citation: Castelnovo A, Riedner BA, Smith RF, Tononi G, Boly M, Benca RM. Scalp and source power topography in sleepwalking and sleep terrors: a high-density EEG study. SLEEP 2016;39(10):1815–1825. PMID:27568805

Drought and detritivores determine leaf litter decomposition in calcareous streams of the Ebro catchment (Spain).

PubMed

Monroy, Silvia; Menéndez, Margarita; Basaguren, Ana; Pérez, Javier; Elosegi, Arturo; Pozo, Jesús

2016-12-15

Drought, an important environmental factor affecting the functioning of stream ecosystems, is likely to become more prevalent in the Mediterranean region as a consequence of climate change and enhanced water demand. Drought can have profound impacts on leaf litter decomposition, a key ecosystem process in headwater streams, but there is still limited information on its effects at the regional scale. We measured leaf litter decomposition across a gradient of aridity in the Ebro River basin. We deployed coarse- and fine-mesh bags with alder and oak leaves in 11 Mediterranean calcareous streams spanning a range of over 400km, and determined changes in discharge, water quality, leaf-associated macroinvertebrates, leaf quality and decomposition rates. The study streams were subject to different degrees of drought, specific discharge (Ls -1 km -2 ) ranging from 0.62 to 9.99. One of the streams dried out during the experiment, another one reached residual flow, whereas the rest registered uninterrupted flow but with different degrees of flow variability. Decomposition rates differed among sites, being lowest in the 2 most water-stressed sites, but showed no general correlation with specific discharge. Microbial decomposition rates were not correlated with final nutrient content of litter nor to fungal biomass. Total decomposition rate of alder was positively correlated to the density and biomass of shredders; that of oak was not. Shredder density in alder bags showed a positive relationship with specific discharge during the decomposition experiment. Overall, the results point to a complex pattern of litter decomposition at the regional scale, as drought affects decomposition directly by emersion of bags and indirectly by affecting the functional composition and density of detritivores. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

National citation patterns of NEJM, The Lancet, JAMA and The BMJ in the lay press: a quantitative content analysis.

PubMed

Casino, Gonzalo; Rius, Roser; Cobo, Erik

2017-11-12

To analyse the total number of newspaper articles citing the four leading general medical journals and to describe national citation patterns. Quantitative content analysis. Full text of 22 general newspapers in 14 countries over the period 2008-2015, collected from LexisNexis. The 14 countries have been categorised into four regions: the USA, the UK, Western World (European countries other than the UK, and Australia, New Zealand and Canada) and Rest of the World (other countries). Press citations of four medical journals (two American: NEJM and JAMA ; and two British: The Lancet and The BMJ ) in 22 newspapers. British and American newspapers cited some of the four analysed medical journals about three times a week in 2008-2015 (weekly mean 3.2 and 2.7 citations, respectively); the newspapers from other Western countries did so about once a week (weekly mean 1.1), and those from the Rest of the World cited them about once a month (monthly mean 1.1). The New York Times cited above all other newspapers (weekly mean 4.7). The analysis showed the existence of three national citation patterns in the daily press: American newspapers cited mostly American journals (70.0% of citations), British newspapers cited mostly British journals (86.5%) and the rest of the analysed press cited more British journals than American ones. The Lancet was the most cited journal in the press of almost all Western countries outside the USA and the UK. Multivariate correspondence analysis confirmed the national patterns and showed that over 85% of the citation data variability is retained in just one single new variable: the national dimension. British and American newspapers are the ones that cite the four analysed medical journals more often, showing a domestic preference for their respective national journals; non-British and non-American newspapers show a common international citation pattern. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Nonperturbative parton distributions and the proton spin problem

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

Simonov, Yu. A., E-mail: simonov@itep.ru

2016-05-15

The Lorentz contracted form of the static wave functions is used to calculate the valence parton distributions for mesons and baryons, boosting the rest frame solutions of the path integral Hamiltonian. It is argued that nonperturbative parton densities are due to excitedmultigluon baryon states. A simplemodel is proposed for these states ensuring realistic behavior of valence and sea quarks and gluon parton densities at Q{sup 2} = 10 (GeV/c){sup 2}. Applying the same model to the proton spin problem one obtains Σ{sub 3} = 0.18 for the same Q{sup 2}.

Face Patch Resting State Networks Link Face Processing to Social Cognition

PubMed Central

Schwiedrzik, Caspar M.; Zarco, Wilbert; Everling, Stefan; Freiwald, Winrich A.

2015-01-01

Faces transmit a wealth of social information. How this information is exchanged between face-processing centers and brain areas supporting social cognition remains largely unclear. Here we identify these routes using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in macaque monkeys. We find that face areas functionally connect to specific regions within frontal, temporal, and parietal cortices, as well as subcortical structures supporting emotive, mnemonic, and cognitive functions. This establishes the existence of an extended face-recognition system in the macaque. Furthermore, the face patch resting state networks and the default mode network in monkeys show a pattern of overlap akin to that between the social brain and the default mode network in humans: this overlap specifically includes the posterior superior temporal sulcus, medial parietal, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, areas supporting high-level social cognition in humans. Together, these results reveal the embedding of face areas into larger brain networks and suggest that the resting state networks of the face patch system offer a new, easily accessible venue into the functional organization of the social brain and into the evolution of possibly uniquely human social skills. PMID:26348613

Detecting Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Using Resting State Magnetoencephalographic Connectivity

PubMed Central

da Costa, Leodante; Jetly, Rakesh; Pang, Elizabeth W.; Taylor, Margot J.

2016-01-01

Accurate means to detect mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) using objective and quantitative measures remain elusive. Conventional imaging typically detects no abnormalities despite post-concussive symptoms. In the present study, we recorded resting state magnetoencephalograms (MEG) from adults with mTBI and controls. Atlas-guided reconstruction of resting state activity was performed for 90 cortical and subcortical regions, and calculation of inter-regional oscillatory phase synchrony at various frequencies was performed. We demonstrate that mTBI is associated with reduced network connectivity in the delta and gamma frequency range (>30 Hz), together with increased connectivity in the slower alpha band (8–12 Hz). A similar temporal pattern was associated with correlations between network connectivity and the length of time between the injury and the MEG scan. Using such resting state MEG network synchrony we were able to detect mTBI with 88% accuracy. Classification confidence was also correlated with clinical symptom severity scores. These results provide the first evidence that imaging of MEG network connectivity, in combination with machine learning, has the potential to accurately detect and determine the severity of mTBI. PMID:27906973

[Principles of bone tissue structures interaction with full removable dentures fixed on intraosseous implantates modelling].

PubMed

Shashmurina, V R; Chumachenko, E N; Olesova, V N; Volozhin, A I

2008-01-01

Math modelling "removable dentures-implantate-bone" with size and density of bone tissue as variables was created. It allowed to study biomechanical bases of mandibular bone tissue structures interaction with full removable dentures of different constructions and fixed on intraosseous implantates. Analysis of the received data showed that in the majority of cases it was expedient to recommend 3 bearing (abutments) system of denture making. Rest on 4 and more implantates was appropriate for patients with reduced density of spongy bone and significant mandibular bone atrophy. 2 abutment system can be used in patients with high density of spongy bone and absence of mandibular bone atrophy.

Physical characteristics, blood hormone concentrations, and plasma lipid concentrations in obese horses with insulin resistance.

PubMed

Frank, Nicholas; Elliott, Sarah B; Brandt, Laura E; Keisler, Duane H

2006-05-01

To compare obese horses with insulin resistance (IR) with nonobese horses and determine whether blood resting glucose, insulin, leptin, and lipid concentrations differed between groups and were correlated with combined glucose-insulin test (CGIT) results. 7 obese adult horses with IR (OB-IR group) and 5 nonobese mares. Physical measurements were taken, and blood samples were collected after horses had acclimated to the hospital for 3 days. Response to insulin was assessed by use of the CGIT, and maintenance of plasma glucose concentrations greater than the preinjection value for > or = 45 minutes was used to define IR. Area under the curve values for glucose (AUC(g)) and insulin (AUC(i)) concentrations were calculated. Morgan, Paso Fino, Quarter Horse, and Tennessee Walking Horse breeds were represented in the OB-IR group. Mean neck circumference and BCS differed significantly between groups and were positively correlated with AUC values. Resting insulin and leptin concentrations were 6 and 14 times as high, respectively, in the OB-IR group, compared with the nonobese group, and were significantly correlated with AUC(g) and AUC(i). Plasma nonesterified fatty acid, very low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were significantly higher (86%, 104%, and 29%, respectively) in OB-IR horses, and HDL-C concentrations were positively correlated with AUC values. Measurements of neck circumference and resting insulin and leptin concentrations can be used to screen obese horses for IR. Dyslipidemia is associated with IR in obese horses.

Alterations in task-induced activity and resting-state fluctuations in visual and DMN areas revealed in long-term meditators.

PubMed

Berkovich-Ohana, Aviva; Harel, Michal; Hahamy, Avital; Arieli, Amos; Malach, Rafael

2016-07-15

Recently we proposed that the information contained in spontaneously emerging (resting-state) fluctuations may reflect individually unique neuro-cognitive traits. One prediction of this conjecture, termed the "spontaneous trait reactivation" (STR) hypothesis, is that resting-state activity patterns could be diagnostic of unique personalities, talents and life-styles of individuals. Long-term meditators could provide a unique experimental group to test this hypothesis. Using fMRI we found that, during resting-state, the amplitude of spontaneous fluctuations in long-term mindfulness meditation (MM) practitioners was enhanced in the visual cortex and significantly reduced in the DMN compared to naïve controls. Importantly, during a visual recognition memory task, the MM group showed heightened visual cortex responsivity, concomitant with weaker negative responses in Default Mode Network (DMN) areas. This effect was also reflected in the behavioral performance, where MM practitioners performed significantly faster than the control group. Thus, our results uncover opposite changes in the visual and default mode systems in long-term meditators which are revealed during both rest and task. The results support the STR hypothesis and extend it to the domain of local changes in the magnitude of the spontaneous fluctuations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Breathing pattern and breathlessness in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: An observational study.

PubMed

Olukogbon, Kasope L; Thomas, Paul; Colasanti, Ricardo; Hope-Gill, Ben; Williams, Edgar Mark

2016-02-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by progressive decline in lung function and increasing dyspnoea. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among IPF, pulmonary function, resting tidal breathing patterns and level of breathlessness. Thirty-one participants with IPF and 17 matched healthy controls underwent lung function testing, followed by a 2-min period of resting tidal breathing. The IPF cohort was stratified according to disease severity, based on their forced vital capacity and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide. In comparison to the healthy controls, the IPF cohort showed a higher tidal volume, VT , of 0.22 L (P = 0.026) and a raised minute ventilation in the severest IPF group, while no differences in the timing of inspiration or expiration were observed. In the IPF cohort, the ratio of VT to forced vital capacity was around 15% higher. These changes corresponded with an increase in the self-reported sensation of breathlessness. Those with IPF increased their depth of breathing with worsening disease severity, with IPF-induced changes in pulmonary function and breathlessness associated with an altered tidal breathing pattern. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Direction of information flow in large-scale resting-state networks is frequency-dependent.

PubMed

Hillebrand, Arjan; Tewarie, Prejaas; van Dellen, Edwin; Yu, Meichen; Carbo, Ellen W S; Douw, Linda; Gouw, Alida A; van Straaten, Elisabeth C W; Stam, Cornelis J

2016-04-05

Normal brain function requires interactions between spatially separated, and functionally specialized, macroscopic regions, yet the directionality of these interactions in large-scale functional networks is unknown. Magnetoencephalography was used to determine the directionality of these interactions, where directionality was inferred from time series of beamformer-reconstructed estimates of neuronal activation, using a recently proposed measure of phase transfer entropy. We observed well-organized posterior-to-anterior patterns of information flow in the higher-frequency bands (alpha1, alpha2, and beta band), dominated by regions in the visual cortex and posterior default mode network. Opposite patterns of anterior-to-posterior flow were found in the theta band, involving mainly regions in the frontal lobe that were sending information to a more distributed network. Many strong information senders in the theta band were also frequent receivers in the alpha2 band, and vice versa. Our results provide evidence that large-scale resting-state patterns of information flow in the human brain form frequency-dependent reentry loops that are dominated by flow from parieto-occipital cortex to integrative frontal areas in the higher-frequency bands, which is mirrored by a theta band anterior-to-posterior flow.

Quantitative Analysis of Electrochemical and Electrode Stability with Low Self-Discharge Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

DOE PAGES

Chung, Sheng-Heng; Han, Pauline; Manthiram, Arumugam

2017-06-07

The viability of employing high-capacity sulfur cathodes in building high-energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries is limited by rapid self-discharge, short shelf life, and severe structural degradation during cell resting (static instability). Unfortunately, the static instability has largely been ignored in the literature. We present in this letter a longterm self-discharge study by quantitatively analyzing the control lithium-sulfur batteries with a conventional cathode configuration, which provides meaningful insights into the cathode failure mechanisms during resting. Lastly, utilizing the understanding obtained with the control cells, we design and present low self-discharge (LSD) lithium-sulfur batteries for investigating the long-term self-discharge effect and electrode stability.

Hardware Evaluation of the Horizontal Exercise Fixture with Weight Stack

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newby, Nate; Leach, Mark; Fincke, Renita; Sharp, Carwyn

2009-01-01

HEF with weight stack seems to be a very sturdy and reliable exercise device that should function well in a bed rest training setting. A few improvements should be made to both the hardware and software to improve usage efficiency, but largely, this evaluation has demonstrated HEF's robustness. The hardware offers loading to muscles, bones, and joints, potentially sufficient to mitigate the loss of muscle mass and bone mineral density during long-duration bed rest campaigns. With some minor modifications, the HEF with weight stack equipment provides the best currently available means of performing squat, heel raise, prone row, bench press, and hip flexion/extension exercise in a supine orientation.

Quantitative Analysis of Electrochemical and Electrode Stability with Low Self-Discharge Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

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

Chung, Sheng-Heng; Han, Pauline; Manthiram, Arumugam

The viability of employing high-capacity sulfur cathodes in building high-energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries is limited by rapid self-discharge, short shelf life, and severe structural degradation during cell resting (static instability). Unfortunately, the static instability has largely been ignored in the literature. We present in this letter a longterm self-discharge study by quantitatively analyzing the control lithium-sulfur batteries with a conventional cathode configuration, which provides meaningful insights into the cathode failure mechanisms during resting. Lastly, utilizing the understanding obtained with the control cells, we design and present low self-discharge (LSD) lithium-sulfur batteries for investigating the long-term self-discharge effect and electrode stability.

Does pulse-grazing influence within- and between-grazing season dietary quality of yearling steers in shortgrass steppe?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pulse-grazing, high stock density with short grazing periods (weeks) followed by long (months to > 1 year) rest periods, is a grazing management strategy posited to decrease preferential selection by cattle and increase utilization of forage, but influences on dietary quality of grazing animals in s...

Introduction

Treesearch

Stephen R. Shifley; Francisco X. Aguilar; Nianfu Song; Susan I. Stewart; David J. Nowak; Dale D. Gormanson; W. Keith Moser; Sherri Wormstead; Eric J. Greenfield

2012-01-01

The twenty states that make up the U.S. North are bounded by Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Minnesota. Compared to the rest of the country, the North has a higher population density, relatively little public forest land, and many private forest owners with small forest tracts. Fifty-five percent of northern forest land belongs to nearly 5 million family forest owners....

A Multi-Wavelength Census of Dust and Star Formation in Galaxies at z ~ 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shivaei, Irene; Reddy, Naveen; MOSDEF Collaboration

2017-01-01

Redshift of z ~ 2 is an important era in the history of the universe, as it contains the peak of star formation rate density and quasar activity. We study the galaxy properties during this era from two different, yet complementary, aspects: by studying formation of stars and mass assembly, and exploring the properties of galactic dust. We use a wealth of multi-wavelength data, from UV to far-IR, to obtain a complete census of obscured and unobscured star formation in galaxies. Our data consists of rest-frame optical spectra from the MOSDEF survey, rest-frame UV and optical photometric data from the 3D-HST survey, and mid- and far-IR data obtained by the Spitzer and Herschel telescopes. In the MOSDEF survey, we acquired rest-frame optical spectra of ~ 1500 galaxies with the MOSFIRE spectrograph on the Keck I telescope. MOSDEF is currently the largest survey of the rest-frame optical properties of galaxies at 1.37 ≤ z ≤ 3.80. Using the multi-wavelength data sets, we show that Hα SFRs, corrected for dust attenuation using the Hβ line, accurately trace SFRs up to ~ 300 M⊙ yr-1, when compared with panchromatic (UV-to-far-IR) SED models. Using Hα SFRs for a large sample of ~ 200 galaxies at z ~ 2, we explore the SFR-M* relation and show that the slope of this relation is shallower than previously measured. We conclude that the scatter in the SFR-M* relation is dominated by uncertainties in dust correction and cannot be used to measure the star formation stochasticity. Furthermore, we investigate the robustness of Spitzer/MIPS 24 micron flux as an SFR indicator and its variation with ISM physical parameters. We find that 24 micron flux, which at z ~ 2 traces the emission from the PAH grains, significantly depends on metallicity, such that there is a PAH deficiency in metal-poor galaxies. We demonstrate that commonly-used conversions of 24 micron flux to IR luminosity underestimate the IR luminosity of low-mass galaxies by more than a factor of 2. Our results suggest a higher specific SFR (i.e., SFR/M*) at M* ~ 109.5M⊙ and a higher IR luminosity density at z ~ 2 than previously measured. The latter corresponds to a ~ 30% increase in the SFR density.

Development of resting membrane potentials in differentiating murine neuroblastoma cells (N1E-115) evaluated by flow cytometry.

PubMed

Kisaalita, W S; Bowen, J M

1997-09-01

With the aid of a voltage-sensitive oxonol dye, flow cytometry was used to measure relative changes in resting membrane potential (V(m)) and forward angle light scatter (FALS) profiles of a differentiating/differentiated murine neuroblastoma cell line (N1E-115). Electrophysiological differentiation was characterized by V(m) establishment. The (V(m))-time profile was found to be seed cell concentration-dependent for cell densities of less than 2 × 10(4) cells/cm(2). At higher initial cell densities, under differentiating culture conditions, V(m) development commenced on day 2 and reached a steady-state on day 12. The relative distribution of differentiated cells between low and high FALS has been proposed as a potential culture electrophysiological differentiation state index. These experiments offer a general methodology to characterize cultured excitable cells of nervous system origin, with respect to electrophysiological differentiation. This information is valuable in studies employing neuroblastoma cells as in vitro screening models for safety/hazard evaluation and/or risk assessment of therapeutical and industrial chemicals under development.

Changes in the interaction of resting-state neural networks from adolescence to adulthood.

PubMed

Stevens, Michael C; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Calhoun, Vince D

2009-08-01

This study examined how the mutual interactions of functionally integrated neural networks during resting-state fMRI differed between adolescence and adulthood. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to identify functionally connected neural networks in 100 healthy participants aged 12-30 years. Hemodynamic timecourses that represented integrated neural network activity were analyzed with tools that quantified system "causal density" estimates, which indexed the proportion of significant Granger causality relationships among system nodes. Mutual influences among networks decreased with age, likely reflecting stronger within-network connectivity and more efficient between-network influences with greater development. Supplemental tests showed that this normative age-related reduction in causal density was accompanied by fewer significant connections to and from each network, regional increases in the strength of functional integration within networks, and age-related reductions in the strength of numerous specific system interactions. The latter included paths between lateral prefrontal-parietal circuits and "default mode" networks. These results contribute to an emerging understanding that activity in widely distributed networks thought to underlie complex cognition influences activity in other networks. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Imprint process performance for patterned media at densities greater than 1Tb/in2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhengmao; Carden, Scott; Hellebrekers, Paul; LaBrake, Dwayne; Resnick, Douglas J.; Melliar-Smith, M.; Sreenivasan, S. V.

2012-03-01

The use of bit pattern media beyond densities of 1Tb/in2 requires the ability to pattern dimensions to sub 10nm. This paper describes the techniques used to reach these dimensions with imprint lithography and avoid such challenges as pattern collapse, by developing improved resist materials with higher strength, and utilizing a reverse tone J-FIL/R process.

Game-induced fatigue patterns in elite female soccer.

PubMed

Krustrup, Peter; Zebis, Mette; Jensen, Jack M; Mohr, Magni

2010-02-01

The purpose was to examine the fatigue pattern of elite female soccer players after competitive games. Soccer players (n = 23) from the Danish women Premier League performed a countermovement vertical jump test, a repeated 30-m sprint test, and the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2 (Yo-Yo IE2) test at rested state and after a competitive game. Average heart rate during the game was 86 +/- 1% of maximal heart rate with no differences between halves. Blood lactate was 5.1 +/- 0.5 mmol.L after the first half, which was higher (p < 0.05) than after the second half (2.7 +/- 0.4 mmol.L). Yo-Yo IE2 performance was 484 +/- 50 m after the game, which was 62% lower (p < 0.05) than at rested state (1,265 +/- 133 m). Average sprinting time of three 30-m sprints was 5.06 +/- 0.06 seconds after the game, which was 4% slower (p < 0.05) than at rest (4.86 +/- 0.06 seconds). No game-induced effect was observed on vertical jump performance. Significant inverse correlations were observed between Yo-Yo IE2 test performance and fatigue index during the repeated sprint test both at rest (r = -0.76, p < 0.05) and after the game (r = -0.66, p < 0.05). The study demonstrates that the type of fatigue that occurs after a female soccer game does cause marked impairment in intense intermittent exercise and repeated sprint performance but does not affect vertical jump performance. These findings support the notion that decrements in distance covered by sprinting and high-speed running toward the end of elite female games are caused by fatigue.

Effective Connectivity within the Default Mode Network: Dynamic Causal Modeling of Resting-State fMRI Data.

PubMed

Sharaev, Maksim G; Zavyalova, Viktoria V; Ushakov, Vadim L; Kartashov, Sergey I; Velichkovsky, Boris M

2016-01-01

The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a brain system that mediates internal modes of cognitive activity, showing higher neural activation when one is at rest. Nowadays, there is a lot of interest in assessing functional interactions between its key regions, but in the majority of studies only association of Blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) activation patterns is measured, so it is impossible to identify causal influences. There are some studies of causal interactions (i.e., effective connectivity), however often with inconsistent results. The aim of the current work is to find a stable pattern of connectivity between four DMN key regions: the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), left and right intraparietal cortex (LIPC and RIPC). For this purpose functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 30 healthy subjects (1000 time points from each one) was acquired and spectral dynamic causal modeling (DCM) on a resting-state fMRI data was performed. The endogenous brain fluctuations were explicitly modeled by Discrete Cosine Set at the low frequency band of 0.0078-0.1 Hz. The best model at the group level is the one where connections from both bilateral IPC to mPFC and PCC are significant and symmetrical in strength (p < 0.05). Connections between mPFC and PCC are bidirectional, significant in the group and weaker than connections originating from bilateral IPC. In general, all connections from LIPC/RIPC to other DMN regions are much stronger. One can assume that these regions have a driving role within the DMN. Our results replicate some data from earlier works on effective connectivity within the DMN as well as provide new insights on internal DMN relationships and brain's functioning at resting state.

Effects of Pressure Support Ventilation May Be Lost at High Exercise Intensities in People with COPD.

PubMed

Anekwe, David; de Marchie, Michel; Spahija, Jadranka

2017-06-01

Pressure support ventilation (PSV) may be used for exercise training in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its acute effect on maximum exercise capacity is not fully known. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of 10 cm H 2 O PSV and a fixed PSV level titrated to patient comfort at rest on maximum exercise workload (WLmax), breathing pattern and metabolic parameters during a symptom-limited incremental bicycle test in individuals with COPD. Eleven individuals with COPD (forced expiratory volume in one second: 49 ± 16%; age: 64 ± 7 years) performed three exercise tests: without a ventilator, with 10 cm H 2 O of PSV and with a fixed level titrated to comfort at rest, using a SERVO-i ventilator. Tests were performed in randomized order and at least 48 hours apart. The WLmax, breathing pattern, metabolic parameters, and mouth pressure (Pmo) were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance. Mean PSV during titration was 8.2 ± 4.5 cm H 2 O. There was no difference in the WLmax achieved during the three tests. At rest, PSV increased the tidal volume, minute ventilation, and mean inspiratory flow with a lower end-tidal CO 2 ; this was not sustained at peak exercise. Pmo decreased progressively (decreased unloading) with PSV at workloads close to peak, suggesting the ventilator was unable to keep up with the increased ventilatory demand at high workloads. In conclusion, with a Servo-i ventilator, 10 cm H 2 O of PSV and a fixed level of PSV established by titration to comfort at rest, is ineffective for the purpose of achieving higher exercise workloads as the acute physiological effects may not be sustained at peak exercise.

Prediction of brain maturity in infants using machine-learning algorithms.

PubMed

Smyser, Christopher D; Dosenbach, Nico U F; Smyser, Tara A; Snyder, Abraham Z; Rogers, Cynthia E; Inder, Terrie E; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Neil, Jeffrey J

2016-08-01

Recent resting-state functional MRI investigations have demonstrated that much of the large-scale functional network architecture supporting motor, sensory and cognitive functions in older pediatric and adult populations is present in term- and prematurely-born infants. Application of new analytical approaches can help translate the improved understanding of early functional connectivity provided through these studies into predictive models of neurodevelopmental outcome. One approach to achieving this goal is multivariate pattern analysis, a machine-learning, pattern classification approach well-suited for high-dimensional neuroimaging data. It has previously been adapted to predict brain maturity in children and adolescents using structural and resting state-functional MRI data. In this study, we evaluated resting state-functional MRI data from 50 preterm-born infants (born at 23-29weeks of gestation and without moderate-severe brain injury) scanned at term equivalent postmenstrual age compared with data from 50 term-born control infants studied within the first week of life. Using 214 regions of interest, binary support vector machines distinguished term from preterm infants with 84% accuracy (p<0.0001). Inter- and intra-hemispheric connections throughout the brain were important for group categorization, indicating that widespread changes in the brain's functional network architecture associated with preterm birth are detectable by term equivalent age. Support vector regression enabled quantitative estimation of birth gestational age in single subjects using only term equivalent resting state-functional MRI data, indicating that the present approach is sensitive to the degree of disruption of brain development associated with preterm birth (using gestational age as a surrogate for the extent of disruption). This suggests that support vector regression may provide a means for predicting neurodevelopmental outcome in individual infants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prediction of brain maturity in infants using machine-learning algorithms

PubMed Central

Smyser, Christopher D.; Dosenbach, Nico U.F.; Smyser, Tara A.; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Rogers, Cynthia E.; Inder, Terrie E.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.; Neil, Jeffrey J.

2016-01-01

Recent resting-state functional MRI investigations have demonstrated that much of the large-scale functional network architecture supporting motor, sensory and cognitive functions in older pediatric and adult populations is present in term- and prematurely-born infants. Application of new analytical approaches can help translate the improved understanding of early functional connectivity provided through these studies into predictive models of neurodevelopmental outcome. One approach to achieving this goal is multivariate pattern analysis, a machine-learning, pattern classification approach well-suited for high-dimensional neuroimaging data. It has previously been adapted to predict brain maturity in children and adolescents using structural and resting state-functional MRI data. In this study, we evaluated resting state-functional MRI data from 50 preterm-born infants (born at 23–29 weeks of gestation and without moderate–severe brain injury) scanned at term equivalent postmenstrual age compared with data from 50 term-born control infants studied within the first week of life. Using 214 regions of interest, binary support vector machines distinguished term from preterm infants with 84% accuracy (p < 0.0001). Inter- and intra-hemispheric connections throughout the brain were important for group categorization, indicating that widespread changes in the brain's functional network architecture associated with preterm birth are detectable by term equivalent age. Support vector regression enabled quantitative estimation of birth gestational age in single subjects using only term equivalent resting state-functional MRI data, indicating that the present approach is sensitive to the degree of disruption of brain development associated with preterm birth (using gestational age as a surrogate for the extent of disruption). This suggests that support vector regression may provide a means for predicting neurodevelopmental outcome in individual infants. PMID:27179605

Alexandrium minutum resting cyst distribution dynamics in a confined site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anglès, Sílvia; Jordi, Antoni; Garcés, Esther; Basterretxea, Gotzon; Palanques, Albert

2010-02-01

The life cycle of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum consists of an asexual stage, characterized by motile vegetative cells, and a sexual stage, a resting cyst that once formed remains dormant in the sediment. Insight into the factors that determine the distribution and abundance of resting cysts is essential to understanding the dynamics of the vegetative phase. In investigations carried out between January 2005 and January 2008 in Arenys de Mar harbor (northwestern Mediterranean Sea), the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of A. minutum resting cysts and of the sediments were studied during different bloom stages of the vegetative population. Maximum cyst abundance was recorded mainly in the innermost part of the harbor while the lowest abundance always occurred near the harbor entrance, consistent with the distribution of silt-clay sediment fractions. The tendency of cysts in sediments to increase after bloom periods was clearly associated with new cyst formation, while cyst abundance decreased during non-bloom periods. Exceptions to this trend were observed in stations dominated by the deposition of coarse sediments. High correlation between the presence of cysts and clays during non-bloom periods indicates that cysts behave as passive sediment particles and are influenced by the same hydrodynamic processes as clays. In Arenys de Mar, the main physical forcing affecting sediment resuspension is the seiche, which was studied using in situ measurements and numerical models to interpret the observed distribution patterns. During non-bloom periods, cyst losses were smaller when the seiche was more active and at the station where the seiche-induced current was larger. Thus, seiche-forced resuspension appears to reduce cyst losses by reallocating cysts back to the sediment surface such that their burial in the sediment is avoided. The observed vertical profiles of the cysts were consistent with this process.

Spatial Patterns of Plasmodium falciparum Clinical Incidence, Asymptomatic Parasite Carriage and Anopheles Density in Two Villages in Mali

PubMed Central

Sissoko, Mahamadou S.; van den Hoogen, Lotus L.; Samake, Yacouba; Tapily, Amadou; Diarra, Adama Z.; Coulibaly, Maimouna; Bouare, Madama; Gaudart, Jean; Knight, Philip; Sauerwein, Robert W.; Takken, Willem; Bousema, Teun; Doumbo, Ogobara K.

2015-01-01

Heterogeneity in malaria exposure is most readily recognized in areas with low-transmission patterns. By comparison, little research has been done on spatial patterns in malaria exposure in high-endemic settings. We determined the spatial clustering of clinical malaria incidence, asymptomatic parasite carriage, and Anopheles density in two villages in Mali exposed to low- and mesoendemic-malaria transmission. In the two study areas that were < 1 km2 in size, we observed evidence for spatial clustering of Anopheles densities or malaria parasite carriage during the dry season. Anopheles density and malaria prevalence appeared associated in some of our detected hotspots. However, many households with high parasite prevalence or high Anopheles densities were located outside the identified hotspots. Our findings indicate that within small villages exposed to low- or mesoendemic-malaria transmission, spatial patterns in mosquito densities and parasite carriage are best detected in the dry season. Considering the high prevalence of parasite carriage outside detected hotspots, the suitability of the area for targeting control efforts to households or areas of more intense malaria transmission may be limited. PMID:26324728

Spitzer Mid-to-Far-Infrared Flux Densities of Distant Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papovich, Casey J.; Rudnick, G.; Le Floc'h, E.; van Dokkum, P. G.; Rieke, G. H.; Taylor, E. N.; Armus, L.; Gawiser, E.; Marcillac, D.; Huang, J.; Franx, M.

2007-05-01

We study the 24, 70, and 160 μm properties of high-redshift galaxies. Our primary interest is to improve the constraints on the total infrared (IR) luminosities, L(IR), of these galaxies. We combine Spitzer data in the southern Extended Chandra Deep Field with a Ks-band-selected galaxy sample with photometric redshifts from the Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile. We used a stacking analysis to measure the average 70 and 160 μm flux densities of 1.5 < zph < 2.5 galaxies as a function of 24 μm flux density, X-ray activity, and rest-frame near-IR color. Galaxies with 1.5 < zph < 2.5 and S(24) = 54-250 μJy have L(IR) derived from their average 24-160 μm flux densities within factors of 2-3 of those derived from the 24 μm flux densities only. However, L(IR) derived from the average 24-160 μm flux densities for galaxies with S(24) > 250 μJy and 1.5 < zph < 2.5 are lower than those derived using only the 24 μm flux density by factors of 2-6. Galaxies with S(24) > 250 μJy have S(70)/S(24) flux ratios comparable to sources with X-ray detections or red rest-frame IR colors, suggesting that warm dust possibly heated by AGN produces high 24 μm emission. Based on the average 24-160 μm flux densities, 24 μm-selected galaxies at 1.5 < zph < 2.5 have an upper envelope of L(IR) < 6 × 1012 L⊙, which if attributed to star formation corresponds to < 1000 M⊙ yr-1. This envelope is similar to the maximal star formation rate observed in low redshift galaxies, suggesting that high redshift galaxies have star formation efficiencies and feedback processes comparable to lower redshift analogs. Support for this work was provided by NASA through the Spitzer Space Telescope Fellowship Program, through a contract issued by JPL, Caltech under a contract with NASA.

Resting-State Neurophysiological Activity Patterns in Young People with ASD, ADHD, and ASD + ADHD.

PubMed

Shephard, Elizabeth; Tye, Charlotte; Ashwood, Karen L; Azadi, Bahar; Asherson, Philip; Bolton, Patrick F; McLoughlin, Grainne

2018-01-01

Altered power of resting-state neurophysiological activity has been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which commonly co-occur. We compared resting-state neurophysiological power in children with ASD, ADHD, co-occurring ASD + ADHD, and typically developing controls. Children with ASD (ASD/ASD + ADHD) showed reduced theta and alpha power compared to children without ASD (controls/ADHD). Children with ADHD (ADHD/ASD + ADHD) displayed decreased delta power compared to children without ADHD (ASD/controls). Children with ASD + ADHD largely presented as an additive co-occurrence with deficits of both disorders, although reduced theta compared to ADHD-only and reduced delta compared to controls suggested some unique markers. Identifying specific neurophysiological profiles in ASD and ADHD may assist in characterising more homogeneous subgroups to inform treatment approaches and aetiological investigations.

Resting State EEG-based biometrics for individual identification using convolutional neural networks.

PubMed

Lan Ma; Minett, James W; Blu, Thierry; Wang, William S-Y

2015-08-01

Biometrics is a growing field, which permits identification of individuals by means of unique physical features. Electroencephalography (EEG)-based biometrics utilizes the small intra-personal differences and large inter-personal differences between individuals' brainwave patterns. In the past, such methods have used features derived from manually-designed procedures for this purpose. Another possibility is to use convolutional neural networks (CNN) to automatically extract an individual's best and most unique neural features and conduct classification, using EEG data derived from both Resting State with Open Eyes (REO) and Resting State with Closed Eyes (REC). Results indicate that this CNN-based joint-optimized EEG-based Biometric System yields a high degree of accuracy of identification (88%) for 10-class classification. Furthermore, rich inter-personal difference can be found using a very low frequency band (0-2Hz). Additionally, results suggest that the temporal portions over which subjects can be individualized is less than 200 ms.

Effects of food availability and climate on activity patterns of western black-crested gibbons in an isolated forest fragment in southern Yunnan, China.

PubMed

Ni, Qingyong; Xie, Meng; Grueter, Cyril C; Jiang, Xuelong; Xu, Huailiang; Yao, Yongfang; Zhang, Mingwang; Li, Yan; Yang, Jiandong

2015-10-01

The critically endangered western black-crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) is distributed in isolated habitat fragments in northern Vietnam, northwestern Laos, and southwestern China. To assess the behavioral adaptation of this species to forest fragments and its response to seasonal variation in food availability and climate, we present activity patterns of a group inhabiting an isolated forest based on two year-long studies in southern Yunnan, China. Annually, the gibbons spent nearly half of their active time resting, followed by moving and feeding. In both study periods, the time allocated to activities varied significantly between months, and was affected by food availability and climate factors. The group delayed retirement when tree fruit was abundant, and they decreased time spent moving and playing during periods of low fruit availability. In the cold months, the gibbons decreased time spent moving, and they decreased active time and resting time when rainfall was high. The results suggest that the group may seek to maximize net energy intake like energy maximizers when high quality food is most available, and adopt an energy-conserving strategy during periods of lower food availability and temperature. The gibbons showed similar diurnal variation in activity patterns to a group inhabiting a continuous forest at Dazhaizi, Mt. Wuliang, central Yunnan. However, they had a longer active period, and devoted more time to resting but less time to feeding. The individuals also spent lower percentages of time engaged in social behavior than those at Dazhaizi. These differences may be due to their smaller home range and unusual group composition caused by habitat fragmentation.

Spatio-temporal patterns of bacteria caused by collective motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitsunezaki, So

2006-04-01

In incubation experiments on bacterial colonies of Proteus mirabilis, collective motion of bacteria is found to generate macroscopic turbulent patterns on the surface of agar media. We propose a mathematical model to describe the time evolution of the positional and directional distributions of motile bacteria in such systems, and investigate this model both numerically and analytically. It is shown that as the average density of bacteria increases, nonuniform swarming patterns emerge from a uniform stationary state. For a sufficient large density, we find that spiral patterns are caused by interactions between the local bacteria densities and the rotational mode of the collective motion. Unidirectional spiral patterns similar to those observed in experiments appear in the case in which the equilibrium directional distribution is asymmetric.

Identification of aquaporin-5 and lipid rafts in human resting saliva and their release into cevimeline-stimulated saliva.

PubMed

Pan, Yan; Iwata, Fusako; Wang, Di; Muraguchi, Masahiro; Ooga, Keiko; Ohmoto, Yasukazu; Takai, Masaaki; Cho, Gota; Kang, Jinsen; Shono, Masayuki; Li, Xue-jun; Okamura, Ko; Mori, Toyoki; Ishikawa, Yasuko

2009-01-01

It is unknown whether AQP5 and lipid rafts are released into human unstimulated (resting) saliva and saliva in response to secretagogues. In order to quantitate the salivary concentration of AQP5, we produced a polyclonal antibody for human AQP5 and developed an enzyme-like immunosorbent assay (ELISA). AQP5 and lipid rafts were identified in human resting saliva. The amount of AQP5 in resting saliva showed a diurnal variation with high levels during waking hours, and an age-related decrease in AQP5 was coincident with the volume of resting saliva. Cevimeline, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonist, induced the release of AQP5 with lipid rafts, amylase, mucin, and lysozyme. Changes in saliva AQP5 levels after cevimeline administration occurred simultaneously with changes in saliva flow rates. Confocal microscopy revealed that AQP5 was located in the apical plasma membrane and showed a diffuse pattern in parotid glands under resting conditions. Following cevimeline administration, AQP5 was predominantly associated with the APM and was localized in the lumen. AQP5 and lipid rafts were released with salivary proteins from human salivary glands by the stimulation of M3 mAChRs, and that changes in saliva AQP5 levels can be used as an indicator of salivary flow rate and also as a useful index of M3 mAChR agonist's action on human salivary glands.

Frequency-specific electrophysiologic correlates of resting state fMRI networks.

PubMed

Hacker, Carl D; Snyder, Abraham Z; Pahwa, Mrinal; Corbetta, Maurizio; Leuthardt, Eric C

2017-04-01

Resting state functional MRI (R-fMRI) studies have shown that slow (<0.1Hz), intrinsic fluctuations of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal are temporally correlated within hierarchically organized functional systems known as resting state networks (RSNs) (Doucet et al., 2011). Most broadly, this hierarchy exhibits a dichotomy between two opposed systems (Fox et al., 2005). One system engages with the environment and includes the visual, auditory, and sensorimotor (SMN) networks as well as the dorsal attention network (DAN), which controls spatial attention. The other system includes the default mode network (DMN) and the fronto-parietal control system (FPC), RSNs that instantiate episodic memory and executive control, respectively. Here, we test the hypothesis, based on the spectral specificity of electrophysiologic responses to perceptual vs. memory tasks (Klimesch, 1999; Pfurtscheller and Lopes da Silva, 1999), that these two large-scale neural systems also manifest frequency specificity in the resting state. We measured the spatial correspondence between electrocorticographic (ECoG) band-limited power (BLP) and R-fMRI correlation patterns in awake, resting, human subjects. Our results show that, while gamma BLP correspondence was common throughout the brain, theta (4-8Hz) BLP correspondence was stronger in the DMN and FPC, whereas alpha (8-12Hz) correspondence was stronger in the SMN and DAN. Thus, the human brain, at rest, exhibits frequency specific electrophysiology, respecting both the spectral structure of task responses and the hierarchical organization of RSNs. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Frequency-specific electrophysiologic correlates of resting state fMRI networks

PubMed Central

Hacker, Carl D.; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Pahwa, Mrinal; Corbetta, Maurizio; Leuthardt, Eric C.

2017-01-01

Resting state functional MRI (R-fMRI) studies have shown that slow (< 0.1 Hz), intrinsic fluctuations of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal are temporally correlated within hierarchically organized functional systems known as resting state networks (RSNs) (Doucet et al., 2011). Most broadly, this hierarchy exhibits a dichotomy between two opposed systems (Fox et al., 2005). One system engages with the environment and includes the visual, auditory, and sensorimotor (SMN) networks as well as the dorsal attention network (DAN), which controls spatial attention. The other system includes the default mode network (DMN) and the fronto-parietal control system (FPC), RSNs that instantiate episodic memory and executive control, respectively. Here, we test the hypothesis, based on the spectral specificity of electrophysiologic responses to perceptual vs. memory tasks (Klimesch, 1999; Pfurtscheller and Lopes da Silva, 1999), that these two large-scale neural systems also manifest frequency specificity in the resting state. We measured the spatial correspondence between electrocorticographic (ECoG) band-limited power (BLP) and R-fMRI correlation patterns in awake, resting, human subjects. Our results show that, while gamma BLP correspondence was common throughout the brain, theta (4–8 Hz) BLP correspondence was stronger in the DMN and FPC, whereas alpha (8–12 Hz) correspondence was stronger in the SMN and DAN. Thus, the human brain, at rest, exhibits frequency specific electrophysiology, respecting both the spectral structure of task responses and the hierarchical organization of RSNs. PMID:28159686

Identification of a unique library of complex, but ordered, arrays of repetitive elements in the human genome and implication of their potential involvement in pathobiology.

PubMed

Lee, Kang-Hoon; Lee, Young-Kwan; Kwon, Deug-Nam; Chiu, Sophia; Chew, Victoria; Rah, Hyungchul; Kujawski, Gregory; Melhem, Ramzi; Hsu, Karen; Chung, Cecilia; Greenhalgh, David G; Cho, Kiho

2011-06-01

Approximately 2% of the human genome is reported to be occupied by genes. Various forms of repetitive elements (REs), both characterized and uncharacterized, are presumed to make up the vast majority of the rest of the genomes of human and other species. In conjunction with a comprehensive annotation of genes, information regarding components of genome biology, such as gene polymorphisms, non-coding RNAs, and certain REs, is found in human genome databases. However, the genome-wide profile of unique RE arrangements formed by different groups of REs has not been fully characterized yet. In this study, the entire human genome was subjected to an unbiased RE survey to establish a whole-genome profile of REs and their arrangements. Due to the limitation in query size within the bl2seq alignment program (National Center for Biotechnology Information [NCBI]) utilized for the RE survey, the entire NCBI reference human genome was fragmented into 6206 units of 0.5M nucleotides. A number of RE arrangements with varying complexities and patterns were identified throughout the genome. Each chromosome had unique profiles of RE arrangements and density, and high levels of RE density were measured near the centromere regions. Subsequently, 175 complex RE arrangements, which were selected throughout the genome, were subjected to a comparison analysis using five different human genome sequences. Interestingly, three of the five human genome databases shared the exactly same arrangement patterns and sequences for all 175 RE arrangement regions (a total of 12,765,625 nucleotides). The findings from this study demonstrate that a substantial fraction of REs in the human genome are clustered into various forms of ordered structures. Further investigations are needed to examine whether some of these ordered RE arrangements contribute to the human pathobiology as a functional genome unit. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction phase-related expression of GnRH-like immunoreactivity in the olfactory receptor neurons, their projections to the olfactory bulb and in the nervus terminalis in the female Indian major carp Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.).

PubMed

Biju, K C; Singru, Praful S; Schreibman, Martin P; Subhedar, Nishikant

2003-10-01

The reproductive biology of the Indian major carp Cirrhinus mrigala is tightly synchronized with the seasonal changes in the environment. While the ovaries show growth from February through June, the fish spawn in July-August to coincide with the monsoon; thereafter the fish pass into the postspawning and resting phases. We investigated the pattern of GnRH immunoreactivity in the olfactory system at regular intervals extending over a period of 35 months. Although no signal was detected in the olfactory organ of fish collected from April through February following year, distinct GnRH-like immunoreactivity appeared in the fish collected in March. Intense immunoreactivity was noticed in several olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and their axonal fibers as they extend over the olfactory nerve, spread in the periphery of the olfactory bulb (OB), and terminate in the glomerular layer. Strong immunoreactivity was seen in some fascicles of the medial olfactory tracts extending from the OB to the telencephalon. Some neurons of the ganglion cells of nervus terminalis showed GnRH immunostaining during March; no immunoreactivity was detected at other times of the year. Plexus of GnRH immunoreactive fibers extending throughout the bulb represented a different component of the olfactory system; the fiber density showed a seasonal pattern that could be related to the status of gonadal maturity. While it was highest in the prespawning phase, significant reduction in the fiber density was noticed in the fish of spawning and the following regressive phases. Taken together the data suggest that the GnRH in the olfactory system of C. mrigala may play a major role in translation of the environmental cues and influence the downstream signals leading to the stimulation of the brain-pituitary-ovary axis.

A human brain atlas derived via n-cut parcellation of resting-state and task-based fMRI data

PubMed Central

James, G. Andrew; Hazaroglu, Onder; Bush, Keith A.

2015-01-01

The growth of functional MRI has led to development of human brain atlases derived by parcellating resting-state connectivity patterns into functionally independent regions of interest (ROIs). All functional atlases to date have been derived from resting-state fMRI data. But given that functional connectivity between regions varies with task, we hypothesized that an atlas incorporating both resting-state and task-based fMRI data would produce an atlas with finer characterization of task-relevant regions than an atlas derived from resting-state alone. To test this hypothesis, we derived parcellation atlases from twenty-nine healthy adult participants enrolled in the Cognitive Connectome project, an initiative to improve functional MRI’s translation into clinical decision-making by mapping normative variance in brain-behavior relationships. Participants underwent resting-state and task-based fMRI spanning nine cognitive domains: motor, visuospatial, attention, language, memory, affective processing, decision-making, working memory, and executive function. Spatially constrained n-cut parcellation derived brain atlases using (1) all participants’ functional data (Task) or (2) a single resting-state scan (Rest). An atlas was also derived from random parcellation for comparison purposes (Random). Two methods were compared: (1) a parcellation applied to the group’s mean edge weights (mean), and (2) a two-stage approach with parcellation of individual edge weights followed by parcellation of mean binarized edges (two-stage). The resulting Task and Rest atlases had significantly greater similarity with each other (mean Jaccard indices JI= 0.72–0.85) than with the Random atlases (JI=0.59–0.63; all p<0.001 after Bonferroni correction). Task and Rest atlas similarity was greatest for the two-stage method (JI=0.85), which has been shown as more robust than the mean method; these atlases also better reproduced voxelwise seed maps of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during rest and performing the n-back working memory task (r=0.75–0.80) than the Random atlases (r=0.64–0.72), further validating their utility. We expected regions governing higher-order cognition (such as frontal and anterior temporal lobes) to show greatest difference between Task and Rest atlases; contrary to expectations, these areas had greatest similarity between atlases. Our findings indicate that atlases derived from parcellation of task-based and resting-state fMRI data are highly comparable, and existing resting-state atlases are suitable for task-based analyses. We introduce an anatomically labeled fMRI-derived whole-brain human atlas for future Cognitive Connectome analyses. PMID:26523655

A human brain atlas derived via n-cut parcellation of resting-state and task-based fMRI data.

PubMed

James, George Andrew; Hazaroglu, Onder; Bush, Keith A

2016-02-01

The growth of functional MRI has led to development of human brain atlases derived by parcellating resting-state connectivity patterns into functionally independent regions of interest (ROIs). All functional atlases to date have been derived from resting-state fMRI data. But given that functional connectivity between regions varies with task, we hypothesized that an atlas incorporating both resting-state and task-based fMRI data would produce an atlas with finer characterization of task-relevant regions than an atlas derived from resting-state alone. To test this hypothesis, we derived parcellation atlases from twenty-nine healthy adult participants enrolled in the Cognitive Connectome project, an initiative to improve functional MRI's translation into clinical decision-making by mapping normative variance in brain-behavior relationships. Participants underwent resting-state and task-based fMRI spanning nine cognitive domains: motor, visuospatial, attention, language, memory, affective processing, decision-making, working memory, and executive function. Spatially constrained n-cut parcellation derived brain atlases using (1) all participants' functional data (Task) or (2) a single resting-state scan (Rest). An atlas was also derived from random parcellation for comparison purposes (Random). Two methods were compared: (1) a parcellation applied to the group's mean edge weights (mean), and (2) a two-stage approach with parcellation of individual edge weights followed by parcellation of mean binarized edges (two-stage). The resulting Task and Rest atlases had significantly greater similarity with each other (mean Jaccard indices JI=0.72-0.85) than with the Random atlases (JI=0.59-0.63; all p<0.001 after Bonferroni correction). Task and Rest atlas similarity was greatest for the two-stage method (JI=0.85), which has been shown as more robust than the mean method; these atlases also better reproduced voxelwise seed maps of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during rest and performing the n-back working memory task (r=0.75-0.80) than the Random atlases (r=0.64-0.72), further validating their utility. We expected regions governing higher-order cognition (such as frontal and anterior temporal lobes) to show greatest difference between Task and Rest atlases; contrary to expectations, these areas had greatest similarity between atlases. Our findings indicate that atlases derived from parcellation of task-based and resting-state fMRI data are highly comparable, and existing resting-state atlases are suitable for task-based analyses. We introduce an anatomically labeled fMRI-derived whole-brain human atlas for future Cognitive Connectome analyses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

When the same hydraulics conditions lead to different depositional patterns: case of an idealised delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peltier, Yann; Erpicum, Sébastien; Archambeau, Pierre; Pirotton, Michel; Dewals, Benjamin

2016-04-01

Deltas are complex hydrosystems and ecosystems resulting from the interactions of a river system with a water body almost at rest. Anthropogenic factors (hydropower, flood management, development in the floodplains) lead to dramatic changes in sediment transport in the rivers and in sediment management practice. From continuous, the sediment transport becomes increasingly intermittent, with long periods of deficit in the sediment supply and short periods characterized by large supplies. Understanding how these intermittencies in the sediment supply affect the delta morphodynamics is of paramount importance for predicting the possible evolution and functioning of deltas. Deltas can reasonably be idealised as a reservoir, with an inlet channel representing the river and the sudden enlargement of the reservoir representing the water body at rest. Using such an ideal configuration enables the assessment of the influence of individual geometric and hydraulic parameters on the depositional patterns responsible for the morphodynamic evolution of the delta. Recent literature has shown that for very similar hydraulic boundary conditions, two very different types of flow fields may develop ("straight jet" vs. "meandering jet"), leading to totally different depositional patterns. In turn, these distinct depositional patterns affect the flow itself through a two-way coupling between the hydrodynamics and the morphodynamics of the deposits. These complex processes will be discussed in the proposed presentation, based on the results of over 160 experimental tests and corresponding numerical simulations.

Sex differences in autism: a resting-state fMRI investigation of functional brain connectivity in males and females.

PubMed

Alaerts, Kaat; Swinnen, Stephan P; Wenderoth, Nicole

2016-06-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are far more prevalent in males than in females. Little is known however about the differential neural expression of ASD in males and females. We used a resting-state fMRI-dataset comprising 42 males/42 females with ASD and 75 male/75 female typical-controls to examine whether autism-related alterations in intrinsic functional connectivity are similar or different in males and females, and particularly whether alterations reflect 'neural masculinization', as predicted by the Extreme Male Brain theory. Males and females showed a differential neural expression of ASD, characterized by highly consistent patterns of hypo-connectivity in males with ASD (compared to typical males), and hyper-connectivity in females with ASD (compared to typical females). Interestingly, patterns of hyper-connectivity in females with ASD reflected a shift towards the (high) connectivity levels seen in typical males (neural masculinization), whereas patterns of hypo-connectivity observed in males with ASD reflected a shift towards the (low) typical feminine connectivity patterns (neural feminization). Our data support the notion that ASD is a disorder of sexual differentiation rather than a disorder characterized by masculinization in both genders. Future work is needed to identify underlying factors such as sex hormonal alterations that drive these sex-specific neural expressions of ASD. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects of beta blockers in a canine model of chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy: comparison between carvedilol and metoprolol

PubMed Central

Le, D. Elizabeth; Pascotto, Marco; Leong-Poi, Howard; Sari, Ibrahim; Micari, Antonio; Kaul, Sanjiv

2013-01-01

There is controversy regarding the superiority of carvedilol (C) over metoprolol (M) in congestive heart failure. We hypothesized that C is superior to M in chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy because of its better anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects. In order to test our hypothesis we used a chronic canine model of multivessel ischemic cardiomyopathy where myocardial microcatheters were placed from which interstitial fluid was collected over time to measure leukocyte count and cytokine levels. After development of left ventricular dysfunction, the animals were randomized into four groups: sham (n = 7), placebo (n = 8), M (n = 11), and C (n = 10), and followed for 3 months after treatment initiation. Tissue was examined for immunohistochemistry, oxidative stress, and capillary density. At 3 months both rest and stress wall thickening were better in C compared to the other groups. At the end of 3 months of treatment endsystolic wall stress also decreased the most in C. Similarly resting myocardial blood flow (MBF) improved the most in C as did the stress endocardial/epicardial MBF. Myocardial interstitial fluid showed greater attenuation of leukocytosis with C compared to M, which was associated with less fibrosis and oxidative stress. C also had higher IL-10 level and capillary density. In conclusion, in a chronic canine model of multivessel ischemic cardiomyopathy we found 3 months of C treatment resulted in better resting global and regional function as well as better regional function at stress compared to M. These changes were associated with higher myocardial levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and less myocardial oxidative stress, leukocytosis, and fibrosis. Capillary density and MBF were almost normalized. Thus in the doses used in this study, C appears to be superior to M in a chronic canine model of ischemic cardiomyopathy from beneficial effects on inflammation and angiogenesis. Further studies are required for comparing additional doses of these drugs. PMID:24072434

Gender differences in association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and resting-state EEG activity.

PubMed

Volf, N V; Belousova, L V; Knyazev, G G; Kulikov, A V

2015-01-22

Human brain oscillations represent important features of information processing and are highly heritable. Gender has been observed to affect association between the 5-HTTLPR (serotonin-transporter-linked polymorphic region) polymorphism and various endophenotypes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 5-HTTLPR on the spontaneous electroencephalography (EEG) activity in healthy male and female subjects. DNA samples extracted from buccal swabs and resting EEG recorded at 60 standard leads were collected from 210 (101 men and 109 women) volunteers. Spectral EEG power estimates and cortical sources of EEG activity were investigated. It was shown that effects of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism on electrical activity of the brain vary as a function of gender. Women with the S/L genotype had greater global EEG power compared to men with the same genotype. In men, current source density was markedly different among genotype groups in only alpha 2 and alpha 3 frequency ranges: S/S allele carriers had higher current source density estimates in the left inferior parietal lobule in comparison with the L/L group. In women, genotype difference in global power asymmetry was found in the central-temporal region. Contrasting L/L and S/L genotype carriers also yielded significant effects in the right hemisphere inferior parietal lobule and the right postcentral gyrus with L/L genotype carriers showing lower current source density estimates than S/L genotype carriers in all but gamma bands. So, in women, the effects of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism were associated with modulation of the EEG activity in a wide range of EEG frequencies. The significance of the results lies in the demonstration of gene by sex interaction with resting EEG that has implications for understanding sex-related differences in affective states, emotion and cognition. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retrospective Study of Serum Sclerostin Measurements in Bed Rest Subjects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spatz, J. M.; Fields, E. E.; Yu, E. W.; Divieti, Pajevic P.; Bouxsein, M. L.; Sibonga, M. L.; Zwart, S. R.; Smith, S. M.

2011-01-01

Animal models and human studies suggest that osteocytes regulate the skeleton s response to mechanical unloading at the cellular level in part by an increase in sclerostin, an inhibitor of the anabolic Wnt pathway. However, few studies have reported changes in serum sclerostin in humans exposed to reduced mechanical loading. Thus, we determined changes in serum sclerostin and bone turnover markers in healthy adult men who participated in a controlled bed rest study. Seven healthy adult men (31 +/- 3 yrs old) underwent 90-day six-degree head down tilt bed rest at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston's Institute for Translational Sciences - Clinical Research Center (ITS-CRC). Serum sclerostin, PTH, serum markers of bone turnover (bone specific alkaline phosphatase, RANKL/OPG, and osteocalcin), urinary calcium and phosphorus excretion, and 24 hour pooled urinary markers of bone resorption (NTX, DPD, PYD) were evaluated pre-bed rest (BL), bed rest day 28 (BR-28), bed rest day 60 (BR-60), and bed rest day 90 (BR-90). In addition, bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at BL, BR-60, and post bed rest day 5 (BR+5). Data are reported as mean +/- standard deviation. We used repeated measures ANOVA to compare baseline values to BR-28, BR-60, and BR-90. RESULTS Consistent with prior reports, BMD declined significantly (1-2% per month) at weight-bearing skeletal sites (spine, hip, femur neck, and calcaneus). Serum sclerostin levels were elevated above BL at BR-28 (+29% +/- 20%, p = 0.003), BR-60 (+42% +/- 31%, p < 0.001), and BR-90 (22% +/- 21%, p = 0.07). Serum PTH levels were reduced at BR-28 (-17% +/- 16%, p = 0.02), BR-60 (-24% +/- 14%, p = 0.03), and returned to baseline at BR-90 (-21% +/- 21%, p = 0.14). Serum bone turnover markers did not change, however urinary bone resorption markers and calcium were significantly elevated following bed rest (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION We observed an increase of serum sclerostin associated with decreased serum PTH and elevated bone resorption markers in otherwise healthy men subjected to long-term immobilization.

Relativistic polytropic spheres with electric charge: Compact stars, compactness and mass bounds, and quasiblack hole configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbañil, José D. V.; Zanchin, Vilson T.

2018-05-01

We study the static equilibrium configurations of uncharged and charged spheres composed by a relativistic polytropic fluid, and we compare with those of spheres composed by a nonrelativistic polytropic fluid, the later case being already studied in a previous work [J. D. Arbañil, P. S. Lemos, and V. T. Zanchin, Phys. Rev. D 88, 084023 (2013), 10.1103/PhysRevD.88.084023]. An equation of state connecting the pressure p and the energy density ρ is assumed. In the nonrelativistic fluid case, the connection is through a nonrelativistic polytropic equation of state, p =ω ργ , with ω and γ being respectively the polytropic constant and the polytropic exponent. In the relativistic fluid case, the connection is through a relativistic polytropic equation of state, p =ω δγ, with δ =ρ -p /(γ -1 ), and δ being the rest-mass density of the fluid. For the electric charge distribution, we assume that the charge density ρe is proportional to the energy density ρ , ρe=α ρ , with α being a constant such that 0 ≤|α |≤1 . The study is developed by integrating numerically the hydrostatic equilibrium equation. Some properties of the charged spheres such as the gravitational mass, the total electric charge, the radius, the surface redshift, and the speed of sound are analyzed by varying the central rest-mass density, the charge fraction, and the polytropic exponent. In addition, some limits that arise in general relativity, such as the Chandrasekhar limit, the Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit, the Buchdahl bound, and the Buchdahl-Andréasson bound are studied. It is confirmed that charged relativistic polytropic spheres with γ →∞ and α →1 saturate the Buchdahl-Andréasson bound, thus indicating that it reaches the quasiblack hole configuration. We show by means of numerical analysis that, as expected, the major differences between the two cases appear in the high energy density region.

Convenience-based food purchase patterns: identification and associations with dietary quality, sociodemographic factors and attitudes.

PubMed

Peltner, Jonas; Thiele, Silke

2018-02-01

The present study aimed to derive food purchase patterns considering the convenience level of foods. Associations between identified patterns and dietary quality were analysed, as well as household characteristics associated with the dietary patterns. A Convenience Food Classification Scheme (CFCS) was developed. After classifying basic food groups into the CFCS, the formed groups were used to apply a factor analysis to identify convenience-based food purchase patterns. For these patterns nutrient and energy densities were examined. Using regression analysis, associations between the adherence to the patterns and household characteristic and attitude variables were analysed. The study used representative German food purchase data from 2011. Approximately 12 million purchases of 13 131 households were recorded in these data. Three convenience-based patterns were identified: a low-convenience, a semi-convenience and a ready-to-eat food pattern. Tighter adherence to the semi-convenience pattern was shown to result in the lowest nutrient and highest energy densities. Important factors influencing adherence to the patterns were household size, presence of children and attitudes. Working full-time was negatively associated with adherence to the low-convenience pattern and positively with the ready-to-eat pattern. Convenience foods were an important part of households' food baskets which in some cases led to lower nutritional quality. Therefore, it is important to offer convenience foods higher in nutrient density and lower in energy density. Interventions targeted on enhancing cooking skills could be an effective strategy to increase purchases of unprocessed foods, which, in turn, could also contribute to an improved diet quality.

Spontaneous attentional fluctuations in impaired states and pathological conditions: a neurobiological hypothesis.

PubMed

Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S; Castellanos, F Xavier

2007-01-01

In traditional accounts, fluctuations in sustained and focused attention and associated attentional lapses during task performance are regarded as the result of failures of top-down and effortful higher order processes. The current paper reviews an alternative hypothesis: that spontaneous patterns of very low frequency (<0.1 Hz) coherence within a specific brain network ('default-mode network') thought to support a pattern of generalized task-non-specific cognition during rest, can persist or intrude into periods of active task-specific processing, producing periodic fluctuations in attention that compete with goal-directed activity. We review recent studies supporting the existence of the resting state default network, examine the mechanism underpinning it, describe the consequent temporally distinctive effects on cognition and behaviour of default-mode interference into active processing periods, and suggest some factors that might predispose to it. Finally, we explore the putative role of default-mode interference as a cause of performance variability in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Regional material flow accounting and environmental pressures: the Spanish case.

PubMed

Sastre, Sergio; Carpintero, Óscar; Lomas, Pedro L

2015-02-17

This paper explores potential contributions of regional material flow accounting to the characterization of environmental pressures. With this aim, patterns of material extraction, trade, consumption, and productivity for the Spanish regions were studied within the 1996-2010 period. The main methodological variation as compared to whole-country based approaches is the inclusion of interregional trade, which can be separately assessed from the international exchanges. Each region was additionally profiled regarding its commercial exchanges with the rest of the regions and the rest of the world and the related environmental pressures. Given its magnitude, interregional trade is a significant source of environmental pressure. Most of the exchanges occur across regions and different extractive and trading patterns also arise at this scale. These differences are particularly great for construction minerals, which in Spain represent the largest share of extracted and consumed materials but do not cover long distances, so their impact is visible mainly at the regional level. During the housing bubble, economic growth did not improve material productivity.

Urethral pressure response patterns induced by squeeze in continent and incontinent women.

PubMed

Teleman, Pia M; Mattiasson, Anders

2007-09-01

Our aim was to compare the urethral pressure response pattern to pelvic floor muscle contractions in 20-27 years old, nulliparous continent women (n = 31) to that of continent (n = 28) and formerly untreated incontinent (n = 59) (53-63 years old) women. These women underwent urethral pressure measurements during rest and repeated pelvic muscle contractions. The response to the contractions was graded 0-4. The young continent women showed a mean urethral pressure response of 2.8, the middle-aged continent women 2.2 (NS vs young continent), and the incontinent women 1.5 (p < 0.05 vs middle-aged continent, p < 0.001 vs young continent). Urethral pressures during rest were significantly higher in the younger women than in both groups of middle-aged women. The decreased ability to increase urethral pressure on demand seen in middle-aged incontinent women compared to continent women of the same age as well as young women seems to be a consequence of a neuromuscular disorder rather than of age.

Using Moran's I and GIS to study the spatial pattern of forest litter carbon density in a subtropical region of southeastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, W. J.; Jiang, P. K.; Zhou, G. M.; Zhao, K. L.

2014-04-01

Spatial pattern information of carbon density in forest ecosystem including forest litter carbon (FLC) plays an important role in evaluating carbon sequestration potentials. The spatial variation of FLC density in the typical subtropical forests in southeastern China was investigated using Moran's I, geostatistics and a geographical information system (GIS). A total of 839 forest litter samples were collected based on a 12 km (south-north) × 6 km (east-west) grid system in Zhejiang province. Forest litter carbon density values were very variable, ranging from 10.2 kg ha-1 to 8841.3 kg ha-1, with an average of 1786.7 kg ha-1. The aboveground biomass had the strongest positive correlation with FLC density, followed by forest age and elevation. Global Moran's I revealed that FLC density had significant positive spatial autocorrelation. Clear spatial patterns were observed using local Moran's I. A spherical model was chosen to fit the experimental semivariogram. The moderate "nugget-to-sill" (0.536) value revealed that both natural and anthropogenic factors played a key role in spatial heterogeneity of FLC density. High FLC density values were mainly distributed in northwestern and western part of Zhejiang province, which were related to adopting long-term policy of forest conservation in these areas, while Hang-Jia-Hu (HJH) Plain, Jin-Qu (JQ) Basin and coastal areas had low FLC density due to low forest coverage and intensive management of economic forests. These spatial patterns were in line with the spatial-cluster map described by local Moran's I. Therefore, Moran's I, combined with geostatistics and GIS, could be used to study spatial patterns of environmental variables related to forest ecosystem.

Retinotopic patterns of functional connectivity between V1 and large-scale brain networks during resting fixation

PubMed Central

Griffis, Joseph C.; Elkhetali, Abdurahman S.; Burge, Wesley K.; Chen, Richard H.; Bowman, Anthony D.; Szaflarski, Jerzy P.; Visscher, Kristina M.

2016-01-01

Psychophysical and neurobiological evidence suggests that central and peripheral vision are specialized for different functions. This specialization of function might be expected to lead to differences in the large-scale functional interactions of early cortical areas that represent central and peripheral visual space. Here, we characterize differences in whole-brain functional connectivity among sectors in primary visual cortex (V1) corresponding to central, near-peripheral, and far-peripheral vision during resting fixation. Importantly, our analyses reveal that eccentricity sectors in V1 have different functional connectivity with non-visual areas associated with large-scale brain networks. Regions associated with the fronto-parietal control network are most strongly connected with central sectors of V1, regions associated with the cingulo-opercular control network are most strongly connected with near-peripheral sectors of V1, and regions associated with the default mode and auditory networks are most strongly connected with far-peripheral sectors of V1. Additional analyses suggest that similar patterns are present during eyes-closed rest. These results suggest that different types of visual information may be prioritized by large-scale brain networks with distinct functional profiles, and provide insights into how the small-scale functional specialization within early visual regions such as V1 relates to the large-scale organization of functionally distinct whole-brain networks. PMID:27554527

Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task

PubMed Central

Garrison, Kathleen A.; Zeffiro, Thomas A.; Scheinost, Dustin; Constable, R. Todd; Brewer, Judson A.

2015-01-01

Meditation has been associated with relatively reduced activity in the default mode network, a brain network implicated in self-related thinking and mind wandering. However, previous imaging studies have typically compared meditation to rest despite other studies reporting differences in brain activation patterns between meditators and controls at rest. Moreover, rest is associated with a range of brain activation patterns across individuals that has only recently begun to be better characterized. Therefore, this study compared meditation to another active cognitive task, both to replicate findings that meditation is associated with relatively reduced default mode network activity, and to extend these findings by testing whether default mode activity was reduced during meditation beyond the typical reductions observed during effortful tasks. In addition, prior studies have used small groups, whereas the current study tested these hypotheses in a larger group. Results indicate that meditation is associated with reduced activations in the default mode network relative to an active task in meditators compared to controls. Regions of the default mode showing a group by task interaction include the posterior cingulate/precuneus and anterior cingulate cortex. These findings replicate and extend prior work indicating that suppression of default mode processing may represent a central neural process in long-term meditation, and suggest that meditation leads to relatively reduced default mode processing beyond that observed during another active cognitive task. PMID:25904238

Synergetic and Redundant Information Flow Detected by Unnormalized Granger Causality: Application to Resting State fMRI.

PubMed

Stramaglia, Sebastiano; Angelini, Leonardo; Wu, Guorong; Cortes, Jesus M; Faes, Luca; Marinazzo, Daniele

2016-12-01

We develop a framework for the analysis of synergy and redundancy in the pattern of information flow between subsystems of a complex network. The presence of redundancy and/or synergy in multivariate time series data renders difficulty to estimate the neat flow of information from each driver variable to a given target. We show that adopting an unnormalized definition of Granger causality, one may put in evidence redundant multiplets of variables influencing the target by maximizing the total Granger causality to a given target, over all the possible partitions of the set of driving variables. Consequently, we introduce a pairwise index of synergy which is zero when two independent sources additively influence the future state of the system, differently from previous definitions of synergy. We report the application of the proposed approach to resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from the Human Connectome Project showing that redundant pairs of regions arise mainly due to space contiguity and interhemispheric symmetry, while synergy occurs mainly between nonhomologous pairs of regions in opposite hemispheres. Redundancy and synergy, in healthy resting brains, display characteristic patterns, revealed by the proposed approach. The pairwise synergy index, here introduced, maps the informational character of the system at hand into a weighted complex network: the same approach can be applied to other complex systems whose normal state corresponds to a balance between redundant and synergetic circuits.

Intra-operative characterisation of subthalamic oscillations in Parkinson’s disease

PubMed Central

Geng, Xinyi; Xu, Xin; Horn, Andreas; Li, Ningfei; Ling, Zhipei; Brown, Peter; Wang, Shouyan

2018-01-01

Objective This study aims to use the activities recorded directly from the deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrode to address the focality and distinct nature of the local field potential (LFP) activities of different frequency. Methods Pre-operative and intra-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were acquired from patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who underwent DBS in the subthalamic nucleus and intra-operative LFP recording at rest and during cued movements. Images were reconstructed and 3-D visualized using Lead-DBS® toolbox to determine the coordinates of contact. The resting spectral power and movement-related power modulation of LFP oscillations were estimated. Results Both subthalamic LFP activity recorded at rest and its modulation by movement had focal maxima in the alpha, beta and gamma bands. The spatial distribution of alpha band activity and its modulation was significantly different to that in the beta band. Moreover, there were significant differences in the scale and timing of movement related modulation across the frequency bands. Conclusion Subthalamic LFP activities within specific frequency bands can be distinguished by spatial topography and pattern of movement related modulation. Significance Assessment of the frequency, focality and pattern of movement related modulation of subthalamic LFPs reveals a heterogeneity of neural population activity in this region. This could potentially be leveraged to finesse intra-operative targeting and post-operative contact selection. PMID:29567582

Dynamic brain glucose metabolism identifies anti-correlated cortical-cerebellar networks at rest.

PubMed

Tomasi, Dardo G; Shokri-Kojori, Ehsan; Wiers, Corinde E; Kim, Sunny W; Demiral, Şukru B; Cabrera, Elizabeth A; Lindgren, Elsa; Miller, Gregg; Wang, Gene-Jack; Volkow, Nora D

2017-12-01

It remains unclear whether resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI) networks are associated with underlying synchrony in energy demand, as measured by dynamic 2-deoxy-2-[ 18 F]fluoroglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). We measured absolute glucose metabolism, temporal metabolic connectivity (t-MC) and rfMRI patterns in 53 healthy participants at rest. Twenty-two rfMRI networks emerged from group independent component analysis (gICA). In contrast, only two anti-correlated t-MC emerged from FDG-PET time series using gICA or seed-voxel correlations; one included frontal, parietal and temporal cortices, the other included the cerebellum and medial temporal regions. Whereas cerebellum, thalamus, globus pallidus and calcarine cortex arose as the strongest t-MC hubs, the precuneus and visual cortex arose as the strongest rfMRI hubs. The strength of the t-MC linearly increased with the metabolic rate of glucose suggesting that t-MC measures are strongly associated with the energy demand of the brain tissue, and could reflect regional differences in glucose metabolism, counterbalanced metabolic network demand, and/or differential time-varying delivery of FDG. The mismatch between metabolic and functional connectivity patterns computed as a function of time could reflect differences in the temporal characteristics of glucose metabolism as measured with PET-FDG and brain activation as measured with rfMRI.

Functional connectivity pattern during rest within the episodic memory network in association with episodic memory performance in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Oertel-Knöchel, Viola; Reinke, Britta; Matura, Silke; Prvulovic, David; Linden, David E J; van de Ven, Vincent

2015-02-28

In this study, we sought to examine the intrinsic functional organization of the episodic memory network during rest in bipolar disorder (BD). The previous work suggests that deficits in intrinsic functional connectivity may account for impaired memory performance. We hypothesized that regions involved in episodic memory processing would reveal aberrant functional connectivity in patients with bipolar disorder. We examined 21 patients with BD and 21 healthy matched controls who underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a resting condition. We did a seed-based functional connectivity analysis (SBA), using the regions of the episodic memory network that showed a significantly different activation pattern during task-related fMRI as seeds. The functional connectivity scores (FC) were further correlated with episodic memory task performance. Our results revealed decreased FC scores within frontal areas and between frontal and temporal/hippocampal/limbic regions in BD patients in comparison with controls. We observed higher FC in BD patients compared with controls between frontal and limbic regions. The decrease in fronto-frontal functional connectivity in BD patients showed a significant positive association with episodic memory performance. The association between task-independent dysfunctional frontal-limbic FC and episodic memory performance may be relevant for current pathophysiological models of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recovery of directed intracortical connectivity from fMRI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilson, Matthieu; Ritter, Petra; Deco, Gustavo

2016-06-01

The brain exhibits complex spatio-temporal patterns of activity. In particular, its baseline activity at rest has a specific structure: imaging techniques (e.g., fMRI, EEG and MEG) show that cortical areas experience correlated fluctuations, which is referred to as functional connectivity (FC). The present study relies on our recently developed model in which intracortical white-matter connections shape noise-driven fluctuations to reproduce FC observed in experimental data (here fMRI BOLD signal). Here noise has a functional role and represents the variability of neural activity. The model also incorporates anatomical information obtained using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which estimates the density of white-matter fibers (structural connectivity, SC). After optimization to match empirical FC, the model provides an estimation of the efficacies of these fibers, which we call effective connectivity (EC). EC differs from SC, as EC not only accounts for the density of neural fibers, but also the concentration of synapses formed at their end, the type of neurotransmitters associated and the excitability of target neural populations. In summary, the model combines anatomical SC and activity FC to evaluate what drives the neural dynamics, embodied in EC. EC can then be analyzed using graph theory to understand how it generates FC and to seek for functional communities among cortical areas (parcellation of 68 areas). We find that intracortical connections are not symmetric, which affects the dynamic range of cortical activity (i.e., variety of states it can exhibit).

Regional Patterns of Elevated Alpha and High-Frequency Electroencephalographic Activity during Nonrapid Eye Movement Sleep in Chronic Insomnia: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Riedner, Brady A; Goldstein, Michael R; Plante, David T; Rumble, Meredith E; Ferrarelli, Fabio; Tononi, Giulio; Benca, Ruth M

2016-04-01

To examine nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in insomnia using high-density electroencephalography (EEG). All-night sleep recordings with 256 channel high-density EEG were analyzed for 8 insomnia subjects (5 females) and 8 sex and age-matched controls without sleep complaints. Spectral analyses were conducted using unpaired t-tests and topographical differences between groups were assessed using statistical non-parametric mapping. Five minute segments of deep NREM sleep were further analyzed using sLORETA cortical source imaging. The initial topographic analysis of all-night NREM sleep EEG revealed that insomnia subjects had more high-frequency EEG activity (> 16 Hz) compared to good sleeping controls and that the difference between groups was widespread across the scalp. In addition, the analysis also showed that there was a more circumscribed difference in theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha (8-12 Hz) power bands between groups. When deep NREM sleep (N3) was examined separately, the high-frequency difference between groups diminished, whereas the higher regional alpha activity in insomnia subjects persisted. Source imaging analysis demonstrated that sensory and sensorimotor cortical areas consistently exhibited elevated levels of alpha activity during deep NREM sleep in insomnia subjects relative to good sleeping controls. These results suggest that even during the deepest stage of sleep, sensory and sensorimotor areas in insomnia subjects may still be relatively active compared to control subjects and to the rest of the sleeping brain. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Using stochastic gradient boosting to infer stopover habitat selection and distribution of Hooded Cranes Grus monacha during spring migration in Lindian, Northeast China.

PubMed

Cai, Tianlong; Huettmann, Falk; Guo, Yumin

2014-01-01

The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a globally vulnerable species, and habitat loss is the primary cause of its decline. To date, little is known regarding the specific habitat needs, and stopover habitat selection in particular, of the Hooded Crane. In this study we used stochastic gradient boosting (TreeNet) to develop three specific habitat selection models for roosting, daytime resting, and feeding site selection. In addition, we used a geographic information system (GIS) combined with TreeNet to develop a species distribution model. We also generated a digital map of the relative occurrence index (ROI) of this species at daytime resting sites in the study area. Our study indicated that the water depth, distance to village, coverage of deciduous leaves, open water area, and density of plants were the major predictors of roosting site selection. For daytime resting site selection, the distance to wetland, distance to farmland, and distance to road were the primary predictors. For feeding site selection, the distance to road, quantity of food, plant coverage, distance to village, plant density, distance to wetland, and distance to river were contributing factors, and the distance to road and quantity of food were the most important predictors. The predictive map showed that there were two consistent multi-year daytime resting sites in our study area. Our field work in 2013 using systematic ground-truthing confirmed that this prediction was accurate. Based on this study, we suggest that Lindian plays an important role for migratory birds and that cultivation practices should be adjusted locally. Furthermore, public education programs to promote the concept of the harmonious coexistence of humans and cranes can help successfully protect this species in the long term and eventually lead to its delisting by the IUCN.

Using Stochastic Gradient Boosting to Infer Stopover Habitat Selection and Distribution of Hooded Cranes Grus monacha during Spring Migration in Lindian, Northeast China

PubMed Central

Cai, Tianlong; Huettmann, Falk; Guo, Yumin

2014-01-01

The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a globally vulnerable species, and habitat loss is the primary cause of its decline. To date, little is known regarding the specific habitat needs, and stopover habitat selection in particular, of the Hooded Crane. In this study we used stochastic gradient boosting (TreeNet) to develop three specific habitat selection models for roosting, daytime resting, and feeding site selection. In addition, we used a geographic information system (GIS) combined with TreeNet to develop a species distribution model. We also generated a digital map of the relative occurrence index (ROI) of this species at daytime resting sites in the study area. Our study indicated that the water depth, distance to village, coverage of deciduous leaves, open water area, and density of plants were the major predictors of roosting site selection. For daytime resting site selection, the distance to wetland, distance to farmland, and distance to road were the primary predictors. For feeding site selection, the distance to road, quantity of food, plant coverage, distance to village, plant density, distance to wetland, and distance to river were contributing factors, and the distance to road and quantity of food were the most important predictors. The predictive map showed that there were two consistent multi-year daytime resting sites in our study area. Our field work in 2013 using systematic ground-truthing confirmed that this prediction was accurate. Based on this study, we suggest that Lindian plays an important role for migratory birds and that cultivation practices should be adjusted locally. Furthermore, public education programs to promote the concept of the harmonious coexistence of humans and cranes can help successfully protect this species in the long term and eventually lead to its delisting by the IUCN. PMID:24587118

Ictal lack of binding to brain parenchyma suggests integrity of the blood-brain barrier for 11C-dihydroergotamine during glyceryl trinitrate-induced migraine.

PubMed

Schankin, Christoph J; Maniyar, Farooq H; Seo, Youngho; Kori, Shashidar; Eller, Michael; Chou, Denise E; Blecha, Joseph; Murphy, Stephanie T; Hawkins, Randall A; Sprenger, Till; VanBrocklin, Henry F; Goadsby, Peter J

2016-07-01

SEE DREIER DOI 101093/AWW112 FOR A SCIENTIFIC COMMENTARY ON THIS ARTICLE: For many decades a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier has been postulated to occur in migraine. Hypothetically this would facilitate access of medications, such as dihydroergotamine or triptans, to the brain despite physical properties otherwise restricting their entry. We studied the permeability of the blood-brain barrier in six migraineurs and six control subjects at rest and during acute glyceryl trinitrate-induced migraine attacks using positron emission tomography with the novel radioligand (11)C-dihydroergotamine, which is chemically identical to pharmacologically active dihydroergotamine. The influx rate constant Ki, average dynamic image and time activity curve were assessed using arterial blood sampling and served as measures for receptor binding and thus blood-brain barrier penetration. At rest, there was binding of (11)C-dihydroergotamine in the choroid plexus, pituitary gland, and venous sinuses as expected from the pharmacology of dihydroergotamine. However, there was no binding to the brain parenchyma, including the hippocampus, the area with the highest density of the highest-affinity dihydroergotamine receptors, and the raphe nuclei, a postulated brainstem site of action during migraine, suggesting that dihydroergotamine is not able to cross the blood-brain barrier. This binding pattern was identical in migraineurs during glyceryl trinitrate-induced migraine attacks as well as in matched control subjects. We conclude that (11)C-dihydroergotamine is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier interictally or ictally demonstrating that the blood-brain barrier remains tight for dihydroergotamine during acute glyceryl trinitrate-induced migraine attacks. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved.

Perceived beauty of random texture patterns: A preference for complexity.

PubMed

Friedenberg, Jay; Liby, Bruce

2016-07-01

We report two experiments on the perceived aesthetic quality of random density texture patterns. In each experiment a square grid was filled with a progressively larger number of elements. Grid size in Experiment 1 was 10×10 with elements added to create a variety of textures ranging from 10%-100% fill levels. Participants rated the beauty of the patterns. Average judgments across all observers showed an inverted U-shaped function that peaked near middle densities. In Experiment 2 grid size was increased to 15×15 to see if observers preferred patterns with a fixed density or a fixed number of elements. The results of the second experiment were nearly identical to that of the first showing a preference for density over fixed element number. Ratings in both studies correlated positively with a GIF compression metric of complexity and with edge length. Within the range of stimuli used, observers judge more complex patterns to be more beautiful. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pattern formation of Rayleigh-Bénard convection of cold water near its density maximum in a vertical cylindrical container.

PubMed

Li, You-Rong; Ouyang, Yu-Qing; Hu, Yu-Peng

2012-10-01

In order to understand the onset of convective instability and multiple stable convection patterns of buoyancy-driven convection of cold water near its density maximum in a vertical cylindrical container heated from below, a series of three-dimensional numerical simulations were performed. The aspect ratio of the container was 2 and Prandtl number of cold water was 11.57. The sidewall was considered to be perfectly adiabatic, and the density inversion parameter was fixed at 0.3. The result shows that the density inversion phenomenon in cold water has an important effect on the critical Rayleigh number for the onset of convection and the pattern formation at higher Rayleigh numbers. When the Rayleigh number varies from 3×10(3) to 1.2×10(5), eight stable, steady convection patterns are obtained under different initial conditions. The coexistence of multiple stable steady flow patterns is also observed within some specific ranges of the Rayleigh number.

Large-scale changes in network interactions as a physiological signature of spatial neglect.

PubMed

Baldassarre, Antonello; Ramsey, Lenny; Hacker, Carl L; Callejas, Alicia; Astafiev, Serguei V; Metcalf, Nicholas V; Zinn, Kristi; Rengachary, Jennifer; Snyder, Abraham Z; Carter, Alex R; Shulman, Gordon L; Corbetta, Maurizio

2014-12-01

The relationship between spontaneous brain activity and behaviour following focal injury is not well understood. Here, we report a large-scale study of resting state functional connectivity MRI and spatial neglect following stroke in a large (n=84) heterogeneous sample of first-ever stroke patients (within 1-2 weeks). Spatial neglect, which is typically more severe after right than left hemisphere injury, includes deficits of spatial attention and motor actions contralateral to the lesion, and low general attention due to impaired vigilance/arousal. Patients underwent structural and resting state functional MRI scans, and spatial neglect was measured using the Posner spatial cueing task, and Mesulam and Behavioural Inattention Test cancellation tests. A principal component analysis of the behavioural tests revealed a main factor accounting for 34% of variance that captured three correlated behavioural deficits: visual neglect of the contralesional visual field, visuomotor neglect of the contralesional field, and low overall performance. In an independent sample (21 healthy subjects), we defined 10 resting state networks consisting of 169 brain regions: visual-fovea and visual-periphery, sensory-motor, auditory, dorsal attention, ventral attention, language, fronto-parietal control, cingulo-opercular control, and default mode. We correlated the neglect factor score with the strength of resting state functional connectivity within and across the 10 resting state networks. All damaged brain voxels were removed from the functional connectivity:behaviour correlational analysis. We found that the correlated behavioural deficits summarized by the factor score were associated with correlated multi-network patterns of abnormal functional connectivity involving large swaths of cortex. Specifically, dorsal attention and sensory-motor networks showed: (i) reduced interhemispheric functional connectivity; (ii) reduced anti-correlation with fronto-parietal and default mode networks in the right hemisphere; and (iii) increased intrahemispheric connectivity with the basal ganglia. These patterns of functional connectivity:behaviour correlations were stronger in patients with right- as compared to left-hemisphere damage and were independent of lesion volume. Our findings identify large-scale changes in resting state network interactions that are a physiological signature of spatial neglect and may relate to its right hemisphere lateralization. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Changes in mineral metabolism with immobilization/space flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, J. C.

1989-01-01

Researchers are still unsure of the accuracy of previous bone density measurements of their significance following a period of weightlessness. Rapid technological advances in the measurement of bone density will enable us now to measure bone density accurately at multiple sites in the skeleton with doses of radiation less than that given by a spine x ray. It may not be possible to obtain this type of information before the next series of space flights take place, although the bed-rest model may provide supporting information. Extensive testing of bone density on every astronaut should be performed before and after the space flight. Prevention and treatment can only be undertaken after gathering sufficient baseline information. The use of exercise in preventing bone loss is still highly speculative, but represents a relatively easy approach to the problem in terms of study.

High-resolution neutron diffraction study of microstructural changes in nanocrystalline ball-milled niobium carbide NbC{sub 0.93}

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

Balagurov, Anatoly M.; Bobrikov, Ivan A.; Bokuchava, Gizo D.

2015-11-15

High resolution neutron diffraction was applied for elucidating of the microstructural evolution of nanocrystalline niobium carbide NbC{sub 0.93} powders subjected to high-energy ball milling. The diffraction patterns were collected with the high resolution Fourier diffractometer HRFD by using the reverse time-of-flight (RTOF) mode of data acquisition. The traditional single diffraction line analysis, the Rietveld method and more advanced Whole Powder Pattern Modeling technique were applied for the data analysis. The comparison of these techniques was performed. It is established that short-time milling produces a non-uniform powder, in which two distinct fractions with differing microstructure can be identified. Part of themore » material is in fact milled efficiently, with a reduction in grain size, an increase in the quantity of defects, and a corresponding tendency to decarburize reaching a composition NbC{sub 0.80} after 15 h of milling. The rest of the powder is less efficiently processed and preserves its composition and lower defect content. Larger milling times should have homogenized the system by increasing the efficiently milled fraction, but the material is unable to reach a uniform and homogeneous state. It is definitely shown that RTOF neutron diffraction patterns can provide the very accurate data for microstructure analysis of nanocrystalline powders. - Highlights: • The NbC{sub 0.93} powder was processed by high-energy ball milling. • The microstrain and dislocation density increase with milling time increase. • The corresponding decrease in crystallite size with milling time was observed. • The material exhibits the presence of two fractions after ball milling. • The RTOF neutron diffraction data are suitable for accurate microstructure analysis.« less

Differential structural and resting state connectivity between insular subdivisions and other pain-related brain regions.

PubMed

Wiech, K; Jbabdi, S; Lin, C S; Andersson, J; Tracey, I

2014-10-01

Functional neuroimaging studies suggest that the anterior, mid, and posterior division of the insula subserve different functions in the perception of pain. The anterior insula (AI) has predominantly been associated with cognitive-affective aspects of pain, while the mid and posterior divisions have been implicated in sensory-discriminative processing. We examined whether this functional segregation is paralleled by differences in (1) structural and (2) resting state connectivity and (3) in correlations with pain-relevant psychological traits. Analyses were restricted to the 3 insular subdivisions and other pain-related brain regions. Both type of analyses revealed largely overlapping results. The AI division was predominantly connected to the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (structural and resting state connectivity) and orbitofrontal cortex (structural connectivity). In contrast, the posterior insula showed strong connections to the primary somatosensory cortex (SI; structural connectivity) and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII; structural and resting state connectivity). The mid insula displayed a hybrid connectivity pattern with strong connections with the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, SII (structural and resting state connectivity) and SI (structural connectivity). Moreover, resting state connectivity revealed strong connectivity of all 3 subdivisions with the thalamus. On the behavioural level, AI structural connectivity was related to the individual degree of pain vigilance and awareness that showed a positive correlation with AI-amygdala connectivity and a negative correlation with AI-rostral anterior cingulate cortex connectivity. In sum, our findings show a differential structural and resting state connectivity for the anterior, mid, and posterior insula with other pain-relevant brain regions, which might at least partly explain their different functional profiles in pain processing. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brain resting-state networks in adolescents with high-functioning autism: Analysis of spatial connectivity and temporal neurodynamics.

PubMed

Bernas, Antoine; Barendse, Evelien M; Aldenkamp, Albert P; Backes, Walter H; Hofman, Paul A M; Hendriks, Marc P H; Kessels, Roy P C; Willems, Frans M J; de With, Peter H N; Zinger, Svitlana; Jansen, Jacobus F A

2018-02-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is mainly characterized by functional and communication impairments as well as restrictive and repetitive behavior. The leading hypothesis for the neural basis of autism postulates globally abnormal brain connectivity, which can be assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Even in the absence of a task, the brain exhibits a high degree of functional connectivity, known as intrinsic, or resting-state, connectivity. Global default connectivity in individuals with autism versus controls is not well characterized, especially for a high-functioning young population. The aim of this study is to test whether high-functioning adolescents with ASD (HFA) have an abnormal resting-state functional connectivity. We performed spatial and temporal analyses on resting-state networks (RSNs) in 13 HFA adolescents and 13 IQ- and age-matched controls. For the spatial analysis, we used probabilistic independent component analysis (ICA) and a permutation statistical method to reveal the RSN differences between the groups. For the temporal analysis, we applied Granger causality to find differences in temporal neurodynamics. Controls and HFA display very similar patterns and strengths of resting-state connectivity. We do not find any significant differences between HFA adolescents and controls in the spatial resting-state connectivity. However, in the temporal dynamics of this connectivity, we did find differences in the causal effect properties of RSNs originating in temporal and prefrontal cortices. The results show a difference between HFA and controls in the temporal neurodynamics from the ventral attention network to the salience-executive network: a pathway involving cognitive, executive, and emotion-related cortices. We hypothesized that this weaker dynamic pathway is due to a subtle trigger challenging the cognitive state prior to the resting state.

Influences of early shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm, mood and sleep: within-subject variation in male airline pilots.

PubMed

Bostock, Sophie; Steptoe, Andrew

2013-04-01

We aimed to investigate how early and late work shifts influenced the diurnal cortisol rhythm using a within-subjects study design. Participants were 30 healthy male non-smoking pilots, mean age 39.4, employed by a short-haul airline. The standard rotating shift pattern consisted of 5 early shifts (starting before 0600 h), followed by 3 rest days, 5 late shifts (starting after 1200 h) and 4 rest days. Pilots sampled saliva and completed subjective mood ratings in a logbook 6 times over the day on two consecutive early shift days, two late days and two rest days. Sampling was scheduled at waking, waking+30 m, waking+2.5 h, waking+8 h, waking+12 h and bedtime. Waking time, sleep duration, sleep quality and working hours were also recorded. Cortisol responses were analysed with repeated measures analysis of variance with shift condition (early, late, rest) and sample time (1-6) as within-subject factors. Early shifts were associated with a higher cortisol increase in response to awakening (CAR(i)), a greater total cortisol output over the day (AUC(G)) and a slower rate of decline over the day than late shifts or rest days. Early shifts were also associated with shorter sleep duration but co-varying for sleep duration did not alter the effects of shift on the cortisol rhythm. Both types of work shift were associated with more stress, tiredness and lower happiness than rest days, but statistical adjustment for mood ratings did not alter the findings. Early shift days were associated with significantly higher levels of circulating cortisol during waking hours than late shifts or rest days. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of mosquito resting behaviour and associated microclimate for malaria risk

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The majority of the mosquito and parasite life-history traits that combine to determine malaria transmission intensity are temperature sensitive. In most cases, the process-based models used to estimate malaria risk and inform control and prevention strategies utilize measures of mean outdoor temperature. Evidence suggests, however, that certain malaria vectors can spend large parts of their adult life resting indoors. Presentation of hypothesis If significant proportions of mosquitoes are resting indoors and indoor conditions differ markedly from ambient conditions, simple use of outdoor temperatures will not provide reliable estimates of malaria transmission intensity. To date, few studies have quantified the differential effects of indoor vs outdoor temperatures explicitly, reflecting a lack of proper understanding of mosquito resting behaviour and associated microclimate. Testing the hypothesis Published records from 8 village sites in East Africa revealed temperatures to be warmer indoors than outdoors and to generally show less daily variation. Exploring the effects of these temperatures on malaria parasite development rate suggested indoor-resting mosquitoes could transmit malaria between 0.3 and 22.5 days earlier than outdoor-resting mosquitoes. These differences translate to increases in transmission risk ranging from 5 to approaching 3,000%, relative to predictions based on outdoor temperatures. The pattern appears robust for low- and highland areas, with differences increasing with altitude. Implications of the hypothesis Differences in indoor vs outdoor environments lead to large differences in the limits and the intensity of malaria transmission. This finding highlights a need to better understand mosquito resting behaviour and the associated microclimate, and to broaden assessments of transmission ecology and risk to consider the potentially important role of endophily. PMID:21736735

Influences of early shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm, mood and sleep: Within-subject variation in male airline pilots

PubMed Central

Bostock, Sophie; Steptoe, Andrew

2013-01-01

Summary We aimed to investigate how early and late work shifts influenced the diurnal cortisol rhythm using a within-subjects study design. Participants were 30 healthy male non-smoking pilots, mean age 39.4, employed by a short-haul airline. The standard rotating shift pattern consisted of 5 early shifts (starting before 0600 h), followed by 3 rest days, 5 late shifts (starting after 1200 h) and 4 rest days. Pilots sampled saliva and completed subjective mood ratings in a logbook 6 times over the day on two consecutive early shift days, two late days and two rest days. Sampling was scheduled at waking, waking + 30 m, waking + 2.5 h, waking + 8 h, waking + 12 h and bedtime. Waking time, sleep duration, sleep quality and working hours were also recorded. Cortisol responses were analysed with repeated measures analysis of variance with shift condition (early, late, rest) and sample time (1–6) as within-subject factors. Early shifts were associated with a higher cortisol increase in response to awakening (CARi), a greater total cortisol output over the day (AUCG) and a slower rate of decline over the day than late shifts or rest days. Early shifts were also associated with shorter sleep duration but co-varying for sleep duration did not alter the effects of shift on the cortisol rhythm. Both types of work shift were associated with more stress, tiredness and lower happiness than rest days, but statistical adjustment for mood ratings did not alter the findings. Early shift days were associated with significantly higher levels of circulating cortisol during waking hours than late shifts or rest days. PMID:22877997

Studying brain organization via spontaneous fMRI signal

PubMed Central

Power, Jonathan D; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Petersen, Steven E

2014-01-01

In recent years, some substantial advances in understanding human (and non-human) brain organization have emerged from a relatively unusual approach: the observation of spontaneous activity, and correlated patterns in spontaneous activity, in the “resting” brain. Most commonly, spontaneous neural activity is measured indirectly via fMRI signal in subjects who are lying quietly in the scanner, the so-called “resting state”. This Primer introduces the fMRI-based study of spontaneous brain activity, some of the methodological issues active in the field, and some ways in which resting state fMRI has been used to delineate aspects of area-level and supra-areal brain organization. PMID:25459408

[Short and long-term changes in cortical circulation caused by autogenic training].

PubMed

Meyer, H K; Diehl, B J; Ulrich, P; Meinig, G

1987-01-01

The well-known hyperfrontal pattern of hemispheric blood flow measured with 133-Xenon is not found in 12 healthy resting men who have been practicing Autogenic Training for at least six months. This might indicate a long-term decrease in the level of activation. Successfully practiced exercises of Autogenic Training lead to an increased blood flow in the Rolandic area representing the body sceme and to a decreased blood flow in regions related to acoustical attention and to autonomic functions. Left hemispheric cerebral blood flow ist lower in rest. The relative activation of the left hemisphere during Autogenic Training is discussed.

Tvashtar's Plume during the New Horizons Flyby of the Jovian System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trafton, Laurence M.; Hoey, William Andrew; Ackley, Peter; Goldstein, David B.; Varghese, Philip L.

2016-10-01

During the gravity-assist flyby of the Jovian system from 26 Feb 2007 to 3 Mar 2007, the New Horizons spacecraft obtained multiple images of Io's Pele-class plume "Tvashtar" using the panchromatic LORRI camera, including a unique "movie" sequence of 5 images taken 2 minutes apart that provide the only record of dynamical activity for an extra-terrestrial volcanic plume. Prominent plume activity included a single traveling wave traveling down the west side of the canopy and a semi-regular particulate pattern that evolved down the canopy. The spout was detected in an average of the 5 movie images and its intensity may constrain the refractory complement of the plume. Comparison with the observed plume irradiance may then constrain the condensate complement. Other features, more apparent after subtracting the mean movie image, include semi-periodic azimuthal density variation in the canopy at plausibly common flight times from the vent, implying an azimuthal component to the dust density distribution at the vent. There are features that show a few large tendrils distributed in azimuth around the canopy that extend all the way to the surface, like the canopy projection, while the rest of the canopy appears to have a large discontinuity in density at the rim, as if the canopy were suspended. Successive waves having contrasting mean wavefront density suggest a fundamental-mode temporal pulsing at the vent. The scattering phase function for the plume particulates was found to be strongly forward scattering, increasing nearly monotonically during the flyby by an order of magnitude over the solar phase angle range 57 - 150 deg. Rathbun et al. (2014; Icarus 231, 261) reported that neither the Girru nor Tvashtar surface eruptions varied dramatically over 1-2 Mar 2007; however, most of the growth we found in Tvashtar's brightness during the flyby occurred by these dates. Therefore, increasing eruption activity, rising refractory dust density, or condensation may have contributed to the brightness increase with phase angle, along with forward scattering. Any transition in the mode of eruption (e.g., lava lake to fire fountain) was continuous and gradual. [NASA grant NNX14A039G

Movement patterns and the medium-sized city. Tenants on the move in Gweru, Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Grant, M

1995-01-01

During 1965-79, urban growth rates accelerated and continued after Zimbabwe's independence in 1980. For 1960-80, the estimated urban growth rate was 5.6% as compared with the natural growth rate of 3.5% and urban growth rate of 5.0% to 8.1% for the period 1982-92. Gweru, Zimbabwe, had a population of 110,000 in 1990, and as the provincial capital it is an important destination for rural and interurban migrants. Between 1982 and 1990 there was a 4.9% growth rate, resulting in the municipal waiting list for housing to exceed 14,000 in mid-1990. In a large study on migration and rental shelter, 188 tenants were interviewed in high, low-medium density, and periurban areas of the city with the intent of tracing respondents and the nature of migration streams. Regarding origins and connections, only one-fifth of the migrants were born in Gweru, more than half were born in rural areas, and the rest in other urban areas. More than 90% still had rural homes. Two-thirds made rural home visits six times or less a year and one-fourth visited seven times a year to once a month. 40% of the migrants to Gweru originated in larger cities, 24% in smaller urban areas, and 36% in rural areas. 58% moved to high density areas, 34% to low-medium, and 8% to peri-urban areas. The dominant motive was the search for employment and direct transfers, thus economic factors dominated over social factors. Three groups were distinguished according to length of stay: 1) 5 years or less who lived mainly in high and low-medium density housing; 2) 6-15 years; and 3) more than 15 years who lived in low density and high density areas. Regarding the previous two migrations, two-thirds stayed at the previous place for 5 years of less. The reasons for migration were overcrowding, family, and employment. Within Gweru high mobility was typical: one-third initiated one step, 43% initiated two steps, and 27% initiated three steps. Lodgers were the most mobile since one-third were moving three times.

High cell density suppresses BMP4-induced differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to produce macroscopic spatial patterning in a unidirectional perfusion culture chamber.

PubMed

Tashiro, Shota; Le, Minh Nguyen Tuyet; Kusama, Yuta; Nakatani, Eri; Suga, Mika; Furue, Miho K; Satoh, Taku; Sugiura, Shinji; Kanamori, Toshiyuki; Ohnuma, Kiyoshi

2018-04-19

Spatial pattern formation is a critical step in embryogenesis. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) and its inhibitors are major factors for the formation of spatial patterns during embryogenesis. However, spatial patterning of the human embryo is unclear because of ethical issues and isotropic culture environments resulting from conventional culture dishes. Here, we utilized human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and a simple anisotropic (unidirectional perfusion) culture chamber, which creates unidirectional conditions, to measure the cell community effect. The influence of cell density on BMP4-induced differentiation was explored during static culture using a conventional culture dish. Immunostaining of the early differentiation marker SSEA-1 and the mesendoderm marker BRACHYURY revealed that high cell density suppressed differentiation, with small clusters of differentiated and undifferentiated cells formed. Addition of five-fold higher concentration of BMP4 showed similar results, suggesting that suppression was not caused by depletion of BMP4 but rather by high cell density. Quantitative RT-PCR array analysis showed that BMP4 induced multi-lineage differentiation, which was also suppressed under high-density conditions. We fabricated an elongated perfusion culture chamber, in which proteins were transported unidirectionally, and hiPSCs were cultured with BMP4. At low density, the expression was the same throughout the chamber. However, at high density, SSEA-1 and BRACHYURY were expressed only in upstream cells, suggesting that some autocrine/paracrine factors inhibited the action of BMP4 in downstream cells to form the spatial pattern. Human iPSCs cultured in a perfusion culture chamber might be useful for studying in vitro macroscopic pattern formation in human embryogenesis. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mantle convection patterns reveal the enigma of the Red Sea rifting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrunin, Alexey; Kaban, Mikhail; El Khrepy, Sami; Al-Arifi, Nassir

2017-04-01

Initiation and further development of the Red Sea rift (RSR) is usually associated with the Afar plume at the Oligocene-Miocene separating the Arabian plate from the rest of the continent. Usually, the RSR is divided into three parts with different geological, tectonic and geophysical characteristics, but the nature of this partitioning is still debatable. To understand origin and driving forces responsible for the tectonic partitioning of the RSR, we have developed a global mantle convection model based on the refined density model and viscosity distribution derived from tectonic, rheological and seismic data. The global density model of the upper mantle is refined for the Middle East based on the high-resolution 3D model (Kaban et al., 2016). This model based on a joint inversion of the residual gravity and residual topography provides much better constraints on the 3D density structure compared to the global model based on seismic tomography. The refined density model and the viscosity distribution based on a homologous temperature approach provide an initial setup for further numerical calculations. The present-day snapshot of the mantle convection is calculated by using the code ProSpher 3D that allows for strong lateral variations of viscosity (Petrunin et al., 2013). The setup includes weak plate boundaries, while the measured GPS velocities are used to constrain the solution. The resulting mantle flow patterns show clear distinctions among the mantle flow patterns below the three parts of the RSR. According to the modeling results, tectonics of the southern part of the Red Sea is mainly determined by the Afar plume and the Ethiopian rift opening. It is characterized by a divergent mantle flow, which is connected to the East African Rift activity. The rising mantle flow is traced down to the transition zone and continues in the lower mantle for a few thousand kilometers south-west of Afar. The hot mantle anomaly below the central part of the RSR can be explained either by the asthenospheric upwelling due to the Red Sea floor spreading or by a secondary plume rising from the transition zone. According to our model, there is no obvious evidence for a direct connection of the hot anomaly below the central part of the RSR and the Afar plume in the upper mantle. In the northern part of the RSR, we found the ridge-axis aligned downstream flow contradicting the hypothesis of the intra-continental rifting in this area. Likely, the tectonics of this area implies a complex interplay of the Dead Sea transform fault development and the Sinai and Mediterranean tectonics. Kaban, M. K., S. El Khrepy, N. Al-Arifi, M. Tesauro, and W. Stolk (2016), Three dimensional density model of the upper mantle in the Middle East: Interaction of diverse tectonic processes, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 121, doi:10.1002/2015JB012755. Petrunin, A. G.; Kaban, M. K.; Rogozhina, I.; Trubitsyn, V. (2013). Revising the spectral method as applied to modeling mantle dynamics. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems (G3), EDOC: 21048.

StreamMap: Smooth Dynamic Visualization of High-Density Streaming Points.

PubMed

Li, Chenhui; Baciu, George; Han, Yu

2018-03-01

Interactive visualization of streaming points for real-time scatterplots and linear blending of correlation patterns is increasingly becoming the dominant mode of visual analytics for both big data and streaming data from active sensors and broadcasting media. To better visualize and interact with inter-stream patterns, it is generally necessary to smooth out gaps or distortions in the streaming data. Previous approaches either animate the points directly or present a sampled static heat-map. We propose a new approach, called StreamMap, to smoothly blend high-density streaming points and create a visual flow that emphasizes the density pattern distributions. In essence, we present three new contributions for the visualization of high-density streaming points. The first contribution is a density-based method called super kernel density estimation that aggregates streaming points using an adaptive kernel to solve the overlapping problem. The second contribution is a robust density morphing algorithm that generates several smooth intermediate frames for a given pair of frames. The third contribution is a trend representation design that can help convey the flow directions of the streaming points. The experimental results on three datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of StreamMap when dynamic visualization and visual analysis of trend patterns on streaming points are required.

Prevention: Changing children's diet and physical activity patterns via schools, families, and the environment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This book chapter focuses on identifying intervention approaches to prevent childhood obesity. Childhood obesity results from an energy imbalance whereby the energy consumed (diet) has exceeded the energy expended (resting metabolic rate and physical activity). Obesity prevention relies on understan...

Automated extraction of natural drainage density patterns for the conterminous United States through high performance computing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanislawski, Larry V.; Falgout, Jeff T.; Buttenfield, Barbara P.

2015-01-01

Hydrographic networks form an important data foundation for cartographic base mapping and for hydrologic analysis. Drainage density patterns for these networks can be derived to characterize local landscape, bedrock and climate conditions, and further inform hydrologic and geomorphological analysis by indicating areas where too few headwater channels have been extracted. But natural drainage density patterns are not consistently available in existing hydrographic data for the United States because compilation and capture criteria historically varied, along with climate, during the period of data collection over the various terrain types throughout the country. This paper demonstrates an automated workflow that is being tested in a high-performance computing environment by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to map natural drainage density patterns at the 1:24,000-scale (24K) for the conterminous United States. Hydrographic network drainage patterns may be extracted from elevation data to guide corrections for existing hydrographic network data. The paper describes three stages in this workflow including data pre-processing, natural channel extraction, and generation of drainage density patterns from extracted channels. The workflow is concurrently implemented by executing procedures on multiple subbasin watersheds within the U.S. National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). Pre-processing defines parameters that are needed for the extraction process. Extraction proceeds in standard fashion: filling sinks, developing flow direction and weighted flow accumulation rasters. Drainage channels with assigned Strahler stream order are extracted within a subbasin and simplified. Drainage density patterns are then estimated with 100-meter resolution and subsequently smoothed with a low-pass filter. The extraction process is found to be of better quality in higher slope terrains. Concurrent processing through the high performance computing environment is shown to facilitate and refine the choice of drainage density extraction parameters and more readily improve extraction procedures than conventional processing.

Greater adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with improved plasma lipid profile: the Aragon Health Workers Study cohort.

PubMed

Peñalvo, José L; Oliva, Belén; Sotos-Prieto, Mercedes; Uzhova, Irina; Moreno-Franco, Belén; León-Latre, Montserrat; Ordovás, José María

2015-04-01

There is wide recognition of the importance of healthy eating in cardiovascular health promotion. The purpose of this study was to identify the main dietary patterns among a Spanish population, and to determine their relationship with plasma lipid profiles. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of data from 1290 participants of the Aragon Workers Health Study cohort. Standardized protocols were used to collect clinical and biochemistry data. Diet was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire, quantifying habitual intake over the past 12 months. The main dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. The association between adherence to dietary patterns and plasma lipid levels was assessed by linear and logistic regression. Two dietary patterns were identified: a Mediterranean dietary pattern, high in vegetables, fruits, fish, white meat, nuts, and olive oil, and a Western dietary pattern, high in red meat, fast food, dairy, and cereals. Compared with the participants in the lowest quintile of adherence to the Western dietary pattern, those in the highest quintile had 4.6 mg/dL lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P < .001), 8 mg/dL lower apolipoprotein A1 levels (P = .005) and a greater risk of having decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (odds ratio = 3.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-7.5; P-trend = .03). Participants adhering to the Mediterranean dietary pattern had 3.3mg/dL higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P < .001), and a ratio of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol that was 0.43 times lower (P = .043). Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with improved lipid profile compared with a Western dietary pattern, which was associated with a lower odds of optimal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in this population. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Separating macroecological pattern and process: comparing ecological, economic, and geological systems.

PubMed

Blonder, Benjamin; Sloat, Lindsey; Enquist, Brian J; McGill, Brian

2014-01-01

Theories of biodiversity rest on several macroecological patterns describing the relationship between species abundance and diversity. A central problem is that all theories make similar predictions for these patterns despite disparate assumptions. A troubling implication is that these patterns may not reflect anything unique about organizational principles of biology or the functioning of ecological systems. To test this, we analyze five datasets from ecological, economic, and geological systems that describe the distribution of objects across categories in the United States. At the level of functional form ('first-order effects'), these patterns are not unique to ecological systems, indicating they may reveal little about biological process. However, we show that mechanism can be better revealed in the scale-dependency of first-order patterns ('second-order effects'). These results provide a roadmap for biodiversity theory to move beyond traditional patterns, and also suggest ways in which macroecological theory can constrain the dynamics of economic systems.

Association between resting heart rate and arterial stiffness in Korean adults.

PubMed

Park, Byoung-Jin; Lee, Hye-Ree; Shim, Jae-Yong; Lee, Jung-Hyun; Jung, Dong-Hyuk; Lee, Yong-Jae

2010-04-01

Higher resting heart rate, a simple and useful indicator of autonomic balance and metabolic rate, has emerged as an independent predictor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. To determine the association between resting heart rate and arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). We examined the association between resting heart rate and baPWV in 641 Korean adults (366 men, 275 women) in a health examination program. A high baPWV was defined as greater than 1450 cm/s (>75th percentile). The odds ratios for high baPWVs were calculated using multivariable logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding variables across heart rate quartiles (Q1or=69 beats/min). Age-adjusted baPWV mean values increased gradually with heart rate quartile (Q1=1281, Q2=1285, Q3=1354, Q4=1416 cm/s). The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for high baPWVs in each heart rate quartile were 1.00, 1.28 (0.57-2.86), 2.63 (1.20-5.79) and 3.66 (1.66-8.05), respectively, after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol intake, exercise, body mass index, hypertension medication, diabetes medication, hyperlipidaemia medication, mean arterial blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, white blood cell count, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase and uric acid. These findings indicate that a higher resting heart rate is independently associated with arterial stiffness. Accordingly, early detection of increased resting heart rate is important for preservation of arterial function and assessment of cardiovascular risk. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

One Week of Bed Rest Leads to Substantial Muscle Atrophy and Induces Whole-Body Insulin Resistance in the Absence of Skeletal Muscle Lipid Accumulation.

PubMed

Dirks, Marlou L; Wall, Benjamin T; van de Valk, Bas; Holloway, Tanya M; Holloway, Graham P; Chabowski, Adrian; Goossens, Gijs H; van Loon, Luc J C

2016-10-01

Short (<10 days) periods of muscle disuse, often necessary for recovery from illness or injury, lead to various negative health consequences. The current study investigated mechanisms underlying disuse-induced insulin resistance, taking into account muscle atrophy. Ten healthy, young males (age: 23 ± 1 years; BMI: 23.0 ± 0.9 kg · m(-2)) were subjected to 1 week of strict bed rest. Prior to and after bed rest, lean body mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA; computed tomography) were assessed, and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and leg strength were determined. Whole-body insulin sensitivity was measured using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Additionally, muscle biopsies were collected to assess muscle lipid (fraction) content and various markers of mitochondrial and vascular content. Bed rest resulted in 1.4 ± 0.2 kg lean tissue loss and a 3.2 ± 0.9% decline in quadriceps CSA (both P < 0.01). VO2peak and one-repetition maximum declined by 6.4 ± 2.3 (P < 0.05) and 6.9 ± 1.4% (P < 0.01), respectively. Bed rest induced a 29 ± 5% decrease in whole-body insulin sensitivity (P < 0.01). This was accompanied by a decline in muscle oxidative capacity, without alterations in skeletal muscle lipid content or saturation level, markers of oxidative stress, or capillary density. In conclusion, 1 week of bed rest substantially reduces skeletal muscle mass and lowers whole-body insulin sensitivity, without affecting mechanisms implicated in high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance. © 2016 by the American Diabetes Association.

Effect of peristalsis in balance of intestinal microbial ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirbagheri, Seyed Amir; Fu, Henry C.

2017-11-01

A balance of microbiota density in gastrointestinal tracts is necessary for health of the host. Although peristaltic flow made by intestinal muscles is constantly evacuating the lumen, bacterial density stay balanced. Some of bacteria colonize in the secreted mucus where there is no flow, but the rest resist the peristaltic flow in lumen and maintain their population. Using a coupled two-dimensional model of flow induced by large amplitude peristaltic waves, bacterial motility, reproduction, and diffusion, we address how bacterial growth and motility combined with peristaltic flow affect the balance of the intestinal microbial ecosystem.

Resting state networks in empirical and simulated dynamic functional connectivity.

PubMed

Glomb, Katharina; Ponce-Alvarez, Adrián; Gilson, Matthieu; Ritter, Petra; Deco, Gustavo

2017-10-01

It is well-established that patterns of functional connectivity (FC) - measures of correlated activity between pairs of voxels or regions observed in the human brain using neuroimaging - are robustly expressed in spontaneous activity during rest. These patterns are not static, but exhibit complex spatio-temporal dynamics. Over the last years, a multitude of methods have been proposed to reveal these dynamics on the level of the whole brain. One finding is that the brain transitions through different FC configurations over time, and substantial effort has been put into characterizing these configurations. However, the dynamics governing these transitions are more elusive, specifically, the contribution of stationary vs. non-stationary dynamics is an active field of inquiry. In this study, we use a whole-brain approach, considering FC dynamics between 66 ROIs covering the entire cortex. We combine an innovative dimensionality reduction technique, tensor decomposition, with a mean field model which possesses stationary dynamics. It has been shown to explain resting state FC averaged over time and multiple subjects, however, this average FC summarizes the spatial distribution of correlations while hiding their temporal dynamics. First, we apply tensor decomposition to resting state scans from 24 healthy controls in order to characterize spatio-temporal dynamics present in the data. We simultaneously utilize temporal and spatial information by creating tensors that are subsequently decomposed into sets of brain regions ("communities") that share similar temporal dynamics, and their associated time courses. The tensors contain pairwise FC computed inside of overlapping sliding windows. Communities are discovered by clustering features pooled from all subjects, thereby ensuring that they generalize. We find that, on the group level, the data give rise to four distinct communities that resemble known resting state networks (RSNs): default mode network, visual network, control networks, and somatomotor network. Second, we simulate data with our stationary mean field model whose nodes are connected according to results from DTI and fiber tracking. In this model, all spatio-temporal structure is due to noisy fluctuations around the average FC. We analyze the simulated data in the same way as the empirical data in order to determine whether stationary dynamics can explain the emergence of distinct FC patterns (RSNs) which have their own time courses. We find that this is the case for all four networks using the spatio-temporal information revealed by tensor decomposition if nodes in the simulation are connected according to model-based effective connectivity. Furthermore, we find that these results require only a small part of the FC values, namely the highest values that occur across time and ROI pair. Our findings show that stationary dynamics can account for the emergence of RSNs. We provide an innovative method that does not make strong assumptions about the underlying data and is generally applicable to resting state or task data from different subject populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of irritant chemicals on Aedes aegypti resting behavior: is there a simple shift to untreated "safe sites"?

PubMed

Manda, Hortance; Arce, Luana M; Foggie, Tarra; Shah, Pankhil; Grieco, John P; Achee, Nicole L

2011-07-01

Previous studies have identified the behavioral responses of Aedes aegypti to irritant and repellent chemicals that can be exploited to reduce man-vector contact. Maximum efficacy of interventions based on irritant chemical actions will, however, require full knowledge of variables that influence vector resting behavior and how untreated "safe sites" contribute to overall impact. Using a laboratory box assay, resting patterns of two population strains of female Ae. aegypti (THAI and PERU) were evaluated against two material types (cotton and polyester) at various dark:light surface area coverage (SAC) ratio and contrast configuration (horizontal and vertical) under chemical-free and treated conditions. Chemicals evaluated were alphacypermethrin and DDT at varying concentrations. Under chemical-free conditions, dark material had significantly higher resting counts compared to light material at all SAC, and significantly increased when material was in horizontal configuration. Cotton elicited stronger response than polyester. Within the treatment assays, significantly higher resting counts were observed on chemical-treated dark material compared to untreated light fabric. However, compared to matched controls, significantly less resting observations were made on chemical-treated dark material overall. Most importantly, resting observations on untreated light material (or "safe sites") in the treatment assay did not significantly increase for many of the tests, even at 25% SAC. Knockdown rates were ≤5% for all assays. Significantly more observations of flying mosquitoes were made in test assays under chemical-treatment conditions as compared to controls. When preferred Ae. aegypti resting sites are treated with chemicals, even at reduced treatment coverage area, mosquitoes do not simply move to safe sites (untreated areas) following contact with the treated material. Instead, they become agitated, using increased flight as a proxy indicator. It is this contact irritant response that may elicit escape behavior from a treated space and is a focus of exploitation for reducing man-vector contact inside homes.

Broadband Electrophysiological Dynamics Contribute to Global Resting-State fMRI Signal.

PubMed

Wen, Haiguang; Liu, Zhongming

2016-06-01

Spontaneous activity observed with resting-state fMRI is used widely to uncover the brain's intrinsic functional networks in health and disease. Although many networks appear modular and specific, global and nonspecific fMRI fluctuations also exist and both pose a challenge and present an opportunity for characterizing and understanding brain networks. Here, we used a multimodal approach to investigate the neural correlates to the global fMRI signal in the resting state. Like fMRI, resting-state power fluctuations of broadband and arrhythmic, or scale-free, macaque electrocorticography and human magnetoencephalography activity were correlated globally. The power fluctuations of scale-free human electroencephalography (EEG) were coupled with the global component of simultaneously acquired resting-state fMRI, with the global hemodynamic change lagging the broadband spectral change of EEG by ∼5 s. The levels of global and nonspecific fluctuation and synchronization in scale-free population activity also varied across and depended on arousal states. Together, these results suggest that the neural origin of global resting-state fMRI activity is the broadband power fluctuation in scale-free population activity observable with macroscopic electrical or magnetic recordings. Moreover, the global fluctuation in neurophysiological and hemodynamic activity is likely modulated through diffuse neuromodulation pathways that govern arousal states and vigilance levels. This study provides new insights into the neural origin of resting-state fMRI. Results demonstrate that the broadband power fluctuation of scale-free electrophysiology is globally synchronized and directly coupled with the global component of spontaneous fMRI signals, in contrast to modularly synchronized fluctuations in oscillatory neural activity. These findings lead to a new hypothesis that scale-free and oscillatory neural processes account for global and modular patterns of functional connectivity observed with resting-state fMRI, respectively. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/366030-11$15.00/0.

In vivo bone remodeling rates determination and compressive stiffness variations before, during 60 days bed rest and two years follow up: A micro-FE-analysis from HR-pQCT measurements of the berlin Bed Rest Study-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritter, Zully; Belavy, Daniel; Baumann, Wolfgang W.; Felsenberg, Dieter

2017-03-01

Bed rest studies are used for simulation and study of physiological changes as observed in unloading/non-gravity environments. Amongst others, bone mass reduction, similar as occurring due to aging osteoporosis, combined with bio-fluids redistribution and muscle atrophy have been observed and analyzed. Advanced radiological methods of high resolution such as HR-pQCT (XtremeCT) allow 3D-visualizing in vivo bone remodeling processes occurring during absence/reduction of mechanical stimuli (0 to <1 g) as simulated by bed rest. Induced bone micro-structure (e.g. trabecular number, cortical thickness, porosity) and density variations can be quantified. However, these parameters are average values of each sample and important information regarding bone mass distribution and within bone mechanical behaviour is lost. Finite element models with hexa-elements of identical size as the HR-pQCT measurements (0.082 mm×0.082 mm×0.082 mm, ca. 7E6 elements/sample) can be used for subject-specific in vivo stiffness calculation. This technique also allows quantifying if bone microstructural changes represent a risk of mechanical bone collapse (fracture).

The neural correlates of risk propensity in males and females using resting-state fMRI

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yuan; Li, Shu; Dunn, John; Li, Huandong; Qin, Wen; Zhu, Maohu; Rao, Li-Lin; Song, Ming; Yu, Chunshui; Jiang, Tianzi

2014-01-01

Men are more risk prone than women, but the underlying basis remains unclear. To investigate this question, we developed a trait-like measure of risk propensity which we correlated with resting-state functional connectivity to identify sex differences. Specifically, we used short- and long-range functional connectivity densities to identify associated brain regions and examined their functional connectivities in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data collected from a large sample of healthy young volunteers. We found that men had a higher level of general risk propensity (GRP) than women. At the neural level, although they shared a common neural correlate of GRP in a network centered at the right inferior frontal gyrus, men and women differed in a network centered at the right secondary somatosensory cortex, which included the bilateral dorsal anterior/middle insular cortices and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, men and women differed in a local network centered at the left inferior orbitofrontal cortex. Most of the regions identified by this resting-state fMRI study have been previously implicated in risk processing when people make risky decisions. This study provides a new perspective on the brain-behavioral relationships in risky decision making and contributes to our understanding of sex differences in risk propensity. PMID:24478649

Developing a Self-Scoring Comprehensive Instrument to Measure Rest's Four-Component Model of Moral Behavior: The Moral Skills Inventory.

PubMed

Chambers, David W

2011-01-01

One of the most extensively studied constructs in dental education is the four-component model of moral behavior proposed by James Rest and the set of instruments for measuring it developed by Rest, Muriel Bebeau, and others. Although significant associations have been identified between the four components Rest proposed (called here Moral Sensitivity, Moral Reasoning, Moral Integrity, and Moral Courage) and dental ethics courses and practitioners with disciplined licenses, there is no single instrument that measures all four components, and existing single component instruments require professional scoring. This article describes the development and validation of a short, self-scoring instrument, the Moral Skills Inventory, that measures all four components. Evidence of face validity, test/retest reliability, and concurrent convergent and divergent predictive validity are demonstrated in three populations: dental students, clinical dental faculty members, and regents and officers of the American College of Dentists. Significant issues remain in developing the Rest four-component model for use in dental education and practice. Specifically, further construct validation research is needed to understand the nature of the components. In particular, it remains undetermined whether moral constructs are characteristics of individuals that drive behavior in specific situations or whether particular patterns of moral behavior learned and used in response to individual circumstances are summarized by researchers and then imputed to practitioners.

Spatially resolved rest-UV spectroscopy of a prototypical quasar driven superwind at low-z

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Sean

2017-08-01

Powerful galaxy-wide winds launched by quasars are thought to be a common evolutionary phase of massive galaxies, but observations of this phenomena are scarce. We have conducted a multi-wavelength observational campaign for J1356+1026, a poster-child obscured quasar driving a superwind at z=0.123. J1356+1026 is driving a nuclear molecular outflow and an extended ionized outflow observed as an [OIII] emitting bubble at 10 kpc that is spatially coincident with soft X-ray emission. Quasar-driven winds carry material at a wide range of densities and temperatures making it difficult to measure their energetics and the dominant phases are unknown. Here we propose spatially resolved rest-UV spectroscopy by acquiring circum-nuclear absorption spectra of J1356+1026 and emission spectra of its off-nucleus bubble using COS+G140L. The circum-nuclear spectrum will provide measurements of the outflow velocity through blueshifted absorption while the off-nuclear spectrum of the bubble will measure the ionization state and mechanisms of the outflow through powerful UV diagnostic lines. Together, these spectra will enable a more complete mass, energy and momentum accounting of a spatially resolved quasar driven superwind for the first time. Furthermore, detection of shocked gas through OVI emission will enable us to infer properties of the enigmatic volume-filling, low density component of the wind. To our knowledge, this will be the first spatially resolved rest UV spectroscopy of a quasar wind and the proposed observations will serve as a pilot to guide future HST proposals.

Subcortical Local Functional Hyperconnectivity in Cannabis Dependence.

PubMed

Manza, Peter; Tomasi, Dardo; Volkow, Nora D

2018-03-01

Cannabis abuse (CA) has been associated with psychopathology, including negative emotionality and higher risk of psychosis, particularly with early age of initiation. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. Because aberrant dopamine signaling is implicated in cannabis-associated psychopathology, we hypothesized that regular CA would be associated with altered resting-state functional connectivity in dopamine midbrain-striatal circuits. We examined resting-state brain activity of subcortical regions in 441 young adults from the Human Connectome Project, including 30 subjects with CA meeting DSM-IV criteria for dependence and 30 control subjects matched on age, sex, education, body mass index, anxiety, depression, and alcohol and tobacco usage. Across all subjects, local functional connectivity density hubs in subcortical regions were most prominent in ventral striatum, hippocampus, amygdala, dorsal midbrain, and posterior-ventral brainstem. As hypothesized, subjects with CA showed markedly increased local functional connectivity density relative to control subjects, not only in ventral striatum (where nucleus accumbens is located) and midbrain (where substantia nigra and ventral tegmental nuclei are located) but also in brainstem and lateral thalamus. These effects were observed in the absence of significant differences in subcortical volumes and were most pronounced in individuals who began cannabis use earliest in life and who reported high levels of negative emotionality. Together, these findings suggest that chronic CA is associated with changes in resting-state brain function, particularly in dopaminergic nuclei implicated in psychosis but that are also critical for habit formation and reward processing. These results shed light on neurobiological differences that may be relevant to psychopathology associated with cannabis use. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Mechanism study on a plague outbreak driven by the construction of a large reservoir in southwest china (surveillance from 2000-2015)

PubMed Central

Liang, Junrong; Liang, Yun; Duan, Ran; Tian, Kecheng; Zhao, Yong; Tang, Guangpeng; You, Lv; Yang, Guirong; Liu, Xuebin; Chen, Yuhuang; Zeng, Jun; Wu, Shengrong; Luo, Shoujun; Qin, Gang; Hao, Huijing; Jing, Huaiqi

2017-01-01

Background Plague, a Yersinia pestis infection, is a fatal disease with tremendous transmission capacity. However, the mechanism of how the pathogen stays in a reservoir, circulates and then re-emerges is an enigma. Methodology/Principal findings We studied a plague outbreak caused by the construction of a large reservoir in southwest China followed 16-years’ surveillance. Conclusions/Significance The results show the prevalence of plague within the natural plague focus is closely related to the stability of local ecology. Before and during the decade of construction the reservoir on the Nanpan River, no confirmed plague has ever emerged. With the impoundment of reservoir and destruction of drowned farmland and vegetation, the infected rodent population previously dispersed was concentrated together in a flood-free area and turned a rest focus alive. Human plague broke out after the enzootic plague via the flea bite. With the construction completed and ecology gradually of human residential environment, animal population and type of vegetation settling down to a new balance, the natural plague foci returned to a rest period. With the rodent density decreased as some of them died, the flea density increased as the rodents lived near or in local farm houses where had more domestic animals, and human has a more concentrated population. In contrast, in the Himalayan marmot foci of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the Qilian Mountains. There are few human inhabitants and the local ecology is relatively stable; plague is prevalence, showing no rest period. Thus the plague can be significantly affected by ecological shifts. PMID:28257423

Mechanism study on a plague outbreak driven by the construction of a large reservoir in southwest china (surveillance from 2000-2015).

PubMed

Wang, Xin; Wei, Xiaoyu; Song, Zhizhong; Wang, Mingliu; Xi, Jinxiao; Liang, Junrong; Liang, Yun; Duan, Ran; Tian, Kecheng; Zhao, Yong; Tang, Guangpeng; You, Lv; Yang, Guirong; Liu, Xuebin; Chen, Yuhuang; Zeng, Jun; Wu, Shengrong; Luo, Shoujun; Qin, Gang; Hao, Huijing; Jing, Huaiqi

2017-03-01

Plague, a Yersinia pestis infection, is a fatal disease with tremendous transmission capacity. However, the mechanism of how the pathogen stays in a reservoir, circulates and then re-emerges is an enigma. We studied a plague outbreak caused by the construction of a large reservoir in southwest China followed 16-years' surveillance. The results show the prevalence of plague within the natural plague focus is closely related to the stability of local ecology. Before and during the decade of construction the reservoir on the Nanpan River, no confirmed plague has ever emerged. With the impoundment of reservoir and destruction of drowned farmland and vegetation, the infected rodent population previously dispersed was concentrated together in a flood-free area and turned a rest focus alive. Human plague broke out after the enzootic plague via the flea bite. With the construction completed and ecology gradually of human residential environment, animal population and type of vegetation settling down to a new balance, the natural plague foci returned to a rest period. With the rodent density decreased as some of them died, the flea density increased as the rodents lived near or in local farm houses where had more domestic animals, and human has a more concentrated population. In contrast, in the Himalayan marmot foci of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the Qilian Mountains. There are few human inhabitants and the local ecology is relatively stable; plague is prevalence, showing no rest period. Thus the plague can be significantly affected by ecological shifts.

Neurobiological changes of schizotypy: evidence from both volume-based morphometric analysis and resting-state functional connectivity.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Yan, Chao; Yin, Da-zhi; Fan, Ming-xia; Cheung, Eric F C; Pantelis, Christos; Chan, Raymond C K

2015-03-01

The current study sought to examine the underlying brain changes in individuals with high schizotypy by integrating networks derived from brain structural and functional imaging. Individuals with high schizotypy (n = 35) and low schizotypy (n = 34) controls were screened using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and underwent brain structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging on a 3T scanner. Voxel-based morphometric analysis and graph theory-based functional network analysis were conducted. Individuals with high schizotypy showed reduced gray matter (GM) density in the insula and the dorsolateral prefrontal gyrus. The graph theoretical analysis showed that individuals with high schizotypy showed similar global properties in their functional networks as low schizotypy individuals. Several hubs of the functional network were identified in both groups, including the insula, the lingual gyrus, the postcentral gyrus, and the rolandic operculum. More hubs in the frontal lobe and fewer hubs in the occipital lobe were identified in individuals with high schizotypy. By comparing the functional connectivity between clusters with abnormal GM density and the whole brain, individuals with high schizotypy showed weaker functional connectivity between the left insula and the putamen, but stronger connectivity between the cerebellum and the medial frontal gyrus. Taken together, our findings suggest that individuals with high schizotypy present changes in terms of GM and resting-state functional connectivity, especially in the frontal lobe. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mammographic breast density patterns in asymptomatic mexican women.

PubMed

Calderón-Garcidueñas, Ana Laura; Sanabria-Mondragón, Mónica; Hernández-Beltrán, Lourdes; López-Amador, Noé; Cerda-Flores, Ricardo M

2012-01-01

Breast density (BD) is a risk factor for breast cancer. Aims. To describe BD patterns in asymptomatic Mexican women and the pathological mammographic findings. Methods and Material. Prospective, descriptive, and comparative study. Women answered a questionnaire and their mammograms were analyzed according to BI-RADS. Univariate (χ(2)) and conditional logistic regression analyses were performed. Results. In 300 women studied the BD patterns were fat 56.7% (170), fibroglandular 29% (87), heterogeneously dense 5.7% (17), and dense pattern 8.6% (26). Prevalence of fat pattern was significantly different in women under 50 years (37.6%, 44/117) and older than 50 (68.8%, 126/183). Patterns of high breast density (BD) (dense + heterogeneously dense) were observed in 25.6% (30/117) of women ≤50 years and 7.1% (13/183) of women >50. Asymmetry in BD was observed in 22% (66/300). Compression cone ruled out underlying disease in 56 cases. In the remaining 10, biopsy revealed one fibroadenoma, one complex cyst, and 6 invasive and 2 intraductal carcinomas. 2.6% (8/300) of patients had non-palpable carcinomas. Benign lesions were observed in 63.3% (190/300) of cases, vascular calcification in 150 cases (78.9%), and fat necrosis in 38 cases (20%). Conclusions. Mexican women have a low percentage of high-density patterns.

Effect of a Flared Renal Stent on the Performance of Fenestrated Stent-Grafts at Rest and Exercise Conditions.

PubMed

Kandail, Harkamaljot; Hamady, Mohamad; Xu, Xiao Yun

2016-10-01

To quantify the hemodynamic impact of a flared renal stent on the performance of fenestrated stent-grafts (FSGs) by analyzing flow patterns and wall shear stress-derived parameters in flared and nonflared FSGs in different physiologic scenarios. Hypothetical models of FSGs were created with and without flaring of the proximal portion of the renal stent. Flared FSGs with different dilation angles and protrusion lengths were examined, as well as a nonplanar flared FSG to account for lumbar curvature. Laminar and pulsatile blood flow was simulated by numerically solving Navier-Stokes equations. A physiologically realistic flow rate waveform was prescribed at the inlet, while downstream vasculature was modeled using a lumped parameter 3-element windkessel model. No slip boundary conditions were imposed at the FSG walls, which were assumed to be rigid. While resting simulations were performed on all the FSGs, exercise simulations were also performed on a flared FSG to quantify the effect of flaring in different physiologic scenarios. For cycle-averaged inflow of 2.94 L/min (rest) and 4.63 L/min (exercise), 27% of blood flow was channeled into each renal branch at rest and 21% under exercise for all the flared FSGs examined. Although the renal flow waveform was not affected by flaring, flow within the flared FSGs was disturbed. This flow disturbance led to high endothelial cell activation potential (ECAP) values at the renal ostia for all the flared geometries. Reducing the dilation angle or protrusion length and exercise lowered the ECAP values for flared FSGs. Flaring of renal stents has a negligible effect on the time dependence of renal flow rate waveforms and can maintain sufficient renal perfusion at rest and exercise. Local flow patterns are, however, strongly dependent on renal flaring, which creates a local flow disturbance and may increase the thrombogenicity at the renal ostia. Smaller dilation angles, shorter protrusion lengths, and moderate lower limb exercise are likely to reduce the risk of thrombosis in flared geometries. © The Author(s) 2016.

High-gamma activity in the human hippocampus and parahippocampus during inter-trial rest periods of a virtual navigation task.

PubMed

Pu, Yi; Cornwell, Brian R; Cheyne, Douglas; Johnson, Blake W

2018-05-19

In rodents, hippocampal cell assemblies formed during learning of a navigation task are observed to re-emerge during resting (offline) periods, accompanied by high-frequency oscillations (HFOs). This phenomenon is believed to reflect mechanisms for strengthening newly-formed memory traces. Using magnetoencephalography recordings and a beamforming source location algorithm (synthetic aperture magnetometry), we investigated high-gamma (80-140 Hz) oscillations in the hippocampal region in 18 human participants during inter-trial rest periods in a virtual navigation task. We found right hippocampal gamma oscillations mirrored the pattern of theta power in the same region during navigation, varying as a function of environmental novelty. Gamma power during inter-trial rest periods was positively correlated with theta power during navigation in the first task set when the environment was new and predicted greater performance improvement in the subsequent task set two where the environment became familiar. These findings provide evidence for human hippocampal reactivation accompanied by high-gamma activities immediately after learning and establish a link between hippocampal high-gamma activities and subsequent memory performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Task-Related Modulations of BOLD Low-Frequency Fluctuations within the Default Mode Network

PubMed Central

Tommasin, Silvia; Mascali, Daniele; Gili, Tommaso; Assan, Ibrahim Eid; Moraschi, Marta; Fratini, Michela; Wise, Richard G.; Macaluso, Emiliano; Mangia, Silvia; Giove, Federico

2017-01-01

Spontaneous low-frequency Blood-Oxygenation Level-Dependent (BOLD) signals acquired during resting state are characterized by spatial patterns of synchronous fluctuations, ultimately leading to the identification of robust brain networks. The resting-state brain networks, including the Default Mode Network (DMN), are demonstrated to persist during sustained task execution, but the exact features of task-related changes of network properties are still not well characterized. In this work we sought to examine in a group of 20 healthy volunteers (age 33 ± 6 years, 8 F/12 M) the relationship between changes of spectral and spatiotemporal features of one prominent resting-state network, namely the DMN, during the continuous execution of a working memory n-back task. We found that task execution impacted on both functional connectivity and amplitude of BOLD fluctuations within large parts of the DMN, but these changes correlated between each other only in a small area of the posterior cingulate. We conclude that combined analysis of multiple parameters related to connectivity, and their changes during the transition from resting state to continuous task execution, can contribute to a better understanding of how brain networks rearrange themselves in response to a task. PMID:28845420

Detecting brain dynamics during resting state: a tensor based evolutionary clustering approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-sharoa, Esraa; Al-khassaweneh, Mahmood; Aviyente, Selin

2017-08-01

Human brain is a complex network with connections across different regions. Understanding the functional connectivity (FC) of the brain is important both during resting state and task; as disruptions in connectivity patterns are indicators of different psychopathological and neurological diseases. In this work, we study the resting state functional connectivity networks (FCNs) of the brain from fMRI BOLD signals. Recent studies have shown that FCNs are dynamic even during resting state and understanding the temporal dynamics of FCNs is important for differentiating between different conditions. Therefore, it is important to develop algorithms to track the dynamic formation and dissociation of FCNs of the brain during resting state. In this paper, we propose a two step tensor based community detection algorithm to identify and track the brain network community structure across time. First, we introduce an information-theoretic function to reduce the dynamic FCN and identify the time points that are similar topologically to combine them into a tensor. These time points will be used to identify the different FC states. Second, a tensor based spectral clustering approach is developed to identify the community structure of the constructed tensors. The proposed algorithm applies Tucker decomposition to the constructed tensors and extract the orthogonal factor matrices along the connectivity mode to determine the common subspace within each FC state. The detected community structure is summarized and described as FC states. The results illustrate the dynamic structure of resting state networks (RSNs), including the default mode network, somatomotor network, subcortical network and visual network.

Eating patterns and composition of meals and snacks in elite Canadian athletes.

PubMed

Erdman, Kelly Anne; Tunnicliffe, Jasmine; Lun, Victor M; Reimer, Raylene A

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the meal- and snack-eating frequency and the nutritional composition of each eating occasion of Canadian high-performance athletes during training. Athletes from 8 Canadian Sport Centres prospectively completed 3-d dietary records including all food, fluid, and supplements consumed. The time of consumption and whether the consumption was a meal or snack were also identified. The dietary records were analyzed for energy (kcal) and macronutrient intake (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) and compared based on gender, age, meal vs. snack, and training vs. rest days. Three hundred twenty-four athletic subjects (64% female and 36% male) completed the study. On average, the athletes ate 4.8 ± 0.8 times daily. Nearly all athletes consumed 3 daily meals of breakfast (98.9%), lunch (97.9%), and dinner (98.7%), with few having snacks: 57%, 71.6%, and 58.1% of athletes consumed an a.m., p.m., and evening snack, respectively. Training-day meal frequency did not differ from that during rest days; however, fewer snacks were consumed on rest days. A.m. and p.m. snacks were consumed significantly more often on training days than rest days. Overall, snacks contributed 24.3% of total daily energy intake. Few dietary variations were discovered between genders, while the youngest athletes (<18 yr) ate less often, especially their morning snack, than the older athletes. In conclusion, Canadian high-performance athletes self-adjusted their energy intakes on training vs. rest days primarily by snacking less and reducing their carbohydrate and protein intakes on rest days, yet they consistently ate regular meals.