Higher schizotypy predicts better metabolic profile in unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Atbasoglu, E Cem; Gumus-Akay, Guvem; Guloksuz, Sinan; Saka, Meram Can; Ucok, Alp; Alptekin, Koksal; Gullu, Sevim; van Os, Jim

2018-04-01

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is more frequent in schizophrenia (Sz) than in the general population. This association is partly accounted for by shared susceptibility genetic variants. We tested the hypotheses that a genetic predisposition to Sz would be associated with higher likelihood of insulin resistance (IR), and that IR would be predicted by subthreshold psychosis phenotypes. Unaffected siblings of Sz patients (n = 101) were compared with a nonclinical sample (n = 305) in terms of IR, schizotypy (SzTy), and a behavioural experiment of "jumping to conclusions". The measures, respectively, were the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), Structured Interview for Schizotypy-Revised (SIS-R), and the Beads Task (BT). The likelihood of IR was examined in multiple regression models that included sociodemographic, metabolic, and cognitive parameters alongside group status, SIS-R scores, and BT performance. Insulin resistance was less frequent in siblings (31.7%) compared to controls (43.3%) (p < 0.05), and negatively associated with SzTy, as compared among the tertile groups for the latter (p < 0.001). The regression model that examined all relevant parameters included the tSzTy tertiles, TG and HDL-C levels, and BMI, as significant predictors of IR. Lack of IR was predicted by the highest as compared to the lowest SzTy tertile [OR (95%CI): 0.43 (0.21-0.85), p = 0.015]. Higher dopaminergic activity may contribute to both schizotypal features and a favourable metabolic profile in the same individual. This is compatible with dopamine's regulatory role in glucose metabolism via indirect central actions and a direct action on pancreatic insulin secretion. The relationship between dopaminergic activity and metabolic profile in Sz must be examined in longitudinal studies with younger unaffected siblings.

Halo Pressure Profile through the Skew Cross-power Spectrum of the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Effect and CMB Lensing in Planck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timmons, Nicholas; Cooray, Asantha; Feng, Chang; Keating, Brian

2017-11-01

We measure the cosmic microwave background (CMB) skewness power spectrum in Planck, using frequency maps of the HFI instrument and the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) component map. The two-to-one skewness power spectrum measures the cross-correlation between CMB lensing and the thermal SZ effect. We also directly measure the same cross-correlation using the Planck CMB lensing map and the SZ map and compare it to the cross-correlation derived from the skewness power spectrum. We model fit the SZ power spectrum and CMB lensing-SZ cross-power spectrum via the skewness power spectrum to constrain the gas pressure profile of dark matter halos. The gas pressure profile is compared to existing measurements in the literature including a direct estimate based on the stacking of SZ clusters in Planck.

Application of olfactory tissue and its neural progenitors to schizophrenia and psychiatric research

PubMed Central

Lavoie, Joëlle; Sawa, Akira; Ishizuka, Koko

2017-01-01

Purpose of review The goal of this review article is to introduce olfactory epithelium (OE)-derived cell/tissue models as a promising surrogate system to study the molecular mechanisms implicated in schizophrenia (SZ) and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Here we particularly focus the utility of their neural progenitors. Recent findings Recent investigations of the pathophysiology of SZ using OE-derived tissue/cell models have provided insights about SZ-associated alterations in neurodevelopment, stress response, and gene/protein expression regulatory pathways. Summary The OE retains the capacity for lifelong neurogenesis and regeneration, because of the presence of neural stem cells and progenitors. Thus, both mature neurons and neural progenitors can be obtained from the OE without the need for genetic reprogramming and related confounds. Furthermore, the OE is highly scalable resource in translational settings. Here we also demonstrate recent findings from research using OE-derived tissue/cell models in SZ and other brain disorders. In summary, we propose that the OE as a promising resource to study neural molecular and cellular signatures relevant to the pathology of SZ and other mental disorders. PMID:28333692

Halo Pressure Profile through the Skew Cross-power Spectrum of the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich Effect and CMB Lensing in Planck

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

Timmons, Nicholas; Cooray, Asantha; Feng, Chang

2017-11-01

We measure the cosmic microwave background (CMB) skewness power spectrum in Planck , using frequency maps of the HFI instrument and the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) component map. The two-to-one skewness power spectrum measures the cross-correlation between CMB lensing and the thermal SZ effect. We also directly measure the same cross-correlation using the Planck CMB lensing map and the SZ map and compare it to the cross-correlation derived from the skewness power spectrum. We model fit the SZ power spectrum and CMB lensing–SZ cross-power spectrum via the skewness power spectrum to constrain the gas pressure profile of dark matter halos. The gasmore » pressure profile is compared to existing measurements in the literature including a direct estimate based on the stacking of SZ clusters in Planck .« less

Contextual predictability enhances reading performance in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Fernández, Gerardo; Guinjoan, Salvador; Sapognikoff, Marcelo; Orozco, David; Agamennoni, Osvaldo

2016-07-30

In the present work we analyzed fixation duration in 40 healthy individuals and 18 patients with chronic, stable SZ during reading of regular sentences and proverbs. While they read, their eye movements were recorded. We used lineal mixed models to analyze fixation durations. The predictability of words N-1, N, and N+1 exerted a strong influence on controls and SZ patients. The influence of the predictabilities of preceding, current, and upcoming words on SZ was clearly reduced for proverbs in comparison to regular sentences. Both controls and SZ readers were able to use highly predictable fixated words for an easier reading. Our results suggest that SZ readers might compensate attentional and working memory deficiencies by using stored information of familiar texts for enhancing their reading performance. The predictabilities of words in proverbs serve as task-appropriate cues that are used by SZ readers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using eyetracking for measuring how patients with SZ process well-defined words embedded in regular sentences and proverbs. Evaluation of the resulting changes in fixation durations might provide a useful tool for understanding how SZ patients could enhance their reading performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Baryonic Physics on the Kinetic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hyunbae; Alvarez, Marcelo A.; Bond, J. Richard

2018-02-01

Poorly understood “baryonic physics” impacts our ability to predict the power spectrum of the kinetic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect. We study this in a sample high-resolution simulation of galaxy formation and feedback, Illustris. The high resolution of Illustris allows us to probe the kSZ power spectrum on multipoles {\\ell }={10}3{--}3× {10}4. Strong AGN feedback in Illustris nearly wipes out gas fluctuations at k≳ 1 h {Mpc}}-1 and at late times, likely somewhat underpredicting the kSZ power generated at z≲ 1. The post-reionization kSZ power spectrum for Illustris is well-fit by {{ \\mathcal D }}{\\ell }z< 6=1.38{[{\\ell }/3000]}0.21 μ {{{K}}}2 over 3000≲ {\\ell } ≲ 10,000, somewhat lower than most other reported values but consistent with the analysis of Shaw et al. Our analysis of the bias of free electrons reveals subtle effects associated with the multi-phase gas physics and stellar fractions that affect even linear scales. In particular, there are fewer electrons in biased galaxies, due to gas-cooling and star formation, and this leads to an electron bias of less than one, even at low wavenumbers. The combination of bias and electron fraction that determines the overall suppression is relatively constant, {f}e2{b}e02∼ 0.7, but more simulations are needed to see if this is Illustris-specific. By separating the kSZ power into different terms, we find that at least 6% (10%) of the signal at ℓ = 3000 (10,000) comes from non-Gaussian connected four-point density and velocity correlations, {< δ vδ v> }c, even without correcting for the Illustris simulation box-size. A challenge going forward will be accurately modeling long-wave velocity modes simultaneously with Illustris-like high resolution to capture the complexities of galaxy formation and its correlations with large-scale flows.

The transition from brittle cataclasis to viscous flow during the weakening of carbonate gouges sheared at seismic velocities recorded through the activity of acoustic emissions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzi, G.; Benson, P. M.; Guerin-Marthe, S.; De Paola, N.; Nielsen, S. B.; Bowen, L.; Tomas, R.; Holdsworth, R.

2017-12-01

Our recent experimental and microstructural studies in carbonate nanograin gouges have suggested that the activation of grain boundary sliding mechanisms in a slip zone (SZ) of finite thickness ( 30 microns), at high temperatures (T ≥ 800 °C) and strain rates, can weaken faults and facilitate earthquake propagation. However, neither mechanical data alone or microstructural analysis of post-mortem experimental samples allow a continuous monitoring of the evolution of the deformation mechanisms through the weakening history of the gouges. Here, we present results from experiments performed on a rotary shear apparatus at normal load of 25 MPa and slip rates of up to 1 ms-1, which have been monitored for acoustic emissions. This has been achieved by modifying a hollow cylinder sample assembly (titanium-vanadium alloy) to contain a radial array of 6 piezoelectric sensors. Acoustic emissions fully support a 4-stage evolution of friction. In particular, high frequencies recorded during initial cataclasis and shear localization, when friction coefficient is within Byerlee's range (> 0.6), gradually fade out at the onset of weakening and through the transient stage of friction decay to low (rate-dependent) steady state friction values. During this stage only low-frequency events (< 0.83 MHz) show appreciable intensity. Acoustic emissions strongly support our model of weakening in carbonate gauges, where brittle processes (strong emission of AEs) predate the onset of thermally activated, diffusion-accommodated viscous flow in a thin SZ. Furthermore, discrete emissions with high frequency content are recorded after the stop of the machine supporting the hypothesis that free, shiny surfaces (e.g. mirror surfaces) are formed in the latest stages of the experiments by thermal cracking along pre-existing anisotropies (the PSZ boundaries). This evidence further supports our interpretation of dynamic weakening due to viscous flow in a SZ of finite thickness, ruling out frictional sliding along the mirror surfaces.

Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia and Nonschizophrenia Populations: A Review and Integrated Model of Cognitive Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Waters, Flavie; Allen, Paul; Aleman, André; Fernyhough, Charles; Woodward, Todd S.; Badcock, Johanna C.; Barkus, Emma; Johns, Louise; Varese, Filippo; Menon, Mahesh; Vercammen, Ans; Larøi, Frank

2012-01-01

While the majority of cognitive studies on auditory hallucinations (AHs) have been conducted in schizophrenia (SZ), an increasing number of researchers are turning their attention to different clinical and nonclinical populations, often using SZ findings as a model for research. Recent advances derived from SZ studies can therefore be utilized to make substantial progress on AH research in other groups. The objectives of this article were to (1) present an up-to-date review regarding the cognitive mechanisms of AHs in SZ, (2) review findings from cognitive research conducted in other clinical and nonclinical groups, and (3) integrate these recent findings into a cohesive framework. First, SZ studies show that the cognitive underpinnings of AHs include self-source-monitoring deficits and executive and inhibitory control dysfunctions as well as distortions in top-down mechanisms, perceptual and linguistic processes, and emotional factors. Second, consistent with SZ studies, findings in other population groups point to the role of top-down processing, abnormalities in executive inhibition, and negative emotions. Finally, we put forward an integrated model of AHs that incorporates the above findings. We suggest that AHs arise from an interaction between abnormal neural activation patterns that produce salient auditory signals and top-down mechanisms that include signal detection errors, executive and inhibition deficits, a tapestry of expectations and memories, and state characteristics that influence how these experiences are interpreted. Emotional factors play a particular prominent role at all levels of this hierarchy. Our model is distinctively powerful in explaining a range of phenomenological characteristics of AH across a spectrum of disorders. PMID:22446568

Ordinary matter, dark matter, and dark energy on normal Zeeman space-times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imre Szabó, Zoltán

2017-01-01

Zeeman space-times are new, relativistic, and operator based Hamiltonian models representing multi-particle systems. They are established on Lorentzian pseudo Riemannian manifolds whose Laplacian immediately appears in the form of original quantum physical wave operators. In classical quantum theory they emerge, differently, from the Hamilton formalism and the correspondence principle. Nonetheless, this new model does not just reiterate the well known conceptions but holds the key to solving open problems of quantum theory. Most remarkably, it represents the dark matter, dark energy, and ordinary matter by the same ratios how they show up in experiments. Another remarkable agreement with reality is that the ordinary matter appears to be non-expanding and is described in consent with observations. The theory also explains gravitation, moreover, the Hamilton operators of all energy and matter formations, together with their physical properties, are solely derived from the Laplacian of the Zeeman space-time. By this reason, it is called Monistic Wave Laplacian which symbolizes an all-comprehensive unification of all matter and energy formations. This paper only outlines the normal case where the particles do not have proper spin but just angular momentum. The complete anomalous theory is detailed in [Sz2, Sz3, Sz4, Sz5, Sz6, Sz7].

Gestational methylazoxymethanol exposure leads to NMDAR dysfunction in hippocampus during early development and lasting deficits in learning.

PubMed

Snyder, Melissa A; Adelman, Alicia E; Gao, Wen-Jun

2013-01-01

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor has long been associated with learning and memory processes as well as diseased states, particularly in schizophrenia (SZ). Additionally, SZ is increasingly recognized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with cognitive impairments often preceding the onset of psychosis. However, the cause of these cognitive deficits and what initiates the pathological process is unknown. Growing evidence has implicated the glutamate system and, in particular, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dysfunction in the pathophysiology of SZ. Yet, the vast majority of SZ-related research has focused on NMDAR function in adults leaving the role of NMDARs during development uncharacterized. We used the prenatal methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM, E17) exposure model to determine the alterations of NMDAR protein levels and function, as well as associated cognitive deficits during development. We found that MAM-exposed animals have significantly altered NMDAR protein levels and function in the juvenile and adolescent hippocampus. Furthermore, these changes are associated with learning and memory deficits in the Morris Water Maze. Thus, in the prenatal MAM-exposure SZ model, NMDAR expression and function is altered during the critical period of hippocampal development. These changes may be involved in disease initiation and cognitive impairment in the early stage of SZ.

On the signatures of companion formation in the spectral energy distributions of Sz54 and Sz59—the young stars with protoplanetary disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakhozhay, O. V.

2017-07-01

We study spectral energy distributions of two young systems Sz54 and Sz59, that belong to Chameleon II star forming region. The results of the modeling indicate that protoplanetary disks of these systems contain gaps in the dust component. These gaps could be a result of a planetary or brown dwarf companion formation, because the companion would accumulate a disk material, moving along its orbit. In a present work we have determined physical characteristics of the disks. We also discuss possible companion characteristics, based on the geometrical parameters of the gaps.

SA54. The Structure of Embodied Emotions in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

Substorms: The Attempt at Magnetospheric Dynamic Equilibrium between Magnetically-Driven Frontside Reconnection and Particle-Driven Reconnection in a Multiple-Current-Sheet Magnetotail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofko, G. J.; Hussey, G. C.; McWilliams, K. A.; Reimer, A. S.

2016-12-01

We propose a multi-current-sheet model for magnetic substorms. Those storms are normally driven by frontside magnetically-driven reconnection (MDRx), in which the diffusion zone current JD and the electric field E have a "load" relationship JD*E >0, indicating transfer if magnetic energy to the particles in the "reconnection jets". As a result of lobe field line transport over the north and south poles, polar cap particles are subject to parallel energization as they flow upward out of the ionosphere. These particles convectively drift toward the equator and subsequently mirror near the Neutral Sheet (NSh) region, forming an extended westward NSh current sheet which is unstable and "tears up" into multiple current sheets. Each current sheet has very different behaviour at its ends: (a) strong magnetic pressure and weak particle pressure at its tailward end; (b) strong particle pressure and weak magnetic field at its earthward end. Therefore, in each Separation Zone (SZ) between current sheets, a strong eastward magnetic curl develops. The associated eastward SZ current, caused by diamagnetic electron drift, is squeezed by the repulsion of the westward currents tailward and earthward. That current becomes intense enough to act as a diffusion zone for "generator-type" or Particle-driven reconnection (PDRx) for which JD*E<0, indicating that the particles return energy to the magnetic field. The PDRx produces a Dipolarization Front (DF) on the earthward side of the SZ and a Plasmoid (PMD) on the tailward side. Such DF-PMD pairs form successively in time and radial downtail SZ distance. In this way, the magnetosphere attempts to achieve a dynamic equilibrium between magnetic and particle energy.

AMI SZ observation of galaxy-cluster merger CIZA J2242+5301: perpendicular flows of gas and dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumsey, Clare; Perrott, Yvette C.; Olamaie, Malak; Saunders, Richard D. E.; Hobson, Michael P.; Stroe, Andra; Schammel, Michel P.; Grainge, Keith J. B.

2017-10-01

Arcminute Microkelvin Imager observations towards CIZA J2242+5301, in comparison with observations of weak gravitational lensing and X-ray emission from the literature, are used to investigate the behaviour of non-baryonic dark matter (NBDM) and gas during the merger. Analysis of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signal indicates the presence of high pressure gas elongated perpendicularly to the X-ray and weak-lensing morphologies, which, given the merger-axis constraints in the literature, implies that high pressure gas is pushed out into a linear structure during core passing. Simulations in the literature closely matching the inferred merger scenario show the formation of gas density and temperature structures perpendicular to the merger axis. These SZ observations are challenging for modified gravity theories in which NBDM is not the dominant contributor to galaxy-cluster gravity.

The SZ-5 Spaceship Orbit Changes During The 2003 "Halloween Storm"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, C.; Liu, D.; Guo, J.

2017-12-01

We analyse the daily major semi-axis variations of SZ-5 (ShenZhou V) spaceship during Oct. 20 to Dec. 30 in 2003, which includes the period of the 2003 "Halloween Storm". The significant orbital decay has been observed in late October due to the great solar flares and the severe geomagnetic storms. According to the equation of the air-drag-force on a spacecraft and the SZ-5 orbital decay information, we derive the thermospheric density relative changes during the 2003 "Halloween Storm" and compare the results with the Naval Research Laboratory Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter Radar Extended Model (NRLMSISE-00). The analyses show that the thermosperic density (at the altitude of SZ-5, about 350 km) in storm time enchances to approximately three times as much as that in the quiet time but the empirical model may underestimate the thermospheric density changes during this severe storm.

Predicting psychosis across diagnostic boundaries: Behavioral and computational modeling evidence for impaired reinforcement learning in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with a history of psychosis.

PubMed

Strauss, Gregory P; Thaler, Nicholas S; Matveeva, Tatyana M; Vogel, Sally J; Sutton, Griffin P; Lee, Bern G; Allen, Daniel N

2015-08-01

There is increasing evidence that schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) share a number of cognitive, neurobiological, and genetic markers. Shared features may be most prevalent among SZ and BD with a history of psychosis. This study extended this literature by examining reinforcement learning (RL) performance in individuals with SZ (n = 29), BD with a history of psychosis (BD+; n = 24), BD without a history of psychosis (BD-; n = 23), and healthy controls (HC; n = 24). RL was assessed through a probabilistic stimulus selection task with acquisition and test phases. Computational modeling evaluated competing accounts of the data. Each participant's trial-by-trial decision-making behavior was fit to 3 computational models of RL: (a) a standard actor-critic model simulating pure basal ganglia-dependent learning, (b) a pure Q-learning model simulating action selection as a function of learned expected reward value, and (c) a hybrid model where an actor-critic is "augmented" by a Q-learning component, meant to capture the top-down influence of orbitofrontal cortex value representations on the striatum. The SZ group demonstrated greater reinforcement learning impairments at acquisition and test phases than the BD+, BD-, and HC groups. The BD+ and BD- groups displayed comparable performance at acquisition and test phases. Collapsing across diagnostic categories, greater severity of current psychosis was associated with poorer acquisition of the most rewarding stimuli as well as poor go/no-go learning at test. Model fits revealed that reinforcement learning in SZ was best characterized by a pure actor-critic model where learning is driven by prediction error signaling alone. In contrast, BD-, BD+, and HC were best fit by a hybrid model where prediction errors are influenced by top-down expected value representations that guide decision making. These findings suggest that abnormalities in the reward system are more prominent in SZ than BD; however, current psychotic symptoms may be associated with reinforcement learning deficits regardless of a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) diagnosis. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Cosmology with the pairwise kinematic SZ effect: Calibration and validation using hydrodynamical simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soergel, Bjoern; Saro, Alexandro; Giannantonio, Tommaso; Efstathiou, George; Dolag, Klaus

2018-05-01

We study the potential of the kinematic SZ effect as a probe for cosmology, focusing on the pairwise method. The main challenge is disentangling the cosmologically interesting mean pairwise velocity from the cluster optical depth and the associated uncertainties on the baryonic physics in clusters. Furthermore, the pairwise kSZ signal might be affected by internal cluster motions or correlations between velocity and optical depth. We investigate these effects using the Magneticum cosmological hydrodynamical simulations, one of the largest simulations of this kind performed to date. We produce tSZ and kSZ maps with an area of ≃ 1600 deg2, and the corresponding cluster catalogues with M500c ≳ 3 × 1013 h-1M⊙ and z ≲ 2. From these data sets we calibrate a scaling relation between the average Compton-y parameter and optical depth. We show that this relation can be used to recover an accurate estimate of the mean pairwise velocity from the kSZ effect, and that this effect can be used as an important probe of cosmology. We discuss the impact of theoretical and observational systematic effects, and find that further work on feedback models is required to interpret future high-precision measurements of the kSZ effect.

Measurements of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and future surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vavagiakis, Eve Marie; De Bernardis, Francesco; Aiola, Simone; Battaglia, Nicholas; Niemack, Michael D.; ACTPol Collaboration

2017-06-01

We have made improved measurements of the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We used a map of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) from two seasons of observations each by ACT and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope Polarimeter (ACTPol) receiver. We evaluated the mean pairwise baryon momentum associated with the positions of 50,000 bright galaxies in the BOSS DR11 Large Scale Structure catalog via 600 square degrees of overlapping sky area. The measurement of the kSZ signal arising from the large-scale motions of clusters was made by fitting data to an analytical model. The free parameter of the fit determined the optical depth to microwave photon scattering for the cluster sample. We estimated the covariance matrix of the mean pairwise momentum as a function of galaxy separation using CMB simulations, jackknife evaluation, and bootstrap estimates. The most conservative simulation-based uncertainties gave signal-to-noise estimates between 3.6 and 4.1 for various luminosity cuts. Additionally, we explored a novel approach to estimating cluster optical depths from the average thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (tSZ) signal at the BOSS DR11 catalog positions. Our results were broadly consistent with those obtained from the kSZ signal. In the future, the tSZ signal may provide a valuable probe of cluster optical depths, enabling the extraction of velocities from the kSZ sourced mean pairwise momenta. New CMB maps from three seasons of ACTPol observations with multi-frequency coverage overlap with nearly four times as many DR11 sources and promise to improve statistics and systematics for SZ measurements. With these and other upcoming data, the pairwise kSZ signal is poised to become a powerful new cosmological tool, able to probe large physical scales to inform neutrino physics and test models of modified gravity and dark energy.

Testing eternal inflation with the kinetic Sunyaev Zel'dovich effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Pengjie; Johnson, Matthew C.

2015-06-01

Perhaps the most controversial idea in modern cosmology is that our observable universe is contained within one bubble among many, all inhabiting the eternally inflating multiverse. One of the few way to test this idea is to look for evidence of the relic inhomogeneities left by the collisions between other bubbles and our own. Such relic inhomogeneities will induce a coherent bulk flow over Gpc scales. Therefore, bubble collisions leave unique imprints in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the kinetic Sunyaev Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect, temperature anisotropies induced by the scattering of photons from coherently moving free electrons in the diffuse intergalactic medium. The kSZ signature produced by bubble collisions has a unique directional dependence and is tightly correlated with the galaxy distribution; it can therefore be distinguished from other contributions to the CMB anisotropies. An important advantage of the kSZ signature is that it peaks on arcminute angular scales, where the limiting factors in making a detection are instrumental noise and foreground subtraction. This is in contrast to the collision signature in the primary CMB, which peaks on angular scales much larger than one degree, and whose detection is therefore limited by cosmic variance. In this paper, we examine the prospects for probing the inhomogeneities left by bubble collisions using the kSZ effect. We provide a forecast for detection using cross-correlations between CMB and galaxy surveys, finding that the detectability using the kSZ effect can be competitive with constraints from CMB temperature and polarization data.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: A Measurement of the 600 less than l less than 8000 Cosmic Microwave Background Power Spectrum at 148 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fowler, J. W.; Acquaviva, V.; Ade, P. A. R.; Aguirre, P.; Amiri, M.; Appel, J. W.; Barrientos, L. F.; Bassistelli, E. S.; Bond, J. R.; Brown, B.;

Concentration change of DA, DOPAC, Glu and GABA in brain tissues in schizophrenia developmental model rats induced by MK-801.

PubMed

Liu, Yong; Tang, Yamei; Pu, Weidan; Zhang, Xianghui; Zhao, Jingping

2011-08-01

To explore the related neurobiochemical mechanism by comparing the concentration change of dopamine (DA), dihydroxy-phenyl acetic acid (DOPAC), glutamate (Glu), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain tissues in schizophrenia (SZ) developmental model rats and chronic medication model rats. A total of 60 neonatal male Spragur-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups at the postnatal day 6: an SZ developmental rat model group (subcutaneous injection with MK-801 at the postnatal day 7-10, 0.1 mg/kg, Bid), a chronic medication model group (intraperitoneal injection at the postnatal day 47-60, 0.2 mg/kg,Qd), and a normal control group (injection with 0.9% normal saline during the corresponding periods). DA, DOPAC, Glu, and GABA of the tissue homogenate from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus were examined with Coularray electrochemic detection by high performance liquid chromatogram technique. The utilization rate of DA and Glu was calculated. Compared with the normal control group, the concentration of DA and DOPAC in the mPFC and the hippocampus in the SZ developmental model group significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the GABA concentration and Glu utilization rate in the mPFC also decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the chronic medication model group, the DA concentration of the mPFC in the SZ developmental group decreased (P<0.05), and the DOPAC concentration and the utility rate of DA in the hippocampus also decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05, respectively). The activities of DA, Glu and GABA system decrease in the mPFC and the DA system function reduces in the hippocampus of SZ developmental rats.

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

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.

The Virgo cluster is the largest Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) source in the sky, both in terms of angular size and total integrated flux. Planck’s wide angular scale and frequency coverage, together with its high sensitivity, enable a detailed study of this big object through the SZ effect. Virgo is well resolved by Planck, showing an elongated structure that correlates well with the morphology observed from X-rays, but extends beyond the observed X-ray signal. We find good agreement between the SZ signal (or Compton parameter, y c) observed by Planck and the expected signal inferred from X-ray observations and simple analytical models.more » Owing to its proximity to us, the gas beyond the virial radius in Virgo can be studied with unprecedented sensitivity by integrating the SZ signal over tens of square degrees. In this paper, we study the signal in the outskirts of Virgo and compare it with analytical models and a constrained simulation of the environment of Virgo. Planck data suggest that significant amounts of low-density plasma surround Virgo, out to twice the virial radius. We find the SZ signal in the outskirts of Virgo to be consistent with a simple model that extrapolates the inferred pressure at lower radii, while assuming that the temperature stays in the keV range beyond the virial radius. The observed signal is also consistent with simulations and points to a shallow pressure profile in the outskirts of the cluster. This reservoir of gas at large radii can be linked with the hottest phase of the elusivewarm/hot intergalactic medium. Taking the lack of symmetry of Virgo into account, we find that a prolate model is favoured by the combination of SZ and X-ray data, in agreement with predictions. In conclusion, based on the combination of the same SZ and X-ray data, we constrain the total amount of gas in Virgo. Under the hypothesis that the abundance of baryons in Virgo is representative of the cosmic average, we also infer a distance for Virgo of approximately 18 Mpc, in good agreement with previous estimates.« less

Planck intermediate results. XL. The Sunyaev-Zeldovich signal from the Virgo cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R. C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Catalano, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chiang, H. C.; Christensen, P. R.; Churazov, E.; Clements, D. L.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Comis, B.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Dolag, K.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Giard, M.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; Gjerløw, E.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J. E.; Hansen, F. K.; Harrison, D. L.; Helou, G.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jaffe, T. R.; Jones, W. C.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T. S.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leonardi, R.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maffei, B.; Maggio, G.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Marcos-Caballero, A.; Maris, M.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; Meinhold, P. R.; Melchiorri, A.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Oppermann, N.; Oxborrow, C. A.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Pearson, T. J.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Pratt, G. W.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Schaefer, B. M.; Scott, D.; Soler, J. D.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Umana, G.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Wehus, I. K.; Weller, J.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-12-01

The Virgo cluster is the largest Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) source in the sky, both in terms of angular size and total integrated flux. Planck's wide angular scale and frequency coverage, together with its high sensitivity, enable a detailed study of this big object through the SZ effect. Virgo is well resolved by Planck, showing an elongated structure that correlates well with the morphology observed from X-rays, but extends beyond the observed X-ray signal. We find good agreement between the SZ signal (or Compton parameter, yc) observed by Planck and the expected signal inferred from X-ray observations and simple analytical models. Owing to its proximity to us, the gas beyond the virial radius in Virgo can be studied with unprecedented sensitivity by integrating the SZ signal over tens of square degrees. We study the signal in the outskirts of Virgo and compare it with analytical models and a constrained simulation of the environment of Virgo. Planck data suggest that significant amounts of low-density plasma surround Virgo, out to twice the virial radius. We find the SZ signal in the outskirts of Virgo to be consistent with a simple model that extrapolates the inferred pressure at lower radii, while assuming that the temperature stays in the keV range beyond the virial radius. The observed signal is also consistent with simulations and points to a shallow pressure profile in the outskirts of the cluster. This reservoir of gas at large radii can be linked with the hottest phase of the elusivewarm/hot intergalactic medium. Taking the lack of symmetry of Virgo into account, we find that a prolate model is favoured by the combination of SZ and X-ray data, in agreement with predictions. Finally, based on the combination of the same SZ and X-ray data, we constrain the total amount of gas in Virgo. Under the hypothesis that the abundance of baryons in Virgo is representative of the cosmic average, we also infer a distance for Virgo of approximately 18 Mpc, in good agreement with previous estimates.

Planck intermediate results: XL. The Sunyaev-Zeldovich signal from the Virgo cluster

DOE PAGES

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; ...

2016-12-12

The Virgo cluster is the largest Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) source in the sky, both in terms of angular size and total integrated flux. Planck’s wide angular scale and frequency coverage, together with its high sensitivity, enable a detailed study of this big object through the SZ effect. Virgo is well resolved by Planck, showing an elongated structure that correlates well with the morphology observed from X-rays, but extends beyond the observed X-ray signal. We find good agreement between the SZ signal (or Compton parameter, y c) observed by Planck and the expected signal inferred from X-ray observations and simple analytical models.more » Owing to its proximity to us, the gas beyond the virial radius in Virgo can be studied with unprecedented sensitivity by integrating the SZ signal over tens of square degrees. In this paper, we study the signal in the outskirts of Virgo and compare it with analytical models and a constrained simulation of the environment of Virgo. Planck data suggest that significant amounts of low-density plasma surround Virgo, out to twice the virial radius. We find the SZ signal in the outskirts of Virgo to be consistent with a simple model that extrapolates the inferred pressure at lower radii, while assuming that the temperature stays in the keV range beyond the virial radius. The observed signal is also consistent with simulations and points to a shallow pressure profile in the outskirts of the cluster. This reservoir of gas at large radii can be linked with the hottest phase of the elusivewarm/hot intergalactic medium. Taking the lack of symmetry of Virgo into account, we find that a prolate model is favoured by the combination of SZ and X-ray data, in agreement with predictions. In conclusion, based on the combination of the same SZ and X-ray data, we constrain the total amount of gas in Virgo. Under the hypothesis that the abundance of baryons in Virgo is representative of the cosmic average, we also infer a distance for Virgo of approximately 18 Mpc, in good agreement with previous estimates.« less

Reciprocal duplication of the Williams-Beuren syndrome deletion on chromosome 7q11.23 is associated with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Mulle, Jennifer Gladys; Pulver, Ann E; McGrath, John A; Wolyniec, Paula S; Dodd, Anne F; Cutler, David J; Sebat, Jonathan; Malhotra, Dheeraj; Nestadt, Gerald; Conrad, Donald F; Hurles, Matthew; Barnes, Chris P; Ikeda, Masashi; Iwata, Nakao; Levinson, Douglas F; Gejman, Pablo V; Sanders, Alan R; Duan, Jubao; Mitchell, Adele A; Peter, Inga; Sklar, Pamela; O'Dushlaine, Colm T; Grozeva, Detelina; O'Donovan, Michael C; Owen, Michael J; Hultman, Christina M; Kähler, Anna K; Sullivan, Patrick F; Kirov, George; Warren, Stephen T

2014-03-01

Several copy number variants (CNVs) have been implicated as susceptibility factors for schizophrenia (SZ). Some of these same CNVs also increase risk for autism spectrum disorders, suggesting an etiologic overlap between these conditions. Recently, de novo duplications of a region on chromosome 7q11.23 were associated with autism spectrum disorders. The reciprocal deletion of this region causes Williams-Beuren syndrome. We assayed an Ashkenazi Jewish cohort of 554 SZ cases and 1014 controls for genome-wide CNV. An excess of large rare and de novo CNVs were observed, including a 1.4 Mb duplication on chromosome 7q11.23 identified in two unrelated patients. To test whether this 7q11.23 duplication is also associated with SZ, we obtained data for 14,387 SZ cases and 28,139 controls from seven additional studies with high-resolution genome-wide CNV detection. We performed a meta-analysis, correcting for study population of origin, to assess whether the duplication is associated with SZ. We found duplications at 7q11.23 in 11 of 14,387 SZ cases with only 1 in 28,139 control subjects (unadjusted odds ratio 21.52, 95% confidence interval: 3.13-922.6, p value 5.5 × 10(-5); adjusted odds ratio 10.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.46-79.62, p value .007). Of three SZ duplication carriers with detailed retrospective data, all showed social anxiety and language delay premorbid to SZ onset, consistent with both human studies and animal models of the 7q11.23 duplication. We have identified a new CNV associated with SZ. Reciprocal duplication of the Williams-Beuren syndrome deletion at chromosome 7q11.23 confers an approximately tenfold increase in risk for SZ. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Educational space probe model system of lander (Hunveyor), rover (Husar) and test-terrain for planetary science education and analog studies in universities and colleges of Hungary.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berczi, Sz.; Hegyi, S.; Hudoba, Gy.; Hargitai, H.; Kokany, A.; Drommer, B.; Biro, T.; Gucsik, A.; Pinter, A.; Kovacs, Zs.

In 1997 we began a complex modelling program in planetary geology unifying field work robotics, electronics and complex environmental analysis by constructing an experimental space probe model system. It consists of an experimental lander HUNVEYOR (Hungarian UNiversity surVEYOR), a rover named HUSAR (Hungarian University Surface Analyser Rover) and a test terrain. For Hunveyor the idea and example was the historical Surveyor program of NASA in the 1960-ies, for the Husar the idea and example was the Pathfinder's rover Sojouner rover. The main goals of this program are: 1) to teach the complex work of planetary science according to the main operations of the procedure of the large scientific and technology system, 2) to build the lander structure and basic electronics from cheap everyday PC compatible elements, 3) to construct basic experiments and their instruments, 4) to use the system as a space activity simulator, 5) to form the electronics of this simulator system which contains lander (with on board computer) for works on a test planetary surface, and a "terrestrial control" computer, "talking" with each other, 6) to harmonize the assemblage of the electronic system and instruments in various levels of autonomy from the power and communication circuits, 7) to use the complex system in education for in situ understanding of the complex planetary environmental problems, 8) to build various planetary environments on the test terrain in order to apply the instrument assemblages in various testing conditions, 9) to use the model system with special internet connections capable of communicating in the web in field trip conditions for users, and 10) to use the model system in real planetary analog field trip simulations, first in Hungary and later in some planetary analog site in the world. We report some of these visits in Hungary and Utah, USA. REFERENCES: [1] Bérczi Sz., Cech V., Hegyi S., Borbola T., Diósy T., Köll˝ Z., o 1 Tóth Sz. (1998): LPSC XXIX, #1267; [2] Drommer B., Blénessy G., Hanczár G., Gránicz K., Diósy T., Tóth Sz., Bodó E. (1999): LPSC XXX, #1606; [3] Bérczi Sz., Drommer B., Cech V., Hegyi S., Herbert J., Tóth Sz., Diósy T., Roskó F., Borbola T. (1999): LPSC XXX. #1332 [4] Bérczi Sz., Kabai S., Hegyi S., Cech V., Drommer B., Földi T., Fröhlich A., Gévay G. (1999): LPSC XXX, #1037; [5] S. Hegyi, B. Kovács, M. Keresztesi, I. Béres, Gimesi, Imrek, Lengyel, J. Herbert (2000): LPSC XXXI, #1103, Houston, [6] T. Diósy, F. Roskó, K. Gránicz, B. Drommer, S. Hegyi, J. Herbert, M. Keresztesi, B. Kovács, A. Fabriczy, Sz. Bérczi (2000): LPSC XXXI, #1153, Houston, [7] F. Roskó, T. Diósy, Sz. Bérczi, A. Fabriczy, V. Cech, S. Hegyi (2000): LPSC XXXI, #1572, Houston, [8] Balogh, Zs., Bordás, F., Bérczi, Sz., Diósy, T., Hegyi, S., Imrek, Gy., Kabai, S., Keresztesi, M. (2002): LPSC XXXIII, Abstract #1085, LPI, Houston (CD-ROM), [9] Hegyi, S., Horváth, Cs., Németh, I., Keresztesi, M., Hegyi, Á., Kovács, Zs., Diósy, T., Kabai, S., Bérczi, Sz. (2002): LPSC XXXIII, Abstract #1124, LPI, Houston (CD-ROM), [10] Sz. Bérczi, T. Diósy, Sz. Tóth, S. Hegyi, Gy. Imrek, Zs. Kovács, V. Cech, E. Müller-Bodó, F. Roskó, L. Szentpétery, Gy. Hudoba (2002): LPSC XXXIII, Abstract #1496, LPI, Houston (CD-ROM). 2

Path from schizophrenia genomics to biology: gene regulation and perturbation in neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and genome editing.

PubMed

Duan, Jubao

2015-02-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a devastating mental disorder afflicting 1% of the population. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of SZ have identified >100 risk loci. However, the causal variants/genes and the causal mechanisms remain largely unknown, which hinders the translation of GWAS findings into disease biology and drug targets. Most risk variants are noncoding, thus likely regulate gene expression. A major mechanism of transcriptional regulation is chromatin remodeling, and open chromatin is a versatile predictor of regulatory sequences. MicroRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation plays an important role in SZ pathogenesis. Neurons differentiated from patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide an experimental model to characterize the genetic perturbation of regulatory variants that are often specific to cell type and/or developmental stage. The emerging genome-editing technology enables the creation of isogenic iPSCs and neurons to efficiently characterize the effects of SZ-associated regulatory variants on SZ-relevant molecular and cellular phenotypes involving dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurotransmissions. SZ GWAS findings equipped with the emerging functional genomics approaches provide an unprecedented opportunity for understanding new disease biology and identifying novel drug targets.

Word processing during reading sentences in patients with schizophrenia: evidences from the eyetracking technique.

PubMed

Fernández, Gerardo; Sapognikoff, Marcelo; Guinjoan, Salvador; Orozco, David; Agamennoni, Osvaldo

2016-07-01

The current study analyze the effect of word properties (i.e., word length, word frequency and word predictability) on the eye movement behavior of patients with schizophrenia (SZ) compared to age-matched controls. 18 SZ patients and 40 age matched controls participated in the study. Eye movements were recorded during reading regular sentences by using the eyetracking technique. Eye movement analyses were performed using linear mixed models. Analysis of eye movements revealed that patients with SZ decreased the amount of single fixations, increased their total number of second pass fixations compared with healthy individuals (Controls). In addition, SZ patients showed an increase in gaze duration, compared to Controls. Interestingly, the effects of current word frequency and current word length processing were similar in Controls and SZ patients. The high rate of second pass fixations and its low rate in single fixation might reveal impairments in working memory when integrating neighbor words. In contrast, word frequency and length processing might require less complex mechanisms, which were functioning in SZ patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study measuring how patients with SZ process dynamically well-defined words embedded in regular sentences. The findings suggest that evaluation of the resulting changes in eye movement behavior may supplement current symptom-based diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous Gamma Activity in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Hirano, Yoji; Oribe, Naoya; Kanba, Shigenobu; Onitsuka, Toshiaki; Nestor, Paul G; Spencer, Kevin M

2015-08-01

A major goal of translational neuroscience is to identify neural circuit abnormalities in neuropsychiatric disorders that can be studied in animal models to facilitate the development of new treatments. Oscillations in the gamma band (30-100 Hz) of the electroencephalogram have received considerable interest as the basic mechanisms underlying these oscillations are understood, and gamma abnormalities have been found in schizophrenia (SZ). Animal models of SZ based on hypofunction of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) demonstrate increased spontaneous broadband gamma power, but this phenomenon has not been identified clearly in patients with SZ. To examine spontaneous gamma power and its relationship to evoked gamma oscillations in the auditory cortex of patients with SZ. We performed a cross-sectional study including 24 patients with chronic SZ and 24 matched healthy control participants at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2012. Electroencephalograms were obtained during auditory steady-state stimulation at multiple frequencies (20, 30, and 40 Hz) and during a resting state in 18 participants in each group. Electroencephalographic activity in the auditory cortex was estimated using dipole source localization. Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) measures included the phase-locking factor and evoked power. Spontaneous gamma power was measured as induced (non-phase-locked) gamma power in the ASSR data and as total gamma power in the resting-state data. The ASSR phase-locking factor was reduced significantly in patients with SZ compared with controls for the 40-Hz stimulation (mean [SD], 0.075 [0.028] vs 0.113 [0.065]; F1,46 = 6.79 [P = .012]) but not the 20- or the 30-Hz stimulation (0.042 [0.038] vs 0.043 [0.034]; F1,46 = 0.006 [P = .938] and 0.084 [0.040] vs 0.098 [0.050]; F1,46 = 1.605 [P = .212], respectively), repeating previous findings. The mean [SD] broadband-induced (30-100 Hz) gamma power was increased in patients with SZ compared with controls during steady-state stimulation (6.579 [3.783] vs 3.984 [1.843]; F1,46 = 9.128 [P = .004]; d = 0.87) but not during rest (0.006 [0.003] vs 0.005 [0.002]; F1,34 = 1.067 [P = .309]; d = 0.35). Induced gamma power in the left hemisphere of the patients with SZ during the 40-Hz stimulation was positively correlated with auditory hallucination symptoms (tangential, ρ = 0.587 [P = .031]; radial, ρ = 0.593 [P = .024]) and negatively correlated with the ASSR phase-locking factor (baseline: ρ = -0.572 [P = .024]; ASSR: ρ = -0.568 [P = .032]). Spontaneous gamma activity is increased during auditory steady-state stimulation in SZ, reflecting a disruption in the normal balance of excitation and inhibition. This phenomenon interacts with evoked oscillations, possibly contributing to the gamma ASSR deficit found in SZ. The similarity of increased spontaneous gamma power in SZ to the findings of increased spontaneous gamma power in animal models of NMDAR hypofunction suggests that spontaneous gamma power could serve as a biomarker for the integrity of NMDARs on parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons in humans and in animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Downregulation of Oligodendrocyte Transcripts is Associated with Impaired Prefrontal Cortex Function in Rats

PubMed Central

Gregg, Justin R.; Herring, Nicole R.; Naydenov, Alipi V.; Hanlin, Ryan P.; Konradi, Christine

2009-01-01

Abnormalities of brain white matter and oligodendroglia are among the most consistent findings in schizophrenia (Sz) research. Various gene expression microarray studies of postmortem Sz brains showed a downregulation of myelin transcripts, while imaging and microscopy studies demonstrated decreases in prefrontal cortical (PFC) white matter volume and oligodendroglia density. Currently, the extent to which reduced oligodendrocyte markers contribute to pathophysiological domains of Sz is unknown. We exposed adolescent rats to cuprizone (CPZ), a copper chelator known to cause demyelination in mice, and examined expression of oligodendrocyte mRNA transcripts and PFC-mediated behavior. Rats on the CPZ diet showed decreased expression of mRNA transcripts encoding oligodendroglial proteins within the medial PFC, but not in the hippocampus or the striatum. These rats also displayed a specific deficit in the ability to shift between perceptual dimensions in the attentional set-shifting task, a PFC-mediated behavioral paradigm modeled after the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The inability to shift strategies corresponds to the deficits exhibited by Sz patients in the WCST. The results demonstrate that a reduction in oligodendrocyte markers is associated with impaired PFC-mediated behaviors. Thus, CPZ exposure of rats can serve as a model to examine the contribution of oligodendrocyte perturbation to cognitive deficits observed in Sz. PMID:19570651

Future constraints on halo thermodynamics from combined Sunyaev-Zel'dovich measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battaglia, Nicholas; Ferraro, Simone; Schaan, Emmanuel; Spergel, David N.

2017-11-01

The improving sensitivity of measurements of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect opens a new window into the thermodynamic properties of the baryons in halos. We propose a methodology to constrain these thermodynamic properties by combining the kinetic SZ, which is an unbiased probe of the free electron density, and the thermal SZ, which probes their thermal pressure. We forecast that our method constrains the average thermodynamic processes that govern the energetics of galaxy evolution like energetic feedback across all redshift ranges where viable halos sample are available. Current Stage-3 cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments like AdvACT and SPT-3G can measure the kSZ and tSZ to greater than 100σ if combined with a DESI-like spectroscopic survey. Such measurements translate into percent-level constraints on the baryonic density and pressure profiles and on the feedback and non-thermal pressure support parameters for a given ICM model. This in turn will provide critical thermodynamic tests for sub-grid models of feedback in cosmological simulations of galaxy formation. The high fidelity measurements promised by the next generation CMB experiment, CMB-S4, allow one to further sub-divide these constraints beyond redshift into other classifications, like stellar mass or galaxy type.

Testing eternal inflation with the kinetic Sunyaev Zel'dovich effect

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

Zhang, Pengjie; Johnson, Matthew C., E-mail: zhangpj@sjtu.edu.cn, E-mail: mjohnson@perimeterinstitute.ca

2015-06-01

Perhaps the most controversial idea in modern cosmology is that our observable universe is contained within one bubble among many, all inhabiting the eternally inflating multiverse. One of the few way to test this idea is to look for evidence of the relic inhomogeneities left by the collisions between other bubbles and our own. Such relic inhomogeneities will induce a coherent bulk flow over Gpc scales. Therefore, bubble collisions leave unique imprints in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the kinetic Sunyaev Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect, temperature anisotropies induced by the scattering of photons from coherently moving free electrons in themore » diffuse intergalactic medium. The kSZ signature produced by bubble collisions has a unique directional dependence and is tightly correlated with the galaxy distribution; it can therefore be distinguished from other contributions to the CMB anisotropies. An important advantage of the kSZ signature is that it peaks on arcminute angular scales, where the limiting factors in making a detection are instrumental noise and foreground subtraction. This is in contrast to the collision signature in the primary CMB, which peaks on angular scales much larger than one degree, and whose detection is therefore limited by cosmic variance. In this paper, we examine the prospects for probing the inhomogeneities left by bubble collisions using the kSZ effect. We provide a forecast for detection using cross-correlations between CMB and galaxy surveys, finding that the detectability using the kSZ effect can be competitive with constraints from CMB temperature and polarization data.« less

Simulating the Galaxy Cluster “El Gordo”: Gas Motion, Kinetic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich Signal, and X-Ray Line Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Congyao; Yu, Qingjuan; Lu, Youjun

2018-03-01

The massive galaxy cluster “El Gordo” (ACT-CL J0102–4915) is a rare merging system with a high collision speed suggested by multi-wavelength observations and theoretical modeling. Zhang et al. propose two types of mergers, a nearly head-on merger and an off-axis merger with a large impact parameter, to reproduce most of the observational features of the cluster using numerical simulations. The different merger configurations of the two models result in different gas motion in the simulated clusters. In this paper, we predict the kinetic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect, the relativistic correction of the thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (tSZ) effect, and the X-ray spectrum of this cluster, based on the two proposed models. We find that (1) the amplitudes of the kSZ effect resulting from the two models are both on the order of ΔT/T ∼ 10‑5 but their morphologies are different, which trace the different line-of-sight velocity distributions of the systems; (2) the relativistic correction of the tSZ effect around 240 GHz can be possibly used to constrain the temperature of the hot electrons heated by the shocks; and (3) the shift between the X-ray spectral lines emitted from different regions of the cluster can be significantly different in the two models. The shift and the line broadening can be up to ∼25 eV and 50 eV, respectively. We expect that future observations of the kSZ effect and the X-ray spectral lines (e.g., by ALMA, XARM) will provide a strong constraint on the gas motion and the merger configuration of ACT-CL J0102–4915.

Visual hallucinations are associated with hyperconnectivity between the amygdala and visual cortex in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Ford, Judith M; Palzes, Vanessa A; Roach, Brian J; Potkin, Steven G; van Erp, Theo G M; Turner, Jessica A; Mueller, Bryon A; Calhoun, Vincent D; Voyvodic, Jim; Belger, Aysenil; Bustillo, Juan; Vaidya, Jatin G; Preda, Adrian; McEwen, Sarah C; Mathalon, Daniel H

2015-01-01

While auditory verbal hallucinations (AH) are a cardinal symptom of schizophrenia, people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (SZ) may also experience visual hallucinations (VH). In a retrospective analysis of a large sample of SZ and healthy controls (HC) studied as part of the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN), we asked if SZ who endorsed experiencing VH during clinical interviews had greater connectivity between visual cortex and limbic structures than SZ who did not endorse experiencing VH. We analyzed resting state fMRI data from 162 SZ and 178 age- and gender-matched HC. SZ were sorted into groups according to clinical ratings on AH and VH: SZ with VH (VH-SZ; n = 45), SZ with AH but no VH (AH-SZ; n = 50), and SZ with neither AH nor VH (NoH-SZ; n = 67). Our primary analysis was seed based, extracting connectivity between visual cortex and the amygdala (because of its role in fear and negative emotion) and visual cortex and the hippocampus (because of its role in memory). Compared with the other groups, VH-SZ showed hyperconnectivity between the amygdala and visual cortex, specifically BA18, with no differences in connectivity among the other groups. In a voxel-wise, whole brain analysis comparing VH-SZ with AH-SZ, the amygdala was hyperconnected to left temporal pole and inferior frontal gyrus in VH-SZ, likely due to their more severe thought broadcasting. VH-SZ have hyperconnectivity between subcortical areas subserving emotion and cortical areas subserving higher order visual processing, providing biological support for distressing VH in schizophrenia. © 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.

Visual Hallucinations Are Associated With Hyperconnectivity Between the Amygdala and Visual Cortex in People With a Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Ford, Judith M.; Palzes, Vanessa A.; Roach, Brian J.; Potkin, Steven G.; van Erp, Theo G. M.; Turner, Jessica A.; Mueller, Bryon A.; Calhoun, Vincent D.; Voyvodic, Jim; Belger, Aysenil; Bustillo, Juan; Vaidya, Jatin G.; Preda, Adrian; McEwen, Sarah C.; Mathalon, Daniel H.

2015-01-01

Introduction: While auditory verbal hallucinations (AH) are a cardinal symptom of schizophrenia, people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (SZ) may also experience visual hallucinations (VH). In a retrospective analysis of a large sample of SZ and healthy controls (HC) studied as part of the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN), we asked if SZ who endorsed experiencing VH during clinical interviews had greater connectivity between visual cortex and limbic structures than SZ who did not endorse experiencing VH. Methods: We analyzed resting state fMRI data from 162 SZ and 178 age- and gender-matched HC. SZ were sorted into groups according to clinical ratings on AH and VH: SZ with VH (VH-SZ; n = 45), SZ with AH but no VH (AH-SZ; n = 50), and SZ with neither AH nor VH (NoH-SZ; n = 67). Our primary analysis was seed based, extracting connectivity between visual cortex and the amygdala (because of its role in fear and negative emotion) and visual cortex and the hippocampus (because of its role in memory). Results: Compared with the other groups, VH-SZ showed hyperconnectivity between the amygdala and visual cortex, specifically BA18, with no differences in connectivity among the other groups. In a voxel-wise, whole brain analysis comparing VH-SZ with AH-SZ, the amygdala was hyperconnected to left temporal pole and inferior frontal gyrus in VH-SZ, likely due to their more severe thought broadcasting. Conclusions: VH-SZ have hyperconnectivity between subcortical areas subserving emotion and cortical areas subserving higher order visual processing, providing biological support for distressing VH in schizophrenia. PMID:24619536

Investigating cluster astrophysics and cosmology with cross-correlation of the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and weak lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osato, Ken; Flender, Samuel; Nagai, Daisuke; Shirasaki, Masato; Yoshida, Naoki

2018-03-01

Recent detections of the cross-correlation of the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect and weak gravitational lensing (WL) enable unique studies of cluster astrophysics and cosmology. In this work, we present constraints on the amplitude of the non-thermal pressure fraction in galaxy clusters, α0, and the amplitude of the matter power spectrum, σ8, using measurements of the tSZ power spectrum from Planck, and the tSZ-WL cross-correlation from Planck and the Red Cluster Sequence Lensing Survey. We fit the data to a semi-analytic model with the covariance matrix using N-body simulations. We find that the tSZ power spectrum alone prefers σ8 ˜ 0.85 and a large fraction of non-thermal pressure (α0 ˜ 0.2-0.3). The tSZ-WL cross-correlation on the other hand prefers a significantly lower σ8 ˜ 0.6 and low α0 ˜ 0.05. We show that this tension can be mitigated by allowing for a steep slope in the stellar mass-halo mass relation, which would cause a reduction of the gas in low-mass haloes. In such a model, the combined data prefer σ8 ˜ 0.7 and α0 ˜ 0.2, consistent with predictions from hydrodynamical simulations.

Constraints on the richness-mass relation and the optical-SZE positional offset distribution for SZE-selected clusters

DOE PAGES

Saro, A.

2015-10-12

In this study, we cross-match galaxy cluster candidates selected via their Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect (SZE) signatures in 129.1 deg 2 of the South Pole Telescope 2500d SPT-SZ survey with optically identified clusters selected from the Dark Energy Survey science verification data. We identify 25 clusters between 0.1 ≲ z ≲ 0.8 in the union of the SPT-SZ and redMaPPer (RM) samples. RM is an optical cluster finding algorithm that also returns a richness estimate for each cluster. We model the richness λ-mass relation with the following function 500> ∝ B λlnM 500 + C λlnE(z) and use SPT-SZ cluster masses andmore » RM richnesses λ to constrain the parameters. We find B λ = 1.14 +0.21 –0.18 and C λ = 0.73 +0.77 –0.75. The associated scatter in mass at fixed richness is σ lnM|λ = 0.18 +0.08 –0.05 at a characteristic richness λ = 70. We demonstrate that our model provides an adequate description of the matched sample, showing that the fraction of SPT-SZ-selected clusters with RM counterparts is consistent with expectations and that the fraction of RM-selected clusters with SPT-SZ counterparts is in mild tension with expectation. We model the optical-SZE cluster positional offset distribution with the sum of two Gaussians, showing that it is consistent with a dominant, centrally peaked population and a subdominant population characterized by larger offsets. We also cross-match the RM catalogue with SPT-SZ candidates below the official catalogue threshold significance ξ = 4.5, using the RM catalogue to provide optical confirmation and redshifts for 15 additional clusters with ξ ϵ [4, 4.5].« less

Multiple defects in innate and adaptive immunologic function in NOD/LtSz-scid mice.

PubMed

Shultz, L D; Schweitzer, P A; Christianson, S W; Gott, B; Schweitzer, I B; Tennent, B; McKenna, S; Mobraaten, L; Rajan, T V; Greiner, D L

1995-01-01

The scid mutation was backcrossed ten generations onto the NOD/Lt strain background, resulting in an immunodeficient stock (NOD/LtSz-scid/scid) with multiple defects in adaptive as well as nonadaptive immunologic function. NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice lack functional lymphoid cells and show little or no serum Ig with age. Although NOD/(Lt-)+/+ mice develop T cell-mediated autoimmune, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice are both insulitis- and diabetes-free throughout life. However, because of a high incidence of thymic lymphomas, the mean lifespan of this congenic stock is only 8.5 mo under specific pathogen-free conditions. After i.v. injection of human CEM T-lymphoblastoid cells, splenic engraftment of these cells was fourfold greater in NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice than in C.B17/Sz-scid/scid mice. Although C.B-17Sz-scid/scid mice exhibit robust NK cell activity, this activity is markedly reduced in both NOD/(Lt-)+/+ and NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice. Presence of a functionally less mature macrophage population in NOD/LtSz-scid/scid vs C.B-17Sz-scid/scid mice is indicated by persistence in the former of the NOD/Lt strain-specific defect in LPS-stimulated IL-1 secretion by marrow-derived macrophages. Although C.B-17Sz-scid/scid and C57BL/6Sz-scid/scid mice have elevated serum hemolytic complement activity compared with their respective +/+ controls, both NOD/(LtSz-)+/+ and NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice lack this activity. Age-dependent increases in serum Ig levels (> 1 micrograms/ml) were observed in only 2 of 30 NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice vs 21 of 29 C.B-17/Sz-scid/scid animals. The multiple defects in innate and adaptive immunity unique to the NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mouse provide an excellent in vivo environment for reconstitution with human hematopoietic cells.

Constraining galaxy cluster velocity field with the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich cross-bispectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurier, G.

2017-08-01

The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effects are produced by the interaction of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons with the ionized and diffuse gas of electrons inside galaxy clusters integrated along the line of sight. The two main effects are the thermal SZ (tSZ) produced by thermal pressure inside galaxy clusters and the kinematic SZ (kSZ) produced by peculiar motion of galaxy clusters compared to CMB rest-frame. The kSZ effect is particularly challenging to measure as it follows the same spectral behavior as the CMB, and consequently cannot be separated from the CMB using spectral considerations. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of detecting the kSZ through the computation of the tSZ-CMB-CMB cross-correlation bispectrum for current and future CMB experiments. We conclude that the next generation of CMB experiments will offer the possibility to detect the tSZ-kSZ-kSZ bispectrum at high signal-to-noise ration (S/N). This measurement will constraints the intra-cluster dynamics and the velocity field of galaxy cluster that is extremely sensitive to the growth rate of structures and thus to dark energy properties. Additionally, we also demonstrate that the tSZ-kSZ-kSZ bispectrum can be used to break the degeneracies between the mass-observable relation and the cosmological parameters to set tight constraints, up to 4%, on the Y - M relation calibration.

ACC Neuro-over-Connectivity Is Associated with Mathematically Modeled Additional Encoding Operations of Schizophrenia Stroop-Task Performance

PubMed Central

Taylor, Reggie; Théberge, Jean; Williamson, Peter C.; Densmore, Maria; Neufeld, Richard W. J.

2016-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging at 7.0 Tesla was undertaken among Schizophrenia participants (Sz), and clinical (major mood disorder; MDD) and healthy controls (HC), during performance of the Stoop task. Stroop conditions included congruent and incongruent word color items, color-only items, and word-only items. Previous modeling results extended to this most widely used selective-attention task. All groups executed item-encoding operations (subprocesses of the item encoding process) at the same rate (performance accuracy being similarly high throughout), thus displaying like processing capacity; Sz participants, however, employed more subprocesses for item completions than did the MDD participants, who in turn used more subprocesses than the HC group. The reduced efficiency in deploying cognitive-workload capacity among the Sz participants was paralleled by more diffuse neuroconnectivity (Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent co-activation) with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (Broadman Area 32), spreading away from this encoding-intensive region; and by less evidence of network dissociation across Stroop conditions. Estimates of cognitive work done to accomplish item completion were greater for the Sz participants, as were estimates of entropy in both the modeled trial-latency distribution, and its associated neuro-circuitry. Findings are held to be symptom and assessment significant, and to have potential implications for clinical intervention. PMID:27695425

Evaluating the Specificity of Cognitive Control Deficits in Schizophrenia Using Antisaccades, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Healthy Individuals With Poor Cognitive Control.

PubMed

Rodrigue, Amanda L; Schaeffer, David J; Pierce, Jordan E; Clementz, Brett A; McDowell, Jennifer E

2018-01-01

Cognitive control impairments in schizophrenia (SZ) can be evaluated using antisaccade tasks and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Studies, however, often compare people with SZ to high performing healthy people, making it unclear if antisaccade-related disruptions are specific to the disease or due to generalized deficits in cognitive control. We included two healthy comparison groups in addition to people with SZ: healthy people with high cognitive control (HCC), who represent a more typical comparison group, and healthy people with low cognitive control (LCC), who perform similarly on antisaccade measures as people with SZ. Using two healthy comparison groups may help determine which antisaccade-related deficits are specific to SZ (distinguish SZ from LCC and HCC groups) and which are due to poor cognitive control (distinguish the LCC and SZ groups from the HCC group). People with SZ and healthy people with HCC or LCC performed an antisaccade task during fMRI acquisition. LCC and SZ groups showed under-activation of saccade circuitry. SZ-specific disruptions were observed in the left superior temporal gyrus and insula during error trials (suppression of activation in the SZ group compared to the LCC and HCC group). Differences related to antisaccade errors may distinguish people with SZ from healthy people with LCC.

A MEASUREMENT OF SECONDARY COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND ANISOTROPIES FROM THE 2500 SQUARE-DEGREE SPT-SZ SURVEY

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

George, E. M.; Reichardt, C. L.; Aird, K. A.

2015-01-28

We present measurements of secondary cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies and cosmic infrared background (CIB) fluctuations using data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) covering the complete 2540 deg(2) SPT-SZ survey area. Data in the three SPT-SZ frequency bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, are used to produce six angular power spectra (three single-frequency auto-spectra and three cross-spectra) covering the multipole range 2000 < ℓ < 11, 000 (angular scales 5' gsim θ gsim 1'). These are the most precise measurements of the angular power spectra at ℓ > 2500 at these frequencies. The main contributors to the power spectra at these angular scales and frequencies are the primary CMB, CIB, thermal and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects (tSZ and kSZ), and radio galaxies. We include a constraint on the tSZ power from a measurement of the tSZ bispectrum from 800 deg(2) of the SPT-SZ survey. We measure the tSZ power at 143  GHz to bemore » $$D^{\\rm tSZ}_{3000} = 4.08^{+0.58}_{-0.67}\\,\\mu {\\rm K}^2{}$$ and the kSZ power to be $$D^{\\rm kSZ}_{3000} = 2.9 \\pm 1.3\\, \\mu {\\rm K}^2{}$$. The data prefer positive kSZ power at 98.1% CL. We measure a correlation coefficient of $$\\xi = 0.113^{+0.057}_{-0.054}$$ between sources of tSZ and CIB power, with ξ < 0 disfavored at a confidence level of 99.0%. The constraint on kSZ power can be interpreted as an upper limit on the duration of reionization. When the post-reionization homogeneous kSZ signal is accounted for, we find an upper limit on the duration Δz < 5.4  at 95% CL.« less

A MEASUREMENT OF SECONDARY COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND ANISOTROPIES FROM THE 2500 SQUARE-DEGREE SPT-SZ SURVEY

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

George, E. M.; Reichardt, C. L.; Harrington, N. L.

2015-02-01

We present measurements of secondary cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies and cosmic infrared background (CIB) fluctuations using data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) covering the complete 2540 deg{sup 2} SPT-SZ survey area. Data in the three SPT-SZ frequency bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, are used to produce six angular power spectra (three single-frequency auto-spectra and three cross-spectra) covering the multipole range 2000 < ℓ < 11, 000 (angular scales 5' ≳ θ ≳ 1'). These are the most precise measurements of the angular power spectra at ℓ > 2500 at these frequencies. The main contributors to the powermore » spectra at these angular scales and frequencies are the primary CMB, CIB, thermal and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects (tSZ and kSZ), and radio galaxies. We include a constraint on the tSZ power from a measurement of the tSZ bispectrum from 800 deg{sup 2} of the SPT-SZ survey. We measure the tSZ power at 143  GHz to be D{sub 3000}{sup tSZ}=4.08{sub −0.67}{sup +0.58} μK{sup 2} and the kSZ power to be D{sub 3000}{sup kSZ}=2.9±1.3 μK{sup 2}. The data prefer positive kSZ power at 98.1% CL. We measure a correlation coefficient of ξ=0.113{sub −0.054}{sup +0.057} between sources of tSZ and CIB power, with ξ < 0 disfavored at a confidence level of 99.0%. The constraint on kSZ power can be interpreted as an upper limit on the duration of reionization. When the post-reionization homogeneous kSZ signal is accounted for, we find an upper limit on the duration Δz < 5.4  at 95% CL.« less

A measurement of secondary cosmic microwave background anisotropies from the 2500 square-degree SPT-SZ survey

DOE PAGES

George, E. M.; Reichardt, C. L.; Aird, K. A.; ...

2015-01-28

Here, we present measurements of secondary cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies and cosmic infrared background (CIB) fluctuations using data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) covering the complete 2540 deg2 SPT-SZ survey area. Data in the three SPT-SZ frequency bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, are used to produce six angular power spectra (three single-frequency auto-spectra and three cross-spectra) covering the multipole range 2000 < ℓ < 11, 000 (angular scales 5' gsim θ gsim 1'). These are the most precise measurements of the angular power spectra at ℓ > 2500 at these frequencies. The main contributors to the power spectra at these angular scales and frequencies are the primary CMB, CIB, thermal and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects (tSZ and kSZ), and radio galaxies. We include a constraint on the tSZ power from a measurement of the tSZ bispectrum from 800 deg2 of the SPT-SZ survey. We measure the tSZ power at 143 GHz to bemore » $$D^{\\rm tSZ}_{3000} = 4.08^{+0.58}_{-0.67}\\,\\mu {\\rm K}^2{}$$ and the kSZ power to be $$D^{\\rm kSZ}_{3000} = 2.9 \\pm 1.3\\, \\mu {\\rm K}^2{}$$. The data prefer positive kSZ power at 98.1% CL. We measure a correlation coefficient of $$\\xi = 0.113^{+0.057}_{-0.054}$$ between sources of tSZ and CIB power, with ξ < 0 disfavored at a confidence level of 99.0%. The constraint on kSZ power can be interpreted as an upper limit on the duration of reionization. When the post-reionization homogeneous kSZ signal is accounted for, we find an upper limit on the duration Δz < 5.4 at 95% CL.« less

Possible role of rare variants in Trace amine associated receptor 1 in schizophrenia.

PubMed

John, Jibin; Kukshal, Prachi; Bhatia, Triptish; Chowdari, K V; Nimgaonkar, V L; Deshpande, S N; Thelma, B K

2017-11-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a chronic mental illness with behavioral abnormalities. Recent common variant based genome wide association studies and rare variant detection using next generation sequencing approaches have identified numerous variants that confer risk for SZ, but etiology remains unclear propelling continuing investigations. Using whole exome sequencing, we identified a rare heterozygous variant (c.545G>T; p.Cys182Phe) in Trace amine associated receptor 1 gene (TAAR1 6q23.2) in three affected members in a small SZ family. The variant predicted to be damaging by 15 prediction tools, causes breakage of a conserved disulfide bond in this G-protein-coupled receptor. On screening this intronless gene for additional variant(s) in ~800 sporadic SZ patients, we identified six rare protein altering variants (MAF<0.001) namely p.Ser47Cys, p.Phe51Leu, p.Tyr294Ter, p.Leu295Ser in four unrelated north Indian cases (n=475); p.Ala109Thr and p.Val250Ala in two independent Caucasian/African-American patients (n=310). Five of these variants were also predicted to be damaging. Besides, a rare synonymous variant was observed in SZ patients. These rare variants were absent in north Indian healthy controls (n=410) but significantly enriched in patients (p=0.036). Conversely, three common coding SNPs (rs8192621, rs8192620 and rs8192619) and a promoter SNP (rs60266355) tested for association with SZ in the north Indian cohort were not significant (P>0.05). TAAR1 is a modulator of monoaminergic pathways and interacts with AKT signaling pathways. Substantial animal model based pharmacological and functional data implying its relevance in SZ are also available. However, this is the first report suggestive of the likely contribution of rare variants in this gene to SZ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

“To see or not to see: that is the question.” The “Protection-Against-Schizophrenia” (PaSZ) model: evidence from congenital blindness and visuo-cognitive aberrations

PubMed Central

Landgraf, Steffen; Osterheider, Michael

2013-01-01

The causes of schizophrenia are still unknown. For the last 100 years, though, both “absent” and “perfect” vision have been associated with a lower risk for schizophrenia. Hence, vision itself and aberrations in visual functioning may be fundamental to the development and etiological explanations of the disorder. In this paper, we present the “Protection-Against-Schizophrenia” (PaSZ) model, which grades the risk for developing schizophrenia as a function of an individual's visual capacity. We review two vision perspectives: (1) “Absent” vision or how congenital blindness contributes to PaSZ and (2) “perfect” vision or how aberrations in visual functioning are associated with psychosis. First, we illustrate that, although congenitally blind and sighted individuals acquire similar world representations, blind individuals compensate for behavioral shortcomings through neurofunctional and multisensory reorganization. These reorganizations may indicate etiological explanations for their PaSZ. Second, we demonstrate that visuo-cognitive impairments are fundamental for the development of schizophrenia. Deteriorated visual information acquisition and processing contribute to higher-order cognitive dysfunctions and subsequently to schizophrenic symptoms. Finally, we provide different specific therapeutic recommendations for individuals who suffer from visual impairments (who never developed “normal” vision) and individuals who suffer from visual deterioration (who previously had “normal” visual skills). Rather than categorizing individuals as “normal” and “mentally disordered,” the PaSZ model uses a continuous scale to represent psychiatrically relevant human behavior. This not only provides a scientific basis for more fine-grained diagnostic assessments, earlier detection, and more appropriate therapeutic assignments, but it also outlines a trajectory for unraveling the causes of abnormal psychotic human self- and world-perception. PMID:23847557

The myelinated fiber loss in the corpus callosum of mouse model of schizophrenia induced by MK-801.

PubMed

Xiu, Yun; Kong, Xiang-ru; Zhang, Lei; Qiu, Xuan; Gao, Yuan; Huang, Chun-xia; Chao, Feng-lei; Wang, San-rong; Tang, Yong

2015-04-01

Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) investigations have shown that the white matter volume and fractional anisotropy (FA) were decreased in schizophrenia (SZ), which indicated impaired white matter integrity in SZ. However, the mechanism underlying these abnormalities has been less studied. The current study was designed to investigate the possible reasons for white matter abnormalities in the mouse model of SZ induced by NMDA receptor antagonist using the unbiased stereological methods and transmission electron microscope technique. We found that the mice treated with MK-801 demonstrated a series of schizophrenia-like behaviors including hyperlocomotor activity and more anxiety. The myelinated fibers in the corpus callosum (CC) of the mice treated with MK-801 were impaired with splitting lamellae of myelin sheaths and segmental demyelination. The CC volume and the total length of the myelinated fibers in the CC of the mice treated with MK-801 were significantly decreased by 9.4% and 16.8% when compared to those of the mice treated with saline. We further found that the loss of the myelinated fibers length was mainly due to the marked loss of the myelinated nerve fibers with the diameter of 0.4-0.5 μm. These results indicated that the splitting myelin sheaths, demyelination and the loss of myelinated fibers with small diameter might provide one of the structural bases for impaired white matter integrity of CC in the mouse model of SZ. These results might also provide a baseline for further studies searching for the treatment of SZ through targeting white matter. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of the SZ effect on cm-wavelength (1-30 GHz) observations of galaxy cluster radio relics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Kaustuv; Vazza, Franco; Erler, Jens; Sommer, Martin

2016-07-01

Radio relics in galaxy clusters are believed to be associated with powerful shock fronts that originate during cluster mergers, and are a testbed for the acceleration of relativistic particles in the intracluster medium. Recently, radio relic observations have pushed into the cm-wavelength domain (1-30 GHz) where a break from the standard synchrotron power law spectrum has been found, most noticeably in the famous "Sausage" relic. Such spectral steepening is seen as an evidence for non-standard relic models, such as ones requiring seed electron population with a break in their energy spectrum. In this paper, however, we point to an important effect that has been ignored or considered insignificant while interpreting these new high-frequency radio data, namely the contamination due to the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect that changes the observed synchrotron flux. Even though the radio relics reside in the cluster outskirts, the shock-driven pressure boost increases the SZ signal locally by roughly an order of magnitude. The resulting flux contamination for some well-known relics are non-negligible already at 10 GHz, and at 30 GHz the observed synchrotron fluxes can be diminished by a factor of several from their true values. At higher redshift the contamination gets stronger due to the redshift independence of the SZ effect. Interferometric observations are not immune to this contamination, since the change in the SZ signal occurs roughly at the same length scale as the synchrotron emission, although there the flux loss is less severe than single-dish observations. Besides presenting this warning to observers, we suggest that the negative contribution from the SZ effect can be regarded as one of the best evidence for the physical association between radio relics and shock waves. We present a simple analytical approximation for the synchrotron-to-SZ flux ratio, based on a theoretical radio relic model that connects the nonthermal emission to the thermal gas properties, and show that by measuring this ratio one can potentially estimate the relic magnetic fields or the particle acceleration efficiency.

Reverse translation of the rodent 5C-CPT reveals that the impaired attention of people with schizophrenia is similar to scopolamine-induced deficits in mice

PubMed Central

Young, J W; Geyer, M A; Rissling, A J; Sharp, R F; Eyler, L T; Asgaard, G L; Light, G A

2013-01-01

Attentional dysfunction in schizophrenia (SZ) is a core deficit that contributes to multiple cognitive deficits and the resulting functional disability. However, developing procognitive therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders have been limited by a ‘translational gap'—a lack of cognitive paradigms having cross-species translational validity and relevance. The present study was designed to perform an initial validation of the cross-species homology of the 5-choice Continuous Performance Test (5C-CPT) in healthy nonpsychiatric comparison subjects (NCS), SZ patients and mice under pharmacologic challenge. The 5C-CPT performance in SZ patients (n=20) was compared with age-matched NCS (n=23). The effects of the general muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine on mice (n=21) performing the 5C-CPT were also assessed. SZ subjects exhibited significantly impaired attention in the 5C-CPT, driven by reduced target detection over time and nonsignificantly increased impulsive responding. Similarly, scopolamine significantly impaired attention in mice, driven by reduced target detection and nonsignificantly increased impulsive responding. Scopolamine also negatively affected accuracy and speed of responding in mice, although these measures failed to differentiate SZ vs NCS. Thus, mice treated with scopolamine exhibited similar impairments in vigilance as seen in SZ, although the differences between the behavioral profiles warrant further study. The availability of rodent and human versions of this paradigm provides an opportunity to: (1) investigate the neuroanatomic, neurochemical and genomic architecture of abnormalities in attention observed in clinical populations such as SZ; (2) develop and refine animal models of cognitive impairments; and (3) improve cross-species translational testing for the development of treatments for these impairments. PMID:24217494

Adsorption behavior of benzenesulfonic acid by novel weakly basic anion exchange resins.

PubMed

Sun, Yue; Zuo, Peng; Luo, Junfen; Singh, Rajendra Prasad

2017-04-01

Two novel weakly basic anion exchange resins (SZ-1 and SZ-2) were prepared via the reaction of macroporous chloromethylated polystyrene-divinylbenzene (Cl-PS-DVB) beads with dicyclohexylamine and piperidine, respectively. The physicochemical structures of the resulting resins were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and pore size distribution analysis. The adsorption behavior of SZ-1 and SZ-2 for benzenesulfonic acid (BA) was evaluated, and the common commercial weakly basic anion exchanger D301 was also employed for comparison purpose. Adsorption isotherms and influence of solution pH, temperature and coexisting competitive inorganic salts (Na 2 SO 4 and NaCl) on adsorption behavior were investigated and the optimum desorption agent was obtained. Adsorption isotherms of BA were found to be well represented by the Langmuir model. Thermodynamic parameters involving ΔH, ΔG and ΔS were also calculated and the results indicate that adsorption is an exothermic and spontaneous process. Enhanced selectivity of BA sorption over sulfate on the two novel resins was observed by comparison with the commercial anion exchanger D301. The fact that the tested resins loaded with BA can be efficiently regenerated by NaCl solution indicates the reversible sorption process. From a mechanistic viewpoint, this observation clearly suggests that electrostatic interaction is the predominant adsorption mechanism. Furthermore, results of column tests show that SZ-1 possesses a better adsorption property than D301, which reinforces the feasibility of SZ-1 for potential industrial application. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

High frequency stimulation of the entopeduncular nucleus sets the cortico-basal ganglia network to a new functional state in the dystonic hamster.

PubMed

Reese, René; Charron, Giselle; Nadjar, Agnès; Aubert, Incarnation; Thiolat, Marie-Laure; Hamann, Melanie; Richter, Angelika; Bezard, Erwan; Meissner, Wassilios G

2009-09-01

High frequency stimulation (HFS) of the internal pallidum is effective for the treatment of dystonia. Only few studies have investigated the effects of stimulation on the activity of the cortex-basal ganglia network. We here assess within this network the effect of entopeduncular nucleus (EP) HFS on the expression of c-Fos and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) in the dt(sz)-hamster, a well-characterized model of paroxysmal dystonia. In dt(sz)-hamsters, we identified abnormal activity in motor cortex, basal ganglia and thalamus. These structures have already been linked to the pathophysiology of human dystonia. EP-HFS (i) increased striatal c-Fos expression in controls and dystonic hamsters and (ii) reduced thalamic c-Fos expression in dt(sz)-hamsters. EP-HFS had no effect on COI expression. The present results suggest that EP-HFS induces a new network activity state which may improve information processing and finally reduces the severity of dystonic attacks in dt(sz)-hamsters.

Stimulation of islet cell proliferation enhances pancreatic ductal carcinogenesis in the hamster model.

PubMed Central

Pour, P. M.; Kazakoff, K.

1996-01-01

Previous studies have shown that some N-nitrosobis (2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP)-induced ductal/ductular pancreatic cancers in the hamster model develop within islets and that streptozotocin (SZ) pretreatment that caused islet degeneration and atrophy inhibits pancreatic cancer induction. Hence, it appears that in this model islets play a significant role in exocrine pancreatic carcinogenesis. To examine whether stimulation of islet cell proliferation (nesidioblastosis) enhances pancreatic exocrine cancer development, we tested the effect of the pancreatic carcinogen BOP in hamsters after induction of nesidioblastosis by cellophane wrapping. Before wrapping, hamsters were treated with SZ to inhibit pancreatic tumor induction in the unwrapped pancreatic tissues. Control groups with a wrapped pancreas did not receive SZ. Six weeks after SZ treatment, all hamsters were treated with BOP (10 mg/kg body weight) weekly for 10 weeks and the experiment was terminated 38 weeks after the last BOP treatment. Many animals recovered from their diabetes at the time when BOP was injected and many more after BOP treatment. Only nine hamsters remained diabetic until the end of the experiment. Both SZ-treated and control groups developed proliferative and malignant pancreatic ductal-type lesions primarily in the wrapped area (47%) but less frequently in the larger segments of the pancreas, including the splenic lobe (34%), gastric lobe (13%), and duodenal lobe (6%). Only a few lesions developed in the unwrapped pancreatic region of nine diabetic hamsters with atrophic islets, whereas seven of these hamsters had tumors in the wrapped area. Histologically, most tumors appeared to originate from islets, many invasive carcinomas had foci of islets, and some tumor cells showed reactivity with anti-insulin. The results show that, in the BOP hamster model, islets are the site of formation of the major fraction of exocrine pancreatic cancer and that induction of nesidioblastosis enhances pancreatic carcinogenesis. Images Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 PMID:8780405

Constraints from thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich cluster counts and power spectrum combined with CMB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvati, Laura; Douspis, Marian; Aghanim, Nabila

2018-06-01

The thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect is one of the recent probes of cosmology and large-scale structures. We update constraints on cosmological parameters from galaxy clusters observed by the Planck satellite in a first attempt to combine cluster number counts and the power spectrum of hot gas; we used a new value of the optical depth and, at the same time, sampling on cosmological and scaling-relation parameters. We find that in the ΛCDM model, the addition of a tSZ power spectrum provides small improvements with respect to number counts alone, leading to the 68% c.l. constraints Ωm = 0.32 ± 0.02, σ8 = 0.76 ± 0.03, and σ8(Ωm/0.3)1/3 = 0.78 ± 0.03 and lowering the discrepancy with results for cosmic microwave background (CMB) primary anisotropies (updated with the new value of τ) to ≃1.8σ on σ8. We analysed extensions to the standard model, considering the effect of massive neutrinos and varying the equation of state parameter for dark energy. In the first case, we find that the addition of the tSZ power spectrum helps in improving cosmological constraints with respect to number count alone results, leading to the 95% upper limit ∑ mν < 1.88 eV. For the varying dark energy equation of state scenario, we find no important improvements when adding tSZ power spectrum, but still the combination of tSZ probes is able to provide constraints, producing w = -1.0 ± 0.2. In all cosmological scenarios, the mass bias to reconcile CMB and tSZ probes remains low at (1 - b) ≲ 0.67 as compared to estimates from weak lensing and X-ray mass estimate comparisons or numerical simulations.

Anti-mullerian hormone is higher in seizure-free women with epilepsy compared to those with ongoing seizures.

PubMed

Harden, Cynthia L; Pennell, Page B; French, Jacqueline A; Davis, Anne; Lau, Connie; Llewellyn, Nichelle; Kaufman, Benjamin; Bagiella, Emilia; Kirshenbaum, Ariel

2016-11-01

To determine if anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), a neuroactive peptide hormone and a measure of ovarian reserve, is different between women with epilepsy (WWE) and healthy controls (HC) seeking pregnancy and to evaluate epilepsy-related factors associated with AMH concentrations. Subjects were participants in Women with Epilepsy: Pregnancy Outcomes and Deliveries (WEPOD), a multi-center prospective, observational cohort study evaluating fecundity in WWE compared to HC, ages 18-40 years. WWE were divided into a Sz+ group or a Sz- group, dependent on whether they had seizures within the 9 months prior to enrollment. Serum was collected, and AMH concentrations were measured as an exploratory analysis. Linear and logistic regression models were used to assess associations and control for covariates. Serum AMH concentrations were measured in 72 out of 90 enrolled WWE and 97 out of 109 HC; the remaining subjects became pregnant before serum was obtained. Thirty WWE were in the Sz+ group and 40 in the Sz- group (retrospective seizure information was missing for two). All AMH concentrations were within the range, however, the normal inverse correlation between age and AMH was present in the HC and in the Sz- groups, but was lacking in the Sz+ group. Mean AMH concentration was higher in the Sz- group (3982pg/ml (SD+/-2452)) compared to the Sz+ group of WWE (2776pg/ml (SD+/-2308)) and HCs (3241 (SD±2647)). All values were within the expected range for age. In WWE, by linear regression, after controlling for age and BMI, seizure occurrence remained associated with AMH (p=0.025). In the prospective phase of the study, AMH concentrations were also associated with seizure occurrence during the menstrual cycle in which the serum sample was obtained (p=0.012). Antiepileptic drugs and other epilepsy factors were not associated with AMH concentrations. When analyzing the Sz- WWE group and the HC group by linear regression with AMH as the dependent variable, after controlling for age and BMI, the association with AMH was also present (p=0.017). AMH concentrations of the Sz+ group and HCs did not differ. In this exploratory analysis, seizure freedom was associated with higher AMH concentrations compared to women with ongoing seizures and to HCs. Future studies should further investigate the mechanism of the association of AMH with seizure occurrence, whether AMH could have a direct seizure-protective neuroactive hormone effect, as well as implications of AMH concentrations as a biomarker for ovarian reserve in women with epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cluster mislocation in kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calafut, Victoria Rose; Bean, Rachel; Yu, Byeonghee

2018-01-01

We investigate the impact of a variety of analysis assumptions that influence cluster identification and location on the kSZ pairwise momentum signal and covariance estimation. Photometric and spectroscopic galaxy tracers from SDSS, WISE, and DECaLs, spanning redshifts 0.05

ALMA-SZ Detection of a Galaxy Cluster Merger Shock at Half the Age of the Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, K.; Sommer, M.; Erler, J.; Eckert, D.; Vazza, F.; Magnelli, B.; Bertoldi, F.; Tozzi, P.

2016-10-01

We present ALMA measurements of a merger shock using the thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) effect signal, at the location of a radio relic in the famous El Gordo galaxy cluster at z≈ 0.9. Multi-wavelength analysis in combination with the archival Chandra data and a high-resolution radio image provides a consistent picture of the thermal and non-thermal signal variation across the shock front and helps to put robust constraints on the shock Mach number as well as the relic magnetic field. We employ a Bayesian analysis technique for modeling the SZ and X-ray data self-consistently, illustrating respective parameter degeneracies. Combined results indicate a shock with Mach number { M }={2.4}-0.6+1.3, which in turn suggests a high value of the magnetic field (of the order of 4-10 μ {{G}}) to account for the observed relic width at 2 GHz. At roughly half the current age of the universe, this is the highest-redshift direct detection of a cluster shock to date, and one of the first instances of an ALMA-SZ observation in a galaxy cluster. It shows the tremendous potential for future ALMA-SZ observations to detect merger shocks and other cluster substructures out to the highest redshifts.

Delusional disorder and schizophrenia: a comparative study across multiple domains.

PubMed

Peralta, V; Cuesta, M J

2016-10-01

Delusional disorder (DD) is an under-researched condition and its relationship to schizophrenia (SZ) controversial. This study aimed to further characterize DD and to examine multi-domain evidence for the distinction between DD and SZ. Using univariate analyses we examined 146 subjects with DD, 114 subjects with paranoid SZ and 244 subjects with non-paranoid SZ on 52 characteristics from several domains including demographics, risk factors, premorbid features, illness characteristics, index episode features, delusional-related features, response to treatment and outcome. In a further step, we searched for independent associations of the examined characteristics with DD v. SZ. Univariate analyses showed that DD differed from either form of SZ in 40 characteristics, the pattern of findings indicated that paranoid SZ was much more similar to non-paranoid SZ than DD. Relative to subjects with SZ, those with DD were more likely to have drug abuse before illness onset, better premorbid sexual adjustment, later age at illness onset, higher levels of affective symptoms and lack of insight, poorer response to antipsychotic medication, better functioning in the domains of personal care, paid work and social functioning; last, subjects with DD had fewer but more severe delusions and higher ratings of conviction of delusional experience than those with SZ. Predominance of jealousy and somatic delusions was confined to subjects with DD. DD and SZ represent two distinct classes of disorders, the differential features of DD being of nosological, aetiological and therapeutic relevance.

Texture Development in a Friction Stir Lap-Welded AZ31B Magnesium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, B. S.; Chen, D. L.; Cao, X.; Wanjara, P.

2014-09-01

The present study was aimed at characterizing the microstructure, texture, hardness, and tensile properties of an AZ31B-H24 Mg alloy that was friction stir lap welded (FSLWed) at varying tool rotational rates and welding speeds. Friction stir lap welding (FSLW) resulted in the presence of recrystallized grains and an associated hardness drop in the stir zone (SZ). Microstructural investigation showed that both the AZ31B-H24 Mg base metal (BM) and SZ contained β-Mg17Al12 and Al8Mn5 second phase particles. The AZ31B-H24 BM contained a type of basal texture (0001)<110> with the (0001) plane nearly parallel to the rolled sheet surface and <110> directions aligned in the rolling direction. FSLW resulted in the formation of another type of basal texture (0001)<100> in the SZ, where the basal planes (0001) became slightly tilted toward the transverse direction, and the prismatic planes (100) and pyramidal planes (101) exhibited a 30 deg + ( n - 1) × 60 deg rotation ( n = 1, 2, 3, …) with respect to the rolled sheet normal direction, due to the shear plastic flow near the pin surface that occurred from the intense local stirring. With increasing tool rotational rate and decreasing welding speed, the maximum intensity of the basal poles (0001) in the SZ decreased due to a higher degree of dynamic recrystallization that led to a weaker or more random texture. The tool rotational rate and welding speed had a strong effect on the failure load of FSLWed joints. A combination of relatively high welding speed (20 mm/s) and low tool rotational rate (1000 rpm) was observed to be capable of achieving a high failure load. This was attributed to the relatively small recrystallized grains and high intensity of the basal poles in the SZ arising from the low heat input as well as the presence of a small hooking defect.

SPT-CL J2040–4451: An SZ-selected galaxy cluster at x=1.478 with significant ongoing star formation

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

Bayliss, M. B.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Ruel, J.

2014-09-18

SPT-CL J2040-4451-spectroscopically confirmed at z = 1.478-is the highest-redshift galaxy cluster yet discovered via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. SPT-CL J2040-4451 was a candidate galaxy cluster identified in the first 720 deg(2) of the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SPT-SZ) survey, and has been confirmed in follow-up imaging and spectroscopy. From multi-object spectroscopy with Magellan-I/Baade+ IMACS we measure spectroscopic redshifts for 15 cluster member galaxies, all of which have strong [O Pi]lambda lambda 3727 emission. SPT-CL J2040-4451 has an SZ-measured mass of M-500,(SZ) = 3.2 ± 0.8 x 10 14M(circle dot) h(-1) 70, corresponding to M-200,M- (SZ) = 5.8 ± 1.4 x 10more » 14M(circle dot) h(70-)(1.) The velocity dispersion measured entirely from blue star-forming members is sv = 1500 ± 520 km s -1. The prevalence of star-forming cluster members (galaxies with > 1.5M(circle dot) yr -1 implies that this massive, high-redshift cluster is experiencing a phase of active star formation, and supports recent results showing a marked increase in star formation occurring in galaxy clusters at z greater than or similar to 1.4. We also compute the probability of finding a cluster as rare as this in the SPT-SZ survey to be > 99%, indicating that its discovery is not in tension with the concordance Lambda CDM cosmological model.« less

Prioritizing schizophrenia endophenotypes for future genetic studies: An example using data from the COGS-1 family study.

PubMed

Millard, Steven P; Shofer, Jane; Braff, David; Calkins, Monica; Cadenhead, Kristin; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Gur, Raquel; Gur, Ruben; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Light, Gregory A; Olincy, Ann; Nuechterlein, Keith; Seidman, Larry; Siever, Larry; Silverman, Jeremy; Stone, William S; Sprock, Joyce; Sugar, Catherine A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Tsuang, Ming; Turetsky, Bruce; Radant, Allen; Tsuang, Debby W

2016-07-01

Past studies describe numerous endophenotypes associated with schizophrenia (SZ), but many endophenotypes may overlap in information they provide, and few studies have investigated the utility of a multivariate index to improve discrimination between SZ and healthy community comparison subjects (CCS). We investigated 16 endophenotypes from the first phase of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia, a large, multi-site family study, to determine whether a subset could distinguish SZ probands and CCS just as well as using all 16. Participants included 345 SZ probands and 517 CCS with a valid measure for at least one endophenotype. We used both logistic regression and random forest models to choose a subset of endophenotypes, adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, site, parent education, and the reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test. As a sensitivity analysis, we re-fit models using multiple imputations to determine the effect of missing values. We identified four important endophenotypes: antisaccade, Continuous Performance Test-Identical Pairs 3-digit version, California Verbal Learning Test, and emotion identification. The logistic regression model that used just these four endophenotypes produced essentially the same results as the model that used all 16 (84% vs. 85% accuracy). While a subset of endophenotypes cannot replace clinical diagnosis nor encompass the complexity of the disease, it can aid in the design of future endophenotypic and genetic studies by reducing study cost and subject burden, simplifying sample enrichment, and improving the statistical power of locating those genetic regions associated with schizophrenia that may be the easiest to identify initially. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Prioritizing Schizophrenia Endophenotypes for Future Genetic Studies: An Example Using Data from the COGS-1 Family Study

PubMed Central

Millard, Steven P.; Shofer, Jane; Braff, David; Calkins, Monica; Cadenhead, Kristin; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F.; Greenwood, Tiffany A.; Gur, Raquel; Gur, Ruben; Lazzeroni, Laura C.; Light, Gregory A.; Olincy, Ann; Nuechterlein, Keith; Seidman, Larry; Siever, Larry; Silverman, Jeremy; Stone, William; Sprock, Joyce; Sugar, Catherine A.; Swerdlow, Neal R.; Tsuang, Ming; Turetsky, Bruce; Radant, Allen; Tsuang, Debby W.

2016-01-01

Past studies describe numerous endophenotypes associated with schizophrenia (SZ), but many endophenotypes may overlap in information they provide, and few studies have investigated the utility of a multivariate index to improve discrimination between SZ and healthy community comparison subjects (CCS). We investigated 16 endophenotypes from the first phase of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia, a large, multi-site family study, to determine whether a subset could distinguish SZ probands and CCS just as well as using all 16. Participants included 345 SZ probands and 517 CCS with a valid measure for at least one endophenotype. We used both logistic regression and random forest models to choose a subset of endophenotypes, adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, site, parent education, and the reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test. As a sensitivity analysis, we re-fit models using multiple imputations to determine the effect of missing values. We identified four important endophenotypes: antisaccade, Continuous Performance Test-Identical Pairs 3-digit version, California Verbal Learning Test, and emotion identification. The logistic regression model that used just these four endophenotypes produced essentially the same results as the model that used all 16 (84% vs. 85% accuracy). While a subset of endophenotypes cannot replace clinical diagnosis nor encompass the complexity of the disease, it can aid in the design of future endophenotypic and genetic studies by reducing study cost and subject burden, simplifying sample enrichment, and improving statistical power of locating genetic regions associated with schizophrenia that may be the easiest to identify initially. PMID:27132484

SZDB: A Database for Schizophrenia Genetic Research

PubMed Central

Wu, Yong; Yao, Yong-Gang

2017-01-01

Abstract Schizophrenia (SZ) is a debilitating brain disorder with a complex genetic architecture. Genetic studies, especially recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS), have identified multiple variants (loci) conferring risk to SZ. However, how to efficiently extract meaningful biological information from bulk genetic findings of SZ remains a major challenge. There is a pressing need to integrate multiple layers of data from various sources, eg, genetic findings from GWAS, copy number variations (CNVs), association and linkage studies, gene expression, protein–protein interaction (PPI), co-expression, expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), and Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) data, to provide a comprehensive resource to facilitate the translation of genetic findings into SZ molecular diagnosis and mechanism study. Here we developed the SZDB database (http://www.szdb.org/), a comprehensive resource for SZ research. SZ genetic data, gene expression data, network-based data, brain eQTL data, and SNP function annotation information were systematically extracted, curated and deposited in SZDB. In-depth analyses and systematic integration were performed to identify top prioritized SZ genes and enriched pathways. Multiple types of data from various layers of SZ research were systematically integrated and deposited in SZDB. In-depth data analyses and integration identified top prioritized SZ genes and enriched pathways. We further showed that genes implicated in SZ are highly co-expressed in human brain and proteins encoded by the prioritized SZ risk genes are significantly interacted. The user-friendly SZDB provides high-confidence candidate variants and genes for further functional characterization. More important, SZDB provides convenient online tools for data search and browse, data integration, and customized data analyses. PMID:27451428

Verbal working memory-related neural network communication in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Kustermann, Thomas; Popov, Tzvetan; Miller, Gregory A; Rockstroh, Brigitte

2018-04-19

Impaired working memory (WM) in schizophrenia is associated with reduced hemodynamic and electromagnetic activity and altered network connectivity within and between memory-associated neural networks. The present study sought to determine whether schizophrenia involves disruption of a frontal-parietal network normally supporting WM and/or involvement of another brain network. Nineteen schizophrenia patients (SZ) and 19 healthy comparison subjects (HC) participated in a cued visual-verbal Sternberg task while dense-array EEG was recorded. A pair of item arrays each consisting of 2-4 consonants was presented bilaterally for 200 ms with a prior cue signaling the hemifield of the task-relevant WM set. A central probe letter 2,000 ms later prompted a choice reaction time decision about match/mismatch with the target WM set. Group and WM load effects on time domain and time-frequency domain 11-15 Hz alpha power were assessed for the cue-to-probe time window, and posterior 11-15 Hz alpha power and frontal 4-8 Hz theta power were assessed during the retention period. Directional connectivity was estimated via Granger causality, evaluating group differences in communication. SZ showed slower responding, lower accuracy, smaller overall time-domain alpha power increase, and less load-dependent alpha power increase. Midline frontal theta power increases did not vary by group or load. Network communication in SZ was characterized by temporal-to-posterior information flow, in contrast to bidirectional temporal-posterior communication in HC. Results indicate aberrant WM network activity supporting WM in SZ that might facilitate normal load-dependent and only marginally less accurate task performance, despite generally slower responding. © 2018 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

SEVEN-YEAR WILKINSON MICROWAVE ANISOTROPY PROBE (WMAP ) OBSERVATIONS: COSMOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

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

Komatsu, E.; Smith, K. M.; Spergel, D. N.

2011-02-01

The combination of seven-year data from WMAP and improved astrophysical data rigorously tests the standard cosmological model and places new constraints on its basic parameters and extensions. By combining the WMAP data with the latest distance measurements from the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the distribution of galaxies and the Hubble constant (H{sub 0}) measurement, we determine the parameters of the simplest six-parameter {Lambda}CDM model. The power-law index of the primordial power spectrum is n{sub s} = 0.968 {+-} 0.012 (68% CL) for this data combination, a measurement that excludes the Harrison-Zel'dovich-Peebles spectrum by 99.5% CL. The other parameters, includingmore » those beyond the minimal set, are also consistent with, and improved from, the five-year results. We find no convincing deviations from the minimal model. The seven-year temperature power spectrum gives a better determination of the third acoustic peak, which results in a better determination of the redshift of the matter-radiation equality epoch. Notable examples of improved parameters are the total mass of neutrinos, {Sigma}M{sub {nu}} < 0.58 eV(95%CL), and the effective number of neutrino species, N{sub eff} = 4.34{sup +0.86}{sub -0.88} (68% CL), which benefit from better determinations of the third peak and H{sub 0}. The limit on a constant dark energy equation of state parameter from WMAP+BAO+H{sub 0}, without high-redshift Type Ia supernovae, is w = -1.10 {+-} 0.14 (68% CL). We detect the effect of primordial helium on the temperature power spectrum and provide a new test of big bang nucleosynthesis by measuring Y{sub p} = 0.326 {+-} 0.075 (68% CL). We detect, and show on the map for the first time, the tangential and radial polarization patterns around hot and cold spots of temperature fluctuations, an important test of physical processes at z = 1090 and the dominance of adiabatic scalar fluctuations. The seven-year polarization data have significantly improved: we now detect the temperature-E-mode polarization cross power spectrum at 21{sigma}, compared with 13{sigma} from the five-year data. With the seven-year temperature-B-mode cross power spectrum, the limit on a rotation of the polarization plane due to potential parity-violating effects has improved by 38% to {Delta}{alpha} = -1.{sup o}1 {+-} 1.{sup o}4(statistical) {+-} 1.{sup o}5(systematic) (68% CL). We report significant detections of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect at the locations of known clusters of galaxies. The measured SZ signal agrees well with the expected signal from the X-ray data on a cluster-by-cluster basis. However, it is a factor of 0.5-0.7 times the predictions from 'universal profile' of Arnaud et al., analytical models, and hydrodynamical simulations. We find, for the first time in the SZ effect, a significant difference between the cooling-flow and non-cooling-flow clusters (or relaxed and non-relaxed clusters), which can explain some of the discrepancy. This lower amplitude is consistent with the lower-than-theoretically expected SZ power spectrum recently measured by the South Pole Telescope Collaboration.« less

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT): Beam Profiles and First SZ Cluster Maps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hincks, A. D.; Acquaviva, V.; Ade, P. A.; Aguirre, P.; Amiri, M.; Appel, J. W.; Barrientos, L. F.; Battistelli, E. S.; Bond, J. R.; Brown, B.;

Advancements in the Underlying Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia: Implications of DNA Methylation in Glial Cells.

PubMed

Chen, Xing-Shu; Huang, Nanxin; Michael, Namaka; Xiao, Lan

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a chronic and severe mental illness for which currently there is no cure. At present, the exact molecular mechanism involved in the underlying pathogenesis of SZ is unknown. The disease is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic regulation is involved in SZ pathology. Specifically, DNA methylation, one of the earliest found epigenetic modifications, has been extensively linked to modulation of neuronal function, leading to psychiatric disorders such as SZ. However, increasing evidence indicates that glial cells, especially dysfunctional oligodendrocytes undergo DNA methylation changes that contribute to the pathogenesis of SZ. This review primarily focuses on DNA methylation involved in glial dysfunctions in SZ. Clarifying this mechanism may lead to the development of new therapeutic interventional strategies for the treatment of SZ and other illnesses by correcting abnormal methylation in glial cells.

Does cognitive performance map to categorical diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder? A discriminant functions analysis.

PubMed

Van Rheenen, Tamsyn E; Bryce, Shayden; Tan, Eric J; Neill, Erica; Gurvich, Caroline; Louise, Stephanie; Rossell, Susan L

2016-03-01

Despite known overlaps in the pattern of cognitive impairments in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), schizophrenia (SZ) and schizoaffective disorder (SZA), few studies have examined the extent to which cognitive performance validates traditional diagnostic boundaries in these groups. Individuals with SZ (n=49), schizoaffective disorder (n=33) and BD (n=35) completed a battery of cognitive tests measuring the domains of processing speed, immediate memory, semantic memory, learning, working memory, executive function and sustained attention. A discriminant functions analysis revealed a significant function comprising semantic memory, immediate memory and processing speed that maximally separated patients with SZ from those with BD. Initial classification scores on the basis of this function showed modest diagnostic accuracy, owing in part to the misclassification of SZA patients as having SZ. When SZA patients were removed from the model, a second cross-validated classifier yielded slightly improved diagnostic accuracy and a single function solution, of which semantic memory loaded most heavily. A cluster of non-executive cognitive processes appears to have some validity in mapping onto traditional nosological boundaries. However, since semantic memory performance was the primary driver of the discrimination between BD and SZ, it is possible that performance differences between the disorders in this cognitive domain in particular, index separate underlying aetiologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparing implicit and explicit semantic access of direct and indirect word pairs in schizophrenia to evaluate models of semantic memory.

PubMed

Neill, Erica; Rossell, Susan Lee

2013-02-28

Semantic memory deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) are profound, yet there is no research comparing implicit and explicit semantic processing in the same participant sample. In the current study, both implicit and explicit priming are investigated using direct (LION-TIGER) and indirect (LION-STRIPES; where tiger is not displayed) stimuli comparing SZ to healthy controls. Based on a substantive review (Rossell and Stefanovic, 2007) and meta-analysis (Pomarol-Clotet et al., 2008), it was predicted that SZ would be associated with increased indirect priming implicitly. Further, it was predicted that SZ would be associated with abnormal indirect priming explicitly, replicating earlier work (Assaf et al., 2006). No specific hypotheses were made for implicit direct priming due to the heterogeneity of the literature. It was hypothesised that explicit direct priming would be intact based on the structured nature of this task. The pattern of results suggests (1) intact reaction time (RT) and error performance implicitly in the face of abnormal direct priming and (2) impaired RT and error performance explicitly. This pattern confirms general findings regarding implicit/explicit memory impairments in SZ whilst highlighting the unique pattern of performance specific to semantic priming. Finally, priming performance is discussed in relation to thought disorder and length of illness. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric disorders in child and adolescent offspring of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: A controlled study.

PubMed

Sanchez-Gistau, Vanessa; Romero, Soledad; Moreno, Dolores; de la Serna, Elena; Baeza, Inmaculada; Sugranyes, Gisela; Moreno, Carmen; Sanchez-Gutierrez, Teresa; Rodriguez-Toscano, Elisa; Castro-Fornieles, Josefina

2015-10-01

Early clinical manifestations predating schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) have not been fully characterized. Child offspring studies are a valuable opportunity to study the natural history of the illness from its earliest stages. However, there is limited evidence assessing young offspring of SZ and BP simultaneously. We set out to assess rates of psychiatric disorders in child and adolescent offspring of SZ and BP, relative to offspring of community controls, so as to characterize the early phenotype of the disorders comparatively. SZ and BP parents with offspring aged 7-17years were recruited through adult mental health services of two tertiary hospitals. Community control (CC) parents were recruited from the same geographical area. Ninety BP-offspring, 41 SZ-offspring and 107 CC-offspring were assessed using the K-SADS-PL by child psychiatrists blinded to parental status. Differences in prevalence of psychiatric disorders between groups were adjusted for confounders and for sibling correlation using generalised estimating equations. We found a gradient of clinical severity and social disadvantage between SZ, BP and CC-offspring. After adjusting for socio-demographic confounders, SZ and BP-offspring presented higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than CC-offspring. ADHD was more prevalent in SZ-offspring than BP-offspring, and BP-offspring presented a higher prevalence of depression than CC-offspring. The higher rates of ADHD in SZ-offspring suggest that abnormal neurodevelopmental processes may exert a stronger influence in SZ than BP. Follow-up of these children will help elucidate the role of ADHD and depression phenotypes in predicting future transition to SZ or BP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SPT-CL J2040–4451: An SZ-selected galaxy cluster at z = 1.478 with significant ongoing star formation

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

Bayliss, M. B.; Ruel, J.; Ashby, M. L. N.

2014-10-10

SPT-CL J2040–4451—spectroscopically confirmed at z = 1.478—is the highest-redshift galaxy cluster yet discovered via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. SPT-CL J2040–4451 was a candidate galaxy cluster identified in the first 720 deg{sup 2} of the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SPT-SZ) survey, and has been confirmed in follow-up imaging and spectroscopy. From multi-object spectroscopy with Magellan-I/Baade+IMACS we measure spectroscopic redshifts for 15 cluster member galaxies, all of which have strong [O II] λλ3727 emission. SPT-CL J2040–4451 has an SZ-measured mass of M {sub 500,} {sub SZ} = 3.2 ± 0.8 × 10{sup 14} M {sub ☉} h {sub 70}{sup −1}, corresponding to Mmore » {sub 200,} {sub SZ} = 5.8 ± 1.4 × 10{sup 14} M {sub ☉} h {sub 70}{sup −1}. The velocity dispersion measured entirely from blue star-forming members is σ {sub v} = 1500 ± 520 km s{sup –1}. The prevalence of star-forming cluster members (galaxies with >1.5 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}) implies that this massive, high-redshift cluster is experiencing a phase of active star formation, and supports recent results showing a marked increase in star formation occurring in galaxy clusters at z ≳ 1.4. We also compute the probability of finding a cluster as rare as this in the SPT-SZ survey to be >99%, indicating that its discovery is not in tension with the concordance ΛCDM cosmological model.« less

Chronic Ketamine Reduces the Peak Frequency of Gamma Oscillations in Mouse Prefrontal Cortex Ex vivo.

PubMed

McNally, James M; McCarley, Robert W; Brown, Ritchie E

2013-01-01

Abnormalities in EEG gamma band oscillations (GBO, 30-80 Hz) serve as a prominent biomarker of schizophrenia (Sz), associated with positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Chronic, subanesthetic administration of antagonists of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR), such as ketamine, elicits behavioral effects, and alterations in cortical interneurons similar to those observed in Sz. However, the chronic effects of ketamine on neocortical GBO are unknown. Thus, here we examine the effects of chronic (five daily i.p. injections) application of ketamine (5 and 30 mg/kg) and the more specific NMDAR antagonist, MK-801 (0.02, 0.5, and 2 mg/kg), on neocortical GBO ex vivo. Oscillations were generated by focal application of the glutamate receptor agonist, kainate (KA), in coronal brain slices containing the prelimbic cortex. This region constitutes the rodent analog of the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain region strongly implicated in Sz-pathophysiology. Here we report the novel finding that chronic ketamine elicits a reduction in the peak oscillatory frequency of KA-elicited oscillations (from 47 to 40 Hz at 30 mg/kg). Moreover, the power of GBO in the 40-50 Hz band was reduced. These findings are reminiscent of both the reduced resonance frequency and power of cortical oscillations observed in Sz clinical studies. Surprisingly, MK-801 had no significant effect, suggesting care is needed when equating Sz-like behavioral effects elicited by different NMDAR antagonists to alterations in GBO activity. We conclude that chronic ketamine in the mouse mimics GBO abnormalities observed in Sz patients. Use of this ex vivo slice model may be useful in testing therapeutic compounds which rescue these GBO abnormalities.

Molecular Risk Factors for Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Modai, Shira; Shomron, Noam

2016-03-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a complex and strongly heritable mental disorder, which is also associated with developmental-environmental triggers. As opposed to most diagnosable diseases (yet similar to other mental disorders), SZ diagnosis is commonly based on psychiatric evaluations. Recently, large-scale genetic and epigenetic approaches have been applied to SZ research with the goal of potentially improving diagnosis. Increased computational analyses and applied statistical algorithms may shed some light on the complex genetic and epigenetic pathways contributing to SZ pathogenesis. This review discusses the latest advances in molecular risk factors and diagnostics for SZ. Approaches such as these may lead to a more accurate definition of SZ and assist in creating extended and reliable clinical diagnoses with the potential for personalized treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ewing's sarcoma precursors are highly enriched in embryonic osteochondrogenic progenitors.

PubMed

Tanaka, Miwa; Yamazaki, Yukari; Kanno, Yohei; Igarashi, Katsuhide; Aisaki, Ken-ichi; Kanno, Jun; Nakamura, Takuro

2014-07-01

Ewing's sarcoma is a highly malignant bone tumor found in children and adolescents, and the origin of this malignancy is not well understood. Here, we introduced a Ewing's sarcoma-associated genetic fusion of the genes encoding the RNA-binding protein EWS and the transcription factor ETS (EWS-ETS) into a fraction of cells enriched for osteochondrogenic progenitors derived from the embryonic superficial zone (eSZ) of long bones collected from late gestational murine embryos. EWS-ETS fusions efficiently induced Ewing's sarcoma-like small round cell sarcoma formation by these cells. Analysis of the eSZ revealed a fraction of a precursor cells that express growth/differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5), the transcription factor Erg, and parathyroid hormone-like hormone (Pthlh), and selection of the Pthlh-positive fraction alone further enhanced EWS-ETS-dependent tumor induction. Genes downstream of the EWS-ETS fusion protein were quite transcriptionally active in eSZ cells, especially in regions in which the chromatin structure of the ETS-responsive locus was open. Inhibition of β-catenin, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), or enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) suppressed cell growth in a murine model of Ewing's sarcoma, suggesting the utility of the current system as a preclinical model. These results indicate that eSZ cells are highly enriched in precursors to Ewing's sarcoma and provide clues to the histogenesis of Ewing's sarcoma in bone.

Neurophysiological Distinction between Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder

PubMed Central

Mathalon, Daniel H.; Hoffman, Ralph E.; Watson, Todd D.; Miller, Ryan M.; Roach, Brian J.; Ford, Judith M.

2009-01-01

Schizoaffective disorder (SA) is distinguished from schizophrenia (SZ) based on the presence of prominent mood symptoms over the illness course. Despite this clinical distinction, SA and SZ patients are often combined in research studies, in part because data supporting a distinct pathophysiological boundary between the disorders are lacking. Indeed, few studies have addressed whether neurobiological abnormalities associated with SZ, such as the widely replicated reduction and delay of the P300 event-related potential (ERP), are also present in SA. Scalp EEG was acquired from patients with DSM-IV SA (n = 15) or SZ (n = 22), as well as healthy controls (HC; n = 22) to assess the P300 elicited by infrequent target (15%) and task-irrelevant distractor (15%) stimuli in separate auditory and visual ”oddball” tasks. P300 amplitude was reduced and delayed in SZ, relative to HC, consistent with prior studies. These SZ abnormalities did not interact with stimulus type (target vs. task-irrelevant distractor) or modality (auditory vs. visual). Across sensory modality and stimulus type, SA patients exhibited normal P300 amplitudes (significantly larger than SZ patients and indistinguishable from HC). However, P300 latency and reaction time were both equivalently delayed in SZ and SA patients, relative to HC. P300 differences between SA and SZ patients could not be accounted for by variation in symptom severity, socio-economic status, education, or illness duration. Although both groups show similar deficits in processing speed, SA patients do not exhibit the P300 amplitude deficits evident in SZ, consistent with an underlying pathophysiological boundary between these disorders. PMID:20140266

Dysregulated glutamate and dopamine transporters in postmortem frontal cortex from bipolar and schizophrenic patients

PubMed Central

Rao, Jagadeesh Sridhara; Kellom, Matthew; Reese, Edmund Arthur; Rapoport, Stanley Isaac; Kim, Hyung-Wook

2012-01-01

Background Dysregulated glutamate, serotonin and dopamine neurotransmission has been reported in bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ), but the underlying mechanisms of dysregulation are not clear. We hypothesized that they involve alterations in excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs), the serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT), and the dopamine reuptake transporter (DAT). Methods To test this hypothesis, we determined protein and mRNA levels of EAAT subtypes 1–4, of the SERT and of the DAT in postmortem frontal cortex from BD (n=10) and SZ (n=10) patients and from healthy control (n=10) subjects. Results Compared to control levels, protein and mRNA levels of EAAT1 were increased significantly in cortex from both BD and SZ patients. EAAT2 protein and mRNA levels were decreased significantly in BD but not in SZ cortices. EAAT3 and EAAT 4 protein and mRNA levels were significantly higher in SZ but not in BD compared with control. DAT protein and mRNA levels were decreased significantly in both BD and SZ cortex. There was no significant change in SERT expression in either BD or SZ. Conclusions The altered EAATs and DAT expression could result in altered glutamatergic and hyperdopaminergic function in BD and SZ. Differently altered EAATs involved in glutamatergic transmission could be therapeutic targets for treating BD and SZ. PMID:21925739

Differential Hedonic Experience and Behavioral Activation in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

PubMed Central

Tso, Ivy F.; Grove, Tyler B.; Taylor, Stephan F.

2014-01-01

The Kraepelinian distinction between schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) emphasizes affective and volitional impairment in the former, but data directly comparing the two disorders for hedonic experience are scarce. This study examined whether hedonic experience and behavioral activation may be useful phenotypes distinguishing SZ and BP. Participants were 39 SZ and 24 BP patients without current mood episode matched for demographics and negative affect, along with 36 healthy controls (HC). They completed the Chapman Physical and Social Anhedonia Scales, Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS), and Behavioral Activation Scale (BAS). SZ and BP showed equally elevated levels of self-report negative affect and trait anhedonia compared to HC. However, SZ reported significantly lower pleasure experience (TEPS) and behavioral activation (BAS) than BP, who did not differ from HC. SZ and BP showed differential patterns of relationships between the hedonic experience and behavioral activation measures. Overall, the results suggest that reduced hedonic experience and behavioral activation may be effective phenotypes distinguishing SZ from BP even when affective symptoms are minimal. However, hedonic experience differences between SZ and BP are sensitive to measurement strategy, calling for further research on the nature of anhedonia and its relation to motivation in these disorders. PMID:24999173

CuO based catalysts on modified acidic silica supports tested in the de-NOx reduction.

PubMed

Bennici, Simona; Gervasini, Antonella; Lazzarin, Marta; Ragaini, Vittorio

2005-03-01

A series of dispersed CuO catalysts supported on modified silica supports with Al2O3 (SA), TiO2 (ST), and ZrO2 (SZ) were prepared optimising the adsorption method of copper deposition assisted by ultrasound treatment, already reported in a previous paper (S. Bennici, A. Gervasini, V. Ragaini, Ultrason. Sonochem. 10 (2003) 61). The obtained catalysts were characterized in their bulk (atomic absorption, X-ray diffraction, temperature programmed reduction) and surface (N2 adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy) properties. The morphology of the finished materials was not deeply modified compared with that of the relevant supports. The employed complemented techniques evidenced a well dispersed CuO phase with a copper-support interaction on the most acidic supports (SA and SZ). The catalyst performances were studied in the reaction of selective catalytic reduction of NOx with ethene in oxidizing atmosphere in a flow apparatus under variable times (0.360-0.072 s) and temperatures (200-450 degrees C). The catalysts prepared on the most acidic supports (SA and SZ) were the most active and selective towards N2 formation. They showed a particular interesting activity in the reaction of NO2 reduction besides that of NO reduction.

The thalamic reticular nucleus in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: role of parvalbumin-expressing neuron networks and oxidative stress.

PubMed

Steullet, P; Cabungcal, J-H; Bukhari, S A; Ardelt, M I; Pantazopoulos, H; Hamati, F; Salt, T E; Cuenod, M; Do, Kim Q; Berretta, S

2017-11-28

Growing evidence points to a disruption of cortico-thalamo-cortical circuits in schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). Clues for a specific involvement of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) come from its unique neuronal characteristics and neural connectivity, allowing it to shape the thalamo-cortical information flow. A direct involvement of the TRN in SZ and BD has not been tested thus far. We used a combination of human postmortem and rodent studies to test the hypothesis that neurons expressing parvalbumin (PV neurons), a main TRN neuronal population, and associated Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-labeled perineuronal nets (WFA/PNNs) are altered in SZ and BD, and that these changes may occur early in the course of the disease as a consequence of oxidative stress. In both disease groups, marked decreases of PV neurons (immunoreactive for PV) and WFA/PNNs were observed in the TRN, with no effects of duration of illness or age at onset. Similarly, in transgenic mice with redox dysregulation, numbers of PV neurons and WFA/PNN+PV neurons were decreased in transgenic compared with wild-type mice; these changes were present at postnatal day (P) 20 for PV neurons and P40 for WFA/PNN+PV neurons, accompanied by alterations of their firing properties. These results show profound abnormalities of PV neurons in the TRN of subjects with SZ and BD, and offer support for the hypothesis that oxidative stress may play a key role in impacting TRN PV neurons at early stages of these disorders. We put forth that these TRN abnormalities may contribute to disruptions of sleep spindles, focused attention and emotion processing in these disorders.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 28 November 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.230.

Thermal stability and phase transformation in fully indium oxide (InO{sub 1.5}) stabilized zirconia

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

Piva, R.H., E-mail: honorato.piva@ua.pt; Piva, D.H

2017-01-15

Indium oxide (InO{sub 1.5}) stabilized zirconia (InSZ) is an attractive material as electrolyte, or electrode, in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and as corrosion resistant top coat in thermal barrier coatings. However, little is known about the phase stability of cubic InSZ at temperatures that simulate the conditions in an operating SOFC or turbine. This article provides an investigation of the phase stability and phase transformations in cubic InSZ after heat treatments at 800, 1000, and 1200 °C for periods up to 2000 h. The results revealed that cubic InSZ is not stable during annealing at 1000 and 1200 °C,more » owing to a fast destabilization of the initial cubic phase to tetragonal, and eventually to monoclinic (c → t → m). The c → t → m transition in InSZ is intimately associated with the indium volatilization. On the other hand, cubic InSZ remained stable for 2000 h at 800 °C, although the partial formation of the tetragonal phase was observed along with a 0.25% contraction in the unit cell volume of the cubic phase, caused by short-range ordering. These results demonstrate that technological applications of cubic InSZ are restricted to temperatures at which the volatilization of the InO{sub 1.5} stabilizer does not occur. - Highlights: •Phase stability of fully InO{sub 1.5} stabilized zirconia (cubic InSZ) was evaluated. •Cubic InSZ is instable at temperatures ≥ 1000 °C, owing to the cubic-to-tetragonal-to-monoclinic destabilization. •Cubic InSZ undergoes the cubic-to-tetragonal transformation at ~ 800 °C. •Owing to the low phase stability, applications of cubic InSZ in TBCs or SOFCs are restricted.« less

DNA methylation age is not accelerated in brain or blood of subjects with schizophrenia.

PubMed

McKinney, Brandon C; Lin, Huang; Ding, Ying; Lewis, David A; Sweet, Robert A

2017-10-05

Individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) exhibit multiple premature age-related phenotypes and die ~20years prematurely. The accelerated aging hypothesis of SZ has been advanced to explain these observations, it posits that SZ-associated factors accelerate the progressive biological changes associated with normal aging. Testing the hypothesis has been limited by the absence of robust, meaningful, and multi-tissue measures of biological age. Recently, a method was described in which DNA methylation (DNAm) levels at 353 genomic sites are used to produce "DNAm age", an estimate of biological age with advantages over existing measures. We used this method and 3 publicly-available DNAm datasets, 1 from brain and 2 from blood, to test the hypothesis. The brain dataset was composed of data from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of 232 non-psychiatric control (NPC) and 195 SZ subjects. Blood dataset #1 was composed of data from whole blood of 304 NPC and 332 SZ subjects, and blood dataset #2 was composed of data from whole blood of 405 NPC and 260 SZ subjects. DNAm age and chronological age correlated strongly (r=0.92-0.95, p<0.0001) in both NPC and SZ subjects in all 3 datasets. DNAm age acceleration did not differ between NPC and SZ subjects in the brain dataset (t=0.52, p=0.60), blood dataset #1 (t=1.51, p=0.13), or blood dataset #2 (t=0.93, p=0.35). Consistent with our previous findings from a smaller study of postmortem brains, our findings suggest there is no acceleration of brain or blood aging in SZ and, thus, do not support the accelerated aging hypothesis of SZ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Craniofacial trauma as a clinical marker of seizures in a baboon colony.

PubMed

Szabó, C Akos; Knape, Koyle D; Leland, M Michelle; Bauer, Cassondra; Williams, Jeff T

2014-04-01

Baboons provide a natural model of epilepsy. However, spontaneous seizures are usually sporadic, brief, and may not be observed. We hypothesized that various types of craniofacial trauma (CFT) may serve as reliable markers for epilepsy. We evaluated the type, demographics, and clinical significance of CFT in a large baboon colony. CFT was categorized according to somatotopic location, propensity to recur, and association with witnessed seizures or abnormal EEG findings. We divided the baboons with CFT into 2 groups: those with known histories of seizures (CFT+Sz, n = 176) and those without seizure histories (CFTonly; n = 515). In CFT+Sz baboons, the 568 injuries identified included periorbital (57%), scalp (27%), muzzle (12%), and facial (4%) injuries; multiple somatotopic locations or body parts were affected in 21 baboons. The most common CFT injuries associated with seizures were periorbital and scalp lesions (43% for each region). Compared with those in CFTonly animals, EEG abnormalities, including interictal epileptic discharges (IED) and photosensitivity were more prevalent in the CFT+Sz group, particularly among baboons with periorbital or scalp injuries. Compared with CFT+Sz animals, CFTonly baboons tended to have later onset and less frequent recurrence of CFT but higher prevalence of muzzle and tooth injuries. IED and photosensitivity were less prevalent in the CFTonly than the CFT+Sz group, with periorbital injuries carrying the highest and muzzle injuries the lowest association with IED or photosensitivity in both groups. Therefore, CFT in general and periorbital injuries in particular may be markers for seizures in baboons.

Craniofacial Trauma as a Clinical Marker of Seizures in a Baboon Colony

PubMed Central

Szabó, C Ákos; Knape, Koyle D; Leland, M Michelle; Bauer, Cassondra; Williams, Jeff T

2014-01-01

Baboons provide a natural model of epilepsy. However, spontaneous seizures are usually sporadic, brief, and may not be observed. We hypothesized that various types of craniofacial trauma (CFT) may serve as reliable markers for epilepsy. We evaluated the type, demographics, and clinical significance of CFT in a large baboon colony. CFT was categorized according to somatotopic location, propensity to recur, and association with witnessed seizures or abnormal EEG findings. We divided the baboons with CFT into 2 groups: those with known histories of seizures (CFT+Sz, n = 176) and those without seizure histories (CFTonly; n = 515). In CFT+Sz baboons, the 568 injuries identified included periorbital (57%), scalp (27%), muzzle (12%), and facial (4%) injuries; multiple somatotopic locations or body parts were affected in 21 baboons. The most common CFT injuries associated with seizures were periorbital and scalp lesions (43% for each region). Compared with those in CFTonly animals, EEG abnormalities, including interictal epileptic discharges (IED) and photosensitivity were more prevalent in the CFT+Sz group, particularly among baboons with periorbital or scalp injuries. Compared with CFT+Sz animals, CFTonly baboons tended to have later onset and less frequent recurrence of CFT but higher prevalence of muzzle and tooth injuries. IED and photosensitivity were less prevalent in the CFTonly than the CFT+Sz group, with periorbital injuries carrying the highest and muzzle injuries the lowest association with IED or photosensitivity in both groups. Therefore, CFT in general and periorbital injuries in particular may be markers for seizures in baboons. PMID:24674589

Resting-state thalamic dysconnectivity in schizophrenia and relationships with symptoms.

PubMed

Ferri, J; Ford, J M; Roach, B J; Turner, J A; van Erp, T G; Voyvodic, J; Preda, A; Belger, A; Bustillo, J; O'Leary, D; Mueller, B A; Lim, K O; McEwen, S C; Calhoun, V D; Diaz, M; Glover, G; Greve, D; Wible, C G; Vaidya, J G; Potkin, S G; Mathalon, D H

2018-02-15

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder associated with disrupted connectivity within the thalamic-cortico-cerebellar network. Resting-state functional connectivity studies have reported thalamic hypoconnectivity with the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex as well as thalamic hyperconnectivity with sensory cortical regions in SZ patients compared with healthy comparison participants (HCs). However, fundamental questions remain regarding the clinical significance of these connectivity abnormalities. Resting state seed-based functional connectivity was used to investigate thalamus to whole brain connectivity using multi-site data including 183 SZ patients and 178 matched HCs. Statistical significance was based on a voxel-level FWE-corrected height threshold of p < 0.001. The relationships between positive and negative symptoms of SZ and regions of the brain demonstrating group differences in thalamic connectivity were examined. HC and SZ participants both demonstrated widespread positive connectivity between the thalamus and cortical regions. Compared with HCs, SZ patients had reduced thalamic connectivity with bilateral cerebellum and anterior cingulate cortex. In contrast, SZ patients had greater thalamic connectivity with multiple sensory-motor regions, including bilateral pre- and post-central gyrus, middle/inferior occipital gyrus, and middle/superior temporal gyrus. Thalamus to middle temporal gyrus connectivity was positively correlated with hallucinations and delusions, while thalamus to cerebellar connectivity was negatively correlated with delusions and bizarre behavior. Thalamic hyperconnectivity with sensory regions and hypoconnectivity with cerebellar regions in combination with their relationship to clinical features of SZ suggest that thalamic dysconnectivity may be a core neurobiological feature of SZ that underpins positive symptoms.

Clones of Streptococcus zooepidemicus from Outbreaks of Hemorrhagic Canine Pneumonia and Associated Immune Responses

PubMed Central

Velineni, Sridhar; Russell, Kim; Hamlen, Heidi J.; Pesavento, Patricia; Fortney, William D.; Crawford, P. Cynda

2014-01-01

Acute hemorrhagic pneumonia caused by Streptococcus zooepidemicus has emerged as a major disease of shelter dogs and greyhounds. S. zooepidemicus strains differing in multilocus sequence typing (MLST), protective protein (SzP), and M-like protein (SzM) sequences were identified from 9 outbreaks in Texas, Kansas, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. Clonality based on 2 or more isolates was evident for 7 of these outbreaks. The Pennsylvania and Nevada outbreaks also involved cats. Goat antisera against acutely infected lung tissue as well as convalescent-phase sera reacted with a mucinase (Sz115), hyaluronidase (HylC), InlA domain-containing cell surface-anchored protein (INLA), membrane-anchored protein (MAP), SzP, SzM, and extracellular oligopeptide-binding protein (OppA). The amino acid sequences of SzP and SzM of the isolates varied greatly. The szp and szm alleles of the closely related Kansas clone (sequence type 129 [ST-129]) and United Kingdom isolate BHS5 (ST-123) were different, indicating that MLST was unreliable as a predictor of virulence phenotype. Combinations of conserved HylC and serine protease (ScpC) and variable SzM and SzP proteins of S. zooepidemicus strain NC78 were protectively immunogenic for mice challenged with a virulent canine strain. Thus, although canine pneumonia outbreaks are caused by different strains of S. zooepidemicus, protective immune responses were elicited in mice by combinations of conserved or variable S. zooepidemicus proteins from a single strain. PMID:24990905

Familiarity and recollection processes in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and their unaffected parents.

PubMed

Lefèbvre, Andrée-Anne; Cellard, Caroline; Tremblay, Sébastien; Achim, Amélie; Rouleau, Nancie; Maziade, Michel; Roy, Marc-André

2010-01-30

Episodic memory deficits are present in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and their unaffected relatives and could be considered as a cognitive indicator of genetic vulnerability to SZ. The present study, involving patients with SZ as well as their parents, used experimental tasks specifically designed to disentangle the contribution of familiarity and recollection processes to episodic memory. The performance of patients with SZ (n=26) and their unaffected parents (n=35) was compared with that of healthy control groups matched on socio-demographic variables (controls of patients, n=26; controls of parents, n=35) on two memory tasks assessing recollection and familiarity. The first task was designed to investigate item recognition and memory for item-spatial context associations whereas the second targeted item-item associations. The results revealed an overall episodic memory deficit in patients with SZ, encompassing both familiarity and recollection, while unaffected parents showed a dysfunction restricted to the recollection process. Our study highlights differences and similarities in the source of the episodic memory deficit found in patients with SZ and their unaffected parents, and it suggests that recollection could act as a cognitive endophenotype of SZ. The results also suggest that use of experimental tasks represents a promising method in the search of cognitive endophenotypes in SZ.

Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Friction Stir Processed Mg–Sn–Zn Alloy

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiaoyang; Dai, Qiao; Li, Xingcheng; Lu, Yalin; Zhang, Yang

2018-01-01

In this study, as-cast Mg–6Sn–2Zn (wt.%) alloy was subjected to friction stir processing (FSP) and the microstructure and tensile properties of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples were investigated. It was found that, in the stir zone (SZ) of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples, α-Mg grains were significantly refined via dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and the Mg2Sn phase was broken and partially dissolved. The microstructure in SZ was nonuniform and DRXed grains in the SZ-up regions were coarser than those in the SZ-down regions. Coarse broken Mg2Sn particles were observed in the SZ-up regions, while only fine Mg2Sn particles were observed in the SZ-down regions. Strong {0001} basal texture developed in the SZ regions of Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples after FSP. The increase of travel speed had little effect on the texture of different SZ regions. The ductility of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples was obviously improved, while the improvement in strength was negligible when compared to the as-cast sample. The tensile properties of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples were influenced by grain refinement, texture modification, and the breaking up and dissolution of the Mg2Sn phase. PMID:29690590

Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Friction Stir Processed Mg⁻Sn⁻Zn Alloy.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoyang; Dai, Qiao; Li, Xingcheng; Lu, Yalin; Zhang, Yang

2018-04-23

In this study, as-cast Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn (wt.%) alloy was subjected to friction stir processing (FSP) and the microstructure and tensile properties of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples were investigated. It was found that, in the stir zone (SZ) of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples, α-Mg grains were significantly refined via dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and the Mg₂Sn phase was broken and partially dissolved. The microstructure in SZ was nonuniform and DRXed grains in the SZ-up regions were coarser than those in the SZ-down regions. Coarse broken Mg₂Sn particles were observed in the SZ-up regions, while only fine Mg₂Sn particles were observed in the SZ-down regions. Strong {0001} basal texture developed in the SZ regions of Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples after FSP. The increase of travel speed had little effect on the texture of different SZ regions. The ductility of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples was obviously improved, while the improvement in strength was negligible when compared to the as-cast sample. The tensile properties of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples were influenced by grain refinement, texture modification, and the breaking up and dissolution of the Mg₂Sn phase.

Disrupted implicit motor sequence learning in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder revealed with ambidextrous Serial Reaction Time Task.

PubMed

Chrobak, Adrian Andrzej; Siuda-Krzywicka, Katarzyna; Siwek, Grzegorz Przemysław; Tereszko, Anna; Janeczko, Weronika; Starowicz-Filip, Anna; Siwek, Marcin; Dudek, Dominika

2017-10-03

Impairment of implicit motor sequence learning was shown in schizophrenia (SZ) and, most recently, in bipolar disorder (BD), and was connected to cerebellar abnormalities. The goal of this study was to compare implicit motor sequence learning in BD and SZ. We examined 33 patients with BD, 33 patients with SZ and 31 healthy controls with a use of ambidextrous Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT), which allows exploring asymmetries in performance depending on the hand used. BD and SZ patients presented impaired implicit motor sequence learning, although the pattern of their impairments was different. While BD patients showed no signs of implicit motor sequence learning for both hands, the SZ group presented some features of motor learning when performing with the right, but not with the left hand. To our best knowledge this is the first study comparing implicit motor sequence learning in BD and SZ. We show that both diseases share impairments in this domain, however in the case of SZ this impairment differs dependently on the hand performing SRTT. We propose that implicit motor sequence learning impairments constitute an overlapping symptom in BD and SZ and suggest further neuroimaging studies to verify cerebellar underpinnings as its cause. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PLASMA OXYTOCIN LEVELS PREDICT SOCIAL CUE RECOGNITION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

PubMed Central

Strauss, Gregory P.; Keller, William R.; Koenig, James I.; Gold, James M.; Frost, Katherine H.; Buchanan, Robert W.

2015-01-01

Lower endogenous levels of the neuropeptide oxytocin may be an important biological predictor of social cognition impairments in schizophrenia (SZ). Prior studies have demonstrated that lower-level social cognitive processes (e.g., facial affect perception) are significantly associated with reduced plasma oxytocin levels in SZ; however, it is unclear whether higher-level social cognition, which requires inferential processes and knowledge not directly presented in the stimulus, is associated with endogenous oxytocin. The current study explored the association between endogenous oxytocin levels and lower- and higher-level social cognition in 40 individuals diagnosed with SZ and 22 demographically matched healthy controls (CN). All participants received the Social Cue Recognition Test (SCRT), which presents participants with videotaped interpersonal vignettes and subsequent true/false questions related to concrete or abstract aspects of social interactions in the vignettes. Results indicated that SZ had significantly higher plasma oxytocin concentrations than CN. SZ and CN did not differ on SCRT hits, but SZ had more false positives and lower sensitivity scores than CN. Higher plasma oxytocin levels were associated with better sensitivity scores for abstract items in CN and fewer false positives for concrete items in individuals with SZ. Findings indicate that endogenous oxytocin levels predict accurate encoding of lower-level socially relevant information in SZ. PMID:25673435

Spatial and temporal dynamics of organohalide-respiring bacteria in a heterogeneous PCE-DNAPL source zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cápiro, Natalie L.; Löffler, Frank E.; Pennell, Kurt D.

2015-11-01

Effective treatment of sites contaminated with dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) requires detailed understanding of the microbial community responses to changes in source zone strength and architecture. Changes in the spatial and temporal distributions of the organohalide-respiring Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) strains and Geobacter lovleyi strain SZ (GeoSZ) were examined in a heterogeneous tetrachloroethene- (PCE-) DNAPL source zone within a two-dimensional laboratory-scale aquifer flow cell. As part of a combined remedy approach, flushing with 2.3 pore volumes (PVs) of 4% (w/w) solution of the nonionic, biodegradable surfactant Tween® 80 removed 55% of the initial contaminant mass, and resulted in a PCE-DNAPL distribution that contained 51% discrete ganglia and 49% pools (ganglia-to-pool ratio of 1.06). Subsequent bioaugmentation with the PCE-to-ethene-dechlorinating consortium BDI-SZ resulted in cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) formation after 1 PV (ca. 7 days), while vinyl chloride (VC) and ethene were detected 10 PVs after bioaugmentation. Maximum ethene yields (ca. 90 μM) within DNAPL pool and ganglia regions coincided with the detection of the vcrA reductive dehalogenase (RDase) gene that exceeded the Dhc 16S rRNA genes by 2.0 ± 1.3 and 4.0 ± 1.7 fold in the pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Dhc and GeoSZ cell abundance increased by up to 4 orders-of-magnitude after 28 PVs of steady-state operation, with 1 to 2 orders-of-magnitude increases observed in close proximity to residual PCE-DNAPL. These observations suggest the involvement of these dechlorinators the in observed PCE dissolution enhancements of up to 2.3 and 6.0-fold within pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Analysis of the solid and aqueous samples at the conclusion of the experiment revealed that the highest VC (≥ 155 μM) and ethene (≥ 65 μM) concentrations were measured in zones where Dhc and GeoSZ were predominately attached to the solids. These findings demonstrate dynamic responses of organohalide-respiring bacteria in a heterogeneous DNAPL source zone, and emphasize the influence of source zone architecture on bioremediation performance.

X-ray and SZ constraints on the properties of hot CGM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Priyanka; Majumdar, Subhabrata; Nath, Biman B.; Silk, Joseph

2018-05-01

We use observations of stacked X-ray luminosity and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signal from a cosmological sample of ˜80, 000 and 104,000 massive galaxies, respectively, with 1012.6 ≲ M500 ≲ 1013M⊙ and mean redshift, z¯ ˜ 0.1 - 0.14 to constrain the hot Circumgalactic Medium (CGM) density and temperature. The X-ray luminosities constrain the density and hot CGM mass, while the SZ signal helps in breaking the density-temperature degeneracy. We consider a simple power-law density distribution (ne∝r-3β) as well as a hydrostatic hot halo model, with the gas assumed to be isothermal in both cases. The datasets are best described by the mean hot CGM profile ∝r-1.2, which is shallower than an NFW profile. For halo virial mass ˜1012 - 1013M⊙, the hot CGM contains ˜ 20 - 30% of galactic baryonic mass for the power-law model and 4 - 11% for the hydrostatic halo model, within the virial radii. For the power-law model, the hot CGM profile broadly agrees with observations of the Milky Way. The mean hot CGM mass is comparable to or larger than the mass contained in other phases of the CGM for L* galaxies.

Ewing’s sarcoma precursors are highly enriched in embryonic osteochondrogenic progenitors

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Miwa; Yamazaki, Yukari; Kanno, Yohei; Igarashi, Katsuhide; Aisaki, Ken-ichi; Kanno, Jun; Nakamura, Takuro

2014-01-01

Ewing’s sarcoma is a highly malignant bone tumor found in children and adolescents, and the origin of this malignancy is not well understood. Here, we introduced a Ewing’s sarcoma–associated genetic fusion of the genes encoding the RNA-binding protein EWS and the transcription factor ETS (EWS-ETS) into a fraction of cells enriched for osteochondrogenic progenitors derived from the embryonic superficial zone (eSZ) of long bones collected from late gestational murine embryos. EWS-ETS fusions efficiently induced Ewing’s sarcoma–like small round cell sarcoma formation by these cells. Analysis of the eSZ revealed a fraction of a precursor cells that express growth/differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5), the transcription factor Erg, and parathyroid hormone-like hormone (Pthlh), and selection of the Pthlh-positive fraction alone further enhanced EWS-ETS–dependent tumor induction. Genes downstream of the EWS-ETS fusion protein were quite transcriptionally active in eSZ cells, especially in regions in which the chromatin structure of the ETS-responsive locus was open. Inhibition of β-catenin, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), or enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) suppressed cell growth in a murine model of Ewing’s sarcoma, suggesting the utility of the current system as a preclinical model. These results indicate that eSZ cells are highly enriched in precursors to Ewing’s sarcoma and provide clues to the histogenesis of Ewing’s sarcoma in bone. PMID:24911143

Impact of SZ cluster residuals in CMB maps and CMB-LSS cross-correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, T.; Remazeilles, M.; Dickinson, C.

2018-06-01

Residual foreground contamination in cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps, such as the residual contamination from thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect in the direction of galaxy clusters, can bias the cross-correlation measurements between CMB and large-scale structure optical surveys. It is thus essential to quantify those residuals and, if possible, to null out SZ cluster residuals in CMB maps. We quantify for the first time the amount of SZ cluster contamination in the released Planck 2015 CMB maps through (i) the stacking of CMB maps in the direction of the clusters, and (ii) the computation of cross-correlation power spectra between CMB maps and the SDSS-IV large-scale structure data. Our cross-power spectrum analysis yields a 30σ detection at the cluster scale (ℓ = 1500-2500) and a 39σ detection on larger scales (ℓ = 500-1500) due to clustering of SZ clusters, giving an overall 54σ detection of SZ cluster residuals in the Planck CMB maps. The Planck 2015 NILC CMB map is shown to have 44 ± 4% of thermal SZ foreground emission left in it. Using the 'Constrained ILC' component separation technique, we construct an alternative Planck CMB map, the 2D-ILC map, which is shown to have negligible SZ contamination, at the cost of being slightly more contaminated by Galactic foregrounds and noise. We also discuss the impact of the SZ residuals in CMB maps on the measurement of the ISW effect, which is shown to be negligible based on our analysis.

Exceptional visuospatial imagery in schizophrenia; implications for madness and creativity

PubMed Central

Benson, Taylor L.; Park, Sohee

2013-01-01

Biographical and historical accounts suggest a link between scientific creativity and schizophrenia. Longitudinal studies of gifted children indicate that visuospatial imagery plays a pivotal role in exceptional achievements in science and mathematics. We asked whether visuospatial imagery is enhanced in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). We compared SZ and matched healthy controls (HC) on five visuospatial tasks tapping parietal and frontoparietal functions. Two aspects of visuospatial transformation, spatial location and mental imagery manipulation were examined with Paper Folding Test (PFT) and jigsaw puzzle task (JPT), respectively. Visuospatial intelligence was assessed with Ravens Progressive Matrices, which is associated with frontoparietal network activity. Hemispatial inattention implicating parietal function was assessed with line bisection (LB) task. Mediated by prefrontal cortex, spatial delayed response task (DRT) was used to index working memory maintenance, which was impaired in SZ compared to HC. In contrast, SZ showed intact visuospatial intelligence and transformation of location. Further, SZ performed significantly better than HC on JPT indicating enhanced mental imagery manipulation. Spatial working memory (SWM) maintenance and mental imagery manipulation were strongly associated in HC but dissociated in SZ. Thus, we observed enhanced mental imagery manipulation in SZ but the dissociation of mental imagery from working memory suggests a disrupted frontoparietal network. Finally, while HC showed the expected leftward pseudoneglect, SZ showed increased rightward LB bias implicating left hemispatial inattention and impaired right parietal control of spatial attention. The current results chart a unique profile of impaired, spared and enhanced parietal-mediated visuospatial functions implicating parietal abnormalities as a biobehavioral marker for SZ. We discuss these results in relation to creative cognition. PMID:24273503

Impaired regulation of emotional distractors during working memory load in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Guimond, Synthia; Padani, Shezal; Lutz, Olivia; Eack, Shaun; Thermenos, Heidi; Keshavan, Matcheri

2018-06-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) patients exhibit deficits in emotion regulation that affect their daily functioning. There is evidence that the prefrontal cortex plays an important role in emotion regulation. However, it remains unclear how this brain region is involved in emotion regulation deficits in SZ, and how such deficits impact performance on cognitively demanding tasks. We examined how happy and fearful emotional distractors impact performance on working memory (WM) tasks of varying difficulty (0-back, 2-back), and brain activity using fMRI. Participants were 20 patients with SZ and 20 healthy controls (HC) matched on age, sex, race, and IQ. A significant 3-way interaction showed that SZ patients had lower performance compared to HC when exposed to fearful and happy distractors, but only during the 2-back task. Second-level fMRI between-group analysis revealed that compared to SZ patients, HC showed significantly greater increase in brain activity with WM load in the left IFG (BA 45) when exposed to fearful distractors. Less brain activity in this region was also associated with reduction in SZ patients' performance during higher WM load and the presence of fearful distractors. SZ patients had difficulty in performing a WM task when regulating emotions, and they failed to show the emotion-specific modulation of the left IFG observed in HC. These results suggest that SZ patients have difficulty with emotion regulation demands during effortful cognitive tasks. This also provides us with potential insight on how emotion regulation could be rehabilitated in SZ using cognitive training. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Spray-Pyrolyzed Three-Dimensional CuInS2 Solar Cells on Nanocrystalline-Titania Electrodes with Chemical-Bath-Deposited Inx(OH)ySz Buffer Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Duy-Cuong; Mikami, Yuki; Tsujimoto, Kazuki; Ryo, Toshihiro; Ito, Seigo

2012-10-01

Three-dimensional (3D) compound solar cells with the structure of have been fabricated by spray pyrolysis deposition of CuInS2 and chemical-bath deposition of Inx(OH)ySz for the light absorber and buffer layer, respectively. The effect of deposition and annealing conditions of Inx(OH)ySz on the photovoltaic properties of 3D CuInS2 solar cells was investigated. Inx(OH)ySz annealed in air ambient showed a better cell performance than those annealed in nitrogen ambient and without annealing. The improvement of the performance of cells with Inx(OH)ySz buffer layers annealed in air ambient is due to the increase in oxide concentration in the buffer layers [confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement]. Among cells with Inx(OH)ySz buffer layers deposited for 1, 1.5, 1.75, and 2 h, that with Inx(OH)ySz deposited for 1.75 h showed the best cell performance. The best cell performance was observed for Inx(OH)ySz deposited for 1.75 h with annealing at 300 °C for 30 min in air ambient, and cell parameters were 22 mA cm-2 short-circuit photocurrent density, 0.41 V open-circuit voltage, 0.35 fill factor, and 3.2% conversion efficiency.

A Comparison of Cosmological Parameters Determined from CMB Temperature Power Spectra from the South Pole Telescope and the Planck Satellite

DOE PAGES

Aylor, K.; Hou, Z.; Knox, L.; ...

2017-11-20

The Planck cosmic microwave background temperature data are best fit with a ΛCDM model that mildly contradicts constraints from other cosmological probes. The South Pole Telescope (SPT) 2540more » $${\\deg }^{2}$$ SPT-SZ survey offers measurements on sub-degree angular scales (multipoles $$650\\leqslant {\\ell }\\leqslant 2500$$) with sufficient precision to use as an independent check of the Planck data. Here we build on the recent joint analysis of the SPT-SZ and Planck data in Hou et al. by comparing ΛCDM parameter estimates using the temperature power spectrum from both data sets in the SPT-SZ survey region. We also restrict the multipole range used in parameter fitting to focus on modes measured well by both SPT and Planck, thereby greatly reducing sample variance as a driver of parameter differences and creating a stringent test for systematic errors. We find no evidence of systematic errors from these tests. When we expand the maximum multipole of SPT data used, we see low-significance shifts in the angular scale of the sound horizon and the physical baryon and cold dark matter densities, with a resulting trend to higher Hubble constant. When we compare SPT and Planck data on the SPT-SZ sky patch to Planck full-sky data but keep the multipole range restricted, we find differences in the parameters n s and $${A}_{s}{e}^{-2\\tau }$$. We perform further checks, investigating instrumental effects and modeling assumptions, and we find no evidence that the effects investigated are responsible for any of the parameter shifts. Taken together, these tests reveal no evidence for systematic errors in SPT or Planck data in the overlapping sky coverage and multipole range and at most weak evidence for a breakdown of ΛCDM or systematic errors influencing either the Planck data outside the SPT-SZ survey area or the SPT data at $${\\ell }\\gt 2000$$.« less

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

Aylor, K.; Hou, Z.; Knox, L.

The Planck cosmic microwave background temperature data are best fit with a ΛCDM model that mildly contradicts constraints from other cosmological probes. The South Pole Telescope (SPT) 2540more » $${\\deg }^{2}$$ SPT-SZ survey offers measurements on sub-degree angular scales (multipoles $$650\\leqslant {\\ell }\\leqslant 2500$$) with sufficient precision to use as an independent check of the Planck data. Here we build on the recent joint analysis of the SPT-SZ and Planck data in Hou et al. by comparing ΛCDM parameter estimates using the temperature power spectrum from both data sets in the SPT-SZ survey region. We also restrict the multipole range used in parameter fitting to focus on modes measured well by both SPT and Planck, thereby greatly reducing sample variance as a driver of parameter differences and creating a stringent test for systematic errors. We find no evidence of systematic errors from these tests. When we expand the maximum multipole of SPT data used, we see low-significance shifts in the angular scale of the sound horizon and the physical baryon and cold dark matter densities, with a resulting trend to higher Hubble constant. When we compare SPT and Planck data on the SPT-SZ sky patch to Planck full-sky data but keep the multipole range restricted, we find differences in the parameters n s and $${A}_{s}{e}^{-2\\tau }$$. We perform further checks, investigating instrumental effects and modeling assumptions, and we find no evidence that the effects investigated are responsible for any of the parameter shifts. Taken together, these tests reveal no evidence for systematic errors in SPT or Planck data in the overlapping sky coverage and multipole range and at most weak evidence for a breakdown of ΛCDM or systematic errors influencing either the Planck data outside the SPT-SZ survey area or the SPT data at $${\\ell }\\gt 2000$$.« less

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

Aylor, K.; Hou, Z.; Knox, L.

The Planck cosmic microwave background temperature data are best fit with a Lambda CDM model that mildly contradicts constraints from other cosmological probes. The South Pole Telescope (SPT) 2540 deg(2) SPT-SZ survey offers measurements on sub-degree angular scales (multipoles 650 <= l <= 2500) with sufficient precision to use as an independent check of the Planck data. Here we build on the recent joint analysis of the SPT-SZ and Planck data in Hou et al. by comparing Lambda CDM parameter estimates using the temperature power spectrum from both data sets in the SPT-SZ survey region. We also restrict the multipolemore » range used in parameter fitting to focus on modes measured well by both SPT and Planck, thereby greatly reducing sample variance as a driver of parameter differences and creating a stringent test for systematic errors. We find no evidence of systematic errors from these tests. When we expand the maximum multipole of SPT data used, we see low-significance shifts in the angular scale of the sound horizon and the physical baryon and cold dark matter densities, with a resulting trend to higher Hubble constant. When we compare SPT and Planck data on the SPT-SZ sky patch to Planck full-sky data but keep the multipole range restricted, we find differences in the parameters n(s) and A(s)e(-2 tau). We perform further checks, investigating instrumental effects and modeling assumptions, and we find no evidence that the effects investigated are responsible for any of the parameter shifts. Taken together, these tests reveal no evidence for systematic errors in SPT or Planck data in the overlapping sky coverage and multipole range and at most weak evidence for a breakdown of Lambda CDM or systematic errors influencing either the Planck data outside the SPT-SZ survey area or the SPT data at l > 2000.« less

A Comparison of Cosmological Parameters Determined from CMB Temperature Power Spectra from the South Pole Telescope and the Planck Satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aylor, K.; Hou, Z.; Knox, L.; Story, K. T.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Cho, H.-M.; Chown, R.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; de Haan, T.; Dobbs, M. A.; Everett, W. B.; George, E. M.; Halverson, N. W.; Harrington, N. L.; Holder, G. P.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hrubes, J. D.; Keisler, R.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; Luong-Van, D.; Marrone, D. P.; McMahon, J. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Millea, M.; Mocanu, L. M.; Mohr, J. J.; Natoli, T.; Omori, Y.; Padin, S.; Pryke, C.; Reichardt, C. L.; Ruhl, J. E.; Sayre, J. T.; Schaffer, K. K.; Shirokoff, E.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Williamson, R.

2017-11-01

The Planck cosmic microwave background temperature data are best fit with a ΛCDM model that mildly contradicts constraints from other cosmological probes. The South Pole Telescope (SPT) 2540 {\\deg }2 SPT-SZ survey offers measurements on sub-degree angular scales (multipoles 650≤slant {\\ell }≤slant 2500) with sufficient precision to use as an independent check of the Planck data. Here we build on the recent joint analysis of the SPT-SZ and Planck data in Hou et al. by comparing ΛCDM parameter estimates using the temperature power spectrum from both data sets in the SPT-SZ survey region. We also restrict the multipole range used in parameter fitting to focus on modes measured well by both SPT and Planck, thereby greatly reducing sample variance as a driver of parameter differences and creating a stringent test for systematic errors. We find no evidence of systematic errors from these tests. When we expand the maximum multipole of SPT data used, we see low-significance shifts in the angular scale of the sound horizon and the physical baryon and cold dark matter densities, with a resulting trend to higher Hubble constant. When we compare SPT and Planck data on the SPT-SZ sky patch to Planck full-sky data but keep the multipole range restricted, we find differences in the parameters n s and {A}s{e}-2τ . We perform further checks, investigating instrumental effects and modeling assumptions, and we find no evidence that the effects investigated are responsible for any of the parameter shifts. Taken together, these tests reveal no evidence for systematic errors in SPT or Planck data in the overlapping sky coverage and multipole range and at most weak evidence for a breakdown of ΛCDM or systematic errors influencing either the Planck data outside the SPT-SZ survey area or the SPT data at {\\ell }> 2000.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Cosmological Parameters from Three Seasons of Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seivers, Jonathan L.; Hlozek, Renee A.; Nolta, Michael R.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Addison, Graeme E.; Ade, Peter A. R.; Aguirre, Paula; Amiri, Mandana; Appel, John W.; Barrientos, L. Felipe;

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Relation Between Galaxy Cluster Optical Richness and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sehgal, Neelima; Addison, Graeme; Battaglia, Nick; Battistelli, Elia S.; Bond, J. Richard; Das, Sudeep; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunkley, Joanna; Duenner, Rolando; Gralla, Megan;

Dissecting the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich-gravitational lensing cross-correlation with hydrodynamical simulations

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

Hojjati, Alireza; Harnois-Deraps, Joachim; Waerbeke, Ludovic Van

2015-10-01

We use the cosmo-OWLS suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations, which includes different galactic feedback models, to predict the cross-correlation signal between weak gravitational lensing and the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) y-parameter. The predictions are compared to the recent detection reported by van Waerbeke and collaborators. The simulations reproduce the weak lensing-tSZ cross-correlation, ξ{sub yκ}(θ), well. The uncertainty arising from different possible feedback models appears to be important on small scales only (0θ ∼< 1 arcmin), while the amplitude of the correlation on all scales is sensitive to cosmological parameters that control the growth rate of structure (such as σ{sub 8}, Ω{sub m} andmore » Ω{sub b}). This study confirms our previous claim (in Ma et al.) that a significant proportion of the signal originates from the diffuse gas component in low-mass (M{sub halo} ∼< 10{sup 14} M{sub ⊙}) clusters as well as from the region beyond the virial radius. We estimate that approximately 20% of the detected signal comes from low-mass clusters, which corresponds to about 30% of the baryon density of the Universe. The simulations also suggest that more than half of the baryons in the Universe are in the form of diffuse gas outside halos (∼> 5 times the virial radius) which is not hot or dense enough to produce a significant tSZ signal or be observed by X-ray experiments. Finally, we show that future high-resolution tSZ-lensing cross-correlation observations will serve as a powerful tool for discriminating between different galactic feedback models.« less

Allocating effort and anticipating pleasure in schizophrenia: Relationship with real world functioning.

PubMed

Serper, M; Payne, E; Dill, C; Portillo, C; Taliercio, J

2017-10-01

Poor motivation to engage in goal-oriented behavior has been recognized as a hallmark feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SZ). Low drive in SZ may be related to anticipating rewards as well as to poor working memory. However, few studies to date have examined beliefs about self-efficacy and satisfaction for future rewards (anticipatory pleasure). Additionally, few studies to date have examined how these deficits may impact SZ patients' real world functioning. The present study examined SZ patients' (n=57) anticipatory pleasure, working memory, self-efficacy and real world functioning in relation to their negative symptom severity. Results revealed that SZ patients' negative symptom severity was related to decisions in effort allocation and reward probability, working memory deficits, self-efficacy and anticipatory pleasure for future reward. Effort allocation deficits also predicted patients' daily functioning skills. SZ patients with high levels of negative symptoms are not merely effort averse, but have more difficulty effectively allocating effort and anticipating pleasure engaging in effortful activities. It may be the case that continuously failing to achieve reinforcement from engagement and participation may lead SZ patients to form certain negative beliefs about their abilities which contributes to amotivation and cognitive deficits. Lastly, our findings provide further support for a link between SZ patients functional daily living skills their effort allocation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Measuring alterations in oscillatory brain networks in schizophrenia with resting-state MEG: State-of-the-art and methodological challenges.

PubMed

Alamian, Golnoush; Hincapié, Ana-Sofía; Pascarella, Annalisa; Thiery, Thomas; Combrisson, Etienne; Saive, Anne-Lise; Martel, Véronique; Althukov, Dmitrii; Haesebaert, Frédéric; Jerbi, Karim

2017-09-01

Neuroimaging studies provide evidence of disturbed resting-state brain networks in Schizophrenia (SZ). However, untangling the neuronal mechanisms that subserve these baseline alterations requires measurement of their electrophysiological underpinnings. This systematic review specifically investigates the contributions of resting-state Magnetoencephalography (MEG) in elucidating abnormal neural organization in SZ patients. A systematic literature review of resting-state MEG studies in SZ was conducted. This literature is discussed in relation to findings from resting-state fMRI and EEG, as well as to task-based MEG research in SZ population. Importantly, methodological limitations are considered and recommendations to overcome current limitations are proposed. Resting-state MEG literature in SZ points towards altered local and long-range oscillatory network dynamics in various frequency bands. Critical methodological challenges with respect to experiment design, and data collection and analysis need to be taken into consideration. Spontaneous MEG data show that local and global neural organization is altered in SZ patients. MEG is a highly promising tool to fill in knowledge gaps about the neurophysiology of SZ. However, to reach its fullest potential, basic methodological challenges need to be overcome. MEG-based resting-state power and connectivity findings could be great assets to clinical and translational research in psychiatry, and SZ in particular. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical conductivity enhancement in heterogeneously doped scandia-stabilized zirconia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varanasi, Chakrapani; Juneja, Chetan; Chen, Christina; Kumar, Binod

Composites of 6 mol% scandia-stabilized zirconia materials (6ScSZ) and nanosize Al 2O 3 powder (0-30 wt.%) were prepared and characterized for electrical conductivity by the ac impedance method at various temperatures ranging from 300 to 950 °C. All the composites characterized showed improved conductivity at higher temperatures compared to the undoped ScSZ. An average conductivity of 0.12 S cm -1 was measured at 850 °C for 6ScSZ + 30 wt.% Al 2O 3 composite samples, an increase in conductivity up to 20% compared to the undoped 6ScSZ specimen at this temperature. Microstructural evaluation using scanning electron microscopy revealed that the ScSZ grain size was relatively unchanged up to 10 wt.% of Al 2O 3 additions. However, the grain size was reduced in samples with higher (20 and 30 wt.%) additions of Al 2O 3. Small grain size, reduced quantity of the 6ScSZ material (only 70%), and improved conductivity makes these ScSZ + 30 wt.% Al 2O 3 composites very attractive as electrolyte materials in view of their collective mechanical and electrical properties and cost requirements. The observed increase in conductivity values with the additions of an insulating Al 2O 3 phase is explained in light of the space charge regions at the 6ScSZ-Al 2O 3 grain boundaries.

Cortical thickness as a contributor to abnormal oscillations in schizophrenia?

PubMed

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

2014-01-01

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

Evidence for Distinguishable Treatment Costs among Paranoid Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder.

PubMed

Hirjak, Dusan; Hochlehnert, Achim; Thomann, Philipp Arthur; Kubera, Katharina Maria; Schnell, Knut

2016-01-01

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders result in enormous individual suffering and financial burden on patients and on society. In Germany, there are about 1,000,000 individuals suffering from schizophrenia (SZ) or schizoaffective disorder (SAD), a combination of psychotic and affective symptoms. Given the heterogeneous nature of these syndromes, one may assume that there is a difference in treatment costs among patients with paranoid SZ and SAD. However, the current the national system of cost accounting in psychiatry and psychosomatics in Germany assesses all schizophrenia spectrum disorders within one category. The study comprised a retrospective audit of data from 118 patients diagnosed with paranoid SZ (F20.0) and 71 patients with SAD (F25). We used the mean total costs as well as partial cost, i.e., mean costs for medication products, mean personal costs and mean infrastructure costs from each patient for the statistical analysis. We tested for differences in the four variables between SZ and SAD patients using ANCOVA and confirmed the results with bootstrapping. SAD patients had a longer duration of stay than patients with SZ (p = .02). Mean total costs were significantly higher for SAD patients (p = .023). Further, we found a significant difference in mean personnel costs (p = .02) between patients with SZ and SAD. However, we found no significant differences in mean pharmaceutical costs (p = .12) but a marginal difference of mean infrastructure costs (p = .05) between SZ and SAD. We found neither a common decrease of costs over time nor a differential decrease in SZ and SAD. We found evidence for a difference of case related costs of inpatient treatments for paranoid SZ and SAD. The differences in mean total costs seem to be primarily related to the mean personnel costs in patients with paranoid SZ and SAD rather than mean pharmaceutical costs, possibly due to higher personnel effort and infrastructure.

Interaction between M-Like Protein and Macrophage Thioredoxin Facilitates Antiphagocytosis for Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus

PubMed Central

Ma, Zhe; Zhang, Hui; Zheng, Junxi; Li, Yue; Yi, Li; Fan, Hongjie; Lu, Chengping

2012-01-01

Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus, S.z) is one of the common pathogens that can cause septicemia, meningitis, and mammitis in domesticated species. M-like protein (SzP) is an important virulence factor of S. zooepidemicus and contributes to bacterial infection and antiphagocytosis. The interaction between SzP of S. zooepidemicus and porcine thioredoxin (TRX) was identified by the yeast two-hybrid and further confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. SzP interacted with both reduced and the oxidized forms of TRX without inhibiting TRX activity. Membrane anchored SzP was able to recruit TRX to the surface, which would facilitate the antiphagocytosis of the bacteria. Further experiments revealed that TRX regulated the alternative complement pathway by inhibiting C3 convertase activity and associating with factor H (FH). TRX alone inhibited C3 cleavage and C3a production, and the inhibitory effect was additive when FH was also present. TRX inhibited C3 deposition on the bacterial surface when it was recruited by SzP. These new findings indicated that S. zooepidemicus used SzP to recruit TRX and regulated the alternative complement pathways to evade the host immune phagocytosis. PMID:22384152

High-Resolution Submillimeter and Near-Infrared Studies of the Transition Disk around Sz 91

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsukagoshi, Takashi; Momose, Munetake; Hashimoto, Jun; Kudo, Tomoyuki; Andrews, Sean; Saito, Masao; Kitamura, Yoshimi; Ohashi, Nagayoshi; Wilner, David; Kawabe, Ryohei;

Auditory processing deficits in bipolar disorder with and without a history of psychotic features.

PubMed

Zenisek, RyAnna; Thaler, Nicholas S; Sutton, Griffin P; Ringdahl, Erik N; Snyder, Joel S; Allen, Daniel N

2015-11-01

Auditory perception deficits have been identified in schizophrenia (SZ) and linked to dysfunction in the auditory cortex. Given that psychotic symptoms, including auditory hallucinations, are also seen in bipolar disorder (BD), it may be that individuals with BD who also exhibit psychotic symptoms demonstrate a similar impairment in auditory perception. Fifty individuals with SZ, 30 individuals with bipolar I disorder with a history of psychosis (BD+), 28 individuals with bipolar I disorder with no history of psychotic features (BD-), and 29 normal controls (NC) were administered a tone discrimination task and an emotion recognition task. Mixed-model analyses of covariance with planned comparisons indicated that individuals with BD+ performed at a level that was intermediate between those with BD- and those with SZ on the more difficult condition of the tone discrimination task and on the auditory condition of the emotion recognition task. There were no differences between the BD+ and BD- groups on the visual or auditory-visual affect recognition conditions. Regression analyses indicated that performance on the tone discrimination task predicted performance on all conditions of the emotion recognition task. Auditory hallucinations in BD+ were not related to performance on either task. Our findings suggested that, although deficits in frequency discrimination and emotion recognition are more severe in SZ, these impairments extend to BD+. Although our results did not support the idea that auditory hallucinations may be related to these deficits, they indicated that basic auditory deficits may be a marker for psychosis, regardless of SZ or BD diagnosis. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical and neuropsychological features of violence in schizophrenia: A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Bulgari, Viola; Iozzino, Laura; Ferrari, Clarissa; Picchioni, Marco; Candini, Valentina; De Francesco, Alessandra; Maggi, Paolo; Segalini, Beatrice; de Girolamo, Giovanni

2017-03-01

The increased risk of violence in schizophrenia has been linked to several environmental, clinical and neuropsychological factors, including executive dysfunction. However, data about the nature of these effects are mixed and controversial. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between clinical and neuropsychological factors with violence risk in patients with schizophrenia, taking into account current psychopathology and lifetime alcohol use. We compared a sample of patients living in Residential Facilities (RFs) with schizophrenia and a past history of interpersonal violence (vSZ, N=50) to patients with schizophrenia matched on age, gender and alcohol abuse/dependence but with no violence history (nvSZ, N=37). We then established the association between the clinical and neuropsychological factors that predicted violence over a 1year follow-up period. The results revealed that vSZ patients living in RFs were characterized by greater compulsory hospital admissions, higher anger and less negative symptoms as compared to nvSZ patients. vSZ patients performed better on executive and motor tasks than nvSZ; however, these differences appeared to be explained by the lower negative psychotic symptom in the vSZ group. Both groups were involved in episodes of violence during the follow-up period; among the two, the vSZ patients were more likely to be violent. Negative symptoms predicted less verbal aggression at 1year follow-up. Overall, these findings support a key role of negative rather than positive symptoms in driving violence risk among SZ patients living in RFs, in a manner that negative symptoms are linked to a lower risk of violence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Following Instructions in Patients With Schizophrenia: The Benefits of Actions at Encoding and Recall.

PubMed

Lui, Simon S Y; Yang, Tian-Xiao; Ng, Chris L Y; Wong, Peony T Y; Wong, Jessica O Y; Ettinger, Ulrich; Cheung, Eric F C; Chan, Raymond C K

2018-01-13

The ability to follow spoken instructions is important to everyday functioning but has seldom been studied in patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Recent evidence suggests that action-based processing may facilitate the ability to follow instructions, which relies largely on working memory. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that SZ patients may also benefit from action-based advantages in following instructions. Forty-eight clinically stable SZ patients and 48 demographic- and IQ-matched controls completed a following spoken instruction span task involving varied encoding and recall conditions. While SZ patients were impaired in the overall performance of following spoken instructions, this deficit could be attributed to working memory impairment. More importantly, SZ patients showed action-based advantages both at the encoding and retrieval stage to the same extent as healthy controls. Specifically, both healthy controls and SZ patients showed improved memory performance when they additionally performed the actions, or watched the experimenter carrying out the actions compared with simply listening to spoken instructions during the encoding stage. During the retrieval stage, memory was improved when they recalled the instructions by physical enactment compared with oral repetition. The present study provides the first empirical evidence for the impairment in the ability to follow instructions in SZ. We have shown that involving action-based processing in the encoding and retrieval stage facilitated memory of instructions, indicating that the enactment advantage in working memory also applies to SZ patients. These findings provide useful insights for clinical interventions and cognitive remediation for SZ patients. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Measurement of the Millimeter Emission and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect Associated with Low-Frequency Radio Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gralla, Megan B.; Crichton, Devin; Marriage, Tobias; Mo, Wenli; Aguirre, Paula; Addison, Graeme E.; Asboth, V.; Battaglia, Nick; Bock, James; Bond, J. Richard;

Detecting Massive, High-Redshift Galaxy Clusters Using the Thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Carson; Steinhardt, Charles L.; Loeb, Abraham; Karim, Alexander; Staguhn, Johannes; Erler, Jens; Capak, Peter L.

2017-01-01

We develop the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect as a direct astrophysical measure of the mass distribution of dark matter halos. The SZ effect increases with cosmological distance, a unique astronomical property, and is highly sensitive to halo mass. We find that this presents a powerful methodology for distinguishing between competing models of the halo mass function distribution, particularly in the high-redshift domain just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. Recent surveys designed to probe this epoch of initial galaxy formation such as CANDELS and SPLASH report an over-abundance of highly massive halos as inferred from stellar ultraviolet (UV) luminosities and the stellar mass to halo mass ratio estimated from nearby galaxies. If these UV luminosity to halo mass relations hold to high-redshift, observations estimate several orders of magnitude more highly massive halos than predicted by hierarchical merging and the standard cosmological paradigm. Strong constraints on the masses of these galaxy clusters are essential to resolving the current tension between observation and theory. We conclude that detections of thermal SZ sources are plausible at high-redshift only for the halo masses inferred from observation. Therefore, future SZ surveys will provide a robust determination between theoretical and observational predictions.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Dynamical Masses for 44 SZ-Selected Galaxy Clusters over 755 Square Degrees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sifon, Cristobal; Battaglia, Nick; Hasselfield, Matthew; Menanteau, Felipe; Barrientos, L. Felipe; Bond, J. Richard; Crichton, Devin; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunner, Rolando; Hilton, Matt;

Calibrating the Planck cluster mass scale with CLASH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penna-Lima, M.; Bartlett, J. G.; Rozo, E.; Melin, J.-B.; Merten, J.; Evrard, A. E.; Postman, M.; Rykoff, E.

2017-08-01

We determine the mass scale of Planck galaxy clusters using gravitational lensing mass measurements from the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH). We have compared the lensing masses to the Planck Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) mass proxy for 21 clusters in common, employing a Bayesian analysis to simultaneously fit an idealized CLASH selection function and the distribution between the measured observables and true cluster mass. We used a tiered analysis strategy to explicitly demonstrate the importance of priors on weak lensing mass accuracy. In the case of an assumed constant bias, bSZ, between true cluster mass, M500, and the Planck mass proxy, MPL, our analysis constrains 1-bSZ = 0.73 ± 0.10 when moderate priors on weak lensing accuracy are used, including a zero-mean Gaussian with standard deviation of 8% to account for possible bias in lensing mass estimations. Our analysis explicitly accounts for possible selection bias effects in this calibration sourced by the CLASH selection function. Our constraint on the cluster mass scale is consistent with recent results from the Weighing the Giants program and the Canadian Cluster Comparison Project. It is also consistent, at 1.34σ, with the value needed to reconcile the Planck SZ cluster counts with Planck's base ΛCDM model fit to the primary cosmic microwave background anisotropies.

A conserved 19-kDa Eimeria tenella antigen is a profilin-like protein.

PubMed

Fetterer, R H; Miska, K B; Jenkins, M C; Barfield, R C

2004-12-01

A wide range of recombinant proteins from Eimeria species have been reported to offer some degree of protection against infection and disease, but the specific biological function of these proteins is largely unknown. Previous studies have demonstrated a 19-kDa protein of unknown function designated SZ-1 in sporozoites and merozoites of Eimeria acervulina that can be used to confer partial protection against coccidiosis. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction indicated that the gene for SZ-1 is expressed by all the asexual stages of Eimeria tenella. Rabbit antisera to recombinant SZ-1 recognized an approximately 19-kDa protein from extracts of E. tenella sporozoites, merozoites, sporulated oocysts, and oocysts in various stages of sporulation. Immunofluorescence antibody staining indicated specific staining of E. tenella sporozoites and merozoites. Staining was most intense in the cytoplasm of the posterior end of the parasite. The primary amino acid sequence of the gene for E. tenella SZ-1 deduced from the E. tenella genome indicated a conserved domain for the actin-regulatory protein profilin. A conserved binding site for poly-L-proline (PLP), characteristic of profilin was also observed. SZ-1 was separated from soluble extract of E. tenella proteins by affinity chromatography using a PLP ligand, confirming the ability of SZ-1 to bind PLP. SZ-1 also partially inhibited the polymerization of actin. The current results are consistent with the classification of SZ-1 as a profilin-related protein.

Integrated Analysis of Alzheimer's Disease and Schizophrenia Dataset Revealed Different Expression Pattern in Learning and Memory.

PubMed

Li, Wen-Xing; Dai, Shao-Xing; Liu, Jia-Qian; Wang, Qian; Li, Gong-Hua; Huang, Jing-Fei

2016-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia (SZ) are both accompanied by impaired learning and memory functions. This study aims to explore the expression profiles of learning or memory genes between AD and SZ. We downloaded 10 AD and 10 SZ datasets from GEO-NCBI for integrated analysis. These datasets were processed using RMA algorithm and a global renormalization for all studies. Then Empirical Bayes algorithm was used to find the differentially expressed genes between patients and controls. The results showed that most of the differentially expressed genes were related to AD whereas the gene expression profile was little affected in the SZ. Furthermore, in the aspects of the number of differentially expressed genes, the fold change and the brain region, there was a great difference in the expression of learning or memory related genes between AD and SZ. In AD, the CALB1, GABRA5, and TAC1 were significantly downregulated in whole brain, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and hippocampus. However, in SZ, only two genes CRHBP and CX3CR1 were downregulated in hippocampus, and other brain regions were not affected. The effect of these genes on learning or memory impairment has been widely studied. It was suggested that these genes may play a crucial role in AD or SZ pathogenesis. The different gene expression patterns between AD and SZ on learning and memory functions in different brain regions revealed in our study may help to understand the different mechanism between two diseases.

A cross-sectional survey to investigate the prevalence of pain in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia.

PubMed

Kishi, Taro; Matsuda, Yuki; Mukai, Tomohiko; Matsunaga, Shinji; Yasue, Ichiro; Fujita, Kiyoshi; Okochi, Tomo; Hirano, Shigeki; Kajio, Yusuke; Funahashi, Toshihiko; Akamatsu, Kaku; Ino, Kei; Okuda, Momoko; Tabuse, Hideaki; Iwata, Nakao

2015-05-01

We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the prevalence of physical pain in Japanese major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SZ) patients as well as in healthy controls (HCs). We also examined the association between their psychopathology and characteristics of pain according to a face-to-face survey by an experienced psychiatrist and psychologist. We analyzed 233 HCs, 94 MDD patients, and 75 SZ patients using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and SF-8 (all participants), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 21 items (MDD patients), and the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (SZ patients). Although MDD patients experienced more pain than HCs, there was no difference in the prevalence of pain between SZ patients and HCs. Moreover, HCs with pain did not have higher SF-8 total scores than those without pain, whereas both MDD and SZ patients with pain had higher SF-8 total scores than those without pain. The severity of psychopathology in MDD and SZ patients was also positively associated with both the prevalence of pain and MPQ scores. MPQ scores were also associated with positive symptoms in SZ patients. Considering these results, physicians need to query MDD patients about physical pain during examination if they are to ensure a favorable and quick response to treatment. The severity of positive symptoms (i.e., clinical status) in SZ patients might also be associated with pain sensitivity, and warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can lncRNAs be indicators for the diagnosis of early onset or acute schizophrenia and distinguish major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder?-A cross validation analysis.

PubMed

Cui, Xuelian; Niu, Wei; Kong, Lingming; He, Mingjun; Jiang, Kunhong; Chen, Shengdong; Zhong, Aifang; Li, Wanshuai; Lu, Jim; Zhang, Liyi

2017-06-01

Depression and anxiety are apparent symptoms in the early onset or acute phase of schizophrenia (SZ), which complicate timely diagnosis and treatment. It is imperative to seek an indicator to distinguish schizophrenia from depressive and anxiety disorders. Using lncRNA microarray profiling and RT-PCR, three up-regulated lncRNAs in SZ, six down-regulated lncRNAs in major depressive disorder (MDD), and three up-regulated lncRNAs in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) had been identified as potential biomarkers. All the lncRNAs were, then, cross-validated in 40 SZ patients, 40 MDD patients, 40 GAD patients, and 40 normal controls. Compared with controls, three up-regulated SZ lncRNAs had a significantly down-regulated expression in GAD, and no remarkable differences existed between MDD and the controls. Additionally, the six down-regulated MDD lncRNAs were expressed in an opposite fashion in SZ, and the expression of the three up-regulated GAD lncRNAs were significantly different between SZ and GAD. These results indicate that the expression patterns of the three up-regulated SZ lncRNAs could not be completely replicated in MDD and GAD, and vice versa. Thus, these three SZ lncRNAs seem to be established as potential indicators for diagnosis of schizophrenia and distinguishing it from MDD and GAD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Increased neuroinflammatory and arachidonic acid cascade markers, and reduced synaptic proteins, in the postmortem frontal cortex from schizophrenia patients

PubMed Central

Rao, Jagadeesh Sridhara; Kim, Hyung-Wook; Harry, Gaylia Jean; Rapoport, Stanley Isaac; Reese, Edmund Arthur

2013-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a progressive, neuropsychiatric disorder associated with cognitive impairment. A number of brain alterations have been linked to cognitive impairment, including neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, increased arachidonic acid (AA) signaling and reduced synaptic protein. On this basis, we tested the hypothesis that SZ pathology is associated with these pathological brain changes. To do this, we examined postmortem frontal cortex from 10 SZ patients and 10 controls and measured protein and mRNA levels of cytokines, and astroglial, microglial, neuroinflammatory excitotoxic, AA cascade, apoptotic and synaptic markers. Mean protein and mRNA levels of interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, glial acidic fibrillary protein (GFAP), a microglial marker CD11b, and nuclear factor kappa B subunits were significantly increased in SZ compared with control brain. Protein and mRNA levels of cytosolic and secretory phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase were significantly elevated in postmortem brains from SZ patients. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits 1 and 2B, inducible nitric oxide synthase and c-FOS were not significantly different. In addition, reduced protein and mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, synaptophysin and drebrin were found in SZ compared with control frontal cortex. Increased neuroinflammation and AA cascade enzyme markers with synaptic protein loss could promote disease progression and cognitive defects in SZ patients. Drugs that downregulate these changes might be considered for new therapies in SZ. PMID:23566496

Groundwater circulation and utilisation in an unconfined carbonate system - revealing the potential effect of climate change and humankind activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, Ádám; Mádl-Szönyi, Judit

2016-04-01

Characteristics of gravitational groundwater flow systems in carbonate regions were presented by Mádl-Szönyi & Tóth (2015) based on theoretical considerations, identification and classification of groundwater flow-related field phenomena and numerical simulation. It was revealed that the changes of flow pattern in carbonate framework attributed to groundwater utilization and/or climate change are more apparent due to the effective hydraulic conductivity of carbonates. Consequently, natural or artificial disturbances of water level propagate farther, deeper and faster in carbonates than in siliciclastic basins. These changes could result in degradation and reorganization of hierarchical flow systems, modification of recharge and discharge areas and even alteration of physicochemical parameters (Mádl-Szönyi & Tóth, 2015). This paper presents the application of the gravity-driven regional groundwater flow concept to the hydrogeologically complex thick carbonate system of the Transdanubian Range, Hungary, depicting the flow pattern of the area and to a practical problem of a local study area, conflicts of interest of water supply and water use of a golf course. The question is how will the natural discharge on the golf course be influenced by the planned karst drinking water production well. In addition, the effects of climate change on this conflict were evaluated. We demonstrate the importance of the understanding the appropriate scale in karst studies and illustrate how the gravity-driven regional groundwater flow concept can help to determine it. For this purpose, the hydrogeological conditions of the study site were examined at different scales. The goals were to define the appropriate scale and reveal the effects of tectonic structures; and give prognoses for the possible impact of a planned drinking water well and climate change on the golf course based on numerical simulation. The study also showed the low geothermal potential of the area.

A review of the genus Ditylometopa Kertész (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The genus Ditylometopa Kertész (Diptera: Stratiomyidae, Clitellariinae), which occurs only in the Neotropical Region is reviewed. Euryneura rufifrons Curran, 1934 is synonymized with Ditylometopa elegans Kertész, 1923. A neotype is designated for D. elegans. Two species are recognized,including ...

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

Sehgal, Neelima; Hlozek, Renee; Addison, Graeme

We present the measured Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) flux from 474 optically selected MaxBCG clusters that fall within the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Equatorial survey region. The ACT Equatorial region used in this analysis covers 510 deg{sup 2} and overlaps Stripe 82 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We also present the measured SZ flux stacked on 52 X-ray-selected MCXC clusters that fall within the ACT Equatorial region and an ACT Southern survey region covering 455 deg{sup 2}. We find that the measured SZ flux from the X-ray-selected clusters is consistent with expectations. However, we find that the measured SZ flux frommore » the optically selected clusters is both significantly lower than expectations and lower than the recovered SZ flux measured by the Planck satellite. Since we find a lower recovered SZ signal than Planck, we investigate the possibility that there is a significant offset between the optically selected brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) and the SZ centers, to which ACT is more sensitive due to its finer resolution. Such offsets can arise due to either an intrinsic physical separation between the BCG and the center of the gas concentration or from misidentification of the cluster BCG. We find that the entire discrepancy for both ACT and Planck can be explained by assuming that the BCGs are offset from the SZ maxima with a uniform random distribution between 0 and 1.5 Mpc. Such large offsets between gas peaks and BCGs for optically selected cluster samples seem unlikely given that we find the physical separation between BCGs and X-ray peaks for an X-ray-selected subsample of MaxBCG clusters to have a much narrower distribution that peaks within 0.2 Mpc. It is possible that other effects are lowering the ACT and Planck signals by the same amount, with offsets between BCGs and SZ peaks explaining the remaining difference between ACT and Planck measurements. Several effects that can lower the SZ signal equally for both ACT and Planck, but not explain the difference in measured signals, include a larger percentage of false detections in the MaxBCG sample, a lower normalization of the mass-richness relation, radio or infrared galaxy contamination of the SZ flux, and a low intrinsic SZ signal. In the latter two cases, the effects would need to be preferentially more significant in the optically selected MaxBCG sample than in the MCXC X-ray sample.« less

Two-halo term in stacked thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich measurements: Implications for self-similarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, J. Colin; Baxter, Eric J.; Lidz, Adam; Greco, Johnny P.; Jain, Bhuvnesh

2018-04-01

The relation between the mass and integrated electron pressure of galaxy group and cluster halos can be probed by stacking maps of the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect. Perhaps surprisingly, recent observational results have indicated that the scaling relation between integrated pressure and mass follows the prediction of simple, self-similar models down to halo masses as low as 1 012.5 M⊙ . Hydrodynamical simulations that incorporate energetic feedback processes suggest that gas should be depleted from such low-mass halos, thus decreasing their tSZ signal relative to self-similar predictions. Here, we build on the modeling of V. Vikram, A. Lidz, and B. Jain, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 467, 2315 (2017), 10.1093/mnras/stw3311 to evaluate the bias in the interpretation of stacked tSZ measurements due to the signal from correlated halos (the "two-halo" term), which has generally been neglected in the literature. We fit theoretical models to a measurement of the tSZ-galaxy group cross-correlation function, accounting explicitly for the one- and two-halo contributions. We find moderate evidence of a deviation from self-similarity in the pressure-mass relation, even after marginalizing over conservative miscentering effects. We explore pressure-mass models with a break at 1 014 M⊙, as well as other variants. We discuss and test for sources of uncertainty in our analysis, in particular a possible bias in the halo mass estimates and the coarse resolution of the Planck beam. We compare our findings with earlier analyses by exploring the extent to which halo isolation criteria can reduce the two-halo contribution. Finally, we show that ongoing third-generation cosmic microwave background experiments will explicitly resolve the one-halo term in low-mass groups; our methodology can be applied to these upcoming data sets to obtain a clear answer to the question of self-similarity and an improved understanding of hot gas in low-mass halos.

Kinetics of CO/CO2 and H2/H2O reactions at Ni-based and ceria-based solid-oxide-cell electrodes.

PubMed

Graves, Christopher; Chatzichristodoulou, Christodoulos; Mogensen, Mogens B

2015-01-01

The solid oxide electrochemical cell (SOC) is an energy conversion technology that can be operated reversibly, to efficiently convert chemical fuels to electricity (fuel cell mode) as well as to store electricity as chemical fuels (electrolysis mode). The SOC fuel-electrode carries out the electrochemical reactions CO2 + 2e(-) ↔ CO + O(2-) and H2O + 2e(-) ↔ H2 + O(2-), for which the electrocatalytic activities of different electrodes differ considerably. The relative activities in CO/CO2 and H2/H2O and the nature of the differences are not well studied, even for the most common fuel-electrode material, a composite of nickel and yttria/scandia stabilized zirconia (Ni-SZ). Ni-SZ is known to be more active for H2/H2O than for CO/CO2 reactions, but the reported relative activity varies widely. Here we compare AC impedance and DC current-overpotential data measured in the two gas environments for several different electrodes comprised of Ni-SZ, Gd-doped CeO2 (CGO), and CGO nanoparticles coating Nb-doped SrTiO3 backbones (CGOn/STN). 2D model and 3D porous electrode geometries are employed to investigate the influence of microstructure, gas diffusion and impurities.Comparing model and porous Ni-SZ electrodes, the ratio of electrode polarization resistance in CO/CO2vs. H2/H2O decreases from 33 to 2. Experiments and modelling suggest that the ratio decreases due to a lower concentration of impurities blocking the three phase boundary and due to the nature of the reaction zone extension into the porous electrode thickness. Besides showing higher activity for H2/H2O reactions than CO/CO2 reactions, the Ni/SZ interface is more active for oxidation than reduction. On the other hand, we find the opposite behaviour in both cases for CGOn/STN model electrodes, reporting for the first time a higher electrocatalytic activity of CGO nanoparticles for CO/CO2 than for H2/H2O reactions in the absence of gas diffusion limitations. We propose that enhanced surface reduction at the CGOn/gas two phase boundary in CO/CO2 and in cathodic polarization can explain why the highest reaction rate is obtained for CO2 electrolysis. Large differences observed between model electrode kinetics and porous electrode kinetics are discussed.

Brain gray matter phenotypes across the psychosis dimension

PubMed Central

Ivleva, Elena I.; Bidesi, Anup S.; Thomas, Binu P.; Meda, Shashwath A.; Francis, Alan; Moates, Amanda F.; Witte, Bradley; Keshavan, Matcheri S.; Tamminga, Carol A.

2013-01-01

This study sought to examine whole brain and regional gray matter (GM) phenotypes across the schizophrenia (SZ)–bipolar disorder psychosis dimension using voxel-based morphometry (VBM 8.0 with DARTEL segmentation/normalization) and semi-automated regional parcellation, FreeSurfer (FS 4.3.1/64 bit). 3T T1 MPRAGE images were acquired from 19 volunteers with schizophrenia (SZ), 16 with schizoaffective disorder (SAD), 17 with psychotic bipolar I disorder (BD-P) and 10 healthy controls (HC). Contrasted with HC, SZ showed extensive cortical GM reductions, most pronounced in fronto-temporal regions; SAD had GM reductions overlapping with SZ, albeit less extensive; and BD-P demonstrated no GM differences from HC. Within the psychosis dimension, BD-P showed larger volumes in fronto-temporal and other cortical/subcortical regions compared with SZ, whereas SAD showed intermediate GM volumes. The two volumetric methodologies, VBM and FS, revealed highly overlapping results for cortical GM, but partially divergent results for subcortical volumes (basal ganglia, amygdala). Overall, these findings suggest that individuals across the psychosis dimension show both overlapping and unique GM phenotypes: decreased GM, predominantly in fronto-temporal regions, is characteristic of SZ but not of psychotic BD-P, whereas SAD display GM deficits overlapping with SZ, albeit less extensive. PMID:23177922

Brain gray matter phenotypes across the psychosis dimension.

PubMed

Ivleva, Elena I; Bidesi, Anup S; Thomas, Binu P; Meda, Shashwath A; Francis, Alan; Moates, Amanda F; Witte, Bradley; Keshavan, Matcheri S; Tamminga, Carol A

2012-10-30

This study sought to examine whole brain and regional gray matter (GM) phenotypes across the schizophrenia (SZ)-bipolar disorder psychosis dimension using voxel-based morphometry (VBM 8.0 with DARTEL segmentation/normalization) and semi-automated regional parcellation, FreeSurfer (FS 4.3.1/64 bit). 3T T1 MPRAGE images were acquired from 19 volunteers with schizophrenia (SZ), 16 with schizoaffective disorder (SAD), 17 with psychotic bipolar I disorder (BD-P) and 10 healthy controls (HC). Contrasted with HC, SZ showed extensive cortical GM reductions, most pronounced in fronto-temporal regions; SAD had GM reductions overlapping with SZ, albeit less extensive; and BD-P demonstrated no GM differences from HC. Within the psychosis dimension, BD-P showed larger volumes in fronto-temporal and other cortical/subcortical regions compared with SZ, whereas SAD showed intermediate GM volumes. The two volumetric methodologies, VBM and FS, revealed highly overlapping results for cortical GM, but partially divergent results for subcortical volumes (basal ganglia, amygdala). Overall, these findings suggest that individuals across the psychosis dimension show both overlapping and unique GM phenotypes: decreased GM, predominantly in fronto-temporal regions, is characteristic of SZ but not of psychotic BD-P, whereas SAD display GM deficits overlapping with SZ, albeit less extensive. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Neural mechanisms of mood-induced modulation of reality monitoring in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Subramaniam, Karuna; Ranasinghe, Kamalini G.; Mathalon, Daniel; Nagarajan, Srikantan; Vinogradov, Sophia

2017-01-01

Reality monitoring is the ability to accurately distinguish the source of self-generated information from externally-presented information. Although people with schizophrenia (SZ) show impaired reality monitoring, nothing is known about how mood state influences this higher-order cognitive process. Accordingly, we induced positive, neutral and negative mood states to test how different mood states modulate subsequent reality monitoring performance. Our findings indicate that mood affected reality monitoring performance in HC and SZ participants in both similar and dissociable ways. Only a positive mood facilitated task performance in Healthy Control (HC) subjects, whereas a negative mood facilitated task performance in SZ subjects. Yet, when both HC and SZ participants were in a positive mood, they recruited medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to bias better subsequent self-generated item identification, despite the fact that mPFC signal was reduced in SZ participants. Additionally, in SZ subjects, negative mood states also modulated left and right dorsal mPFC signal to bias better externally-presented item identification. Together our findings reveal that although the mPFC is hypoactive in SZ participants, mPFC signal plays a functional role in mood–cognition interactions during both positive and negative mood states to facilitate subsequent reality monitoring decision-making. PMID:28162778

Facial emotion recognition in paranoid schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Sachse, Michael; Schlitt, Sabine; Hainz, Daniela; Ciaramidaro, Angela; Walter, Henrik; Poustka, Fritz; Bölte, Sven; Freitag, Christine M

2014-11-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) share deficits in emotion processing. In order to identify convergent and divergent mechanisms, we investigated facial emotion recognition in SZ, high-functioning ASD (HFASD), and typically developed controls (TD). Different degrees of task difficulty and emotion complexity (face, eyes; basic emotions, complex emotions) were used. Two Benton tests were implemented in order to elicit potentially confounding visuo-perceptual functioning and facial processing. Nineteen participants with paranoid SZ, 22 with HFASD and 20 TD were included, aged between 14 and 33 years. Individuals with SZ were comparable to TD in all obtained emotion recognition measures, but showed reduced basic visuo-perceptual abilities. The HFASD group was impaired in the recognition of basic and complex emotions compared to both, SZ and TD. When facial identity recognition was adjusted for, group differences remained for the recognition of complex emotions only. Our results suggest that there is a SZ subgroup with predominantly paranoid symptoms that does not show problems in face processing and emotion recognition, but visuo-perceptual impairments. They also confirm the notion of a general facial and emotion recognition deficit in HFASD. No shared emotion recognition deficit was found for paranoid SZ and HFASD, emphasizing the differential cognitive underpinnings of both disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Expression of Mutant Human DISC1 in Mice Supports Abnormalities in Differentiation of Oligodendrocytes

PubMed Central

Katsel, Pavel; Tan, Weilun; Abazyan, Bagrat; Davis, Kenneth L; Ross, Christopher; Pletnikov, Mikhail V; Haroutunian, Vahram

2011-01-01

Abnormalities in oligodendrocyte (OLG) differentiation and OLG gene expression deficit have been described in schizophrenia (SZ). Recent studies revealed a critical requirement for Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) in neural development. Transgenic mice with forebrain restricted expression of mutant human DISC1 (ΔhDISC1) are characterized by neuroanatomical and behavioral abnormalities reminiscent of some features of SZ. We sought to determine whether the expression of ΔhDISC1 may influence the development of OLGs in this mouse model. OLG- and cell cycle-associated gene and protein expression were characterized in the forebrain of ΔhDISC1 mice during different stages of neurodevelopment (E15 and P1 days) and in adulthood. The results suggest that the expression of ΔhDISC1 exerts a significant influence on oligodendrocyte differentiation and function, evidenced by premature OLG differentiation and increased proliferation of their progenitors. Additional findings showed that neuregulin 1 and its receptors may be contributing factors to the observed upregulation of OLG genes. Thus, OLG function may be perturbed by mutant hDISC1 in a model system that provides new avenues for studying aspects of the pathogenesis of SZ. PMID:21605958

Constraining the Thermal Contents of X-Ray Cavities in Galaxy Clusters with Sunyaev Zel'dovich Effect Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdulla, Zubair M.

We use Sunyaev Zel'dovich Effect observations at 30 GHz with the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter Astronomy (CARMA) to probe the thermal contents of X-ray cavities in the galaxy cluster MS 0735+741 (MS0735). The hot (3-10 keV), diffuse X-ray emitting atmospheres of galaxy clusters should quickly radiate away its thermal energy via radiative cooling. However, high-resolution X-ray observations from Chandra and XMM have shown that the gas is not cooling to low temperatures at the rates expected, suggesting that the radiative cooling is being balanced by non-gravitational sources of heating. Of primary interest is the energy output from active galactic nuclei (AGN), outbursts from accreting super massive black holes at the center of clusters, which drive radio jets into the atmospheres of clusters and terminate in spectacular radio lobes. High resolution X-ray images have revealed giant cavities produced by the radio lobes displacing the X-ray emitting gas, providing a gauge for the mean mechanical power output of the AGN. These measured powers are enough to offset radiative cooling at the center of relaxed clusters, however, little beyond the energetics of the outbursts is known. The relative balance and efficiency of heating mechanisms for converting the mechanical energy from the AGN into thermal energy in the cluster atmosphere is not well understood, nor are the details of the jets whose contents inflate and support the X-ray cavities. The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect, which is proportional to the line-of-sight pressure of the electrons of the hot gas in galaxy clusters, can shed light on these outstanding issues by directly constraining the thermal contents of the radio-filled X-ray cavities. In this work, we describe the assembly and commissioning of 1-cm cryogenic receivers for CARMA, which are vital for the high-fidelity SZ observations required for the proposed measurements. CARMA is a 23-element heterogeneous radio interferometer in Cedar Flat, CA. Receivers previously used on the Cosmic Background Imager (CBI) experiment were rebuilt with new low noise amplifiers and updated electronics and installed on the nine 6.1 m telescopes of CARMA, making all 23 CARMA telescopes capable of 1-cm observations. Commissioning observations of the CARMA-23 1-cm instrument took place in February to March of 2013. The upgraded CARMA-23 instrument is used to observe the SZ effect in the direction of the giant X-ray cavities of MS0735, the most energetic AGN outbursts known (˜ 1062 erg). We model the new CARMA data with a simple analytical model for the SZ signal produced by cavities embedded in an otherwise relaxed cluster, and supplement the model with X-ray and radio observations of MS0735 from Chandra and VLA. We find a sharp contrast in the SZ signal highly coincident with the X-ray identified cavities, suggesting a lack of SZ contributing material in the cavities and representing the first ever detection of these phenomena with the SZ effect. Our model strongly disfavors the cavities containing thermal gas of < 150 keV. If the pressure support in the bubbles is thermal, it is likely several hundreds to thousands of keV and very diffuse (<10-4 cm-3 ). Or alternatively, our findings are consistent with bubbles supported non-thermally by relativistic particles or magnetic fields.

Decoding emotion of the other differs among schizophrenia patients and schizoaffective patients: A pilot study.

PubMed

Tadmor, Hagar; Levin, Maya; Dadon, Tzameret; Meiman, Meital E; Ajameeh, Alaa; Mazzawi, Hosam; Rigbi, Amihai; Kremer, Ilana; Golani, Idit; Shamir, Alon

2016-09-01

The deficit in ability to attribute mental states such as thoughts, beliefs, and intentions of another person is a key component in the functional impairment of social cognition in schizophrenia. In the current study, we compared the ability of persons with first episode schizophrenia (FE-SZ) and individuals with schizophrenia displaying symptomatic remission (SZ-CR) to decode the mental state of others with healthy individuals and schizoaffective patients. In addition, we analyzed the effect of dopamine-related genes polymorphism on the ability to decode the mental state of another, and searched for different genetic signatures. Our results show that overall, individuals with schizophrenia performed worse in the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" (eyes) test, a simple well-defined task to infer the mental state of others than healthy individuals. Within the schizophrenia group, schizoaffective scored significantly higher than FE-SZ, SZ-CR, and healthy individuals. No difference was observed in performance between FE-SZ and SZ-CR subjects. Interestingly, FE-SZ and SZ-CR, but not schizoaffective individuals, performed worse in decoding negative and neutral emotional valance than the healthy control group. At the genetic level, we observed a significant effect of the DAT genotype, but not D4R genotype, on the eyes test performance. Our data suggest that understanding the mental state of another person is a trait marker of the illness, and might serve as an intermediate phenotype in the diagnostic process of schizophrenia disorders, and raise the possibility that DA-related DAT gene might have a role in decoding the mental state of another person.

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

PubMed Central

Gama, Clarissa

2017-01-01

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

The Relationship of Intellectual Functioning and Cognitive Performance to Brain Structure in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Wang, Lei; Gama, Clarissa S.; Barch, Deanna M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) is often characterized by cognitive and intellectual impairment. However, there is much heterogeneity across individuals, suggesting different trajectories of the illness. Recent findings have shown brain volume differences across subgroups of individuals with psychosis (SZ and bipolar disorder), such that those with intellectual and cognitive impairments presented evidence of early cerebral disruption, while those with cognitive but not intellectual impairments showed evidence of progressive brain abnormalities. Our aim was to investigate the relations of cognition and intellectual functioning with brain structure abnormalities in a sample of SZ compared to unaffected individuals. Methods: 92 individuals with SZ and 94 healthy controls part of the Northwestern University Schizophrenia Data and Software Tool (NUSDAST) underwent neuropsychological assessment and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Individuals with SZ were divided into subgroups according their estimated premorbid crystallized intellectual (ePMC-IQ) and cognitive performance. Brain volumes differences were investigated across groups. Results: SZ with ePMC-IQ and cognitive impairments had reduced total brain volume (TBV), intracranial volume (ICV), TBV corrected for ICV, and cortical gray matter volume, as well as reduced cortical thickness, and insula volumes. SZ with cognitive impairment but intact ePMC-IQ showed only reduced cortical gray matter volume and cortical thickness. Conclusions: These data provide additional evidence for heterogeneity in SZ. Impairments in cognition associated with reduced ePMC-IQ were related to evidence of broad brain structural alterations, including suggestion of early cerebral disruption. In contrast, impaired cognitive functioning in the context of more intact intellectual functioning was associated with cortical alterations that may reflect neurodegeneration. PMID:27369471

Involvement of PTPN5, the gene encoding the STriatal-Enriched protein tyrosine Phosphatase (STEP), in schizophrenia and cognition

PubMed Central

Pelov, Ilana; Teltsh, Omri; Greenbaum, Lior; Rigbi, Amihai; Kanyas-Sarner, Kyra; Lerer, Bernard; Lombroso, Paul; Kohn, Yoav

2013-01-01

Objective STriatal-Enriched protein tyrosine Phosphatase (STEP) is a brain-specific member of the PTP family that has been implicated in learning and memory. In this study, we examined the association of the PTPN5 (protein-tyrosine-phosphatase non-receptor 5) gene, which encodes for STEP, with both schizophrenia and cognitive functioning in the Israeli Jewish population. Methods A 868 subjects schizophrenia (SZ) case-control study was performed (286 cases and 582 controls). Eleven STEP tagging SNPs were selected, and single markers and haplotypes association analyses were performed. A cognitive variability study included 437 healthy females who completed a computerized cognitive battery. We performed univariate associations between the SNPs and cognitive performance. The possible functional role of these variants was examined by studying their association with gene expression levels in the brain. Results In the SZ study, we found nominal association in the whole sample between rs4075664 and SZ. SZ males showed a more significant association for 3 SNPs (rs4075664, rs2278732, rs4757710). Haplotypes of the studied SNPs were associated with SZ both in the overall sample and within the male sub-sample. Expression analysis provided some support for the effects of the associated SNPs on PTPN5 expression level. The cognitive variability study showed positive associations between PTPN5 SNPs and different cognitive subtests. Principal component analysis demonstrated an “Attention Index” neurocognitive component that was associated with two SNP pairs (rs10832983*rs10766504 and rs7932938*rs4757718). Conclusion The results imply a model in which PTPN5 may play a role in normal cognitive functioning and contributes to aspects of the neuropathology of schizophrenia. PMID:22555153

Abnormal inter- and intra-hemispheric integration in male paranoid schizophrenia: a graph-theoretical analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Jianhuai; Yao, Zhijian; Qin, Jiaolong; Yan, Rui; Hua, Lingling; Lu, Qing

2015-06-25

The human brain is a complex network of regions that are structurally interconnected by white matter (WM) tracts. Schizophrenia (SZ) can be conceptualized as a disconnection syndrome characterized by widespread disconnections in WM pathways. To assess whether or not anatomical disconnections are associated with disruption of the topological properties of inter- and intra-hemispheric networks in SZ. We acquired the diffusion tensor imaging data from 24 male patients with paranoid SZ during an acute phase of their illness and from 24 healthy age-matched male controls. The brain FA-weighted (fractional anisotropy-weighted) structural networks were constructed and the inter- and intra-hemispheric integration was assessed by estimating the average characteristic path lengths (CPLs) between and within the left and right hemisphere networks. The mean CPLs for all 18 inter-and intra-hemispheric CPLs assessed were longer in the SZ patient group than in the control group, but only some of these differences were significantly different: the CPLs for the overall inter-hemispheric and the left and right intra-hemispheric networks; the CPLs for the interhemisphere subnetworks of the frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and subcortical structures; and the CPL for the intra- frontal subnetwork in the right hemisphere. Among the 24 patients, the CPL of the inter-frontal subnetwork was positively associated with negative symptom severity, but this was the only significant result among 72 assessed correlations, so it may be a statistical artifact. Our findings suggest that the integrity of intra- and inter-hemispheric WM tracts is disrupted in males with paranoid SZ, supporting the brain network disconnection model (i.e., the (')connectivity hypothesis(')) of schizophrenia. Larger studies with less narrowly defined samples of individuals with schizophrenia are needed to confirm these results.

High-resolution submillimeter and near-infrared studies of the transition disk around Sz 91

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

Tsukagoshi, Takashi; Momose, Munetake; Hashimoto, Jun

2014-03-10

To reveal the structures of a transition disk around a young stellar object in Lupus, Sz 91 , we have performed aperture synthesis 345 GHz continuum and CO(3-2) observations with the Submillimeter Array (∼1''-3'' resolution) and high-resolution imaging of polarized intensity at the K{sub s} -band using the HiCIAO instrument on the Subaru Telescope (0.''25 resolution). Our observations successfully resolved the inner and outer radii of the dust disk to be 65 and 170 AU, respectively, which indicates that Sz 91 is a transition disk source with one of the largest known inner holes. The model fitting analysis of themore » spectral energy distribution reveals an H{sub 2} mass of 2.4 × 10{sup –3} M {sub ☉} in the cold (T < 30 K) outer part at 65 AU 3 × 10{sup –9} M {sub ☉}) of hot (T ∼ 180 K) dust possibly remains inside the inner hole of the disk. The structure of the hot component could be interpreted as either an unresolved self-luminous companion body (not directly detected in our observations) or a narrow ring inside the inner hole. Significant CO(3-2) emission with a velocity gradient along the major axis of the dust disk is concentrated on the Sz 91 position, suggesting a rotating gas disk with a radius of 420 AU. The Sz 91 disk is possibly a rare disk in an evolutionary stage immediately after the formation of protoplanets because of the large inner hole and the lower disk mass than other transition disks studied thus far.« less

High-Resolution Submillimeter and Near-Infrared Studies of the Transition Disk Around Sz 91

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsukagoshi, Takashi; Momose, Munetake; Abe, Lyu; Akiyama, Eiji; Brandner, Wolfgang; Brandt, Timothy D.; Carson, Joseph; Currie, Thayne; Egner, Sebastian E.; Goto, Miwa;

Detailed Sunyaev-Zel'dovich study with AMI of 19 LoCuSS galaxy clusters: masses and temperatures out to the virial radius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AMI Consortium; Rodríguez-Gonzálvez, Carmen; Shimwell, Timothy W.; Davies, Matthew L.; Feroz, Farhan; Franzen, Thomas M. O.; Grainge, Keith J. B.; Hobson, Michael P.; Hurley-Walker, Natasha; Lasenby, Anthony N.; Olamaie, Malak; Pooley, Guy; Saunders, Richard D. E.; Scaife, Anna M. M.; Schammel, Michel P.; Scott, Paul F.; Titterington, David J.; Waldram, Elizabeth M.

2012-09-01

We present detailed 16-GHz interferometric observations using the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) of 19 clusters with LX > 7 × 1037 W (h50 = 1) selected from the Local Cluster Substructure Survey (LoCuSS; 0.142 ≤ z ≤ 0.295) and of Abell 1758b, which is in the field of view of Abell 1758a. We detect and resolve Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signals towards 17 clusters, with peak surface brightnesses between 5σ and 23σ. We use a fast, Bayesian cluster analysis to obtain cluster parameter estimates in the presence of radio point sources, receiver noise and primordial cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy. We fit isothermal β-models to our data and assume the clusters are virialized (with all the kinetic energy in gas internal energy). Our gas temperature, TAMI, is derived from AMI SZ data and not from X-ray spectroscopy. Cluster parameters internal to r500 are derived under the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. We find the following. (i) Different generalized Navarro-Frenk-White (gNFW) parametrizations yield significantly different parameter degeneracies. (ii) For h70 = 1, we find the classical virial radius, r200, to be typically 1.6 ± 0.1 Mpc and the total mass MT(r200) typically to be 2.0-2.5× MT(r500). (iii) Where we have found MT(r500) and MT(r200) X-ray and weak-lensing values in the literature, there is good agreement between weak-lensing and AMI estimates (with MT, AMI/MT, WL =1.2-0.3+0.2 and 1.0 ± 0.1 for r500 and r200, respectively). In comparison, most Suzaku/Chandra estimates are higher than for AMI (with MT, X/MT, AMI = 1.7 ± 0.2 within r500), particularly for the stronger mergers. (iv) Comparison of TAMI to TX sheds light on high X-ray masses: even at large radius, TX can substantially exceed TAMI in mergers. The use of these higher TX values will give higher X-ray masses. We stress that large-radius TAMI and TX data are scarce and must be increased. (v) Despite the paucity of data, there is an indication of a relation between merger activity and SZ ellipticity. (vi) At small radius (but away from any cooling flow) the SZ signal (and TAMI) is less sensitive to intracluster medium disturbance than the X-ray signal (and TX) and, even at high radius, mergers affect n2-weighted X-ray data more than n-weighted SZ, implying that significant shocking or clumping or both occur in even the outer parts of mergers. We request that any reference to this paper cites 'AMI Consortium: Rodríguez-Gonzálvez et al. 2012'.

Mapping the Schizophrenia Genes by Neuroimaging: The Opportunities and the Challenges

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a heritable brain disease originating from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. The genes underpinning the neurobiology of SZ are largely unknown but recent data suggest strong evidence for genetic variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, making the brain vulnerable to the risk of SZ. Structural and functional brain mapping of these genetic variations are essential for the development of agents and tools for better diagnosis, treatment and prevention of SZ. Addressing this, neuroimaging methods in combination with genetic analysis have been increasingly used for almost 20 years. So-called imaging genetics, the opportunities of this approach along with its limitations for SZ research will be outlined in this invited paper. While the problems such as reproducibility, genetic effect size, specificity and sensitivity exist, opportunities such as multivariate analysis, development of multisite consortia for large-scale data collection, emergence of non-candidate gene (hypothesis-free) approach of neuroimaging genetics are likely to contribute to a rapid progress for gene discovery besides to gene validation studies that are related to SZ. PMID:29324666

Planck 2015 results. XXII. A map of the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Bartlett, J. G.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Battye, R.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bock, J. J.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R. C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Chiang, H. C.; Christensen, P. R.; Churazov, E.; Clements, D. L.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Comis, B.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Désert, F.-X.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Dolag, K.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Fergusson, J.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Frejsel, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Giard, M.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J. E.; Hansen, F. K.; Harrison, D. L.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Holmes, W. A.; Hornstrup, A.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jones, W. C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lacasa, F.; Lagache, G.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Leonardi, R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maffei, B.; Maggio, G.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Maris, M.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Migliaccio, M.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Pratt, G. W.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Sauvé, A.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Spencer, L. D.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Wehus, I. K.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-09-01

We have constructed all-sky Compton parameters maps, y-maps, of the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect by applying specifically tailored component separation algorithms to the 30 to 857 GHz frequency channel maps from the Planck satellite. These reconstructed y-maps are delivered as part of the Planck 2015 release. The y-maps are characterized in terms of noise properties and residual foreground contamination, mainly thermal dust emission at large angular scales, and cosmic infrared background and extragalactic point sources at small angular scales. Specific masks are defined to minimize foreground residuals and systematics. Using these masks, we compute the y-map angular power spectrum and higher order statistics. From these we conclude that the y-map is dominated by tSZ signal in the multipole range, 20 <ℓ< 600. We compare the measured tSZ power spectrum and higher order statistics to various physically motivated models and discuss the implications of our results in terms of cluster physics and cosmology.

Preceding diagnoses to young adult bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in a nationwide study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this comparative study was to investigate the type and frequency of diagnoses preceding adult bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ). Methods A follow-back study of all preceding diagnoses in all patients aged 21–34 years with a primary, first time diagnosis of BD (N = 784) or SZ (N = 1667) in 2008 to 2010. Data were taken from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register (DPCRR) including ICD-10 and ICD-8 diagnoses. Results The numbers of patients with any preceding diagnoses amounted to 69.3% in BD and 76.6% in SZ with affective disorders (excluding BD) being the most frequent preceding diagnosis (46.6 vs. 28.0%), followed by psychoses (PSY) other than SZ (14.2 vs. 41.5%, p < .001), and substance use disorders (SUD) (16.1 vs. 26.9%, p < .001). Reactions to severe stress were equally frequent in both samples (26.3 vs. 26.6%) as were personality disorders (21.8 vs. 22.4%) and ADHD (4.2 vs. 3.5%), whereas rates of conduct disorders (1.7 vs. 3.1%) were rather low in both samples. Very few of the preceding diagnoses had their onset in childhood and adolescence. Overall patients with SZ had a minor but statistically significant earlier onset of any psychiatric disorder compared to BD (mean age: 23.3 vs. 22.5, p < .001). Regression analyses indicated that BD was associated with an increased risk of having experienced preceding affective disorders and ADHD, while SZ was associated with an increased risk of preceding substance use disorders, psychosis, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. Conclusions Specific developmental trajectories of preceding disorders were delineated for BD and SZ with affective disorders being more specific for BD and both SUD and PSY more specific to SZ. There are different patterns of vulnerability in terms of preceding diagnosis in young adults with BD and SZ. PMID:24359146

Spatial and temporal dynamics of organohalide-respiring bacteria in a heterogeneous PCE-DNAPL source zone.

PubMed

Cápiro, Natalie L; Löffler, Frank E; Pennell, Kurt D

2015-11-01

Effective treatment of sites contaminated with dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) requires detailed understanding of the microbial community responses to changes in source zone strength and architecture. Changes in the spatial and temporal distributions of the organohalide-respiring Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) strains and Geobacter lovleyi strain SZ (GeoSZ) were examined in a heterogeneous tetrachloroethene- (PCE-) DNAPL source zone within a two-dimensional laboratory-scale aquifer flow cell. As part of a combined remedy approach, flushing with 2.3 pore volumes (PVs) of 4% (w/w) solution of the nonionic, biodegradable surfactant Tween® 80 removed 55% of the initial contaminant mass, and resulted in a PCE-DNAPL distribution that contained 51% discrete ganglia and 49% pools (ganglia-to-pool ratio of 1.06). Subsequent bioaugmentation with the PCE-to-ethene-dechlorinating consortium BDI-SZ resulted in cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) formation after 1 PV (ca. 7 days), while vinyl chloride (VC) and ethene were detected 10 PVs after bioaugmentation. Maximum ethene yields (ca. 90 μM) within DNAPL pool and ganglia regions coincided with the detection of the vcrA reductive dehalogenase (RDase) gene that exceeded the Dhc 16S rRNA genes by 2.0±1.3 and 4.0±1.7 fold in the pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Dhc and GeoSZ cell abundance increased by up to 4 orders-of-magnitude after 28 PVs of steady-state operation, with 1 to 2 orders-of-magnitude increases observed in close proximity to residual PCE-DNAPL. These observations suggest the involvement of these dechlorinators the in observed PCE dissolution enhancements of up to 2.3 and 6.0-fold within pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Analysis of the solid and aqueous samples at the conclusion of the experiment revealed that the highest VC (≥155 μM) and ethene (≥65 μM) concentrations were measured in zones where Dhc and GeoSZ were predominately attached to the solids. These findings demonstrate dynamic responses of organohalide-respiring bacteria in a heterogeneous DNAPL source zone, and emphasize the influence of source zone architecture on bioremediation performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SZ observations to study the physics of the intra-cluster medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pointecouteau, E.

2017-10-01

Recent Sunyaev-Zeldovich surveys have delivered new catalogues of galaxy clusters over the whole sky and out to distant redshifts. The new generation of SZ facilities (NIKA, MUSTANG, ALMA) now focuses on high angular resolution and high sensitivity. I will discuss the current status of SZ observations and the perspective with the future instruments for the measurement of physical properties of galaxy clusters, and their relevance to the study of the ICM physics. I will also discuss the natural synergy between the SZ signal and the X-ray emission from the hot intra-cluster medium.

Thought Disorder in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Probands, Their Relatives, and Nonpsychiatric Controls

PubMed Central

Coleman, Michael J.; Ulgen, Ayse; Boling, Lenore; Cole, Jonathan O.; Johnson, Frederick V.; Lerbinger, Jan; Bodkin, J. Alexander; Holzman, Philip S.; Levy, Deborah L.

2017-01-01

Abstract Thought disorder (TD) has long been associated with schizophrenia (SZ) and is now widely recognized as a symptom of mania and other psychotic disorders as well. Previous studies have suggested that the TD found in the clinically unaffected relatives of SZ, schizoaffective and bipolar probands is qualitatively similar to that found in the probands themselves. Here, we examine which quantitative measures of TD optimize the distinction between patients with diagnoses of SZ and bipolar disorder with psychotic features (BP) from nonpsychiatric controls (NC) and from each other. In addition, we investigate whether these same TD measures also distinguish their respective clinically unaffected relatives (RelSZ, RelBP) from controls as well as from each other. We find that deviant verbalizations are significantly associated with SZ and are co-familial in clinically unaffected RelSZ, but are dissociated from, and are not co-familial for, BP disorder. In contrast, combinatory thinking was nonspecifically associated with psychosis, but did not aggregate in either group of relatives. These results provide further support for the usefulness of TD for identifying potential non-penetrant carriers of SZ-risk genes, in turn enhancing the power of genetic analyses. These findings also suggest that further refinement of the TD phenotype may be needed in order to be suitable for use in genetic studies of bipolar disorder. PMID:28338967

Risk of underdiagnosis of hypertension in schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Castillo-Sánchez, Miguel; Fàbregas-Escurriola, Mireia; Bergè-Baquero, Daniel; Fernández-San Martín, MªIsabel; Boreu, Quintí Foguet; Goday-Arno, Albert

2018-01-01

Arterial hypertension requires proper screening and management, and its underdiagnosis in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and/or antipsychotic treatment has been postulated. The objective of the study is to assess whether there are differences in the proportion of screened patients with a blood pressure >140/90 mmHg that are undiagnosed or not confirmed later (risk of underdiagnosis). Cross-sectional study of clinical records from SIDIAPQ (Spain) during the 2006-2011 period. Three groups were studied: SZ, no SZ but under antipsychotic treatment, and control groups. Patients with established hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, or diagnosis of SZ or starting with antipsychotic treatment during this period were excluded. The SZ group had a lower risk of underdiagnosis than the control group (OR 0.91; 95% CI: 0.83-0.99; p < 0.05), at the expense of men (OR 0.8; 95% CI: 0.71-0.9; p < 0.001) and patients younger than 50 years of age (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.74-0.93; p < 0.003). In the no SZ but under antipsychotic treatment group there were some differences, but not in the overall results. Preventive management of hypertension seemed to be sufficient for SZ and antipsychotic treatment patients. The lower prevalence of hypertension found in these groups may be due to other factors (blood pressure-lowering effect of psychoactive drugs or smoking) but these hypotheses must be evaluated with specific studies.

Associations of blood levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF-II and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 in schizophrenic Arab subjects.

PubMed

Akanji, Abayomi O; Ohaeri, Jude U; Al-Shammri, Suhail A; Fatania, Hasmukh R

2007-01-01

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are believed to be important in brain development and repair following neuronal damage. It is also speculated that IGFs are involved in the association of foetal and pre-adult growth with schizophrenia (SZ). The aim of this study was to assess levels of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 and their associations in male Arab patients with SZ (n=53) and healthy control subjects (HC; n=52). Anthropometric and demographic data were collected for each subject for whom blood specimens were analysed for serum lipoproteins, apolipoprotein B (apoB), IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3. The SZ group had lower serum total cholesterol, apoB and uric acid levels than the HC group (p<0.05). IGF-II levels were significantly higher in the SZ group (p=0.02) and correlated positively with levels of atherogenic lipoproteins--total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, apoB--and IGFBP-3. The pattern of correlations between the IGFs and the various parameters differed somewhat between the HC and SZ groups. These results demonstrate that IGF-II levels are increased in patients with SZ and show significant associations with atherogenic lipoproteins. We suggest a possible link between IGF-II metabolism and atherogenesis in SZ.

Cortical grey matter and subcortical white matter brain microstructural changes in schizophrenia are localised and age independent: a case-control diffusion tensor imaging study.

PubMed

Chiapponi, Chiara; Piras, Fabrizio; Piras, Federica; Fagioli, Sabrina; Caltagirone, Carlo; Spalletta, Gianfranco

2013-01-01

It is still unknown whether the structural brain impairments that characterize schizophrenia (SZ) worsen during the lifetime. Here, we aimed to describe age-related microstructural brain changes in cortical grey matter and subcortical white matter of patients affected by SZ. In this diffusion tensor imaging study, we included 69 patients diagnosed with SZ and 69 healthy control (HC) subjects, age and gender matched. We carried out analyses of covariance, with diagnosis as fixed factor and brain diffusion-related parameters as dependent variables, and controlled for the effect of education. White matter fractional anisotropy decreased in the entire age range spanned (18-65 years) in both SZ and HC and was significantly lower in younger patients with SZ, with no interaction (age by diagnosis) effect in fiber tracts including corpus callosum, corona radiata, thalamic radiations and external capsule. Also, grey matter mean diffusivity increased in the entire age range in both SZ and HC and was significantly higher in younger patients, with no age by diagnosis interaction in the left frontal operculum cortex, left insula and left planum polare and in the right temporal pole and right intracalcarine cortex. In individuals with SZ we found that localized brain cortical and white matter subcortical microstructural impairments appear early in life but do not worsen in the 18-65 year age range.

Functional outcome and service engagement in major depressive disorder with psychotic features: comparisons with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder in a 6-year follow-up of the Cavan-Monaghan First Episode Psychosis Study (CAMFEPS).

PubMed

Kingston, Tara; Scully, Paul J; Browne, David J; Baldwin, Patrizia A; Kinsella, Anthony; O'Callaghan, Eadbhard; Russell, Vincent; Waddington, John L

2018-03-25

While long-term outcome following a first psychotic episode is well studied in schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective disorder (SA), and bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder with psychotic features (MDDP) has received less investigation. This study compares MDDP with SZ, SA, and BD at 6-year follow-up. At 6 years after a first psychotic episode, follow-up data on psychopathology, functioning, quality of life, and service engagement were obtained for 27 cases of MDDP in comparison to 60 SZ, 27 SA, and 35 BD. Positive psychotic symptoms were less prominent in MDDP and BD than in SZ and SA. Negative symptoms, impaired functioning, and reduction in objectively determined quality of life were less prominent in MDDP and BD, intermediate in SA and most prominent in SZ. However, subjectively determined quality of life was indistinguishable across diagnoses. Service engagement was highest for MDDP, intermediate for SA and BD, and lowest for SZ. At 6-year follow-up, these diagnoses are characterized by quantitative rather than qualitative differences in psychopathology, functionality, quality of life, and service engagement, with considerable overlap between them. These findings suggest that MDDP should join SZ, SA, and BD in a milieu of psychosis that transcends arbitrary boundaries. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Similar white matter but opposite grey matter changes in schizophrenia and high-functioning autism.

PubMed

Katz, J; d'Albis, M-A; Boisgontier, J; Poupon, C; Mangin, J-F; Guevara, P; Duclap, D; Hamdani, N; Petit, J; Monnet, D; Le Corvoisier, P; Leboyer, M; Delorme, R; Houenou, J

2016-07-01

High-functioning autism (HFA) and schizophrenia (SZ) are two of the main neurodevelopmental disorders, sharing several clinical dimensions and risk factors. Their exact relationship is poorly understood, and few studies have directly compared both disorders. Our aim was thus to directly compare neuroanatomy of HFA and SZ using a multimodal MRI design. We scanned 79 male adult subjects with 3T MRI (23 with HFA, 24 with SZ and 32 healthy controls, with similar non-verbal IQ). We compared them using both diffusion-based whole-brain tractography and T1 voxel-based morphometry. HFA and SZ groups exhibited similar white matter alterations in the left fronto-occipital inferior fasciculus with a decrease in generalized fractional anisotropy compared with controls. In grey matter, the HFA group demonstrated bilateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate increases in contrast with prefrontal and left temporal reductions in SZ. HFA and SZ may share common white matter deficits in long-range connections involved in social functions, but opposite grey matter abnormalities in frontal regions that subserve complex cognitive functions. Our results are consistent with the fronto-occipital underconnectivity theory of HFA and the altered connectivity hypothesis of SZ and suggest the existence of both associated and diametrical liabilities to these two conditions. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measuring the hydrostatic mass bias in galaxy clusters by combining Sunyaev-Zel'dovich and CMB lensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurier, G.; Angulo, R. E.

2018-02-01

The cosmological parameters preferred by the cosmic microwave background (CMB) primary anisotropies predict many more galaxy clusters than those that have been detected via the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect. This discrepancy has attracted considerable attention since it might be evidence of physics beyond the simplest ΛCDM model. However, an accurate and robust calibration of the mass-observable relation for clusters is necessary for the comparison, which has been proven difficult to obtain so far. Here, we present new constraints on the mass-pressure relation by combining tSZ and CMB lensing measurements of optically selected clusters. Consequently, our galaxy cluster sample is independent of the data employed to derive cosmological constrains. We estimate an average hydrostatic mass bias of b = 0.26 ± 0.07, with no significant mass or redshift evolution. This value greatly reduces the discrepancy between the predictions of ΛCDM and the observed abundance of tSZ clusters but agrees with recent estimates from tSZ clustering. On the other hand, our value for b is higher than the predictions from hydrodynamical simulations. This suggests mechanisms that drive large departures from hydrostatic equilibrium and that are not included in the latest simulations, and/or unaccounted systematic errors such as biases in the cluster catalogue that are due to the optical selection.

Application of a Self-Similar Pressure Profile to Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect Data from Galaxy Clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mroczkowski, Tony; Bonamente, Max; Carlstrom, John E.; Culverhouse, Thomas L.; Greer, Christopher; Hawkins, David; Hennessy, Ryan; Joy, Marshall; Lamb, James W.; Leitch, Erik M.;

Juvenile treatment with mGluR2/3 agonist prevents schizophrenia-like phenotypes in adult by acting through GSK3β.

PubMed

Xing, Bo; Han, Genie; Wang, Min-Juan; Snyder, Melissa A; Gao, Wen-Jun

2018-05-14

Prodromal memory deficits represent an important marker for the development of schizophrenia (SZ), in which glutamatergic hypofunction occurs in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 (LY37) attenuates excitatory N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-induced neurotoxicity, a central pathological characteristic of glutamatergic hypofunction. We therefore hypothesized that early treatment with LY37 would rescue cognitive deficits and confer benefits for SZ-like behaviors in adults. To test this, we assessed whether early intervention with LY37 would improve learning outcomes in the Morris Water Maze for rats prenatally exposed to methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM), a neurodevelopmental SZ model. We found that a medium dose of LY37 prevents learning deficits in MAM rats. These effects were mediated through postsynaptic mGluR2/3 via improving GluN2B-NMDAR function by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β). Furthermore, dendritic spine loss and learning and memory deficits observed in adult MAM rats were restored by juvenile LY37 treatment, which did not change prefrontal neuronal excitability and glutamatergic synaptic transmission in adult normal rats. Our results provide a mechanism for mGluR2/3 agonists against NMDAR hypofunction, which may prove to be beneficial in the prophylactic treatment of SZ. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the large-scale structure from the cosmic microwave background: shear calibration with CMB lensing; gas physics from the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaan, Emmanuel

2017-01-01

I will present two promising ways in which the cosmic microwave background (CMB) sheds light on critical uncertain physics and systematics of the large-scale structure. Shear calibration with CMB lensing: Realizing the full potential of upcoming weak lensing surveys requires an exquisite understanding of the errors in galaxy shape estimation. In particular, such errors lead to a multiplicative bias in the shear, degenerate with the matter density parameter and the amplitude of fluctuations. Its redshift-evolution can hide the true evolution of the growth of structure, which probes dark energy and possible modifications to general relativity. I will show that CMB lensing from a stage 4 experiment (CMB S4) can self-calibrate the shear for an LSST-like optical lensing survey. This holds in the presence of photo-z errors and intrinsic alignment. Evidence for the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect; cluster energetics: Through the kSZ effect, the baryon momentum field is imprinted on the CMB. I will report significant evidence for the kSZ effect from ACTPol and peculiar velocities reconstructed from BOSS. I will present the prospects for constraining cluster gas profiles and energetics from the kSZ effect with SPT-3G, AdvACT and CMB S4. This will provide constraints on galaxy formation and feedback models.

Constraints on the optical depth of galaxy groups and clusters

DOE PAGES

Flender, Samuel; Nagai, Daisuke; McDonald, Michael

2017-03-10

Here, future data from galaxy redshift surveys, combined with high-resolutions maps of the cosmic microwave background, will enable measurements of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (kSZ) signal with unprecedented statistical significance. This signal probes the matter-velocity correlation function, scaled by the average optical depth (τ) of the galaxy groups and clusters in the sample, and is thus of fundamental importance for cosmology. However, in order to translate pairwise kSZ measurements into cosmological constraints, external constraints on τ are necessary. In this work, we present a new model for the intracluster medium, which takes into account star formation, feedback, non-thermal pressure, and gas cooling. Our semi-analytic model is computationally efficient and can reproduce results of recent hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy cluster formation. We calibrate the free parameters in the model using recent X-ray measurements of gas density profiles of clusters, and gas masses of groups and clusters. Our observationally calibrated model predicts the averagemore » $${\\tau }_{500}$$ (i.e., the integrated τ within a disk of size R 500) to better than 6% modeling uncertainty (at 95% confidence level). If the remaining uncertainties associated with other astrophysical uncertainties and X-ray selection effects can be better understood, our model for the optical depth should break the degeneracy between optical depth and cluster velocity in the analysis of future pairwise kSZ measurements and improve cosmological constraints with the combination of upcoming galaxy and CMB surveys, including the nature of dark energy, modified gravity, and neutrino mass.« less

Constraints on the optical depth of galaxy groups and clusters

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

Flender, Samuel; Nagai, Daisuke; McDonald, Michael

Here, future data from galaxy redshift surveys, combined with high-resolutions maps of the cosmic microwave background, will enable measurements of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (kSZ) signal with unprecedented statistical significance. This signal probes the matter-velocity correlation function, scaled by the average optical depth (τ) of the galaxy groups and clusters in the sample, and is thus of fundamental importance for cosmology. However, in order to translate pairwise kSZ measurements into cosmological constraints, external constraints on τ are necessary. In this work, we present a new model for the intracluster medium, which takes into account star formation, feedback, non-thermal pressure, and gas cooling. Our semi-analytic model is computationally efficient and can reproduce results of recent hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy cluster formation. We calibrate the free parameters in the model using recent X-ray measurements of gas density profiles of clusters, and gas masses of groups and clusters. Our observationally calibrated model predicts the averagemore » $${\\tau }_{500}$$ (i.e., the integrated τ within a disk of size R 500) to better than 6% modeling uncertainty (at 95% confidence level). If the remaining uncertainties associated with other astrophysical uncertainties and X-ray selection effects can be better understood, our model for the optical depth should break the degeneracy between optical depth and cluster velocity in the analysis of future pairwise kSZ measurements and improve cosmological constraints with the combination of upcoming galaxy and CMB surveys, including the nature of dark energy, modified gravity, and neutrino mass.« less

California Verbal Learning Test-II performance in schizophrenia as a function of ascertainment strategy: comparing the first and second phases of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS).

PubMed

Stone, William S; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I; Braff, David L; Calkins, Monica E; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Light, Gregory A; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D; Siever, Larry J; Silverman, Jeremy M; Sprock, Joyce; Sugar, Catherine A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Tsuang, Debby W; Tsuang, Ming T; Turetsky, Bruce I; Seidman, Larry J

2015-04-01

The first phase of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS-1) showed performance deficits in learning and memory on the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II) in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), compared to healthy comparison subjects (HCS). A question is whether the COGS-1 study, which used a family study design (i.e. studying relatively intact families), yielded "milder" SZ phenotypes than those acquired subsequently in the COGS-2 case-control design that did not recruit unaffected family members. CVLT-II performance was compared for the COGS-1 and COGS-2 samples. Analyses focused on learning, recall and recognition variables, with age, gender and education as covariates. Analyses of COGS-2 data explored effects of additional covariates and moderating factors in CVLT-II performance. 324 SZ subjects and 510 HCS had complete CVLT-II and covariate data in COGS-1, while 1356 SZ and 1036 HCS had complete data in COGS-2. Except for recognition memory, analysis of covariance showed significantly worse performance in COGS-2 on all CVLT-II variables for SZ and HCS, and remained significant in the presence of the covariates. Performance in each of the 5 learning trials differed significantly. However, effect sizes comparing cases and controls were comparable across the two studies. COGS-2 analyses confirmed SZ performance deficits despite effects of multiple significant covariates and moderating factors. CVLT-II performance was worse in COGS-2 than in COGS-1 for both the SZ and the HCS in this large cohort, likely due to cohort effects. Demographically corrected data yield a consistent pattern of performance across the two studies in SZ. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

California Verbal Learning Test-II performance in schizophrenia as a function of ascertainment strategy: Comparing the first and second phases of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS)

PubMed Central

Stone, William S.; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I.; Braff, David L.; Calkins, Monica E.; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F.; Greenwood, Tiffany A.; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.; Lazzeroni, Laura C.; Light, Gregory A.; Nuechterlein, Keith H.; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D.; Siever, Larry J.; Silverman, Jeremy M.; Sprock, Joyce; Sugar, Catherine A.; Swerdlow, Neal R.; Tsuang, Debby W.; Tsuang, Ming T.; Turetsky, Bruce I.; Seidman, Larry J.

2018-01-01

The first phase of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS-1) showed performance deficits in learning and memory on the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II) in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), compared to healthy comparison subjects (HCS). A question is whether the COGS-1 study, which used a family study design (i.e. studying relatively intact families), yielded “milder” SZ phenotypes than those acquired subsequently in the COGS-2 case–control design that did not recruit unaffected family members. CVLT-II performance was compared for the COGS-1 and COGS-2 samples. Analyses focused on learning, recall and recognition variables, with age, gender and education as covariates. Analyses of COGS-2 data explored effects of additional covariates and moderating factors in CVLT-II performance. 324 SZ subjects and 510 HCS had complete CVLT-II and covariate data in COGS-1, while 1356 SZ and 1036 HCS had complete data in COGS-2. Except for recognition memory, analysis of covariance showed significantly worse performance in COGS-2 on all CVLT-II variables for SZ and HCS, and remained significant in the presence of the covariates. Performance in each of the 5 learning trials differed significantly. However, effect sizes comparing cases and controls were comparable across the two studies. COGS-2 analyses confirmed SZ performance deficits despite effects of multiple significant covariates and moderating factors. CVLT-II performance was worse in COGS-2 than in COGS-1 for both the SZ and the HCS in this large cohort, likely due to cohort effects. Demographically corrected data yield a consistent pattern of performance across the two studies in SZ. PMID:25497440

Aberrant expression of the tyrosine kinase receptor EphA4 and the transcription factor twist in Sézary syndrome identified by gene expression analysis.

PubMed

van Doorn, Remco; Dijkman, Remco; Vermeer, Maarten H; Out-Luiting, Jacoba J; van der Raaij-Helmer, Elisabeth M H; Willemze, Rein; Tensen, Cornelis P

2004-08-15

Sézary syndrome (Sz) is a malignancy of CD4+ memory skin-homing T cells and presents with erythroderma, lymphadenopathy, and peripheral blood involvement. To gain more insight into the molecular features of Sz, oligonucleotide array analysis was performed comparing gene expression patterns of CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood of patients with Sz with those of patients with erythroderma secondary to dermatitis and healthy controls. Using unsupervised hierarchical clustering gene, expression patterns of T cells from patients with Sz were classified separately from those of benign T cells. One hundred twenty-three genes were identified as significantly differentially expressed and had an average fold change exceeding 2. T cells from patients with Sz demonstrated decreased expression of the following hematopoietic malignancy-linked tumor suppressor genes: TGF-beta receptor II, Mxi1, Riz1, CREB-binding protein, BCL11a, STAT4, and Forkhead Box O1A. Moreover, the tyrosine kinase receptor EphA4 and the potentially oncogenic transcription factor Twist were highly and selectively expressed in T cells of patients with Sz. High expression of EphA4 and Twist was also observed in lesional skin biopsy specimens of a subset of patients with cutaneous T cell lymphomas related to Sz, whereas their expression was nearly undetectable in benign T cells or in skin lesions of patients with inflammatory dermatoses. Detection of EphA4 and Twist may be used in the molecular diagnosis of Sz and related cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Furthermore, the membrane-bound EphA4 receptor may serve as a target for directed therapeutic intervention.

Influence of Venus and Mars in the cognitive sky of schizophrenia. Results from the first-step national FACE-SZ cohort.

PubMed

Fond, G; Boyer, L; Leboyer, M; Godin, O; Llorca, P M; Andrianarisoa, M; Berna, F; Brunel, L; Aouizerate, B; Capdevielle, D; Chereau, I; D'Amato, T; Dubertret, C; Dubreucq, J; Faget, C; Gabayet, F; Mallet, J; Misdrahi, D; Rey, R; Lancon, C; Passerieux, C; Roux, P; Vidailhet, P; Yazbek, H; Schürhoff, F; Bulzacka, E

2018-05-01

Sex differences can yield important clues regarding illness pathophysiology and its treatment. Schizophrenia (SZ) has a lower incidence rate, and a better prognosis, in women versus men. The present study investigated the cognitive profiles of both sexes in a large multi-centre sample of community-dwelling SZ patients. 544 community-dwelling stable SZ subjects (141 women and 403 men; mean age 34.5±12.1 and 31.6±8.7years, respectively) were tested with a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. Although community-dwelling SZ men had more risk factors for impaired cognition (including first-generation antipsychotics administration and comorbid addictive disorders), women had lower scores on a wide range of cognitive functions, including current and premorbid intellectual functioning, working memory, semantic memory, non-verbal abstract thinking and aspects of visual exploration. However, women scored higher in tests of processing speed and verbal learning, as well as having a lower verbal learning bias. No sex difference were evident for visuospatial learning abilities, cued verbal recall, sustained attention and tests of executive functions, including cognitive flexibility, verbal abstract thinking, verbal fluency and planning abilities. Sex differences are evident in the cognitive profiles of SZ patients. The impact on daily functioning and prognosis, as well as longitudinal trajectory, should be further investigated in the FACE-SZ follow-up study. Sex differences in cognition have implications for precision-medicine determined therapeutic strategies. Given the restricted age range of the sample, future research will have to determine cognitive profiles across gender in late onset SZ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous desulfurization and bacterial community structure of an integrated bioreactor developed to treat SO2 from a gas stream.

PubMed

Lin, Jian; Li, Lin; Ding, Wenjie; Zhang, Jingying; Liu, Junxin

2015-11-01

Sulfide dioxide (SO2) is often released during the combustion processes of fossil fuels. An integrated bioreactor with two sections, namely, a suspended zone (SZ) and immobilized zone (IZ), was applied to treat SO2 for 6months. Sampling ports were set in both sections to investigate the performance and microbial characteristics of the integrated bioreactor. SO2 was effectively removed by the synergistic effect of the SZ and IZ, and more than 85% removal efficiency was achieved at steady state. The average elimination capacity of SO2 in the bioreactor was 2.80g/(m(3)·hr) for the SZ and 1.50g/(m(3)·hr) for the IZ. Most SO2 was eliminated in the SZ. The liquid level of the SZ and the water content ratio of the packing material in the IZ affected SO2 removal efficiency. The SZ served a key function not only in SO2 elimination, but also in moisture maintenance for the IZ. The desired water content in IZ could be feasibly maintained without any additional pre-humidification facilities. Clone libraries of 16S rDNA directly amplified from the DNA of each sample were constructed and sequenced to analyze the community composition and diversity in the individual zones. The desulfurization bacteria dominated both zones. Paenibacillus sp. was present in both zones, whereas Ralstonia sp. existed only in the SZ. The transfer of SO2 to the SZ involved dissolution in the nutrient solution and biodegradation by the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. This work presents a potential biological treatment method for waste gases containing hydrophilic compounds. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Blunted brain activation in patients with schizophrenia in response to emotional cognitive inhibition: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Egashira, Kazuteru; Matsuo, Koji; Nakashima, Mami; Watanuki, Toshio; Harada, Kenichiro; Nakano, Masayuki; Matsubara, Toshio; Takahashi, Kanji; Watanabe, Yoshifumi

2015-03-01

Patients with schizophrenia (SZ) have deficits of facial emotion processing and cognitive inhibition, but the brain pathophysiology underlying these deficits and their interaction are not clearly understood. We tested brain activity during an emotional face go/no-go task that requires rapid executive control affected by emotional stimuli in patients with SZ using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twenty-five patients with SZ and 28 healthy control subjects were studied. We evaluated behavioral performance and used fNIRS to measure oxygenated hemoglobin concentration changes in fronto-temporal areas during the emotional go/no-go task with emotional and non-emotional blocks. Patients with SZ made more errors and had longer reaction times in both test blocks compared with healthy subjects. Significantly greater activation in the inferior, superior, middle, and orbital frontal regions were observed in healthy subjects during the emotional go/no-go block compared to the non-emotional go/no-go block, but this difference was not observed in patients with SZ. Relative to healthy subjects, patients with SZ showed less activation in the superior and orbital frontal and middle temporal regions during the emotional go/no-go block. Our results suggest that fronto-temporal dysfunction in patients with SZ is due to an interaction between abnormal processing of emotional facial expressions with negative valence and cognitive inhibition, especially during the rapid selection of rule-based associations that override automatic emotional response tendencies. They indicate that fronto-temporal dysfunction is involved in the pathophysiology of emotional-cognitive deficits in patients with SZ. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed Central

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

2013-01-01

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

Planck's view on the spectrum of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erler, Jens; Basu, Kaustuv; Chluba, Jens; Bertoldi, Frank

2018-05-01

We present a detailed analysis of the stacked frequency spectrum of a large sample of galaxy clusters using Planck data, together with auxiliary data from the AKARI and IRAS missions. Our primary goal is to search for the imprint of relativistic corrections to the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (tSZ) spectrum, which allow to measure the temperature of the intracluster medium. We remove Galactic and extragalactic foregrounds with a matched filtering technique, which is validated using simulations with realistic mock data sets. The extracted spectra show the tSZ signal at high significance and reveal an additional far-infrared (FIR) excess, which we attribute to thermal emission from the galaxy clusters themselves. This excess FIR emission from clusters is accounted for in our spectral model. We are able to measure the tSZ relativistic corrections at 2.2σ by constraining the mean temperature of our cluster sample to 4.4^{+2.1}_{-2.0} keV. We repeat the same analysis on a subsample containing only the 100 hottest clusters, for which we measure the mean temperature to be 6.0^{+3.8}_{-2.9} keV, corresponding to 2.0σ. The temperature of the emitting dust grains in our FIR model is constrained to ≃20 K, consistent with previous studies. Control for systematic biases is done by fitting mock clusters, from which we also show that using the non-relativistic spectrum for SZ signal extraction will lead to a bias in the integrated Compton parameter Y, which can be up to 14% for the most massive clusters. We conclude by providing an outlook for the upcoming CCAT-prime telescope, which will improve upon Planck with lower noise and better spatial resolution.

A HYDRODYNAMICAL SOLUTION FOR THE ''TWIN-TAILED'' COLLIDING GALAXY CLUSTER ''EL GORDO''

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

Molnar, Sandor M.; Broadhurst, Tom, E-mail: sandor@phys.ntu.edu.tw

The distinctive cometary X-ray morphology of the recently discovered massive galaxy cluster ''El Gordo'' (ACT-CT J0102–4915; z = 0.87) indicates that an unusually high-speed collision is ongoing between two massive galaxy clusters. A bright X-ray ''bullet'' leads a ''twin-tailed'' wake, with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) centroid at the end of the northern tail. We show how the physical properties of this system can be determined using our FLASH-based, N-body/hydrodynamic model, constrained by detailed X-ray, SZ, and Hubble lensing and dynamical data. The X-ray morphology and the location of the two dark matter components and the SZ peak are accurately described by amore » simple binary collision viewed about 480 million years after the first core passage. We derive an impact parameter of ≅300 kpc, and a relative initial infall velocity of ≅2250 km s{sup –1} when separated by the sum of the two virial radii assuming an initial total mass of 2.15 × 10{sup 15} M {sub ☉} and a mass ratio of 1.9. Our model demonstrates that tidally stretched gas accounts for the northern X-ray tail along the collision axis between the mass peaks, and that the southern tail lies off axis, comprising compressed and shock heated gas generated as the less massive component plunges through the main cluster. The challenge for ΛCDM will be to find out if this physically extreme event can be plausibly accommodated when combined with the similarly massive, high-infall-velocity case of the Bullet cluster and other such cases being uncovered in new SZ based surveys.« less

Emotion recognition impairment in traumatic brain injury compared with schizophrenia spectrum: similar deficits with different origins.

PubMed

Mancuso, Mauro; Magnani, Nadia; Cantagallo, Anna; Rossi, Giulia; Capitani, Donatella; Galletti, Vania; Cardamone, Giuseppe; Robertson, Ian Hamilton

2015-02-01

The aim of our study was to identify the common and separate mechanisms that might underpin emotion recognition impairment in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and schizophrenia (Sz) compared with healthy controls (HCs). We recruited 21 Sz outpatients, 24 severe TBI outpatients, and 38 HCs, and we used eye-tracking to compare facial emotion processing performance. Both Sz and TBI patients were significantly poorer at recognizing facial emotions compared with HC. Sz patients showed a different way of exploring the Pictures of Facial Affects stimuli and were significantly worse in recognition of neutral expressions. Selective or sustained attention deficits in TBI may reduce efficient emotion recognition, whereas in Sz, there is a more strategic deficit underlying the observed problem. There would seem to be scope for adjustment of effective rehabilitative training focused on emotion recognition.

Heat shock alters the expression of schizophrenia and autism candidate genes in an induced pluripotent stem cell model of the human telencephalon.

PubMed

Lin, Mingyan; Zhao, Dejian; Hrabovsky, Anastasia; Pedrosa, Erika; Zheng, Deyou; Lachman, Herbert M

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are highly heritable neuropsychiatric disorders, although environmental factors, such as maternal immune activation (MIA), play a role as well. Cytokines mediate the effects of MIA on neurogenesis and behavior in animal models. However, MIA stimulators can also induce a febrile reaction, which could have independent effects on neurogenesis through heat shock (HS)-regulated cellular stress pathways. However, this has not been well-studied. To help understand the role of fever in MIA, we used a recently described model of human brain development in which induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) differentiate into 3-dimensional neuronal aggregates that resemble a first trimester telencephalon. RNA-seq was carried out on aggregates that were heat shocked at 39°C for 24 hours, along with their control partners maintained at 37°C. 186 genes showed significant differences in expression following HS (p<0.05), including known HS-inducible genes, as expected, as well as those coding for NGFR and a number of SZ and ASD candidates, including SMARCA2, DPP10, ARNT2, AHI1 and ZNF804A. The degree to which the expression of these genes decrease or increase during HS is similar to that found in copy loss and copy gain copy number variants (CNVs), although the effects of HS are likely to be transient. The dramatic effect on the expression of some SZ and ASD genes places HS, and perhaps other cellular stressors, into a common conceptual framework with disease-causing genetic variants. The findings also suggest that some candidate genes that are assumed to have a relatively limited impact on SZ and ASD pathogenesis based on a small number of positive genetic findings, such as SMARCA2 and ARNT2, may in fact have a much more substantial role in these disorders - as targets of common environmental stressors.

78. Augmenting NMDA Receptor Signaling Enhances Working Memory and Alters Gamma Oscillations in Patients With Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Forsyth, Jennifer; Bachman, Peter; Asarnow, Robert

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Gamma band oscillations (30–80 Hz) are associated with numerous sensory and higher cognitive functions and are abnormal in patients with schizophrenia. Glutamate signaling at the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is theorized to play a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and NMDAR antagonists disrupt working memory and gamma oscillations in healthy individuals. It has therefore been suggested that NMDAR dysfunction may contribute to abnormalities in gamma oscillations and working memory in schizophrenia. In the current study, we examined the effects of acutely augmenting NMDAR signaling using the NMDAR agonist, d-cycloserine (DCS), on working memory and gamma power in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: In a double-blind design, patients with schizophrenia were randomized to receive a single dose of 100 mg DCS (SZ-DCS; n = 24) or Placebo (SZ-PLC; n = 21). Patients completed a spatial n-back task involving a 0-back control condition and 1-back and 2-back working memory loads while undergoing EEG recording. Gamma power (30–80 Hz) during the 0-back condition assessed gamma power associated with basic perceptual, motor, and attentive processes. Change in gamma power for correct working memory trials relative to the 0-back condition assessed gamma power associated with working memory function. Results: Among patients who performed above chance (SZ-DCS = 17, SZ-PLC = 16), patients who received DCS showed superior working memory performance compared to patients who received Placebo. Gamma power during the 0-back control condition was similar between SZ-DCS and SZ-PLC who performed above chance. However, gamma power associated with working memory function was significantly suppressed in SZ-DCS compared to SZ-PLC, particularly over frontal right channels. In addition, whereas higher working memory gamma power over frontal right channels was associated with better working memory performance in SZ-PLC, this relationship was not evident in SZ-DCS. Conclusion: Results suggest that augmenting NMDAR signaling enhanced working memory performance and suppressed gamma activity associated with working memory function in patients with schizophrenia. Given prior reports that schizophrenia patients may utilize excessive gamma power for successful working memory performance, these findings suggest that augmenting NMDAR signaling may improve the efficiency of neural encoding for successful working memory function in schizophrenia.

New developments at Hunveyor and Husar space probe model constructions in Hungarian Universities and Colleges: status report of 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hegzi, S.; Bérczi, Sz.; Hudoba, Gy.; Magyar, I.; Lang, A.; Istenes, Z.; Weidinger, T.; Tepliczky, I.; Varga, T.; Hargitai, H.

2008-09-01

Introduction Hunveyor and Husar space probe models are the main school robotics program in Hungary in the last decade initiated by our Cosmic Materials Space research Group (CMSRG). As a new form of planetary science education in Hungary students build their lander and rover robots and test them on test tables, carry out simulations, and go with their instruments to field works of planetary geology analog sites. Recently 10 groups work in this program and here is a status report about the new results. Planetary robot construction and simulations steps We summarized in 10 steps the main "constructional and industrial research and technology" description of planetary material studying and collecting by space probes (landers, rovers). We focused on the activity we began and teach to carry out at those steps. (Main planets considered were the Moon and Mars): 1. Reconnaissance and survey of the surface of a planet by orbital space probes (i.e. Lunar Orbiter, MGS, MRO etc.) Our studies: photogeology, geomorphology, preparations to cartography. 2. Mapping of the surface of the selected planet with geographical and stratigraphical methods. We (CMSRG) prepared thematic maps on Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus [1] and Atlas (3) in the series [2,3]. 3. Identification of various surface materials by albedo, spectroscopic [4], thermal IR, identification and selection of the target sites. (in terrestrial analog sites during field works) 4. Planning the space probe system lander and rover working together (MPF-Sojourner type assembly). Planning of the Hunveyor and Husar models. 5. Construction and manufacturing lander and rover units. All Hunveyor groups built their models [5]. 6. Launching and traveling the space probes to the planetary surface. (No rocket building, we simulate [6] some events during the voyage only). 7. Measuring the planetary surface environment on the surface of target planet [7]. (CMSRG) groups carry out test-table measurements [8] and simulations, and later they go to geological type planetary analog field works in terrestrial conditions [9]. 8. Transmitting data. At CMSRG groups at field observations to the "terrestrial control" receives data. 9. Studies on planetary material samples. We can study real NASA Lunar Sample, real Hungarian and NIPR meteorite samples. 10. Comparative planetology. CMSRG's outreach studies are summarized in the Concise atlas series notebooks. Husar-2 rover developments The Husar-2 developments of the Pécs University were focused on a rover type to use it in the MDRS program. After systematic developments of Husars from LEGO Husar till the Husar-2a, -2b, -2c variants the final version Husar-2d visited the MDRS crew 71. in Utah, USA in 2008. Two years ago H. Hargitai used Husar-2b in Utah, in the works of the MRDS crew 42. where dry badlands surface forms are excellent analogs to Martian landscape. Hunveyor-4 ice surface visitor The new developments in Hunveyor-4 focused on the winter Balaton surface measurements. The triangular arrangement for the measuring arrangement of the three sound frequency range sensors with a hanged on hydrophone was planned [7]. Husar-5 developments The Husar-5 developments focused on LEGO modelling, and one measurement is for soil vibrations, the other is for the conductivity of the soil. It is in construction at Széchenyi István High School, Sopron. Husar-6 developments The Husar-6 is another LEGO based modelling, built at Zsigmondy Vilmos High School, Dorog. Hunveyor-9 and Husar-9 It is one of the newest construction at the Eötvös József High School in Tata. The Hunveyor-9 have been built with camera and a telescopic arm instrumentation, and a magnetic carpet experiment. Magnetic carpet is a sensor of the magnetic components of a planetary dust mixture transported by the wind. The mixing ratio of the magnetic and nonmagnetic components were measured with various slope angles of the carpet unrolled from Hunveyor-9. Hunveyor-10 The Neumann János Computer Science Society developed the last Hunveyor system. It was a meteorological station with 14 measurements. It represents a halfway Hunveyor, because of the building together of the instruments can be studied in this system. It was transported by the Crew 71 to the MDRS and two weeks of measurements were carried out in Utah, during 2008 April (with Husar-2d field work, too). Summary Several new developments of the Hunveyor-Husar university robot system were shown to mark the intensity of interest of students to the preparations to the field work research in planetary geology by building robotics and use them in field works. References: [1] Hargitai, H. (2004): 35th LPSC, #1078. LPI, Houston; [2] Bérczi, Sz.; Fabriczy, A.; Hargitai, H.; Hegyi, S.; Illés, E.; Kabai, S.; Kovács, Zs.; Kereszturi, A.; Opitz, A.; Sik, A.; 34th LPSC, #1305. LPI, Houston; [3] Bérczi Sz. Hargitai H., Kereszturi Á., Sik A. (2001, 2005): [4] Roskó, F.; Diósy, T.; Bérczi, Sz.; Fabriczy, A.; Cech, V.; Hegyi, S. (2000): 31st LPSC, #1572. LPI, Houston; [5] Bérczi Sz., Hegyi S., Kovács Zs., Fabriczy A., Földi T., Keresztesi M., Cech V., Drommer B., Gránicz K., Hevesi L., Borbola T., Tóth Sz., Németh I., Horváth Cs., Diósy T., Kovács B., Bordás F., Köllõ Z., Roskó F., Balogh Zs., Koris A., Imrek Gy. (2001, 2002): [6] Bérczi, Sz.; Diósy, T.; Tóth, Sz.; Hegyi, S.; Imrek, Gy.; Kovács, Zs.; Cech, V.; Müller-Bodó, E.; Roskó, F.; Szentpétery, L.; Hudoba, Gy. (2002): 33rd LPSC, #1496. LPI, Houston; [7] Hudoba, Gy.; Kovács, Zs. I.; Pintér, A.; Földi, T.; Hegyi, S.; Tóth, Sz.; Roskó, F.; Bérczi, Sz. (2004): 35th LPSC, #1572. LPI, Houston; [8] Gimesi, L.; Béres, Cs. Z.; Bérczi, Sz.; Hegyi, S.; Cech, V. (2004): 35th LPSC, #1140; [9] Hegyi, S.; Drommer, B.; Hegyi, A.; Biró, T.; Kókány, A.; Hudoba, Gy.; Bérczi, Sz. (2006): 37th LPSC, #1136. LPI, Houston; [10] Bérczi, Sz.; Gál-Sólymos, K.; Gucsik, A.; Hargitai, H.; Józsa, S.; Szakmány, Gy.; Kubovics, I.; Puskás, Z. (2006): 37th LPSC, #1298. LPI, Houston;

Measuring patchy reionization with kSZ2-21 cm correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Q.; Helgason, K.; Komatsu, E.; Ciardi, B.; Ferrara, A.

2018-05-01

We study cross-correlations of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (kSZ) and 21 cm signals during the epoch of reionization (EoR) to measure the effects of patchy reionisation. Since the kSZ effect is proportional to the line-of-sight velocity, the kSZ-21 cm cross correlation suffers from cancellation at small angular scales. We thus focus on the correlation between the kSZ-squared field (kSZ2) and 21 cm signals. When the global ionization fraction is low (xe ≲ 0.7), the kSZ2 fluctuation is dominated by rare ionized bubbles, which leads to an anticorrelation with the 21 cm signal. When 0.8 ≲ xe < 1, the correlation is dominated by small pockets of neutral regions, leading to a positive correlation. However, at very high redshifts when xe < 0.15, the spin temperature fluctuations change the sign of the correlation from negative to positive, as weakly ionized regions can have strong 21 cm signals in this case. To extract this correlation, we find that Wiener filtering is effective in removing large signals from the primary cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy. The expected signal-to-noise ratios for a ˜10-h integration of upcoming Square Kilometre Array data cross-correlated with maps from the current generation of CMB observatories with 3.4μK arcmin noise and 1.7 arcmin beam over 100 deg2 are 51, 60, and 37 for xe = 0.2, 0.5, and 0.9, respectively.

Cumulative stress pathophysiology in schizophrenia as indexed by allostatic load.

PubMed

Nugent, Katie L; Chiappelli, Joshua; Rowland, Laura M; Hong, L Elliot

2015-10-01

The etiopathophysiology of schizophrenia has long been linked to stress and the influence of stress is important in all stages of the illness. Previous examinations of perceived stress and acute stress responses may not capture this longitudinal stress pathophysiology. We hypothesized that the cumulative negative effects of stress, indexed by allostatic load (AL), would be elevated in schizophrenia, and that the AL paradigm would be relevant to our understanding of pathophysiology in schizophrenia. We assessed allostatic load in 30 patients with schizophrenia (SZ; mean age = 33; 17 males) and 20 healthy controls (HC; mean age = 35; 12 males) using 13 cardiovascular, metabolic, neuroendocrine and immune biomarkers. Participants' perceived stress over the past month, functional capacity and psychiatric symptoms were also measured. Controlling for age, SZ had significantly higher AL as compared to HC (p = 0.007). Greater AL was present in both early course and chronic SZ, and was associated with reduced functional capacity (p = 0.006) and more psychotic symptoms (p = 0.048) in SZ. Current level of perceived stress was not significantly elevated in SZ or associated with AL in either group. The higher AL found in SZ may reflect increased bodily "wear and tear", possibly caused by more chronic stress exposure or maladaptive responses to stress over time, although additional research is required to differentiate these causes. The higher AL is similarly present in early and chronic SZ, suggesting primary maladaptive stress physiology rather than secondary effects from medications or chronic illness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discriminative analysis of schizophrenia using support vector machine and recursive feature elimination on structural MRI images.

PubMed

Lu, Xiaobing; Yang, Yongzhe; Wu, Fengchun; Gao, Minjian; Xu, Yong; Zhang, Yue; Yao, Yongcheng; Du, Xin; Li, Chengwei; Wu, Lei; Zhong, Xiaomei; Zhou, Yanling; Fan, Ni; Zheng, Yingjun; Xiong, Dongsheng; Peng, Hongjun; Escudero, Javier; Huang, Biao; Li, Xiaobo; Ning, Yuping; Wu, Kai

2016-07-01

Structural abnormalities in schizophrenia (SZ) patients have been well documented with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and region of interest (ROI) analyses. However, these analyses can only detect group-wise differences and thus, have a poor predictive value for individuals. In the present study, we applied a machine learning method that combined support vector machine (SVM) with recursive feature elimination (RFE) to discriminate SZ patients from normal controls (NCs) using their structural MRI data. We first employed both VBM and ROI analyses to compare gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter volume (WMV) between 41 SZ patients and 42 age- and sex-matched NCs. The method of SVM combined with RFE was used to discriminate SZ patients from NCs using significant between-group differences in both GMV and WMV as input features. We found that SZ patients showed GM and WM abnormalities in several brain structures primarily involved in the emotion, memory, and visual systems. An SVM with a RFE classifier using the significant structural abnormalities identified by the VBM analysis as input features achieved the best performance (an accuracy of 88.4%, a sensitivity of 91.9%, and a specificity of 84.4%) in the discriminative analyses of SZ patients. These results suggested that distinct neuroanatomical profiles associated with SZ patients might provide a potential biomarker for disease diagnosis, and machine-learning methods can reveal neurobiological mechanisms in psychiatric diseases.

Offsets between the X-ray and the Sunyaev-Zel'Dovich-effect peaks in merging galaxy clusters and their cosmological implications

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

Zhang, Congyao; Yu, Qingjuan; Lu, Youjun, E-mail: yuqj@pku.edu.cn

2014-12-01

Observations reveal that the peaks of the X-ray map and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect map of some galaxy clusters are offset from each other. In this paper, we perform a set of hydrodynamical simulations of mergers of two galaxy clusters to investigate the spatial offset between the maxima of the X-ray and the SZ surface brightness of the merging clusters. We find that significantly large SZ-X-ray offsets (>100 kpc) can be produced during the major mergers of galaxy clusters (with mass > 1 × 10{sup 14} M {sub ☉}). The significantly large offsets are mainly caused by a 'jump effect'more » that occurs between the primary and secondary pericentric passages of the two merging clusters, during which the X-ray peak may jump to the densest gas region located near the center of the small cluster, but the SZ peak remains near the center of the large one. Our simulations show that merging systems with higher masses and larger initial relative velocities may result in larger offset sizes and longer offset time durations; and only nearly head-on mergers are likely to produce significantly large offsets. We further investigate the statistical distribution of the SZ-X-ray offset sizes and find that (1) the number distribution of the offset sizes is bimodal with one peak located at low offsets ∼0 and the other at large offsets ∼350-450 h {sup –1} kpc, but the objects with intermediate offsets are scarce; and (2) the probabilities of the clusters in the mass range higher than 2 × 10{sup 14} h {sup –1} M {sub ☉} that have offsets larger than 20, 50, 200, 300, and 500 h {sup –1} kpc are 34.0%, 11.1%, 8.0%, 6.5%, and 2.0%, respectively, at z = 0.7. The probability is sensitive to the underlying pairwise velocity distribution and the merger rate of clusters. We suggest that the SZ-X-ray offsets provide a probe to the cosmic velocity fields on the cluster scale and the cluster merger rate, and future observations on the SZ-X-ray offsets for a large number of clusters may put strong constraints on them. Our simulation results suggest that the SZ-X-ray offset in the Bullet Cluster, together with the mass ratio of the two merging clusters, requires a relative velocity larger than 3000 km s{sup –1} at an initial separation 5 Mpc. The cosmic velocity distribution at the high-velocity end is expected to be crucial in determining whether there exists an incompatibility between the existence of the Bullet Cluster and the prediction of a ΛCDM model.« less

Massive Halos in Millennium Gas Simulations: Multivariate Scaling Relations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanek, R.; Rasia, E.; Evrard, A. E.; Pearce, F.; Gazzola, L.

2010-06-01

The joint likelihood of observable cluster signals reflects the astrophysical evolution of the coupled baryonic and dark matter components in massive halos, and its knowledge will enhance cosmological parameter constraints in the coming era of large, multiwavelength cluster surveys. We present a computational study of intrinsic covariance in cluster properties using halo populations derived from Millennium Gas Simulations (MGS). The MGS are re-simulations of the original 500 h -1 Mpc Millennium Simulation performed with gas dynamics under two different physical treatments: shock heating driven by gravity only (GO) and a second treatment with cooling and preheating (PH). We examine relationships among structural properties and observable X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signals for samples of thousands of halos with M 200 >= 5 × 1013 h -1 M sun and z < 2. While the X-ray scaling behavior of PH model halos at low redshift offers a good match to local clusters, the model exhibits non-standard features testable with larger surveys, including weakly running slopes in hot gas observable-mass relations and ~10% departures from self-similar redshift evolution for 1014 h -1 M sun halos at redshift z ~ 1. We find that the form of the joint likelihood of signal pairs is generally well described by a multivariate, log-normal distribution, especially in the PH case which exhibits less halo substructure than the GO model. At fixed mass and epoch, joint deviations of signal pairs display mainly positive correlations, especially the thermal SZ effect paired with either hot gas fraction (r = 0.88/0.69 for PH/GO at z = 0) or X-ray temperature (r = 0.62/0.83). The levels of variance in X-ray luminosity, temperature, and gas mass fraction are sensitive to the physical treatment, but offsetting shifts in the latter two measures maintain a fixed 12% scatter in the integrated SZ signal under both gas treatments. We discuss halo mass selection by signal pairs, and find a minimum mass scatter of 4% in the PH model by combining thermal SZ and gas fraction measurements.

Differential profiles in auditory social cognition deficits between adults with autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A preliminary analysis.

PubMed

Tobe, Russell H; Corcoran, Cheryl M; Breland, Melissa; MacKay-Brandt, Anna; Klim, Casimir; Colcombe, Stanley J; Leventhal, Bennett L; Javitt, Daniel C

2016-08-01

Impairment in social cognition, including emotion recognition, has been extensively studied in both Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Schizophrenia (SZ). However, the relative patterns of deficit between disorders have been studied to a lesser degree. Here, we applied a social cognition battery incorporating both auditory (AER) and visual (VER) emotion recognition measures to a group of 19 high-functioning individuals with ASD relative to 92 individuals with SZ, and 73 healthy control adult participants. We examined group differences and correlates of basic auditory processing and processing speed. Individuals with SZ were impaired in both AER and VER while ASD individuals were impaired in VER only. In contrast to SZ participants, those with ASD showed intact basic auditory function. Our finding of a dissociation between AER and VER deficits in ASD relative to Sz support modality-specific theories of emotion recognition dysfunction. Future studies should focus on visual system-specific contributions to social cognitive impairment in ASD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of local spin definitions.

PubMed

Herrmann, Carmen; Reiher, Markus; Hess, Bernd A

2005-01-15

This work provides a survey of the definition of electron spin as a local property and its dependence on several parameters in actual calculations. We analyze one-determinant wave functions constructed from Hartree-Fock and, in particular, from Kohn-Sham orbitals within the collinear approach to electron spin. The scalar total spin operators S2 and Sz are partitioned by projection operators, as introduced by Clark and Davidson, in order to obtain local spin operators SASB and SzA, respectively. To complement the work of Davidson and co-workers, we analyze some features of local spins which have not yet been discussed in sufficient depth. The dependence of local spin on the choice of basis set, density functional, and projector is studied. We also discuss the results of Sz partitioning and show that SzA values depend less on these parameters than SASB values. Furthermore, we demonstrate that for small organic test molecules, a partitioning of Sz with preorthogonalized Lowdin projectors yields nearly the same results as one obtains using atoms-in-molecules projectors. In addition, the physical significance of nonzero SASB values for closed-shell molecules is investigated. It is shown that due to this problem, SASB values are useful for calculations of relative spin values, but not for absolute local spins, where SzA values appear to be better suited.

Shocks and Cool Cores: An ALMA View of Massive Galaxy Cluster Formation at High Redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Kaustuv

2017-07-01

These slides present some recent results on the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect imaging of galaxy cluster substructures. The advantage of SZ imaging at high redshifts or in the low density cluster outskirts is already well-known. Now with ALMA a combination of superior angular resolution and high sensitivity is available. One example is the first ALMA measurement of a merger shock at z=0.9 in the famous El Gordo galaxy cluster. Here comparison between SZ, X-ray and radio data enabled us to put constraints on the shock Mach number and magnetic field strength for a high-z radio relic. Second example is the ALMA SZ imaging of the core region of z=1.4 galaxy cluster XMMU J2235.2-2557. Here ALMA data provide an accurate measurement of the thermal pressure near the cluster center, and from a joint SZ/X-ray analysis we find clear evidence for a reduced core temperature. This result indicate that a cool core establishes itself early enough in the cluster formation history while the gas accumulation is still continuing. The above two ALMA measurements are among several other recent SZ results that shed light on the formation process of massive clusters at high redshifts.

Neural signal during immediate reward anticipation in schizophrenia: Relationship to real-world motivation and function.

PubMed

Subramaniam, Karuna; Hooker, Christine I; Biagianti, Bruno; Fisher, Melissa; Nagarajan, Srikantan; Vinogradov, Sophia

2015-01-01

Amotivation in schizophrenia is a central predictor of poor functioning, and is thought to occur due to deficits in anticipating future rewards, suggesting that impairments in anticipating pleasure can contribute to functional disability in schizophrenia. In healthy comparison (HC) participants, reward anticipation is associated with activity in frontal-striatal networks. By contrast, schizophrenia (SZ) participants show hypoactivation within these frontal-striatal networks during this motivated anticipatory brain state. Here, we examined neural activation in SZ and HC participants during the anticipatory phase of stimuli that predicted immediate upcoming reward and punishment, and during the feedback/outcome phase, in relation to trait measures of hedonic pleasure and real-world functional capacity. SZ patients showed hypoactivation in ventral striatum during reward anticipation. Additionally, we found distinct differences between HC and SZ groups in their association between reward-related immediate anticipatory neural activity and their reported experience of pleasure. HC participants recruited reward-related regions in striatum that significantly correlated with subjective consummatory pleasure, while SZ patients revealed activation in attention-related regions, such as the IPL, which correlated with consummatory pleasure and functional capacity. These findings may suggest that SZ patients activate compensatory attention processes during anticipation of immediate upcoming rewards, which likely contribute to their functional capacity in daily life.

Neural signal during immediate reward anticipation in schizophrenia: Relationship to real-world motivation and function

PubMed Central

Subramaniam, Karuna; Hooker, Christine I.; Biagianti, Bruno; Fisher, Melissa; Nagarajan, Srikantan; Vinogradov, Sophia

2015-01-01

Amotivation in schizophrenia is a central predictor of poor functioning, and is thought to occur due to deficits in anticipating future rewards, suggesting that impairments in anticipating pleasure can contribute to functional disability in schizophrenia. In healthy comparison (HC) participants, reward anticipation is associated with activity in frontal–striatal networks. By contrast, schizophrenia (SZ) participants show hypoactivation within these frontal–striatal networks during this motivated anticipatory brain state. Here, we examined neural activation in SZ and HC participants during the anticipatory phase of stimuli that predicted immediate upcoming reward and punishment, and during the feedback/outcome phase, in relation to trait measures of hedonic pleasure and real-world functional capacity. SZ patients showed hypoactivation in ventral striatum during reward anticipation. Additionally, we found distinct differences between HC and SZ groups in their association between reward-related immediate anticipatory neural activity and their reported experience of pleasure. HC participants recruited reward-related regions in striatum that significantly correlated with subjective consummatory pleasure, while SZ patients revealed activation in attention-related regions, such as the IPL, which correlated with consummatory pleasure and functional capacity. These findings may suggest that SZ patients activate compensatory attention processes during anticipation of immediate upcoming rewards, which likely contribute to their functional capacity in daily life. PMID:26413478

Mitochondria, oligodendrocytes and inflammation in bipolar disorder: evidence from transcriptome studies points to intriguing parallels with multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Konradi, Christine; Sillivan, Stephanie E.; Clay, Hayley B.

2011-01-01

Gene expression studies of bipolar disorder (BPD) have shown changes in transcriptome profiles in multiple brain regions. Here we summarize the most consistent findings in the scientific literature, and compare them to data from schizophrenia (SZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD). The transcriptome profiles of all three disorders overlap, making the existence of a BPD-specific profile unlikely. Three groups of functionally related genes are consistently expressed at altered levels in BPD, SZ and MDD. Genes involved in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function are downregulated, genes involved in immune response and inflammation are upregulated, and genes expressed in oligodendrocytes are downregulated. Experimental paradigms for multiple sclerosis demonstrate a tight link between energy metabolism, inflammation and demyelination. These studies also show variabilities in the extent of oligodendrocyte stress, which can vary from a downregulation of oligodendrocyte genes, such as observed in psychiatric disorders, to cell death and brain lesions seen in multiple sclerosis. We conclude that experimental models of multiple sclerosis could be of interest for the research of BPD, SZ and MDD. PMID:21310238

Neural correlates of impaired cognitive control over working memory in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Eich, Teal S; Nee, Derek Evan; Insel, Catherine; Malapani, Chara; Smith, Edward E

2014-07-15

One of the most common deficits in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) is in working memory (WM), which has wide-reaching impacts across cognition. However, previous approaches to studying WM in SZ have used tasks that require multiple cognitive-control processes, making it difficult to determine which specific cognitive and neural processes underlie the WM impairment. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate component processes of WM in SZ. Eighteen healthy controls (HCs) and 18 patients with SZ performed an item-recognition task that permitted separate neural assessments of 1) WM maintenance, 2) inhibition, and 3) interference control in response to recognition probes. Before inhibitory demands, posterior ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), an area involved in WM maintenance, was activated to a similar degree in both HCs and patients, indicating preserved maintenance operations in SZ. When cued to inhibit items from WM, HCs showed reduced activation in posterior VLPFC, commensurate with appropriately inhibiting items from WM. However, these inhibition-related reductions were absent in patients. When later probed with items that should have been inhibited, patients showed reduced behavioral performance and increased activation in mid-VLPFC, an area implicated in interference control. A mediation analysis indicated that impaired inhibition led to increased reliance on interference control and reduced behavioral performance. In SZ, impaired control over memory, manifested through proactive inhibitory deficits, leads to increased reliance on reactive interference-control processes. The strain on interference-control processes results in reduced behavioral performance. Thus, inhibitory deficits in SZ may underlie widespread impairments in WM and cognition. © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Society of Biological Psychiatry All rights reserved.

Anhedonia reflects impairment in making relative value judgments between positive and neutral stimuli in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Strauss, Gregory P; Visser, Katherine Frost; Keller, William R; Gold, James M; Buchanan, Robert W

2018-02-27

Anhedonia (i.e., diminished capacity to experience pleasure) has traditionally been viewed as a core symptom of schizophrenia (SZ). However, modern laboratory-based studies suggest that this definition may be incorrect, as hedonic capacity may be intact. Alternative conceptualizations have proposed that anhedonia may reflect an impairment in generating mental representations of affective value that are needed to guide decision-making and initiate motivated behavior. The current study evaluated this hypothesis in 42 outpatients with SZ and 19 healthy controls (CN) who completed two tasks: (a) an emotional experience task that required them to indicate how positive, negative, and calm/excited they felt in response to a single emotional or neutral photograph; (b) a relative value judgment task where they selected which of 2 photographs they preferred. Results indicated that SZ and CN reported similar levels of positive emotion and arousal in response to emotional and neutral stimuli; however, SZ reported higher negative affect for neutral and pleasant stimuli than CN. In the relative value judgment task, CN displayed clear preference for stimuli differing in valence; however, SZ showed less distinct preferences for positive over neutral stimuli. Findings suggest that although in-the-moment experiences of positive emotion to singular stimuli may be intact in SZ, the ability to make relative value judgments that are needed to guide decision-making is impaired. Original conceptualizations of anhedonia as a diminished capacity for pleasure in SZ may be inaccurate; anhedonia may more accurately reflect a deficit in relative value judgment that results from impaired value representation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of changes in oxygenated hemoglobin during the tree-drawing task between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

PubMed

Nakano, Shinya; Shoji, Yoshihisa; Morita, Kiichiro; Igimi, Hiroyasu; Sato, Mamoru; Ishii, Youhei; Kondo, Akihiko; Uchimura, Naohisa

2018-01-01

Tree-drawing test is used as a projective psychological test that expresses the abnormal internal experience in patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Despite the widely accepted view that the cognitive function is involved in characteristic tree-drawing in patients with SZ, no study has psychophysiologically examined it. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of cognitive function during tree-drawing in patients with SZ. For that purpose, we evaluated the brain function in patients with SZ during a tree-drawing task by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and compared them with those in healthy controls. The subjects were 28 healthy controls and 28 patients with SZ. Changes in the oxygenated hemoglobin ([oxy-Hb]) concentration in both the groups during the task of drawing a tree imagined freely (free-drawing task) and the task of copying an illustration of a tree (copying task) were measured by using NIRS. Because of the difference between the task conditions, [oxy-Hb] levels in controls during the free-drawing task were higher than that during the copying task at the bilateral frontal pole regions and left inferior frontal region. Because of the difference between the groups, [oxy-Hb] levels at the left middle frontal region, bilateral inferior frontal regions, bilateral inferior parietal regions, and left superior temporal region during the free-drawing task in patients were lower than that in controls. [oxy-Hb] during the tree-drawing task in patients with SZ was lower than that in healthy controls. Our results suggest that brain dysfunction in patients with SZ might be associated with their tree-drawing.

A matched filter approach for blind joint detection of galaxy clusters in X-ray and SZ surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarrío, P.; Melin, J.-B.; Arnaud, M.

2018-06-01

The combination of X-ray and Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) observations can potentially improve the cluster detection efficiency, when compared to using only one of these probes, since both probe the same medium, the hot ionized gas of the intra-cluster medium. We present a method based on matched multifrequency filters (MMF) for detecting galaxy clusters from SZ and X-ray surveys. This method builds on a previously proposed joint X-ray-SZ extraction method and allows the blind detection of clusters, that is finding new clusters without knowing their position, size, or redshift, by searching on SZ and X-ray maps simultaneously. The proposed method is tested using data from the ROSAT all-sky survey and from the Planck survey. The evaluation is done by comparison with existing cluster catalogues in the area of the sky covered by the deep SPT survey. Thanks to the addition of the X-ray information, the joint detection method is able to achieve simultaneously better purity, better detection efficiency, and better position accuracy than its predecessor Planck MMF, which is based on SZ maps alone. For a purity of 85%, the X-ray-SZ method detects 141 confirmed clusters in the SPT region; to detect the same number of confirmed clusters with Planck MMF, we would need to decrease its purity to 70%. We provide a catalogue of 225 sources selected by the proposed method in the SPT footprint, with masses ranging between 0.7 and 14.5 ×1014 M⊙ and redshifts between 0.01 and 1.2.

Schizophrenia and Human Self-Domestication: An Evolutionary Linguistics Approach.

PubMed

Benítez-Burraco, Antonio; Di Pietro, Lorena; Barba, Marta; Lattanzi, Wanda

2017-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that entails social and cognitive deficits, including marked language problems. Its complex multifactorial etiopathogenesis, including genetic and environmental factors, is still widely uncertain. SZ incidence has always been high and quite stable in human populations, across time and regardless of cultural implications, for unclear reasons. It has been hypothesized that SZ pathophysiology may involve the biological components that changed during the recent human evolutionary history, and led to our distinctive mode of cognition, which includes language skills. In this paper we explore this hypothesis, focusing on the self-domestication of the human species. This has been claimed to account for many human-specific distinctive traits, including aspects of our behavior and cognition, and to favor the emergence of complex languages through cultural evolution. The "domestication syndrome" in mammals comprises the constellation of traits exhibited by domesticated strains, seemingly resulting from the hypofunction of the neural crest. It is our intention to show that people with SZ exhibit more marked domesticated traits at the morphological, physiological, and behavioral levels. We also show that genes involved in domestication and neural crest development and function comprise nearly 20% of SZ candidates, most of which exhibit altered expression profiles in the brain of SZ patients, specifically in areas involved in language processing. Based on these observations, we conclude that SZ may represent an abnormal ontogenetic itinerary for the human faculty of language, resulting, at least in part, from changes in genes important for the domestication syndrome and primarily involving the neural crest. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Local functional connectivity alterations in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Wei, Yange; Chang, Miao; Womer, Fay Y; Zhou, Qian; Yin, Zhiyang; Wei, Shengnan; Zhou, Yifang; Jiang, Xiaowei; Yao, Xudong; Duan, Jia; Xu, Ke; Zuo, Xi-Nian; Tang, Yanqing; Wang, Fei

2018-08-15

Local functional connectivity (FC) indicates local or short-distance functional interactions and may serve as a neuroimaging marker to investigate the human brain connectome. Local FC alterations suggest a disrupted balance in the local functionality of the whole brain network and are increasingly implicated in schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). We aim to examine the similarities and differences in the local FC across SZ, BD, and MDD. In total, 537 participants (SZ, 126; BD, 97; MDD, 126; and healthy controls, 188) completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging at a single site. The local FC at resting state was calculated and compared across SZ, BD, and MDD. The local FC increased across SZ, BD, and MDD within the bilateral orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and additional region in the left OFC extending to putamen and decreased in the primary visual, auditory, and motor cortices, right supplemental motor area, and bilateral thalami. There was a gradient in the extent of alterations such that SZ > BD > MDD. This cross-sectional study cannot consider medications and other clinical variables. These findings indicate a disrupted balance between network integration and segregation in SZ, BD, and MDD, including over-integration via increased local FC in the OFC and diminished segregation of neural processing with the weakening of the local FC in the primary sensory cortices and thalamus. The shared local FC abnormalities across SZ, BD, and MDD may shed new light on the potential biological mechanisms underlying these disorders. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Course of Clients With Co-occurring Schizophrenia-Spectrum and Substance Use Disorders in Urban Mental Health Centers: A 7-Year Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Drake, Robert E.; Luciano, Alison E.; Mueser, Kim T.; Covell, Nancy H.; Essock, Susan M.; Xie, Haiyi; McHugo, Gregory J.

2016-01-01

Objective. A previous longitudinal study in rural New Hampshire showed that community mental health center clients with co-occurring schizophrenia-spectrum and substance use disorders (SZ/SUD) improved steadily and substantially over 10 years. The current study examined 7 years of prospective clinical and functional outcomes among inner-city Connecticut (CT) community mental health center clients with SZ/SUD. Method. Participants were 150 adults with SZ/SUD, selected for high service needs, in 2 inner-city mental health centers in CT. Initially, all received integrated mental health and substance abuse treatments for at least the first 3 years as part of a clinical trial. Assessments at baseline and yearly over 7 years measured progress toward 6 target clinical and functional outcomes: absence of psychiatric symptoms, remission of substance abuse, independent housing, competitive employment, social contact with non-users of substances, and life satisfaction. Results. The CT SZ/SUD participants improved significantly on 5 of the 6 main outcomes: absence of psychiatric symptoms (45%–70%), remission of substance use disorders (8%–61%), independent housing (33%–47%), competitive employment (14%–28%), and life satisfaction (35%–53%). Only social contact with nonusers of substances was unimproved (14%–17%). Conclusions. Many urban community mental health center clients with SZ/SUD and access to integrated treatment improve significantly on clinical, vocational, residential, and life satisfaction outcomes over time, similar to clients with SZ/SUD in rural areas. Thus, the long-term course for people with SZ/SUD is variable but often quite positive. PMID:26294706

Abnormal auditory pattern perception in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Haigh, Sarah M; Coffman, Brian A; Murphy, Timothy K; Butera, Christiana D; Salisbury, Dean F

2016-10-01

Mismatch negativity (MMN) in response to deviation from physical sound parameters (e.g., pitch, duration) is reduced in individuals with long-term schizophrenia (Sz), suggesting deficits in deviance detection. However, MMN can appear at several time intervals as part of deviance detection. Understanding which part of the processing stream is abnormal in Sz is crucial for understanding MMN pathophysiology. We measured MMN to complex pattern deviants, which have been shown to produce multiple MMNs in healthy controls (HC). Both simple and complex MMNs were recorded from 27 Sz and 27 matched HC. For simple MMN, pitch- and duration-deviants were presented among frequent standard tones. For complex MMN, patterns of five single tones were repeatedly presented, with the occasional deviant group of tones containing an extra sixth tone. Sz showed smaller pitch MMN (p=0.009, ~110ms) and duration MMN (p=0.030, ~170ms) than healthy controls. For complex MMN, there were two deviance-related negativities. The first (~150ms) was not significantly different between HC and SZ. The second was significantly reduced in Sz (p=0.011, ~400ms). The topography of the late complex MMN was consistent with generators in anterior temporal cortex. Worse late MMN in Sz was associated with increased emotional withdrawal, poor attention, lack of spontaneity/conversation, and increased preoccupation. Late MMN blunting in schizophrenia suggests a deficit in later stages of deviance processing. Correlations with negative symptoms measures are preliminary, but suggest that abnormal complex auditory perceptual processes may compound higher-order cognitive and social deficits in the disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of a kynurenic acid analog on home-cage activity and body temperature in rats.

PubMed

Kassai, Ferenc; Kedves, Rita; Gyertyán, István; Tuka, Bernadett; Fülöp, Ferenc; Toldi, József; Lendvai, Balázs; Vécsei, László

2015-12-01

N-(2-N,N-Dimethylaminoethyl)-4-oxo-1H-quinoline-2-carboxamide hydrochloride (SzR-72) is a kynurenic acid (KYNA) amide analog that displays neuroprotective action. Whereas its brain penetration ability and its solubility limit the therapeutic use of KYNA: the corresponding properties of the analog exceed those of the parent compound. Although SzR-72 has been extensively studied, its exact mechanism of action has not yet been fully clarified. As KYNA induces hypothermia in laboratory rodents, it may be hypothesized that SzR-72 may have a similar effect. This would be of major importance, since the hypothermia generated by external cooling is neuroprotective, thus a putative hypothermic effect of SzR-72 could contribute to its neuroprotective action. The effects of SzR-72 on the body temperature and home-cage activity of rats were studied by using a telemetry system. In order to follow the longitudinal changes in the effects of the compound, subchronic drug administration was applied. The initial administration of the compound induced substantial hypothermia and reduced the home-cage activity. During the 5 days of SzR-72 administration, partial tolerance developed to the hypothermic effect, while the inhibition of home-cage activity detected after the acute administration was completely tolerated. On the basis of these results, it cannot be excluded that the hypothermic effect of SzR-72 contributes to its neuroprotective action. Copyright © 2015 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Practice and Learning: Spatiotemporal Differences in Thalamo-Cortical-Cerebellar Networks Engagement across Learning Phases in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Korostil, Michele; Remington, Gary; McIntosh, Anthony Randal

2016-01-01

Understanding how practice mediates the transition of brain-behavior networks between early and later stages of learning is constrained by the common approach to analysis of fMRI data. Prior imaging studies have mostly relied on a single scan, and parametric, task-related analyses. Our experiment incorporates a multisession fMRI lexicon-learning experiment with multivariate, whole-brain analysis to further knowledge of the distributed networks supporting practice-related learning in schizophrenia (SZ). Participants with SZ were compared with healthy control (HC) participants as they learned a novel lexicon during two fMRI scans over a several day period. All participants were trained to equal task proficiency prior to scanning. Behavioral-Partial Least Squares, a multivariate analytic approach, was used to analyze the imaging data. Permutation testing was used to determine statistical significance and bootstrap resampling to determine the reliability of the findings. With practice, HC participants transitioned to a brain-accuracy network incorporating dorsostriatal regions in late-learning stages. The SZ participants did not transition to this pattern despite comparable behavioral results. Instead, successful learners with SZ were differentiated primarily on the basis of greater engagement of perceptual and perceptual-integration brain regions. There is a different spatiotemporal unfolding of brain-learning relationships in SZ. In SZ, given the same amount of practice, the movement from networks suggestive of effortful learning toward subcortically driven procedural one differs from HC participants. Learning performance in SZ is driven by varying levels of engagement in perceptual regions, which suggests perception itself is impaired and may impact downstream, "higher level" cognition.

Cluster mislocation in kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calafut, Victoria; Bean, Rachel; Yu, Byeonghee

2017-12-01

We investigate the impact of a variety of analysis assumptions that influence cluster identification and location on the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) pairwise momentum signal and covariance estimation. Photometric and spectroscopic galaxy tracers from SDSS, WISE, and DECaLs, spanning redshifts 0.05

Genetic association studies of glutamate, GABA and related genes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a decade of advance.

PubMed

Cherlyn, Suat Ying Tan; Woon, Puay San; Liu, Jian Jun; Ong, Wei Yi; Tsai, Guo Chuan; Sim, Kang

2010-05-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) are debilitating neurobehavioural disorders likely influenced by genetic and non-genetic factors and which can be seen as complex disorders of synaptic neurotransmission. The glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission systems have been implicated in both diseases and we have reviewed extensive literature over a decade for evidence to support the association of glutamate and GABA genes in SZ and BD. Candidate-gene based population and family association studies have implicated some ionotrophic glutamate receptor genes (GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B and GRIK3), metabotropic glutamate receptor genes (such as GRM3), the G72/G30 locus and GABAergic genes (e.g. GAD1 and GABRB2) in both illnesses to varying degrees, but further replication studies are needed to validate these results. There is at present no consensus on specific single nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes associated with the particular candidate gene loci in these illnesses. The genetic architecture of glutamate systems in bipolar disorder need to be better studied in view of recent data suggesting an overlap in the genetic aetiology of SZ and BD. There is a pressing need to integrate research platforms in genomics, epistatic models, proteomics, metabolomics, neuroimaging technology and translational studies in order to allow a more integrated understanding of glutamate and GABAergic signalling processes and aberrations in SZ and BD as well as their relationships with clinical presentations and treatment progress over time. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional MRI of facial emotion processing in left temporal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Szaflarski, Jerzy P; Allendorfer, Jane B; Heyse, Heidi; Mendoza, Lucy; Szaflarski, Basia A; Cohen, Nancy

2014-03-01

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) may negatively affect the ability to recognize emotions. This study aimed to determine the cortical correlates of facial emotion processing (happy, sad, fearful, and neutral) in patients with well-characterized left TLE (LTLE) and to examine the effect of seizure control on emotion processing. We enrolled 34 consecutive patients with LTLE and 30 matched healthy control (HC) subjects. Participants underwent functional MRI (fMRI) with an event-related facial emotion recognition task. The seizures of seventeen patients were controlled (no seizure in at least 3months; LTLE-sz), and 17 continued to experience frequent seizures (LTLE+sz). Mood was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). There were no differences in demographic characteristics and measures of mood between HC subjects and patients with LTLE. In patients with LTLE, fMRI showed decreased blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal in the hippocampus/parahippocampus and cerebellum in processing of happy faces and increased BOLD signal in occipital regions in response to fearful faces. Comparison of groups with LTLE+sz and LTLE-sz showed worse BDI and POMS scores in LTLE+sz (all p<0.05) except for POMS tension/anxiety (p=0.067). Functional MRI revealed increased BOLD signal in patients with LTLE+sz in the left precuneus and left parahippocampus for "fearful" faces and in the left periarcheocortex for "neutral" faces. There was a correlation between the fMRI and Total Mood Disturbance in the left precuneus in LTLE-sz (p=0.019) and in LTLE+sz (p=0.018). Overall, LTLE appears to have a relatively minor effect on the cortical underpinnings of facial emotion processing, while the effect of seizure state (controlled vs. not controlled) is more pronounced, indicating a significant relationship between seizure control and emotion processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect with Planck and BOSS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yi-Chao; Ma, Yin-Zhe; Remazeilles, Mathieu; Moodley, Kavilan

2018-01-01

We present a new measurement of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (kSZ) using Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) and Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) data. Using the "LowZ North/South" galaxy catalogue from BOSS DR12, and the group catalogue from BOSS DR13, we evaluate the mean pairwise kSZ temperature associated with BOSS galaxies. We construct a "Central Galaxies Catalogue" (CGC) which consists of isolated galaxies from the original BOSS data set, and apply the aperture photometry (AP) filter to suppress the primary CMB contribution. By constructing a halo model to fit the pairwise kSZ function, we constrain the mean optical depth to be τ ¯=(0.53 ±0.32 )×10-4(1.65 σ ) for LowZ North CGC, τ ¯ =(0.30 ±0.57 )×10-4(0.53 σ ) for LowZ South CGC, and τ ¯ =(0.43 ±0.28 )×10-4(1.53 σ ) for DR13 Group. In addition, we vary the radius of the AP filter and find that the AP size of 7 arcmin gives the maximum detection for τ ¯. We also investigate the dependence of the signal with halo mass and find τ ¯ =(0.32 ±0.36 )×10-4(0.8 σ ) and τ ¯ =(0.67 ±0.46 )×10-4(1.4 σ ) for DR13 Group with halo mass restricted to, respectively, less and greater than its median halo mass, 1 012 h-1M⊙ . For the LowZ North CGC sample restricted to Mh≳1014 h-1M⊙ there is no detection of the kSZ signal because these high mass halos are associated with the high-redshift galaxies of the LowZ North catalogue, which have limited contribution to the pairwise kSZ signals.

Final Results from the BIMA CMB Anisotropy Survey and Search for Signature of the SZ Effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, K. S.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Joy, M.; LaRoque, S. J.

2006-01-01

We report the final results of our study of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) with the BIMA array. Over 1000 hours of observation were dedicated to this project exploring CMB anisotropy on scales between 1' and 2' in eighteen 6'.6 FWHM fields. In the analysis of the CMB power spectrum, the visibility data is divided into two bins corresponding to different angular scales. Modeling the observed excess power as a flat band of average multipole l(sub eff)= 5237, we find deltaT(sup 2)(sub 1) = 220(sup +140)(sub -120) mu K(sup 2) at 68% confidence and deltaT(sup 2)(sub 1) greater than 0 muK(sup 2) with 94.7% confidence. In a second band with average multipole of l(sub eff) = 8748, we find deltaT(sup 2)(sub 2) consistent with zero, and an upper limit 880 muK(sup 2) at 95% confidence. An extensive series of tests and supplemental observations with the VLA provide strong evidence against systematic errors or radio point sources being the source of the observed excess power. The dominant source of anisotropy on these scales is expected to arise from the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect in a population of distant galaxy clusters. If the excess power is due to the SZ effect, we can place constraints on the normalization of the matter power spectrum sigma(sub 8) = 1.03(sup +0.20)(sub -0.29) at 68% confidence. The distribution of pixel fluxes in the BIMA images are found to be consistent with simulated observations of the expected SZ background and rule out instrumental noise or radio sources as the source of the observed excess power with similar confidence to the detection of excess power. Follow-up optical observations to search for galaxy over-densities anti-correlated with flux in the BIMA images, as might be expected from the SZ effect, proved to be inconclusive.

Testing a generalized cubic Galileon gravity model with the Coma Cluster

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

Terukina, Ayumu; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Okabe, Nobuhiro

2015-10-01

We obtain a constraint on the parameters of a generalized cubic Galileon gravity model exhibiting the Vainshtein mechanism by using multi-wavelength observations of the Coma Cluster. The generalized cubic Galileon model is characterized by three parameters of the turning scale associated with the Vainshtein mechanism, and the amplitude of modifying a gravitational potential and a lensing potential. X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) observations of the intra-cluster medium are sensitive to the gravitational potential, while the weak-lensing (WL) measurement is specified by the lensing potential. A joint fit of a complementary multi-wavelength dataset of X-ray, SZ and WL measurements enables us tomore » simultaneously constrain these three parameters of the generalized cubic Galileon model for the first time. We also find a degeneracy between the cluster mass parameters and the gravitational modification parameters, which is influential in the limit of the weak screening of the fifth force.« less

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Likelihood for Small-Scale CMB Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunkley, J.; Calabrese, E.; Sievers, J.; Addison, G. E.; Battaglia, N.; Battistelli, E. S.; Bond, J. R.; Das, S.; Devlin, M. J.; Dunner, R.;

Measuring AGN & Starburst Wind Properties with ALMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacy, Mark; Chatterjee, Suchetana; Nyland, Kristina; Kimball, Amy; Mason, Brian; Rocha, Graca

2018-01-01

The Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect is one of the few ways to constrain the energetically-dominant hot component of winds from AGN and starbursts. Studies of stacked data from Planck and ground-based mm/submm single dish telescopes have found significant detections of SZ from quasars, but contamination from other phenomena are hard to rule out given the large beams of single dishes. Direct detection of these winds is just feasible with observations with current facilities (VLA and ALMA), but with ngVLA we should be able to go beyond detections, and start to map the SZ effect around these objects. In this poster I will present predictions for the detectability of SZ decrements from AGN and hyperluminous starbursts using ngVLA parameters.

Reconstruction of the two-dimensional gravitational potential of galaxy clusters from X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchernin, C.; Bartelmann, M.; Huber, K.; Dekel, A.; Hurier, G.; Majer, C. L.; Meyer, S.; Zinger, E.; Eckert, D.; Meneghetti, M.; Merten, J.

2018-06-01

Context. The mass of galaxy clusters is not a direct observable, nonetheless it is commonly used to probe cosmological models. Based on the combination of all main cluster observables, that is, the X-ray emission, the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signal, the velocity dispersion of the cluster galaxies, and gravitational lensing, the gravitational potential of galaxy clusters can be jointly reconstructed. Aims: We derive the two main ingredients required for this joint reconstruction: the potentials individually reconstructed from the observables and their covariance matrices, which act as a weight in the joint reconstruction. We show here the method to derive these quantities. The result of the joint reconstruction applied to a real cluster will be discussed in a forthcoming paper. Methods: We apply the Richardson-Lucy deprojection algorithm to data on a two-dimensional (2D) grid. We first test the 2D deprojection algorithm on a β-profile. Assuming hydrostatic equilibrium, we further reconstruct the gravitational potential of a simulated galaxy cluster based on synthetic SZ and X-ray data. We then reconstruct the projected gravitational potential of the massive and dynamically active cluster Abell 2142, based on the X-ray observations collected with XMM-Newton and the SZ observations from the Planck satellite. Finally, we compute the covariance matrix of the projected reconstructed potential of the cluster Abell 2142 based on the X-ray measurements collected with XMM-Newton. Results: The gravitational potentials of the simulated cluster recovered from synthetic X-ray and SZ data are consistent, even though the potential reconstructed from X-rays shows larger deviations from the true potential. Regarding Abell 2142, the projected gravitational cluster potentials recovered from SZ and X-ray data reproduce well the projected potential inferred from gravitational-lensing observations. We also observe that the covariance matrix of the potential for Abell 2142 reconstructed from XMM-Newton data sensitively depends on the resolution of the deprojected grid and on the smoothing scale used in the deprojection. Conclusions: We show that the Richardson-Lucy deprojection method can be effectively applied on a grid and that the projected potential is well recovered from real and simulated data based on X-ray and SZ signal. The comparison between the reconstructed potentials from the different observables provides additional information on the validity of the assumptions as function of the projected radius.

Can the possibility of transverse iliosacral screw fixation for first sacral segment be predicted preoperatively? Results of a computational cadaveric study.

PubMed

Jeong, Jin-Hoon; Jin, Jin Woo; Kang, Byoung Youl; Jung, Gu-Hee

2017-10-01

The purpose of this study was to predict the possibility of transverse iliosacral (TIS) screw fixation into the first sacral segment (S 1 ) and introduce practical anatomical variables using conventional computed tomography (CT) scans. A total of 82 cadaveric sacra (42 males and 40 females) were used for continuous 1.0-mm slice CT scans, which were imported into Mimics ® software to produce a three-dimensional pelvis model. The anterior height (BH) and superior width (BW) of the elevated sacral segment was measured, followed by verification of the safe zone (SZ S1 and SZ S2 ) in a true lateral view. Their vertical (VD S1 and VD S2 ) and horizontal (HD S1 and HD S2 ) distances were measured. VD S1 less than 7mm was classified as impossible sacrum, since the transverse fixation of 7.0 mm-sized IS screw could not be done safely. Fourteen models (16.7%; six females, eight males) were assigned as the impossible sacrum. There was no statistical significance regarding gender (p=0.626) and height (p=0.419). The average values were as follows: BW, 31.4mm (SD 2.9); BH, 16.7mm (SD 6.8); VD S1 , 13.4mm (SD 6.1); HD S1 , 22.5mm (SD 4.5); SZ S1 , 239.5mm 2 (SD 137.1); VD S2 , 15.5mm (SD 3.0); HD S2 , 18.3mm (SD 2.9); and SZ S2 , 221.1mm 2 (SD 68.5). Logistic regression analysis identified BH (p=0.001) and HD S1 (p=0.02) as the only statistically significant variables to predict the possibility. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis established a cut-off value for BH and HD S1 of impossible sacrum of 20.6mm and 18.6mm, respectively. BH and HD S1 could be used to predict the possibility of TIS screw fixation. If the BH exceeds 20.6mm or HD S1 is less than 18.6mm, TIS screw fixation for S 1 should not be undertaken because of narrowed SZ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional and Neuroanatomical Specificity of Episodic Memory Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: An fMRI study of the Relational and Item-Specific Encoding Task

PubMed Central

Ragland, J. Daniel; Ranganath, Charan; Harms, Michael P.; Barch, Deanna M.; Gold, James M.; Layher, Evan; Lesh, Tyler A.; MacDonald, Angus W.; Niendam, Tara A.; Phillips, Joshua; Silverstein, Steven M.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.; Carter, Cameron S.

2015-01-01

Importance Individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) can encode item-specific information to support familiarity-based recognition, but are disproportionately impaired encoding inter-item relationships (relational encoding) and recollecting information. The Relational and Item-Specific Encoding (RiSE) paradigm has been used to disentangle these encoding and retrieval processes, which may be dependent on specific medial temporal lobe (MTL) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) subregions. Functional imaging during RiSE task performance could help to specify dysfunctional neural circuits in SZ that can be targeted for interventions to improve memory and functioning in the illness. Objectives To use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test the hypothesis that SZ disproportionately affects MTL and PFC subregions during relational encoding and retrieval, relative to item-specific memory processes. Imaging results from healthy comparison subjects (HC) will also be used to establish neural construct validity for RiSE. Design, Setting, and Participants This multi-site, case-control, cross-sectional fMRI study was conducted at five CNTRACS sites. The final sample included 52 clinically stable outpatients with SZ, and 57 demographically matched HC. Main Outcomes and Measures Behavioral performance speed and accuracy (d’) on item recognition and associative recognition tasks. Voxelwise statistical parametric maps for a priori MTL and PFC regions of interest (ROI), testing activation differences between relational and item-specific memory during encoding and retrieval. Results Item recognition was disproportionately impaired in SZ patients relative to controls following relational encoding. The differential deficit was accompanied by reduced dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activation during relational encoding in SZ, relative to HC. Retrieval success (hits > misses) was associated with hippocampal (HI) activation in HC during relational item recognition and associative recognition conditions, and HI activation was specifically reduced in SZ for recognition of relational but not item-specific information. Conclusions In this unique, multi-site fMRI study, HC results supported RiSE construct validity by revealing expected memory effects in PFC and MTL subregions during encoding and retrieval. Comparison of SZ and HC revealed disproportionate memory deficits in SZ for relational versus item-specific information, accompanied by regionally and functionally specific deficits in DLPFC and HI activation. PMID:26200928

Comparison of changes in oxygenated hemoglobin during the tree-drawing task between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls

PubMed Central

Nakano, Shinya; Shoji, Yoshihisa; Morita, Kiichiro; Igimi, Hiroyasu; Sato, Mamoru; Ishii, Youhei; Kondo, Akihiko; Uchimura, Naohisa

2018-01-01

Background Tree-drawing test is used as a projective psychological test that expresses the abnormal internal experience in patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Despite the widely accepted view that the cognitive function is involved in characteristic tree-drawing in patients with SZ, no study has psychophysiologically examined it. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of cognitive function during tree-drawing in patients with SZ. For that purpose, we evaluated the brain function in patients with SZ during a tree-drawing task by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and compared them with those in healthy controls. Patients and methods The subjects were 28 healthy controls and 28 patients with SZ. Changes in the oxygenated hemoglobin ([oxy-Hb]) concentration in both the groups during the task of drawing a tree imagined freely (free-drawing task) and the task of copying an illustration of a tree (copying task) were measured by using NIRS. Results Because of the difference between the task conditions, [oxy-Hb] levels in controls during the free-drawing task were higher than that during the copying task at the bilateral frontal pole regions and left inferior frontal region. Because of the difference between the groups, [oxy-Hb] levels at the left middle frontal region, bilateral inferior frontal regions, bilateral inferior parietal regions, and left superior temporal region during the free-drawing task in patients were lower than that in controls. Conclusion [oxy-Hb] during the tree-drawing task in patients with SZ was lower than that in healthy controls. Our results suggest that brain dysfunction in patients with SZ might be associated with their tree-drawing. PMID:29719398

New data and an old puzzle: the negative association between schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Lee, S Hong; Byrne, Enda M; Hultman, Christina M; Kähler, Anna; Vinkhuyzen, Anna A E; Ripke, Stephan; Andreassen, Ole A; Frisell, Thomas; Gusev, Alexander; Hu, Xinli; Karlsson, Robert; Mantzioris, Vasilis X; McGrath, John J; Mehta, Divya; Stahl, Eli A; Zhao, Qiongyi; Kendler, Kenneth S; Sullivan, Patrick F; Price, Alkes L; O'Donovan, Michael; Okada, Yukinori; Mowry, Bryan J; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Wray, Naomi R; Byerley, William; Cahn, Wiepke; Cantor, Rita M; Cichon, Sven; Cormican, Paul; Curtis, David; Djurovic, Srdjan; Escott-Price, Valentina; Gejman, Pablo V; Georgieva, Lyudmila; Giegling, Ina; Hansen, Thomas F; Ingason, Andrés; Kim, Yunjung; Konte, Bettina; Lee, Phil H; McIntosh, Andrew; McQuillin, Andrew; Morris, Derek W; Nöthen, Markus M; O'Dushlaine, Colm; Olincy, Ann; Olsen, Line; Pato, Carlos N; Pato, Michele T; Pickard, Benjamin S; Posthuma, Danielle; Rasmussen, Henrik B; Rietschel, Marcella; Rujescu, Dan; Schulze, Thomas G; Silverman, Jeremy M; Thirumalai, Srinivasa; Werge, Thomas; Agartz, Ingrid; Amin, Farooq; Azevedo, Maria H; Bass, Nicholas; Black, Donald W; Blackwood, Douglas H R; Bruggeman, Richard; Buccola, Nancy G; Choudhury, Khalid; Cloninger, Robert C; Corvin, Aiden; Craddock, Nicholas; Daly, Mark J; Datta, Susmita; Donohoe, Gary J; Duan, Jubao; Dudbridge, Frank; Fanous, Ayman; Freedman, Robert; Freimer, Nelson B; Friedl, Marion; Gill, Michael; Gurling, Hugh; De Haan, Lieuwe; Hamshere, Marian L; Hartmann, Annette M; Holmans, Peter A; Kahn, René S; Keller, Matthew C; Kenny, Elaine; Kirov, George K; Krabbendam, Lydia; Krasucki, Robert; Lawrence, Jacob; Lencz, Todd; Levinson, Douglas F; Lieberman, Jeffrey A; Lin, Dan-Yu; Linszen, Don H; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Maier, Wolfgang; Malhotra, Anil K; Mattheisen, Manuel; Mattingsdal, Morten; McCarroll, Steven A; Medeiros, Helena; Melle, Ingrid; Milanova, Vihra; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Neale, Benjamin M; Ophoff, Roel A; Owen, Michael J; Pimm, Jonathan; Purcell, Shaun M; Puri, Vinay; Quested, Digby J; Rossin, Lizzy; Ruderfer, Douglas; Sanders, Alan R; Shi, Jianxin; Sklar, Pamela; St Clair, David; Stroup, T Scott; Van Os, Jim; Visscher, Peter M; Wiersma, Durk; Zammit, Stanley; Bridges, S Louis; Choi, Hyon K; Coenen, Marieke J H; de Vries, Niek; Dieud, Philippe; Greenberg, Jeffrey D; Huizinga, Tom W J; Padyukov, Leonid; Siminovitch, Katherine A; Tak, Paul P; Worthington, Jane; De Jager, Philip L; Denny, Joshua C; Gregersen, Peter K; Klareskog, Lars; Mariette, Xavier; Plenge, Robert M; van Laar, Mart; van Riel, Piet

2015-10-01

A long-standing epidemiological puzzle is the reduced rate of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in those with schizophrenia (SZ) and vice versa. Traditional epidemiological approaches to determine if this negative association is underpinned by genetic factors would test for reduced rates of one disorder in relatives of the other, but sufficiently powered data sets are difficult to achieve. The genomics era presents an alternative paradigm for investigating the genetic relationship between two uncommon disorders. We use genome-wide common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from independently collected SZ and RA case-control cohorts to estimate the SNP correlation between the disorders. We test a genotype X environment (GxE) hypothesis for SZ with environment defined as winter- vs summer-born. We estimate a small but significant negative SNP-genetic correlation between SZ and RA (-0.046, s.e. 0.026, P = 0.036). The negative correlation was stronger for the SNP set attributed to coding or regulatory regions (-0.174, s.e. 0.071, P = 0.0075). Our analyses led us to hypothesize a gene-environment interaction for SZ in the form of immune challenge. We used month of birth as a proxy for environmental immune challenge and estimated the genetic correlation between winter-born and non-winter born SZ to be significantly less than 1 for coding/regulatory region SNPs (0.56, s.e. 0.14, P = 0.00090). Our results are consistent with epidemiological observations of a negative relationship between SZ and RA reflecting, at least in part, genetic factors. Results of the month of birth analysis are consistent with pleiotropic effects of genetic variants dependent on environmental context.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the auditory mismatch negativity response and working memory performance in schizophrenia: a pilot study.

PubMed

Impey, Danielle; Baddeley, Ashley; Nelson, Renee; Labelle, Alain; Knott, Verner

2017-11-01

Cognitive impairment has been proposed to be the core feature of schizophrenia (Sz). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation which can improve cognitive function in healthy participants and in psychiatric patients with cognitive deficits. tDCS has been shown to improve cognition and hallucination symptoms in Sz, a disorder also associated with marked sensory processing deficits. Recent findings in healthy controls demonstrate that anodal tDCS increases auditory deviance detection, as measured by the brain-based event-related potential, mismatch negativity (MMN), which is a putative biomarker of Sz that has been proposed as a target for treatment of Sz cognition. This pilot study conducted a randomized, double-blind assessment of the effects of pre- and post-tDCS on MMN-indexed auditory discrimination in 12 Sz patients, moderated by auditory hallucination (AH) presence, as well as working memory performance. Assessments were conducted in three sessions involving temporal and frontal lobe anodal stimulation (to transiently excite local brain activity), and one control session involving 'sham' stimulation (meaning with the device turned off, i.e., no stimulation). Results demonstrated a trend for pitch MMN amplitude to increase with anodal temporal tDCS, which was significant in a subgroup of Sz individuals with AHs. Anodal frontal tDCS significantly increased WM performance on the 2-back task, which was found to positively correlate with MMN-tDCS effects. The findings contribute to our understanding of tDCS effects for sensory processing deficits and working memory performance in Sz and may have implications for psychiatric disorders with sensory deficits.

Auditory P3a and P3b neural generators in schizophrenia: An adaptive sLORETA P300 localization approach.

PubMed

Bachiller, Alejandro; Romero, Sergio; Molina, Vicente; Alonso, Joan F; Mañanas, Miguel A; Poza, Jesús; Hornero, Roberto

2015-12-01

The present study investigates the neural substrates underlying cognitive processing in schizophrenia (Sz) patients. To this end, an auditory 3-stimulus oddball paradigm was used to identify P3a and P3b components, elicited by rare-distractor and rare-target tones, respectively. Event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded from 31 Sz patients and 38 healthy controls. The P3a and P3b brain-source generators were identified by time-averaging of low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) current density images. In contrast with the commonly used fixed window of interest (WOI), we proposed to apply an adaptive WOI, which takes into account subjects' P300 latency variability. Our results showed different P3a and P3b source activation patterns in both groups. P3b sources included frontal, parietal and limbic lobes, whereas P3a response generators were localized over bilateral frontal and superior temporal regions. These areas have been related to the discrimination of auditory stimulus and to the inhibition (P3a) or the initiation (P3b) of motor response in a cognitive task. In addition, differences in source localization between Sz and control groups were observed. Sz patients showed lower P3b source activity in bilateral frontal structures and the cingulate. P3a generators were less widespread for Sz patients than for controls in right superior, medial and middle frontal gyrus. Our findings suggest that target and distractor processing involves distinct attentional subsystems, both being altered in Sz. Hence, the study of neuroelectric brain information can provide further insights to understand cognitive processes and underlying mechanisms in Sz. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Further insight into self-face recognition in schizophrenia patients: Why ambiguity matters.

PubMed

Bortolon, Catherine; Capdevielle, Delphine; Salesse, Robin N; Raffard, Stephane

2016-03-01

Although some studies reported specifically self-face processing deficits in patients with schizophrenia disorder (SZ), it remains unclear whether these deficits rather reflect a more global face processing deficit. Contradictory results are probably due to the different methodologies employed and the lack of control of other confounding factors. Moreover, no study has so far evaluated possible daily life self-face recognition difficulties in SZ. Therefore, our primary objective was to investigate self-face recognition in patients suffering from SZ compared to healthy controls (HC) using an "objective measure" (reaction time and accuracy) and a "subjective measure" (self-report of daily self-face recognition difficulties). Twenty-four patients with SZ and 23 HC performed a self-face recognition task and completed a questionnaire evaluating daily difficulties in self-face recognition. Recognition task material consisted in three different faces (the own, a famous and an unknown) being morphed in steps of 20%. Results showed that SZ were overall slower than HC regardless of the face identity, but less accurate only for the faces containing 60%-40% morphing. Moreover, SZ and HC reported a similar amount of daily problems with self/other face recognition. No significant correlations were found between objective and subjective measures (p > 0.05). The small sample size and relatively mild severity of psychopathology does not allow us to generalize our results. These results suggest that: (1) patients with SZ are as capable of recognizing their own face as HC, although they are susceptible to ambiguity; (2) there are far less self recognition deficits in schizophrenia patients than previously postulated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring Transcription Factors-microRNAs Co-regulation Networks in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Xu, Yong; Yue, Weihua; Yao Shugart, Yin; Li, Sheng; Cai, Lei; Li, Qiang; Cheng, Zaohuo; Wang, Guoqiang; Zhou, Zhenhe; Jin, Chunhui; Yuan, Jianmin; Tian, Lin; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Kai; Zhang, Kerang; Liu, Sha; Song, Yuqing; Zhang, Fuquan

2016-07-01

Transcriptional factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as 2 classes of principal gene regulators that may be responsible for genome coexpression changes observed in schizophrenia (SZ). This study aims to (1) identify differentially coexpressed genes (DCGs) in 3 mRNA expression microarray datasets; (2) explore potential interactions among the DCGs, and differentially expressed miRNAs identified in our dataset composed of early-onset SZ patients and healthy controls; (3) validate expression levels of some key transcripts; and (4) explore the druggability of DCGs using the curated database. We detected a differential coexpression network associated with SZ and found that 9 out of the 12 regulators were replicated in either of the 2 other datasets. Leveraging the differentially expressed miRNAs identified in our previous dataset, we constructed a miRNA-TF-gene network relevant to SZ, including an EGR1-miR-124-3p-SKIL feed-forward loop. Our real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated the overexpression of miR-124-3p, the under expression of SKIL and EGR1 in the blood of SZ patients compared with controls, and the direction of change of miR-124-3p and SKIL mRNA levels in SZ cases were reversed after a 12-week treatment cycle. Our druggability analysis revealed that many of these genes have the potential to be drug targets. Together, our results suggest that coexpression network abnormalities driven by combinatorial and interactive action from TFs and miRNAs may contribute to the development of SZ and be relevant to the clinical treatment of the disease. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Exploring Transcription Factors-microRNAs Co-regulation Networks in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Xu, Yong; Yue, Weihua; Yao Shugart, Yin; Li, Sheng; Cai, Lei; Li, Qiang; Cheng, Zaohuo; Wang, Guoqiang; Zhou, Zhenhe; Jin, Chunhui; Yuan, Jianmin; Tian, Lin; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Kai; Zhang, Kerang; Liu, Sha; Song, Yuqing; Zhang, Fuquan

2016-01-01

Background: Transcriptional factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as 2 classes of principal gene regulators that may be responsible for genome coexpression changes observed in schizophrenia (SZ). Methods: This study aims to (1) identify differentially coexpressed genes (DCGs) in 3 mRNA expression microarray datasets; (2) explore potential interactions among the DCGs, and differentially expressed miRNAs identified in our dataset composed of early-onset SZ patients and healthy controls; (3) validate expression levels of some key transcripts; and (4) explore the druggability of DCGs using the curated database. Results: We detected a differential coexpression network associated with SZ and found that 9 out of the 12 regulators were replicated in either of the 2 other datasets. Leveraging the differentially expressed miRNAs identified in our previous dataset, we constructed a miRNA–TF–gene network relevant to SZ, including an EGR1–miR-124-3p–SKIL feed-forward loop. Our real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated the overexpression of miR-124-3p, the under expression of SKIL and EGR1 in the blood of SZ patients compared with controls, and the direction of change of miR-124-3p and SKIL mRNA levels in SZ cases were reversed after a 12-week treatment cycle. Our druggability analysis revealed that many of these genes have the potential to be drug targets. Conclusions: Together, our results suggest that coexpression network abnormalities driven by combinatorial and interactive action from TFs and miRNAs may contribute to the development of SZ and be relevant to the clinical treatment of the disease. PMID:26609121

New data and an old puzzle: the negative association between schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

Lee, S Hong; Byrne, Enda M; Hultman, Christina M; Kähler, Anna; Vinkhuyzen, Anna AE; Ripke, Stephan; Andreassen, Ole A; Frisell, Thomas; Gusev, Alexander; Hu, Xinli; Karlsson, Robert; Mantzioris, Vasilis X; McGrath, John J; Mehta, Divya; Stahl, Eli A; Zhao, Qiongyi; Kendler, Kenneth S; Sullivan, Patrick F; Price, Alkes L; O’Donovan, Michael; Okada, Yukinori; Mowry, Bryan J; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Wray, Naomi R; Byerley, William; Cahn, Wiepke; Cantor, Rita M; Cichon, Sven; Cormican, Paul; Curtis, David; Djurovic, Srdjan; Escott-Price, Valentina; Gejman, Pablo V; Georgieva, Lyudmila; Giegling, Ina; Hansen, Thomas F; Ingason, Andrés; Kim, Yunjung; Konte, Bettina; Lee, Phil H; McIntosh, Andrew; McQuillin, Andrew; Morris, Derek W; Nöthen, Markus M; O’Dushlaine, Colm; Olincy, Ann; Olsen, Line; Pato, Carlos N; Pato, Michele T; Pickard, Benjamin S; Posthuma, Danielle; Rasmussen, Henrik B; Rietschel, Marcella; Rujescu, Dan; Schulze, Thomas G; Silverman, Jeremy M; Thirumalai, Srinivasa; Werge, Thomas; Agartz, Ingrid; Amin, Farooq; Azevedo, Maria H; Bass, Nicholas; Black, Donald W; Blackwood, Douglas H R; Bruggeman, Richard; Buccola, Nancy G; Choudhury, Khalid; Cloninger, Robert C; Corvin, Aiden; Craddock, Nicholas; Daly, Mark J; Datta, Susmita; Donohoe, Gary J; Duan, Jubao; Dudbridge, Frank; Fanous, Ayman; Freedman, Robert; Freimer, Nelson B; Friedl, Marion; Gill, Michael; Gurling, Hugh; De Haan, Lieuwe; Hamshere, Marian L; Hartmann, Annette M; Holmans, Peter A; Kahn, René S; Keller, Matthew C; Kenny, Elaine; Kirov, George K; Krabbendam, Lydia; Krasucki, Robert; Lawrence, Jacob; Lencz, Todd; Levinson, Douglas F; Lieberman, Jeffrey A; Lin, Dan-Yu; Linszen, Don H; Magnusson, Patrik KE; Maier, Wolfgang; Malhotra, Anil K; Mattheisen, Manuel; Mattingsdal, Morten; McCarroll, Steven A; Medeiros, Helena; Melle, Ingrid; Milanova, Vihra; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Neale, Benjamin M; Ophoff, Roel A; Owen, Michael J; Pimm, Jonathan; Purcell, Shaun M; Puri, Vinay; Quested, Digby J; Rossin, Lizzy; Ruderfer, Douglas; Sanders, Alan R; Shi, Jianxin; Sklar, Pamela; St. Clair, David; Stroup, T Scott; Van Os, Jim; Visscher, Peter M; Wiersma, Durk; Zammit, Stanley; Bridges, S Louis; Choi, Hyon K; Coenen, Marieke JH; de Vries, Niek; Dieud, Philippe; Greenberg, Jeffrey D; Huizinga, Tom WJ; Padyukov, Leonid; Siminovitch, Katherine A; Tak, Paul P; Worthington, Jane; De Jager, Philip L; Denny, Joshua C; Gregersen, Peter K; Klareskog, Lars; Mariette, Xavier; Plenge, Robert M; van Laar, Mart; van Riel, Piet

2015-01-01

Background: A long-standing epidemiological puzzle is the reduced rate of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in those with schizophrenia (SZ) and vice versa. Traditional epidemiological approaches to determine if this negative association is underpinned by genetic factors would test for reduced rates of one disorder in relatives of the other, but sufficiently powered data sets are difficult to achieve. The genomics era presents an alternative paradigm for investigating the genetic relationship between two uncommon disorders. Methods: We use genome-wide common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from independently collected SZ and RA case-control cohorts to estimate the SNP correlation between the disorders. We test a genotype X environment (GxE) hypothesis for SZ with environment defined as winter- vs summer-born. Results: We estimate a small but significant negative SNP-genetic correlation between SZ and RA (−0.046, s.e. 0.026, P = 0.036). The negative correlation was stronger for the SNP set attributed to coding or regulatory regions (−0.174, s.e. 0.071, P = 0.0075). Our analyses led us to hypothesize a gene-environment interaction for SZ in the form of immune challenge. We used month of birth as a proxy for environmental immune challenge and estimated the genetic correlation between winter-born and non-winter born SZ to be significantly less than 1 for coding/regulatory region SNPs (0.56, s.e. 0.14, P  = 0.00090). Conclusions: Our results are consistent with epidemiological observations of a negative relationship between SZ and RA reflecting, at least in part, genetic factors. Results of the month of birth analysis are consistent with pleiotropic effects of genetic variants dependent on environmental context. PMID:26286434

Cortical substrates and functional correlates of auditory deviance processing deficits in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Rissling, Anthony J.; Miyakoshi, Makoto; Sugar, Catherine A.; Braff, David L.; Makeig, Scott; Light, Gregory A.

2014-01-01

Although sensory processing abnormalities contribute to widespread cognitive and psychosocial impairments in schizophrenia (SZ) patients, scalp-channel measures of averaged event-related potentials (ERPs) mix contributions from distinct cortical source-area generators, diluting the functional relevance of channel-based ERP measures. SZ patients (n = 42) and non-psychiatric comparison subjects (n = 47) participated in a passive auditory duration oddball paradigm, eliciting a triphasic (Deviant−Standard) tone ERP difference complex, here termed the auditory deviance response (ADR), comprised of a mid-frontal mismatch negativity (MMN), P3a positivity, and re-orienting negativity (RON) peak sequence. To identify its cortical sources and to assess possible relationships between their response contributions and clinical SZ measures, we applied independent component analysis to the continuous 68-channel EEG data and clustered the resulting independent components (ICs) across subjects on spectral, ERP, and topographic similarities. Six IC clusters centered in right superior temporal, right inferior frontal, ventral mid-cingulate, anterior cingulate, medial orbitofrontal, and dorsal mid-cingulate cortex each made triphasic response contributions. Although correlations between measures of SZ clinical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning and standard (Fz) scalp-channel ADR peak measures were weak or absent, for at least four IC clusters one or more significant correlations emerged. In particular, differences in MMN peak amplitude in the right superior temporal IC cluster accounted for 48% of the variance in SZ-subject performance on tasks necessary for real-world functioning and medial orbitofrontal cluster P3a amplitude accounted for 40%/54% of SZ-subject variance in positive/negative symptoms. Thus, source-resolved auditory deviance response measures including MMN may be highly sensitive to SZ clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics. PMID:25379456

Planck 2015 results. XXVII. The second Planck catalogue of Sunyaev-Zeldovich sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Barrena, R.; Bartlett, J. G.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Battye, R.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bikmaev, I.; Böhringer, H.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Bucher, M.; Burenin, R.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R. C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Carvalho, P.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chary, R.-R.; Chiang, H. C.; Chon, G.; Christensen, P. R.; Clements, D. L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Comis, B.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Dahle, H.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Désert, F.-X.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Dolag, K.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Eisenhardt, P. R. M.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Falgarone, E.; Fergusson, J.; Feroz, F.; Ferragamo, A.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Frejsel, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Giard, M.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; Gjerløw, E.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Grainge, K. J. B.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J. E.; Hansen, F. K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D. L.; Hempel, A.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W. A.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jaffe, T. R.; Jin, T.; Jones, W. C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Khamitov, I.; Kisner, T. S.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leonardi, R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maggio, G.; Maino, D.; Mak, D. S. Y.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; McGehee, P.; Mei, S.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Moss, A.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nastasi, A.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C. B.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H. U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Olamaie, M.; Oxborrow, C. A.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Pearson, T. J.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrott, Y. C.; Perrotta, F.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Pratt, G. W.; Prézeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reach, W. T.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rozo, E.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rumsey, C.; Rusholme, B.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Saunders, R. D. E.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Schammel, M. P.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M. D.; Shellard, E. P. S.; Shimwell, T. W.; Spencer, L. D.; Stanford, S. A.; Stern, D.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Streblyanska, A.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Umana, G.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Wehus, I. K.; White, S. D. M.; Wright, E. L.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-09-01

We present the all-sky Planck catalogue of Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) sources detected from the 29 month full-mission data. The catalogue (PSZ2) is the largest SZ-selected sample of galaxy clusters yet produced and the deepest systematic all-sky surveyof galaxy clusters. It contains 1653 detections, of which 1203 are confirmed clusters with identified counterparts in external data sets, and is the first SZ-selected cluster survey containing >103 confirmed clusters. We present a detailed analysis of the survey selection function in terms of its completeness and statistical reliability, placing a lower limit of 83% on the purity. Using simulations, we find that the estimates of the SZ strength parameter Y5R500are robust to pressure-profile variation and beam systematics, but accurate conversion to Y500 requires the use of prior information on the cluster extent. We describe the multi-wavelength search for counterparts in ancillary data, which makes use of radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, and X-ray data sets, and which places emphasis on the robustness of the counterpart match. We discuss the physical properties of the new sample and identify a population of low-redshift X-ray under-luminous clusters revealed by SZ selection. These objects appear in optical and SZ surveys with consistent properties for their mass, but are almost absent from ROSAT X-ray selected samples.

The role of low cognitive effort and negative symptoms in neuropsychological impairment in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Strauss, Gregory P; Morra, Lindsay F; Sullivan, Sara K; Gold, James M

2015-03-01

Two experiments were conducted to examine whether insufficient effort, negative symptoms (e.g., avolition, anhedonia), and psychological variables (e.g., anhedonia and perception of low cognitive resources) predict generalized neurocognitive impairment in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). In Experiment 1, participants included 97 individuals with SZ and 63 healthy controls (CN) who completed the Victoria Symptom Validity Test (VSVT), the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), and self-report anhedonia questionnaires. In Experiment 2, participants included 46 individuals with SZ and 33 CN who completed Green's Word Memory Test (WMT), the MCCB, and self-reports of anhedonia, defeatist performance beliefs, and negative expectancy appraisals. RESULTS indicated that a low proportion of individuals with SZ failed effort testing (1.0% Experiment 1; 15.2% Experiment 2); however, global neurocognitive impairment was significantly predicted by low effort and negative symptoms. Findings indicate that low effort does not threaten the validity of neuropsychological test results in the majority of individuals with schizophrenia; however, effort testing may be useful in SZ patients with severe negative symptoms who may be more likely to put forth insufficient effort due to motivational problems. Although the base rate of failure is relatively low, it may be beneficial to screen for insufficient effort in SZ and exclude individuals who fail effort testing from pharmacological or cognitive remediation trials. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Characterization of the complete genome segments from BmCPV-SZ, a novel Bombyx mori cypovirus 1 isolate.

PubMed

Cao, Guangli; Meng, Xiangkun; Xue, Renyu; Zhu, Yuexiong; Zhang, Xiaorong; Pan, Zhonghua; Zheng, Xiaojian; Gong, Chengliang

2012-07-01

A novel Bombyx mori cypovirus 1 isolated from infected silkworm larvae and tentatively assigned as Bombyx mori cypovirus 1 isolate Suzhou (BmCPV-SZ). The complete nucleotide sequences of genomic segments S1-S10 from BmCPV-SZ were determined. All segments possessed a single open reading frame; however, bioinformatic evidence suggested a short overlapping coding sequence in S1. Each BmCPV-SZ segment possessed the conserved terminal sequences AGUAA and GUUAGCC at the 5' and 3' ends, respectively. The conserved A/G at the -3 position in relation to the AUG codon could be found in the BmCPV-SZ genome, and it was postulated that this conserved A/G may be the most important nucleotide for efficient translation initiation in cypoviruses (CPVs). Examination of the putative amino acid sequences encoded by BmCPV-SZ revealed some characteristic motifs. Homology searches showed that viral structural proteins VP1, VP3, and VP4 had localized homologies with proteins of Rice ragged stunt virus , a member of the genus Oryzavirus within the family Reoviridae. A phylogenetic tree based on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequences demonstrated that CPV is more closely related to Rice ragged stunt virus and Aedes pseudoscutellaris reovirus than to other members of Reoviridae, suggesting that they may have originated from common ancestors.

Planck 2015 results: XXVII. The second Planck catalogue of Sunyaev-Zeldovich sources

DOE PAGES

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; ...

2016-09-20

Here, we present the all-sky Planck catalogue of Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) sources detected from the 29 month full-mission data. The catalogue (PSZ2) is the largest SZ-selected sample of galaxy clusters yet produced and the deepest systematic all-sky surveyof galaxy clusters. It contains 1653 detections, of which 1203 are confirmed clusters with identified counterparts in external data sets, and is the first SZ-selected cluster survey containing >103 confirmed clusters. We present a detailed analysis of the survey selection function in terms of its completeness and statistical reliability, placing a lower limit of 83% on the purity. Using simulations, we find that themore » estimates of the SZ strength parameter Y5R500are robust to pressure-profile variation and beam systematics, but accurate conversion to Y500 requires the use of prior information on the cluster extent. We describe the multi-wavelength search for counterparts in ancillary data, which makes use of radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, and X-ray data sets, and which places emphasis on the robustness of the counterpart match. We discuss the physical properties of the new sample and identify a population of low-redshift X-ray under-luminous clusters revealed by SZ selection. These objects appear in optical and SZ surveys with consistent properties for their mass, but are almost absent from ROSAT X-ray selected samples.« less

Constraints on AGN feedback from its Sunyaev-Zel'dovich imprint on the cosmic background radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soergel, Bjoern; Giannantonio, Tommaso; Efstathiou, George; Puchwein, Ewald; Sijacki, Debora

2017-06-01

We derive constraints on feedback by active galactic nuclei (AGN) by setting limits on their thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) imprint on the cosmic microwave background. The amplitude of any SZ signature is small and degenerate with the poorly known sub-mm spectral energy distribution of the AGN host galaxy and other unresolved dusty sources along the line of sight. Here we break this degeneracy by combining microwave and sub-mm data from Planck with all-sky far-infrared maps from the AKARI satellite. We first test our measurement pipeline using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) redMaPPer catalogue of galaxy clusters, finding a highly significant detection (>20σ) of the SZ effect together with correlated dust emission. We then constrain the SZ signal associated with spectroscopically confirmed quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) from SDSS data release 7 (DR7) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) DR12. We obtain a low-significance (1.6σ) hint of an SZ signal, pointing towards a mean thermal energy of ≃5 × 1060 erg, lower than reported in some previous studies. A comparison of our results with high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations including AGN feedback suggests QSO host masses of M200c ˜ 4 × 1012 h-1 M⊙, but with a large uncertainty. Our analysis provides no conclusive evidence for an SZ signal specifically associated with AGN feedback.

Enhanced Facilitation of Spatial Attention in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

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

2010-01-01

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

Leukocyte telomere length in Hispanic schizophrenia patients under treatment with olanzapine.

PubMed

Monroy-Jaramillo, Nancy; Rodríguez-Agudelo, Yaneth; Aviña-Cervantes, Luis Carlos; Roberts, David L; Velligan, Dawn I; Walss-Bass, Consuelo

2017-07-01

Different lines of evidence indicate that patients with schizophrenia (SZ) exhibit accelerated aging. Leukocyte telomere length (TL), an aging marker, is associated with age-related and chronic pathologies, including schizophrenia. We analyzed leukocyte TL in 170 SZ patients of Hispanic ancestry grouped based on antipsychotic treatment, compared to 126 matched controls. The group under treatment with atypical antipsychotics was further subdivided according to the risk of medication to cause metabolic syndrome (MetS). Our results show significant erosion in the TL of SZ patients under treatment with the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and olanzapine, which cause high-risk for MetS, compared to healthy controls and patients under treatment with medium and low-risk antipsychotics. However, when the analysis was done separately for clozapine and olanzapine, a significant difference remained only for olanzapine. These findings suggest that atypical antipsychotics that cause high-risk for MetS, particularly olanzapine, may modulate leukocyte TL in SZ patients. Future research is required to elucidate if in fact atypical antipsychotics are involved in TL maintenance in SZ subjects and the mechanism by which this occurs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced facilitation of spatial attention in schizophrenia.

PubMed

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

2011-01-01

While attentional functions are usually found to be impaired in schizophrenia, a review of the literature on the orienting of spatial attention in schizophrenia suggested that voluntary attentional orienting in response to a valid cue might be paradoxically enhanced. We tested this hypothesis with orienting tasks involving the cued detection of a laterally presented target stimulus. Subjects were chronic schizophrenia patients (SZ) and matched healthy control subjects (HC). In Experiment 1 (15 SZ, 16 HC), cues were endogenous (arrows) and could be valid (100% predictive) or neutral with respect to the subsequent target position. In Experiment 2 (16 SZ, 16 HC), subjects performed a standard orienting task with unpredictive exogenous cues (brightening of the target boxes). In Experiment 1, SZ showed a larger attentional facilitation effect on reaction time than HC. In Experiment 2, no clear sign of enhanced attentional facilitation was found in SZ. The voluntary, facilitatory shifting of spatial attention may be relatively enhanced in individuals with schizophrenia in comparison to healthy individuals. This effect bears resemblance to other relative enhancements of information processing in schizophrenia such as saccade speed and semantic priming. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Theory of mind in women with borderline personality disorder or schizophrenia: differences in overall ability and error patterns

PubMed Central

Vaskinn, Anja; Antonsen, Bjørnar T.; Fretland, Ragnhild A.; Dziobek, Isabel; Sundet, Kjetil; Wilberg, Theresa

2015-01-01

Although borderline personality disorder (BPD) and schizophrenia (SZ) are notably different mental disorders, they share problems in social cognition—or understanding the feelings, intentions and thoughts of other people. To date no studies have directly compared the social cognitive abilities of individuals with these two disorders. In this study, the social cognitive subdomain theory of mind was investigated in women with BPD (n = 25), women with SZ (n = 25) and healthy women (n = 25). An ecologically valid video-based measure (Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition) was used. For the overall score, women with SZ performed markedly below both healthy women and women with BPD, whereas women with BPD did not perform significantly different compared to the healthy control group. A statistically significant error type × group interaction effect indicated that the groups differed with respect to kind of errors. Whereas women with BPD made mostly overmentalizing errors, women with SZ in addition committed undermentalizing errors. Our study suggests different magnitude and pattern of social cognitive problems in BPD and SZ. PMID:26379577

Adaptive evolution and elucidating the potential inhibitor against schizophrenia to target DAOA (G72) isoforms.

PubMed

Sehgal, Sheikh Arslan; Mannan, Shazia; Kanwal, Sumaira; Naveed, Ishrat; Mir, Asif

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ), a chronic mental and heritable disorder characterized by neurophysiological impairment and neuropsychological abnormalities, is strongly associated with D-amino acid oxidase activator (DAOA, G72). Research studies emphasized that overexpression of DAOA may be responsible for improper functioning of neurotransmitters, resulting in neurological disorders like SZ. In the present study, a hybrid approach of comparative modeling and molecular docking followed by inhibitor identification and structure modeling was employed. Screening was performed by two-dimensional similarity search against selected inhibitor, keeping in view the physiochemical properties of the inhibitor. Here, we report an inhibitor compound which showed maximum binding affinity against four selected isoforms of DAOA. Docking studies revealed that Glu-53, Thr-54, Lys-58, Val-85, Ser-86, Tyr-87, Leu-88, Glu-90, Leu-95, Val-98, Ser-100, Glu-112, Tyr-116, Lys-120, Asp-121, and Arg-122 are critical residues for receptor-ligand interaction. The C-terminal of selected isoforms is conserved, and binding was observed on the conserved region of isoforms. We propose that selected inhibitor might be more potent on the basis of binding energy values. Further analysis of this inhibitor through site-directed mutagenesis could be helpful for exploring the details of ligand-binding pockets. Overall, the findings of this study may be helpful in designing novel therapeutic targets to cure SZ.

Gas Inside the 97 AU Cavity around the Transition Disk Sz 91

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canovas, H.; Schreiber, M. R.; Cáceres, C.; Ménard, F.; Pinte, C.; Mathews, G. S.; Cieza, L.; Casassus, S.; Hales, A.; Williams, J. P.; Román, P.; Hardy, A.

2015-05-01

We present ALMA (Cycle 0) band 6 and band 3 observations of the transition disk Sz 91. The disk inclination and position angle are determined to be i = 49.°5 ± 3.°5°and PA = 18.°2 ± 3.°5 and the dusty and gaseous disk are detected up to ˜220 and ˜400 AU from the star, respectively. Most importantly, our continuum observations indicate that the cavity size in the millimeter-sized dust distribution must be ˜97 AU in radius, the largest cavity observed around a T Tauri star. Our data clearly confirm the presence of 12CO (2-1) well inside the dust cavity. Based on these observational constraints we developed a disk model that simultaneously accounts for the 12CO and continuum observations (i.e., gaseous and dusty disk). According to our model, most of the millimeter emission comes from a ring located between 97 and 140 AU. We also find that the dust cavity is divided into an innermost region largely depleted of dust particles ranging from the dust sublimation radius up to 85 AU, and a second, moderately dust-depleted region, extending from 85 to 97 AU. The extremely large size of the dust cavity, the presence of gas and small dust particles within the cavity, and the accretion rate of Sz 91 are consistent with the formation of multiple (giant) planets.

Spin generation by strong inhomogeneous electric fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkler, Ilya; Engel, Hans-Andreas; Rashba, Emmanuel; Halperin, Bertrand

2007-03-01

Motivated by recent experiments [1], we propose a model with extrinsic spin-orbit interaction, where an inhomogeneous electric field E in the x-y plane can give rise, through nonlinear effects, to a spin polarization with non-zero sz, away from the sample boundaries. The field E induces a spin current js^z= z x(αjc+βE), where jc=σE is the charge current, and the two terms represent,respectively, the skew scattering and side-jump contributions. [2]. The coefficients α and β are assumed to be E- independent, but conductivity σ is field dependent. We find the spin density sz by solving the equation for spin diffusion and relaxation with a source term ∇.js^z. For sufficiently low fields, jc is linear in E, and the source term vanishes, implying that sz=0 away from the edges. However, for large fields, σ varies with E. Solving the diffusion equation in a T-shaped geometry, where the electric current propagates along the main channel, we find spin accumulation near the entrance of the side channel, similar to experimental findings [1]. Also, we present a toy model where spin accumulation away from the boundary results from a nonlinear and anisotropic conductivity. [1] V. Sih, et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 096605 (2006). [2] H.-A. Engel, B.I. Halperin, E.I.Rashba, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 166605 (2005).

Adaptive evolution and elucidating the potential inhibitor against schizophrenia to target DAOA (G72) isoforms

PubMed Central

Sehgal, Sheikh Arslan; Mannan, Shazia; Kanwal, Sumaira; Naveed, Ishrat; Mir, Asif

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ), a chronic mental and heritable disorder characterized by neurophysiological impairment and neuropsychological abnormalities, is strongly associated with D-amino acid oxidase activator (DAOA, G72). Research studies emphasized that overexpression of DAOA may be responsible for improper functioning of neurotransmitters, resulting in neurological disorders like SZ. In the present study, a hybrid approach of comparative modeling and molecular docking followed by inhibitor identification and structure modeling was employed. Screening was performed by two-dimensional similarity search against selected inhibitor, keeping in view the physiochemical properties of the inhibitor. Here, we report an inhibitor compound which showed maximum binding affinity against four selected isoforms of DAOA. Docking studies revealed that Glu-53, Thr-54, Lys-58, Val-85, Ser-86, Tyr-87, Leu-88, Glu-90, Leu-95, Val-98, Ser-100, Glu-112, Tyr-116, Lys-120, Asp-121, and Arg-122 are critical residues for receptor–ligand interaction. The C-terminal of selected isoforms is conserved, and binding was observed on the conserved region of isoforms. We propose that selected inhibitor might be more potent on the basis of binding energy values. Further analysis of this inhibitor through site-directed mutagenesis could be helpful for exploring the details of ligand-binding pockets. Overall, the findings of this study may be helpful in designing novel therapeutic targets to cure SZ. PMID:26170631

Three-dimensional culture of sebaceous gland cells revealing the role of prostaglandin E{sub 2}-induced activation of canonical Wnt signaling

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

Yoshida, Go J., E-mail: medical21go@yahoo.co.jp; Saya, Hideyuki

Highlights: •Three-dimensional culture generates “semi-vivo” sebaceous glands. •Xenograft model failed to mimic the biology of sebaceous glands in vivo. •Proinflammatory cytokine PGE{sub 2} enhances Wnt signal activity in the organoids. •PGE{sub 2} influences on the mitochondrial and lipid metabolism in the organoids. •Considering 3R agenda, “semi-vivo” sebaceous glands are useful for research. -- Abstract: Background: Prostaglandin E{sub 2} (PGE{sub 2}) is a proinflammatory mediator and activates the canonical Wnt–β-catenin signaling pathway in hematopoietic stem cells. The SZ95 cell line was established from human sebaceous gland cells and is studied as a model system for these cells. Given that 2D culturemore » of SZ95 cells does not recapitulate the organization of sebaceous glands in situ, we developed a 3D culture system for these cells and examined the effects of PGE{sub 2} on cell morphology and function. Results: SZ95 cells maintained in 3D culture formed organoids that mimicked the organization of sebaceous glands in situ, including the establishment of a basement membrane. Organoids exposed to PGE{sub 2} were larger and adopted a more complex organization compared with control organoids. PGE{sub 2} activated the canonical Wnt signaling pathway as well as increased cell viability and proliferation, mitochondrial metabolism, and lipid synthesis in the organoids. Conclusions: Culture of SZ95 cells in 3D culture system recapitulates the structure and susceptibility to PGE{sub 2} of sebaceous glands in situ and should prove useful for studies of the response of these glands to inflammation and other environmental stressors. Our results also implicate PGE{sub 2}-induced activation of canonical Wnt signaling pathway in regulation of the morphology,proliferation, and function of “semi-vivo” sebaceous glands.« less

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: cosmological parameters from three seasons of data

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

Sievers, Jonathan L.; Appel, John William; Hlozek, Renée A.

2013-10-01

We present constraints on cosmological and astrophysical parameters from high-resolution microwave background maps at 148 GHz and 218 GHz made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) in three seasons of observations from 2008 to 2010. A model of primary cosmological and secondary foreground parameters is fit to the map power spectra and lensing deflection power spectrum, including contributions from both the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect and the kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect, Poisson and correlated anisotropy from unresolved infrared sources, radio sources, and the correlation between the tSZ effect and infrared sources. The power ℓ{sup 2}C{sub ℓ}/2π of the thermal SZmore » power spectrum at 148 GHz is measured to be 3.4±1.4  μK{sup 2} at ℓ = 3000, while the corresponding amplitude of the kinematic SZ power spectrum has a 95% confidence level upper limit of 8.6  μK{sup 2}. Combining ACT power spectra with the WMAP 7-year temperature and polarization power spectra, we find excellent consistency with the LCDM model. We constrain the number of effective relativistic degrees of freedom in the early universe to be N{sub eff} = 2.79±0.56, in agreement with the canonical value of N{sub eff} = 3.046 for three massless neutrinos. We constrain the sum of the neutrino masses to be Σm{sub ν} < 0.39 eV at 95% confidence when combining ACT and WMAP 7-year data with BAO and Hubble constant measurements. We constrain the amount of primordial helium to be Y{sub p} = 0.225±0.034, and measure no variation in the fine structure constant α since recombination, with α/α{sub 0} = 1.004±0.005. We also find no evidence for any running of the scalar spectral index, dn{sub s}/dln k = −0.004±0.012.« less

He isotope ratios in the Nankai Trough and Costa Rica subduction zones - implications for volatile cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kastner, M.; Hilton, D. R.; Jenkins, W. J.; Solomon, E. A.; Spivack, A. J.

2013-12-01

The noble gas 3He is a clear indicator of primordial volatile flux from the mantle, thus providing important insights on the interaction between Earth's interior and exterior reservoirs. Volatile cycling at ridge-crests and its impact on the evolution of seawater chemistry is rather well known as constrained by the 3He flux, whereas the impact of volatile cycling at subduction zones (SZs) on seawater chemistry is as yet poorly known. Constraining chemical and isotopic cycling at SZs is important for understanding the evolution of the mantle-crust and ocean-atmosphere systems. To gain insights on volatile cycling in SZs, pore fluids were sampled for He concentration and isotopic analyses at two tectonically contrasting SZs, Nankai Trough (offshore Japan, Muroto and Kumano transects), an accretionary SZ, and Costa Rica (Offshore Osa Peninsula), an erosional SZ. Sampling for He was achieved by rapidly subsampling core sediments, cleaning and transferring these samples into Ti squeezers in a glove bag, and storing the squeezed pore fluids in crimped Cu tubes for shore-based He concentration and isotope ratio analyses. At the Nankai Trough SZ there is a remarkable range of He isotopic values. The 3He/4He ratios relative to atmospheric ratio (RA) range from mostly crustal 0.47 RA to 4.30 RA which is ~55% of the MORB value of 8 RA. Whereas at the Costa Rica SZ, offshore Osa Peninsula, the ratios range from 0.86 to 1.14 RA, indicating the dominance of crustal radiogenic 4He that is from U and Th decay. The distribution of the He isotope values at Nankai Trough is most interesting, fluids that contain significant mantle 3He components (3He/4He >1) were sampled along and adjacent to fluid conduits that were identified by several chemical and isotopic data (i.e. Cl, B, and Li), including the presence of thermogenic hydrocarbons. Whereas the fluids dominated by 4He (3He/4He ≤1) were obtained from sediment sections that were between the fluid conduits. At Costa Rica, however, even along conduits, the fluids were not greatly enriched in 3He, hence there is no evidence for fluid advection from the subducting Cocos Ridge and numerous seamounts into the sediments, suggesting greatly diminished hydrothermal activity. Focused flow along faults, the décollement, splay and out of sequence faults, and fractured and permeable horizons at SZs play a key role in controlling fluid and heat transport, including mantle He, whereas diffuse flow plays a minor role; mud volcanoes and seeps as well play some role in volatile cycling.

Effect of a chameleon scalar field on the cosmic microwave background

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

Davis, Anne-Christine; Schelpe, Camilla A. O.; Shaw, Douglas J.

2009-09-15

We show that a direct coupling between a chameleonlike scalar field and photons can give rise to a modified Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The coupling induces a mixing between chameleon particles and the CMB photons when they pass through the magnetic field of a galaxy cluster. Both the intensity and the polarization of the radiation are modified. The degree of modification depends strongly on the properties of the galaxy cluster such as magnetic field strength and electron number density. Existing SZ measurements of the Coma cluster enable us to place constraints on the photon-chameleon coupling.more » The constrained conversion probability in the cluster is P{sub Coma}(204 GHz)<6.2x10{sup -5} at 95% confidence, corresponding to an upper bound on the coupling strength of g{sub eff}{sup (cell)}<2.2x10{sup -8} GeV{sup -1} or g{sub eff}{sup (Kolmo)}<(7.2-32.5)x10{sup -10} GeV{sup -1}, depending on the model that is assumed for the cluster magnetic field structure. We predict the radial profile of the chameleonic CMB intensity decrement. We find that the chameleon effect extends farther toward the edges of the cluster than the thermal SZ effect. Thus we might see a discrepancy between the x-ray emission data and the observed SZ intensity decrement. We further predict the expected change to the CMB polarization arising from the existence of a chameleonlike scalar field. These predictions could be verified or constrained by future CMB experiments.« less

A Measurement of the Galaxy Group-Thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Effect Cross-Correlation Function

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

Vikram, Vinu; Lidz, Adam; Jain, Bhuvnesh

2017-01-09

Stacking cosmic microwave background maps around known galaxy clusters and groups provides a powerful probe of the distribution of hot gas in these systems via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. A stacking analysis allows one to detect the average SZ signal around low-mass haloes, to extend measurements out to large scales and measure the redshift dependence of the SZ background. Motivated by these exciting prospects, we measure the two-point cross-correlation function between similar to 380 000 galaxy groups (at z = 0.01-0.2) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Compton-y parameter maps constructed by the Planck collaboration. We find statistically significantmore » correlations in each of six separate mass bins, with halo masses ranging from 1011.5 to 1015.5 M(circle dot)h(-1). We compare with halo models of the SZ signal, which describe the stacked measurement in terms of one-halo and two-halo contributions. The onehalo term quantifies the average pressure profile around the groups in a mass bin, while the two-halo term describes the contribution of correlated neighbouring haloes. For the massive groups, we find clear evidence for the one-and two-halo regimes, while groups with mass below 1013M(circle dot)h(-1) are dominated by the two-halo term, given the resolution of Planck data. We use the signal in the two-halo regime to determine the bias-weighted electron pressure of the Universe: < bPe > = 1.50 +/- 0.226 x 10(-7) keV cm(-3) (sigma) at z approximate to 0.15.« less

A randomised controlled trial of adjunctive yoga and adjunctive physical exercise training for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Bhatia, Triptish; Mazumdar, Sati; Wood, Joel; He, Fanyin; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L; Deshpande, Smita N

2017-04-01

Yoga and physical exercise have been used as adjunctive intervention for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia (SZ), but controlled comparisons are lacking. Aims A single-blind randomised controlled trial was designed to evaluate whether yoga training or physical exercise training enhance cognitive functions in SZ, based on a prior pilot study. Consenting, clinically stable, adult outpatients with SZ (n=286) completed baseline assessments and were randomised to treatment as usual (TAU), supervised yoga training with TAU (YT) or supervised physical exercise training with TAU (PE). Based on the pilot study, the primary outcome measure was speed index for the cognitive domain of 'attention' in the Penn computerised neurocognitive battery. Using mixed models and contrasts, cognitive functions at baseline, 21 days (end of training), 3 and 6 months post-training were evaluated with intention-to-treat paradigm. Speed index of attention domain in the YT group showed greater improvement than PE at 6 months follow-up (p<0.036, effect size 0.51). In the PE group, 'accuracy index of attention domain showed greater improvement than TAU alone at 6-month follow-up (p<0.025, effect size 0.61). For several other cognitive domains, significant improvements were observed with YT or PE compared with TAU alone (p<0.05, effect sizes 0.30-1.97). Both YT and PE improved attention and additional cognitive domains well past the training period, supporting our prior reported beneficial effect of YT on speed index of attention domain. As adjuncts, YT or PE can benefit individuals with SZ.

Therapeutic efficacy of atypical antipsychotic drugs by targeting multiple stress-related metabolic pathways

PubMed Central

Cai, H L; Jiang, P; Tan, Q Y; Dang, R L; Tang, M M; Xue, Y; Deng, Y; Zhang, B K; Fang, P F; Xu, P; Xiang, D X; Li, H D; Yao, J K

2017-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is considered to be a multifactorial brain disorder with defects involving many biochemical pathways. Patients with SZ show variable responses to current pharmacological treatments of SZ because of the heterogeneity of this disorder. Stress has a significant role in the pathophysiological pathways and therapeutic responses of SZ. Atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs) can modulate the stress response of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and exert therapeutic effects on stress by targeting the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus. To evaluate the effects of AAPDs (such as clozapine, risperidone and aripiprazole) on stress, we compared neurochemical profile variations in the PFC and hippocampus between rat models of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for HPA axis activation and of long-term dexamethasone exposure (LTDE) for HPA axis inhibition, using an ultraperformance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS)-based metabolomic approach and a multicriteria assessment. We identified a number of stress-induced biomarkers comprising creatine, choline, inosine, hypoxanthine, uric acid, allantoic acid, lysophosphatidylcholines (LysoPCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), corticosterone and progesterone. Specifically, pathway enrichment and correlation analyses suggested that stress induces oxidative damage by disturbing the creatine–phosphocreatine circuit and purine pathway, leading to excessive membrane breakdown. Moreover, our data suggested that the AAPDs tested partially restore stress-induced deficits by increasing the levels of creatine, progesterone and PEs. Thus, the present findings provide a theoretical basis for the hypothesis that a combined therapy using adenosine triphosphate fuel, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids as supplements may have synergistic effects on the therapeutic outcome following AAPD treatment. PMID:28509906

Simulations of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal

DOE PAGES

Flender, Samuel; Bleem, Lindsey; Finkel, Hal; ...

2016-05-26

The pairwise kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (kSZ) signal from galaxy clusters is a probe of their line of sight momenta, and thus a potentially valuable source of cosmological information. In addition to the momenta, the amplitude of the measured signal depends on the properties of the intracluster gas and observational limitations such as errors in determining cluster centers and redshifts. In this work, we simulate the pairwise kSZ signal of clusters atmore » $$z\\lt 1$$, using the output from a cosmological N-body simulation and including the properties of the intracluster gas via a model that can be varied in post-processing. We find that modifications to the gas profile due to star formation and feedback reduce the pairwise kSZ amplitude of clusters by $$\\sim 50\\%$$, relative to the naive "gas traces mass" assumption. We demonstrate that miscentering can reduce the overall amplitude of the pairwise kSZ signal by up to 10%, while redshift errors can lead to an almost complete suppression of the signal at small separations. We confirm that a high-significance detection is expected from the combination of data from current generation, high-resolution cosmic microwave background experiments, such as the South Pole Telescope, and cluster samples from optical photometric surveys, such as the Dark Energy Survey. As a result, we forecast that future experiments such as Advanced ACTPol in conjunction with data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument will yield detection significances of at least $$20\\sigma $$, and up to $$57\\sigma $$ in an optimistic scenario.« less

A Measurement of the Galaxy Group-Thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect Cross-Correlation Function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vikram, Vinu; Lidz, Adam; Jain, Bhuvnesh

2017-05-01

Stacking cosmic microwave background maps around known galaxy clusters and groups provides a powerful probe of the distribution of hot gas in these systems via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. A stacking analysis allows one to detect the average SZ signal around low-mass haloes, to extend measurements out to large scales and measure the redshift dependence of the SZ background. Motivated by these exciting prospects, we measure the two-point cross-correlation function between ˜380 000 galaxy groups (at z = 0.01-0.2) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Compton-y parameter maps constructed by the Planck collaboration. We find statistically significant correlations in each of six separate mass bins, with halo masses ranging from 1011.5 to 1015.5 M⊙ h-1. We compare with halo models of the SZ signal, which describe the stacked measurement in terms of one-halo and two-halo contributions. The one-halo term quantifies the average pressure profile around the groups in a mass bin, while the two-halo term describes the contribution of correlated neighbouring haloes. For the massive groups, we find clear evidence for the one- and two-halo regimes, while groups with mass below 1013 M⊙ h-1 are dominated by the two-halo term, given the resolution of Planck data. We use the signal in the two-halo regime to determine the bias-weighted electron pressure of the Universe: = 1.50 ± 0.226 × 10-7 keV cm-3 (1σ) at z ≈ 0.15.

70. Cortisol Response to Psychosocial Stress and Working Memory Performance in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Reed, Alexandra; Lake, Jessica; Hamilton, Holly; Bachman, Peter; Clayson, Peter; Miller, Gregory; Subotnik, Kenneth; Nuechterlein, Keith; Yee, Cindy

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Working memory (WM) deficits are part of the constellation of cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia (SZ). Although WM efficiency may be especially important for patients functioning within academic and employment settings, much of the research on WM in SZ neglects the social context of cognitive performance and fails to consider the extent to which stress may contribute to cognitive dysfunction. This is a crucial oversight considering growing evidence that high levels of cortisol disrupt WM in healthy individuals. Stress may be especially detrimental to cognitive functions in patients who often demonstrate HPA dysregulation including high basal cortisol and attenuated cortisol responses to acute stressors. Methods: The present study examined effects of a laboratory psychosocial stress task, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), on WM performance in patients with SZ (n = 87) and healthy comparison subjects (HCs; n = 68). Each participant completed an n-back task before and after the TSST. Salivary cortisol samples collected at baseline, post-TSST, and recovery were available from participants with chronic SZ (n = 23, mean illness duration = 11.21, SD = 6.79 years), first-episode SZ (n = 43, mean illness duration = 0.78, SD = 0.85 years), and HCs (n = 51). Results: As predicted, the TSST disrupted performance accuracy during the WM task, but only in SZ. Post-TSST cortisol levels were positively correlated with sensitivity to detect match trials and overall accuracy on n-back performance in chronic patients but not in first episode patients or in healthy participants. Total cortisol response in chronic patients, summarized as area under the curve, accounted for approximately 26% of the variance in WM accuracy after stress. Conclusion: Results replicate findings of blunted cortisol reactivity in SZ and extend prior work by connecting cortisol stress response to specific changes in WM performance in a chronic sample. Findings are consistent with the hypothesis that flexible HPA functioning may moderate WM dysfunction in chronic SZ.

MODEL-INDEPENDENT LIMITS ON THE LINE-OF-SIGHT DEPTH OF CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES USING X-RAY AND SUNYAEV-ZEL'DOVICH DATA

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

Mahdavi, Andisheh; Chang Weihan

2011-07-01

We derive a model-independent expression for the minimum line-of-sight extent of the hot plasma in a cluster of galaxies. The only inputs are the 1-5 keV X-ray surface brightness and the Comptonization from Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) data. No a priori assumptions regarding equilibrium or geometry are required. The method applies when the X-ray emitting material has temperatures anywhere between 0.3 keV and 20 keV and metallicities between 0 and twice solar-conditions fulfilled by nearly all intracluster plasma. Using this method, joint APEX-SZ and Chandra X-ray Observatory data on the Bullet Cluster yield a lower limit of 400 {+-} 56 kpc onmore » the half-pressure depth of the main component, limiting it to being at least spherical, if not cigar-shaped primarily along the line of sight.« less

Understanding redshift space distortions in density-weighted peculiar velocity

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

Sugiyama, Naonori S.; Okumura, Teppei; Spergel, David N., E-mail: nao.s.sugiyama@gmail.com, E-mail: teppei.oku@gmail.com, E-mail: dns@astro.princeton.edu

2016-07-01

Observations of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect measure the density-weighted velocity field, a potentially powerful cosmological probe. This paper presents an analytical method to predict the power spectrum and two-point correlation function of the density-weighted velocity in redshift space, the direct observables in kSZ surveys. We show a simple relation between the density power spectrum and the density-weighted velocity power spectrum that holds for both dark matter and halos. Using this relation, we can then extend familiar perturbation expansion techniques to the kSZ power spectrum. One of the most important features of density-weighted velocity statistics in redshift space is themore » change in sign of the cross-correlation between the density and density-weighted velocity at mildly small scales due to nonlinear redshift space distortions. Our model can explain this characteristic feature without any free parameters. As a result, our results can precisely predict the non-linear behavior of the density-weighted velocity field in redshift space up to ∼ 30 h {sup -1} Mpc for dark matter particles at the redshifts of z =0.0, 0.5, and 1.0.« less

Semantic processes leading to true and false memory formation in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Paz-Alonso, Pedro M; Ghetti, Simona; Ramsay, Ian; Solomon, Marjorie; Yoon, Jong; Carter, Cameron S; Ragland, J Daniel

2013-07-01

Encoding semantic relationships between items on word lists (semantic processing) enhances true memories, but also increases memory distortions. Episodic memory impairments in schizophrenia (SZ) are strongly driven by failures to process semantic relations, but the exact nature of these relational semantic processing deficits is not well understood. Here, we used a false memory paradigm to investigate the impact of implicit and explicit semantic processing manipulations on episodic memory in SZ. Thirty SZ and 30 demographically matched healthy controls (HC) studied Deese/Roediger-McDermott (DRM) lists of semantically associated words. Half of the lists had strong implicit semantic associations and the remainder had low strength associations. Similarly, half of the lists were presented under "standard" instructions and the other half under explicit "relational processing" instructions. After study, participants performed recall and old/new recognition tests composed of targets, critical lures, and unrelated lures. HC exhibited higher true memories and better discriminability between true and false memory compared to SZ. High, versus low, associative strength increased false memory rates in both groups. However, explicit "relational processing" instructions positively improved true memory rates only in HC. Finally, true and false memory rates were associated with severity of disorganized and negative symptoms in SZ. These results suggest that reduced processing of semantic relationships during encoding in SZ may stem from an inability to implement explicit relational processing strategies rather than a fundamental deficit in the implicit activation and retrieval of word meanings from patients' semantic lexicon. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social trait judgment and affect recognition from static faces and video vignettes in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

McIntosh, Lindsey G.; Park, Sohee

2014-01-01

Social impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia, present from the pre-morbid stage and predictive of outcome, but the etiology of this deficit remains poorly understood. Successful and adaptive social interactions depend on one’s ability to make rapid and accurate judgments about others in real time. Our surprising ability to form accurate first impressions from brief exposures, known as “thin slices” of behavior has been studied very extensively in healthy participants. We sought to examine affect and social trait judgment from thin slices of static or video stimuli in order to investigate the ability of schizophrenic individuals to form reliable social impressions of others. 21 individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and 20 matched healthy participants (HC) were asked to identify emotions and social traits for actors in standardized face stimuli as well as brief video clips. Sound was removed from videos to remove all verbal cues. Clinical symptoms in SZ and delusional ideation in both groups were measured. Results showed a general impairment in affect recognition for both types of stimuli in SZ. However, the two groups did not differ in the judgments of trustworthiness, approachability, attractiveness, and intelligence. Interestingly, in SZ, the severity of positive symptoms was correlated with higher ratings of attractiveness, trustworthiness, and approachability. Finally, increased delusional ideation in SZ was associated with a tendency to rate others as more trustworthy, while the opposite was true for HC. These findings suggest that complex social judgments in SZ are affected by symptomatology. PMID:25037526

Altered apolipoprotein C expression in association with cognition impairments and hippocampus volume in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Knöchel, Christian; Kniep, Jonathan; Cooper, Jason D; Stäblein, Michael; Wenzler, Sofia; Sarlon, Jan; Prvulovic, David; Linden, David E J; Bahn, Sabine; Stocki, Pawel; Ozcan, Sureyya; Alves, Gilberto; Carvalho, Andre F; Reif, Andreas; Oertel-Knöchel, Viola

2017-04-01

Proteomic analyses facilitate the interpretation of molecular biomarker probes which are very helpful in diagnosing schizophrenia (SZ). In the current study, we attempt to test whether potential differences in plasma protein expressions in SZ and bipolar disorder (BD) are associated with cognitive deficits and their underlying brain structures. Forty-two plasma proteins of 29 SZ patients, 25 BD patients and 93 non-clinical controls were quantified and analysed using multiple reaction monitoring-based triple quadrupole mass spectrometry approach. We also computed group comparisons of protein expressions between patients and controls, and between SZ and BD patients, as well. Potential associations of protein levels with cognitive functioning (psychomotor speed, executive functioning, crystallised intelligence) as well as underlying brain volume in the hippocampus were explored, using bivariate correlation analyses. The main finding of this study was that apolipoprotein expression differed between patients and controls and that these alterations in both disease groups were putatively related to cognitive impairments as well as to hippocampus volumes. However, none of the protein level differences were related to clinical symptom severity. In summary, altered apolipoprotein expression in BD and SZ was linked to cognitive decline and underlying morphological changes in both disorders. Our results suggest that the detection of molecular patterns in association with cognitive performance and its underlying brain morphology is of great importance for understanding of the pathological mechanisms of SZ and BD, as well as for supporting the diagnosis and treatment of both disorders.

Nonlinear parameters of surface EMG in schizophrenia patients depend on kind of antipsychotic therapy

PubMed Central

Meigal, Alexander Yu.; Miroshnichenko, German G.; Kuzmina, Anna P.; Rissanen, Saara M.; Georgiadis, Stefanos D.; Karjalainen, Pasi A.

2015-01-01

We compared a set of surface EMG (sEMG) parameters in several groups of schizophrenia (SZ, n = 74) patients and healthy controls (n = 11) and coupled them with the clinical data. sEMG records were quantified with spectral, mutual information (MI) based and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) parameters, and with approximate and sample entropies (ApEn and SampEn). Psychotic deterioration was estimated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and with the positive subscale of PANSS. Neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism (NIP) motor symptoms were estimated with Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS). Dyskinesia was measured with Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). We found that there was no difference in values of sEMG parameters between healthy controls and drug-naïve SZ patients. The most specific group was formed of SZ patients who were administered both typical and atypical antipsychotics (AP). Their sEMG parameters were significantly different from those of SZ patients taking either typical or atypical AP or taking no AP. This may represent a kind of synergistic effect of these two classes of AP. For the clinical data we found that PANSS, SAS, and AIMS were not correlated to any of the sEMG parameters. Conclusion: with nonlinear parameters of sEMG it is possible to reveal NIP in SZ patients, and it may help to discriminate between different clinical groups of SZ patients. Combined typical and atypical AP therapy has stronger effect on sEMG than a therapy with AP of only one class. PMID:26217236

Nonlinear parameters of surface EMG in schizophrenia patients depend on kind of antipsychotic therapy.

PubMed

Meigal, Alexander Yu; Miroshnichenko, German G; Kuzmina, Anna P; Rissanen, Saara M; Georgiadis, Stefanos D; Karjalainen, Pasi A

2015-01-01

We compared a set of surface EMG (sEMG) parameters in several groups of schizophrenia (SZ, n = 74) patients and healthy controls (n = 11) and coupled them with the clinical data. sEMG records were quantified with spectral, mutual information (MI) based and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) parameters, and with approximate and sample entropies (ApEn and SampEn). Psychotic deterioration was estimated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and with the positive subscale of PANSS. Neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism (NIP) motor symptoms were estimated with Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS). Dyskinesia was measured with Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). We found that there was no difference in values of sEMG parameters between healthy controls and drug-naïve SZ patients. The most specific group was formed of SZ patients who were administered both typical and atypical antipsychotics (AP). Their sEMG parameters were significantly different from those of SZ patients taking either typical or atypical AP or taking no AP. This may represent a kind of synergistic effect of these two classes of AP. For the clinical data we found that PANSS, SAS, and AIMS were not correlated to any of the sEMG parameters. with nonlinear parameters of sEMG it is possible to reveal NIP in SZ patients, and it may help to discriminate between different clinical groups of SZ patients. Combined typical and atypical AP therapy has stronger effect on sEMG than a therapy with AP of only one class.

Nature and frequency of aggressive behaviours among long-term inpatients with schizophrenia: a 6-month report using the modified overt aggression scale.

PubMed

Joyal, Christian C; Gendron, Catherine; Côté, Gilles

2008-07-01

Previous reports of violence rates in psychiatric settings varied substantially. The main goal of this preliminary study was to prospectively record all violent incidents committed by chronic inpatients with schizophrenia (Sz) using a validated instrument. A secondary objective was to confirm that a majority of violent inward incidents were not commonly serious and committed by a minority of recidivistic individuals suffering from neurological damage (ND). The French version of the Modified Overt Aggression Scale was introduced in all wards of a maximum security hospital to describe every violent incident committed by patients (n = 116) with diagnoses of Sz, Sz and ND, or Sz and mental retardation (MR) during a 6-month period (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Fifty-seven percent of aggressive acts were committed by 15% of patients who were more likely to receive additional diagnoses of ND or MR. Violent patients with Sz and ND were involved in 6 incidents for each individual on average, although most of the incidents were verbal in nature (68%). A high rate (28%) of patients with Sz, without evidence of ND or MR, had assaulted someone at least once during the study period. These results explain in part the high diversity of previous violent rate reviews and support the notion that inward repetitive violence might be more closely related with ND and impulsivity than psychopathology.

Loss of function studies in mice and genetic association link receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase α to schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Nagahide; Nielsen, Karin Sandager; Aleksic, Branko; Petersen, Steffen; Ikeda, Masashi; Kushima, Itaru; Vacaresse, Nathalie; Ujike, Hiroshi; Iwata, Nakao; Dubreuil, Véronique; Mirza, Naheed; Sakurai, Takeshi; Ozaki, Norio; Buxbaum, Joseph D.; Sap, Jan

2011-01-01

Background Solid evidence links schizophrenia (SZ) susceptibility to neurodevelopmental processes involving tyrosine phosphorylation-mediated signaling. Mouse studies implicate the Ptpra gene, encoding protein tyrosine phosphatase RPTPα, in the control of radial neuronal migration, cortical cytoarchitecture, and oligodendrocyte differentiation. The human gene encoding RPTPα, PTPRA, maps to a chromosomal region (20p13) associated with susceptibility to psychotic illness. Methods We characterized neurobehavioral parameters, as well as gene expression in the central nervous system, of mice with a null mutation in the Ptpra gene. We searched for genetic association between polymorphisms in PTPRA and schizophrenia risk (2 independent cohorts; total of 1420 cases and 1377 controls), and we monitored PTPRA expression in prefrontal dorsolateral cortex of SZ patients (35 cases, 2 control groups of 35 cases) Results We find that Ptpra−/− mice reproduce neurobehavioral endophenotypes of human SZ: sensitization to metamphetamine-induced hyperactivity, defective sensorimotor gating, and defective habituation to a startle response. Ptpra loss of function also leads to reduced expression of multiple myelination genes, mimicking the hypomyelination-associated changes in gene expression observed in post mortem patient brains. We further report that a polymorphism at the PTPRA locus is genetically associated with SZ, and that PTPRA mRNA levels are reduced in post mortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of subjects with SZ. Conclusion The implication of this well-studied signaling protein in SZ risk and endophenotype manifestation provides novel entry points into the etiopathology of this disease. PMID:21831360

An investigation of reasoning by analogy in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Krawczyk, Daniel C.; Kandalaft, Michelle R.; Didehbani, Nyaz; Allen, Tandra T.; McClelland, M. Michelle; Tamminga, Carol A.; Chapman, Sandra B.

2014-01-01

Relational reasoning ability relies upon by both cognitive and social factors. We compared analogical reasoning performance in healthy controls (HC) to performance in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). The experimental task required participants to find correspondences between drawings of scenes. Participants were asked to infer which item within one scene best matched a relational item within the second scene. We varied relational complexity, presence of distraction, and type of objects in the analogies (living or non-living items). We hypothesized that the cognitive differences present in SZ would reduce relational inferences relative to ASD and HC. We also hypothesized that both SZ and ASD would show lower performance on living item problems relative to HC due to lower social function scores. Overall accuracy was higher for HC relative to SZ, consistent with prior research. Across groups, higher relational complexity reduced analogical responding, as did the presence of non-living items. Separate group analyses revealed that the ASD group was less accurate at making relational inferences in problems that involved mainly non-living items and when distractors were present. The SZ group showed differences in problem type similar to the ASD group. Additionally, we found significant correlations between social cognitive ability and analogical reasoning, particularly for the SZ group. These results indicate that differences in cognitive and social abilities impact the ability to infer analogical correspondences along with numbers of relational elements and types of objects present in the problems. PMID:25191240

The tyrosine phosphatase STEP: implications in schizophrenia and the molecular mechanism underlying antipsychotic medications

PubMed Central

Carty, N C; Xu, J; Kurup, P; Brouillette, J; Goebel-Goody, S M; Austin, D R; Yuan, P; Chen, G; Correa, P R; Haroutunian, V; Pittenger, C; Lombroso, P J

2012-01-01

Glutamatergic signaling through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) is required for synaptic plasticity. Disruptions in glutamatergic signaling are proposed to contribute to the behavioral and cognitive deficits observed in schizophrenia (SZ). One possible source of compromised glutamatergic function in SZ is decreased surface expression of GluN2B-containing NMDARs. STEP61 is a brain-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase that dephosphorylates a regulatory tyrosine on GluN2B, thereby promoting its internalization. Here, we report that STEP61 levels are significantly higher in the postmortem anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of SZ patients, as well as in mice treated with the psychotomimetics MK-801 and phencyclidine (PCP). Accumulation of STEP61 after MK-801 treatment is due to a disruption in the ubiquitin proteasome system that normally degrades STEP61. STEP knockout mice are less sensitive to both the locomotor and cognitive effects of acute and chronic administration of PCP, supporting the functional relevance of increased STEP61 levels in SZ. In addition, chronic treatment of mice with both typical and atypical antipsychotic medications results in a protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation and inactivation of STEP61 and, consequently, increased surface expression of GluN1/GluN2B receptors. Taken together, our findings suggest that STEP61 accumulation may contribute to the pathophysiology of SZ. Moreover, we show a mechanistic link between neuroleptic treatment, STEP61 inactivation and increased surface expression of NMDARs, consistent with the glutamate hypothesis of SZ. PMID:22781170

Neurosteroids in Schizophrenia: Pathogenic and Therapeutic Implications

PubMed Central

Cai, HuaLin; Cao, Ting; Zhou, Xiang; Yao, Jeffrey K.

2018-01-01

Neurosteroids are a group of important endogenous molecules affecting many neural functions in the brain. Increasing evidence suggests a possible role of these neurosteroids in the pathology and symptomatology of schizophrenia (SZ) and other mental disorders. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about the neural functions of neurosteroids in the brain, and to evaluate the role of the key neurosteroids as candidate modulators in the etiology and therapeutics of SZ. The present paper provides a brief introduction of neurosteroid metabolism and distribution, followed by a discussion of the mechanisms underlying neurosteroid actions in the brain. The content regarding the modulation of the GABAA receptor is elaborated, given the considerable knowledge of its interactions with other neurotransmitter and neuroprotective systems, as well as its ameliorating effects on stress that may play a role in the SZ pathophysiology. In addition, several preclinical and clinical studies suggested a therapeutic benefit of neurosteroids in SZ patients, even though the presence of altered neurosteroid pathways in the circulating blood and/or brain remains debatable. Following treatment of antipsychotic drugs in SZ, therapeutic benefits have also been linked to the regulation of neurosteroid signaling. Specifically, the neurosteroids such as pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone affect a broad spectrum of behavioral functions through their unique molecular characteristics and may represent innovative therapeutic targets for SZ. Future investigations in larger cohorts with long-term follow-ups will be required to ascertain the neuropsychopharmacological role of this yet unexploited class of neurosteroid agents. PMID:29568275

The scatter and evolution of the global hot gas properties of simulated galaxy cluster populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Brun, Amandine M. C.; McCarthy, Ian G.; Schaye, Joop; Ponman, Trevor J.

2017-04-01

We use the cosmo-OverWhelmingly Large Simulation (cosmo-OWLS) suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations to investigate the scatter and evolution of the global hot gas properties of large simulated populations of galaxy groups and clusters. Our aim is to compare the predictions of different physical models and to explore the extent to which commonly adopted assumptions in observational analyses (e.g. self-similar evolution) are violated. We examine the relations between (true) halo mass and the X-ray temperature, X-ray luminosity, gas mass, Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) flux, the X-ray analogue of the SZ flux (YX) and the hydrostatic mass. For the most realistic models, which include active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback, the slopes of the various mass-observable relations deviate substantially from the self-similar ones, particularly at late times and for low-mass clusters. The amplitude of the mass-temperature relation shows negative evolution with respect to the self-similar prediction (I.e. slower than the prediction) for all models, driven by an increase in non-thermal pressure support at higher redshifts. The AGN models predict strong positive evolution of the gas mass fractions at low halo masses. The SZ flux and YX show positive evolution with respect to self-similarity at low mass but negative evolution at high mass. The scatter about the relations is well approximated by log-normal distributions, with widths that depend mildly on halo mass. The scatter decreases significantly with increasing redshift. The exception is the hydrostatic mass-halo mass relation, for which the scatter increases with redshift. Finally, we discuss the relative merits of various hot gas-based mass proxies.

Surface microtopography modulates sealing zone development in osteoclasts cultured on bone

PubMed Central

Addadi, Lia; Geiger, Benjamin

2017-01-01

Bone homeostasis is continuously regulated by the coordinated action of bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone-forming osteoblasts. Imbalance between these two cell populations leads to pathological bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteopetrosis. Osteoclast functionality relies on the formation of sealing zone (SZ) rings that define the resorption lacuna. It is commonly assumed that the structure and dynamic properties of the SZ depend on the physical and chemical properties of the substrate. Considering the unique complex structure of native bone, elucidation of the relevant parameters affecting SZ formation and stability is challenging. In this study, we examined in detail the dynamic response of the SZ to the microtopography of devitalized bone surfaces, taken from the same area in cattle femur. We show that there is a significant enrichment in large and stable SZs (diameter larger than 14 µm; lifespan of hours) in cells cultured on rough bone surfaces, compared with small and fast turning over SZ rings (diameter below 7 µm; lifespan approx. 7 min) formed on smooth bone surfaces. Based on these results, we propose that the surface roughness of the physiologically relevant substrate of osteoclasts, namely bone, affects primarily the local stability of growing SZs. PMID:28202594

Mapping the hot gas temperature in galaxy clusters using X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, R.; Arnaud, M.; Bartalucci, I.; Ade, P.; André, P.; Beelen, A.; Benoît, A.; Bideaud, A.; Billot, N.; Bourdin, H.; Bourrion, O.; Calvo, M.; Catalano, A.; Coiffard, G.; Comis, B.; D'Addabbo, A.; Désert, F.-X.; Doyle, S.; Ferrari, C.; Goupy, J.; Kramer, C.; Lagache, G.; Leclercq, S.; Macías-Pérez, J.-F.; Maurogordato, S.; Mauskopf, P.; Mayet, F.; Monfardini, A.; Pajot, F.; Pascale, E.; Perotto, L.; Pisano, G.; Pointecouteau, E.; Ponthieu, N.; Pratt, G. W.; Revéret, V.; Ritacco, A.; Rodriguez, L.; Romero, C.; Ruppin, F.; Schuster, K.; Sievers, A.; Triqueneaux, S.; Tucker, C.; Zylka, R.

2017-10-01

We propose a method to map the temperature distribution of the hot gas in galaxy clusters that uses resolved images of the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect in combination with X-ray data. Application to images from the New IRAM KIDs Array (NIKA) and XMM-Newton allows us to measure and determine the spatial distribution of the gas temperature in the merging cluster MACS J0717.5+3745, at z = 0.55. Despite the complexity of the target object, we find a good morphological agreement between the temperature maps derived from X-ray spectroscopy only - using XMM-Newton (TXMM) and Chandra (TCXO) - and the new gas-mass-weighted tSZ+X-ray imaging method (TSZX). We correlate the temperatures from tSZ+X-ray imaging and those from X-ray spectroscopy alone and find that TSZX is higher than TXMM and lower than TCXO by 10% in both cases. Our results are limited by uncertainties in the geometry of the cluster gas, contamination from kinetic SZ ( 10%), and the absolute calibration of the tSZ map (7%). Investigation using a larger sample of clusters would help minimise these effects.

Detection of the kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect with DES Year 1 and SPT

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

Soergel, B.; Flender, S.; Story, K. T.

Here, we detect the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect with a statistical significance ofmore » $$4.2 \\sigma$$ by combining a cluster catalogue derived from the first year data of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) with CMB temperature maps from the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SPT-SZ) Survey. This measurement is performed with a differential statistic that isolates the pairwise kSZ signal, providing the first detection of the large-scale, pairwise motion of clusters using redshifts derived from photometric data. By fitting the pairwise kSZ signal to a theoretical template we measure the average central optical depth of the cluster sample, $$\\bar{\\tau}_e = (3.75 \\pm 0.89)\\cdot 10^{-3}$$. We compare the extracted signal to realistic simulations and find good agreement with respect to the signal-to-noise, the constraint on $$\\bar{\\tau}_e$$, and the corresponding gas fraction. High-precision measurements of the pairwise kSZ signal with future data will be able to place constraints on the baryonic physics of galaxy clusters, and could be used to probe gravity on scales $$ \\gtrsim 100$$ Mpc.« less

Detection of the kinematic Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect with DES Year 1 and SPT

DOE PAGES

Soergel, B.; Flender, S.; Story, K. T.; ...

2016-06-17

Here, we detect the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect with a statistical significance ofmore » $$4.2 \\sigma$$ by combining a cluster catalogue derived from the first year data of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) with CMB temperature maps from the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SPT-SZ) Survey. This measurement is performed with a differential statistic that isolates the pairwise kSZ signal, providing the first detection of the large-scale, pairwise motion of clusters using redshifts derived from photometric data. By fitting the pairwise kSZ signal to a theoretical template we measure the average central optical depth of the cluster sample, $$\\bar{\\tau}_e = (3.75 \\pm 0.89)\\cdot 10^{-3}$$. We compare the extracted signal to realistic simulations and find good agreement with respect to the signal-to-noise, the constraint on $$\\bar{\\tau}_e$$, and the corresponding gas fraction. High-precision measurements of the pairwise kSZ signal with future data will be able to place constraints on the baryonic physics of galaxy clusters, and could be used to probe gravity on scales $$ \\gtrsim 100$$ Mpc.« less

Recruitment of PCM1 to the centrosome by the cooperative action of DISC1 and BBS4: a candidate for psychiatric illnesses.

PubMed

Kamiya, Atsushi; Tan, Perciliz L; Kubo, Ken-ichiro; Engelhard, Caitlin; Ishizuka, Koko; Kubo, Akiharu; Tsukita, Sachiko; Pulver, Ann E; Nakajima, Kazunori; Cascella, Nicola G; Katsanis, Nicholas; Sawa, Akira

2008-09-01

A role for the centrosome has been suggested in the pathology of major mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia (SZ). To show that pericentriolar material 1 protein (PCM1) forms a complex at the centrosome with disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) and Bardet-Biedl syndrome 4 protein (BBS4), which provides a crucial pathway for cortical development associated with the pathology of SZ. To identify mutations in the PCM1 gene in an SZ population. Interaction of DISC1, PCM1, and BBS proteins was assessed by immunofluorescent staining and coimmunoprecipitation. Effects of PCM1, DISC1, and BBS on centrosomal functions and corticogenesis in vivo were tested by RNA interference. The PCM1 gene was examined by sequencing 39 exons and flanking splice sites. Probands and controls were from the collection of one of us (A.E.P.). Thirty-two probands with SZ from families that had excess allele sharing among affected individuals at 8p22 and 219 white controls. Protein interaction and recruitment at the centrosome in cells; neuronal migration in the cerebral cortex; and variant discovery in PCM1 in patients with SZ. PCM1 forms a complex with DISC1 and BBS4 through discrete binding domains in each protein. DISC1 and BBS4 are required for targeting PCM1 and other cargo proteins, such as ninein, to the centrosome in a synergistic manner. In the developing cerebral cortex, suppression of PCM1 leads to neuronal migration defects, which are phenocopied by the suppression of either DISC1 or BBS4 and are exacerbated by the concomitant suppression of both. Furthermore, a nonsense mutation that segregates with SZ spectrum psychosis was found in 1 family. Our data further support for the role of centrosomal proteins in cortical development and suggest that perturbation of centrosomal function contributes to the development of mental diseases, including SZ.

Reduced serum non-enzymatic antioxidant defense and increased lipid peroxidation in schizophrenic patients on a hypocaloric diet.

PubMed

Zortea, Karine; Fernandes, Brisa Simões; Guimarães, Lísia Rejane; Francesconi, Lenise Petter; Lersch, Camila; Gama, Clarissa Severino; Schroeder, Rafael; Zanotto-Filho, Alfeu; Moreira, José Claudio; Lobato, Maria Inês Rodrigues; Belmonte-de-Abreu, Paulo Silva

2012-03-14

Growing evidence suggests that oxidative stress (OS) may be associated with the pathophysiology underlying schizophrenia (SZ). Some studies indicate that nutritional supplements offer protection from OS, but there is no data about the effect of a hypocaloric diet on OS in this population. Therefore, we aimed to study the effect of a hypocaloric dietary intervention on OS in subjects with SZ. A cross-sectional study of 96 participants in outpatient treatment for SZ comprised patients separated into two groups: one group of subjects followed a hypocaloric diet (HD) program (n=42), while the other group followed a regular diet (RD) with no nutritional restrictions (n=54). The serum total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP), total antioxidant reactivity (TAR) and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) levels were assessed. TRAP levels were lower and TBARS levels were higher in the HD group than in the RD group (p=0.022 and p=0.023, respectively). There were no differences in TAR levels between the groups. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between TRAP and TBARS levels after adjusting for BMI and clozapine dose (partial correlation=0.42, p<0.001). There were no correlations among the length of illness or diet and the levels of TRAP, TBARS, and TAR. Subjects with SZ on a hypocaloric diet displayed different OS parameters than those not following a HD. Serum TRAP levels were lower and TBARS levels were higher among SZ subjects with HD compared to SZ subjects without HD. Lower TRAP levels may reflect decreased oxidative stress, whereas higher TBARS levels most likely reflect a biochemical reaction to the decreased TRAP levels. Additionally, TAR levels were similar between groups, suggesting a similar quality of antioxidant defenses, despite quantitative differences between the two dietary protocols in SZ patients under outpatient care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environment-based selection effects of Planck clusters

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

Kosyra, R.; Gruen, D.; Seitz, S.

2015-07-24

We investigate whether the large-scale structure environment of galaxy clusters imprints a selection bias on Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) catalogues. Such a selection effect might be caused by line of sight (LoS) structures that add to the SZ signal or contain point sources that disturb the signal extraction in the SZ survey. We use the Planck PSZ1 union catalogue in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) region as our sample of SZ-selected clusters. We calculate the angular two-point correlation function (2pcf) for physically correlated, foreground and background structure in the RedMaPPer SDSS DR8 catalogue with respect to each cluster. We compare ourmore » results with an optically selected comparison cluster sample and with theoretical predictions. In contrast to the hypothesis of no environment-based selection, we find a mean 2pcf for background structures of -0.049 on scales of ≲40 arcmin, significantly non-zero at ~4σ, which means that Planck clusters are more likely to be detected in regions of low background density. We hypothesize this effect arises either from background estimation in the SZ survey or from radio sources in the background. We estimate the defect in SZ signal caused by this effect to be negligibly small, of the order of ~10 -4 of the signal of a typical Planck detection. Analogously, there are no implications on X-ray mass measurements. However, the environmental dependence has important consequences for weak lensing follow up of Planck galaxy clusters: we predict that projection effects account for half of the mass contained within a 15 arcmin radius of Planck galaxy clusters. We did not detect a background underdensity of CMASS LRGs, which also leaves a spatially varying redshift dependence of the Planck SZ selection function as a possible cause for our findings.« less

A new species of Megalommum Szépligeti (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae); a parasitoid of the pistachio longhorn beetle (Calchaenesthes pistacivora Holzschuh; Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Iran

PubMed Central

van Achterberg, C.; Mehrnejad, M.R.

2011-01-01

Abstract A new species of the genus Megalommum Szépligeti (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae), reared from the pistachio longhorn beetle (Calchaenesthes pistacivora Holzschuh; Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is described and illustrated. The genera Curreia Ashmead, 1900 and Endovipio Turner, 1922 are new synonyms of Megalommum Szépligeti, 1900. Notes on the biology of Megalommum pistacivorae sp. n. and a key to the West Palaearctic and Oriental species are added. The following new combinations are given: Megalommum xanthoceps (Fahringer, 1928), comb. n., Megalommum jacobsoni (Tobias, 1968), comb. n., Megalommum ayyari (Watanabe, 1950), comb. n., Megalommum philippinense (Baker, 1917), comb. n., Megalommum dodecanesi(Ferrière, 1922), comb. n., Megalommum ceresense (Turner, 1922), comb. n., Megalommum inareatum (Granger, 1949), comb. n., Megalommum antefurcale (Szépligeti, 1915) comb. n. and Megalommum tibiale (Ashmead, 1906), comb. n. PMID:21976987

Planck intermediate results: XXXVI. Optical identification and redshifts of Planck SZ sources with telescopes at the Canary Islands observatories

DOE PAGES

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; ...

2016-02-09

In this paper, we present the results of approximately three years of observations of Planck Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) sources with telescopes at the Canary Islands observatories as part of the general optical follow-up programme undertaken by the Planck Collaboration. In total, 78 SZ sources are discussed. Deep-imaging observations were obtained for most of these sources; spectroscopic observations in either in long-slit or multi-object modes were obtained for many. We effectively used 37.5 clear nights. We found optical counterparts for 73 of the 78 candidates. This sample includes 53 spectroscopic redshift determinations, 20 of them obtained with a multi-object spectroscopic mode. Finally,more » the sample contains new redshifts for 27 Planck clusters that were not included in the first Planck SZ source catalogue (PSZ1).« less

Cool Core Bias in Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Galaxy Cluster Surveys

DOE PAGES

Lin, Henry W.; McDonald, Michael; Benson, Bradford; ...

2015-03-18

Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) surveys find massive clusters of galaxies by measuring the inverse Compton scattering of cosmic microwave background off of intra-cluster gas. The cluster selection function from such surveys is expected to be nearly independent of redshift and cluster astrophysics. In this work, we estimate the effect on the observed SZ signal of centrally-peaked gas density profiles (cool cores) and radio emission from the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) by creating mock observations of a sample of clusters that span the observed range of classical cooling rates and radio luminosities. For each cluster, we make simulated SZ observations by the Southmore » Pole Telescope and characterize the cluster selection function, but note that our results are broadly applicable to other SZ surveys. We find that the inclusion of a cool core can cause a change in the measured SPT significance of a cluster between 0.01%–10% at z > 0.3, increasing with cuspiness of the cool core and angular size on the sky of the cluster (i.e., decreasing redshift, increasing mass). We provide quantitative estimates of the bias in the SZ signal as a function of a gas density cuspiness parameter, redshift, mass, and the 1.4 GHz radio luminosity of the central AGN. Based on this work, we estimate that, for the Phoenix cluster (one of the strongest cool cores known), the presence of a cool core is biasing the SZ significance high by ~6%. The ubiquity of radio galaxies at the centers of cool core clusters will offset the cool core bias to varying degrees« less

Randomized, Double-Blinded, Double-Dummy, Active-Controlled, and Multiple-Dose Clinical Study Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of Mulberry Twig (Ramulus Mori, Sangzhi) Alkaloid Tablet and Acarbose in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Chen, Yao

2016-01-01

Aims. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mulberry twig alkaloid (SZ-A) tablet compared with acarbose in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods. This clinical trial enrolled 38 patients who were randomized into two groups (SZ-A: 23; acarbose: 15) and were treated for 24 weeks. Patients and clinical trial staffs were masked to treatment assignment throughout the study. The primary outcome measures were glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and 1-hour and 2-hour postprandial and fasting plasma glucose levels from baseline to the end of treatment. Analysis included all patients who completed this study. Results. By the end of this study, HbA1c level in SZ-A group was decreased from baseline significantly (P < 0.001). No significant difference was found when compared with acarbose group (P = 0.652). Similarly, 1-hour and 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose levels in SZ-A group were decreased from baseline statistically (P < 0.05), without any significant differences compared with acarbose group (P = 0.748 and 0.558, resp.). The fasting plasma glucose levels were not significantly changed in both groups. One of 23 patients in SZ-A group (4.76%) and 5 of 15 patients in acarbose group (33.33%) suffered from gastrointestinal adverse events. Conclusions. Compared with acarbose, SZ-A tablet was effective and safe in glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. PMID:27547230

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

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

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

Neuropsychological Impairment in Prodromal, First-Episode, and Chronic Psychosis: Assessing RBANS Performance

PubMed Central

Stone, William S.; Woodberry, Kristen A.; Seidman, Larry J.; Tang, YingYing; Guo, Qian; Zhuo, KaiMing; Qian, ZhenYing; Cui, HuiRu; Zhu, YiKang; Jiang, LiJuan; Chow, Annabelle; Tang, YunXiang; Li, ChunBo; Jiang, KaiDa; Yi, ZhengHui; Xiao, ZePing; Wang, JiJun

2015-01-01

Background Cognitive deficits are observed throughout all developmental phases of psychosis. However, prior studies have usually focused on a limited illness period and used a wide variety of cognitive instruments. Therefore, it has been difficult to characterize or highlight cognitive functioning in different stages of psychosis. Method We administered the RBANS (Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status) tests to 4 participant subgroups, including healthy volunteers (controls, HC, n = 28), subjects at high risk for clinical psychosis (prodrome, CHR, n = 27), first-episode schizophrenia patients (FE-Sz, n = 26), and mid-term and long-term chronic schizophrenia patients (Ch-Sz, n =147). Comparison, correlation, and regression analyses of RBANS index scores were assessed among groups. We examined clinical outcomes over 2 years between the CHR and HC subjects, and RBANS domains were used as possible predictors for conversion to psychosis. Results Performance on all RBANS domains was significantly impaired during a post-onset stage of psychosis (FE-Sz and Ch-Sz), and RBANS scores declined along with disease progression. Regression analyses showed that for CHR and HC subjects, baseline impairment in delayed memory (DM) significantly predicted conversion to psychosis. Additionally, partial correlations showed that for FE-Sz and Ch-Sz subjects, DM was the only correlate with a later stage of psychosis. Conclusions Cognitive deficits broadly emerged, and diminished functioning followed along with disease progression. Impairment in DM is perhaps one domain that helps us understand the development of psychosis. A critical need is to monitor and treat memory functioning for psychotic patients throughout all phases of the disease. PMID:25973925

Comorbid personality traits in schizophrenia: prevalence and clinical characteristics.

PubMed

Moore, Elizabeth A; Green, Melissa J; Carr, Vaughan J

2012-03-01

Accumulating evidence suggests high rates of personality disorder (PD) in schizophrenia (Sz), and as such, the implications of PD in this context are beginning to be studied more thoroughly. We examined clinical, cognitive and experiential (i.e., reported childhood adversity) correlates of aberrant personality traits in schizophrenia and healthy controls (HC) as measured by the International Personality Disorder Examination Questionnaire (IPDEQ). Participants were 549 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and 572 healthy adults recruited to the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank (ASRB). Schizophrenia participants were significantly more likely than healthy controls to screen positive for personality disorder across all ICD-10 subtypes, and there was substantial overlap between clusters, with ∼33% of Sz participants screening positive for all 3 personality disorder clusters. Among both Sz and HC groups, cluster B personality characteristics were significantly associated with increased suicidal behaviours, lower cognitive performance, and the experience of childhood adversity. In addition, Cluster C personality features were associated with higher overall ratings of affective blunting in schizophrenia, and Cluster A personality features were associated with childhood 'loss' in HC participants only. The cumulative effects of screening positive for more than one personality disorder in Sz was associated with higher likelihood of suicidal behaviour, earlier age of onset of Sz, and poorer cognitive functioning. The results suggest that abnormal co-occurrence of personality traits across DSM-IV clusters is evident in a significant proportion of individuals with schizophrenia, and that these personality features impact significantly on clinical and cognitive characteristics of Sz. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Brain Networks in Schizophrenia during a Working Memory Task

PubMed Central

Godwin, Douglass; Ji, Andrew; Kandala, Sridhar; Mamah, Daniel

2017-01-01

Task-based connectivity studies facilitate the understanding of how the brain functions during cognition, which is commonly impaired in schizophrenia (SZ). Our aim was to investigate functional connectivity during a working memory task in SZ. We hypothesized that the task-negative (default mode) network and the cognitive control (frontoparietal) network would show dysconnectivity. Twenty-five SZ patient and 31 healthy control scans were collected using the customized 3T Siemens Skyra MRI scanner, previously used to collect data for the Human Connectome Project. Blood oxygen level dependent signal during the 0-back and 2-back conditions were extracted within a network-based parcelation scheme. Average functional connectivity was assessed within five brain networks: frontoparietal (FPN), default mode (DMN), cingulo-opercular (CON), dorsal attention (DAN), and ventral attention network; as well as between the DMN or FPN and other networks. For within-FPN connectivity, there was a significant interaction between n-back condition and group (p = 0.015), with decreased connectivity at 0-back in SZ subjects compared to controls. FPN-to-DMN connectivity also showed a significant condition × group effect (p = 0.003), with decreased connectivity at 0-back in SZ. Across groups, connectivity within the CON and DAN were increased during the 2-back condition, while DMN connectivity with either CON or DAN were decreased during the 2-back condition. Our findings support the role of the FPN, CON, and DAN in working memory and indicate that the pattern of FPN functional connectivity differs between SZ patients and control subjects during the course of a working memory task. PMID:29312020

Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Brain Networks in Schizophrenia during a Working Memory Task.

PubMed

Godwin, Douglass; Ji, Andrew; Kandala, Sridhar; Mamah, Daniel

2017-01-01

Task-based connectivity studies facilitate the understanding of how the brain functions during cognition, which is commonly impaired in schizophrenia (SZ). Our aim was to investigate functional connectivity during a working memory task in SZ. We hypothesized that the task-negative (default mode) network and the cognitive control (frontoparietal) network would show dysconnectivity. Twenty-five SZ patient and 31 healthy control scans were collected using the customized 3T Siemens Skyra MRI scanner, previously used to collect data for the Human Connectome Project. Blood oxygen level dependent signal during the 0-back and 2-back conditions were extracted within a network-based parcelation scheme. Average functional connectivity was assessed within five brain networks: frontoparietal (FPN), default mode (DMN), cingulo-opercular (CON), dorsal attention (DAN), and ventral attention network; as well as between the DMN or FPN and other networks. For within-FPN connectivity, there was a significant interaction between n -back condition and group ( p  = 0.015), with decreased connectivity at 0-back in SZ subjects compared to controls. FPN-to-DMN connectivity also showed a significant condition × group effect ( p  = 0.003), with decreased connectivity at 0-back in SZ. Across groups, connectivity within the CON and DAN were increased during the 2-back condition, while DMN connectivity with either CON or DAN were decreased during the 2-back condition. Our findings support the role of the FPN, CON, and DAN in working memory and indicate that the pattern of FPN functional connectivity differs between SZ patients and control subjects during the course of a working memory task.

Imaging genetics of schizophrenia in the post-GWAS era.

PubMed

Arslan, Ayla

2018-01-03

Imaging genetics is a research methodology studying the effect of genetic variation on brain structure, function, behavior, and risk for psychopathology. Since the early 2000s, imaging genetics has been increasingly used in the research of schizophrenia (SZ). SZ is a severe mental disorder with no precise knowledge of its underlying neurobiology, however, new genetic and neurobiological data generate a climate for new avenues. The accumulating data of genome wide association studies (GWAS) continuously decode SZ risk genes. Global neuroimaging consortia produce collections of brain phenotypes from tens of thousands of people. In this context, imaging genetics will be strategically important both for the validation and discovery of SZ related findings. Thus, the study of GWAS supported risk variants as candidate genes to validate by neuroimaging is one trend. The study of epigenetic differences in relation to variations of brain phenotypes and the study of large scale multivariate analysis of genome wide and brain wide associations are other trends. While these studies hold a big potential for understanding the neurobiology of SZ, the problem of reproducibility appears as a major challenge, which requires standardizations in study designs and compensations of methodological limitations such as sensitivity and specificity. On the other hand, advancements of neuroimaging, optical and electron microscopy along with the use of genetically encoded fluorescent probes and robust statistical approaches will not only catalyze integrative methodologies but also will help better design the imaging genetics studies. In this invited paper, I will discuss the current perspective of imaging genetics and emerging opportunities of SZ research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying dynamic functional connectivity biomarkers using GIG-ICA: application to schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and psychotic bipolar disorder

PubMed Central

Du, Yuhui; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Lin, Dongdong; Sui, Jing; Chen, Jiayu; Salman, Mustafa; Tamminga, Carol A.; Ivleva, Elena I.; Sweeney, John A.; Keshavan, Matcheri S.; Clementz, Brett A.; Bustillo, Juan; Calhoun, Vince D.

2017-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown altered brain dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) in mental disorders. Here we aim to explore DFC across a spectrum of symptomatically-related disorders including bipolar disorder with psychosis (BPP), schizoaffective disorder (SAD) and schizophrenia (SZ). We introduce a group information guided independent component analysis (GIG-ICA) procedure to estimate both group-level and subject-specific connectivity states from DFC. Using resting-state fMRI data of 238 healthy controls (HCs), 140 BPP, 132 SAD and 113 SZ patients, we identified measures differentiating groups from the whole-brain DFC and traditional static functional connectivity (SFC), separately. Results show that DFC provided more informative measures than SFC. Diagnosis-related connectivity states were evident using DFC analysis. For the dominant state consistent across groups, we found 22 instances of hypoconnectivity (with decreasing trends from HC to BPP to SAD to SZ) mainly involving post-central, frontal and cerebellar cortices as well as 34 examples of hyperconnectivity (with increasing trends HC through SZ) primarily involving thalamus and temporal cortices. Hypoconnectivities/hyperconnectivities also showed negative/positive correlations, respectively, with clinical symptom scores. Specifically, hypoconnectivities linking postcentral and frontal gyri were significantly negatively correlated with the PANSS positive/negative scores. For frontal connectivities, BPP resembled HC while SAD and SZ were more similar. Three connectivities involving the left cerebellar crus differentiated SZ from other groups and one connection linking frontal and fusiform cortices showed a SAD-unique change. In summary, our method is promising for assessing DFC and may yield imaging biomarkers for quantifying the dimension of psychosis. PMID:28294459

Social trait judgment and affect recognition from static faces and video vignettes in schizophrenia.

PubMed

McIntosh, Lindsey G; Park, Sohee

2014-09-01

Social impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia, present from the pre-morbid stage and predictive of outcome, but the etiology of this deficit remains poorly understood. Successful and adaptive social interactions depend on one's ability to make rapid and accurate judgments about others in real time. Our surprising ability to form accurate first impressions from brief exposures, known as "thin slices" of behavior has been studied very extensively in healthy participants. We sought to examine affect and social trait judgment from thin slices of static or video stimuli in order to investigate the ability of schizophrenic individuals to form reliable social impressions of others. 21 individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and 20 matched healthy participants (HC) were asked to identify emotions and social traits for actors in standardized face stimuli as well as brief video clips. Sound was removed from videos to remove all verbal cues. Clinical symptoms in SZ and delusional ideation in both groups were measured. Results showed a general impairment in affect recognition for both types of stimuli in SZ. However, the two groups did not differ in the judgments of trustworthiness, approachability, attractiveness, and intelligence. Interestingly, in SZ, the severity of positive symptoms was correlated with higher ratings of attractiveness, trustworthiness, and approachability. Finally, increased delusional ideation in SZ was associated with a tendency to rate others as more trustworthy, while the opposite was true for HC. These findings suggest that complex social judgments in SZ are affected by symptomatology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do patients with schizophrenia use prosody to encode contrastive discourse status?

PubMed Central

Michelas, Amandine; Faget, Catherine; Portes, Cristel; Lienhart, Anne-Sophie; Boyer, Laurent; Lançon, Christophe; Champagne-Lavau, Maud

2014-01-01

Patients with schizophrenia (SZ) often display social cognition disorders, including Theory of Mind (ToM) impairments and communication disruptions. Thought language disorders appear to be primarily a disruption of pragmatics, SZ can also experience difficulties at other linguistic levels including the prosodic one. Here, using an interactive paradigm, we showed that SZ individuals did not use prosodic phrasing to encode the contrastive status of discourse referents in French. We used a semi-spontaneous task to elicit noun-adjective pairs in which the noun in the second noun-adjective fragment was identical to the noun in the first fragment (e.g., BONBONS marron “brown candies” vs. BONBONS violets “purple candies”) or could contrast with it (e.g., BOUGIES violettes “purple candles” vs. BONBONS violets “purple candies”). We found that healthy controls parsed the target noun in the second noun-adjective fragment separately from the color adjective, to warn their interlocutor that this noun constituted a contrastive entity (e.g., BOUGIES violettes followed by [BONBONS] [violets]) compared to when it referred to the same object as in the first fragment (e.g., BONBONS marron followed by [BONBONS violets]). On the contrary, SZ individuals did not use prosodic phrasing to encode contrastive status of target nouns. In addition, SZ's difficulties to use prosody of contrast were correlated to their score in a classical ToM task (i.e., the hinting task). Taken together, our data provide evidence that SZ patients exhibit difficulties to prosodically encode discourse statuses and sketch a potential relationship between ToM and the use of linguistic prosody. PMID:25101025

Association study of neuregulin-1 gene polymorphisms in a North Indian schizophrenia sample.

PubMed

Kukshal, Prachi; Bhatia, Triptish; Bhagwat, A M; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Deshpande, Smita N; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L; Thelma, B K

2013-03-01

Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) gene polymorphisms have been proposed as risk factors for several common disorders. Associations with cognitive variation have also been tested. With regard to schizophrenia (SZ) risk, studies of Caucasian ancestry samples indicate associations more consistently than East Asian samples, suggesting heterogeneity. To exploit the differences in linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure across ethnic groups, we conducted a SZ case-control study (that included cognitive evaluations) in a sample from the north Indian population. NRG1 variants (n=35 SNPs, three microsatellite markers) were initially analyzed among cases (DSM IV criteria, n=1007) and controls (n=1019, drawn from two groups) who were drawn from the same geographical region in North India. Nominally significant associations with SZ were next analyzed in relation to neurocognitive measures estimated with a computerized neurocognitive battery in a subset of the sample (n=116 cases, n=170 controls). Three variants and one microsatellite showed allelic association with SZ (rs35753505, rs4733263, rs6994992, and microsatellite 420M9-1395, p≤0.05 uncorrected for multiple comparisons). A six marker haplotype 221121 (rs35753505-rs6994992-rs1354336-rs10093107-rs3924999-rs11780123) showed (p=0.0004) association after Bonferroni corrections. Regression analyses with the neurocognitive measures showed nominal (uncorrected) associations with emotion processing and attention at rs35753505 and rs6994992, respectively. Suggestive associations with SZ and SZ-related neurocognitive measures were detected with two SNPs from the NRG1 promoter region in a north Indian cohort. The functional role of the alleles merits further investigation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oil palm waste and synthetic zeolite: an alternative soil-less growth substrate for lettuce production as a waste management practice.

PubMed

Jayasinghe, Guttila Y; Tokashiki, Yoshihiro; Kitou, Makato; Kinjo, Kazutoshi

2008-12-01

A study was conducted to assess the characteristics and the prospective utilization of oil palm waste (OP) and synthetic zeolite (SZ) developed by coal fly ash, as an alternative substrate to peat and commercial perlite for lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production. The SZ, OP, sphagnum peat (PE), perlite (PL) and two different SZ-OP mixtures (v/v) at the ratio of 1 : 3 and 1 : 10 were utilized as the substrates under this study. The substrates formulated by mixing SZ with OP at the ratio of 1 : 3 and 1 : 10 showed improved substrate physical and chemical properties such as air space, bulk density, particle density, water-holding capacity, pH and electrical conductivity (EC), which were in the ideal substrate range when compared with PL. Furthermore, the water-holding capacity of the substrate having a 1 : 10 mixing ratio of SZ with OP was higher than that of the PL by 28.23%, whereas the bulk density was lower than that of PL by 35%. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to assess the influence of the substrates on the growth and development of lettuce. The shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight and number of leaves per plant of the lettuce grown in the 1 : 10 mixing ratio of SZ and OP were the highest, which showed increased values compared with that of PL by 11.56, 9.77, 3.48, 17.35 and 16.53%, respectively. The shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight and number of leaves per plant of the lettuce grown in the 1 : 10 mixing ratio of SZ and OP showed increased percentages compared with that of PE by 12.12, 11.37, 3.74, 23.66 and 17.50%, respectively. In addition, the growth and yield parameters of lettuce grown in the 1 : 3 mixing ratio and the OP did not show any significant difference with PL and PE but differed from the 1 : 10 mixing ratio. The results of the study suggest that the SZ-OP-based substrates and OP can be successfully utilized as alternatives to the commercial perlite and to substitute the conventional peat substrate for lettuce cultivation. In addition, this can be proposed as an alternative waste management practice.

Integrative transcriptome network analysis of iPSC-derived neurons from schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients with 22q11.2 deletion.

PubMed

Lin, Mingyan; Pedrosa, Erika; Hrabovsky, Anastasia; Chen, Jian; Puliafito, Benjamin R; Gilbert, Stephanie R; Zheng, Deyou; Lachman, Herbert M

2016-11-15

Individuals with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2 DS) are a specific high-risk group for developing schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective disorder (SAD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Several genes in the deleted region have been implicated in the development of SZ, e.g., PRODH and DGCR8. However, the mechanistic connection between these genes and the neuropsychiatric phenotype remains unclear. To elucidate the molecular consequences of 22q11.2 deletion in early neural development, we carried out RNA-seq analysis to investigate gene expression in early differentiating human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of 22q11.2 DS SZ and SAD patients. Eight cases (ten iPSC-neuron samples in total including duplicate clones) and seven controls (nine in total including duplicate clones) were subjected to RNA sequencing. Using a systems level analysis, differentially expressed genes/gene-modules and pathway of interests were identified. Lastly, we related our findings from in vitro neuronal cultures to brain development by mapping differentially expressed genes to BrainSpan transcriptomes. We observed ~2-fold reduction in expression of almost all genes in the 22q11.2 region in SZ (37 genes reached p-value < 0.05, 36 of which reached a false discovery rate < 0.05). Outside of the deleted region, 745 genes showed significant differences in expression between SZ and control neurons (p < 0.05). Function enrichment and network analysis of the differentially expressed genes uncovered converging evidence on abnormal expression in key functional pathways, such as apoptosis, cell cycle and survival, and MAPK signaling in the SZ and SAD samples. By leveraging transcriptome profiles of normal human brain tissues across human development into adulthood, we showed that the differentially expressed genes converge on a sub-network mediated by CDC45 and the cell cycle, which would be disrupted by the 22q11.2 deletion during embryonic brain development, and another sub-network modulated by PRODH, which could contribute to disruption of brain function during adolescence. This study has provided evidence for disruption of potential molecular events in SZ patient with 22q11.2 deletion and related our findings from in vitro neuronal cultures to functional perturbations that can occur during brain development in SZ.

Landscape ethnoecological knowledge base and management of ecosystem services in a Székely-Hungarian pre-capitalistic village system (Transylvania, Romania).

PubMed

Molnár, Zsolt; Gellény, Krisztina; Margóczi, Katalin; Biró, Marianna

2015-01-07

Previous studies showed an in-depth ecological understanding by traditional people of managing natural resources. We studied the landscape ethnoecological knowledge (LEEK) of Székelys on the basis of 16-19(th) century village laws. We analyzed the habitat types, ecosystem services and sustainable management types on which village laws had focused. Székelys had self-governed communities formed mostly of "noble peasants". Land-use was dominated by commons and regulated by village laws framed by the whole community. Seventy-two archival laws from 52 villages, resulting in 898 regulations, were analyzed using the DPSIR framework. Explicit and implicit information about the contemporary ecological knowledge of Székelys was extracted. We distinguished between responses that limited use and supported regeneration and those that protected produced/available ecosystem services and ensured their fair distribution. Most regulations referred to forests (674), arable lands (562), meadows (448) and pastures (134). Székelys regulated the proportion of arable land, pasture and forest areas consciously in order to maximize long-term exploitation of ecosystem services. The inner territory was protected against overuse by relocating certain uses to the outer territory. Competition for ecosystem services was demonstrated by conflicts of pressure-related (mostly personal) and response-related (mostly communal) driving forces. Felling of trees (oaks), grazing of forests, meadows and fallows, masting, use of wild apple/pear trees and fishing were strictly regulated. Cutting of leaf-fodder, grazing of green crops, burning of forest litter and the polluting of streams were prohibited. Marketing by villagers and inviting outsiders to use the ecosystem services were strictly regulated, and mostly prohibited. Székelys recognized at least 71 folk habitat types, understood ecological regeneration and degradation processes, the history of their landscape and the management possibilities of ecosystem services. Some aspects of LEEK were so well known within Székely communities that they were not made explicit in village laws, others remained implicit because they were not related to regulations. Based on explicit and implicit information, we argue that Székelys possessed detailed knowledge of the local ecological system. Moreover the world's first known explicit mention of ecosystem services ("Benefits that are provided by Nature for free") originated from this region from 1786.

Evidence for the Kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and Velocity Reconstruction from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaan, Emmanuel S.; Ferraro, Simone; Vargas-Magana, Mariana; Smith, Kendrick M.; Ho, Shirley; Aiola, Simone; Battaglia, Nicholas; Bond, J. Richard; De Bernardis, Francesco; Calabrese, Erminia;

Conflict-related anterior cingulate functional connectivity is associated with past suicidal ideation and behavior in recent-onset schizophrenia.

PubMed

Minzenberg, Michael J; Lesh, Tyler; Niendam, Tara; Yoon, Jong H; Cheng, Yaoan; Rhoades, Remy; Carter, Cameron S

2015-06-01

Suicide is highly prevalent in schizophrenia (SZ), yet it remains unclear how suicide risk factors such as past suicidal ideation or behavior relate to brain function. Circuits modulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are altered in SZ, including in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) during conflict-monitoring (an important component of cognitive control), and dACC changes are observed in post-mortem studies of heterogeneous suicide victims. We tested whether conflict-related dACC functional connectivity is associated with past suicidal ideation and behavior in SZ. 32 patients with recent-onset of DSM-IV-TR-defined SZ were evaluated with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and functional MRI during cognitive control (AX-CPT) task performance. Group-level regression models relating past history of suicidal ideation or behavior to dACC-seeded functional connectivity during conflict-monitoring controlled for severity of depression, psychosis and impulsivity. Past suicidal ideation was associated with relatively higher functional connectivity of the dACC with the precuneus during conflict-monitoring. Intensity of worst-point past suicidal ideation was associated with relatively higher dACC functional connectivity in medial parietal lobe and striato-thalamic nuclei. In contrast, among those with past suicidal ideation (n = 17), past suicidal behavior was associated with lower conflict-related dACC connectivity with multiple lateral and medial PFC regions, parietal and temporal cortical regions. This study provides unique evidence that recent-onset schizophrenia patients with past suicidal ideation or behavior show altered dACC-based circuit function during conflict-monitoring. Suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior have divergent patterns of associated dACC functional connectivity, suggesting a differing pattern of conflict-related brain dysfunction with these two distinct features of suicide phenomenology. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Microarray gene-expression study in fibroblast and lymphoblastoid cell lines from antipsychotic-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Gassó, Patricia; Mas, Sergi; Rodríguez, Natalia; Boloc, Daniel; García-Cerro, Susana; Bernardo, Miquel; Lafuente, Amalia; Parellada, Eduard

2017-12-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a chronic psychiatric disorder whose onset of symptoms occurs in late adolescence and early adulthood. The etiology is complex and involves important gene-environment interactions. Microarray gene-expression studies on SZ have identified alterations in several biological processes. The heterogeneity in the results can be attributed to the use of different sample types and other important confounding factors including age, illness chronicity and antipsychotic exposure. The aim of the present microarray study was to analyze, for the first time to our knowledge, differences in gene expression profiles in 18 fibroblast (FCLs) and 14 lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from antipsychotic-naïve first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and healthy controls. We used an analytical approach based on protein-protein interaction network construction and functional annotation analysis to identify the biological processes that are altered in SZ. Significant differences in the expression of 32 genes were found when LCLs were assessed. The network and gene set enrichment approach revealed the involvement of similar biological processes in FCLs and LCLs, including apoptosis and related biological terms such as cell cycle, autophagy, cytoskeleton organization and response to stress and stimulus. Metabolism and other processes, including signal transduction, kinase activity and phosphorylation, were also identified. These results were replicated in two independent cohorts using the same analytical approach. This provides more evidence for altered apoptotic processes in antipsychotic-naïve FES patients and other important biological functions such as cytoskeleton organization and metabolism. The convergent results obtained in both peripheral cell models support their usefulness for transcriptome studies on SZ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence for the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and velocity reconstruction from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaan, Emmanuel; Ferraro, Simone; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Smith, Kendrick M.; Ho, Shirley; Aiola, Simone; Battaglia, Nicholas; Bond, J. Richard; De Bernardis, Francesco; Calabrese, Erminia; Cho, Hsiao-Mei; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunkley, Joanna; Gallardo, Patricio A.; Hasselfield, Matthew; Henderson, Shawn; Hill, J. Colin; Hincks, Adam D.; Hlozek, Renée; Hubmayr, Johannes; Hughes, John P.; Irwin, Kent D.; Koopman, Brian; Kosowsky, Arthur; Li, Dale; Louis, Thibaut; Lungu, Marius; Madhavacheril, Mathew; Maurin, Loïc; McMahon, Jeffrey John; Moodley, Kavilan; Naess, Sigurd; Nati, Federico; Newburgh, Laura; Niemack, Michael D.; Page, Lyman A.; Pappas, Christine G.; Partridge, Bruce; Schmitt, Benjamin L.; Sehgal, Neelima; Sherwin, Blake D.; Sievers, Jonathan L.; Spergel, David N.; Staggs, Suzanne T.; van Engelen, Alexander; Wollack, Edward J.; ACTPol Collaboration

2016-04-01

We use microwave temperature maps from two seasons of data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope at 146 GHz, together with the "Constant Mass" CMASS galaxy sample from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey to measure the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect over the redshift range z =0.4 - 0.7 . We use galaxy positions and the continuity equation to obtain a reconstruction of the line-of-sight velocity field. We stack the microwave temperature at the location of each halo, weighted by the corresponding reconstructed velocity. We vary the size of the aperture photometry filter used, thus probing the free electron profile of these halos from within the virial radius out to three virial radii, on the scales relevant for investigating the missing baryons problem. The resulting best fit kSZ model is preferred over the no-kSZ hypothesis at 3.3 and 2.9 σ for two independent velocity reconstruction methods, using 25,537 galaxies over 660 square degrees. The data suggest that the baryon profile is shallower than the dark matter in the inner regions of the halos probed here, potentially due to energy injection from active galactic nucleus or supernovae. Thus, by constraining the gas profile on a wide range of scales, this technique will be useful for understanding the role of feedback in galaxy groups and clusters. The effect of foregrounds that are uncorrelated with the galaxy velocities is expected to be well below our signal, and residual thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich contamination is controlled by masking the most massive clusters. Finally, we discuss the systematics involved in converting our measurement of the kSZ amplitude into the mean free electron fraction of the halos in our sample.

Reverse translated and gold standard continuous performance tests predict global cognitive performance in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Bismark, Andrew W; Thomas, Michael L; Tarasenko, Melissa; Shiluk, Alexandra L; Rackelmann, Sonia Y; Young, Jared W; Light, Gregory A

2018-04-12

Attentional dysfunction contributes to functional impairments in schizophrenia (SZ). Sustained attention is typically assessed via continuous performance tasks (CPTs), though many CPTs have limited cross-species translational validity and place demands on additional cognitive domains. A reverse-translated 5-Choice Continuous Performance Task (5C-CPT) for human testing-originally developed for use in rodents-was designed to minimize demands on perceptual, visual learning, processing speed, or working memory functions. To-date, no studies have validated the 5C-CPT against gold standard attentional measures nor evaluated how 5C-CPT scores relate to cognition in SZ. Here we examined the relationship between the 5C-CPT and the CPT-Identical Pairs (CPT-IP), an established and psychometrically robust measure of vigilance from the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) in a sample of SZ patients (n = 35). Relationships to global and individual subdomains of cognition were also assessed. 5C-CPT and CPT-IP measures of performance (d-prime) were strongly correlated (r = 0.60). In a regression model, the 5C-CPT and CPT-IP collectively accounted for 54% of the total variance in MCCB total scores, and 27.6% of overall cognitive variance was shared between the 5C-CPT and CPT-IP. These results indicate that the reverse translated 5C-CPT and the gold standard CPT-IP index a common attentional construct that also significantly overlaps with variance in general cognitive performance. The use of simple, cross-species validated behavioral indices of attentional/cognitive functioning such as the 5C-CPT could accelerate the development of novel generalized pro-cognitive therapeutics for SZ and related neuropsychiatric disorders.

A Comparison of Maps and Power Spectra Determined from South Pole Telescope and Planck Data

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

Hou, Z.; Aylor, K.; Benson, B. A.

We study the consistency of 150 GHz data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and 143 GHz data from the Planck satellite over the patch of sky covered by the SPT-SZ survey. Here, we first visually compare the maps and find that the residuals appear consistent with noise after accounting for differences in angular resolution and filtering. We then calculate (1) the cross-spectrum between two independent halves of SPT data, (2) the cross-spectrum between two independent halves of Planck data, and (3) the cross-spectrum between SPT and Planck data. We find that the three cross-spectra are well fit (PTE =more » 0.30) by the null hypothesis in which both experiments have measured the same sky map up to a single free calibration parameter—i.e., we find no evidence for systematic errors in either data set. As a by-product, we improve the precision of the SPT calibration by nearly an order of magnitude, from 2.6% to 0.3% in power. Finally, we compare all three cross-spectra to the full-sky Planck power spectrum and find marginal evidence for differences between the power spectra from the SPT-SZ footprint and the full sky. We model these differences as a power law in spherical harmonic multipole number. The best-fit value of this tilt is consistent among the three cross-spectra in the SPT-SZ footprint, implying that the source of this tilt is a sample variance fluctuation in the SPT-SZ region relative to the full sky. Lastly, the consistency of cosmological parameters derived from these data sets is discussed in a companion paper.« less

Changes in behavioural parameters, oxidative stress and neurotrophins in the brain of adult offspring induced to an animal model of schizophrenia: The effects of FA deficient or FA supplemented diet during the neurodevelopmental phase.

PubMed

Canever, L; Freire, T G; Mastella, G A; Damázio, L; Gomes, S; Fachim, I; Michels, C; Carvalho, G; Godói, A K; Peterle, B R; Gava, F F; Valvassori, S S; Budni, J; Quevedo, J; Zugno, A I

2018-05-18

A deficiency of maternal folic acid (FA) can compromise the function and development of the brain, and may produce a susceptibility to diseases such as schizophrenia (SZ) in the later life of offspring. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of both FA deficient and FA supplemented diets during gestation and lactation on behavioural parameters, the markers of oxidative stress and neurotrophic factors in adult offspring which had been subjected to an animal model of SZ. Female mother rats (Dam's) were separated into experimental maternal groups, which began receiving a special diet (food) consisting of the AIN-93 diet, a control diet, or an FA deficient diet during the periods of pregnancy and lactation. Dam's receiving the control diet were further subdivided into four groups: one group received only control diet, while three groups to receive supplementation with FA at different doses (5, 10 and 50 mg/kg). Adult offspring bred from the Dam's were divided into ten groups for induction of the animal model of SZ through the administration of ketamine (Ket) (25 mg/kg). After the last administration of the drug, the animals were subjected to the behavioural tests and were then euthanized. The frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampus (Hip) were then dissected for later biochemical analysis. Our data demonstrates that Ket induced the model of SZ by altering the behavioural parameters (e.g. hyperlocomotion, social impairment, deficits in the sensory-motor profile and memory damage in the adult animals); and also caused changes in the parameters of oxidative stress (lipid hydroperoxide - LPO; 8-isoprostane - 8-ISO; 4-hydroxynonenal - 4-HNE; protein carbonyl content; superoxide dismutase - SOD and catalase - CAT) as well as in the levels of neurotrophic factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor - BDNF and nerve growth factor - NGF) particularly within the FC of adult offspring. A deficiency in maternal FA, alone or in combination with ket, was able to induce hyperlocomotion and social impairment in the offspring with increased levels of lipid and protein damage (LPO, 8-ISO, 4-HNE, carbonylation of protein) within the FC, increased activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) in both of the brain structures studied, and also reduced the levels of neurotrophins (BDNF and NGF), particularly within the Hip of the adult offspring. Supplementation of FA (5, 10 and 50 mg/kg) to the Dam's was mostly able to prevent the cognitive damage which was induced by Ket in the adult animals. FA (10 and 50 mg/kg) attenuated the action of Ket in the animals in relation to the biochemical parameters, proving the possible neuroprotective effect of FA in the adulthood of offspring that were subjected to the animal model of SZ. Our study indicates that the intake of maternal FA during pregnancy and lactation plays an important role, particularly in the regulation of markers of oxidative stress and neurotrophins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hypothetical decision making in schizophrenia: The role of expected value computation and “irrational” biases

PubMed Central

Brown, Jaime K.; Waltz, James A.; Strauss, Gregory P.; McMahon, Robert P.; Frank, Michael J.; Gold, James M.

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the contributions to decision making (DM) deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) patients, of expected value (EV) estimation and loss aversion. Patients diagnosed with SZ (n=46) and healthy controls (n=34) completed two gambling tasks. In one task, participants chose between two options with the same EV across two conditions: Loss frames and Keep frames. A second task involved accepting or rejecting gambles, in which gain and loss amounts varied, determining the EV of each trial. SZ patients showed a reduced “framing effect” relative to controls, as they did not show an increased tendency to gamble when faced with a certain loss. SZ patients also showed a reduced tendency to modify behavior as a function of EV. The degree to which choices tracked EV correlated significantly with several cognitive measures in both patients and controls. SZ patients show distinct deviations from normal behavior under risk when their decisions are based on prospective outcomes. These deviations are two-fold: cognitive deficits prevent value-based DM in more-impaired patients, and in less-impaired patients there is a lack of influence from well-established subjective biases found in healthy people. These abnormalities likely affect every-day DM strategies in schizophrenia patients. PMID:23664664

Coping strategies in schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia: Differences and similarities.

PubMed

Mingrone, Cinzia; Montemagni, Cristiana; Sandei, Luisa; Bava, Irene; Mancini, Irene; Cardillo, Simona; Rocca, Paola

2016-10-30

Aims of the current study were to explore differences in coping between 58 patients with schizoaffective disorder (SAD) and 89 with schizophrenia (SZ) and to identify factors associated with coping in both disorders. The demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with SAD and with SZ were compared using ANOVA and χ(2). Pearson's correlations were calculated between coping styles and socio-demographic and clinical variables in each group. The significant ones were subsequently analyzed using multiple regressions. Patients with SAD used emotion oriented coping more frequently than patients 2016with SZ. In patients with SAD, self-esteem contributed to task-oriented; avolition-anhedonia (AA) to emotion-oriented; duration of illness and years of education to distraction; AA to social diversion. In patients with SZ, AA, the mental component summary score of the Short Form - 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and self-esteem contributed to emotion oriented coping; the mental component summary score of SF-36 to distraction; AA to social diversion. Our results suggest that patients with SAD and SZ use diverse coping strategies. A greater attention must be given to the presence of self-esteem and AA in individuals with both disorders. These factors are potentially modifiable from specific therapeutic interventions, which can produce effects on coping strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative study on twinning characteristics during two post-weld compression paths and their effects on joint enhancement.

PubMed

Liu, Zhe; Xin, Renlong; Li, Dongrong; Sun, Liyun; Liu, Qing

2016-12-23

Friction stir welding (FSW) has promising application potential in Mg alloys. However, the texture distribution in stir zone (SZ) is usually complicated for Mg alloys, which deterioriates the joint performance. In this study, the texture distribution in SZ was tailored by applying two kinds of post-weld compression deformation along normal direction (ND) or welding direction (WD) of the FSWed AZ31 Mg alloy plates. The twinning behavior and texture change in the various regions of SZ were then evaluated by electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) characterization. The effect of texture change on the joint performance was discussed in terms of Schmid factors (SFs) for basal slip and extension twinning. The results showed that profuse extension twins were formed through the whole SZ for the sample subjected to compression along ND, whereas they were observed mainly in SZ-side for the sample compressed along WD. Most of the twins were present in the forms of twin bands or chains. The directions of the twin bands or chains were related to the habit plane traces of selected twin variants. The ND post-weld compression had better strengthening effects on the joints compared to the WD compression, and the underline mechanism was discussed.

Comparative study on twinning characteristics during two post-weld compression paths and their effects on joint enhancement

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhe; Xin, Renlong; Li, Dongrong; Sun, Liyun; Liu, Qing

2016-01-01

Friction stir welding (FSW) has promising application potential in Mg alloys. However, the texture distribution in stir zone (SZ) is usually complicated for Mg alloys, which deterioriates the joint performance. In this study, the texture distribution in SZ was tailored by applying two kinds of post-weld compression deformation along normal direction (ND) or welding direction (WD) of the FSWed AZ31 Mg alloy plates. The twinning behavior and texture change in the various regions of SZ were then evaluated by electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) characterization. The effect of texture change on the joint performance was discussed in terms of Schmid factors (SFs) for basal slip and extension twinning. The results showed that profuse extension twins were formed through the whole SZ for the sample subjected to compression along ND, whereas they were observed mainly in SZ-side for the sample compressed along WD. Most of the twins were present in the forms of twin bands or chains. The directions of the twin bands or chains were related to the habit plane traces of selected twin variants. The ND post-weld compression had better strengthening effects on the joints compared to the WD compression, and the underline mechanism was discussed. PMID:28008982

Microstructural Evolution and Local Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Processed Mg-3Gd-1Zn Cast Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabbaghian, M.; Mahmudi, R.

2016-05-01

Microstructural evolution, hardness, and shear strength of the cast plates of GZ31 magnesium alloy were investigated after friction stir processing (FSP). Due to severe plastic deformation and dynamic recrystallization, FSP breaks the dendrites and results in a fine homogenous structure in the stirred zone (SZ) having average grain sizes of about 4.0 and 2.5 μm in the one and two-pass FSPed plates, respectively. As a novel approach, strength of the processed plates was examined by shear punch testing in three regions of the SZ on the surface layer, namely, center line (CL), retreating side (RS), and advancing side (AS). FSP showed great potential in the enhancement of SZ ultimate shear strength from 114 to about 152 and 155 MPa in the one and two-pass FSPed materials, respectively. The same trend was observed in hardness values of the SZ, where the average hardness of the base material increased from 41 to 60 and 68 Vickers after one and two passes of FSP, respectively. The variations in the shear strength of the CL, RS, and AS zones of the SZ were about 5% for the first pass of FSP, the effect which was decreased to less than 2% after two passes of FSP.

Hypothetical decision making in schizophrenia: the role of expected value computation and "irrational" biases.

PubMed

Brown, Jaime K; Waltz, James A; Strauss, Gregory P; McMahon, Robert P; Frank, Michael J; Gold, James M

2013-09-30

The aim of the present study was to examine the contributions to decision making (DM) deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) patients of expected value (EV) estimation and loss aversion. Patients diagnosed with SZ (n=46) and healthy controls (n=34) completed two gambling tasks. In one task, participants chose between two options with the same EV across two conditions: Loss frames and Keep frames. A second task involved accepting or rejecting gambles, in which gain and loss amounts varied, determining the EV of each trial. SZ patients showed a reduced "framing effect" relative to controls, as they did not show an increased tendency to gamble when faced with a certain loss. SZ patients also showed a reduced tendency to modify behavior as a function of EV. The degree to which choices tracked EV correlated significantly with several cognitive measures in both patients and controls. SZ patients show distinct deviations from normal behavior under risk when their decisions are based on prospective outcomes. These deviations are two-fold: cognitive deficits prevent value-based DM in more-impaired patients, and in less-impaired patients there is a lack of influence from well-established subjective biases found in healthy people. These abnormalities likely affect everyday DM strategies in schizophrenia patients. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observations of High-Redshift X-Ray Selected Clusters with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muchovej, Stephen; Carlstrom, John E.; Cartwright, John; Greer, Christopher; Hawkins, David; Hennessey, Ryan; Joy, Marshall; Lamb, James; Leitch, Erik M.; Loh, Michael;

Observations of High-Redshift X-Ray Selected Clusters with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muchovej, Stephen; Carlstrom, John E.; Cartwright, John; Greer, Christopher; Hawkins, David; Hennessy, Ryan; Joy, Marshall; Lamb, James W.; Leitch, Erik M.; Loh, Michael;

Configural and Featural Face Processing Influences on Emotion Recognition in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder.

PubMed

Van Rheenen, Tamsyn E; Joshua, Nicole; Castle, David J; Rossell, Susan L

2017-03-01

Emotion recognition impairments have been demonstrated in schizophrenia (Sz), but are less consistent and lesser in magnitude in bipolar disorder (BD). This may be related to the extent to which different face processing strategies are engaged during emotion recognition in each of these disorders. We recently showed that Sz patients had impairments in the use of both featural and configural face processing strategies, whereas BD patients were impaired only in the use of the latter. Here we examine the influence that these impairments have on facial emotion recognition in these cohorts. Twenty-eight individuals with Sz, 28 individuals with BD, and 28 healthy controls completed a facial emotion labeling task with two conditions designed to separate the use of featural and configural face processing strategies; part-based and whole-face emotion recognition. Sz patients performed worse than controls on both conditions, and worse than BD patients on the whole-face condition. BD patients performed worse than controls on the whole-face condition only. Configural processing deficits appear to influence the recognition of facial emotions in BD, whereas both configural and featural processing abnormalities impair emotion recognition in Sz. This may explain discrepancies in the profiles of emotion recognition between the disorders. (JINS, 2017, 23, 287-291).

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Cosmology from Galaxy Clusters Detected Via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sehgal, Neelima; Trac, Hy; Acquaviva, Viviana; Ade, Peter A. R.; Aguirre, Paula; Amiri, Mandana; Appel, John W.; Barrientos, L. Felipe; Battistelli, Elia S.; Bond, J. Richard;

Evidence for the Thermal Sunyaev Zeldovich Effect Associated with Quasar Feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crichton, Devin; Gralla, Megan B.; Hall, Kirsten; Marriage, Tobias A.; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Battaglia, Nick; Bond, J. Richard; Devlin, Mark J.; Hill, J. Colin; Hilton, Matt;

A Multiphase Model for the Intracluster Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagai, Daisuke; Sulkanen, Martin E.; Evrard, August E.

1999-01-01

Constraints on the clustered mass density of the universe derived from the observed population mean intracluster gas fraction of x-ray clusters may be biased by reliance on a single-phase assumption for the thermodynamic structure of the intracluster medium (ICM). We propose a descriptive model for multiphase structure in which a spherically symmetric ICM contains isobaric density perturbations with a radially dependent variance. Fixing the x-ray emission and emission weighted temperature, we explore two independently observable signatures of the model in the parameter space. For bremsstrahlung dominated emission, the central Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) decrement in the multiphase case is increased over the single-phase case and multiphase x-ray spectra in the range 0.1-20 keV are flatter in the continuum and exhibit stronger low energy emission lines than their single-phase counterpart. We quantify these effects for a fiducial 10e8 K cluster and demonstrate how the combination of SZ and x-ray spectroscopy can be used to identify a preferred location in the plane of the model parameter space. From these parameters the correct value of mean intracluster gas fraction in the multiphase model results, allowing an unbiased estimate of clustered mass density to he recovered.

Thermal boundary layer profiles in turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Penger; Wang, Yin; He, Xiaozhou

2015-11-01

We have studied the mean temperature boundary layer profile T(z) and root-mean-square (rms) temperature profile S(z) in turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection along the central axis z of a convection cell, which has a thin vertical disk shape with an inner diameter D = 18 cm. The temperature measurements were made at fixed Prandtl numbers Pr = 4.3 and Pr = 7.6 and with the Rayleigh number Ra varied in the range between 1 ×109 and 1 ×1010 . The measured T(z) for different values of Pr and Ra can all be well described by the newly proposed boundary layer model with a parameter c varying from 1 to 2.1. The measured rms temperature profile S(z) is found to be a single-peaked function with the peak position located at z ~= 0 . 8 δ , where δ is the boundary layer thickness. The measured S(z) has two separate scaling lengths. Within the boundary layer, it scales with δ and can be fitted to a power law, S (z) ~(z / δ) α with α ~= 0 . 6 . Outside the boundary layer, it scales with the cell size D and follows a different power law, S (z) ~(z / D) β , with β = - 0 . 42 . This work was supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong SAR.

Linked 4-Way Multimodal Brain Differences in Schizophrenia in a Large Chinese Han Population.

PubMed

Liu, Shengfeng; Wang, Haiying; Song, Ming; Lv, Luxian; Cui, Yue; Liu, Yong; Fan, Lingzhong; Zuo, Nianming; Xu, Kaibin; Du, Yuhui; Yu, Qingbao; Luo, Na; Qi, Shile; Yang, Jian; Xie, Sangma; Li, Jian; Chen, Jun; Chen, Yunchun; Wang, Huaning; Guo, Hua; Wan, Ping; Yang, Yongfeng; Li, Peng; Lu, Lin; Yan, Hao; Yan, Jun; Wang, Huiling; Zhang, Hongxing; Zhang, Dai; Calhoun, Vince D; Jiang, Tianzi; Sui, Jing

2018-04-20

Multimodal fusion has been regarded as a promising tool to discover covarying patterns of multiple imaging types impaired in brain diseases, such as schizophrenia (SZ). In this article, we aim to investigate the covarying abnormalities underlying SZ in a large Chinese Han population (307 SZs, 298 healthy controls [HCs]). Four types of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, including regional homogeneity (ReHo) from resting-state functional MRI, gray matter volume (GM) from structural MRI, fractional anisotropy (FA) from diffusion MRI, and functional network connectivity (FNC) resulted from group independent component analysis, were jointly analyzed by a data-driven multivariate fusion method. Results suggest that a widely distributed network disruption appears in SZ patients, with synchronous changes in both functional and structural regions, especially the basal ganglia network, salience network (SAN), and the frontoparietal network. Such a multimodal coalteration was also replicated in another independent Chinese sample (40 SZs, 66 HCs). Our results on auditory verbal hallucination (AVH) also provide evidence for the hypothesis that prefrontal hypoactivation and temporal hyperactivation in SZ may lead to failure of executive control and inhibition, which is relevant to AVH. In addition, impaired working memory performance was found associated with GM reduction and FA decrease in SZ in prefrontal and superior temporal area, in both discovery and replication datasets. In summary, by leveraging multiple imaging and clinical information into one framework to observe brain in multiple views, we can integrate multiple inferences about SZ from large-scale population and offer unique perspectives regarding the missing links between the brain function and structure that may not be achieved by separate unimodal analyses.

Comparison of the Heritability of Schizophrenia and Endophenotypes in the COGS-1 Family Study

PubMed Central

Light, Gregory; Greenwood, Tiffany A.; Swerdlow, Neal R.; Calkins, Monica E.; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F.; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.; Lazzeroni, Laura C.; Nuechterlein, Keith H.; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D.; Seidman, Larry J.; Siever, Larry J.; Silverman, Jeremy M.; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S.; Sugar, Catherine A.; Tsuang, Debby W.; Tsuang, Ming T.; Turetsky, Bruce I.; Braff, David L.

2014-01-01

Background: Twin and multiplex family studies have established significant heritability for schizophrenia (SZ), often summarized as 81%. The Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS-1) family study was designed to deconstruct the genetic architecture of SZ using neurocognitive and neurophysiological endophenotypes, for which heritability estimates ranged from 18% to 50% (mean = 30%). This study assessed the heritability of SZ in these families to determine whether there is a “heritability gap” between the diagnosis and related endophenotypes. Methods: Nuclear families (N = 296) with a SZ proband, an unaffected sibling, and both parents (n = 1366 subjects; mean family size = 4.6) underwent comprehensive endophenotype and clinical characterization. The Family Interview for Genetic Studies was administered to all participants and used to obtain convergent psychiatric symptom information for additional first-degree relatives of interviewed subjects (N = 3304 subjects; mean family size = 11.2). Heritability estimates of psychotic disorders were computed for both nuclear and extended families. Results: The heritability of SZ was 31% and 44% for nuclear and extended families. The inclusion of bipolar disorder increased the heritability to 37% for the nuclear families. When major depression was added, heritability estimates dropped to 34% and 20% for nuclear and extended families, respectively. Conclusions: Endophenotypes and psychotic disorders exhibit comparable levels of heritability in the COGS-1 family sample. The ascertainment of families with discordant sibpairs to increase endophenotypic contrast may underestimate diagnostic heritability relative to other studies. However, population-based studies also report significantly lower heritability estimates for SZ. Collectively, these findings support the importance of endophenotype-based strategies and the dimensional view of psychosis. PMID:24903414

CMB distortion from circumgalactic gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Priyanka; Nath, Biman B.; Majumdar, Subhabrata; Silk, Joseph

2015-04-01

We study the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) distortion of the cosmic microwave background radiation from extensive circumgalactic gas (CGM) in massive galactic haloes. Recent observations have shown that galactic haloes contain a large amount of X-ray emitting gas at the virial temperature, as well as a significant amount of warm O VI absorbing gas. We consider the SZ distortion from the hot gas in those galactic haloes in which the gas cooling time is longer than the halo destruction time-scale. We show that the SZ distortion signal from the hot gas in these galactic haloes at redshifts z ≈ 1-8 can be significant at small angular scales (ℓ ˜ 104), and dominate over the signal from galaxy clusters. The estimated SZ signal for most massive galaxies (halo mass ≥1012.5 M⊙) is consistent with the marginal detection by Planck at these mass scales. We also consider the SZ effect from warm circumgalactic gas. The integrated Compton distortion from the warm O VI absorbing gas is estimated to be y ˜ 10-8, which could potentially be detected by experiments planned for the near future. Finally, we study the detectability of the SZ signal from circumgalactic gas in two types of surveys, a simple extension of the South Pole Telescope survey and a more futuristic cosmic-variance-limited survey. We find that these surveys can easily detect the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal from CGM. With the help of a Fisher matrix analysis, we find that it will be possible for these surveys to constrain the gas fraction in CGM, after marginalizing over cosmological parameters, to ≤33 per cent, in case of no redshift evolution of the gas fraction.

MERGING GALAXY CLUSTERS: OFFSET BETWEEN THE SUNYAEV-ZEL'DOVICH EFFECT AND X-RAY PEAKS

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

Molnar, Sandor M.; Hearn, Nathan C.; Stadel, Joachim G., E-mail: sandor@phys.ntu.edu.tw

2012-03-20

Galaxy clusters, the most massive collapsed structures, have been routinely used to determine cosmological parameters. When using clusters for cosmology, the crucial assumption is that they are relaxed. However, subarcminute resolution Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect images compared with high-resolution X-ray images of some clusters show significant offsets between the two peaks. We have carried out self-consistent N-body/hydrodynamical simulations of merging galaxy clusters using FLASH to study these offsets quantitatively. We have found that significant displacements result between the SZ and X-ray peaks for large relative velocities for all masses used in our simulations as long as the impact parameters were aboutmore » 100-250 kpc. Our results suggest that the SZ peak coincides with the peak in the pressure times the line-of-sight characteristic length and not the pressure maximum (as it would for clusters in equilibrium). The peak in the X-ray emission, as expected, coincides with the density maximum of the main cluster. As a consequence, the morphology of the SZ signal, and therefore the offset between the SZ and X-ray peaks, change with viewing angle. As an application, we compare the morphologies of our simulated images to observed SZ and X-ray images and mass surface densities derived from weak-lensing observations of the merging galaxy cluster CL0152-1357, we find that a large relative velocity of 4800 km s{sup -1} is necessary to explain the observations. We conclude that an analysis of the morphologies of multi-frequency observations of merging clusters can be used to put meaningful constraints on the initial parameters of the progenitors.« less

Identifying dynamic functional connectivity biomarkers using GIG-ICA: Application to schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Du, Yuhui; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Lin, Dongdong; Sui, Jing; Chen, Jiayu; Salman, Mustafa; Tamminga, Carol A; Ivleva, Elena I; Sweeney, John A; Keshavan, Matcheri S; Clementz, Brett A; Bustillo, Juan; Calhoun, Vince D

2017-05-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown altered brain dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) in mental disorders. Here, we aim to explore DFC across a spectrum of symptomatically-related disorders including bipolar disorder with psychosis (BPP), schizoaffective disorder (SAD), and schizophrenia (SZ). We introduce a group information guided independent component analysis procedure to estimate both group-level and subject-specific connectivity states from DFC. Using resting-state fMRI data of 238 healthy controls (HCs), 140 BPP, 132 SAD, and 113 SZ patients, we identified measures differentiating groups from the whole-brain DFC and traditional static functional connectivity (SFC), separately. Results show that DFC provided more informative measures than SFC. Diagnosis-related connectivity states were evident using DFC analysis. For the dominant state consistent across groups, we found 22 instances of hypoconnectivity (with decreasing trends from HC to BPP to SAD to SZ) mainly involving post-central, frontal, and cerebellar cortices as well as 34 examples of hyperconnectivity (with increasing trends HC through SZ) primarily involving thalamus and temporal cortices. Hypoconnectivities/hyperconnectivities also showed negative/positive correlations, respectively, with clinical symptom scores. Specifically, hypoconnectivities linking postcentral and frontal gyri were significantly negatively correlated with the PANSS positive/negative scores. For frontal connectivities, BPP resembled HC while SAD and SZ were more similar. Three connectivities involving the left cerebellar crus differentiated SZ from other groups and one connection linking frontal and fusiform cortices showed a SAD-unique change. In summary, our method is promising for assessing DFC and may yield imaging biomarkers for quantifying the dimension of psychosis. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2683-2708, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multifaceted Genomic Risk for Brain Function in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Chen, Jiayu; Calhoun, Vince D.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Ehrlich, Stefan; Turner, Jessica A.; Ho, Beng-Choon; Wassink, Thomas H.; Michael, Andrew M; Liu, Jingyu

2012-01-01

Recently, deriving candidate endophenotypes from brain imaging data has become a valuable approach to study genetic influences on schizophrenia (SZ), whose pathophysiology remains unclear. In this work we utilized a multivariate approach, parallel independent component analysis, to identify genomic risk components associated with brain function abnormalities in SZ. 5157 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were derived from genome-wide array based on their possible connections with SZ and further investigated for their associations with brain activations captured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a sensorimotor task. Using data from 92 SZ patients and 116 healthy controls, we detected a significant correlation (r= 0.29; p= 2.41×10−5) between one fMRI component and one SNP component, both of which significantly differentiated patients from controls. The fMRI component mainly consisted of precentral and postcentral gyri, the major activated regions in the motor task. On average, higher activation in these regions was observed in participants with higher loadings of the linked SNP component, predominantly contributed to by 253 SNPs. 138 identified SNPs were from known coding regions of 100 unique genes. 31 identified SNPs did not differ between groups, but moderately correlated with some other group-discriminating SNPs, indicating interactions among alleles contributing towards elevated SZ susceptibility. The genes associated with the identified SNPs participated in four neurotransmitter pathways: GABA receptor signaling, dopamine receptor signaling, neuregulin signaling and glutamate receptor signaling. In summary, our work provides further evidence for the complexity of genomic risk to the functional brain abnormality in SZ and suggests a pathological role of interactions between SNPs, genes and multiple neurotransmitter pathways. PMID:22440650

Comparison of the heritability of schizophrenia and endophenotypes in the COGS-1 family study.

PubMed

Light, Gregory; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Calkins, Monica E; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D; Seidman, Larry J; Siever, Larry J; Silverman, Jeremy M; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S; Sugar, Catherine A; Tsuang, Debby W; Tsuang, Ming T; Turetsky, Bruce I; Braff, David L

2014-11-01

Twin and multiplex family studies have established significant heritability for schizophrenia (SZ), often summarized as 81%. The Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS-1) family study was designed to deconstruct the genetic architecture of SZ using neurocognitive and neurophysiological endophenotypes, for which heritability estimates ranged from 18% to 50% (mean = 30%). This study assessed the heritability of SZ in these families to determine whether there is a "heritability gap" between the diagnosis and related endophenotypes. Nuclear families (N = 296) with a SZ proband, an unaffected sibling, and both parents (n = 1366 subjects; mean family size = 4.6) underwent comprehensive endophenotype and clinical characterization. The Family Interview for Genetic Studies was administered to all participants and used to obtain convergent psychiatric symptom information for additional first-degree relatives of interviewed subjects (N = 3304 subjects; mean family size = 11.2). Heritability estimates of psychotic disorders were computed for both nuclear and extended families. The heritability of SZ was 31% and 44% for nuclear and extended families. The inclusion of bipolar disorder increased the heritability to 37% for the nuclear families. When major depression was added, heritability estimates dropped to 34% and 20% for nuclear and extended families, respectively. Endophenotypes and psychotic disorders exhibit comparable levels of heritability in the COGS-1 family sample. The ascertainment of families with discordant sibpairs to increase endophenotypic contrast may underestimate diagnostic heritability relative to other studies. However, population-based studies also report significantly lower heritability estimates for SZ. Collectively, these findings support the importance of endophenotype-based strategies and the dimensional view of psychosis. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center 2014.

Stimulus train duration but not attention moderates γ-band entrainment abnormalities in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Hamm, Jordan P.; Bobilev, Anastasia M.; Hayrynen, Lauren K.; Hudgens-Haney, Matthew E.; Oliver, William T.; Parker, David A.; McDowell, Jennifer E.; Buckley, Peter A.; Clementz, Brett A.

2017-01-01

Electroencephalographic (EEG) studies of auditory steady-state responses (aSSRs) non-invasively probe gamma-band (40-Hz) oscillatory capacity in sensory cortex with high signal-to-noise ratio. Consistent reports of reduced 40-Hz aSSRs in persons with schizophrenia (SZ) indicate its potential as an efficient biomarker for the disease, but studies have been limited to passive or indirect listening contexts with stereotypically short (500ms) stimulus trains. An inability to modulate sensorineural processing in accord with behavioral goals or within the sensory environmental context may represent a fundamental deficit in SZ, but whether and how this deficit relates to reduced aSSRs is unknown. We systematically varied stimulus duration and attentional contexts to further mature the 40-Hz aSSR as biomarker for future translational or mechanistic studies. Eighteen SZ and 18 healthy subjects (H) were presented binaural pure-tones with or without sinusoidal amplitude modulation at 40-Hz. Stimulus duration (500-ms or 1500-ms) and attention (via a button press task) were varied across 4 separate blocks. Evoked potentials recorded with dense-array EEGs were analyzed in the time-frequency domain. SZ displayed reduced 40-Hz aSSRs to typical stimulation parameters, replicating previous findings. In H, aSSRs were reduced when stimuli were presented in longer trains and were slightly enhanced by attention. Only the former modulation was impaired in SZ and correlated with sensory discrimination performance. Thus, gamma-band aSSRs are modulated by both attentional and stimulus duration contexts, but only modulations related to physical stimulus properties are abnormal in SZ, supporting its status as a biomarker of psychotic perceptual disturbance involving non-attentional sensori-cortical circuits. PMID:25868936

Mechanical anisotropy control on strain localization in upper mantle shear zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herwegh, Marco; Mercolli, Ivan; Linckens, Jolien; Müntener, Othmar

2016-05-01

Mantle rocks at oceanic spreading centers reveal dramatic rheological changes from partially molten to solid-state ductile to brittle deformation with progressive cooling. Using the crustal-scale Wadi al Wasit mantle shear zone (SZ, Semail ophiolite, Oman), we monitor such changes based on quantitative field and microstructural investigations combined with petrological and geochemical analyses. The spatial distribution of magmatic dikes and high strain zones gives important information on the location of magmatic and tectonic activity. In the SZ, dikes derived from primitive melts (websterites) are distributed over the entire SZ but are more abundant in the center; dikes from more evolved, plagioclase saturated melts (gabbronorites) are restricted to the SZ center. Accordingly, harzburgite deformation fabrics show a transition from protomylonite (1100°C), mylonite (900-800°C) to ultramylonite (<700°C) and a serpentine foliation (<500°C) from the SZ rim to the center. The spatial correlation between solid-state deformation fabrics and magmatic features indicates progressive strain localization in the SZ on the cooling path. Three stages can be discriminated: (i) Cycles of melt injection (dunite channels and websterite dikes) and solid-state deformation (protomylonites-mylonites; 1100-900°C), (ii) dominant solid-state deformation in harzburgite mylonites (900-800°C) with some last melt injections (gabbronorites) and ultramylonites (<700°C), and (iii) infiltration of seawater inducing a serpentine foliation (<500°C) followed by cataclasis during obduction. The change of these processes in space and time indicates that early dike-related ridge-parallel deformation controls the onset of the entire strain localization history promoting nucleation sites for different strain weakening processes as a consequence of changing physicochemical conditions.

Patterns of Gray Matter Abnormalities in Schizophrenia Based on an International Mega-analysis.

PubMed

Gupta, Cota Navin; Calhoun, Vince D; Rachakonda, Srinivas; Chen, Jiayu; Patel, Veena; Liu, Jingyu; Segall, Judith; Franke, Barbara; Zwiers, Marcel P; Arias-Vasquez, Alejandro; Buitelaar, Jan; Fisher, Simon E; Fernandez, Guillen; van Erp, Theo G M; Potkin, Steven; Ford, Judith; Mathalon, Daniel; McEwen, Sarah; Lee, Hyo Jong; Mueller, Bryon A; Greve, Douglas N; Andreassen, Ole; Agartz, Ingrid; Gollub, Randy L; Sponheim, Scott R; Ehrlich, Stefan; Wang, Lei; Pearlson, Godfrey; Glahn, David C; Sprooten, Emma; Mayer, Andrew R; Stephen, Julia; Jung, Rex E; Canive, Jose; Bustillo, Juan; Turner, Jessica A

2015-09-01

Analyses of gray matter concentration (GMC) deficits in patients with schizophrenia (Sz) have identified robust changes throughout the cortex. We assessed the relationships between diagnosis, overall symptom severity, and patterns of gray matter in the largest aggregated structural imaging dataset to date. We performed both source-based morphometry (SBM) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses on GMC images from 784 Sz and 936 controls (Ct) across 23 scanning sites in Europe and the United States. After correcting for age, gender, site, and diagnosis by site interactions, SBM analyses showed 9 patterns of diagnostic differences. They comprised separate cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions. Seven patterns showed greater GMC in Ct than Sz, while 2 (brainstem and cerebellum) showed greater GMC for Sz. The greatest GMC deficit was in a single pattern comprising regions in the superior temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and medial frontal cortex, which replicated over analyses of data subsets. VBM analyses identified overall cortical GMC loss and one small cluster of increased GMC in Sz, which overlapped with the SBM brainstem component. We found no significant association between the component loadings and symptom severity in either analysis. This mega-analysis confirms that the commonly found GMC loss in Sz in the anterior temporal lobe, insula, and medial frontal lobe form a single, consistent spatial pattern even in such a diverse dataset. The separation of GMC loss into robust, repeatable spatial patterns across multiple datasets paves the way for the application of these methods to identify subtle genetic and clinical cohort effects. © 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.

Chronic Peripheral Inflammation is Associated With Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia: Results From the Multicentric FACE-SZ Dataset

PubMed Central

Bulzacka, Ewa; Boyer, Laurent; Schürhoff, Franck; Godin, Ophélia; Berna, Fabrice; Brunel, Lore; Andrianarisoa, Méja; Aouizerate, Bruno; Capdevielle, Delphine; Chéreau-Boudet, Isabelle; Chesnoy-Servanin, Gabrielle; Danion, Jean-Marie; Dubertret, Caroline; Dubreucq, Julien; Faget, Catherine; Gabayet, Franck; Le Gloahec, Tifenn; Llorca, Pierre-Michel; Mallet, Jasmina; Misdrahi, David; Rey, Romain; Richieri, Raphaëlle; Passerieux, Christine; Roux, Paul; Yazbek, Hanan; Leboyer, Marion; Fond, Guillaume

2016-01-01

Objectives: Inflammation, measured by abnormal blood C-reactive protein (CRP) level, has been described in schizophrenia (SZ), being inconsistently related to impaired cognitive functions. The aim of the present study is to investigate cognitive impairment associated with abnormal CRP levels in a large multi-centric sample of community-dwelling SZ patients, using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Method: Three hundred sixty-nine community-dwelling stable SZ subjects (76.2% men, mean age 32.7 y) were included and tested with a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. Abnormal CRP level was defined as >3mg/L. Results: Multiple factor analysis revealed that abnormal CRP levels, found in 104 patients (28.2%), were associated with impaired General Intellectual Ability and Abstract Reasoning (aOR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.35–0.90, P = .014), independently of age, sex, education level, psychotic symptomatology, treatments, and addiction comorbidities. Abnormal CRP levels were also associated with the decline of all components of working memory (respectively effect size [ES] = 0.25, P = .033; ES = 0.27, P = .04; ES = 0.33, P = .006; and ES = 0.38, P = .004) and a wide range of other impaired cognitive functions, including memory (ES = 0.26, P = .026), learning abilities (ES = 0.28, P = .035), semantic memory (ES = 0.26, P = .026), mental flexibility (ES = 0.26, P = .044), visual attention (ES = 0.23, P = .004) and speed of processing (ES = 0.23, P = .043). Conclusion: Our results suggest that abnormal CRP level is associated with cognitive impairment in SZ. Evaluating the effectiveness of neuroprotective anti-inflammatory strategies is needed in order to prevent cognitive impairment in SZ. PMID:27143795

Brain activation during self- and other-reflection in bipolar disorder with a history of psychosis: Comparison to schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Zhang, Liwen; Opmeer, Esther M.; Ruhé, Henricus G.; Aleman, André; van der Meer, Lisette

2015-01-01

Objectives Reflecting on the self and on others activates specific brain areas and contributes to metacognition and social cognition. The aim of the current study is to investigate brain activation during self- and other-reflection in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). In addition, we examined whether potential abnormal brain activation in BD patients could distinguish BD from patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Methods During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 17 BD patients, 17 SZ patients and 21 healthy controls (HCs) performed a self-reflection task. The task consisted of sentences divided into three conditions: self-reflection, other-reflection and semantic control. Results BD patients showed less activation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) extending to the precuneus during other-reflection compared to HCs (p = 0.028 FWE corrected on cluster-level within the regions of interest). In SZ patients, the level of activation in this area was in between BD patients and HCs, with no significant differences between patients with SZ and BD. There were no group differences in brain activation during self-reflection. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the PCC/precuneus activation during other-reflection and cognitive insight in SZ patients, but not in BD patients. Conclusions BD patients showed less activation in the PCC/precuneus during other-reflection. This may support an account of impaired integration of emotion and memory (evaluation of past and current other-related information) in BD patients. Correlation differences of the PCC/precuneus activation with the cognitive insight in patients with BD and SZ might reflect an important difference between these disorders, which may help to further explore potentially distinguishing markers. PMID:26106544

Brain activation during self- and other-reflection in bipolar disorder with a history of psychosis: Comparison to schizophrenia.

PubMed

Zhang, Liwen; Opmeer, Esther M; Ruhé, Henricus G; Aleman, André; van der Meer, Lisette

2015-01-01

Reflecting on the self and on others activates specific brain areas and contributes to metacognition and social cognition. The aim of the current study is to investigate brain activation during self- and other-reflection in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). In addition, we examined whether potential abnormal brain activation in BD patients could distinguish BD from patients with schizophrenia (SZ). During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 17 BD patients, 17 SZ patients and 21 healthy controls (HCs) performed a self-reflection task. The task consisted of sentences divided into three conditions: self-reflection, other-reflection and semantic control. BD patients showed less activation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) extending to the precuneus during other-reflection compared to HCs (p = 0.028 FWE corrected on cluster-level within the regions of interest). In SZ patients, the level of activation in this area was in between BD patients and HCs, with no significant differences between patients with SZ and BD. There were no group differences in brain activation during self-reflection. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the PCC/precuneus activation during other-reflection and cognitive insight in SZ patients, but not in BD patients. BD patients showed less activation in the PCC/precuneus during other-reflection. This may support an account of impaired integration of emotion and memory (evaluation of past and current other-related information) in BD patients. Correlation differences of the PCC/precuneus activation with the cognitive insight in patients with BD and SZ might reflect an important difference between these disorders, which may help to further explore potentially distinguishing markers.

The Impact of Non-Thermal Processes in the Intracluster Medium on Cosmological Cluster Observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battaglia, Nicholas Ambrose

In this thesis we describe the generation and analysis of hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters and their intracluster medium (ICM), using large cosmological boxes to generate large samples, in conjunction with individual cluster computations. The main focus is the exploration of the non-thermal processes in the ICM and the effect they have on the interpretation of observations used for cosmological constraints. We provide an introduction to the cosmological structure formation framework for our computations and an overview of the numerical simulations and observations of galaxy clusters. We explore the cluster magnetic field observables through radio relics, extended entities in the ICM characterized by their of diffuse radio emission. We show that statistical quantities such as radio relic luminosity functions and rotation measure power spectra are sensitive to magnetic field models. The spectral index of the radio relic emission provides information on structure formation shocks, e.g., on their Mach number. We develop a coarse grained stochastic model of active galaxy nucleus (AGN) feed-back in clusters and show the impact of such inhomogeneous feedback on the thermal pressure profile. We explore variations in the pressure profile as a function of cluster mass, redshift, and radius and provide a constrained fitting function for this profile. We measure the degree of the non-thermal pressure in the gas from internal cluster bulk motions and show it has an impact on the slope and scatter of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) scaling relation. We also find that the gross shape of the ICM, as characterized by scaled moment of inertia tensors, affects the SZ scaling relation. We demonstrate that the shape and the amplitude of the SZ angular power spectrum is sensitive to AGN feedback, and this affects the cosmological parameters determined from high resolution ACT and SPT cosmic microwave background data. We compare analytic, semi-analytic, and simulation-based methods for calculating the SZ power spectrum, and characterize their differences. All the methods must rely, one way or another, on high resolution large-scale hydrodynamical simulations with varying assumptions for modelling the gas of the sort presented here. We show how our results can be used to interpret the latest ACT and SPT power spectrum results. We provide an outlook for the future, describing follow-up work we are undertaking to further advance the theory of cluster science.

Dielectric characterization of CuxS-NiySz/FNBR and CuS-NiySz/FNBR nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balayeva, Ofeliya O.; Azizov, Abdulsaid A.; Muradov, Mustafa B.; Eyvazova, Goncha M.

2017-06-01

CuxS-NiySz/FNBR and CuS-NiySz/FNBR nanocomposites (NCs) were prepared from β-NiS/FNBR by ion exchange method and dielectric characterized. Dielectric properties of NCs were investigated at the temperature of 26 °C-120 °C in 120-106 Hz frequency range. With measuring electric capacity and resistance of the samples at different frequency we have studied the dielectric permittivity, dielectric loss tangent, dielectric modulus, conductivity, relaxation times and Cole-Cole plots were obtained. At 120 °C measurement temperature, some of the destruction processes in polymers affect to interfacial interaction between the polymer and particles surface. After high temperature measurement all three samples were cooled to room temperature and their dielectric measurements were carried out at room temperature. It is observed that at high measurement temperature some of carriers transfer from one energy level to another and the dipole orientation did not return completely to the previous situation.

Diagnostic specificity and familiality of early versus late evoked potentials to auditory paired stimuli across the schizophrenia-bipolar psychosis spectrum.

PubMed

Hamm, Jordan P; Ethridge, Lauren E; Boutros, Nashaat N; Keshavan, Matcheri S; Sweeney, John A; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Tamminga, Carol A; Clementz, Brett A

2014-04-01

Disrupted sensory processing is a core feature of psychotic disorders. Auditory paired stimuli (PS) evoke a complex neural response, but it is uncertain which aspects reflect shared and/or distinct liability for the most common severe psychoses, schizophrenia (SZ) and psychotic bipolar disorder (BDP). Evoked time-voltage/time-frequency domain responses quantified with EEG during a typical PS paradigm (S1-S2) were compared among proband groups (SZ [n = 232], BDP [181]), their relatives (SZrel [259], BDPrel [220]), and healthy participants (H [228]). Early S1-evoked responses were reduced in SZ and BDP, while later/S2 abnormalities showed SZ/SZrel and BDP/BDPrel specificity. Relatives' effects were absent/small despite significant familiality of the entire auditorineural response. This pattern suggests general and divergent biological pathways associated with psychosis, yet may reflect complications with conditioning solely on clinical phenomenology. Copyright © 2014 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Associations of blood homocysteine concentrations in Arab schizophrenic patients.

PubMed

Akanji, A O; Ohaeri, J U; Al-Shammri, S A; Fatania, H R

2007-09-01

This study aimed to evaluate the blood homocysteine concentration in Arab patients with schizophrenia and assess its associations with clinical phenotypes of the disease. Two age-matched groups of subjects were studied: (1) Healthy Controls, HC, n=165; (2) patients with schizophrenia, SZ: n=207. Each subject was evaluated with a standard questionnaire for age at disease onset, family history, disease severity and outcome. Plasma homocysteine levels (Hcys) were measured by immunoassay and serum levels of other biochemical parameters were measured by routine Autoanalyzer techniques. Group HC was heavier (body mass index, BMI) while SZ had greater waist-hip ratio (WHR) and plasma Hcys levels. In SZ, there were significant correlations between Hcys and BMI, triglycerides and HDL. Hcys levels in SZ were highest in the younger male patients. Schizophrenic patients have increased blood Hcys levels which correlate with components of the metabolic syndrome. Hcys levels were highest in the younger male patients and were not influenced by prognostic features of the disease.

Retrieval-induced forgetting in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Nestor, Paul G.; Piech, Richard; Allen, Christopher; Niznikiewicz, Margaret; Shenton, Martha; McCarley, Robert W.

2009-01-01

Retrieving category associates (e.g., FRUIT-ORANGE) may induce forgetting other category members (e.g., FRUIT-BANANA), a phenomenon known as retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF). We designed 2 experiments to examine the role of RIF in the associative memory impairment of schizophrenia (SZ). Subjects studied 36 category-exemplar pairs, generated from 6 categories composed of 6 members each. For half of the studied category-exemplar pairs, subjects practiced retrieval by completing word stems, followed by a delayed category-cued recall on all of the practiced and unpracticed items. Experiment 1 used unrelated category exemplars-pairs (e.g., FRUIT-ORANGE, METALS-IRON), whereas experiment 2 included related category exemplar pairs (e.g., COTTON-SHIRT, LEATHER-SKIRT). SZ showed reduced associative memory but normal RIF for unrelated categories used in experiment 1. For experiment 2, SZ showed a significant decline in associative memory for related but not unrelated category-exemplars in comparison to controls. Results suggested faulty specificity/distinctiveness for encoding and retrieval, but not abnormal RIF in the associative memory disturbance of SZ. PMID:15885511

Retrieval-induced forgetting in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Nestor, Paul G; Piech, Richard; Allen, Christopher; Niznikiewicz, Margaret; Shenton, Martha; McCarley, Robert W

2005-06-15

Retrieving category associates (e.g., FRUIT-ORANGE) may induce forgetting other category members (e.g., FRUIT-BANANA), a phenomenon known as retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF). We designed 2 experiments to examine the role of RIF in the associative memory impairment of schizophrenia (SZ). Subjects studied 36 category-exemplar pairs, generated from 6 categories composed of 6 members each. For half of the studied category-exemplar pairs, subjects practiced retrieval by completing word stems, followed by a delayed category-cued recall on all of the practiced and unpracticed items. Experiment 1 used unrelated category exemplars-pairs (e.g., FRUIT-ORANGE, METALS-IRON), whereas experiment 2 included related category exemplar pairs (e.g., COTTON-SHIRT, LEATHER-SKIRT). SZ showed reduced associative memory but normal RIF for unrelated categories used in experiment 1. For experiment 2, SZ showed a significant decline in associative memory for related but not unrelated category-exemplars in comparison to controls. Results suggested faulty specificity/distinctiveness for encoding and retrieval, but not abnormal RIF in the associative memory disturbance of SZ.

Maps of the Southern Millimeter-wave Sky from Combined 2500 deg$^2$ SPT-SZ and Planck Temperature Data

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

Chown, R.; et al.

We present three maps of the millimeter-wave sky created by combining data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and the Planck satellite. We use data from the SPT-SZ survey, a survey of 2540 deg$^2$ of the the sky with arcminute resolution in three bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, and the full-mission Planck temperature data in the 100, 143, and 217 GHz bands. A linear combination of the SPT-SZ and Planck data is computed in spherical harmonic space, with weights derived from the noise of both instruments. This weighting scheme results in Planck data providing most of themore » large-angular-scale information in the combined maps, with the smaller-scale information coming from SPT-SZ data. A number of tests have been done on the maps. We find their angular power spectra to agree very well with theoretically predicted spectra and previously published results.« less

Overcoming the crystallization and designability issues in the ultrastable zirconium phosphonate framework system

DOE PAGES

Zheng, Tao; Yang, Zaixing; Gui, Daxiang; ...

2017-05-30

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on zirconium phosphonates exhibit superior chemical stability suitable for applications under harsh conditions. These compounds mostly exist as poorly crystallized precipitates, and precise structural information has therefore remained elusive. Furthermore, a zero-dimensional zirconium phosphonate cluster acting as secondary building unit has been lacking, leading to poor designability in this system. We overcome these challenges and obtain single crystals of three zirconium phosphonates that are suitable for structural analysis. Furthermore, these compounds are built by previously unknown isolated zirconium phosphonate clusters and exhibit combined high porosity and ultrastability even in fuming acids. SZ-2 possesses the largest voidmore » volume recorded in zirconium phosphonates and SZ-3 represents the most porous crystalline zirconium phosphonate and the only porous MOF material reported to survive in aqua regia. SZ-2 and SZ-3 can effectively remove uranyl ions from aqueous solutions over a wide pH range, and we have elucidated the removal mechanism.« less

Overcoming the crystallization and designability issues in the ultrastable zirconium phosphonate framework system

PubMed Central

Zheng, Tao; Yang, Zaixing; Gui, Daxiang; Liu, Zhiyong; Wang, Xiangxiang; Dai, Xing; Liu, Shengtang; Zhang, Linjuan; Gao, Yang; Chen, Lanhua; Sheng, Daopeng; Wang, Yanlong; Diwu, Juan; Wang, Jianqiang; Zhou, Ruhong; Chai, Zhifang; Albrecht-Schmitt, Thomas E.; Wang, Shuao

2017-01-01

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on zirconium phosphonates exhibit superior chemical stability suitable for applications under harsh conditions. These compounds mostly exist as poorly crystallized precipitates, and precise structural information has therefore remained elusive. Furthermore, a zero-dimensional zirconium phosphonate cluster acting as secondary building unit has been lacking, leading to poor designability in this system. Herein, we overcome these challenges and obtain single crystals of three zirconium phosphonates that are suitable for structural analysis. These compounds are built by previously unknown isolated zirconium phosphonate clusters and exhibit combined high porosity and ultrastability even in fuming acids. SZ-2 possesses the largest void volume recorded in zirconium phosphonates and SZ-3 represents the most porous crystalline zirconium phosphonate and the only porous MOF material reported to survive in aqua regia. SZ-2 and SZ-3 can effectively remove uranyl ions from aqueous solutions over a wide pH range, and we have elucidated the removal mechanism. PMID:28555656

Overcoming the crystallization and designability issues in the ultrastable zirconium phosphonate framework system

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

Zheng, Tao; Yang, Zaixing; Gui, Daxiang

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on zirconium phosphonates exhibit superior chemical stability suitable for applications under harsh conditions. These compounds mostly exist as poorly crystallized precipitates, and precise structural information has therefore remained elusive. Furthermore, a zero-dimensional zirconium phosphonate cluster acting as secondary building unit has been lacking, leading to poor designability in this system. We overcome these challenges and obtain single crystals of three zirconium phosphonates that are suitable for structural analysis. Furthermore, these compounds are built by previously unknown isolated zirconium phosphonate clusters and exhibit combined high porosity and ultrastability even in fuming acids. SZ-2 possesses the largest voidmore » volume recorded in zirconium phosphonates and SZ-3 represents the most porous crystalline zirconium phosphonate and the only porous MOF material reported to survive in aqua regia. SZ-2 and SZ-3 can effectively remove uranyl ions from aqueous solutions over a wide pH range, and we have elucidated the removal mechanism.« less

Neural correlates of reward processing in healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Hanssen, Esther; van der Velde, Jorien; Gromann, Paula M.; Shergill, Sukhi S.; de Haan, Lieuwe; Bruggeman, Richard; Krabbendam, Lydia; Aleman, André; van Atteveldt, Nienke

2015-01-01

Deficits in motivational behavior and psychotic symptoms often observed in schizophrenia (SZ) may be driven by dysfunctional reward processing (RP). RP can be divided in two different stages; reward anticipation and reward consumption. Aberrant processing during reward anticipation seems to be related to SZ. Studies in patients with SZ have found less activation in the ventral striatum (VS) during anticipation of reward, but these findings do not provide information on effect of the genetic load on reward processing. Therefore, this study investigated RP in healthy first-degree relatives of SZ patients. The sample consisted of 94 healthy siblings of SZ patients and 57 healthy controls. Participants completed a classic RP task, the Monetary Incentive Delay task, during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). As expected, there were no behavioral differences between groups. In contrast to our expectations, we found no differences in any of the anticipatory reward related brain areas (region of interest analyses). Whole-brain analyses did reveal group differences during both reward anticipation and reward consumption; during reward anticipation siblings showed less deactivation in the insula, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and medial frontal gyrus (MFG) than controls. During reward consumption siblings showed less deactivation in the PCC and the right MFG compared to controls and activation in contrast to deactivation in controls in the precuneus and the left MFG. Exclusively in siblings, MFG activity correlated positively with subclinical negative symptoms. These regions are typically associated with the default mode network (DMN), which normally shows decreases in activation during task-related cognitive processes. Thus, in contrast to prior literature in patients with SZ, the results do not point to altered brain activity in classical RP brain areas, such as the VS. However, the weaker deactivation found outside the reward-related network in siblings could indicate reduced task-related suppression (i.e., hyperactivation) of the DMN. The presence of DMN hyperactivation during reward anticipation and reward consumption might indicate that siblings of patients with SZ have a higher baseline level of DMN activation and possible abnormal network functioning. PMID:26441601

A general framework to test gravity using galaxy clusters - I. Modelling the dynamical mass of haloes in f(R) gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Myles A.; He, Jian-hua; Arnold, Christian; Li, Baojiu

2018-06-01

We propose a new framework for testing gravity using cluster observations, which aims to provide an unbiased constraint on modified gravity models from Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) and X-ray cluster counts and the cluster gas fraction, among other possible observables. Focusing on a popular f(R) model of gravity, we propose a novel procedure to recalibrate mass scaling relations from Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) to f(R) gravity for SZ and X-ray cluster observables. We find that the complicated modified gravity effects can be simply modelled as a dependence on a combination of the background scalar field and redshift, fR(z)/(1 + z), regardless of the f(R) model parameter. By employing a large suite of N-body simulations, we demonstrate that a theoretically derived tanh fitting formula is in excellent agreement with the dynamical mass enhancement of dark matter haloes for a large range of background field parameters and redshifts. Our framework is sufficiently flexible to allow for tests of other models and inclusion of further observables, and the one-parameter description of the dynamical mass enhancement can have important implications on the theoretical modelling of observables and on practical tests of gravity.

Integrating frequency and magnitude information in decision-making in schizophrenia: An account of patient performance on the Iowa Gambling Task.

PubMed

Brown, Elliot C; Hack, Samantha M; Gold, James M; Carpenter, William T; Fischer, Bernard A; Prentice, Kristen P; Waltz, James A

2015-01-01

The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; Bechara et al., 1994) has frequently been used to assess risky decision making in clinical populations, including patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Poor performance on the IGT is often attributed to reduced sensitivity to punishment, which contrasts with recent findings from reinforcement learning studies in schizophrenia. In order to investigate possible sources of IGT performance deficits in SZ patients, we combined data from the IGT from 59 SZ patients and 43 demographically-matched controls with data from the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) in the same participants. Our analyses sought to specifically uncover the role of punishment sensitivity and delineate the capacity to integrate frequency and magnitude information in decision-making under risk. Although SZ patients, on average, made more choices from disadvantageous decks than controls did on the IGT, they avoided decks with frequent punishments at a rate similar to controls. Patients also exhibited excessive loss-avoidance behavior on the BART. We argue that, rather than stemming from reduced sensitivity to negative consequences, performance deficits on the IGT in SZ patients are more likely the result of a reinforcement learning deficit, specifically involving the integration of frequencies and magnitudes of rewards and punishments in the trial-by-trial estimation of expected value. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alteration of Cyclic-AMP Response Element Binding Protein in the Postmortem Brain of Subjects with Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Ren, Xinguo; Rizavi, Hooriyah S.; Khan, Mansoor A.; Bhaumik, Runa; Dwivedi, Yogesh; Pandey, Ghanshyam N.

2013-01-01

Background Abnormalities of cyclic-AMP (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) function has been suggested in bipolar (BP) illness and schizophrenia (SZ), based on both indirect and direct evidence. To further elucidate the role of CREB in these disorders, we studied CREB expression and function in two brain areas implicated in these disorders, i.e., dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and cingulate gyrus (CG). Methods We determined CREB protein expression using Western blot technique, CRE-DNA binding using gel shift assay, and mRNA expression using real-time RT-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in DLPFC and CG of the postmortem brain of BP (n = 19), SZ (n = 20), and normal control (NC, n = 20) subjects. Results We observed that CREB protein and mRNA expression and CRE-DNA binding activity were significantly decreased in the nuclear fraction of DLPFC and CG obtained from BP subjects compared with NC subjects. However, the protein and mRNA expression and CRE-DNA binding in SZ subjects was significantly decreased in CG, but not in DLPFC, compared with NC. Conclusion These studies thus indicate region-specific abnormalities of CREB expression and function in both BP and SZ. They suggest that abnormalities of CREB in CG may be associated with both BP and SZ, but its abnormality in DLPFC is specific to BP illness. PMID:24148789

Resveratrol Supplementation Did Not Improve Cognition in Patients with Schizophrenia: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Zortea, Karine; Franco, Viviane C; Guimarães, Paula; Belmonte-de-Abreu, Paulo S

2016-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with psychotic experiences and cognitive deficits. Therefore, cognitive function is one of the most critical determinants of quality of life in this pathology. Resveratrol has been related to neuroprotective action, but there are no studies evaluating resveratrol in SZ. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of resveratrol supplementation on cognition in individuals with SZ. This is a 1-month randomized, double-blind, and controlled trial (NCT 02062190), in which 19 men with diagnosis of SZ, aged 18-65 years, were assigned to a resveratrol supplementation group (200 mg) or placebo group (200 mg), with a 1-month follow-up. Applying a series of cognitive tests assessed neuropsychology performance (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Stroop Color and Word Test, and Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale assessed psychopathology severity. There were no significant improvement in neuropsychology performance (episodic memory, working memory, attention and concentration capacity, inhibitory control, interference measures, selective attention, and mental flexibility) and psychopathology severity after 1 month of resveratrol supplementation ( P  > 0.05). In conclusion, we have shown that 1 month of a resveratrol supplementation (200 mg/day) did not improve episodic memory, working memory, attention and concentration capacity, inhibitory control, interference measures, selective attention, and mental flexibility as compared with placebo in patients with SZ.

Segmentation and texture analysis of structural biomarkers using neighborhood-clustering-based level set in MRI of the schizophrenic brain.

PubMed

Latha, Manohar; Kavitha, Ganesan

2018-02-03

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a psychiatric disorder that especially affects individuals during their adolescence. There is a need to study the subanatomical regions of SZ brain on magnetic resonance images (MRI) based on morphometry. In this work, an attempt was made to analyze alterations in structure and texture patterns in images of the SZ brain using the level-set method and Laws texture features. T1-weighted MRI of the brain from Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) database were considered for analysis. Segmentation was carried out using the level-set method. Geometrical and Laws texture features were extracted from the segmented brain stem, corpus callosum, cerebellum, and ventricle regions to analyze pattern changes in SZ. The level-set method segmented multiple brain regions, with higher similarity and correlation values compared with an optimized method. The geometric features obtained from regions of the corpus callosum and ventricle showed significant variation (p < 0.00001) between normal and SZ brain. Laws texture feature identified a heterogeneous appearance in the brain stem, corpus callosum and ventricular regions, and features from the brain stem were correlated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score (p < 0.005). A framework of geometric and Laws texture features obtained from brain subregions can be used as a supplement for diagnosis of psychiatric disorders.

C3 Polymorphism Influences Circulating Levels of C3, ASP and Lipids in Schizophrenic Patients.

PubMed

Nsaiba, Mohamed Jalloul; Lapointe, Marc; Mabrouk, Hajer; Douki, Wahiba; Gaha, Lotfi; Pérusse, Louis; Bouchard, Claude; Jrad, Besma Bel Hadj; Cianflone, Katherine

2015-05-01

Excessive activation of complement is associated with many diseases including schizophrenia. Investigation of C3 polymorphisms, circulating C3, cleavage product ASP/C3adesArg, and lipid metabolism. Cross-sectional analysis. C3 genotyping (CC vs GG for R102L) was performed on 434 Tunisian people consisting of 272 schizophrenic (SZ) patients and 162 control subjects. In a age- and gender-matched subgroups of the three genotypes (131 SZ and 112 NOR), plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol (C), LDL-C, HDL-C, ASP, and complement C3 were measured. C3 gene polymorphism influences BMI and plasma C3, ASP, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-C and HDL-C among SZ patients (p < 0.05-0.0001), with increasing values demonstrated from CC (common form) to CG (heterozygote form) to GG (rare homozygote) forms. Significant correlations between plasma C3 and BMI, triglyceride, HDL-C and ASP (p < 0.05-0.0001) were observed, while ASP correlated with BMI and LDL-C (p = 0.005, p = 0.001, respectively) in SZ patients. Further, proportional conversion of C3 to ASP (%ASP/C3) also increased (p < 0.0001, GG>CG>CC). C3 polymorphisms and plasma C3, ASP and %ASP/C3 correlated with lipid parameters in this SZ population, suggesting that factors predisposing patients to schizophrenia are permissive for complement pathway activation and dyslipidemic influences.

Synthesis and characterization of scandia ceria stabilized zirconia powders prepared by polymeric precursor method for integration into anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Hengyong; Liu, Xin; Yu, Qingchun

2011-03-01

Scandia ceria stabilized zirconia (10Sc1CeSZ) powders are synthesized by polymeric precursor method for use as the electrolyte of anode-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The synthesized powders are characterized in terms of crystalline structure, particle shape and size distribution by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). 10Sc1CeSZ electrolyte films are deposited on green anode substrate by screen-printing method. Effects of 10Sc1CeSZ powder characteristics on sintered films are investigated regarding the integration process for application as the electrolytes in anode-supported SOFCs. It is found that the 10Sc1CeSZ films made from nano-sized powders with average size of 655 nm are very porous with many open pores. In comparison, the 10Sc1CeSZ films made from micron-sized powders with average size of 2.5 μm, which are obtained by calcination of nano-sized powders at higher temperatures, are much denser with a few closed pinholes. The cell performances are 911 mW cm-2 at the current density of 1.25 A cm-2 and 800 °C by application of Ce0.8Gd0.2O2 (CGO) barrier layer and La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 (LSC) cathode.

Integrating frequency and magnitude information in decision-making in schizophrenia: An account of patient performance on the Iowa Gambling Task

PubMed Central

Brown, Elliot C.; Hack, Samantha M.; Gold, James M.; Carpenter, William T.; Fischer, Bernard A.; Prentice, Kristen P.; Waltz, James A.

2015-01-01

Background The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; Bechara, Damasio, Damasio, & Anderson, 1994) has frequently been used to assess risky decision making in clinical populations, including patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Poor performance on the IGT is often attributed to reduced sensitivity to punishment, which contrasts with recent findings from reinforcement learning studies in schizophrenia. Methods In order to investigate possible sources of IGT performance deficits in SZ patients, we combined data from the IGT from 59 SZ patients and 43 demographically-matched controls with data from the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) in the same participants. Our analyses sought to specifically uncover the role of punishment sensitivity and delineate the capacity to integrate frequency and magnitude information in decision-making under risk. Results Although SZ patients, on average, made more choices from disadvantageous decks than controls did on the IGT, they avoided decks with frequent punishments at a rate similar to controls. Patients also exhibited excessive loss-avoidance behavior on the BART. Conclusions We argue that, rather than stemming from reduced sensitivity to negative consequences, performance deficits on the IGT in SZ patients are more likely the result of a reinforcement learning deficit, specifically involving the integration of frequencies and magnitudes of rewards and punishments in the trial-by-trial estimation of expected value. PMID:25959618

The KBC Void: Consistency with Supernovae Type Ia and the Kinematic SZ Effect in a ΛLTB Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoscheit, Benjamin L.; Barger, Amy J.

2018-02-01

There is substantial and growing observational evidence from the normalized luminosity density in the near-infrared that the local universe is underdense on scales of several hundred megaparsecs. We test whether our parameterization of the observational data of such a “void” is compatible with the latest supernovae type Ia data and with constraints from line-of-sight peculiar-velocity motions of galaxy clusters with respect to the cosmic microwave background rest-frame, known as the linear kinematic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect. Our study is based on the large local void (LLV) radial profile observed by Keenan, Barger, and Cowie (KBC) and a theoretical void description based on the Lemaître–Tolman–Bondi model with a nonzero cosmological constant (ΛLTB). We find consistency with the measured luminosity distance–redshift relation on radial scales relevant to the KBC LLV through a comparison with 217 low-redshift supernovae type Ia over the redshift range 0.0233< z< 0.15. We assess the implications of the KBC LLV in light of the tension between “local” and “cosmic” measurements of the Hubble constant, H 0. We find that when the existence of the KBC LLV is fully accounted for, this tension is reduced from 3.4σ to 2.75σ . We find that previous linear kSZ constraints, as well as new ones from the South Pole Telescope and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, are fully compatible with the existence of the KBC LLV.

Spectroscopic studies of three Cepheids with high positive pulsation period increments: SZ Cas, BY Cas, and RU Sct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usenko, I. A.; Klochkova, V. G.

2015-07-01

Three high-resolution spectra have been taken at different times with the 6-m SAO RAS telescope (LYNX and PFES spectrographs) for three Cepheids exhibiting high positive period increments: the small-amplitude (DCEPS) SZ Cas and BY Cas and the classical (DCEP) RU Sct. SZ Cas and RU Sct are members of the Galactic open clusters χ and h Per and Trump 35, respectively. Analysis of the spectra has shown that the interstellar Na I D1 and D2 lines in all objects are considerably stronger than the atmospheric ones and are redshifted in SZ Cas and BY Cas and blushifted in RU Sct. The core of the H α absorption line in BY Cas has an asymmetric knifelike shape, while RU Sct exhibits an intense emission in the blue wing of this line. Such phenomena are observed in long-period Cepheids and bright hypergiants with an extended envelope. In this case, the strong Mg Ib 5183.62 Å and Ba II 5853.67, 6141.713, and 6496.90 Å lines with low χlow in SZ Cas and RU Sct also show characteristic knifelike profiles with an asymmetry in the red region, while the Ba II 4934.095 Å line shows similar profiles in the blue one. The absorption lines of neutral atoms and singly ionized metals with different lowerlevel excitation potentials exhibit different degrees of asymmetry: from a pronounced one with secondary components in BY Cas (similar to those in the small-amplitude Cepheid BG Cru pulsating in the first overtone and having an envelope) to its insignificance or virtual absence in SZ Cas and RU Sct. Analysis of the secular changes in mean T eff determined from photometric color indices and spectra over the last 55 years for these stars has revealed periodic fluctuations of 200 K for SZ Cas and BY Cas and 500 K for RU Sct. For SZ Cas and RU Sct, T eff determined in some years from some color indices show much lower values, which together with the temperature fluctuations can be associated with mass loss and dust formation. Based on these facts, we hypothesize the existence of circumstellar envelopes around all three Cepheids. We have determined the atmospheric parameters and chemical composition of the program Cepheids. An appreciable carbon underabundance, a nitrogen overabundance (the result was obtained only for BY Cas), a nearly solar oxygen abundance, a sodium overabundance, and solar magnesium and aluminum abundances have been revealed in all stars, suggesting that these yellow supergiants has already passed the first dredge-up. The abundances of the Fe-peak elements, a-elements, and r- and s-process elements are nearly solar. [Fe/H] = -0.05 dex for SZ Cas and [Fe/H]= +0.05 dex for RU Sct can be used to estimate the metallicities of the open clusters χ and h Per and Trump 35, respectively.

Mechanisms of Synaptic Alterations in a Neuroinflammation Model of Autism

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disor- der (ASD) and schizophrenia (SZ) are likely caused by...1 Award Number: W81XWH-13-1-0440 TITLE: Mechanisms of Synaptic Alterations in a Neuroinflammation Model of Autism PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Anna...To) 30Sep2014 - 29Sep2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Mechanisms of Synaptic Alterations in a Neuroinflammation Model of Autism 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

A Measurement of the Millimeter Emission and the Sunyaev-zel'dovich Effect Associated with Low-frequency Radio Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gralla, Megan B.; Crichton, Devin; Marriage, Tobias A.; Mo, Wenli; Aguirre, Paula; Addison, Graeme E.; Asboth, V.; Battaglia, Nick; Bock, James; Bond, J. Richard;

Probing the Epoch of Reionization via CII Tomography with TIME-Pilot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradford, Matt; Crites, Abigail; Hunacek, Jonathon; Hailey-Dunsheath, Steve; Zemcov, Michael B.; Bock, James; Cooray, Asantha R.; Chang, Tzu-Ching; Li, Chao-Te; Bumble, Bruce; Shirokoff, Erik; Staniszewski, Zachary; O'Brient, Roger; Shiu, Corwin; Cheng, Yun-Ting; Uzgil, Bade

2016-01-01

Deep UV dropout surveys in small fields shown that the EoR galaxies are intrinsically faint, even on the scale of the deepest Hubble, JWST, and ALMA surveys. The luminosity functions show steep and/or uncertain faint-end slopes, so that the total light integral is poorly constrained. 3-D tomographic intensity mapping of a bright spectral line can probe the nature of the EoR galaxies in aggregate via their imprint on large-scale structure. Specifically, the 2-halo clustering signal on ~degree scales is sensitive to the luminosity function integral.TIME-Pilot is designed for a first measurement of EoR clustering via the 158-micron [CII] transition redshifted into the millimeter band. 32 waveguide spectrometers disperse the 183-326 GHz band (z=5.5-9 for [CII]) at resolving power of 100 to arrays totaling 1840 TES bolometers, all cooled to below 300 mK. TIME-Pilot will be deployed to the JCMT, and the survey volume will consist of an on-sky footprint of 1 degree (~150 cmlc) by 1 beam (~0.8 cMpc), with depth ~1200 cMpc provided by the spectral coverage. Our models indicate that the raw sensitivity of TIME-Pilot is sufficient to provide a detection of the [CII] clustering signal in a couple of hundred hours on sky. However, the dominant signal in the experiment will be the CO-emitting galaxies at z~0.5 to 3. This signal is interesting in its own right, but will need to be measured and removed to reveal the [CII].TIME-Pilot is also ideally suited to measure the kSZ effect due to peculiar velocities in galaxy clusters. While previous kSZ surveys have been limited by imperfect atmospheric subtraction, TIME-Pilot will use a unique atmospheric subtraction technique demonstrated with Z-Spec, in which the water vapor fluctuations are monitored via total power measurements at the spectrometer band edges, and removed from the science dataset. Finally, the instrument includes 11 broad-band 150-GHz photometers to measure the tSZ effect in the decrement. TIME-Pilot has a kSZ sensitivity of 500 km/s in an 8 hour observation, 5 times improved over previous experiments and sufficient to enable the first cosmological kSZ surveys.

Planetary Rover Robotics Experiments in Education: HUSAR-5, the NXT-Based Rover Model for Measuring the Planetary Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Á.; Bérczi, Sz.; Szalay, K.; Prajczer, P.; Kocsis, Á.

2014-11-01

We report about the work of the HUSAR-5 groups from the Széchenyi István Gimnázium High School Sopron, Hungary. We build and program robot-rovers, that can autonomous move and measure on a planetary surface.

Annual Research Review: Transgenic Mouse Models of Childhood-Onset Psychiatric Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Holly R.; Feng, Guoping

2011-01-01

Childhood-onset psychiatric disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mood disorders, obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSD), and schizophrenia (SZ), affect many school-age children, leading to a lower quality of life, including difficulties in school and personal relationships that…

Self-Reported and Interviewer-Rated Oral Health in Patients With Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Tang, Li-Rong; Zheng, Wei; Zhu, Hui; Ma, Xin; Chiu, Helen F K; Correll, Christoph U; Ungvari, Gabor S; Xiang, Ying-Qiang; Lai, Kelly Y C; Cao, Xiao-Lan; Li, Yan; Zhong, Bao-Liang; Lok, Ka In; Xiang, Yu-Tao

2016-01-01

To compare self-reported (SR) and interviewer-rated (IR) oral health between schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BP), and major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. 356 patients with SZ, BP, or MDD underwent assessments of psychopathology, side effects, SR, and IR oral health status. 118 patients (33.1%) reported poor oral health; the corresponding proportion was 36.4% in BP, 34.8% in SZ, and 25.5% in MD (p = .21). SR and IR oral health correlated only modestly (r = 0.17-0.36) in each group. Psychiatric patients need to be assessed for both SR and IR oral health. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Weak-Lensing Mass Calibration of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope Equatorial Sunyaev-Zeldovich Cluster Sample with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Stripe 82 Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Battaglia, N.; Leauthaud, A.; Miyatake, H.; Hasseleld, M.; Gralla, M. B.; Allison, R.; Bond, J. R.; Calabrese, E.; Crichton, D.; Devlin, M. J.;

VizieR Online Data Catalog: BVIc light curves of SZ Cam (Tamajo+, 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamajo, E.; Munari, U.; Siviero, A.; Tomasella, L.; Dallaporta, S.

2012-01-01

We present a spectroscopic and photometric analysis of the multiple system and early-type eclipsing binary SZ Cam (O9 IV + B0.5 V), which consists of an eclipsing SB2 pair of orbital period P=2.7-days in a long orbit (~55yrs) around a non-eclipsing SB1 pair of orbital period P=2.8-days. We have reconstructed the spectra of the individual components of SZ Cam from the observed composite spectra using the technique of spectral disentangling. We used them together with extensive and accurate BV IC CCD photometry to obtain an orbital solution. Our photometry revealed the presence of a beta Cep variable in the SZ Cam hierarchical system, probably located within the non-eclipsing SB1 pair. The pulsation period is 0.33265+/-0.00005-days and the observed total amplitude in the B band is 0.0105+/-0.0005mag. NLTE analysis of the disentangled spectra provided atmospheric parameters for all three components, consistent with those derived from orbital solution. (1 data file).

The first Doppler images of the eclipsing binary SZ Piscium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Yue; Gu, Shenghong; Cameron, A. Collier; Barnes, J. R.; Zhang, Liyun

2016-02-01

We present the first Doppler images of the active eclipsing binary system SZ Psc, based on the high-resolution spectral data sets obtained in 2004 November and 2006 September-December. The least-squares deconvolution technique was applied to derive high signal-to-noise profiles from the observed spectra of SZ Psc. Absorption features contributed by a third component of the system were detected in the LSD profiles at all observed phases. We estimated the mass and period of the third component to be about 0.9 M⊙ and 1283 ± 10 d, respectively. After removing the contribution of the third body from the least-squares deconvolved profiles, we derived the surface maps of SZ Psc. The resulting Doppler images indicate significant star-spot activities on the surface of the K subgiant component. The distributions of star-spots are more complex than that revealed by previous photometric studies. The cooler K component exhibited pronounced high-latitude spots as well as numerous low- and intermediate-latitude spot groups during the entire observing seasons, but did not show any large, stable polar cap, different from many other active RS CVn-type binaries.

Weak-lensing mass calibration of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope equatorial Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster sample with the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope stripe 82 survey

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

Battaglia, N.; Miyatake, H.; Hasselfield, M.

Mass calibration uncertainty is the largest systematic effect for using clusters of galaxies to constrain cosmological parameters. We present weak lensing mass measurements from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Stripe 82 Survey for galaxy clusters selected through their high signal-to-noise thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) signal measured with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT). For a sample of 9 ACT clusters with a tSZ signal-to-noise greater than five the average weak lensing mass is (4.8±0.8) ×10{sup 14} M{sub ⊙}, consistent with the tSZ mass estimate of (4.70±1.0) ×10{sup 14} M{sub ⊙} which assumes a universal pressure profile for the cluster gas. Our results are consistentmore » with previous weak-lensing measurements of tSZ-detected clusters from the Planck satellite. When comparing our results, we estimate the Eddington bias correction for the sample intersection of Planck and weak-lensing clusters which was previously excluded.« less

Whole Genome Association Study in a Homogenous Population in Shandong Peninsula of China Reveals JARID2 as a Susceptibility Gene for Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Liu, Yang; Chen, Gang; Norton, Nadine; Liu, Wenmin; Zhu, Haining; Zhou, Peng; Luan, Meng; Yang, Shulin; Chen, Xing; Carroll, Liam; Williams, Nigel M.; O'Donovan, Michael C.; Kirov, George; Owen, Michael J.

2009-01-01

DNA pooling can provide an economic and efficient way to detect susceptibility loci to complex diseases. We carried out a genome screen with 400 microsatellite markers spaced at approximately 10 cm in two DNA pools consisting of 119 schizophrenia (SZ) patients and 119 controls recruited from a homogenous population in the Chang Le area of the Shandong peninsula of China. Association of D6S289, a dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the JARID2 gene with SZ, was found and confirmed by individual genotyping (X2 = 17.89; P = .047). In order to refine the signal, we genotyped 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering JARID2 and the neighboring gene, DNTBP1, in an extended sample of 309 cases and 309 controls from Shandong peninsula (including the samples from the pools). However, rs2235258 and rs9654600 in JARID2 showed association in allelic, genotypic and haplotypic tests with SZ patients from Chang Le area. This was not replicates in the extended sample, we conclude that JARID2 could be a susceptibility gene for SZ. PMID:19884986

Magnetic properties of transition metal fluorides MF2 (M=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) via high-energy photon diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strempfer, J.; Rütt, U.; Bayrakci, S.; Brückel, Th.; Jauch, W.

2004-01-01

We present an overview of recent results from nonresonant magnetic diffraction experiments on the antiferromagnetic compounds MnF2, FeF2, CoF2, and NiF2 using high-energy synchrotron radiation of photon energies above 100 keV. New results are presented on the determination of the spin and of the L/S ratio for CoF2 and NiF2. For CoF2, the saturation value of the long-range-ordered pure spin Sz component Sz=1.11(1) is considerably lower than the value Sz=3/2 for the free Co2+ ion. This is in contrast to our results for NiF2, where the full spin of the free transition-metal ion was found, Sz=0.98(1). The temperature dependence of the magnetization in the critical region as well as in the low-temperature region is also presented. For all compounds, Ising behavior is found in the critical regime, whereas the crossover to the low-temperature spin-wave behavior varies. We attribute this to different anisotropies in this series of compounds.

Loading Rate Variations Along a Midcrustal Shear Zone Preceding the Mw6.0 Earthquake of 24 August 2016 in Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuan, A.; Sugan, M.; Chiaraluce, L.; Di Stefano, R.

2017-12-01

To identify greater detail in the seismicity pattern preceding the 24 August 2016 Mw6.0 earthquake in Central Italy, we apply waveform matching using 1,028 events as templates. In the 8 months before the mainshock, we find 2,000 additional earthquakes mostly located along a subhorizontal shear zone (SZ) bounding at depth the extensional fault system. Asynchrony is observed in the occurrence of events nucleating along the SZ compared to the ones on fault portions embedded in the shallower upper crust, with the former anticipating the latter. Within the SZ, we also observe along-strike seismic migration episodes with earthquakes pointing toward the Mw6.0 mainshock nucleation zone. These episodes are followed by an apparent quiescence within the main fault area. We suggest that the variations in the seismic activity along the SZ represent the brittle signature of the tectonic loading process enabling portions of the overlaying normal faults to become unlocked.

Transform Methods for Precision Nonlinear Wave Models of Flexible space Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-20

developed, each of which has motivated a structural control methodology in a natural way. The Transform Element Modelling (TEM) approach uses the Laplace...IEk A L 2 = -, c G= ( C .3 a ,b ) Talng the Laplace transfor-m (neglecting initial conditions) )ields [1+tjSZ-(,s) +S ((X’S) + al2a~ pS4 (X’S) j(X’s) (04

Bounds on graviton mass using weak lensing and SZ effect in galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rana, Akshay; Jain, Deepak; Mahajan, Shobhit; Mukherjee, Amitabha

2018-06-01

In General Relativity (GR), the graviton is massless. However, a common feature in several theoretical alternatives of GR is a non-zero mass for the graviton. These theories can be described as massive gravity theories. Despite many theoretical complexities in these theories, on phenomenological grounds the implications of massive gravity have been widely used to put bounds on graviton mass. One of the generic implications of giving a mass to the graviton is that the gravitational potential will follow a Yukawa-like fall off. We use this feature of massive gravity theories to probe the mass of graviton by using the largest gravitationally bound objects, namely galaxy clusters. In this work, we use the mass estimates of galaxy clusters measured at various cosmologically defined radial distances measured via weak lensing (WL) and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. We also use the model independent values of Hubble parameter H (z) smoothed by a non-parametric method, Gaussian process. Within 1σ confidence region, we obtain the mass of graviton mg < 5.9 ×10-30 eV with the corresponding Compton length scale λg > 6.82 Mpc from weak lensing and mg < 8.31 ×10-30 eV with λg > 5.012 Mpc from SZ effect. This analysis improves the upper bound on graviton mass obtained earlier from galaxy clusters.

Polarized Sunyaev Zel'dovich tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deutsch, Anne-Sylvie; Johnson, Matthew C.; Münchmeyer, Moritz; Terrana, Alexandra

2018-04-01

Secondary CMB polarization is induced by the late-time scattering of CMB photons by free electrons on our past light cone. This polarized Sunyaev Zel'dovich (pSZ) effect is sensitive to the electrons' locally observed CMB quadrupole, which is sourced primarily by long wavelength inhomogeneities. By combining the remote quadrupoles measured by free electrons throughout the Universe after reionization, the pSZ effect allows us to obtain additional information about large scale modes beyond what can be learned from our own last scattering surface. Here we determine the power of pSZ tomography, in which the pSZ effect is cross-correlated with the density field binned at several redshifts, to provide information about the long wavelength Universe. The signal we explore here is a power asymmetry in the cross-correlation between E or B mode CMB polarization and the density field. We compare this to the cosmic variance limited noise: the random chance to get a power asymmetry in the absence of a large scale quadrupole field. By computing the necessary transfer functions and cross-correlations, we compute the signal-to-noise ratio attainable by idealized next generation CMB experiments and galaxy surveys. We find that a signal-to-noise ratio of ~ 1‑10 is in principle attainable over a significant range of power multipoles, with the strongest signal coming from the first multipoles in the lowest redshift bins. These results prompt further assessment of realistically measuring the pSZ signal and the potential impact for constraining cosmology on large scales.

Neurological abnormalities in recent-onset schizophrenia and asperger-syndrome.

PubMed

Hirjak, Dusan; Wolf, Robert Christian; Koch, Sabine C; Mehl, Laura; Kelbel, Janna K; Kubera, Katharina Maria; Traeger, Tanja; Fuchs, Thomas; Thomann, Philipp Arthur

2014-01-01

Neurological abnormalities including a variety of subtle deficits such as discrete impairments in sensory integration, motor coordination (MOCO), and sequencing of complex motor acts are frequently found in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and commonly referred to as neurological soft signs (NSS). Asperger-syndrome (AS) is characterized by sensory-motor difficulties as well. However, the question whether the two disorders share a common or a disease-specific pattern of NSS remains unresolved. A total of 78 age- and education-matched participants [26 patients with recent-onset SZ, 26 individuals with AS, and 26 healthy controls (HC)] were recruited for the study. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), with age, years of education, and medication included as covariates, were used to examine group differences on total NSS and the five subscale scores. Discriminant analyses were employed to identify the NSS subscales that maximally discriminate between the three groups. Significant differences among the three groups were found in NSS total score and on the five NSS subscales. The clinical groups differed significantly in the NSS subscale MOCO. The correct discriminant rate between patients with SZ and individuals with AS was 61.5%. The correct discriminant rate was 92.3% between individuals with AS and HC, and 80.8% between SZ patients and HC, respectively. Our findings provide new evidence for the presence of NSS in AS and lend further support to previously reported difficulties in movement control in this disorder. According to the present results, SZ and AS seem to be characterized by both quantitative and qualitative NSS expression.

Impaired Kynurenine Pathway Metabolism in The Prefrontal Cortex of Individuals With Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Sathyasaikumar, Korrapati V.; Stachowski, Erin K.; Wonodi, Ikwunga; Roberts, Rosalinda C.; Rassoulpour, Arash; McMahon, Robert P.; Schwarcz, Robert

2011-01-01

The levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA), an astrocyte-derived metabolite of the branched kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation and antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, are elevated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). Because endogenous KYNA modulates extracellular glutamate and acetylcholine levels in the PFC, these increases may be pathophysiologically significant. Using brain tissue from SZ patients and matched controls, we now measured the activity of several KP enzymes (kynurenine 3-monooxygenase [KMO], kynureninase, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid dioxygenase [3-HAO], quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase [QPRT], and kynurenine aminotransferase II [KAT II]) in the PFC, ie, Brodmann areas (BA) 9 and 10. Compared with controls, the activities of KMO (in BA 9 and 10) and 3-HAO (in BA 9) were significantly reduced in SZ, though there were no significant differences between patients and controls in kynureninase, QPRT, and KAT II. In the same samples, we also confirmed the increase in the tissue levels of KYNA in SZ. As examined in rats treated chronically with the antipsychotic drug risperidone, the observed biochemical changes were not secondary to medication. A persistent reduction in KMO activity may have a particular bearing on pathology because it may signify a shift of KP metabolism toward enhanced KYNA synthesis. The present results further support the hypothesis that the normalization of cortical KP metabolism may constitute an effective new treatment strategy in SZ. PMID:21036897

Impaired kynurenine pathway metabolism in the prefrontal cortex of individuals with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Sathyasaikumar, Korrapati V; Stachowski, Erin K; Wonodi, Ikwunga; Roberts, Rosalinda C; Rassoulpour, Arash; McMahon, Robert P; Schwarcz, Robert

2011-11-01

The levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA), an astrocyte-derived metabolite of the branched kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation and antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, are elevated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). Because endogenous KYNA modulates extracellular glutamate and acetylcholine levels in the PFC, these increases may be pathophysiologically significant. Using brain tissue from SZ patients and matched controls, we now measured the activity of several KP enzymes (kynurenine 3-monooxygenase [KMO], kynureninase, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid dioxygenase [3-HAO], quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase [QPRT], and kynurenine aminotransferase II [KAT II]) in the PFC, ie, Brodmann areas (BA) 9 and 10. Compared with controls, the activities of KMO (in BA 9 and 10) and 3-HAO (in BA 9) were significantly reduced in SZ, though there were no significant differences between patients and controls in kynureninase, QPRT, and KAT II. In the same samples, we also confirmed the increase in the tissue levels of KYNA in SZ. As examined in rats treated chronically with the antipsychotic drug risperidone, the observed biochemical changes were not secondary to medication. A persistent reduction in KMO activity may have a particular bearing on pathology because it may signify a shift of KP metabolism toward enhanced KYNA synthesis. The present results further support the hypothesis that the normalization of cortical KP metabolism may constitute an effective new treatment strategy in SZ.

Aberrant prefrontal beta oscillations predict episodic memory encoding deficits in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Meconi, Federica; Anderl-Straub, Sarah; Raum, Heidelore; Landgrebe, Michael; Langguth, Berthold; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T; Hanslmayr, Simon

Verbal episodic memory is one of the core cognitive functions affected in patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Although this verbal memory impairment in SZ is a well-known finding, our understanding about its underlying neurophysiological mechanisms is rather scarce. Here we address this issue by recording brain oscillations during a memory task in a sample of healthy controls and patients with SZ. Brain oscillations represent spectral fingerprints of specific neurocognitive operations and are therefore a promising tool to identify neurocognitive mechanisms that are affected by SZ. Healthy controls showed a prominent suppression of left prefrontal beta oscillatory activity during successful memory formation, which replicates several previous oscillatory memory studies. In contrast, patients failed to exhibit such a left prefrontal beta power suppression. Utilizing a new topographical pattern similarity approach, we further demonstrate that the degree of similarity between a patient's beta power decrease to that of the controls reliably predicted memory performance. This relationship between beta power decreases and memory was such that the patients' memory performance improved as they showed a more similar topographical beta desynchronization pattern compared to that of healthy controls. Together, these findings support left prefrontal beta desynchronization as the spectral fingerprint of verbal episodic memory formation, likely indicating deep semantic processing of verbal material. These findings also demonstrate that left prefrontal beta power suppression (or lack thereof) during memory encoding are a reliable biomarker for the observed encoding impairments in SZ in verbal memory.

PCM1 is recruited to the centrosome by the cooperative action of DISC1 and BBS4 and is a candidate for psychiatric illness

PubMed Central

Kamiya, Atsushi; Tan, Perciliz L.; Kubo, Ken-ichiro; Engelhard, Caitlin; Ishizuka, Koko; Kubo, Akiharu; Tsukita, Sachiko; Pulver, Ann E.; Nakajima, Kazunori; Cascella, Nicola G.; Katsanis, Nicholas; Sawa, Akira

2009-01-01

Context A role for the centrosome has been suggested in the pathology of major mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia (SZ). Objectives To show that pericentriolar material-1 protein (PCM1) forms a complex at the centrosome with Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) and Bardet-Biedl syndrome-4 protein (BBS4), which provides a crucial pathway for cortical development associated with the pathology of SZ. To identify mutations in the PCM1 gene in a SZ population. Design Interaction of DISC1, PCM1, and BBS proteins was assessed by immunofluorescent staining and co-immunoprecipitation. Effects of PCM1, DISC1, and BBS on centrosomal functions and corticogenesis in vivo were tested by RNAi. PCM1 gene was examined by sequencing 39 exons and flanking splice sites. Setting and Patients Thirty-two probands with SZ from families that had excess allele sharing among affected individuals at 8p22, and 219 Caucasian controls. Main Outcome Measures Protein interaction and recruitment at the centrosome in cells; neuronal migration in the cerebral cortex; variant discovery in PCM1 in SZ patients. Results PCM1 forms a complex with DISC1 and BBS4 through discrete binding domains in each protein. DISC1 and BBS4 are required for targeting PCM1 and other cargo proteins, such as ninein, to the centrosome in a synergistic manner. In the developing cerebral cortex, suppression of PCM1 leads to neuronal migration defects, which are phenocopied by the suppression of either DISC1 or BBS4, and are exacerbated by the concomitant suppression of both. Furtheremore, a nonsense mutation that segregates with schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis is found in one family. Conclusion Our data further support for the role of centrosomal proteins in cortical development and suggest that perturbation of centrosomal function contributes to the development of mental diseases including SZ. PMID:18762586

Association between Ghrelin gene (GHRL) polymorphisms and clinical response to atypical antipsychotic drugs in Han Chinese schizophrenia patients

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Ghrelin (GHRL) is a pivotal peptide regulator of food intake, energy balance, and body mass. Weight gain (WG) is a common side effect of the atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) used to treat schizophrenia (SZ). Ghrelin polymorphisms have been associated with pathogenic variations in plasma lipid concentrations, blood pressure, plasma glucose, and body mass index (BMI). However, it is unclear whether GHRL polymorphisms are associated with WG due to AAPs. Furthermore, there is no evidence of an association between GHRL polymorphisms and SZ or the therapeutic response to AAPs. We explored these potential associations by genotyping GHRL alleles in SZ patients and controls. We also examined the relation between these SNPs and changes in metabolic indices during AAP treatment in SZ subgroups distinguished by high or low therapeutic response. Methods Four SNPs (Leu72Met, -501A/C, -604 G/A, and -1062 G > C) were genotyped in 634 schizophrenia patients and 606 control subjects. Results There were no significant differences in allele frequencies, genotype distributions, or the distributions of two SNP haplotypes between SZ patients and healthy controls (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in symptom reduction between genotypes after 8 weeks of AAP treatment as measured by positive and negative symptom scale scores (PANSS). However, the -604 G/A polymorphism was associated with a greater BMI increase in response to AAP administration in both APP responders and non-responders as distinguished by PANSS score reduction (P < 0.001). There were also significant differences in WG when the responder group was further subdivided according to the specific AAP prescribed (P < 0.05). Conclusions These four GHRL gene SNPs were not associated with SZ in this Chinese Han population. The -604 G/A polymorphism was associated with significant BW and BMI increases during AAP treatment. Patients exhibiting higher WG showed greater improvements in positive and negative symptoms than patients exhibiting lower weight gain or weight loss. PMID:22369141

Association between ghrelin gene (GHRL) polymorphisms and clinical response to atypical antipsychotic drugs in Han Chinese schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Yang, Yongfeng; Li, Wenqiang; Zhao, Jingyuan; Zhang, Hongxing; Song, Xueqin; Xiao, Bo; Yang, Ge; Jiang, Chengdi; Zhang, Dai; Yue, Weihua; Lv, Luxian

2012-02-28

Ghrelin (GHRL) is a pivotal peptide regulator of food intake, energy balance, and body mass. Weight gain (WG) is a common side effect of the atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) used to treat schizophrenia (SZ). Ghrelin polymorphisms have been associated with pathogenic variations in plasma lipid concentrations, blood pressure, plasma glucose, and body mass index (BMI). However, it is unclear whether GHRL polymorphisms are associated with WG due to AAPs. Furthermore, there is no evidence of an association between GHRL polymorphisms and SZ or the therapeutic response to AAPs. We explored these potential associations by genotyping GHRL alleles in SZ patients and controls. We also examined the relation between these SNPs and changes in metabolic indices during AAP treatment in SZ subgroups distinguished by high or low therapeutic response. Four SNPs (Leu72Met, -501A/C, -604 G/A, and -1062 G > C) were genotyped in 634 schizophrenia patients and 606 control subjects. There were no significant differences in allele frequencies, genotype distributions, or the distributions of two SNP haplotypes between SZ patients and healthy controls (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in symptom reduction between genotypes after 8 weeks of AAP treatment as measured by positive and negative symptom scale scores (PANSS). However, the -604 G/A polymorphism was associated with a greater BMI increase in response to AAP administration in both APP responders and non-responders as distinguished by PANSS score reduction (P < 0.001). There were also significant differences in WG when the responder group was further subdivided according to the specific AAP prescribed (P < 0.05). These four GHRL gene SNPs were not associated with SZ in this Chinese Han population. The -604 G/A polymorphism was associated with significant BW and BMI increases during AAP treatment. Patients exhibiting higher WG showed greater improvements in positive and negative symptoms than patients exhibiting lower weight gain or weight loss.

A group ICA based framework for evaluating resting fMRI markers when disease categories are unclear: application to schizophrenia, bipolar, and schizoaffective disorders

PubMed Central

Du, Yuhui; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Liu, Jingyu; Sui, Jing; Yu, Qingbao; He, Hao; Castro, Eduardo; Calhoun, Vince D.

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BP) and schizoaffective disorder (SAD) share some common symptoms, and there is a debate about whether SAD is an independent category. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been done to differentiate these three disorders or to investigate the distinction of SAD as an independent category using fMRI data. The present study is aimed to explore biomarkers from resting-state fMRI networks for differentiating these disorders and investigate the relationship among these disorders based on fMRI networks with an emphasis on SAD. Firstly, a novel group ICA method, group information guided independent component analysis (GIG-ICA), was applied to extract subject-specific brain networks from fMRI data of 20 healthy controls (HC), 20 SZ patients, 20 BP patients, 20 patients suffering SAD with manic episodes (SADM), and 13 patients suffering SAD with depressive episodes exclusively (SADD). Then, five-level one-way analysis of covariance and multiclass support vector machine recursive feature elimination were employed to identify discriminative regions from the networks. Subsequently, the t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) projection and the hierarchical clustering methods were implemented to investigate the relationship among those groups. Finally, to evaluate the generalization ability, 16 new subjects were classified based on the found regions and the trained model using original 93 subjects. Results show that the discriminative regions mainly include frontal, parietal, precuneus, cingulate, supplementary motor, cerebellar, insula and supramarginal cortices, which performed well in distinguishing different groups. SADM and SADD were the most similar to each other, although SADD had greater similarity to SZ compared to other groups, which indicates SAD may be an independent category. BP was closer to HC compared with other psychotic disorders. In summary, resting-state fMRI brain networks extracted via GIG-ICA provide a promising potential to differentiate SZ, BP, and SAD. PMID:26216278

Thermodynamic Parameterization of Subduction-Zone Devolatilization and Application to Quantify Carbon Fluxes from Slab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, M.; Katz, R. F.; Rees Jones, D. W.; May, D.

2017-12-01

Compared with other plate-tectonic boundaries, subduction zones (SZ) host the most drastic mechanical, thermal, and chemical changes. The transport of carbon through this complex environment is crucial to mantle carbon budget but remains the subject of active debate. Synthesis of field studies suggests that carbon subducted with the incoming slab is almost completely returned to the surface environment [Kelemen and Manning, 2015], whereas thermodynamic modelling indicates that a significant portion of carbon is retained in the slab and descends into the deep mantle [Gorman et al., 2006]. To address this controversy and quantify the carbon fluxes within SZs, it is necessary to treat the chemistry of fluid/volatile-rock interaction and the mechanics of porous fluid/volatile migration in a consistent modelling framework. This requirement is met by coupling a thermodynamic parameterization of de/re-volatilization with a two-phase flow model of subduction zones. The two-phase system is assumed to comprise three chemical components: rock containing only non-volatile oxides, H2O and CO2; the fluid phase includes only the latter two. Perple_X is used to map out the binary subsystems rock+H2O and rock+CO2; the results are parameterised in terms of volatile partition coefficients as a function of pressure and temperature. In synthesising the binary subsystems to describe phase equilibria that incorporate all three components, a Margules coefficient is introduced to account for non-ideal mixing of CO2/H2O in the fluid, such that the partition coefficients depend further on bulk composition. This procedure is applied to representative compositions of sediment, MORB, and gabbro for the slab, and peridotite for the mantle. The derived parameterization of each rock type serves as a lightweight thermodynamic module interfaceable with two-phase flow models of SZs. We demonstrate the application of this thermodynamic module through a simple model of carbon flux with a prescribed flow direction through (and out of) the slab. This model allows us to evaluate the effects of flow path and lithology on carbon storage within the slab.

Hydrodeoxygenation of lignin-derived phenolic compounds to hydrocarbons over Ni/SiO2-ZrO2 catalysts.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinghua; Zhang, Qi; Wang, Tiejun; Ma, Longlong; Yu, Yuxiao; Chen, Lungang

2013-04-01

Inexpensive non-sulfided Ni-based catalysts were evaluated for hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) using guaiacol as model compound. SiO2-ZrO2 (SZ), a complex oxide synthesized by precipitation method with different ratio of Si/Zr, was impregnated with Ni(NO3)2·6H2O and calcined at 500°C. Conversion rates and product distribution for guaiacol HDO at 200-340°C were determined. Guaiacol conversion reached the maximum at 300°C in the presence of Ni/SZ-3. When HDO reaction was carried out with real lignin-derived phenolic compounds under the optimal conditions determined for guaiacol, the total yield of hydrocarbons was 62.81%. These hydrocarbons were comprised of cyclohexane, alkyl-substituted cyclohexane and alkyl-substituted benzene. They have high octane number, would be the most desirable components for fungible liquid transportation fuel. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of Al-Al3Ni Nanocomposite by Duplex Processing of Flame Spray and Friction Stir Processing, and Evaluation of Its Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adel Mehraban, F.; Karimzadeh, F.; Abbasi, M. H.

2017-10-01

In this study, Al-Al3Ni nanocomposite was fabricated by friction stir processing (FSP) of a nickel-deposited Al6061-T6 plate. X-ray diffraction results showed that Al3Ni phase was formed because of an in situ reaction between the preplaced nickel and aluminum substrate. To predict the first phase formed during FSP, effective heat of formation (EHF) thermodynamic model was applied, and the results were in agreement with experimental data. The presence of facet nanoparticles in transmission electron microscopy micrographs of the stir zone (SZ) confirmed the formation of Al3Ni nano-reinforcements. Although microhardness and ultimate tensile strength in the SZ of nanocomposite degraded because of precipitates dissolution in Al6061-T6 during FSP, it showed improved tribological behavior at elevated temperatures.

The structure of clusters of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, David Charles

When infalling gas is accreted onto a cluster of galaxies, its kinetic energy is converted to thermal energy in a shock, heating the ions. Using a self-similar spherical model, we calculate the collisional heating of the electrons by the ions, and predict the electron and ion temperature profiles. While there are significant differences between the two, they occur at radii larger than currently observable, and too large to explain observed X-ray temperature declines in clusters. Numerical simulations by Navarro, Frenk, & White (1996) predict a universal dark matter density profile. We calculate the expected number of multiply-imaged background galaxies in the Hubble Deep Field due to foreground groups and clusters with this profile. Such groups are up to 1000 times less efficient at lensing than the standard singular isothermal spheres. However, with either profile, the expected number of galaxies lensed by groups in the Hubble Deep Field is at most one, consistent with the lack of clearly identified group lenses. X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect observations can be combined to determine the distance to clusters of galaxies, provided the clusters are spherical. When applied to an aspherical cluster, this method gives an incorrect distance. We demonstrate a method for inferring the three-dimensional shape of a cluster and its correct distance from X-ray, SZ effect, and weak gravitational lensing observations, under the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. We apply this method to simple, analytic models of clusters, and to a numerically simulated cluster. Using artificial observations based on current X-ray and SZ effect instruments, we recover the true distance without detectable bias and with uncertainties of 4 percent.

An ingenious one-dimensional zirconium phosphonate with efficient strontium exchange capability and moderate proton conductivity.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiarong; Chen, Lanhua; Gui, Daxiang; Zhang, Haowen; Zhang, Duo; Liu, Wei; Huang, Guolin; Diwu, Juan; Chai, Zhifang; Wang, Shuao

2018-04-17

A new 1-D zirconium phosphonate [(CH3)2NH2]2[Zr(CH2(HPO3)(PO3))2] (SZ-5) was synthesized via a solvothermal reaction and its single crystal structure was elucidated. SZ-5 exhibits efficient strontium exchange capability with high uptake capacity and selectivity, as further demonstrated by the radioactive Sr-90 removal from a real contaminated seawater sample with an extremely high ionic strength. In addition, the measured proton conductivity at 90 °C and 90% relative humidity (RH) is 5.65 × 10-4 S cm-1. The efficient ion-exchange ability and the moderate proton conductivity suggest the potential applications of SZ-5 in fuel cells or in the remediation of contaminated water.

Sunyaev–Zel’Dovich Signal from Quasar Hosts: Implications for Detection of Quasar Feedback

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

Chowdhury, Dhruba Dutta; Chatterjee, Suchetana, E-mail: dhruba.duttachowdhury@yale.edu

2017-04-10

Several analytic and numerical studies have indicated that the interstellar medium of a quasar host galaxy heated by feedback can contribute to a substantial secondary signal in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect. Recently, many groups have tried to detect this signal by cross-correlating CMB maps with quasar catalogs. Using a self-similar model for the gas in the intra-cluster medium and a realistic halo occupation distribution (HOD) prescription for quasars, we estimate the level of SZ signal from gravitational heating of quasar hosts. The bias in the host halo signal estimation due to an unconstrainedmore » high mass HOD tail and yet unknown redshift dependence of the quasar HOD restricts us from drawing any robust conclusions at low redshift ( z < 1.5) from our analysis. However, at higher redshifts ( z > 2.5), we find an excess signal in recent observations than what is predicted from our model. The excess signal could be potentially generated from additional heating due to quasar feedback.« less

Large Local Void, Supernovae Type Ia, and the Kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect in a Lambda-LTB Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoscheit, Benjamin L.; Barger, Amy J.

2017-06-01

There is substantial and growing observational evidence from the normalized luminosity density in the near-infrared that the local universe may be under-dense on scales of several hundred Megaparsecs. Our objective is to test whether a void described by a parameterization of the observational data is compatible with the latest data on supernovae type Ia and the linear kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect. Our study is based on the large local void radial profile observed by Keenan, Barger, and Cowie (KBC) and a theoretical void description based on the Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi model with a nonzero cosmological constant (Lambda-LTB). We find consistency with the measured luminosity distance-redshift relation on radial scales relevant to the KBC void through a comparison with low-redshift supernovae type Ia from the `Supercal' dataset over the redshift range 0.01 < z < 0.10. We also find that previous linear kSZ constraints, as well as new ones from the South Pole Telescope, are fully compatible with the existence of the KBC void.

Boride Formation Induced by pcBN Tool Wear in Friction-Stir-Welded Stainless Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seung Hwan C.; Sato, Yutaka S.; Kokawa, Hiroyuki; Okamoto, Kazutaka; Hirano, Satoshi; Inagaki, Masahisa

2009-03-01

The wear of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (pcBN) tool and its effect on second phase formation were investigated in stainless steel friction-stir (FS) welds. The nitrogen content and the flow stress were analyzed in these welds to examine pcBN tool wear. The nitrogen content in stir zone (SZ) was found to be higher in the austenitic stainless steel FS welds than in the ferritic and duplex stainless steel welds. The flow stress of austenitic stainless steels was almost 1.5 times larger than that of ferritic and duplex stainless steels. These results suggest that the higher flow stress causes the severe tool wear in austenitic stainless steels, which results in greater nitrogen pickup in austenitic stainless steel FS welds. From the microstructural observation, a possibility was suggested that Cr-rich borides with a crystallographic structure of Cr2B and Cr5B3 formed through the reaction between the increased boron and nitrogen and the matrix during FS welding (FSW).

Symptom severity scale of the DSM5 for schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders: diagnostic validity and clinical feasibility.

PubMed

Ritsner, Michael S; Mar, Maria; Arbitman, Marina; Grinshpoon, Alexander

2013-06-30

Innovations in DSM5 include dimensional diagnosis of schizophrenia (SZ) and other psychotic (OP) disorders using the symptom severity scale (SS-DSM5). We evaluated the psychometric properties and diagnostic validity of the SS-DSM5 scale using a cross-sectional design and an unselected convenience unselected sample of 314 inpatients and outpatients with SZ/OP and mood disorders who received standard care in routine clinical practice. The SS-DSM5 scale, the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale (CGI-S), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Scale (BRMS) were administered. Factor structure, reliability, internal consistency, convergent and diagnostic ability of the DSM5-SS were evaluated. Factor analysis indicated two latent factors underlying the SS-DSM5 (Psychotic and Deficit sub-scales). Cronbach's alpha was >0.70. Convergent validity of the SS-DSM5 was highly significant. Patients with SZ/PO disorders were correctly diagnosed (77.9%) using the SS-DSM5 scale (72% using PANSS). The agreement of the diagnostic decisions between the SS-DSM5 and PANSS was substantial for SZ/PO disorders (Kappa=0.75). Classifying participants with SZ/PO versus mood disorders using SS-DSM5 provided a sensitivity of 95%, and specificity of 34%. Thus, this study suggests that the SS-DSM5 has acceptable psychometric properties and that its use in clinical practice and research is feasible in clinical settings. The dimensional option for the diagnosis of schizophrenia and related disorders using SS-DSM5 is discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurological Abnormalities in Recent-Onset Schizophrenia and Asperger-Syndrome

PubMed Central

Hirjak, Dusan; Wolf, Robert Christian; Koch, Sabine C.; Mehl, Laura; Kelbel, Janna K.; Kubera, Katharina Maria; Traeger, Tanja; Fuchs, Thomas; Thomann, Philipp Arthur

2014-01-01

Background: Neurological abnormalities including a variety of subtle deficits such as discrete impairments in sensory integration, motor coordination (MOCO), and sequencing of complex motor acts are frequently found in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and commonly referred to as neurological soft signs (NSS). Asperger-syndrome (AS) is characterized by sensory-motor difficulties as well. However, the question whether the two disorders share a common or a disease-specific pattern of NSS remains unresolved. Method: A total of 78 age- and education-matched participants [26 patients with recent-onset SZ, 26 individuals with AS, and 26 healthy controls (HC)] were recruited for the study. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), with age, years of education, and medication included as covariates, were used to examine group differences on total NSS and the five subscale scores. Discriminant analyses were employed to identify the NSS subscales that maximally discriminate between the three groups. Results: Significant differences among the three groups were found in NSS total score and on the five NSS subscales. The clinical groups differed significantly in the NSS subscale MOCO. The correct discriminant rate between patients with SZ and individuals with AS was 61.5%. The correct discriminant rate was 92.3% between individuals with AS and HC, and 80.8% between SZ patients and HC, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings provide new evidence for the presence of NSS in AS and lend further support to previously reported difficulties in movement control in this disorder. According to the present results, SZ and AS seem to be characterized by both quantitative and qualitative NSS expression. PMID:25147527

Deconstructing Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia: A cross-diagnostic cluster analysis of cognitive phenotypes.

PubMed

Lee, Junghee; Rizzo, Shemra; Altshuler, Lori; Glahn, David C; Miklowitz, David J; Sugar, Catherine A; Wynn, Jonathan K; Green, Michael F

2017-02-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ) show substantial overlap. It has been suggested that a subgroup of patients might contribute to these overlapping features. This study employed a cross-diagnostic cluster analysis to identify subgroups of individuals with shared cognitive phenotypes. 143 participants (68 BD patients, 39 SZ patients and 36 healthy controls) completed a battery of EEG and performance assessments on perception, nonsocial cognition and social cognition. A K-means cluster analysis was conducted with all participants across diagnostic groups. Clinical symptoms, functional capacity, and functional outcome were assessed in patients. A two-cluster solution across 3 groups was the most stable. One cluster including 44 BD patients, 31 controls and 5 SZ patients showed better cognition (High cluster) than the other cluster with 24 BD patients, 35 SZ patients and 5 controls (Low cluster). BD patients in the High cluster performed better than BD patients in the Low cluster across cognitive domains. Within each cluster, participants with different clinical diagnoses showed different profiles across cognitive domains. All patients are in the chronic phase and out of mood episode at the time of assessment and most of the assessment were behavioral measures. This study identified two clusters with shared cognitive phenotype profiles that were not proxies for clinical diagnoses. The finding of better social cognitive performance of BD patients than SZ patients in the Lowe cluster suggest that relatively preserved social cognition may be important to identify disease process distinct to each disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An entomopathogenic strain of Beauveria bassiana against Frankliniella occidentalis with no detrimental effect on the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri: evidence from laboratory bioassay and scanning electron microscopic observation.

PubMed

Wu, Shengyong; Gao, Yulin; Zhang, Yaping; Wang, Endong; Xu, Xuenong; Lei, Zhongren

2014-01-01

Among 28 isolates of Beauveria bassiana tested for virulence against F. occidentalis in laboratory bioassays, we found strain SZ-26 as the most potent, causing 96% mortality in adults at 1×10(7) mL(-1)conidia after 4 days. The effect of the strain SZ-26 on survival, longevity and fecundity of the predatory mite Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) barkeri Hughes were studied under laboratory conditions. The bioassay results showed that the corrected mortalities were less than 4 and 8% at 10 days following inoculation of the adult and the larvae of the predator, respectively, with 1×10(7) conidia mL(-1) of SZ-26. Furthermore, no fungal hyphae were found in dead predators. The oviposition and postoviposition durations, longevity, and fecundity displayed no significant differences after inoculation with SZ-26 using first-instar larvae of F. occidentalis as prey in comparison with untreated predator. In contrast, the preoviposition durations were significantly longer. Observations with a scanning electron microscope, revealed that many conidia were attached to the cuticles of F. occidentalis at 2 h after treatment with germ tubes oriented toward cuticle at 24 h, penetration of the insect cuticle at 36 h, and finally, fungal colonization of the whole insect body at 60 h. In contrast, we never observed penetration of the predator's cuticle and conidia were shed gradually from the body, further demonstrating that B. bassiana strain SZ-26 show high toxicity against F. occidentalis but no pathogenicity to predatory mite.

An Entomopathogenic Strain of Beauveria bassiana against Frankliniella occidentalis with no Detrimental Effect on the Predatory Mite Neoseiulus barkeri: Evidence from Laboratory Bioassay and Scanning Electron Microscopic Observation

PubMed Central

Wu, Shengyong; Gao, Yulin; Zhang, Yaping; Wang, Endong; Xu, Xuenong; Lei, Zhongren

2014-01-01

Among 28 isolates of Beauveria bassiana tested for virulence against F. occidentalis in laboratory bioassays, we found strain SZ-26 as the most potent, causing 96% mortality in adults at 1×107 mL−1conidia after 4 days. The effect of the strain SZ-26 on survival, longevity and fecundity of the predatory mite Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) barkeri Hughes were studied under laboratory conditions. The bioassay results showed that the corrected mortalities were less than 4 and 8% at 10 days following inoculation of the adult and the larvae of the predator, respectively, with 1×107 conidia mL−1 of SZ-26. Furthermore, no fungal hyphae were found in dead predators. The oviposition and postoviposition durations, longevity, and fecundity displayed no significant differences after inoculation with SZ-26 using first-instar larvae of F. occidentalis as prey in comparison with untreated predator. In contrast, the preoviposition durations were significantly longer. Observations with a scanning electron microscope, revealed that many conidia were attached to the cuticles of F. occidentalis at 2 h after treatment with germ tubes oriented toward cuticle at 24 h, penetration of the insect cuticle at 36 h, and finally, fungal colonization of the whole insect body at 60 h. In contrast, we never observed penetration of the predator's cuticle and conidia were shed gradually from the body, further demonstrating that B. bassiana strain SZ-26 show high toxicity against F. occidentalis but no pathogenicity to predatory mite. PMID:24454744

Abnormal GABAergic function and face processing in schizophrenia: A pharmacologic-fMRI study.

PubMed

Tso, Ivy F; Fang, Yu; Phan, K Luan; Welsh, Robert C; Taylor, Stephan F

2015-10-01

The involvement of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in schizophrenia is suggested by postmortem studies and the common use of GABA receptor-potentiating agents in treatment. In a recent study, we used a benzodiazepine challenge to demonstrate abnormal GABAergic function during processing of negative visual stimuli in schizophrenia. This study extended this investigation by mapping GABAergic mechanisms associated with face processing and social appraisal in schizophrenia using a benzodiazepine challenge. Fourteen stable, medicated schizophrenia/schizoaffective patients (SZ) and 13 healthy controls (HC) underwent functional MRI using the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) technique while they performed the Socio-emotional Preference Task (SePT) on emotional face stimuli ("Do you like this face?"). Participants received single-blinded intravenous saline and lorazepam (LRZ) in two separate sessions separated by 1-3weeks. Both SZ and HC recruited medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate during the SePT, relative to gender identification. A significant drug by group interaction was observed in the medial occipital cortex, such that SZ showed increased BOLD signal to LRZ challenge, while HC showed an expected decrease of signal; the interaction did not vary by task. The altered BOLD response to LRZ challenge in SZ was significantly correlated with increased negative affect across multiple measures. The altered response to LRZ challenge suggests that abnormal face processing and negative affect in SZ are associated with altered GABAergic function in the visual cortex, underscoring the role of impaired visual processing in socio-emotional deficits in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hermeneutic and Cultural Codes of S/Z: A Semiological Reading of James Joyce's "The Boarding House"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booryazadeh, Seyed Ali; Faghfori, Sohila; Shamsi, Habibe

2014-01-01

Roland Barthes as a fervent proponent of semiology believes that semiology is a branch of a comprehensive linguistics: it is the study of how language articulates the world. Semiotic codes, the paths of this articulation, accordingly underlie his attention. Barthes in a structural analysis of Balzac's "Sarrasine" in S/Z expounds five…

A new species of Glochinomyia Kertész from Papua New Guinea (Diptera: Stratiomyidae, Pachygastrinae).

PubMed

Rozkošný, Rudolf

2013-01-01

Glochinomyia nigriseta sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The generic characters of Glochinomyia are summarized and the new species is compared with the description of the only known species, G albiseta Kertész. The taxonomic position of Glochinomyia is briefly discussed and the Papuan species of the Pachygastrinae with four scutellar spines are keyed.

Negative symptoms in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: A psychometric evaluation of the brief negative symptom scale across diagnostic categories.

PubMed

Strauss, Gregory P; Vertinski, Mary; Vogel, Sally J; Ringdahl, Erik N; Allen, Daniel N

2016-02-01

Past studies have demonstrated that the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) has excellent psychometric properties in patients with schizophrenia. In the current study, we extended this literature by examining psychometric properties of the BNSS in outpatients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (n=46), outpatients with schizophrenia (n=50), and healthy controls (n=27). Participants completed neuropsychological testing and a clinical interview designed to assess negative, positive, disorganized, mood, and general psychiatric symptoms. Results indicated differences among the 3 groups in the severity of all BNSS items, with SZ and BD scoring higher than CN; however, SZ and BD only differed on blunted affect and alogia items, not anhedonia, avolition, or asociality. BD patients with a history of psychosis did not differ from those without a history of psychosis on negative symptom severity. The BNSS had excellent internal consistency in SZ, BD, and CN groups. Good convergent and discriminant validity was apparent in SZ and BD groups, as indicated by relationships between the BNSS and other clinical rating scales. These findings support the validity of the BNSS in broadly defined serious mental illness populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gesture Imitation in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Matthews, Natasha; Gold, Brian J.; Sekuler, Robert; Park, Sohee

2013-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) are impaired in their ability to imitate gestures and movements generated by others. This impairment in imitation may be linked to difficulties in generating and maintaining internal representations in working memory (WM). We used a novel quantitative technique to investigate the relationship between WM and imitation ability. SZ outpatients and demographically matched healthy control (HC) participants imitated hand gestures. In Experiment 1, participants imitated single gestures. In Experiment 2, they imitated sequences of 2 gestures, either while viewing the gesture online or after a short delay that forced the use of WM. In Experiment 1, imitation errors were increased in SZ compared with HC. Experiment 2 revealed a significant interaction between imitation ability and WM. SZ produced more errors and required more time to imitate when that imitation depended upon WM compared with HC. Moreover, impaired imitation from WM was significantly correlated with the severity of negative symptoms but not with positive symptoms. In sum, gesture imitation was impaired in schizophrenia, especially when the production of an imitation depended upon WM and when an imitation entailed multiple actions. Such a deficit may have downstream consequences for new skill learning. PMID:21765171

Comparison of neurocognitive function in major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia in later life: A cross-sectional study of euthymic or remitted, non-demented patients using the Japanese version of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS-J).

PubMed

Terachi, Sayaka; Yamada, Takeshi; Pu, Shenghong; Yokoyama, Katsutoshi; Matsumura, Hiroshi; Kaneko, Koichi

2017-08-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and schizophrenia (SZ) are associated with cognitive dysfunction both in adulthood and in later life. In this study, we directly compared neurocognitive function between these three conditions in later life, employing stringent definitions of euthymia and symptomatic remission. Cognitive function in 60 elderly outpatients with MDD, BD, or SZ (20 patients per group) was assessed using the Japanese version of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. Patients with MDD had significantly higher z scores than both the other groups with large or moderately large effect sizes, for verbal fluency, attention and speed of information processing, and composite scores. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the degree of neurocognitive impairment between patients with BD and SZ. In later life, patients with BD and SZ showed a similar degree of neurocognitive impairment, while patients with MDD showed smaller impairments in several neurocognitive domains compared to patients with either of the other two disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: A Measurement of the Thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect Using the Skewness of the CMB Temperature Distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Michael J.; Sherwin, Blake D.; Hill, J. Collin; Addison, Graeme; Battaglia, Nick; Bond, J. Richard; Das, Sudeep; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunkley, Joanna; Duenner, Rolando;

An Overview of Seismic Observations Along the Pacific Margin of South America: Opportunities for the SZ4D Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, R.; Frassetto, A.; Meltzer, A.

2017-12-01

The recent SZ4D Initiative community vision document recognizes the potential to focus community resources on studying subduction processes along, for example, the Pacific margin of South America. Preexisting geophysical infrastructure can play a vital role in establishing such new observational capabilities. For example, an SZ4D backbone observing capability could be established in South America by leveraging existing stations in the region. Such relevant existing seismic and geodetic stations, operated as part of local or national networks in South America, have been identified as a result of recent international collaborations with IRIS and others. Here we discuss the concept and experience of leveraging existing infrastructure in major new observational programs, outline the state of geophysical networks in South America (emphasizing current seismic networks but also looking back on historical temporary deployments), and provide an overview of potential scientific targets in the Americas that encompass a sampling of recently produced research results and datasets. Additionally, we reflect on strategies for establishing meaningful collaborations across South America and elsewhere, an aspect that will be critical to the international partnerships, and associated capacity building, needed for an internationally inclusive and collaborative SZ4D activity.

NOx dispersion modelling around roundabout in a small city, example from Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farkas, Orsolya; Rákai, Anikó; Czáder, Károly; Török, Ákos

2013-04-01

The present paper focuses on the modelling of pollutant distribution and dispersion in an urban region that is located in a moderately industrialized town of Hungary, Székesfehérvár, with a population of 100,000. The study area is located close to the city centre, with different housing styles and different building elevations. High-rise buildings with 10 floors to small houses with gardens are found in the modelled area. The roundabout has 5 access roads; three major ones and two minor ones with different geometries and traffic load. The traffic load of the roads was defined by traffic count, while for the meteorological characteristics wind-statistics were created. Additional input parameters were the ground plan and the elevation of buildings. To simulate the airflow and the dispersion of pollutants a Computational Fluid Dynamics code called MISKAM was used. The background concentration was taken from the dataset of a nearby air quality monitoring station. According to vehicle counting the 5 roads of the roundabout have very different loads from 12 vehicles to more than 412 vehicles/hour. Three different grid systems were applied ranging from half million to 5 million cells. The difference in the results related to grid density was also evaluated. Wind speed distribution, wind turbulence and building wake flow patterns were identified by using the model. With the help of the simulation the NOx flow and dispersion of pollutants around the roundabout can be estimated and the critical locations with higher pollution concentration are presented. The results of the modelling can be more generalized and used in the design of the layout, development, traffic-control and environmental aspects of roundabouts located in small urban areas.

The South Pole Telescope: Unraveling the Mystery of Dark Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichardt, Christian L.; de Haan, Tijmen; Bleem, Lindsey E.

2016-07-01

The South Pole Telescope (SPT) is a 10-meter telescope designed to survey the millimeter-wave sky, taking advantage of the exceptional observing conditions at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The telescope and its ground-breaking 960-element bolometric camera finished surveying 2500 square degrees at 95. 150, and 220 GHz in November 2011. We have discovered hundreds of galaxy clusters in the SPT-SZ survey through the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) effect. The formation of galaxy clusters the largest bound objects in the universe is highly sensitive to dark energy and the history of structure formation. I will discuss the cosmological constraints from the SPT-SZ galaxy cluster sample as well as future prospects with the soon to-be-installed SPT-3G camera.

SU33. Load-Sensitive Impairment of Working Memory for Biological Motion in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Lee, Hannah; Kim, Jejoong

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Patients with schizophrenia (SZ) exhibit various deficits that may affect social functioning. The impairments in perceptual processing (eg, motion perception) and in higher cognitive processing such as working memory (WM), as well as deficits in social cognition, need to be closely examined in order to understand dysfunctions in social environments. However, comprehensive research conducted to date that takes these aspects into consideration all together is limited. Biological motion (BM) is a unique motion stimulus containing rich social information. Therefore, BM is optimal for our aim in this study to scrutinize how the dysfunctions in the cognitive processing of aforementioned 3 aspects (motion perception, WM, and social cognition) would be manifested in SZ, in a single experimental design. Methods: In the present study, we used BM in a delayed-response task for measuring WM. Non-BM motion stimulus (pairwise-shuffled motion or PSM) and polygons were also used for comparisons. One of the 3 types of stimuli was presented in each trial. After 12-second delays, 2 probes were shown, and the participants were asked to indicate whether one of them was identical to the memory item or whether both were novel. The number of memory items was either one (low load) or 2 (high load). Results: Overall, SZ performed worse than healthy controls (CO) regardless of the type of stimuli and memory loads, which is consistent with previous WM research. Across the low and high load conditions, CO were more accurate in recognizing BM than PSM, indicating that BM may have a facilitating effect for the encoding process involved in WM. Interestingly, SZ had similar accuracy patterns to that of CO in the low load condition. The BM facilitation effect, however, disappeared in the high load condition, yielding a significant interaction among group, stimulus type, and memory loads. These results suggest that BM, as a socially relevant stimulus, can facilitate encoding and/or maintenance to benefit WM performance in CO and that his effect is also partially valid among SZ. That is, SZ seem to successfully process the meaning of the stimulus when memory load is low. However, the ability is vulnerable to the increase of cognitive load in SZ, implying the presence of inefficiencies in the connections between perceptual and cognitive processes and/or limits in the capacity to process social information. Conclusion: The present study suggests that the intricate interaction among perceptual, cognitive, and social processes needs to be considered to explain cognitive deficits related with social dysfunction in schizophrenia. This study was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea.

Influence of Tool Rotational Speed and Post-Weld Heat Treatments on Friction Stir Welded Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manugula, Vijaya L.; Rajulapati, Koteswararao V.; Reddy, G. Madhusudhan; Mythili, R.; Bhanu Sankara Rao, K.

2017-08-01

The effects of tool rotational speed (200 and 700 rpm) on evolving microstructure during friction stir welding (FSW) of a reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel (RAFMS) in the stir zone (SZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), and heat-affected zone (HAZ) have been explored in detail. The influence of post-weld direct tempering (PWDT: 1033 K (760 °C)/ 90 minutes + air cooling) and post-weld normalizing and tempering (PWNT: 1253 K (980 °C)/30 minutes + air cooling + tempering 1033 K (760 °C)/90 minutes + air cooling) treatments on microstructure and mechanical properties has also been assessed. The base metal (BM) microstructure was tempered martensite comprising Cr-rich M23C6 on prior austenite grain and lath boundaries with intra-lath precipitation of V- and Ta-rich MC precipitates. The tool rotational speed exerted profound influence on evolving microstructure in SZ, TMAZ, and HAZ in the as-welded and post-weld heat-treated states. Very high proportion of prior austenitic grains and martensite lath boundaries in SZ and TMAZ in the as-welded state showed lack of strengthening precipitates, though very high hardness was recorded in SZ irrespective of the tool speed. Very fine-needle-like Fe3C precipitates were found at both the rotational speeds in SZ. The Fe3C was dissolved and fresh precipitation of strengthening precipitates occurred on both prior austenite grain and sub-grain boundaries in SZ during PWNT and PWDT. The post-weld direct tempering caused coarsening and coalescence of strengthening precipitates, in both matrix and grain boundary regions of TMAZ and HAZ, which led to inhomogeneous distribution of hardness across the weld joint. The PWNT heat treatment has shown fresh precipitation of M23C6 on lath and grain boundaries and very fine V-rich MC precipitates in the intragranular regions, which is very much similar to that prevailed in BM prior to FSW. Both the PWDT and PWNT treatments caused considerable reduction in the hardness of SZ. In the as-welded state, the 200 rpm joints have shown room temperature impact toughness close to that of BM, whereas 700 rpm joints exhibited very poor impact toughness. The best combination of microstructure and mechanical properties could be obtained by employing low rotational speed of 200 rpm followed by PWNT cycle. The type and size of various precipitates, grain size, and evolving dislocation substructure have been presented and comprehensively discussed.

Processing Spatial-Temporal Information in Recent-Onset Schizophrenia: The Study of Short-Term Memory and Its Susceptibility to Distraction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cellard, Caroline; Tremblay, Sebastien; Lehoux, Catherine; Roy, Marc-Andre

2007-01-01

Memory impairment is a core feature in schizophrenia (SZ). The aim of this study was to investigate short-term memory (STM) and its sensitivity to distraction with visual-spatial material. This study comprised 23 recent-onset SZ patients and 23 healthy controls. The degree of disruption upon recall from interleaving irrelevant items within a…

Primordial non-Gaussianity with μ-type and y-type spectral distortions: exploiting Cosmic Microwave Background polarization and dealing with secondary sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravenni, Andrea; Liguori, Michele; Bartolo, Nicola; Shiraishi, Maresuke

2017-09-01

Cross-correlations between Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature and y-spectral distortion anisotropies have been previously proposed as a way to measure the local bispectrum parameter fNLloc. in a range of scales inaccessible to either CMB (T, E) bispectra or μ T correlations. This is useful e.g. to test scale dependence of primordial non-Gaussianity. Unfortunately, the primordial y T signal is strongly contaminated by the late-time correlation between the Integrated Sachs Wolfe and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effects. Moreover, SZ itself generates a large noise contribution in the y-parameter map. We consider two original ways to address these issues. In order to remove the bias due to the SZ-CMB temperature coupling, while also providing additional signal, we include in the analysis the cross-correlation between y-distortions and CMB polarization. In order to reduce the noise, we propose to clean the y-map by subtracting a SZ template, reconstructed via cross-correlation with external tracers (CMB and galaxy-lensing signals). We combine this SZ template subtraction with the previously suggested solution of directly masking detected clusters. Our final forecasts show that, using y-distortions, a PRISM-like survey can achieve 1σ(fNLloc.) = 300, while an ideal experiment will achieve 1σ(fNLloc.) = 130 with improvements of a factor between 2.1 and 3.8, depending on the considered survey, from adding the y E signal, and a further 20-30 % from template cleaning. These forecasts are much worse than current fNLloc. boundaries from Planck, but we stress that they refer to completely different scales.

Characterization of the antigen SO7 during development of Eimeria tenella.

PubMed

Fetterer, R H; Jenkins, M C; Miska, K B; Barfield, R C

2007-10-01

The developmental expression of the antigen SO7, which has been previously shown to protect chickens against infection by several Eimeria species, was investigated. Using RT-PCR, mRNA for SO7 was found to be restricted primarily to unsporulated oocysts (0 hr). Western blot (WB) analysis with an antibody to recombinant SO7 (rbSO7) revealed expression of the protein from 6 to 72 hr (fully sporulated) of sporulation and in sporozoites (SZ). SO7 was absent in host-derived second-stage merozoites (MZ) and was present in culture-derived first-stage MZ but at a level of only 25% of that exhibited by SZ. During invasion of Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells by SZ in vitro, the level of SO7 within cells, as determined by WB analysis, remained relatively constant until 48 hr of development and then decreased by about 40% at the next time point (72 hr). The SO7 secreted into the culture media during in vitro development increased to a relative maximum at 48 hr and then decreased to about 20% of maximum at 72 hr. Immunostaining with anti-rbSO7 indicates that SO7 is highly concentrated in both refractile bodies (RB) of SZ, with some limited distribution in the apical complex. Anti-rbSO7 intensively stained the intracellular parasites and the first-stage schizonts during in vitro development of E. tenella in MDBK cells. Upon release from the schizonts, the first-stage merozoites stained with 1 or 2 bright spots typically at each end. The results suggest that SO7 is closely associated with the SZ RB and is developmentally regulated but may not play a direct role in cellular invasion.

SPT-GMOS: A GEMINI/GMOS-SOUTH SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY OF GALAXY CLUSTERS IN THE SPT-SZ SURVEY

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

Bayliss, M. B.; Ruel, J.; Stubbs, C. W.

We present the results of SPT-GMOS, a spectroscopic survey with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South. The targets of SPT-GMOS are galaxy clusters identified in the SPT-SZ survey, a millimeter-wave survey of 2500 deg{sup 2} of the southern sky using the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Multi-object spectroscopic observations of 62 SPT-selected galaxy clusters were performed between 2011 January and 2015 December, yielding spectra with radial velocity measurements for 2595 sources. We identify 2243 of these sources as galaxies, and 352 as stars. Of the galaxies, we identify 1579 as members of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters. The primary goal ofmore » these observations was to obtain spectra of cluster member galaxies to estimate cluster redshifts and velocity dispersions. We describe the full spectroscopic data set and resulting data products, including galaxy redshifts, cluster redshifts, and velocity dispersions, and measurements of several well-known spectral indices for each galaxy: the equivalent width, W , of [O ii] λλ 3727, 3729 and H- δ , and the 4000 Å break strength, D4000. We use the spectral indices to classify galaxies by spectral type (i.e., passive, post-starburst, star-forming), and we match the spectra against photometric catalogs to characterize spectroscopically observed cluster members as a function of brightness (relative to m {sup ⋆}). Finally, we report several new measurements of redshifts for ten bright, strongly lensed background galaxies in the cores of eight galaxy clusters. Combining the SPT-GMOS data set with previous spectroscopic follow-up of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters results in spectroscopic measurements for >100 clusters, or ∼20% of the full SPT-SZ sample.« less

SPT-GMOS: A Gemini/GMOS-South Spectroscopic survey of galaxy clusters in the SPT-SZ survey

DOE PAGES

Bayliss, M. B.; Ruel, J.; Stubbs, C. W.; ...

2016-11-01

Here, we present the results of SPT-GMOS, a spectroscopic survey with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South. The targets of SPT-GMOS are galaxy clusters identified in the SPT-SZ survey, a millimeter-wave survey of 2500 deg 2 of the southern sky using the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Multi-object spectroscopic observations of 62 SPT-selected galaxy clusters were performed between 2011 January and 2015 December, yielding spectra with radial velocity measurements for 2595 sources. We identify 2243 of these sources as galaxies, and 352 as stars. Of the galaxies, we identify 1579 as members of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters. The primary goalmore » of these observations was to obtain spectra of cluster member galaxies to estimate cluster redshifts and velocity dispersions. We describe the full spectroscopic data set and resulting data products, including galaxy redshifts, cluster redshifts, and velocity dispersions, and measurements of several well-known spectral indices for each galaxy: the equivalent width, W, of [O II] λλ3727, 3729 and H-δ, and the 4000 Å break strength, D4000. We use the spectral indices to classify galaxies by spectral type (i.e., passive, post-starburst, star-forming), and we match the spectra against photometric catalogs to characterize spectroscopically observed cluster members as a function of brightness (relative to m*). Lastly, we report several new measurements of redshifts for ten bright, strongly lensed background galaxies in the cores of eight galaxy clusters. Combining the SPT-GMOS data set with previous spectroscopic follow-up of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters results in spectroscopic measurements for >100 clusters, or ~20% of the full SPT-SZ sample.« less

SPT-GMOS: A Gemini/GMOS-South Spectroscopic survey of galaxy clusters in the SPT-SZ survey

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

Bayliss, M. B.; Ruel, J.; Stubbs, C. W.

Here, we present the results of SPT-GMOS, a spectroscopic survey with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South. The targets of SPT-GMOS are galaxy clusters identified in the SPT-SZ survey, a millimeter-wave survey of 2500 deg 2 of the southern sky using the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Multi-object spectroscopic observations of 62 SPT-selected galaxy clusters were performed between 2011 January and 2015 December, yielding spectra with radial velocity measurements for 2595 sources. We identify 2243 of these sources as galaxies, and 352 as stars. Of the galaxies, we identify 1579 as members of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters. The primary goalmore » of these observations was to obtain spectra of cluster member galaxies to estimate cluster redshifts and velocity dispersions. We describe the full spectroscopic data set and resulting data products, including galaxy redshifts, cluster redshifts, and velocity dispersions, and measurements of several well-known spectral indices for each galaxy: the equivalent width, W, of [O II] λλ3727, 3729 and H-δ, and the 4000 Å break strength, D4000. We use the spectral indices to classify galaxies by spectral type (i.e., passive, post-starburst, star-forming), and we match the spectra against photometric catalogs to characterize spectroscopically observed cluster members as a function of brightness (relative to m*). Lastly, we report several new measurements of redshifts for ten bright, strongly lensed background galaxies in the cores of eight galaxy clusters. Combining the SPT-GMOS data set with previous spectroscopic follow-up of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters results in spectroscopic measurements for >100 clusters, or ~20% of the full SPT-SZ sample.« less

Validation of Mismatch Negativity and P3a for Use in Multi-Site Studies of Schizophrenia: Characterization of Demographic, Clinical, Cognitive, and Functional Correlates in COGS-2

PubMed Central

Light, Gregory A.; Swerdlow, Neal R.; Thomas, Michael L.; Calkins, Monica E.; Green, Michael F.; Greenwood, Tiffany A.; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.; Lazzeroni, Laura C.; Nuechterlein, Keith H.; Pela, Marlena; Radant, Allen D.; Seidman, Larry J.; Sharp, Richard F.; Siever, Larry J.; Silverman, Jeremy M.; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S.; Sugar, Catherine A.; Tsuang, Debby W.; Tsuang, Ming T.; Braff, David L.; Turetsky, Bruce I.

2014-01-01

Mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a are auditory event-related potential (ERP) components that show robust deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) patients and exhibit qualities of endophenotypes, including substantial heritability, test-retest reliability, and trait-like stability. These measures also fulfill criteria for use as cognition and function-linked biomarkers in outcome studies, but have not yet been validated for use in large-scale multi-site clinical studies. This study tested the feasibility of adding MMN and P3a to the ongoing Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS) study. The extent to which demographic, clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics contribute to variability in MMN and P3a amplitudes was also examined. Participants (HCS n=824, SZ n=966) underwent testing at 5 geographically distributed COGS laboratories. Valid ERP data was obtained from 91% of HCS and 91% of SZ patients. Highly significant MMN (d=0.96) and P3a (d=0.93) amplitude reductions were observed in SZ patients, comparable in magnitude to those observed in single-lab studies with no appreciable differences across laboratories. Demographic characteristics accounted for 26% and 18% of the variance in MMN and P3a amplitudes, respectively. Significant relationships were observed among demographically-adjusted MMN and P3a measures and medication status as well as several clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics of the SZ patients. This study demonstrates that MMN and P3a ERP biomarkers can be feasibly used in multi-site clinical studies. As with many clinical tests of brain function, demographic factors contribute to MMN and P3a amplitudes and should be carefully considered in future biomarker-informed clinical studies. PMID:25449710

Validation of mismatch negativity and P3a for use in multi-site studies of schizophrenia: characterization of demographic, clinical, cognitive, and functional correlates in COGS-2.

PubMed

Light, Gregory A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Thomas, Michael L; Calkins, Monica E; Green, Michael F; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Pela, Marlena; Radant, Allen D; Seidman, Larry J; Sharp, Richard F; Siever, Larry J; Silverman, Jeremy M; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S; Sugar, Catherine A; Tsuang, Debby W; Tsuang, Ming T; Braff, David L; Turetsky, Bruce I

2015-04-01

Mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a are auditory event-related potential (ERP) components that show robust deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) patients and exhibit qualities of endophenotypes, including substantial heritability, test-retest reliability, and trait-like stability. These measures also fulfill criteria for use as cognition and function-linked biomarkers in outcome studies, but have not yet been validated for use in large-scale multi-site clinical studies. This study tested the feasibility of adding MMN and P3a to the ongoing Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS) study. The extent to which demographic, clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics contribute to variability in MMN and P3a amplitudes was also examined. Participants (HCS n=824, SZ n=966) underwent testing at 5 geographically distributed COGS laboratories. Valid ERP recordings were obtained from 91% of HCS and 91% of SZ patients. Highly significant MMN (d=0.96) and P3a (d=0.93) amplitude reductions were observed in SZ patients, comparable in magnitude to those observed in single-lab studies with no appreciable differences across laboratories. Demographic characteristics accounted for 26% and 18% of the variance in MMN and P3a amplitudes, respectively. Significant relationships were observed among demographically-adjusted MMN and P3a measures and medication status as well as several clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics of the SZ patients. This study demonstrates that MMN and P3a ERP biomarkers can be feasibly used in multi-site clinical studies. As with many clinical tests of brain function, demographic factors contribute to MMN and P3a amplitudes and should be carefully considered in future biomarker-informed clinical studies. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A multi-instrument non-parametric reconstruction of the electron pressure profile in the galaxy cluster CLJ1226.9+3332

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero, C.; McWilliam, M.; Macías-Pérez, J.-F.; Adam, R.; Ade, P.; André, P.; Aussel, H.; Beelen, A.; Benoît, A.; Bideaud, A.; Billot, N.; Bourrion, O.; Calvo, M.; Catalano, A.; Coiffard, G.; Comis, B.; de Petris, M.; Désert, F.-X.; Doyle, S.; Goupy, J.; Kramer, C.; Lagache, G.; Leclercq, S.; Lestrade, J.-F.; Mauskopf, P.; Mayet, F.; Monfardini, A.; Pascale, E.; Perotto, L.; Pisano, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Revéret, V.; Ritacco, A.; Roussel, H.; Ruppin, F.; Schuster, K.; Sievers, A.; Triqueneaux, S.; Tucker, C.; Zylka, R.

2018-04-01

Context. In the past decade, sensitive, resolved Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) studies of galaxy clusters have become common. Whereas many previous SZ studies have parameterized the pressure profiles of galaxy clusters, non-parametric reconstructions will provide insights into the thermodynamic state of the intracluster medium. Aim. We seek to recover the non-parametric pressure profiles of the high redshift (z = 0.89) galaxy cluster CLJ 1226.9+3332 as inferred from SZ data from the MUSTANG, NIKA, Bolocam, and Planck instruments, which all probe different angular scales. Methods: Our non-parametric algorithm makes use of logarithmic interpolation, which under the assumption of ellipsoidal symmetry is analytically integrable. For MUSTANG, NIKA, and Bolocam we derive a non-parametric pressure profile independently and find good agreement among the instruments. In particular, we find that the non-parametric profiles are consistent with a fitted generalized Navaro-Frenk-White (gNFW) profile. Given the ability of Planck to constrain the total signal, we include a prior on the integrated Compton Y parameter as determined by Planck. Results: For a given instrument, constraints on the pressure profile diminish rapidly beyond the field of view. The overlap in spatial scales probed by these four datasets is therefore critical in checking for consistency between instruments. By using multiple instruments, our analysis of CLJ 1226.9+3332 covers a large radial range, from the central regions to the cluster outskirts: 0.05 R500 < r < 1.1 R500. This is a wider range of spatial scales than is typically recovered by SZ instruments. Similar analyses will be possible with the new generation of SZ instruments such as NIKA2 and MUSTANG2.

School performance from primary education in the adolescent offspring of parents with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder- a national, register-based study.

PubMed

Ranning, Anne; Laursen, Thomas; Agerbo, Esben; Thorup, Anne; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Jepsen, Jens Richardt Møllegaard; Nordentoft, Merete

2017-12-14

Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) are causes of severe disability worldwide and parents' severe mental illness (SMI) is associated with childhood adversity, and socio-emotional and cognitive problems in children. Yet, how parental BP and SZ affect educational attainment in offspring is still unclear. We included all children (N = 684.248) born and living in Denmark between 1986 and 1996 and their parents. Our follow-up lasted from 1986 until children's graduation in 2014. The main outcome variable was their school grades following their primary education. School outcomes were divided into four categories: not graduated, low-grade point average (GPA), medium GPA and high GPA. We then performed a multiple logistic regression with medium GPA as the reference category, with the children of parents without SZ or BP as the reference group. Children of parents with SZ faced higher odds than their peers of not graduating primary education (OR 2.6), along with low GPA (odds ratios (OR) 1.6) and lower odds for a high GPA (OR 0.7). Moreover, it was the children of mothers rather than fathers with BP who had higher odds of not graduating primary education (OR 1.6). Lastly, child placement was associated with lower grades and lower graduation rates, and outcomes for children of parents with SMI were favorable compared with other children placed in care. For children, parental SZ is associated with lower grades and lower chances for graduating primary education. In contrast, the children of parents with BP were indistinguishable from the reference group regarding school grades. This signifies that specificity of parental severe mental illness is important in relation to educational achievement of children.

Neural oscillatory deficits in schizophrenia predict behavioral and neurocognitive impairments

PubMed Central

Martínez, Antígona; Gaspar, Pablo A.; Hillyard, Steven A.; Bickel, Stephan; Lakatos, Peter; Dias, Elisa C.; Javitt, Daniel C.

2015-01-01

Paying attention to visual stimuli is typically accompanied by event-related desynchronizations (ERD) of ongoing alpha (7–14 Hz) activity in visual cortex. The present study used time-frequency based analyses to investigate the role of impaired alpha ERD in visual processing deficits in schizophrenia (Sz). Subjects viewed sinusoidal gratings of high (HSF) and low (LSF) spatial frequency (SF) designed to test functioning of the parvo- vs. magnocellular pathways, respectively. Patients with Sz and healthy controls paid attention selectively to either the LSF or HSF gratings which were presented in random order. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded to all stimuli. As in our previous study, it was found that Sz patients were selectively impaired at detecting LSF target stimuli and that ERP amplitudes to LSF stimuli were diminished, both for the early sensory-evoked components and for the attend minus unattend difference component (the Selection Negativity), which is generally regarded as a specific index of feature-selective attention. In the time-frequency domain, the differential ERP deficits to LSF stimuli were echoed in a virtually absent theta-band phase locked response to both unattended and attended LSF stimuli (along with relatively intact theta-band activity for HSF stimuli). In contrast to the theta-band evoked responses which were tightly stimulus locked, stimulus-induced desynchronizations of ongoing alpha activity were not tightly stimulus locked and were apparent only in induced power analyses. Sz patients were significantly impaired in the attention-related modulation of ongoing alpha activity for both HSF and LSF stimuli. These deficits correlated with patients’ behavioral deficits in visual information processing as well as with visually based neurocognitive deficits. These findings suggest an additional, pathway-independent, mechanism by which deficits in early visual processing contribute to overall cognitive impairment in Sz. PMID:26190988

Testing for X-Ray–SZ Differences and Redshift Evolution in the X-Ray Morphology of Galaxy Clusters

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

Nurgaliev, D.; McDonald, M.; Benson, B. A.

We present a quantitative study of the X-ray morphology of galaxy clusters, as a function of their detection method and redshift. We analyze two separate samples of galaxy clusters: a sample of 36 clusters atmore » $$0.35\\lt z\\lt 0.9$$ selected in the X-ray with the ROSAT PSPC 400 deg(2) survey, and a sample of 90 clusters at $$0.25\\lt z\\lt 1.2$$ selected via the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect with the South Pole Telescope. Clusters from both samples have similar-quality Chandra observations, which allow us to quantify their X-ray morphologies via two distinct methods: centroid shifts (w) and photon asymmetry ($${A}_{\\mathrm{phot}}$$). The latter technique provides nearly unbiased morphology estimates for clusters spanning a broad range of redshift and data quality. We further compare the X-ray morphologies of X-ray- and SZ-selected clusters with those of simulated clusters. We do not find a statistically significant difference in the measured X-ray morphology of X-ray and SZ-selected clusters over the redshift range probed by these samples, suggesting that the two are probing similar populations of clusters. We find that the X-ray morphologies of simulated clusters are statistically indistinguishable from those of X-ray- or SZ-selected clusters, implying that the most important physics for dictating the large-scale gas morphology (outside of the core) is well-approximated in these simulations. Finally, we find no statistically significant redshift evolution in the X-ray morphology (both for observed and simulated clusters), over the range of $$z\\sim 0.3$$ to $$z\\sim 1$$, seemingly in contradiction with the redshift-dependent halo merger rate predicted by simulations.« less

Development of instrumentation for differential spectroscopic measurements at millimeter wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Alessandro, G.; de Bernardis, P.; Masi, S.; Schillaci, A.

2016-07-01

The study of the spectral-spatial anisotropy of the high-latitude mm-wave sky is a powerful tool of cosmology. It can be used to provide deep insight in the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect, the Cosmic Infrared Background, the anisotropy of the CMB, using the spectral dimension to provide substantially increased information with respect to what is achievable by means of standard multiband photometry. Here we focus on spectral measurements of the SZ effect. Large mm-wave telescopes are now routinely mapping photometrically the SZ effect in a number of clusters, estimating the comptonisation parameter and using them as cosmological probes. Low-resolution spectroscopic measurements of the SZ effect would be very effective in removing the degeneracy between parameters inevitable in photometric measurements. We describe a real-world implementation of this measurement strategy, based on an imaging, efficient, differential Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS). The instrument is based on a Martin-Puplett interferometer (MPI) configuration. We combined two MPIs working synchronously to use the entire input power. In our implementation the observed sky field is divided into two halves along the meridian. Each half-field corresponds to one of the two input ports of the MPI. Each detector in the FTS focal planes measures the difference in brightness between two sky pixels, symmetrically located with respect to the meridian. Exploiting the high common mode rejection of the MPI, tiny sky brightness gradients embedded in an overwhelming isotropic background might be measured. We investigate experimentally the common-mode rejection achievable in the MPI at mm wavelengths, and discuss the use of such an instrument to measure the spectrum of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy and the SZ effect.

Primordial non-Gaussianity with μ-type and y -type spectral distortions: exploiting Cosmic Microwave Background polarization and dealing with secondary sources

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

Ravenni, Andrea; Liguori, Michele; Bartolo, Nicola

Cross-correlations between Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature and y -spectral distortion anisotropies have been previously proposed as a way to measure the local bispectrum parameter f {sub NL}{sup loc}. in a range of scales inaccessible to either CMB ( T , E ) bispectra or μ T correlations. This is useful e.g. to test scale dependence of primordial non-Gaussianity. Unfortunately, the primordial y T signal is strongly contaminated by the late-time correlation between the Integrated Sachs Wolfe and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effects. Moreover, SZ itself generates a large noise contribution in the y -parameter map. We consider two original ways tomore » address these issues. In order to remove the bias due to the SZ-CMB temperature coupling, while also providing additional signal, we include in the analysis the cross-correlation between y -distortions and CMB polarization . In order to reduce the noise, we propose to clean the y -map by subtracting a SZ template, reconstructed via cross-correlation with external tracers (CMB and galaxy-lensing signals). We combine this SZ template subtraction with the previously suggested solution of directly masking detected clusters. Our final forecasts show that, using y -distortions, a PRISM-like survey can achieve 1σ( f {sub NL}{sup loc}.) = 300, while an ideal experiment will achieve 1σ( f {sub NL}{sup loc}.) = 130 with improvements of a factor between 2.1 and 3.8, depending on the considered survey, from adding the y E signal, and a further 20–30 % from template cleaning. These forecasts are much worse than current f {sub NL}{sup loc}. boundaries from Planck , but we stress that they refer to completely different scales.« less

Resting-state theta-band connectivity and verbal memory in schizophrenia and in the high-risk state.

PubMed

Andreou, Christina; Leicht, Gregor; Nolte, Guido; Polomac, Nenad; Moritz, Steffen; Karow, Anne; Hanganu-Opatz, Ileana L; Engel, Andreas K; Mulert, Christoph

2015-02-01

Disturbed functional connectivity is assumed to underlie neurocognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia. As neurocognitive deficits are already present in the high-risk state, identification of the neural networks involved in this core feature of schizophrenia is essential to our understanding of the disorder. Resting-state studies enable such investigations, while at the same time avoiding the known confounder of impaired task performance in patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate EEG resting-state connectivity in high-risk individuals (HR) compared to first episode patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and to healthy controls (HC), and its association with cognitive deficits. 64-channel resting-state EEG recordings (eyes closed) were obtained for 28 HR, 19 stable SZ, and 23 HC, matched for age, education, and parental education. The imaginary coherence-based multivariate interaction measure (MIM) was used as a measure of connectivity across 80 cortical regions and six frequency bands. Mean connectivity at each region was compared across groups using the non-parametric randomization approach. Additionally, the network-based statistic was applied to identify affected networks in patients. SZ displayed increased theta-band resting-state MIM connectivity across midline, sensorimotor, orbitofrontal regions and the left temporoparietal junction. HR displayed intermediate theta-band connectivity patterns that did not differ from either SZ or HC. Mean theta-band connectivity within the above network partially mediated verbal memory deficits in SZ and HR. Aberrant theta-band connectivity may represent a trait characteristic of schizophrenia associated with neurocognitive deficits. As such, it might constitute a promising target for novel treatment applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Paternal age effect: Replication in schizophrenia with intriguing dissociation between bipolar with and without psychosis.

PubMed

Lehrer, Douglas S; Pato, Michele T; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Miller, Brian R; Malaspina, Dolores; Buckley, Peter F; Sobell, Janet L; Walsh-Messinger, Julie; Genomic Psychiatry Cohort Consortium; Pato, Carlos N

2016-06-01

Advanced paternal age (APA) is a risk factor for schizophrenia (Sz) and bipolar disorder (BP). Putative mechanisms include heritable genetic factors, de novo mutations, and epigenetic mechanisms. Few studies have explored phenotypic features associated with APA. The Genomic Psychiatry Cohort established a clinically characterized repository of genomic samples from subjects with a Sz-BP diagnosis or unaffected controls, 12,975 with parental age information. We estimated relative risk ratios for Sz, schizoaffective depressed and bipolar types (SA-D, SA-B), and BP with and without history of psychotic features (PF) relative to the control group, comparing each paternal age group to the reference group 20-24 years. All tests were two-sided with adjustment for multiple comparisons. Subjects with fathers age 45+ had significantly higher risk for all diagnoses except for BP w/o PF. APA also bore no significant relation to family psychiatric history. In conclusion, we replicated APA as a risk factor for Sz. To our knowledge, this is the first published report of APA in a BP sample stratified by psychosis history, extending this association only in BP w/PF. This suggests that phenotypic expression of the APA effect in Sz-BP spectrum is psychosis, per se, rather than other aspects of these complex disorders. The lack of a significant relationship between paternal age and familial disease patterns suggests that underlying mechanisms of the paternal age effect may involve a complex interaction of heritable and non-heritable factors. The authors discuss implications and testable hypotheses, starting with a focus on genetic mechanisms and endophenotypic expressions of dopaminergic function. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: The Two-season ACTPol Sunyaev–Zel’dovich Effect Selected Cluster Catalog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilton, Matt; Hasselfield, Matthew; Sifón, Cristóbal; Battaglia, Nicholas; Aiola, Simone; Bharadwaj, V.; Bond, J. Richard; Choi, Steve K.; Crichton, Devin; Datta, Rahul; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunkley, Joanna; Dünner, Rolando; Gallardo, Patricio A.; Gralla, Megan; Hincks, Adam D.; Ho, Shuay-Pwu P.; Hubmayr, Johannes; Huffenberger, Kevin M.; Hughes, John P.; Koopman, Brian J.; Kosowsky, Arthur; Louis, Thibaut; Madhavacheril, Mathew S.; Marriage, Tobias A.; Maurin, Loïc; McMahon, Jeff; Miyatake, Hironao; Moodley, Kavilan; Næss, Sigurd; Nati, Federico; Newburgh, Laura; Niemack, Michael D.; Oguri, Masamune; Page, Lyman A.; Partridge, Bruce; Schmitt, Benjamin L.; Sievers, Jon; Spergel, David N.; Staggs, Suzanne T.; Trac, Hy; van Engelen, Alexander; Vavagiakis, Eve M.; Wollack, Edward J.

2018-03-01

We present a catalog of 182 galaxy clusters detected through the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in a contiguous 987.5 deg2 field. The clusters were detected as SZ decrements by applying a matched filter to 148 GHz maps that combine the original ACT equatorial survey with data from the first two observing seasons using the ACTPol receiver. Optical/IR confirmation and redshift measurements come from a combination of large public surveys and our own follow-up observations. Where necessary, we measured photometric redshifts for clusters using a pipeline that achieves accuracy Δz/(1 + z) = 0.015 when tested on Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. Under the assumption that clusters can be described by the so-called universal pressure profile (UPP) and its associated mass scaling law, the full signal-to-noise ratio > 4 sample spans the mass range 1.6< {M}500{{c}}UPP}/{10}14 {M}ȯ < 9.1, with median {M}500{{c}}UPP}=3.1× {10}14 {M}ȯ . The sample covers the redshift range 0.1 < z < 1.4 (median z = 0.49), and 28 clusters are new discoveries (median z = 0.80). We compare our catalog with other overlapping cluster samples selected using the SZ, optical, and X-ray wavelengths. We find that the ratio of the UPP-based SZ mass to richness-based weak-lensing mass is < {M}500{{c}}UPP}> /< {M}500{{c}}λ {WL}> =0.68+/- 0.11. After applying this calibration, the mass distribution for clusters with M 500c > 4 × 1014 M ⊙ is consistent with the number of such clusters found in the South Pole Telescope SZ survey.

Effects of Agaricus lilaceps fairy rings on soil aggregation and microbial community structure in relation to growth stimulation of western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) in Eastern Montana rangeland.

PubMed

Caesar-Tonthat, The Can; Espeland, Erin; Caesar, Anthony J; Sainju, Upendra M; Lartey, Robert T; Gaskin, John F

2013-07-01

Stimulation of plant productivity caused by Agaricus fairy rings has been reported, but little is known about the effects of these fungi on soil aggregation and the microbial community structure, particularly the communities that can bind soil particles. We studied three concentric zones of Agaricus lilaceps fairy rings in Eastern Montana that stimulate western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii): outside the ring (OUT), inside the ring (IN), and stimulated zone adjacent to the fungal fruiting bodies (SZ) to determine (1) soil aggregate proportion and stability, (2) the microbial community composition and the N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity associated with bulk soil at 0-15 cm depth, (3) the predominant culturable bacterial communities that can bind to soil adhering to wheatgrass roots, and (4) the stimulation of wheatgrass production. In bulk soil, macroaggregates (4.75-2.00 and 2.00-0.25 mm) and aggregate stability increased in SZ compared to IN and OUT. The high ratio of fungal to bacteria (fatty acid methyl ester) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity in SZ compared to IN and OUT suggest high fungal biomass. A soil sedimentation assay performed on the predominant isolates from root-adhering soil indicated more soil-binding bacteria in SZ than IN and OUT; Pseudomonas fluorescens and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates predominated in SZ, whereas Bacillus spp. isolates predominated in IN and OUT. This study suggests that growth stimulation of wheatgrass in A. lilaceps fairy rings may be attributed to the activity of the fungus by enhancing soil aggregation of bulk soil at 0-15 cm depth and influencing the amount and functionality of specific predominant microbial communities in the wheatgrass root-adhering soil.

Testing for X-Ray–SZ Differences and Redshift Evolution in the X-Ray Morphology of Galaxy Clusters

DOE PAGES

Nurgaliev, D.; McDonald, M.; Benson, B. A.; ...

2017-05-16

We present a quantitative study of the X-ray morphology of galaxy clusters, as a function of their detection method and redshift. We analyze two separate samples of galaxy clusters: a sample of 36 clusters atmore » $$0.35\\lt z\\lt 0.9$$ selected in the X-ray with the ROSAT PSPC 400 deg(2) survey, and a sample of 90 clusters at $$0.25\\lt z\\lt 1.2$$ selected via the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect with the South Pole Telescope. Clusters from both samples have similar-quality Chandra observations, which allow us to quantify their X-ray morphologies via two distinct methods: centroid shifts (w) and photon asymmetry ($${A}_{\\mathrm{phot}}$$). The latter technique provides nearly unbiased morphology estimates for clusters spanning a broad range of redshift and data quality. We further compare the X-ray morphologies of X-ray- and SZ-selected clusters with those of simulated clusters. We do not find a statistically significant difference in the measured X-ray morphology of X-ray and SZ-selected clusters over the redshift range probed by these samples, suggesting that the two are probing similar populations of clusters. We find that the X-ray morphologies of simulated clusters are statistically indistinguishable from those of X-ray- or SZ-selected clusters, implying that the most important physics for dictating the large-scale gas morphology (outside of the core) is well-approximated in these simulations. Finally, we find no statistically significant redshift evolution in the X-ray morphology (both for observed and simulated clusters), over the range of $$z\\sim 0.3$$ to $$z\\sim 1$$, seemingly in contradiction with the redshift-dependent halo merger rate predicted by simulations.« less

SPT-GMOS: A Gemini/GMOS-South Spectroscopic Survey of Galaxy Clusters in the SPT-SZ Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayliss, M. B.; Ruel, J.; Stubbs, C. W.; Allen, S. W.; Applegate, D. E.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Bautz, M.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Bocquet, S.; Brodwin, M.; Capasso, R.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Chiu, I.; Cho, H.-M.; Clocchiatti, A.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; de Haan, T.; Desai, S.; Dietrich, J. P.; Dobbs, M. A.; Doucouliagos, A. N.; Foley, R. J.; Forman, W. R.; Garmire, G. P.; George, E. M.; Gladders, M. D.; Gonzalez, A. H.; Gupta, N.; Halverson, N. W.; Hlavacek-Larrondo, J.; Hoekstra, H.; Holder, G. P.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hou, Z.; Hrubes, J. D.; Huang, N.; Jones, C.; Keisler, R.; Knox, L.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; von der Linden, A.; Luong-Van, D.; Mantz, A.; Marrone, D. P.; McDonald, M.; McMahon, J. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Mocanu, L. M.; Mohr, J. J.; Murray, S. S.; Padin, S.; Pryke, C.; Rapetti, D.; Reichardt, C. L.; Rest, A.; Ruhl, J. E.; Saliwanchik, B. R.; Saro, A.; Sayre, J. T.; Schaffer, K. K.; Schrabback, T.; Shirokoff, E.; Song, J.; Spieler, H. G.; Stalder, B.; Stanford, S. A.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K. T.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Vikhlinin, A.; Williamson, R.; Zenteno, A.

2016-11-01

We present the results of SPT-GMOS, a spectroscopic survey with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South. The targets of SPT-GMOS are galaxy clusters identified in the SPT-SZ survey, a millimeter-wave survey of 2500 deg2 of the southern sky using the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Multi-object spectroscopic observations of 62 SPT-selected galaxy clusters were performed between 2011 January and 2015 December, yielding spectra with radial velocity measurements for 2595 sources. We identify 2243 of these sources as galaxies, and 352 as stars. Of the galaxies, we identify 1579 as members of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters. The primary goal of these observations was to obtain spectra of cluster member galaxies to estimate cluster redshifts and velocity dispersions. We describe the full spectroscopic data set and resulting data products, including galaxy redshifts, cluster redshifts, and velocity dispersions, and measurements of several well-known spectral indices for each galaxy: the equivalent width, W, of [O II] λλ3727, 3729 and H-δ, and the 4000 Å break strength, D4000. We use the spectral indices to classify galaxies by spectral type (i.e., passive, post-starburst, star-forming), and we match the spectra against photometric catalogs to characterize spectroscopically observed cluster members as a function of brightness (relative to m⋆). Finally, we report several new measurements of redshifts for ten bright, strongly lensed background galaxies in the cores of eight galaxy clusters. Combining the SPT-GMOS data set with previous spectroscopic follow-up of SPT-SZ galaxy clusters results in spectroscopic measurements for >100 clusters, or ∼20% of the full SPT-SZ sample.

Transgenic Mouse Models of Childhood Onset Psychiatric Disorders

PubMed Central

Robertson, Holly R.; Feng, Guoping

2011-01-01

Childhood onset psychiatric disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Mood Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (OCSD), and Schizophrenia (SZ), affect many school age children leading to a lower quality of life, including difficulties in school and personal relationships that persists into adulthood. Currently, the causes of these psychiatric disorders are poorly understood resulting in difficulty diagnosing affected children, and insufficient treatment options. Family and twin studies implicate a genetic contribution for ADHD, ASD, Mood Disorders, OCSD, and SZ. Identification of candidate genes and chromosomal regions associated with a particular disorder provide targets for directed research, and understanding how these genes influence the disease state will provide valuable insights for improving the diagnosis and treatment of children with psychiatric disorders. Animal models are one important approach in the study of human diseases, allowing for the use of a variety of experimental approaches to dissect the contribution of a specific chromosomal or genetic abnormality in human disorders. While it is impossible to model an entire psychiatric disorder in a single animal model, these models can be extremely valuable in dissecting out the specific role of a gene, pathway, neuron subtype, or brain region in a particular abnormal behavior. In this review we discuss existing transgenic mouse models for childhood onset psychiatric disorders. We compare the strength and weakness of various transgenic animal models proposed for each of the common childhood onset psychiatric disorders, and discuss future directions for the study of these disorders using cutting-edge genetic tools. PMID:21309772

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Full spectroscopic data release of the SPT-GMOS (Bayliss+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayliss, M. B.; Ruel, J.; Stubbs, C. W.; Allen, S. W.; Applegate, D. E.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Bautz, M.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Bocquet, S.; Brodwin, M.; Capasso, R.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Chiu, I.; Cho, H.-M.; Clocchiatti, A.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; de Haan, T.; Desai, S.; Dietrich, J. P.; Dobbs, M. A.; Doucouliagos, A. N.; Foley, R. J.; Forman, W. R.; Garmire, G. P.; George, E. M.; Gladders, M. D.; Gonzalez, A. H.; Gupta, N.; Halverson, N. W.; Hlavacek-Larrondo, J.; Hoekstra, H.; Holder, G. P.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hou, Z.; Hrubes, J. D.; Huang, N.; Jones, C.; Keisler, R.; Knox, L.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; von der Linden, A.; Luong-van, D.; Mantz, A.; Marrone, D. P.; McDonald, M.; McMahon, J. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Mocanu, L. M.; Mohr, J. J.; Murray, S. S.; Padin, S.; Pryke, C.; Rapetti, D.; Reichardt, C. L.; Rest, A.; Ruhl, J. E.; Saliwanchik, B. R.; Saro, A.; Sayre, J. T.; Schaffer, K. K.; Schrabback, T.; Shirokoff, E.; Song, J.; Spieler, H. G.; Stalder, B.; Stanford, S. A.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K. T.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Vikhlinin, A.; Williamson, R.; Zenteno, A.

2016-11-01

The data presented in this paper follow the same observational design described by Ruel et al. (2014ApJ...792...45R). The final Gemini-S observing allocation for SPT-GMOS concluded at the end of the 2015B semester. Over the course of the entire survey we observed 121 individual spectroscopic masks targeting 62 SPT-SZ galaxy clusters (see table 1). All final data products from SPT-GMOS are publicly released via the Harvard Dataverse Network (http://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/SPT_Clusters). The galaxy clusters observed in the SPT-GMOS are all drawn from the SPT-SZ survey, completed in 2011 November. The full SPT-SZ survey covered approximately 2500deg2 of the southern sky at 95, 150, and 220GHz with an angular resolution of ~1'. (4 data files).

Changes in correlation characteristics of time consumption and mind-reading performance in pre-onset and post-onset psychosis.

PubMed

Zhang, TianHong; Xu, LiHua; Cui, HuiRu; Tang, YingYing; Wei, YanYan; Tang, XiaoChen; Liu, XiaoHua; Cao, XinMei; Li, ChunBo; Wang, JiJun

2018-04-01

There is a strong correlation between neurocognition and social cognition. However, none of these studies have examined the key role of time consumption during social cognition tasks. Participants included 84 individuals with clinical high risk of psychosis (CHR), 95 healthy controls (HC), and 66 case controls (schizophrenia patients, SZ), who were assessed through the Reading-Mind-in-Eyes Tasks (RMET) with computerized recording of the response time (RT). Neurocognitive tests were also performed for the HC and CHR groups. A comparison of RMET performance revealed significantly lower scores in the SZ group compared to the HC group, with CHR individuals scoring between these two. However, both CHR and SZ subjects spent almost twice as long of the time on RMET compared to the HC subjects. Significant positive correlation was found between RMET accuracy and RT, though only in SZ patients. Taking the RT into consideration, the RMET performances were impacted by different neurocognition domains. Our findings provide new evidence about how time consumption in mind-reading may impact the relationship between social cognition and neurocognition, and we discuss the potential importance of recording the response time during social cognition assessment in individuals with early psychosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antioxidants, Redox Signaling, and Pathophysiology in Schizophrenia: An Integrative View

PubMed Central

Keshavan, Matcheri S.

2011-01-01

Abstract Schizophrenia (SZ) is a brain disorder that has been intensively studied for over a century; yet, its etiology and multifactorial pathophysiology remain a puzzle. However, significant advances have been made in identifying numerous abnormalities in key biochemical systems. One among these is the antioxidant defense system (AODS) and redox signaling. This review summarizes the findings to date in human studies. The evidence can be broadly clustered into three major themes: perturbations in AODS, relationships between AODS alterations and other systems (i.e., membrane structure, immune function, and neurotransmission), and clinical implications. These domains of AODS have been examined in samples from both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Findings in patients with SZ include decreased nonenzymatic antioxidants, increased lipid peroxides and nitric oxides, and homeostatic imbalance of purine catabolism. Reductions of plasma antioxidant capacity are seen in patients with chronic illness as well as early in the course of SZ. Notably, these data indicate that many AODS alterations are independent of treatment effects. Moreover, there is burgeoning evidence indicating a link among oxidative stress, membrane defects, immune dysfunction, and multineurotransmitter pathologies in SZ. Finally, the body of evidence reviewed herein provides a theoretical rationale for the development of novel treatment approaches. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 15, 2011–2035. PMID:21126177

Will kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich measurements enhance the science return from galaxy redshift surveys?

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

Sugiyama, Naonori S.; Okumura, Teppei; Spergel, David N., E-mail: nao.s.sugiyama@gmail.com, E-mail: tokumura@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw, E-mail: dns@astro.princeton.edu

2017-01-01

Yes. Future CMB experiments such as Advanced ACTPol and CMB-S4 should achieve measurements with S/N of > 0.1 for the typical host halo of galaxies in redshift surveys. These measurements will provide complementary measurements of the growth rate of large scale structure f and the expansion rate of the Universe H to galaxy clustering measurements. This paper emphasizes that there is significant information in the anisotropy of the relative pairwise kSZ measurements. We expand the relative pairwise kSZ power spectrum in Legendre polynomials and consider up to its octopole. Assuming that the noise in the filtered maps is uncorrelated betweenmore » the positions of galaxies in the survey, we derive a simple analytic form for the power spectrum covariance of the relative pairwise kSZ temperature in redshift space. While many previous studies have assumed optimistically that the optical depth of the galaxies τ{sub T} in the survey is known, we marginalize over τ{sub T}, to compute constraints on the growth rate f and the expansion rate H . For realistic survey parameters, we find that combining kSZ and galaxy redshift survey data reduces the marginalized 1-σ errors on H and f to ∼50-70% compared to the galaxy-only analysis.« less

Will kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich measurements enhance the science return from galaxy redshift surveys?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyama, Naonori S.; Okumura, Teppei; Spergel, David N.

2017-01-01

Yes. Future CMB experiments such as Advanced ACTPol and CMB-S4 should achieve measurements with S/N of > 0.1 for the typical host halo of galaxies in redshift surveys. These measurements will provide complementary measurements of the growth rate of large scale structure f and the expansion rate of the Universe H to galaxy clustering measurements. This paper emphasizes that there is significant information in the anisotropy of the relative pairwise kSZ measurements. We expand the relative pairwise kSZ power spectrum in Legendre polynomials and consider up to its octopole. Assuming that the noise in the filtered maps is uncorrelated between the positions of galaxies in the survey, we derive a simple analytic form for the power spectrum covariance of the relative pairwise kSZ temperature in redshift space. While many previous studies have assumed optimistically that the optical depth of the galaxies τT in the survey is known, we marginalize over τT, to compute constraints on the growth rate f and the expansion rate H. For realistic survey parameters, we find that combining kSZ and galaxy redshift survey data reduces the marginalized 1-σ errors on H and f to ~50-70% compared to the galaxy-only analysis.

Genome-Wide Methylome Analyses Reveal Novel Epigenetic Regulation Patterns in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

PubMed Central

Li, Yongsheng; Camarillo, Cynthia; Xu, Juan; Arana, Tania Bedard; Xiao, Yun; Zhao, Zheng; Chen, Hong; Ramirez, Mercedes; Zavala, Juan; Escamilla, Michael A.; Armas, Regina; Mendoza, Ricardo; Ontiveros, Alfonso; Nicolini, Humberto; Jerez Magaña, Alvaro Antonio; Rubin, Lewis P.; Li, Xia; Xu, Chun

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) are complex genetic disorders. Their appearance is also likely informed by as yet only partially described epigenetic contributions. Using a sequencing-based method for genome-wide analysis, we quantitatively compared the blood DNA methylation landscapes in SZ and BP subjects to control, both in an understudied population, Hispanics along the US-Mexico border. Remarkably, we identified thousands of differentially methylated regions for SZ and BP preferentially located in promoters 3′-UTRs and 5′-UTRs of genes. Distinct patterns of aberrant methylation of promoter sequences were located surrounding transcription start sites. In these instances, aberrant methylation occurred in CpG islands (CGIs) as well as in flanking regions as well as in CGI sparse promoters. Pathway analysis of genes displaying these distinct aberrant promoter methylation patterns showed enhancement of epigenetic changes in numerous genes previously related to psychiatric disorders and neurodevelopment. Integration of gene expression data further suggests that in SZ aberrant promoter methylation is significantly associated with altered gene transcription. In particular, we found significant associations between (1) promoter CGIs hypermethylation with gene repression and (2) CGI 3′-shore hypomethylation with increased gene expression. Finally, we constructed a specific methylation analysis platform that facilitates viewing and comparing aberrant genome methylation in human neuropsychiatric disorders. PMID:25734057

A novel approach to analyzing fMRI and SNP data via parallel independent component analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jingyu; Pearlson, Godfrey; Calhoun, Vince; Windemuth, Andreas

2007-03-01

There is current interest in understanding genetic influences on brain function in both the healthy and the disordered brain. Parallel independent component analysis, a new method for analyzing multimodal data, is proposed in this paper and applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. The method aims to identify the independent components of each modality and the relationship between the two modalities. We analyzed 92 participants, including 29 schizophrenia (SZ) patients, 13 unaffected SZ relatives, and 50 healthy controls. We found a correlation of 0.79 between one fMRI component and one SNP component. The fMRI component consists of activations in cingulate gyrus, multiple frontal gyri, and superior temporal gyrus. The related SNP component is contributed to significantly by 9 SNPs located in sets of genes, including those coding for apolipoprotein A-I, and C-III, malate dehydrogenase 1 and the gamma-aminobutyric acid alpha-2 receptor. A significant difference in the presences of this SNP component is found between the SZ group (SZ patients and their relatives) and the control group. In summary, we constructed a framework to identify the interactions between brain functional and genetic information; our findings provide new insight into understanding genetic influences on brain function in a common mental disorder.

Asiago eclipsing binaries program IV. SZ Camelopardalis, a β Cephei pulsator in a quadruple, eclipsing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamajo, E.; Munari, U.; Siviero, A.; Tomasella, L.; Dallaporta, S.

2012-03-01

We present a spectroscopic and photometric analysis of the multiple system and early-type eclipsing binary SZ Cam (O9 IV + B0.5 V), which consists of an eclipsing SB2 pair of orbital period P = 2.7 days in a long orbit (~55 yrs) around a non-eclipsing SB1 pair of orbital period P = 2.8 days. We have reconstructed the spectra of the individual components of SZ Cam from the observed composite spectra using the technique of spectral disentangling. We used them together with extensive and accurate BVIC CCD photometry to obtain an orbital solution. Our photometry revealed the presence of a β Cep variable in the SZ Cam hierarchical system, probably located within the non-eclipsing SB1 pair. The pulsation period is (0.33265 ± 0.00005) days and the observed total amplitude in the B band is (0.0105 ± 0.0005) mag. NLTE analysis of the disentangled spectra provided atmospheric parameters for all three components, consistent with those derived from orbital solution. Full Table 3 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/539/A139

Characterizing cognitive heterogeneity on the schizophrenia-bipolar disorder spectrum.

PubMed

Van Rheenen, T E; Lewandowski, K E; Tan, E J; Ospina, L H; Ongur, D; Neill, E; Gurvich, C; Pantelis, C; Malhotra, A K; Rossell, S L; Burdick, K E

2017-07-01

Current group-average analysis suggests quantitative but not qualitative cognitive differences between schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). There is increasing recognition that cognitive within-group heterogeneity exists in both disorders, but it remains unclear as to whether between-group comparisons of performance in cognitive subgroups emerging from within each of these nosological categories uphold group-average findings. We addressed this by identifying cognitive subgroups in large samples of SZ and BD patients independently, and comparing their cognitive profiles. The utility of a cross-diagnostic clustering approach to understanding cognitive heterogeneity in these patients was also explored. Hierarchical clustering analyses were conducted using cognitive data from 1541 participants (SZ n = 564, BD n = 402, healthy control n = 575). Three qualitatively and quantitatively similar clusters emerged within each clinical group: a severely impaired cluster, a mild-moderately impaired cluster and a relatively intact cognitive cluster. A cross-diagnostic clustering solution also resulted in three subgroups and was superior in reducing cognitive heterogeneity compared with disorder clustering independently. Quantitative SZ-BD cognitive differences commonly seen using group averages did not hold when cognitive heterogeneity was factored into our sample. Members of each corresponding subgroup, irrespective of diagnosis, might be manifesting the outcome of differences in shared cognitive risk factors.

Linkage results on 11q21-22 in Eastern Quebec pedigrees densely affected by schizophrenia

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

Maziade, M.; Raymond, V.; Cliche, D.

The 11q21-22 region is of interest for schizophrenia because several candidate genes are located in this section of the genome. The 11q21-22 region, including DRD2, was surveyed by linkage analysis in a sample (N = 242) made of four large multigenerational pedigrees densely affected by schizophrenia (SZ) and eight others by bipolar disorder (BP). These pedigrees were ascertained in a large area of Eastern Quebec and Northern New Brunswick and are still being extended. Family members were administered a {open_quotes}consensus best-estimate diagnosis procedure{close_quotes} (DSM-III-R criteria) blind to probands and relatives` diagnosis and to pedigree assignment (SZ or BP). For linkagemore » analysis, 11 microsatellite polymorphism (CA repeat) markers, located at 11q21-22, and comprising DRD2, were genotyped. Results show no evidence of a major gene for schizophrenia. However, a maximum lod score of 3.41 at the D11S35 locus was observed in an affected-only analysis of one large SZ family, pedigree 255. Whether or not the positive linkage trend in pedigree 255 reflects a true linkage for a small proportion of SZ needs to be confirmed through the extension of this kindred and through replication. 36 refs., 2 tabs.« less

Fusion of agarase and neoagarobiose hydrolase for mono-sugar production from agar.

PubMed

Alkotaini, Bassam; Han, Nam Soo; Kim, Beom Soo

2017-02-01

In enzymatic saccharification of agar, endo- and exo-agarases together with neoagarobiose hydrolase (NABH) are important key enzymes for the sequential hydrolysis reactions. In this study, a bifunctional endo/exo-agarase was fused with NABH for production of mono-sugars (D-galactose and 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose) from agar using only one fusion enzyme. Two fusion enzymes with either bifunctional agarase (Sco3476) or NABH (Zg4663) at the N-terminus, Sco3476-Zg4663 (SZ) and Zg4663-Sco3476 (ZS), were constructed. Both fusion enzymes exhibited their optimal agarase and NABH activities at 40 and 35 °C, respectively. Fusions SZ and ZS enhanced the thermostability of the NABH activity, while only fusion SZ showed a slight enhancement in the NABH catalytic efficiency (K cat /K M ) from 14.8 (mg/mL) -1  s -1 to 15.8 (mg/mL) -1  s -1 . Saccharification of agar using fusion SZ resulted in 2-fold higher mono-sugar production and 3-fold lower neoagarobiose accumulation when compared to the physical mixture of Sco3476 and Zg4663. Therefore, this fusion has the potential to reduce enzyme production cost, decrease intermediate accumulation, and increase mono-sugar yield in agar saccharification.

Reduced heart rate variability in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder compared to healthy controls.

PubMed

Quintana, D S; Westlye, L T; Kaufmann, T; Rustan, Ø G; Brandt, C L; Haatveit, B; Steen, N E; Andreassen, O A

2016-01-01

Despite current diagnostic systems distinguishing schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) as separate diseases, emerging evidence suggests they share a number of clinical and epidemiological features, such as increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. It is not well understood if poor cardiac autonomic nervous system regulation, which can be indexed non-invasively by the calculation of heart rate variability (HRV), contributes to these common CVD risk factors in both diseases. We calculated HRV in 47 patients with SZ, 33 patients with BD and 212 healthy controls. Measures of symptom severity were also collected from the patient groups. Heart rate variability was significantly reduced in both these disorders in comparison with the healthy participants; however, there were no HRV differences between disorders. Importantly, these reductions were independent of the medication, age or body mass index effects. There was also preliminary evidence that patients with reduced HRV had increased overall and negative psychosis symptom severity regardless of SZ or BD diagnosis. We suggest that HRV may provide a possible biomarker of CVD risk and symptom severity in severe mental illness. Thus, our results highlight the importance of cardiometabolic screening across SZ and bipolar spectrum disorders. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Planck 2013 results. XXXII. The updated Planck catalogue of Sunyaev-Zeldovich sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Armitage-Caplan, C.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Atrio-Barandela, F.; Aumont, J.; Aussel, H.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Barrena, R.; Bartelmann, M.; Bartlett, J. G.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bikmaev, I.; Bobin, J.; Bock, J. J.; Böhringer, H.; Bonaldi, A.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Bridges, M.; Bucher, M.; Burenin, R.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R. C.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Carvalho, P.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chary, R.-R.; Chen, X.; Chiang, H. C.; Chiang, L.-Y.; Chon, G.; Christensen, P. R.; Churazov, E.; Church, S.; Clements, D. L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Comis, B.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Da Silva, A.; Dahle, H.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Delouis, J.-M.; Démoclès, J.; Désert, F.-X.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Dolag, K.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Feroz, F.; Ferragamo, A.; Finelli, F.; Flores-Cacho, I.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Franceschi, E.; Fromenteau, S.; Galeotta, S.; Ganga, K.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Giard, M.; Giardino, G.; Gilfanov, M.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Grainge, K. J. B.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Groeneboom, N., E.; Gruppuso, A.; Hansen, F. K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D.; Hempel, A.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W. A.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Hurier, G.; Hurley-Walker, N.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jaffe, T. R.; Jones, W. C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Khamitov, I.; Kisner, T. S.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Knox, L.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Laureijs, R. J.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leahy, J. P.; Leonardi, R.; León-Tavares, J.; Lesgourgues, J.; Li, C.; Liddle, A.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; MacTavish, C. J.; Maffei, B.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Maris, M.; Marshall, D. J.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Massardi, M.; Matarrese, S.; Matthai, F.; Mazzotta, P.; Mei, S.; Meinhold, P. R.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mikkelsen, K.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nastasi, A.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Nesvadba, N. P. H.; Netterfield, C. B.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H. U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; O'Dwyer, I. J.; Olamaie, M.; Osborne, S.; Oxborrow, C. A.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Pearson, T. J.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrott, Y. C.; Perrotta, F.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Popa, L.; Poutanen, T.; Pratt, G. W.; Prézeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reach, W. T.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Ricciardi, S.; Riller, T.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Roudier, G.; Rowan-Robinson, M.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rumsey, C.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Saunders, R. D. E.; Savini, G.; Schammel, M. P.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M. D.; Shellard, E. P. S.; Shimwell, T. W.; Spencer, L. D.; Starck, J.-L.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Streblyanska, A.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sureau, F.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Tavagnacco, D.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Türler, M.; Umana, G.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Vibert, L.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Vittorio, N.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; White, M.; White, S. D. M.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2015-09-01

We update the all-sky Planck catalogue of 1227 clusters and cluster candidates (PSZ1) published in March 2013, derived from detections of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect using the first 15.5 months of Planck satellite observations. As an addendum, we deliver an updated version of the PSZ1 catalogue, reporting the further confirmation of 86 Planck-discovered clusters. In total, the PSZ1 now contains 947 confirmed clusters, of which 214 were confirmed as newly discovered clusters through follow-up observations undertaken by the Planck Collaboration. The updated PSZ1 contains redshifts for 913 systems, of which 736 (~ 80.6%) are spectroscopic, and associated mass estimates derived from the Yz mass proxy. We also provide a new SZ quality flag for the remaining 280 candidates. This flag was derived from a novel artificial neural-network classification of the SZ signal. Based on this assessment, the purity of the updated PSZ1 catalogue is estimated to be 94%. In this release, we provide the full updated catalogue and an additional readme file with further information on the Planck SZ detections. The catalogue is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/581/A14

Planck/SDSS Cluster Mass and Gas Scaling Relations for a Volume-Complete redMaPPer Sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimeno, Pablo; Diego, Jose M.; Broadhurst, Tom; De Martino, I.; Lazkoz, Ruth

2018-04-01

Using Planck satellite data, we construct Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) gas pressure profiles for a large, volume-complete sample of optically selected clusters. We have defined a sample of over 8,000 redMaPPer clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), within the volume-complete redshift region 0.100 < z < 0.325, for which we construct SZ effect maps by stacking Planck data over the full range of richness. Dividing the sample into richness bins we simultaneously solve for the mean cluster mass in each bin together with the corresponding radial pressure profile parameters, employing an MCMC analysis. These profiles are well detected over a much wider range of cluster mass and radius than previous work, showing a clear trend towards larger break radius with increasing cluster mass. Our SZ-based masses fall ˜16% below the mass-richness relations from weak lensing, in a similar fashion as the "hydrostatic bias" related with X-ray derived masses. Finally, we derive a tight Y500-M500 relation over a wide range of cluster mass, with a power law slope equal to 1.70 ± 0.07, that agrees well with the independent slope obtained by the Planck team with an SZ-selected cluster sample, but extends to lower masses with higher precision.

FT-IR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis as an auxiliary tool for diagnosis of mental disorders: Bipolar and schizophrenia cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogruc Ildiz, G.; Arslan, M.; Unsalan, O.; Araujo-Andrade, C.; Kurt, E.; Karatepe, H. T.; Yilmaz, A.; Yalcinkaya, O. B.; Herken, H.

2016-01-01

In this study, a methodology based on Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and principal component analysis and partial least square methods is proposed for the analysis of blood plasma samples in order to identify spectral changes correlated with some biomarkers associated with schizophrenia and bipolarity. Our main goal was to use the spectral information for the calibration of statistical models to discriminate and classify blood plasma samples belonging to bipolar and schizophrenic patients. IR spectra of 30 samples of blood plasma obtained from each, bipolar and schizophrenic patients and healthy control group were collected. The results obtained from principal component analysis (PCA) show a clear discrimination between the bipolar (BP), schizophrenic (SZ) and control group' (CG) blood samples that also give possibility to identify three main regions that show the major differences correlated with both mental disorders (biomarkers). Furthermore, a model for the classification of the blood samples was calibrated using partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), allowing the correct classification of BP, SZ and CG samples. The results obtained applying this methodology suggest that it can be used as a complimentary diagnostic tool for the detection and discrimination of these mental diseases.

A Comparison of Maps and Power Spectra Determined from South Pole Telescope and Planck Data

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

Hou, Z.; Aylor, K.; Benson, B. A.

We study the consistency of 150 GHz data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and 143 GHz data from the \\textit{Planck} satellite over the 2540more » $$\\text{deg}^2$$ patch of sky covered by the SPT-SZ survey. We first visually compare the maps and find that the map residuals appear consistent with noise after we account for differences in angular resolution and filtering. To make a more quantitative comparison, we calculate (1) the cross-spectrum between two independent halves of SPT 150 GHz data, (2) the cross-spectrum between two independent halves of \\textit{Planck} 143 GHz data, and (3) the cross-spectrum between SPT 150 GHz and \\textit{Planck} 143 GHz data. We find the three cross-spectra are well-fit (PTE = 0.30) by the null hypothesis in which both experiments have measured the same sky map up to a single free parameter characterizing the relative calibration between the two. As a by-product of this analysis, we improve the calibration of SPT data by nearly an order of magnitude, from 2.6\\% to 0.3\\% in power; the best-fit power calibration factor relative to the most recent published SPT calibration is $$1.0174 \\pm 0.0033$$. Finally, we compare all three cross-spectra to the full-sky \\textit{Planck} $$143 \\times 143$$ power spectrum and find a hint ($$\\sim$$1.5$$\\sigma$$) for differences in the power spectrum of the SPT-SZ footprint and the full-sky power spectrum, which we model and fit as a power law in the spectrum. The best-fit value of this tilt is consistent between the three cross-spectra in the SPT-SZ footprint, implying that the source of this tilt---assuming it is real---is a sample variance fluctuation in the SPT-SZ region relative to the full sky. Despite the precision of our tests, we find no evidence for systematic errors in either data set. The consistency of cosmological parameters derived from these datasets is discussed in a companion paper.« less

Rovibrational Quantum Dynamics of the Methane-Water Dimer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarka, János; Császár, Attila; Mátyus, Edit

2017-06-01

The challenging quantum dynamical description of the CH_4.H_2O complex has been solved variationally to provide theoretical explanation and assignment to the high-resolution spectroscopic measurements of the methane-water dimer carried out some twenty years ago. The computational results are in excellent agreement with the reported experimental transitions and the experimentally observed reversed rovibrational sequences, i.e., formally negative rotational excitation energies, are also obtained in the computations. In order to better understand the origin of these peculiar features in the energy-level spectrum, we studied all four possible combinations of the light and heavy isotopologues of methane and water and analyzed their rovibrational states using two limiting model systems: the rigidly rotating (RR) molecule and the coupled rotor (CR) system corresponding to the coupling of the two rotating monomers. All rovibrational quantum dynamical computations^{a,c} were carried out with rigid monomers and J = 0,1,2 total angular momentum quantum numbers using the fourth-age quantum chemical code GENIUSH and two different methane-water potential energy surfaces (PES). The numerical and formal analysis of the wave functions give insight into a fascinating complex world worth for further theoretical and experimental inquiries. J. Sarka, A. G. Császár, S. C. Althorpe, D. J. Wales and E. Mátyus, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 18, 22816 (2016). L. Dore, R. C. Cohen, C. A. Schmuttenmaer, K. L. Busarow, M. J. Elrod, J. G. Loeser and R. J. Saykally, J. Chem. Phys. 100, 863 (1994). J. Sarka, A. G. Császár and E. Mátyus, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. accepted for publication (2017).} E. Mátyus, G. Czakó and A. G. Császár, J. Chem. Phys. 130, 134112 (2009). C. Fábri, E. Mátyus and A. G. Császár, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 074105 (2011). O. Akin-Ojo and K. Szalewicz, J. Chem. Phys. 123, 134311 (2005). C. Qu, R. Conte, P. L. Houston and J. M. Bowman, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 17, 8172 (2015).

Lombards on the Move – An Integrative Study of the Migration Period Cemetery at Szólád, Hungary

PubMed Central

Peters, Daniel; Müller, Wolfgang; Maurer, Anne-France; Kollig, Isabelle; Nicklisch, Nicole; Müller, Christiane; Karimnia, Sarah; Brandt, Guido; Roth, Christina; Rosner, Martin; Mende, Balász; Schöne, Bernd R.; Vida, Tivadar; von Freeden, Uta

2014-01-01

In 2005 to 2007 45 skeletons of adults and subadults were excavated at the Lombard period cemetery at Szólád (6th century A.D.), Hungary. Embedded into the well-recorded historical context, the article presents the results obtained by an integrative investigation including anthropological, molecular genetic and isotopic (δ15N, δ13C, 87Sr/86Sr) analyses. Skeletal stress markers as well as traces of interpersonal violence were found to occur frequently. The mitochondrial DNA profiles revealed a heterogeneous spectrum of lineages that belong to the haplogroups H, U, J, HV, T2, I, and K, which are common in present-day Europe and in the Near East, while N1a and N1b are today quite rare. Evidence of possible direct maternal kinship was identified in only three pairs of individuals. According to enamel strontium isotope ratios, at least 31% of the individuals died at a location other than their birthplace and/or had moved during childhood. Based on the peculiar 87Sr/86Sr ratio distribution between females, males, and subadults in comparison to local vegetation and soil samples, we propose a three-phase model of group movement. An initial patrilocal group with narrower male but wider female Sr isotope distribution settled at Szólád, whilst the majority of subadults represented in the cemetery yielded a distinct Sr isotope signature. Owing to the virtual absence of Szólád-born adults in the cemetery, we may conclude that the settlement was abandoned after approx. one generation. Population heterogeneity is furthermore supported by the carbon and nitrogen isotope data. They indicate that a group of high-ranking men had access to larger shares of animal-derived food whilst a few individuals consumed remarkable amounts of millet. The inferred dynamics of the burial community are in agreement with hypotheses of a highly mobile lifestyle during the Migration Period and a short-term occupation of Pannonia by Lombard settlers as conveyed by written sources. PMID:25369022

A Comparison of Maps and Power Spectra Determined from South Pole Telescope and Planck Data

DOE PAGES

Hou, Z.; Aylor, K.; Benson, B. A.; ...

2018-01-17

We study the consistency of 150 GHz data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and 143 GHz data from the \\textit{Planck} satellite over the 2540more » $$\\text{deg}^2$$ patch of sky covered by the SPT-SZ survey. We first visually compare the maps and find that the map residuals appear consistent with noise after we account for differences in angular resolution and filtering. To make a more quantitative comparison, we calculate (1) the cross-spectrum between two independent halves of SPT 150 GHz data, (2) the cross-spectrum between two independent halves of \\textit{Planck} 143 GHz data, and (3) the cross-spectrum between SPT 150 GHz and \\textit{Planck} 143 GHz data. We find the three cross-spectra are well-fit (PTE = 0.30) by the null hypothesis in which both experiments have measured the same sky map up to a single free parameter characterizing the relative calibration between the two. As a by-product of this analysis, we improve the calibration of SPT data by nearly an order of magnitude, from 2.6\\% to 0.3\\% in power; the best-fit power calibration factor relative to the most recent published SPT calibration is $$1.0174 \\pm 0.0033$$. Finally, we compare all three cross-spectra to the full-sky \\textit{Planck} $$143 \\times 143$$ power spectrum and find a hint ($$\\sim$$1.5$$\\sigma$$) for differences in the power spectrum of the SPT-SZ footprint and the full-sky power spectrum, which we model and fit as a power law in the spectrum. The best-fit value of this tilt is consistent between the three cross-spectra in the SPT-SZ footprint, implying that the source of this tilt---assuming it is real---is a sample variance fluctuation in the SPT-SZ region relative to the full sky. Despite the precision of our tests, we find no evidence for systematic errors in either data set. The consistency of cosmological parameters derived from these datasets is discussed in a companion paper.« less

A plutonic view of explosive volcanism: the shatter zone of the Cadillac Mountain granite, Maine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiebe, R.

2013-12-01

The Silurian Cadillac Mountain granite (CMG) is about 15 km in diameter. It is underlain on its deeper western margin by layered gabbro-diorite (GD) up to 3 km thick and on its eastern and southern margins by an intrusive breccia (the 'shatter zone' (SZ)), up to 1 km wide. Coeval rhyolite tuffs, ignimbrites and lavas occur near the southern margin of the granite. The more shallow eastern part of the SZ can be divided into three zones: (SZA) An outer zone against country rock (CR) consists of strongly broken up, deformed sedimentary rocks and angular blocks of diabase invaded by thin irregular veins of aphanitic felsite. All CR fragments are tightly packed with less than ~ 15% matrix, which coarsens inward to vfg quartz, feldspar and biotite. (SZB) A central zone contains abundant sedimentary and scarce rhyolite blocks (typically < 1 m) and larger diabase blocks (from < 1 m to 10s of meters). This zone has 20 to 60% fg to mg matrix with quartz, two feldspars, biotite and abundant pieces of CR down to a few mm. It typically has a strong flow fabric around CR blocks. (SZC) The inner zone has only large (10-80 m) blocks of sedimentary rock, diabase and rhyolite (flows and ignimbrite). The mg granitic matrix (>60%) has blocky hypersolvus feldspar, interstitial to equant quartz, Fe-cpx, Fe-hornblende, two oxides and scarce fayalite. Feldspar in this zone consistently has a sequence of zones consisting of: (1) a homogeneous core of ~ An10Ab80Or10, (2) a transition up to 1 mm wide with 10-15 Or-Ab oscillations (e.g. from Or10 to Or30), each from 20 to 100 microns in width, and (3) a nearly homogeneous rim of variable width averaging about An3Ab70Or27. The occurrence of crystals with such distinctive zoning over such a great distance (18 km) suggests that the zoning was produced by an intensive parameter and not by magma mixing. Because the crystals are restricted to the SZ matrix, processes that produced the shatter zone probably also influenced feldspar zoning. Analysis of clast size distribution of CR fragments in SZA and SZB suggests an extremely high-energy environment consistent with a pyroclastic eruption from the CMG magma chamber (Roy et al. 2012). If such an eruption did occur, one expected effect would be episodic, sudden drops in pressure during degassing and eruptive events. Since the lower part of the chamber was apparently relatively dry (hypersolvus alkali feldspar with ternary feldspar occurs in CMG immediately above the GD), the drop in pressure would lower H2O activity so that the Ab-rich loop of the alkali feldspar phase diagram would shift to higher T, causing the melt to fall below the liquidus and shift the equilibrium solid feldspar to higher Or values. This matches the initial oscillatory zone to higher Or on the homogeneous cores. Because the SZ terminates at the top of the GD, it is likely that mafic input contributed to the eruption. The large inward increase in the crystallization T of the matrix from SZA to SZC probably records initial escape of a cooler felsic cap and upwelling of deep, hot hypersolvus magma along with partial collapse of the chamber roof.

Two genera Foersteria Szépligeti, 1896 and Polydegmon Foerster, 1862 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) from China, with description of a new species.

PubMed

Yan, Cheng-Jin; He, Jun-Hua; Chen, Xue-Xin

2013-01-01

The genera Foersteria Szépligeti, 1896 and Polydegmon Foerster, 1862 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) are recorded for the first time from China. A new species, Foersteria xinjiangensis Yan & Chen, sp. nov., is described and illustrated. A key to the Palaearctic species of Foersteria is given. In addition, Polydegmon sinuatus Foerster, 1862 is illustrated in detail for the first time.

Mutagenicity of streptozotocin and several other nitrosourea compounds in Salmonella typhimurium.

PubMed

Zimmer, D M; Bhuyan, B K

1976-11-01

The following nitrosourea compounds were compared for their ability to induce mutation (to histidine independence) in the histidine-requiring auxotroph Salmonella typhimurium his G46: MNU, streptozotocin (SZ, streptozocin) and its analogs SZA1 and SZA2, and the antitumor drugs BCNU, CCNU and DCNU. At equitoxic doses SZ, SZA1, SZA2 and MNU were almost equally mutagenic causing 150, 42, 140 and 170 mutants/106 survivors at 20% lethal dose (ID20) ALTHOUGH, ON A WIEGHT BASIS, SZ was the most mutagenic of all the compounds tested. At ID20 BCNU, CCNU and DCNU gave about 0.5 mutants/106 survivors. Our results show that these nitrosoureas, in common with many other drugs (such as cyclophosphamide, daunomycin, etc.) used in cancer chemotherapy, are highly mutagenic. The implication of our results in the screening of drugs for their mutagenicity to man is discussed.

Distinct facial processing in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders

PubMed Central

Chen, Yue; Cataldo, Andrea; Norton, Daniel J; Ongur, Dost

2011-01-01

Although schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders have both similar and differing clinical features, it is not well understood whether similar or differing pathophysiological processes mediate patients’ cognitive functions. Using psychophysical methods, this study compared the performances of schizophrenia (SZ) patients, patients with schizoaffective disorder (SA), and a healthy control group in two face-related cognitive tasks: emotion discrimination, which tested perception of facial affect, and identity discrimination, which tested perception of non-affective facial features. Compared to healthy controls, SZ patients, but not SA patients, exhibited deficient performance in both fear and happiness discrimination, as well as identity discrimination. SZ patients, but not SA patients, also showed impaired performance in a theory-of-mind task for which emotional expressions are identified based upon the eye regions of face images. This pattern of results suggests distinct processing of face information in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. PMID:21868199

The comptonization parameter from simulations of single-frequency, single-dish, dual-beam, cm-wave observations of galaxy clusters and mitigating CMB confusion using the Planck sky survey

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

Lew, Bartosz; Roukema, Boudewijn F., E-mail: blew@astro.uni.torun.pl, E-mail: boud@astro.uni.torun.pl

2016-11-01

Systematic effects in dual-beam, differential, radio observations of extended objects are discussed in the context of the One Centimeter Receiver Array (OCRA). We use simulated samples of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) galaxy clusters at low ( z < 0.4) and intermediate (0.4 < z < 1.0) redshifts to study the implications of operating at a single frequency (30 GHz) on the accuracy of extracting SZ flux densities and of reconstructing comptonization parameters with OCRA. We analyze dependences on cluster mass, redshift, observation strategy, and telescope pointing accuracy. Using Planck data to make primary cosmic microwave background (CMB) templates, we test the feasibilitymore » of mitigating CMB confusion effects in observations of SZ profiles at angular scales larger than the separation of the receiver beams.« less

Microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir lap welded Mg/Al joint assisted by stationary shoulder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Shude; Li, Zhengwei

2017-11-01

Using magnesium alloy as upper sheet, 3 mm-thick AZ31 magnesium alloy and 6061 aluminum alloy were joined using friction stir lap welding assisted by stationary shoulder. The effects of tool rotating speed on cross-sections, microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg/Al lap joints were mainly discussed. Results showed that stationary shoulder contributed to joint formation, by which stir zones (SZ) were characterized by big onion rings after welding. Because of the big forging force exerted by stationary shoulder, the upper region of hook was well bonded. SZ showed much higher hardness because of intermetallic compounds (IMCs). The bonding conditions at the base material (BM)/SZ interface at advancing side and the hook region played important roles on joint lap shear properties. The X-ray diffraction pattern analysis revealed that the main IMCs were Al3Mg2 and Al12Mg17.

Abraham Szöke [Abraham Szoke - Physics Today Obituary

DOE PAGES

Libby, Stephen B.; Rosen, Mordecai D.

2017-10-01

Abraham Szöke, who did groundbreaking work in quantum optics, laser fusion, high-energy-density (HED) physics, and x-ray crystallography, died from complications of lymphoma on 26 January 2017. Born in Budapest, Hungary, on 1 December 1929, Szöke was an excellent student in mathematics and science who placed near the top of the famous Eötvös mathematics competition. He survived the Holocaust, and in 1949 he escaped from Communist Hungary and emigrated to Israel. He earned his doctorate in physics, with Saul Meiboom and William Low as his advisers, in 1962 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As part of his thesis, he mademore » the first measurement demonstrating the effect of radiation damping on nuclear magnetic resonance and its relation to transient maser action; that effect had been predicted a few years earlier by Nicolaas Bloembergen and Robert Pound.« less

Abraham Szöke [Abraham Szoke - Physics Today Obituary

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

Libby, Stephen B.; Rosen, Mordecai D.

Abraham Szöke, who did groundbreaking work in quantum optics, laser fusion, high-energy-density (HED) physics, and x-ray crystallography, died from complications of lymphoma on 26 January 2017. Born in Budapest, Hungary, on 1 December 1929, Szöke was an excellent student in mathematics and science who placed near the top of the famous Eötvös mathematics competition. He survived the Holocaust, and in 1949 he escaped from Communist Hungary and emigrated to Israel. He earned his doctorate in physics, with Saul Meiboom and William Low as his advisers, in 1962 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As part of his thesis, he mademore » the first measurement demonstrating the effect of radiation damping on nuclear magnetic resonance and its relation to transient maser action; that effect had been predicted a few years earlier by Nicolaas Bloembergen and Robert Pound.« less

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Cosmological Parameters from the 2008 Power Spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunkley, J.; Hlozek, R.; Sievers, J.; Acquaviva, V.; Ade, P. A. R.; Aguirre, P.; Amiri, M.; Appel, J. W.; Barrientos, L. F.; Battistelli, E. S.;

Dark Energy Constraints from the Thermal Sunyaev Zeldovich Power Spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolliet, Boris; Comis, Barbara; Komatsu, Eiichiro; Macías-Pérez, Juan Francisco

2018-03-01

We constrain the dark energy equation of state parameter, w, using the power spectrum of the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect. We improve upon previous analyses by taking into account the trispectrum in the covariance matrix and marginalising over the foreground parameters, the correlated noise, the mass bias B in the Planck universal pressure profile, and all the relevant cosmological parameters (i.e., not just Ωm and σ8). We find that the amplitude of the tSZ power spectrum at ℓ ≲ 103 depends primarily on F ≡ σ8(Ωm/B)0.40h-0.21, where B is related to more commonly used variable b by B = (1 - b)-1. We measure this parameter with 2.6% precision, F = 0.460 ± 0.012 (68% CL). By fixing the bias to B = 1.25 and adding the local determination of the Hubble constant H0 and the amplitude of the primordial power spectrum constrained by the Planck Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data, we find w = -1.10 ± 0.12, σ8 = 0.802 ± 0.037, and Ωm = 0.265 ± 0.022 (68% CL). Our limit on w is consistent with and is as tight as that from the distance-alone constraint from the CMB and H0. Finally, by combining the tSZ power spectrum and the CMB data we find, in the Λ Cold Dark Matter (CDM) model, the mass bias of B = 1.71 ± 0.17, i.e., 1 - b = 0.58 ± 0.06 (68% CL).

Dark energy constraints from the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich power spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolliet, Boris; Comis, Barbara; Komatsu, Eiichiro; Macías-Pérez, Juan Francisco

2018-07-01

We constrain the dark energy equation of state parameter, {w}, using the power spectrum of the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect. We improve upon previous analyses by taking into account the trispectrum in the covariance matrix and marginalizing over the foreground parameters, the correlated noise, the mass bias B in the Planck universal pressure profile, and all the relevant cosmological parameters (i.e. not just Ωm and σ8). We find that the amplitude of the tSZ power spectrum at ℓ ≲ 103 depends primarily on F ≡ σ8(Ωm/B)0.40h-0.21, where B is related to more commonly used variable b by B = (1 - b)-1. We measure this parameter with 2.6 per cent precision, F = 0.460 ± 0.012 (68 per cent CL). By fixing the bias to B = 1.25 and adding the local determination of the Hubble constant H0 and the amplitude of the primordial power spectrum constrained by the Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) data, we find {w} = -1.10 ± 0.12, σ8 = 0.802 ± 0.037, and Ωm = 0.265 ± 0.022 (68 per cent CL). Our limit on {w} is consistent with and is as tight as that from the distance-alone constraint from the CMB and H0. Finally, by combining the tSZ power spectrum and the CMB data we find, in the Λ cold dark matter model, the mass bias of B = 1.71 ± 0.17, i.e. 1 - b = 0.58 ± 0.06 (68 per cent CL).

Velocity-resolved [Ne III] from X-ray irradiated Sz 102 microjets

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

Liu, Chun-Fan; Shang, Hsien; Walter, Frederick M.

2014-05-10

Neon emission lines are good indicators of high-excitation regions close to a young stellar system because of their high ionization potentials and large critical densities. We have discovered [Ne III] λ3869 emission from the microjets of Sz 102, a low-mass young star in Lupus III. Spectroastrometric analyses of two-dimensional [Ne III] spectra obtained from archival high-dispersion (R ≈ 33, 000) Very Large Telescope/UVES data suggest that the emission consists of two velocity components spatially separated by ∼0.''3, or a projected distance of ∼60 AU. The stronger redshifted component is centered at ∼ + 21 km s{sup –1} with a linemore » width of ∼140 km s{sup –1}, and the weaker blueshifted component at ∼ – 90 km s{sup –1} with a line width of ∼190 km s{sup –1}. The two components trace velocity centroids of the known microjets and show large line widths that extend across the systemic velocity, suggesting their potential origins in wide-angle winds that may eventually collimate into jets. Optical line ratios indicate that the microjets are hot (T ≲ 1.6 × 10{sup 4} K) and ionized (n{sub e} ≳ 5.7 × 10{sup 4} cm{sup –3}). The blueshifted component has ∼13% higher temperature and ∼46% higher electron density than the redshifted counterpart, forming a system of an asymmetric pair of jets. The detection of the [Ne III] λ3869 line with the distinct velocity profile suggests that the emission originates in flows that may have been strongly ionized by deeply embedded hard X-ray sources, most likely generated by magnetic processes. The discovery of [Ne III] λ3869 emission along with other optical forbidden lines from Sz 102 supports the picture of wide-angle winds surrounding magnetic loops in the close vicinity of the young star. Future high-sensitivity X-ray imaging and high angular-resolution optical spectroscopy may help confirm the picture proposed.« less

Joint scaling properties of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich and optical richness observables in an optically-selected galaxy cluster sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greer, Christopher Holland

Galaxy cluster abundance measurements are an important tool used to study the universe as a whole. The advent of multiple large-area galaxy cluster surveys across multiple ensures that cluster measurements will play a key role in understanding the dark energy currently thought to be accelerating the universe. The main systematic limitation at the moment is the understanding of the observable-mass relation. Recent theoretical work has shown that combining samples of clusters from surveys at different wavelengths can mitigate this systematic limitation. Precise measurements of the scatter in the observable-mass relation can lead to further improvements. We present Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) observations of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signal for 28 galaxy clusters selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) maxBCG catalog. This cluster sample represents a complete, volume-limited sample of the richest galaxy clusters in the SDSS between redshifts 0.2 ≥ z ≥ 0.3, as measured by the RedMaPPer algorithm being developed for the Dark Energy Survey (DES; Rykoff et al. 2012). We develop a formalism that uses the cluster abundance in tandem with the galaxy richness measurements from SDSS and the SZ signal measurements from CARMA to calibrate the SZ and optical observable-mass relations. We find that the scatter in richness at fixed mass is σlog λ| M = 0.24+0.09-0.07 using SZ signal calculated by integrating a cluster pressure profile to a radius of 1 Mpc at the redshift of the cluster. We also calculate the SZ signal at R500 and find that the choice of scaling relation used to determined R500 has a non-trivial effect on the constraints of the observable-mass relationship. Finally, we investigate the source of disagreement between the positions of the SZ signal and SDSS Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs). Improvements to the richness calculator that account for blue BCGs in the cores of cool-core X-ray clusters, as well as multiple BCGs in merger situations will help reduce σ log λ|M further. This work is the first independent calibration of the RedMaPPer algorithm that is being designed for the Dark Energy Survey.

Characterizing dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and its relationship with dynamic functional connectivity: An application to schizophrenia.

PubMed

Fu, Zening; Tu, Yiheng; Di, Xin; Du, Yuhui; Pearlson, G D; Turner, J A; Biswal, Bharat B; Zhang, Zhiguo; Calhoun, V D

2017-09-20

The human brain is a highly dynamic system with non-stationary neural activity and rapidly-changing neural interaction. Resting-state dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) has been widely studied during recent years, and the emerging aberrant dFC patterns have been identified as important features of many mental disorders such as schizophrenia (SZ). However, only focusing on the time-varying patterns in FC is not enough, since the local neural activity itself (in contrast to the inter-connectivity) is also found to be highly fluctuating from research using high-temporal-resolution imaging techniques. Exploring the time-varying patterns in brain activity and their relationships with time-varying brain connectivity is important for advancing our understanding of the co-evolutionary property of brain network and the underlying mechanism of brain dynamics. In this study, we introduced a framework for characterizing time-varying brain activity and exploring its associations with time-varying brain connectivity, and applied this framework to a resting-state fMRI dataset including 151 SZ patients and 163 age- and gender matched healthy controls (HCs). In this framework, 48 brain regions were first identified as intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) using group independent component analysis (GICA). A sliding window approach was then adopted for the estimation of dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) and dFC, which were used to measure time-varying brain activity and time-varying brain connectivity respectively. The dALFF was further clustered into six reoccurring states by the k-means clustering method and the group difference in occurrences of dALFF states was explored. Lastly, correlation coefficients between dALFF and dFC were calculated and the group difference in these dALFF-dFC correlations was explored. Our results suggested that 1) ALFF of brain regions was highly fluctuating during the resting-state and such dynamic patterns are altered in SZ, 2) dALFF and dFC were correlated in time and their correlations are altered in SZ. The overall results support and expand prior work on abnormalities of brain activity, static FC (sFC) and dFC in SZ, and provide new evidence on aberrant time-varying brain activity and its associations with brain connectivity in SZ, which might underscore the disrupted brain cognitive functions in this mental disorder. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

DARPA Ensemble-Based Modeling Large Graphs & Applications to Social Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-29

Fortunato, and D. Krioukov. How random are complex networks. Nature Communications , submitted (2015). http://arxiv.org/abs/1505.07503 [p2] I. Miklos...enterprise communication networks, PLOS One, 10(3), e0119446 (2015). http://arxiv.org/abs/1404.3708v3 [p21] A. Nyberg, T. Gross, and K.E. Bassler...using a radiation model based on temporal ranges. Nature Communications , 5, 5347 (2014) | http://arxiv.org/abs/1410.4849 [p28] L.A. Székely, H. Wang

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Optical ident. and redshifts of Planck SZ sources (Planck+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Barrena, R.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoit-Levy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bikmaev, I.; Boehringer, H.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Burenin, R.; Burigana, C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Catalano, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chary, R.-R.; Chiang, H. C.; Chon, G.; Christensen, P. R.; Clements, D. L.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Comis, B.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Dahle, H.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; De Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Diego, J. M.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Dore, O.; Douspis, M.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Ensslin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Ferragamo, A.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Fromenteau, S.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Genova-Santos, R. T.; Giard, M.; Gjerlow, E.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, J.; Gorski, K. M.; Gruppuso, A.; Hansen, F. K.; Harrison, D. L.; Hempel, A.; Hernandez-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, T. R.; Keihaenen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Khamitov, I.; Kisner, T. S.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leonardi, R.; Leon-Tavares, J.; Levrier, F.; Lietzen, H.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; Linden-Vornle, M.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Macias-Perez, J. F.; Maffei, B.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Maris, M.; Martin, P. G.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; McGehee, P.; Melchiorri, A.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Miville-Deschenes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Oxborrow, C. A.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Perdereau, O.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Pratt, G. W.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen J. P.; Rebol, O. R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubino-Martin, J. A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Stolyarov, V.; Streblyanska, A.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; van Tent, B.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Wehus, I. K.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-04-01

This article is a companion paper to the Planck catalogue of SZ sources (PSZ1) published in Planck Collaboration XXIX (2014, Cat. J/A+A/581/A14). It contains the results of approximately three years of observations with telescopes at the Canary Islands observatories (IAC80, NOT, INT, TNG, WHT, and GTC), as part of the general optical follow-up programme undertaken by the Planck Collaboration. (2 data files).

Effect of Initial Microstructure on the Microstructural Evolution and Joint Efficiency of a WE43 Alloy During Friction Stir Welding

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

to maximize joint efficiency. 15. SUBJECT TERMS friction stir welding, strain rate, dynamic recrystallization , joint efficiency, stir zone (SZ...stir welding, Strain rate, Dynamic recrystallization , Joint efficiency, Stir Zone (SZ) Abstract The initial microstructure plays an important role in... eutectic Mg17Al12 phase. Park et al. [7] demonstrated the importance of texture and related it to the mechanical properties of an AZ61 alloy

Planck/SDSS cluster mass and gas scaling relations for a volume-complete redMaPPer sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimeno, Pablo; Diego, Jose M.; Broadhurst, Tom; De Martino, I.; Lazkoz, Ruth

2018-07-01

Using Planck satellite data, we construct Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) gas pressure profiles for a large, volume-complete sample of optically selected clusters. We have defined a sample of over 8000 redMaPPer clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, within the volume-complete redshift region 0.100

Spectroscopic Confirmation of Five Galaxy Clusters at z > 1.25 in the 2500 deg^2 SPT-SZ Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khullar, Gourav; Bleem, Lindsey; Bayliss, Matthew; Gladders, Michael; South Pole Telescope (SPT) Collaboration

2018-06-01

We present spectroscopic confirmation of 5 galaxy clusters at 1.25 < z < 1.5, discovered in the 2500 deg2 South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SPT-SZ) survey. These clusters, taken from a nearly redshift-independent mass-limited sample of clusters, have multi-wavelength follow-up imaging data from the X-ray to the near-IR, and currently form the most homogenous massive high-redshift cluster sample in existence. We briefly describe the analysis pipeline used on the low S/N spectra of these faint galaxies, and describing the multiple techniques used to extract robust redshifts from a combination of absorption-line (Ca II H&K doublet - λλ3934,3968Å) and emission-line ([OII] λλ3727,3729Å) spectral features. We present several ensemble analyses of cluster member galaxies that demonstrate the reliability of the measured redshifts. We also identify modest [OII] emission and pronounced CN and Hδ absorption in a composite stacked spectrum of 28 low S/N passive galaxy spectra with redshifts derived primarily from Ca II H&K features. This work increases the number of spectroscopically-confirmed SPT-SZ galaxy clusters at z > 1.25 from 2 to 7, further demonstrating the efficacy of SZ selection for the highest redshift massive clusters, and enabling further detailed study of these confirmed systems.

Temperament and character dimensions in male patients with substance use disorders: Differences relating to psychiatric comorbidity.

PubMed

Marquez-Arrico, Julia E; López-Vera, Silvia; Prat, Gemma; Adan, Ana

2016-03-30

Previous research has not considered the influence of the Comorbid Mental Disorder (CMD) among Substance Use Disorders (SUD) patients. We explored the possible differences in personality dimensions among SUD patients taking into account their CMD (Schizophrenia, SZ; Bipolar Disorder, BD; Major Depressive Disorder, MDD); and elucidated clinical factors related to personality dimensions according to the CMD. The Temperament and Character Inventory Revised was used to assess a sample of 102 SUD male patients, considered in three groups according to their CMD: SUD+SZ (N=37), SUD+BD (N=30) and SUD+MDD (N=35). SUD+BD patients had the highest levels of Novelty Seeking and Persistence, SUD+SZ patients showed the highest levels of Harm Avoidance, and SUD+MDD patients reported a lower level of Self-transcendence. Novelty Seeking was positively associated with severity of addiction for SUD+BD; Harm Avoidance was positively associated with psychiatric symptoms for SUD+SZ; and the age of SUD onset was positively linked to Cooperativeness for SUD+BD and to Self-transcendence for SUD+MDD. The different personality characteristics associated to the type of CMD among SUD patients are related to several clinical variables. Interventions in these patients should be tailored according the personality traits that could influence treatment outcomes and patients' prognoses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of CACNA1C gene, and its epistasis with ZNF804A, on white matter microstructure in health, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder1.

PubMed

Mallas, E; Carletti, F; Chaddock, C A; Shergill, S; Woolley, J; Picchioni, M M; McDonald, C; Toulopoulou, T; Kravariti, E; Kalidindi, S; Bramon, E; Murray, R; Barker, G J; Prata, D P

2017-04-01

Genome-wide studies have identified allele A (adenine) of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1006737 of the calcium-channel CACNA1C gene as a risk factor for both schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) as well as allele A for rs1344706 in the ZNF804A gene. These illnesses have also been associated with white matter abnormalities, reflected by reductions in fractional anisotropy (FA), measured using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We assessed the impact of the CACNA1C psychosis risk variant on FA in SZ, BD and health. 230 individuals (with existing ZNF804A rs1344706 genotype data) were genotyped for CACNA1C rs1006737 and underwent DTI. FA data was analysed with tract-based spatial statistics and threshold-free cluster enhancement significance correction (P < 0.05) to detect effects of CACNA1C genotype on FA, and its potential interaction with ZNF804A genotype and with diagnosis, on FA. There was no significant main effect of the CACNA1C genotype on FA, nor diagnosis by genotype(s) interactions. Nevertheless, when inspecting SZ in particular, risk allele carriers had significantly lower FA than the protective genotype individuals, in portions of the left middle occipital and parahippocampal gyri, right cerebellum, left optic radiation and left inferior and superior temporal gyri. Our data suggests a minor involvement of CACNA1C rs1006737 in psychosis via conferring susceptibility to white matter microstructural abnormalities in SZ. Put in perspective, ZNF804A rs1344706, not only had a significant main effect, but its SZ-specific effects were two orders of magnitude more widespread than that of CACNA1C rs1006737. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.

Enhanced Shear-induced Platelet Aggregation Due to Low-temperature Storage

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

conjugated sheep polyclonal anti-VWF antibody , goat polyclonal anti-mouse FITC and PE secondary antibodies , and immunoglobulin G isotype control antibodies ...of fresh or stored PRP was incubated with 25 mg/mL FITC- conjugated AK2 or unconjugated SZ2 or VM16d antibodies for 20 minutes. In case of SZ2 and...VM16d, the primary antibody -bound PLTs were incubated with a PE- conjugated secondary antibody . The antibody - bound PLTs were then fixed in 400 mL of 1

Modern soil system constraints on reconstructing deep-time atmospheric CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montañez, Isabel P.

2013-01-01

Paleosol carbonate-based estimates of paleo-atmospheric CO2 play a prominent role in constraining radiative-forcing and climate sensitivity in the deep-time. Large uncertainty in paleo-CO2 estimates made using the paleosol-carbonate CO2-barometer, however, arises primarily from their sensitivity to soil-respired CO2 (S(z)). This parameter is poorly constrained due to a paucity of soil CO2 measurements during carbonate formation in modern soils and a lack of widely applicable proxies of paleo-soil CO2. Here the δ13C values of carbonate and soil organic matter (SOM) pairs from 130 Holocene soils are applied to a two-component CO2-mixing equation to define soil order-specific ranges of soil CO2 applicable for constraining S(z) in their corresponding paleosol analogs. Equilibrium carbonate-SOM pairs, characterized by Δ13Ccarb-SOM values of 12.2-15.8‰, define a mean effective fractionation of 14.1‰ and overall inferred total soil CO2 contents during calcite formation of <1000-10,000 ppmv. For those Aridisols and Alfisols, characterized by a net soil-moisture deficit, and their paleosol analogs (Calcisols and Argillisols), a best estimate of S(z) during calcite formation is 1500-2000 ppmv (range of 500-2500 ppmv). Overall higher values (2000-5000 ppmv) are indicated by the subset of these soils characterized by higher moisture content and productivity. Near atmospheric levels (400 ± 200 ppmv) of estimated S(z) are indicated by immature soils, recording their low soil productivity. Vertisols define the largest range in total soil CO2 (<1000 to >25,000 ppmv) reflecting their seasonally driven dynamic hydrochemistry. A S(z) range of 1000-10,000 ppmv is suggested for paleo-Vertisols for which calcite precipitation can be constrained to have occurred in an open system with two-component CO2 mixing, with a best estimate of 2000 ppmv ± 1000 ppmv appropriate for paleo-Vertisols for which evidence of protracted water saturation is lacking. Mollisol pairs define a best estimate of S(z) of 2500 ppmv (range of 600-4000 ppmv) for late Cretaceous and Cenozoic analogs. Non-equilibrium pairs with Δ13C values >16‰ make up 51% of the dataset, lending support to the hypothesis that pedogenic carbonate precipitation occurs during periods of low productivity in a soil atmosphere with a large component of atmospheric CO2. Predictable scaling between estimated soil CO2 and the difference in δ13C between measured pedogenic carbonate and that predicted to have formed from soil-respired CO2 (inferred from measured SOM) can be used to further constrain appropriate ranges of S(z) for reconstruction of paleo-atmospheric pCO2. Soil CO2 estimates are poorly correlated to mean annual precipitation likely reflecting that for carbonate-bearing soils, where moisture limits CO2 production, total soil CO2 is most strongly influenced by actual evapotranspiration.

Effect of Rotational Speed on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Refill Friction Stir Spot Welded 2024 Al Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhengwei; Gao, Shuangsheng; Ji, Shude; Yue, Yumei; Chai, Peng

2016-04-01

Refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) was successfully used to weld alclad 2024 aluminum alloy with different thicknesses. Effects of tool rotational speed on the weld formation, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the RFSSW welds were mainly discussed. Results show that keyhole is successfully refilled and welding defects such as flash, annular groove, and material adhesion can be observed. A bright contrast bonding ligament is found embedded in the weld and it is thicker in the center. Defects of hook, void, lack of mixing, and incomplete refilling can be found at the thermo-mechanically affected zone/stir zone (TMAZ/SZ) interface, which can be attributed to weak metallurgical bonding effect. With increasing the tool rotational speed, thickness of the bonding ligament decreases, grains in the SZ coarsen, hardness of the SZ decreases, and lap shear load of the welds decreases. When changing the rotating speed, impact strength shows rather complicated variation trend.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Detection or Sunyaev-Zel'Dovich Decrement in Groups and Clusters Associated with Luminous Red Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hand, Nick; Appel, John William; Battaglia, Nick; Bond, J. Richard; Das, Sudeep; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunkley, Joanna; Dunner, Rolando; Essinger-Hileman, Thomas; Fowler, Joseph W.;

The Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect in Abell 370

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grego, Laura; Carlstrom, John E.; Joy, Marshall K.; Reese, Erik D.; Holder, Gilbert P.; Patel, Sandeep; Cooray, Asantha R.; Holzappel, William L.

2000-01-01

We present interferometric measurements of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect toward the galaxy cluster Abell 370. These measurements, which directly probe the pressure of the cluster's gas, show the gas distribution to be strongly aspherical, as do the X-ray and gravitational lensing observations. We calculate the cluster's gas mass fraction in two ways. We first compare the gas mass derived from the SZ measurements to the lensing-derived gravitational mass near the critical lensing radius. We also calculate the gas mass fraction from the SZ data by deprojecting the three-dimensional gas density distribution and deriving the total mass under the assumption that the gas is in hydrostatic equilibrium (HSE). We test the assumptions in the HSE method by comparing the total cluster mass implied by the two methods and find that they agree within the errors of the measurement. We discuss the possible system- atic errors in the gas mass fraction measurement and the constraints it places on the matter density parameter, Omega(sub M).

A Giant Radio Halo in a Low-Mass Sz-selected Galaxy Cluster: ACT-CLJ0256.5+0006

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowles, Kendra; Intema, H. T.; Baker, A. J.; Bharadwaj, V.; Bond, J. R.; Cress, C.; Gupta, N.; Hajian, A.; Hilton, M.; Hincks, A. D.;

Small stack performance of intermediate temperature-operating solid oxide fuel cells using stainless steel interconnects and anode-supported single cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Joongmyeon; Lim, Sungkwang; Jee, Hyunjin; Kim, Jung Hyun; Yoo, Young-Sung; Lee, Taehee

We are developing 1 kW class solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system for residential power generation (RPG) application supported by Korean Government. Anode-supported single cells with thin electrolyte layer of YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia) or ScSZ (scandia-stabilized zirconia) for intermediate temperature operation (650-750 °C), respectively, were fabricated and small stacks were built and evaluated. The LSCF/ScSZ/Ni-YSZ single cell showed performance of 543 mW cm -2 at 650 °C and 1680 mW cm -2 at 750 °C. The voltage of 15-cell stack based on 5 cm × 5 cm single cell (LSM/YSZ/Ni-YSZ) at 150 mW was 12.5 V in hydrogen as fuel of 120 sccm per cell at 750 °C and decreased to about 10.9 V at 500 h operation time. A 5-cell stack based on the LSCF/YSZ/FL/Ni-YSZ showed the maximum power density of 30 W, 25 W and 20 W at 750 °C, 700 °C and 650 °C, respectively. LSCF/ScSZ/Ni-YSZ-based stack showed better performance than LSCF/YSZ/Ni-YSZ stack from the experiment temperature range. I- V characteristics by using hydrogen gas and reformate gas of methane as fuel were investigated at 750 °C in LSCF/ScSZ/FL/Ni-YSZ-based 5-cell stack.

Association study of 21 circadian genes with bipolar I disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Mansour, Hader A; Talkowski, Michael E; Wood, Joel; Chowdari, Kodavali V; McClain, Lora; Prasad, Konasale; Montrose, Debra; Fagiolini, Andrea; Friedman, Edward S; Allen, Michael H; Bowden, Charles L; Calabrese, Joseph; El-Mallakh, Rif S; Escamilla, Michael; Faraone, Stephen V; Fossey, Mark D; Gyulai, Laszlo; Loftis, Jennifer M; Hauser, Peter; Ketter, Terence A; Marangell, Lauren B; Miklowitz, David J; Nierenberg, Andrew A; Patel, Jayendra; Sachs, Gary S; Sklar, Pamela; Smoller, Jordan W; Laird, Nan; Keshavan, Matcheri; Thase, Michael E; Axelson, David; Birmaher, Boris; Lewis, David; Monk, Tim; Frank, Ellen; Kupfer, David J; Devlin, Bernie; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L

2012-01-01

Objective Published studies suggest associations between circadian gene polymorphisms and bipolar I disorder (BPI), as well as schizoaffective disorder (SZA) and schizophrenia (SZ). The results are plausible, based on prior studies of circadian abnormalities. As replications have not been attempted uniformly, we evaluated representative, common polymorphisms in all three disorders. Methods We assayed 276 publicly available ‘tag’ single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 21 circadian genes among 523 patients with BPI, 527 patients with SZ/SZA, and 477 screened adult controls. Detected associations were evaluated in relation to two published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Results Using gene-based tests, suggestive associations were noted between EGR3 and BPI (p = 0.017), and between NPAS2 and SZ/SZA (p = 0.034). Three SNPs were associated with both sets of disorders (NPAS2: rs13025524 and rs11123857; RORB: rs10491929; p < 0.05). None of the associations remained significant following corrections for multiple comparisons. Approximately 15% of the analyzed SNPs overlapped with an independent study that conducted GWAS for BPI; suggestive overlap between the GWAS analyses and ours was noted at ARNTL. Conclusions Several suggestive, novel associations were detected with circadian genes and BPI and SZ/SZA, but the present analyses do not support associations with common polymorphisms that confer risk with odds ratios greater than 1.5. Additional analyses using adequately powered samples are warranted to further evaluate these results. PMID:19839995

Risk factors for increased duration of untreated psychosis. Results from the FACE-SZ dataset.

PubMed

Fond, G; Boyer, L; Andrianarisoa, M; Godin, O; Brunel, L; Bulzacka, E; Coulon, N; Llorca, P M; Berna, F; Aouizerate, B; Capdevielle, D; D'Amato, T; Dubertret, C; Dubreucq, J; Faget, C; Gabayet, F; Mallet, J; Misdrahi, D; Rey, R; Richieri, R; Roux, P; Passerieux, C; Schandrin, A; Tronche, A M; Vidailhet, P; Leboyer, M; Schürhoff, F

2018-05-01

Reducing the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) may improve the prognosis of schizophrenia. This study investigated the prevalence, and associated risk factors, of long DUP in a large, non-selected sample of community-dwelling schizophrenia patients (SZ). 478 community-dwelling stable SZ participants (122 women and 356 men; mean age 32.37±9.86years) were recruited between 2010 and 2016. The mean retrospective DUP was evaluated from both patient and family reports, as well as hospital/psychiatrists records. Long DUP was defined as >2years. The mean DUP was 1.5years. 80 participants (16.7%) had a DUP>2years. In multivariate analyses, after adjustment for sex, education level, history of childhood trauma and history of maternal schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, long DUP was associated with a younger age of illness onset (19.3±6.67years vs. 22.0±6.51years, adjusted odd ratio aOR=0.91, 95%CI [0.86; 0.97], p=0.003) and cannabis use disorder (20.0% vs. 10.3%, aOR=2.41, 95%CI [1.14-5.09], p=0.02). A high proportion of SZ patients still have a long DUP. The present results suggest that illness onset before age 19years and cannabis use are associated with long DUP in schizophrenia patients. Early psychosis detection programs should prioritize the targeting of these populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduced frontal theta oscillations indicate altered crossmodal prediction error processing in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Keil, Julian; Balz, Johanna; Gallinat, Jürgen; Senkowski, Daniel

2016-01-01

Our brain generates predictions about forthcoming stimuli and compares predicted with incoming input. Failures in predicting events might contribute to hallucinations and delusions in schizophrenia (SZ). When a stimulus violates prediction, neural activity that reflects prediction error (PE) processing is found. While PE processing deficits have been reported in unisensory paradigms, it is unknown whether SZ patients (SZP) show altered crossmodal PE processing. We measured high-density electroencephalography and applied source estimation approaches to investigate crossmodal PE processing generated by audiovisual speech. In SZP and healthy control participants (HC), we used an established paradigm in which high- and low-predictive visual syllables were paired with congruent or incongruent auditory syllables. We examined crossmodal PE processing in SZP and HC by comparing differences in event-related potentials and neural oscillations between incongruent and congruent high- and low-predictive audiovisual syllables. In both groups event-related potentials between 206 and 250 ms were larger in high- compared with low-predictive syllables, suggesting intact audiovisual incongruence detection in the auditory cortex of SZP. The analysis of oscillatory responses revealed theta-band (4–7 Hz) power enhancement in high- compared with low-predictive syllables between 230 and 370 ms in the frontal cortex of HC but not SZP. Thus aberrant frontal theta-band oscillations reflect crossmodal PE processing deficits in SZ. The present study suggests a top-down multisensory processing deficit and highlights the role of dysfunctional frontal oscillations for the SZ psychopathology. PMID:27358314

Tcf4 transgenic female mice display delayed adaptation in an auditory latent inhibition paradigm.

PubMed

Brzózka, M M; Rossner, M J; de Hoz, L

2016-09-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe mental disorder affecting about 1 % of the human population. Patients show severe deficits in cognitive processing often characterized by an improper filtering of environmental stimuli. Independent genome-wide association studies confirmed a number of risk variants for SZ including several associated with the gene encoding the transcription factor 4 (TCF4). TCF4 is widely expressed in the central nervous system of mice and humans and seems to be important for brain development. Transgenic mice overexpressing murine Tcf4 (Tcf4tg) in the adult brain display cognitive impairments and sensorimotor gating disturbances. To address the question of whether increased Tcf4 gene dosage may affect cognitive flexibility in an auditory associative task, we tested latent inhibition (LI) in female Tcf4tg mice. LI is a widely accepted translational endophenotype of SZ and results from a maladaptive delay in switching a response to a previously unconditioned stimulus when this becomes conditioned. Using an Audiobox, we pre-exposed Tcf4tg mice and their wild-type littermates to either a 3- or a 12-kHz tone before conditioning them to a 12-kHz tone. Tcf4tg animals pre-exposed to a 12-kHz tone showed significantly delayed conditioning when the previously unconditioned tone became associated with an air puff. These results support findings that associate TCF4 dysfunction with cognitive inflexibility and improper filtering of sensory stimuli observed in SZ patients.

A direct measure of free electron gas via the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in Fourier-space analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyama, Naonori S.; Okumura, Teppei; Spergel, David N.

2018-04-01

We present the measurement of the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect in Fourier space, rather than in real space. We measure the density-weighted pairwise kSZ power spectrum, the first use of this promising approach, by cross-correlating a cleaned cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature map, which jointly uses both Planck Release 2 and Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe nine-year data, with the two galaxy samples, CMASS and LOWZ, derived from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Data Release 12. To estimate the CMB temperature distortion associated with each galaxy, we apply an aperture photometry filter. With the current data, we constrain the average optical depth τ multiplied by the ratio of the Hubble parameter at redshift z and the present day, E = H/H0; we find τE = (3.95 ± 1.62) × 10-5 for LOWZ, which corresponds to the statistical significance of S/N = 2.44, and τE = (1.25 ± 1.06) × 10-5 for CMASS, which is consistent with a null hypothesis of no signal. While this analysis results in the kSZ signals with only evidence for a detection, the combination of future CMB and spectroscopic galaxy surveys should enable precision measurements. We estimate that the combination of CMB-S4 and data from Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument should yield detections of the kSZ signal with S/N = 70-100, depending on the resolution of CMB-S4.

Deep brain stimulation changes basal ganglia output nuclei firing pattern in the dystonic hamster.

PubMed

Leblois, Arthur; Reese, René; Labarre, David; Hamann, Melanie; Richter, Angelika; Boraud, Thomas; Meissner, Wassilios G

2010-05-01

Dystonia is a heterogeneous syndrome of movement disorders characterized by involuntary muscle contractions leading to abnormal movements and postures. While medical treatment is often ineffective, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the internal pallidum improves dystonia. Here, we studied the impact of DBS in the entopeduncular nucleus (EP), the rodent equivalent of the human globus pallidus internus, on basal ganglia output in the dt(sz)-hamster, a well-characterized model of dystonia by extracellular recordings. Previous work has shown that EP-DBS improves dystonic symptoms in dt(sz)-hamsters. We report that EP-DBS changes firing pattern in the EP, most neurons switching to a less regular firing pattern during DBS. In contrast, EP-DBS did not change the average firing rate of EP neurons. EP neurons display multiphasic responses to each stimulation impulse, likely underlying the disruption of their firing rhythm. Finally, neurons in the substantia nigra pars reticulata display similar responses to EP-DBS, supporting the idea that EP-DBS affects basal ganglia output activity through the activation of common afferent fibers. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of an iron-silicon material, a synthetic zeolite and an alkaline clay on vegetable uptake of As and Cd from a polluted agricultural soil and proposed remediation mechanisms.

PubMed

Yao, Aijun; Wang, Yani; Ling, Xiaodan; Chen, Zhe; Tang, Yetao; Qiu, Hao; Ying, Rongrong; Qiu, Rongliang

2017-04-01

Economic and highly effective methods of in situ remediation of Cd and As polluted farmland in mining areas are urgently needed. Pot experiments with Brassica chinensis L. were carried out to determine the effects of three soil amendments [a novel iron-silicon material (ISM), a synthetic zeolite (SZ) and an alkaline clay (AC)] on vegetable uptake of As and Cd. SEM-EDS and XRD analyses were used to investigate the remediation mechanisms involved. Amendment with ISM significantly reduced the concentrations of As and Cd in edible parts of B. chinensis (by 84-94 % and 38-87 %, respectively), to levels that met food safety regulations and was much lower than those achieved by SZ and AC. ISM also significantly increased fresh biomass by 169-1412 % and 436-731 % in two consecutive growing seasons, while SZ and AC did not significantly affect vegetable growth. Correlation analysis suggested that it was the mitigating effects of ISM on soil acidity and on As and Cd toxicity, rather than nutrient amelioration, that contributed to the improvement in plant growth. SEM-EDS analysis showed that ISM contained far more Ca, Fe and Mn than did SZ or AC, and XRD analysis showed that in the ISM these elements were primarily in the form of silicates, oxides and phosphates that had high capacities for chemisorption of metal(loid)s. After incubation with solutions containing 800 mg L -1 AsO 4 2- or Cd 2+ , ISM bound distinctly higher levels of As (6.18 % in relative mass percent by EDS analysis) and Cd (7.21 % in relative mass percent by EDS analysis) compared to SZ and AC. XRD analysis also showed that ISM facilitated the precipitation of Cd 2+ as silicates, phosphates and hydroxides, and that arsenate combined with Fe, Al, Ca and Mg to form insoluble arsenate compounds. These precipitation mechanisms were much more active in ISM than in SZ or AC. Due to the greater pH elevation caused by the abundant calcium silicate, chemisorption and precipitation mechanisms in ISM treatments could be further enhanced. That heavy metal(loid)s fixation mechanisms of ISM ensure the remediation more irreversible and more resilient to environmental changes. With appropriate application rate and proper nutrients supplement, the readily available and economic ISM is a very promising amendment for safe crop production on multi-metal(loids) polluted soils.

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.

Polarization of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect: relativistic imprint of thermal and non-thermal plasma

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

Emritte, Mohammad Shehzad; Colafrancesco, Sergio; Marchegiani, Paolo, E-mail: Sergio.Colafrancesco@wits.ac.za, E-mail: emrittes@yahoo.com, E-mail: Paolo.Marchegiani@wits.ac.za

2016-07-01

Inverse Compton (IC) scattering of the anisotropic CMB fluctuations off cosmic electron plasmas generates a polarization of the associated Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. The polarized SZ effect has important applications in cosmology and in astrophysics of galaxy clusters. However, this signal has been studied so far mostly in the non-relativistic regime which is valid only in the very low electron temperature limit for a thermal electron population and, as such, has limited astrophysical applications. Partial attempts to extend this calculation to the IC scattering of a thermal electron plasma in the relativistic regime have been done but these cannot be appliedmore » to a more general or mildly relativistic electron distribution. In this paper we derive a general form of the SZ effect polarization that is valid in the full relativistic approach for both thermal and non-thermal electron plasmas, as well as for a generic combination of various electron population which can be co-spatially distributed in the environments of galaxy clusters or radiogalaxy lobes. We derive the spectral shape of the Stokes parameters induced by the IC scattering of every CMB multipole for both thermal and non-thermal electron populations, focussing in particular on the CMB quadrupole and octupole that provide the largest detectable signals in cosmic structures (like galaxy clusters). We found that the CMB quadrupole induced Stoke parameter Q is always positive with a maximum amplitude at a frequency ≈ 216 GHz which increases non-linearly with increasing cluster temperature. On the contrary, the CMB octupole induced Q spectrum shows a cross-over frequency which depends on the cluster electron temperature in a linear way, while it shows a non-linear dependence on the minimum momentum p {sub 1} of a non-thermal power-law spectrum as well as a linear dependence on the power-law spectral index of the non-thermal electron population. We discuss some of the possibilities to disentangle the quadrupole-induced Q spectrum from the octupole-induced one which will allow to measure these important cosmological quantities through the SZ effect polarization at different cluster locations in the universe. We finally apply our model to the Bullet cluster and derive the visibility windows of the total, quandrupole-induced and octupole-induced Stoke parameter Q in the frequency ranges accessible to SKA, ALMA, MILLIMETRON and CORE++ experiments.« less

Planck intermediate results. XLVII. Planck constraints on reionization history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Adam, R.; Aghanim, N.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Battye, R.; Benabed, K.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bock, J. J.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Boulanger, F.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Carron, J.; Chiang, H. C.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Comis, B.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Di Valentino, E.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Falgarone, E.; Fantaye, Y.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Frolov, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Gerbino, M.; Ghosh, T.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J. E.; Hansen, F. K.; Helou, G.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Herranz, D.; Hivon, E.; Huang, Z.; Ilić, S.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jones, W. C.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T. S.; Knox, L.; Krachmalnicoff, N.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Langer, M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Le Jeune, M.; Levrier, F.; Lewis, A.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; López-Caniego, M.; Ma, Y.-Z.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maggio, G.; Mangilli, A.; Maris, M.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Matarrese, S.; Mauri, N.; McEwen, J. D.; Meinhold, P. R.; Melchiorri, A.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Molinari, D.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Moss, A.; Naselsky, P.; Natoli, P.; Oxborrow, C. A.; Pagano, L.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, B.; Patanchon, G.; Patrizii, L.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Plaszczynski, S.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Racine, B.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renzi, A.; Rocha, G.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Ruiz-Granados, B.; Salvati, L.; Sandri, M.; Savelainen, M.; Scott, D.; Sirri, G.; Sunyaev, R.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Tauber, J. A.; Tenti, M.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Trombetti, T.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, F.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Vittorio, N.; Wandelt, B. D.; Wehus, I. K.; White, M.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-12-01

We investigate constraints on cosmic reionization extracted from the Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) data. We combine the Planck CMB anisotropy data in temperature with the low-multipole polarization data to fit ΛCDM models with various parameterizations of the reionization history. We obtain a Thomson optical depth τ = 0.058 ± 0.012 for the commonly adopted instantaneous reionization model. This confirms, with data solely from CMB anisotropies, the low value suggested by combining Planck 2015 results with other data sets, and also reduces the uncertainties. We reconstruct the history of the ionization fraction using either a symmetric or an asymmetric model for the transition between the neutral and ionized phases. To determine better constraints on the duration of the reionization process, we also make use of measurements of the amplitude of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect using additional information from the high-resolution Atacama Cosmology Telescope and South Pole Telescope experiments. The average redshift at which reionization occurs is found to lie between z = 7.8 and 8.8, depending on the model of reionization adopted. Using kSZ constraints and a redshift-symmetric reionization model, we find an upper limit to the width of the reionization period of Δz < 2.8. In all cases, we find that the Universe is ionized at less than the 10% level at redshifts above z ≃ 10. This suggests that an early onset of reionization is strongly disfavoured by the Planck data. We show that this result also reduces the tension between CMB-based analyses and constraints from other astrophysical sources.

Chemical constituents of the mangrove-associated fungus Capnodium sp. SZ-F22. A new eremophilane sesquiterpene.

PubMed

He, Haibing; Ma, Zhongjun; Wang, Qianqian; Liu, Yu; Xu, Hualin

2016-07-01

A new eremophilane sesquiterpene, capnodiumone (1), along with five known eremophilane sesquiterpenes (2-6) and eight other compounds (7-14), have been isolated from a mangrove-associated fungus Capnodium sp. SZ-F22. The chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The broth extract of the fungus exhibited a good inhibitory effect on the mycelium growth against Fusarium graminearum at 100 μg/mL, however, all the 14 compounds showed no expected antifungal activity. The probable reasons were discussed.

A User Definable SLAM Airfield Model Designed for Experimentation and Analysis. Volume II

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

St), 2015 ATRIB(8)=TNOWU; 2016 ACT, ,USERF (37) .GE.ZvLZF4; 2#17 ACT, .0001,*L2SZ; 2018 2#19 LZF4 ASSIGNiI:ATRIB(46), 72 2521 ACTi.1991ttLZSZ; 2922...nature than thobe covered in the main text. So.ne were added because thcre were adlditional co1aLlenltS which needed to bL made to a jjo bible user

Deep seated carbonates and their vulnerability - are they isolated or hydrodynamically interacted?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mádl-Szőnyi, Judit; Czauner, Brigitta; Iván, Veronika; Tóth, Ádám; Simon, Szilvia; Erőss, Anita; Havril, Tímea; Bodor, Petra

2017-04-01

The vulnerability of carbonate systems is basically determined by their confinement (Mádl-Szőnyi and Füle 1998). Confined carbonate units are traditionally considered to be aquifer systems hydrodynamically independent of their siliciclastic cover and unconfined parts. This is due to the widely accepted view, that confining layers are generally impermeable relative to the underlying carbonate aquifers. The nature of how deep confined carbonate units are linked to unconfined gravity-driven regional groundwater flow (GDRGF) is poorly understood. The very first study of Mádl-Szőnyi and Tóth (2015) examined the flow systems for unconfined and for marginal areas of confined carbonate settings and adapted the Tóthian-flow pattern for unconfined and adjoining confined cases. The modified GDRGF pattern with considering further driving forces (such as buoyancy) was used as a working hypothesis for the numerical understanding of evolution of hydrodynamics of marginal areas of unconfined and confined carbonate aquifer systems by Havril et al. (2016). In the recent study the main aim is the application of the GDRGF concepts to confined deep carbonates. Here the focal point is the handling of the karstified carbonate rock matrix and its siliciclastic cover as a whole. If we simplify the problem we can focus on to reveal the hydrodinamically interacted or insulated nature of confined carbonate systems. Beside hydrodynamic character of an area the salinity pattern can also reflect the potential connections. The interpretation of salinity in the context of GDRGF hydrodynamics therefore can assist in the determination of replenishment of formation waters with meteoric infiltration and can help to understand the flow pattern of the system. These hydrodynamic interactions also determine the vulnerability of carbonate systems not only in conventional sense but in relation to geothermal and hydrocarbon production. The study area is located in the Hungarian Paleogene Basin of the Pannonian Basin (Báldi and Báldi-Beke 1985), in which the Pre-Cenozoic aquifers are mostly covered by Paleogene and Neogene formations. The study displays the flow pattern for the region; reveals the interrelationships between siliciclastic confining layers and carbonate aquifer system and shows the salinity character of fluids. The regional fluid pattern reveals the efficient interaction of unconfined and confined carbonates, the boundaries of the communication; in addition to demonstrate the protection role of confining layers which are important to understand the vulnerability. However, the interaction between confining layers and underlying aquifers were also recognized. It reflects the geological and tectonic pattern of the area. These research are significant for the understanding of vulnerability not only for surface human activity but also for geothermal and hydrocarbon intervention. The research was supported by the Hungarian OTKA Research Fund (NK 101356).

Regional correlations of V s30 and velocities averaged over depths less than and greater than 30 meters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boore, D.M.; Thompson, E.M.; Cadet, H.

2011-01-01

Using velocity profiles from sites in Japan, California, Turkey, and Europe, we find that the time-averaged shear-wave velocity to 30 m (V S30), used as a proxy for site amplification in recent ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) and building codes, is strongly correlated with average velocities to depths less than 30 m (V Sz, with z being the averaging depth). The correlations for sites in Japan (corresponding to the KiK-net network) show that V S30 is systematically larger for a given V Sz than for profiles from the other regions. The difference largely results from the placement of the KiK-net station locations on rock and rocklike sites, whereas stations in the other regions are generally placed in urban areas underlain by sediments. Using the KiK-net velocity profiles, we provide equations relating V S30 to V Sz for z ranging from 5 to 29 m in 1-m increments. These equations (and those for California velocity profiles given in Boore, 2004b) can be used to estimate V S30 from V Sz for sites in which velocity profiles do not extend to 30 m. The scatter of the residuals decreases with depth, but, even for an averaging depth of 5 m, a variation in log V S30 of 1 standard deviation maps into less than a 20% uncertainty in ground motions given by recent GMPEs at short periods. The sensitivity of the ground motions to V S30 uncertainty is considerably larger at long periods (but is less than a factor of 1.2 for averaging depths greater than about 20 m). We also find that V S30 is correlated with V Sz for z as great as 400 m for sites of the KiK-net network, providing some justification for using V S30 as a site-response variable for predicting ground motions at periods for which the wavelengths far exceed 30 m.

Guided Exploration of Genomic Risk for Gray Matter Abnormalities in Schizophrenia Using Parallel Independent Component Analysis with Reference

PubMed Central

Chen, Jiayu; Calhoun, Vince D.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Perrone-Bizzozero, Nora; Sui, Jing; Turner, Jessica A.; Bustillo, Juan R; Ehrlich, Stefan; Sponheim, Scott R.; Cañive, José M.; Ho, Beng-Choon; Liu, Jingyu

2013-01-01

One application of imaging genomics is to explore genetic variants associated with brain structure and function, presenting a new means of mapping genetic influences on mental disorders. While there is growing interest in performing genome-wide searches for determinants, it remains challenging to identify genetic factors of small effect size, especially in limited sample sizes. In an attempt to address this issue, we propose to take advantage of a priori knowledge, specifically to extend parallel independent component analysis (pICA) to incorporate a reference (pICA-R), aiming to better reveal relationships between hidden factors of a particular attribute. The new approach was first evaluated on simulated data for its performance under different configurations of effect size and dimensionality. Then pICA-R was applied to a 300-participant (140 schizophrenia (SZ) patients versus 160 healthy controls) dataset consisting of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. Guided by a reference SNP set derived from ANK3, a gene implicated by the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium SZ study, pICA-R identified one pair of SNP and sMRI components with a significant loading correlation of 0.27 (p = 1.64×10−6). The sMRI component showed a significant group difference in loading parameters between patients and controls (p = 1.33×10−15), indicating SZ-related reduction in gray matter concentration in prefrontal and temporal regions. The linked SNP component also showed a group difference (p = 0.04) and was predominantly contributed to by 1,030 SNPs. The effect of these top contributing SNPs was verified using association test results of the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium SZ study, where the 1,030 SNPs exhibited significant SZ enrichment compared to the whole genome. In addition, pathway analyses indicated the genetic component majorly relating to neurotransmitter and nervous system signaling pathways. Given the simulation and experiment results, pICA-R may prove a promising multivariate approach for use in imaging genomics to discover reliable genetic risk factors under a scenario of relatively high dimensionality and small effect size. PMID:23727316

Timing and genesis of early marine caymanites in the hydrothermal palaeokarst system of Buda Hills, Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korpás, L.; Lantos, M.; Nagymarosy, A.

1999-01-01

Sedimentological, biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic studies were carried out on five Late Eocene-Early Oligocene profiles in the Buda Hills, Hungary. The Szépvölgy Limestone Formation accumulated on the pre-Eocene basement. Basal strata of the limestone consist of a thin conglomerate followed by a coralgal limestone. The overlying limestone contains abundant Nummulites, Discocyclina. The contact between these two members is sharp. The Szépvölgy Limestone body, covering 60-65 km 2, is considered a carbonate bank. Above the limestone, the siliciclastic slope deposits of the pelagic and turbiditic Buda Marl, and the euxinic Tard Clay accumulated. A huge multiphase hydrothermal cave system developed in the Szépvölgy Limestone resulting in a long-term composite palaeokarstic evolution lasting from the Late Eocene to the Quaternary. The first palaeokarst phase during the Late Eocene is represented by two generations of early marine cavity filling sediments of caymanite-type, deposited at sea-level. The earlier, carbonate infilling is conformable while the younger, siliciclastic one is disconformable with the bedding of the host rock. Bio- and magnetostratigraphic studies indicate that deposition of the caymanites-bearing palaeokarst host sequence started in the Late Eocene, during Chron C15r (35.3 Ma) and terminated in the Early Oligocene during Chron C13n (33 Ma). Two marker horizons are present, the first is between the Szépvölgy Limestone and Buda Marl at ˜34.6 Ma, and the second horizon is between the Buda Marl and the Tard Clay at 33.5 Ma. The Szépvölgy Limestone, deposited on a mobile shelf, represents a deepening upward sequence, interrupted by two lowstand events. They can be correlated with the PHd event of Keller et al., 1987 (Global distribution of late Palaeogene hiatuses. Geology 15, 199-203) and resulted in marine palaeokarstification. The carbonate shelf with the infillings drowned at 34.6 Ma. The caymanites accumulated at about 35.2-35.0 Ma and represent short-term palaeokarstic events. Their deposition record was estimated in several thousand years.

Modelling of OPNMR phenomena using photon energy-dependent 〈Sz〉 in GaAs and InP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, Dustin D.; Willmering, Matthew M.; Sesti, Erika L.; Pan, Xingyuan; Saha, Dipta; Stanton, Christopher J.; Hayes, Sophia E.

2016-12-01

We have modified the model for optically-pumped NMR (OPNMR) to incorporate a revised expression for the expectation value of the z-projection of the electron spin, 〈Sz 〉 and apply this model to both bulk GaAs and a new material, InP. This expression includes the photon energy dependence of the electron polarization when optically pumping direct-gap semiconductors in excess of the bandgap energy, Eg . Rather than using a fixed value arising from coefficients (the matrix elements) for the optical transitions at the k = 0 bandedge, we define a new parameter, Sopt (Eph) . Incorporating this revised element into the expression for 〈Sz 〉 , we have simulated the photon energy dependence of the OPNMR signals from bulk semi-insulating GaAs and semi-insulating InP. In earlier work, we matched calculations of electron spin polarization (alone) to features in a plot of OPNMR signal intensity versus photon energy for optical pumping (Ramaswamy et al., 2010). By incorporating an electron spin polarization which varies with pump wavelength into the penetration depth model of OPNMR signal, we are able to model features in both III-V semiconductors. The agreement between the OPNMR data and the corresponding model demonstrates that fluctuations in the OPNMR intensity have particular sensitivity to light hole-to-conduction band transitions in bulk systems. We provide detailed plots of the theoretical predictions for optical pumping transition probabilities with circularly-polarized light for both helicities of light, broken down into illustrative plots of optical magnetoabsorption and spin polarization, shown separately for heavy-hole and light-hole transitions. These plots serve as an effective roadmap of transitions, which are helpful to other researchers investigating optical pumping effects.

Empirical support for DSM-IV schizoaffective disorder: clinical and cognitive validators from a large patient sample.

PubMed

DeRosse, Pamela; Burdick, Katherine E; Lencz, Todd; Siris, Samuel G; Malhotra, Anil K

2013-01-01

The diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder has long maintained an uncertain status in psychiatric nosology. Studies comparing clinical and biological features of patients with schizoaffective disorder to patients with related disorders [e.g., schizophrenia and bipolar disorder] can provide an evidence base for judging the validity of the diagnostic category. However, because most prior studies of schizoaffective disorder have only evaluated differences between groups at a static timepoint, it is unclear how these disorders may be related when the entire illness course is taken into consideration. We ascertained a large cohort [N = 993] of psychiatric patients with a range of psychotic diagnoses including schizophrenia with no history of major affective episodes [SZ-; N = 371], schizophrenia with a superimposed mood syndrome [SZ+; N = 224], schizoaffective disorder [SAD; N = 129] and bipolar I disorder with psychotic features [BPD+; N = 269]. Using cross-sectional data we designed key clinical and neurocognitive dependent measures that allowed us to test longitudinal hypotheses about the differences between these diagnostic entities. Large differences between diagnostic groups on several demographic and clinical variables were observed. Most notably, groups differed on a putative measure of cognitive decline. Specifically, the SAD group demonstrated significantly greater post-onset cognitive decline compared to the BP+ group, with the SZ- and SZ+ group both exhibiting levels of decline intermediate to BPD+ and SAD. These results suggest that schizoaffective disorder may possess distinct features. Contrary to earlier formulations, schizoaffective disorder may be a more severe form of illness.

Anomalous bodily experiences and perceived social isolation in schizophrenia: An extension of the Social Deafferentation Hypothesis.

PubMed

Michael, Jamie; Park, Sohee

2016-10-01

Disturbances of the bodily self are fundamental to the phenomenological experience of individuals with schizophrenia, a population at risk for social isolation. Both proprioception and exteroception contribute to a sense of consistent body boundary that contains the self across time and space, and this process is influenced by self-other (social) interactions. However, the relationship between social isolation, exteroception, and in-the-moment changes in body representation has not been elucidated. We investigated susceptibility to anomalous bodily experiences with a phantom nose induction procedure that elicits a sensation that one's nose is changing (Pinocchio Illusion: PI) in relation to exteroceptive awareness and social isolation. 25 individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and 15 matched controls (CO) participated in a PI induction procedure to quantify susceptibility to bodily aberrations and a tactile discrimination task to assess exteroception. Clinical symptoms in SZ and schizotypy in CO were assessed, in addition to a self-report measure of perceived social isolation. Compared to CO, SZ showed increased PI and impaired tactile discriminability. SZ reported greater loneliness than CO. PI scores were correlated with increased loneliness and decreased tactile discriminability. Greater susceptibility to anomalous bodily experiences, together with reduced exteroceptive awareness and increased loneliness, is compatible with the framework of Hoffman's Social Deafferentation Hypothesis, which posits that a functional "amputation" from one's social environment could lead to a reorganization of the social brain network, resulting in hallucinations and delusions. These findings underscore the importance of the relationship between social isolation and self-disturbances in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic connectivity states estimated from resting fMRI Identify differences among Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and healthy control subjects.

PubMed

Rashid, Barnaly; Damaraju, Eswar; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Calhoun, Vince D

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) share significant overlap in clinical symptoms, brain characteristics, and risk genes, and both are associated with dysconnectivity among large-scale brain networks. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data facilitates studying macroscopic connectivity among distant brain regions. Standard approaches to identifying such connectivity include seed-based correlation and data-driven clustering methods such as independent component analysis (ICA) but typically focus on average connectivity. In this study, we utilize ICA on rsfMRI data to obtain intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) in cohorts of healthy controls (HCs) and age matched SZ and BP patients. Subsequently, we investigated difference in functional network connectivity, defined as pairwise correlations among the timecourses of ICNs, between HCs and patients. We quantified differences in both static (average) and dynamic (windowed) connectivity during the entire scan duration. Disease-specific differences were identified in connectivity within different dynamic states. Notably, results suggest that patients make fewer transitions to some states (states 1, 2, and 4) compared to HCs, with most such differences confined to a single state. SZ patients showed more differences from healthy subjects than did bipolars, including both hyper and hypo connectivity in one common connectivity state (dynamic state 3). Also group differences between SZ and bipolar patients were identified in patterns (states) of connectivity involving the frontal (dynamic state 1) and frontal-parietal regions (dynamic state 3). Our results provide new information about these illnesses and strongly suggest that state-based analyses are critical to avoid averaging together important factors that can help distinguish these clinical groups.

Diagnostic value of blood-derived microRNAs for schizophrenia: results of a meta-analysis and validation.

PubMed

Liu, Sha; Zhang, Fuquan; Wang, Xijin; Shugart, Yin Yao; Zhao, Yingying; Li, Xinrong; Liu, Zhifen; Sun, Ning; Yang, Chunxia; Zhang, Kerang; Yue, Weihua; Yu, Xin; Xu, Yong

2017-11-10

There is an increasing interest in searching biomarkers for schizophrenia (SZ) diagnosis, which overcomes the drawbacks inherent with the subjective diagnostic methods. MicroRNA (miRNA) fingerprints have been explored for disease diagnosis. We performed a meta-analysis to examine miRNA diagnostic value for SZ and further validated the meta-analysis results. Using following terms: schizophrenia/SZ, microRNA/miRNA, diagnosis, sensitivity and specificity, we searched databases restricted to English language and reviewed all articles published from January 1990 to October 2016. All extracted data were statistically analyzed and the results were further validated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) isolated from patients and healthy controls using RT-qPCR and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. A total of 6 studies involving 330 patients and 202 healthy controls were included for meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.75-0.86), 0.81 (95% CI: 0.72-0.88) and 18 (95% CI: 9-34), respectively; the positive and negative likelihood ratio was 4.3 and 0.24 respectively; the area under the curve in summary ROC was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90). Validation revealed that miR-181b-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-137, miR-346 and miR-34a-5p in PBMNCs had high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in the context of schizophrenia. In conclusion, blood-derived miRNAs might be promising biomarkers for SZ diagnosis.

Impulsivity across the psychosis spectrum: Correlates of cortical volume, suicidal history, and social and global function.

PubMed

Nanda, Pranav; Tandon, Neeraj; Mathew, Ian T; Padmanabhan, Jaya L; Clementz, Brett A; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Sweeney, John A; Tamminga, Carol A; Keshavan, Matcheri S

2016-01-01

Patients with psychotic disorders appear to exhibit greater impulsivity-related behaviors relative to healthy controls. However, the neural underpinning of this impulsivity remains uncertain. Furthermore, it remains unclear how impulsivity might differ or be conserved between psychotic disorder diagnoses in mechanism and manifestation. In this study, self-reported impulsivity, measured by Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), was compared between 305 controls (HC), 139 patients with schizophrenia (SZ), 100 with schizoaffective disorder (SZA), and 125 with psychotic bipolar disorder (PBP). In each proband group, impulsivity was associated with regional cortical volumes (using FreeSurfer analysis of T1 MRI scans), suicide attempt history, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and Social Functioning Scale (SFS). BIS scores were found to differ significantly between participant groups, with SZA and PBP exhibiting significantly higher impulsivity than SZ, which exhibited significantly higher impulsivity than HC. BIS scores were significantly related to suicide attempt history, and they were inversely associated with GAF, SFS, and bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) volume in both SZA and PBP, but not SZ. These findings indicate that psychotic disorders, particularly those with prominent affective symptoms, are characterized by elevated self-reported impulsivity measures. Impulsivity's correlations with suicide attempt history, GAF, and SFS suggest that impulsivity may be a mediator of clinical outcome. The observed impulsivity-OFC correlations corroborate the importance of OFC deficits in impulsivity. These correlations' presence in SZA and PBP but not in SZ suggests that impulsivity may have different underlying mechanisms in affective and non-affective psychotic disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peculiar Velocity Constraints from Five-band SZ Effect Measurements toward RX J1347.5-1145 with MUSIC and Bolocam from the CSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayers, Jack; Zemcov, Michael; Glenn, Jason; Golwala, Sunil R.; Maloney, Philip R.; Siegel, Seth R.; Wheeler, Jordan; Bockstiegel, Clint; Brugger, Spencer; Czakon, Nicole G.; Day, Peter K.; Downes, Thomas P.; Duan, Ran P.; Gao, Jiansong; Hollister, Matthew I.; Lam, Albert; LeDuc, Henry G.; Mazin, Benjamin A.; McHugh, Sean G.; Miller, David A.; Mroczkowski, Tony K.; Noroozian, Omid; Nguyen, Hien T.; Radford, Simon J. E.; Schlaerth, James A.; Vayonakis, Anastasios; Wilson, Philip R.; Zmuidzinas, Jonas

2016-04-01

We present Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) effect measurements from wide-field images toward the galaxy cluster RX J1347.5-1145 obtained from the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory with the Multiwavelength Submillimeter Inductance Camera at 147, 213, 281, and 337 GHz and with Bolocam at 140 GHz. As part of our analysis, we have used higher frequency data from Herschel-SPIRE and previously published lower frequency radio data to subtract the signal from the brightest dusty star-forming galaxies behind RX J1347.5-1145 and from the AGN in RX J1347.5-1145’s BCG. Using these five-band SZ effect images, combined with X-ray spectroscopic measurements of the temperature of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) from Chandra, we constrain the ICM optical depth to be {τ }{{e}}={7.33}-0.97+0.96× {10}-3 and the ICM line of sight peculiar velocity to be {v}{pec}=-{1040}-840+870 km s-1. The errors for both quantities are limited by measurement noise rather than calibration uncertainties or astrophysical contamination, and significant improvements are possible with deeper observations. Our best-fit velocity is in good agreement with one previously published SZ effect analysis and in mild tension with the other, although some or all of that tension may be because that measurement samples a much smaller cluster volume. Furthermore, our best-fit optical depth implies a gas mass slightly larger than the Chandra-derived value, implying the cluster is elongated along the line of sight.

A review of Indian research on cognitive remediation for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Hegde, Shantala

2017-02-01

Cognitive deficits play a central role in recovery from Schizophrenia (SZ). Cognitive remediation (CR) is increasingly being examined to improve cognitive functions in SZ. It is becoming an inevitable component of treatment for this debilitating illness. This review article presents the current status of research on CR for SZ in India. In contrast to the numerous studies reported from across the globe, there are only five studies on CR for SZ published from India. Of the five, only two are randomized controlled trials, two are non-randomized studies and one is a series of case reports. With different strategies used for CR and a variety of tools and measurements as outcome measures, combined analysis of the data was not feasible. Improvement in cognitive functions and sustenance of the improvement observed at follow-up period ranging from 2 to 6 months duration was underscored by all the four studies. Indigenous methods such as home-based CR techniques and Yoga therapy as an adjunct CR technique have been researched upon. Established method of CR such as the Integrated Psychological Therapy (IPT) has been used with modifications made to suit the cultural scenario. Other treatment methods such as family therapy have been added along with CR for chronic patients. The limited number of research studies has tried to encompass various dimensions. However, there is a dire need for studies with larger sample size with stringent research methods. Culturally feasible CR technique and multi-centric studies with larger sample size can be the next way forward. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mirroring the self: testing neurophysiological correlates of disturbed self-experience in schizophrenia spectrum.

PubMed

Sestito, Mariateresa; Raballo, Andrea; Umiltà, Maria Alessandra; Leuci, Emanuela; Tonna, Matteo; Fortunati, Renata; De Paola, Giancarlo; Amore, Mario; Maggini, Carlo; Gallese, Vittorio

2015-01-01

Self-disorders (SDs) have been described as a core schizophrenia spectrum vulnerability phenotype, both in classic and contemporary psychopathological literature. However, such a core phenotype has not yet been investigated adopting a trans-domain approach that combines the phenomenological and the neurophysiological levels of analysis. The aim of this study is to investigate the relation between SDs and subtle, schizophrenia-specific impairments of emotional resonance that are supposed to reflect abnormalities in the mirror neurons mechanism. Specifically, we tested whether electromyographic response to emotional stimuli (i.e. a proxy for subtle changes in facial mimicry and related motor resonance mechanisms) would predict the occurrence of anomalous subjective experiences (i.e. SDs). Eighteen schizophrenia spectrum (SzSp) patients underwent a comprehensive psychopathological examination and were contextually tested with a multimodal paradigm, recording facial electromyographic activity of muscles in response to positive and negative emotional stimuli. Experiential anomalies were explored with the Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms (BSABS) and then condensed into rational subscales mapping SzSp anomalous self-experiences. SzSp patients showed an imbalance in emotional motor resonance with a selective bias toward negative stimuli, as well as a multisensory integration impairment. Multiple regression analysis showed that electromyographic facial reactions in response to negative stimuli presented in auditory modality specifically and strongly correlated with SD subscore. The study confirms the potential of SDs as target phenotype for neurobiological research and encourages research into disturbed motor/emotional resonance as possible body-level correlate of disturbed subjective experiences in SzSp.

Stratifying empiric risk of schizophrenia among first degree relatives using multiple predictors in two independent Indian samples.

PubMed

Bhatia, Triptish; Gettig, Elizabeth A; Gottesman, Irving I; Berliner, Jonathan; Mishra, N N; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L; Deshpande, Smita N

2016-12-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) has an estimated heritability of 64-88%, with the higher values based on twin studies. Conventionally, family history of psychosis is the best individual-level predictor of risk, but reliable risk estimates are unavailable for Indian populations. Genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors are equally important and should be considered when predicting risk in 'at risk' individuals. To estimate risk based on an Indian schizophrenia participant's family history combined with selected demographic factors. To incorporate variables in addition to family history, and to stratify risk, we constructed a regression equation that included demographic variables in addition to family history. The equation was tested in two independent Indian samples: (i) an initial sample of SZ participants (N=128) with one sibling or offspring; (ii) a second, independent sample consisting of multiply affected families (N=138 families, with two or more sibs/offspring affected with SZ). The overall estimated risk was 4.31±0.27 (mean±standard deviation). There were 19 (14.8%) individuals in the high risk group, 75 (58.6%) in the moderate risk and 34 (26.6%) in the above average risk (in Sample A). In the validation sample, risks were distributed as: high (45%), moderate (38%) and above average (17%). Consistent risk estimates were obtained from both samples using the regression equation. Familial risk can be combined with demographic factors to estimate risk for SZ in India. If replicated, the proposed stratification of risk may be easier and more realistic for family members. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Subtle flickering in Cepheids: Kepler and MOST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Szabó, Robert; Szabados, Laszlo; Derekas, Aliz; Matthews, Jaymie M.; Cameron, Chris; the MOST Team

2014-02-01

Fundamental mode classical Cepheids have light curves which repeat accurately enough that we can watch them evolve (change period). The new level of accuracy and quantity of data with the Kepler and MOST satellites probes this further. An intriguing result was found in the long time-series of Kepler data for V1154 Cyg the one classical Cepheid (fundamental mode, P = 4.9 d) in the field, which has short term changes in period (~=20 minutes), correlated for ~=10 cycles (period jitter). To follow this up, we obtained a month long series of observations of the fundamental mode Cepheid RT Aur and the first overtone pulsator SZ Tau. RT Aur shows the traditional strict repetition of the light curve, with the Fourier amplitude ratio R 1/R 2 remaining nearly constant. The light curve of SZ Tau, on the other hand, fluctuates in amplitude ratio at the level of approximately 50%. Furthermore prewhitening the RT Aur data with 10 frequencies reduces the Fourier spectrum to noise. For SZ Tau, considerable power is left after this prewhitening in a complicated variety of frequencies.

The MOST Accurate Photometry for Cepheid Modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Szabo, Robert; Szabados, Laszlo; Derekas, Aliz; Kiss, Laszlo; Matthews, Jaymie; Cameron, Chris

2014-06-01

Fundamental mode classical Cepheids have famously repeatable light curves and periods steady enough that we can watch them evolve (change period). Overtone pulsators, on theother hand often have period changes too large to be explained by evolution, at least during the longest (second and third) passages through the instability strip. We obtained a month long series of observations with the MOST satellite of the fundamental mode Cepheid RT Aur and the first overtone pulsator SZ Tau. RT Aur shows the traditional strict repetition of the light curve, with the Fourier amplitude ratio R1/R2 remaining constant (varying by only a percent). The light curve of SZ Tau, on the other hand, fluctuates in amplitude ratio at the level of approximately 50\\%. Furthermore prewhitening the RT Aur data with 10 frequencies reduces the Fourier spectrum to noise. For SZ Tau, considerable power is left after this prewhitening in a complicated variety of frequencies. Financial Support was provided by CXC NASA Contract NAS8-03060 (NRE), ESTEC Contract No. 4000106398/12/NL/KML (LS), European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement No. 269194(IRSES/ASK) (RS, AD).

Theory of Mind and Context Processing in Schizophrenia: The Role of Social Knowledge.

PubMed

Champagne-Lavau, Maud; Charest, Anick

2015-01-01

The present study sought to determine whether social knowledge such as speaker occupation stereotypes may impact theory of mind (ToM) ability in patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Thirty individuals with SZ and 30 matched healthy control (HC) participants were tested individually on their ToM ability using a paradigm showing that stereotypes such as speaker occupation influences the extent to which speaker ironic intent is understood. ToM ability was assessed with open questions on the speaker ironic intent, irony rating, and mockery rating. Social perception was also assessed through politeness rating. The main results showed that SZ participants, like HC participants, were sensitive to the social stereotypes. They used these stereotypes adequately to attribute mental states such as speaker ironic intent to a protagonist while they found it difficult to explicitly judge and attribute negative attitude and emotion, as evidenced by mockery rating. No difference was found between the two groups regarding social perception ability. These performances were not associated with clinical symptoms. The integration of contextual information seems to be a good target for cognitive remediation aiming to increase social cognition ability.

Optically Clear and Resilient Free-Form µ-Optics 3D-Printed via Ultrafast Laser Lithography.

PubMed

Jonušauskas, Linas; Gailevičius, Darius; Mikoliūnaitė, Lina; Sakalauskas, Danas; Šakirzanovas, Simas; Juodkazis, Saulius; Malinauskas, Mangirdas

2017-01-02

We introduce optically clear and resilient free-form micro-optical components of pure (non-photosensitized) organic-inorganic SZ2080 material made by femtosecond 3D laser lithography (3DLL). This is advantageous for rapid printing of 3D micro-/nano-optics, including their integration directly onto optical fibers. A systematic study of the fabrication peculiarities and quality of resultant structures is performed. Comparison of microlens resiliency to continuous wave (CW) and femtosecond pulsed exposure is determined. Experimental results prove that pure SZ2080 is ∼20 fold more resistant to high irradiance as compared with standard lithographic material (SU8) and can sustain up to 1.91 GW/cm² intensity. 3DLL is a promising manufacturing approach for high-intensity micro-optics for emerging fields in astro-photonics and atto-second pulse generation. Additionally, pyrolysis is employed to homogeneously shrink structures up to 40% by removing organic SZ2080 constituents. This opens a promising route towards downscaling photonic lattices and the creation of mechanically robust glass-ceramic microstructures.

Optically Clear and Resilient Free-Form μ-Optics 3D-Printed via Ultrafast Laser Lithography

PubMed Central

Jonušauskas, Linas; Gailevičius, Darius; Mikoliūnaitė, Lina; Sakalauskas, Danas; Šakirzanovas, Simas; Juodkazis, Saulius; Malinauskas, Mangirdas

2017-01-01

We introduce optically clear and resilient free-form micro-optical components of pure (non-photosensitized) organic-inorganic SZ2080 material made by femtosecond 3D laser lithography (3DLL). This is advantageous for rapid printing of 3D micro-/nano-optics, including their integration directly onto optical fibers. A systematic study of the fabrication peculiarities and quality of resultant structures is performed. Comparison of microlens resiliency to continuous wave (CW) and femtosecond pulsed exposure is determined. Experimental results prove that pure SZ2080 is ∼20 fold more resistant to high irradiance as compared with standard lithographic material (SU8) and can sustain up to 1.91 GW/cm2 intensity. 3DLL is a promising manufacturing approach for high-intensity micro-optics for emerging fields in astro-photonics and atto-second pulse generation. Additionally, pyrolysis is employed to homogeneously shrink structures up to 40% by removing organic SZ2080 constituents. This opens a promising route towards downscaling photonic lattices and the creation of mechanically robust glass-ceramic microstructures. PMID:28772389

The High Energy Photons Emission from Solar Flares Observed by SZ2-XD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huanyu; Li, Xinqiao; Ma, Yuqian; Zhang, Chengmo; Xu, Yupeng; Wang, Jingzhou; Chen, Guoming

The spectra and light curve of near a hundred Solar X-ray Flare events, which were observed by SZ2/XD in the energy band of 10-800 keV during 2001, have been investigated. The events covered from C to X-class flares, which are shown different characters of high energy photons emission. The results will be presented in this paper. The discussions will be made especially for 3 of the brightest X-class solar flares SF010402(X20),SF010406(X5.6) and SF010415 (X14.4, a GLE event).

Review of Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Gasteruptiidae) from Iran and Turkey, with the description of 15 new species

PubMed Central

van Achterberg, Cornelis; Talebi, Ali Asghar

2014-01-01

Abstract The genus Gasteruption Latreille, 1796 (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea: Gasteruptiidae: Gasteruptiinae) from North Iran and Turkey is revised, keyed and fully illustrated for the first time. In total 36 species are treated of which 33 are recorded from Turkey and 23 from Iran. Fifteen species are new for science: Gasteruption aciculatum van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption agrenum van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption brevibasale van Achterberg & Saure, sp. n., Gasteruption coriacoxale van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption flavimarginatum van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption heminitidum van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption henseni van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption ischnolaimum van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption nigrapiculatum van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption paglianoi van Achterberg & Saure, sp. n., Gasteruption pseudolaticeps van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption punctifrons van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption schmideggeri van Achterberg & Saure, sp. n., Gasteruption scorteum van Achterberg, sp. n. and Gasteruption smitorum van Achterberg, sp. n. Twenty-one species are reported new for Turkey and 16 species new for Iran. Fifteen new synonyms are proposed: Foenus terrestris Tournier, 1877, Gasteruption trifossulatum Kieffer, 1904, and Gasteruption ignoratum Kieffer, 1912, of Gasteruption caucasicum (Guérin-Méneville, 1844); Gasteruption daisyi Alekseev, 1993, of Gasteruption dolichoderum Schletterer, 1889; Gasteruption assectator var. nitidulum Schletterer, 1885, of Gasteruption freyi (Tournier, 1877); Gasteruption schossmannae Madl, 1987, of Gasteruption hastator (Fabricius, 1804); Gasteryption fallaciosum Semenov, 1892, Gasteruption dubiosum Semenov, 1892 and Gasteruption obsoletum Semenov, 1892, of Gasteruption insidiosum Semenov, 1892; Gasteryption schewyrewi Semenov, 1892, of Gasteruption jaculator (Linnaeus, 1758); Gasteruption floreum Szépligeti, 1903, of Gasteruption lugubre Schletterer, 1889; Gasteruption trichotomma Kieffer, 1904, and Gasteruption palaestinum Pic, 1916, of Gasteruption merceti Kieffer, 1904; Gasteryption foveiceps Semenov, 1892, of Gasteruption nigrescens Schletterer, 1885, and Gasteruption libanense Pic, 1916, of Gasteruption syriacum Szépligeti, 1903. Gasteruption lugubre Schletterer, 1889, is recognised as a valid species. Lectotypes are designated for Ichneumon assectator Linnaeus, 1758; Ichneumon jaculator Linnaeus, 1758; Foenus terrestris Tournier, 1877; Foenus freyi Tournier, 1877; Foenus nigripes Tournier, 1877; Foenus goberti Tournier, 1877; Foenus granulithorax Tournier, 1877; Foenus minutus Tournier, 1877; Foenus borealis Thomson, 1883; Faenus diversipes Abeille de Perrin, 1879; Foenus rugulosus Abeille de Perrin, 1879; Faenus obliteratus Abeille de Perrin, 1879; Faenus undulatum Abeille de Perrin, 1879; Faenus variolosus Abeille de Perrin, 1879; Gasteruption distinguendum Schletterer, 1885; Gasteruption laeviceps Schletterer, 1885; Gasteruption thomsonii Schletterer, 1885; Gasteruption foveolatum Schletterer, 1889; Gasteruption sowae Schletterer, 1901; Gasteruption foveolum Szépligeti, 1903; Gasteruption floreum Szépligeti, 1903; Gasteruption caudatum Szépligeti, 1903; Gasteruption syriacum Szépligeti, 1903; Gasteruption merceti Kieffer, 1904 and Gasteruption ignoratum Kieffer, 1912. A neotype is designated for Gasteruption tournieri Schletterer, 1885. PMID:25561849

Measuring pathology using the PANSS across diagnoses: Inconsistency of the positive symptom domain across schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Anderson, Ariana E; Mansolf, Maxwell; Reise, Steven P; Savitz, Adam; Salvadore, Giacomo; Li, Qingqin; Bilder, Robert M

2017-12-01

Although the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was developed for use in schizophrenia (SZ), antipsychotic drug trials use the PANSS to measure symptom change also for bipolar (BP) and schizoaffective (SA) disorder, extending beyond its original indications. If the dimensions measured by the PANSS are different across diagnoses, then the same score change for the same drug condition may have different meanings depending on which group is being studied. Here, we evaluated whether the factor structure in the PANSS was consistent across schizophrenia (n = 3647), bipolar disorder (n = 858), and schizoaffective disorder (n = 592). Along with congruency coefficients, Hancock's H, and Jaccard indices, we used target rotations and statistical tests of invariance based on confirmatory factor models. We found the five symptom dimensions measured by the 30-item PANSS did not generalize well to schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. A model based on an 18-item version of the PANSS generalized better across SZ and BP groups, but significant problems remained in generalizing some of the factors to the SA sample. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder showed greater similarity in factor structure than did schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The Anxiety/Depression factor was the most consistent across disorders, while the Positive factor was the least consistent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Testing for new physics: neutrinos and the primordial power spectrum

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

Canac, Nicolas; Abazajian, Kevork N.; Aslanyan, Grigor

2016-09-01

We test the sensitivity of neutrino parameter constraints from combinations of CMB and LSS data sets to the assumed form of the primordial power spectrum (PPS) using Bayesian model selection. Significantly, none of the tested combinations, including recent high-precision local measurements of H{sub 0} and cluster abundances, indicate a signal for massive neutrinos or extra relativistic degrees of freedom. For PPS models with a large, but fixed number of degrees of freedom, neutrino parameter constraints do not change significantly if the location of any features in the PPS are allowed to vary, although neutrino constraints are more sensitive to PPSmore » features if they are known a priori to exist at fixed intervals in log k . Although there is no support for a non-standard neutrino sector from constraints on both neutrino mass and relativistic energy density, we see surprisingly strong evidence for features in the PPS when it is constrained with data from Planck 2015, SZ cluster counts, and recent high-precision local measurements of H{sub 0}. Conversely combining Planck with matter power spectrum and BAO measurements yields a much weaker constraint. Given that this result is sensitive to the choice of data this tension between SZ cluster counts, Planck and H{sub 0} measurements is likely an indication of unmodeled systematic bias that mimics PPS features, rather than new physics in the PPS or neutrino sector.« less

Planck intermediate results: XLVII. Planck constraints on reionization history

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

Adam, R.; Aghanim, N.; Ashdown, M.

In this paper, we investigate constraints on cosmic reionization extracted from the Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) data. We combine the Planck CMB anisotropy data in temperature with the low-multipole polarization data to fit ΛCDM models with various parameterizations of the reionization history. We obtain a Thomson optical depth τ = 0.058 ± 0.012 for the commonly adopted instantaneous reionization model. This confirms, with data solely from CMB anisotropies, the low value suggested by combining Planck 2015 results with other data sets, and also reduces the uncertainties. We reconstruct the history of the ionization fraction using either a symmetric ormore » an asymmetric model for the transition between the neutral and ionized phases. To determine better constraints on the duration of the reionization process, we also make use of measurements of the amplitude of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect using additional information from the high-resolution Atacama Cosmology Telescope and South Pole Telescope experiments. The average redshift at which reionization occurs is found to lie between z = 7.8 and 8.8, depending on the model of reionization adopted. Using kSZ constraints and a redshift-symmetric reionization model, we find an upper limit to the width of the reionization period of Δz < 2.8. In all cases, we find that the Universe is ionized at less than the 10% level at redshifts above z ≃ 10. This suggests that an early onset of reionization is strongly disfavoured by the Planck data. Finally, we show that this result also reduces the tension between CMB-based analyses and constraints from other astrophysical sources.« less