Head and Neck Diseases by Alexandros G.Sfakianakis: 05/11/16

Τετάρτη 11 Μαΐου 2016

Global Malic Acid Market 2016: Industry size, Share, Growth, Forecast of CAGR

Market Research Report on Malic Acid Market 2016 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Malic Acid worldwide. First of all,"Global Malic Acid Market 2016" report provides a basic overview of the Malic Acid industry including definitions, classifications, applications an...

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Global Agriculture M2M Market 2016 Industry Share, Review, Sales, Trends, Growth & Analysis 2025

Market Research Report on Agriculture M2M Market 2016 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Agriculture M2M worldwide. First of all,"Global Agriculture M2M Market 2016" report provides a basic overview of the Agriculture M2M industry including definitions, classificati...

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Global Agricultural Miticide Market 2016 Industry Research, Demand, Supply, Trends, Growth & Analysis 2025

Market Research Report on Agricultural Miticide Market 2016 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Agricultural Miticide worldwide. First of all,"Global Agricultural Miticide Market 2016" report provides a basic overview of the Agricultural Miticide industry including d...

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Global Adjuvants in Agriculture Market 2016 Industry Supply, Review, Trends, Size, Growth & Analysis 2025

Market Research Report on Adjuvants in Agriculture Market 2016 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Adjuvants in Agriculture worldwide. First of all,"Global Adjuvants in Agriculture Market 2016" report provides a basic overview of the Adjuvants in Agriculture industry...

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Taste cell-expressed α-glucosidase enzymes contribute to gustatory responses to disaccharides.

Taste cell-expressed α-glucosidase enzymes contribute to gustatory responses to disaccharides.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 May 9;

Authors: Sukumaran SK, Yee KK, Iwata S, Kotha R, Quezada-Calvillo R, Nichols BL, Mohan S, Pinto BM, Shigemura N, Ninomiya Y, Margolskee RF

Abstract
The primary sweet sensor in mammalian taste cells for sugars and noncaloric sweeteners is the heteromeric combination of type 1 taste receptors 2 and 3 (T1R2+T1R3, encoded by Tas1r2 and Tas1r3 genes). However, in the absence of T1R2+T1R3 (e.g., in Tas1r3 KO mice), animals still respond to sugars, arguing for the presence of T1R-independent detection mechanism(s). Our previous findings that several glucose transporters (GLUTs), sodium glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), and the ATP-gated K(+) (KATP) metabolic sensor are preferentially expressed in the same taste cells with T1R3 provides a potential explanation for the T1R-independent detection of sugars: sweet-responsive taste cells that respond to sugars and sweeteners may contain a T1R-dependent (T1R2+T1R3) sweet-sensing pathway for detecting sugars and noncaloric sweeteners, as well as a T1R-independent (GLUTs, SGLT1, KATP) pathway for detecting monosaccharides. However, the T1R-independent pathway would not explain responses to disaccharide and oligomeric sugars, such as sucrose, maltose, and maltotriose, which are not substrates for GLUTs or SGLT1. Using RT-PCR, quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry, we found that taste cells express multiple α-glycosidases (e.g., amylase and neutral α glucosidase C) and so-called intestinal "brush border" disaccharide-hydrolyzing enzymes (e.g., maltase-glucoamylase and sucrase-isomaltase). Treating the tongue with inhibitors of disaccharidases specifically decreased gustatory nerve responses to disaccharides, but not to monosaccharides or noncaloric sweeteners, indicating that lingual disaccharidases are functional. These taste cell-expressed enzymes may locally break down dietary disaccharides and starch hydrolysis products into monosaccharides that could serve as substrates for the T1R-independent sugar sensing pathways.

PMID: 27162343 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Chemosensory Dysfunction in Alcohol-Related Disorders: A Joint Exploration of Olfaction and Taste.

Chemosensory Dysfunction in Alcohol-Related Disorders: A Joint Exploration of Olfaction and Taste.

Chem Senses. 2015 Nov;40(9):605-8

Authors: Brion M, de Timary P, Vander Stappen C, Guettat L, Lecomte B, Rombaux P, Maurage P

Abstract
Chemosensory (olfaction-taste) dysfunctions are considered as reliable biomarkers in many neurological and psychiatric states. However, experimental measures of chemosensory abilities are lacking in alcohol-dependence (AD) and Korsakoff Syndrome (KS, a neurological complication of AD), despite the role played by alcohol-related odors and taste in the emergence and maintenance of AD. This study thus investigated chemosensory impairments in AD and KS. Olfactory-gustatory measures were taken among 20 KS, 20 AD, and 20 control participants. Olfaction (odor detection-discrimination-identification) was assessed using the "Sniffin Sticks" battery and taste was measured using the "Taste Strips" task. Impairments were found for high-level olfaction in AD (odor discrimination) and KS (odor discrimination-identification), even after controlling for psychopathological comorbidities. Gustatory deficits were also observed in both groups, indexing a global deficit for chemosensory perception. Finally, the gradient of impairment between the successive disease stages for odor identification suggests that the hypothesis of a continuum between AD and KS regarding cognitive deficits can be generalized to chemosensory perception. AD and KS are thus characterized by deficits in chemosensory abilities, which could constitute a marker of the AD-KS transition. In view of its deleterious influence on everyday life, chemosensory dysfunction should also be taken into account in clinical settings.

PMID: 26354933 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Acoustic shadows help gleaning bats find prey, but may be defeated by prey acoustic camouflage on rough surfaces.

http:--cdn.elifesciences.org-images-elif

Acoustic shadows help gleaning bats find prey, but may be defeated by prey acoustic camouflage on rough surfaces.

Elife. 2015;4

Authors: Clare EL, Holderied MW

Abstract
Perceptual abilities of animals, like echolocating bats, are difficult to study because they challenge our understanding of non-visual senses. We used novel acoustic tomography to convert echoes into visual representations and compare these cues to traditional echo measurements. We provide a new hypothesis for the echo-acoustic basis of prey detection on surfaces. We propose that bats perceive a change in depth profile and an 'acoustic shadow' cast by prey. The shadow is more salient than prey echoes and particularly strong on smooth surfaces. This may explain why bats look for prey on flat surfaces like leaves using scanning behaviour. We propose that rather than forming search images for prey, whose characteristics are unpredictable, predators may look for disruptions to the resting surface (acoustic shadows). The fact that the acoustic shadow is much fainter on rougher resting surfaces provides the first empirical evidence for 'acoustic camouflage' as an anti-predator defence mechanism.

PMID: 26327624 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Taste cell-expressed α-glucosidase enzymes contribute to gustatory responses to disaccharides.

Taste cell-expressed α-glucosidase enzymes contribute to gustatory responses to disaccharides.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 May 9;

Authors: Sukumaran SK, Yee KK, Iwata S, Kotha R, Quezada-Calvillo R, Nichols BL, Mohan S, Pinto BM, Shigemura N, Ninomiya Y, Margolskee RF

PMID: 27162343 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The Insect Chemoreceptor Superfamily Is Ancient in Animals.

The Insect Chemoreceptor Superfamily Is Ancient in Animals.

Chem Senses. 2015 Nov;40(9):609-14

Authors: Robertson HM

Abstract
The insect chemoreceptor superfamily consists of 2 gene families, the highly diverse gustatory receptors (GRs) found in all arthropods with sequenced genomes and the odorant receptors that evolved from a GR lineage and have been found only in insects to date. Here, I describe relatives of the insect chemoreceptor superfamily, specifically the basal GR family, in diverse other animals, showing that the superfamily dates back at least to early animal evolution. GR-Like (GRL) genes are present in the genomes of the placozoan Trichoplax adhaerens, an anemone Nematostella vectensis, a coral Acropora digitifera, a polychaete Capitella teleta, a leech Helobdella robusta, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (and many other nematodes), 3 molluscs (a limpet Lottia gigantea, an oyster Crassostrea gigas, and the sea hare Aplysia californica), the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and the sea acorn Saccoglossus kowalevskii. While some of these animals contain multiple divergent GRL lineages, GRLs have been lost entirely from other animal lineages such as vertebrates. GRLs are absent from the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, the demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica, and 2 available chaonoflagellate genomes, so it remains unclear whether this superfamily originated before or during animal evolution.

PMID: 26354932 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Chemosensory Dysfunction in Alcohol-Related Disorders: A Joint Exploration of Olfaction and Taste.

Chemosensory Dysfunction in Alcohol-Related Disorders: A Joint Exploration of Olfaction and Taste.

Chem Senses. 2015 Nov;40(9):605-8

Authors: Brion M, de Timary P, Vander Stappen C, Guettat L, Lecomte B, Rombaux P, Maurage P

PMID: 26354933 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Taste cell-expressed α-glucosidase enzymes contribute to gustatory responses to disaccharides.

Taste cell-expressed α-glucosidase enzymes contribute to gustatory responses to disaccharides.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 May 9;

Authors: Sukumaran SK, Yee KK, Iwata S, Kotha R, Quezada-Calvillo R, Nichols BL, Mohan S, Pinto BM, Shigemura N, Ninomiya Y, Margolskee RF

PMID: 27162343 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The Parkinson Disease Mitochondrial Hypothesis: Where Are We at?

Parkinson's disease is a common, adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder whose pathogenesis is still under intense investigation. Substantial evidence from postmortem human brain tissue, genetic- and toxin-induced animal and cellular models indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in the pathophysiology of the disease. This review discusses our current understanding of Parkinson's disease–related mitochondrial dysfunction, including bioenergetic defects, mitochondrial DNA alterations, altered mitochondrial dynamics, activation of mitochondrial-dependent programmed cell death, and perturbations in mitochondrial tethering to the endoplasmic reticulum. Whether a primary or secondary event, mitochondrial dysfunction holds promise as a potential therapeutic target to halt the progression of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

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Forthcoming Articles

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The Neuroscientist Comments

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From Molecular Circuit Dysfunction to Disease: Case Studies in Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Alzheimers Disease

Complex circuitry with feed-forward and feed-back systems regulate neuronal activity throughout the brain. Cell biological, electrical, and neurotransmitter systems enable neural networks to process and drive the entire spectrum of cognitive, behavioral, and motor functions. Simultaneous orchestration of distinct cells and interconnected neural circuits relies on hundreds, if not thousands, of unique molecular interactions. Even single molecule dysfunctions can be disrupting to neural circuit activity, leading to neurological pathology. Here, we sample our current understanding of how molecular aberrations lead to disruptions in networks using three neurological pathologies as exemplars: epilepsy, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Epilepsy provides a window into how total destabilization of network balance can occur. TBI is an abrupt physical disruption that manifests in both acute and chronic neurological deficits. Last, in AD progressive cell loss leads to devastating cognitive consequences. Interestingly, all three of these neurological diseases are interrelated. The goal of this review, therefore, is to identify molecular changes that may lead to network dysfunction, elaborate on how altered network activity and circuit structure can contribute to neurological disease, and suggest common threads that may lie at the heart of molecular circuit dysfunction.

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Perspectives on Neuroscience and Behavior

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How Schwann Cells Sort Axons: New Concepts

Peripheral nerves contain large myelinated and small unmyelinated (Remak) fibers that perform different functions. The choice to myelinate or not is dictated to Schwann cells by the axon itself, based on the amount of neuregulin I–type III exposed on its membrane. Peripheral axons are more important in determining the final myelination fate than central axons, and the implications for this difference in Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes are discussed. Interestingly, this choice is reversible during pathology, accounting for the remarkable plasticity of Schwann cells, and contributing to the regenerative potential of the peripheral nervous system. Radial sorting is the process by which Schwann cells choose larger axons to myelinate during development. This crucial morphogenetic step is a prerequisite for myelination and for differentiation of Remak fibers, and is arrested in human diseases due to mutations in genes coding for extracellular matrix and linkage molecules. In this review we will summarize progresses made in the last years by a flurry of reverse genetic experiments in mice and fish. This work revealed novel molecules that control radial sorting, and contributed unexpected ideas to our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control radial sorting of axons.

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Integrating Levels of Analysis in Systems and Cognitive Neurosciences: Selective Attention as a Case Study

Neuroscience is inherently interdisciplinary, rapidly expanding beyond its roots in biological sciences to many areas of the social and physical sciences. This expansion has led to more sophisticated ways of thinking about the links between brains and behavior and has inspired the development of increasingly advanced tools to characterize the activity of large populations of neurons. However, along with these advances comes a heightened risk of fostering confusion unless efforts are made to better integrate findings across different model systems and to develop a better understanding about how different measurement techniques provide mutually constraining information. Here we use selective visuospatial attention as a case study to highlight the importance of these issues, and we suggest that exploiting multiple measures can better constrain models that relate neural activity to animal behavior.

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Hippocampal Wnt Signaling: Memory Regulation and Hormone Interactions

Wnt signaling has emerged in recent years as a major player in both nervous system development and adult synaptic plasticity. Of particular relevance to researchers studying learning and memory, Wnt signaling is critical for normal functioning of the hippocampus, a brain region that is essential for many types of memory formation and whose dysfunction is implicated in numerous neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. Impaired hippocampal Wnt signaling is implicated in several of these conditions, however, little is known about how Wnt signaling mediates hippocampal memory formation. This review will provide a general overview of Wnt signaling and discuss evidence demonstrating a key role for Wnt signaling in hippocampal memory formation in both normal and disease states. The regulation of Wnt signaling by ovarian sex steroid hormones will also be highlighted, given that the neuroprotection afforded by Wnt-hormone interactions may have significant implications for cognitive function in aging, neurodegenerative disease, and ischemic injury.

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Cholinergic Mechanisms in the Cerebral Cortex: Beyond Synaptic Transmission

Functional overviews of cholinergic mechanisms in the cerebral cortex have traditionally focused on the release of acetylcholine with modulator and transmitter effects. Recently, however, data have emerged that extend the role of acetylcholine and cholinergic innervations to a range of housekeeping and metabolic functions. These include regulation of amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing with production of amyloid β (Aβ) and other APP fragments and control of the phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein (MAP) tau. Evidence has been also presented for receptor-ligand like interactions of cholinergic receptors with soluble Aβ peptide and MAP tau, with modulator and signaling effects. Moreover, high-affinity binding of Aβ to the neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75NTR) enriched in basalo-cortical cholinergic projections has been implicated in clearance of Aβ and nucleation of amyloid plaques. Here, we critically evaluate these unorthodox cholinergic mechanisms and discuss their role in neuronal physiology and the biology of Alzheimer's disease.

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Syntactic Awareness and Text Production in Brazilian Portuguese Students with Learning Disabilities

Aims: This study compared the syntactic awareness and textual production skills of school children and teenagers with and without learning disabilities (LD) and related their performances in both skills. Methods: The study group consisted of 15 children with an LD and 15 without language and learning alterations. To compare the performance of both groups, data were statistically analyzed using Fisher's exact test, and the association between the evidence in each group was demonstrated by Spearman's correlations, with a significance level of 5% (p Results: Most subjects with LD showed a lower performance in tests of syntactic awareness and textual production. Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in the performance of children with and without language disorders for both tested skills. A positive relationship was found between the children's performance in the test of textual production and the tasks of syntactic awareness. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the ability to judge and correct grammatical structures can be an important factor in the development of the skills used to produce a text.
Folia Phoniatr Logop 2015;67:315-320

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Syntactic Awareness and Text Production in Brazilian Portuguese Students with Learning Disabilities

Aims: This study compared the syntactic awareness and textual production skills of school children and teenagers with and without learning disabilities (LD) and related their performances in both skills. Methods: The study group consisted of 15 children with an LD and 15 without language and learning alterations. To compare the performance of both groups, data were statistically analyzed using Fisher's exact test, and the association between the evidence in each group was demonstrated by Spearman's correlations, with a significance level of 5% (p Results: Most subjects with LD showed a lower performance in tests of syntactic awareness and textual production. Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in the performance of children with and without language disorders for both tested skills. A positive relationship was found between the children's performance in the test of textual production and the tasks of syntactic awareness. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the ability to judge and correct grammatical structures can be an important factor in the development of the skills used to produce a text.
Folia Phoniatr Logop 2015;67:315-320

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Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Treatment-Refractory Chronic Dysphagia in Tube-Fed Patients: A Prospective Case Series.

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Treatment-Refractory Chronic Dysphagia in Tube-Fed Patients: A Prospective Case Series.

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2016 May 5;67(6):308-314

Authors: Scarponi L, Mozzanica F, De Cristofaro V, Ginocchio D, Pizzorni N, Bottero A, Schindler A

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in tube-fed patients with severe and chronic dysphagia refractory to traditional swallowing therapy (TT).
PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 11 consecutive dysphagic patients with tube-dependent nutrition and who had not responded to 6 months of TT were enrolled. Each patient received NMES for 30 min and TT for 30 min, twice a day, 5 days per week for 4 weeks. In order to evaluate the swallowing impairment, each patient underwent a fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing immediately before the beginning of the treatment, after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks.
RESULTS: All enrolled patients managed to complete the swallowing treatment protocol for at least 2 weeks. After the 4-week treatment, 6 of 11 enrolled patients passed to a total oral diet with single or multiple consistencies despite specific food limitations or special preparation or compensation. Five patients, all affected by the most severe form of dysphagia, maintained tube-dependent nutrition.
CONCLUSION: NMES as adjunctive treatment to TT may offer a new possibility for the management of tube-fed patients who are refractory to TT.

PMID: 27160206 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Synthesis and Piezochromic Luminescence Study of a Coumarin Hydrozone Compound

Chem. Commun., 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6CC02937J, Communication

Haiyan Yu, Wang Ren, Hongguang Lu, Yanan Liang, Qiusheng Wang
A novel coumarin hydrozone compound which exhibits piezochromic luminescence upon grinding was prepared. The piezofluorochromic properties were reversible upon fuming or heating. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds have been observed with...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Using topic coding to understand the nature of change language in a motivational intervention to reduce alcohol and sex risk behaviors in emergency department patients.

Using topic coding to understand the nature of change language in a motivational intervention to reduce alcohol and sex risk behaviors in emergency department patients.

Patient Educ Couns. 2016 May 2;

Authors: Kahler CW, Caswell AJ, Laws MB, Walthers J, Magill M, Mastroleo NR, Howe CJ, Souza T, Wilson I, Bryant K, Monti PM

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To elucidate patient language that supports changing a health behavior (change talk) or sustaining the behavior (sustain talk).
METHODS: We developed a novel coding system to characterize topics of patient speech in a motivational intervention targeting alcohol and HIV/sexual risk in 90 Emergency Department patients. We further coded patient language as change or sustain talk.
RESULTS: For both alcohol and sex, discussions focusing on benefits of behavior change or change planning were most likely to involve change talk, and these topics comprised a large portion of all change talk. Greater discussion of barriers and facilitators of change also was associated with more change talk. For alcohol use, benefits of drinking behavior was the most common topic of sustain talk. For sex risk, benefits of sexual behavior were rarely discussed, and sustain talk centered more on patterns and contexts, negations of drawbacks, and drawbacks of sexual risk behavior change.
CONCLUSIONS: Topic coding provided unique insights into the content of patient change and sustain talk.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Patients are most likely to voice change talk when conversation focuses on behavior change rather than ongoing behavior. Interventions addressing multiple health behaviors should address the unique motivations for maintaining specific risky behaviors.

PMID: 27161165 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Receptive language as a predictor of cochlear implant outcome for prelingually deaf adults.

Receptive language as a predictor of cochlear implant outcome for prelingually deaf adults.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 10;:1-7

Authors: Rousset A, Dowell R, Leigh J

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated outcomes and predictive factors, specifically language skills, for a group of prelingually hearing-impaired adults who received a cochlear implant.
DESIGN: Speech perception data, demographic information, and other related variables such as communication mode, residual hearing, and receptive language abilities were explored. Pre- and post-implant speech perception scores were compared and multiple regression analysis was used to identify significant predictive relationships.
STUDY SAMPLE: The study included 43 adults with a prelingual onset of hearing loss, who proceeded with cochlear implantation at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
RESULTS: The majority of patients experienced benefit from their cochlear implants, with 88% demonstrating significant improvement in speech perception performance. Volunteers achieved better post-operative speech perception scores if they had a shorter duration of severe-to-profound hearing loss, better language skills, and used an exclusively oral communication mode.
CONCLUSIONS: Although post-operative speech perception performance is significantly poorer for prelingually hearing-impaired adults compared to postlingually hearing-impaired patients, the study group demonstrated significant benefit from their cochlear implants. The variability in post-operative outcomes can be predicted to some extent from the hearing history and language abilities of the individual patient.

PMID: 27160793 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Aging Effect on Korean Female Voice: Acoustic and Perceptual Examinations of Breathiness.

Aging Effect on Korean Female Voice: Acoustic and Perceptual Examinations of Breathiness.

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2016 May 5;67(6):300-307

Authors: Lee SJ, Cho Y, Song JY, Lee D, Kim Y, Kim H

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This paper sought to examine perceptual and acoustic characteristics in Korean female voices, focusing on the 'breathy' quality as a function of aging. In addition, we aimed to investigate if the three selected measures, H1-H2, H1-A1, and H1-A3, demonstrated any changes along a sustained vowel production.
PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 42 participants were assigned to two age groups, young women and elderly women. All participants were asked to sustain /a/ as long and as steadily as possible. Perceptual judgments of breathiness were made on the GRBAS scale and by a direct magnitude estimation technique, while three acoustic parameters, H1-H2, H1-A1, and H1-A3, were measured at five measurement time points during the sustained vowel test.
RESULTS: Results indicated that the H1-H2 and H1-A1 values were significantly lower for elderly women compared to young women, although no difference in the perceptual estimation of breathiness was found between the age groups. Among the acoustic measures, only H1-A1 was significantly regressed against the perceptual estimate of breathiness. In addition, no significant acoustic difference in the measures was found across the five measurement points.
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the aging voice might not be universally characterized by the breathy quality, which hints at the need for further research on ethnic diversity in vocal quality.

PMID: 27160514 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Experience-dependent enhancement of pitch-specific responses in the auditory cortex is limited to acceleration rates in normal voice range.

http:--linkinghub.elsevier.com-ihub-imag

Experience-dependent enhancement of pitch-specific responses in the auditory cortex is limited to acceleration rates in normal voice range.

Neuroscience. 2015 Sep 10;303:433-45

Authors: Krishnan A, Gandour JT, Suresh CH

Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine how pitch acceleration rates within and outside the normal pitch range may influence latency and amplitude of cortical pitch-specific responses (CPR) as a function of language experience (Chinese, English). Responses were elicited from a set of four pitch stimuli chosen to represent a range of acceleration rates (two each inside and outside the normal voice range) imposed on the high rising Mandarin Tone 2. Pitch-relevant neural activity, as reflected in the latency and amplitude of scalp-recorded CPR components, varied depending on language-experience and pitch acceleration of dynamic, time-varying pitch contours. Peak latencies of CPR components were shorter in the Chinese than the English group across stimuli. Chinese participants showed greater amplitude than English for CPR components at both frontocentral and temporal electrode sites in response to pitch contours with acceleration rates inside the normal voice pitch range as compared to pitch contours with acceleration rates that exceed the normal range. As indexed by CPR amplitude at the temporal sites, a rightward asymmetry was observed for the Chinese group only. Only over the right temporal site was amplitude greater in the Chinese group relative to the English. These findings may suggest that the neural mechanism(s) underlying processing of pitch in the right auditory cortex reflect experience-dependent modulation of sensitivity to acceleration in just those rising pitch contours that fall within the bounds of one's native language. More broadly, enhancement of native pitch stimuli and stronger rightward asymmetry of CPR components in the Chinese group is consistent with the notion that long-term experience shapes adaptive, distributed hierarchical pitch processing in the auditory cortex, and reflects an interaction with higher order, extrasensory processes beyond the sensory memory trace.

PMID: 26166727 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Differences in Velopharyngeal Structure during Speech among Asians Revealed by 3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging Movie Mode.

http:--images.hindawi.com-linkout-hindaw

Differences in Velopharyngeal Structure during Speech among Asians Revealed by 3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging Movie Mode.

Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:126264

Authors: Nunthayanon K, Honda E, Shimazaki K, Ohmori H, Inoue-Arai MS, Kurabayashi T, Ono T

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Different bony structures can affect the function of the velopharyngeal muscles. Asian populations differ morphologically, including the morphologies of their bony structures. The purpose of this study was to compare the velopharyngeal structures during speech in two Asian populations: Japanese and Thai.
METHODS: Ten healthy Japanese and Thai females (five each) were evaluated with a 3-Tesla (3 T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner while they produced vowel-consonant-vowel syllable (/asa/). A gradient-echo sequence, fast low-angle shot with segmented cine and parallel imaging technique was used to obtain sagittal images of the velopharyngeal structures.
RESULTS: MRI was carried out in real time during speech production, allowing investigations of the time-to-time changes in the velopharyngeal structures. Thai subjects had a significantly longer hard palate and produced shorter consonant than Japanese subjects. The velum of the Thai participants showed significant thickening during consonant production and their retroglossal space was significantly wider at rest, whereas the dimensional change during task performance was similar in the two populations.
CONCLUSIONS: The 3 T MRI movie method can be used to investigate velopharyngeal function and diagnose velopharyngeal insufficiency. The racial differences may include differences in skeletal patterns and soft-tissue morphology that result in functional differences for the affected structures.

PMID: 26273584 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Using topic coding to understand the nature of change language in a motivational intervention to reduce alcohol and sex risk behaviors in emergency department patients.

Using topic coding to understand the nature of change language in a motivational intervention to reduce alcohol and sex risk behaviors in emergency department patients.

Patient Educ Couns. 2016 May 2;

Authors: Kahler CW, Caswell AJ, Laws MB, Walthers J, Magill M, Mastroleo NR, Howe CJ, Souza T, Wilson I, Bryant K, Monti PM

PMID: 27161165 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Partial to complete suppression of unilateral noise-induced tinnitus in rats after cyclobenzaprine treatment.

http:--production.springer.de-OnlineReso

Partial to complete suppression of unilateral noise-induced tinnitus in rats after cyclobenzaprine treatment.

J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2015 Apr;16(2):263-72

Authors: Lobarinas E, Blair C, Spankovich C, Le Prell C

Abstract
Some forms of tinnitus are believed to arise from abnormal central nervous system activity following a single or repeated noise exposure, for which there are no widely accepted pharmacological treatments. One central site that could be related to tinnitus awareness or modulation is the locus coeruleus, a brainstem structure associated with stress, arousal, and attention. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of cyclobenzaprine, a drug known to act on the rat locus coeruleus, on noise-induced tinnitus using Gap Prepulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle (GPIAS). In untreated rats, brief silent gaps presented prior to a 5-10-kHz bandpass startling stimulus produced robust GPIAS. Treatment with cyclobenzaprine alone had no effect on the ability of gaps to suppress the startle response. When animals were exposed to intense narrow-band (126 dB SPL, 16 kHz, 100 Hz BW) unilateral noise, GPIAS was significantly reduced, suggesting the presence of tinnitus. Following the noise exposure, a subset of rats that maintained a robust startle response continued to show GPIAS impairment at 6-20 kHz, 40 days post-noise, suggesting chronic tinnitus. When this subset of animals was treated with cyclobenzaprine, at a dose that had no significant effects on the startle response (0.5 mg/kg), GPIAS recovered partially or to near baseline levels at the affected frequencies. These results were consistent with the absence of tinnitus. By 48 h post-treatment, evidence of tinnitus re-emerged. Our results suggest that cyclobenzaprine was effective in transiently suppressing noise-induced tinnitus in rats.

PMID: 25526855 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Receptive language as a predictor of cochlear implant outcome for prelingually deaf adults.

Receptive language as a predictor of cochlear implant outcome for prelingually deaf adults.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 10;:1-7

Authors: Rousset A, Dowell R, Leigh J

PMID: 27160793 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 488: A Mouse Model for Studying Nutritional Programming: Effects of Early Life Exposure to Soy Isoflavones on Bone and Reproductive Health

Over the past decade, our research group has characterized and used a mouse model to demonstrate that "nutritional programming" of bone development occurs when mice receive soy isoflavones (ISO) during the first days of life. Nutritional programming of bone development can be defined as the ability for diet during early life to set a trajectory for better or compromised bone health at adulthood. We have shown that CD-1 mice exposed to soy ISO during early neonatal life have higher bone mineral density (BMD) and greater trabecular inter-connectivity in long bones and lumbar spine at young adulthood. These skeletal sites also withstand greater forces before fracture. Because the chemical structure of ISO resembles that of 17-β-estradiol and can bind to estrogen receptors in reproductive tissues, it was prudent to expand analyses to include measures of reproductive health. This review highlights aspects of our studies in CD-1 mice to understand the early life programming effects of soy ISO on bone and reproductive health. Preclinical mouse models can provide useful data to help develop and guide the design of studies in human cohorts, which may, depending on findings and considerations of safety, lead to dietary interventions that optimize bone health.

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Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase Attenuates Methotrexate Response in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and In Vitro

Variability in response to methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) remains unpredictable and poorly understood. Based on previous studies implicating an interaction between nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) expression and MTX therapy in inflammatory arthritis, we hypothesized that increased NAMPT expression would be associated with reduced therapeutic response to MTX in patients with JIA. A significant association was found between increased plasma concentrations of NAMPT and reduced therapeutic response in patients with JIA treated with MTX. Inhibition of NAMPT in cell culture by either siRNA-based gene silencing or pharmacological inhibition with FK-866 was found to result in a fourfold increase in the pharmacological activity of MTX. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that NAMPT inhibits the pharmacological activity of MTX and may represent a predictive biomarker of response, as well as a therapeutic target, in the treatment of JIA with MTX.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 491: Preliminary Assessment of Health Risks of Potentially Toxic Elements in Settled Dust over Beijing Urban Area

To examine levels, health risks, sources, and spatial distributions of potentially toxic elements in settled dust over Beijing urban area, 62 samples were collected mostly from residential building outdoor surfaces, and their <63 μm fractions were measured for 12 potentially toxic elements. The results show that V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Ba in dust are from predominantly natural sources, whereas Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, and Pb mostly originate from anthropogenic sources. Exposure to these elements in dust has significant non-cancer risks to children but insignificant to adults. Cancer risks of Cr, Co, Ni, As, and Cd via inhalation and dermal contact are below the threshold of 10−6–10−4 but As via dust ingestion shows a tolerable risk. The non-cancer risks to children are contributed mainly (75%) by As, Pb, and Sb, and dominantly (92%) via dust ingestion, with relatively higher risks mainly occurring in the eastern and northeastern Beijing urban areas. Although Cd, Zn, and Cu in dust are heavily affected by anthropogenic sources, their health risks are insignificant. Source appointments suggest that coal burning emissions, the dominant source of As, are likely the largest contributors to the health risk, and traffic-related and industrial emissions are also important because they contribute most of the Pb and Sb in dust.

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Cancers, Vol. 8, Pages 48: The Wnt Target Gene L1 in Colon Cancer Invasion and Metastasis

The Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway is highly conserved during evolution and determines normal tissue homeostasis. Hyperactivation of Wnt-β-catenin signaling is a characteristic feature of colorectal cancer (CRC) development. β-catenin is a major transducer of the Wnt signal from the cytoplasm into the nucleus where it acts as a co-transcriptional activator of β-catenin-TCF target genes. β-catenin is also required for linking cadherin type cell-cell adhesion receptors to the cytoskeleton, and consequently Wnt-β-catenin signaling is an attractive system for investigating the role of adhesion-mediated signaling in both normal intestinal tissue homeostasis and CRC development. In this review, we summarize our studies on one Wnt-β-catenin target gene, L1, a member of the immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion transmembrane receptor family. We describe the mechanisms of L1-mediated signaling in CRC cells, its exclusive localization in invasive areas of CRC tissue, and its ability to increase cell motility and confer metastasis to the liver. We discuss the activation (by L1) of genes via an ezrin-NF-κB pathway and the induction of genes also found in the intestinal stem cell signature. By studying L1 (adhesion)-mediated signaling, we expect to learn about mechanisms regulating both normal intestinal homeostasis and CRC development.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 482: The Risk of Breast Cancer in Women Using Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy in Taiwan

Menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases the risk of breast cancer in Western countries; however, there are fewer reports from the Asian population, which has a lower incidence of breast cancer. A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted by analyzing longitudinal National Health Insurance claim data of a 200,000-person national representative cohort. A total of 22,929 women aged ≥45 years in 1997 without previous diagnosis of breast cancer were enrolled and stratified into two birth cohorts born before or after 1933. HRT prescriptions were traced in outpatient data files and incident breast cancer cases were identified from 1997 to 2004. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze breast cancer hazard ratio (HR). HRT users were censored after they discontinued HRT. The results showed that women born during 1933–1952 had a twofold increased risk of breast cancer (HR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.47–3.00) compared with women born before 1933, when adjusted for HRT use. When adjusted for the birth-cohort difference, HRT users had significantly increased breast cancer HR versus non-users after four years of use (adjusted HR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.03–2.13); the HR further increased to 1.95 (95% CI = 1.34–2.84) after eight years of use. In conclusion, a longer duration of current HRT use was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer independent of the birth-cohort difference.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 489: Identifying Ethical Issues in Mental Health Research with Minors Adolescents: Results of a Delphi Study

Research with minors, especially for preventive purposes, e.g., suicide prevention, investigating risk or self-destructive behaviors such as deviance, drug abuse, or suicidal behavior, is ethically sensitive. We present a Delphi study exploring the ethical implications of the needs formulated by researchers in an international pre-conference who would benefit from ethics support and guidance in conducting Mental Health Research with minors. The resulting List of Ethical Issues (LEI) was submitted to a 2-rounds Delphi process via the Internet, including 34 multidisciplinary experts. In the first round, the experts reviewed the LEI and completed a questionnaire. Results from this round were analyzed and grouped in nine categories comprising 40 items. In the second round, the experts had to agree/disagree with the needs expressed in the LEI leading to a final list of 25 ethical issues considered relevant for Mental Health Research with minors such as: confidentiality of the sensitive data, competence for consenting alone and risk of harm and stigma related to the methodology used in research. It was shown that studies like SEYLE (Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe) trigger among researchers wishes to obtain specific recommendations helping to comply with standards for good practice in conducting research with minors.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 486: Attitude, Acceptability and Knowledge of HPV Vaccination among Local University Students in Hong Kong

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has the great potential to prevent HPV-related infections for millions of women and men worldwide. However, the success of the vaccine is highly dependent on the vaccination rate. Factors influencing the attitudes of undergraduate students towards HPV vaccination should be studied. This is a cross-sectional survey that was conducted to estimate the HPV vaccination rate among undergraduate students in Hong Kong, and to identify the predictors of their attitude towards HPV vaccination. The results showed that the HPV vaccination rate was 13.3%. Factors related to knowledge of vaccination were the main predictors of the students' attitude towards vaccination (there were seven predictors, with B = 1.36 to 2.30; p < 0.05), followed by gender (B = −1.40; p < 0.05), acceptable maximum price (B = 0.35; p < 0.05), and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine if it can protect against cervical/anal cancer and genital warts (B = −1.90; p < 0.001). The regression model that was developed based on the predictors had a moderate effect size (adj-R2 = 0.33). To conclude, the HPV vaccination rate among undergraduate students in Hong Kong was low. They should be provided with more active education and activities to promote HPV vaccination to improve their knowledge on the subject.

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Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 466: Sustainable Wearables: Wearable Technology for Enhancing the Quality of Human Life

This paper aims to elicit insights about sustainable wearables by investigating recent advancements in wearable technology and their applications. Wearable technology has advanced considerably from a technical perspective, but it has stagnated due to barriers without penetrating wider society despite early positive expectations. This situation is the motivation behind the focus on studies by many research groups in recent years into wearable applications that can provide the best value from a human-oriented perspective. The expectation is that a new means to resolve the issue can be found from a viewpoint of sustainability; this is the main point of this paper. This paper first focuses on the trend of wearable technology like bodily status monitoring, multi-wearable device control, and smart networking between wearable sensors. Second, the development intention of such technology is investigated. Finally, this paper discusses about the applications of current wearable technology from the sustainable perspective, rather than detailed description of the component technologies employed in wearables. In this paper, the definition of sustainable wearables is discussed in the context of improving the quality of individual life, social impact, and social public interest; those wearable applications include the areas of wellness, healthcare, assistance for the visually impaired, disaster relief, and public safety. In the future, wearables will not be simple data trackers or fun accessories but will gain extended objectives and meanings that play a valuable role for individuals and societies. Successful and sustainable wearables will lead to positive changes for both individuals and societies overall.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 672: Modeling of a Single-Notch Microfiber Coupler for High-Sensitivity and Low Detection-Limit Refractive Index Sensing

A highly sensitive refractive index sensor with low detection limit based on an asymmetric optical microfiber coupler is proposed. It is composed of a silica optical microfiber and an As2Se3 optical microfiber. Due to the asymmetry of the microfiber materials, a single-notch transmission spectrum is demonstrated by the large refractive index difference between the two optical microfibers. Compared with the symmetric coupler, the bandwidth of the asymmetric structure is over one order of magnitude narrower than that of the former. Therefore, the asymmetric optical microfiber coupler based sensor can reach over one order of magnitude smaller detection limit, which is defined as the minimal detectable refractive index change caused by the surrounding analyte. With the advantage of large evanescent field, the results also show that a sensitivity of up to 3212 nm per refractive index unit with a bandwidth of 12 nm is achieved with the asymmetric optical microfiber coupler. Furthermore, a maximum sensitivity of 4549 nm per refractive index unit can be reached while the radii of the silica optical microfiber and As2Se3 optical microfiber are 0.5 μm and a 0.128 μm, respectively. This sensor component may have important potential for low detection-limit physical and biochemical sensing applications.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 492: A Primrose Path? Moderating Effects of Age and Gender in the Association between Green Space and Mental Health

This paper explored whether the association between green space and mental health is moderated by age and gender. Questionnaires on psychopathology and quality of life were filled out by 4924 individuals from the general Dutch population and regressed on greenness levels. Green space was associated with better mental health, but only in specific age and gender groups, and only in a 3 km, not a 1 km buffer. The moderating effects of age and gender may be explained by whether or not people have the opportunity to make use of their green living environment.

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Assembly force and taper angle difference influence the relative motion at the stem-neck interface of bi-modular hip prostheses

Bi-modular hip arthroplasty prostheses allow adaptation to the individual patient anatomy and the combination of different materials but introduce an additional interface, which was related lately to current clinical issues. Relative motion at the additional taper interface might increase the overall risk of fretting, corrosion, metallic debris and early failure. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the assembly force influences the relative motion and seating behaviour at the stem–neck interface of a bi-modular hip prosthesis (Metha^®; Aesculap AG, Tuttlingen, Germany) and whether this relation is influenced by the taper angle difference between male and female taper angles. Neck adapters made of titanium (Ti6Al4V) and CoCr (CoCr29Mo) were assembled with a titanium stem using varying assembly forces and mechanically loaded. A contactless eddy current measurement system was used to record the relative motion between prosthesis stem and neck adapter. Higher relative motion was observed for Ti neck adapters compared to the CoCr ones (p < 0.001). Higher assembly forces caused increased seating distances (p < 0.001) and led to significantly reduced relative motion (p = 0.019). Independent of neck material type, prostheses with larger taper angle difference between male and female taper angles exhibited decreased relative motion (p < 0.001). Surgeons should carefully use assembly forces above 4 kN to decrease the amount of relative motion within the taper interface. Maximum assembly forces, however, should be limited to prevent periprosthetic fractures. Manufacturers should optimize taper angle differences to increase the resistance against relative motion.

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Effect of Inhaled Nitric Oxide on Outcomes in Children With Acute Lung Injury: Propensity Matched Analysis From a Linked Database.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of inhaled nitric oxide on outcomes in children with acute lung injury. Design: Retrospective study with a secondary data analysis of linked data from two national databases. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for potential confounding variables between patients who received at least 24 hours of inhaled nitric oxide (inhaled nitric oxide group) and those who did not receive inhaled nitric oxide (no inhaled nitric oxide group). Setting: Linked data from Virtual Pediatric Systems (LLC) database and Pediatric Health Information System. Patients: Patients less than 18 years old receiving mechanical ventilation for acute lung injury at nine participating hospitals were included (2009-2014). Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 20,106 patients from nine hospitals were included. Of these, 859 patients (4.3%) received inhaled nitric oxide for at least 24 hours during their hospital stay. Prior to matching, patients in the inhaled nitric oxide group were younger, with more comorbidities, greater severity of illness scores, higher prevalence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and greater resource utilization. Before matching, unadjusted outcomes, including mortality, were worse in the inhaled nitric oxide group (inhaled nitric oxide vs no inhaled nitric oxide; 25.7% vs 7.9%; p

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Concise Definitive Review: Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis.

Objectives: Stress ulcer prophylaxis is commonly administered to critically ill patients for the prevention of clinically important stress-related mucosal bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract. Despite widespread incorporation of stress ulcer prophylaxis into practice around the world, questions are emerging about its indications and impact. This clinically focused article will review current controversies related to stress ulcer prophylaxis for critically ill adult patients, including bleeding frequency, risk factors, comparative efficacy, adverse effect profile, and overall cost-effectiveness of the available stress ulcer prophylaxis regimens. Data Sources: A MEDLINE search was conducted from inception through August 2015. Study Selection: Selected publications describing stress ulcer prophylaxis in adult patients were retrieved (original research, systematic reviews, and practice guidelines); their bibliographies were also reviewed to identify additional pertinent publications. Data Extraction: Data from relevant publications were abstracted and summarized. Data Synthesis: The existing evidence is organized to describe the patients most likely to benefit from stress ulcer prophylaxis, review the comparative efficacy of proton pump inhibitors and histamine 2 receptor antagonists, the adverse effects of stress ulcer prophylaxis, and overall cost-effectiveness. Conclusions: Many stress ulcer prophylaxis recommendations are based on older studies at risk of bias, which may not be applicable to modern practice. Stress ulcer prophylaxis should be limited to patients considered to be at high risk for clinically important bleeding. When evaluating only the trials at low risk for bias, the evidence does not clearly support lower bleeding rates with proton pump inhibitors over histamine 2 receptor antagonists; however, proton pump inhibitors appear to be the dominant drug class used worldwide today. The current rate of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and the relative adverse effects of acid suppression on infectious risk may drive not only the effectiveness, but also the cost-effectiveness of stress ulcer prophylaxis today. Research is currently underway to better address these issues. Copyright (C) by 2016 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Fitness Effects of Spontaneous Mutations in Picoeukaryotic Marine Green Algae

Estimates of the fitness effects of spontaneous mutations are important for understanding the adaptive potential of species. Here, we present the results of mutation accumulation experiments over 265 to 512 sequential generations in four species of marine unicellular green algae, Ostreococcus tauri RCC4221, Ostreococcus mediterraneus RCC2590, Micromonas pusilla RCC299 and Bathycoccus prasinos RCC1105. Cell division rates, taken as a proxy for fitness, systematically decline over the course of the experiment in O. tauri, but not in the three other species where the MA experiments were carried out over for a smaller number of generations. However, evidence of mutation accumulation in 24 MA lines arises when they are exposed to stressful conditions, such as changes in osmolarity or exposure to herbicides. The selection coefficients, estimated from the number of cell divisions per day, varies significantly between the different environmental conditions tested in MA lines, providing evidence for advantageous and deleterious effects of spontaneous mutations. This suggests a common environmental dependence of the fitness effects of mutations and allows the minimum per genome per generation mutation rates to be inferred at 0.0037 in these species.

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Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes Related to Intramuscular Fat Deposition and Fatty Acid Composition in the Breast Muscle of Squabs (Columba)

Despite the fact that squab is consumed throughout the world because of its high nutritional value and appreciated sensory attributes, aspects related to its characterization, and in particular genetic issues, have rarely been studied. In this study, meat traits in terms of pH, water holding capacity, intramuscular fat content, and fatty acid profile of the breast muscle of squabs from two meat pigeon breeds were determined. Breed-specific differences were detected in fat-related traits of intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition. RNA-Sequencing was applied to compare the transcriptomes of muscle and liver tissues between squabs of two breeds to identify candidate genes associated with the differences in the capacity of fat deposition. A total of 27 differentially expressed genes assigned to pathways of lipid metabolism were identified, of which, six genes belonged to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway along with 4 other genes. Our results confirmed in part previous reports in livestock and provided also a number of genes which had not been related to fat deposition so far. These genes can serve as a basis for further investigations to screen markers closely associated with intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition in squabs. The data from this study were deposited in NCBI's Sequence Read Archive under the accession number SRX1680021 and SRX1680022. This is the first transcriptome analysis of the muscle and liver tissue in Columba using next generation sequencing technology. Data provided here are of potential value to dissect functional genes influencing fat deposition in squabs.

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Patching Holes in the Chlamydomonas Genome

The Chlamydomonas genome has been sequenced, assembled and annotated to produce a rich resource for genetics and molecular biology in this well-studied model organism. However, the current reference genome contains ~1000 blocks of unknown sequence ('N-islands'), which are frequently placed in introns of annotated gene models. We developed a strategy to search for previously unknown exons hidden within such blocks, and determine the sequence and exon/intron boundaries of such exons. These methods are based on assembly and alignment of short cDNA and genomic DNA reads, completely independent of prior reference assembly or annotation. Our evidence indicates that a substantial proportion of the annotated intronic N-islands contain hidden exons. For most of these our algorithm recovers full exonic sequence with associated splice junctions and exon-adjacent intronic sequence. These new exons represent de novo sequence generally present nowhere in the assembled genome, and the added sequence improves evolutionary conservation of the predicted encoded peptides.

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Approach behavior and sympathetic nervous system reactivity predict substance use in young adults

Publication date: Available online 10 May 2016
Source:International Journal of Psychophysiology
Author(s): J. Benjamin Hinnant, Alissa B. Forman-Alberti, Anna Freedman, Lindsay Byrnes, Kathryn A. Degnan
A behavioral measure of approach (performance on a resource gathering task) in combination with sympathetic nervous system (SNS) reactivity was used to predict substance use in a sample of young adults (n=93). Pre-ejection period reactivity (PEP-R), a cardiac index of SNS reactivity, was recorded during the resource gathering task (task PEP – resting PEP). Higher levels of approach behaviors on the task in combination with less PEP-R (blunted SNS reactivity) predicted the highest levels of substance use. Findings are discussed in the context of behavioral and physiological systems of approach and avoidance.

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Medicine by Alexandros G.Sfakianakis,Anapafseos 5 Agios Nikolaos,Crete 72100,Greece,tel :00302841026182 & 00306932607174

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Conscious brain, metacognition and schizophrenia

Publication date: Available online 10 May 2016
Source:International Journal of Psychophysiology
Author(s): Petr Bob, Ondrej Pec, Aaron L. Mishara, Tereza Touskova, Paul H. Lysaker
Recent findings indicate that the binding and synchronization of distributed neural activities are crucial for cognitive processes and consciousness. In addition, there is increasing evidence that disrupted feature binding is related to experiences of disintegration of consciousness in schizophrenia. These data suggest that the disrupted binding and disintegration of consciousness could be typically related to schizophrenia in terms of Bleuler's concept of "splitting". In this context, deficits in metacognitive capacity in schizophrenia may be conceptualized as a spectrum from more discrete to more synthetic activities, related to specific levels of neural binding and neurocognitive deficits. This review summarizes the recent research on metacognition and its relationship to deficits of conscious awareness that may be found in schizophrenia patients. Deficits in synthetic metacognition are likely linked to the integration of information during specific processes of neural binding. Those in turn may be related to a range of mental activities including reasoning style, learning potential and insight.

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Medicine by Alexandros G.Sfakianakis,Anapafseos 5 Agios Nikolaos,Crete 72100,Greece,tel :00302841026182 & 00306932607174

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Τετάρτη 11 Μαΐου 2016

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