bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the bioaccumulation potential of ionizable organic compounds: Current knowledge and research priorities
Authors: Armitage James M. , Erickson Russell J. , Luckenbach Till , Ng Carla A. , Prosser Ryan S. , Arnot Jon A. , Schirmer Kristin , Nichols John W.
Published: November 2016

The objective of the present study was to review the current knowledge regarding the bioaccumulation potential of ionizable organic compounds (IOCs), with a focus on the availability of empirical data for fish. Aspects of the bioaccumulation potential of IOCs in fish that can be characterized relatively well include the pH dependence of gill uptake and elimination, uptake in the gut, and sorption to phospholipids (membrane–water partitioning). Key challenges include the lack of empirical data for biotransformation and binding in plasma. Fish possess a diverse array of proteins that may transport IOCs across cell membranes. Except in a few cases, however, the significance of this transport for uptake and accumulation of environmental contaminants is unknown. Two case studies are presented. The first describes modeled effects of pH and biotransformation on the bioconcentration of organic acids and bases, while the second employs an updated model to investigate factors responsible for accumulation of perfluorinated alkyl acids. The perfluorinated alkyl acid case study is notable insofar as it illustrates the likely importance of membrane transporters in the kidney and highlights the potential value of read-across approaches. Recognizing the current need to perform bioaccumulation hazard assessments and ecological and exposure risk assessment for IOCs, the authors provide a tiered strategy that progresses (as needed) from conservative assumptions (models and associated data) to more sophisticated models requiring chemical-specific information. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:882–897. © 2016 SETAC
High‐Performance Psychometrics: The Parallel‐E Parallel‐M Algorithm for Generalized Latent Variable Models
Authors: von Davier Matthias
Published: November 2016

This report presents results on a parallel implementation of the expectation‐maximization (EM) algorithm for multidimensional latent variable models. The developments presented here are based on code that parallelizes both the E step and the M step of the parallel‐E parallel‐M algorithm. Examples presented in this report include item response theory, diagnostic classification models, multitrait–multimethod (MTMM) models, and discrete mixture distribution models. These types of models are frequently applied to the analysis of multidimensional responses of test takers to a set of items, for example, in the context of proficiency testing. The algorithm presented here is based on a direct implementation of massive parallelism using a paradigm that allows the distribution of work among a number of processor cores. Modern desktop computers as well as many laptops are using processors that contain 2–4 cores and potentially twice the number of virtual cores. Many servers use 2, 4, or more multicore #central processing units (CPUs), which brings the number of cores to 8, 12, 32, or even 64 or more. The algorithm presented here scales the time reduction in the most calculation‐intense part of the program almost linearly for some problems, which means that a server with 32 physical cores executes the parallel‐E step algorithm up to 24 times faster than a single‐core computer or the equivalent nonparallel algorithm. The overall gain (including parts of the program that cannot be executed in parallel) can reach a reduction in time by a factor of 6 or more for a 12‐core machine. The basic approach is to utilize the architecture of modernCPUs, which often involves the design of processors with multiple cores that can run programs simultaneously. The use of this type of architecture for algorithms that produce posterior moments has straightforward appeal: The calculations conducted for each respondent or each distinct response pattern can be split up into simultaneous calculations.
PAPR analysis in noncontiguous OFDM systems
Authors: Kryszkiewicz Paweł , Kliks Adrian , Louet Yves
Published: November 2016

Noncontiguous orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing (NC‐OFDM) is a modulation technique suitable for 5G communications. It achieves high spectral efficiency due to aggregation and modulation with nonzero data symbols of only nonoccupied spectrum resources (subcarrier blocks). Similarly as in other multicarrier schemes, one of its main drawbacks is the high variation of instantaneous signal power measured typically by means of peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR). Although a lot of research effort has been put in OFDM PAPR characterization, there is a need for such work in the case of NC‐OFDM. This paper finds that PAPR distribution of NC‐OFDM is different than in the case of OFDM. The analysis was done by means of both simulations and analytical derivations. Lower and upper PAPR complementary cumulative distribution function bounds are provided for NC‐OFDM that are much tighter than state‐of‐the‐art solutions.
The role of fantasy–reality distinctions in preschoolers' learning from educational video
Authors: Richert Rebekah A. , Schlesinger Molly A.
Published: November 2016

The current study examined if preschoolers' understanding of fantasy and reality are related to their learning from educational videos. Forty‐nine 3‐ to 6‐year‐old children watched short clips of popular educational programs in which animated characters solved problems. Following video viewing, children attempted to solve real‐world problems analogous to the problems in the videos and were asked to describe similarities between the video problems and the problems they solved in the lab. Additionally, children were tested for their understanding of which aspects of the clips and characters were realistic and possible and which were fantastical and impossible in the real world. Children were most likely to transfer solutions from clips that had moderate elements of fantasy or incorporated fantastical elements at moments that were relevant to solving the problem. Additionally, children's understanding of which elements of the clips were fantastical was related to their transfer. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the role of the fantasy understanding in children's learning from media.

Highlights

Over the preschool years, children come to understand what aspects of animated programs are and are not possible in the real world.

Preschoolers learn problem-solving skills from animated shows when they have a clear boundary between fantasy and reality.

Engaging with moderate fantastical content in animated programs can support abstract thinking.
Credit Booms Gone Bust: Replication of Schularick and Taylor (AER 2012)
Authors: Summers Peter M.
Published: November 2016

This paper replicates the results in Schularick and Taylor (American Economic Review 2012; 102(2): 1029–1061; ST hereafter). Specifically, I replicate ST's results in the ‘narrow’ sense by reproducing their calculations in the open source econometrics package gretl. (Gretl is an acronym for Gnu Regression, Econometrics and Time‐series Laboratory. It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux at www.gretl.sourceforge.net.) I also demonstrate the robustness of ST's findings to different estimation methods. I obtain qualitatively similar results to ST via Bayesian estimation of both static and dynamic panel probit models. Finally, I show that the marginal effects of credit growth on the probability of a financial crisis vary considerably across the countries in the dataset. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In vitro and in vivo study of commercial calcium phosphate cement HydroSet™
Authors: Kent Niall W. , Blunn Gordon , Karpukhina Natalia , Davis Graham , de Godoy Roberta Ferro , Wilson Rory M. , Coathup Melanie , Onwordi Lyris , Quak Wen Yu , Hill Robert
Published: November 2016

The commercial calcium phosphate cement, HydroSet™, was investigated in vitro, studying phase formation, compressive strength and setting time, followed by an ovine in vivo study to measure osseointegration, bone apposition and bone‐to‐graft contact. The X‐ray diffraction and 31P Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MAS NMR) results showed the initial formation of octacalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite at one hour. Over 7 days the octacalcium phosphate transformed to apatite, which was the only crystalline phase of the cement at 28 days. This apatite phase is thought to be a calcium deficient apatite. In the scanning electron microscopy, histological images of 12‐week ovine in vivo results showed a high degree of osseointegration, 92.5%. Compressive strength comparisons between in vitro and in vivo measurements showed a dramatic difference between the in vitro measurements (highest 25.4 MPa) and in vivo (95 MPa), attributed to bone ingrowth into the cement in vivo. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time phase evolution of HydroSet™ and the properties studied in vitro complement the in vivo evaluation of the cement in a publication. The significance of the new finding of initial formation of octacalcium phosphate in this cement is discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 21–30, 2018.
Dinosaurs, Chameleons, Humans, and Evo‐Devo Path: Linking Étienne Geoffroy's Teratology, Waddington's Homeorhesis, Alberch's Logic of “Monsters,” and Goldschmidt Hopeful “Monsters”
Authors: Diogo Rui , Guinard Geoffrey , Diaz Raul E.
Published: November 2016

Since the rise of evo‐devo (evolutionary developmental biology) in the 1980s, few authors have attempted to combine the increasing knowledge obtained from the study of model organisms and human medicine with data from comparative anatomy and evolutionary biology in order to investigate the links between development, pathology, and macroevolution. Fortunately, this situation is slowly changing, with a renewed interest in evolutionary developmental pathology (evo‐devo‐path) in the past decades, as evidenced by the idea to publish this special, and very timely, issue on “Developmental Evolution in Biomedical Research.” As all of us have recently been involved, independently, in works related in some way or another with evolution and developmental anomalies, we decided to join our different perspectives and backgrounds in the present contribution for this special issue. Specifically, we provide a brief historical account on the study of the links between evolution, development, and pathologies, followed by a review of the recent work done by each of us, and then by a general discussion on the broader developmental and macroevolutionary implications of our studies and works recently done by other authors. Our primary aims are to highlight the strength of studying developmental anomalies within an evolutionary framework to understand morphological diversity and disease by connecting the recent work done by us and others with the research done and broader ideas proposed by authors such as Étienne Geoffroy Saint‐Hilaire, Waddington, Goldschmidt, Gould, and Per Alberch, among many others to pave the way for further and much needed work regarding abnormal development and macroevolution.
Sex differences in animal models of decision making
Authors: Orsini Caitlin A. , Setlow Barry
Published: November 2016

The ability to weigh the costs and benefits of various options to make an adaptive decision is critical to an organism's survival and wellbeing. Many psychiatric diseases are characterized by maladaptive decision making, indicating a need for better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this process and the ways in which it is altered under pathological conditions. Great strides have been made in uncovering these mechanisms, but the majority of what is known comes from studies conducted solely in male subjects. In recent years, decision‐making research has begun to include female subjects to determine whether sex differences exist and to identify the mechanisms that contribute to such differences. This Mini‐Review begins by describing studies that have examined sex differences in animal (largely rodent) models of decision making. Possible explanations, both theoretical and biological, for such differences in decision making are then considered. The Mini‐Review concludes with a discussion of the implications of sex differences in decision making for understanding psychiatric conditions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex‐specific mechanisms for responding to stress
Authors: Bangasser Debra A. , Wicks Brittany
Published: November 2016

Posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression share stress as an etiological contributor and are more common in women than in men. Traditionally, preclinical studies investigating the neurobiological underpinnings of stress vulnerability have used only male rodents; however, recent studies that include females are finding sex‐specific mechanisms for responding to stress. This Mini‐Review examines recent literature using a framework developed by McCarthy and colleagues (2012; J Neurosci 32:2241–2247) that highlights different types of sex differences. First, we detail how learned fear responses in rats are sexually dimorphic. Then, we contrast this finding with fear extinction, which is similar in males and females at the behavioral level but at the circuitry level is associated with sex‐specific cellular changes and, thus, exemplifies a sex convergence. Next, sex differences in stress hormones are detailed. Finally, the effects of stress on learning, attention, and arousal are used to highlight the concept of a sex divergence in which the behavior of males and females is similar at baseline but diverges following stressor exposure. We argue that appreciating and investigating the diversity of sex differences in stress response systems will improve our understanding of vulnerability and resilience to stress‐related psychiatric disorders and likely lead to the development of novel therapeutics for better treatment of these disorders in both men and women. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Contributory role of sex differences in the variations of gustatory function
Authors: Martin Louis J. , Sollars Suzanne I.
Published: November 2016

Remarkable variability between males and females occurs for an array of taste‐guided behaviors in both rodents and humans. Sex differences have been noted for taste preference, detection thresholds, and reactivity to taste stimuli. Manipulating sex hormones during early postnatal development or altering the amount of circulating estrogen in adulthood can dramatically alter the pattern of these behaviors. Receptors for sex hormones appear to be prominent in several nuclei associated with central gustatory pathways, indicating that steroid hormones may modulate central taste processing. Electrophysiological recordings from the rat brainstem suggest that taste‐elicited activity to sweet stimuli is organized by hormones during early development, and activity during bitter stimulation is altered by circulating ovarian hormones. Sex differences in gustatory function appear to emerge at the level of the taste bud. Among ovariectomized rats, estradiol treatment decreases activity in the chorda tympani nerve during NaCl stimulation. Although there is no evidence that chorda tympani responses to NaCl differ between intact male and female rats, glossopharyngeal nerve responses are lower in intact females for both NaCl and sodium acetate. Responses in the glossopharyngeal nerve to citric acid stimulation are also higher in female rats relative to males. These findings suggest that, in addition to differential central modulation of taste input based on sex, taste information from the periphery varies between males and females. Although the extent of sex differences in taste processing and the underlying causal mechanisms require further clarification, it is clear that studying one sex alone provides an incomplete picture of gustatory function. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex‐dependent consequences of neonatal brain hypoxia‐ischemia in the rat
Authors: Netto Carlos Alexandre , Sanches Eduardo , Odorcyk Felipe Kawa , Duran‐Carabali Luz Elena , Weis Simone Nardin
Published: November 2016

Neonatal hypoxia‐ischemia (HI) is an important cause of neurological deficits in humans, and the Levine‐Rice model of experimental HI in the rat mimics the human brain lesion and the following sensory motor deficits and cognitive disabilities. With the growing evidence that sex influences all levels of brain functions, this Mini‐Review highlights studies in which sex was a controlled variable and that provided evidence of sexual dimorphism in behavioral outcome, extension of brain damage, mechanisms of lesion, and treatment efficacy in the rat neonatal HI model. It was shown that 1) females have greater memory deficits; 2) cell death is dependent mainly on caspase activation in females; 3) males are more susceptible to oxidative stress; and 4) treatments acting on distinct cell death pathways afford sex‐dependent neuroprotection. These tentative conclusions, along with growing evidence from other fields of neurobiology, support the need for scientists to design their experiments considering sex as an important variable; otherwise, important knowledge will continue to be missed. It is conceivable that sex can influence the development of efficacious therapeutic tools to treat neonates suffering from brain HI. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex differences in neuroimmunity and pain
Authors: Rosen Sarah , Ham Boram , Mogil Jeffrey S.
Published: November 2016

Differences in the prevalence of chronic pain in women vs. men are well known, and decades of laboratory experimentation have demonstrated that women are more sensitive to pain than are men. Attention has thus shifted to investigating mechanisms underlying such differences. Recent evidence suggests that neuroimmune modulation of pain may represent an important cause of sex differences. The current Review examines the evidence for gonadal hormone modulation of the immune system, immune system modulation of pain, and interactions that might help to explain sex differences in pain. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Do microglia play a role in sex differences in TBI?
Authors: Caplan Henry W. , Cox Charles S. , Bedi Supinder S.
Published: November 2016

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality for both males and females and is, thus, a major focus of current study. Although the overall death rate of TBI for males is roughly three times higher than that for females, males have been disproportionately represented in clinical and preclinical studies. Gender differences are known to exist in many neurologic disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and stroke, and differences appear to exist in TBI. Furthermore, it is known that microglia have sexually dimorphic roles in CNS development and other neurologic conditions; however, most animal studies of microglia and TBI have focused on male subjects. Microglia are a current target of many preclinical and clinical therapeutic trials for TBI. Understanding the relationship among sex, sex hormones, and microglia is critical to truly understanding the pathophysiology of TBI. However, the evidence for sex differences in TBI centers mainly on sex hormones, and evidenced‐based conclusions are often contradictory. In an attempt to review the current literature, it is apparent that sex differences likely exist, but the contradictory nature and magnitude of such differences in the existing literature does not allow definite conclusions to be drawn, except that more investigation of this issue is necessary. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preclinical sex differences in depression and antidepressant response: Implications for clinical research
Authors: Kokras Nikolaos , Dalla Christina
Published: November 2016

Women suffer from depression and anxiety disorders more often than men, and as a result they receive antidepressants to a greater extent. Sex differences in antidepressant response in humans have been modestly studied, and results have been controversial. At the same time, preclinical studies on animal models of depression and antidepressant response have provided insights with regard to sex differences that could be useful for the design and interpretation of future clinical trials. This Mini‐Review discusses such sex‐differentiated findings with regard to the presentation of depression, endophenotypes, and antidepressant response. In particular, men and women differ in symptomatology of depression, and animal models of depression have revealed sex differences in behavioral indices. However, although in experimental studies behavioral indices and models are adjusted to identify sex differences properly, this is not the case in the use of depression rating scales in clinical studies. Accordingly, preclinical studies highlight the importance of sex differences at the baseline behavioral response and the underlying mechanisms that often converge after antidepressant treatment. This is also a neglected issue in human studies. Finally, preclinical research suggests that, in the quest for potential biomarkers for depression, sex should be an important factor to consider. Careful consideration of sex differences in preclinical research could facilitate and ameliorate the design and quality of clinical studies for disease biomarkers and novel fast‐acting antidepressants that are so essential for both men and women suffering from depression. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex, hormones, and genotype interact to influence psychiatric disease, treatment, and behavioral research
Authors: Gobinath Aarthi R. , Choleris Elena , Galea Liisa A.M.
Published: November 2016

Sex differences exist in the vulnerability, incidence, manifestation, and treatment of numerous neurological and psychiatric diseases. Despite this observation prominent in the literature, little consideration has been given to possible sex differences in outcome in both preclinical and clinical research. This Mini‐Review highlights evidence supporting why studying sex differences matter for advances in brain health as well as improving treatment for neurological and psychiatric disease. Additionally, we discuss some statistical and methodological considerations in evaluating sex differences as well as how differences in the physiology of the sexes can contribute to sex difference in disease incidence and manifestation. Furthermore, we review literature demonstrating that the reproductive experience in the female can render the female brain differentially vulnerable to disease across age. Finally, we discuss how genes interact with sex to influence disease risk and treatment and argue that sex must be considered in precision medicine. Together the evidence reviewed here supports the inclusion of males and females at all levels of neuroscience research. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A general theory of sexual differentiation
Authors: Arnold Arthur P.
Published: November 2016

A general theory of mammalian sexual differentiation is proposed. All biological sex differences are the result of the inequality in effects of the sex chromosomes, which are the only factors that differ in XX vs. XY zygotes. This inequality leads to male‐specific effects of the Y chromosome, including expression of the testis‐determining geneSrythat causes differentiation of testes. Thus,Srysets up lifelong sex differences in effects of gonadal hormones. Y genes also act outside of the gonads to cause male‐specific effects. Differences in the number of X chromosomes between XX and XY cells cause sex differences in expression (1) ofXist, (2) of X genes that escape inactivation, and (3) of parentally imprinted X genes. Sex differences in phenotype are ultimately the result of multiple, independent sex‐biasing factors, hormonal and sex chromosomal. These factors act in parallel and in combination to induce sex differences. They also can offset each other to reduce sex differences. Other mechanisms, operating at the level of populations, cause groups of males to differ on average from groups of females. The theory frames questions for further study, and directs attention to inherent sex‐biasing factors that operate in many tissues to cause sex differences, and to cause sex‐biased protection from disease. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Genetic and epigenetic factors underlying sex differences in the regulation of gene expression in the brain
Authors: Ratnu Vikram S. , Emami Michael R. , Bredy Timothy W.
Published: November 2016

There are inherent biological differences between males and females that contribute to sex differences in brain function and to many sex‐specific illnesses and disorders. Traditionally, it has been thought that such differences are due largely to hormonal regulation; however, there are also genetic and epigenetic effects caused by the inheritance and unequal dosage of genes located on the X and Y chromosomes. Here we discuss the evidence in favor of a genetic and epigenetic basis for sexually dimorphic behavior, as a consequence of underlying differences in the regulation of genes that drive brain function. A better understanding of sex‐specific molecular processes in the brain will provide further insight for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by sex differences. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Single‐nucleotide polymorphism rs948854 in human galanin gene and multiple sclerosis: a gender‐specific risk factor
Authors: Lioudyno Victoria , Abdurasulova Irina , Bisaga Gennady , Skulyabin Dmitry , Klimenko Victor
Published: November 2016

We performed comparative analyses of the genotype distribution and allelic frequencies of the rs948854 polymorphism (G/A) in the galanin gene's promoter in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and in healthy matched controls. In total 111 patients and 115 control subjects were included. The analyses revealed that the presence of the minor allele (G) increased susceptibility to MS in men (OR = 2.49, P = 0.008) but not in women. The presence of the G allele in men was also significantly associated with the late onset of MS. Furthermore, rs948854 polymorphism affected the rate of MS progression depending on the sex of the patients. In woman (typically slowly progressing), the percentage of patients with the slow (<0.5 EDSS score per year) progression rate was significantly reduced (χ2 = 5.7, P = 0.017) in the minor allele carriers group (52.6%), in comparison with the wild‐type carriers (83.9%). In men (typically quickly progressing), the number of patients with fast progression rate (≥0.75 EDSS score per year) tended to increase in the minor allele carriers group (50%) compared with number of patients with the wild‐type carriers (31.3%). These data demonstrate for the first time an association between rs948854 polymorphism and multiple sclerosis and, further, that this association is sex specific. They also point to diagnostic and prognostic benefits of genetic screening of patients with multiple sclerosis. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex‐dependent differences in voluntary physical activity
Authors: Rosenfeld Cheryl S.
Published: November 2016

Numbers of overweight and obese individuals are increasing in the United States and globally, and, correspondingly, the associated health care costs are rising dramatically. More than one‐third of children are currently considered obese with a predisposition to type 2 diabetes, and it is likely that their metabolic conditions will worsen with age. Physical inactivity has also risen to be the leading cause of many chronic, noncommunicable diseases (NCD). Children are more physically inactive now than they were in past decades, which may be due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In rodents, the amount of time engaged in spontaneous activity within the home cage is a strong predictor of later adiposity and weight gain. Thus, it is important to understand primary motivators stimulating physical activity (PA). There are normal sex differences in PA levels in rodents and humans. The perinatal environment can induce sex‐dependent differences in PA disturbances. This Review considers the current evidence for sex differences in PA in rodents and humans. The rodent studies showing that early exposure to environmental chemicals can shape later adult PA responses are discussed. Next, whether there are different motivators stimulating exercise in male vs. female humans are examined. Finally, the brain regions, genes, and pathways that modulate PA in rodents, and possibly by translation in humans, are described. A better understanding of why each sex remains physically active through the life span could open new avenues for preventing and treating obesity in children and adults. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex‐related influences in migraine
Authors: Pavlovic Jelena M. , Akcali Didem , Bolay Hayrunnisa , Bernstein Carolyn , Maleki Nasim
Published: November 2016

Migraine is a common neurological disorder with significantly higher incidence and prevalence in women than men. The presentation of the disease in women is modulated by changes in sex hormones from adolescence to pregnancy and menopause. Yet, the effect of sex influences has often been neglected in both basic and clinical and in clinical management of the disease. In this review, evidence from epidemiological, clinical, animal, and neuroimaging studies on the significance of the sex‐related influences in migraine is presented, and the unmet needs in each area are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multimodal neuroimaging of male and female brain structure in health and disease across the life span
Authors: Jahanshad Neda , Thompson Paul M.
Published: November 2016

Sex differences in brain development and aging are important to identify, as they may help to understand risk factors and outcomes in brain disorders that are more prevalent in one sex compared with the other. Brain imaging techniques have advanced rapidly in recent years, yielding detailed structural and functional maps of the living brain. Even so, studies are often limited in sample size, and inconsistent findings emerge, one example being varying findings regarding sex differences in the size of the corpus callosum. More recently, large‐scale neuroimaging consortia such as the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis Consortium have formed, pooling together expertise, data, and resources from hundreds of institutions around the world to ensure adequate power and reproducibility. These initiatives are helping us to better understand how brain structure is affected by development, disease, and potential modulators of these effects, including sex. This review highlights some established and disputed sex differences in brain structure across the life span, as well as pitfalls related to interpreting sex differences in health and disease. We also describe sex‐related findings from the ENIGMA consortium, and ongoing efforts to better understand sex differences in brain circuitry. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Neuroscience Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Imaging sex/gender and autism in the brain: Etiological implications
Authors: Lai Meng‐Chuan , Lerch Jason P. , Floris Dorothea L. , Ruigrok Amber N.V. , Pohl Alexa , Lombardo Michael V. , Baron‐Cohen Simon
Published: November 2016

The male preponderance in autism prevalence has brought together the disparate topics of sex/gender and autism research. Two directions of neuroimaging studies on the relationships between sex/gender and autism may inform male‐specific risk mechanisms and female‐specific protective mechanisms of autism. First, we review how sex/gender moderates autism‐related brain changes and how this informs general models of autism etiology. Better‐powered human neuroimaging studies suggest that the brain characteristics of autism are qualitatively, rather than simply quantitatively, different between males and females. However, age and comorbidities might substantially moderate the pattern of differences. Second, we review how the relationship between autism‐related brain changes (separately in males and females) and normative brain sex/gender differences informs specific etiological–developmental mechanisms. Both human and animal studies converge to indicate that the brain characteristics of autism are partly associated with normative brain sex/gender differences, suggesting convergence or overlap between the mechanisms leading to and modifying the development of autism and the mechanisms underlying sex differentiation and/or gender socialization. Future animal work needs to investigate sex differences in rodent mutants modeling autism‐relevant genes and environmental exposures. Future human work needs to address the substantial phenotypic and etiological heterogeneity of autism and to focus on longitudinal neuroimaging studies (from early development) on the developmental trajectories of sex/gender‐differential neural characteristics of autism. Combining animal and human work links up the causal chain from etiological factors, brain and physical development, to phenotypes. These together help delineate the different roles of sex and gender in relation to risk vs. protective mechanisms. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex on the brain: Are gender‐dependent structural and functional differences associated with behavior?
Authors: Grabowska Anna
Published: November 2016

A substantial number of studies provide evidence documenting a variety of sex differences in the brain. It remains unclear whether sexual differentiation at the neural level is related to that observed in daily behavior, cognitive function, and the risk of developing certain psychiatric and neurological disorders. Some investigators have questioned whether the brain is truly sexually differentiated and support this view with several arguments including the following: (1) brain structural or functional differences are not necessarily reflected in appropriate differences at the behavioral level, which might suggest that these two phenomena are not linked to each other; and (2) sex‐related differences in the brain are rather small and concern features that significantly overlap between males and females. This review polemicizes with those opinions and presents examples of sex‐related local neural differences underpinning a variety of sex differences in behaviors, skills, and cognitive/emotional abilities. Although male/female brain differentiation may vary in pattern and scale, nonetheless, in some respects (e.g., relative local gray matter volumes) it can be substantial, taking the form of sexual dimorphism and involving large areas of the brain (the cortex in particular). A significant part of this review is devoted to arguing that some sex differences in the brain may serve to prevent (in the case where they are maladaptive), rather than to produce, differences at the behavioral/skill level. Specifically, some differences might result from compensatory mechanisms aimed at maintaining similar intellectual capacities across the sexes, despite the smaller average volume of the brain in females compared with males. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex, age, and sex hormones affect recall of words in a directed forgetting paradigm
Authors: Kerschbaum Hubert H. , Hofbauer Ildiko , Gföllner Anna , Ebner Birgit , Bresgen Nikolaus , Bäuml Karl‐Heinz T.
Published: November 2016

During the course of serious discussion, an unexpected interruption may induce forgetting of the original topic of a conversation. Sex, age, and sex hormone levels may affect frequency and extension of forgetting. In a list‐method directed forgetting paradigm, subjects have to learn two word lists. After learning list 1, subjects receive either a forget or a remember list 1 cue. When the participants had learned list 2 and completed a distraction task, they were asked to write down as many recalled items as possible, starting either with list 1 or list 2 items. In the present study, 96 naturally cycling women, 60 oral contraceptive users, 56 postmenopausal women, and 41 young men were assigned to one of these different experimental conditions. Forget‐cued young subjects recall fewer list 1 items (list 1 forgetting) but more list 2 items (list 2 enhancement) compared with remember‐cued subjects. However, forget‐cued postmenopausal women showed reduced list 1 forgetting but enhanced list 2 retention. Remember‐cued naturally cycling women recalled more list 1 items than oral contraceptive users, young men, and postmenopausal women. In forget‐cued follicular women, salivary progesterone correlated positively with recalled list 2 items. Salivary 17β‐estradiol did not correlate with recalled list 1 or list 2 items in either remember‐ or forget‐cued young women. However, salivary 17β‐estradiol correlated with item recall in remember‐cued postmenopausal women. Our findings suggest that sex hormones do not globally modulate verbal memory or forgetting, but selectively affect cue‐specific processing. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transformational leadership and employee voice behavior: A Pygmalion mechanism
Authors: Duan Jinyun , Li Chenwei , Xu Yue , Wu Chia‐huei
Published: November 2016

We theorized and examined a Pygmalion perspective beyond those proposed in past studies in the relationship between transformational leadership and employee voice behavior. Specifically, we proposed that transformational leadership influences employee voice through leaders' voice expectation and employees' voice role perception (i.e., Pygmalion mechanism). We also theorized that personal identification with transformational leaders influences the extent to which employees internalize leaders' external voice expectation as their own voice role perception. In a time‐lagged field study, we found that leaders' voice expectation and employees' voice role perception (i.e., the Pygmalion process) mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and voice behavior. In addition, we found transformational leadership strengthens employees' personal identification with the leader, which in turn, as a moderator, amplifies the proposed Pygmalion process. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cover Image, Volume 97, Issue 1
Authors: Longo Rocco , Blackman John W , Torley Peter J , Rogiers Suzy Y , Schmidtke Leigh M
Published: November 2016

The cover image, by Rocco Longo et al., is based on the Review Changes in volatile composition and sensory attributes of wines during alcohol content reduction, DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.7757.

image
Improving the water solubility of Monascus pigments under acidic conditions with gum arabic
Authors: Jian Wenjie , Sun Yuanming , Wu Jian‐Yong
Published: November 2016

BACKGROUND

Monascus pigments (Mps) are natural food colorants and their stability in acidic solutions is important for application in the food industry. This study aimed to evaluate the use of gum arabic (GA) as a stabilizer for maintaining the solubility of Mps in an acidic aqueous solution exposed to a high temperature, and to analyze the molecular interactions between GA and Mps.

RESULTS

Mps dispersed (0.2 g kg−1) in deionized water at pH 3.0–4.0 without GA formed precipitates but remained in a stable solution in the presence of GA (1 g kg−1). The significant improvement of Mps water solubility under acidic conditions was attributed to the formation of Mps–GA complexes, as indicated by a sharp increase in the fluorescence intensity. The results on particle size, zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy further suggested that molecular binding of Mps to GA, electrostatic repulsion, and steric hindrance of GA were contributing factors to preventing the aggregation of Mps in acidic solutions. A mechanistic model was presented for GA–Mps interactions and complex structures.

CONCLUSION

GA was proven to be an effective stabilizer of natural food colorants in acidic solutions. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Recent advances and applications of gas chromatography vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy
Authors: Santos Inês C. , Schug Kevin A.
Published: November 2016

The vacuum ultraviolet spectrophotometer was developed recently as an alternative to existing gas chromatography detectors. This detector measures the absorption of gas‐phase chemical species in the range of 120–240 nm, where all chemical compounds present unique absorption spectra. Therefore, qualitative analysis can be performed and quantification follows standard Beer–Lambert law principles. Different fields of application, such as petrochemical, food, and environmental analysis have been explored. Commonly demonstrated is the capability for facile deconvolution of co‐eluting analytes. The concept of additive absorption for co‐eluting analytes has also been advanced for classification and speciation of complex mixtures using a data treatment procedure termed time interval deconvolution. Furthermore, pseudo‐absolute quantitation can be performed for system diagnosis, as well as potentially calibrationless quantitation. In this manuscript an overview of these features, the vacuum ultraviolet spectrophotometer instrumentation, and performance capabilities are given. A discussion of the applications of the vacuum ultraviolet detector is provided by describing and discussing the papers published thus far since 2014.
Linked sediment and water‐column methanotrophy at a man‐made gas blowout in the North Sea: Implications for methane budgeting in seasonally stratified shallow seas
Authors: Steinle Lea , Schmidt Mark , Bryant Lee , Haeckel Matthias , Linke Peter , Sommer Stefan , Zopfi Jakob , Lehmann Moritz F. , Treude Tina , Niemannn Helge
Published: November 2016

Large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) are stored in the seafloor. The flux of CH4 from the sediments into the water column and finally to the atmosphere is mitigated by a series of microbial methanotrophic filter systems of unknown efficiency at highly active CH4‐release sites in shallow marine settings. Here, we studied CH4‐oxidation and the methanotrophic community at a high‐CH4‐flux site in the northern North Sea (well 22/4b), where CH4 is continuously released since a blowout in 1990. Vigorous bubble emanation from the seafloor and strongly elevated CH4 concentrations in the water column (up to 42 µM) indicated that a substantial fraction of CH4 bypassed the highly active (up to ∼2920 nmol cm−3 d−1) zone of anaerobic CH4‐oxidation in sediments. In the water column, we measured rates of aerobic CH4‐oxidation (up to 498 nM d−1) that were among the highest ever measured in a marine environment and, under stratified conditions, have the potential to remove a significant part of the uprising CH4 prior to evasion to the atmosphere. An unusual dominance of the water‐column methanotrophs by Type II methane‐oxidizing bacteria (MOB) is partially supported by recruitment of sedimentary MOB, which are entrained together with sediment particles in the CH4 bubble plume. Our study thus provides evidence that bubble emission can be an important vector for the transport of sediment‐borne microbial inocula, aiding in the rapid colonization of the water column by methanotrophic communities and promoting their persistence close to highly active CH4 point sources.
Yb‐fiber‐based, high‐average‐power, high‐repetition‐rate, picosecond source at 2.1 µm
Authors: Kumar S. Chaitanya , Ebrahim‐Zadeh M.
Published: November 2016

We report a high‐repetition‐rate picosecond fiber‐based source at 2.1 µm offering exceptional performance capabilities over existing lasers near this wavelength, providing high average power and efficiency together with excellent spectral, power and beam pointing stability, in high spatial beam quality. This new source is based on a near‐degenerate MgO:PPLN optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by an Yb‐fiber laser at 1064 nm, and incorporating a diffraction grating for spectral control. The device provides as much as 7.1 W of average power at 2.1 µm for a pump power of 18 W at an extraction efficiency of 39.4% in pulses of 20 ps at 79.3 MHz. The output exhibits passive power stability better than 1% rms over 15 hours, and a beam pointing stability ∼40 µrad over 1 hour, in high spatial quality with M2 ∼ 3.5. The output beam is linearly polarized and the pulse train has an amplitude stability better than 3.4% rms over 2 µsec. Radio‐frequency measurements of the output pulse train also confirm high temporal stability and low timing jitter, indicating that the source is ideal for variety of applications including pumping long‐wavelength mid‐infrared OPOs.

Photograph shows the temperature‐controlled, 50‐mm‐long MgO:PPLN crystal inside the cavity, used as nonlinear gain medium in the picosecond source operating at 2.1 µm. The visible light is the result of non‐phase‐matched second harmonic generation of the pump beam in the MgO:PPLN crystal.

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C9orf72 and ATXN2 repeat expansions coexist in a family with ataxia, dementia, and parkinsonism
Authors: Zhang Ming , Xi Zhengrui , Misquitta Karen , Sato Christine , Moreno Danielle , Liang Yan , Slow Elizabeth , Rogaeva Ekaterina , Tartaglia Maria Carmela
Published: November 2016

Background

Intermediate interrupted ataxin 2 (ATXN2) alleles (27–33 CAG‐repeats) increase the risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and are reported as modifiers in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) carriers, rendering susceptibility to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis rather than frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The clinical presentation of C9orf72 patients with pathogenic ATXN2 alleles (≥35 CAG‐repeats) is unknown.

Methods

Blood samples were collected from a family affected by ataxia, dementia, and parkinsonism, but not amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mutation analyses of the proband included C9orf72 and 14 ataxia genes, followed by segregation analyses in family members.

Results

Both affected siblings carry an uninterrupted 37‐repeat expansion in ATXN2 and a methylated G4C2‐repeat allele in C9orf72 that is typical of large pathogenic expansions.

Conclusions

The CAG‐expansion in ATXN2 likely caused the ataxia, whereas the dementia may be linked to both C9orf72 and ATXN2 repeat expansions. The pathological uninterrupted ATXN2 repeat may not have the same modifying effect as intermediate interrupted alleles. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Robust sliding‐window reconstruction for Accelerating the acquisition of MR fingerprinting
Authors: Cao Xiaozhi , Liao Congyu , Wang Zhixing , Chen Ying , Ye Huihui , He Hongjian , Zhong Jianhui
Published: November 2016

Purpose

To develop a method for accelerated and robust MR fingerprinting (MRF) with improved image reconstruction and parameter matching processes.

Theory and Methods

A sliding‐window (SW) strategy was applied to MRF, in which signal and dictionary matching was conducted between fingerprints consisting of mixed‐contrast image series reconstructed from consecutive data frames segmented by a sliding window, and a precalculated mixed‐contrast dictionary. The effectiveness and performance of this new method, dubbed SW‐MRF, was evaluated in both phantom and in vivo. Error quantifications were conducted on results obtained with various settings of SW reconstruction parameters.

Results

Compared with the original MRF strategy, the results of both phantom and in vivo experiments demonstrate that the proposed SW‐MRF strategy either provided similar accuracy with reduced acquisition time, or improved accuracy with equal acquisition time. Parametric maps of T1, T2, and proton density of comparable quality could be achieved with a two‐fold or more reduction in acquisition time. The effect of sliding‐window width on dictionary sensitivity was also estimated.

Conclusion

The novel SW‐MRF recovers high quality image frames from highly undersampled MRF data, which enables more robust dictionary matching with reduced numbers of data frames. This time efficiency may facilitate MRF applications in time‐critical clinical settings. Magn Reson Med 78:1579–1588, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.