bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of the environment on symptom dimensions in the first episode of psychosis: a multilevel study
Authors: Oher F. J. , Demjaha A. , Jackson D. , Morgan C. , Dazzan P. , Morgan K. , Boydell J. , Doody G. A. , Murray R. M. , Bentall R. P. , Jones P. B. , Kirkbride J. B.
Published: January 2014

Background

The extent to which different symptom dimensions vary according to epidemiological factors associated with categorical definitions of first-episode psychosis (FEP) is unknown. We hypothesized that positive psychotic symptoms, including paranoid delusions and depressive symptoms, would be more prominent in more urban environments.

Method

We collected clinical and epidemiological data on 469 people with FEP (ICD-10 F10–F33) in two centres of the Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses (AESOP) study: Southeast London and Nottinghamshire. We used multilevel regression models to examine neighbourhood-level and between-centre differences in five symptom dimensions (reality distortion, negative symptoms, manic symptoms, depressive symptoms and disorganization) underpinning Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) Item Group Checklist (IGC) symptoms. Delusions of persecution and reference, along with other individual IGC symptoms, were inspected for area-level variation.

Results

Reality distortion [estimated effect size (EES) 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06–0.24] and depressive symptoms (EES 0.21, 95% CI 0.07–0.34) were elevated in people with FEP living in more urban Southeast London but disorganized symptomatology was lower (EES –0.06, 95% CI –0.10 to –0.02), after controlling for confounders. Delusions of persecution were not associated with increased neighbourhood population density [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.01, 95% CI 0.83–1.23], although an effect was observed for delusions of reference (aOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.12–1.77). Hallucinatory symptoms showed consistent elevation in more densely populated neighbourhoods (aOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09–1.61).

Conclusions

In people experiencing FEP, elevated levels of reality distortion and depressive symptoms were observed in more urban, densely populated neighbourhoods. No clear association was observed for paranoid delusions; hallucinations were consistently associated with increased population density. These results suggest that urban environments may affect the syndromal presentation of psychotic disorders.
Extensive brain structural network abnormality in first-episode treatment-naive patients with schizophrenia: morphometrical and covariation study
Authors: Chen Z. , Deng W. , Gong Q. , Huang C. , Jiang L. , Li M. , He Z. , Wang Q. , Ma X. , Wang Y. , Chua S. E. , McAlonan G. M. , Sham P. C. , Collier D. A. , McGuire P. , Li T.
Published: January 2014

Background

Alterations in gray matter (GM) are commonly observed in schizophrenia. Accumulating studies suggest that the brain changes associated with schizophrenia are distributed rather than focal, involving interconnected networks of areas as opposed to single regions. In the current study we aimed to explore GM volume (GMV) changes in a relatively large sample of treatment-naive first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and covariation analysis.

Method

High-resolution T1-weighted images were obtained using 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from 86 first-episode drug-naive patients with schizophrenia and 86 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Symptom severity was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). GMV was assessed using optimized VBM and in 16 regions of interest (ROIs), selected on the basis of a previous meta-analysis. The relationships between GMVs in the ROIs were examined using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

Results

The VBM analysis revealed that first-episode patients showed reduced GMV in the hippocampus bilaterally. The ROI analysis identified reductions in GMV in the left inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral hippocampus and right thalamus. The ANCOVA revealed different patterns of regional GMV correlations in patients and controls, including of inter- and intra-insula, inter-amygdala and insula–postcentral gyrus connections.

Conclusions

Schizophrenia involves regional reductions in GMV and changes in GMV covariance in the insula, amygdala and postcentral gyrus. These findings were evident at the onset of the disorder, before treatment, and therefore cannot be attributable to the effects of chronic illness progression or medication.
A longitudinal twin study of physical aggression during early childhood: evidence for a developmentally dynamic genome
Authors: Lacourse E. , Boivin M. , Brendgen M. , Petitclerc A. , Girard A. , Vitaro F. , Paquin S. , Ouellet-Morin I. , Dionne G. , Tremblay R. E.
Published: January 2014

Background

Physical aggression (PA) tends to have its onset in infancy and to increase rapidly in frequency. Very little is known about the genetic and environmental etiology of PA development during early childhood. We investigated the temporal pattern of genetic and environmental etiology of PA during this crucial developmental period.

Method

Participants were 667 twin pairs, including 254 monozygotic and 413 dizygotic pairs, from the ongoing longitudinal Quebec Newborn Twin Study. Maternal reports of PA were obtained from three waves of data at 20, 32 and 50 months. These reports were analysed using a biometric Cholesky decomposition and linear latent growth curve model.

Results

The best-fitting Cholesky model revealed developmentally dynamic effects, mostly genetic attenuation and innovation. The contribution of genetic factors at 20 months substantially decreased over time, while new genetic effects appeared later on. The linear latent growth curve model revealed a significant moderate increase in PA from 20 to 50 months. Two separate sets of uncorrelated genetic factors accounted for the variation in initial level and growth rate. Non-shared and shared environments had no effect on the stability, initial status and growth rate in PA.

Conclusions

Genetic factors underlie PA frequency and stability during early childhood; they are also responsible for initial status and growth rate in PA. The contribution of shared environment is modest, and perhaps limited, as it appears only at 50 months. Future research should investigate the complex nature of these dynamic genetic factors through genetic–environment correlation (rGE) and interaction (G × E) analyses.
Biophysical groundwork as a hinge to unravel the biology of α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity
Authors: Plotegher Nicoletta , Greggio Elisa , Bisaglia Marco , Bubacco Luigi
Published: January 2014

Alpha-synuclein (aS) and its aggregation properties are central in the development and spread of Parkinson's disease. Point mutations and multiplications of the SNCA gene encoding aS cause autosomal dominant forms of the disorder. Moreover, protein inclusions found in the surviving neurons of parkinsonian brains consist mainly of a fibrillar form of aS. Aggregates of aS, which form a transient, complex and heterogeneous ensemble, participate in a wide variety of toxic mechanisms that may be amplified by aS spreading among neighbouring neurons. Recently, significant effort has been directed into the study of the aS aggregation process and the impact of aS aggregates on neuron survival. In this review, we present state-of-the-art biophysical studies on the aS aggregation process in vitro and in cellular models. We comprehensively review the new insights generated by the recent biophysical investigations, which could provide a solid basis from which to design future biomedical studies. The diverse cellular models of aS toxicity and their potential use in the biophysical investigation are also discussed.
Adaptive control of rigid-link electrically driven robots with parametric uncertainties in kinematics and dynamics and without acceleration measurements
Authors: Ahmadipour Mahboubeh , Khayatian Alireza , Dehghani Maryam
Published: January 2014

In this paper, the backstepping strategy is used to design an adaptive tracking controller for rigid-link electrically driven robots in the presence of parametric uncertainties in kinematics, manipulator dynamics, and actuator dynamics. To avoid acceleration measurements, two techniques are exploited. One technique adds compensation control terms to the control law signal. The other uses a linear in variable property of the Jacobian matrix. Global asymptotic convergence of the end-effector motion tracking errors is shown via Lyapunov analysis. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Emotion recognition in preschool children: Associations with maternal depression and early parenting
Authors: Kujawa Autumn , Dougherty Lea , Durbin C. Emily , Laptook Rebecca , Torpey Dana , Klein Daniel N.
Published: January 2014

Emotion knowledge in childhood has been shown to predict social functioning and psychological well-being, but relatively little is known about parental factors that influence its development in early childhood. There is some evidence that both parenting behavior and maternal depression are associated with emotion recognition, but previous research has only examined these factors independently. The current study assessed auditory and visual emotion recognition ability among a large sample of preschool children to examine typical emotion recognition skills in children of this age, as well as the independent and interactive effects of maternal and paternal depression and negative parenting (i.e., hostility and intrusiveness). Results indicated that children were most accurate at identifying happy emotional expressions. The lowest accuracy was observed for neutral expressions. A significant interaction was found between maternal depression and negative parenting behavior: children with a maternal history of depression were particularly sensitive to the negative effects of maladaptive parenting behavior on emotion recognition ability. No significant effects were found for paternal depression. These results highlight the importance of examining the effects of multiple interacting factors on children's emotional development and provide suggestions for identifying children for targeted preventive interventions.
Gold Nanoparticle Uptake in Whole Cells in Liquid Examined by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy
Authors: Peckys Diana B. , de Jonge Niels
Published: January 2014

The size of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can influence various aspects of their cellular uptake. Light microscopy is not capable of resolving most AuNPs, while electron microscopy (EM) is not practically capable of acquiring the necessary statistical data from many cells and the results may suffer from various artifacts. Here, we demonstrate the use of a fast EM method for obtaining high-resolution data from a much larger population of cells than is usually feasible with conventional EM. A549 (human lung carcinoma) cells were subjected to uptake protocols with 10, 15, or 30 nm diameter AuNPs with adsorbed serum proteins. After 20 min, 24 h, or 45 h, the cells were fixed and imaged in whole in a thin layer of liquid water with environmental scanning electron microscopy equipped with a scanning transmission electron microscopy detector. The fast preparation and imaging of 145 whole cells in liquid allowed collection of nanoscale data within an exceptionally small amount of time of ~80 h. Analysis of 1,041 AuNP-filled vesicles showed that the long-term AuNP storing lysosomes increased their average size by 80 nm when AuNPs with 30 nm diameter were uptaken, compared to lysosomes of cells incubated with AuNPs of 10 and 15 nm diameter.
A Microfluidic-Enabled Mechanical Microcompressor for the Immobilization of Live Single- and Multi-Cellular Specimens
Authors: Yan Yingjun , Jiang Liwei , Aufderheide Karl J. , Wright Gus A. , Terekhov Alexander , Costa Lino , Qin Kevin , McCleery W. Tyler , Fellenstein John J. , Ustione Alessandro , Robertson J. Brian , Johnson Carl Hirschie , Piston David W. , Hutson M. Shane , Wikswo John P. , Hofmeister William , Janetopoulos Chris
Published: January 2014

A microcompressor is a precision mechanical device that flattens and immobilizes living cells and small organisms for optical microscopy, allowing enhanced visualization of sub-cellular structures and organelles. We have developed an easily fabricated device, which can be equipped with microfluidics, permitting the addition of media or chemicals during observation. This device can be used on both upright and inverted microscopes. The apparatus permits micrometer precision flattening for nondestructive immobilization of specimens as small as a bacterium, while also accommodating larger specimens, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, for long-term observations. The compressor mount is removable and allows easy specimen addition and recovery for later observation. Several customized specimen beds can be incorporated into the base. To demonstrate the capabilities of the device, we have imaged numerous cellular events in several protozoan species, in yeast cells, and in Drosophila melanogaster embryos. We have been able to document previously unreported events, and also perform photobleaching experiments, in conjugating Tetrahymena thermophila.
Advances in NKG2D ligand recognition and responses by NK cells
Authors: Le Bert Nina , Gasser Stephan
Published: January 2014

The natural killer (NK) group 2 member D (NKG2D) is an activating immune receptor expressed on NK cells, cytotoxic T cells and a subset of other T cells. It has an important role in the recognition and lysis of a variety of infected and tumor cells. Despite significant gains in our understanding of NKG2D, the relevance of NKG2D and its ligands in human diseases has only recently started to emerge. Here, we present an overview of the recent advances in NKG2D biology, discuss the expression of NKG2D ligands in cancer patients and evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic potential of NKG2D ligands.
Cell biological steps and checkpoints in accessing NK cell cytotoxicity
Authors: Mace Emily M , Dongre Prachi , Hsu Hsiang‐Ting , Sinha Papiya , James Ashley M , Mann Shaina S , Forbes Lisa R , Watkin Levi B , Orange Jordan S
Published: January 2014

Natural killer (NK) cell‐mediated cytotoxicity is governed by the formation of a lytic immune synapse in discrete regulated steps, which give rise to an extensive array of cellular checkpoints in accessing NK cell‐mediated cytolytic defense. Appropriate progression through these cell biological steps is critical for the directed secretion of specialized secretory lysosomes and subsequent target cell death. Here we highlight recent discoveries in the formation of the NK cell cytolytic synapse as well as the molecular steps and cell biological checkpoints required for this essential host defense process.
Erratum: Sympatric inhibition and niche differentiation suggest alternative coevolutionary trajectories among Streptomycetes
Authors: Kinkel Linda L , Schlatter Daniel C , Xiao Kun , Baines Anita D
Published: January 2014

Correction to: The ISME Journal (2014) 8, 249–256; doi:10.1038/ismej.2013.175; published online 24 October 2013 Since the online publication of this article, the authors have identified an error concerning Figure 2, namely that the incorrect figure was displayed. The correct figure is shown here. This error has now been rectified, and the corrected article appears in this issue.
High-temperature antiferromagnetism in molecular semiconductor thin films and nanostructures
Authors: Serri Michele , Wu Wei , Fleet Luke R. , Harrison Nicholas M. , Hirjibehedin Cyrus F. , Kay Christopher W.M. , Fisher Andrew J. , Aeppli Gabriel , Heutz Sandrine
Published: January 2014

The viability of dilute magnetic semiconductors in applications is linked to the strength of the magnetic couplings, and room temperature operation is still elusive in standard inorganic systems. Molecular semiconductors are emerging as an alternative due to their long spin-relaxation times and ease of processing, but, with the notable exception of vanadium-tetracyanoethylene, magnetic transition temperatures remain well below the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. Here we show that thin films and powders of the molecular semiconductor cobalt phthalocyanine exhibit strong antiferromagnetic coupling, with an exchange energy reaching 100 K. This interaction is up to two orders of magnitude larger than in related phthalocyanines and can be obtained on flexible plastic substrates, under conditions compatible with routine organic electronic device fabrication. Ab initio calculations show that coupling is achieved via superexchange between the singly occupied a1g ("Equation missing") orbitals. By reaching the key milestone of magnetic coupling above 77 K, these results establish quantum spin chains as a potentially useable feature of molecular films.
Combinatorial gene editing in mammalian cells using ssODNs and TALENs
Authors: Strouse Bryan , Bialk Pawel , Niamat Rohina A. , Rivera-Torres Natalia , Kmiec Eric B.
Published: January 2014

The regulation of gene editing is being elucidated in mammalian cells and its potential as well as its limitations are becoming evident. ssODNs carry out gene editing by annealing to their complimentary sequence at the target site and acting as primers for replication fork extension. To effect a genetic change, a large amount of ssODN molecules must be introduced into cells and as such induce a Reduced Proliferation Phenotype (RPP), a phenomenon in which corrected cells do not proliferate. To overcome this limitation, we have used TAL-Effector Nucleases (TALENs) to increase the frequency, while reducing the amount of ssODN required to direct gene correction. This strategy resolves the problem and averts the serious effects of RPP. The efficiency of gene editing can be increased significantly if cells are targeted while they progress through S phase. Our studies define new reaction parameters that will help guide experimental strategies of gene editing.
Oxidized polyethylene films for orienting polar molecules for linear dichroism spectroscopy
Authors: Razmkhah Kasra , Chmel Nikola Paul , Gibson Matthew I. , Rodger Alison
Published: January 2014

Oxidized polyethylene (PEOX) films allow for collection of much higher quality linear dichroism (LD) data than previously possible for both polar and non-polar small molecules.
Exploration of a β-cyclodextrin clicked chiral stationary phase in high-performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Zhang Shaopeng , Wang Huanhuan , Tang Jian , Wang Wei , Tang Weihua
Published: January 2014

Baseline enantioseparation of 19 drugs has been achieved with a cyclodextrin clicked chiral stationary phase in HPLC.
Human versus porcine tissue sourcing for an injectable myocardial matrix hydrogel
Authors: Johnson Todd D. , DeQuach Jessica A. , Gaetani Roberto , Ungerleider Jessica , Elhag Dean , Nigam Vishal , Behfar Atta , Christman Karen L.
Published: January 2014

A comparison of the biochemical, mechanical, and bioactive properties of a porcine myocardial matrix to a new human myocardial matrix and the feasibility of translating this allogeneic hydrogel to the clinic.
Compositionally tunable Cu2Sn(SxSe1−x)3 nanocrystals: facile direct solution-phase synthesis, characterization, and scalable procedure
Authors: Liang Qingshuang , Han Lin , Deng Xiaolong , Yao Chuangang , Meng Junling , Liu Xiaojuan , Meng Jian
Published: January 2014

A facile, low-cost synthesis of compositionally tunable Cu2Sn(SxSe1−x)3 colloidal nanocrystals is reported, and the scalable procedure is also provided.
Synthesis of large MgAPO-11 single crystals in a F− free system
Authors: Chen Yanping , Zhai Jianpang , Xu Xintong , Li Ireneling , Ruan Shuangchen , Tang Zikang
Published: January 2014

Large-sized MgAPO-11 single crystals (25 × 157 × 254 μm3) have been successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method in a F− free system.
One-pot solvothermal synthesis of a well-ordered layered sodium aluminoalcoholate complex: a useful precursor for the preparation of porous Al2O3 particles
Authors: Li Xiansen , Michaelis Vladimir K. , Ong Ta-Chung , Smith Stacey J. , McKay Ian , Müller Peter , Griffin Robert G. , Wang Evelyn N.
Published: January 2014

A layered Al complex with mixed 5-/6-coordinate Al centers was prepared by a modified transesterification mechanism.
Current challenges in atomistic simulations of glasses for biomedical applications
Authors: Tilocca Antonio
Published: January 2014

Atomic-scale simulations of bioglasses are being used to tackle several challenging aspects, such as new structural markers of bioactivity, ion migration and nanosized samples.
Substitution versus redox reactions of gold(iii) complexes with l-cysteine, l-methionine and glutathione
Authors: Đurović Mirjana D. , Bugarčić Živadin D. , Heinemann Frank W. , van Eldik Rudi
Published: January 2014

The reactions of [AuCl4]−, [Au(terpy)Cl]2+, [Au(bpma)Cl]2+ and [Au(dien)Cl]2+ with l-cysteine, l-methionine and glutathione were examined using stopped-flow, cyclovoltammetry, 1H NMR and ESI-MS techniques.
Efficient decommissioning and recycling of polymer solar cells: justification for use of silver
Authors: Søndergaard Roar R. , Espinosa Nieves , Jørgensen Mikkel , Krebs Frederik C.
Published: January 2014

The use of silver in fully printed polymer solar cells is justified through efficient recovery and recycling.
Bayesian uncertainty assessment of a semi-distributed integrated catchment model of phosphorus transport
Authors: Starrfelt Jostein , Kaste Øyvind
Published: January 2014

Bayesian parameter estimation on INCA-P highlights the importance of parameter uncertainty in simulating future scenarios.
Assessing trichloromethane formation and control in algal-stimulated waters amended with nitrogen and phosphorus
Authors: Mash Clinton A. , Winston Byron A. , Meints II David A. , Pifer Ashley D. , Scott J. Thad , Zhang Wen , Fairey Julian L.
Published: January 2014

Nutrient-driven algal growth can serve as a source of trichloromethane precursors, but more importantly, exerts a demand for chlorine dioxide and alum, decreasing the effectiveness of common trichloromethane precursor removal processes.
Mechanically induced silyl ester cleavage under acidic conditions investigated by AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy in the force-ramp mode
Authors: Schmidt Sebastian W. , Pill Michael F. , Kersch Alfred , Clausen-Schaumann Hauke , Beyer Martin K.
Published: January 2014

AFM-based dynamic single-molecule force spectroscopy was used to stretch carboxymethylated amylose (CMA) polymers, which have been covalently tethered between a silanized glass substrate and a silanized AFM tip via acid-catalyzed ester condensation at pH 2.0. Rupture forces were measured as a function of temperature and force loading rate in the force-ramp mode. The data exhibit significant statistical scattering, which is fitted with a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) algorithm. Bond rupture is described with a Morse potential based Arrhenius kinetics model. The fit yields a bond dissociation energy De = 35 kJ mol−1 and an Arrhenius pre-factor A = 6.6 × 104 s−1. The bond dissociation energy is consistent with previous experiments under identical conditions, where the force-clamp mode was employed. However, the bi-exponential decay kinetics, which the force-clamp results unambiguously revealed, are not evident in the force-ramp data. While it is possible to fit the force-ramp data with a bi-exponential model, the fit parameters differ from the force-clamp experiments. Overall, single-molecule force spectroscopy in the force-ramp mode yields data whose information content is more limited than force-clamp data. It may, however, still be necessary and advantageous to perform force-ramp experiments. The number of successful events is often higher in the force-ramp mode, and competing reaction pathways may make force-clamp experiments impossible.
Ionic liquids for efficient hydrogen sulfide and thiol scavenging
Authors: Gunaratne H. Q. Nimal , Nockemann P. , Seddon K. R.
Published: January 2014

Functionalised pyridinium and ammonium ionic liquids bearing a Michael acceptor are shown to scavenge H2S gas and various thiols, in most cases, without the aid of any added bases. Utilising the effective non-volatility of ionic liquids and ‘tagging’ malodourous substances to an ionic matrix renders them odourless.
Identification and optimization of short helical peptides with novel reactive functionality as catalysts for acyl transfer by reactive tagging
Authors: Bezer Silvia , Matsumoto Masaomi , Lodewyk Michael W. , Lee Stephen J. , Tantillo Dean J. , Gagné Michel R. , Waters Marcey L.
Published: January 2014

A high-throughput screening method is used for identification of new catalytic functionalities for transesterification reaction in organic solvent.
A high-performance electrocatalytic air cathode derived from aniline and iron for use in microbial fuel cells
Authors: Tang Xinhua , Li Haoran , Wang Weida , Du Zhuwei , Ng How Yong
Published: January 2014

A high-performance and low-cost catalyst derived from aniline and iron was synthesized for use as microbial fuel cell (MFC) air cathodes.
Structural tuning of ancillary chelate in tri-carboxyterpyridine Ru(ii) sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells
Authors: Chou Chun-Cheng , Chen Pei-Hua , Hu Fa-Chun , Chi Yun , Ho Shu-Te , Kai Ji-Jung , Liu Shih-Hung , Chou Pi-Tai
Published: January 2014

Systematically changing the ancillary chelate fromL3toL6, together with addition of a 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) appendage, boosts the overall efficiencies of a fabricated DSC device.
Identification of interferon-γ as a new molecular target of liver X receptor
Authors: Wang Qixue , Ma Xingzhe , Chen Yuanli , Zhang Ling , Jiang Meixiu , Li Xiaoju , Xiang Rong , Miao Robert , Hajjar David P. , Duan Yajun , Han Jihong
Published: January 2014

LXR (liver X receptor) is a ligand-activated transcription factor and plays an important role in regulation of lipid homoeostasis and inflammation. Several studies indicate that LXR inhibits IFN-γ (interferon γ)-induced biological responses; however, the influence of LXR on IFN-γ expression has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of LXR activation on IFN-γ expression at different levels. At the molecular level, we surprisingly observed that LXR ligand (T0901317) induced macrophage and T-cell IFN-γ protein expression which was associated with increased mRNA and secreted protein levels in culture medium. In contrast, selective inhibition of LXRα and/or LXRβ expression by siRNA reduced IFN-γ expression. Promoter analysis defined the multiple LXREs (LXR-responsive elements) in the proximal region of the IFN-γ promoter. EMSAs and ChIP indicated that LXR activation enhanced the binding of LXR protein to these LXREs. In vivo, T0901317 increased wild-type mouse serum IFN-γ levels and IFN-γ expression in the lung and lymph nodes. Functionally, we observed that administration of T0901317 to wild-type mice increased rates of survival and being tumour-free, and inhibited tumour growth when the animals were inoculated with LLC1 carcinoma. In contrast, these protective effects were substantially attenuated in IFN-γ-knockout (IFN-γ−/−) mice, suggesting that the induction of IFN-γ production plays a critical role in T0901317-inhibited tumour growth. Taken together, the results of the present study show that IFN-γ is another molecular target of LXR activation, and it suggests a new mechanism by which LXR inhibits tumour growth.
Osteopontin is up-regulated in chronic hepatitis C and is associated with cellular permissiveness for hepatitis C virus replication
Authors: Choi Steve S. , Claridge Lee C. , Jhaveri Ravi , Swiderska-Syn Marzena , Clark Paul , Suzuki Ayako , Pereira Thiago A. , Mi Zhiyong , Kuo Paul C. , Guy Cynthia D. , Pereira Fausto E. L. , Diehl Anna Mae , Patel Keyur , Syn Wing-Kin
Published: January 2014

OPN (osteopontin)) is a Hh (Hedgehog)-regulated cytokine that is up-regulated during chronic liver injury and directly promotes fibrosis. We have reported that Hh signalling enhances viral permissiveness and replication in HCV (hepatitis C virus)-infected cells. Hence we hypothesized that OPN directly promotes HCV replication, and that targeting OPN could be beneficial in HCV. In the present study, we compared the expression of OPN mRNA and protein in HCV (JFH1)-infected Huh7 and Huh7.5 cells, and evaluated whether modulating OPN levels using exogenous OPN ligands (up-regulate OPN) or OPN-specific RNA-aptamers (neutralize OPN) leads to changes in HCV expression. Sera and livers from patients with chronic HCV were analysed to determine whether OPN levels were associated with disease severity or response to therapy. Compared with Huh7 cells, Huh7.5 cells support higher levels of HCV replication (15-fold) and expressed significantly more OPN mRNA (30-fold) and protein. Treating Huh7 cells with OPN ligands led to a dose-related increase in HCV (15-fold) and OPN (8-fold) mRNA. Conversely, treating Huh7.5 cells with OPN-specific RNA aptamers inhibited HCV RNA and protein by >50% and repressed OPN mRNA to basal levels. Liver OPN expression was significantly higher (3-fold) in patients with advanced fibrosis. Serum OPN positively correlated with fibrosis-stage (P=0.009), but negatively correlated with ETBCR (end-of-treatment biochemical response), ETVR (end-of-treatment virological response), SBCR (sustained biochemical response) and SVR (sustained virological response) (P=0.007). The OPN fibrosis score (serum OPN and presence of fibrosis ≥F2) may be a predictor of SVR. In conclusion, OPN is up-regulated in the liver and serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C, and supports increased viral replication. OPN neutralization may be a novel therapeutic strategy in chronic hepatitis C.
Null steering in irregularly spaced sparse antenna arrays using aperture distributed subarrays and hybrid optimiser
Authors: Khan Asim Ali , Brown Anthony Keith
Published: January 2014

Sparse antenna arrays with irregularly spaced elements are increasingly being used in large array applications such as radio astronomy and radar. These antenna arrays may consist of hundreds of elements and therefore optimisation of these arrays becomes computationally expensive. This study proposes a novel solution to the problem of null synthesis in such arrays, where nulls are formed in prescribed locations for two‐dimensional irregular sparse antenna arrays. The technique is based on a subarray and hybrid synthesis solution, where each subarray spans the entire antenna aperture. Single and multiple null formations with array gain maximisation are considered. The technique's effectiveness is demonstrated using evolutionary optimisation algorithms; however, the basic technique can be used with other optimisation methods. The simulation results presented compare the null synthesis performance with and without subarraying and it has shown that the use of subarray results in improved convergence compared with a direct full array synthesis. Furthermore the technique is appropriate for ready application to parallel computer architectures.
Systems of parallel communicating restarting
automata
Authors: Vollweiler Marcel , Otto Friedrich
Published: January 2014

Several types of systems of parallel communicating restarting automata are introduced and
studied. The main result shows that, for all types of restarting automata X, centralized
systems of restarting automata of type X have the same computational power as
non-centralized systems of restarting automata of the same type and the same number of
components. This result is proved by a direct simulation. In addition, it is shown that
for one-way restarting automata without auxiliary symbols, systems of degree at least two
are more powerful than the component automata themselves. Finally, a lower and an upper
bound are given for the expressive power of systems of parallel communicating restarting
automata.
Return Visits: A Review of how Web Site Design Can Engender Visitor Loyalty
Authors: Cyr Dianne
Published: January 2014

Both the use of Web sites and the empirical knowledge as to what constitutes effective Web site design has grown exponentially in recent years. The aim of the current article is to outline the history and key elements of Web site design in an e-commerce context - primarily in the period 2002-2012. It was in 2002 that a Special Issue of ISR was focused on ‘Measuring e-Commerce in Net-Enabled Organizations.’ Before this, work was conducted on Web site design, but much of it was anecdotal. Systematic, empirical research and modeling of Web site design to dependent variables like trust, satisfaction, and loyalty until then had not receive substantial focus - at least in the information systems domain. In addition to an overview of empirical findings, this article has a practical focus on what designers must know about Web site elements if they are to provide compelling user experiences, taking into account the site's likely users. To this end, the article elaborates components of effective Web site design, user characteristics, and the online context that impact Web usage and acceptance, and design issues as they are relevant to diverse users including those in global markets. Web site elements that result in positive business impact are articulated. This retrospective on Web site design concludes with an overview of future research directions and current developments.
Differences in the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus but no general disruption of white matter tracts in children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Koldewyn Kami , Yendiki Anastasia , Weigelt Sarah , Gweon Hyowon , Julian Joshua , Richardson Hilary , Malloy Caitlin , Saxe Rebecca , Fischl Bruce , Kanwisher Nancy
Published: January 2014

Significance

One of the most accepted brain “signatures” of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a reduction in the integrity of long-range white-matter fiber tracts. Here, we assessed known white matter tracts in children with ASD by using diffusion-weighted imaging. In contrast to most prior studies, we carefully matched for head motion between groups. When data quality was matched, there was no evidence of widespread changes in white-matter tracts in the ASD group. Instead, differences were present in only one tract, the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus. These data challenge the idea that widespread changes in white-matter integrity are a signature of ASD and highlight the importance of matching for data quality in future diffusion studies of ASD and other clinical disorders.
Cross-modal repetition priming with homophones provides clues about representation in the word recognition system
Authors: Pexman Penny M. , Lupker Stephen J. , Hino Yasushi
Published: January 2014

In three experiments, we assessed the impact of auditory homophone primes (/swi:t/) on lexical decisions to visually presented low-frequency (suite) and high-frequency (sweet) homophone spellings. In Experiment 1 we investigated the time course of these cross-modal repetition priming effects. Results suggested that low-frequency homophone spellings do not reach the same activation level as nonhomophones, even at long SOAs. There were no differences in priming between high-frequency homophones and nonhomophones. In Experiments 2 and 3 we attempted to eliminate the impact of strategies with lower proportions of repetition primes. Results showed smaller priming effects for both low- and high-frequency homophones than for nonhomophones, suggesting that neither homophone spelling is fully activated. Implications for local and distributed models of word recognition are discussed.
Religious practice and belief in the Republic of Buryatia: comparing across faiths and national groups
Authors: Holland Edward C.
Published: January 2014

Using results from a 2010 survey conducted in the Republic of Buryatia, this paper compares the responses of Russians and Buryats on questions of religious practice and belief, as well as the role of religion and religious organizations in the political sphere of contemporary Russia. Buryats more commonly identify with a religion and more frequently attend religious services in comparison to Russians living in the republic. There is greater consonance between the two groups on the public role of religion, with both Russians and Buryats generally supportive of the recent extension of religious education into schools and the creation of national holidays for all traditional religions, among other issues.
Müller glia cells regulate Notch signaling and retinal angiogenesis via the generation of 19,20-dihydroxydocosapentaenoic acid
Authors: Hu Jiong , Popp Rüdiger , Frömel Timo , Ehling Manuel , Awwad Khader , Adams Ralf H. , Hammes Hans-Peter , Fleming Ingrid
Published: January 2014

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) epoxygenases generate bioactive lipid epoxides which can be further metabolized to supposedly less active diols by the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). As the role of epoxides and diols in angiogenesis is unclear, we compared retinal vasculature development in wild-type and sEH−/− mice. Deletion of the sEH significantly delayed angiogenesis, tip cell, and filopodia formation, a phenomenon associated with activation of the Notch signaling pathway. In the retina, sEH was localized in Müller glia cells, and Müller cell–specific sEH deletion reproduced the sEH−/− retinal phenotype. Lipid profiling revealed that sEH deletion decreased retinal and Müller cell levels of 19,20–dihydroxydocosapentaenoic acid (DHDP), a diol of docosahexenoic acid (DHA). 19,20-DHDP suppressed endothelial Notch signaling in vitro via inhibition of the γ-secretase and the redistribution of presenilin 1 from lipid rafts. Moreover, 19,20-DHDP, but not the parent epoxide, was able to rescue the defective angiogenesis in sEH−/− mice as well as in animals lacking the Fbxw7 ubiquitin ligase, which demonstrate strong basal activity of the Notch signaling cascade. These studies demonstrate that retinal angiogenesis is regulated by a novel form of neuroretina–vascular interaction involving the sEH-dependent generation of a diol of DHA in Müller cells.
Log-Lipschitz embeddings of homogeneous sets with sharp logarithmic exponents and slicing products of balls
Authors: Robinson James
Published: January 2014

IfXXis a compact subset of a Banach space withX−XX-Xhomogeneous (equivalently ‘doubling’ or with finite Assouad dimension), thenXXcan be embedded into someRn\mathbb {R}^n(withnnsufficiently large) using a linear mapLLwhose inverse is Lipschitz to within logarithmic corrections. More precisely, there existc,α>0c,\alpha >0such that\[<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="c StartFraction double-vertical-bar x minus y double-vertical-bar Over StartAbsoluteValue log double-vertical-bar x minus y double-vertical-bar EndAbsoluteValue Superscript alpha Baseline EndFraction less-than-or-equal-to StartAbsoluteValue upper L x minus upper L y EndAbsoluteValue less-than-or-equal-to c double-vertical-bar x minus y double-vertical-bar for all x comma y element-of upper X comma double-vertical-bar x minus y double-vertical-bar greater-than delta comma">c ‖x−y‖|log⁡‖x−y‖|α≤|Lx−Ly|≤c‖x−y‖for allx,y∈X, ‖x−y‖>δ,c\ \frac {\|x-y\|}{|\,\log \|x-y\|\,|^\alpha }\le |Lx-Ly|\le c\|x-y\|\quad \mbox {for all}\quad x,y\in X,\ \|x-y\|>\delta ,\]for someδ\deltasufficiently small. It is known that one must haveα>1\alpha >1in the case of a general Banach space andα>1/2\alpha >1/2in the case of a Hilbert space. It is shown in this paper that these exponents can be achieved.

While the argument in a general Banach space is relatively straightforward, the Hilbert space case relies on the fact that the maximum volume of a hyperplane slice of akk-fold product of unit volumeNN-balls is bounded independent ofkk(this provides a ‘qualitative’ generalisation of a result on slices of the unit cube due to Hensley (Proc. AMS73(1979), 95–100) and Ball (Proc. AMS97(1986), 465–473)).
Cooperation against Theft: A Test of Incentives for Water Management in Tunisia
Authors: Mattoussi Wided , Seabright Paul
Published: January 2014

Water theft carried out by manipulating water meters constrains volumetric pricing in semi‐arid regions. Cooperative management can reduce theft and improve incentives for efficient water use by inducing peer monitoring. Using a theoretical model, we show that theft is more likely when prices are high, punishments are weak, and cooperatives are large. We also show how cooperative membership and punishment levels are determined endogenously by constraints on monitoring. We test the model on data from Tunisia for the years 2001–2003, relying on instruments that proxy for unobservable monitoring costs. The results confirm that well‐designed incentives can reduce theft, and that constraints on monitoring costs affect institutional design.
Parameterizing and operationalizing zooplankton population dynamic and trophic interaction models
Authors: Plourde Stéphane , Browman Howard I.
Published: January 2014

Plourde, S., and Browman, H. I. 2014. Parameterizing and operationalizing zooplankton population dynamic and trophic interaction models. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 71: 234–235. This themed set (TS) of articles was motivated by the need for modellers and biologists–ecologists to work more closely together to produce more realistic simulation models of zooplankton population dynamics and trophic interactions. The TS was intended to cover a broad range of subjects and potential approaches, including identifying crucial gaps in our knowledge and parameterization of biological/physiological processes, experimental/fieldwork aimed at quantifying the response of key physiological and behavioural processes to variations in the environment, identifying novel modelling approaches that would enable the development of simulation models that would minimize the need for species-specific (and stage-specific) model parameterization, etc. Five articles were accepted for inclusion in the TS. They cover the majority of these themes. TSs are intended to be instrumental in focusing attention, triggering opinions, and stimulating ideas, discussion and activity in specific research fields. We hope that this TS has achieved that.
What is all the noise about in interval timing?
Authors: Oprisan Sorinel A. , Buhusi Catalin V.
Published: January 2014

Cognitive processes such as decision-making, rate calculation and planning require an accurate estimation of durations in the supra-second range—interval timing. In addition to being accurate, interval timing is scale invariant: the time-estimation errors are proportional to the estimated duration. The origin and mechanisms of this fundamental property are unknown. We discuss the computational properties of a circuit consisting of a large number of (input) neural oscillators projecting on a small number of (output) coincidence detector neurons, which allows time to be coded by the pattern of coincidental activation of its inputs. We showed analytically and checked numerically that time-scale invariance emerges from the neural noise. In particular, we found that errors or noise during storing or retrieving information regarding the memorized criterion time produce symmetric, Gaussian-like output whose width increases linearly with the criterion time. In contrast, frequency variability produces an asymmetric, long-tailed Gaussian-like output, that also obeys scale invariant property. In this architecture, time-scale invariance depends neither on the details of the input population, nor on the distribution probability of noise.
Parent-of-origin genetic background affects the transcriptional levels of circadian and neuronal plasticity genes following sleep loss
Authors: Tinarelli Federico , Garcia-Garcia Celina , Nicassio Francesco , Tucci Valter
Published: January 2014

Sleep homoeostasis refers to a process in which the propensity to sleep increases as wakefulness progresses and decreases as sleep progresses. Sleep is tightly organized around the circadian clock and is regulated by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. The homoeostatic response of sleep, which is classically triggered by sleep deprivation, is generally measured as a rebound effect of electrophysiological measures, for example delta sleep. However, more recently, gene expression changes following sleep loss have been investigated as biomarkers of sleep homoeostasis. The genetic background of an individual may affect this sleep-dependent gene expression phenotype. In this study, we investigated whether parental genetic background differentially modulates the expression of genes following sleep loss. We tested the progeny of reciprocal crosses of AKR/J and DBA/2J mouse strains and we show a parent-of-origin effect on the expression of circadian, sleep and neuronal plasticity genes following sleep deprivation. Thus, we further explored, by
in silico
, specific functions or upstream mechanisms of regulation and we observed that several upstream mechanisms involving signalling pathways (i.e. DICER1, PKA), growth factors (CSF3 and BDNF) and transcriptional regulators (EGR2 and ELK4) may be differentially modulated by parental effects. This is the first report showing that a behavioural manipulation (e.g. sleep deprivation) in adult animals triggers specific gene expression responses according to parent-of-origin genomic mechanisms. Our study suggests that the same mechanism may be extended to other behavioural domains and that the investigation of gene expression following experimental manipulations should take seriously into account parent-of-origin effects.
Relative timing: from behaviour to neurons
Authors: Aghdaee S. Mehdi , Battelli Lorella , Assad John A.
Published: January 2014

Processing of temporal information is critical to behaviour. Here, we review the phenomenology and mechanism ofrelative timing, ordinal comparisons between the timing of occurrence of events. Relative timing can be an implicit component of particular brain computations or can be an explicit, conscious judgement. Psychophysical measurements of explicit relative timing have revealed clues about the interaction of sensory signals in the brain as well as in the influence of internal states, such as attention, on those interactions. Evidence from human neurophysiological and functional imaging studies, neuropsychological examination in brain-lesioned patients, and temporary disruptive interventions such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), point to a role of the parietal cortex in relative timing. Relative timing has traditionally been modelled as a ‘race’ between competing neural signals. We propose an updated race process based on the integration of sensory evidence towards a decision threshold rather than simple signal propagation.The model suggests a general approach for identifying brain regions involved in relative timing, based on looking for trial-by-trial correlations between neural activity and temporal order judgements (TOJs). Finally, we show how the paradigm can be used to reveal signals related to TOJs in parietal cortex of monkeys trained in a TOJ task.
Action, time and the basal ganglia
Authors: Yin Henry H.
Published: January 2014

The ability to control the speed of movement is compromised in neurological disorders involving the basal ganglia, a set of subcortical cerebral nuclei that receive prominent dopaminergic projections from the midbrain. For example, bradykinesia, slowness of movement, is a major symptom of Parkinson's disease, whereas rapid tics are observed in patients with Tourette syndrome. Recent experimental work has also implicated dopamine (DA) and the basal ganglia in action timing. Here, I advance the hypothesis that the basal ganglia control the rate of change in kinaesthetic perceptual variables. In particular, the sensorimotor cortico-basal ganglia network implements a feedback circuit for the control of movement velocity. By modulating activity in this network, DA can change the gain of velocity reference signals. The lack of DA thus reduces the output of the velocity control system which specifies the rate of change in body configurations, slowing the transition from one body configuration to another.