julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Neurobiology of processing vocal emotions in unipolar depression
2017-06-27

Introduction: Correct interpretation of emotional signals is crucial for successful social interactions. In the auditory domain, such signals can be expressed verbally (semantic information) and nonverbally by modulation of speech melody (prosody). Behavioral experiments documented an impaired identification of vocal emotions in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), with deficits occurring both during perception of positive and negative emotional prosody [1]. Furthermore, a mood congruent bias could be shown for patients with unipolar depression which resulted in altered evaluation of prosodic stimuli [2]. So far, no neuroimaging studies on processing of emotional acoustic information in major depressive disorder are available. Methods: In this study, we investigated the neural correlates of disturbed perception of emotional information expressed by prosody in patients with MDD using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We presented adjectives varying with respect to their emotional semantic content (positive, neutral and negative) which were spoken in happy, neutral or angry prosody. It was the task of the participants to either exclusively judge the valence (i.e., how positive or negative the emotional information was perceived) of the prosody or the semantic content (control task) on a five-point scale. This design enabled us to localize stimulus-dependent networks (comparison of emotional and neutral prosody) as well as task-dependent brain areas (comparison of judgment of prosody versus judgment of semantic content). Results: We found differences between MDD patients and healthy controls in the evaluation of emotional prosody. Specifically, we found depressed patients to give less intense ratings for positive emotional prosody than healthy controls. We did not find this difference in the evaluation of negative content, implying a reduced experience of positive information and a perceptual bias towards positive emotions in depressed patients. At neural level, we found activation differences between MDD patients and healthy controls, with patients showing stronger activation levels when processing emotional content as compared to healthy controls. Further, stronger activation in the left amygdala was found during the evaluation of emotional prosody, but not during the evaluation of semantic content (see Fig.1). No such differences were found in the voice areas. Subject depression scores were related to their neural responses, with higher levels of depression, yielding stronger activation in the left amygdala during the evaluation of emotional prosody. Conclusions: Our findings argue for a subcortical anatomical substrate underlying the observed mood congruent bias in MDD during judgement of vocal emotions. Therefore, our results add importantly to the understanding of processing emotional content in major depression disorder.
Author response: ATP sensing in living plant cells reveals tissue gradients and stress dynamics of energy physiology
2017-06-27

Growth and development of plants is ultimately driven by light energy captured through photosynthesis.ATP acts as universal cellular energy cofactor fuelling all life processes, including gene expression, metabolism, and transport.Despite a mechanistic understanding of ATP biochemistry, ATP dynamics in the living plant have been largely elusive.Here, we establish MgATP 2-measurement in living plants using the fluorescent protein biosensor ATeam1.03-nD/nA.We generate Arabidopsis sensor lines and investigate the sensor in vitro under conditions appropriate for the plant cytosol.We establish an assay for ATP fluxes in isolated mitochondria, and demonstrate that the sensor responds rapidly and reliably to MgATP 2-changes in planta.A MgATP 2-map of the Arabidopsis seedling highlights different MgATP 2-concentrations between tissues and within individual cell types, such as root hairs.Progression of hypoxia reveals substantial plasticity of ATP homeostasis in seedlings, demonstrating that ATP dynamics can be monitored in the living plant.
BIOCHAR AS A TOOL TO REDUCE THE AGRICULTURAL GREENHOUSE-GAS BURDEN – KNOWNS, UNKNOWNS AND FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS
2017-06-28

Agriculture and land use change has significantly increased atmospheric emissions of the non-CO2 green-house gases (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). Since human nutritional and bioenergy needs continue to increase, at a shrinking global land area for production, novel land management strategies are required that reduce the GHG footprint per unit of yield. Here we review the potential of biochar to reduce N2O and CH4 emissions from agricultural practices including potential mechanisms behind observed effects. Furthermore, we investigate alternative uses of biochar in agricultural land management that may significantly reduce the GHG-emissions-per-unit-of-product footprint, such as (i) pyrolysis of manures as hygienic alternative to direct soil application, (ii) using biochar as fertilizer carrier matrix for underfoot fertilization, biochar use (iii) as composting additive or (iv) as feed additive in animal husbandry or for manure treatment. We conclude that the largest future research needs lay in conducting life-cycle GHG assessments when using biochar as an on-farm management tool for nutrient-rich biomass waste streams.
Sex differences in outcomes of primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy: combined registry data from eleven European countries
2017-06-28

Our retrospective analysis of 14 local registries in 11 European countries demonstrates that fewer women than men undergo ICD implantation for primary prevention. After multivariate adjustment, women have a significantly lower mortality and receive fewer appropriate ICD shocks.
Aβ seeds and prions: How close the fit?
2017-06-28

The prion paradigm is increasingly invoked to explain the molecular pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases involving the misfolding and aggregation of proteins other than the prion protein (PrP). Extensive evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies indicates that misfolded and aggregated Aβ peptide, which is the probable molecular trigger for Alzheimer's disease, manifests all of the key characteristics of canonical mammalian prions. These features include a β-sheet rich architecture, tendency to polymerize into amyloid, templated corruption of like protein molecules, ability to form structurally and functionally variant strains, systematic spread by neuronal transport, and resistance to inactivation by heat and formaldehyde. In addition to Aβ, a growing body of research supports the view that the prion-like molecular transformation of specific proteins drives the onset and course of a remarkable variety of clinicopathologically diverse diseases. As such, the expanded prion paradigm could conceptually unify fundamental and translational investigations of these disorders.
Field ionization of Rydberg atoms for high-brightness electron and ion beams
2017-06-28

We present an ionization mechanism for use in a cold atom electron source with the goal of producing highly monochromatic electron beams. We experimentally produce a map of the Stark states of 85Rb below the ionization threshold and identify states that undergo selective field ionization. The properties of an electron beam produced by field-assisted ionization of such states are quantified. A theoretical framework is established to predict the improvement to beam quality when ionization is conducted above the ionization threshold, where ionization conditions are typically more favorable than below the threshold. Calculations suggest that selective ionization of Rydberg states may offer a pathway to the production of high-brightness, highly monochromatic ion and electron beams.
Second-harmonic generation in single CdSe nanowires by focused cylindrical vector beams
2017-06-28

Cylindrical vector beams with radial or azimuthal polarization have created great interest due to their unique focusing characteristics and focal components. In this Letter, we investigate second-harmonic general (SHG) of single CdSe nanowires (NWs) excited by tightly focused cylindrical vector beams of 150 fs pulses at 800 nm. With the specific polarizations in the focal region, we demonstrate a three-dimensional interaction between the focal electric field components and the NWs. The excitation anisotropy of the SHG can directly be derived from the imaging patterns with the cylindrical vector beams. The highest SHG excitation efficiency is observed when the polarization is parallel to the long axis of the NW, which is confirmed by the conventional linear polarization approach. Our work with cylindrical vector beams provides a new approach to study the nonlinear phenomenon of single semiconductor NWs in three dimensions and it could be applied to many other nanoscale systems.
Clinical spectrum and genotype–phenotype associations of KCNA2-related encephalopathies
2017-06-29

Recently, de novo mutations in the gene KCNA2, causing either a dominant-negative loss-of-function or a gain-of-function of the voltage-gated K+ channel Kv1.2, were described to cause a new molecular entity within the epileptic encephalopathies. Here, we report a cohort of 23 patients (eight previously described) with epileptic encephalopathy carrying either novel or known KCNA2 mutations, with the aim to detail the clinical phenotype associated with each of them, to characterize the functional effects of the newly identified mutations, and to assess genotype-phenotype associations. We identified five novel and confirmed six known mutations, three of which recurred in three, five and seven patients, respectively. Ten mutations were missense and one was a truncation mutation; de novo occurrence could be shown in 20 patients. Functional studies using a Xenopus oocyte two-microelectrode voltage clamp system revealed mutations with only loss-of-function effects (mostly dominant-negative current amplitude reduction) in eight patients or only gain-of-function effects (hyperpolarizing shift of voltage-dependent activation, increased amplitude) in nine patients. In six patients, the gain-of-function was diminished by an additional loss-of-function (gain-and loss-of-function) due to a hyperpolarizing shift of voltage-dependent activation combined with either decreased amplitudes or an additional hyperpolarizing shift of the inactivation curve. These electrophysiological findings correlated with distinct phenotypic features. The main differences were (i) predominant focal (loss-of-function) versus generalized (gain-of-function) seizures and corresponding epileptic discharges with prominent sleep activation in most cases with loss-of-function mutations; (ii) more severe epilepsy, developmental problems and ataxia, and atrophy of the cerebellum or even the whole brain in about half of the patients with gain-of-function mutations; and (iii) most severe early-onset phenotypes, occasionally with neonatal onset epilepsy and developmental impairment, as well as generalized and focal seizures and EEG abnormalities for patients with gain- and loss-of-function mutations. Our study thus indicates well represented genotype-phenotype associations between three subgroups of patients with KCNA2 encephalopathy according to the electrophysiological features of the mutations.
Factors Influencing the Cardiovascular Response to Subanesthetic Ketamine: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
2017-06-29

Subanesthetic ketamine increased both blood pressure and heart rate without causing hypertensive events. Furthermore, we identified gender and NET rs28386840 genotype as factors that predict increased cardiovascular sequelae of ketamine administration in our young, healthy study population providing a potential basis for establishing monitoring guidelines.
Ubiquitin-dependent regulation of Cdc42 by XIAP
2017-06-29

Abstract Rho GTPases control fundamental cellular processes and Cdc42 is a well-studied member of the family that controls filopodia formation and cell migration. Although the regulation of Cdc42 activity by nucleotide binding is well documented, the mechanisms driving its proteostasis are not clear. Here, we demonstrate that the highly conserved, RING domain containing E3 ubiquitin ligase XIAP controls the protein stability of Cdc42. XIAP binds to Cdc42 and directly conjugates poly ubiquitin chains to the Lysine 166 of Cdc42 targeting it for proteasomal degradation. Depletion of XIAP led to an increased protein stability and activity of Cdc42 in normal and tumor cells. Consistently, loss of XIAP enhances filopodia formation in a Cdc42-dependent manner and this phenomenon phenocopies EGF stimulation. Further, XIAP depletion promotes lung colonization of tumor cells in mice in a Cdc42-dependent manner. These observations shed molecular insights into ubiquitin-dependent regulation of Cdc42 and that of actin cytoskeleton.
Enhancing sensitivity in quantum metrology by Hamiltonian extensions
2017-06-29

A well-studied scenario in quantum parameter estimation theory arises when the parameter to be estimated is imprinted on the initial state by a Hamiltonian of the form . For such "phase shift Hamiltonians" it has been shown that one cannot improve the channel quantum Fisher information by adding ancillas and letting the system interact with them. Here we investigate the general case, where the Hamiltonian is not necessarily a phase shift, and show that in this case in general it \\emph{is} possible to increase the quantum channel information and to reach an upper bound. This can be done by adding a term proportional to the derivative of the Hamiltonian, or by subtracting a term to the original Hamiltonian. Both methods do not make use of any ancillas and show therefore that for quantum channel estimation with arbitrary parameter-dependent Hamiltonian, entanglement with an ancillary system is not necessary to reach the best possible sensitivity. By adding an operator to the Hamiltonian we can also modify the time scaling of the channel quantum Fisher information. We illustrate our techniques with NV-center magnetometry and the estimation of the direction of a magnetic field in a given plane using a single spin-1 as probe.
Emotional Content in Wikipedia Articles on Negative Man-Made and Nature-Made Events
2017-06-29

Wikipedia emphasizes the objectivity of content. Yet, Wikipedia articles also deal with negative events that potentially elicit intense emotions. Undesirable outcomes (e.g., earthquakes) are known to elicit sadness, while undesirable outcomes caused by others’ actions (e.g., terrorist attacks) are known to elicit anger. Internet users’ emotional responses are likely to end up in Wikipedia articles on those events as characteristics of Internet users spill over to Wikipedia articles. Therefore, we expected that Wikipedia articles on terrorist attacks contain more anger-related and less sadness-related content than articles on earthquakes. We analyzed newly created Wikipedia articles about the two events (Study 1) as well as more current versions of those Wikipedia articles after the events had already happened (Study 2). The results supported our expectations. Surprisingly, Wikipedia articles on those two events contained more emotional content than related Wikipedia talk pages (Study 3). We discuss the implications for Wikipedia and future research.
dRNA-seq transcriptional profiling of the FK506 biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces tsukubaensis NRRL18488 and general analysis of the transcriptome
2017-06-30

FK506 (tacrolimus) is a valuable immunosuppressant produced by several Streptomyces strains. In the genome of the wild type producer Streptomyces tsukubaensis NRRL18488, FK506 biosynthesis is encoded by a gene cluster that spans 83.5 (kb). A whole transcriptome differential shotgun sequencing (dRNA-seq) of S. tsukubaensis was performed to analyze transcription at 2 different time points; before and during active FK506 production. In total, 8,914 transcription start sites were identified in either condition, which enabled precise determination of the 5'-UTR length of the corresponding transcripts as well as the identification of 2 consensus sequence motifs in the promoter regions. The transcription start sites of all gene operons within the FK506 cluster were identified, including 3 examples of leaderless RNA transcripts. These data provide detailed insight into the transcription of the FK506 biosynthetic gene cluster to support future regulatory studies, genetic manipulation, and industrial production.
A precessing Be disc as a possible model for occultation events in GX 304−1
2017-06-30

We report on the RXTE detection of a sudden increase in the absorption column density, Nh, during the 2011 May outburst of GX 304−1. The Nh increased up to ∼16 × 1022 atoms cm−2, which is a factor of 3–4 larger than what is usually measured during the outbursts of GX 304−1 as covered by RXTE. Additionally, an increase in the variability of the hardness ratio as calculated from the energy resolved RXTE-Proportional Counter Array light curves is measured during this time range. We interpret these facts as an occultation event of the neutron star by material in the line of sight. Using a simple 3D model of an inclined and precessing Be disc around the Be-type companion, we are able to qualitatively explain the NH evolution over time. We are able to constrain the Be disc density to be of the order of 10−11 g cm−3. Our model strengthens the idea of inclined Be discs as origin of double-peaked outbursts as the derived geometry allows accretion twice per orbit under certain conditions.
Editorial: DNA Damage as a Strategy for Anticancer Chemotherapy
2017-06-30

Amongst all currently used drugs in the field of cancer therapy, the most prominent group of agents which induce DNA, damage both directly or indirectly. Intuitively DNA should not be a perfect target for relatively unspecific small molecular weight drugs. However, the current understanding is that not damage per se but cellular response to DNA damage induced by antitumor agents is responsible for their specific targeted effect towards cancer cells in comparison to the normal cells. DNA damaging chemotherapeutics include compounds with diferent activities namely: directly or indirectly induce DNA strand breaks, covalently modify DNA bases, change the chromatin structure and topology by inhibiting chromatin-modifying enzymes. In this special issue of Current Medicinal Chemistry entitled....
O Justice, Where Art Thou? Developing a New Take on Climate Justice
2017-06-30

Since the beginning of the political debates in the 1980s, questions of justice have been at the core of the quest to find a political solution to global climate change. The literature has thus far identified a number of key justice dilemmas, central questions and justice principles. However, apart from a few exceptions in the ‘non-ideal theory’ strand, the majority of scholars has focused on the philosophical and theoretical level, making it difficult to transfer their ideas to the actual political struggles on the ground. The aim of this working paper is thus a twofold one. Firstly, it maps and discusses the most influential climate justice positions that the literature has developed so far. Secondly, it introduces three conceptions of justice, namely non-domination, impartiality, and mutual recognition, that are more attuned to the political struggles around climate change. The main objective is to discuss how they relate to the existing climate justice positions and to sketch out new ways of thinking about climate justice that allow us to critically examine the policies and behaviour of key actors in the international negotiations on climate change.
ROLE OF THE INNATE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN THE PROGRESSION OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
2017-06-30

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive irreversible neurological brain disorder. Inflammation and immune alterations have been linked to AD, suggesting that the peripheral immune system plays a role during the asymptomatic period of AD. NK cells and neutrophils (PMN) participate in innate immune surveillance against intracellular pathogens and malignancy but their role in AD remains controversial. We have investigated changes in peripheral NK cell and PMN phenotypes and functions in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI, n = 10), patients with mild AD (mAD, n = 11), and healthy elderly controls (n = 10). Patients selected according to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria were classified using neuropsychological assessment tests. Phenotype analysis revealed differences in expression of CD16 (increased in mAD), NKG2A (decreased in aMCI), and TLR2 and TLR9 (both decreased in mAD) for NK and CD14 (increased in MCI). Functional assays revealed that NK cell killing activity and degranulation (CD107 expression) were unchanged in the three groups. In contrast, expression of the CD95 receptor was increased in aMCI and mAD. Granzyme B expression and cytokine production (TNFα, IFNγ) were increased in aMCI but not in mAD. Similarly, PMN phagocytosis and free radical production were differentially modulated in MCI and mAD patients. Our data suggest that the number of alterations observed in peripheral NK cells in aMCI represent an activation state compared to mAD patients and that may reflect an active immune response against a still to be defined aggression.
FALLS EFFICACY AND FEAR OF FALLING IN HIP FRACTURE PATIENTS
2017-06-30

The question of how to assess fear of falling (FoF) and falls efficacy in hip fracture patients is still not clearly resolved. While the Fall Efficacy Scale International (FES-I) shows good reliability and structural validity in this population, it appears more related to functional performance than to more general anxiety symptoms (Visschedijk et al. 2015). Based on data of 124 community-dwelling elderly after hip or pelvic fracture (Mean age = 82.5 years; 76.6 % female) associations between different specific measures on FoF and falls efficacy (Short FES-I, Perceived Ability to Manage Falls, single item questions), functional ability, general anxiety symptoms, and additional measures that refer to emotion regulation (psychological flexibility, anxiety control) are presented and discussed. After attending this presentation, participants will have a better understanding of what they are measuring with different FoF measures in this high-fall risk population.
PROBLEM-SOLVING IN CAREGIVER-COUNSELLING (PLIP STUDY): A CLUSTER RANDOMIZED PRAGMATIC TRIAL
2017-06-30

Despite the evaluation of more than 200 dementia caregiver interventions over the past three decades, only very few programs have been translated to delivery in service contexts. In this study (05/2013–10/2016) we evaluated if structured problem-solving is feasible to implement in a routine setting and effective compared to statutory care counselling of German long term care insurances (www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN86289718). Fifty-six care counselors were randomized (with district offices as clusters) from three long term care insurances with 9 million assured members. The intervention group was trained in an initial two-day workshop, a follow-up day after 4 months, and individual bi-weekly telephone supervision contacts over six months. The impact of this additional problem-solving counseling component on depressive symptoms (main endpoint) of burdened caregivers (N=138) was measured at baseline, after 3, and 6 months. Study results are presented and challenges in implementing the trial are discussed.