julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Monitoring Cortical Excitability during Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Children with ADHD: A Single-Blind, Sham-Controlled TMS-EEG Study
2012-11-21

The TMS-evoked N100 represents a promising candidate marker to monitor rTMS effects on cortical excitability in children with ADHD. TMS-evoked N100 can be employed to monitor real-time effects of TMS for subthreshold intensities. Though TMS-evoked N100 was a more sensitive parameter for rTMS-specific changes than MEPs in our sample, further studies are necessary to demonstrate whether clinical rTMS effects can be predicted from rTMS-induced changes in TMS-evoked N100 amplitude and to clarify the relationship between rTMS-induced changes in TMS-evoked N100 and MEP amplitudes. The TMS-evoked N100 amplitude reduction after 1 Hz-rTMS could either reflect a globally decreased cortical response to the TMS pulse or a specific decrease in inhibition.
Predicting the Structure of Cyclic Lipopeptides by Bioinformatics: Structure Revision of Arthrofactin
2012-11-21

Arthrofactin, a bioactive cyclic lipopeptide from Pseudomonas sp. MIS38, was reinvestigated for its structural and stereochemical features due to discrepancies between the genetics-based sequence prediction and the currently suggested structure. The structure of arthrofactin and its derivatives was reassigned on the basis of chiral HPLC analysis and extensive NMR and MS experiments. Furthermore, derivatives of arthrofactin were discovered.
Rapid Diagnostic Algorithms as a Screening Tool for Tuberculosis: An Assessor Blinded Cross-Sectional Study
2012-11-21

Here we show that a rapid diagnostic algorithm based on clinical parameters is only slightly improved by inclusion of inflammation markers in our cohort. Our results also emphasize the need for validation of new diagnostic algorithms in different settings and patient populations.
Troy in Regional and International Context
2012-11-21

This article presents an overview of Troy's place in the larger Aegean/Anatolian world, highlighting the continued important role this settlement played over three millennia. From the point of view of archaeology, Hisarlık–Troy ranks high among important sites of the Anatolian and Aegean Bronze Age. Both its Early and Late Bronze Age architecture, the treasures as well as ceramics and other finds reflecting long-distance contacts, the size of the site, its layout comprising a fortified stronghold surrounded by a larger, outlying settlement, and its strategic position clearly show that Troy served as the center of the surrounding region.
True blue: S‐opsin is widely expressed in different animal species
2012-11-22

Summary Colour vision in animals is an interesting, fascinating subject. In this study, we examined a wide variety of species for expression of S‐opsin (blue sensitive) and M‐/L‐opsin (green‐red sensitive) in retinal cones using two novel monoclonal antibodies specific for peptides from human opsins. Mouse, rat and hare did not express one of the investigated epitopes, but we could clearly prove existence of cones through peanut agglutinin labelling. Retinas of guinea pig, dog, wolf, marten, cat, roe deer, pig and horse were positive for S‐opsin, but not for M‐/L‐opsin. Nevertheless all these species are clearly at least dichromats, because we could detect further S‐opsin negative cones by labelling with cone arrestin specific antibody. In contrast, pheasant and char had M‐/L‐opsin positive cones, but no S‐opsin expressing cones. Sheep, cattle, monkey, men, pigeon, duck and chicken were positive for both opsins. Visual acuity analyzed through density of retinal ganglion cells revealed least visual discrimination by horses and highest resolution in pheasant and pigeon. Most mammals studied are dichromats with visual perception similar to red‐green blind people.
Sensitivity to oxytocin's effects on social face processing is enhanced in homosexual compared to heterosexual men
2012-11-22

Conclusive evidence from human and animal studies indicates that the neuropeptide oxytocin is strongly involved in the regulation of social cognition and social behavior, including attachment, interpersonal trust and emotional processing of social cues. However, it is unclear whether the sexual component of social perception and interaction modulates the social impact of oxytocin in humans. We hypothesized that sexual orientation (homo- vs. heterosexuality) is a critical determinant of oxytocin's effect on the appraisal of facial stimuli in male subjects. In a double-blind, randomized study in 19 homosexual and 18 heterosexual healthy young men, we investigated the acute effect of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) and placebo, respectively, on ratings of trustworthiness, attractiveness and approachability for male and female faces. Sexual orientation was assessed by means of the Klein Sexual Orientation Grid. Faces were presented once with a neutral expression, once with a happy and once with an angry expression, respectively. Across conditions, ratings strongly depended on the sex of the presented face (male/female) and the sexual orientation of the participant. In heterosexual subjects, no oxytocin effects emerged with the exception of a decrease in rated trustworthiness of angry female faces. In contrast, in homosexual participants oxytocin increased rated attractiveness and approachability of male faces regardless of the facial expression and raised approachability ratings of happy female faces. Results indicate that homosexual in comparison to heterosexual men display increased sensitivity to the enhancing impact of oxytocin on self-rated approach tendencies towards facial stimuli. This effect primarily pertains to same-sex faces and does not appear to depend on the affective tone of the perceived face.
Safety and efficacy of subretinal visual implants in humans: methodological aspects
2012-11-23

A clinical trial protocol for artificial vision in humans, which leads a patient from blindness to the state of very low vision is a challenge and cannot be defined completely prior to the study. Available tests of visual function may not be sufficiently suited for efficacy testing of artificial vision devices. A protocol based on experience with subretinal visual implants in 22 patients is presented that has been found adequate to monitor safety and efficacy.
Retinal nerve fibre layer loss in hereditary spastic paraplegias is restricted to complex phenotypes
2012-11-23

Clinically pure HSP patients feature no significant reduction in RNFL, whereas complex phenotypes display an abnormal thinning of temporal and temporal inferior RNFL. Our data indicate that RNFL thinning does not occur unspecifically in all neurodegenerative diseases but is in HSP restricted to subtypes with multisystemic degeneration.
Expression patterns and functional evaluation of the UNC5B receptor during the early phase of peripheral nerve regeneration using the mouse median nerve model
2012-11-24

Abstract Introduction: In this study, we evaluated the role of the Netrin‐1 receptor UNC5b ( Unc oordinated), a neuronal guidance molecule, during peripheral nerve regeneration using the mouse median nerve model. Materials and methods: Using Western blot analysis, we examined the expression changes of UNC5b after transection and microsurgical repair of the mouse median nerve distal to the transection site. We evaluated the histomorphometrical changes and functional recovery of the grasping force after median nerve transection and repair in wild‐type (WT) mice and UNC5b +/− heterozygous mice. Results: In Western blot analysis, we could show a high increase of UNC5b in the nerve segment distal to the injury site at day 14. Histomorphometrical analysis did not show any significant differences between WT animals and heterozygous animals. Using the functional grasping test, we could demonstrate that peripheral nerve regeneration is significantly diminished in heterozygous UNC5b +/− mice. Conclusion: By using the mouse median nerve model in transgenic animals, we demonstrate that the Netrin‐1 receptor UNC5b plays an important role during peripheral nerve regeneration. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2013.
2-[5-Bromo-1-(3-chlorobenzyl)-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl]acetic acid
2012-11-24

In the title compound, C18H15BrClNO2, the indole ring system forms a dihedral angle of 86.9 (2)° with the 3-chloro-benzyl ring. In the crystal, mol-ecules form inversion dimers connected via pairs of O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
3-(4-Bromophenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde
2012-11-24

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C16H11BrN2O, contains two independent mol-ecules with slightly different geometries. The 4-bromo-benzene ring forms dihedral angles of 26.0 (2) and 39.9 (7)° with the pyrazole ring in the two mol-ecules while the phenyl ring is oriented at 19.7 (5) and 7.3 (0)° with respect to the pyrazole ring.
Clarifying the Role of the Rostral dmPFC/dACC in Fear/Anxiety: Learning, Appraisal or Expression?
2012-11-26

Recent studies have begun to carve out a specific role for the rostral part of the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and adjacent dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) in fear/anxiety. Within a novel general framework of dorsal mPFC/ACC areas subserving the appraisal of threat and concomitant expression of fear responses and ventral mPFC/ACC areas subserving fear regulation, the rostral dmPFC/dACC has been proposed to specifically mediate the conscious, negative appraisal of threat situations including, as an extreme variant, catastrophizing. An alternative explanation that has not been conclusively ruled out yet is that the area is involved in fear learning. We tested two different fear expression paradigms in separate fMRI studies (study 1: instructed fear, study 2: testing of Pavlovian conditioned fear) with independent groups of healthy adult subjects. In both paradigms the absence of reinforcement precluded conditioning. We demonstrate significant BOLD activation of an identical rostral dmPFC/dACC area. In the Pavlovian paradigm (study 2), the area only activated robustly once prior conditioning had finished. Thus, our data argue against a role of the area in fear learning. We further replicate a repeated observation of a dissociation between peripheral-physiological fear responding and rostral dmPFC/dACC activation, strongly suggesting the area does not directly generate fear responses but rather contributes to appraisal processes. Although we succeeded in preventing extinction of conditioned responding in either paradigm, the data do not allow us to definitively exclude an involvement of the area in fear extinction learning. We discuss the broader implications of this finding for our understanding of mPFC/ACC function in fear and in negative emotion more generally.
Single-spin asymmetries in inclusive deep inelastic scattering and multiparton correlations in the nucleon
2012-11-26

Transverse single-spin asymmetries in inclusive deep inelastic lepton-nucleon\\nscattering can be generated through multiphoton exchange between the leptonic\\nand the hadronic part of the process. Here we consider the two-photon exchange,\\nand mainly focus on the transverse target spin asymmetry. In particular, we\\ninvestigate the case where two photons couple to different quarks. Such a\\ncontribution involves a quark-photon-quark correlator in the nucleon, which has\\na (model-dependent) relation to the Efremov-Teryaev-Qiu-Sterman\\nquark-gluon-quark correlator T_F. Using different parametrizations for T_F we\\ncompute the transverse target spin asymmetries for both a proton and a neutron\\ntarget and compare the results to recent experimental data. In addition,\\npotential implications for our general understanding of single-spin asymmetries\\nin hard scattering processes are discussed.\\n
Epithelial cell adhesion molecule is an independent prognostic marker in clear cell renal carcinoma
2012-11-26

Abstract Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM) has recently attained a renewed interest as a candidate protein in diagnosis, prognostication and therapy of various tumor entities. The molecular epidemiology and prognostic relevance of EPCAM in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and amongst the histological subtypes of RCC are unclear. We analyzed the prevalence and prognostic significance of EPCAM in a tumor tissue microarray composed of 1,088 independent RCCs samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC). We found significant variations of EPCAM IHC staining intensities in between the RCC subtypes: in papillary and chromophobe RCC, the majority of tumors (89–93%) showed an at least weak EPCAM protein expression. In the largest subgroup, the clear cell (cc)RCC ( n = 767), a negative EPCAM IHC was found in 1/3 of the patients and was associated with high‐grade disease and nodal metastases. Kaplan–Meier analyses demonstrated a significant association between positive EPCAM IHC and prolonged overall survival, even in a subset of low‐risk ccRCC. In multivariable analyses, EPCAM represented an independent risk factor of survival throughout all subgroups. For localized, low‐grade ccRCC, information of EPCAM IHC raised predictive accuracy of a multivariate model by ∼5%, compared to T‐stage and grade alone. Our findings indicate that EPCAM is an independent prognostic molecular marker in ccRCC and, especially in localized ccRCC, might be able to provide auxiliary information for a better prognostication.
Linking perceptual animacy to attention: Evidence from the chasing detection paradigm.
2012-11-26

Perceptual animacy describes the tendency of human observers to interpret motion cues that suggest an interaction between two objects in anthropomorphic terms, such as social causation or intention. Recent studies established a chasing detection paradigm that allows a psychophysical measurement of animacy. Here, we present several variants of the chasing detection paradigm in order to investigate how attention contributes to the detection of animate motion. We show that detection accuracy (Experiment 1a) and response latency (Experiment 1b) depend on the physical set size, suggesting that an attention-demanding serial search is necessary to detect a chase among distractors. Experiment 2 replicates these findings with a manipulation of attentional set size. In Experiment 3, we investigated the efficiency of chasing detection. Therefore, we contrasted the chasing detection task with a task that required the detection of identically colored objects. Search slopes for chasing objects were twice as large as search slopes for identically colored objects. In sum, these results show that chasing cues do not pop out of a display but require an effortful visual search through subsets of all possible items.
Trivalent Cerium and Praseodymium Aromatic Ketone Adducts
2012-11-26

Abstract The reactions of the aromatic ketones benzophenone and 9‐fluorenone with trivalent [LnL 3 ] complexes [Ln = Ce, Pr; L = N(SiMe 3 ) 2 , C 5 H 5 (Cp)] produce highly colored solutions in toluene. Characterization of these complexes by X‐ray diffraction revealed them to be monoadducts of the form [LnL 3 (ketone)]. The crystallographically determined C–O bonds of these complexes are longer than those of the free ketones. Significant ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer is also indicated by the ν(C=O) vibration of the coordinated ketone, which appears at lower wavelength. Solution‐based 1 H NMR spectroscopy showed paramagnetic spectra of complexes Ln[N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 3 (ketone) and Ln(C 5 H 5 ) 3 (ketone), which further supports this finding.
A Periodate-Cleavable Linker for Functional Proteomics under Slightly Acidic Conditions: Application for the Analysis of Intracellular Aspartic Proteases
2012-11-26

Specific elution of captured proteins greatly improves the quality of proteomic data obtained from pull-downs by avoiding signals from nonspecific proteins, thus allowing more sensitive identification of target proteins. This is important in activity-based proteomics or drug target identification. However, commonly used chemically cleavable linkers can only be cleaved at close to neutral pH, which prevents them from being used for proteins binding only at lower pH when no cross-linking is applied. On the other hand, elution of common acid-cleavable labels can also coelute proteins bound by ionic interactions. Here, we report the synthesis and application of a label readily cleavable by mild oxidation at moderately acidic pH for the noncovalent labeling and pull-down of intracellular aspartic proteases. Using specific release, target proteins cathepsin D and napsin A were identified from human kidney with much higher confidence and without any nontarget hits.
Age and sex affect quantitative genetic parameters for dominance rank and aggression in free‐living greylag geese
2012-11-26

Abstract Knowledge of the genetic and environmental influences on a character is pivotal for understanding evolutionary changes in quantitative traits in natural populations. Dominance and aggression are ubiquitous traits that are selectively advantageous in many animal societies and have the potential to impact the evolutionary trajectory of animal populations. Here we provide age‐ and sex‐specific estimates of additive genetic and environmental components of variance for dominance rank and aggression rate in a free‐living, human‐habituated bird population subject to natural selection. We use a long‐term data set on individually marked greylag geese ( Anser anser ) and show that phenotypic variation in dominance‐related behaviours contains significant additive genetic variance, parental effects and permanent environment effects. The relative importance of these variance components varied between age and sex classes, whereby the most pronounced differences concerned nongenetic components. In particular, parental effects were larger in juveniles of both sexes than in adults. In paired adults, the partner's identity had a larger influence on male dominance rank and aggression rate than in females. In sex‐ and age‐specific estimates, heritabilities did not differ significantly between age and sex classes. Adult dominance rank was only weakly genetically correlated between the sexes, leading to considerably higher heritabilities in sex‐specific estimates than across sexes. We discuss these patterns in relation to selection acting on dominance rank and aggression in different life history stages and sexes and suggest that different adaptive optima could be a mechanism for maintaining genetic variation in dominance‐related traits in free‐living animal populations.
Geometric and Electronic Structure of Templated C60 on Diindenoperylene Thin Films
2012-11-27

The structural order of C<sub>60</sub> thin films is shown to be significantly improved by inserting a templating layer of diindenoperylene (DIP) between the SiO<sub>2</sub> substrate and C<sub>60</sub>. In contrast to growth on an amorphous substrate like SiO<sub>2</sub>, C60 grown on DIP exhibits alignment of <em>fcc</em>-domains with the (111) plane parallel to the substrate and a significant increase of the coherent in-plane island size by a factor of ∼4. Modification of the structural quality of the DIP bottom layer leads to a change in structural order in the C<sub>60 </sub>top layer. In addition, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy data from templated and nontemplated C<sub>60</sub> films are discussed. In contrast to other anisotropic organic molecules, for C<sub>60</sub> the spectral broadening and density of states of the highest occupied molecular orbital region do not depend significantly on the structural order in the C<sub>60</sub> film, which can be rationalized by the isotropic shape of the C<sub>60 </sub>molecule.
Chemical modification allows phallotoxins and amatoxins to be used as tools in cell biology
2012-11-27

Phallotoxins inhibit the dynamics of microfilaments in cells and lead to apoptosis. Due to poor cellular uptake these effects cannot be studied in live cells, even at millimolar toxin concentrations, nor can phalloidin be used for the elimination of tumor cells. Uptake is greatly enhanced by conjugation of phallotoxins to either lipophilic or polycationic moieties, such as oleic acid, polylysine, or Tat-peptide. These conjugates were lethally toxic for cells, e.g., mouse fibroblasts or Jurkat leukemia cells, in the micromolar range. Uptake into cells starts with the attachment of the toxin conjugates to the plasma membrane, followed by endocytosis and, in most cases, cleavage of the toxin from the carrier. Interestingly, the internalization rate of phalloidin into cells was also significantly increased by the fluorescent moiety tetramethylrhodaminyl, as well as by high molecular weight methoxy-polyethyleneglycol, two compounds unknown so far for their uptake-mediating activity. Conjugation to carriers as investigated in this work will allow the use of phallotoxins in experimental cell biology and possibly in tumor therapy. The findings obtained with phallotoxins could be applied also to the family of amatoxins, where α-amanitin, for example, when conjugated to oleic acid was more than 100-fold more toxic for cells than the native toxin. This suggests the possibility of a more general use of the moieties examined here to enhance the uptake of hydrophilic peptides, or drugs, into live cells.
Impaired c-Fos and Polo-Like Kinase 2 Induction in the Limbic System of Fear-conditioned α-Synuclein Transgenic Mice
2012-11-27

α-Synuclein (αSYN) is genetically and neuropathologically linked to a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and related disorders. Cognitive impairment is recapitulated in several αSYN transgenic mouse lines. However, the mechanisms of dysfunction in affected neurons are largely unknown. Here we measured neuronal activity induced gene products in the limbic system of αSYN transgenic mice upon fear conditioning (FC). Induction of the synaptic plasticity marker c-Fos was significantly reduced in the amygdala and hippocampus of (Thy1)-h[A30P]αSYN transgenic mice in an age-dependent manner. Similarly, the neuronal activity inducible polo-like kinase 2 (Plk2) that can phosphorylate αSYN at the pathological site serine-129 was up-regulated in both brain regions upon FC. Plk2 inductions were also significantly impaired in aged (Thy1)-h[A30P]αSYN transgenic mice, both in the amygdala and hippocampus. Plk2 inductions in the amygdala after FC were paralleled by a small but significant increase in the number of neuronal cell bodies immunopositive for serine-129 phosphorylated αSYN in young but not aged (Thy1)-h[A30P]αSYN transgenic mice. In addition, we observed in the aged hippocampus a distinct type of apparently unmodified transgenic αSYN profiles resembling synaptic accumulations of αSYN. Thus, the cognitive decline observed in aged αSYN transgenic mice might be due to impairment of neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity in the limbic system by distinct αSYN species.