julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Capturing schizophrenia-like prodromal symptoms in a spinocerebellar ataxia-17 transgenic rat
2016-11-09

Rationale: The polyglutamine disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) is a neurodegenerative disease leading to severe neurological symptoms during development. Additionally, patients affected by SCA17 display psychosis earlier than their motor disorders. Objective: Here the putative psychotic phenotype and endophenotype of transgenic SCA17 rats was examined. Methods: The expression of schizophrenia-like symptoms was evaluated over a longitudinal period before and after the onset of neurological symptoms in SCA17. To this end, transgenic SCA17 rats’ monoamine neurotransmission was investigated along with their locomotion at baseline and in response to amphetamine using in-vivo microdialysis in free moving conditions, their sensorimotor gating using pre-pulse inhibition of startle reaction, and their object memory using the novel object recognition test as an index of cognitive impairments. Results: Presymptomatic SCA17 rats displayed dysregulated monoamine levels at baseline and in response to amphetamine compared with control wild-type (wt) rats. At that stage, neither amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion nor sensorimotor gating differed from that in wt rats. Symptomatic SCA17 rats developed sensorimotor gating deficits and also showed an impaired object memory, while their monoaminergic responses remained supersensitive to amphetamine. Conclusions: The data of the present study demonstrate a neurochemical endophenotype in SCA17 rats resembling that of prodromal schizophrenia. These findings suggest that a sensitization of the monoamine systems arises early in adulthood in SCA17 rats and may predispose them to express schizophrenia-like symptoms later in life.
Probing nuclear gluons with heavy flavors at an Electron-Ion Collider
2016-11-09

We explore the feasibility of direct measurements of nuclear gluon densities using heavy-quark production (open charm, beauty) at a future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). We focus on the regions x &gt; 0.3 (EMC effect) and x ~ 0.05 -0.1 (antishadowing), where the nuclear modifications of the gluon density offer insight into non-nucleonic degrees of freedom and the QCD structure of nucleon-nucleon interactions. We describe the charm production rates and momentum distributions in nuclear deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) at large x_B, and comment on the possible methods for charm reconstruction using next-generation detectors at the EIC (pi/K identification, tracking, vertex detection).
Fragmentation Functions beyond Next-To-Leading Order Accuracy
2016-11-09

With the ever increasing amount of precise data available for hadron production processes, the perturbative QCD framework is being extended to explore effects and corrections that go beyond the next-to-leading order accuracy. Fixed order calculations at next-to-next-to-leading order accuracy are required for a precise and reliable comparison to experimental results, and, consequently, the analyses of the non-perturbative structure of hadrons has to match this level of accuracy. Moreover, potentially important effects specific to some kinematical regions, such as the small-z and large-z regions in semi-inclusive electron-positron annihilation, can be investigated through the means of all-order resummation techniques. In this talk we present a first analysis of parton-to-pion fragmentation functions at next-to-next-to-leading order accuracy based on single-inclusive pion production in electron-positron annihilation. All-order resummations of large logarithmic contributions at small-z are included and their numerical impact is investigated.
Nonlinear Optical Materials for the Smart Filtering of Optical Radiation
2016-11-10

The control of luminous radiation has extremely important implications for modern and future technologies as well as in medicine. In this Review, we detail chemical structures and their relevant photophysical features for various groups of materials, including organic dyes such as metalloporphyrins and metallophthalocyanines (and derivatives), other common organic materials, mixed metal complexes and clusters, fullerenes, dendrimeric nanocomposites, polymeric materials (organic and/or inorganic), inorganic semiconductors, and other nanoscopic materials, utilized or potentially useful for the realization of devices able to filter in a smart way an external radiation. The concept of smart is referred to the characteristic of those materials that are capable to filter the radiation in a dynamic way without the need of an ancillary system for the activation of the required transmission change. In particular, this Review gives emphasis to the nonlinear optical properties of photoactive materials for the function of optical power limiting. All known mechanisms of optical limiting have been analyzed and discussed for the different types of materials.
Temporal quantitative phosphoproteomics of ADP stimulation reveals novel central nodes in platelet activation and inhibition
2016-11-10

Key Points Temporal profiles of &gt;4000 phosphopeptides after stimulating human platelets (a) with ADP and (b) consecutively with ADP and Iloprost. Reciprocal phosphorylation profiles of ADP and Iloprost point to central players of platelet homeostasis.
A Review about Functional Illiteracy: Definition, Cognitive, Linguistic, and Numerical Aspects
2016-11-10

Formally, availability of education for children has increased around the world over the last decades. However, despite having a successful formal education career, adults can become functional illiterates. Functional illiteracy means that a person cannot use reading, writing, and calculation skills for his/her own and the community's development. Functional illiteracy has considerable negative effects not only on personal development, but also in economic and social terms. Although functional illiteracy has been highly publicized in mass media in the recent years, there is limited scientific knowledge about the people termed functional illiterates; definition, assessment, and differential diagnoses with respect to related numerical and linguistic impairments are rarely studied and controversial. The first goal of our review is to give a comprehensive overview of the research on functional illiteracy by describing gaps in knowledge within the field and to outline and address the basic questions concerning who can be considered as functional illiterates: (1) Do they possess basic skills? (2) In which abilities do they have the largest deficits? (3) Are numerical and linguistic deficits related? (4) What is the fundamental reason for their difficulties? (5) Are there main differences between functional illiterates, illiterates, and dyslexics? We will see that despite partial evidence, there is still much research needed to answer these questions. Secondly, we emphasize the timeliness for a new and more precise definition that results in uniform sampling, better diagnosis, conclusion, and intervention. We propose the following working definition as the result of the review: functional illiteracy is the incapability to understand complex texts despite adequate schooling, age, language skills, elementary reading skills, and IQ. These inabilities must also not be fully explained by sensory, domain-general cognitive, neurological or mental disorders. In sum, we suggest that functional illiteracy must be more thoroughly understood and assessed from a theoretical, empirical, and diagnostic perspective.
HLA‐G promotes myeloid‐derived suppressor cell accumulation and suppressive activity during human pregnancy through engagement of the receptor ILT4
2016-11-10

Establishing and maintaining maternal‐fetal tolerance is essential for a successful pregnancy; failure of immunological adaptation to pregnancy leads to severe complications such as abortion or preterm delivery. Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are innate immune cells that suppress T‐cell responses, expand during pregnancy and thus may play a role in tolerance induction. Human leucocyte antigen G (HLA‐G) is a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I molecule with immune‐modulatory properties, which is expressed during pregnancy. Here, we investigated the impact of HLA‐G on MDSCs accumulation and activation in pregnant women. We demonstrate that granulocytic MDSCs (GR‐MDSCs) express receptors for HLA‐G, namely immunoglobulin‐like transcript (ILT) 2 and 4, and that ILT4‐expression by GR‐MDSCs is regulated during pregnancy. Stimulation with soluble HLA‐G (sHLA‐G) increased suppressive activity of GR‐MDSCs, induced MDSCs from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and led to phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and induction of indoleamine‐2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO) in myeloid cells. Effects of sHLA‐G on MDSC accumulation were mediated through ILT4. These results suggest an interaction between MDSCs and HLA‐G in humans as a potential mechanism for maintaining maternal‐fetal tolerance. Modulating MDSC function during pregnancy via HLA‐G might provide new opportunities for a therapeutic manipulation of immunological pregnancy complications.
Graft versus self (GvS) against T-cell autoantigens is a mechanism of graft–host interaction
2016-11-10

Significance As the mechanism of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), recognition of the recipient’s body by donor immune cells was previously believed to be based on genetic and immunological differences between donor and recipient. However, evidence in murine models and in autologous HCT has shown that also autoimmunity contributes to GVHD. In this study, we show the development of auto-reactivity after human allogeneic HCT and characterize the specific self-epitopes of T cells that may contribute to mediation of GVHD. Such autoantigens have never been characterized before. These observations contribute to a better understanding of the immune responses that are activated following hematopoietic cell transplantation.
(Re)drawing Boundaries: Russia and the Baltic States
2016-11-10

The three Baltic countries—Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia—share a difficult history with Russia. Once a part of the Russian Empire and Prussia, they also enjoyed a period of independence and were later integrated within the Soviet Union. These sutures turned out to be rather unstable, as the Soviet Union disintegrated, following which the three republics sought independence. By becoming members of the EU and joining NATO, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have drawn a geopolitical and a cultural boundary with Russia that has been reified both from the Russian and the European sides. In other words, the new identities not only help delimit the representations of self, but also construct national interest (cf. Hopf 2012), essential for foreign policy.
Learning enhances sensory processing in mouse V1 before improving behavior
2016-11-10

Abstract A fundamental property of visual cortex is to enhance the representation of those stimuli that are relevant for behavior, but it remains poorly understood how such enhanced representations arise during learning. Using classical conditioning in mice, we show that orientation discrimination is learned in a sequence of distinct behavioral stages, in which animals first rely on stimulus appearance before exploiting its orientation to guide behavior. After confirming that orientation discrimination under classical conditioning requires primary visual cortex (V1), we measured, during learning, response properties of V1 neurons. Learning improved neural discriminability, sharpened orientation tuning and led to higher contrast sensitivity. Remarkably, these learning-related improvements in the V1 representation were fully expressed before successful orientation discrimination was evident in the animals’ behavior. We propose that V1 plays a key role early in discrimination learning to enhance behaviorally relevant sensory information.
Policy-Making und Legitimation in Autokratien
2016-11-10

In addition to repression and co-optation, authoritarian regimes use redistributive and legitimizing strategies in order to secure their survival. In this article we conceptualize and discuss different opportunities of legitimation through policy-making that can be used in autocracies. We exemplify this concept by outlining autocractic legitimation strategies in innovation policy. Legitimation through policy-making is a double-edged sword, as it includes both potentials and risks for legitimation.
Novel tools for quantifying secondary growth
2016-11-11

Secondary growth occurs in dicotyledons and gymnosperms, and results in an increased girth of plant organs. It is driven primarily by the vascular cambium, which produces thousands of cells throughout the life of several plant species. For instance, even in the small herbaceous model plant Arabidopsis, manual quantification of this massive process is impractical. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of current methods used to measure radial growth. We discuss the issues and problematics related to its quantification. We highlight recent advances and tools developed for automated cellular phenotyping and its future applications.
Health effects of metoprolol in epibenthic and endobenthic invertebrates—A basis to validate future in vitro biotests for effect-based biomonitoring
2016-11-11

The aim of this study was to determine the effect data for metoprolol as a model substance for beta-blockers in aquatic invertebrates. The results will be used as a basis for the validation of future mode of action-based in vitro test systems targeting this class of pharmaceuticals. Effects of metoprolol were investigated in two autochthonous species with high relevance in stream ecology: the amphipod Gammarus fossarum and the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. Mortality in G. fossarum was not observed in acute toxicity testing (48 h), and a significant increase of mortality at 45 mg/L was found when amphipods were exposed chronically (40 days). The most sensitive population-relevant endpoints were the juvenile-adult ratio and number of egg-bearing females with NOEC/LOEC-values of 5/15 mg/L. No proteotoxic effects were identified in G. fossarum. The sediment toxicity test with L. variegatus according to the OECD Guideline 225 with an exposure time of 28 days resulted in EC<sub>10</sub>-values of 92.5 and 126.1 mg/kg<sub>dw</sub> for the endpoints reproduction and biomass, respectively. In L. variegatus the response kinetics of Hsp70 showed no significant difference between the treatments. A tendency for rising lipid peroxide concentrations was found between 0.03 and 10 mg/kg<sub>dw</sub>, which were significant between the treatments, but not to the control.
2-C-Alkynyl and 2-C-cis-Alkenyl β-Mannosides with Acetal Protected γ-Aldehyde Functionality via 2-Uloside Alkynylation and Lindlar Hydrogenation
2016-11-11

Benzyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-d-arabino-hexos-2-ulo-1,5-pyranoside was subjected to manno-selective ketone alkynylation with propiolaldehyde dibenzyl acetal, resulting in the formation of a 2-C-alkynyl β-mannoside bearing a γ-dibenzyl acetal functionality. Subsequent transacetalization of the acetal moiety with methanol and 1,3-dihydroxypropane and acetylation of position 2, respectively, gave 4 different 2-C-alkynyl branched mannosides. Lindlar hydrogenation of the latter under optimized conditions in dimethylformamide afforded a series of 2-C-cis-alkenyl mannosides. X-ray molecular structures of benzyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-d-arabino-hexos-2-ulo-1,5-pyranoside and of the branched glycoside benzyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-2-C-((Z)-3,3-dibenzyloxyprop-1-en-1-yl)-β-d-mannopyranoside are reported.
Regional asynchronicity in dairy production and processing in early farming communities of the northern Mediterranean
2016-11-14

Significance This unique research combines the analyses of lipid residues in pottery vessels with slaughter profiles for domesticated ruminants to provide compelling evidence for diverse subsistence strategies in the northern Mediterranean basin during the Neolithic. Our findings show that the exploitation and processing of milk varied across the region, although most communities began to exploit milk as soon as domesticates were introduced between 9,000 and 7,000 y ago. This discovery is especially noteworthy as the shift in human subsistence toward milk production reshaped prehistoric European culture, biology, and economy in ways that are still visible today.
Closed-Loop Task Difficulty Adaptation during Virtual Reality Reach-to-Grasp Training Assisted with an Exoskeleton for Stroke Rehabilitation
2016-11-14

Stroke patients with severe motor deficits of the upper extremity may practice rehabilitation exercises with the assistance of a multi-joint exoskeleton. Although this technology enables intensive task-oriented training, it may also lead to slacking when the assistance is too supportive. Preserving the engagement of the patients while providing "assistance-as-needed" during the exercises, therefore remains an ongoing challenge. We applied a commercially available seven degree-of-freedom arm exoskeleton to provide passive gravity compensation during task-oriented training in a virtual environment. During this 4-week pilot study, five severely affected chronic stroke patients performed reach-to-grasp exercises resembling activities of daily living. The subjects received virtual reality feedback from their three-dimensional movements. The level of difficulty for the exercise was adjusted by a performance-dependent real-time adaptation algorithm. The goal of this algorithm was the automated improvement of the range of motion. In the course of 20 training and feedback sessions, this unsupervised adaptive training concept led to a progressive increase of the virtual training space (<i>p</i> < 0.001) in accordance with the subjects' abilities. This learning curve was paralleled by a concurrent improvement of real world kinematic parameters, i.e., range of motion (<i>p</i> = 0.008), accuracy of movement (<i>p</i> = 0.01), and movement velocity (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Notably, these kinematic gains were paralleled by motor improvements such as increased elbow movement (<i>p</i> = 0.001), grip force (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and upper extremity Fugl-Meyer-Assessment score from 14.3 ± 5 to 16.9 ± 6.1 (<i>p</i> = 0.026). Combining gravity-compensating assistance with adaptive closed-loop feedback in virtual reality provides customized rehabilitation environments for severely affected stroke patients. This approach may facilitate motor learning by progressively challenging the subject in accordance with the individual capacity for functional restoration. It might be necessary to apply concurrent restorative interventions to translate these improvements into relevant functional gains of severely motor impaired patients in activities of daily living.
The Impact of Impulsivity on Weight Loss Four Years after Bariatric Surgery
2016-11-14

Bariatric surgery has serious implications on metabolic health. The reasons for a failure of bariatric surgery, i.e., limited weight loss, are multifactorial and include psychological factors. We established a theoretical model of how impulsivity is related to weight loss outcome. We propose that depressive symptoms act as a mediator between impulsivity and pathological eating behavior, and that pathological eating behavior has a direct impact on weight loss outcome. We calculated excessive weight loss (%EWL) and assessed self-reported impulsivity (using the Baratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15) total score), depressive symptoms (the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score), and pathological eating behavior (the Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI-2) total score) in 65 patients four years after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Regression and mediation analyses were computed to validate the theoretical model. The BIS-15, PHQ-9, and EDI-2 have medium to high correlations between each other, and EDI-2 correlated with %EWL. The mediation analysis yielded that the PHQ-9 represents a significant mediator between BIS-15 and EDI-2. The regression model between EDI-2 and %EWL was also significant. These results support our theoretical model, i.e., suggest that impulsivity has an indirect impact on weight loss outcome after bariatric surgery, mediated by depression and transferred through pathological eating behavior. Thus, the underlying psychological factors should be addressed in post-operative care to optimize weight loss outcome.
Self-regulation of brain rhythms in the precuneus: a novel BCI paradigm for patients with ALS
2016-11-14

Our results establish that ALS patients can employ self-regulation of precuneus oscillations for communication. Such a BCI is likely to be available to ALS patients as long as their consciousness supports communication.
Retinoic acid catabolizing enzyme CYP26C1 is a genetic modifier in SHOX deficiency
2016-11-14

Abstract Mutations in the homeobox gene SHOX cause SHOX deficiency, a condition with clinical manifestations ranging from short stature without dysmorphic signs to severe mesomelic skeletal dysplasia. In rare cases, individuals with SHOX deficiency are asymptomatic. To elucidate the factors that modify disease severity/penetrance, we studied a three‐generation family with SHOX deficiency. The variant p.Phe508Cys of the retinoic acid catabolizing enzyme CYP 26C1 co‐segregated with the SHOX variant p.Val161Ala in the affected individuals, while the SHOX mutant alone was present in asymptomatic individuals. Two further cases with SHOX deficiency and damaging CYP 26C1 variants were identified in a cohort of 68 individuals with LWD . The identified CYP 26C1 variants affected its catabolic activity, leading to an increased level of retinoic acid. High levels of retinoic acid significantly decrease SHOX expression in human primary chondrocytes and zebrafish embryos. Individual morpholino knockdown of either gene shortens the pectoral fins, whereas depletion of both genes leads to a more severe phenotype. Together, our findings describe CYP 26C1 as the first genetic modifier for SHOX deficiency.
Cognitive Processing in Non-Communicative Patients: What Can Event-Related Potentials Tell Us?
2016-11-14

Event-related potentials (ERP) have been proposed to improve the differential diagnosis of non-responsive patients. We investigated the potential of the P300 as a reliable marker of conscious processing in patients with locked-in syndrome (LIS). Eleven chronic LIS patients and 10 healthy subjects (HS) listened to a complex-tone auditory oddball paradigm, first in a passive condition (listen to the sounds) and then in an active condition (counting the deviant tones). Seven out of nine HS displayed a P300 waveform in the passive condition and all in the active condition. HS showed statistically significant changes in peak and area amplitude between conditions. Three out of seven LIS patients showed the P3 waveform in the passive condition and five of seven in the active condition. No changes in peak amplitude and only a significant difference at one electrode in area amplitude were observed in this group between conditions. We conclude that, in spite of keeping full consciousness and intact or nearly intact cortical functions, compared to HS, LIS patients present less reliable results when testing with ERP, specifically in the passive condition. We thus strongly recommend applying ERP paradigms in an active condition when evaluating consciousness in non-responsive patients.