rudyvdbrink/CitationDatabase huggingface dataset:
Changes in aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 expression in rats with inherited retinal dystrophy.
Experimental eye research, 2016

Muller glial cells (MGC) are essential for normal functioning of retina. They are especially involved in potassium (K+) and water homeostasis, via inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir 4.1) and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) channels respectively. Because MGC appear morphologically and functionally altered in most retinal pathologies, we studied the expression of AQP 4 and Kir 4.1 during the time course of progressive retinal degeneration in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats, an animal model for the hereditary human retinal degenerative disease Retinitis pigmentosa. Simultaneous detection of AQP4 and Kir 4.1 was performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry at birth and during progression of the pathology. Although small quantities of AQP4 and Kir 4.1 mRNA were detected at birth (postnatal day (PNd) 0) in both control and dystrophic rat retinas, proteins could not be detected at this age. Detectable proteins appeared in the second week of postnatal life. From PNd15 onwards, the time course in the expression of both AQP4 and Kir 4.1 mRNAs and protein was similar in dystrophic and control rats, with a progressive increase peaking at PNd60 and a subsequent decrease by one year. AQP4 protein and mRNA content were significantly lowered in dystrophic compared to control rats. Kir 4.1 protein levels were also lower in dystrophic retinas, while mRNA concentrations were unchanged and/or slightly higher in dystrophic rats. The discrepancies between Kir4.1 mRNA and protein suggest perturbation in protein translation due to the pathology. AQP4 and Kir 4.1/vimentin co-immunolabeling showed that: 1) apical radial processes of some MGC invaded the subretinal zone, and 2) MGC morphology was distorted in advanced pathology. MGC became hypertrophic both during the pathology and also with age in control rats. In conclusion, our results confirm that this inherited photoreceptor degeneration also leads to progressive alterations in physiological and morphological parameters of MGC which may aggravate retinal impairment.
Altered brain neurotrophins at birth: consequence of imbalance in maternal folic acid and vitamin B₁₂ metabolism.
Neuroscience, 2011

Folic acid fortification to pregnant women is suggested to mask vitamin B₁₂ deficiency leading to adverse neurologic consequences. The present study examines the effect of maternal folic acid supplementation at normal and excess levels both in the presence and absence of vitamin B₁₂ on levels and expression of brain neurotrophins in Wistar Albino rats. Pregnant female rats were assigned to six dietary groups with varying levels of folic acid and vitamin B₁₂, that is, (NFB: 2 mg folic acid+B₁₂; NFBD: 2 mg folic acid-B₁₂; EFB: 8 mg folic acid+B₁₂; EFBD: 8 mg folic acid-B₁₂; NFBDO: 2 mg folic acid-B₁₂+DHA and EFBDO: 8 mg folic acid-B₁₂+DHA). On day 20 of gestation pup brain samples were collected to assess protein and mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF). Brain BDNF protein and mRNA levels were reduced (P<0.01 for both) in the EFBD group as compared to control. However, NGF protein levels were reduced (P<0.05) only in the EFBD group in comparison to EFB and control. Maternal supplementation of DHA improved pup brain NGF protein levels only in the NFBDO (P<0.05) and EFBDO (P<0.05) groups compared to NFBD and EFBD respectively. Our results suggest that maternal micronutrients during pregnancy play an important role in regulating protein and mRNA levels of neurotrophins. Maternal DHA supplementation to a micronutrient imbalanced diet could ameliorate the negative effects only for NGF but not for BDNF.
Heart Rate Variability reveals the fight between racially biased and politically correct behaviour.
Scientific reports, 2019

In this study, we explored vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) responses, a psychophysiological index of cognitive self-regulatory control, to map the dynamics associated with empathic responses for pain towards an out-group member. Accordingly, Caucasian participants were asked to judge the experience of African and Caucasian actors touched with either a neutral or a harmful stimulus. Results showed that (1) explicit judgment of pain intensity in African actors yielded higher rating score and (2) took longer time compared to Caucasian actors, (3) these behavioural outcomes were associated with a significant increment of RMSSD, Log-HF-HRV and HF-HRV n.u., (4) resting HF-HRV n.u. predicted the participants' lag-time to judge painful stimulations delivered to African actors. Interestingly, these dynamics were associated with a measure of implicit racial attitudes and were, in part, abolished when participants performed a concurrent task during videos presentation. Taken together our results support the idea that a cognitive effort is needed to self-regulate our implicit attitude as predicted by the 'Contrasting Forces Model'.
Inferring Cortical Variability from Local Field Potentials.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2016

The responses of sensory neurons can be quite different to repeated presentations of the same stimulus. Here, we demonstrate a direct link between the trial-to-trial variability of cortical neuron responses and network activity that is reflected in local field potentials (LFPs). Spikes and LFPs were recorded with a multielectrode array from the middle temporal (MT) area of the visual cortex of macaques during the presentation of continuous optic flow stimuli. A maximum likelihood-based modeling framework was used to predict single-neuron spiking responses using the stimulus, the LFPs, and the activity of other recorded neurons. MT neuron responses were strongly linked to gamma oscillations (maximum at 40 Hz) as well as to lower-frequency delta oscillations (1-4 Hz), with consistent phase preferences across neurons. The predicted modulation associated with the LFP was largely complementary to that driven by visual stimulation, as well as the activity of other neurons, and accounted for nearly half of the trial-to-trial variability in the spiking responses. Moreover, the LFP model predictions accurately captured the temporal structure of noise correlations between pairs of simultaneously recorded neurons, and explained the variation in correlation magnitudes observed across the population. These results therefore identify signatures of network activity related to the variability of cortical neuron responses, and suggest their central role in sensory cortical function.
Networks of phobic fear: Functional connectivity shifts in two subtypes of specific phobia.
Neuroscience letters, 2018

Anxiety disorders can be conceptualized by an abnormal interplay of emotion-processing brain circuits; however, knowledge of brain connectivity measures in specific phobia is still limited. To explore functional interactions within selected fear-circuitry structures (anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala, insula), we re-examined three task-based fMRI studies using a symptom provocation approach (n=94 subjects in total) on two different phobia subtypes (animal subtype as represented by snake phobia (SP) and blood-injection-injury subtype as represented by dental phobia (DP)), and a non-phobic healthy control group (HC). Functional connectivity (FC) analyses detected a negative coupling between the amygdala and the ACC in HC for both classes of phobic stimuli, while SP and DP lacked this inhibitory relationship during visual stimulus presentation. However, a negative FC between the insula and the amygdala was observed in DP during visual symptom provocation, which reversed to a positive FC under auditory symptom provocation pointing to effects depending on stimulus modality in DP. SP showed significantly higher FC towards snake-anxiety eliciting stimuli than HC on an average measure of FC, while DP showed a similar pattern under auditory stimulation only. These findings altogether indicate FC shifts during symptom provocation in specific phobia possibly reflecting impaired emotion regulation processes within fear-circuitry networks. FC hence could represent a prime target for neuroscience-informed augmentation strategies when treating pathological forms of fear.
PKCε associates with the Kv3.4 channel to promote its expression in a kinase activity-dependent manner.
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2021

The voltage-gated potassium channel Kv3.4 is a crucial regulator of nociceptive signaling in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Moreover, Kv3.4 dysfunction has been linked to neuropathic pain. Although kinases and phosphatases can directly modulate Kv3.4 gating, the signaling mechanisms regulating the expression and stability of the Kv3.4 protein are generally unknown. We explored a potential role of PKCε and found an unexpected interaction that has a positive effect on Kv3.4 expression. Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed a physical association between PKCε and Kv3.4 in both heterologous cells and rat DRG neurons. Furthermore, in contrast to the wild-type and constitutively active forms of PKCε, expression of a catalytically inactive form of the enzyme inhibits Kv3.4 expression and membrane localization through a dominant negative effect. Co-expression of Kv3.4 with the wild-type, constitutively active, or catalytically inactive forms of PKCε had no significant effects on Kv3.4 gating. These results suggest that a novel physical interaction of the Kv3.4 channel with functional PKCε primarily determines its stability and localization in DRG neurons. This interaction is akin to those of previously identified accessory ion channel proteins, which could be significant in neural tissues where Kv3.4 regulates electrical signaling.
Correlation between cephalometric variables and obstructive sleep apnoea severity in children.
European journal of paediatric dentistry, 2019

Alterations in craniofacial growth have been associated with obstructive sleep apnoea in children. The main objectives of this study were to analyse the correlation between cephalometric variables and Obstructive Apnea/Hypopnea Index (OAHI) in order to investigate if craniofacial features may influence the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea and to study the correlation between upper nasopharyngeal width and maxillomandibular skeletal discrepancy in sagittal and vertical plane.
From anxious youth to depressed adolescents: Prospective prediction of 2-year depression symptoms via attentional bias measures.
Journal of abnormal psychology, 2016

Anxious youth are at heightened risk for subsequent development of depression; however, little is known regarding which anxious youth are at the highest prospective risk. Biased attentional patterns (e.g., vigilance and avoidance of negative cues) are implicated as key mechanisms in both anxiety and depression. Aberrant attentional patterns may disrupt opportunities to effectively engage with, and learn from, threatening aspects of the environment during development and/or treatment, compounding risk over time. Sixty-seven anxious youth (ages 9-14; 36 female) completed a dot-probe task to assess baseline attentional patterns provoked by fearful-neutral face pairs. The time course of attentional patterns both during and after threat was assessed via eye-tracking and pupilometry. Self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed 2 years after the conclusion of a larger psychotherapy treatment trial. Eye-tracking patterns indicating threat avoidance predicted greater 2-year depression scores, over and above baseline and posttreatment symptoms. Sustained, postthreat pupillary avoidance (reflecting preferential neural engagement with the neutral relative to the previously threatening location) predicted additional variance in depression scores, suggesting sustained avoidance in the wake of threat further exacerbated risk. Identical eye-tracking and pupil indices were not predictive of anxiety at 2 years. These biobehavioral markers imply that avoidant attentional processing in the context of anxiety may be a gateway to depression across a key maturational window. Excessive avoidance of threat could interfere with acquisition of adaptive emotion regulation skills during development, culminating in the broad behavioral deactivation that typifies depression. Prevention efforts explicitly targeting avoidant attentional patterns may be warranted.
Non-failure blood flow restricted exercise induces similar muscle adaptations and less discomfort than failure protocols.
Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 2019

Low-load blood flow restricted resistance exercise (BFRE) performed to volitional failure is suggested to constitute an effective method for producing increases in muscle size and function. However, BFRE to failure may entail high levels of perceived exertion, discomfort, and/or delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). The aim of the study was to compare BFRE performed to volitional failure (F-BFRE) vs non-failure BFRE (NF-BFRE) on changes in muscle size, function and perceptual responses. Fourteen young untrained males had one leg randomized to knee extension F-BFRE while the contralateral leg performed NF-BFRE. The training consisted of 22 exercise bouts over an 8-week period. Whole-muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) of quadriceps components, muscle function, and DOMS were assessed before and after the training period. Perceived exertion and discomfort were registered during each exercise bout. Both F-BFRE and NF-BFRE produced regional increases in muscle CSA in the range of: quadriceps (2.5%-3.8%), vastus lateralis (8.1%-8.5%), and rectus femoris (7.9%-25.0%). All without differences between leg. Muscle strength (6.8%-11.5%) and strength-endurance capacity (13.9%-18.6%) also increased to a similar degree in both legs. Less perceived exertion, discomfort, and DOMS were reported with NF-BFRE compared to F-BFRE. In conclusion, non-failure BFRE enables increases in muscle size and muscle function, while involving reduced perceptions of exertion, discomfort, and DOMS. Non-failure BFRE may be a more feasible approach in clinical settings.
Graph Theoretic Analysis of Brain Connectomics in Multiple Sclerosis: Reliability and Relationship with Cognition.
Brain connectivity, 2020

Research suggests that disruption of brain networks might explain cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS). The reliability and effectiveness of graph theoretic network metrics as measures of cognitive performance were tested in 37 people with MS and 23 controls. Specifically, relationships with cognitive performance (linear regression against the paced auditory serial addition test-3 seconds [PASAT-3], symbol digit modalities test [SDMT], and attention network test) and 1-month reliability (using the intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]) of network metrics were measured using both resting-state functional and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data. Cognitive impairment was directly related to measures of brain network segregation and inversely related to network integration (prediction of PASAT-3 by small worldness, modularity, characteristic path length,
Construct validity of the Assessment of Quality of Life - 6D (AQoL-6D) in community samples.
Health and quality of life outcomes, 2013

The Assessment of Quality of Life - 6D scale (AQoL-6D) is a self-report instrument designed to provide a sensitive multidimensional evaluation of health related quality of life. The current paper assesses the construct, concurrent and convergent validity of the AQoL-6D in a combined longitudinal population sample drawn from across urban, regional and remote areas of Australia.
A Modular Assembly of Spinal Cord-Like Tissue Allows Targeted Tissue Repair in the Transected Spinal Cord.
Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany), 2018

Tissue engineering-based neural construction holds promise in providing organoids with defined differentiation and therapeutic potentials. Here, a bioengineered transplantable spinal cord-like tissue (SCLT) is assembled in vitro by simulating the white matter and gray matter composition of the spinal cord using neural stem cell-based tissue engineering technique. Whether the organoid would execute targeted repair in injured spinal cord is evaluated. The integrated SCLT, assembled by white matter-like tissue (WMLT) module and gray matter-like tissue (GMLT) module, shares architectural, phenotypic, and functional similarities to the adult rat spinal cord. Organotypic coculturing with the dorsal root ganglion or muscle cells shows that the SCLT embraces spinal cord organogenesis potentials to establish connections with the targets, respectively. Transplantation of the SCLT into the transected spinal cord results in a significant motor function recovery of the paralyzed hind limbs in rats. Additionally, targeted spinal cord tissue repair is achieved by the modular design of SCLT, as evidenced by an increased remyelination in the WMLT area and an enlarged innervation in the GMLT area. More importantly, the pro-regeneration milieu facilitates the formation of a neuronal relay by the donor neurons, allowing the conduction of descending and ascending neural inputs.
Long-Term Endovascular Treatment Outcome of 46 Patients with Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas Presenting with Ophthalmic Symptoms. A Non-Controlled Trial with Clinical and Angiographic Follow-up.
The neuroradiology journal, 2014

Ocular symptoms are regularly observed in patients with cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (cDAVF). We aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of endovascular approaches in patients with cDAVF presenting with different ocular symptoms. In a prospective study between June 2008 and March 2013, 46 patients with ocular symptoms due to cDAVF who were not eligible for conservative therapy, met the inclusion criteria and underwent endovascular treatment. They underwent a transarterial approach with histoacryl glue injections or transvenous coil embolization, all in one session. They were followed up for a mean period of 17.3 months (range 7 to 30 months) clinically and using angiography. The mean age of patients was 36.8 years (18-60) and 65% of them were male. All patients showed venous drainage into the superior and inferior orbital veins. Access to the cavernous sinus was transvenous in ten patients, transarterial in 26 patients, and mixed in ten patients. Initial symptoms were improved in 97.8% of patients and did not recur during the study follow-up. The procedural complications included: blurred vision, transient sixth nerve palsy and exacerbation of chemoproptosis in two, one and two patients respectively that completely resolved in initial weeks with no recurrence. No patient worsened or developed new symptoms suggestive of a recurrent fistula during the follow-up period. One patient experienced intracranial dissection of the internal carotid artery and ischemic stroke with an unfinished procedure. The relief of early presentation was durable in long-term follow-up and the cured lesions were stable in angiographic controls. Favorable and durable outcomes could be obtained following endovascular approaches for cDAVF presenting with different ocular symptoms.
Aggressive surgical management of recurrent intracranial juvenile xanthogranuloma: case report and review of the literature.
Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 2020

Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) with the central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a rare disease entity that remains poorly understood, especially when the condition develops following treatment for Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH).
Can the ARAT Be Used to Measure Arm Function in People With Cerebellar Ataxia?
Physical therapy, 2021

For people with ataxia, there are validated outcome measures to address body function and structure (BFS) impairments and participation; however, no outcome measure exists for upper extremity (UE) activity level in this population. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the action research arm test (ARAT), a measure of UE activity validated for other neurological conditions, might be a useful outcome measure for capturing UE activity limitations in ataxia.
Orthographic congruency effects in the suprasegmental domain: evidence from Thai.
Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006), 2008

The influence of orthographic knowledge on lexical tone processing was examined by manipulating the congruency between the tone and the tone marker of Thai monosyllabic words presented in three metalinguistic tasks. In tone monitoring (Experiment 1) and same-different tone judgement (Experiment 2)--that is, tasks that require an explicit analysis of tone information---an orthographic congruency effect was observed: Better performance was found when both tone and tone marker led to the same response than when they led to opposite, competing responses. In rhyme judgement (Experiment 3), a metaphonological task that allows tone to be processed in a more natural way since it does not require explicit analysis of tone, the orthographic effect emerged only when the interstimulus interval was lengthened from 30 to 1,200 ms. In addition to demonstrating the generalization of the orthographic congruency effect to the suprasegmental domain in Thai, the present data also suggest relatively late and task-dependent activation of orthographic representations of tone.
Altered functional network activities for behavioral adjustments and Bayesian learning in young men with Internet gaming disorder.
Journal of behavioral addictions, 2021

Deficits in cognitive control represent a core feature of addiction. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) offers an ideal model to study the mechanisms underlying cognitive control deficits in addiction, eliminating the confounding effects of substance use. Studies have reported behavioral and neural deficits in reactive control in IGD, but it remains unclear whether individuals with IGD are compromised in proactive control or behavioral adjustment by learning from the changing contexts.
Small mammal glucocorticoid concentrations vary with forest fragment size, trap type, and mammal taxa in the Interior Atlantic Forest.
Scientific reports, 2021

Species that live in degraded habitats often show signs of physiological stress. Glucocorticoid hormones (e.g., corticosterone and cortisol) are often assessed as a proxy of the extent of physiological stress an animal has experienced. Our goal was to quantify glucocorticoids in free-ranging small mammals in fragments of Interior Atlantic Forest. We extracted glucocorticoids from fur samples of 106 small mammals (rodent genera Akodon and Oligoryzomys, and marsupial genera Gracilinanus and Marmosa) from six forest fragments (2-1200 ha) in the Reserva Natural Tapytá, Caazapá Department, Paraguay. To our knowledge, this is the first publication of corticosterone and cortisol levels for three of the four sampled genera (Akodon, Oligoryzomys, and Marmosa) in this forest system. We discovered three notable results. First, as predicted, glucocorticoid levels were higher in individuals living withing small forest fragments. Second, animals captured live using restraint trapping methods (Sherman traps) had higher glucocorticoid levels than those animals captured using kill traps (Victor traps), suggesting that hair glucocorticoid measures can reflect acute stress levels in addition to long-term glucocorticoid incorporation. These acute levels are likely due to urinary steroids diffusing into the hair shaft. This finding raises a concern about the use of certain trapping techniques in association with fur hormone analysis. Finally, as expected, we also detected genus-specific differences in glucocorticoid levels, as well as cortisol/corticosterone ratios.