Decreased functional connectivity within a language subnetwork in benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes.

OBJECTIVE: Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS, also known as Rolandic epilepsy) is a common epilepsy syndrome that is associated with literacy and language impairments. The neural mechanisms of the syndrome are not known. The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that functional connectivity within the language network is decreased in children with BECTS. We also tested the hypothesis that siblings of children with BECTS have similar abnormalities. METHODS: Echo planar magnetic resonance (MR) imaging data were acquired from 25 children with BECTS, 12 siblings, and 20 healthy controls, at rest. After preprocessing with particular attention to intrascan motion, the mean signal was extracted from each of 90 regions of interest. Sparse, undirected graphs were constructed from adjacency matrices consisting of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Global and nodal graph metrics and subnetwork and pairwise connectivity were compared between groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in graph metrics between groups. Children with BECTS had decreased functional connectivity relative to controls within a four-node subnetwork, which consisted of the left inferior frontal gyrus, the left superior frontal gyrus, the left supramarginal gyrus, and the right inferior parietal lobe (p = 0.04). A similar but nonsignificant decrease was also observed for the siblings. The BECTS groups had significant increases in connectivity within a five-node, five-edge frontal subnetwork. SIGNIFICANCE: The results provide further evidence of decreased functional connectivity between key mediators of speech processing, language, and reading in children with BECTS. We hypothesize that these decreases reflect delayed lateralization of the language network and contribute to specific cognitive impairments

Review of biorthogonal coupled cluster representations for electronic excitation

Single reference coupled-cluster (CC) methods for electronic excitation are based on a biorthogonal representation (bCC) of the (shifted) Hamiltonian in terms of excited CC states, also referred to as correlated excited (CE) states, and an associated set of states biorthogonal to the CE states, the latter being essentially configuration interaction (CI) configurations. The bCC representation generates a non-hermitian secular matrix, the eigenvalues representing excitation energies, while the corresponding spectral intensities are to be derived from both the left and right eigenvectors. Using the perspective of the bCC representation, a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the excited-state CC methods is given, extending and generalizing previous such studies. Here, the essential topics are the truncation error characteristics and the separability properties, the latter being crucial for designing size-consistent approximation schemes. Based on the general order relations for the bCC secular matrix and the (left and right) eigenvector matrices, formulas for the perturbation-theoretical (PT) order of the truncation errors (TEO) are derived for energies, transition moments, and property matrix elements of arbitrary excitation classes and truncation levels. In the analysis of the separability properties of the transition moments, the decisive role of the so-called dual ground state is revealed. Due to the use of CE states the bCC approach can be compared to so-called intermediate state representation (ISR) methods based exclusively on suitably orthonormalized CE states. As the present analysis shows, the bCC approach has decisive advantages over the conventional CI treatment, but also distinctly weaker TEO and separability properties in comparison with a full (and hermitian) ISR method

Selecting the most effective plant growth-promoting bacteria from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) roots

A total of 30 bacterial isolates were isolated from soil, rhizoplane, and internal tissue of oil palm roots. The isolates were qualitatively tested for their potential to fix N2, solubilize inorganic P and K, and produce phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid. Of the 30 isolates, six isolates were able to exhibit multiple beneficial traits. All six isolates were then identified based on fatty acid methyl esters profile as Escherichia coli strain EX2, Serratia sp. strain EN1, Pantoea ananatis strain EN3, Bacillus sp. strain EN5, Pantoea ananatis strain EN8 and Pantoea sp. strain EN9. Subsequently, all shortlisted isolates were evaluated for plant growth-promoting potential by using shallot as a test plant. The plant test showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between inoculated and uninoculated plants except for Pantoea sp. strain EN9 inoculation which increased significantly (p<0.05) total root length over uninoculated control. Host specificity and IAA capacity of the isolates may be among the important factors affecting their effectiveness in plant growth promotion

Comparative effects of whey and casein proteins on satiety in overweight and obese individuals: A randomized controlled trial

Background/Objective: Dairy protein seems to reduce appetite by increasing satiety and delaying the return of hunger and subsequently lowering energy intake compared with fat or carbohydrate. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of whey with that of casein proteins on satiety in overweight/obese individuals. Methods/Subjects: This was a randomized, parallel-design 12-week-long study. Seventy subjects with a body mass index between 25 and 40 kg/m2 and aged 18–65 years were randomized into one of three supplement groups: glucose control (n=25), casein (n=20) or whey (n=25) protein. Before commencing the study, at weeks 6 and 12 of the treatment, a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure subjective sensations of appetite before lunch and before dinner. Results: Rating for VAS (mm) at 6 and 12 weeks showed significantly higher satiety in the whey group compared with the casein (P=0.017 and P=0.025, respectively) or control (P=0.024 and P=0.032, respectively) groups when measured before lunch. Similarly, at 6 and 12 weeks, the score for fullness was also significantly higher in the whey group compared with both casein (P=0.038 and P=0.022, respectively) and control (P=0.020 and P=0.030, respectively) groups. However, these short-term effects on satiety from dairy whey proteins did not have any long-term effects on energy intake or body weight over 12 weeks compared with casein. Conclusions: Collectively, whey protein supplementation appears to have a positive and acute postprandial effect on satiety and fullness compared with casein and carbohydrate supplementation in overweight and obese individuals

Decreased functional connectivity within a language subnetwork in benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

Objective: Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS, also known as Rolandic epilepsy) is a common epilepsy syndrome that is associated with literacy and language impairments. The neural mechanisms of the syndrome are not known. The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that functional connectivity within the language network is decreased in children with BECTS. We also tested the hypothesis that siblings of children with BECTS have similar abnormalities. Methods: Echo planar magnetic resonance (MR) imaging data were acquired from 25 children with BECTS, 12 siblings, and 20 healthy controls, at rest. After preprocessing with particular attention to intrascan motion, the mean signal was extracted from each of 90 regions of interest. Sparse, undirected graphs were constructed from adjacency matrices consisting of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Global and nodal graph metrics and subnetwork and pairwise connectivity were compared between groups. Results: There were no significant differences in graph metrics between groups. Children with BECTS had decreased functional connectivity relative to controls within a four‐node subnetwork, which consisted of the left inferior frontal gyrus, the left superior frontal gyrus, the left supramarginal gyrus, and the right inferior parietal lobe (p = 0.04). A similar but nonsignificant decrease was also observed for the siblings. The BECTS groups had significant increases in connectivity within a five‐node, five‐edge frontal subnetwork. Significance: The results provide further evidence of decreased functional connectivity between key mediators of speech processing, language, and reading in children with BECTS. We hypothesize that these decreases reflect delayed lateralization of the language network and contribute to specific cognitive impairments

Topical delivery of tetrahydrocurcumin lipid nanoparticles effectively inhibits skin inflammation: in vitro and in vivo study

Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) also referred to as "white curcumin", is a stable colourless hydrogenated product of curcumin with superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Present study is an attempt to elevate the topical bioavailability of THC, post incorporation into a nano-carrier system with its final dosage as a hydrogel. Lipid nanoparticles of THC (THC-SLNs) prepared by microemulsification technique were ellipsoidal in shape (revealed in TEM) with a mean particle size of 96.6 nm and zeta potential of -22 mV. Total drug content and entrapment efficiency of THC-SLNs was 94.51% ± 2.15% and 69.56% ± 1.35%, respectively. DSC and X-Ray diffraction studies confirmed the formation of THC-SLNs. In vitro drug release studies showed the drug release from THC-SLNs gel to follow Higuchi's equation revealing a Fickian diffusion. Ex-vivo permeation studies indicated a 17 times (approximately) higher skin permeation of THC-SLNs gel as compared with the free THC gel. Skin irritation, occlusion and stability studies indicated the formulation to be non-irritating, and stable with a desired occlusivity. Pharmacodynamic evaluation in an excision wound mice model clearly revealed the enhanced anti-inflammatory activity of THC-SLNs gel and confirmed using biochemical and histopathological studies. It is noteworthy to report here that THC-SLNs gel showed significantly better (p≤0.001) activity than free THC in gel. As inflammation is innate to all the skin disorders, the developed product opens up new therapeutic avenues for several skin diseases. To best of our knowledge, this is the first paper elaborating the therapeutic usefulness of white curcumin loaded lipidic nanoparticles for skin inflammation

Borrelia burgdorferi Requires the Alternative Sigma Factor RpoS for Dissemination within the Vector during Tick-to-Mammal Transmission

While the roles of rpoSBb and RpoS-dependent genes have been studied extensively within the mammal, the contribution of the RpoS regulon to the tick-phase of the Borrelia burgdorferi enzootic cycle has not been examined. Herein, we demonstrate that RpoS-dependent gene expression is prerequisite for the transmission of spirochetes by feeding nymphs. RpoS-deficient organisms are confined to the midgut lumen where they transform into an unusual morphotype (round bodies) during the later stages of the blood meal. We show that round body formation is rapidly reversible, and in vitro appears to be attributable, in part, to reduced levels of Coenzyme A disulfide reductase, which among other functions, provides NAD+ for glycolysis. Our data suggest that spirochetes default to an RpoS-independent program for round body formation upon sensing that the energetics for transmission are unfavorable

Suppression of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of primary charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV have been measured by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC. The data are presented for central and peripheral collisions, corresponding to 0-5% and 70-80% of the hadronic Pb-Pb cross section. The measured charged particle spectra in $|\eta|<0.8$ and $0.3 < p_T < 20$ GeV/$c$ are compared to the expectation in pp collisions at the same $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, scaled by the number of underlying nucleon-nucleon collisions. The comparison is expressed in terms of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$. The result indicates only weak medium effects ($R_{\rm AA} \approx$ 0.7) in peripheral collisions. In central collisions, $R_{\rm AA}$ reaches a minimum of about 0.14 at $p_{\rm T}=6$-7GeV/$c$ and increases significantly at larger $p_{\rm T}$. The measured suppression of high-$p_{\rm T}$ particles is stronger than that observed at lower collision energies, indicating that a very dense medium is formed in central Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages, 5 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 10, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/98

Two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

The first measurement of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. We observe a growing trend with energy now not only for the longitudinal and the outward but also for the sideward pion source radius. The pion homogeneity volume and the decoupling time are significantly larger than those measured at RHIC.Comment: 17 pages, 5 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/388