Neuroanatomy of the Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) From Magnetic Resonance Images

This article presents the first series of MRI-based anatomically labeled sectioned images of the brain of the killer whale (Orcinus orca). Magnetic resonance images of the brain of an adult killer whale were acquired in the coronal and axial planes. The gross morphology of the killer whale brain is comparable in some respects to that of other odontocete brains, including the unusual spatial arrangement of midbrain structures. There are also intriguing differences. Cerebral hemispheres appear extremely convoluted and, in contrast to smaller cetacean species, the killer whale brain possesses an exceptional degree of cortical elaboration in the insular cortex, temporal operculum, and the cortical limbic lobe. The functional and evolutionary implications of these features are discussed

The Soft Gluon Emission Process in the Color-Octet Model for Heavy Quarkonium Production

The Color-Octet Model has been used successfully to analyze many problems in heavy quarkonium production. We examine some of the conceptual and practical problems of the soft gluon emission process in the Color-Octet Model. We use a potential model to describe the initial and final states in the soft gluon emission process, as the emission occurs at a late stage after the production of the heavy quark pair. It is found in this model that the soft gluon M1 transition, 1S0(8)->3S1(1), dominates over the E1 transition, 3PJ(8)->3S1(1), for J/psi and psi' production. Such a dominance may help resolve the questions of isotropic polarization and color-octet matrix element universality in the Color-Octet Model.Comment: 26 pages, in LaTe

Neuro-environmental interactions: a time sensitive matter

Introduction: The assessment of resting state (rs) neurophysiological dynamics relies on the control of sensory, perceptual, and behavioral environments to minimize variability and rule-out confounding sources of activation during testing conditions. Here, we investigated how temporally-distal environmental inputs, specifically metal exposures experienced up to several months prior to scanning, affect functional dynamics measured using rs functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods: We implemented an interpretable XGBoost-shapley additive explanation (SHAP) model that integrated information from multiple exposure biomarkers to predict rs dynamics in typically developing adolescents. In 124 participants (53% females, ages, 13-25 years) enrolled in the public health impact of metals exposure (PHIME) study, we measured concentrations of six metals (manganese, lead, chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc) in biological matrices (saliva, hair, fingernails, toenails, blood, and urine) and acquired rs-fMRI scans. Using graph theory metrics, we computed global efficiency (GE) in 111 brain areas (Harvard Oxford atlas). We used a predictive model based on ensemble gradient boosting to predict GE from metal biomarkers, adjusting for age and biological sex. Results: Model performance was evaluated by comparing predicted versus measured GE. SHAP scores were used to evaluate feature importance. Measured versus predicted rs dynamics from our model utilizing chemical exposures as inputs were significantly correlated (p < 0.001, r = 0.36). Lead, chromium, and copper contributed most to the prediction of GE metrics. Discussion: Our results indicate that a significant component of rs dynamics, comprising approximately 13% of observed variability in GE, is driven by recent metal exposures. These findings emphasize the need to estimate and control for the influence of past and current chemical exposures in the assessment and analysis of rs functional connectivity

Elevated cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in macaques following early life stress and inverse association with hippocampal volume: preliminary implications for serotonin-related function in mood and anxiety disorders

Background: Early life stress (ELS) is cited as a risk for mood and anxiety disorders, potentially through altered serotonin neurotransmission. We examined the effects of ELS, utilizing the variable foraging demand (VFD) macaque model, on adolescent monoamine metabolites. We sought to replicate an increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) observed in two previous VFD cohorts. We hypothesized that elevated cisternal 5-HIAA was associated with reduced neurotrophic effects, conceivably due to excessive negative feedback at somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors. A putatively decreased serotonin neurotransmission would be reflected by reductions in hippocampal volume and white matter (WM) fractional anisotropy (FA).Methods: When infants were 2-6 months of age, bonnet macaque mothers were exposed to VFD. We employed cisternal CSF taps to measure monoamine metabolites in VFD (N = 22) and non-VFD (N = 14) offspring (mean age = 2.61 years). Metabolites were correlated with hippocampal volume obtained by MRI and WM FA by diffusion tensor imaging in young adulthood in 17 males [10 VFD (mean age = 4.57 years)].Results: VFD subjects exhibited increased CSF 5-HIAA compared to non-VFD controls. An inverse correlation between right hippocampal volume and 5-HIAA was noted in VFD- but not controls. CSF HVA and MHPG correlated inversely with hippocampal volume only in VFD. CSF 5-HIAA correlated inversely with FA of the VVM tracts of the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) only in VFD.Conclusions: Elevated cisternal 5-HIAA in VFD may reflect increased dorsal raphe serotonin, potentially inducing excessive autoreceptor activation, inducing a putative serotonin deficit in terminal fields. Resultant reductions in neurotrophic activity are reflected by smaller right hippocampal volume. Convergent evidence of reduced neurotrophic activity in association with high CSF 5-HIAA in VFD was reflected by reduced FA of the ALIC.NIMHSuny Downstate Med Ctr, Nonhuman Primate Lab, Dept Psychiat & Behav Sci, Brooklyn, NY 11203 USANew York State Psychiat Inst & Hosp, New York, NY 10032 USASuny Downstate Med Ctr, Coll Med, Brooklyn, NY 11203 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat & Neuroradiol, São Paulo, BrazilFranklin Beha Hlh Consultants, Bronx, NY USANew York State Psychiat Inst & Hosp, Dept Mol Imaging & Neuropathol, New York, NY 10032 USAIcahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Psychiat, New York, NY 10029 USAIcahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Neurosci, New York, NY 10029 USAIcahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Radiol, New York, NY 10029 USAIcahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Fishberg Dept Neurosci, New York, NY 10029 USAIcahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Friedman Brain Inst, New York, NY 10029 USAYale Univ, Sch Med, Dept Psychiat, New Haven, CT USAMichael E Debakey VA Med Ctr, Mental Hlth Care Line, Houston, TX USABaylor Coll Med, Menninger Dept Psychiat & Behav Sci, Houston, TX 77030 USAYale Univ, Sch Med, Ctr Child Study, New Haven, CT 06510 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat & Neuroradiol, São Paulo, BrazilNIMH: R21MH066748NIMH: R01 MH059990Web of Scienc

Color-Octet Fraction in J/Psi Production and Absorption

The cross section between a $c \bar c$ pair and a nucleon is small and sensitive to the $c - \bar c$ separation if the pair is in a color-singlet state, but very large and insensitive to the separation if it is in a color-octet state. We use this property in an absorption model involving both color components to deduce the color structure of $c \bar c$ pairs produced in $p(B)A \to \psi X$ reactions. Our analysis shows that the NA3, NA38 and E772 data are not inconsistent with the theoretical picture that color-octet and color-singlet precursors are produced in roughly equal proportions if the produced color-singlet precursors are pointlike and transparent. However, if the color-singlet precursors are not transparent but have a cross section of a few mb, these data do show a definite preference for a larger fraction of color-singlet precursors. In either case, the color-octet fraction increases with $x_F$, approaching unity as $x_F$ becomes large.Comment: 9 pages, updated to include new result

Annexin II-binding immunoglobulins in patients with lupus nephritis and their correlation with disease manifestations

Correspondence: Tak Mao Chan ([email protected]) and Susan Yung ([email protected]) Annexin II on mesangial cell surface mediates the binding of anti-dsDNA antibodies and consequent downstream inflammatory and fibrotic processes. We investigated the clinical relevance of circulating annexin II-binding immunoglobulins (Igs) in patients with severe proliferative lupus nephritis, and renal annexin II expression in relation to progression of nephritis in New Zealand Black and White F1 mice (NZBWF1/J) mice. Annexin II-binding Igs in serum were measured by ELISA. Ultrastructural localization of annexin II was determined by electron microscopy. Seropositivity rates for annexin II-binding IgG and IgM in patients with active lupus nephritis were significantly higher compared with controls (8.9%, 1.3% and 0.9% for annexin II-binding IgG and 11.1%, 4.0% and 1.9% for annexin II-binding IgM for patients with active lupus nephritis, patients with non-lupus renal disease and healthy subjects respectively). In lupus patients, annexin II-binding IgM level was higher at disease flare compared with remission. Annexin II-binding IgG and IgM levels were associated with that of anti-dsDNA and disease activity. Annexin II-binding IgG and IgM levels correlated with histological activity index in lupus nephritis biopsy samples. In NZBWF1/J mice, serum annexin II-binding IgG and IgM levels and glomerular annexin II and p11 expression increased with progression of active nephritis. Annexin II expression was present on mesangial cell surface and in the mesangial matrix, and co-localized with electron-dense deposits along the glomerular basement membrane. Our results show that circulating annexin II-binding IgG and IgM levels are associated with clinical and histological disease activity in proliferative lupus nephritis. The co-localization of annexin II and p11 expression with immune deposition in the kidney suggests pathogenic relevance

Topological network properties of resting-state functional connectivity patterns are associated with metal mixture exposure in adolescents

IntroductionAdolescent exposure to neurotoxic metals adversely impacts cognitive, motor, and behavioral development. Few studies have addressed the underlying brain mechanisms of these metal-associated developmental outcomes. Furthermore, metal exposure occurs as a mixture, yet previous studies most often consider impacts of each metal individually. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationship between exposure to neurotoxic metals and topological brain metrics in adolescents. MethodsIn 193 participants (53% females, ages: 15-25 years) enrolled in the Public Health Impact of Metals Exposure (PHIME) study, we measured concentrations of four metals (manganese, lead, copper, and chromium) in multiple biological media (blood, urine, hair, and saliva) and acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Using graph theory metrics, we computed global and local efficiency (global:GE; local:LE) in 111 brain areas (Harvard Oxford Atlas). We used weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models to examine association between metal mixtures and each graph metric (GE or LE), adjusted for sex and age. ResultsWe observed significant negative associations between the metal mixture and GE and LE [beta GE = -0.076, 95% CI (-0.122, -0.031); beta LE= -0.051, 95% CI (-0.095, -0.006)]. Lead and chromium measured in blood contributed most to this association for GE, while chromium measured in hair contributed the most for LE. DiscussionOur results suggest that exposure to this metal mixture during adolescence reduces the efficiency of integrating information in brain networks at both local and global levels, informing potential neural mechanisms underlying the developmental toxicity of metals. Results further suggest these associations are due to combined joint effects to different metals, rather than to a single metal