Selective neuronal damage and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance in atherosclerotic occlusive disease of the major cerebral artery

In atherosclerotic internal carotid artery (ICA) or middle cerebral artery (MCA) disease, selective neuronal damage can be detected as a decrease in central benzodiazepine receptors (BZRs) in the normal-appearing cerebral cortex. This study aimed to determine whether a decrease in the BZRs in the non-infarcted cerebral cortex is associated with poor performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), which assesses executive functions

Examining the assembly pathways and active microtubule mechanics underlying spindle self-organization

The bipolar organization of the microtubule-based mitotic spindle is essential for the faithful segregation of chromosomes in cell division. Despite our extensive knowledge of genes and proteins, the physical mechanism of how the ensemble of microtubules can assemble into a proper bipolar shape remains elusive. Here, we study the pathways of spindle self-organization using cell-free Xenopus egg extracts and computer-based automated shape analysis. Our microscopy assay allows us to simultaneously record the growth of hundreds of spindles in the bulk cytoplasm and systematically analyze the shape of each structure over the course of self-organization. We find that spindles that are maturing into a bipolar shape take a route that is distinct from those ending up with faulty structures, such as those of a tripolar shape. Moreover, matured structures are highly stable with little occasions of transformation between different shape phenotypes. Visualizing the movement of microtubules further reveals a fraction of microtubules that assemble between extra poles and push the poles apart, suggesting the presence of active extensile force that prevents pole coalescence. Together, we propose that a proper control over the magnitude and location of the extensile, pole-pushing force is crucial for establishing spindle bipolarity while preventing multipolarity.Comment: 22 pages, 5 + 2 figure

Asymmetric Activation of the Primary Motor Cortex during Observation of a Mirror Reflection of a Hand

Mirror therapy is an effective technique for pain relief and motor function recovery. It has been demonstrated that magnetic 20-Hz activity is induced in the primary motor cortex (M1) after median nerve stimulation and that the amount of the stimulus-induced 20-Hz activity is decreased when the M1 is activated. In the present study, we investigated how the image or the mirror reflection of a hand holding a pencil modulates the stimulus-induced 20-Hz activity in the M1. Neuromagnetic brain activity was recorded from 13 healthy right-handed subjects while they were either viewing directly their hand holding a pencil or viewing a mirror reflection of their hand holding a pencil. The 20-Hz activity in the left or the right M1 was examined after the right or the left median nerve stimulation, respectively, and the suppression of the stimulus-induced 20-Hz in the M1 by viewing directly one hand holding a pencil or by viewing the mirror image of the hand holding a pencil was assumed to indicate the activation of the M1. The results indicated that the M1 innervating the dominant hand was suppressed either by viewing directly the dominant hand holding a pencil or by viewing the mirror image of the non-dominant hand holding a pencil. On the other hand, the M1 innervating the non-dominant hand was activated by viewing the mirror image of the dominant hand holding a pencil, but was not activated by viewing directly the non-dominant hand holding a pencil. The M1 innervating either the dominant or the non-dominant hand, however, was not activated by viewing the hand on the side ipsilateral to the M1 examined or the mirror image of the hand on the side contralateral to the M1 exaimined. Such activation of the M1 might induce some therapeutic effects of mirror therapy

Functional relevance of the precuneus in verbal politeness.

Non-competitive and non-threatening aspects of social hierarchy, such as politeness, are universal among human cultures, and might have evolved from ritualized submission in primates; however, these behaviors have rarely been studied. Honorific language is a type of polite linguistic communication that plays an important role in human social interactions ranging from everyday conversation to international diplomacy. Here, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed selective precuneus activation during a verbal politeness judgment task, but not other linguistic-judgment or social-status recognition tasks. The magnitude of the activation was correlated with the task performance. Functional suppression of the activation using cathodal transcranial direct-current stimulation reduced performance in the politeness task. These results suggest that the precuneus is an essential hub of the verbal politeness judgment

Overexpression of Bcl2 in Osteoblasts Inhibits Osteoblast Differentiation and Induces Osteocyte Apoptosis

Bcl2 subfamily proteins, including Bcl2 and Bcl-XL, inhibit apoptosis. As osteoblast apoptosis is in part responsible for osteoporosis in sex steroid deficiency, glucocorticoid excess, and aging, bone loss might be inhibited by the upregulation of Bcl2; however, the effects of Bcl2 overexpression on osteoblast differentiation and bone development and maintenance have not been fully investigated. To investigate these issues, we established two lines of osteoblast-specific BCL2 transgenic mice. In BCL2 transgenic mice, bone volume was increased at 6 weeks of age but not at 10 weeks of age compared with wild-type mice. The numbers of osteoblasts and osteocytes increased, but osteoid thickness and the bone formation rate were reduced in BCL2 transgenic mice with high expression at 10 weeks of age. The number of BrdU-positive cells was increased but that of TUNEL-positive cells was unaltered at 2 and 6 weeks of age. Osteoblast differentiation was inhibited, as shown by reduced Col1a1 and osteocalcin expression. Osteoblast differentiation of calvarial cells from BCL2 transgenic mice also fell in vitro. Overexpression of BCL2 in primary osteoblasts had no effect on osteoclastogenesis in co-culture with bone marrow cells. Unexpectedly, overexpression of BCL2 in osteoblasts eventually caused osteocyte apoptosis. Osteocytes, which had a reduced number of processes, gradually died with apoptotic structural alterations and the expression of apoptosis-related molecules, and dead osteocytes accumulated in cortical bone. These findings indicate that overexpression of BCL2 in osteoblasts inhibits osteoblast differentiation, reduces osteocyte processes, and causes osteocyte apoptosis

Incidence of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of an anti-VEGF agent with or without topical antibiotics

Intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the standard treatment modality in various types of retinal diseases. However, endophthalmitis remains the most serious complication. Despite the lack of evidence that antibiotics prevent endophthalmitis, topical antibiotics are still used routinely in Japan. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study by analyzing records from patients who underwent IVI of anti-VEGF agents with or without antibiotic treatment. In the analysis of a total of 147,440 eyes, the incidence of endophthalmitis was 0.007%: 0.005% with no use of antibiotics, 0.009% with antibiotic pretreatment, 0.012% with posttreatment, and 0.005% with pre- and posttreatment. There was no statistically significant difference among the four groups (chi-square test, p = 0.57). Most facilities used masks, sterilized gloves, and drapes. Nine of the 10 eyes that developed endophthalmitis received topical antibiotics, and all infected eyes underwent IVI with aflibercept, not the prefilled syringe delivery system. In four patients who received multiple IVI, the detection of causative bacteria revealed resistance to used antibiotics. Data from this large population, treated with or without antibiotics, suggests that antibiotic prophylaxis does not reduce the rate of endophthalmitis after IVI

NGCPV: A new generation of concentrator photovoltaic cells, modules and systems

This work introduces the lines of research that the NGCPV project is pursuing and some of the first results obtained. Sponsored by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Program and NEDO (Japan) within the first collaborative call launched by both Bodies in the field of energy, NGCPV project aims at approaching the cost of the photovoltaic kWh to competitive prices in the framework of high concentration photovoltaics (CPV) by exploring the development and assessment of concentrator photovoltaic solar cells and modules, novel materials and new solar cell structures as well as methods and procedures to standardize measurement technology for concentrator photovoltaic cells and modules. More specific objectives we are facing are: (1) to manufacture a cell prototype with an efficiency of at least 45% and to undertake an experimental activity, (2) to manufacture a 35% module prototype and elaborate the roadmap towards the achievement of 40%, (3) to develop reliable characterization techniques for III-V materials and quantum structures, (4) to achieve and agreement within 5% in the characterization of CPV cells and modules in a round robin scheme, and (5) to evaluate the potential of new materials, devices technologies and quantum nanostructures to improve the efficiency of solar cells for CPV

NGCPV: a new generation of concentrator photovoltaic cells, modules and systems

Starting on June 2011, NGCPV is the first project funded jointly between the European Commission (EC) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan to research on new generation concentration photovoltaics (CPV). The Project, through a collaborative research between seven European and nine Japanese leading research centers in the field of CPV, aims at lowering the cost of the CPVproduced photovoltaic kWh down to 5 ?cents. The main objective of the project is to improve the present concentrator cell, module and system efficiency, as well as developing advanced characterization tools for CPV components and systems. As particular targets, the project aims at achieving a cell efficiency of at least 45% and a CPV module with an efficiency greater than 35%. This paper describes the R&D activities that are being carried out within the NGCPV project and summarizes some of the most relevant results that have already been attained, for instance: the manufacturing of a 44.4% world record efficiency triple junction solar cell (by Sharp Corp.) and the installation of a 50 kWp experimental CPV plant in Spain, which will be used to obtain accurate forecasts of the energy produced at system level

Bias corrections of GOSAT SWIR XCO₂ and XCH₄ with TCCON data and their evaluation using aircraft measurement data

We describe a method for removing systematic biases of column-averaged dry air mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2) and CH4 (XCH4) derived from short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectra of the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). We conduct correlation analyses between the GOSAT biases and simultaneously retrieved auxiliary parameters. We use these correlations to bias correct the GOSAT data, removing these spurious correlations. Data from the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) were used as reference values for this regression analysis. To evaluate the effectiveness of this correction method, the tnzuncorrected/corrected GOSAT data were compared to independent XCO2 and XCH4 data derived from aircraft measurements taken for the Comprehensive Observation Network for TRace gases by AIrLiner (CONTRAIL) project, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US Department of Energy (DOE), the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the HIAPER Pole-to-Pole observations (HIPPO) program, and the GOSAT validation aircraft observation campaign over Japan. These comparisons demonstrate that the empirically derived bias correction improves the agreement between GOSAT XCO2/XCH4 and the aircraft data. Finally, we present spatial distributions and temporal variations of the derived GOSAT biases