Predicting success: patterns of cortical activation and deactivation prior to response inhibition

The present study investigated the relationships between attention and other preparatory processes prior to a response inhibition task and the processes involved in the inhibition itself. To achieve this, a mixed fMRI design was employed to identify the functional areas activated during both inhibition decision events and the block of trials following a visual cue introduced 2 to 7 sec prior (cue period). Preparing for successful performance produced increases in activation for both the cue period and the inhibition itself in the frontoparietal cortical network. Furthermore, preparation produced activation decreases in midline areas (insula and medial prefrontal) argued to be responsible for monitoring internal emotional states, and these cue period deactivations alone predicted subsequent success or failure. The results suggest that when cues are provided to signify the imminent requirement for behavioral control, successful performance results from a coordinated pattern of preparatory activation in task-relevant areas and deactivation of task-irrelevant ones

MyelinJ: an ImageJ macro for high throughput analysis of myelinating cultures

MyelinJ is a free user friendly ImageJ macro for high throughput analysis of fluorescent micrographs such as 2D-myelinating cultures and statistical analysis using R. MyelinJ can analyse single images or complex experiments with multiple conditions, where the ggpubr package in R is automatically used for statistical analysis and the production of publication quality graphs. The main outputs are percentage (%) neurite density and % myelination. % neurite density is calculated using the normalise local contrast (NLC) algorithm, followed by thresholding, to adjust for differences in intensity. For % myelination the myelin sheaths are selected using the Frangi vesselness algorithm, in conjunction with a grey scale morphology filter and the removal of cell bodies using a high intensity mask. MyelinJ uses a simple graphical user interface and user name system for reproducibility and sharing that will be useful to the wider scientific community that study 2D-myelination in vitro

Two Rare Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables with Extreme Cyclotron Features Identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Two newly identified magnetic cataclysmic variables discovered in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), SDSSJ155331.12+551614.5 and SDSSJ132411.57+032050.5, have spectra showing highly prominent, narrow, strongly polarized cyclotron humps with amplitudes that vary on orbital periods of 4.39 and 2.6 hrs, respectively. In the former, the spacing of the humps indicates the 3rd and 4th harmonics in a magnetic field of ~60 MG. The narrowness of the cyclotron features and the lack of strong emission lines imply very low temperature plasmas and very low accretion rates, so that the accreting area is heated by particle collisions rather than accretion shocks. The detection of rare systems like these exemplifies the ability of the SDSS to find the lowest accretion rate close binaries.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, vol. 583, February 1, 2003; slight revisions and additions in response to referee's comments; 17 pages, 6 figures, AASTeX v4.

Correlation of p16INK4A Expression and HPV Copy Number with Cellular FTIR Spectroscopic Signatures of Cervical Cancer Cells

Cervical cancer, a potentially preventable disease, has its main aetiology in infection by high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). Approaches to improving cervical cancer screening and diagnostic methodologies include molecular biological analysis, targeting of biomarker proteins, but also exploration and implementation of new techniques such as vibrational spectroscopy. This study correlates the biomarker protein p16INK4A expression levels dependent on HPV copy number with the infrared absorption spectral signatures of the cervical cancer cell lines, HPV negative C33A, HPV-16 positive SiHa and CaSki and HPV-18 positive HeLa. Confocal fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that p16INK4A is expressed in all investigated cell lines in both nuclear and cytoplasmic regions, although predominantly in the cytoplasm. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the p16INK4A expression levels and demonstrated a correlation, albeit nonlinear, between the reported number of integrated HPV copies and p16INK4A expression levels. CaSki cells were found to have the highest level of expression, HeLa intermediate levels, and SiHa and C33A the lowest levels. FTIR spectra revealed differences in nucleic acid, lipid and protein signatures between the cell lines with varying HPV copy number. Peak intensities exhibited increasing tendency in nucleic acid levels and decreasing tendency in lipid levels with increasing HPV copy number, and although they were found to be nonlinearly correlated with the HPV copy number, their dependence on p16INK4A levels was found to be close to linear. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the Infrared absorption spectra revealed differences between nuclear and cytoplasmic spectroscopic signatures for all cell lines, and furthermore clearly differentiated the groups of spectra representing each cell line. Finally, Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was employed to construct a model which can predict the p16INK4A expression level based on a spectral fingerprint of a cell line, demonstrating the diagnostic potential of spectroscopic techniques

Counting on commitment; the quality of primary care-led diabetes management in a system with minimal incentives

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of the present study was to assess the performance of three primary care-led initiatives providing structured care to patients with Type 2 diabetes in Ireland, a country with minimal incentives to promote the quality of care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data, from three primary care initiatives, were available for 3010 adult patients with Type 2 diabetes. Results were benchmarked against the national guidelines for the management of Type 2 diabetes in the community and results from the National Diabetes Audit (NDA) for England (2008/2009) and the Scottish Diabetes Survey (2009).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The recording of clinical processes of care was similar to results in the UK however the recording of lifestyle factors was markedly lower. Recording of HbA1c, blood pressure and lipids exceeded 85%. Recording of retinopathy screening (71%) was also comparable to England (77%) and Scotland (90%). Only 63% of patients had smoking status recorded compared to 99% in Scotland while 70% had BMI recorded compared to 89% in England. A similar proportion of patients in this initiative and the UK achieved clinical targets. Thirty-five percent of patients achieved a target HbA1c of < 6.5% (< 48 mmol/mol) compared to 25% in England. Applying the NICE target for blood pressure (≤ 140/80 mmHg), 54% of patients reached this target comparable to 60% in England. Slightly less patients were categorised as obese (> 30 kg/m²) in Ireland (50%, n = 1060) compared to Scotland (54%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study has demonstrated what can be achieved by proactive and interested health professionals in the absence of national infrastructure to support high quality diabetes care. The quality of primary care-led diabetes management in the three initiatives studied appears broadly consistent with results from the UK with the exception of recording lifestyle factors. The challenge facing health systems is to establish quality assurance a responsibility for all health care professionals rather than the subject of special interest for a few.</p

Papez’s Forgotten Tract: 80 Years of Unreconciled Findings Concerning the Thalamocingulate Tract

The thalamocingulate tract is a key component of the Papez circuit that connects the anterior thalamic nucleus (ATN) to the cingulum bundle. While the other white matter connections, consisting of the fornix, cingulum bundle and mammillothalamic tract, were well defined in Papez’s original 1937 paper, the anatomy of the thalamocingulate pathway was mentioned only in passing. Subsequent research has been unable to clarify the precise anatomical trajectory of this tract. In particular, the site of thalamocingulate tract interactions with the cingulum bundle have been inconsistently reported. This review aims to synthesize research on this least studied component of the Papez circuit. A systemic approach to reviewing historical anatomical dissection and neuronal tracing studies as well as contemporary diffusion magnetic resonance imaging studies of the thalamocingulate tract was undertaken across species. We found that although inconsistent, prior research broadly encompasses two differing descriptions of how the ATN interfaces with the cingulum after passing laterally through the anterior limb of the internal capsule. The first group of studies show that the pathway turns medially and rostrally and passes to the anterior cingulate region (Brodmann areas 24, 33, and 32) only. A second group suggests that the thalamocingulate tract interfaces with both the anterior and posterior cingulate (Brodmann areas 23 and 31) and retrosplenial region (Brodmann area 29). We discuss potential reasons for these discrepancies such as altering methodologies and species differences. We also discuss how these inconsistencies may be resolved in further research with refinements of terminology for the cingulate cortex and the thalamocingulate tract. Understanding the precise anatomical course of the last remaining unresolved final white matter tract in the Papez circuit may facilitate accurate investigation of the role of the complete Papez circuit in emotion and memory

Real-time imaging of density ducts between the plasmasphere and ionosphere

Ionization of the Earth's atmosphere by sunlight forms a complex, multilayered plasma environment within the Earth's magnetosphere, the innermost layers being the ionosphere and plasmasphere. The plasmasphere is believed to be embedded with cylindrical density structures (ducts) aligned along the Earth's magnetic field, but direct evidence for these remains scarce. Here we report the first direct wide-angle observation of an extensive array of field-aligned ducts bridging the upper ionosphere and inner plasmasphere, using a novel ground-based imaging technique. We establish their heights and motions by feature tracking and parallax analysis. The structures are strikingly organized, appearing as regularly spaced, alternating tubes of overdensities and underdensities strongly aligned with the Earth's magnetic field. These findings represent the first direct visual evidence for the existence of such structures

Caught in the Act: Strong, Active Ram Pressure Stripping in Virgo Cluster Spiral NGC 4330

We present a multi-wavelength study of NGC 4330, a highly-inclined spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster which is a clear example of strong, ongoing ICM-ISM ram pressure stripping. The HI has been removed from well within the undisturbed old stellar disk, to 50% - 65% of R_25. Multi-wavelength data (WIYN BVR and H-alpha, VLA 21-cm HI and radio continuum, and GALEX NUV and FUV) reveal several one-sided extraplanar features likely caused by ram pressure at an intermediate disk-wind angle. At the leading edge of the interaction, the H-alpha and dust extinction curve sharply out of the disk in a remarkable and distinctive "upturn" feature that may be generally useful as a diagnostic indicator of active ram pressure. On the trailing side, the ISM is stretched out in a long tail which contains 10% of the galaxy's total HI emission, 6 - 9% of its NUV-FUV emission, but only 2% of the H-alpha. The centroid of the HI tail is downwind of the UV/H-alpha tail, suggesting that the ICM wind has shifted most of the ISM downwind over the course of the past 10 - 300 Myr. Along the major axis, the disk is highly asymmetric in the UV, but more symmetric in H-alpha and HI, also implying recent changes in the distributions of gas and star formation. The UV-optical colors indicate very different star formation histories for the leading and trailing sides of the galaxy. On the leading side, a strong gradient in the UV-optical colors of the gas-stripped disk suggests that it has taken 200-400 Myr to strip the gas from a radius of >8 to 5 kpc, but on the trailing side there is no age gradient. All our data suggest a scenario in which NGC 4330 is falling into cluster center for first time and has experienced a significant increase in ram pressure over the last 200-400 Myr.Comment: AJ accepted; 22 pages, 25 figures, version with full-resolution figures available at http://www.astro.yale.edu/abramso