Audiovisual sensory processing in autism spectrum condition.

Autism spectrum condition (ASC) consists of a set of pervasive developmental problems marked by measurable deficits in social interaction and communication, often coupled with specific and repetitive patterns of behavior. Featured restrictions in the capability to communicate and remain attentive can directly relate to the individual’s ability to interact with others within societal norms. Evidence has suggested that the deficits commonly demonstrated by individuals with autism may arise from a disconnect between neural processes governing sensory inputs. Comparing ASC subjects to controls, previous investigations had shown that electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings and event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked via separate auditory and visual stimuli do not display aberrations in latency or amplitude in the ASC individuals. However, the findings reported here suggest decreased latencies in early-evoked potentials. Additionally, during the combined audiovisual task, electrophysiological recordings revealed significant cortical activity differences between ASC subjects and controls. To investigate the aforementioned phenomena this study employed EEG recording technology while subjects participated in an oddball-paradigm reaction time test. This project reports on the differences behavioral reactions as well as variances in amplitude and latency in twelve autistic individuals and twelve matched controls. Subjects were evaluated using the event related potentials, N100, N200, and P300, as well as dipole source coherence and power of EEG gamma oscillations recorded at fronto-central and parietal sites in both hemispheres. Findings of this study suggest that the irregularities arise from deficits in the integration and combinatorial processing of multiple sensory inputs. Previous research investigating the neuropathology of autism has identified abnormalities in the structure, number and activity of the cortical minicolumns, which are believed to influence excitatory and inhibitory impulses of sensory processing. The minicolumns of ASC individuals appear in greater number coupled with increased neuronal density due to a reduction in the volume of peripheral neuropil space and neuronal cell bodies. Such a cortical and cellular arrangement favors the formation of short intralobular connections between neurons at the expense of longer interlobular fibers. This study proposes that aberrations in sensory processing and functional cortical binding, as evidenced by EEG recordings related to the tasks, further reflect underlying abnormalities of minicolumns in ASC individuals. Thus, the results of this project intuitively suggest that dysfunction of sensory processing by way of minicolumn irregularity may in turn lead to symptoms commonly associated with autism spectrum condition

Dystrophic calcification and heterotopic ossification in fibrocartilaginous tissues of the spine in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH)

© 2020, The Author(s). Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a prevalent noninflammatory spondyloarthropathy characterized by ectopic mineral formation along the anterolateral aspect of the vertebral column, yet little is known about its underlying pathogenesis. Our objective was to evaluate the histopathological features and composition of ectopic mineral within spinal tissues affected by DISH in humans. Thoracic spine segments from six embalmed cadaveric donors (one female and five males; median age 82 years) meeting the radiographic diagnostic criteria for DISH were evaluated using radiological, histological, and physical analyses. Overall, the histological features of ectopic mineralization at individual motion segments were heterogeneous, including regions of heterotopic ossification and dystrophic calcification. Heterotopic ossifications were characterized by woven and lamellar bone, multifocal areas of metaplastic cartilage, and bony bridges along the anterior aspect of the intervertebral disc space. Dystrophic calcifications were characterized by an amorphous appearance, a high content of calcium and phosphorus, an X-ray diffraction pattern matching that of hydroxyapatite, and radiodensities exceeding that of cortical bone. Dystrophic calcifications were found within the anterior longitudinal ligament and annulus fibrosus in motion segments both meeting and not meeting the radiographic criteria for DISH. In summary, our findings indicate that in DISH, ectopic mineral forms along the anterior aspect of the spine by both heterotopic ossification and dystrophic calcification of fibrocartilaginous tissues. Although both types of ectopic mineralization are captured by current radiographic criteria for DISH, dystrophic calcification may reflect a distinct disease process or an early stage in the pathogenesis of DISH

Trusted CI Experiences in Cybersecurity and Service to Open Science

This article describes experiences and lessons learned from the Trusted CI project, funded by the US National Science Foundation to serve the community as the NSF Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. Trusted CI is an effort to address cybersecurity for the open science community through a single organization that provides leadership, training, consulting, and knowledge to that community. The article describes the experiences and lessons learned of Trusted CI regarding both cybersecurity for open science and managing the process of providing centralized services to a broad and diverse community.Comment: 8 pages, PEARC '19: Practice and Experience in Advanced Research Computing, July 28-August 1, 2019, Chicago, IL, US

Cross-species transmission potential between wild pigs, livestock, poultry, wildlife, and humans: implications for disease risk management in North America

Cross-species disease transmission between wildlife, domestic animals and humans is an increasing threat to public and veterinary health. Wild pigs are increasingly a potential veterinary and public health threat. Here we investigate 84 pathogens and the host species most at risk for transmission with wild pigs using a network approach. We assess the risk to agricultural and human health by evaluating the status of these pathogens and the co-occurrence of wild pigs, agriculture and humans. We identified 34 (87%) OIE listed swine pathogens that cause clinical disease in livestock, poultry, wildlife, and humans. On average 73% of bacterial, 39% of viral, and 63% of parasitic pathogens caused clinical disease in other species. Non-porcine livestock in the family Bovidae shared the most pathogens with swine (82%). Only 49% of currently listed OIE domestic swine diseases had published wild pig surveillance studies. The co-occurrence of wild pigs and farms increased annually at a rate of 1.2% with as much as 57% of all farms and 77% of all agricultural animals co-occurring with wild pigs. The increasing co-occurrence of wild pigs with livestock and humans along with the large number of pathogens shared is a growing risk for cross-species transmission

Genomic regions associated with pseudorabies virus infection status in naturally infected feral swine (Sus scrofa)

Pseudorabies virus (PRV)—the causative agent of Aujeszky’s disease—was eliminated from commercial pig production herds in the United States (US) in 2004; however, PRV remains endemic among invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa). The circulation of PRV among abundant, widespread feral swine populations poses a sustained risk for disease spillover to production herds. Risk–based surveillance has been successfully implemented for PRV in feral swine populations in the US. However, understanding the role of host genetics in infection status may offer new insights into the epidemiology and disease dynamics of PRV that can be applied to management strategies. Genetic mechanisms underlying host susceptibility to PRV are relatively unknown; therefore, we sought to identify genomic regions associated with PRV infection status among naturally infected feral swine using genome–wide association studies (GWAS) and gene set enrichment analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism data (GSEA–SNP). Paired serological and genotypic data were collected from 6,081 feral swine distributed across the invaded range within the contiguous US. Three complementary study populations were developed for GWAS: 1) comprehensive population consisting of feral swine throughout the invaded range within the contiguous US; 2) population of feral swine under high, but temporally variable PRV infection pressure; and 3) population of feral swine under temporally stable, high PRV infection pressure. We identified one intronic SNP associated with PRV infection status within candidate gene AKAP6 on autosome 7. Various gene sets linked to metabolic pathways were enriched in the GSEA–SNP. Ultimately, improving disease surveillance efforts in feral swine will be critical to further understanding of the role host genetics play in PRV infection status, helping secure the health of commercial pork production

Defining Natural History: Assessment of the Ability of College Students to Aid in Characterizing Clinical Progression of Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C

Niemann-Pick Disease, type C (NPC) is a fatal, neurodegenerative, lysosomal storage disorder. It is a rare disease with broad phenotypic spectrum and variable age of onset. These issues make it difficult to develop a universally accepted clinical outcome measure to assess urgently needed therapies. To this end, clinical investigators have defined emerging, disease severity scales. The average time from initial symptom to diagnosis is approximately 4 years. Further, some patients may not travel to specialized clinical centers even after diagnosis. We were therefore interested in investigating whether appropriately trained, community-based assessment of patient records could assist in defining disease progression using clinical severity scores. In this study we evolved a secure, step wise process to show that pre-existing medical records may be correctly assessed by non-clinical practitioners trained to quantify disease progression. Sixty-four undergraduate students at the University of Notre Dame were expertly trained in clinical disease assessment and recognition of major and minor symptoms of NPC. Seven clinical records, randomly selected from a total of thirty seven used to establish a leading clinical severity scale, were correctly assessed to show expected characteristics of linear disease progression. Student assessment of two new records donated by NPC families to our study also revealed linear progression of disease, but both showed accelerated disease progression, relative to the current severity scale, especially at the later stages. Together, these data suggest that college students may be trained in assessment of patient records, and thus provide insight into the natural history of a disease

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

Development of a System for Real-Time Measurements of Metabolite Transport in Plants Using Short-Lived Positron-Emitting Radiotracers

<p>Over the past 200 years, the Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration has increased by more than 35%, and climate experts predict that CO₂ levels may double by the end of this century. Understanding the mechanisms of resource management in plants is fundamental for predicting how plants will respond to the increase in atmospheric CO₂. Plant productivity sustains life on Earth and is a principal component of the planet's system that regulates atmospheric CO₂ concentration. As such, one of the central goals of plant science is to understand the regulatory mechanisms of plant growth in a changing environment. Short-lived positron-emitting radiotracer techniques provide time-dependent data that are critical for developing models of metabolite transport and resource distribution in plants and their microenvironments. To better understand the effects of environmental changes on resource transport and allocation in plants, we have developed a system for real-time measurements of metabolite transport in plants using short-lived positron-emitting radiotracers. This thesis project includes the design, construction, and demonstration of the capabilities of this system for performing real-time measurements of metabolite transport in plants.</p><p>The short-lived radiotracer system described in this dissertation takes advantage of the combined capabilities and close proximity of two research facilities at Duke University: the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) and the Duke University Phytotron, which are separated by approximately 100 meters. The short-lived positron-emitting radioisotopes are generated using the 10-MV tandem Van de Graaff accelerator located in the main TUNL building, which provides the capability of producing short-lived positron-emitting isotopes such as carbon-11 (¹¹C; 20 minute half-life), nitrogen-13 (¹³N; 10 minute half-life), fluorine-18 (¹⁸F; 110 minute half-life), and oxygen-15 (¹⁵O; 2 minute half-life). The radioisotopes may be introduced to plants as biologically active molecules such as ¹¹CO₂, ¹³NO₃^-, ¹⁸F^--[H₂O], and H₂<sup>15<\sup>O. Plants for these studies are grown in controlled-environment chambers at the Phytotron. The chambers offer an array of control for temperature, humidity, atmospheric CO₂ concentration, and light intensity. Additionally, the Phytotron houses one large reach-in growth chamber that is dedicated to this project for radioisotope labeling measurements.</p><p>There are several important properties of short-lived positron-emitting radiotracers that make them well suited for use in investigating metabolite transport in plants. First, because the molecular mass of a radioisotope-tagged compound is only minutely different from the corresponding stable compound, radiotracer substances should be metabolized and transported in plants the same as their non-radioactive counterparts. Second, because the relatively high energy gamma rays emitted from electron-positron annihilation are attenuated very little by plant tissue, the real-time distribution of a radiotracer can be measured <em>in vivo</em> in plants. Finally, the short radioactive half-lives of these isotopes allow for repeat measurements on the same plant in a short period of time. For example, in studies of short-term environmental changes on plant metabolite dynamics, a single plant can be labeled multiple times to measure its responses to different environmental conditions. Also, different short-lived radiotracers can be applied to the same plant over a short period of time to investigate the transport and allocation of various metabolites.</p><p>This newly developed system provides the capabilities for production of ¹¹CO₂ at TUNL, transfer of the ¹¹CO₂ gas from the target area at TUNL to a radiation-shielded cryogenic trap at the Phytotron, labeling of photoassimilates with ¹¹C, and <em>in vivo</em> gamma-ray detection for real-time measurements of the radiotracer distribution in small plants. The experimental techniques and instrumentation that enabled the quantitative biological studies reported in this thesis were developed through a series of experiments made at TUNL and the Phytotron. Collimated single detectors and coincidence counting techniques were used to monitor the radiotracer distribution on a coarse spatial scale. Additionally, a prototype Versatile Imager for Positron Emitting Radiotracers (VIPER) was built to provide the capability of measuring radiotracer distributions in plants with high spatial resolution (~2.5 mm). This device enables detailed quantification of real-time metabolite dynamics on fine spatial scales.</p><p>The full capabilities of this radiotracer system were utilized in an investigation of the effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration and root nutrient availability on the transport and allocation of recently fixed carbon, including that released from the roots via exudation or respiration, in two grass species. The ¹¹CO₂ gas was introduced to a leaf on the plants grown at either ambient or elevated atmospheric CO₂. Two sequential measurements were performed per day on each plant: a control nutrient solution labeling immediately followed by labeling with a 10-fold increase or decrease in nutrient concentration. The real-time distribution of ¹¹C-labeled photoassimilate was measured <em>in vivo</em> throughout the plant and root environment. This measurement resulted in the <em>first</em> observation of a rapid plant response to short-term changes in nutrient availability via correlated changes in the photoassimilate allocation to root exudates. Our data indicated that root exudation was consistently enhanced at lower nutrient concentrations. Also, we found that elevated atmospheric CO₂ increased the velocity of photoassimilate transport throughout the plant, enhanced root exudation in an annual crop grass, and reduced root exudation in a perennial native grass.</p>Dissertatio

2019 GPN All Hands Meeting: Building a NIST Risk Management Framework for HIPAA, CUI, and FISMA

Building a NIST Risk Management Framework for HIPAA, CUI, and FISMA, presented to the Great Plains Network 2019 All Hands meeting.NSF #1547272Ope