Exploring 'The autisms' at a cognitive level

The autism spectrum is characterized by genetic and behavioral heterogeneity. However, it is still unknown whether there is a universal pattern of cognitive impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and whether multiple cognitive impairments are needed to explain the full range of behavioral symptoms. This study aimed to determine whether three widely acknowledged cognitive abnormalities (Theory of Mind (ToM) impairment, Executive Function (EF) impairment, and the presence of a Local Processing Bias (LB)) are universal and fractionable in autism, and whether the relationship between cognition and behavior is dependent on the method of behavioral assessment. Thirty-one high-functioning children with ASD and thirty-seven children with neurotypical development (NTD), comparable in age, gender and Intelligence Quotient (IQ), completed several tasks tapping into ToM, EF, and LB, and autistic symptomatology was assessed through parental and teacher questionnaires, parental interview and direct observation. We found that ToM and EF deficits differentiated the groups and some ToM and EF tasks were related to each other. ToM and EF were together able to correctly classify more than three-quarters of the children into cases and controls, despite relating to none of the specific behavioral measures. Only a small subgroup of individuals displayed a LB, which was unrelated to ToM and EF, and did not aid diagnostic classification, most likely contributing to non-diagnostic symptoms in a subgroup. Despite the characteristic heterogeneity of the autism spectrum, it remains a possibility therefore that a single cognitive cause may underlie the range of diagnostic symptoms in all individuals with autism

Changes in the relative thickness of individual subcutaneous adipose tissue layers in growing pigs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer is an important parameter at all stages of pig production. It is used to inform decisions on dietary requirements to optimize growth, in gilts to promote longevity and finally to assist in the calculation of payments to producers that allow for general adiposity. Currently for reasons of tradition and ease, total adipose thickness measurements are made at one or multiple sites although it has been long recognized that up to three well defined layers (outer (L1), middle (L2), and inner (L3)) may be present to make up the total. Various features and properties of these layers have been described. This paper examines the contribution of each layer to total adipose thickness at three time points and describes the change in thickness of each layer per unit change in body weight in normal growing pigs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A group of nine pigs was examined using 14 MHz linear array transducer on three separate occasions. The average weight was 51, 94 and 124 kg for each successive scan. The time between scanning was approximately 4 weeks. The proportion of each layer to total thickness was modeled statistically with scan session as a variable and the change in absolute thickness of each layer per unit change in body weight was modeled in a random regression model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a significant change in ratios between scans for the middle and inner layers (<it>P </it>< 0.001). The significant changes were seen between the first and second, and between the first and final, scan sessions. The change in thickness per unit change in body weight was greatest for L2, followed by L1 and L3.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results demonstrate that subcutaneous adipose layers grow at different rates relative to each other and to change in body weight and indicate that ultrasound can be used to track these differences.</p

Photothermal treatment of glioma; an in vitro study of macrophage-mediated delivery of gold nanoshells

One of the major factors that limits the treatment effectiveness for gliomas is the presence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) which protects infiltrating glioma cells from the effects of anti-cancer agents. Circulating monocytes/macrophages (Ma) have a natural ability to traverse the intact and compromised BBB and loaded with anti cancer agents could be used as vectors to target tumors and surrounding tumor infiltrated tissue. Nanoshells (NS) are composed of a dielectric core (silica) coated with an ultrathin gold layer which converts absorbed near-infrared light (NIR) to heat with an extremely high efficacy and stability. We have investigated the effects of exposure to laser NIR on multicell human glioma spheroids infiltrated with empty (containing no nanoshells) or nanoshell loaded macrophages. Our results demonstrated that; (1) macrophages could efficiently take up bare or coated (PEGylated) gold NS: (2) NS loaded macrophages infiltrated into glioma spheroids to the same or, in some cases, to a greater degree than empty Ma; (3) NIR laser irradiation of spheroids incorporating NS loaded macrophages resulted in complete growth inhibition in an irradiance dependent manner, and (4) spheroids infiltrated with empty macrophages had growth curves identical to untreated control cultures. The results of this study provide proof of concept for the use of macrophages as a delivery vector of NS into gliomas for photothermal ablation and open the possibility of developing such regimens for patient treatment

In situ–Directed Growth of Organic Nanofibers and Nanoflakes: Electrical and Morphological Properties

Organic nanostructures made from organic molecules such as para-hexaphenylene (p-6P) could form nanoscale components in future electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, the integration of such fragile nanostructures with the necessary interface circuitry such as metal electrodes for electrical connection continues to be a significant hindrance toward their large-scale implementation. Here, we demonstrate in situ–directed growth of such organic nanostructures between pre-fabricated contacts, which are source–drain gold electrodes on a transistor platform (bottom-gate) on silicon dioxide patterned by a combination of optical lithography and electron beam lithography. The dimensions of the gold electrodes strongly influence the morphology of the resulting structures leading to notably different electrical properties. The ability to control such nanofiber or nanoflake growth opens the possibility for large-scale optoelectronic device fabrication

Surfactant protein D modulates HIV infection of both T-cells and dendritic cells

Surfactant Protein D (SP-D) is an oligomerized C-type lectin molecule with immunomodulatory properties and involvement in lung surfactant homeostasis in the respiratory tract. SP-D binds to the enveloped viruses, influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus and inhibits their replication in vitro and in vivo. SP-D has been shown to bind to HIV via the HIV envelope protein gp120 and inhibit infectivity in vitro. Here we show that SP-D binds to different strains of HIV (BaL and IIIB) and the binding occurs at both pH 7.4 and 5.0 resembling physiological relevant pH values found in the body and the female urogenital tract, respectively. The binding of SP-D to HIV particles and gp120 was inhibited by the presence of several hexoses with mannose found to be the strongest inhibitor. Competition studies showed that soluble CD4 and CVN did not interfere with the interaction between SP-D and gp120. However, soluble recombinant DC-SIGN was shown to inhibit the binding between SP-D and gp120. SP-D agglutinated HIV and gp120 in a calcium dependent manner. SP-D inhibited the infectivity of HIV strains at both pH values of 7.4 and 5.0 in a concentration dependent manner. The inhibition of the infectivity was abolished by the presence of mannose. SP-D enhanced the binding of HIV to immature monocyte derived dendritic cells (iMDDCs) and was also found to enhance HIV capture and transfer to the T-cell like line PM1. These results suggest that SP-D can bind to and inhibit direct infection of T-cells by HIV but also enhance the transfer of infectious HIV particles from DCs to T-cells in vivo

An intriguing relationship between the cyclic diguanylate signaling system and horizontal gene transfer

The second messenger cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) is ubiquitously used by bacteria to modulate and shift between different phenotypes including motility, biofilm formation and virulence. Here we show that c-di-GMP-associated genes are widespread on plasmids and that enzymes that synthesize or degrade c-di-GMP are preferentially encoded on transmissible plasmids. Additionally, expression of enzymes that synthesize c-di-GMP was found to increase both biofilm formation and, interestingly, conjugative plasmid transfer rates

Kin discrimination promotes horizontal gene transfer between unrelated strains in Bacillus subtilis.

This is the final version. Available from Nature Research via the DOI in this record. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and in Source Data file. Genome sequences are available in the NCBI database under genome accession numbers VBRL00000000, VBRM00000000, VBRN00000000, VBRO00000000, VBRQ00000000 and VBRR00000000. Source data are provided with this paper.Bacillus subtilis is a soil bacterium that is competent for natural transformation. Genetically distinct B. subtilis swarms form a boundary upon encounter, resulting in killing of one of the strains. This process is mediated by a fast-evolving kin discrimination (KD) system consisting of cellular attack and defence mechanisms. Here, we show that these swarm antagonisms promote transformation-mediated horizontal gene transfer between strains of low relatedness. Gene transfer between interacting non-kin strains is largely unidirectional, from killed cells of the donor strain to surviving cells of the recipient strain. It is associated with activation of a stress response mediated by sigma factor SigW in the donor cells, and induction of competence in the recipient strain. More closely related strains, which in theory would experience more efficient recombination due to increased sequence homology, do not upregulate transformation upon encounter. This result indicates that social interactions can override mechanistic barriers to horizontal gene transfer. We hypothesize that KD-mediated competence in response to the encounter of distinct neighbouring strains could maximize the probability of efficient incorporation of novel alleles and genes that have proved to function in a genomically and ecologically similar context.Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS