85 research outputs found
The neurobiological characterization of distinct cognitive subtypes in early-phase schizophrenia-spectrum disorders
INTRODUCTION: Cognitive deficits are present in some, but not all patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSD). We and others have demonstrated three cognitive clusters: cognitively intact patients, patients with deficits in a few domains and those with global cognitive deficits. This study aimed to identify cognitive subtypes of early-phase SSD with matched controls as a reference group, and evaluated cognitive subgroups regarding clinical and brain volumetric measures. METHODS: Eighty-six early-phase SSD patients were included. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted using global performance on the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Cognitive subgroups were subsequently related to clinical and brain volumetric measures (cortical, subcortical and cortical thickness) using ANCOVA. RESULTS: Three distinct cognitive clusters emerged: relative to controls we found one cluster of patients with preserved cognition (n = 25), one moderately impaired cluster (n = 38) and one severely impaired cluster (n = 23). Cognitive subgroups were characterized by differences in volume of the left postcentral gyrus, left middle caudal frontal gyrus and left insula, while differences in cortical thickness were predominantly found in fronto-parietal regions. No differences were demonstrated in subcortical brain volume. DISCUSSION: Current results replicate the existence of three distinct cognitive subgroups including one relatively large group with preserved cognitive function. Cognitive subgroups were characterized by differences in cortical regional brain volume and cortical thickness, suggesting associations with cortical, but not subcortical development and cognitive functioning such as attention, executive functions and speed of processing
Complement component 4A protein levels are negatively related to frontal volumes in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Background: Excessive C4A-gene expression may result in increased microglia-mediated synaptic pruning. As C4A overexpression is observed in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), this mechanism may account for the altered brain morphology (i.e. reduced volume and cortical thickness) and cognitive symptoms that characterize SSD. Therefore, this study investigates the association of C4A serum protein levels with brain morphology and cognition, and in particular whether this association differs between recent-onset SSD (n = 69) and HC (n = 40). Methods: Serum C4A protein levels were compared between groups. Main outcomes included total gray matter volume, mean cortical thickness and cognitive performance. Regression analysis on these outcomes included C4A level, group (SSD vs. HC), and C4A*Group interactions. All statistical tests were corrected for age, sex, BMI, and antipsychotic medication dose. Follow-up analyses were performed on separate brain regions and scores on cognitive sub-tasks. Results: The group difference in C4A levels was not statistically significant (p = 0.86). The main outcomes did not show a significant interaction effect (p > 0.13) or a C4A main effect (p > 0.27). Follow-up analyses revealed significant interaction effects for the left medial orbitofrontal and left frontal pole volumes (p < 0.001): C4A was negatively related to these volumes in SSD, but positively in HC. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that C4A was negatively related to â specifically â frontal brain volumes in SSD, but this relation was inverse for HC. The results support the hypothesis of complement-mediated brain volume reduction in SSD. The results also suggest that C4A has a differential association with brain morphology in SSD compared to HC.</p
Friedmann Robertson-Walker model in generalised metric space-time with weak anisotropy
A generalized model of space-time is given, taking into consideration the
anisotropic structure of fields which are depended on the position and the
direction (velocity).In this framework a generalized FRW-metric the
Raychaudhouri and Friedmann equations are studied.A long range vector field of
cosmological origin is considered in relation to the physical geometry of
space-time in which Cartan connection has a fundamental role.The generalised
Friedmann equations are produced including anisotropic terms.The variation of
anisotropy is expressed in terms of the Cartan torsion tensor of the
Finslerian space-time.A possible estimation of the anisotropic parameter
can be achieved with the aid of the de-Sitter model of the empty flat universe
with weak anisotropy. Finally a physical generalisation for the model of
inflation is also studied.Comment: 21 pages- to appear in GR
Measurement of the near-threshold cross section using initial-state radiation
We report measurements of the exclusive cross section for , where or , in the center-of-mass energy range from the threshold to with initial-state radiation. The
analysis is based on a data sample collected with the Belle detector with an
integrated luminosity of 673 .Comment: Presented at EPS07 and LP07 conferences, published in PRD(RC
Precise measurement of hadronic tau-decays with an eta meson
We have studied hadronic tau decay modes involving an eta meson using 490
fb^{-1} of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy
e+e- collider. The following branching fractions have been measured: B(tau- ->
K- eta nu)=(1.58 +- 0.05 +- 0.09)x 10^{-4}, B(tau- -> K- pi0 eta nu)=(4.6 +-
1.1 +- 0.4)x 10^{-5}, B(tau- -> pi- pi0 eta nu)=(1.35 +- 0.03 +- 0.07)x
10^{-3}, B(tau- -> pi- KS eta nu)=(4.4 +- 0.7 +- 0.2)x 10^{-5}, and B(tau- ->
K^{*-} eta nu)=(1.34 +- 0.12 +- 0.09)x 10^{-4}. These results are substantially
more precise than previous measurements. The new measurements are compared with
theoretical calculations based on the CVC hypothesis or the chiral perturbation
theory. We also set upper limits on branching fractions for tau decays into K-
KS eta nu, pi- KS pi0 eta nu, K- eta eta nu, pi- eta eta nu and non-resonant K-
pi^0 eta nu final states.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figure
Moments of the Hadronic Invariant Mass Spectrum in B --> X_c l nu Decays at Belle
We present a measurement of the hadronic invariant mass squared (M^2_X)
spectrum in charmed semileptonic B meson decays B --> X_c l nu based on 140
fb^-1 of Belle data collected near the Y(4S) resonance. We determine the first,
the second central and the second non-central moments of this spectrum for
lepton energy thresholds ranging between 0.7 and 1.9 GeV. Full correlations
between these measurements are evaluated.Comment: published version of the paper (one figure added, minor changes in
the text); 16 pages, 3 figures, 10 table
Search for new charmonium states in the processes e+ e- --> J/psi D(*) D(*) at sqrt{s} ~ 10.6 GeV
We present a study of the X(3940) state in the process e+e- -> J/psi D* Dbar.
The X(3940) mass and width are measured to be (3942 +7 -6 +- 6)MeV/c^2 and
Gamma=(37 + 26 - 15 +- 8 MeV. In the process e+e- -> J/psi D* D*bar we have
observed another charmonium-like state, which we denote as X(4160), in the
spectrum of invariant masses of D*+ D*- combinations. The X(4160) parameters
are M= 4156 + 25 - 20 +- 15 MeV/c^2 and Gamma = 139 + 111 -61 +- 21 MeV. The
analysis is based on a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 693 /fb
recorded near the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+
e- asymmetric-energy collider.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures Contribution paper for conferences EPS2007 and
Lepton Photon 2007, Belle-Conference-070
Study of charmonia in four-meson final states produced in two-photon collisions
We report measurements of charmonia produced in two-photon collisions and
decaying to four-meson final states, where the meson is either a charged pion
or a charged kaon. The analysis is based on a 395fb^{-1} data sample
accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider. We
observe signals for the three C-even charmonia eta_c(1S), chi_{c0}(1P) and
chi_{c2}(1P) in the pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^-, K^+K^-pi^+pi^- and K^+K^-K^+K^- decay
modes. No clear signals for eta_c(2S) production are found in these decay
modes. We have also studied resonant structures in charmonium decays to
two-body intermediate meson resonances. We report the products of the
two-photon decay width and the branching fractions, Gamma_{gamma gamma}B, for
each of the charmonium decay modes.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure
Observation of the and the Y(2175) in
The cross sections for and e^+ e^- \to \phi
\fzero are measured from threshold to using
initial state radiation. The analysis is based on a data sample of 673
fb collected on and below the resonance with the Belle
detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy collider. First measurements
are reported for the resonance parameters of the in the
mode: MeV/ and MeV/. A structure at ,
corresponding to the so called Y(2175), is observed; its mass and width are
determined to be MeV/ and , respectively.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Add one plot. Accepted by Phys.Rev.D(RC
Search for \bar{B}^0\to\Lambda_c^+\bar{\Lambda}_c^- decay at Belle
We search for the doubly charmed baryonic decay
, in a data sample of
events accumulated at the resonance with the Belle
detector at the KEKB asymmetric e^+e^- collider. We find no significant signal
and set an upper limit of at 90%
confidence level. The result is significantly below a naive extrapolation from
assuming a simple Cabibbo-suppression
factor of . The small branching fraction could be attributed
to a suppression due to the large momentum of the baryonic decay products,
which has been observed in other charmed baryonic two-body B decays. trend
observed in other charmed baryonic two-body B decays.Comment: 12 page, 5 figures. Contribution paper for conferences EPS2007 and
Lepton Photon 2007, Belle-Conference-070
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