Are migraineur women really more vulnerable to stress and less able to cope?

Abstract Background In this study, we aimed to investigate the differences between a sample of migraineurs and non-migraineurs with regard to their stress symptoms, tendency to stress, coping styles and life satisfaction. Methods This study was carried out on a migraineur group (n = 62, mean age: 37.5 ± 11.3, range: 18 to 61 years) and a non-migraineur group (n = 58, mean age: 32.0 ± 11.2, range: 18 to 61 years). Stress Audit (Symptoms), Stress Audit (Vulnerability), Turkish version of Ways of Coping Inventory Scales and Life Satisfaction were applied to the migraineur and non-migraineur groups. Results No significant differences were found between the groups in the scores of the stress symptoms except in the sub scores of the sympathetic system. There was no significant difference between the groups in the tendency to stress and life satisfaction (p > .05). For scores of the coping styles, the mean scores of the seeking social support subscale was higher in the control group than that of the migraineur group. However, migraineur women had higher mean scores in the submissive and the optimistic subscales. Conclusion We consider that, these outcomes may emphasize the necessity to be careful when using negative expressions about stress relating to migraineurs. Further comprehensive studies are required considering the multiple triggers of the disease in various cultural contexts.</p

The antibody response to Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Surface Protein 4: comparative assessment of specificity and growth inhibitory antibody activity to infection-acquired and immunization-induced epitopes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria remains a global public health challenge. It is widely believed that an effective vaccine against malaria will need to incorporate multiple antigens from the various stages of the parasite's complex life cycle. <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>Merozoite Surface Protein 4 (MSP4) is a vaccine candidate that has been selected for development for inclusion in an asexual stage subunit vaccine against malaria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nine monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) were produced against <it>Escherichia coli</it>-expressed recombinant MSP4 protein and characterized. These Mabs were used to develop an MSP4-specific competition ELISA to test the binding specificity of antibodies present in sera from naturally <it>P. falciparum</it>-infected individuals from a malaria endemic region of Vietnam. The Mabs were also tested for their capacity to induce <it>P. falciparum </it>growth inhibition <it>in vitro </it>and compared against polyclonal rabbit serum raised against recombinant MSP4</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All Mabs reacted with native parasite protein and collectively recognized at least six epitopes. Four of these Mabs recognize reduction-sensitive epitopes within the epidermal growth factor-like domain found near the C-terminus of MSP4. These sera were shown to contain antibodies capable of inhibiting the binding of the six Mabs indicating infection-acquired responses to the six different epitopes of MSP4. All of the six epitopes were readily recognized by human immune sera. Competition ELISA titres varied from 20 to 640, reflecting heterogeneity in the intensity of the humoral response against the protein among different individuals. The IgG responses during acute and convalescent phases of infection were higher to epitopes in the central region than to other parts of MSP4. Immunization with full length MSP4 in Freund's adjuvant induced rabbit polyclonal antisera able to inhibit parasite growth <it>in vitro </it>in a manner proportionate to the antibody titre. By contrast, polyclonal antisera raised to individual recombinant fragments rMSP4A, rMSP4B, rMSP4C and rMSP4D gave negligible inhibition. Similarly, murine Mabs alone or in combination did not inhibit parasite growth.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The panel of MSP4-specific Mabs produced were found to recognize six distinct epitopes that are also targeted by human antibodies during natural malaria infection. Antibodies directed to more than three epitope regions spread across MSP4 are likely to be required for <it>P. falciparum </it>growth inhibition <it>in vitro</it>.</p

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

Investigation of relationship between vitamin D status and reproductive fitness in Scottish hill sheep

There is a growing interest in the influence of vitamin D on ovine non-skeletal health. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between pre-mating vitamin D status, as assessed by serum concentrations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D; comprising D2 and D3] and subsequent reproductive performance of genetically unimproved Scottish Blackface (UBF), genetically improved Scottish Blackface (IBF) and Lleyn ewes kept under Scottish hill conditions. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D2 (25(OH)D2) and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) concentrations were determined in serum samples harvested in November from ewes grazed outdoors. There were no significant differences in 25(OH)D2concentrations amongst the 3 genotypes. Lleyn ewes had significantly higher 25(OH)D3 and 25(OH)D concentrations than both Scottish Blackface ewe genotypes, whereas these vitamin D parameters did not differ significantly between the UBF and IBF ewes. Concentrations of 25(OH)D3 and 25(OH)D were positively associated with subsequent birth weights of singleton and of twin lamb litters. No significant associations between vitamin D status and number of lambs born or weaned per ewe were found. This study demonstrates that concentrations of cutaneously-derived 25(OH)D3, but not of orally consumed 25(OH)D2, differed between breeds. The positive association between ewe vitamin D status and offspring birth weight highlights the need for further investigations

Secularization, Union Formation Practices, and Marital Stability: Evidence from Italy

Descriptive statistics indicate that civil marriages and marriages preceded by premarital cohabitation are more unstable, i.e., more frequently followed by divorce. However, the literature has shown that selectivity plays an important role in the relationship between premarital cohabitation and union dissolution. We do not have evidence to date regarding the selectivity in the effect of civil marriage. The Italian case appears particularly interesting given the recent diffusion of premarital cohabitation and civil marriage. Using micro-level data from a national-level representative survey conducted in 2003, we develop a multiprocess model that allows unobserved heterogeneity to be correlated across the three decisions (premarital cohabitation, civil marriage, and divorce). Our results show that selectivity is the main factor that explains the higher divorce rates among those who experience premarital cohabitation and a civil marriage. Net of selectivity, the causal effect on union dissolution disappears

Search mechanism of a stream grazer in patchy environments: the role of food abundance

The search behavior of the grazing stream insect Baetis tricaudatus (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) was examined in field and laboratory experiments. Regardless of food abundance in experimental habitats, nymphs spent significantly more time in food patches than predicted if they had moved randomly with respect to patches. A significant reduction in movement rate within patches relative to movement rate between patches largely accounted for these results. The movement pattern within patches was highly systematic and in agreement with predictions of optimal foraging theory since food was uniformly distributed within patches. Between-patch search movements were affected by food abundance in the most recently grazed patch. Search intensity after departure from a patch was positively related to food abundance in the patch while movement rate after patch departure was inversely related to patch food level. These effects produced between-patch movement patterns that were suboptimal in the experimental habitats because they resulted in revisitation of previously depleted patches. However, differences between experimental and natural habitats in the spatial occurrence of patch types suggest that Baetis between-patch search behavior may be adaptive in natural habitats.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47752/1/442_2004_Article_BF00379015.pd

Models of Neocortical Layer 5b Pyramidal Cells Capturing a Wide Range of Dendritic and Perisomatic Active Properties

The thick-tufted layer 5b pyramidal cell extends its dendritic tree to all six layers of the mammalian neocortex and serves as a major building block for the cortical column. L5b pyramidal cells have been the subject of extensive experimental and modeling studies, yet conductance-based models of these cells that faithfully reproduce both their perisomatic Na+-spiking behavior as well as key dendritic active properties, including Ca2+ spikes and back-propagating action potentials, are still lacking. Based on a large body of experimental recordings from both the soma and dendrites of L5b pyramidal cells in adult rats, we characterized key features of the somatic and dendritic firing and quantified their statistics. We used these features to constrain the density of a set of ion channels over the soma and dendritic surface via multi-objective optimization with an evolutionary algorithm, thus generating a set of detailed conductance-based models that faithfully replicate the back-propagating action potential activated Ca2+ spike firing and the perisomatic firing response to current steps, as well as the experimental variability of the properties. Furthermore, we show a useful way to analyze model parameters with our sets of models, which enabled us to identify some of the mechanisms responsible for the dynamic properties of L5b pyramidal cells as well as mechanisms that are sensitive to morphological changes. This automated framework can be used to develop a database of faithful models for other neuron types. The models we present provide several experimentally-testable predictions and can serve as a powerful tool for theoretical investigations of the contribution of single-cell dynamics to network activity and its computational capabilities

Computational solutions for omics data

High-throughput experimental technologies are generating increasingly massive and complex genomic data sets. The sheer enormity and heterogeneity of these data threaten to make the arising problems computationally infeasible. Fortunately, powerful algorithmic techniques lead to software that can answer important biomedical questions in practice. In this Review, we sample the algorithmic landscape, focusing on state-of-the-art techniques, the understanding of which will aid the bench biologist in analysing omics data. We spotlight specific examples that have facilitated and enriched analyses of sequence, transcriptomic and network data sets.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant GM081871

Transcription Factors Mat2 and Znf2 Operate Cellular Circuits Orchestrating Opposite- and Same-Sex Mating in Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen that undergoes a dimorphic transition from a unicellular yeast to multicellular hyphae during opposite sex (mating) and unisexual reproduction (same-sex mating). Opposite- and same-sex mating are induced by similar environmental conditions and involve many shared components, including the conserved pheromone sensing Cpk1 MAPK signal transduction cascade that governs the dimorphic switch in C. neoformans. However, the homeodomain cell identity proteins Sxi1α/Sxi2a encoded by the mating type locus that are essential for completion of sexual reproduction following cell–cell fusion during opposite-sex mating are dispensable for same-sex mating. Therefore, identification of downstream targets of the Cpk1 MAPK pathway holds the key to understanding molecular mechanisms governing the two distinct developmental fates. Thus far, homology-based approaches failed to identify downstream transcription factors which may therefore be species-specific. Here, we applied insertional mutagenesis via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and transcription analysis using whole genome microarrays to identify factors involved in C. neoformans differentiation. Two transcription factors, Mat2 and Znf2, were identified as key regulators of hyphal growth during same- and opposite-sex mating. Mat2 is an HMG domain factor, and Znf2 is a zinc finger protein; neither is encoded by the mating type locus. Genetic, phenotypic, and transcriptional analyses of Mat2 and Znf2 provide evidence that Mat2 is a downstream transcription factor of the Cpk1 MAPK pathway whereas Znf2 functions as a more terminal hyphal morphogenesis determinant. Although the components of the MAPK pathway including Mat2 are not required for virulence in animal models, Znf2, as a hyphal morphology determinant, is a negative regulator of virulence. Further characterization of these elements and their target circuits will reveal genes controlling biological processes central to fungal development and virulence