Low Heart Rate and Crime: Exploring the Link From an Analytical Perspective

Although low resting heart rate is often cited as “the best-replicated biological correlate” of antisocial behaviour, this association remains unexplained. Several theoretical explanations have been proposed throughout the years, but they have been mostly based on unfounded and questionable assumptions. Amongst these, fearlessness and stimulation-seeking hypotheses have gained ground and become well established in the literature, despite the fact that they have been subjected to scarce empirical verifications yielding mixed results. Therefore, employing situational action theory as a theoretical framework, a new explanatory model of the relationship between low heart rate and crime was developed. It was argued that heart rate cannot be a cause of crime, but only a marker of a cause of crime. Specifically, it was hypothesised that a person’s crime propensity would fully mediate the link between heart rate and crime. In order to test the crime propensity model and compare its efficiency against the fearlessness and stimulation-seeking hypotheses, the Cambridge adolescent behaviour study was conducted. It set out to explore the mechanism underlying the heart rate-crime association in a sample of 487 adolescents recruited from 14 schools in England. Participants completed self-report measures of stimulation-seeking, fearlessness, crime propensity, and criminal behaviour, and their heart rate was measured at rest and in response to a stressor. Crime involvement was significantly associated only with heart rate reactivity, whereas the link with resting heart rate was non-significant. Out of the three models with fearlessness, stimulation-seeking, and crime propensity as potential mediators, only crime propensity fully mediated the link between heart rate reactivity and crime, rendering the direct effect of heart rate reactivity on crime non-significant. Therefore, the empirical results supported the newly developed crime propensity model and highlighted the benefits of replacing the prevalent risk factor approach in (biosocial) criminology with an analytical approach that aims to explain what causes crime and how, and, equally importantly, what cannot cause crime.Cambridge Trust (Cambridge International Scholarship

Recent Progress in Osteocyte Research

The last decade has seen an exponential increase in our understanding of osteocytes function and biology. These cells, once considered inert by-standers trapped into the mineralized bone, has now risen to be key regulators of skeletal metabolism, mineral homeostasis, and hematopoiesis. As tools and techniques to study osteocytes improved and expanded, it has become evident that there is more to these cells than initially thought. Osteocytes are now recognized not only as the key responders to mechanical forces but also as orchestrators of bone remodeling and mineral homeostasis. These cells are the primary source of several important proteins, such as sclerostin and fibroblast growth factor 23, that are currently target as novel therapies for bone loss (as the case for antisclerostin antibodies) or phosphate disorders. Better understanding of the intricate cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern osteocyte biology will open new avenue of research and ultimately indentify novel therapeutics to treat bone and mineral disorders. This review summarizes novel findings and discusses future avenues of research

On the Emergent "Quantum" Theory in Complex Adaptive Systems

We explore the concept of emergent quantum-like theory in complex adaptive systems, and examine in particular the concrete example of such an emergent (or "mock") quantum theory in the Lotka-Volterra system. In general, we investigate the possibility of implementing the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics on classical systems, and what would be the conditions for using such an approach. We start from a standard description of a classical system via Hamilton-Jacobi (HJ) equation and reduce it to an effective Schr\"odinger-type equation, with a (mock) Planck constant \mockbar, which is system-dependent. The condition for this is that the so-called quantum potential VQ, which is state-dependent, is cancelled out by some additional term in the HJ equation. We consider this additional term to provide for the coupling of the classical system under consideration to the "environment." We assume that a classical system could cancel out the VQ term (at least approximately) by fine tuning to the environment. This might provide a mechanism for establishing a stable, stationary states in (complex) adaptive systems, such as biological systems. In this context we emphasize the state dependent nature of the mock quantum dynamics and we also introduce the new concept of the mock quantum, state dependent, statistical field theory. We also discuss some universal features of the quantum-to-classical as well as the mock-quantum-to-classical transition found in the turbulent phase of the hydrodynamic formulation of our proposal. In this way we reframe the concept of decoherence into the concept of "quantum turbulence," i.e. that the transition between quantum and classical could be defined in analogy to the transition from laminar to turbulent flow in hydrodynamics.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figure

Virtual in vivo interactive dissection of white matter fasciculi in the human brain.

This work reports the use of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance tractography to visualize the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the major white matter fasciculi within living human brain. Specifically, we applied this technique to visualize in vivo (i) the superior longitudinal (arcuate) fasciculus, (ii) the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, (iii) the superior fronto-occipital (subcallosal) fasciculus, (iv) the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, (v) the uncinate fasciculus, (vi) the cingulum, (vii) the anterior commissure, (viii) the corpus callosum, (ix) the internal capsule, and (x) the fornix. These fasciculi were first isolated and were then interactively displayed as a 3D-rendered object. The virtual tract maps obtained in vivo using this approach were faithful to the classical descriptions of white matter anatomy that have previously been documented in postmortem studies. Since we have been able to interactively delineate and visualize white matter fasciculi over their entire length in vivo, in a manner that has only previously been possible by histological means, virtual in vivo interactive dissection (VIVID) adds a new dimension to anatomical descriptions of the living human brain

Craniofacial morphology in Turner syndrome patients treated with growth hormone

ABSTRACT Introduction: In addition to well-established physical characteristics, Turner syndrome patients have distinct craniofacial morphology. Since short stature is the most typical characteristic, Turner syndrome patients are commonly treated with growth hormone in order to increase final height. At the same time, growth hormone treatment was found to influence craniofacial growth and morphology in various groups of treated patients. Whereas craniofacial characteristics of Turner syndrome patients are well documented, comparatively little is known of craniofacial morphology of those who are treated with growth hormone. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate craniofacial morphology in Turner syndrome patients treated with growth hormone in comparison to healthy females. Materials and methods: The cephalometric evaluation was conducted on twenty lateral cephalograms of Turner syndrome patients (13.53 ± 4.04 years) treated with growth hormone for at least one year (4.94 ± 1.92 years in average). As a control group, forty lateral cephalograms of healthy female controls, who matched Turner syndrome patients by chronological (11.80 ± 2.37 years) and skeletal age, were used. Eleven angular, seven linear measurements and six dimensional ratios were measured to describe craniofacial morphology. Results: The results obtained for angular measurements, in cephalometric analyses for Turner syndrome patients treated with growth hormone, revealed bimaxillary retrognathism. The linear measurements indicated longer mandibular ramus, anterior cranial base and both anterior and posterior facial heights. However, posterior cranial base and maxilla were in proportion to the anterior cranial base, when comparing dimensional ratios. Anterior cranial base, maxilla and mandibular ramus were larger in proportion to mandibular body; as well as posterior facial height was when compared to anterior facial height. Turner syndrome patients treated with growth hormone expressed distinct craniofacial morphology compared to controls. Apart from retrognathic maxilla and mandible, they exhibited overdeveloped mandibular ramus height and elongated facial heights. Conclusions: The results from this study have shown that Turner syndrome patients treated with growth hormone expressed distinct craniofacial morphology compared to controls. These differences include retrognathic maxilla and mandible, overdeveloped mandibular ramus height and elongated facial heights. This specific craniofacial morphology was formed under combined influence of X chromosome deficiency and growth hormone therapy

Various aspects of two treatment approaches to patients with problems of hypodontia of upper lateral incisors

Introduction. The treatment of hypodontia of the upper lateral incisors could be orthodontic or multidisciplinary with combined orthodontic, surgical and prosthetic in-volvement. Both options have their pros and cons. They could be quite challenging to manage, particularly in the cases of unilateral missing of the upper lateral incisor in adult patients. We presented two cases with these different treatment approaches in young adult patients with unilateral missing of upper lateral incisors. Case report. The first case presents a combined orthodontic, surgical and prosthetic treatment of the missing upper right lateral incisor in an adult patient. Our clinical examination of a 22-year-old girl showed her missing tooth 12 with almost completely closed space, midline deviation, reduced overjet and overbite, Class III molar relationship on the right side and Class I molar relationship on the left side with V-shape maxillary arch and crossbite tendency in the frontal region. Based on the skeletal Class III relationship and intraoral findings, it was decided to open the space for tooth 12 and to establish the over jet, overbite and Class I occlusion as well. A surgical implant insertion followed the orthodontic preparation, with crown positioning after surgical healing. The second case described the orthodontic treatment of unilateral hypodontia in a young adult patient. Clinical and radiographic examinations of a 24-year-old female revealed hypodontia of tooth 12 with microdontic conical tooth 22 with severe crowding in the lower arch, Class I molar relationship on the right side and half-Class II relationship on the left side. The treatment decision was to extract atypical tooth 22, teeth 35 and 44 and to move the upper teeth forward to close the space. Af- ter the orthodontic treatment, upper canines were mesially moved to replace those missing lateral incisors. Conclu- sion. Both treatments successfully resolved malocclusion and obtained solid aesthetic and functional results. The treatment plan and decision to open or close the space in a case of hypodontia should be made individually for each pa- tient according to their age, malocclusion, canines' shape and size and patient preferences

Osteocytes Mechanosensing in NASA Rotating Wall Bioreactor

Osteocyte cells are the most abundant (90%) yet least understood bone cell type in the human body. Osteocytes are theorized to be the mechanosensors and transducers of mechanical load for bones, yet the biological mechanism of this action remains elusive. However, recent discoveries in osteocyte cell biology have shed light on their importance as key mechanosensing cells regulating bone remodeling and phosphate homeostasis. The aim of this project was to characterize gene expression patterns and protein levels following exposure of MLO-Y4, a very well characterized murine osteocyte-like cell line, to simulated microgravity using the NASA Rotating Wall Vessel (RWV) Bioreactor. To determine mechanistic pathways of the osteocyte's gravity sensing ability, we evaluated in vitro gene and protein expression of osteocytes exposed to simulated microgravity. Improved understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of mechano transduction at the osteocyte cellular level may lead to revolutionary treatment otions to mitigate the effects of bone loss encountered by astronauts on long duration space missions and provide tailored treatment options for maintaining bone strength of immobilized/partially paralyzed patients here on Earth