Decreased Serum Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) in Individuals with Depression Correlates with Severity of Disease

Full open access to this an

Analysis of Copper and Zinc Plasma Concentration and the Efficacy of Zinc Therapy in Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Autism

Aim To assess plasma zinc and copper concentration in individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and autistic disorder, and to analyze the efficacy of zinc therapy on the normalization of zinc and copper levels and symptom severity in these disorders. Subjects and methods Plasma from 79 autistic individuals, 52 individuals with PDD-NOS, 21 individuals with Asperger's Syndrome (all meeting DSM-IV diagnostic criteria), and 18 age and gender similar neurotypical controls, were tested for plasma zinc and copper using inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Results Autistic and PDD-NOS individuals had significantly elevated plasma levels of copper. None of the groups (autism, Asperger's or PDD-NOS) had significantly lower plasma zinc concentrations. Post zinc and B-6 therapy, individuals with autism and PDD-NOS had significantly lower levels of copper, but individuals with Asperger's did not have significantly lower copper. Individuals with autism, PDD-NOS and Asperger's all had significantly higher zinc levels. Severity of symptoms decreased in autistic individuals following zinc and B-6 therapy with respect to awareness, receptive language, focus and attention, hyperactivity, tip toeing, eye contact, sound sensitivity, tactile sensitivity and seizures. None of the measured symptoms worsened after therapy. None of the symptoms in the Asperger's patients improved after therapy. Discussion These results suggest an association between copper and zinc plasma levels and individuals with autism, PDD-NOS and Asperger's Syndrome. The data also indicates that copper levels normalize (decrease to levels of controls) in individuals with autism and PDD-NOS, but not in individuals with Asperger's. These same Asperger's patients do not improve with respect to symptoms after therapy, whereas many symptoms improved in the autism group. This may indicate an association between copper levels and symptom severity

Decreased Serum Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) in Autistic Children with Severe Gastrointestinal Disease

Aim To assess serum Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) levels in autistic children with severe gastrointestinal (GI) disease and to test the hypothesis that there is a relationship between GI pathology and HGF concentration. Subjects and Methods Serum from 29 autistic children with chronic digestive disease (symptoms for a minimum of 6–12 months), most with ileo-colonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia (LNH—markedly enlarged lymphoid nodules) and inflammation of the colorectum, small bowel and/or stomach), and 31 controls (11 age matched autistic children with no GI disease, 11 age matched non autistic children without GI disease and 9 age matched non autistic children with GI disease) were tested for HGF using ELISAs. HGF concentration of autistic children with GI disease was compared to GI disease severity. Results Autistic children with GI disease had significantly lower serum levels of HGF compared to controls (autistic without GI disease; p = 0.0005, non autistic with no GI disease; p = 0.0001, and non autistic with GI disease; p = 0.001). Collectively, all autistic children had significantly lower HGF levels when compared to non autistic children (p < 0.0001). We did not find any relationship between severity of GI disease and HGF concentration in autistic children with GI disease. Discussion These results suggest an association between HGF serum levels and the presence of GI disease in autistic children and explain a potential functional connection between the Met gene and autism. The concentration of serum HGF may be a useful biomarker for autistic children, especially those with severe GI disease

N3N^3 entropy of M5 branes from dielectric effect

We observe that the $N^3$ entropy behavior of near-extermal M5 branes can be reproduced from SYM side with the role of Myers' terms. We start by generalizing the Klebanov-Tseytlin (KT) supergravity solution that displays the $N^3$ entropy behavior. The new feature of the general solution is visibility of the "internal" degrees of the M5 branes, i.e., the M0 branes and the M2 branes. With the rationale provided by the supergravity analysis, we consider a D0 brane quantum mechanical setup with Myers' terms. Using localization technique, we show that the leading $N^3$ behavior of the free energy comes from the "classical contribution" with the rest sub-leading.Comment: latex, 21 pages, missing figure adde

Acoustic and optical variations during rapid downward motion episodes in the deep north-western Mediterranean Sea

An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) was moored at the deep-sea site of the ANTARES neutrino telescope near Toulon, France, thus providing a unique opportunity to compare high-resolution acoustic and optical observations between 70 and 170 m above the sea bed at 2475 m. The ADCP measured downward vertical currents of magnitudes up to 0.03 m s-1 in late winter and early spring 2006. In the same period, observations were made of enhanced levels of acoustic reflection, interpreted as suspended particles including zooplankton, by a factor of about 10 and of horizontal currents reaching 0.35 m s-1. These observations coincided with high light levels detected by the telescope, interpreted as increased bioluminescence. During winter 2006 deep dense-water formation occurred in the Ligurian subbasin, thus providing a possible explanation for these observations. However, the 10-20 days quasi-periodic episodes of high levels of acoustic reflection, light and large vertical currents continuing into the summer are not direct evidence of this process. It is hypothesized that the main process allowing for suspended material to be moved vertically later in the year is local advection, linked with topographic boundary current instabilities along the rim of the 'Northern Current'.Comment: 30 pages, 7 figure

The ANTARES Telescope Neutrino Alert System

The ANTARES telescope has the capability to detect neutrinos produced in astrophysical transient sources. Potential sources include gamma-ray bursts, core collapse supernovae, and flaring active galactic nuclei. To enhance the sensitivity of ANTARES to such sources, a new detection method based on coincident observations of neutrinos and optical signals has been developed. A fast online muon track reconstruction is used to trigger a network of small automatic optical telescopes. Such alerts are generated for special events, such as two or more neutrinos, coincident in time and direction, or single neutrinos of very high energy.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures submitted to Astroparticle Physic

Measurement of Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillations with the ANTARES Neutrino Telescope

The data taken with the ANTARES neutrino telescope from 2007 to 2010, a total live time of 863 days, are used to measure the oscillation parameters of atmospheric neutrinos. Muon tracks are reconstructed with energies as low as 20 GeV. Neutrino oscillations will cause a suppression of vertical upgoing muon neutrinos of such energies crossing the Earth. The parameters determining the oscillation of atmospheric neutrinos are extracted by fitting the event rate as a function of the ratio of the estimated neutrino energy and reconstructed flight path through the Earth. Measurement contours of the oscillation parameters in a two-flavour approximation are derived. Assuming maximum mixing, a mass difference of $\Delta m_{32}^2=(3.1\pm 0.9)\cdot 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ is obtained, in good agreement with the world average value.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Measuring children’s involvement as an indicator of curriculum effectiveness : a curriculum evaluation of a selected child study centre in Singapore

This paper presents one aspect of a research project evaluating a curriculum model of a selected child study centre in Singapore. An issue of worldwide interest and concern is the &lsquo;quality of learning&rsquo; debate as it relates to early childhood centres. In Singapore, the government is focusing on expansion in child care settings and increases in the amount of funded training. One of the issues surrounding prior-to-school education raises the question of how one measures the quality of teaching and learning, to describe the value of using, funding and promoting early education. The research reported in this study used a quasi experimental research paradigm to assess one aspect of the quality of a curriculum programme in a child study centre in Singapore. Children aged between 18 months and 6 years (N = 81) participated in the research. Using the observation scale of Laevers&rsquo; Child Involvement Scale, the active involvement of children in learning experiences was measured. The findings are presented and discussed

High-­resolution bio-­ and chemostratigraphy of an expanded record of Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (Late Cenomanian–Early Turonian) at Clot Chevalier, near Barrême, SE France (Vocontian Basin, SE France)

A newly located exposure of the Niveau Thomel, an organic-­‐rich level at the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary, provides a highly expanded record of Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) 2, excepted for the lower relatively condensed glauconite-­rich part of the section. The new locality, close to Barrême in the Vocontian Basin, SE France, is developed in deep-­water hemi-­pelagic facies (shales, marls, marly limestones, variably enriched in organic matter) and provides an improved understanding of palaeoceanographic events associated with OAE 2. Investigation of the biostratigraphy (nannofossils and planktonic foramininfera), organic and inorganic geochemistry (bulk carbonate δ18O, total organic carbon (TOC), bulk organic, biomarker-specific and carbonate δ13C, major and trace elements, and Rock-­Eval data) has allowed characterization of the sediments in great detail. The combined study further constrains the detailed relationship between bio-­ and chemostratigraphy (particularly with respect to the details of the well-­displayed positive carbon-­‐isotope excursion) for this interval. The section also provides new evidence, in the form of a positive oxygen-­isotope excursion and an offset between carbonate and organic-­carbon carbon-­isotope records, which confirms the importance of cooling accompanied by a drop in dissolved CO2 in near-­surface waters during the Plenus Cold Event that characterized the early part of OAE 2. Evidence for increased oxygenation of bottom waters, together with elevated concentrations of redox-­sensitive and chalcophilic elements registered elsewhere through the level of the Plenus Cold Event, may be reflected in enhanced concentrations of iron (in glauconite) and nickel in coeval strata from the Clot Chevalier section

Anisotropic flow of charged hadrons, pions and (anti-)protons measured at high transverse momentum in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76 TeV

The elliptic, $v_2$, triangular, $v_3$, and quadrangular, $v_4$, azimuthal anisotropic flow coefficients are measured for unidentified charged particles, pions and (anti-)protons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Results obtained with the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods are reported for the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ at different collision centralities and as a function of transverse momentum, $p_{\rm T}$, out to $p_{\rm T}=20$ GeV/$c$. The observed non-zero elliptic and triangular flow depends only weakly on transverse momentum for $p_{\rm T}>8$ GeV/$c$. The small $p_{\rm T}$ dependence of the difference between elliptic flow results obtained from the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods suggests a common origin of flow fluctuations up to $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$. The magnitude of the (anti-)proton elliptic and triangular flow is larger than that of pions out to at least $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$ indicating that the particle type dependence persists out to high $p_{\rm T}$.Comment: 16 pages, 5 captioned figures, authors from page 11, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/186