Hydrogen and carbon isotope systematics in hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis under H2-limited and H2-enriched conditions: implications for the origin of methane and its isotopic diagnosis

Compilation of hydrogen and carbon isotope systematics from incubation and observation. Description of data: Type of ecosystem, name of ecosystem, temperature of methanogen growth (Celsius), approximate timescale for growth, fractionation factors of the carbon isotope ratio between CH4 and CO2 ( α C C H 4 – C O 2 {\upalpha^{\mathrm{C}}}_{{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{H}}_4\hbox{--} {\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}}_2} ), fractionation factors of the hydrogen isotope ratio between CH4 and H2O ( α H C H 4 – H 2 O {\upalpha^{\mathrm{H}}}_{{\mathrm{CH}}_4\hbox{--} {\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}} ), and references. (XLSX 53 kb

Clinical and laboratory predictors for plaque erosion in patients with acute coronary syndromes

Background-—Plaque erosion is responsible for 25% to 40% of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Recent studies suggest that anti-thrombotic therapy without stenting may be an option for this subset of patients. Currently, however, an invasive procedure is required to make a diagnosis of plaque erosion. The aim of this study was to identify clinical or laboratory predictors of plaque erosion in patients with ACS to enable a diagnosis of erosion without additional invasive procedures. Methods and Results-—Patients with ACS who underwent optical coherence tomography imaging were selected from 11 institutions in 6 countries. The patients were classified into plaque rupture, plaque erosion, or calcified plaque, and predictors were identified using multivariable logistic modeling. Among 1241 patients with ACS, 477 (38.4%) patients were found to have plaque erosion. Plaque erosion was more frequent in non–ST-segment elevation-ACS than in ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction (47.9% versus 29.8%, P=0.0002). Multivariable logistic regression models showed 5 independent parameters associated with plaque erosion: age 15.0 g/dL, and normal renal function. When all 5 parameters are present in a patient with non–ST-segment elevation-ACS, the probability of plaque erosion increased to 73.1%. Conclusions-—Clinical and laboratory parameters associatedwith plaque erosion are explored in this retrospective registry study. These parametersmay be useful to identify the subset ofACS patients with plaque erosion and guide themto conservativemanagement without invasive procedures. The results of this exploratory analysis need to be confirmed in large scale prospective clinical studiesDr. Jang has received an educational grant from Abbott Vascular and Medicure. Dr. Adriaenssens has received grants and consulting fees from Abbott Vascula

Default mode network in young male adults with autism spectrum disorder: Relationship with autism spectrum traits

Background: Autism spectrum traits are postulated to lie on a continuum that extends between individuals with autism and individuals with typical development (TD). Social cognition properties that are deeply associated with autism spectrum traits have been linked to functional connectivity between regions within the brain\u27s default mode network (DMN). Previous studies have shown that the resting-state functional connectivities (rs-FCs) of DMN are low and show negative correlation with the level of autism spectrum traits in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it is unclear whether individual differences of autism spectrum traits are associated with the strength of rs-FCs of DMN in participants including the general population. Methods. Using the seed-based approach, we investigated the rs-FCs of DMN, particularly including the following two core regions of DMN: the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in 19 young male adults with high-functioning ASD (mean age = 25.3 ± 6.9 years; autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) = 33.4 ± 4.2; full scale IQ (F-IQ) = 109.7 ± 12.4) compared with 21 age- and IQ-matched young male adults from the TD group (mean age = 24.8 ± 4.3 years; AQ = 18.6 ± 5.7; F-IQ = 109.5 ± 8.7). We also analyzed the correlation between the strength of rs-FCs and autism spectrum traits measured using AQ score. Results: The strengths of rs-FCs from core regions of DMN were significantly lower in ASD participants than TD participants. Under multiple regression analysis, the strengths of rs-FCs in brain areas from aMPFC seed showed negative correlation with AQ scores in ASD participants and TD participants. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the strength of rs-FCs in DMN is associated with autism spectrum traits in the TD population as well as patients with ASD, supporting the continuum view. The rs-FCs of DMN may be useful biomarkers for the objective identification of autism spectrum traits, regardless of ASD diagnosis. © 2014 Jung et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

自然風景の映像を視聴して実施する運動プログラムが健常成人の心身へ与える影響

【目的】自然風景の映像を視聴しながら運動を実施することによる心身に与える影響を明らかにする．【方法】平成28年7月～8月に，健常大学生7名（平均年齢22.3 歳±0.8 歳，うち男性3名）を対象とし，男性80W，女性50Wの負荷で自転車エルゴメーターを20分間施行した．運動中に自然風景の映像視聴と非視聴の2施行を，1週間ずつ同刻に行うクロスオーバーデザインで実施した．測定項目は生理学的指標として運動前後の唾液アミラーゼ，クロモグラニンA，二重積（DP）であり，主観的指標として多面的感情状態尺（MMS）と自覚的運動強度（Borg指数）を測定した．　【結果】唾液アミラーゼ，クロモグラニンAは映像視聴と非視聴の2条件下で有意差を認めなかった．運動習慣の有無による運動前後の唾液アミラーゼ値とクロモグラニンA値の経時変化をみたとき，運動習慣のない者において，映像視聴時に比べて，非視聴時には，アミラーゼ値は運動直後に最高値を示し，クロモグラニンA値は運動直後より上昇傾向がみられた．また運動終了後のDPの減衰は，映像視聴で早期傾向を示した．MMSは，映像視聴ではネガティブな感情を表す「倦怠」が低下し，ポジティブな感情を表す「活動的快」「親和」が上昇する傾向を示した．非視聴では，ネガティブな感情を表す「倦怠」が上昇し，ポジティブな感情を表す「活動的快」「非活動的快」が低下する傾向を示したが，いずれも2群間で有意差は認めなかった．最大運動時のBorg指数は，映像視聴12.0±1.4，非視聴12.3±2.5 であり，映像視聴で低値を示す傾向が認められた．運動後の感想では，映像視聴で「気が紛れた」「疲れを感じにくかった」などが聞かれた．【結論】映像視聴は，副交感神経活動の早期回復とポジティブな感情を示す傾向がみられた．以上より運動中の自然風景の視聴は，心身の安静と快適性やリラックス効果が得られ，運動療法における相乗効果をもたらす可能性があることが示唆された

カウンセリング リロン オ オウヨウシタ チョウカイ コウトウヒョウゲン ジュギョウ ノ イチレイ

外国語学習では、情意面のコミュニケーションが特に困難であることが指摘されている。 1997年度海外日本語教師長期研修の「聴解口頭表現」授業では、カウンセリング理論を応用した活動を取り入れることを通 して、多国籍からの研修生の異文化環境下における上記コミュニケーション能力の開発を試みた。 方法としては、研修生が来日以後経験する異文化適応の各段階に、グループ・エンカウンターとカウンセリング・マインドの概念を具体化した活動を取り入れた。 活動に対する評価は、授業開講中の研修生の感想や変化と、帰国直前のアンケートから考察した。その結果 、活動を通して研修生の不安感の解消や低減、意欲・積極性の促進、孤独感の癒しと感情の共有などが観察された。一方、講師のメッセージと評価の識別 の困難さが指摘された。 この試みから、カウンセリング概念を応用した活動は情意面のコミュニケーション開発の一方向となりうると考えられた。日本語教師には、異文化適応における言語使用面 からの支援がいっそう求められると同時に、カウンセラーとの協力体制が重要度を増すであろう。今後、日本語の習得と実際使用のために、カウンセリング理論の応用と具体化が一段と進められることが望まれる

The Role of the Right Prefrontal Cortex in Self-evaluation of the Face: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

& Individuals can experience negative emotions (e.g., embar-rassment) accompanying self-evaluation immediately after recognizing their own facial image, especially if it deviates strongly from their mental representation of ideals or standards. The aim of this study was to identify the cortical regions involved in self-recognition and self-evaluation along with self-conscious emotions. To increase the range of emotions accompanying self-evaluation, we used facial feedback images chosen from a video recording, some of which deviated significantly from normal images. In total, 19 participants were asked to rate images of their own face (SELF) and those of others (OTHERS) according to how photogenic they appeared to be. After scanning the images, the participants rated how embarrassed they felt upon viewing each face. As the photogenic scores decreased, the embarrassment ratings dramatically increased for the partic-ipant’s own face compared with those of others. The SELF versus OTHERS contrast significantly increased the activation of the right prefrontal cortex, bilateral insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral occipital cortex. Within the right prefrontal cortex, activity in the right precentral gyrus reflected the trait of awareness of observable aspects of the self; this provided strong evidence that the right precentral gyrus is specifically involved in self-face recognition. By contrast, activity in the anterior region, which is located in the right middle inferior frontal gyrus, was modulated by the extent of em-barrassment. This finding suggests that the right middle inferior frontal gyrus is engaged in self-evaluation preceded by self-face recognition based on the relevance to a standard self. &amp

Relationship Between Severity of Fibrinolysis Based on Rotational Thromboelastometry and Conventional Fibrinolysis Markers

The association between severity of fibrinolysis, ascertained by rotational thromboelastometry to diagnose hyperfibrinolysis in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), and conventional fibrinolysis markers (ie, tissue-plasminogen activator [t-PA], plasminogen, alpha(2)-plasmin inhibitor [alpha(2)-PI], and plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI]) with key roles in the fibrinolytic system was investigated. This prospective observational study included 5 healthy volunteers and 35 patients with OHCA from the Hokkaido University Hospital. Blood samples were drawn immediately upon admission to the emergency department. Assessments of the extrinsic pathway using tissue factor activation (EXTEM) and of fibrinolysis by comparison with EXTEM after aprotinin addition (APTEM) were undertaken. Conventional coagulation and fibrinolysis markers were measured in the stored plasma samples. Significant hyperfibrinolysis observed in EXTEM disappeared in APTEM. Patients exhibited significantly higher levels of fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, plasmin-alpha(2)-PI complex, and t-PA but lower levels of fibrinogen, plasminogen, and alpha(2)-PI than healthy controls. The PAI level was unchanged. Fibrinolytic parameters of EXTEM correlated with levels of lactate and conventional fibrinolysis markers, especially t-PA. Increased t-PA activity and decreased plasminogen and alpha(2)-PI significantly correlated with increased severity of fibrinolysis (hyperfibrinolysis)