Fiber enhanced Raman spectroscopic analysis as a novel method for diagnosis and monitoring of diseases related to hyperbilirubinemia and hyperbiliverdinemia

Fiber enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (FERS) is introduced for chemically selective and ultrasensitive analysis of the biomolecules hematin, hemoglobin, biliverdin, and bilirubin. The abilities for analyzing whole intact, oxygenated erythrocytes are proven, demonstrating the potential for the diagnosis of red blood cell related diseases, such as different types of anemia and hemolytic disorders. The optical fiber enables an efficient light-guiding within a miniaturized sample volume of only a few micro-liters and provides a tremendously improved analytical sensitivity (LODs of 0.5 μM for bilirubin and 0.13 μM for biliverdin with proposed improvements down to the pico-molar range). FERS is a less invasive method than the standard ones and could be a new analytical method for monitoring neonatal jaundice, allowing a precise control of the unconjugated serum bilirubin levels, and therefore, providing a better prognosis for newborns. The potential for sensing very low concentrations of the bile pigments may also open up new opportunities for cancer research. The abilities of FERS as a diagnostic tool are explored for the elucidation of jaundice with different etiologies including the rare, not yet well understood diseases manifested in green jaundice. This is demonstrated by quantifying clinically relevant concentrations of bilirubin and biliverdin simultaneously in the micro-molar range: for the case of hyperbilirubinemia due to malignancy, infectious hepatitis, cirrhosis or stenosis of the common bile duct (1 μM biliverdin together with 50 μM bilirubin) and for hyperbiliverdinemia (25 μM biliverdin and 75 μM bilirubin). FERS has high potential as an ultrasensitive analytical technique for a wide range of biomolecules and in various life-science applications

Loneliness, social support and cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory stress

Self-reported or explicit loneliness and social support have been inconsistently associated with cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to stress. The present study aimed to adapt an implicit measure of loneliness, and use it alongside the measures of explicit loneliness and social support, to investigate their correlations with CVR to laboratory stress. Twenty-five female volunteers aged between 18 and 39 years completed self-reported measures of loneliness and social support, and an Implicit Association Test (IAT) of loneliness. The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) reactivity indices were measured in response to psychosocial stress induced in the laboratory. Functional support indices of social support were significantly correlated with CVR reactivity to stress. Interestingly, implicit, but not explicit, loneliness was significantly correlated with DBP reactivity after one of the stressors. No associations were found between structural support and CVR indices. Results are discussed in terms of validity of implicit versus explicit measures and possible factors that affect physiological outcomes

Oxytocin attenuates feelings of hostility depending on emotional context and individuals' characteristics

In humans, oxytocin (OT) enhances prosocial behaviour. However, it is still unclear how the prosocial effects of OT are modulated by emotional features and/or individuals' characteristics. In a placebo-controlled design, we tested 20 healthy male volunteers to investigate these behavioural and neurophysiological modulations using magnetoencephalography. As an index of the individuals' characteristics, we used the empathy quotient (EQ), the autism spectrum quotient (AQ), and the systemising quotient (SQ). Only during the perception of another person's angry face was a higher SQ a significant predictor of OT-induced prosocial change, both in the behavioural and neurophysiological indicators. In addition, a lower EQ was only a significant predictor of OT-induced prosocial changes in the neurophysiological indicators during the perception of angry faces. Both on the behavioural and the neurophysiological level, the effects of OT were specific for anger and correlated with a higher SQ

Do leaders matter? : Chinese politics, leadership transition and the 17th Party Congress

The opaque nature of decision making in China has generated considerable interest in the internecine machinations of elite politics. Particularly, but not only, when it comes to issues of leadership transition, considerations of factional formation and conflict come to the fore. This is partly to explain the transition process itself, but also out of concern for how new leaders might change the direction of Chinese policy. This paper suggests that whilst leaders and leadership changes do matter, they matter less than they once did. This is partly a result of the de-ideologicization and increasing diverse nature of elite interests and group formation. But it is also partly a result of the changed nature of China’s political economy; in short, there is less desire and less ability for new leaders to impose a clear paradigm shift

Chrysomelidial in the Opisthonotal Glands of the Oribatid Mite, Oribotritia berlesei

Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analyses of whole body extracts of Oribotritia berlesei, a large-sized soil-dwelling oribatid mite, revealed a consistent chemical pattern of ten components, probably originating from the well-developed opisthonotal glands. The three major components of the extract were the iridoid monoterpene, (3S,8S)-chrysomelidial (about 45% of the extract), the unsaturated hydrocarbon 6,9-heptadecadiene, and the diterpene β-springene (the latter two, each about 20–25% of the extract). The remaining minor components (together about 10% of the extract) included a series of hydrocarbons (tridecene, tridecane, pentadecene, pentadecane, 8-heptadecene, and heptadecane) and the tentatively identified 9,17-octadecadienal. In contrast, analysis of juveniles showed only two compounds, namely a 2:1 mixture of (3S,8S)-chrysomelidial and its epimer, epi-chrysomelidial (3S,8R-chrysomelidial). Unexpectedly, neither adult nor juvenile secretions contained the so-called astigmatid compounds, which are considered characteristic of secretions of oribatids above moderately derived Mixonomata. The chrysomelidials, as well as β-springene and octadecadienal, are newly identified compounds in the opisthonotal glands of oribatid mites and have chemotaxonomic potential for this group. This is the first instance of finding chrysomelidials outside the Coleoptera

Social interaction patterns, therapist responsiveness, and outcome in treatments for borderline personality disorder.

Inflexible social interaction patterns are defining features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Specific beliefs about the self and others may be activated across interaction situations, often leading to instable relationships. It may be pivotal to address these difficulties in early treatment phases, through appropriate therapist responsiveness, which means an adaptation of therapist's activity to their client's behaviours using emerging information in the process (Stiles, 2009, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 16, 86). In this process-outcome study, responsiveness is operationalized by the motive-oriented therapeutic relationship (Caspar, 2007, Handbook of psychotherapeutic case formulations, 2nd ed., 251-289, Guilford), based on the Plan analysis case formulation. The present study assesses the interplay between social interaction problems and therapist responsiveness, explaining symptoms at discharge and the therapeutic alliance. In total, N = 50 clients with BPD entered the study, and standard and responsive treatments were compared. Social interaction patterns were assessed by the newly developed Borderline Interaction Patterns Scale (BIPS), applied to recorded material of three sessions per therapy. Outcome was measured by general symptoms (OQ-45), borderline symptoms (BSL-23), interpersonal problems (IIP), and the therapeutic alliance (WAI). Results suggest that in standard treatment, social interaction patterns are neither related to outcome nor the therapeutic alliance. In responsive treatment, more activation of social interaction patterns predicted better outcome on IIP and lower therapist ratings of the alliance. The conclusions seem promising for specific effectiveness of responsive treatments in particular in the interpersonal problem area of BPD. Identifying social interaction patterns early in treatment may be a crucial pathway to change for BPD. Responsive therapy activating social interaction patterns may be crucial for better outcome. Future research should focus on mechanisms of change in early treatment phases for BPD. New scale for assessing social interaction patterns specific to borderline personality disorder

Glucocorticoids Decrease Hippocampal and Prefrontal Activation during Declarative Memory Retrieval in Young Men

Glucocorticoids (GCs, cortisol in human) are associated with impairments in declarative memory retrieval. Brain regions hypothesized to mediate these effects are the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Our aim was to use fMRI in localizing the effects of GCs during declarative memory retrieval. Therefore, we tested memory retrieval in 21 young healthy males in a randomized placebo-controlled crossover design. Participants encoded word lists containing neutral and emotional words 1 h prior to ingestion of 20 mg hydrocortisone. Memory retrieval was tested using an old/new recognition paradigm in a rapid event-related design. It was found that hydrocortisone decreased brain activity in both the hippocampus and PFC during successful retrieval of neutral words. These observations are consistent with previous animal and human studies suggesting that glucocorticoids modulate both hippocampal and prefrontal brain regions that are crucially involved in memory processing

The Multipartite Mitochondrial Genome of Liposcelis bostrychophila: Insights into the Evolution of Mitochondrial Genomes in Bilateral Animals

Booklice (order Psocoptera) in the genus Liposcelis are major pests to stored grains worldwide and are closely related to parasitic lice (order Phthiraptera). We sequenced the mitochondrial (mt) genome of Liposcelis bostrychophila and found that the typical single mt chromosome of bilateral animals has fragmented into and been replaced by two medium-sized chromosomes in this booklouse; each of these chromosomes has about half of the genes of the typical mt chromosome of bilateral animals. These mt chromosomes are 8,530 bp (mt chromosome I) and 7,933 bp (mt chromosome II) in size. Intriguingly, mt chromosome I is twice as abundant as chromosome II. It appears that the selection pressure for compact mt genomes in bilateral animals favors small mt chromosomes when small mt chromosomes co-exist with the typical large mt chromosomes. Thus, small mt chromosomes may have selective advantages over large mt chromosomes in bilateral animals. Phylogenetic analyses of mt genome sequences of Psocodea (i.e. Psocoptera plus Phthiraptera) indicate that: 1) the order Psocoptera (booklice and barklice) is paraphyletic; and 2) the order Phthiraptera (the parasitic lice) is monophyletic. Within parasitic lice, however, the suborder Ischnocera is paraphyletic; this differs from the traditional view that each suborder of parasitic lice is monophyletic

The complete mitochondrial genome of the citrus red mite Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae): high genome rearrangement and extremely truncated tRNAs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The family Tetranychidae (Chelicerata: Acari) includes ~1200 species, many of which are of agronomic importance. To date, mitochondrial genomes of only two Tetranychidae species have been sequenced, and it has been found that these two mitochondrial genomes are characterized by many unusual features in genome organization and structure such as gene order and nucleotide frequency. The scarcity of available sequence data has greatly impeded evolutionary studies in Acari (mites and ticks). Information on Tetranychidae mitochondrial genomes is quite important for phylogenetic evaluation and population genetics, as well as the molecular evolution of functional genes such as acaricide-resistance genes. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of <it>Panonychus citri </it>(Family Tetranychidae), a worldwide citrus pest, and provide a comparison to other Acari.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mitochondrial genome of <it>P. citri </it>is a typical circular molecule of 13,077 bp, and contains the complete set of 37 genes that are usually found in metazoans. This is the smallest mitochondrial genome within all sequenced Acari and other Chelicerata, primarily due to the significant size reduction of protein coding genes (PCGs), a large rRNA gene, and the A + T-rich region. The mitochondrial gene order for <it>P. citri </it>is the same as those for <it>P. ulmi </it>and <it>Tetranychus urticae</it>, but distinctly different from other Acari by a series of gene translocations and/or inversions. The majority of the <it>P. citri </it>mitochondrial genome has a high A + T content (85.28%), which is also reflected by AT-rich codons being used more frequently, but exhibits a positive GC-skew (0.03). The Acari mitochondrial <it>nad1 </it>exhibits a faster amino acid substitution rate than other genes, and the variation of nucleotide substitution patterns of PCGs is significantly correlated with the G + C content. Most tRNA genes of <it>P. citri </it>are extremely truncated and atypical (44-65, 54.1 ± 4.1 bp), lacking either the T- or D-arm, as found in <it>P. ulmi</it>, <it>T. urticae</it>, and other Acariform mites.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The <it>P. citri </it>mitochondrial gene order is markedly different from those of other chelicerates, but is conserved within the family Tetranychidae indicating that high rearrangements have occurred after Tetranychidae diverged from other Acari. Comparative analyses suggest that the genome size, gene order, gene content, codon usage, and base composition are strongly variable among Acari mitochondrial genomes. While extremely small and unusual tRNA genes seem to be common for Acariform mites, further experimental evidence is needed.</p

Distinctive mitochondrial genome of Calanoid copepod Calanus sinicus with multiple large non-coding regions and reshuffled gene order: Useful molecular markers for phylogenetic and population studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Copepods are highly diverse and abundant, resulting in extensive ecological radiation in marine ecosystems. <it>Calanus sinicus </it>dominates continental shelf waters in the northwest Pacific Ocean and plays an important role in the local ecosystem by linking primary production to higher trophic levels. A lack of effective molecular markers has hindered phylogenetic and population genetic studies concerning copepods. As they are genome-level informative, mitochondrial DNA sequences can be used as markers for population genetic studies and phylogenetic studies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mitochondrial genome of <it>C. sinicus </it>is distinct from other arthropods owing to the concurrence of multiple non-coding regions and a reshuffled gene arrangement. Further particularities in the mitogenome of <it>C. sinicus </it>include low A + T-content, symmetrical nucleotide composition between strands, abbreviated stop codons for several PCGs and extended lengths of the genes <it>atp6 </it>and <it>atp8 </it>relative to other copepods. The monophyletic Copepoda should be placed within the Vericrustacea. The close affinity between Cyclopoida and Poecilostomatoida suggests reassigning the latter as subordinate to the former. Monophyly of Maxillopoda is rejected. Within the alignment of 11 <it>C. sinicus </it>mitogenomes, there are 397 variable sites harbouring three 'hotspot' variable sites and three microsatellite loci.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The occurrence of the <it>circular subgenomic fragment </it>during laboratory assays suggests that special caution should be taken when sequencing mitogenomes using long PCR. Such a phenomenon may provide additional evidence of mitochondrial DNA recombination, which appears to have been a prerequisite for shaping the present mitochondrial profile of <it>C. sinicus </it>during its evolution. The lack of synapomorphic gene arrangements among copepods has cast doubt on the utility of gene order as a useful molecular marker for deep phylogenetic analysis. However, mitochondrial genomic sequences have been valuable markers for resolving phylogenetic issues concerning copepods. The variable site maps of <it>C. sinicus </it>mitogenomes provide a solid foundation for population genetic studies.</p