Age-related differences in pre- and post-synaptic motor cortex inhibition are task dependent

Abstract not availableGeorge M. Opie, Michael C. Ridding, John G. Semmle

Influence of analyzed sequence length on parameters in laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy

Laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy (HSV) allows objective quantification of vocal fold vibratory characteristics. However, it is unknown how the analyzed sequence length affects some of the computed parameters. To examine if varying sequence lengths influence parameter calculation, 20 HSV recordings of healthy females during sustained phonation were investigated. The clinical prevalent Photron Fastcam MC2 camera with a frame rate of 4000 fps and a spatial resolution of 512 x 256 pixels was used to collect HSV data. The glottal area waveform (GAW), describing the increase and decrease of the area between the vocal folds during phonation, was extracted. Based on the GAW, 16 perturbation parameters were computed for sequences of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 consecutive cycles. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics, version 21. Only three parameters (18.8%) were statistically significantly influenced by changing sequence lengths. Of these parameters, one changed until 10 cycles were reached, one until 20 cycles were reached and one, namely Amplitude Variability Index (AVI), changed between almost all groups of different sequence lengths. Moreover, visually observable, but not statistically significant, changes within parameters were observed. These changes were often most prominent between shorter sequence lengths. Hence, we suggest using a minimum sequence length of at least 20 cycles and discarding the parameter AVI

Short-term immobilization influences use-dependent cortical plasticity and fine motor performance

Short-term immobilization that reduces muscle use for 8-10h is known to influence cortical excitability and motor performance. However, the mechanisms through which this is achieved, and whether these changes can be used to modify cortical plasticity and motor skill learning, are not known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of short-term immobilization on use-dependent cortical plasticity, motor learning and retention. Twenty-one adults were divided into control and immobilized groups, both of which underwent two experimental sessions on consecutive days. Within each session, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes, short- (SICI) and long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI), and intracortical facilitation (ICF) before and after a grooved pegboard task. Prior to the second training session, the immobilized group underwent 8h of left hand immobilization targeting the index finger, while control subjects were allowed normal limb use. Immobilization produced a reduction in MEP amplitudes, but no change in SICI, LICI or ICF. While motor performance improved for both groups in each session, the level of performance was greater 24-h later in control, but not immobilized subjects. Furthermore, training-related MEP facilitation was greater after, compared with before, immobilization. These results indicate that immobilization can modulate use-dependent plasticity and the retention of motor skills. They also suggest that changes in intracortical excitability are unlikely to contribute to the immobilization-induced modification of cortical excitability.George M. Opie, Alexandra Evans, Michael C. Ridding and John G. Semmle

Investigating TMS–EEG indices of long-interval intracortical inhibition at different interstimulus intervals

Available online 8 August 2016Abstract not availableGeorge M. Opie, Nigel C. Rogasch, Mitchell R. Goldsworthy, Michael C. Ridding, John G. Semmle

Priming theta burst stimulation enhances motor cortex plasticity in young but not old adults

Abstract not availableGeorge M. Opie, Eleni Vosnakis, Michael C. Ridding, Ulf Ziemann, John G. Semmle

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is capable of natural transformation in biofilms

Natural transformation is a mechanism that enables competent bacteria to acquire naked, exogenous DNA from the environment. It is a key process that facilitates the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants throughout bacterial populations. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that produces large quantities of extracellular DNA (eDNA) that is required for biofilm formation. P. aeruginosa has a remarkable level of genome plasticity and diversity that suggests a high degree of horizontal gene transfer and recombination but is thought to be incapable of natural transformation. Here we show that P. aeruginosa possesses homologues of all proteins known to be involved in natural transformation in other bacterial species. We found that P. aeruginosa in biofilms is competent for natural transformation of both genomic and plasmid DNA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that type-IV pili (T4P) facilitate but are not absolutely essential for natural transformation in P. aeruginosa

An analytic model for a cooperative ballistic deposition in one dimension

We formulate a model for a cooperative ballistic deposition (CBD) process whereby the incoming particles are correlated with the ones already adsorbed via attractive force. The strength of the correlation is controlled by a tunable parameter $a$ that interpolates the classical car parking problem at $a=0$, the ballistic deposition at $a=1$ and the CBD model at $a>1$. The effects of the correlation in the CBD model are as follows. The jamming coverage $q(a)$ increases with the strength of attraction $a$ due to an ever increasing tendency of cluster formation. The system almost reaches the closest packing structure as $a\to\infty$ but never forms a percolating cluster which is typical to 1D system. In the large $a$ regime, the mean cluster size $k$ increases as $a^{1/2}$. Furthermore, the asymptotic approach towards the closest packing is purely algebraic both with $a$ as $q(\infty)-q(a) \sim a^{-1/2}$ and with $k$ as $q(\infty)-q(k) \sim k^{-1}$ where $q(\infty)\simeq 1$.Comment: 9 pages (in Revtex4), 9 eps figures; Submitted to publicatio

Ultrafine Particles Cross Cellular Membranes by Nonphagocytic Mechanisms in Lungs and in Cultured Cells

High concentrations of airborne particles have been associated with increased pulmonary and cardiovascular mortality, with indications of a specific toxicologic role for ultrafine particles (UFPs; particles < 0.1 μm). Within hours after the respiratory system is exposed to UFPs, the UFPs may appear in many compartments of the body, including the liver, heart, and nervous system. To date, the mechanisms by which UFPs penetrate boundary membranes and the distribution of UFPs within tissue compartments of their primary and secondary target organs are largely unknown. We combined different experimental approaches to study the distribution of UFPs in lungs and their uptake by cells. In the in vivo experiments, rats inhaled an ultrafine titanium dioxide aerosol of 22 nm count median diameter. The intrapulmonary distribution of particles was analyzed 1 hr or 24 hr after the end of exposure, using energy-filtering transmission electron microscopy for elemental microanalysis of individual particles. In an in vitro study, we exposed pulmonary macrophages and red blood cells to fluorescent polystyrene microspheres (1, 0.2, and 0.078 μm) and assessed particle uptake by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Inhaled ultrafine titanium dioxide particles were found on the luminal side of airways and alveoli, in all major lung tissue compartments and cells, and within capillaries. Particle uptake in vitro into cells did not occur by any of the expected endocytic processes, but rather by diffusion or adhesive interactions. Particles within cells are not membrane bound and hence have direct access to intracellular proteins, organelles, and DNA, which may greatly enhance their toxic potential

Predicting overprecision in range estimation

Theme for 2016: Recognizing and representing eventsOverprecision (overconfidence in interval estimation) is a bias with clear implications for economic outcomes in industries reliant on forecasting possible ranges for future prices and unknown states of nature - such as mineral and petroleum exploration. Prior research has shown the ranges people provide are too narrow given the knowledge they have – that is, they underestimate uncertainty and are overconfident in their knowledge. The underlying causes of this bias are, however, still unclear and individual differences research has shed little light on traits predictive of susceptibility. Taking this as a starting point, this paper directly contrasts the Naïve Sampling Model and Informativeness-Accuracy Tradeoff accounts of overprecision – seeing which better predicts performance in an interval estimation task. This was achieved by identifying traits associated with these theories – Short Term Memory and Need for Cognitive Closure, respectively. Analyses indicate that NFCC but not STM predicts interval width and thus, potentially, impacts overprecision.Matthew Kaesler, Matthew B. Welsh, Carolyn Semmle