Characterizing neuromorphologic alterations with additive shape functionals

The complexity of a neuronal cell shape is known to be related to its function. Specifically, among other indicators, a decreased complexity in the dendritic trees of cortical pyramidal neurons has been associated with mental retardation. In this paper we develop a procedure to address the characterization of morphological changes induced in cultured neurons by over-expressing a gene involved in mental retardation. Measures associated with the multiscale connectivity, an additive image functional, are found to give a reasonable separation criterion between two categories of cells. One category consists of a control group and two transfected groups of neurons, and the other, a class of cat ganglionary cells. The reported framework also identified a trend towards lower complexity in one of the transfected groups. Such results establish the suggested measures as an effective descriptors of cell shape

Cultured cortical networks described by conditional firing probabilities

Networks of cortical neurons were grown over multi electrode arrays to enable simultaneous measu-rement of action potentials from 60 electrodes. All possible pairs of electrodes (i,j) were tested for syn-chronized activity. We calculated conditional firing probability (CFPi,j[τ]) as the probability of an action potential at electrode j at t=τ, given that a spike was detected at i at t=0. If a CFPi,j[τ] distribution clearly deviated from flat, electrodes i and j were considered related. A function was fitted to each CFP-curve to obtain parameters for strength and delay. In young cultures the set of identified relationships changed rather quickly. At 16 days in vitro (DIV) 50% of the set changed within one day. Beyond 25 DIV this set stabilized: during a period of a week more than 50% of the set remained intact. Most individual relationships developed rather gradually. Moreover, beyond 25 DIV relational strength appeared quite stable during periods of ≈ 10 hours, with coefficients of variation (100×SD/mean) of ≈ 25% on average. CFP analysis provides a robust method to describe the stable underlying probabilistic structure of highly varying spontaneous activity in cultured cortical networks. It may offer a suitable basis for plasticity studies, in which induced changes should exceed spontaneous fluctuations. CFP analysis is likely to describe the network in sufficient detail to detect subtle changes in individual relationships. Analysis of data continuously recorded for ≈ 6 weeks, showed that highest stability is reached after ≈ 25 DIV, suggesting the 4th and 5th week as a suitable period for plasticity studies.\ud \u

Retention & Graduation Rates from Participation in Short-Term Study Abroad Programs at Small Private Liberal Arts Institutions in the United States of America:

Thesis advisor: Rebecca SchendelOver the past several decades, the number of students participating in international academic programming has increased drastically, having quintupled in from the early 1990s to 2017. Many of these students have participated in increasingly popular short-term programming models where students spend less than eight weeks in an international location doing academic coursework. Considerable research exists tying the participation in study abroad experiences to positive institutional and academic outcomes such as increased institutional retention and academic performance. Underrepresented in this literature is the impact these experiences have on smaller institutions, such as private liberal arts colleges, which are increasingly looking for ways to diversify themselves in a crowded educational marketplace. Using the case study of Moon Crest College, this quantitative study uses statistical and regression analysis to determine if participation in short-term study abroad experiences have a relationship with institutional retention and time-to-degree. This analysis finds at Moon Crest College a statistically significant relationship between participation in short-term study abroad experiences and graduating from the institution. This study found no clear relationship between participation in these experiences and time-to-degree rates at Moon Crest College.Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2022.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education

Strengthening and weakening of relationships in cortical cultures: latency dependent?

Abstract Networks of cortical neurons were grown over multi electrode arrays to enable simultaneous measurement of signals from multiple neurons. Functional connectivity in cultured networks has been described by relationships between individual electrodes, based on conditional firing probabilities. In this study we investigated periods in which the strength of a relationship increased (strengthening) or decreased with time (weakening). We observed a slightly increased incidence of latencies around 20 ms during strengthening, while these latencies rarely coincided with weakening

Cool and hot executive functions in relation to aggression and testosterone/cortisol ratios in male prisoners

‘Cool’ executive functions (EF) refer to logical and strategic cognitive processes such as planning and reasoning, whereas ‘hot’ EF include affect-driven cognitive processes, such as risk-taking in decision making. In the present crosssectional study was investigated whether prisoners perform worse than non-prisoners on measures of hot and cool EF. Subsequent objectives were to determine if performance on tasks of executive functioning was related to measures of (reactive and proactive) aggression within the offender group, and whether testosterone and cortisol influenced the latter relationship. Male prisoners (n = 125) and a non offender control group (n = 32) completed frequently applied measures of hot and cool EF (assessed with the Iowa Gambling task and Wisconsin Card Sorting Task respectively). Aggression characteristics in prisoners were assessed through self-report questionnaires, behavioural observations, and conviction histories. Endogenous testosterone and cortisol levels were obtained through saliva samples, while prenatal testosterone exposure was determined using the finger length of the index and ring fingers (the ‘2D:4D ratio’). The results indicated that prisoners performed significantly worse than non-prisoners on cool EF, and to a lesser extent on hot EF, but no meaningful relationship could be proven between measures of EF and aggression in the offender group. Weak to moderate significant correlations were found between testosterone/cortisol ratios (not prenatal testosterone exposure) and hot EF as well as self-reported aggression. These results lead to the conclusion that prisoners show significant problems in cool and hot EF compared to non-prisoners. These problems are not clearly associated with characteristics of aggression, but preliminary results indicate that these may be related to having high endogenous testosterone levels relative to cortisol levels

Effects of perioperative intravenous omega-3 fatty acids in colon cancer patients:a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Background: The postoperative inflammatory response contributes to tissue healing and recovery but overwhelming inflammation is associated with postoperative complications. n-3 (ω-3) PUFAs modulate inflammatory responses and may help to prevent a proinflammatory cascade. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the effects of perioperative intravenous n-3 PUFAs on inflammatory cytokines in colon cancer surgery. Methods: This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Forty-four patients undergoing elective colon resection for nonmetastasized cancer were randomly assigned to 2 intravenous n-3 PUFA or saline control infusions the night before and the morning after surgery. Blood was sampled at 6 perioperative time points for changes in cytokines in serum and in LPS-stimulated whole blood samples and leukocyte membrane fatty acid profiles. Results: Twenty-three patients received saline and 21 patients received n-3 PUFAs. Patient and operation characteristics were equal between groups, except for open resection (saline n = 5 compared with n-3 PUFA n = 0, P = 0.056). Ex-vivo IL-6 after LPS stimulation was significantly higher in the n-3 PUFA group at the first day after surgery (P = 0.014), but not different at the second day after surgery (P = 0.467). White blood cell count was higher in the n-3 PUFA group at the fourth day after surgery (P = 0.029). There were more patients with infectious complications in the n-3 PUFA group (8 compared with 3, P = 0.036). There were no overall differences in serum IL-6, IL-10, C-reactive protein, and length of stay. The administration of n-3 PUFAs resulted in rapid increases in leukocyte membrane n-3 PUFA content. Conclusions: In the n-3 PUFA group a clear relation with serum and LPS-stimulated cytokines was not found but, unexpectedly, more infectious complications occurred. Caution is thus required with the off-label use of a perioperative intravenous n-3 PUFA emulsion as a standalone infusion in the time sequence reported in the present study in colon resections with primary anastomosis. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02231203

A Biodistribution and Toxicity Study of Cobalt Dichloride–NAcetyl Cysteine (C4) as an Implantable MRI Marker for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Purpose—C4, a cobalt dichloride–N-acetyl cysteine complex, is being developed as a positivesignal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) marker to localize implanted radioactive seeds in prostate brachytherapy. We evaluated the toxicity and biodistribution of C4 in rats with the goal of simulating systemic effects of potential leakage from C4 MRI markers within the prostate. Methods—9 μl doses (equivalent to leakage from 120 markers in a human) of control (0.9% sodium chloride), 1% (proposed for clinical use) and 10% C4 solution were injected into the prostates of male Sprague-Dawley rats via laparotomy. Organ toxicity and cobalt disposition in plasma, tissues, feces and urine were evaluated. Results—No C4-related morbidity or mortality was observed in the biodistribution arm (60 rats). Biodistribution was measurable following 10% C4 injection: cobalt was cleared rapidly from periprostatic tissue; mean concentrations in prostate were 163 μg/g and 268 μg/g at 5 and 30 minutes but were undetectable by 60 minutes. Expected dual renal-hepatic elimination was observed with % injected dose recovered in tissues of 39.0 ±5.6% (liver) \u3e 11.8 ±6.5% (prostate) \u3e 5.3 ±0.9% (kidney) with low plasma concentrations detected up to 1 hr (1.40 μg/ml at 5–60 minutes). Excretion in urine was 13.1 ±4.6 % with 3.1 ±0.54 % recovered in feces by 24 hours. In the toxicity arm, three animals died in the control group and 1 each in the 1% and 10% groups from surgical or anesthesia-related complications; all others survived to scheduled termination at 14 days. No C4-related adverse clinical signs or organ toxicity was observed. Conclusion—C4-related toxicity was not observed at exposures at least 10-fold that proposed for human use. This data demonstrating lack of systemic toxicity with dual routes of elimination in the event of in-situ rupture suggests C4 warrants further investigation as an MRI marker for prostate brachytherapy

Influence of gender on the performance of urine dipstick and automated urinalysis in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections at the emergency department

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequently encountered at the Emergency Department (ED). Given the anatomical differences between men and women, we aimed to clarify differences in the diagnostic performance of urinary parameters at the ED. METHODS: A cohort study of adults presenting at the ED with fever and/or clinical suspected UTI. Performance of urine dipstick (UD) and automated urinalysis (UF-1000i) were analysed for the total study population and men and women separately. We focused on 1) UTI diagnosis and 2) positive urine culture (UC, ≥105 CFU/ml) as outcome. RESULTS: In 360 of 917 cases (39.3%) UTI was established (men/women 35.1%/43.6%). Diagnostic accuracy of UD was around 10% lower in women compared to men. Median automated leucocyte and bacterial count were higher in women compared to men. Diagnostic performance by receiver operating analysis was 0.851 for leucocytes (men/women 0.879/0.817) and 0.850 for bacteria (men/women 0.898/0.791). At 90% sensitivity, cut-off values of leucocyte count (men 60/µL, women 43/µL), and bacterial count (men 75/µL, women 139/µL) showed performance differences in favour of men. In both men and women, diagnostic performance using specified cut-off values was not different between normal and non-normal bladder evacuation. UC was positive in 327 cases (men/women 149/178), as with UTI diagnosis, diagnostic values in men outperformed women. CONCLUSIONS: Overall diagnostic accuracy of urinary parameters for diagnosing UTI is higher in men. The described differences in cut-off values for leukocyte and bacterial counts for diagnosing UTI necessitates gender-specific cut-off values, probably reflecting the influence of anatomical and urogenital differences

Католицька концепція міжрелігійного діалогу: зміна акцентів

In Arabidopsis roots, the transcription factor MYB72 plays a dual role in the onset of rhizobacteria-induced systemic resistance (ISR) and plant survival under conditions of limited iron availability. Previously, it was shown that MYB72 coordinates the expression of a gene module that promotes synthesis and excretion of iron-mobilizing phenolic compounds in the rhizosphere, a process involved in both iron acquisition and ISR signaling. Here, we show that volatile compounds (VOCs) from ISR-inducing Pseudomonas bacteria are important elicitors of MYB72. VOCs-induced MYB72 is co-expressed with the iron uptake-related genes FERRIC REDUCTION OXIDASE 2 (FRO2) and IRON-REGULATED TRANSPORTER 1 (IRT1) in a FER-LIKE IRON DEFICIENCY INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR (FIT)-dependent manner, indicating that MYB72 is an intrinsic part of the plants’ iron acquisition response that is typically activated upon iron starvation. However, VOCs-induced MYB72 is activated independently of the iron availability in the root vicinity. Moreover, rhizobacterial VOCs-mediated induction of MYB72 requires photosynthesis-related signals, while iron deficiency in the rhizosphere can activate MYB72 in the absence of shoot-derived signals. Together, these results show that the ISR- and iron acquisition-related transcription factor MYB72 in Arabidopsis roots is activated by rhizobacterial volatiles and photosynthesis-related signals, and can enhance the iron acquisition capacity of roots independently of the iron availability in the rhizosphere. This work highlights the role of MYB72 in plant processes by which root microbiota simultaneously stimulate systemic immunity and activate the iron uptake machinery in their host plants