The read-out from individual pixels on planar semi-conductor sensors are grouped into clusters to reconstruct the location where a charged particle passed through the sensor. The resolution can be ...significantly improved over that given by the individual pixel sizes by using the information from the charge sharing between pixels. Such analog cluster creation techniques have been used by the ATLAS experiment for many years to obtain an excellent performance. However, in dense environments, such as those inside high-energy jets, there is an increased probability of merging the charge deposited by multiple particles into a single cluster. A neural network based algorithm has been developed for the ATLAS Pixel Detector, in order to identify clusters due to multiple particles and to estimate their position. The algorithm significantly reduces ambiguities in the assignment of Pixel Detector measurements to tracks and improves the position accuracy and two-particle separation with respect to standard techniques by taking into account the 2-dimensional charge distribution.
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies consistently reported abnormalities in fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD), measures of the integrity of white matter (WM), in bipolar ...disorder (BD), that may reflect underlying pathophysiologic processes. There is, however, a pressing need to identify peripheral measures that are related to these WM measures, to help identify easily obtainable peripheral biomarkers of BD. Given the high lipid content of axonal membranes and myelin sheaths, and that elevated serum levels of lipid peroxidation are reported in BD, these serum measures may be promising peripheral biomarkers of underlying WM abnormalities in BD. We used DTI and probabilistic tractography to compare FA and RD in ten prefrontal-centered WM tracts, 8 of which are consistently shown to have abnormal FA (and/or RD) in BD, and also examined serum lipid peroxidation (lipid hydroperoxides, LPH and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, 4-HNE), in 24 currently euthymic BD adults (BDE) and 19 age- and gender-matched healthy adults (CONT). There was a significant effect of group upon FA in these a priori WM tracts (BDE<CONT: F1,41=6.8; P=0.013) and RD (BDE>CONT: F1,41=10.3; P=0.003), and a significant between-group difference in LPH (BDE>CONT: t40=2.4; P=0.022), but not in 4-HNE. Multivariate multiple regression analyses revealed that LPH variance explained, respectively, 59 and 51% of the variance of FA and RD across all study participants. This is the first study to examine relationships between measures of WM integrity and peripheral measures of lipid peroxidation. Our findings suggest that serum LPH may be useful in the development of a clinically relevant, yet easily obtainable and inexpensive, peripheral biomarkers of BD.
There is currently considerable imprecision in the nosology of biomarkers used in the study of neuropsychiatric disease. The neuropsychiatric field lags behind others such as oncology, wherein, ...rather than using 'biomarker' as a blanket term for a diverse range of clinical phenomena, biomarkers have been actively classified into separate categories, including prognostic and predictive tests. A similar taxonomy is proposed for neuropsychiatric diseases in which the core biology remains relatively unknown. This paper divides potential biomarkers into those of (1) risk, (2) diagnosis/trait, (3) state or acuity, (4) stage, (5) treatment response and (6) prognosis, and provides illustrative exemplars. Of course, biomarkers rely on available technology and, as we learn more about the neurobiological correlates of neuropsychiatric disorders, we will realize that the classification of biomarkers across these six categories can change, and some markers may fit into more than one category.
Abstract Background It has been reported that patients with bipolar disorder (BD) remain about 10 years symptomatic before the correct diagnosis is made. This fact is particularly important for ...patients with predominantly depressed polarity who tend to be diagnosed as suffering from unipolar major depressive disorder and treated with antidepressants. The present study was carried out to assess clinical differences between predominantly manic and depressed BD patients with a special focus on the time that patients remained undiagnosed. Methods Clinical and socio-demographic characteristics were obtained from a sample of 149 euthymic bipolar outpatients. Patients were divided into depressive or manic predominance of polarity. Clinical features, number of years undiagnosed (NYU) and occupational functioning were assessed in the two groups. Results Forty-five patients were classified as a “Depressive Polarity” whilst forty-seven were considered as “Manic Polarity”. Depressive Polarity was associated with a longer delay to be diagnosed (F = 14.43, df = 89, p = 0.001). The predominantly depressive patients tended to present a depressive onset of illness, earlier age of onset, longer duration of illness and higher number of suicide attempts than manic polarity patients. Conclusion There was a marked clinical difference between predominantly manic and depressive bipolar patients. Predominantly depressive polarity is associated with a longer delay in receiving a correct diagnosis and effective treatment which has an important impact on the management of the illness.
The ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) started data-taking in Autumn 2008 with the inauguration of the LHC. The Inner Detector is a tracking system for charged particles based ...on three technologies: silicon pixels, silicon micro-strips and drift tubes. The detector was commissioned and calibrated in the ATLAS cavern. Cosmic muons data are used for timing the different components of the system, measuring detector performance on particles and cross-checking the calibration results. Cosmic ray data serve also to align the detector prior to the LHC start up, exercising the alignment procedure to be repeated during the accelerator's operation. Tracking performance after this early alignment is suitable for initial LHC collisions.
► Oxidative stress is associated with bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). ► Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is a proton carrier located in the mitochondria. ► It is involved in controlling ...reactive oxygen species in the neuron. ► UCP2 mRNA expression is reduced in the DLPFC of subjects with BD and SCZ. ► UCP2 is not a compensatory mechanism to reduce oxidative stress in BD and SCZ.
Although the neurobiological basis of bipolar disorder (BD) remains unknown, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and oxidative cell damage have been identified in this disease. Uncoupling proteins (UCP) are proton carriers located in the inner membrane of the mitochondria involved in controlling the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, in this study we wished to investigate the involvement of UCP in BD. We analyzed the RNA and protein levels of UCP2 in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of subjects with BD and schizophrenia (SCZ) and assessed the potential relationship between the antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD1 and SOD2) and UCP2 in the same region. Our results showed a downregulation of UCP2 mRNA levels in the DLPFC of subjects with BD and SCZ. There were no differences in UCP2 protein, SOD1 and SOD2 levels between patients and controls. Although more studies are necessary, our results suggest that UCP2 is not been used as a compensatory mechanism to oppose the higher levels of oxidative stress found in BD and SCZ.
High voltage CMOS pixel sensors will be or are proposed to be used in several particle physics experiments for particle tracking like Mu3e experiment. ATLASPIX3 is the first full reticle size ...monolithic HVCMOS sensor for construction of multi-chip modules. The specifications for the use case have been taken from ATLAS pixel upgrade in fifth layer where it was a candidate for. The size of the chip is 2.0×2.1 cm2 with periphery at one side which makes the chip 3-side buttable. ATLASPIX3 has been implemented in a standard 180 nm HVCMOS process. Each pixel has an area of 150×50μm2 and contains a large charge collecting electrode implemented as deep n-well. The depleted volume around the n-well is enlarged by a high voltage bias and the usage of higher resistivity substrate. The readout electronics supports both triggered and triggerless readout with zero-suppression. ATLASPIX3 could be used for the construction of CMOS modules for particle tracking in experiments where high time resolution, high radiation tolerance, low power and low material budget are required. In the design phase, special attention has been paid to decreasing timing differences between pixels and the rate capability of the readout.
It has been proposed that animals subjected to chronic stress show a stress response that can be reduced by the intake of highly palatable foods (“comfort foods”). However, a palatable diet, rich in ...sugar or fat, can also lead to oxidative damage and neuronal injury. So, the aim of this study is to verify, in male and female rats, the effects of exposure to chronic stress during free access to regular chow and to a highly palatable diet, on exploratory and anxiety-like behavior, on oxidative stress and on DNA breaks in two structures of the nervous system, hippocampus and striatum. The results showed stress- and diet-induced DNA breaks and an imbalance in the activity of antioxidants enzymes, such as CAT, GPx and SOD in the both structures. In addition, we observed that female rats appear to have higher susceptibility to the stress effects evaluated, and that access to a palatable diet was able to counteract some behavioral effects of stress. However, this same diet-induced oxidative stress and increased DNA breaks, especially in males. Replication of these results with larger sample sizes would further reinforce these conclusions.
Stroke variably activates interleukin- (IL-) 17 expression, reduces regulatory T cells, and induces oxidative stress, which may support neurodegeneration. Ischemic stroke patients were screened for ...depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D)) and cognitive status (Mini Mental State Examination). Proinflammatory cytokines (IL-17, IL-23, and interferon- IFN- γ), anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and lipid hydroperoxide (LPH), a measure of oxidative stress, were assayed from fasting serum. Of 47 subjects (age 71.8 ± 14.4 years, 36% female), 19 had depressive symptoms (CES-D ≥ 16), which was associated with poorer cognitive status (F1,46=8.44, P=0.006). IL-17 concentrations did not differ between subjects with and without depressive symptoms (F1,46=8.44, P=0.572); however, IL-17 was associated with poorer cognitive status in subjects with depressive symptoms (F1,46=9.29, P=0.004). In those subjects with depressive symptoms, IL-17 was associated with higher LPH (ρ=0.518, P=0.023) and lower IL-10 (ρ=-0.484, P=0.036), but not in those without. In conclusion, poststroke depressive symptoms may be associated with cognitive vulnerability to IL-17 related pathways, involving an imbalance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory activity and increased oxidative stress.
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