A Correspondence between Individual Differences in the Brain's Intrinsic Functional Architecture and the Content and Form of Self-Generated Thoughts

Although neural activity often reflects the processing of external inputs, intrinsic fluctuations in activity have been observed throughout the brain. These may relate to patterns of self-generated thought that can occur while not performing goal-driven tasks. To understand the relationship between self-generated mental activity and intrinsic neural fluctuations, we developed the New York Cognition Questionnaire (NYC-Q) to assess the content and form of an individual''s experiences during the acquisition of resting-state fMRI data. The data were collected as a part of the Nathan Kline Rockland Enhanced sample. We decomposed NYC-Q scores using exploratory factor analysis and found that self-reported thoughts clustered into distinct dimensions of content (future related, past related, positive, negative, and social) and form (words, images, and specificity). We used these components to perform an individual difference analysis exploring how differences in the types of self-generated thoughts relate to whole brain measures of intrinsic brain activity (fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations, regional homogeneity, and degree centrality). We found patterns of self-generated thoughts related to changes that were distributed across a wide range of cortical areas. For example, individuals who reported greater imagery exhibited greater low frequency fluctuations in a region of perigenual cingulate cortex, a region that is known to participate in the so-called default-mode network. We also found certain forms of thought were associated with other areas, such as primary visual cortex, the insula, and the cerebellum. For example, individuals who reported greater future thought exhibited less homogeneous neural fluctuations in a region of lateral occipital cortex, a result that is consistent with the claim that particular types of self-generated thought depend on processes that are decoupled from sensory processes. These data provide evidence that self-generated thought is a heterogeneous category of experience and that studying its content can be helpful in understanding brain dynamics.     

Promoting Smoke-Free Homes: A Novel Behavioral Intervention Using Real-Time Audio-Visual Feedback on Airborne Particle Levels

Interventions are needed to protect the health of children who live with smokers. We pilot-tested a real-time intervention for promoting behavior change in homes that reduces second hand tobacco smoke (SHS) levels. The intervention uses a monitor and feedback system to provide immediate auditory and visual signals triggered at defined thresholds of fine particle concentration. Dynamic graphs of real-time particle levels are also shown on a computer screen. We experimentally evaluated the system, field-tested it in homes with smokers, and conducted focus groups to obtain general opinions. Laboratory tests of the monitor demonstrated SHS sensitivity, stability, precision equivalent to at least 1 µg/m³, and low noise. A linear relationship (R² = 0.98) was observed between the monitor and average SHS mass concentrations up to 150 µg/m³. Focus groups and interviews with intervention participants showed in-home use to be acceptable and feasible. The intervention was evaluated in 3 homes with combined baseline and intervention periods lasting 9 to 15 full days. Two families modified their behavior by opening windows or doors, smoking outdoors, or smoking less. We observed evidence of lower SHS levels in these homes. The remaining household voiced reluctance to changing their smoking activity and did not exhibit lower SHS levels in main smoking areas or clear behavior change; however, family members expressed receptivity to smoking outdoors. This study established the feasibility of the real-time intervention, laying the groundwork for controlled trials with larger sample sizes. Visual and auditory cues may prompt family members to take immediate action to reduce SHS levels. Dynamic graphs of SHS levels may help families make decisions about specific mitigation approaches.     

Children’s Phthalate Intakes and Resultant Cumulative Exposures Estimated from Urine Compared with Estimates from Dust Ingestion,Inhalation and Dermal Absorption in Their Homes and Daycare Centers

Total daily intakes of diethyl phthalate (DEP), di(n-butyl) phthalate (DnBP), di(isobutyl) phthalate (DiBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were calculated from phthalate metabolite levels measured in the urine of 431 Danish children between 3 and 6 years of age. For each child the intake attributable to exposures in the indoor environment via dust ingestion, inhalation and dermal absorption were estimated from the phthalate levels in the dust collected from the child’s home and daycare center. Based on the urine samples, DEHP had the highest total daily intake (median: 4.42 µg/d/kg-bw) and BBzP the lowest (median: 0.49 µg/d/kg-bw). For DEP, DnBP and DiBP, exposures to air and dust in the indoor environment accounted for approximately 100%, 15% and 50% of the total intake, respectively, with dermal absorption from the gas-phase being the major exposure pathway. More than 90% of the total intake of BBzP and DEHP came from sources other than indoor air and dust. Daily intake of DnBP and DiBP from all exposure pathways, based on levels of metabolites in urine samples, exceeded the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for 22 and 23 children, respectively. Indoor exposures resulted in an average daily DiBP intake that exceeded the TDI for 14 children. Using the concept of relative cumulative Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI_cum), which is applicable for phthalates that have established TDIs based on the same health endpoint, we examined the cumulative total exposure to DnBP, DiBP and DEHP from all pathways; it exceeded the tolerable levels for 30% of the children. From the three indoor pathways alone, several children had a cumulative intake that exceeded TDI_cum. Exposures to phthalates present in the air and dust indoors meaningfully contribute to a child’s total intake of certain phthalates. Such exposures, by themselves, may lead to intakes exceeding current limit values.     

Associations between White Matter Hyperintensities and β Amyloid on Integrity of Projection,Association, and Limbic Fiber Tracts Measured with Diffusion Tensor MRI

The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between Aβ deposition and white matter pathology (i.e., white matter hyperintensities, WMH) on microstructural integrity of the white matter. Fifty-seven participants (mean age: 78±7 years) from an ongoing multi-site research program who spanned the spectrum of normal to mild cognitive impairment (Clinical dementia rating 0–0.5) and low to high risk factors for arteriosclerosis and WMH pathology (defined as WMH volume >0.5% total intracranial volume) were assessed with positron emission tomography (PET) with Pittsburg compound B (PiB) and magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Multivariate analysis of covariance were used to investigate the relationship between Aβ deposition and WMH pathology on fractional anisotropy (FA) from 9 tracts of interest (i.e., corona radiata, internal capsule, cingulum, parahippocampal white matter, corpus callosum, superior longitudinal, superior and inferior front-occipital fasciculi, and fornix). WMH pathology was associated with reduced FA in projection (i.e., internal capsule and corona radiate) and association (i.e., superior longitudinal, superior and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi) fiber tracts. Aβ deposition (i.e., PiB positivity) was associated with reduced FA in the fornix and splenium of the corpus callosum. There were interactions between PiB and WMH pathology in the internal capsule and parahippocampal white matter, where Aβ deposition reduced FA more among subjects with WMH pathology than those without. However, accounting for apoE ε4 genotype rendered these interactions insignificant. Although this finding suggests that apoE4 may increase amyloid deposition, both in the parenchyma (resulting in PiB positivity) and in blood vessels (resulting in amyloid angiopathy and WMH pathology), and that these two factors together may be associated with compromised white matter microstructural integrity in multiple brain regions, additional studies with a longitudinal design will be necessary to resolve this issue.     

Transfer and expression of the tetracyclin resistance transposon Tn925 in Acetobacterium woodii

The Enterococcus faecalis conjugative plasmid pCF10 was used to introduce Tn925 into Acetobacterium woodii by filter mating. Tetracycline resistance was transferred at frequencies of about 10(-6) per donor, but no plasmid DNA was found in the transconjugants. DNA hybridization analyses of HindIII-digested chromosomal DNA demonstrated the insertion of Tn925 at a variety of locations, whereas wild type DNA showed no hybridization at all. The transconjugants were used as donor in mating experiments with tetracycline-sensitive Bacillus subtilis. Transfer of tetracycline resistance was observed at frequencies of 10(-8) per recipient.     

Arachidonic acid stimulates interleukin-6 release from rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro: Evidence for a prostacyclin-dependent mechanism

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine involved in the differentiation of B-cells to antibody secreting plasma cells, the activation of T-cells, and the stimulation of hepatocyte production of acute phase proteins. Because of the pro-inflammatory effects of this cytokine, we investigated the ability of the fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) to regulate the release of IL-6 from rat resident peritoneal macrophages (Mø) in vitro. AA (0.5–16 μM) stimulated IL-6 release during a 4 h incubation period in a biphasic manner, with 4 μM AA generating a peak of IL-6 release (3-5-fold). AA (0.5–16 μM) also induced an increasing release of the AA metabolite thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂). The AA-induced release of IL-6 occurred within 1–2 h of incubation, whereas TXB₂ concentrations were elevated within 5 min of AA treatment. The TX synthetase inhibitor CGS 12970 (4.0 μM and 40.0 μM) effectively blocked the generation of TXB₂, but increased prostacyclin (PGI₂) generation and potentiated the release of IL-6. In addition, PGI₂, as well as the PGI₂ agonists iloprost and cicaprost, stimulated IL-6 release from Mø by greater than 5-fold over vehicle-treated basal levels. These data suggest that PGI₂ (but not TXA₂) is involved in AA-induced IL-6 release from peritoneal Mø.     

Ion channel targeting in neurons

Electrical signaling by neurons depends on the precisely ordered distribution of a wide variety of ion channels on the neuronal surface. The mechanisms underlying the targeting of particular classes of ion channels to specific subcellular sites are poorly understood. Recent studies have identified a new class of protein-protein interaction mediated by PDZ domains, protein binding modules that recognize specific sequences at the C terminus of membrane proteins. The PDZ domains of a family of synaptic cytoskeleton-associated proteins, typified by PSD-95, bind to the intracellular C-terminal tails of NMDA receptors and Shaker-type K⁺ channels. This interaction appears to be important in the clustering and localization of these ion channels at synaptic sites. Recognition of specific C-terminal peptide sequences by different PDZ domain-containing proteins may be a general mechanism for differential targeting of proteins to a variety of subcellular locations.