Cortical brain abnormalities in 4474 individuals with schizophrenia and 5098 control subjects via the enhancing neuro Imaging genetics through meta analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium

BACKGROUND: The profile of cortical neuroanatomical abnormalities in schizophrenia is not fully understood, despite hundreds of published structural brain imaging studies. This study presents the first meta-analysis of cortical thickness and surface area abnormalities in schizophrenia conducted by the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) Schizophrenia Working Group. METHODS: The study included data from 4474 individuals with schizophrenia (mean age, 32.3 years; range, 11-78 years; 66% male) and 5098 healthy volunteers (mean age, 32.8 years; range, 10-87 years; 53% male) assessed with standardized methods at 39 centers worldwide. RESULTS: Compared with healthy volunteers, individuals with schizophrenia have widespread thinner cortex (left/right hemisphere: Cohen's d = -0.530/-0.516) and smaller surface area (left/right hemisphere: Cohen's d = -0.251/-0.254), with the largest effect sizes for both in frontal and temporal lobe regions. Regional group differences in cortical thickness remained significant when statistically controlling for global cortical thickness, suggesting regional specificity. In contrast, effects for cortical surface area appear global. Case-control, negative, cortical thickness effect sizes were two to three times larger in individuals receiving antipsychotic medication relative to unmedicated individuals. Negative correlations between age and bilateral temporal pole thickness were stronger in individuals with schizophrenia than in healthy volunteers. Regional cortical thickness showed significant negative correlations with normalized medication dose, symptom severity, and duration of illness and positive correlations with age at onset. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the ENIGMA meta-analysis approach can achieve robust findings in clinical neuroscience studies; also, medication effects should be taken into account in future genetic association studies of cortical thickness in schizophrenia

Single-photon detection enabled by negative differential conductivity in moiré superlattices

Detecting individual light quanta is essential for quantum information, space exploration, advanced machine vision, and fundamental science. Here, we introduce a novel single photon detection mechanism using highly photosensitive non-equilibrium electron phases in moir\'e materials. Using tunable bands in bilayer graphene/hexagonal-boron nitride superlattices, we engineer negative differential conductance and a sensitive bistable state capable of detecting single photons. Operating in this regime, we demonstrate single-photon counting at mid-infrared (11.3 microns) and visible wavelengths (675 nanometres) and temperatures up to 25 K. This detector offers new prospects for broadband, high-temperature quantum technologies with CMOS compatibility and seamless integration into photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Our analysis suggests the mechanism underlying our device operation originates from negative differential velocity, and represents an important milestone in the field of high-bias transport in two-dimensional moir\'e quantum materials

Single-photon detection enabled by negative differential conductivity in moiré superlattices

Detecting individual light quanta is essential for quantum information, space exploration, advanced machine vision, and fundamental science. Here, we introduce a novel single photon detection mechanism using highly photosensitive non-equilibrium electron phases in moir\'e materials. Using tunable bands in bilayer graphene/hexagonal-boron nitride superlattices, we engineer negative differential conductance and a sensitive bistable state capable of detecting single photons. Operating in this regime, we demonstrate single-photon counting at mid-infrared (11.3 microns) and visible wavelengths (675 nanometres) and temperatures up to 25 K. This detector offers new prospects for broadband, high-temperature quantum technologies with CMOS compatibility and seamless integration into photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Our analysis suggests the mechanism underlying our device operation originates from negative differential velocity, and represents an important milestone in the field of high-bias transport in two-dimensional moir\'e quantum materials

Large-scale analysis of structural brain asymmetries in schizophrenia via the ENIGMA consortium

Left-right asymmetry is an important organizing feature of the healthy brain that may be altered in schizophrenia, but most studies have used relatively small samples and heterogeneous approaches, resulting in equivocal findings. We carried out the largest case-control study of structural brain asymmetries in schizophrenia, using MRI data from 5,080 affected individuals and 6,015 controls across 46 datasets in the ENIGMA consortium, using a single image analysis protocol. Asymmetry indexes were calculated for global and regional cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volume measures. Differences of asymmetry were calculated between affected individuals and controls per dataset, and effect sizes were meta-analyzed across datasets. Small average case-control differences were observed for thickness asymmetries of the rostral anterior cingulate and the middle temporal gyrus, both driven by thinner left-hemispheric cortices in schizophrenia. Analyses of these asymmetries with respect to the use of antipsychotic medication and other clinical variables did not show any significant associations. Assessment of age- and sex-specific effects revealed a stronger average leftward asymmetry of pallidum volume between older cases and controls. Case-control differences in a multivariate context were assessed in a subset of the data (N = 2,029), which revealed that 7% of the variance across all structural asymmetries was explained by case-control status. Subtle case-control differences of brain macro-structural asymmetry may reflect differences at the molecular, cytoarchitectonic or circuit levels that have functional relevance for the disorder. Reduced left middle temporal cortical thickness is consistent with altered left-hemisphere language network organization in schizophrenia

Photobiology of vitamin D in mushrooms and its bioavailability in humans

Mushrooms exposed to sunlight or UV radiation are an excellent source of dietary vitamin D(2) because they contain high concentrations of the vitamin D precursor, provitamin D(2). When mushrooms are exposed to UV radiation, provitamin D(2) is converted to previtamin D(2). Once formed, previtamin D(2) rapidly isomerizes to vitamin D(2) in a similar manner that previtamin D(3) isomerizes to vitamin D(3) in human skin. Continued exposure of mushrooms to UV radiation results in the production of lumisterol(2) and tachysterol(2). It was observed that the concentration of lumisterol(2) remained constant in white button mushrooms for up to 24 h after being produced. However, in the same mushroom tachysterol(2) concentrations rapidly declined and were undetectable after 24 h. Shiitake mushrooms not only produce vitamin D(2) but also produce vitamin D(3) and vitamin D(4). A study of the bioavailability of vitamin D(2) in mushrooms compared with the bioavailability of vitamin D(2) or vitamin D(3) in a supplement revealed that ingestion of 2000 IUs of vitamin D(2) in mushrooms is as effective as ingesting 2000 IUs of vitamin D(2) or vitamin D(3) in a supplement in raising and maintaining blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D which is a marker for a person's vitamin D status. Therefore, mushrooms are a rich source of vitamin D(2) that when consumed can increase and maintain blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in a healthy range. Ingestion of mushrooms may also provide the consumer with a source of vitamin D(3) and vitamin D(4)

Within-host Evolution of Acinetobacter Baumannii in Clinical Bacteremia Patients

Abstract Background: Acinetobacter baumannii colonizing the respiratory tract has been established as an independent risk factor for bacteremia. However, within-host evolution of A. baumannii in bacteremia has not been extensively investigated. Here we performed whole genome sequencing to discover the evolutionary characteristics that accompany the transition from respiratory tract carriage to bloodstream infection in three A. baumannii bacteremia patients.Results: Within-host genetic diversity was identified. A total of twenty-one SNVs were detected. Genic and intergenic evolution occurred particularly in secretion system, DNA recombination and cell motility genes. Intergenic SNVs occurred more frequently than synonymous and non-synonymous SNVs, which indicated potential transcription or translation regulation. Non-synonymous mutations mostly occurred during the transition from the respiratory tract carriage to the bloodstream infection. Isolates of clonal complex 208 (CC208) had lower substitution rate with approximately 10-6 nucleotide substitutions per site year-1, compared with non CC208 isolates (approximately 10-5). We found evidence for the occurrence of recombination in one patient. Gene content showed patient specificity, and isolates within a single host had constrained gene content diversity.Conclusions: Our results indicated that high within-host diversity was driven by rapid mutation rates and limited effect of recombination in A. baumannii from respiratory tract carriage to bacteremia.</jats:p