Archetypes and code biology.

As a clinical psychologist, I observe stereotyped formulas of behavior in action every day in the consulting room, despite differences in age, race, or culture; they present themselves as codified rules or typical modes of behavior in archetypical situations. Such circumstances coincide with what C.G. Jung defended: the existence of archetypes stored in an inherited/phylogenetic repository, which he called the collective unconscious - somewhat similar to the notion of an ethogram, as shown by ethology. Psychologists can use a perspective to facilitate understanding the phenomenon: the code biology perspective (Barbieri 2014). This approach can help us recognize how these phenomenological events have an ontological reality based not only on the existence of organic information but also on the existence of organic meaning. We are not a tabula rasa (Wilson 2000): despite the explosive diversification of the brain and the emergence of conscience and intentionality, we observe the conservation of basic instincts and emotions (Ekman 2004; Damasio 2010) not only in humans but in all mammals and other living beings; we refer to the neural activity on which the discrimination behavior is based, i.e., the neural codes. The conservation of these fundamental set-of-rules or conventions suggests that one or more neural codes have been highly conserved and serves as an interpretive basis for what happens to the living being who owns them (Barbieri 2003). Thus, archetypes' phenomenological reality can be understood not as something metaphorical but as an ontological (phylogenetic) fact (Goodwyn 2019). Furthermore, epigenetic regulation theories present the possibility that the biomolecular process incorporates elements of the context where it takes place; something fundamental to understand our concept - the archetype presents itself as the mnesic remnant of the behavioral history of individuals who preceded us on the evolutionary scale. In short: brains are optimized for processing ethologically relevant sensory signals (Clemens et al., 2015). From the perspective of the corporeal mind (Searle 2002), in this paper, we will show the parallels between code biology and the concept of the archetype, as Jung defended it and as it appears in clinical practice.

Iron deposition in rabbit cerebellum after exposure to generated and mobile GSM electromagnetic fields.

BACKGROUND: Mobile phone application may cause structural, functional changes and accumulation of toxic elements in brain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate iron accumulation in rabbit cerebellum after exposure to RF EMF with light and scanning electron microscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Histochemical analysis of iron distribution by light and electron microscopy with energy-dispersive microanalysis was used. RESULTS: Light microscopy revealed dystrophic changes of Purkinje cells in irradiated groups and iron deposits located in various parts of cerebellum. Deposits consists of C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ca and Fe. CONCLUSION: Our experiment revealed structural changes of Purkinje cells and iron and aluminium accumulations in stratum granulosum of rabbit's cerebellum after exposure to RF EMF (Fig. 6, Ref. 33).

In-depth analysis of chloride treatments for thin-film CdTe solar cells.

CdTe thin-film solar cells are now the main industrially established alternative to silicon-based photovoltaics. These cells remain reliant on the so-called chloride activation step in order to achieve high conversion efficiencies. Here, by comparison of effective and ineffective chloride treatments, we show the main role of the chloride process to be the modification of grain boundaries through chlorine accumulation, which leads an increase in the carrier lifetime. It is also demonstrated that while improvements in fill factor and short circuit current may be achieved through use of the ineffective chlorides, or indeed simple air annealing, voltage improvement is linked directly to chlorine incorporation at the grain boundaries. This suggests that focus on improved or more controlled grain boundary treatments may provide a route to achieving higher cell voltages and thus efficiencies.

The role of transition radiation in cathodoluminescence imaging and spectroscopy of thin-foils.

There is renewed interest in cathodoluminescence (CL) in the transmission electron microscope, since it can be combined with low energy loss spectroscopy measurements and can also be used to probe defects, such as grain boundaries and dislocations, at high spatial resolution. Transition radiation (TR), which is emitted when the incident electron crosses the vacuum-specimen interface, is however an important artefact that has received very little attention. The importance of TR is demonstrated on a wedge shaped CdTe specimen of varying thickness. For small specimen thicknesses (<250nm) grain boundaries are not visible in the panchromatic CL image. Grain boundary contrast is produced by electron-hole recombination within the foil, and a large fraction of that light is lost to multiple-beam interference, so that thicker specimens are required before the grain boundary signal is above the TR background. This is undesirable for high spatial resolution. Furthermore, the CL spectrum contains additional features due to TR which are not part of the 'bulk' specimen. Strategies to minimise the effects of TR are also discussed.

Notch1 endocytosis is induced by ligand and is required for signal transduction.

The Notch signalling pathway is widely utilised during embryogenesis in situations where cell-cell interactions are important for cell fate specification and differentiation. DSL ligand endocytosis into the ligand-expressing cell is an important aspect of Notch signalling because it is thought to supply the force needed to separate the Notch heterodimer to initiate signal transduction. A functional role for receptor endocytosis during Notch signal transduction is more controversial. Here we have used live-cell imaging to examine trafficking of the Notch1 receptor in response to ligand binding. Contact with cells expressing ligands induced internalisation and intracellular trafficking of Notch1. Notch1 endocytosis was accompanied by transendocytosis of ligand into the Notch1-expressing signal-receiving cell. Ligand caused Notch1 endocytosis into SARA-positive endosomes in a manner dependent on clathrin and dynamin function. Moreover, inhibition of endocytosis in the receptor-expressing cell impaired ligand-induced Notch1 signalling. Our findings resolve conflicting observations from mammalian and Drosophila studies by demonstrating that ligand-dependent activation of Notch1 signalling requires receptor endocytosis. Endocytosis of Notch1 may provide a force on the ligand:receptor complex that is important for potent signal transduction.

Long Lifetime Hole Traps at Grain Boundaries in CdTe Thin-Film Photovoltaics.

A novel time-resolved cathodoluminescence method, where a pulsed electron beam is generated via the photoelectric effect, is used to probe individual CdTe grain boundaries. Excitons have a short lifetime (≤100 ps) within the grains and are rapidly quenched at the grain boundary. However, a ~47 meV shallow acceptor, believed to be due to oxygen, can act as a long lifetime hole trap, even at the grain boundaries where their concentration is higher. This provides direct evidence supporting recent observations of hopping conduction across grain boundaries in highly doped CdTe at low temperature.

A low-cost non-toxic post-growth activation step for CdTe solar cells.

Cadmium telluride, CdTe, is now firmly established as the basis for the market-leading thin-film solar-cell technology. With laboratory efficiencies approaching 20 per cent, the research and development targets for CdTe are to reduce the cost of power generation further to less than half a US dollar per watt (ref. 2) and to minimize the environmental impact. A central part of the manufacturing process involves doping the polycrystalline thin-film CdTe with CdCl2. This acts to form the photovoltaic junction at the CdTe/CdS interface and to passivate the grain boundaries, making it essential in achieving high device efficiencies. However, although such doping has been almost ubiquitous since the development of this processing route over 25 years ago, CdCl2 has two severe disadvantages; it is both expensive (about 30 cents per gram) and a water-soluble source of toxic cadmium ions, presenting a risk to both operators and the environment during manufacture. Here we demonstrate that solar cells prepared using MgCl2, which is non-toxic and costs less than a cent per gram, have efficiencies (around 13%) identical to those of a CdCl2-processed control group. They have similar hole densities in the active layer (9 × 10(14) cm(-3)) and comparable impurity profiles for Cl and O, these elements being important p-type dopants for CdTe thin films. Contrary to expectation, CdCl2-processed and MgCl2-processed solar cells contain similar concentrations of Mg; this is because of Mg out-diffusion from the soda-lime glass substrates and is not disadvantageous to device performance. However, treatment with other low-cost chlorides such as NaCl, KCl and MnCl2 leads to the introduction of electrically active impurities that do compromise device performance. Our results demonstrate that CdCl2 may simply be replaced directly with MgCl2 in the existing fabrication process, thus both minimizing the environmental risk and reducing the cost of CdTe solar-cell production.

Notch4 reveals a novel mechanism regulating Notch signal transduction.

Notch4 is a divergent member of the Notch family of receptors that is primarily expressed in the vasculature. Its expression implies an important role for Notch4 in the vasculature; however, mice homozygous for the Notch4(d1) knockout allele are viable. Since little is known about the role of Notch4 in the vasculature and how it functions, we further investigated Notch4 in mice and in cultured cells. We found that the Notch4(d1) allele is not null as it expresses a truncated transcript encoding most of the NOTCH4 extracellular domain. In cultured cells, NOTCH4 did not signal in response to ligand. Moreover, NOTCH4 inhibited signalling from the NOTCH1 receptor. This is the first report of cis-inhibition of signalling by another Notch receptor. The NOTCH4 extracellular domain also inhibits NOTCH1 signalling when expressed in cis, raising the possibility that reported Notch4 phenotypes may not be due to loss of NOTCH4 function. To better address the role of NOTCH4 in vivo, we generated a Notch4 null mouse in which the entire coding region was deleted. Notch4 null mice exhibited slightly delayed vessel growth in the retina, consistent with our novel finding that NOTCH4 protein is expressed in the newly formed vasculature. These findings indicate a role of NOTCH4 in fine-tuning the forming vascular plexus.

Association between serum 25(OH) vitamin D, incident liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality in the Linxian Nutrition Intervention Trials: a nested case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Although vitamin D deficiency has been noted in cross-sectional studies of chronic liver disease and laboratory studies suggest possible benefits of vitamin D in preventing liver cancer, little epidemiologic data are available. METHODS: We performed a nested case-control study in the Linxian Nutrition Intervention Trials on participants developing incident liver cancer or dying from chronic liver disease over 22 years of follow-up. Baseline serum 25(OH) vitamin D was measured for 226 incident liver cancer cases, 282 chronic liver disease deaths and 1063 age-, sex- and trial-matched controls. Unconditional logistical regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The median serum vitamin D level in controls was low (20 nmol l(-1)). Compared with the lowest quartile, subjects in the fourth quartile had lower risk of chronic liver disease death (OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.21-0.55). For liver cancer incidence, risk estimates were below one, but were not statistically significant. Associations, however, were significant among participants with higher serum calcium levels (Q4 vs Q1, OR=0.43, 95% CI=0.21-0.89). Results for chronic liver disease did not vary by serum calcium level. CONCLUSION: In a low vitamin D population, higher serum 25(OH) vitamin D concentrations were associated with significantly lower risk of chronic liver disease deaths, and among those with higher serum calcium, incident liver cancer. Our results suggest a possible protective role for vitamin D in these diseases.

GINA--a polarized neutron reflectometer at the Budapest Neutron Centre.

The setup, capabilities, and operation parameters of the neutron reflectometer GINA, the recently installed "Grazing Incidence Neutron Apparatus" at the Budapest Neutron Centre, are introduced. GINA, a dance-floor-type, constant-energy, angle-dispersive reflectometer is equipped with a 2D position-sensitive detector to study specular and off-specular scattering. Wavelength options between 3.2 and 5.7 Å are available for unpolarized and polarized neutrons. Spin polarization and analysis are achieved by magnetized transmission supermirrors and radio-frequency adiabatic spin flippers. As a result of vertical focusing by a five-element pyrolytic graphite monochromator, the reflected intensity from a 20 × 20 mm(2) sample has been doubled. GINA is dedicated to studies of magnetic films and heterostructures, but unpolarized options for non-magnetic films, membranes, and other surfaces are also provided. Shortly after its startup, reflectivity values as low as 3 × 10(-5) have been measured by the instrument. The instrument capabilities are demonstrated by a non-polarized and a polarized reflectivity experiment on a Si wafer and on a magnetic film of [(62)Ni/(nat)Ni](5) isotope-periodic layer composition. The facility is now open for the international user community. Its further development is underway establishing new sample environment options and spin analysis of off-specularly scattered radiation as well as further decreasing the background.

Correlates of anti-EBV EBNA1 IgA positivity among unaffected relatives from nasopharyngeal carcinoma multiplex families.

BACKGROUND: To determine whether non-viral nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) risk factors might be associated with (and mediated through) Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serological responses linked to NPC risk, we evaluated predictors of risk of anti-EBNA1 IgA seropositivity and other markers among unaffected relatives from a large NPC family study in Taiwan. METHODS: Multivariate logistic regression conditioned on family was used to examine the associations between sociodemographic, dietary, lifestyle, and occupational variables and risk of anti-EBV EBNA1 IgA positivity, anti-VCA IgA, and anti-DNase positivity. RESULTS: Among 2393 unaffected relatives from 319 multiplex families, 1180 (49.3%) were anti-EBV EBNA1 IgA seropositive. None of the associations with anti-EBNA1 IgA were statistically significant, except for being 31-50 years of age (vs <30, adjusted ORs 0.51-0.57). For one or more EBV serological markers, there were suggestive associations for older age, GuangDong firm salted fish, betel use, current alcohol use, and male gender. CONCLUSION: Overall, we found little evidence to suggest that non-viral NPC risk factors significantly alter EBV serological patterns, suggesting that non-viral NPC risk factors act through pathways independent of EBV serological responses.

Phase and microphase separation of polymer thin films dewetted from silicon--a spin-echo resolved grazing incidence neutron scattering study.

An understanding of the structure of ultrathin polymer films on solid substrates has scientific importance in applications as well as in fundamental studies of polymer diffusion or adsorption. We present studies of the organization of dewetted droplets of polymers on a silicon surface using a new neutron scattering technique, spin-echo resolved grazing incidence scattering (SERGIS), that has the potential to address at the same time the droplet-droplet correlations and the chemical configuration inside each droplet. For the seminal experiments, the polarized neutron reflectometer EVA at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France, was equipped with a spin-echo setup, and measurements were taken on surface structures previously characterized by different techniques. The dewetted polymers used in our studies were pure polystyrene, a mixture of polystyrene and polyparamethylstyrene, and a diblock copolymer of the two homopolymers. Even with a provisional setup SERGIS, we were able to determine the correlation between the droplets, providing results in excellent agreement with those obtained by atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering. In addition, it was confirmed that the correlation function for diblock copolymer droplets is more complex than for polymer mixtures, exhibiting partial ordering of the copolymer within each droplet.

Insulin-like growth factors and liver cancer risk in male smokers.

BACKGROUND: The liver is the primary source of circulating insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, yet the relation between IGFs and liver cancer is uncertain. METHODS: In a case-cohort study within a cohort of 29,133 male smokers we examined associations of serum IGF-I and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 with liver cancer (50 cases). RESULTS: Nonlinear associations between liver cancer and IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were observed (P=0.04 and P<0.01, respectively), strongest association at lowest levels (odds ratio (OR)=0.2, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.1-0.7 for 80 vs 30 ng ml(-1) of IGF-I; OR=0.2, 95% CI=0.1-0.6 for 1400 vs 700 ng ml(-1) of IGFBP-3). CONCLUSIONS: Low IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in male smokers are associated with increased risk of liver cancer.

Insulin-like growth factors and risk of kidney cancer in men.

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) has been shown to increase kidney growth, glomerular filtration rate, and renal function. METHODS: In the prospective Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) study of 29 133 Finnish male smokers aged 50-69 years, serum concentrations of IGF were measured in samples collected in 1985-1988. A total of 100 men with kidney cancer diagnosed > or =5 years after blood collection through 1997 were compared with a subcohort of 400 men; logistic regression models were used to estimate the risk of developing kidney cancer. RESULTS: Men with IGF-I levels >113 ng ml(-1) were 59% less likely to develop kidney cancer than men with levels < or =113 ng ml(-1) (odds ratio=0.41; 95% confidence interval=0.23-0.75). The IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels did not alter the association. No association was observed between IGFBP-3, or molar ratio of IGF-I/IGFBP-3, and kidney cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Low serum IGF-I levels in this cohort of older middle-aged male smokers are associated with increased kidney cancer risk, independent of IGFBP-3.

A retrospective review of patients with head injury with coexistent anticoagulant and antiplatelet use admitted from a UK emergency department.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Conflicting evidence exists surrounding the increased risk of adverse outcome conferred by preinjury anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatment in patients with head injury. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology of patients with head injury on anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatment admitted to a hospital from an emergency department (ED). METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of all patients with head injury admitted to a hospital from a major UK ED between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2007. RESULTS: 399 patients met the inclusion criteria. 110 patients underwent CT, with 24 having traumatic haemorrhage. Of 271 patients on aspirin, 75 (28%) underwent CT, with 19 of these (25%) having traumatic haemorrhage. Of 89 patients on warfarin, 27 (30%) underwent CT, with 4 of these (15%) having traumatic haemorrhage. Seven of the 24 (29%) patients with traumatic haemorrhage on CT did not undergo urgent ED scanning. All these patients were on aspirin. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the need for caution in the early discharge of patients with head injury taking anticoagulant medication. This study also raises concerns that patients taking antiplatelet medication prior to injury may also be at high risk of developing covert serious intracranial haemorrhage and suggests the need for a well-designed cohort study looking at antiplatelet risk in head injury.

An integrated genomic analysis of lung cancer reveals loss of DUSP4 in EGFR-mutant tumors.

To address the biological heterogeneity of lung cancer, we studied 199 lung adenocarcinomas by integrating genome-wide data on copy number alterations and gene expression with full annotation for major known somatic mutations in this cancer. This showed non-random patterns of copy number alterations significantly linked to EGFR and KRAS mutation status and to distinct clinical outcomes, and led to the discovery of a striking association of EGFR mutations with underexpression of DUSP4, a gene within a broad region of frequent single-copy loss on 8p. DUSP4 is involved in negative feedback control of EGFR signaling, and we provide functional validation for its role as a growth suppressor in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma. DUSP4 loss also associates with p16/CDKN2A deletion and defines a distinct clinical subset of lung cancer patients. Another novel observation is that of a reciprocal relationship between EGFR and LKB1 mutations. These results highlight the power of integrated genomics to identify candidate driver genes within recurrent broad regions of copy number alteration and to delineate distinct oncogenetic pathways in genetically complex common epithelial cancers.

Experimental study of aerosol deposition in pulsating balloon structures.

In this study, aerosol depositions within pulsating balloon structures are investigated. Cyclical motion of expansion and contraction of the balloon models are controlled by varying the surrounding vacuum pressures inside the air chamber. Balloons of various configurations are used to induce the air flows as well as to collect the deposited particles. The non-uniform distribution patterns of particle deposition inside the models are measured by fluorescence spectrophotometer. Different airflow rates are investigated. The objective of this study is to qualitatively investigate the phenomena of enhanced particle local deposition in pockets with moving wall conditions. It has been observed in the experiments that a particle deposition "hot spot" exists at the entrance of balloon model for almost all flow rates covered in the study and the moving boundary flow enhances the aerosol deposition significantly.

Comparison of the effects of immediate-release omeprazole powder for oral suspension and pantoprazole delayed-release tablets on nocturnal acid breakthrough in patients with symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: Many patients treated with a proton-pump inhibitor for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or erosive oesophagitis still have substantial night-time gastric acidity. A previous trial of a new immediate-release omeprazole oral suspension suggested that nocturnal gastric acidity could be more effectively controlled with a bedtime dose of immediate-release omeprazole than with a delayed-release proton-pump inhibitor administered before dinner or at bedtime. AIM: To compare the ability of immediate-release omeprazole with pantoprazole to control nocturnal gastric acidity, when they were dosed once daily and twice daily. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with nocturnal gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms received immediate-release omeprazole and pantoprazole in this open-label, randomized-crossover trial. Median gastric pH, the percentage of time with gastric pH > 4 and the percentage of patients with nocturnal acid breakthrough, were evaluated with 24-h pH monitoring. RESULTS: Repeated once daily (bedtime) dosing with immediate-release omeprazole suspension produced significantly better nocturnal gastric acid control than repeated once daily (predinner) or twice daily (prebreakfast and bedtime) dosing with pantoprazole delayed-release tablets (median pH: 4.7 vs. 2.0 and 1.7; percentage of time pH > 4: 55 vs. 27 and 34; nocturnal acid breakthrough: 53 vs. 78 and 75). Twice daily dosing (prebreakfast and bedtime) with immediate-release omeprazole 20 and 40 mg achieved the best night-time control of gastric acidity. Repeated once daily bedtime dosing with immediate-release omeprazole 40 mg and twice daily dosing with pantoprazole 40 mg gave similar 24-h pH control. No safety issues were associated with either drug in this trial. CONCLUSIONS: Dosed once daily at bedtime, immediate-release omeprazole reduced nocturnal gastric acidity to a degree not observed with once daily dosing of delayed-release proton-pump inhibitors.