The Relationship Between Brain Activation for Taking Others' Perspective and Interoceptive Abilities in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An fMRI Study.

Objectives: In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we aimed to investigate the differences in brain activation between individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) individuals during perspective taking. We also examined the association between brain activation and empathic and interoceptive abilities. Methods: During scanning, participants from the ASD (n=17) and TD (n=22) groups were shown pain stimuli and asked to rate the level of the observed pain from both self- and other-perspectives. Empathic abilities, including perspective taking, were measured using an empathic questionnaire, and three dimensions of interoception were assessed: interoceptive accuracy, interoceptive sensibility, and interoceptive trait prediction errors. Results: During self-perspective taking, the ASD group exhibited greater activation in the left precuneus than the TD group. During other-perspective taking, relative hyperactivation extended to areas including the right precuneus, right superior frontal gyrus, left caudate nucleus, and left amygdala. Brain activation levels in the right superior frontal gyrus while taking other-perspective were negatively correlated with interoceptive accuracy, and those in the left caudate were negatively correlated with perspective taking ability in the ASD group. Conclusion: Individuals with ASD show atypical brain activation during perspective taking. Notably, their brain regions associated with stress reactions and escape responses are overactivated when taking other-perspective. This overactivity is related to poor interoceptive accuracy, suggesting that individuals with ASD may experience difficulties with the self-other distinction or atypical embodiment when considering another person's perspective.

Graph Theoretical Analysis of Brain Structural Connectivity in Patients with Alcohol Dependence.

This study aimed to compare brain structural connectivity using graph theory between patients with alcohol dependence and social drinkers. The participants were divided into two groups; the alcohol group (N=23) consisting of patients who had been hospitalized and had abstained from alcohol for at least three months and the control group (N=22) recruited through advertisements and were social drinkers. All participants were evaluated using 3T magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 1000 repeated whole-brain tractographies with random parameters were performed using DSI Studio. Four hundred functionally defined cortical regions of interest (ROIs) were parcellated using FreeSurfer based on the Schaefer Atlas. The ROIs were overlaid on the tractography results to generate 1000 structural connectivity matrices per person, and 1000 matrices were averaged into a single matrix per subject. Graph analysis was performed through igraph R package. Graph measures were compared between the two groups using analysis of covariance, considering the effects of age and smoking pack years. The alcohol group showed lower local efficiency than the control group in the whole-brain (F=5.824, p=0.020), somato-motor (F=5.963, p=0.019), and default mode networks (F=4.422, p=0.042). The alcohol group showed a lower global efficiency (F=5.736, p=0.021) in the control network. The transitivity of the alcohol group in the dorsal attention network was higher than that of the control (F=4.257, p=0.046). Our results imply that structural stability of the whole-brain network is affected in patients with alcohol dependence, which can lead to ineffective information processing in cases of local node failure.

Hippocampal Subfields and White Matter Connectivity in Patients with Subclinical Geriatric Depression.

Despite an abundance of research related to the functional and structural changes of the brain in patients with geriatric depression, knowledge related to early alterations such as decreased white matter connectivity and their association with cognitive decline remains lacking. We aimed to investigate early alterations in hippocampal microstructure and identify their associations with memory function in geriatric patients with subclinical depression. Nineteen participants with subclinical geriatric depression and 19 healthy controls aged ≥65 years exhibiting general cognitive function within the normal range were included in the study and underwent assessments of verbal memory. Hippocampal subfield volumes were determined based on T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (T1-MPRAGE) images, while group tractography and connectometry analyses were conducted using diffusion tensor images. Our findings indicated that the volumes of whole bilateral hippocampus, cornus ammonis (CA) 1, molecular layer, left subiculum, CA3, hippocampal tail, right CA4, and granule cell/molecular layers of the dentate gyrus (GC-ML-DG) were significantly smaller in the subclinical depression group than in the control group. In the subclinical depression group, verbal learning was positively correlated with the volumes of the CA1, GC-ML-DG, molecular layer, and whole hippocampus in the right hemisphere. The fractional anisotropy of the bilateral fornix was also significantly lower in the subclinical depression group and exhibited a positive correlation with verbal learning and recall in both groups. Our results suggest that hippocampal microstructure is disrupted and associated with memory in patients with subclinical depression.

White matter integrity in alcohol-dependent patients with long-term abstinence.

ABSTRACT: Based on association studies on amounts of alcohol consumed and cortical and subcortical structural shrinkage, we investigated the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on white matter pathways using probabilistic tractography.Twenty-three alcohol-dependent men (with an average sobriety of 13.1 months) from a mental health hospital and 22 age-matched male healthy social drinkers underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging. Eighteen major white matter pathways were reconstructed using the TRActs Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy tool (provided by the FreeSurfer). The hippocampal volumes were estimated using an automated procedure. The lifetime drinking history interview, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, and pack-years of smoking were also evaluated.Analysis of covariance controlling for age, cigarette smoking, total motion index indicated that there was no definite difference of diffusion parameters between the 2 groups after multiple comparison correction. As hippocampal volume decreased, the fractional anisotropy of the right cingulum-angular bundle decreased. Additionally, the axial diffusivity of right cingulum-angular bundle was positively correlated with the alcohol abstinence period.The results imply resilience of white matter in patients with alcohol dependence. Additional longitudinal studies with multimodal methods and neuropsychological tests may improve our findings of the changes in white matter pathways in patients with alcohol dependence.

Disrupted Association Between Empathy and Brain Structure in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between brain structure and empathy in early adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Nineteen early adolescents with ADHD and 20 healthy controls underwent 3T MRI. All the participants were assessed for different aspects of empathy using measures including the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and Empathy Quotient. Cortical thickness and subcortical structural volume based on T1-weighted scans were analyzed using FreeSurfer. RESULTS: Cognitive empathy (t=-2.52, p=0.016) and perspective taking (t=-2.10, p=0.043) were impaired in the ADHD group compared with the control group. The cluster encompassing the left posterior insular, supramarginal, and transverse temporal cortices [cluster-wise p-value (CWP)=0.001], which are associated with emotional empathy, was significantly smaller in the ADHD group, and the volume of the left nucleus accumbens was greater than that of the control group (F=10.12, p=0.003, effect size=0.22). In the control group, the left superior temporal (CWP=0.002) and lingual cortical (CWP=0.035) thicknesses were positively associated with cognitive empathy, while the right amygdala volume was positively associated with empathic concern (Coef=14.26, t=3.92, p=0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between empathy and brain structure in the ADHD group. CONCLUSION: The ADHD group had a smaller volume of the cortical area associated with emotional empathy than the control group, and there was no brain region showing significant correlation with empathy, unlike in the control group.

Cognitive and Emotional Empathy in Young Adolescents: an fMRI Study.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the differences in cognitive and emotional empathic ability between adolescents and adults, and the differences of the brain activation during cognitive and emotional empathy tasks. METHODS: Adolescents (aged 13-15 years, n=14) and adults (aged 19-29 years, n=17) completed a range of empathic ability questionnaires and were scanned functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during both cognitive and emotional empathy task. Differences in empathic ability and brain activation between the groups were analyzed. RESULTS: Both cognitive and emotional empathic ability were significantly lower in the adolescent compared to the adult group. Comparing the adolescent to the adult group showed that brain activation was significantly greater in the right transverse temporal gyrus (BA 41), right insula (BA 13), right superior parietal lobule (BA 7), right precentral gyrus (BA 4), and right thalamus whilst performing emotional empathy tasks. No brain regions showed significantly greater activation in the adolescent compared to the adult group while performing cognitive empathy task. In the adolescent group, scores of the Fantasy Subscale in the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, which reflects cognitive empathic ability, negatively correlated with activity of right superior parietal lobule during emotional empathic situations (r=-0.739, p=0.006). CONCLUSION: These results strongly suggest that adolescents possess lower cognitive and emotional empathic abilities than adults do and require compensatory hyperactivation of the brain regions associated with emotional empathy or embodiment in emotional empathic situation. Compensatory hyperactivation in the emotional empathy-related brain areas among adolescents are likely associated with their lower cognitive empathic ability.

Rh(II)-Catalyzed skeletal reorganization of 1,6- and 1,7-enynes through electrophilic activation of alkynes.

The skeletal reorganization of 1,6- and 1,7-enynes leading to 1-vinylcycloalkenes using Rh(II) as a catalyst is reported. Two possible isomers of 1-vinylcycloalkenes, type I and type II, can be obtained, the ratio of which are highly dependent on the substitution pattern of the enynes used. Formation of type I compounds involves a single cleavage of a C-C double bond, the product of which is identical to that of enyne metathesis. In contrast, the formation of type II compounds involves the double cleavage of both the C-C double and triple bonds, which has an anomalous bond connection. The presence of both a phenyl group at the alkyne carbon and a methyl group at the internal alkene carbon facilitates the formation of type II compounds. The electronic and steric nature of the substituents on the aromatic ring also affects the ratio of type I and type II. The nature of a tether also has a significant effect on the course of the reaction. Experimental evidence for the intermediacy of a cyclopropyl rhodium carbenoid, a key intermediate in the skeletal reorganization of enynes, is also reported. In addition to the skeletal reorganization of enynes, Rh(II) complexes were found to have a high catalytic activity for some cycloisomerization reactions of alkyne derivatives, including the bicyclization of enynes to bicyclo[4.1.0]heptene derivatives and the cyclization of alkynylfurans to phenol derivatives.

Catalytic skeletal reorganization of enynes through electrophilic activation of alkynes: double cleavage of C-C double and triple bonds.

Skeletal reorganization of enynes was studied by electrophilic activation of alkynes with various metal catalysts; the products obtained can be classified into two types, one involving carbon-carbon bond single cleavage (type I) and the other involving carbon-carbon bond double cleavage (type II). Summarized in this review are our studies of the catalytic skeletal reorganization of enynes through the electrophilic activation of alkynes, and recent results from selective formation of type II products.

Palladium(0)-catalyzed decarboxylation of buta-2,3-dienyl 2'-alkynoates: approach to the synthesis of 2-alkynyl buta-1,3-dienes.

The Pd(PPh3)4-catalyzed decarboxylation of buta-2,3-dienyl 2'-alkynoates allows the rapid construction of 2-alkynyl buta-1,3-dienes. The carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction occurs at the central position of an allene moiety.

Novel Cyclosilazane-Type Silicon Precursor and Two-Step Plasma for Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition of Silicon Nitride.

We designed cyclosilazane-type silicon precursors and proposed a three-step plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process to prepare silicon nitride films with high quality and excellent step coverage. The cyclosilazane-type precursor, 1,3-di-isopropylamino-2,4-dimethylcyclosilazane (CSN-2), has a closed ring structure for good thermal stability and high reactivity. CSN-2 showed thermal stability up to 450 °C and a sufficient vapor pressure of 4 Torr at 60 °C. The energy for the chemisorption of CSN-2 on the undercoordinated silicon nitride surface as calculated by density functional theory method was -7.38 eV. The PEALD process window was between 200 and 500 °C, with a growth rate of 0.43 Å/cycle. The best film quality was obtained at 500 °C, with hydrogen impurity of ∼7 atom %, oxygen impurity less than 2 atom %, low wet etching rate, and excellent step coverage of ∼95%. At 300 °C and lower temperatures, the wet etching rate was high especially at the lower sidewall of the trench pattern. We introduced the three-step PEALD process to improve the film quality and the step coverage on the lower sidewall. The sequence of the three-step PEALD process consists of the CSN-2 feeding step, the NH3/N2 plasma step, and the N2 plasma step. The H radicals in NH3/N2 plasma efficiently remove the ligands from the precursor, and the N2 plasma after the NH3 plasma removes the surface hydrogen atoms to activate the adsorption of the precursor. The films deposited at 300 °C using the novel precursor and the three-step PEALD process showed a significantly improved step coverage of ∼95% and an excellent wet etching resistance at the lower sidewall, which is only twice as high as that of the blanket film prepared by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition.

Autism and Beauty: Neural Correlates of Aesthetic Experiences in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the neural activity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients is different from that of normal individuals when performing aesthetic judgments. METHODS: We recruited typical ASD patients without savant skills (ASD group, n=17) and healthy controls (HC group, n=19) for an functional magnetic resonance imaging study. All subjects were scanned while performing aesthetic judgment tasks on two kinds of artwork (magnificent landscape images and fractal images). Differences in brain activation between the two groups were assessed by contrasting neural activity during the tasks. RESULTS: The aesthetic judgment score for all images was significantly lower in the ASD group than in the HC group. During the aesthetic judgment tasks, the ASD group showed less activation than the HC group in the anterior region of the superior frontal gyrus, and more activation in the temporoparietal area and insula, regardless of the type of images being judged. In addition, during the aesthetic judgment task for the fractal images, the ASD group exhibited greater neural activity in the amygdala and the posterior region of the middle/inferior temporal gyrus (Brodmann area 37) than the HC group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the brain activation patterns associated with aesthetic experiences in ASD patients may differ from those of normal individuals.

Large-scale synthesis of uniform hexagonal boron nitride films by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been previously manufactured using mechanical exfoliation and chemical vapor deposition methods, which make the large-scale synthesis of uniform h-BN very challenging. In this study, we produced highly uniform and scalable h-BN films by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition, which were characterized by various techniques including atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The film composition studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy corresponded to a B:N stoichiometric ratio close to 1:1, and the band-gap value (5.65 eV) obtained by electron energy loss spectroscopy was consistent with the dielectric properties. The h-BN-containing capacitors were characterized by highly uniform properties, a reasonable dielectric constant (3), and low leakage current density, while graphene on h-BN substrates exhibited enhanced electrical performance such as the high carrier mobility and neutral Dirac voltage, which resulted from the low density of charged impurities on the h-BN surface.

GaCl3-catalyzed formation of eight-membered rings from enynes bearing a cyclic olefin.

GaCl3-catalyzed cycloisomerization of enynes having a cyclic olefin led to isolation of eight-membered ring compounds. [reaction: see text].

Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition of Silicon Nitride Using a Novel Silylamine Precursor.

We report the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of silicon nitride thin film using a silylamine compound as the silicon precursor. A series of silylamine compounds were designed by replacing SiH3 groups in trisilylamine by dimethylaminomethylsilyl or trimethylsilyl groups to obtain sufficient thermal stability. The silylamine compounds were synthesized through redistribution, amino-substitution, lithiation, and silylation reactions. Among them, bis(dimethylaminomethylsilyl)trimethylsilyl amine (C9H29N3Si3, DTDN2-H2) was selected as the silicon precursor because of the lowest bond dissociation energy and sufficient vapor pressures. The energies for adsorption and reaction of DTDN2-H2 with the silicon nitride surface were also calculated by density functional theory. PEALD silicon nitride thin films were prepared using DTDN2-H2 and N2 plasma. The PEALD process window was between 250 and 400 °C with a growth rate of 0.36 Å/cycle. The best film quality was obtained at 400 °C with a RF power of 100 W. The PEALD film prepared showed good bottom and sidewall coverages of ∼80% and ∼73%, respectively, on a trench-patterned wafer with an aspect ratio of 5.5.

Surface-Based Parameters of Brain Imaging in Male Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The structural alteration of brain shown in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) can originate from both alcohol effects and genetic or developmental processes. We compared surface-based parameters of patients with AUD with healthy controls to prove the applicability of surface-based morphometry with head size correction and to determine the areas that were sensitive to brain alteration related to AUD. METHODS: Twenty-six abstinent male patients with AUD (alcohol group, mean abstinence=13.2 months) and twenty-eight age-matched healthy participants (control group) were recruited from an inpatient mental hospital and community. All participants underwent a 3T MRI scan. Surface-based parameters were determined by using FreeSurfer. RESULTS: Every surface-based parameter of the alcohol group was lower than the corresponding control group parameter. There were large group differences in the whole brain, grey and white matter volume, and the differences were more prominent after head size correction. Significant group differences were shown in cortical thicknesses in entire brain regions, especially in parietal, temporal and frontal areas. There were no significant group differences in surface areas, but group difference trends in surface areas of the frontal and parietal cortices were shown after head size correction. CONCLUSION: Most of the surface-based parameters in alcohol group were altered because of incomplete recovery from chronic alcohol exposure and possibly genetic or developmental factors underlying the risk of AUD. Surface-based morphometry with controlling for head size is useful in comparing the volumetric parameters and the surface area to a lesser extent in alcohol-related brain alteration.

Volume of hippocampal subfields in patients with alcohol dependence.

Alcohol-induced hippocampal atrophy has been well documented in many studies and is known to affect various subfields. Given the functional heterogeneity of these subfields, we investigated the precise effects of alcohol-induced damage in these areas. Twenty-six male patients with alcohol dependence (alcohol group) and twenty-six age-matched male healthy social drinkers were recruited from a mental health hospital and the community respectively, with the aim of comparing the hippocampal subfields between groups. Each participant underwent a 3T MRI scan. Hippocampal subfield volumes were estimated using an automated procedure and drinking history recorded using Lifetime Drinking History, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and the Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. The alcohol group showed a lower total hippocampus volume, specifically in the left presubiculum, fimbria, and bilateral subiculum. Regression analysis assessing the influence of age and group showed that group was a more significant factor than age in most subfields. Our findings suggest that alcohol dependence alters hippocampal subfield volumes. Further longitudinal studies on the interaction of structural and neurocognitive changes would improve our understanding of brain structural changes resulting from long-term alcohol consumption.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Zirconium-Based High-k Metal Gate Oxide: Effect of Si Containing Zr Precursor.

Zirconium based thin film have been deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) process using Zr and Si containing Zr precursor with ozone as oxidant. We have pursued a means to control composition by varying Zr and Si containing precursor by cycle frequency. The molar ratio of Si to Zr in the Zr based films was 0.2, 0.25, 0.33, and 0.5. Addition of Si containing Zr precursor on Zirconium based thin films was effective for the decrease of the roughness, while an increase of density. XPS analysis indicated that the addition of Si containing Zr precursors in the Zr based film formed the silicate structure. The XRD analysis of the all ZrO2-SiO2 mixed films annealed at 600 degrees C for 5 min indicated the presence of amorphous. However, the ZrO2 film showed diffraction peaks at 2θ = 30.6 degrees due to the presence of the Tetragonal ZrO2. The incorporation of Si into ZrO2 films helps stabilize an amorphous structure during deposition and annealing. The Zr based thin film (Si/Zr = 0.25) exhibited that the leakage current density was 6.2 x 10(-7) A/cm2 at a bias of - 1.5 V.

Satisfaction of immediate or delayed switch to paliperidone palmitate in patients unsatisfied with current oral atypical antipsychotics.

Patient satisfaction with treatment is an important clinical index associated with the efficacy and adherence of treatment in schizophrenia. Although switching from oral antipsychotics to the long-acting injectable formulation may improve convenience, patient satisfaction has not been studied extensively. We carried out a 21-week, multicenter, randomized, open-label comparative study. A total of 154 patients with schizophrenia unsatisfied with current oral atypical antipsychotics were assigned randomly to either immediate or delayed switching to paliperidone palmitate, the long-acting injectable formulation of paliperidone. The Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) were used to evaluate patient satisfaction with treatment, whereas the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale were used to evaluate efficacy. From baseline to the final assessment, the MSQ score increased significantly in both groups, and the increase was greatest after the first administration of paliperidone palmitate in the immediate switch group. The scores of TSQM effectiveness, convenience, and global satisfaction as well as the PSP total score increased significantly, whereas the PANSS total score decreased significantly in both groups. The immediate switch group showed a significant improvement in the TSQM convenience score compared with the delayed switch group on oral antipsychotics during the comparison period. Most adverse events were minor and tolerable. In short, switching from oral atypical antipsychotics to paliperidone palmitate because of poor satisfaction significantly improved patient satisfaction, with comparable efficacy and tolerability.

Evidence for an N-glycosylation polymorphism of arylsulfatase a predisposing to alcoholism in Koreans.

This study investigated the possible effect of the pseudodeficient N-glycosylation polymorphism of the arylsulfatase A (ASA) gene on alcohol dependence among Koreans. Alcoholic patients (N=123) were more likely than control subjects to be heterozygous or homozygous for the ASA pseudodeficient N-glycosylation site (36% of alcoholics versus 20% of controls; P<0.01). Among these 123 alcoholic patients, 42 alcoholics were heterozygous and two were homozygous for the ASA pseudodeficient N-glycosylation polymorphism. This result provides evidence that the ASA pseudodeficient N-glycosylation site allele increases the risk of alcohol dependence within a Korean population.

The first intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction in water using aqueous colloidal cobalt nanoparticles as catalysts.

[reaction: see text] The first intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction in water was successfully carried out by using aqueous colloidal cobalt nanoparticles as catalysts.