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Introduction: Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder affecting millions worldwide. However, available treatment options do not fully address the disease. Whereas current antipsychotics may control psychotic symptoms, they seem notoriously ineffective in improving negative and cognitive symptoms or in preventing functional decline. As the etiology of schizophrenia eludes us, the development of valid animal models for screening new drug targets appears to be a strenuous task. Areas covered: In this review, the authors present the key concepts that validate animal models of schizophrenia, as well as the different screening approaches for novel schizophrenia treatments. The models covered are either based on major neurotransmitter systems or neurodevelopmental, immune, and genetic approaches. Expert opinion: Sadly, due to inertia, research focuses on developing ‘anti-psychotics’, instead of ‘anti-schizophrenia’ drugs that would tackle the entire syndrome of schizophrenia. Whereas no perfect model may ever exist, combining different experimental designs may enhance validity, as the over-reliance on a single model is inappropriate. Multi-model approaches incorporating vulnerability, the ‘two-hit’ hypothesis, and endophenotypes offer a promise for developing new strategies for schizophrenia treatment. Forward and reverse translation between preclinical and clinical research will increase the probability of success and limit failures in drug development. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Cardiovascular disease is more frequent in patients with T1D than the general population. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of obesity, diet and physical activity (PA) on common cardiovascular risk factors in youth with T1D. Cross-sectional analyses were performed using data from 96 T1D subjects [mean age 13.4 ± 2.7 years, (females 57%), median disease duration 5.3 (range 3.5-8.4) years]. Dietary intake was evaluated by a single 24-hour dietary recall and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Diet quality was assessed with the KIDMED test. The ENERGY-child questionnaire was used for the assessment of PA. Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, HbA1c levels and lipid profile were evaluated. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 31%. Overweight/obese individuals were in higher SBP percentile, compared to those with normal weight (68.59 ± 26.58 vs. 51.77 ± 26.72, P = 0.006). In multiple regression analysis, higher BMI z-score, was associated with higher ηbA1c (standardized β = 0.334, P = 0.002, R2 = 0.268) and higher triglycerides (standardized β = 0.224, P = 0.05, R2 = 0.095). Most participants (80%) abstained from optimal Mediterranean Diet (MD). Lower KIDMED score was associated with higher ηbA1c (standardized β = - 0.432 P < 0.001, R2 = 0.268). Partial correlation analyses after controlling for confounding factors revealed that BMI z-score was negatively correlated with low fat dairy portions/d (r = - 0.315, P < 0.05), HbA1c was positively correlated with high fat dairy portions/d (r = 0.305, P < 0.05) and SBP percentile was negatively correlated with total milk and yogurt portions/d (r = - 0.313, P < 0.05). Moreover, higher participation in sports (hours/week), was associated with lower DBP percentile (standardized β = - 0.283, P = 0.015, R2 = 0.080). The maintenance of a healthy body weight and a physically active lifestyle, was accompanied by lower BP levels in the participants of this study. Greater adherence to MD was associated with lower HbA1c. Disclosure A. Lampousi: None. D.E. Delis: None. M. Xatzipsalti: None. A. Vazeou: None.

In this paper, we first present five state-of-the-art private blocking methods which rely mainly on random strings, clustering, and public reference sets. We emphasize on the drawbacks of these methods, and then, we present our L-fold redundant blocking scheme, that relies on the Locality-Sensitive Hashing technique for identifying similar records. These records have undergone an anonymization transformation using a Bloom filter-based encoding technique. Finally, we perform an experimental evaluation of all these methods and present the results. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016.

The problem of soil—pile—foundation—superstructure interaction is examined, and a simple rational procedure to analyse the response of a structure supported on pile groups is presented. This procedure combines theories for the computation of the dynamic impedances and kinematic—seismic response factors of pile foundations with a multi-degree-of-freedom structural model. The procedure is applied to compute the response of a bridge in Rio Dell, California, which was shaken by the M8=7·0 Petrolia earthquake in 1992. The predicted response agrees well with recorded data. The significance of considering the frequency-dependence of the pile foundation impedances in the analysis of the response of the superstructure is discussed. L’article s’intéresse aux problemes générés par les interactions sol—pieu fondation—superstructure et présente une proc6dure rationelle simple permettant déanalyser la réponse déune structure fondée sur groupes de pieux. Cette procé dure combine les théories disponibles, permettant le calcul des impédances dynamiques et des facteurs de réponse sismique déune fondation sur pieux, à un modèle structural à n degrés de liberté. La procédure a ét´ appliquée à un pont du Rio Dell, en Californie, qui a été soumis en 1992 au séisme de Pétrolia de Ms = 7·0. La réporte prévue correspond bien aux raleun observ´es. L’article montre &avute;galement quéil est importance de considèrer, lors de l’analyse de la r6ponse de la superstructure, que la fréquence est fonction de l’impedance des pieux.

A simple integrated procedure to analyze the problem of soil‐pile‐foundation‐superstructure interaction is presented. The procedure combines the available theories for the computation of the dynamic impedances and kinematic‐seismic response factors of pile foundations with a simple six‐degree‐of‐freedom structural model. The procedure is used to predict the response of the Painter Street Bridge located at Rio Dell, California, which was excited by the 1992 Petrolia earthquake. The predicted response with the proposed procedure is in very good agreement with recorded data, and the significance of considering the frequency dependent pile‐foundation impedances in predicting the superstructure response is demonstrated.

Sink tissues depend on the supply of sugars produced by source tissues. Cell-wall invertases (EC 3.2.1.26) are considered to have a pivotal role in supplying sink tissues with carbohydrates via an apoplasmic pathway, while associated monosaccharide/H+ transporters take up the produced hexoses. In this study, we characterized genes coding for a putative cell-wall invertase (GmCWINV1) and two putative monosaccharide/H+ transporters (GmMST1 and GmMST2) of Glycine max. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that GmMST1 and GmMST2 are expressed in various plant organs. In situ hybridization revealed that they are expressed in different root tissues. These results propose that different monosaccharide/H+ transporters may play different roles in source and sink organs. In addition, the temporal and spatial expression of GmCWINV1, as was determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization analyses, was detected in tissues where GmMST1 and GmMST2 were also expressed, indicating that, at least part of the sucrose unloaded from soybean phloem may be hydrolyzed into hexoses before being transported from the apoplasmic space into the respective sink cells. © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Content management applications typically depend on information stored in both relational database tables and operating system files. Often, content providers replicate all or parts of the available database data and associated files to increase application availability, address resource constraints and costs, or better support geographically dispersed and mobile users. This article presents a solution that addresses integrated anal selective database and file replication in the context of an enterprise voice portal. The solution is transparent to existing applications and imposes minimal storage overhead. © 2005 IEEE.

Two Glycine max cDNA clones were characterized and designated as GmSUC2 and GmSTP. The encoded proteins were classified, by prediction of membrane topology and sequence homology, as members of the plant sugar porter family of the Major Facilitator Superfamily. The studies on the temporal and spatial accumulation of the corresponding transcripts, using semi-quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization methods, revealed a differing but overlapping expression pattern at various source and sink organs of soybean plants. These results, in accordance to the structural variations apparent from the deduced protein sequences imply that the corresponding proteins may possess diverse roles in source and sink organs of soybean plants, as well as in various tissues, during primary and lateral root development. © Springer 2005.