Neural Correlates of Visual Motion Prediction

Predicting the trajectories of moving objects in our surroundings is important for many life scenarios, such as driving, walking, reaching, hunting and combat. We determined human subjects’ performance and task-related brain activity in a motion trajectory prediction task. The task required spatial and motion working memory as well as the ability to extrapolate motion information in time to predict future object locations. We showed that the neural circuits associated with motion prediction included frontal, parietal and insular cortex, as well as the thalamus and the visual cortex. Interestingly, deactivation of many of these regions seemed to be more closely related to task performance. The differential activity during motion prediction vs. direct observation was also correlated with task performance. The neural networks involved in our visual motion prediction task are significantly different from those that underlie visual motion memory and imagery. Our results set the stage for the examination of the effects of deficiencies in these networks, such as those caused by aging and mental disorders, on visual motion prediction and its consequences on mobility related daily activities

Justice and environmental sustainability

The world faces significant challenges pertaining to the depletion and degradation of environmental resources. A public that is increasingly aware of resource scarcity, understands ecosystem interdependence, and frames the current situation in comparison to previous conditions has become sensitized to the implications for personal and social justice. This chapter reviews research at the interface of justice and environmental issues. We discuss ways in which the natural environment presents a distinctive domain for justice research, and in particular the need to consider intergenerational justice and reasons for individual differences in justice perceptions. Because perceptions of justice and fairness are important determinants of policy acceptance, we consider some predictors of beliefs about environmental justice, and discuss the role of justice in motivating behavior. We close by identifying promising areas for future research

Interleukin-1 Blockade: An Update on Emerging Indications

Interleukin (IL)-1 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that induces local and systemic inflammation aimed to eliminate microorganisms and tissue damage. However, an increasing number of clinical conditions have been identified in which IL-1 production is considered inappropriate and IL-1 is part of the disease etiology. In autoinflammatory diseases, gout, Schnitzler’s syndrome, and adult-onset Still’s disease, high levels of inappropriate IL-1 production have been shown to be a key process in the etiology of the disease. In these conditions, blocking IL-1 has proven very effective in clinical studies. In other diseases, IL-1 has shown to be present in disease process but is not the central driving force of inflammation. In these conditions, including type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, acute coronary syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and several neoplastic diseases, the benefits of IL-1 blockade are minimal or absent