Neural hypersensitivity to pleasant touch in women remitted from anorexia nervosa.

Interoception, or the sensing and integration of bodily state signals, has been implicated in anorexia nervosa (AN), given that the hallmark symptoms involve food restriction and body image disturbance. Here we focus on brain response to the anticipation and experience of affective interoceptive stimuli. Women remitted from AN (RAN; N = 18) and healthy comparison women (CW; N = 26) underwent a pleasant affective touch paradigm consisting of gentle strokes with a soft brush administered to the forearm or palm during functional neuroimaging. RAN had a lower brain response relative to CW during anticipation of touch, but a greater response when experiencing touch in the right ventral mid-insula. In RAN, this reduced anticipatory response was associated with higher levels of harm avoidance. Exploratory analyses in RAN also suggested that lower response during touch anticipation was associated with greater body dissatisfaction and higher perceived touch intensity ratings. This reduced responsivity to the anticipation of pleasant affective interoceptive stimuli in association with higher harm avoidance, along with an elevated response to the experience of touch, suggests an impaired ability in AN to predict and interpret incoming physiological stimuli. Impaired interoception may thus impact one's sense of self, thereby supporting observations of disturbed body image and avoidance of affective and social stimuli. Therapeutic approaches that help AN to better anticipate and interpret salient affective stimuli or improve tolerance of interoceptive experiences may be an important addition to current interventions

Supporting strong families and capable communities through cross-national research

Background Mental and behavioral ill-health are growing global problems and while there are promising evidence-based approaches aimed at reducing their impact, availability of services varies greatly, not only across nations, but also between urban, regional, and remote locations. Rural areas face accessibility and acceptability challenges related to mental health services that are similar to barriers experienced in developing countries. Initiatives to address mental health challenges in under-served rural areas can inform global mental health strategies. Methods Using a public health approach, we illustrate how innovations in rural communities build community capacity and capability in areas that are currently, and are likely to remain, under-served by specialist mental health services. We provide examples of initiatives and key principles of action from three locations in Nebraska, United States of American and New South Wales, Australia to highlight similarities of context and practice. Results While each of the initiatives was developed independently, there are striking similarities across them. Similarities in initiatives include: a) recognition that solutions developed in urban settings are not necessarily the most effective in under- served rural areas, b) engagement of community members is needed to ensure acceptance of initiatives in target communities, c) each initiative involved community members acting on their own behalf with an emphasis on prevention and early intervention, and d) research is a key aspect that informs practice and has local relevance. Commonalities of contexts and environments may have played an important role in the similarities. Conclusions Linking initiatives within and between countries can expand local, national, and global reach and impacts. If we are to meet lofty global goals related to health and wellbeing, cross-national collaborations are needed to share resources, expand expertise, and stimulate ideas necessary to develop and enhance local and global initiatives. High-income country partnerships addressing mental health in under-served areas, such as rural communities, can play a vital role in contributing to global mental health solutions

Seismic Geomorphology, Architecture and Stratigraphy of Volcanoes Buried in Sedimentary Basins

Our ability to investigate both the intrusive and extrusive parts of individual volcanoes has evolved with the increasing quality of seismic reflection datasets. Today, new seismic data and methods of seismic interpretation offer a unique opportunity to observe the entire architecture and stratigraphy of volcanic systems, with resolution down to tens of meters. This chapter summarises the methods used to extract the geomorphic aspects and spatio-temporal organisation of volcanic systems buried in sedimentary basins, with emphasis on the utility of 3D seismic reflection volumes. Based on descriptions and interpretations from key localities worldwide, we propose classification of buried volcanoes into three main geomorphic categories: (1) clusters of small-volume (5 km3) composite, shield and caldera volcanoes, and (3) voluminous lava fields (>10,000 km3). Our classification primarily describes the morphology, size and distribution of eruptive centres of buried volcanoes, and is independent of parameters such as the magma composition, tectonic setting, or eruption environment. The close correlation between the morphology of buried and modern volcanoes provides the basis for constructing realistic models for the facies distribution of igneous systems buried in sedimentary strata, establishing the principles for a new discipline of seismic-reflection volcanology

Análise tectônica e sedimentar da borda sudeste da Bacia do Paraná a partir de dados de estratigrafia de sequencia : Parte I - área de Candiota

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Estratigrafia de Seqüências Aplicada à Caracterização de Aqüíferos: um Estudo de Caso na Área de Candiota, Rio Grande Do Sul

Detailed stratigraphic analysis of the Early Permian (Artinskian/Kungurian) succession of the intracratonic Paraná Basin in southernmost Brazil has been applied focusing stratigraphic characterization of potential aquifers. In the study area, the counties of Candiota and Hulha Negra, in the southwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul state, the sedimentary succession (Itararé, Rio Bonito and Palermo units) is interpreted to have been formed in a shallow, wave-dominated sea, originated mainly in a mixed (tide and wave) influenced estuary setting. Four main depositional systems have been recognized: alluvial fan, fluvial-dominated delta, lagoonal estuary and barrier/shoreface. The regional correlation of the lithofacies within the different depositional systems has led to a high-resolution stratigraphic framework, with three third-order depositional sequences (i.e., unconformity-bounded depositional packages formed during a complete cycle of falling and rising base level). The main sandbodies occur within sequence 2 which is formed by seven fouthorder parasequences, and at the base of the third sequence. Under the viewpoint of groundwater prospecting, the best sandbodies occur within parasequences 1,2 4 and 7. Based upon the stratigraphic characterization, optimal borehole locations are given, as well as estimatives on productive dephs and water volume.Detailed stratigraphic analysis of the Early Permian (Artinskian/Kungurian) succession of the intracratonic Paraná Basin in southernmost Brazil has been applied focusing stratigraphic characterization of potential aquifers. In the study area, the counties of Candiota and Hulha Negra, in the southwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul state, the sedimentary succession (Itararé, Rio Bonito and Palermo units) is interpreted to have been formed in a shallow, wave-dominated sea, originated mainly in a mixed (tide and wave) influenced estuary setting. Four main depositional systems have been recognized: alluvial fan, fluvial-dominated delta, lagoonal estuary and barrier/shoreface. The regional correlation of the lithofacies within the different depositional systems has led to a high-resolution stratigraphic framework, with three third-order depositional sequences (i.e., unconformity-bounded depositional packages formed during a complete cycle of falling and rising base level). The main sandbodies occur within sequence 2 which is formed by seven fouthorder parasequences, and at the base of the third sequence. Under the viewpoint of groundwater prospecting, the best sandbodies occur within parasequences 1,2 4 and 7. Based upon the stratigraphic characterization, optimal borehole locations are given, as well as estimatives on productive dephs and water volume

Towards resolving the transcription factor network controlling myelin gene expression

In the central nervous system (CNS), myelin is produced from spirally-wrapped oligodendrocyte plasma membrane and, as exemplified by the debilitating effects of inherited or acquired myelin abnormalities in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, it plays a critical role in nervous system function. Myelin sheath production coincides with rapid up-regulation of numerous genes. The complexity of their subsequent expression patterns, along with recently recognized heterogeneity within the oligodendrocyte lineage, suggest that the regulatory networks controlling such genes drive multiple context-specific transcriptional programs. Conferring this nuanced level of control likely involves a large repertoire of interacting transcription factors (TFs). Here, we combined novel strategies of computational sequence analyses with in vivo functional analysis to establish a TF network model of coordinate myelin-associated gene transcription. Notably, the network model captures regulatory DNA elements and TFs known to regulate oligodendrocyte myelin gene transcription and/or oligodendrocyte development, thereby validating our approach. Further, it links to numerous TFs with previously unsuspected roles in CNS myelination and suggests collaborative relationships amongst both known and novel TFs, thus providing deeper insight into the myelin gene transcriptional network

Expression of P. falciparum var Genes Involves Exchange of the Histone Variant H2A.Z at the Promoter

Plasmodium falciparum employs antigenic variation to evade the human immune response by switching the expression of different variant surface antigens encoded by the var gene family. Epigenetic mechanisms including histone modifications and sub-nuclear compartmentalization contribute to transcriptional regulation in the malaria parasite, in particular to control antigenic variation. Another mechanism of epigenetic control is the exchange of canonical histones with alternative variants to generate functionally specialized chromatin domains. Here we demonstrate that the alternative histone PfH2A.Z is associated with the epigenetic regulation of var genes. In many eukaryotic organisms the histone variant H2A.Z mediates an open chromatin structure at promoters and facilitates diverse levels of regulation, including transcriptional activation. Throughout the asexual, intraerythrocytic lifecycle of P. falciparum we found that the P. falciparum ortholog of H2A.Z (PfH2A.Z) colocalizes with histone modifications that are characteristic of transcriptionally-permissive euchromatin, but not with markers of heterochromatin. Consistent with this finding, antibodies to PfH2A.Z co-precipitate the permissive modification H3K4me3. By chromatin-immunoprecipitation we show that PfH2A.Z is enriched in nucleosomes around the transcription start site (TSS) in both transcriptionally active and silent stage-specific genes. In var genes, however, PfH2A.Z is enriched at the TSS only during active transcription in ring stage parasites. Thus, in contrast to other genes, temporal var gene regulation involves histone variant exchange at promoter nucleosomes. Sir2 histone deacetylases are important for var gene silencing and their yeast ortholog antagonises H2A.Z function in subtelomeric yeast genes. In immature P. falciparum parasites lacking Sir2A or Sir2B high var transcription levels correlate with enrichment of PfH2A.Z at the TSS. As Sir2A knock out parasites mature the var genes are silenced, but PfH2A.Z remains enriched at the TSS of var genes; in contrast, PfH2A.Z is lost from the TSS of de-repressed var genes in mature Sir2B knock out parasites. This result indicates that PfH2A.Z occupancy at the active var promoter is antagonized by PfSir2A during the intraerythrocytic life cycle. We conclude that PfH2A.Z contributes to the nucleosome architecture at promoters and is regulated dynamically in active var genes

Quantitative diagnostics of soft tissue through viscoelastic characterization using time-based instrumented palpation

AbstractAlthough palpation has been successfully employed for centuries to assess soft tissue quality, it is a subjective test, and is therefore qualitative and depends on the experience of the practitioner. To reproduce what the medical practitioner feels needs more than a simple quasi-static stiffness measurement. This paper assesses the capacity of dynamic mechanical palpation to measure the changes in viscoelastic properties that soft tissue can exhibit under certain pathological conditions. A diagnostic framework is proposed to measure elastic and viscous behaviors simultaneously using a reduced set of viscoelastic parameters, giving a reliable index for quantitative assessment of tissue quality. The approach is illustrated on prostate models reconstructed from prostate MRI scans. The examples show that the change in viscoelastic time constant between healthy and cancerous tissue is a key index for quantitative diagnostics using point probing. The method is not limited to any particular tissue or material and is therefore useful for tissue where defining a unique time constant is not trivial. The proposed framework of quantitative assessment could become a useful tool in clinical diagnostics for soft tissue