Heads up! Dynamic Similitude for Perception with an Object Wielded by Head or Hand

Possibilities for behavior (i.e., affordances) can be perceived with units spanning anatomical components and external objects. For example, affordances for standing on an inclined surface can be perceived with an object held in the hand or attached to the head. We investigated whether these two person-plus-object perceptual systems exhibit the same pattern of nonlinear phase transitions in perception of this affordance. Blindfolded participants explored an inclined surface with a rod held in the hand or attached to the head and reported whether they could stand on that surface. Inclinations were presented in ascending or descending sequences. In both conditions, responses exhibited negative hysteresis – perceptual boundaries occurred at steeper angles for descending than for ascending sequences. The generalization of this pattern across components that differ in physiology, sensitivity, and experience is consistent with both the soft assembly of perceptual devices and with a dynamical systems perspective on perception of affordances

Combined Cisplatinum and Laser Thermal Therapy for Palliation of Recurrent Head and Neck Tumors

In recent years endoscopically controlled laser-induced thermal therapy (LITT) has been increasingly accepted as a minimally invasive method for palliation of advanced or recurrent head and neck or gastrointestinal cancer. Previous studies have shown that adjuvant chemotherapy can potentiate endoscopic laser thermal ablation of obstructing tumors leading to improved palliation in advanced cancer patients. Eight patients with recurrent head and neck tumors volunteered to enroll as part of an ongoing phase II LITT clinical trial, and also elected to be treated with systemic chemotherapy (cisplatin, 80 mg/m2) followed 24 h later by palliative laser thermal ablation. Laser treatments were repeated in patients with residual disease or recurrence for a total of 27 LITT sessions. Four of the 8 patients treated with laser thermal chemotherapy remained alive after a median follow-up of 12 months. Of the 12 tumor sites treated, complete responses were located in the oral cavity (3), oropharynx (1), hypopharynx (1), maxillary sinus (1), and median survival for these patients was 9.5 months. This initial experience with cisplatinum-based laser chemotherapy indicates both safety and therapeutic potential for palliation of advanced head and neck cancer but this must be confirmed by longer follow-up in a larger cohort of patients

FKBP5 Modulates Attention Bias for Threat: Associations with Hippocampal Function and Morphology

Context: The FKBP5 gene product regulates glucocorticoid receptor (GR) sensitivity and hypothalamicpituitary‐adrenal axis functioning, and has been associated with a number of stress‐related psychiatric disorders. The study of intermediate phenotypes, such as emotion‐processing biases and their neural substrates, provides a way to clarify the mechanisms by which FKBP5 dysregulation mediates psychopathology risk. Objective: To examine whether allelic variations for a putatively functional SNP associated with FKBP5 gene regulation (rs1360780) would relate differentially to attentional bias for threat; this was measured through behavioral response on a dot probe task and hippocampal activation during task performance. Morphological substrates of differential hippocampal response were also measured. Design: Cross-sectional study examining associations between genotype, behavioral response and neural response (using fMRI) on the dot probe; Voxel-based morphometry (VBM), global and local shape analyses were used to measure structural differences in hippocampi between genotype groups

Interactions of anaerobic ammonium oxidizers and sulfide-oxidizing bacteria in a substrate-limited model system mimicking the marine environment

In nature anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and denitrification processes convert fixed nitrogen to gaseous nitrogen compounds, which are then released to the atmosphere. While anammox bacteria produce N2 from ammonium and nitrite, in the denitrification process nitrate and nitrite are converted to N2 and the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). Furthermore, nitrite needed by the anammox bacteria can be supplied by nitrate reduction to nitrite. Consequently, the interplay between nitrogen-transforming microorganisms control the amount of harmless N2 or the greenhouse gas N2O released to the atmosphere. Therefore, it is important to understand the interactions of these microorganisms in the natural environment, where dynamic conditions result in fluctuating substrate concentrations. Here, we studied the interactions between the sulfide-oxidizing denitrifier Sedimenticola selenatireducens and the anammox bacterium Scalindua brodae in a bioreactor mimicking the marine environment by creating sulfide, ammonium and nitrate limitation in distinct operational phases. Through a microbial interaction, Se. selenatireducens reduced nitrate to nitrite, which together with the supplied ammonium was converted to N2 by Sc. Brodae. Using comparative transcriptomics, we determined that Sc. Brodae and Se. selenatireducens had significant responses to ammonium and nitrate limitation, respectively, indicating that the activities of these microorganisms are regulated by different nitrogen compounds

Utilization of Varying Colors of Light Emitting Diodes in Vertical Farms for Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)

In response to climate change and significant decreases of arable land in developing nations, vertical farming has emerged as a suitable alternative to the conventional method of farming with its use of modern technologies such as LED lights. Since previous literature on this subject had mainly focused on the effects of blue and red lights concerning plant growth, this research paper involved 620 nm (pink light), 550 nm (green light), and the combination of the colors in the color spectrum (white light) to expand the scope of the study. The facilities used for the experiment were a multiple-row vertical setup and a raised bed garden for the conventional setup. These setups were created using recyclable wood and furniture. Measuring tapes and finger-counting were utilized to detail the average height and number of leaves of plants within a specified group. One-way analysis of variance and repeated measures variance was used to show the variance or consistency of each group and significant differences between all groups. The results had depicted pink-colored LEDs to have yielded the best results by the end of the experiment with an average plant height of 10.39 cm and an average leaf number of 3.1. Overall, the vertical farming setups outperformed the conventional farm setup in terms of both mean plant height and number of leaves

The ateneo as an effective model of continuing professional development:Findings from southern Argentina

Despite a sustainable research interest in different forms of teachers’ professional development, scant international attention has been paid to forms of professional development which are implemented in South America. Based on a qualitative research design, this study explores the impact of the ateneo as an innovative model of continuing professional development. An ateneo is a model which supports teacher reflection and change in teaching practices by concentrating on context-responsive practical issues such as lesson planning and delivery. The study was carried out with 22 teachers of English as a foreign language in southern Argentina. Data were gathered through the teachers’ lesson plans, whole group discussions, and the teachers’ final assignments to receive credits for completion of the ateneo. Drawing on thematic analysis, the participants envisaged the ateneo as a practice-oriented, dynamic, interaction-based, and personal as well as collective space for developing teaching skills and professional knowledge. In particular, findings show that the participants exhibited an improvement in lesson contextualization, sequencing and transitioning, maximization of resources, class time management, and reflective teaching. The study argues that the ateneo became successful given the shared teacher identity among the participants and the course tutors and the explicit focus on the teachers’ daily practices

Broad Antiviral Activity of Carbohydrate-Binding Agents against the Four Serotypes of Dengue Virus in Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells (DC), present in the skin, are the first target cells of dengue virus (DENV). Dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) is present on DC and recognizes N-glycosylation sites on the E-glycoprotein of DENV. Thus, the DC-SIGN/E-glycoprotein interaction can be considered as an important target for inhibitors of viral replication. We evaluated various carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs) against all four described serotypes of DENV replication in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells and in monocyte-derived DC (MDDC). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A dose-dependent anti-DENV activity of the CBAs Hippeastrum hybrid (HHA), Galanthus nivalis (GNA) and Urtica dioica (UDA), but not actinohivin (AH) was observed against all four DENV serotypes as analyzed by flow cytometry making use of anti-DENV antibodies. Remarkably, the potency of the CBAs against DENV in MDDC cultures was significantly higher (up to 100-fold) than in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells. Pradimicin-S (PRM-S), a small-size non-peptidic CBA, exerted antiviral activity in MDDC but not in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells. The CBAs act at an early step of DENV infection as they bind to the viral envelope of DENV and subsequently prevent virus attachment. Only weak antiviral activity of the CBAs was detected when administered after the virus attachment step. The CBAs were also able to completely prevent the cellular activation and differentiation process of MDDC induced upon DENV infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The CBAs exerted broad spectrum antiviral activity against the four DENV serotypes, laboratory-adapted viruses and low passage clinical isolates, evaluated in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells and in primary MDDC