Disproportionate Alterations in the Anterior and Posterior Insular Cortices in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Recent studies have reported that the insular cortex is involved in the pathophysiology of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, specific morphometric abnormalities of the insular subregions remain unclear. In this study, we examined insular cortical volume to determine whether the volume of the anterior and posterior insular cortices of unmedicated OCD patients differed according to different symptom dimensions.Using magnetic resonance imaging, we measured the gray matter volumes of the insular cortex and its subregions (anterior and posterior divisions) in 41 patients with OCD (31 drug-naïve and 10 non-medicated) and 53 healthy controls. Volumetric measures of the insular cortex were compared according to different OC symptoms. Enlarged anterior and reduced posterior insular cortices were observed in OCD patients. The insular volumetric alterations were more significant in OCD patients with predominant checking rather than cleaning symptoms when compared with healthy controls.Our results suggest the presence of unbalanced anterior and posterior insular volumetric abnormalities in unmedicated OCD patients and emphasize the distinct role of the insular cortex in different OC symptoms. We propose that the insular morphometric alterations may influence the modulation of interoceptive processing, the insular functional role, in OCD patients with different symptoms

Seizure prediction : ready for a new era

Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge colleagues in the international seizure prediction group for valuable discussions. L.K. acknowledges funding support from the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1130468) and the James S. McDonnell Foundation (220020419) and acknowledges the contribution of Dean R. Freestone at the University of Melbourne, Australia, to the creation of Fig. 3.Peer reviewe

Immunophenotyping invasive breast cancer: paving the road for molecular imaging.

Contains fulltext : 108226.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Mammographic population screening in The Netherlands has increased the number of breast cancer patients with small and non-palpable breast tumors. Nevertheless, mammography is not ultimately sensitive and specific for distinct subtypes. Molecular imaging with targeted tracers might increase specificity and sensitivity of detection. Because development of new tracers is labor-intensive and costly, we searched for the smallest panel of tumor membrane markers that would allow detection of the wide spectrum of invasive breast cancers. METHODS: Tissue microarrays containing 483 invasive breast cancers were stained by immunohistochemistry for a selected set of membrane proteins known to be expressed in breast cancer. RESULTS: The combination of highly tumor-specific markers glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1-R), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET), and carbonic anhydrase 9 (CAIX) 'detected' 45.5% of tumors, especially basal/triple negative and HER2-driven ductal cancers. Addition of markers with a 2-fold tumor-to-normal ratio increased the detection rate to 98%. Including only markers with >3 fold tumor-to-normal ratio (CD44v6) resulted in an 80% detection rate. The detection rate of the panel containing both tumor-specific and less tumor-specific markers was not dependent on age, tumor grade, tumor size, or lymph node status. CONCLUSIONS: In search of the minimal panel of targeted probes needed for the highest possible detection rate, we showed that 80% of all breast cancers express at least one of a panel of membrane markers (CD44v6, GLUT1, EGFR, HER2, and IGF1-R) that may therefore be suitable for molecular imaging strategies. This study thereby serves as a starting point for further development of a set of antibody-based optical tracers with a high breast cancer detection rate

Fathers talking and reading with their 3-year-olds during shared bookreading

This study looks at parental views on child development, co-parenting practices, and role division. Shared bookreading is known to benefit children's language and literacy development (e.g., e.g., Mol & Bus, 2011). However, little attention has been directed at fathers reading to their children and the impact on child language development (Baker, 2013; Baker, Vernon-Feagans, & the Family Life Project Investigators, 2015). Fathers contribute uniquely to children's development (Cabrera, Volling, & Barr, 2018) and research has demonstrated that when fathers read to their children, this can impact children's language development (Duursma, Pan, & Raikes, 2008; Quach, Sarkadi, Napiza, Wake, Loughman, & Goldfield, 2018). This study looked at how 21 Australian fathers talked and read with their 3-year-olds during shared bookreading. Results showed that fathers were actively engaged with their children during shared bookreading and used a variety of strategies to discuss the book and the story with their young children. Fathers were well attuned to children's language level as demonstrated by questions fathers asked about the meaning of words or by the explanations provided about the story and difficult words

INNOVACIÓN CON BLOUSSE "FIEL" BANCO MATERO ARGENTINO

La presente investigación se realizó en Capital Federal y Provincia de Buenos Aires durante el Segundo semestre del 2009 y en ella participaron productores laneros, exportadores, procesadores de lana , especialistas en marketing , comercio exterior y diseño industrial, tomándose como punto de partida el trabajo realizado por el INTI denominado: “Diseño sustentable. Oportunidades de agregar valor a la cadena lanera”, de allí que el propósito de la presente investigación consistió en el análisis del panorama actual, de lo existente en procesos de afieltrado de la lana, productos con fieltro y modelos de negocio que lo incluyan para luego hacer una propuesta de producto. Para ello fue necesario la definición de los métodos de transformación en función a sus posibilidades de implementación en un entorno de pequeña o mediana empresa, se definió el modelo comercial y el rubro mas adecuado para su implementación y finalmente la tipología de objeto a producir y su forma final. El presente estudio se justificó por cuanto posee valor teórico, utilidad práctica, relevancia social, por su conveniencia y en base a los beneficios que le generara a los actores intervinientes. El resultado del análisis arrojo las siguientes conclusiones: Emplearemos como materia prima el subproducto de la lana llamado blousse, cuyo costo es aproximadamente 1/3 del valor de la lana, para afieltrarlo con un material estructural en una maquina plana con presión superior. Este nuevo material se usara para desarrollar una pieza de mobiliario domestico de identidad local con fines principalmente de exportación, aunque esto no excluye la comercialización en el mercado local. Puntualmente la tipología de producto a diseñar será un ”banco matero” .Todo este planteo contenido en un marco de comercio justo y consumo responsable