25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

Spinning Europe: pro-European union propaganda campaigns in Britain, 1962-1975.

Aimed at an academic as well as a more general readership, this article explores the impact of the concerted propaganda campaigns that were deployed by pro-EU forces at critical junctures in the evolving relationship between Britain and the EU, specifically in 1962 (the first entry attempt), in 1972 (Britain’s accession), and in 1975 (the referendum on continued membership). This is a co-authored piece with Dr Brian Burkitt at the University of Bradford who supervised the PhD from which this arises; approximately 95 per cent of the content is Mullen’s work; and the article is a revised version of an invited paper given at the Political Studies Association Conference at the University of Leeds in April 2005

European integration and the battle for British hearts and minds: New Labour and the Euro

Pro-Europeans have organised three concerted propaganda campaigns to date: in 1962-63 to secure public support following Britain’s first application to join the European Union, in 1970-1 to prepare the public for accession, and in 1974-5 to ensure continued EU membership in the 1975 referendum. This article looks at New Labour’s preparations and strategy for what is likely to be Britain’s fourth concerted pro-European propaganda campaign to ensure a ‘Yes’ vote in a referendum on British membership of the European single currency. The central arguments of this paper are six fold. Firstly, that the state of public opinion on euro membership currently represents an obstacle to the government’s policy of staging and winning a referendum , and joining the single currency. Second, that New Labour’s actual policy on the euro is one of ‘prepare and persuade’ rather than ‘wait and see’. Third, that the central components of the government’s euro referendum strategy can already be identified. Fourth, that – in contrast to the situation before the 1975 referendum – the press is divided on the issue of the euro, supporting both the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns. Fifth, that there is an imbalance of forces between the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns in favour of the former, but to a lesser extent than during the 1975 referendum. Sixth, that, given the current balance of forces, the government’s success in any euro referendum is by no means assured. The article is divided into seven parts. The first outlines the government’s policy on euro membership. The second considers the first contention – that public opinion on euro membership is currently an obstacle to the government policy – by looking at the state of public opinion polls on the issue. The third presents evidence to support the second contention – that New Labour’s actual policy is one of ‘prepare and persuade’ – by revealing the institutional and legislative preparations for entry that have been made, the two ‘low intensity’ pro-euro propaganda campaigns, and the intervention by external actors to augment those campaigns. The fourth looks at the emerging components of the government’s euro strategy and the possible problems of winning a referendum. The fifth discusses the likely role of the media in a euro referendum propaganda campaign. The sixth looks at the present balance of forces on euro membership. The seventh part concludes

Incidência comparativa da apendicite aguda em população miscigenada, de acordo com a cor da pele Comparative incidence of acute appendicitis in a mixed population, related to the skin color

RACIONAL: Apendicite aguda é uma emergência cirúrgica muito comum, mas sua etiopatogenia ainda permanece incompreendida. OBJETIVO: Avaliar aspectos epidemiológicos da apendicite aguda relacionados à cor da pele, sexo e idade. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 500 pacientes operados de apendicite aguda e outros 500 doentes aleatórios tratados por diferentes doenças no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG. Avaliaram-se sexo, idade e cor da pele. Os resultados foram comparados por meio do teste qui-quadrado. RESULTADOS: Significativa prevalência de pacientes leucodérmicos (73,8%) foi verificada nessas séries. Não houve predominância por sexo. O número de homens leucodérmicos com apendicite aguda foi significativamente maior do que homens leucodérmicos do grupo-controle. A incidência de melanodérmicos com apendicite foi significativamente menor do que a de pacientes negros do grupo-controle. A idade média da apendicite aguda foi de 23,2 anos para os pacientes leucodérmicos e de 32,3 anos para os melanodérmicos. CONCLUSÕES: Foi nítida a relação entre apendicite aguda com a cor branca da pele.<br>BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is a very common surgical emergency, but its etiology and pathology remain incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate epidemiological aspects of acute appendicitis related to skin color, gender and age. METHODS: Five-hundred patients operated on for acute appendicitis, and other 500 patients treated for different diseases and considered as a control group were studied at "Hospital das Clínicas", Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Gender, age and skin color were investigated. The results were compared by chi-square test. RESULTS: There was no prevalence related to gender. A significant prevalence of white patients (73.8%) was verified in this series. The number of white men with appendicitis was significantly higher than white men in the control group. The incidence of black patients with appendicitis was significantly lower than black patients of the control group. The mean age was 23.2 years old for the white patients with appendicitis and 32.3 years old for the black patients. CONCLUSIONS: The present paper shows an evident relation between appendicitis and white skin color