Visuomotor integration and visuomotor skill learning depend on local plasticity in visual cortex during development

Visuomotor experience shapes responses in visual cortex during development. Coupling between movement and visual feedback establishes a comparator circuit between top-down and bottom-up inputs in layer 2/3 of mouse primary visual cortex (V1). Such a circuit is capable of computing prediction error responses in layer 2/3 excitatory neurons in V1. Given that visual cortex receives both the bottom-up visual input and signals consistent with a top-down prediction of visual flow given movement, it has been speculated that visual cortex is a site of integration of these two signals. If correct, we would predict that perturbing plasticity in V1 during development should prevent the establishment of a normal balance between bottom-up and top-down input, and consequently an impairment of visuomotor prediction errors in layer 2/3 neurons of primary visual cortex. In Chapter I, we tested whether local plasticity in visual cortex is necessary for the establishment of this balance by locally perturbing neural plasticity. Our results show that perturbing NMDA receptor-dependent plasticity during development of the visual system leads to a reduction in visuomotor prediction error responses, and that plasticity in V1 is crucial for the development of normal visuomotor integration. In Chapter II, we further investigated the balance of top-down and bottom-up inputs in V1 and ask, given that pro-psychotic agents (e.g., hallucinogens) can influence visual cortex activity, whether antipsychotic drugs also induce common circuit changes. We investigated three antipsychotic drugs: Haloperidol, Clozapine and Aripiprazole, with the aim of identifying a common functional signature, possibly underpinning their clinical efficacy. The most common change was a decrease in visuomotor prediction errors in layer 2/3 neurons. Clozapine, as one of most effective drugs, decreased activity of inhibitory neurons thought to mediate visual feedforward signals and increased the mean activity in layer 5. Overall, however, we did not find common changes in all of these three antipsychotic drugs

Subjective Proximity to Crime or Social Representations? Explaining Sentencing Attitudes in Switzerland

Lay sentencing attitudes are considered in the light of two theoretical perspectives. The first perspective views sentencing attitudes as parts of broader sets of social representations anchored in one's position in the social structure. The second perspective explains sentencing attitudes by their subjective experiences of crime. This paper tests both theories by performing a series of multiple regressions on two dimensions of sentencing: punishment goals and severity of punishment. Empirical data comes from a quantitative survey conducted in Switzerland. Findings reveal that indicators of subjective proximity to crime largely account for sentencing attitudes. Nevertheless, social representations of crime measured by causes of crime also have a significant impact on sentencing attitudes. Implications of these findings for sentencing in Western democracies are discusse

Polymorphism of postmating reproductive isolation within plant species

Speciation can be viewed as the evolution of reproductive isolation between formerly interbreeding populations. Recent years have seen great advances in our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying postmating reproductive isolation during plant speciation. Nevertheless, little is known about the early stages of species divergence and the evolution of reproductive isolation at the within species level. Direct or indirect evidence indicates that intrinsic postzygotic mechanisms are prevalent and often polymorphic among allopatric conspecific populations of plants. We review studies that report direct or indirect evidence for polymorphism of genic (i.e., gene-based) postmating reproductive isolation within species' ranges. Specifically, we focus on three genic mechanisms often held responsible for reproductive isolation between species: Bateson-Dobzhansky-Muller (BDM) incompatibilities and two widespread types of genomic conflict, transmission ratio distortion and cytonuclear interactions. We further highlight the close similarity between reported cases of outbreeding depression among conspecific populations, especially those that correspond to the intrinsic co-adaptation model, and the origin of genetic incompatibilities. This association holds great promise to help improve our understanding of the processes involved in the initial stage of speciation, and it highlights the close (and often overlooked) relationship between evolutionary and conservation biology

UD Gheg Pear Stories

UD Gheg Pear Stories (GPS) contains renarrations of Wallace Chafe's Pear Stories video (pearstories.org) by heritage speakers of Gheg Albanian living in Switzerland and speakers from Prishtina

Identifizierung und Charakterisierung der krankheitsunterdrückenden Mikroorganismen beim Komposteinsatz

Einleitung • Bodenbürtige Krankheiten verursachen grosse Schäden und sind schwierig zu kontrollieren. • Kompost-Zugabe kann Druck durch bodenbürtige Krankheitserreger reduzieren • ABER: Nicht jeder Komposteinsatz ist erfolgreich. • Möglicher Grund ist die sich während des Kompost-Reifeprozesses laufend ändernde mikrobielle Zusammensetzung. • Es ist weitgehend noch unbekannt, welche mikrobiellen Konsortien wichtig für die suppressive Wirkung von Komposten sind

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Nosocomial Infections in Four University Hospitals in Switzerland

Abstract Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for nosocomial infections (NIs) in four Swiss university hospitals. Design and Setting: A 1-week period-prevalence survey conducted in May 1996 in medical, surgical, and intensive-care wards of four Swiss university hospitals (900-1,500 beds). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions were used, except that asymptomatic bacteriuria was not categorized as NI. Study variables included patient demographics, primary diagnosis, comorbidities, exposure to medical and surgical risk factors, and use of antimicrobials. Risk factors for NIs were determined using logistic regression with adjustment for length of hospital stay, study center, device use, and patients' comorbidities. Results: 176 NI were recorded in 156 of 1,349 screened patients (11.6%; interhospital range, 9.8%-13.5%). The most frequent NI was surgical-site infection (53; 30%), followed by urinary tract infection (39; 22%), lower respiratory tract infection (27; 15%), and bloodstream infection (23; 13%). Prevalence of NI was higher in critical-care units (25%) than in medical (9%) and surgical wards (12%). Overall, 65% of NIs were culture-proven; the leading pathogens were Enterobacteriaceae (44; 28%), Staphylococcus aureus (20; 13%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17; 11%), and Candida species (16; 10%). Independent risk factors for NI were central venous catheter (CVC) use (odds ratio [OR], 3.35; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 2.91-3.80), admission to intensive care (OR, 1.75; CI95, 1.30-2.21), emergency admission (OR, 1.57; CI95, 1.15-2.00), impaired functional status (Karnofsky index 1-4: OR, 2.56; CI95, 1.95-3.17), and McCabe classification of ultimately fatal (OR, 2.50; CI95, 2.04-2.96) or rapidly fatal (OR 2.25; CI95,1.52-2.98) underlying condition. Conclusions: According to the results of this survey, NIs are frequent in Swiss university hospitals. This investigation confirms the importance of CVCs as a major risk factor for NI. Patient comorbidities must be taken into account to adjust for case mix in any study comparing interhospital or intrahospital infection rate