Changes in functioning of mesolimbic incentive processing circuits during the premenstrual phase

The premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle is associated with marked changes in normal and abnormal motivated behaviors. Animal studies suggest that such effects may result from actions of gonadal hormones on the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system. We therefore investigated premenstrual changes in reward-related neural activity in terminal regions of the DA system in humans. Twenty-eight healthy young women underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging on 2 days during the menstrual cycle, once during the late follicular phase and once during the premenstrual phase, in counterbalanced order. Using a modified version of the monetary incentive delay task, we assessed responsiveness of the ventral striatum to reward anticipation. Our results show enhanced ventral striatal responses during the premenstrual as compared to the follicular phase. Moreover, this effect was most pronounced in women reporting more premenstrual symptoms. These findings provide support for the notion that changes in functioning of mesolimbic incentive processing circuits may underlie premenstrual changes in motivated behaviors. Notably, increases in reward-cue responsiveness have previously been associated with DA withdrawal states. Our findings therefore suggest that the sharp decline of gonadal hormone levels in the premenstrual phase may trigger a similar withdrawal-like state

Review of Matias Margulis' The Global Political Economy of Raúl Prebisch

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Postnationale Politik? Ueber den politischen Umgang mit den Denationalisierungsherausforderungen Internet, Klima und Migration

Die Verfasser gehen der Frage nach, welche politischen Reaktionen auf die gesellschaftliche Denationalisierung sowie die nachlassenden Steuerungskapazitaeten des Nationalstaats sich bei nationalen Interessengruppen in grossen OECD-Staaten beobachten lassen. Orientiert auf die Dimensionen Raum, Intervention und Aktion wird untersucht, ob der Staat als Fokus politischen Denkens und Handelns an Bedeutung verliert, ob Konfliktlinien transformiert werden und ob sich systematische Veraenderungen von Politikinhalten abzeichnen. Empirisch stehen Denationalisierungsherausforderungen in drei Bereichen im Mittelpunkt: (1) illegale Inhalte und Kryptographie im Internet am Beispiel Deutschlands und Kanadas, (2) Kohlendioxydemissionen und Ressourcentransfers in der Klimapolitik am Beispiel Deutschlands und Grossbritanniens, (3) Migration nach dem Ende des Ost-West-Konflikts am Beispiel Deutschlands und der USA. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass sich gerade bei hochgradig denationalisierten Herausforderungen die Form und die Substanz politischer Organisation und Entscheidungsfindung deutlich verschieben. In der postnationalen Konstellation bleibt der Nationalstaat zwar eine entscheidende Groesse, seine Rolle im politischen Gesamtarrangement und seine politische Funktion weisen jedoch deutliche Wandlungstendenzen auf. (ICE2)SIGLEAvailable from http://www.institute.uni-bremen.de/ / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Validation of a Prospective Urinalysis-Based Prediction Model for ICU Resources and Outcome of COVID-19 Disease: A Multicenter Cohort Study

In COVID-19, guidelines recommend a urinalysis on hospital admission as SARS-CoV-2 renal tropism, post-mortem, was associated with disease severity and mortality. Following the hypothesis from our pilot study, we now validate an algorithm harnessing urinalysis to predict the outcome and the need for ICU resources on admission to hospital. Patients were screened for urinalysis, serum albumin (SA) and antithrombin III activity (AT-III) obtained prospectively on admission. The risk for an unfavorable course was categorized as (1) “low”, (2) “intermediate” or (3) “high”, depending on (1) normal urinalysis, (2) abnormal urinalysis with SA ≥ 2 g/dL and AT-III ≥ 70%, or (3) abnormal urinalysis with SA or AT-III abnormality. Time to ICU admission or death served as the primary endpoint. Among 223 screened patients, 145 were eligible for enrollment, 43 falling into the low, 84 intermediate, and 18 into high-risk categories. An abnormal urinalysis significantly elevated the risk for ICU admission or death (63.7% vs. 27.9%; HR 2.6; 95%-CI 1.4 to 4.9; p = 0.0020) and was 100% in the high-risk group. Having an abnormal urinalysis was associated with mortality, a need for mechanical ventilation, extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation or renal replacement therapy. In conclusion, our data confirm that COVID-19-associated urine abnormalities on admission predict disease aggravation and the need for ICU (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT04347824)