The Utility of Physiological Measures in Assessing the Empathic Skills of Incarcerated Violent Offenders.

Since lack of empathy is an important indicator of violent behaviors, researchers need consistent and valid measures. This study evaluated the practical significance of a potential physiological correlate of empathy compared to a traditional self-report questionnaire in 18 male violent offenders and 21 general population controls. Empathy skills were assessed with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) questionnaire. Heart-Rate Variability (HRV) was assessed with an electrocardiogram. The RMSSD (Root Mean Square of the Successive beat-to-beat Differences), an HRV index implicated in social cognition, was calculated. There were no group differences in IRI scores. However, RMSSD was lower in the offender group. Positive correlations between RMSSD and IRI subscales were found for controls only. We conclude that psychometric measures of empathy do not discriminate incarcerated violent offenders, and that the incorporation of psychophysiological measures, such as HRV, could be an avenue for forensic research on empathy to establish translatable evidence-based information

Is decreased bone mineral density associated with development of scoliosis? A bipedal osteopenic rat model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An association between adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and osteopenia has been proposed to exist. It is still not clear whether there is such an association and if so, whether osteopenia is a causative factor or a consequence. Our previous pilot studies have suggested the presence of osteopenia in scoliotic animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of scoliosis in an unpinealectomized bipedal osteopenic rat model, implementing osteoporosis as a causative factor.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were rendered bipedal at the 3^rdpostnatal week and separated into control (25 rats) and heparin (25 rats receiving 1 IU/gr body weight/day) groups. DEXA scans after 4 weeks of heparin administration showed low bone mass in the heparin group. Anteroposterior and lateral x-rays of the surviving 42 animals (19 in heparin and 23 in control groups) were taken under anesthesia at the 40^thweek to evaluate for spinal deformity. Additional histomorphometric analysis was done on spine specimens to confirm the low bone mass in heparin receiving animals. Results of the DEXA scans, histomorphometric analysis and radiological data were compared between the groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Bone mineral densities of rats in the heparin group were significantly lower than the control group as evidenced by both the DEXA scans and histomorphometric analyses. However, the incidence of scoliosis (82% in heparin and 65% in control; p > 0.05) as well as the curve magnitudes (12.1 ± 3.8 in heparin versus 10.1 ± 4.3 degrees in control; p > 0.05) were not significantly different. Osteopenic rats were significantly less kyphotic compared to control specimens (p = 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study has revealed two important findings. One is that bipedality (in the absence of pinealectomy) by itself may be a cause of scoliosis in this animal model. Further studies on animal models need to consider bipedality as an independent factor. Secondly, relative hypokyphosis in osteopenic animals may have important implications. The absence of sagittal plane analyses in previous studies makes comparison impossible, but nonetheless these findings suggest that osteopenia may be important in the development of 3D deformity in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.</p

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (April 2015)

The Collective Article ‘New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records’ of the Mediterranean Marine Science journal offers the means to publish biodiversity records in the Mediterranean Sea. The current article is divided in two parts, for records of native and alien species respectively. The new records of native fish species include: the slender sunfish Ranzania laevis and the scalloped ribbonfish Zu cristatus in Calabria; the Azores rockling Gaidropsarus granti in Calabria and Sicily; the agujon needlefish Tylosu¬rus acus imperialis in the Northern Aegean; and the amphibious behaviour of Gouania willdenowi in Southern Turkey. As regards molluscs, the interesting findings include Ischnochiton usticensis in Calabria and Thordisa filix in the bay of Piran (Slovenia). The stomatopod Parasquilla ferussaci was collected from Lesvos island (Greece); the isopod Anilocra frontalis was observed parasit¬izing the alien Pteragogus trispilus in the Rhodes area. The asteroid Tethyaster subinermis and the butterfly ray Gymnura altavela were reported from several localities in the Greek Ionian and Aegean Seas.The new records of alien species include: the antenna codlet Bregmaceros atlanticus in Saronikos Gulf; three new fish records and two decapods from Egypt; the establishment of the two spot cardinal fish Cheilodipterus novemstriatus and the first record of the marble shrimp Saron marmoratus in semi-dark caves along the Lebanese coastline; the finding of Lagocephalus sceleratus, Sargocentron rubrum, Fistularia commersonii and Stephanolepis diaspros around Lipsi island (Aegean Sea, Greece); the decapod Penaeus Hathor in Aegean waters; the decapod Penaeus aztecus and the nudibranch Melibe viridis in the Dodecanese islands; the finding of Pinctada imbricata radiate in the Mar Grande of Taranto (Ionian Sea, Italy) and the Maliakos Gulf (Greece)

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (December 2017)

The “New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records” series includes new records of marine species found in the Mediterranean basin and/or information on the spatial distribution of already established species of particular interest. The current article presents information on 20 marine taxa classified per country according to their geographic position in the Mediterranean, from west to east. The new records per ecoregion are as follows: Algeria: the first record of the fish Etrumeus golanii is reported along the Algerian coast. Tunisia: the alien jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata is reported for the first time in the Gulf of Gabès. Italy: the first record of Siganus rivulatus in the Strait of Sicily and a new record of Katsuwonus pelamis from the central Tyrrhenian Sea are reported. The establishment of the isopod of the genus Mesanthura in the northern Tyrrhenian with some notes on its ecology are also included. Croatia: signs of establishment of the Lessepsian Siganus luridus and the occurrence of the alien mollusc Rapana venosa are reported. Albania: the first record of the elasmobranch Alopias superciliosus and a recent sighting of the rare monk seal Monachus monachus in Albanian waters are given. Greece: signs of the establishment of the fish Parupeneus forsskali and of the ascidian Hermania momus in Hellenic Aegean waters are reported. Turkey: a new record of the fish P. forsskali and of the Acarea of the genus Acaromantis and Simognathus are given, while the first case of Remora australis in association with delphinids and the occurrence of the sea star Coscinasterias tenuispina are reported. Also, the establishment of the two alien species Isognomon legumen and Viriola sp. [cf. corrugata] are presented. Egypt: the fish Bathygobius cyclopterus is reported for the first time in Mediterranean Sea waters. Also, a new record of Pagellus bogaraveo and a first record of Seriola fasciata in Egyptian Mediterranean waters are reported. Lebanon: the first record of Dondice banyulensis is presented

The metabolic basis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: 2011 report of the “metabolic” workgroup of the Fondation Yves Cotrel

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review is to elucidate the metabolic processes involved in the pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) in light of research by the present authors as well as current literature. METHODS: Pathogenetic mechanism

Social cognition and idiopathic isolated cervical dystonia

For a long time, cervical dystonia (CD) has been characterised only by disturbances in motor functioning. Despite accumulating evidence for symptomatology in various non-motor domains, to date no study has investigated social cognition in CD. The aim of this study was to compare performance of CD patients and healthy controls in neurocognitive and socio-cognitive domain. Twenty-five non-depressed patients with CD and 26 healthy controls underwent neuropsychological testing. This involved assessment of cognitive status (general intellect, verbal memory, and executive function), and socio-cognitive functions using a Theory of mind task and self-report on empathy and emotion regulation. In comparison to controls, CD patients displayed significantly decreased cognitive abilities, particularly in executive function and verbal memory tasks. Difficulties in inferring mental states on both cognitive and affective levels were also observed. The largest discrepancies were detected in understanding intentionality in others. Poorer performance in cognitive and socio-cognitive tasks was unrelated to severity of the disease. This is the first evidence of compromised socio-cognitive functions in CD patients, highlighting this domain as another facet of non-motor symptoms of this disease. Future studies should advance our understanding of the extent, nature, and time course of these deficits in other aspects of social cognition in this patient population

A homologous production system for Trichoderma reesei secreted proteins in a cellulase-free background

Recent demands for the production of biofuels from lignocellulose led to an increased interest in engineered cellulases from Trichoderma reesei or other fungal sources. While the methods to generate such mutant cellulases on DNA level are straightforward, there is often a bottleneck in their production since a correct posttranslational processing of these enzymes is needed to obtain highly active enzymes. Their production and subsequent enzymatic analysis in the homologous host T. reesei is, however, often disturbed by the concomitant production of other endogenous cellulases. As a useful alternative, we tested the production of cellulases in T. reesei in a genetic background where cellulase formation has been impaired by deletion of the major cellulase transcriptional activator gene xyr1. Three cellulase genes (cel7a, cel7b, and cel12a) were expressed under the promoter regions of the two highly expressed genes tef1 (encoding translation elongation factor 1-alpha) or cdna1 (encoding the hypothetical protein Trire2:110879). When cultivated on d-glucose as carbon source, the Δxyr1 strain secreted all three cellulases into the medium. Related to the introduced gene copy number, the cdna1 promoter appeared to be superior to the tef1 promoter. No signs of proteolysis were detected, and the individual cellulases could be assayed over a background essentially free of other cellulases. Hence this system can be used as a vehicle for rapid and high-throughput testing of cellulase muteins in a homologous background