The effect of motion content in action naming by Parkinson's disease patients

Introduction The verb-specific impairment present in patients with motion-related neurological diseases has been argued to support the hypothesis that the processing of words referring to motion depends on neural activity in regions involved in motor planning and execution. We presented a group of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with an action-naming task in order to test whether the prevalence of motion-related semantic content in different verbs influences their accuracy. Methods Forty-nine PD patients and 19 healthy seniors participated in the study. All of PD participants underwent a neurological and neuropsychological assessment to rule out dementia. Subjective ratings of the motion content level of 100 verbs were obtained from 14 young voluntaries. Then, pictures corresponding to two subsets of 25 verbs with significantly different degrees of motor component were selected to be used in an action-naming task. Stimuli lists were matched on visual and psycholinguistic characteristics. Results ANOVA analysis reveals differences between groups. PD patients obtained poor results in response to pictures with high motor content compared to those with low motor association. Nevertheless, this effect did not appear on the control group. The general linear mixed model analytic approach was applied to explore the influence of the degree of motion-related semantic content of each verb in the accuracy scores of the participants. The performance of PD patients appeared to be negatively affected by the level of motion-related semantic content associated to each verb. Conclusions Our results provide compelling evidence of the relevance of brain areas related to planning and execution of movements in the retrieval of motion-related semantic content

First record of the Sclerogibbidae (Hymenoptera) from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

Las Islas Galápagos son de gran importancia debido a su papel en los albores y la consolidación del modelo de evolución darwiniano (Sulloway 1982); su origen geológicamente reciente y su ubicación oceánica los convierten en un laboratorio natural para el estudio de muchos procesos evolutivos y ecológicos (Schluter 1986, Grant & Grant 2009). Como consecuencia, varios grupos de organismos, como los vertebrados, han sido ampliamente estudiados (De Roy 2009, Steadman 2009); sin embargo, preguntas básicas como la riqueza de las islas requieren más estudio, y aparecen sorpresas continuamente, incluso de los grupos más obvios, como los vertebrados mismos (Gentile & Snell 2009). Los artrópodos son un grupo para el cual el inventario de las islas se ha desarrollado de manera desigual y aún requiere un gran esfuerzo a pesar de las múltiples expediciones realizadas. Según Linsley y Usinger (1966), en ese momento el mejor compendio de estudios entomológicos, desde la visita pionera de Charles Darwin en 1835 hasta 1966, se produjeron alrededor de ocho expediciones individuales y 21 grupales, lo que dio como resultado una lista de 618 especies: 192 coleópteros, 97 lepidópteros y 31 himenópteros. Curiosamente, grandes grupos de himenópteros como Braconidae, Pteromalidae y Encyrtidae no figuran en la lista o se mencionan en publicaciones con menos de cinco especies (Heraty y Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo y Landry (2016) enumeraron 311 especies de lepidópteros, y Heraty y Herrera (2017) compilaron un total de 71 himenópteros. Curiosamente, grandes grupos de himenópteros como Braconidae, Pteromalidae y Encyrtidae no figuran en la lista o se mencionan en publicaciones con menos de cinco especies (Heraty y Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo y Landry (2016) enumeraron 311 especies de lepidópteros, y Heraty y Herrera (2017) compilaron un total de 71 himenópteros. Curiosamente, grandes grupos de himenópteros como Braconidae, Pteromalidae y Encyrtidae no figuran en la lista o se mencionan en publicaciones con menos de cinco especies (Heraty y Herrera 2017).The Galapagos Islands are of great importance due to their role in the dawn and consolidation of the Darwinian model of evolution (Sulloway 1982); their recent geological origin and oceanic location are recent in a natural laboratory for the study of many evolutionary and ecological processes (Schluter 1986, Grant & Grant 2009). As a consequence, several groups of organisms, such as vertebrates, have been specifically studied (De Roy 2009, Steadman 2009); however, basic questions such as the wealth of the affected islands are more studied, and surprises continually appear, even from the most obvious groups, such as the vertebrates themselves (Gentile & Snell 2009). Arthropods are a group for which the inventory of the islands has been unevenly developed and still require a great effort despite the multiple expeditions carried out. According to Linsley and Usinger (1966), at that time the best compendium of entomological studies, from Charles Darwin's pioneering visit in 1835 to 1966, produced around eight individual and 21 group expeditions, resulting in a list of 618 species: 192 beetles, 97 lepidoptera and 31 hymenoptera. Interestingly, large groups of hymenoptera such as Braconidae, Pteromalidae, and Encyrtidae are not listed or mentioned in publications with fewer than five species (Heraty and Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo and Landry (2016) listed 311 species of lepidoptera, and Heraty and Herrera (2017) compiled a total of 71 hymenoptera. Interestingly, large groups of hymenoptera such as Braconidae, Pteromalidae, and Encyrtidae are not listed or mentioned in publications with fewer than five species (Heraty and Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo and Landry (2016) listed 311 species of lepidoptera, and Heraty and Herrera (2017) compiled a total of 71 hymenoptera. Interestingly, large groups of hymenoptera such as Braconidae, Pteromalidae, and Encyrtidae are not listed or mentioned in publications with fewer than five species (Heraty and Herrera 2017)

Emotion recognition impairment in Parkinson´s Disease patients without dementia

Purpose Previous research has shown dementia and mild cognitive impairment to be present in some Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Nevertheless, it is still not clear whether PD patients are also impaired on facial emotion recognition, nor it is whether this possible deficit is independent other cognitive impairment. The aim of this study is to assess the presence of emotion recognition deficits in a sample of PD patients with normal cognitive abilities, evaluated with several cognitive tasks widely used to detect cognitive impairment in this patient group. Method 40 non-demented (MMSE scores>25) PD patients and 19 healthy older adults matched on demographic characteristics took part in the study. All of them were evaluated with a neuropsychological battery including tests aimed to assess the cognitive domains mainly affected by PD, as well as a facial emotion recognition task. Results t-test analysis showed significant differences between PD and control groups in 6 cognitive tasks which were introduced in a sequential logistic regression analysis. The results confirmed the existence of a facial emotion recognition deficit in PD patients after controlling for demographic and cognitive characteristics of the participants. Conclusion Although none of the PD patients fulfilled criteria for dementia, many of them appeared to present deficits on recognition of facial emotions. This task should therefore be incorporated into future research to study the full range of early cognitive dysfunctions and non-motor symptoms presents in PD patients, and inclusion of this task in assessment protocols should be considered

First record of the Sclerogibbidae (Hymenoptera) from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

Las Islas Galápagos son de gran importancia debido a su papel en los albores y la consolidación del modelo de evolución darwiniano (Sulloway 1982); su origen geológicamente reciente y su ubicación oceánica los convierten en un laboratorio natural para el estudio de muchos procesos evolutivos y ecológicos (Schluter 1986, Grant & Grant 2009). Como consecuencia, varios grupos de organismos, como los vertebrados, han sido ampliamente estudiados (De Roy 2009, Steadman 2009); sin embargo, preguntas básicas como la riqueza de las islas requieren más estudio, y aparecen sorpresas continuamente, incluso de los grupos más obvios, como los vertebrados mismos (Gentile & Snell 2009). Los artrópodos son un grupo para el cual el inventario de las islas se ha desarrollado de manera desigual y aún requiere un gran esfuerzo a pesar de las múltiples expediciones realizadas. Según Linsley y Usinger (1966), en ese momento el mejor compendio de estudios entomológicos, desde la visita pionera de Charles Darwin en 1835 hasta 1966, se produjeron alrededor de ocho expediciones individuales y 21 grupales, lo que dio como resultado una lista de 618 especies: 192 coleópteros, 97 lepidópteros y 31 himenópteros. Curiosamente, grandes grupos de himenópteros como Braconidae, Pteromalidae y Encyrtidae no figuran en la lista o se mencionan en publicaciones con menos de cinco especies (Heraty y Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo y Landry (2016) enumeraron 311 especies de lepidópteros, y Heraty y Herrera (2017) compilaron un total de 71 himenópteros. Curiosamente, grandes grupos de himenópteros como Braconidae, Pteromalidae y Encyrtidae no figuran en la lista o se mencionan en publicaciones con menos de cinco especies (Heraty y Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo y Landry (2016) enumeraron 311 especies de lepidópteros, y Heraty y Herrera (2017) compilaron un total de 71 himenópteros. Curiosamente, grandes grupos de himenópteros como Braconidae, Pteromalidae y Encyrtidae no figuran en la lista o se mencionan en publicaciones con menos de cinco especies (Heraty y Herrera 2017).The Galapagos Islands are of great importance due to their role in the dawn and consolidation of the Darwinian model of evolution (Sulloway 1982); their recent geological origin and oceanic location are recent in a natural laboratory for the study of many evolutionary and ecological processes (Schluter 1986, Grant & Grant 2009). As a consequence, several groups of organisms, such as vertebrates, have been specifically studied (De Roy 2009, Steadman 2009); however, basic questions such as the wealth of the affected islands are more studied, and surprises continually appear, even from the most obvious groups, such as the vertebrates themselves (Gentile & Snell 2009). Arthropods are a group for which the inventory of the islands has been unevenly developed and still require a great effort despite the multiple expeditions carried out. According to Linsley and Usinger (1966), at that time the best compendium of entomological studies, from Charles Darwin's pioneering visit in 1835 to 1966, produced around eight individual and 21 group expeditions, resulting in a list of 618 species: 192 beetles, 97 lepidoptera and 31 hymenoptera. Interestingly, large groups of hymenoptera such as Braconidae, Pteromalidae, and Encyrtidae are not listed or mentioned in publications with fewer than five species (Heraty and Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo and Landry (2016) listed 311 species of lepidoptera, and Heraty and Herrera (2017) compiled a total of 71 hymenoptera. Interestingly, large groups of hymenoptera such as Braconidae, Pteromalidae, and Encyrtidae are not listed or mentioned in publications with fewer than five species (Heraty and Herrera 2017). Roque-Álbelo and Landry (2016) listed 311 species of lepidoptera, and Heraty and Herrera (2017) compiled a total of 71 hymenoptera. Interestingly, large groups of hymenoptera such as Braconidae, Pteromalidae, and Encyrtidae are not listed or mentioned in publications with fewer than five species (Heraty and Herrera 2017)

On the Oligomeric State of DJ-1 Protein and Its Mutants Associated with Parkinson Disease A COMBINED COMPUTATIONAL AND IN VITRO STUDY

Mutations in the DJ-1 protein are present in patients suffering from familial Parkinson disease. Here we use computational methods and biological assays to investigate the relationship between DJ-1 missense mutations and the protein oligomeric state. Molecular dynamics calculations suggest that: (i) the structure of DJ-1 wild type (WT) in aqueous solution, in both oxidized and reduced forms, is similar to the crystal structure of the reduced form; (ii) the Parkinson disease-causing M26I variant is structurally similar to the WT, consistent with the experimental evidence showing the protein is a dimer as WT; (iii) R98Q is structurally similar to the WT, consistent with the fact that this is a physiological variant; and (iv) the L166P monomer rapidly evolves toward a conformation significantly different from WT, suggesting a change in its ability to oligomerize. Our combined computational and experimental approach is next used to identify a mutant (R28A) that, in contrast to L166P, destabilizes the dimer subunit-subunit interface without significantly changing secondary structure elements

Cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease without dementia

Some degree of cognitive impairment appears frequently in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, even at the onset of the disease. However, due to the heterogeneity of the patients and the lack of standardized assessment batteries, it remains unclear which capacities are primarily affected by this disease. Fifty PD patients were assessed with 15 tests including executive functions, attention, temporal and spatial orientation, memory, and language tasks. Their results were compared with those of 42 age‐ and education‐matched healthy seniors. Semantic fluency, along with visual search appeared to be the most discriminant tasks, followed by temporal orientation and face naming, as well as action naming and immediate recall. PD patients studied showed an impairment of frontal‐ to posterior‐dependent capacities. Executive functions, attention, and recall tasks appeared to be significantly impaired in the patients. Nevertheless, significantly poor scores in tasks like action and face naming, as well as semantic fluency, also reveal a mainly semantic deficit

Similar structures but different mechanisms: prediction of FABPs-membrane interaction by electrostatic calculation

The role of fatty acid binding proteins as intracellular fatty acid transporters may require their direct interaction with membranes. In this way different mechanisms have been previously characterized through experimental studies suggesting different models for FABPs-membrane association, although the process in which the molecule adsorbs to the membrane remains to be elucidated. To estimate the importance of the electrostatic energy in the FABP-membrane interaction, we computationally modeled the interaction of different FABPs with both anionic and neutral membranes. Free Electrostatic Energy of Binding (dE), was computed using Finite Difference Poisson Boltzmann Equation (FDPB) method as implemented in APBS (Adaptive Poisson Boltzmann Solver). Based on the computational analysis, it is found that recruitment to membranes is facilitated by non-specific electrostatic interactions. Also energetic analysis can quantitatively differentiate among the mechanisms of membrane association proposed and determinate the most energetically favorable configuration for the membrane-associated states of different FABPs. This type of calculations could provide a starting point for further computational or experimental analysis.Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plat

Characterization of the rat Na+/nucleoside cotransporter 2 and transport of nucleoside-derived drugs using electrophysiological methods.

The Na(+)-dependent nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2) mediates active transport of purine nucleosides and uridine as well as therapeutic nucleoside analogs. We used the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique to investigate rat CNT2 (rCNT2) transport mechanism and study the interaction of nucleoside-derived drugs with the transporter expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The kinetic parameters for sodium, natural nucleosides, and nucleoside derivatives were obtained as a function of membrane potential. For natural substrates, apparent affinity (K(0.5)) was in the low micromolar range (12-34) and was voltage independent for hyperpolarizing membrane potentials, whereas maximal current (I(max)) was voltage dependent. Uridine and 2'-deoxyuridine analogs modified at the 5-position were substrates of rCNT2. Lack of the 2'-hydroxyl group decreased affinity but increased I(max). Increase in the size and decrease in the electronegativity of the residue at the 5-position affected the interaction with the transporter by decreasing both affinity and I(max). Fludarabine and formycin B were also transported with higher I(max) than uridine and moderate affinity (102 +/- 10 and 66 +/- 6 microM, respectively). Analysis of the pre-steady-state currents revealed a half-maximal activation voltage of about -39 mV and a valence of about -0.8. K(0.5) for Na(+) was 2.3 mM at -50 mV and decreased at hyperpolarizing membrane potentials. The Hill coefficient was 1 at all voltages. Direct measurements of radiolabeled nucleoside fluxes with the charge associated showed a ratio of two positive inward charges per nucleoside, suggesting a stoichiometry of two Na(+) per nucleoside. This discrepancy in the number of Na(+) molecules that bind rCNT2 may indicate a low degree of cooperativity between the Na(+) binding sites

Metagenome sequencing of the microbial community of a solar saltern crystallizer pond at cáhuil lagoon, chile.

Cáhuil Lagoon in central Chile harbors distinct microbial communities in various solar salterns that are arranged as interconnected ponds with increasing salt concentrations. Here, we report the metagenome of the 3.0- to 0.2-µm fraction of the microbial community present in a crystallizer pond with 34% salinity