Psychopathy to Altruism: Neurobiology of the Selfish–Selfless Spectrum

The age-old philosophical, biological, and social debate over the basic nature of humans as being “universally selfish” or “universally good” continues today highlighting sharply divergent views of natural social order. Here we analyze advances in biology, genetics and neuroscience increasing our understanding of the evolution, features and neurocircuitry of the human brain underlying behavior in the selfish–selfless spectrum. First, we examine evolutionary pressures for selection of altruistic traits in species with protracted periods of dependence on parents and communities for subsistence and acquisition of learned behaviors. Evidence supporting the concept that altruistic potential is a common feature in human populations is developed. To go into greater depth in assessing critical features of the social brain, the two extremes of selfish–selfless behavior, callous unemotional psychopaths and zealous altruists who take extreme measures to help others, are compared on behavioral traits, structural/functional neural features, and the relative contributions of genetic inheritance versus acquired cognitive learning to their mindsets. Evidence from population groups ranging from newborns, adopted children, incarcerated juveniles, twins and mindfulness meditators point to the important role of neuroplasticity and the dopaminergic reward systems in forming and reforming neural circuitry in response to personal experience and cultural influences in determining behavior in the selfish–selfless spectrum. The underlying neural circuitry differs between psychopaths and altruists with emotional processing being profoundly muted in psychopaths and significantly enhanced in altruists. But both groups are characterized by the reward system of the brain shaping behavior. Instead of rigid assignment of human nature as being “universally selfish” or “universally good,” both characterizations are partial truths based on the segments of the selfish–selfless spectrum being examined. In addition, individuals and populations can shift in the behavioral spectrum in response to cognitive therapy and social and cultural experience, and approaches such as mindfulness training for introspection and reward-activating compassion are entering the mainstream of clinical care for managing pain, depression, and stress

An explanation of yield differences in three potato cultivars

Under ideal growing conditions, yield is the product of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PARi) and its conversion efficiency to dry matter (radiation use efficiency, RUE). For potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) the ability of the leaf to convert the PARi into carbohydrates (source) and the storage capacity of the tubers (sink) affect the potential growth of individual tubers and therefore crop yield. This study describes these mechanisms for three commercial potato cultivars (Bondi, Fraser, and Russet Burbank) grown in non-limiting field conditions. At final harvest Bondi had the largest tuber yield and produced heavier but fewer tubers compared with Fraser and Russet Burbank. All crops had similar total accumulated radiation interception (Rcum), and yield differences were explained by the RUE which was highest for Bondi, lowest for Fraser, with Russet Burbank intermediate. Fraser had the lowest rate of canopy senescence, maintained the lowest specific leaf area (SLA) for most of the period of tuber bulking and maintained the highest dry matter (DM) allocated to leaves at the end of the tuber filling phase. Throughout the crop growing period Bondi had a larger tuber sink compared with Fraser and Russet Burbank. These results suggest that potato tuber production was limited by the “sink strength” and RUE in the lower yield varieties. The larger sink in Bondi, caused by shorter stolons, enabled higher rates of tuber filling which produced the largest tubers in the middle node positions and the highest average tuber weight per plant among these cultivars

Amidated Dopamine Neuron Stimulating Peptide Restoration of Mitochondrial Activity

The present invention relates to the use of novel proteins, referred to herein as amidated glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) peptides (or “Amidated Dopamine Neuron Stimulating peptides (ADNS peptides)”), for treating brain diseases and injuries that result in dopaminergic deficiencies and mitochodrial dysfunction, e.g., reduced complex I enzyme activity

Amidated Dopamine Neuron Stimulating Peptides for CNS Dopaminergic Upregulation

The present invention relates to novel proteins, referred to herein as amidated glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) peptides (or Amidated Dopamine Neuron Stimulating peptides (ADNS peptides) ), that are useful for treating brain diseases and injuries that result in dopaminergic deficiencies

Explosions, Abnormal Loads on Structures

In Kosovo as well as in many countries of the world have occurred explosions in objects, so this research have addressed the ways and possibilities of protecting the buildings by using their position as construction and design elements\u27 after you load resisted by explosions. This paper presents basic information on the approaches for the evaluation of the blast effects on the structures. Motivation for the present study is recent events happening in the World where more and more structures are being destroyed by unexpected explosions in the urban areas. Intension of this investigation is to present basic information on what will happen when an explosive device is detonated. Some of the methods to calculate blast loads are presented. At the end it is presented simple method of designing a reinforced concrete wall barrier subject to a blast load caused by vehicle bomb. Calculation has been carried based on the kinetic energy that is delivered on the surface of the wall and that energy dissipation by the wall to resist such impulse load

Viral load and antibody boosting following herpes zoster diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Acute varicella zoster virus (VZV) replication in shingles is accompanied by VZV antibody boosting. It is unclear whether persisting virus shedding affects antibody levels. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between VZV viral load and antibody titres in shingles patients during six months following diagnosis and assess whether VZV antibody titre could discriminate patients with recent shingles from healthy population controls. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study of 63 patients with active zoster. Blood samples were collected at baseline, one, three and six months to measure VZV DNA and IgG antibody titre. We compared VZV antibody titres of zoster patients and 441 controls. RESULTS: In acute zoster, viral load was highest at baseline and declined gradually over the following six months. Mean antibody titres rose fourfold, peaking at one month and remaining above baseline levels throughout the study. Antibody levels at one, three and six months after zoster were moderately correlated with baseline but not subsequent viral load. Regarding use of antibody titres to identify recent shingles, to achieve 80% sensitivity, specificity would be 23.4%, 67.7%, 64.8% and 52.6%, at baseline, visit 2, 3 and 4 respectively, whilst to achieve 80% specificity, sensitivity would be 28.3%, 66.1%, 52.6%, 38.6%, at baseline, visit 2, 3 and 4 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical VZV reactivation boosted VZV antibody levels and the level of boosting was dependent upon baseline viral replication. While antibody titres could discriminate patients with shingles 1-6 months earlier from blood donor controls, there was a large trade-off between sensitivity and specificity

Water and energy fluxes from a woodland savanna (cerrado) in southeast Brazil

Study region: The area of woodland savanna (cerrado) is located in southeast Brazil (21°36′ to 44′ S, 47°34′ to 41′ W). Study focus: The cerrado sensu-stricto savanna evapotranspiration was observed using the eddy-covariance method over three years. New hydrological insights for the region: The first year total rainfall (R = 1664 mm) was 11% above the long-term rainfall (1498 mm) and the total evapotranspiration (ET = 1242 mm) and water equivalent of available energy (Av = 1835 mm) were approximately 4% and 2% greater, respectively, than in the second year when the rainfall total was 5% lower than the long-term average. In the third year despite the total rainfall (1259 mm) being 24% lower than the first year and 16% lower than the average, the totals of ET (1242 mm) and Av (1815 mm) were approximately the same. The small variation in the observed annual ET totals shows that in this cerrado vegetation the deep soil moisture content supports the ET in a dry year and the water available for recharging the soil profile and groundwater (∼R − ET) was dominated by the rainfall amount being significantly greater in the wet year (422 mm) than in the dry year (13 mm)